SPIEL, also known as Essen Spiel, is the largest annual board game convention in the world, held in Essen, Germany. This year it takes place from 22 to 25 October 2026 and, as always, it will gather thousands of publishers, designers and tabletop gaming fans from all over the globe. This will be my sixth time attending the fair.
Visitors can discover and play hundreds of new titles, join workshops and compete in tournaments. For publishers it is the key moment of the year to unveil new games and showcase upcoming releases – which makes it a vibrant hub for networking and celebrating our hobby.
While SPIEL is not primarily focused on conflict games – historical, political or simply wargames – every year more Europe-based publishers bring such titles to Essen. In this article I would like to highlight several intriguing games you can check out (and hopefully play!) during SPIEL 2026.
This is also a great opportunity to meet Dear Friends and Colleagues – publishers like Uwe from Sound of Drums, Wolfgang from Assault Games, Jaro from PHALANX or the NAC Wargames team – as well as fellow content creators. Can not wait to see you all!
In the meantime let us see what the fair has for us in the area of wargames!
1) Sound of Drums (Hall 3, Booth 3-Q200)
The Great Escape
The Great Escape is an exciting cooperative WWII game where players try to successfully escape their POW from Stalag Luft III. Designed by Philip duBarry. In the Great Escape, you and your fellow air force officers will follow in the footsteps of the prisoners of Stalag Luft III, as you attempt to dig tunnels under the wire and escape.
This will require exceptional timing, resourcefulness, and some luck. Outsmart the guards and carry on the war in the only way you can. If you help twelve prisoner pawns escape before the Gestapo locks down the camp, you and your comrades will have won the game. Each turn you have action points and with these action points you dig tunnels, move your pawns or collect valuable resources.
Last year this cooperative game about the escape from the German POW camp was only freshly announced. Now it went a step further and has its own Gamefound project page. Philip duBarry on design, 1 to 5 players and a theme which – I still believe – should have received a boardgame a long time ago. Will definitely try to learn more at the Sound of Drums booth!
Battle Commander: Volume I
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. The package will be done deluxe, with three two-sided mounted map-boards, painted-on wood pieces (no stickers), large scenario set-up cards, a 3D Army mat, and numerous bonus features.
Last year I was really looking forward to this one – and now it is here! Battle Commander: Volume I is already published and I had a pleasure to play it. Carl Paradis’ cube-pull activation, card-driven combat without dice and beautiful wooden components are now on the table for everyone to try – if you are at the fair, make sure to stop by the Sound of Drums booth!
If you would like to learn more about the game, check my materials below:
- Battle Commander: Volume I – Game Overview
- Interview with Carl Paradis, designer of Battle Commander
2) Assault Games (Hall 3, Booth 3-Q200)
Assault Red Horizon 41: Revised Edition
Assault – Red Horizon 41: Revised Edition marks the relaunch of the acclaimed tactical wargame set in the dramatic early stages of Operation Barbarossa (June-October 1941). The German Wehrmacht and the Soviet Red Army clash with infantry, artillery and armoured forces, while the new edition refines the system with streamlined rules (v2.5), new terrain elements such as fortifications, obstacles and minefields, and Tactical Air Support and Off-Board Artillery fully integrated into the core rules.
Randomly drawn Formation Cards make every order of battle different and secretly assigned Command Points mean you can never activate all your units – you have to prioritise. The included campaign, Crossing the Narew, puts players in the role of company commanders of the German 7th Infantry Division or the Soviet 13th Rifle Division in four linked battles of 24-25 June 1941, with a dynamic campaign system and eight branching storylines.
My Dear Friend Wolfgang continues to develop his Assault system – and this time he goes back to where it all started. The Revised Edition is not a simple reprint: five years of community feedback, lessons from Sicily 43 and Primosole Bridge, new artwork, a new insert and integrated TAS/OAS rules. It is also published together with Sound of Drums, hence the shared booth. I hope to play it with the author during the fair!
