I can honestly say that I am a big fan of The Players’ Aid Wargame Watch articles. They provide excellent insight and a comprehensive overview of new titles, upcoming releases, and what is currently trending in the wargaming space. Considering the effort required to sift through publisher websites, Kickstarter, Gamefound, and other sources, the quality of their work is truly impressive.
Reading those articles also motivates me to conduct a periodic—usually annual—review of my own pre-orders, gathering everything in one place and finally getting a clear picture of how many I actually have. Once I do that, it naturally turns into great material for an article.
So here it is: my list of pre-orders, supported campaigns, and upcoming editions that I am eagerly awaiting. Some may already be close to shipping (at least I hope so!), while others might still be a few years away—if they arrive at all, given the the economic turbulences. The list is not exhaustive, as including every title would make it far too long, but I hope you will enjoy it nonetheless.
Kickstarter / Gamefound / Other:
1) Race to Rabaul from PHALANX
In 1943 the Allied push across the Pacific reached a critical phase. Every step toward Rabaul demanded nerve, planning and a constant fight with the limits of supply. 1943: Race to Rabaul puts you right in the middle of that pressure. This time the series introduces opposed play. You can play as a team or head-to-head, with one or two players commanding the Japanese side and one or two leading the Americans. Both fronts chase momentum, both struggle with logistics and both try to outthink the other before their plans run dry. The map is wide, resources are tight and every choice has weight..
PUBLISHER PAGE
I was very much intrigued by this game – combination of classic PHALANX Race system with Pacific Theater, and all of this designed by Volko Ruhnke. That is like a recipe for a great game! Thus I have not hesitated and did a long interview, in which we go through all the system mechanics and nuances. After this I am even more sure I will be waiting for this game publication!
More about game:
2) Operation Overlord from VUCA Simulations
Operation Overlord is a deep, historically grounded strategic wargame that simulates the Normandy invasion and the critical battles that followed from June to August 1944. One player commands the Allied SHAEF forces, planning and executing the largest amphibious operation in history, while the opposing player takes the role of Oberbefehlshaber West, defending the Atlantic Wall and attempting to delay the Allied advance long enough to alter the course of the war.
Rather than focusing on tactical skirmishes, Operation Overlord operates at the operational–strategic level, where timing, logistics, intelligence, and command structure are decisive. Players maneuver divisions and army corps across a detailed map of Normandy, manage supply networks and reinforcements, execute historical and fictional operations, and influence battles through doctrine, supports, and event cards.
PUBLISHER PAGE
Another great title from VUCA Simulations awaits its publication. We are again in France during the Operation Overlord. In this asymmetrical title we will have possibility to play either as Allies or Germans and – on strategic level – try to outsmart the opponent. We did detailed interview with the author, Clem Seurat, in which in great lengths we are explaining the system mechanics. Definitely check this out!
More on the title:
3) Battle Commander: Volume I from Sound of Drums
Battle Commander is a new wargame system whose intent is to replay historical 18th-19th century battles. It features a fresh framework focused on providing two key play aspects: command decisions and playability. Eventually, the system is planned to expand into other similar eras, such as the American Civil War.
It uses a granular cube-pull activation system for all game phases (player movement, combat, rally, card draws, etc.) and in interactive Combat system using Event cards. No Dice! There will be six Battles per volume, more or less in chronological order, that’ll cover the Napoleonic wars from start to finish. A series about the American Civil War is also in the works.
Campaign Page
That one is – finally! – so close to the fulfilment that you can literally monitor ships from China delivering the games to various regions! Unfortunately, Europe will be one of last so I believe still at least several weeks more…
What is positive, is that pictures shared by the players who already received the game seem to confirm that we are getting beautiful, great quality and great value product. Can’t wait for it!
More about game:
4) Hunt for Blackbeard from Fort Circle
Hunt for Blackbeard pits two players against one another as hunter and hunted in a fast-moving game of detection, deception, and confrontation.
Hunt for Blackbeard is a two-player boardgame that portrays the effort in 1718 by the colony of Virginia and the Royal Navy to track down the notorious pirate Blackbeard (Edward Thatch) as he sought refuge in colonial North Carolina. It features the historical events, places, and personages involved in Blackbeard’s demise 300 years ago, and the real-world challenges of “golden-age” piracy and pirate hunting.
One player takes the role of Blackbeard and the other the pirate hunters. Blackbeard seeks to commit acts of piracy or to enjoy a pirate’s life while remaining free. The hunters try to discern Blackbeard’s plans to thwart his piracy. The game may end in a battle in which either the hunters capture Blackbeard or the pirate wins by seizing a hunters’ ship as his prize!
PUBLISHER PAGE
A game about pirates? That immediately has my interest. Designed by one of my favorites? Now it truly has my full attention. This compact, well-crafted asymmetric title offers exactly what I am looking for—a tense hunt for a legendary pirate, hidden information, the potential for dramatic encounters, and even the search for buried treasure. I am very pleased that, after some turbulence, it is being published by Fort Circle. Hopefully, it will arrive soon!
