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Eric Walters Male Chesterfield, VA United States: Share Tweet

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Cats and Wargames

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Marine Maneuver Warfare …

19 members

Next War Series (GMT Gam…

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The Thunderdome

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BROG World

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Eric Walters's Discussions

Games You Sold or Gave Away and Now Wish You Hadn't
7 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by Stephen G Jun 25, 2010.

Sages, Rages, and Flashes In the Pan
8 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by Eric Walters May 5, 2008.

The Dogs--Games You Hate (and Love to Hate)
41 Replies

Started this discussion. Last reply by Jim Werbaneth May 26, 2010.

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Eric Walters's Page

Latest Activity

Eric Walters left a comment for Lloyd Bonagura

"Welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website, Lloyd! Not a bad way to start wargaming--playing RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN. Got some terrific titles in your favorite game list. I never got to play GDW Eylau but wish I had!"

Monday

Eric Walters left a comment for Michael Resong

"Michael, welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website! Hope you find groups your are interested in joining/tracking--if not, feel free to create your own! Also play ASL but can only dream of doing a Pacific War campaign game!"

Sunday

Eric Walters left a comment for RAJ

"Welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website, RAJ! We're considering playing TIME OF CRISIS here and I've long been a fan of FIRE IN THE SKY and A VICTORY LOST! Hope you find groups here that you are interested in; if not, feel…"

Sep 10

Eric Walters left a comment for Tripp E Killin

"Tripp, welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website. You certainly play some great games! Hope you find the website useful and if you want to start your own virtual group, please have at it!"

Sep 3

Eric Walters left a comment for Dan Shaw

"Welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website, Dan, and I certainly hope you can find more groups/players in Colorado Springs. Perhaps you'll find a member on this site who is within easy driving distance. Oh you play some marvelous…"

Aug 31

Eric Walters commented on Nathan's blog post La Bataille de Mont Saint Jean [complete]

"Absolutely loved this video (although I had to digest it in segments). Made me want to take out this game and play it again, but with the Marie Louise rules as you did. Quite a triumph and I hope you can do the other games in this…"

Aug 31

Eric Walters commented on Ian Schofield's photo

Plevna Map

"Wow--I've not seen this one in a long while!"

Aug 30

Eric Walters left a comment for Jack Tremble

"Welcome to the CONSIMWORLD SOCIAL website, Jack! Hopefully, since you've been playing wargames more than most, you'll find some groups that you enjoy--and you'll form some of your own! Enjoy!"

Aug 30

Profile Information

Your introduction to consim gaming:: When I was 14 back in 1974 I saw the old Avalon Hill MIDWAY game in a hobby shop where I always bought plastic model ships that I liked to build. Got that game instead of a TAMIYA light Japanese aircraft carrier model kit and it's not been the same since. Joined the Strategic Games Club in high school and started playing DIPLOMACY, NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION, PANZER BLITZ, PANZER LEADER, RICHTHOFEN'S WAR, FRANCE 1940, MOSCOW CAMPAIGN, FAST CARRIERS, SNIPER!, WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN, and THIRD REICH fairly frequently.