We did an interview with Wolfgang about the Revised Edition, so if you would like to learn more check below:
- Interview with Wolfgang Klein, designer of Assault: Red Horizon 41 Revised Edition
- Assault Red Horizon 41: Revised Edition on Gamefound
3) Aegir Games (Hall 3, Booth 3-Q200)
Europa Universalis: Defying Destiny
Europa Universalis: Defying Destiny is an expansion to Europa Universalis: The Price of Power which brings to the table many new Realms that did not fit in the base game. They fall into three groups: Realms that became central only after 1444, Realms with great potential that collapsed or faded from history, and Realms that played their role throughout the whole Europa Universalis timeline but never became great powers.
The main premise is simple – give those Realms the chance to defy their destiny and achieve the glory they perhaps deserved.
I spent countless hours with Europa Universalis IV on PC and the board game adaptation by Eivind Vetlesen is a truly monumental project. Defying Destiny adds exactly what I love in this kind of game – the “what if” scenarios with underdog nations. Can not wait to see what Realms we will get!
If you would like to see the base game first, check my overview: Europa Universalis: The Price of Power – Game Overview.
4) PHALANX (Hall 3, Booth 3-L500)
1943: Race to Rabaul
In 1943 the Allied push across the Pacific reached a critical phase and every step toward Rabaul demanded nerve, planning and a constant fight with the limits of supply. 1943: Race to Rabaul pits the Allies against the Japanese in the historical campaign for the South Pacific. Two players can use half of the board to battle for the Solomons or New Guinea alone, or 2-4 players can take the roles of four historical commanders across the full map.
As General MacArthur or Admiral Halsey, you race up the New Guinea coast or along the Solomon Islands chain to break the Bismarcks Barrier and be the first to capture, ring or extend Allied air power over Rabaul. As General Imamura or Admiral Kusaka, you must stop the Allied onslaught or wear the Allies down. This time the series introduces opposed play – in teams or head-to-head.
A new game from Volko Ruhnke – this alone is a reason to stop by! I already wrote an intro to this title earlier this year and I am very curious how the race between two Allied commanders, fighting the Japanese as much as each other (and the clock), plays out live:
Independence: Patriots vs. the Crown
Independence: Patriots vs. the Crown is a two-player deck-building strategy game set during the American War of Independence. One player leads the newly founded United States, the other the British Empire trying to suppress the rebellion. Each side starts with 10 Core Action cards and acquires new ones by bringing Units to the 14 States on the board – so your position on the map directly shapes your deck.
The Americans rely on mobile Continentals and Militia that can Hide from the British, while the Redcoats move slower on land but can redeploy along the coast with their Fleets. Leaders like George Washington, Event, Strategy and powerful War cards shape the conflict, and some Strategies even introduce alternative Victory Conditions.
Deck-building married with area control on a map of the colonies, playable in under an hour – this is a combination I always enjoy. Designed by Mariusz Rosik and Lukasz Wlodarczyk, it looks like a perfect “quick but meaningful” duel. Definitely on my list!
Saga: Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons
Viking longships emerge from the morning fog to raid and burn villages, while Anglo-Saxon warriors form the shield wall on high ground. Saga: Vikings vs Anglo-Saxons is a quick-playing area control and tile activation game for two players, covering the Viking invasions of England in the 8th-11th centuries.
Each side has its own victory conditions and priorities. Every round players select actions from a limited set of tiles, so timing is crucial; then actions are resolved, combat follows and the round ends.
A 15-30 minute duel from Maciej Stepien in the Viking Age? That sounds like a great filler between longer games at the fair – and potentially a candidate for my next travel wargames list!
Lords of Heaven
In Lords of Heaven players compete for control of Jerusalem and supremacy in the Middle East as one of four asymmetric powers of the medieval world: the Latin Crusaders, the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, the Shia Fatimid Caliphate and the Sunni Seljuks. It is an area control and card placement game in which you refight the first two Crusades – and can change their outcome.
