The Players’ Aid

Interview with Paolo Mori and Alessandro Zucchini Designers of Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars Ingenioso Hidalgo A new company on the scene recently is Ingenioso Hidalgo which was created by Paolo Mori. Yes, that Paolo Mori who has designed such interesting little wargames as Blitzkrieg! World War II in 20 Mi…

Our interview with Paolo Mori and Alessandro Zucchini designers of Battlefields of the Napoleonic Wars Ingenioso Hidalgo. theplayersaid.com/2026/03/03/i...

Wargame Watch – What’s New & Upcoming – March 2026 I am very tired of the cold and dreary days of winter. I want it to be warm soon but we are realistically a few months away from consistently nice weather. But, this month, even though the weather …

The March edition of Wargame Watch sponsored by Bellica Third Generation is up and contains games from great publishers including Compass Games, Multi-Man Publishing, GMT Games, PHALANX, Neva Game Press, Fellowship of Simulations and many more! theplayersaid.com/2026/03/02/w...

I’m a bit behind but these games from GMT Games showed up on Saturday afternoon. Infernal Machine, Purgatorio and Mr. President Update Kit.

Unboxing Video: New Cold War: 1989-2019 from VUCA Simulations New Cold War: 1989-2019 is a Card-Driven Game based in the most important geopolitical events from 1989 to 2019. Players lead one of the four great powers (Russia, China, US, EU) in their fight for…

Our unboxing video for New Cold War: 1989-2019 from @vucasimulations.bsky.social theplayersaid.com/2026/03/01/u...

We just had the best February in our 10-year life as The Players’ Aid! The blog had 68,354 views, 37,735 visitors, 158 likes and 40 comments. Thanks to all who stopped by to read our stuff and for your undying support!

Also played the newest release from Bellica Third Generation called An Impossible War and it was very good. Thanks to Francisco and his wife Reyes from cooling down from Chicago to play.

Got the opportunity to play Castelnuovo 1539 from DracoIdeas this morning with the designer Francisco Ronco. What a fantastic, interactive and fun experience this was. Francisco’s Spanish defender the city and caused significant losses to my Ottomans.

Unboxing Video: Time of Wars: Eastern Europe 1590-1660 from Strategamata Time of Wars: Eastern Europe 1590-1660 is a card-driven multiplayer game in which players assume the roles of rulers of five superpowers in Eastern Europe – the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth…

Our unboxing video for Time of Wars: Eastern Europe 1590-1660 from Strategamata. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/28/u...

We broke out The Republic’s Struggle from NAC Wargames. It’s Twilight Struggle Spanish Civil War edition. Beautiful game!

La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim – Action Point 3 La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim is a 1-2 player slightly abstracted strategic level look at World War I. The game allows the players to relive the First World War at a strate…

In a continuing series covering the strategic level WWI game La Der des Ders - The War to End War from Hexasim, in Action Point 3 we cover the Event Cards and how they inject the historical narrative into the gameplay. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/26/l...

January 2026 Monthly Debrief Video – The Lord of the Rings The January 2026 Monthly Debrief Video, which is the 1st episode in Season 6 of this series, saw us discussing the games of The Lord of Rings. We both love the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lo…

The January 2026 Monthly Debrief Video sponsored by Noble Knight Games is up and sees us discussing The games of The Lord of the Rings. Wargames. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/25/j...

This arrived today. Battle of the Bismarck Sea from War Diary Publications, which is a solitaire wargame that uses individual ships and flights/squadrons of aircraft with the mission of intercepting the Japanese effort to reinforce its ground forces on the island of New Guinea.

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #67: Frederick Douglas from Votes for Women from Fort Circle Games With this new My Favorite Wargame Cards Series, I hope to take a look at a specific card from the various wargames that I have played and share how it is used in the game. I am not a strategist and…

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #67: Frederick Douglas from Votes for Women from @fortcircle.bsky.social theplayersaid.com/2026/02/24/m...

Interview with Russell Brown Designer of Checkpoint Charlie from GMT Games I love a different style and focus of wargame. A game that takes a look at an important but somewhat obscure or rarely addressed topic such as espionage or intelligence. And this past month, GMT Ga…

Our interview with Russell Brown designer of Checkpoint Charlie from @gmtgames.bsky.social theplayersaid.com/2026/02/23/i...

Just pre-ordered this beauty! Trying Men’s Souls from Against the Odds Magazine. AmRev gaming goodness!

