Glad you enjoyed it! So much of this game is in the timing. I really thought the US might pull it off when they got those handy partisan cards to block off Buffalo and retake Seattle. But, too little, too late. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Fortress America is a unique gem to be sure. I have the ugly 2012 release but this MB edition looks great. Can't go wrong with a similar visual aesthetic to A&A Classic.
@@cadjebushey6524 "Hated" might be a bit harsh. The OG release and the 2012 release are more-or-less identical but IMO the art style of the 2012 one doesn't stack up to the OG. You might have different taste than I do though.
Yes, there is something to those "classic" lines and colours. I think there is definitely a tie-in with the original Red Dawn film, which was magnitudes better than the remake.
@@superilikeeggsyo I personally like how they tried making the 2012 version look more like a map out of an actual war room. If you look at the edges you can see bullet casings and a compass. Alot of games on the pre-20th century like Napoleon or the American civil war try and make their maps look like old period maps with this brownish aging decor on them.
@@TheHilltopPillbox The invaders get optional card decks in the 2012 FFG edition, and one of the Euro players cards is literally called Red dawn. I cant remember what the card did but I think hovertanks are involved.
3:48 That's not right. The Partisans get 6-sided dice both on attack and defense unless they're alone - a single, lone Partisan unit then gets a d8 whether attacking or defending.
@@TheHilltopPillbox its already a huge hit with the lads tho i did feel awful taking the pieces of the sprues but games are ment to be played not displayed.
We have about 75ish games too! The strategy has evolved through many streaks from each side. In the end very very close. If America gets too many screws with the cards or just the wrong ones, they will lose. If the invaders give away too many extra cards they lose. The new version helps the invaders a lot. Only played it once, but the cards were too much giving back bombers, negating lasers and such. Balanced seemingly unless you use those new cards. You don't use helicopters to their full advantage. You must use their special move to dominate with the invaders.
Yeah, helicopters tend to get clobbered if I put them out there too far...lasers or just lucky attacks. I feel as though I really need the choppers in the late game, as they can hop over and take out lasers, and if I'm lucky enough to take the city in between, it usually spells doom for the USA!
Great vid 👍. I wish I could play a polished digital version of this with other fans. All of the Gamemaster series games in one purchase would be amazing.
I got the Fantasy flight games version as a Christmas gift in 2012 but didn't get the original Red dawn til 2018. For whatever reason, it doesn't seem to be populwr with OG FA players. Possibly the only complaint I got aesthetic-wise is how dark the cover art is. With the sky darkened with smoke, (or maybe its nightime) its kinda hard to distinguishe stuff.
Euro-Socialist Pact invasion zone actually reminds me of my alternate history project Georgia Mix-Up which depicts the Russian Federation invading the U.S. State of Georgia by mistake in 2008 and expanding their invasion zone throughout the Southeast from Dover to Miami.
Konichiwa! It will always be Shogun to me. There is nothing wrong with the name, as it simply meant the supreme military commander of Japan during their feudal wars. I wish I could play a solo game of that, but it is pretty much impossible to do, since the budgeting is done in secret, and that darn Ninja... :)
Check out "Amerika" from HBG. It is a perfect combination of FA and modern warfare! I did a solo play of it on my channel, but haven't been back. It is a good game, just too many others! www.historicalboardgaming.com/HBG-Amerika-Boxed-Game-_p_10764.html
@@TheHilltopPillbox Isn't Amerika set in ww2, and isn't FA already Modern warfare? Of course, I guess we cant exactly call the mid 80s "modern" anymore.
@@cadjebushey6524 You are correct, but with the "modern-ish" weaponry, I kind of feel like it's more late 20th than WWII. Just my take on it, I guess. I have another card game called "Modern Naval Battles" which is a LOT of fun, but it is set in the Cold War.
