With the vacation season just starting (at least here, in the Northern Hemisphere), I am presenting the newest edition of one of my flagship articles – namely, Top Travel-Friendly Wargames. We talk here about titles which you can easily take for your summer trips!

Now, what does it mean “easy to take on a trip”? We can look at this in two dimensions:

  • first and foremost, important factor: space needed to play the game – they cannot be too large nor take too much space to set-up; you anyhow are travelling so do not want to burden your luggage with too much additional stuff!
  • second key consideration is: time needed to play the game – in general, that would be fast to set-up and play titles which can be even played on a bike trip! You are having a vacation; you want to get your bellowed wargames with you but not necessarily spend whole time with them 🙂

Of course, sometimes you travel alone so solitaire positions of course will be presented here too. So, without further delay, let us jump to the selection!

Other articles in the series:

1. Battle Line by GMT Games

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A small card game created by the boardgames veteran Reiner Knizia many years ago still constitutes the usual part of my travel set. Two players face off across a ‘battle line’ and attempt to win the engagement by taking 5 of 9 flags or 3 adjacent flags. Simple, elegant and fast.

In 2017, we saw the re-implementation of the game. This new re-themed version of Battle Line is a two-player strategy card game centered around the theme of Medieval warfare. The re-themed version of Battle Line features 60 beautiful new cards by illustrator Roland MacDonald, as well as 10 full-color tactics “wildcards” that give players extra flexibility and choices, helping make each new battle wildly different from the last.

This is perfect travel wargame. It is very easy to pack, requires minimal space (leave the box behind, put cards in Ziplock or Cube4Me Card Tray) and takes no more than 30 minutes to play. Still, it provides very interesting game play, and you need to really plan well to win. As I love that title, I was not able to resist temptation and got both version – the Ancient one and the Medieval one. There are just minor differences between them, and I play those titles interchangeably.  

More about game:

2. Twilight Struggle: Red Sea by GMT Games

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa allows fellow players to continue the journey in the Twilight Struggle world. It is a stand-alone spinoff of its great predecessor. With a more limited scope and much shorter playtime, Twilight Struggle: Red Sea is the perfect way to introduce new players to the Twilight Struggle system, while maintaining all the tension, decision making, and theme of the original classic.

At the same time, it makes this game also perfect as a travel-friendly position! Remember, leave the box at home and use a zip-lock / Cube4Me set to minimize its footprint and you have a great game – taking up to 30 minutes to play – for your travels. It is also very solitaire friendly (bot) so you can spend quality time with it in the hotel during a Business Trip!

More about game:

3. SCOPE by Draco Ideas

SCOPE is in essence set of three card games, where each depicts different conflict:

  • In SCOPE Stalingrad two to four players take on the role of sniper teams on both sides. The objective of the game is to eliminate the enemy snipers or enemy troops for a total value of points depending on the scenario being played.
  • In SCOPE U-boot two players recreate the tension of the Battle of the Atlantic. The German player will try to sink the merchant ships crossing the sector while performing a deadly dance of stealth and death with the escorts trying to sink his subs.
  • In SCOPE Panzer one player leads a squad of American tanks, which faces a squad of German tanks commanded by the other player, in a battle of ambush tactics and close-range encounters.

All three games have small footprint (just the deck of cards and some counters), use minimal space and are quick to play – some smaller scenarios might be as short as 10 minutes. It makes them as perfect positions for Travel, while significant number of modes and scenarios gives pretty nice replayability!

More about game:

4. Tetrarchia by Draco Ideas / Nestorgames

Tetrarchy in action – barbarians attack Egypt!

A good, interesting and addictive game in a pencil-case? When I saw it first time (Nestorgames version) I could not believe it. But yes, it was possible and worked very well! That way I discovered first edition of Tetrarchia, great cooperative title form Nestorgames, re-published again by Draco Ideas.

This beautiful game by Miguel Marqués is a simplified story of the Roman fight for survival under emperor Diocletian. This is cooperative game, with four co-emperors working in conjunction on internal rebellions as well as external incursions. Secure 6 borders to win the game – which is not an easy thing, taking into account that you would also work on enemy armies converging on Rome and ever-present rebellions.

I used this small title very often on the bike trips with my fellow wargaming buddy Marcin; was great to play during the breaks and provided us with a lot of fun (and frustration when we were losing!) Important note: another title in the system should be published soon – Hispania!

More about game:

5. La Resistance by Flying Pig Games

Designed by Mark H. Walker, La Résistance is a simple, yet engaging, dice and card game set during the German occupation of France in World War II. During this time, brave French men and women fought against the Nazi conquerors, disrupting their communications, destroying supply warehouses, and ambushing German patrols. La Résistance gives players a chance to lead a band of resistance fighters, working to keep their men and women alive as they also strive to become the most famous resistance leader.

In my list this is special title as it allows for play of three to five people – and at the same time it is compact, quick and very engaging (yup, there is negative interaction!). Thus, it is great proposition for larger groups, travelling together! Highly recommended!

More about game:

6. Shores of Tripoli by Fort Circle

The Shores of Tripoli plays out exciting episode of Early American military history – the First Barbaric War – one I was oblivious to! As the United States, one player will pressure Tripolitania to allow the free movement of American merchant vessels – or face the consequences. As the leader of Tripoli, the other player will continue the lucrative piracy of the fearsome corsairs while countering the American threat on land and sea.

