December 2021 Monthly Update From GMT Games

It’s month three of doing of doing what the fabulous wargaming blog, The Players’ Aid, have habitually been doing for a long while now: an analysis of the monthly update from GMT Games!

Me doing these was endorsed on Twitter by Grant, so maybe I will keep it up even after they start doing them again.

Apparently the November one went over really well, though I learned that I suck at predicting upcoming games.

This month will probably be even worse.

December’s email came in last week but with the holidays and all, I wasn’t able to get to it until this week.

I know, I know. I have to do better!

The first thing I wanted to mention is that it’s pretty cool that GMT is now doing swag! Unfortunately I don’t really do that kind of stuff (from anybody), but if you’re into it, they got it!

The hats and posters look pretty cool. Check them out in the update (which you should definitely click on anyway because there’s no way I can cover it all here).

They did mention that a couple of months ago, but I just now realized I should probably mention it.

Sorry about that.

Anyway, let’s get this party started!

First, a personal update.

My P500 copies of Red Flag Over Paris and Command & Colors: Ancients have arrived!

Sadly, at our US mailbox and due to the recent COVID surge with Omicron, authorities are now demanding negative COVID tests for even quick jaunts over the border.

We managed to get all of our stuff (including my orphaned games from September 2020) before all that happened, though. Just in time!

But those two games will have to wait for me again.

This is getting irritating!

Once again there were two new P500 additions and two P500 reprints added to the list.

Also once again, one of my predictions from last month was way off.

I mean, it couldn’t have been more off if it had suggested that the sky was made out of blue cotton candy.

There was a hint of a new P500 game that is “A new solitaire co-design involving Jerry White” and I guessed some kind of tactical air game.

Nope!

This does sound like a really cool design, though the subject matter doesn’t appeal to me that much.

But it’s a submarine game, so maybe?

This is a game where you literally do what the banner says: design, build, and crew a submarine during the American Civil War.

That’s a first for me. I’m familiar with the crewing of submarines (heck, I have enjoyed The Hunted). But this would be the first solo game I’m familiar with where you’re also designing and building the thing.

There’s a neat little video explaining how the game works and what you will be doing that makes the game sound really intriguing.

The second new game is something that sounds cool but as somebody who doesn’t get the chance to play long and pure wargames, it’s something that I would never get to the table.

Fans of Simonitch’s designs, though, should be gobbling up this game like crazy.

It’s an operational-level World War II game by one of the masters of the genre.

It’s also a new version of Simonitch’s The Legend Begins.

It’s all very tempting, but we’ll see if I ever find a wargaming buddy before I invest in games like this.

However, I’m excited for the fans! This looks like another good one.

The two reprints are Space Empires: Replicators and Space Empires: Close Encounters. Both of these are expansions for a game I’ve never played or seen, but who can go wrong with a huge sprawling 4X space game about empires?

As usual, Gene teases some upcoming P500 games in the newsletter.

Last month, I was 0 for 5 (so I guess the Combat Commander surprise is not a new Battle Pack!).

Here are this month’s clues and my (way, way off I’m sure) predictions.

“A Prequel to one of our Top 15 best-selling games“

I notice that the newsletter only shows their Top 14 selling games.

Hmmmmm…interesting.

Looking at the 14 games, there’s really nothing there that obviously calls out for a prequel. A couple of exceptions there, but either the game itself just came out in the last couple of years (Imperial Struggle) or there’s something already in the pipeline that’s already in the series or at least related to it (Twilight Struggle).

Hell, I don’t know. I’ll say a prequel to Here I Stand, though I have no idea what that could encompass.

That’s why I’m not a designer!

“An expansion for one of our Commands & Colors series games“

Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles just came out relatively recently, but it’s also the only Commands & Colors game that doesn’t have at least one expansion.

I’ll go ahead and say that one, given the fact that the base game of Commands & Colors: Medieval is currently on P500 reprint and doesn’t have that many orders yet. I’m not sure a new expansion would come out for it at this point, though who am I to say?

“A new game from Ralph Shelton“

I sadly have no idea. All three games that BGG shows him as designer for are vastly different and he’s developed a bunch of other GMT Games. They do all take place in Medieval times, though (at least the one’s he’s listed as designer for)

I will guess a tactical game taking place in medieval Russia. (You always miss the shots you don’t take!)

“A new bot package for one of our COIN games“

I don’t know the COIN games well enough to know which ones already have a bot! Other than Fire in the Lake, of course, but that bot just came out recently.

How about one for Pendragon?

I can see it now. A GMT tweet in response to this that says “sorry, you’re 0 for 5 again!”

Charges:

As mentioned last month, I’m going to give P500 updates for games I’ve ordered and that have changed their status.

Also, as mentioned above, two of the games that were currently charged for have arrived! Sort of, at least for me.

The next charge will be on January 6 and thankfully (that’s my wallet talking, not me!) doesn’t include anything I’ve ordered.

How are the rest of my orders going?

The CDG Solo System is currently at the printer but with no shipping date yet. The system will (at least at this time) give us the ability to play six games solo that didn’t already have a solo capability.

And two of them are games I own! Which is why I bought this.

The games include:

Caesar: Rome vs Gaul (I own)
Commands & Colors: Ancients (I own)
For the People
Illusions of Glory
Paths of Glory
Washington’s War

Nice to see that one step closer to being in my hands.

Flashpoint: South China Sea is also moving one step closer! It’s now going to the printer in January.

This is another “lunchtime game,” a reasonably quick 2-player game about the tensions in the China Sea between the United States and the Chinese. It’s a card-driven game (like Fort Sumter).

Both sides are trying to gain the support of countries in the region. China is trying to lay territorial claims as well as increase its world standing. The United States is trying to keep its influence with allied countries and keep China in check while maintaining free navigation of the seas.

I’ve loved the sound of it for a long time and can’t wait to have it in my hands.

Nothing else has moved, but things are starting to look promising!

You should definitely check out the rest of Gene’s update (linked again so you don’t have to go to the top of this page to find it) for stuff that I didn’t cover. There are a lot of things going on.

I’m anxiously awaiting an announcement (though it could be months, I know) of the next GMT app game coming from Playdek.

I also again appreciate being included in the newsletter for my After Action Reports that I’ve been doing. My latest Combat Commander ladder AAR is linked!

So anything intriguing for you in this update? Something that you’re chomping at the bit to see?

Let me know in the comments.

Maybe one day there will be news of a Leaping Lemmings expansion.

One can hope!