Leaders play action cards to build units, fortresses and temples, move troops, fight battles and develop their holdings. Rivalry and cooperation between the Christian and Islamic blocs mean that conquest is not always the best path to success. The game includes a couple of short scenarios and a campaign.
The Crusades are one of my favorite periods – I have been exploring them intensively this year with Kingdom of Heaven and Commands & Colors Medieval. A four-player, politically nuanced take on the same era from Aleksander Jagodzinski is exactly what I want to see at the PHALANX booth!
Tora Tora Tora!
Tora Tora Tora! is a two-player strategic-level wargame offering a holistic view of the Pacific Front of World War II rather than individual battles. It emphasizes tempo, positioning and resource management, with each side following a different economic logic: Japan pays to expand into map areas, while the Allies pay per unit regardless of distance.
Battles involve hidden commitments made before resolution, and overextending leaves forces undersupplied and vulnerable. Over a fixed number of rounds, victory comes from controlling key areas and gradually exhausting your opponent rather than from a single decisive clash.
A second Pacific title from PHALANX this year – this time designed by Wataru Horiba and covering the whole theater. The asymmetric economy for both sides sounds really interesting and I am curious how it compares with other strategic Pacific games I know.
5) NAC Wargames / MasQueOca Group (Hall 3, Booth 3-N300)
Bailen 1808: Napoleon’s First Defeat
Bailen 1808 is a two-player historical simulation of one of the most important battles of the Spanish War of Independence, part of the NAC History collection – accessible for new players while still satisfying for veterans. In summer 1808 the Grande Armee seemed unbeatable, but in Andalusia a Spanish army of regulars, volunteers and militias prepared to face General Pierre Dupont.
While Dupont hoped for a quick victory, Generals Castanos, Reding, Venegas and Coupigny maneuvered to cut off the invaders. On 19 July 1808 both armies met at the small town of Bailen – French infantry launched repeated attacks, artillery dominated the field and reinforcements arrived with uncertain timing. For the first time a French field army risked defeat and surrender.
The day the myth of Napoleonic invincibility was broken – what a theme for a game! NAC Wargames has been bringing great Spanish history titles to Essen for years and Bailen is a battle which is rarely covered outside Spain. Will definitely check it out.
II World War 1939 – 1945
II World War 1939 – 1945 is a historical strategy game for 2 or 3 players recreating the conflict in Europe and North Africa from the outbreak of the war until mid-1945. Players command the Axis Powers, the Western Allies or the Soviet Union – mobilizing armies, fighting for control of the seas and skies, and trying to change the course of history.
In the spirit of NAC classics – accessible rules, quick setup, fast combat and constant strategic decisions – the whole six-year campaign fits into a single game of about 90 minutes. Germany starts with the initiative and a powerful offensive, but time works against it: France and the United Kingdom must hold until the United States joins, while in the east the Soviet Union prepares for the largest land campaign in history.
The whole war in Europe and North Africa in about 90 minutes? That is a bold promise – and it comes from Carlos Diaz Narvaez, who also designed Bailen 1808. I am especially curious about the three-player mode, with the Western Allies and the Soviet Union as separate players, each racing towards Berlin with their own priorities.
The Planet King (El Rey Planeta)
You are Philip IV, the King of Spain and Portugal since 1621. Your empire has reached approximately 12.2 million square kilometers, and you are the “Planet King”. The Planet King takes 1 to 2 players into the economic, military, and diplomatic actions of the biggest European empire. But each European powers has its own agenda and a series of events will try to undermine the empire.
Player(s) recruit “Tercios” (armies), fleets, improve colonial defenses, use the ambassadors, tries to improve the economy while defending the empire from the attack of other European powers. While Philip runs his empire, he must employ his nobles to lead the armies and rule the kingdom’s territories. But the king must not only run an empire, he must also “live life”: have an heir for the kingdom, find a concubine, and of course fill the court with the best artists of the century.
This title was already on my list two years ago and it still draws my attention – beautiful components, a very interesting theme of running the largest European empire of the 17th century, and a solo mode on top of that. Hoping to finally sit down with it at the NAC booth!
