Origins Game Fair 2026

Armchair Dragoons is hosting the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, June 17th-21st.

Poster: Pat L.
Post Date: 6/2/2026

The Partizan May 2026 Wargame Show.

"As soon as you enter this space, the senses are assaulted (in a good way), for a hobbyist to be immersed in their hobby environment is just a thing of joy and long may these calendar highlights continue, we must never take them for granted." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, lets us join him for this premier show, with lots of great photos!

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/1/2026

My Top New Solitaire Wargames: what have I played in last year?

"...all of them share one thing in common: they delivered great solo experiences." Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, has a look at 10 solitaire titles that he highly recommends. See which one he refers to as having "...probably the best small units combat simulation ever created, with a fantastic planning phase and a system that unfolds completely differently each time."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 5/18/2026

Rolling Back the Years

"It has really surprised me when looking at these games as a group, just how important the gaming legacy of the 70’s remains today." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, takes a look at games that have loomed large for him over the years, and why that was so. Among these gems, see which one was "...the only game that I can claim caused me to stay up until 4 AM to complete... and then off to work just a few hours later..."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 5/1/2026

Playing an AI game (Napoleonic)

"Now before we start, I shall say that I had my doubts - so let’s see how it holds up!" Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, tries out an AI generated Napoleonic scenario. See what transpires during the play through, allowing Norm to conclude "I enjoyed this enough to run it again with another set of rules, perhaps a set a bit more geared towards the low unit count."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 4/24/2026

Command Is the Management of Attention

"For the player, this level of control feels natural. But for historical commanders it would have seemed miraculous." Jerry Hall with Brian Train, in Armchair Dragoons, discuss one of the great challenges of wargame design. "In the end, the art of command may rest on a deceptively simple skill: Knowing where to look — because that is where command itself will have effect."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 4/22/2026

My top 3 Wargames… with Pacific!

Want to play a "...war where logistics, range of aircraft, and oil supply were often more important than the number of divisions on the map."? Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, offers a list of his favorite Pacific war titles. See which game he considers "...one of the most rewarding wargaming experiences on the market."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 4/20/2026

Strategy and After Action Report

Using the Beginner's Scenario, Pat La Pella demonstrates most of the features within John Tiller's Squad Battles Series of war games. Can the Japanese break through?

Malaya (v2.5) War Game Review

Pat La Pella reviews this post-card sized game and its computer editions. Can the UK Commonwealth prevent the Japanese from occupying Singapore in 1941?

Malaya Player Aid (pdf)

Pat La Pella created this player aid to clarify special movement rules for the Japanese player for Amphibious Movement and Reinforcement beach landing hexes. Computer versions of the game show eligible hexes automatically when the Japanese player selects a unit for movement.

PE TANG 1900 Q&A with Marco Campari

Some Q & A between myself and Marco Campari, designer of Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.