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Spotlight Articles

Outstanding articles that are not necessarily linked to one particular game, but may have broad appeal to gamers.

Part 2. The History of The Avalon Hill Game Company 1964-1970

Spotlight Article Graphic

Legendary Tactics YouTube Channel continues to chronicle the history of Avalon Hill. In Part 2, he looks at the early years of the company, and the growing pains that came along with it.

Poster: Robert Holifield
Post Date: 5/4/2024


Part 1. The Origins of The Avalon Hill Game Company 1952-1963

Spotlight Article Graphic

The Avalon Hill Game Company is 72 years old this year and time to chronicle the history of Avalon Hill. In Part 1, Origins, we will look at the story of not only the establishment of a game company, but an industry and a hobby. Thanks to Legendary Tactics YouTube Channel for this great series.

Poster: Robert Holifield
Post Date: 4/18/2024


Tributes pour in after death of award-winning veteran wargame designer Dean Essig

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Mike Didymus-True, in BoardGameWire, brings us the sad news of the passing of designer Dean Essig.

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 4/1/2024


Alumwell Wargame Show 2024

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"...I actually enjoyed this show more than any other that I have been to in the past couple of years." Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, regales us with sights and surprises from this show, along with some great pictures! And check out the source of an insight that led Norm to conclude "It made me realise that considering these things went into the air in their thousands, the financial investment in longbow archers must have been huge."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 3/22/2024


More Spotlight articles...


Gaming Conventions

Gaming Conventions

Another new feature for Grognard.com, the Gaming Convention calendar will make it a snap to keep up with all the latest gaming conventions in your area. But we need your gaming convention information, so please contribute.



Grognard News

Grognard Challenge - Expanded Room for Comments! (6/25/2023)

The Comments entry area has been resized to 512 characters.

Grognard Opponents Wanted (9/14/2022)

New Opponents Wanted function. You can now set your ad expiration date, up to one year. Requires site registration.

Gaming Conventions

New Gaming Conventions calendar. You can see all upcoming gaming conventions worldwide.

If you are sponsoring a board gaming convention of some type, or know of one that is not listed on Grognard.com, then please contact us and let us know!

Gaming Clubs/Organziations

New Gaming Clubs/Organizations listing. You can search for existing gaming clubs worldwide.

If you belong to a gaming club, or know of one, please drop us a line and let us know so we can get it listed on Grognard.com!

New Search Features

Now you can search for specific games (or games by publisher) using the new Game Search feature, located at the top right corner of the this page. In addition you can now harness the power of Google to search the entire Grognard.com site for any specific information you'd like. Just enter a search word or phrase into the Google box labeled "Search All of Grognard.com" and click magnifying glass button. Search features will continue to be improved and enhanced going forward so check back often to see the latest stuff.

Grognard Originals

In addition to our links to great content all around the internet, expect to see more Grognard.com "originals" in the future.

Fast, simple, not expensive, little errata, but only reasonably fun. (War game Review)

In his review on BoardGameGeek, Brendan Whyte first turns a critical eye towards the components and rules and lists their shortcomings. Game play fares better: “…the game is fast and quite fun”. Whyte then goes into comprehensive details covering game mechanics and spares no criticism for the game opponent (AI). His discussion concerning solitaire board games vs solitaire computer games is very interesting.

PE TANG 1900 Q&A with Marco Campari

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

PE TANG 1900 Strategy Tips

This is the strategy I developed after playing Pe Tang 1900 from Lumaca Games.

PE TANG 1900 Optional Line of Sight Table

Here is an optional table to make it a little more difficult to eliminate the Boxer artillery.

More Grognard Originals...


Grognard Challenge

Latest Challenge

Have a look at the graphics for the latest Challenge and see past solutions and contest winners.

Recommended (archives)

Wargaming - General Info

Board Wargames

Miniatures Wargames

Computer Wargames

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Board Games

Internet Based/PBEM Games

Individual Wargamer Blogs

Wargaming Magazines

Asst Software/Player Aides

In Memoriam

Grognards Lost

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A B C D E F G H I
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S T U V W X Y Z '-9

Game: The Dark Sands: War in North Africa, 1940-42



(t10084)
 
 




Publisher: GMT Games
Game Type: Board
Designer(s): Ted Raicer
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Description:


The Dark Sands takes the game system from Ted S. Raicer’s sold-out and critically acclaimed The Dark Valley: The East Front Campaign to the legendary battles of North Africa in WWII. From the most successful British armored operation of the war, Operation Compass, to the climactic battle two years later at El Alamein, The Dark Sands breaks new ground in portraying the campaigns of the British 8th Army and Rommel’s Afrika Korps.