From the first time I heard about the game in 2019 I was intrigued by a completely new historical subject to me – I will be honest; I never knew that US was fighting in the Mediterranean to repeal the pirates and they were supported by Swedes – all this happening during the Napoleonic Wars! What draw me to the game was also the asymmetry plus great Card Driven Game concept where you – throughout the game – have access to all of the cards but it is question when and how to use them.

I can definitely recommend it as travel-friendly wargame, as it is compact, allows for two-player and solo mode, can be easily finished in less than hour – plus is so much replayable!

More about game:

7. Table Battles by Hollandspiele

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I appreciate games from the smaller publishers and Hollandspiele is one of my favorites. Browsing one day through their webpage I found an interesting, small and quick position called Table Battles. I fell in love with it immediately! And when I saw that there is and Expansion about most interesting period to me – Table Battles: The Age of Alexander – I knew I will get it.

So, what is this game about? Players roll and allocate dice to Formation cards, with each card accepting specific die results or dice combinations. On a later turn, those dice are removed to activate the formation, attacking a specific enemy unit, with hits resolved by removing wooden pieces assigned to each formation.

I really like how the games plays – it is exciting, with much tension and the luck factor is not so significant. It also takes only small amount of space and can be easily played in 30-60 minutes. Really great for when you travel!

More about game:

8. General Orders by Osprey Games

In General Orders: World War II David Thompson & Trevor Benjamin take us for another very intriguing journey. We are getting wargame with worker placement mechanic; wait, we are in essence getting TWO games, as Alpine Map and Pacific Map are so vividly different – in set-up, asymmetry but also rules. There are a lot of elements which makes this game very replayable (area bonuses) and all of this in max 45 minutes!

The game is minimalistic in size, with surprisingly many elements in small box. I already used it for various trips and proved to be a perfect title for such situations. If you have not tried it yet, make sure you do!

More about game:

9. Iron, Blood, Snow & Mud by PHALANX

Iron, Blood, Snow & Mud is a quick and easy to learn two-player hex and counter strategic wargame simulating the Eastern Front of World War II. Poland and France have fallen, Greece and Norway have surrendered, and Yugoslavia is no more. Now it is time for German attack on the Soviet Union.

In this game you will either lead the combat-hardened forces of Wehrmacht through mud and snow and unimaginably vast territories of the enemy, all the while trying to protect your overstretched supply lines (critical aspect of the game). Or you will take control of initially outnumbered, but slowly building its might Soviet Red Army, hampering the lighting quick panzer attacks, harassing the enemy’s supply lines with your partisans and biding your time for a bloody and devastating counteroffensive.

When I was browsing through my games collection in research for this article, that title suddenly appeared in front of me, and the idea immediately struck me that it will be fitting for this material. It is small as well as relatively quick to set up and play. I have not tested it yet during any of the trips but will definitely do it soon!

More about game:

10. Caesar! Seize Rome in 20 Minutes! by PSC Games

Caesar! Seize Rome in 20 Minutes is a very quick and replayable title in “20-minutes series”. You probably are aware of Blitzkrieg! World War II in 20 minutes! This is from the same series and same designer – Paolo Mori. However, the rules are completely different although some mechanics might seem familiar – there is hidden information regarding your influence tokens, to vie for control of provinces and who will use up first all his control tokens – wins!

That was definitely a fresh design for me as I have not played earlier titles in the series and definitely fitted well whenever we had some spare time between larger titles. It is also very compact so fully suitable as travel wargame – which we tested already with my colleagues!

More about game:

11. The Fields of Normandy 2 by Mike Lambo (self-published)

The Fields of Normandy 2 is set in Normandy, France in 1944 and reflects loosely the conditions and situations faced by the US VIII Corps of the United States Army as it pushed inland as part of Operation Cobra. In the game, you will be controlling small groups of soldiers from a platoon, consisting of three Rifle Squads, a Machine Gun Team, a Bazooka Team and a Mortar Team. As the platoon Lieutenant, it is your job to command these squads and teams in order to clear the German defensive positions.

This is one of the great solo games from prolific Mike Lambo. In essence, you can probably put here many other of his games. However, that one definitely made a positive impression on me – very small size, quick to set-up and play, extremely replayable. What else one would wish for during the vacation time!

More about game:

12. Guadalcanal: Solitaire by Worthington Publishing

When I was young, I used to play the Bookgames, where you were reading, making decisions and then jumping to particular page to continue with the story. Here we have slightly different approach, but still the Guadalcanal: Solitaire – An Original Bookgame is a super compact title which can be taken anywhere.

As for the topic itself, well, this is one of the most iconic land battles of Pacific War – the heroic defense of Henderson Field by the US Marines form the relentless attacks of Imperial Japanese Army. In order to win you will have to withstand 20 turns, with constant charges of enemy on three critical positions: Koli Point, Bloody Ridge and Point Cruz. Easier said than done of course 🙂

As a bookgame, this is perfect title for travels – I used this game already on some of my business trips. You need pencil, 1 die and the actual book – and you will get a lot of solitaire fun with it!

Summary

Above I presented only small subset of titles suitable for vacation season. I actually tested them – some titles even in very rudimentary conditions or on bicycle trips. They all fulfill the size / time requirements which are essential to match when you think about playing wargames during travels. Some of them even have Digital Versions (Twilight Struggle, Table Battles, Shore of Tripoli) but of course, nothing compares to a nicely published “digital “analog” version of the game!

Feel free to share your ideas for travel-friendly wargames!