Hello There!

Purple Haze funded, Race to Moscow released, Freedom! poised to be re-released and much more – there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to PHALANX’s games. I only wish it could come at a better time, a time not marred by war, with a global pandemic vanquished once and for all. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we’re living in right now, and the best we can offer is a way to forget – for an hour or two, perhaps more – about the present, or to do just the opposite, understand the present through the lens of history, the way some of the best works of culture are capable of doing.

This newsletter will focus primarily on the news, one or two of which you’ll probably find quite surprising (but hopefully very welcome), I’ll also mention some of our upcoming plans concerning the UK gaming conventions we’re going to visit. The newsletter will also feature a detailed section about Coalitions Late Pledge so that you can get a clearer picture of what it offers. And, as always, you’ll see some new videos, an updated Status of Our Games, and a link to our new quiz.

Your newsletter host,
Srdjan

Europe Divided’s profits donated to humanitarian aid

Nineteen days ago Russia invaded Ukraine and what was once an unimaginable and seemingly impossible thing – a new large-scale European war – suddenly became a grim reality. Europe Divided, our board game about the Russo-European struggle for the future of the Old Continent suddenly stopped being just a game.

Thus, we have decided that all the profit we generate from sales of the remaining copies of Europe Divided will be donated to Polish Humanitarian Action (pol. Polska Akcja Humanitarna, PAH) to provide direct aid (such as food and medical supplies) to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

U-BOOT: The Board Game returns to Kickstarter in April!

The award-winning, real-time, app-driven tabletop game of WW2 submarine warfare for 1-4 players will return with a new printing! It won’t be a simple reprint, though, but a special Kickstarter campaign. It will begin early in April and feature U-BOOT: The Board Game as we know and love, and a few other things. What exactly? Stay tuned to our social media accounts and you’ll be the first to know!

In U-BOOT: The Board Game 1 to 4 players assume the roles of Captain, First Officer, Navigator, and Chief Engineer on board a VIIC U-boat. The game uses a companion app, allowing for an unprecedented level of realism, as well as a challenging enemy A.I. that will push your skills to the limit. The action unfolds both on the strategic and the tactical scale, always demanding teamwork, efficient crew management, and quick situation assessment.

You can already follow the project so you don’t miss the launch of the campaign!

Purple Haze funded!

And not just simply funded: over the course of 21 days, 2 686 backers raised €201 051 or 574.43% of the initial pledge level! Those are impressive numbers, and we’re proud and at the same time humbled by your support of this unique game and the exciting expansions that go with it.

Thank you! For those of you who’ve missed the Gamefound campaign, don’t worry. The Backerkit Late Pledge will soon be opened and you’ll be able to preorder the core game and its expansions there.

1941: Race of Moscow available in Europe

The game – a follow-up to the award-winning 1944: Race to the Rhine – has been delivered to Kickstarter backers and now it’s available in European stores in three language versions: English, German and French.

In Race to Moscow, you assume the role of a chief of staff of one of the three massive German Army Groups during Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union. Your job is to keep the logistics chain working, advance your armies eastwards, and enable them to reach their destination before your opponents’ armies do the same.

Historically, the five-month Operation Barbarossa failed to achieve its goals – will the same thing happen in Race to Moscow? Play the game (if not live, then via Tabletopia) and find out!

Freedom! gets a reprint in English, Greek and Polish

Freedom’s journey with the Make Games Happen program is officially over – thanks to you, the game’s second printing has been funded in three languages: English, Greek, and Polish!

This award-winning game depicting the Third Siege of Messolonghi, one of the defining moments in the history of the Greek War of Independence, is still available for preorder for a discounted price of 60 euros.

The second printing of Freedom! is essentially the same as the first one, however, it does address some presentational issues related to iconography and components size.

Avoid Iron, Blood, Snow & Mud’s price increase and preorder it now

While Race to Moscow is a game about the first few months of the Eastern Front, Iron, Blood, Snow & Mud covers the first four years of that World War II theater of operations – and from a purely confrontational, player vs. player perspective.

You can preorder that quick and thrilling 60-minute wargame for just 15 euros, but only until April 5. You’ll still be able to preorder the game after April 5 but not at the current, discounted price.

Iron, Blood, Snow & Mud is a simple game, all about moving and using a set of basic units – infantry, tanks, aircraft, and warships – to support each other, battle over, and ultimately take control of key cities and industrial centers of the Soviet Union. And all that while trying to overcome the limitations of changing seasons and critically overexposed supply lines.