These both arrived this week! The Lions of El Alamein from VentoNuovo Games and Operation Overlord from VUCA Simulations.

Back to some solid hex and counter wargaming with BCS Inflection Point from Multi-Man Publishing. Good old fashioned East Front head banging. Just love this system!

La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim – Action Point 2 La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim is a 1-2 player slightly abstracted strategic level look at World War I. The game allows the players to relive the First World War at a strate…

In a continuing series covering the strategic level WWI game La Der des Ders - The War to End War from Hexasim, in Action Point 2 we cover the Technology Phase and the Technology Tree and Technological Improvement Boards. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/20/l...

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #66: Harwood’s Intuition from The Hunt from Salt & Pepper Games With this My Favorite Wargame Cards Series, I hope to take a look at a specific card from the various wargames that I have played and share how it is used in the game. I am not a strategist and fra…

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #66: Harwood’s Intuition from The Hunt from Salt & Pepper Games. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/19/m...

Yes but this is an early release review copy.

Interview with Martin Melbardis Designer of Fliegerkorps Print and Play from Solo Wargame Currently on Kickstarter Martin Melbardis began his design career with Campaign: Fall Blau from Catastrophe Games. This was a very interesting little dice chucking solitaire game on Operation Barbarossa during WW…

Our interview with Martin Melbardis designer of Fliegerkorps Print and Play from Solo Wargame currently on Kickstarter. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/16/i...

Brave Leonidas and his 300 Spartans supported by other Greeks hold at the Hot Gates for 3 full days earning a Heroic Victory with their lives allowing all of Greece to mobilize and counter the Persian incursion! Thermopylae: Last Stand Print and Play from Solo Wargame.

A bit of Valentine’s evening solitaire gaming with Thermopylae: Last Stand from Solo Wargame. This one’s gonna be tough!

Unboxing Video: Tattered Flags No. 1: Into the Whirlpool from Blue Panther Tattered Flags: Into The Whirlpool is a hybrid historical miniatures/board game design that simulates tactical American Civil War combat in a playable format. The game depicts in detail the series …

Our unboxing video for Tattered Flags No. 1: Into the Whirlpool from Blue Panther. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/14/u...

These arrived this week! World Order from Hegemonic Project Games and An Impossible War: The First Carlist War in the North 1831-1834 from Bellica 3G. Both are gorgeous productions. Playing An Impossible War later this month with Francisco Ronco.

La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim – Action Point 1 La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim is a 1-2 player slightly abstracted strategic level look at World War I. The game allows the players to relive the First World War at a strat…

In a new series covering the strategic level WWI game La Der des Ders - The War to End War from Hexasim, in Action Point 1 we take a look at the Game Board discussing the Collapse Track, Trade Tracks, Russian Revolution Track and more. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/12/l...

Grant’s Most Anticipated Wargames of 2026! Anticipation! Something that we feel for things that we are interested in, whether it be family trips, sporting events, time off, holidays or hobbies. Anticipation keeps our minds focused on someth…

Grant’s Most Anticipated Wargames of 2026! With games from publishers like @gmtgames.bsky.social Compass Games @soundofdrumsgames.bsky.social + more. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/11/g...

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #65: Georgi Zhukov from Churchill: Big 3 Struggle for Peace from GMT Games With this My Favorite Wargame Cards Series, I hope to take a look at a specific card from the various wargames that I have played and share how it is used in the game. I am not a strategist and fra…

My Favorite Wargame Cards – A Look at Individual Cards from My Favorite Games – Card #65: Georgi Zhukov from Churchill: Big 3 Struggle for Peace from @gmtgames.bsky.social theplayersaid.com/2026/02/10/m...

Interview with Arnauld Della Siega Designer of La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim Hexasim has really been stepping up their game recently with some great looking wargames. Late last year, they announced their newest game called La Der des Ders – The War to End War, which fo…

Our interview with Arnauld Della Siega Designer of La Der des Ders – The War to End War from Hexasim. theplayersaid.com/2026/02/09/i...

Unboxing Video: In the Shadows: Resistance in France, 1943-1944 from GMT Games In the Shadows: Resistance in France, 1943-1944 from GMT Games is a 2-player card-driven game about the desperate struggle of the French Resistance against the occupying Nazi and collaborating Fren…

Our unboxing video for In the Shadows: Resistance in France, 1943-1944 from @gmtgames.bsky.social theplayersaid.com/2026/02/07/u...