Your favorite game(s):: ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER/ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER STARTER KIT systems (AH/MMP) -- been a quarter of a century and it's still so fresh. Love the historical modules, even if I can't play the full campaigns! Yes, I do play both and enjoy both--better at Starter Kit than the full game, though.
PANZER/MBT Series (the re-issued versions from GMT). Yes, these feels so 1970s/1980s era games, but I can get enough of them nevertheless! The GMT versions are just the way these game systems were meant to be!
PANZERGRENADIER Series. These games aren't for everyone, but I like the variety and historicity, particularly in the slow degradation of combat capability compared to other games. It's my favorite platoon-size WWII title!
EAST FRONT SERIES (GMT) -- Good balance between size and complexity. The first game in that series, TYPHOON, is my favorite, even though the rules have evolved a good bit since then. Well scratches my monster gaming itches.
CIVIL WAR BRIGADE SERIES (The Gamers/MMP) -- explains the crazy stuff that happened in Civil War battles more than any other sytem. Would love to see more battles covered--like Bentonville!
GRAND TACTICAL SERIES (MMP); Have played THE DEVIL'S CAULDRON and WHERE EAGLES DARE--one of my all time favorite systems and these two games are NOT to be missed! Am glad to see this system is being applied to D-Day and possibly Crete...need to play more NO QUESTION OF SURRENDER, though!
ROMMEL IN THE DESERT, NAPOLEON, EAST FRONT II (Columbia Games) -- these are some of the best in the block games.
KORSUN POCKET (PWG) -- my favorite monster game of all time. I pray for a re-release!
OPERATIONAL COMBAT SERIES (The Gamers/MMP) -- best system to model this level of war. I haven't played some of the newer titles but hope to some day.
TACTICAL COMBAT SERIES (The Gamers/MMP) -- best tactical system ever; I love how the OODA loop is modeled here.
CAMPAIGNS OF NAPOLEON SERIES--of various scales (Kevin Zucker/OSG) -- Another game system highlighting different command and control capabilities at the operational level
ASSAULT series (GDW) -- my favorite modern hypothetical tactical combat system and there's some really heavy competition. Still holds up well after nearly 30 years; just takes a long time to play. Best limited intelligence and command/control system for a modern tactical game.
AIRPOWER/FIGHTING WINGS series (Clash of Arms games) -- the ultimate tactical air boardgames. I still like the old GDW titles AIR STRIKE and AIR SUPERIORITY that got this started.
BIRDS OF PREY--admittedly this is the best of the jet air combat board games, at least for air combat maneuvering.
DOWNTOWN/ELUSIVE VICTORY series -- one of the few "grand tactical" air games and it feels just so "right" for the scale.
ADMIRALTY TRILOGY miniatures series -- best replication of tactical naval combat out there; I need to marry this to the Avalanche Press GWAS and SWWAS operational systems for the Russo-Japanese War, WWI and WWII eras.
BATTLES OF THE AGE OF REASON (Clash of Arms Games)--just seems to replicate so well the age of Frederick the Great battles.
LACE WARS (Red Sash Games)--the penultimate monster gaming experience to replicate wars of the 18th Century!
DIEN BIEN PHU: THE FINAL GAMBLE (Legion Games)--best game of this signature battle ever made. Period. Can't get enough of it!

What game(s) are you currently playing (solitaire, FTF, PBEM, etc.) or wish to play next?: I want to play nearly anything in the historical board game genre.

What game(s) have you played recently?: MBT (GMT), PANZER (GMT), ASLSK series, TURNING POINT: STALINGRAD (AH), Grant Tactical Series (GTS) games on Operatoin Market-Garden. There's so many more I need to play!

In general, how much time do you spend gaming?: I write about games about an hour a day (on BGG and elsewhere); I play maybe 8-16 hours a month!

How big is your game collection?: Over 2,000 games and game expansions, according to BGG. It counts scenario books as games/expansions, however. Sigh. Half of these are magazine games (XTR's COMMAND, SPI's STRATEGY AND TACTICS and WORLD AT WAR, 3W's WARGAMER, and the newer BATTLES and AGAINST THE ODDS magazines)

Your local game club(s) and/or where you reside (let's network!): Richmond Area Game Enthusiasts (RAGE) and Gerry Germond's Tuesday Night Regulars. There's far more gatherings/clubs here as well.

About Me: Married for the past 21 years to a lovely woman, Sue, who not only puts up with my weird hobbies, she actually supports me doing them! No children (we married relatively late in life). Love all sorts of historical periods and scales in my gaming, from ancients through contemporary hypothetical conflicts, even science fiction (and occasionally fantasy). Probably have wargaming ADD; I keep moving from game to game, system to system, and find enjoyment in most everything I play.

Personal Interests (favorite activities, movies, shows, books, music, etc.): Writing military history, reading military history, fine pure malt scotch, bourbon, and cigars, modern classical music as well as "shoegazing" stuff, fine arts, and far too many other interests because I'm a naturally curious guy.

Website:: http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/authors/eric-walters/

Eric Walters's Photos

Eric Walters's Videos

Hold it against me 266 Rein Marines Official Version

Added by Eric Walters
Merry Christmas From Afghanistan

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Sabaton - "Attero Dominatus"

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Eric Walters's Blog

Connections 2013: 22-25 July in Dayton Ohio

Connections 2013 will be held 22 through 25 July 2013 at the Tec^Edge, Dayton, Ohio – and virtually worldwide.

Connections is the only national conference dedicated specifically to wargaming. Since 1993 Connections has worked to advance and preserve the art, science and application of wargaming by bringing together all elements of the field (military, commercial and academic) so that practitioners can exchange information on achievements, best practices and needs.