More on the title:
5) Root: The Homeland Expansion from Leder Games
Rediscover the Woodland with three brand-new factions and two new maps for Root! Expand Root with the Frogs, Bats, and Skunks, along with the Marsh and Gorge maps.
Lilypad Diaspora
Scattered long ago and suppressed ever since, the Lilypad Diaspora now hopes to call the Woodland home. While they work to integrate peacefully, peace is rare in the midst of civil war. As they train their warriors, they must ensure that their desire for safety does not tip into outright aggression.Twilight Council
Sickened by the enduring conflict, the Twilight Council hosts assemblies to end the war, bringing together all the Woodland from the lowliest mouse-in-a-sack to the mightiest hawk with a royal claim. The assemblies emphasize political connections over pure numbers of warriors, pushing the factions away from bloody battle and toward heated debate.Knaves of the Deepwood
Crowdfunding page
Nobody really knows how the Knaves of the Deepwood got together, but the myths are many. From the treeline these miscreants and ne’er-do-wells sally forth, raiding barracks and baggage trains and making off with warriors in tow as hostages. Why? For ransom, that’s why!
I simply could not pass on another expansion for the excellent game that Root is. Recently, I have been rediscovering this fantastic title – or rather the entire system, given the wide range of expansions it already offers. The Homeland Expansion introduces three new factions and two additional maps, which is very exciting. As always, everything should remain fully compatible with the existing factions, with the reach system helping determine the best combinations for different player counts. Planned release is within next couple of months and we do not expect any delays.
More about game:
6) Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field, Oct 23-26 1942 from Dan Verssen Games (DVG)
Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field is Game #5 in the Valliant Defense Series! It is based heavily on the popular Pavlov’s House model. The game puts the player in command of the 1st Marine Division and the Cactus Air Force in the decisive land battle in the Pacific War that ended the Imperial Japanese expansion.
Kickstarter page
I could not pass on another entry in the Valiant Defense system – especially one that, for the first time, takes us to the Pacific theater. Vincent Cooper has done an excellent job adapting David Thompson’s proven mechanics to a completely new operational setting. He discussed many of these details and changes in an interview I had the pleasure of conducting with him. Combined with the striking artwork of Nils Johansson, the result is a visually impressive, immersive, and intense solitaire experience. I am very much looking forward to getting it to the table.
More about game:
P500 / GMT Games:
As you know, I am a big fan of designs from GMT Games. It should come as no surprise, then, that many of the titles on my pre-order list come from their P500 program. Let us take a look at what I have selected (and, as mentioned earlier, this is only a shortlist of the most anticipated ones).
7) Baltic Empires
“Baltic Empires” is an approachable 2-5 player strategic level wargame about conflicts between the states of the Baltic region during the early modern era, a transformative period of religious conflict, large scale warfare, and constant struggles for power. Players will have to develop their economy, strengthen their administration, secure trade hubs, and finally build armies to become the dominant power of the Baltics. Denmark-Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland-Lithuania, and Prussia will fight for hegemony, using variable victory conditions that reflect their respective historical objectives. Gameplay involves collecting resources, building new infrastructure and units, recruiting historical figures to your court, and finally going to war to expand your empire and fulfil your national ambition..
GMT page
This game was on my radar for a long time and that for various reasons. First and foremost (and probably for most of the Readers, completely not obvious) this is geographically very close title to me (Baltic Sea) and to my heart (about time when Polish Commonwealth was at peak of its power). So yes, I need it! Them look at gorgeous graphics – Nils Johansson at its best! We will have interesting gameplay here, good replayability and approachable title for 2-5 players. Really looking forward to it!
More about game:
8) Away Team
AWAY TEAM: The Voyages of the Pandora is a game of exploring alien worlds in distant star systems. You command the Pandora, an interstellar survey ship on its voyages of discovery. Each voyage sends Pandora to a different star system where you assemble away teams from the ship’s crew and equipment to explore planets, moons, and other sites of interest, with the following directives:
- Locate exo-life forms and document their physiology and behavior
- Collect exo-DNA, vital to genetic science and human adaptation to life in the stars
- Identify and survey environments suitable for human settlement and development
- Search for intelligent life and alien cultures; and if found, establish contact with goodwill
- Don’t get killed.
AWAY TEAM has three modes of play:
GMT page
- The solitaire campaign game provides an epic, interconnected, narrative experience for one player across seven star systems, providing over 80 hours of play time, exploration, and plot-twists.
- The solitaire star system game provides one player with a repeatable play experience commanding one Pandora voyage to a single star system. You set the experience level of your crew and the danger level of each voyage.
- The 2-player game puts players in command of competing away teams from Pandora in a voyage to a single star system—also a repeatable play experience.
