Game Notes #6, Page 1

A REVIEW OF BATTLE CRY
by Larry Welborn

     The last year has been a great one for both Wargamers and Eurogamers as many memorable games have been released. One of the latest to come out is BATTLE CRY from Hasbro/Avalon Hill. Designed by Richard Borg, this low complexity game covers tactical battles of the American Civil War, or as it is more commonly known here in South Carolina, The War of Northern Aggression.
      The first thing you notice when you open the box is the excellent quality of the components. The board is thick and mounted and consists of a blank hexagonal grid, measuring 13 by 9 hexes. There are 46 double-sided terrain tiles, similar to the tiles found in SETTLERS OF CATAN. These are placed in different hexes on the board, depending on the scenario, creating a unique map. There are 10 different terrain types such as Woods, Buildings, Rivers, Hills, etc. The terrain tiles affect movement, combat, and line of sight. The game includes 116 playing pieces, consisting of Generals, Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery. The pieces are colored Blue & Gray, naturally, and include a fair amount of detail. BATTLE CRY also has a deck of 60 command cards. There are 15 separate scenarios included, each representing a different battle. Scenarios include First Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, Shiloh, etc.
     The game board is divided into three sections, the center and left and right flank. Each player gets from 3 to 6 cards, depending upon the scenario selected. Each turn you play one card and follow the directions on it. At the end of your turn you draw another card. Command cards determine which section or sections of the board can be activated, and how many units in each activated section can be given orders. Only activated units may move and/or attack. Examples are "Probe, Left", which allows you to activate 2 units located on your left flank and "Coordinated Attack", which allows you to activate one unit in each section. There are also special cards, which allow you to do things that are normally outside of the rules. An example is "Hit and Run", which allows a Cavalry unit to move, battle, then move again. The inability to move all your units, or possibly even the few that you want to move the most, adds tension and increases the decision-making process. You have to carefully plan your actions in advance and coordinate your moves based upon your cards. Attacks made in a haphazard fashion, without regard to your hand, will probably be unsuccessful.
      Combat is conducted with dice. The six-sided dice are not numbered, but rather have various pictures on them. Each die

has 2 infantry faces, and one face each of Calvary, Artillery, Cross-Sabers, and White Flag. White Flags cause the defending unit to retreat. Cross-Sabers score a hit against any defending unit. The remaining sides score hits only against the matching defending unit. The type of unit attacking, the range to the defending unit and any applicable terrain determines the number of dice used to attack. Artillery, Calvary, and Infantry have different movement and attack values depending on range and various modifiers. A General is unable to attack by himself but adds an additional die to the attack when attached to an Infantry or Calvary Unit. Units take damage in the form of "step-losses", a concept that is familiar to most wargamers. Infantry has 4 steps, Calvary 3, Artillery 2 and Generals only 1. Unit steps are displayed in an elegant and simple manner. Each unit starts with a number of pieces equal to the number of steps it has. As the unit suffers damage and is reduced, you simply remove the appropriate number of pieces from the unit. When the last step is removed, that unit is destroyed and is out of play. A scenario is won when a player destroys 6 opposing units.
The game has rules for line of sight, ranged fire, decreased effectiveness of attacks at longer range, and terrain effects. Some have criticized the game for not including many additional rules that are present in more complex wargames, such as facing, supply, or reduced combat effectiveness as the unit sustains casualties. But these rules are clearly outside the scope of BATTLE CRY. There are much better games available for the player interested in a highly complex game. If you purchase BATTLE CRY with the expectation that it will be a detailed simulation, you will be sorely disappointed.
BATTLE CRY is a great "beer and pretzels" game and I highly recommend it. Mr. Borg has succeeded in making the game easy to learn, fast playing, and fun. Most scenarios can be completed in 30-60 minutes. Grognards and Eurogamers alike will enjoy it. It is also an excellent game to introduce novices and younger players to wargaming. The rules are simple and can be learned in 10 minutes. But don’t let the simplicity of the rules fool you. There are a lot of decisions to be made in this game and the better player will generally win out. With the number of scenarios available and the ability to design additional scenarios, BATTLE CRY has a high replay value and can be enjoyed for years to come.

Larry Welborn has been an avid gamer for nearly 30 years and a playtester for over 15. He enjoys both wargames and eurogames. He is currently playing PATHS OF GLORY, BATTLE CRY, DRIVE ON PARIS, MHING, LOST CITIES and TA YU. He lives in South Carolina with his wife, Melissa.

THE LAUGHING MONK
by K-ban

THE LAUGHING MONK ... THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD ... OR NOT!

     ESCHNAPUR (Schmidt Spiele) - Rheinhard Staupe's recent release, subtitled "the Secret of the Golden Temples", is a beautifully produced effort that includes a 3-inch high 3D figurine of a laughing monk. Players acquire, trade and spend movement tiles, symbol cards and number cards in their quest to discover treasure tokens. The treasure tokens bestow points both on the player making the discovery and on the player risking the highest number card (1-30). Lowest card risked earns the treasure tile, itself, which can earn end game bonuses or penalties. The victory points earned are indicated on the board's perimeter score-track.
      The Laughing Monk is awarded to the player currently in last place on the score-track. While possessing it, any points that the player scores are doubled. If that leapfrogs a player past a rival, then the Monk is forked over to the new trailer. This mechanism serves the obvious function of keeping what is essentially a family game close, with nearly everyone in contention. What gets overlooked is that it encourages a player to strategically hold down his victory points and then try to time key plays for that really big score. (or sometimes try to win a relatively small treasure only if it allows the player to remain in last place).
      ESCHNAPUR is one of those rare games that allows gamers an

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