On…

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Posted on June 26, 2013 at 7:24pm

PrezCon 2013--the 20th Annual Convention of the Winter Nationals

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so it's better to check out the full album here.…

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Posted on February 22, 2013 at 8:00pm

Initial Impressions of GMT's revisions of Jim Day's PANZER board wargame--plus expansions.

You can check out my review of the "Basic" PANZER game here.

Here are the reviews for…

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Posted on September 11, 2012 at 1:15pm — 2 Comments

WHERE EAGLES DARE at WINTER OFFENSIVE 2012

You can read my "First Impressions" multi-part review of the game at Board Game Geek here.…

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Posted on January 13, 2012 at 9:30am — 3 Comments

Confessions of an X-Box General

The Army's new PC-based computer game, URBANSIM, test driven by a journalist--posted on Foreign Policy Online:

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/28/Xbox_general?page=0,0

"Can a computer game teach the Army how to defeat the Taliban?" is the subtitle. What do YOU think?

Posted on September 29, 2011 at 5:55pm — 4 Comments

Comment Wall (103 comments)

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At 3:03pm on August 21, 2018, William George Sterner said…: The favorites are cause the hold the most memories when I started playing these back in the day. I like both Metz 1870 and Offensive a Outrance. The latter of course is a "monster" '; however, that period has always intrigued me. Metz has the chit pulling system which I think adds to the "fog of war" what if's. You wouldn't happen to know where I could acquire a copy (or at least pages 19-20) from GMT's Typhoon 1941 playbook. I got a copy (in the shrink wrap) on Ebay but those pages were missing. I contacted GMT direct but no joy there. Cheers!

At 5:32pm on July 18, 2018, Stephen Weiss said…: Thanks Eric! Yeah, can't wait for Stalingrad '42 and the next game in the Next War series....

At 1:04pm on May 28, 2018, David Lubin said…: Anytime you want to play any of them let me know!

At 7:12am on April 19, 2018, john pysz said…: well i have all the BERGS ,TSS GAMES along The Gamers, TCS,OCS.Don't play as much as i use to work.

At 8:37pm on April 2, 2018, Michael Borovsky said…: Thanks Eric,

I found Fall Blau a very interesting puzzle. If the Soviets stand they will die but must make the Germans pay for their gains. The Soviets must not be passive and can and should counter attack when they are given the opportunity. The Germans of course must be very aggressive and use Mobile Assaults early to open things up.

I am eagerly awaiting the Before and After Kharkov sequel.

Mike

At 3:07pm on February 22, 2018, Robert Juranek said…: Thanks Eric,

Gathering Storm rules have been problematic but I think after many reads there is a game present. Still not sure how to play best for transition into a World at War yet. I loved TI3 too but have not played TI4 but hear good things about it.

Bob

At 10:12am on February 5, 2018, Louis Robert Coatney said…: Thank you, Eric! :-) I do have over 30 still-so-far free print-and-play mil/nav history boardgames on www.CoatneyHistory.com and my half dozen earlier ones are on LCoat.tripod.com

I am hearing beautiful music. Is it here?

At 8:52pm on January 30, 2018, Ed Kowynia said…: Thanks for the welcome Eric. I appreciate it. Hope things are well with you. Yes I do quite a bit of my wargaming solo. Hoping to get a buddy that I game with to play some wargames soon. We will see. He is not much of a gamer, being new to gaming but we will see. Otherwise, I am thinking of reaching out to a few people. I think I can probably find someone close. Anyway. again, appreciate the welcome.

Ed

At 7:25pm on October 30, 2017, Steve Dworschak said…: Hi, Eric,

Thanks for the compliment on my games! Care to play anything via Vassal ? Steve Dworschak

At 8:01pm on July 12, 2017, John Sayen said…: Eric

Thanks for the welcome. Sorry I could not reply sooner but the fact the MCEN network blocks this site it turning into quite a problem. Regarding my previous life as a wargamer, I played most of the Avalon Hill games (Afrika Korps, D-Day, Stalingrad, Anzio, Wooden Ships & Iron Men, Squad Leader, Panzerblitz, Jutland & even Tactics II), many SPI games (such as War in the East, a really outstanding post-WWII fighter combat game that I can't remember the name of, PRESTAGS series etc.) and even LaQuinta Games, whose "Ironclad" game was outstanding. There was a Napoleonic game you could play on the floor using counters provided or miniatures. I frequently had to play solitaire because it was so hard to find opponents and even harder to leave games set up over any period of time. I never got into computer games, however. I still have a few SPI games that I have not played in a long and time and have not inventoried so I can't give you a list yet.

I am looking forward to being a part of this community.