Warlord Games is taking some of the key mechanics from its hit World War 2 wargame Bolt Action and implementing them in an original board game, Vanguard: Normandy. The game will first be available to crowdfunding backers in a Kickstarter campaign that launches on November 5.
Bolt Action is one of the best WW2 games out there, with an accessible rule set that has plenty of depth and captures the fog of war with an interesting unit activation system. While that’s earnt it a spot on our guide to the best miniature wargames, not everyone wants to build and paint an army of 28mm scale model soldiers. For those gamers, Vanguard: Normandy may be just the ticket.
As a little incentive for backing the Kickstarter, Warlord Games is offering a free dice tray if you join the mailing list for the campaign in advance.
The game “focuses on the struggle between the US and German armies as they battle for victory in Normandy during the summer of 1944”. While you won’t have to build and paint miniatures to play, the box “will have over 50 detailed gaming pieces to represent the different units that can be deployed in the game, each with their own specific rules and abilities”.
According to Warlord, key mechanics from Bolt Action have been adapted for Vanguard, which simulate the effects of morale and the fog of war. In Bolt Action, when a unit takes fire, even if it suffers no casualties it gains pinning markers, which reduce the likelihood it will be able to operate properly when you next give it an order. And you can never be sure when you’ll get to activate a unit: who gets to activate a unit next is randomly determined.
The game will have “historically inspired multiplayer campaign missions”, as well as “a full solo-play mode following the real battles of the US army”. And with a reconfigurable hex map made from fifteen double-sided tiles, and a system of Requisition points to deploy custom forces, you’ll be able to create other historic battles, or ahistoric competitive matches.
This feels like one to watch if you’re a big fan of WW2 board game Memoir ‘44. While the Bolt Action order system is more of a randomisation factor than the order cards in Memoir ‘44, they provide a similar fog of war effect. But unlike Memoir ‘44, we expect this to give a lot more detail to each unit’s individual abilities.
Want some board game recommendations? Wargamer’s guides to the best strategy board games and best board games full stop have plenty of titles you should check out!
Source: Wargamer