PHALANX coming to PunchedCON and UKGE

With most of the COVID-19 harshest restrictions lifted, we hope to be more active at international conventions this year. I’ve mentioned going to PunchedCON (13-15 May) in last month’s newsletter (though I erroneously wrote “March” instead of “May,” sorry!), but we’re also set on attending UK Games Expo (3-5 June), the largest board games convention in the UK.

We’ll be showcasing and demoing a few of our games during these events, including 1941: Race to Moscow, Successors, and the latest prototype of Bretwalda (our as of yet unannounced area control game set in the 8th century Britain). If you’re interested in playing any of these games, that’s where you’ll be able to test them live. See you there!

A look at Coalitions Late Pledge

Simple yet elegant rules, no downtime, lots of player interactions, and back-stabbing diplomacy – that’s what Coalitions is about! However, Coalitions isn’t just one game: it’s three standalone games, each offering a different and extremely fulfilling experience. So if you missed the Kickstarter campaign last year, you can still get into Coalitions thanks to our Late Pledge.

Navigating the Late Pledge page may be a bit overwhelming, and not all the relevant information is available at first glance. This is why I’ve decided to walk you through everything Late Pledge has to offer in as clear a way as possible. Here we go:

Coalitions (the core game)

A game for 1-6 players where each controls a major European power in the age of French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars and conducts diplomatic and military actions on a double-sided board. Asymmetrical factions, each with a unique general, and several historical scenarios (such as specific Wars of the Coalition or the French invasion of Russia) guarantee high replayability.

Note: the image below includes the Deluxe Miniature Set which replaces the standard meeples.

Ancien Régime (major expansion to the core game)

It comes with a new distinct game board, a 7th playable nation (Spain), and plunges you into the fires of War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years’ War, two massive conflicts that preceded the French Revolution and the arrival of Napoleon. Ancien Régime requires the core game but adds its own flair and mechanisms to the system.

Raison d’Etat (standalone game)

A game for 1-7 players that offers as much – if not more! – as Napoleonic Coalitions, and even more playable powers, including Poland and Sweden. Thanks to its double-sided board, it covers numerous different conflicts from the 17th and early 18th century. There are dedicated scenarios for the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), the Polish-Swedish Wars (1600-1629, 1655-1661), the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), and the Great Northern War (1700-1721).

Realpolitik (standalone game)

A game for 1-4 players set in an era defined by the Austro-Prussian (1866) and Franco-Prussian (1871) wars that completed the Unification of Germany under Otto von Bismarck’s leadership. It differs from other games in the Coalitions system by offering a fully competitive two-player mode, and it modifies movement rules by adding a vital element of late 19th-century warfare: railroads and trains.

Three different games (and one expansion) in the same system, three different experiences, all highly replayable thanks to multiple factions and scenarios. That, of course, doesn’t end the list of elements offered by the Late Pledge – there are also add-ons!

Deluxe Miniature Set. A set of 27 high-quality 28 mm miniatures depicting the most important or famous generals and leaders of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. This set replaces the meeples used in Coalitions core game, greatly enhancing the visual side of the game.

Fortresses Expansion Miniature Set. A set of six high-quality miniatures for all three games that replaces standard fortresses tokens.

Soldiers of Fortune. A set of six meeples (for all games) and six miniatures (for the core game only), and rules introducing a concept of generals and leaders of minor European countries who can be defeated and who can then join your faction.

Levée en masse Expansion. An alternate solo mode for Coalitions core game allowing you to play as Napoleon Bonaparte against various Coalition powers. It contains a set of cards and new solo rules. If you’re a solitaire gamer, this will make the core game twice as replayable.

Double-sided Giant Playing Mat for the core game, cardholders, and metal coins. Three add-ons designed to add even more visual flair (or aid in playing) to your Coalitions game nights.

Late Pledge is a great chance to get Coalitions not just earlier and cheaper than in retail, but in a language chosen by you (English, French, German, or Polish), and with exactly the expansions and add-ons you want to buy. You won’t have to wait for the retail version, and you won’t have to worry about the availability of various expansions and add-ons once the game hits the shelves.

1941: Race to Moscow is readily available in Europe, so it’s fitting this video section should focus on that game – specifically, what’s inside the box. Here’s an unboxing video by Bart Brunscheen (Bonding With Board Games). Enjoy!

 

The infographic below represents the current and projected status of our games as of March 2022.

It shows the overall production and development status of our officially announced in-house projects. White and black dots are explained in the image, and empty spaces indicate that a game hasn’t reached or it’s not expected to reach the status described in the column this month. Also, some projects are strictly Kickstarter-backed, and others are a part of the Make Games Happen program; these two can never be in the same column.

You can click on the image to enlarge it.