@@TheHilltopPillbox I think HBG has a trailer for it and its supposed to take place in the summer of 1946. The Germans have HO-IX flying wings, and the RAF and USAAF have P-80s and Meteor jets. Those obviously would likely be obsolete by the 60s or 70s. The Wolfenstein games, New order and new colossus take place in an alternate 1960 where Germany won ww2 with advanced technology. Although the explaination on how they aquired it and the tech they have is a bit nuts. One of their most feared weapons is the Panzerhund, literally a giant robotic wolf or something. And thry also have military bases on the moon. And Venus believe it or not. In 1960. There are newspaper clippings you can find in the game detailing the events of the years after ww2 in 1946 up until 1960. One is about Stalin going into hiding after Moscow falls, another is on an advanced U-boat fleet crushing the USN in Leyte gulf, and another is on the Canadian prime minister adressing an invasion of Quebec by the Germans after they dropped atom bombs on new york and Boston in 48. "Now is the time to be brave." Their great games if your into alternative history, but the tone and atmosphere can get intense at times. Lets just say it earned its M for mature rating. But the good news is Colossus ends with the beginning of the 2nd American revolution against German occupation. "If we can free the U.S, we can use it as a springboard to liberate the rest of the world."
I also heard some conplain about the 2012 game being unbalanced in Americas favour, but I finished a game yesterday with invader victory at turn 5. The rules are slightly altered so certain strategies might not apply. I think an overall strategy for the invaders is to strike fast and hard. Blitzkrieg the Americans before they can get organised and stiffen their defences. As for the Americans, you need to pick your battles very carefully, especially if your potential attacking forces are coming from a defended city. Pick a weak spot with more light units. ( infantry, APCs) Partisan cards that destroy units and laser strikes can help and I often launch laser attacks to soften up adjacent territories in preparation for an attack. Try to keep a sizable group of heavy units together in case you draw the major airlift card. Send them behind enemy lines to attack a weakly defended city and sever supply lines. You can potentially capture several if some cities are adjacent to one another. In mix-ups of infantry and Partisans, I usually kill American infantry first to keep the harder-hitting partisans. They get buffed if their alone. If defenders have several air units, I might think twice before sending in bombers, especially as the invaders. Speaking of bombers, I like to think of them also representing jet fighters if a bomber kills another or a helicopter. An APC or tank might be an mobile AA variant and infantry killing air is obviously Stinger missles.
All good thoughts! Yes, lasers have typically been used to soften up a potential battle zone, and the limit of one per territory is a good rule, or else...ZAP!
So as the US, do you focus your forces to fully deplete one of the three attackers, or balance to be able to take advantage of opportunities as they come up?
Well, in this game, I sent everything forward, hoping that the enemy would be exhausted, but those failed attacks on Washington really set the stage for defeat. Sometimes, I put stronger units on the front lines, and leave infantry in the interior, hoping to whittle down their "good units". I had a mix this game, but I think I was a bit too bold with the US, and let the Asian Peoples Alliance off the hook. Cost the US the game! All in all, it's very much an opportunistic game. If there is a weak spot, hit it. To make the invaders turn around, even for a round, can make the difference.
I love the Minneapolis and airlift cards. I forgot about them. Thanks for the creative editing too!
Glad you enjoyed it! So much of this game is in the timing. I really thought the US might pull it off when they got those handy partisan cards to block off Buffalo and retake Seattle. But, too little, too late. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Fortress America is a unique gem to be sure. I have the ugly 2012 release but this MB edition looks great. Can't go wrong with a similar visual aesthetic to A&A Classic.
I got the 2012 game as a chdistmas gift in 2012. Why is it so hated?
@@cadjebushey6524 "Hated" might be a bit harsh. The OG release and the 2012 release are more-or-less identical but IMO the art style of the 2012 one doesn't stack up to the OG. You might have different taste than I do though.
Yes, there is something to those "classic" lines and colours. I think there is definitely a tie-in with the original Red Dawn film, which was magnitudes better than the remake.
@@superilikeeggsyo I personally like how they tried making the 2012 version look more like a map out of an actual war room. If you look at the edges you can see bullet casings and a compass. Alot of games on the pre-20th century like Napoleon or the American civil war try and make their maps look like old period maps with this brownish aging decor on them.
