I have all the games that came out way back when. Axis & Allies, Broadsides and boarding parties, Shogun, Conquest of the Empire, Fortress America. I played them all like you Tom, hundreds of times. I still have the originals. That was a good time in my life when I could sit down for hours with the guys and play games. Thanks for bringing back those great memories Tom.
I loved this when I was a kid. I remember playing it with dad and some of his friends. I still remember the first time I played as the US. The last turn began with the invaders two cities away from victory. They managed to take one and another two were down to single defending units by the end.
I love the differential gameplay, it seems to be something that is making a comeback right now, with Ladies and Gentlemen, Fortress America and Netrunner.
I think the game should have optional allies and retaliation cards for the invaders. I have the new version of the game too and improvise to do some of the suggestions I've mentioned.
I think their should be a limited nuclear weapons strike on cities for further expansion. Moreover a hope within this year a expansion release possibly with airborne, airlift, tankers,fighters , stealth bombers and special forces units are included, which I believe is coming out.
There are still tons of production plants in Michigan. The factories that no longer build in a lot of cases are still standing. In fact, the factories that built Tanks and Aeroplanes during WWII are still standing in Flint and has been converted into something else. If there was ever. A desperate need, there is a great chance those facilities as well as the many factories throughout the state would be converted back to build war materials.
Funny, I have pretty much the same history with this game as you Tom. I got this game 20ish years ago (I am 33, so when I was about 10 or so), & I and fell in LOVE with it. This is the game that made me realize that there is more to board games than monopoly... and like you, I always wanted to play USA! (and regularly beat 15 year olds when I was 10, muah) I love this reprint too, I lost the original when my folks sold it at a garage sale, so I was giddy when I found this.
They need to reprint this and make the units look modern not futuristic. Maybe the invaders can be either new coalitions of foreign powers or some sort of alien invader.
Each laser system has 3 parts. A left half, a right half and the cannon itself. One of my lasers has 2 left halves. Love the game, but that pisses me off.
I'm not positive but I believe that is "Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit" (2000) an old Episode 1 based title. Pricey harder to find game which reconstructs the 3 final battles going on at the climax of The Phantom Menace.
I like this game a lot. Interesting for both sides. A bit more fun for the Americans. You get to hit and run. It is hard to really hit the defending side while the attacker is inherently more vulnerable. I like it, as the Americans, for the invaders to finally take the number of cities needed to win, only for the American counterattack to knock them just below the number needed to win, and get some extra cards to help make the stand.
This is one of those 'Holy Grail' games that if I ever run across it out in the wild and I have the cash on me, I'm going to pick up without a second thought. If I don't have the cash on me I'm going to run out and get the needed money and come back and buy it.
In High School I was part of a local gaming group and that is where I first experienced this game. This was in the late 90's and early 2000's and by that time the game, like the original Axis & Allies at the time, was out of print. I missed the game when it returned to print but I've always kept a watchful eye for this and have unfortunately never ran across it in the wild. It was in that group that I also first experienced Samurai Swords and Civilization. It was an awesome experience that introduced me to the world of board games and I've been a board gamer ever since.
+DOOMED ! that's interesting. I saw Axis & Allies 1941 edition in target. I loved the concept and got it. Then I saw another game, Ikusa a reprint of Shogun and Samurai Swords. I got that one too. Once I was at the game store, I saw games that caught my attention and suited my taste. Haven't been a board game long, about 3 years. I now have around 16 games.
I received this game for Xmas back in '89. A few yrs later during the Gulf War it dawned on me that Saddam Hussein had been on the cover yrs before Op Desert Storm. Weird coinkydink? Hmm. Lol. Side note: I always wanted Shogun but I never picked it up...to this day I wonder how it played.
This game looks fun. Never played it before but with this coming out and Red Dawn coming out in theaters soon... Good stuff. Thank you for the review. :)
If you think about this game's theme in realistic terms, something really, really evil must have done the US to the rest of the world in order to provoke such a cohesive response from everywhere. So if the good ones are the invaders, shouldn't they have called it "Revenge over America"?
I know it's just a game, but look: the good ones aren't the invaders. This game was made when communists were the primary enemies of the entire west; communists don't need an excuse to grab land and push their beliefs via force of arms against others. Every country (regrettably, obviously) kills other people for gold and goods. But only zealots and terrorists do it for ideology. And those people are never "the good ones".
The Internet Peasant You can listen to Tom Vasel saying that there are asian, european and south american countries attacking the US, therefore, and just using logical arguments, the evil ones in this game are not the communists but the US which must have launched some nuclear weapons around or anything like that. Go, United Nations!... Go!
The Internet Peasant In the time this game is inspired any enemy of America was a communist. This scenario is really similar to that of nazi Germany (Canada being America's Austria).
