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SPI's Fulda Gap.. any good?
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ROGER
Jul 17, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/17/95
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I just bought Fulda Gap at a thrift store for 15 cents. Just wondering if it's
worth the time to try to read and understand the rules. Any feedback?
Thanks,
Roger
sl...@cc.usu.edu
worth the time to try to read and understand the rules. Any feedback?
Thanks,
Roger
sl...@cc.usu.edu
Roger Christie
Jul 20, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/20/95
to
sl...@cc.usu.edu (ROGER) writes:
I recall this game pretty fondly from my youth. Aas I rmember it, it
had dirt simple mechanics, and was just plain fun.
It shouldn't take much effort to pick up the rules. Wasn't this
part of a quadragame they put out?
Jerald R. F. Tracy
Jul 21, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/21/95
to
Fulda Gap is a clean game of moderate complexity of a hypothetical Soviet
thrust through the Fifth Corps area in central Germany, along the
'inter-German' border. It is brigade level, and uses an untried-unit
system - when a unit enters combat for the first time, a strength chit is
drawn based on the quality of the unit. This adds a little fog of war to
combat and is the heart of much of the game's flavor. The air system is
fairly robust as well. Finally there is are rules for 'weapons of mass
destruction', including chemical warfare (initiated by the Warsaw Pact) and
tac nukes, initially used by NATO. The latter is more sophisticated than
simply setting the map on fire. Gameplay is generally the U.S. tripwire
units furiously backpedaling until the Reforger reinforcements arrive along
with the French; NATO airpower does what it can while the Sovs make the
most of the gradually diminishing effects of surprise and chemical warfare.
Looking at it now, it is almost like visiting an alternative universe - it
takes a moment to realize how much such a conflict dominated our thoughts
for decades.
There are a slew of WWIII games available, from the seventies and eighties.
Someone thought this was part of an SPI Quad - the game he is thinking of
is probably Wurzburg, from the first Modern Battles Quad. That system is
simple and plays very quickly. The Fifth Corps system, initiated with the
game of the same name in S&T, is of greater complexity than Fulda Gap;
games in this series are Fifth Corps, Hof Gap, and BAOR, plus one other
(North German Plain, perhaps?) All but the last are available for under
$15 if you look hard. Next War is a monster game on the subject also
available via auction or the used game folks, in the $40-$60 range. This
is pretty big but not hopelessly complex, with a detailed if idiosyncratic
air system. GDW came out with a WWIII series of games, ranging from
Persian Gulf with a heavy political content, through Southern Front, Third
World War: Battle for Germany, and Arctic Front. The whole mess can be
linked into one monster. The level of complexity is about on a par with
Fulda Gap, and these can be played quickly with a good sturm and drang
feel. I've never tried linking it all up, though. Each of the games in
the series can be had for under $20, and you might even find some of them
lurking on store shelves to this day. These are the games I can think of
off the top of my head that are worth looking for; there are other good
games on the topic that I've simply forgotten, and some that I haven't
forgotten that simply aren't worth mentioning 8^).
I'd be interested in hearing what others think of the above, and what there
own faves on the topic might be. Take care,
JR
thrust through the Fifth Corps area in central Germany, along the
'inter-German' border. It is brigade level, and uses an untried-unit
system - when a unit enters combat for the first time, a strength chit is
drawn based on the quality of the unit. This adds a little fog of war to
combat and is the heart of much of the game's flavor. The air system is
fairly robust as well. Finally there is are rules for 'weapons of mass
destruction', including chemical warfare (initiated by the Warsaw Pact) and
tac nukes, initially used by NATO. The latter is more sophisticated than
simply setting the map on fire. Gameplay is generally the U.S. tripwire
units furiously backpedaling until the Reforger reinforcements arrive along
with the French; NATO airpower does what it can while the Sovs make the
most of the gradually diminishing effects of surprise and chemical warfare.
Looking at it now, it is almost like visiting an alternative universe - it
takes a moment to realize how much such a conflict dominated our thoughts
for decades.
There are a slew of WWIII games available, from the seventies and eighties.
Someone thought this was part of an SPI Quad - the game he is thinking of
is probably Wurzburg, from the first Modern Battles Quad. That system is
simple and plays very quickly. The Fifth Corps system, initiated with the
game of the same name in S&T, is of greater complexity than Fulda Gap;
games in this series are Fifth Corps, Hof Gap, and BAOR, plus one other
(North German Plain, perhaps?) All but the last are available for under
$15 if you look hard. Next War is a monster game on the subject also
available via auction or the used game folks, in the $40-$60 range. This
is pretty big but not hopelessly complex, with a detailed if idiosyncratic
air system. GDW came out with a WWIII series of games, ranging from
Persian Gulf with a heavy political content, through Southern Front, Third
World War: Battle for Germany, and Arctic Front. The whole mess can be
linked into one monster. The level of complexity is about on a par with
Fulda Gap, and these can be played quickly with a good sturm and drang
feel. I've never tried linking it all up, though. Each of the games in
the series can be had for under $20, and you might even find some of them
lurking on store shelves to this day. These are the games I can think of
off the top of my head that are worth looking for; there are other good
games on the topic that I've simply forgotten, and some that I haven't
forgotten that simply aren't worth mentioning 8^).
I'd be interested in hearing what others think of the above, and what there
own faves on the topic might be. Take care,
JR
Paul
Jul 23, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/23/95
to
sl...@cc.usu.edu (ROGER) wrote:
>I just bought Fulda Gap at a thrift store for 15 cents. Just wondering if it's
>worth the time to try to read and understand the rules. Any feedback?
>Thanks,
>Roger
>sl...@cc.usu.edu
It was one of my favorites.
It's only problem is its dated hardware: Alpha Jets, F-4s, etc.
A fun game to just sit down and play!
Paul
Jul 23, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/23/95
to
Heather Newell
Jul 24, 1995, 3:00:00 AM7/24/95
to news:3us4v6$426@nntp.interaccess.com
For 15 cents you got a bargain. This was one of the best games SPI put
out. It had several innovative ideas like covering forces, untried units
and chem warfare. Definitely worth the learning curve.
out. It had several innovative ideas like covering forces, untried units
and chem warfare. Definitely worth the learning curve.
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