@@TheHilltopPillbox The invaders get optional card decks in the 2012 FFG edition, and one of the Euro players cards is literally called Red dawn. I cant remember what the card did but I think hovertanks are involved.
3:48 That's not right. The Partisans get 6-sided dice both on attack and defense unless they're alone - a single, lone Partisan unit then gets a d8 whether attacking or defending.
Awesome i just recently got a unplayed copy of the game out of someones old storage peices still on the sprue this game is so much fun!
Whoa - still on sprue? That's a rare find - congrats! I hope you have many hours of fun!
@@TheHilltopPillbox its already a huge hit with the lads tho i did feel awful taking the pieces of the sprues but games are ment to be played not displayed.
@@blitzkrieg4689 100% agree. It's like guys who buy nice cars but only wax and polish them. What's the point?
Ty for posting this. Never seen this game before. Washington didn't fall because are politicians where on the soviets side lol
That could be true, Comrade!
We have about 75ish games too! The strategy has evolved through many streaks from each side. In the end very very close. If America gets too many screws with the cards or just the wrong ones, they will lose. If the invaders give away too many extra cards they lose. The new version helps the invaders a lot. Only played it once, but the cards were too much giving back bombers, negating lasers and such. Balanced seemingly unless you use those new cards. You don't use helicopters to their full advantage. You must use their special move to dominate with the invaders.
Yeah, helicopters tend to get clobbered if I put them out there too far...lasers or just lucky attacks. I feel as though I really need the choppers in the late game, as they can hop over and take out lasers, and if I'm lucky enough to take the city in between, it usually spells doom for the USA!
Great vid 👍. I wish I could play a polished digital version of this with other fans. All of the Gamemaster series games in one purchase would be amazing.
Thank you, and I agree about the digital version. I am sure someone is working on it right now!
Great Red Dawn clips! Fun to watch.
One of my favourite movies from my teen years, for sure!
I got the Fantasy flight games version as a Christmas gift in 2012 but didn't get the original Red dawn til 2018. For whatever reason, it doesn't seem to be populwr with OG FA players. Possibly the only complaint I got aesthetic-wise is how dark the cover art is. With the sky darkened with smoke, (or maybe its nightime) its kinda hard to distinguishe stuff.
It is interesting how important the presentation of a game is. Sometimes I won't even try a game because of the art work!
Euro-Socialist Pact invasion zone actually reminds me of my alternate history project Georgia Mix-Up which depicts the Russian Federation invading the U.S. State of Georgia by mistake in 2008 and expanding their invasion zone throughout the Southeast from Dover to Miami.
Sounds interesting! Is it a shareable file?
Would love to see you play more of this
I'll see what I can do!
Sould have kept playing till total victory and see what happend
Yeah, I wish I had time to completely finish these games...maybe when I retire!
@@TheHilltopPillbox yeah or a day off
Is the Minneapolis card you keep talking about putting the combines in the combined arms card?
Nah, it's simply a card that places two bombers and two helicopters in Minneapolis. A nice treat! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks for finally doing this game …love it ….my next request is shogun …since that name is now canceled 😂I mean samurai swords
Konichiwa! It will always be Shogun to me. There is nothing wrong with the name, as it simply meant the supreme military commander of Japan during their feudal wars.
I wish I could play a solo game of that, but it is pretty much impossible to do, since the budgeting is done in secret, and that darn Ninja... :)
Is it possible to create a "modern warfare" variant of Acis and allies using FA pices and the A&A board?
Check out "Amerika" from HBG. It is a perfect combination of FA and modern warfare! I did a solo play of it on my channel, but haven't been back. It is a good game, just too many others!
www.historicalboardgaming.com/HBG-Amerika-Boxed-Game-_p_10764.html
@@TheHilltopPillbox Isn't Amerika set in ww2, and isn't FA already Modern warfare? Of course, I guess we cant exactly call the mid 80s "modern" anymore.
