8 Avalon Hill Board Games That Deserve New Life

[John Keefer]

8 Avalon Hill Board Games That Deserve New Life

Avalon Hill was an innovator in quality board games. In its heyday of the 1970s and early 1980s, I was playing at least one of these games every week.

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[deathmothon]

I would've played some of these games, but I came of age in the 90's. It was easier to get a good free PC game like Grigsby's War in the East or Steel Panthers: World at War. If I ever buy a house bigger than my needs, I will make a war room though.

 

[Chuck Tewksbury]

Great article. I still have Starship Troopers on my shelf and table. And of course ASL

 

[xitel]

No mention of Rail Baron? My family STILL plays the crap out of that game.

 

[Andrew_C]

I really enjoyed Squad Leader and ASL, although they got a bit unwieldy if you used all the rules. Haven't played them for years though.

 

[Albino Boo]

The one I would like to see come back is Dragon Pass. I remember playing in about 84 or 85 and not just enjoying the game but the whole back story. The game's universe became the start of the runequest rpg.

 

[schmulki]

Man, they loved their hexes, didn't they.

 

[Timf]

I would add Kingmaker (the great game of the War of the Roses.) And two I'm surprised the author didn't include in his list since he clearly gravitates to the WWII games
The first is Midway. One of the most interesting well crafted board games ever made. It did have one problem though and that was due to the air search mechanic the game was not playable solo. Something that went on a lot more in those days then most gamers old enough to remember it will admit. The other WWII AH game that I enjoyed was Luftwaffe. The most fun side to play was as the Germans. I had nightmares about trying ,under increasingly difficult circumstances, to prevent the allied air force from bombing Germany back in to the stone age.
For different reasons both games, Luftwaffe and Midway, were the kind where the tension would grow with each turn. While Kingmaker was one of those games where betrayal and backstabbing could win you the game, and lose you some friends.
Ahh the good old days.

 

[r_Chance]

Loved Panzerblitz and Panzerleader. Played them all, but D&D dominated our game time starting in mid 1974. We still bought games like ASL, but they didn't get the play time they would have...

 

[Absolutionis]

Squad Leader still lives on with "Advanced Squad Leader" which surprisingly has a strong following in my area. The game supplements get sporadic reprintings to the point that availability is difficult, though.

 

[JonB]

Squad Leader still lives on with "Advanced Squad Leader" which surprisingly has a strong following in my area. The game supplements get sporadic reprintings to the point that availability is difficult, though.

ASL's reprinting difficulties are actually why we were both really comfortable including original squad leader on the list.

 

[Nick Lerman]

Hail Grognards!

I miss those day-long games and stacks of chits with elite units hidden at the bottom.
I'd like to add B-17 and Speed Circuit to this growing list of old AH favorites.
I still have many of these in my attic gathering dust.
They should all be ported to apps so we can play them again with true double blinds and fog of war.

 

[Nick Lerman]

I almost forgot about Gunslinger.
A 3 minute western gunfight broken down into seconds and stretched over hours.
The game mechanics were a little different.
It was fun to reproduce the finale of a murderous card game.