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Spotlight Articles

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

Epic Revolution (AWI)

Spotlight Article Graphic

"Another instalment in Warlord Games’ Epic series has just been released..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, checks out the latest figures/ruleset package in this series. "... a lot of work has gone into this rule set to make it AWI specific - well done that team."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/30/2025


War reaches northern Italy, 215 BC

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"Hannibal has come over the Alps..."! Prufrock and his friend Ian P bring us an intense Punic War clash that doesn't look too promising for the Romans, when they "...win the first move and mostly freeze."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/26/2025


Interview with Robert Phaneuf Designer of Secession 1861: The American Civil War and The Armada from Fortress Games Currently on Kickstarter

Spotlight Article Graphic

"...there are few more fertile areas for educational, simulation-ai gaming." Grant Kleinhenz, in The Players' Aid, interviews designer Bob Phaneuf about his two upcoming games. See why he thinks that "...Secession 1861 will mature as a classic solitaire nail-biter."

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/18/2025


Battles of Heraclea Lyncestis, 219 BC and Emporiae, 218 BC (Med Campaign 9)

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"Reports are in of a battle in northern Macedon between the invading Illyrians and a force scrambled together to meet them...". Prufrock continues with two more nicely photographed AARs in the ongoing Med Campaign! "...in Nearer Spain, Proconsul Aaronius Dubius Scipio Calvus, having landed a force near Emporiae, was engaged by an alliance of indomitable Iberian tribes...".

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/9/2025


My pre-orders analysis – what is new and coming!

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Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, covers his current game preorders, and why he is anxiously awaiting them. See which game has him commenting that "...we are getting so many new elements – from graphical representation, to add-ons and optional rules – that this it will be a great, refreshing comeback to fantastic classic!"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/6/2025


My Top Solitaire Wargames: New Designs and All-Time Classics

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Michal, in The Boardgames Chronicle, reveals his favorite recent and all time solitaire classics. Check out the game he describes as "...probably the best small units combat simulation ever created, which has fantastic planning phase and unfolds completely differently each time.", and the one that challenges you to "...harness a brilliant mind, titanic energies, and a sometimes terrifying charisma to leave your mark on history?"

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 6/4/2025


Soviet 12mm WWII Pocket Army

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"My second WWII Pocket Army is now complete..."! Norm Smith, in Battlefields & Warriors, brings us a Pocket Army update pictorial.

Poster: Doug Holt
Post Date: 5/26/2025


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 Originals

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

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.

PE TANG 1900 Strategy Tips

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

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

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Miniatures Wargames

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Academic Gaming

Board Games

Internet Based/PBEM Games

Individual Wargamer Blogs

Wargaming Magazines

Asst Software/Player Aides

In Memoriam

Grognards Lost


A B C D E F G H I
J K L M N O P Q R
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
Search for this and related games with Noble Knight


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
Source
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."
Web Link
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."
Web Link
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..
Web Link
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.
Web Link
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.
Web Link
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…"
Web Link
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."
Web Link
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.
Web Link
3
Date: 12/29/2018
Poster: Mark D.
Unboxing of The Dark Sands

Unboxing video - produced by Moe's Game Table.
Web Link
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…"
Web Link
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…"?
Web Link