# Yo, old geeks! What SPI games did you play? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 10, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518 "2005-08-10T22:14:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/1 "2005-08-10T22:14:38Z")
Now that we in the the older geek crowd have finished reminiscing about [Original Dungeons & Dragons](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=329000&highlight=dungeons), how about SPI games? How many of you used to subscribe to Strategy & Tactics? Which were your faves? Me, my favourite was **World War II** - grand strategic scale. I also played **Sniper** a lot - pretty much the opposite end of the scale to WWII, focusing on individual tactics in real-time simulation. Enjoyed **WWI** as well. Had **Russian Civil War** but couldn’t find people interested in playing it. **Oil War** sucked, of couse. And I enjoyed **Napolean at Waterloo** , but it wasn’t very accurate, since Houguemont always fell in the first round. **Panzergruppe Guderian** was a lot of fun. **Sixth Fleet** was interesting, since it reversed the usual pattern: attack, then move. And of course, a great non-SPI game - **Kingmaker** by Avalon Hill. So, what SPI games did you have? p.s. - to help the young’uns understand this thread: a long time ago, children, computers were only found in universities and industries. They took up whole rooms! If you wanted to play a simulation game in your own house, you had to move the little paper counters around on a paper map, and roll dice, and stuff like that. Now, run along to your fancy digital thingamjigs and let the old folks talk, okay? ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/2 "2005-08-10T23:52:43Z")
“SPI”? (Yet I’m probably an Old Geek…) ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/3 "2005-08-11T01:59:30Z")
SPI= Simulations Publications Inc. I was a lifetime subscriber to Strategy & Tactics after I bought my subscription with “CA” somewhere around issue 40. I even bought the original S&Ts at auction, back when it was a newsletter, before it turned into a full-fledged magazine with “Crete” long about issue 18. I even still have a reproduction of Dunnigan’s first game, done when he was a student at Columbia(?), called “Up Against the Wall M_ **F** _.” SPI distributed free copies at one of the Origin conventions. My favorite weird game was the one that replayed the assassination plot against Hitler, where you moved counters representing all the Nazi officers around a map of Berlin. I wish I still had some of those games. Have you seen was War in the Pacific goes for on ebay? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/4 "2005-08-11T02:03:10Z")
Counting the ones I got in _S&T_ and _Ares_, an incomplete list: **War of the Ring Oil War Starforce: Alpha Centauri Arnhem Bundeswher Conquistador Dixie The Plot to Assassinate Hitler American Revolution Berlin '85 Demons The Creature That Ate Sheboygan Punic Wars Albion: Land of Faerie The Stainless Steel Rat Paratroop** ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/5 "2005-08-11T02:10:00Z")
I had dozens of SPI games (admittedly many of them were from my S&T subscription). _World War III_ was my first SPI game if I recall correctly. _Invasion: America_, the _Modern Battles_ series, _Sniper!_, and _StarForce: Alpha Centauri_ were a few favorites. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/6 "2005-08-11T02:25:41Z")
Too many to count. I have a soft spot for their monster games : _Wacht am Rhein, Terrible Swift Sword, War in the East, War in Europe, etc._ (I still have my games). I wish I could find someone to play _To the Green Fields Beyond_ (battle of Cambrai, 1917) with. What I like the most about them is that, if the rules don’t make senses, you can tinker with them so that they can reflect the historical situation better. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/7 "2005-08-11T02:29:37Z")
> [@Dr. Rieux](#): > > Counting the ones I got in _S&T_ and _Ares_, an incomplete list: > > **Oil War > Bundeswher > Conquistador > Dixie > The Plot to Assassinate Hitler > Berlin '85 > Punic Wars > Paratroop** I had almost all of those, plus WWI and WWII (both oversimplified, but fun) and a bunch of classics, like the Year of the Rat and the American Civil War. In the D&D thread I also mentioned Divine Right, which was a lot of fun. [hijack]Dixie always bugged me, and not just because it was so lame. In one of the scenarios, the Confederacy was going to war with the People’s Rupublic of America. The implication that the northern states are quasi-pinko was insulting. Also who was the most prominent Southern politician in 1934? Was Roosevelt really more of a commie than Huey Long?[/hijack] I thought they could have made a much better game out of THe Punic Wars if they had loosened the historical fidelity and opened the map to the entire Mediterranean. More of a multiplayer, Diplomacy-type game. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/8 "2005-08-11T04:58:18Z")