Articles


Article ID
Pub Date
Article Description
10
Date: 3/24/2021
Poster: Doug Holt
My First Real Campaign: The Dark Sands (Part 3 and Final Thoughts)

"The allies are in a bit of a 'Hail Mary' situation with the Axis hoping to delay any western advance....". Phil Kuchinsky, in the Retro Conflict blog, concludes his replay of GMT Games' The Dark Sands, covering World War II's North Africa campaign. Phil admits being a bit of a North Africa addict, and thinks he may have found his best game on the topic: "…this game is just so good, and I still have the historic scenarios to check out."
9
Date: 1/27/2021
Poster: Doug Holt
My First Real Campaign: The Dark Sands (Part 2)

"Some good rolls resulted in a mini-breakout from Tobruk that threatens to put a large part of the Axis out of supply...". Phil Kuchinsky, in the Retro Conflict blog, continues his replay of GMT Games' The Dark Sands, covering World War II's North Africa campaign. Phil gets ready for things to "… get pretty dire for Rommel…", and then the game demonstrates how it can duplicate the North African whipsaw: "…here’s what happened to completely turn the tide of this game."
8
Date: 12/6/2020
Poster: Harvey M.
My First Real Campaign: The Dark Sands (Part 1)

"I feel like a lot of North Africa games use some variation of the phrase sweeping maneuvers in their description, but this was the first time I’ve ever really “felt” that momentum in a game. It is so hard to guard anything in the desert when your opponent can literally just go around you!", states Retro Conflict's review and replay of The Dark Sands, game covering the North African campaign in World War II and published by GMT Games. I particularly like his use of the segments "What Happened" each turn followed by "What I Learned" as it provides a wonderful perspective for analysis of the game..
7
Date: 1/13/2020
Poster: Harvey M.
Video Review: The Dark Sands: War in North Africa, 1940-42 from GMT Games

The Dark Sands: War in North Africa from GMT Games gets a nice video review by the Player's Aid.
6
Date: 3/16/2019
Poster: Mark D.
The Dark Sands - A BoardTactical Review

Concise, but informative review of GMT's "The Dark Sands", written for the BoardTactical web site.
5
Date: 2/1/2019
Poster: Doug Holt
The Dark Sands: AAR of Designer Solo Campaign Game (Part 5) – Final

"These are 'known unknowns' and if the answers turn out wrong, the long-term prospects for the Axis are bleak." Designer Ted Raicer concludes an action packed replay of his GMT Games' The Dark Sands. Check out how it ends when "Rommel being Rommel, gambles…"
4
Date: 1/11/2019
Poster: Doug Holt
The Dark Sands: AAR of Designer Solo Campaign Game (Part 4)

"Rommel has the bit between his teeth now…". Designer Ted Raicer has a fourth after action report on the campaign game with his GMT Games' The Dark Sands. The action is ramping up, and "Rommel now attacks the outer Tobruk defenses and luck is with the Afrika Korps as both forts fall."
11
Date: 1/7/2019
Poster: Pat L.
The Dark Sands: AAR of Designer Solo Campaign Game (Part 3)

"Tanks being shipped to Rommel are sunk by planes from Malta…". Designer Ted Raicer has a third after action report on the campaign game with his GMT Games' The Dark Sands.
3
Date: 12/29/2018
Poster: Mark D.
Unboxing of The Dark Sands

Unboxing video - produced by Moe's Game Table.
2
Date: 12/7/2018
Poster: Doug Holt
The Dark Sands: AAR of Designer Solo Campaign Game (Part 2)

"This is a dangerously thin British line…". Designer Ted Raicer has a second after action report on the campaign game with his GMT Games' The Dark Sands. The Germans are in the game now, and Ted is keeping things in character: "Though low on gas and ammo, Rommel advances…"
1
Date: 11/30/2018
Poster: Doug Holt
The Dark Sands: AAR of Designer Solo Campaign Game

"O’Connor is worried the Italians will slip away again without a fight...". Designer Ted Raicer offers a first after action report segment on a campaign game with his GMT Games' The Dark Sands, a World War II North Africa simulation. Do the tables turn, when "Orders from Rome are to counterattack immediately…"?