I am genuinely excited about this game – something I do not say lightly – especially given how impressed I was with what John Butterfield achieved with a space theme in SpaceCorp. This new design immediately caught my attention, not only because of its theme and mechanics, but also because, much like the Enemy Action series, it offers both a two-player and a more advanced solo mode. Knowing the designer’s preference for card-driven solitaire systems, I have high expectations for how well it will play. I can’t wait to get my copy – although, according to the latest GMT update, the earliest release is likely in 2026.
More about the game:
9) Twilight Struggle: 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition
We cannot think of a better way to commemorate the Cold War, this vital piece of world history, than with our freshest and richest version of Twilight Struggle to date. We invite you to relive an era with the words uttered by one of its most iconic statesmen: “Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are – but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle” – John F. Kennedy
Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition adds even more beauty and play options to the original game. Here are some of the additions you’ll see in this new Edition: A brand new game box by the incomparable Terry Leeds; A double sided map with a new Terry Leeds map on the front and the familiar Deluxe Edition Mark Simonitch map on the back; The Turn Zero and Alternative Space Race variants included; A new alt-history scenario, “Red Sun Rising” with new cards; A collection of promotional cards including the Kickstarter Promo Packs #1 and #2 and a selection of promo cards from foreign editions of Twilight Struggle; A background booklet including retrospective essays from the designers.
GMT Page
I simply could not pass on this one. My old, well-worn copy of Twilight Struggle – played countless times – more than justifies picking up this new edition. With so many updates, from refreshed visuals to additional content and optional rules, it promises to be a fantastic and revitalizing return to a true classic.
More about game:
10) Coast Watchers: Allied Field Intelligence in the South Pacific, 1942-1943
Coast Watchers takes you into the World War II South Pacific’s struggle between Allied intelligence teams and Japanese security forces. Standup blocks hide coastwatching stations, guerrillas, refugees, and stranded Allied crew. Facedown counters hide the buildup of Japanese forces, which the coastwatchers seek to observe and report to headquarters. Other counters show where Japanese patrols are searching for coastwatchers or go into and get drawn from cups to run Japanese searches and Allied delivery missions.
Each side has Mission cards. Allied Missions assign side tasks to the coastwatchers. Japanese Missions lay out secret military objectives for victory points, including air and sea operations against which the coastwatchers are to warn Allied forces. By hunting coastwatchers while building up military readiness and guiding operations, the Japanese player seeks to slip through the enemy intelligence net. Players also draw Asset cards: special abilities to augment actions and perhaps add victory points.
GMT Page
A moment ago I was discussing a refreshed version of a great classic. Now I am touching on something completely new, innovative and – knowing Volko – which can turn into another game series! Just look what happened with COunter INsurgency or Levy & Campaign systems and how they flourished.
It will be interesting to try this asymmetric game, which can be played as separate scenarios or mini-campaigns. I am also looking forward to solo mode. Of course, as any historical game, that would allow me to learn about events and period of history I had a minimal knowledge about. Can’t wait!
More about game:
11) Army of the Potomac: Campaigns of 1862 and 1864
Army of the Potomac: Campaigns of 1862 and 1864 is the second volume in the Civil War Heritage series and the follow-up game to the innovative and acclaimed Rebel Fury. Army of the Potomac uses the same core rules as Rebel Fury, so players familiar with Rebel Fury will be able to jump right into the action. Each battle in Army of the Potomac is quick-set-up, quick-playing, and deeply interactive. The density of counters in each scenario is low, allowing you to see and experience the big picture of the battle.
Army of the Potomac covers the battles of Spotsylvania II, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, and the entire Seven Days battle (McClellan vs Lee), including the prelude Seven Pines (McClellan vs Johnston) when Johnston’s wounding brought Lee into the command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Each battle places you, the player, in the role of the Army Commander (Grant, McClellan, Lee, Johnston). You maneuver your army to find the enemy’s flanks, concentrate your forces for an attack, and determine where to commit your artillery assets.
GMT Page
I simply could not pass on this title either (I have a feeling I am overusing that sentence…). After having so much fun with Rebel Fury, picking this one up was an easy decision. It promises even more engaging American Civil War battles, along with new mechanics and system refinements, complemented by beautiful maps and dedicated counter sets for each scenario. And of course, it comes from Mark Herman – one of my favorite wargame designers – which only raises my expectations further.
More about game:
Summary
Looking at the list above, it is clear just how extensive it has become—and, as mentioned, it still does not include everything, as I had to impose some limits. While these titles will not arrive all at once, they will still demand a fair amount of time and attention, likely pulling me away from my current games. Hopefully, this selection will also serve as inspiration for readers and spark interest in some of the featured titles, as it spans a wide range of themes and mechanics.
At the same time, I am fully aware that many of these plans may need to be adjusted given the current geopolitical situation. Ongoing tariff issues are likely to impact the entire industry, and it would not be surprising if some of these titles unfortunately never make it to publication. Still, it is best to stay optimistic and hope that things will improve over time.
And what are your most anticipated preorders at the moment?
The Boardgames Chronicle 