**Little Nemo** , how did \* Invasion: America\* play? I was intrigued by the adverts, but couldn’t scrape together the money for it at the time. **Conquistador**! can’t imagine how I forgot to mention that one. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/9 "2005-08-11T05:04:58Z")
> [@Northern Piper](#): > > **Little Nemo** , how did \* Invasion: America\* play? I was intrigued by the adverts, but couldn’t scrape together the money for it at the time. I have it also (and its companion _Objective : Moscow_. For me it had the feel of a monster quadrigame (but it could be played with several players instead of the usual two). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/10 "2005-08-11T05:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Little Nemo, how did Invasion: America play? I was intrigued by the adverts, but couldn’t scrape together the money for it at the time. It was a simple game - very much a standard SPI game; attack, defense, and movement factors, standard turn sequences, zones of control, lines of supply, terrain modifiers for defense and movement, etc. Its main difference was its large size - when it came out it was physically one of SPI’s biggest games, although later “monster games” would overwhelm it. I also had a copy of _SS Amerika_ which was later developed by some former SPI staff. Basically the same idea except it was the Axis invading instead of the Red Menace. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/11 "2005-08-11T07:37:08Z")
I had an old one called StarGate, found it [here.](http://members.iinet.net.au/~avalon1/SPICapsule/SPICapsule.htm) It was a fun mini-game. I played Avalon Hill games like Battle of the Bulge; in college I got extra credit in my Political Science class by playing out WWIII using Yaquinto’s game [Ultimatum.](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/3677) ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/12 "2005-08-11T16:18:05Z")
I used to have a button around somewhere that said “SPI Died for Our Sins”. The first person I saw wearing one was Steve Jackson. I still have a stack of SPI games somewhere but haven’t played any of them in well over a decade. I know I’ll leave some off, but my collection includes: Battlefleet Mars Freedom in the Galaxy Invasion: America Objective: Moscow Outreach Star Force: Alpha Centauri Star Soldier Swords and Sorcery War in the Ice The War of the Ring and, of course The Creature That Ate Sheboygan Plus who knows how many _Ares_ games. I never had an S&T subscription Of course, this doesn’t include the games I have from Avalon Hill, Battleline, Chaosium, GDW, Metagaming, Victory Games or Yaquinto Yeah, I was a geek. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/13 "2005-08-11T16:25:41Z")
The OP mentioned Avalon Hill. My favorite was “Squad Leader”. Still have it somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/14 "2005-08-11T16:46:50Z")
_Firefight_ was the highest statement of the art. It worked as a game and it worked as a simulation. I am convinced I joined the Army because of SPI. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/15 "2005-08-11T18:30:40Z")
Wow, lots of memories getting stirred up here: “Ok. My fortified mountain engineer division attacks across a river hex into light woods against your supplied mechanized infantry division with support indirect artillery battalion. I have support tactical modifiers coming from my fighter-bomber unit, plus supply interdiction on the railway line into the hex. With the winter defense penalty for your mechanized, and blocked zone of control for the adjacent retreat path, plus fire suppression, this comes to…_looks at combat card_…7:2 odds…_rolls die_…a five…_looks at table_…‘NE’, no effect. Damn. Next hex, my corps of artillery supported light cavalry attacks…” Avalon Hill faves: John Carter, Warlord of Mars Dune Kingmaker Air Assault on Crete Tobruk Air Force Squad Leader GDW games: Europa series (Narvik, Fire in the East, Battle of Britain, etc) And more S&T magazine than you can shake a ziplock baggy full of counters at. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/16 "2005-08-11T20:10:09Z")
**Middle Earth** was great, the package including **War of the Ring** along with **Gondor** and **Sauron**. But my favorite was **Raid** , which involved small combat units. I even went so far as to map out the neighborhood I grew up in on a sheet of hex paper and used the pieces and rules to simulate defending it against the Russkies. This was a couple years before the movie **Red Dawn** ripped off my idea. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/17 "2005-08-11T20:53:16Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > _Firefight_ was the highest statement of the art. It worked as a game and it worked as a simulation. I am convinced I joined the Army because of SPI. In that case their goal was reached. That game was designed as a teaching tool for the US Army 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/18 "2005-08-11T21:14:04Z")
Avalon Hill’s **Panzerblitz** and **Panzerleader** were two favorites, I love small unit tactical wargames. Also remember Steve Jackson’s **Car Wars**. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/19 "2005-08-11T21:35:29Z")
Anyone know a good source of hex-map type computer games? ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518/20 "2005-08-11T22:33:52Z")
oo oo! Just remembered: _The Fall of Rome_ A solitaire in which the player tries to prevent the dissolution of the Empire. The barbarians, meanwhile, keep popping up and crashing the Pax Romana. Hours of fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yo-old-geeks-what-spi-games-did-you-play/316518.md?page=2)