Commands & Colors - Ancients: Samurai Battles
Samurai Battles, from the game company Zvezda, premiered almost seven years ago. And although the game achieved some popularity for the most part the game flew under the radar of... (read more)
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Noble Knight GamesReviews
positive, 83% of all reviews are favorable
Playtime
60 minutes
Published
2021
Age
10+
Publisher
GMT Games
Players
2 players
Designer
Richard Borg
Playstyle
Involved
Game's Categories
Dice Rolling, War Game, Medieval, Hexagon Grid, Simulation, Two-player Game, and Solo / Solitaire Game
Description
Samurai Battles, from the game company Zvezda, premiered almost seven years ago. And although the game achieved some popularity for the most part the game flew under the radar of most gamers. Perhaps the blame was with the time required to assemble the 100 plus plastic Samurai figures before one could even play the game. And once assembled these plastic models, although truly fine figures, were very fragile, almost too fragile for game pieces. Finally when it was time to pack up after a game, it was extremely difficult to store them away safely.
Yet, the Samurai Battles game still gained a small following of very loyal fans. I tend to believe, many fans who were already familiar with one or more of other games that use the Commands & Colors system; Battle Cry, Memoir ’44, Commands & Colors Ancients, or Commands & Colors Napoleonics, actually brought them to the game. But after a couple of years of dwindling sales and the untimely death of Zvezda CEO Konstantin Krivenko, who was very supportive of the project, the game was phased out.
Which brings all of us, you, me and the fine folks at GMT, who also believe in Samurai Battles, to this P500 write-up for the new, improved and more robust version of Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles. Before getting into details why GMT’s Samurai Battles game is Great, first the standard overview text.
The Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles game rules allow players to portray important engagements of Japanese history. The battles, included in the scenario booklet, focus on the historical deployment of forces and important terrain features in scale with the game system. The scale of the game is flexible and varies from battle to battle. For some scenarios, an infantry unit may represent an entire clan of soldiers, while in other scenarios a unit may represent just a few brave warriors.
The Command cards drive movement and creates a “fog of war” and presents players with many interesting challenges and opportunities, while the battle dice resolve combat quickly and efficiently. The Honor & Fortune game mechanic will task players to maintain a balance between these two important game elements. The Dragon Cards add an element of suspense and surprise that can bend the rules and instantly change the course of a battle. The battlefield tactics you will need to execute to gain victory, however, conform remarkably well to the strengths and limitations of the various Japanese unit types, their weapons, battle terrain, and written history.
Battles Included in Commands and Colors: Samurai Battles:
Yet, the Samurai Battles game still gained a small following of very loyal fans. I tend to believe, many fans who were already familiar with one or more of other games that use the Commands & Colors system; Battle Cry, Memoir ’44, Commands & Colors Ancients, or Commands & Colors Napoleonics, actually brought them to the game. But after a couple of years of dwindling sales and the untimely death of Zvezda CEO Konstantin Krivenko, who was very supportive of the project, the game was phased out.
Which brings all of us, you, me and the fine folks at GMT, who also believe in Samurai Battles, to this P500 write-up for the new, improved and more robust version of Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles. Before getting into details why GMT’s Samurai Battles game is Great, first the standard overview text.
The Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles game rules allow players to portray important engagements of Japanese history. The battles, included in the scenario booklet, focus on the historical deployment of forces and important terrain features in scale with the game system. The scale of the game is flexible and varies from battle to battle. For some scenarios, an infantry unit may represent an entire clan of soldiers, while in other scenarios a unit may represent just a few brave warriors.
The Command cards drive movement and creates a “fog of war” and presents players with many interesting challenges and opportunities, while the battle dice resolve combat quickly and efficiently. The Honor & Fortune game mechanic will task players to maintain a balance between these two important game elements. The Dragon Cards add an element of suspense and surprise that can bend the rules and instantly change the course of a battle. The battlefield tactics you will need to execute to gain victory, however, conform remarkably well to the strengths and limitations of the various Japanese unit types, their weapons, battle terrain, and written history.
Battles Included in Commands and Colors: Samurai Battles:
- First Samurai Skirmish
- Fourth Kawanakajima 1561 (5 Scenarios)
- Domyoji 1615 (2 Scenarios)
- First Battle of Azukizaka 1542
- Second Battle of Azukizaka 1548
- Battle of Okehazama 1560 (2 Scenarios)
- Arita Castle 1517 (2 Scenarios)
- Koriyama Castle 1540-1541 (4 Scenarios)
- Mikata-Go-Hara 1572
- The Ravine Near Saigadake 1572
- Okehazama 1560 (2 Scenarios)
- Anegawa 1570 (2 Scenarios)
- Kizahikara 1572
- Nagashino 1572 (3 Scenarios)
- Mimigawa 1578
- Okitanawate 1584
- Hitadori 1585
- Suriagehara 1589
- Shiroishi 1600
- Sekigahara 1600 (3 Scenarios)
- Imafuku 1614
- Shigino 1614
- Tennoji 1615 (2 Scenarios)
- 1 C&C Samurai Rulebook
- 1 Samurai Scenario Booklet (around 40 battle scenarios)
- 1 Battlefield Game Board
- 60 Terrain Tiles double-sided
- 30 Honor & Fortune Tokens double-sided
- 18 Victory Banner Counters double-sided
- 12 Clan Markers double-sided
- 60 Command Cards
- 40 Dragon Cards
- 12 Battle Dice
- 2 Unit Summary Sheets
- 2 Terrain Summary Sheets
- 254 Small Infantry Blocks
- 72 Medium Cavalry Blocks
- 14 Rectangular Leader Blocks
- Block and Dice Label Sheets
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