Those commies didn't realize that Tom is a giant among men! He climbed to the top of Miami's Four Seasons Hotel and swatted their jet bombers out of the air! :P
Them Canadian's aren't all dumb, see they're just layin' back waitin' to see who wins, then they come in and attack them while they're at their weakest.
@@Lugo428 Surprisingly, I’m still alive five years after making this comment. And still holding the same view. I think FFG early on bought into this idea of Wizards Of The Coast (magic the gathering), you know, printing cards is as good as printing money. And this is why there are so many decks of cards in every box and also how they justify their high price point. You end up buying a card game that’s pretending to be a boardgame. But what if you wanted a boardgame that’s more of a boardgame? Then you’ll have to forget about FFG. They’ve reached a point where it’s a physical impossibility for them to design a boardgame without many decks of cards in it.
@@falconiusazurius5572 ah. That's fair. Me personally, as long as I like the game, I couldn't care if it's board or card. Although, the high price does kill it a bit, I'll agree.
Brave underdog americans defending against (communist!!!) invaders OR people of the world uniting to stop US from building giant death lasers. Does this game have an actual backstory and a reason for invasion?
The U.S. developed a laser system that can destroy missiles heading for the homeland. Obviously, it must be incredibly accurate to achieve such a feat. The rest of the world are understandably apprehensive. If it can do that, what is to stop the U.S. from taking people out on a whim? They asked that the U.S. dismantle the weapon system because it tips the balance of power to heavily in their favor. But the U.S. said that it would only use it for national defense purposes. Eventually it became clear... if this weapon system is to be destroyed, it would have to be by force. 1 chance. 1 invasion. 3 fronts simultaneously. The U.S. wouldn't use the weapon on their own soil, right?
I have all the games that came out way back when. Axis & Allies, Broadsides and boarding parties, Shogun, Conquest of the Empire, Fortress America. I played them all like you Tom, hundreds of times. I still have the originals. That was a good time in my life when I could sit down for hours with the guys and play games. Thanks for bringing back those great memories Tom.
I loved this when I was a kid. I remember playing it with dad and some of his friends. I still remember the first time I played as the US. The last turn began with the invaders two cities away from victory. They managed to take one and another two were down to single defending units by the end.
The "old" bombers weren't SR71's Tom, they were B1B's.
Or possibly TU-22 "Backfire" :)
Maybe it's time for a Fortress Canada game to come out.
I want Canada to be an expansion, with objective cards that could make the invaders enemies or even a ally to the US player.
I love the differential gameplay, it seems to be something that is making a comeback right now, with Ladies and Gentlemen, Fortress America and Netrunner.
I think the game should have optional allies and retaliation cards for the invaders. I have the new version of the game too and improvise to do some of the suggestions I've mentioned.
I think their should be a limited nuclear weapons strike on cities for further expansion. Moreover a hope within this year a expansion release possibly with airborne, airlift, tankers,fighters , stealth bombers and special forces units are included, which I believe is coming out.
Factories in detroit? that doesnt sound right :P
There are still tons of production plants in Michigan. The factories that no longer build in a lot of cases are still standing. In fact, the factories that built Tanks and Aeroplanes during WWII are still standing in Flint and has been converted into something else. If there was ever. A desperate need, there is a great chance those facilities as well as the many factories throughout the state would be converted back to build war materials.
Hey in times of war they would probably reopen or rebuilt.
I just got this game for Christmas! I think it will be fun!
up for a game? email me email addy and whatever you want to use as a password
Funny, I have pretty much the same history with this game as you Tom. I got this game 20ish years ago (I am 33, so when I was about 10 or so), & I and fell in LOVE with it. This is the game that made me realize that there is more to board games than monopoly... and like you, I always wanted to play USA! (and regularly beat 15 year olds when I was 10, muah)
I love this reprint too, I lost the original when my folks sold it at a garage sale, so I was giddy when I found this.
Great game. I was really happy to see it get reprinted too! My friends had this when it first came out and we'd play it all the time!
thank you for stating the game's length
They need to reprint this and make the units look modern not futuristic. Maybe the invaders can be either new coalitions of foreign powers or some sort of alien invader.
Each laser system has 3 parts. A left half, a right half and the cannon itself. One of my lasers has 2 left halves. Love the game, but that pisses me off.
Imo the balance is what it should be. About 80/20 in favor of the attackers. It is still America which is the most fun side to play
What is that Star Wars game in the yellow box above your right shoulder at 9:37?
I'm not positive but I believe that is "Star Wars: The Queen's Gambit" (2000) an old Episode 1 based title. Pricey harder to find game which reconstructs the 3 final battles going on at the climax of The Phantom Menace.
I like this game a lot. Interesting for both sides. A bit more fun for the Americans. You get to hit and run. It is hard to really hit the defending side while the attacker is inherently more vulnerable. I like it, as the Americans, for the invaders to finally take the number of cities needed to win, only for the American counterattack to knock them just below the number needed to win, and get some extra cards to help make the stand.
