About game:

In Fields of Fire 2 you take command of a rifle company in the 5th Marines, the most decorated regiment in the US Marine Corps. You will be tested in three campaigns spanning World War II, Korea and Vietnam. You will battle ashore in the blazing heat of Peleliu in September 1944 to discover that the Japanese have changed their strategy and you are forced to dig them out of the coral ridges. Flares will reveal waves of Chinese pouring over the rugged mountains of the Chosin Reservoir, Korea, in sub zero weather in November 1950. You will also fight house to house in Hue City, Vietnam in February 1968.


Fields of Fire is a great solitaire game system that gives players the challenge of commanding a rifle company – on a pretty detailed, low level. The game is different from many tactical games in that it is uses no dice and is card based. By card-based I mean there are two decks used to play. The Terrain Deck is based on a specific region and is used to build a map for the various missions your company must perform. The Action Deck serves many purposes in controlling combat, command and control, various activity attempts.

Would you stand-up to the task and manage to prevail against odds, leading your forces to the victory in the field?

Number of players:

This is one player and one player only solitaire game. In that area, it truly excels!

Playing time:

Once you are proficient with the rules – and even then, you will be reaching to them from time to time – your playing time for a mission should be about 2 hours. That does not count the preparation phase – at least 30-45 minutes, where you equip your company, designate starting points and weapons. All in all, devote evening to a particular scenario.

Complexity:

That is a tricky evaluation. The game itself is medium-heavy, and once you played couple of times the flow is pretty obvious. What makes this game less accessible than usually, is the way the rulebook is written. I am really glad that GMT One took up the challenge of re-writing the rules!

What I like:
  • Simulation factor – this is by all means one of the best simulations of the company-level tactical warfare. It accounts for all the aspects, with detailed planning, logistics, support, signaling being critical part of it.
  • Multiple campaigns – you can experience heat of Pacific War, cold of Korean Conflict or urban combat of Vietnam intervention. There is huge variety of scenarios and when you add to this uniqueness of each play (what terrain you approach, where and which enemy is hidden, etc.), the replayability factor is clearly visible.
  • Campaign approach and experience build-up – it might sound funny, but there is a small RPG element to the game – the missions within campaigns are linked, you gather experience but also suffer losses. You develop your units (skills), promote them (based on experience), sigh deeply when they die. Truly, you can get attached to your company! 
  • Game mechanics – I really appreciate that we do not have a dice here – the important “rolls” are made based on the modifier and more probably to succeed when well prepared. Also, some of the things happen automatically (like opening fire) and you need to intervene in order to take control of the situation!
What I do not like or would like to see in the game:
  • Rulebook, rulebook and once again – rulebook – I am used to heavy wargames with 60+ pages of rules. Here I was almost defeated, but fantastic videos (like the ones from Blue Tweezers) helped me to overcome the pretty high entry barrier to this game. But that point should be covered pretty soon, as with the newest installment in the series (The Bulge Campaign) we should get the new rules already!

  • Storage for all the counters, books and player-aids. I admit, for long time I was not able to close my box with the game once I unpunched to counters. Fortunately, in the end I found a solution which just does the job (look at the pictures section below)
For whom?

Definitely, this is not a wargame for everybody, especially for the new adepts of our hobby – that might be too daunting for them. Also, if you would like to be in the thick of the action immediately when starting the game, this is again not the best place to start. Here you need to plan and think through what and how you would like to attack, equip your units, position and only then you can start. At the same time, the game is so deep and so rewarding that every wargamer – sooner or later – should try it!  

More about the game:

And now let us have a look at the components – all pictures / videos taken during my plays:

Detailed example of play
Peleliu – Initial Landings – very bloody and unforgiving scenario.
Overview of the all game components – based on Peleliu Scenario 2 – Japanese Tanks Counter-Attack.
Close-up on fierce fight with well-entrenched enemies.
Company log with all the details of our units.
My storage solution based on great RailsOnBoards trays! Check it out: https://cube4me.com/product/fields-of-fire-2/!

VERDICT:

Subject to change with GMT One edited rulebook

I said it once but I will do it again – there are games which come and go without special fuss or controversy. And there are titles which you cannot be indifferent to. Fields of Fire definitely falls into that second category – some love it, some hate but you really cannot be lukewarm once you started to play it.

This is such a great simulation, which has fantastic planning phase and unfolds completely differently each time. On the other hand, it is also title plagued by one of the most complex, complicated and ambiguous rulebooks I ever read! That at least should be fixed soon, but be aware: the depth of the game, even with the new GMT One led edition of rules, will stay.

This is definitely game which I would suggest each wargamer to try – this will be a unique experience, which might have significant entry barrier but is such a rewarding journey once you start it! Strongly recommended!