@@cadjebushey6524 You are correct, but with the "modern-ish" weaponry, I kind of feel like it's more late 20th than WWII. Just my take on it, I guess.
I have another card game called "Modern Naval Battles" which is a LOT of fun, but it is set in the Cold War.
@@TheHilltopPillbox I think HBG has a trailer for it and its supposed to take place in the summer of 1946. The Germans have HO-IX flying wings, and the RAF and USAAF have P-80s and Meteor jets. Those obviously would likely be obsolete by the 60s or 70s.
The Wolfenstein games, New order and new colossus take place in an alternate 1960 where Germany won ww2 with advanced technology. Although the explaination on how they aquired it and the tech they have is a bit nuts.
One of their most feared weapons is the Panzerhund, literally a giant robotic wolf or something. And thry also have military bases on the moon. And Venus believe it or not. In 1960. There are newspaper clippings you can find in the game detailing the events of the years after ww2 in 1946 up until 1960. One is about Stalin going into hiding after Moscow falls, another is on an advanced U-boat fleet crushing the USN in Leyte gulf, and another is on the Canadian prime minister adressing an invasion of Quebec by the Germans after they dropped atom bombs on new york and Boston in 48.
"Now is the time to be brave."
Their great games if your into alternative history, but the tone and atmosphere can get intense at times. Lets just say it earned its M for mature rating.
But the good news is Colossus ends with the beginning of the 2nd American revolution against German occupation.
"If we can free the U.S, we can use it as a springboard to liberate the rest of the world."
I also heard some conplain about the 2012 game being unbalanced in Americas favour, but I finished a game yesterday with invader victory at turn 5. The rules are slightly altered so certain strategies might not apply. I think an overall strategy for the invaders is to strike fast and hard. Blitzkrieg the Americans before they can get organised and stiffen their defences. As for the Americans, you need to pick your battles very carefully, especially if your potential attacking forces are coming from a defended city. Pick a weak spot with more light units. ( infantry, APCs) Partisan cards that destroy units and laser strikes can help and I often launch laser attacks to soften up adjacent territories in preparation for an attack. Try to keep a sizable group of heavy units together in case you draw the major airlift card. Send them behind enemy lines to attack a weakly defended city and sever supply lines. You can potentially capture several if some cities are adjacent to one another. In mix-ups of infantry and Partisans, I usually kill American infantry first to keep the harder-hitting partisans. They get buffed if their alone. If defenders have several air units, I might think twice before sending in bombers, especially as the invaders. Speaking of bombers, I like to think of them also representing jet fighters if a bomber kills another or a helicopter. An APC or tank might be an mobile AA variant and infantry killing air is obviously Stinger missles.
All good thoughts! Yes, lasers have typically been used to soften up a potential battle zone, and the limit of one per territory is a good rule, or else...ZAP!
They should make amodern day civil war game useing this sustem
Could be interesting!
@@TheHilltopPillbox yeah
So as the US, do you focus your forces to fully deplete one of the three attackers, or balance to be able to take advantage of opportunities as they come up?
Well, in this game, I sent everything forward, hoping that the enemy would be exhausted, but those failed attacks on Washington really set the stage for defeat.
Sometimes, I put stronger units on the front lines, and leave infantry in the interior, hoping to whittle down their "good units". I had a mix this game, but I think I was a bit too bold with the US, and let the Asian Peoples Alliance off the hook. Cost the US the game!
All in all, it's very much an opportunistic game. If there is a weak spot, hit it. To make the invaders turn around, even for a round, can make the difference.
What an interesting game
Lots of variables, and those stupid dice...ugh. But, it is fun!
@@TheHilltopPillbox man I feel you on the dice, recently played a game of A&A 1940 2nd edition and watched the Allies get diced hard every round
@@chibimonikad Oh, that must have been a massive Axis win...it's hard enough already to win as the Allies on the OOB G40!
@@TheHilltopPillbox it was just domination, ended by round 6
@@chibimonikad Well, at lease you didn't waste too much time, eh? 🙃
I have the reisue version