6) Osprey Games (Hall 3, Booth 3-M600)
Undaunted 2200: Revolution
Undaunted 2200: Revolution is the seventh title in the Undaunted series and the grand finale of the story started in Callisto and continued in Line of Fire: Burnt Moon. In 2205, five years into the war between the Lunar Frontier Authority and the Breakers, the conflict spreads across the whole solar system – from the Asteroid Belt, through Earth, Mars and the Moon, to a Space Station.
For the first time in the series ground combat is integrated with aerospace units which have facing and fire along firing lines. The game supports 2 and 4 players, includes three double-sided boards, a branching campaign that can be finished in a single sitting, and fifteen scenarios which can also be played as standalone battles.
David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin call it a “greatest hits” of the Undaunted system – and after our conversation I fully understand why: air and ground combat, a condensed Stalingrad-style campaign and gorgeous Roland MacDonald art. Osprey will be showing it at the fair, so make sure to try it!
We did an interview with David, so if you would like to learn more about the game check below:
7) Salt & Pepper Games (Hall 3, Booth 3-A400)
Queen of Spies
Queen of Spies is a solitaire, story-driven game of espionage set in occupied Belgium during World War I. You play as Alice, a former journalist turned spymaster, running a secret network from the quiet town of Saint-Francois de Sales. Recruit operatives, train them in specialized skills and send them behind enemy lines to gather intelligence, disrupt enemy plans and complete critical missions before time runs out.
The game contains several independent stories, each divided into three chapters of about 20 minutes, so a full story takes roughly an hour. Every mission carries risk, every operative is valuable – and a single move may decide the fate of the entire network.
A solo game from Liz Davidson and David Thompson, published by Salt & Pepper Games who always deliver small but very replayable titles. WWI espionage is a theme rarely seen on the table and the chapter structure makes it perfect for shorter sessions. Can not wait to see it!
8) Nuts! Publishing (Hall 3, Booth 3-K415)
Guerre Eclair
On 10 May 1940 the Battle of France began, with the German army – following the Manstein Plan – invading the Low Countries and France. Despite French and British efforts to keep a continuous front, the line was broken at Sedan, the British evacuated from Dunkirk and France signed the Armistice on 22 June.
Guerre Eclair is a card-driven game for two players lasting around 45 minutes. As the Germans you push hard with your Panzers while keeping the Allies guessing your real objective; as the Allies you organize the defense and counter-attack whenever you can. The game is a remake of The Rise of Blitzkrieg (Bonsai Games, 2019) by Yasushi Nakaguro.
Another title in the Combat Rations series from Nuts! Publishing, which I already enjoyed with games like 300: Earth & Water and Port Arthur. Small box, around 45 minutes of play and plenty of tough decisions – and this time the theme is the 1940 Blitzkrieg in the West. Will definitely try it at the Nuts! booth!
If you would like to see the other games from the series, check my materials below:
- Unboxing & Overview for 300: Earth & Water
- Playthrough for 300: Earth & Water
- First Look at Port Arthur from Nuts! Publishing
9) Ares Games (Hall 3, Booth 3-A115)
Quartermaster General: West Front
Quartermaster General: West Front is the third entry in the two-player line of the Quartermaster General series. It is played over 23 seasonal rounds, from Fall 1939 to Spring 1945, with one player controlling the Allies – the United Kingdom, the United States and France – and the other the Axis: Germany, Italy and their associated countries (the “Pact”).
The box also includes components and rules for massive combined games with Quartermaster General: East Front and South Front.
Ian Brody completes the two-player trilogy, and the option to combine West, East and South Front into one big game sounds really tempting. If you are a fan of the Quartermaster General system, this is the one to check at the Ares Games booth.
Summary
This is just a short list of conflict-based games, including wargames, political and historical titles. I am confident there will be more to discover, and I will share my impressions from SPIEL 2026 after the fair. I hope this selection sparks your interest and introduces you to some of the latest, exciting and innovative designs. See you in Essen!