So how is it that this has 18,000 views and I cant find anyone to PBEM the game? Let me know what side you want
whats the difference between this version and the one with saddam on the cover? Does it suffer any change?
Loved this game when I was in Junior High. Conquest of the Empire was 5he beat one though.
I unfortunately lost my copy of CotE. Still have Shogun somewhere though.
I like how FF says its a 1-2 hour game on the box lol
i played this game before, exciting.
This is one of those 'Holy Grail' games that if I ever run across it out in the wild and I have the cash on me, I'm going to pick up without a second thought. If I don't have the cash on me I'm going to run out and get the needed money and come back and buy it.
In High School I was part of a local gaming group and that is where I first experienced this game. This was in the late 90's and early 2000's and by that time the game, like the original Axis & Allies at the time, was out of print.
I missed the game when it returned to print but I've always kept a watchful eye for this and have unfortunately never ran across it in the wild.
It was in that group that I also first experienced Samurai Swords and Civilization. It was an awesome experience that introduced me to the world of board games and I've been a board gamer ever since.
+DOOMED ! that's interesting. I saw Axis & Allies 1941 edition in target. I loved the concept and got it. Then I saw another game, Ikusa a reprint of Shogun and Samurai Swords. I got that one too. Once I was at the game store, I saw games that caught my attention and suited my taste. Haven't been a board game long, about 3 years. I now have around 16 games.
What version is best? The 1st or the new release?
New release is better. Have played both many times.
Looks like fun, I wish they would make it an online game.
You're welcome, Tom. ~ Me and the Other Canucks
Canada would definitely stand by America!
Strangely America is fighting an internal color revolution right now
Wolverines!!!!
I received this game for Xmas back in '89. A few yrs later during the Gulf War it dawned on me that Saddam Hussein had been on the cover yrs before Op Desert Storm. Weird coinkydink? Hmm. Lol. Side note: I always wanted Shogun but I never picked it up...to this day I wonder how it played.
JJPasadena Frightening. ... a friend or a foe of American tyrants?
This game looks fun. Never played it before but with this coming out and Red Dawn coming out in theaters soon... Good stuff.
Thank you for the review. :)
Played the crap out of this. Found the key for the invaders was the south front.
1:22 When are you going to review that carton of eggs over your right shoulder?
Looks good but just like a lot of Fantasy Flight games it takes too long for me and my group. We tend to have 3 hours play time max. Shame that.
They must be bad by now, why aren't they in the fridge?
Wolverines!
You guys are beast!
-America
If you think about this game's theme in realistic terms, something really, really evil must have done the US to the rest of the world in order to provoke such a cohesive response from everywhere. So if the good ones are the invaders, shouldn't they have called it "Revenge over America"?
I know it's just a game, but look: the good ones aren't the invaders. This game was made when communists were the primary enemies of the entire west; communists don't need an excuse to grab land and push their beliefs via force of arms against others.
Every country (regrettably, obviously) kills other people for gold and goods. But only zealots and terrorists do it for ideology. And those people are never "the good ones".
The Internet Peasant You can listen to Tom Vasel saying that there are asian, european and south american countries attacking the US, therefore, and just using logical arguments, the evil ones in this game are not the communists but the US which must have launched some nuclear weapons around or anything like that. Go, United Nations!... Go!
Well, the original storyline of the game involves communist aggression, presumably unprovoked by nuclear attack.
The Internet Peasant In the time this game is inspired any enemy of America was a communist. This scenario is really similar to that of nazi Germany (Canada being America's Austria).
this game needs to add Canadian invasion so I can reenact Canadian Bacon
Those commies didn't realize that Tom is a giant among men! He climbed to the top of Miami's Four Seasons Hotel and swatted their jet bombers out of the air!
:P
Them Canadian's aren't all dumb, see they're just layin' back waitin' to see who wins, then they come in and attack them while they're at their weakest.
And send em all to our syrupy gulags
What's that hate about Europe?
Tom, you are wearing a red shirt....
=)
This looks like a game I might like. Unfortunatly it is done by fantasyflight games. I've decided a while back to never buy any of their games again.
Jerry Morton You should try the PBEM version. We just need players
That's too bad as FFG is known for producing excellent, high quality games.
Feels free to tell me it's none of my business, but why?
@@Lugo428 Surprisingly, I’m still alive five years after making this comment. And still holding the same view. I think FFG early on bought into this idea of Wizards Of The Coast (magic the gathering), you know, printing cards is as good as printing money. And this is why there are so many decks of cards in every box and also how they justify their high price point. You end up buying a card game that’s pretending to be a boardgame. But what if you wanted a boardgame that’s more of a boardgame? Then you’ll have to forget about FFG. They’ve reached a point where it’s a physical impossibility for them to design a boardgame without many decks of cards in it.
@@falconiusazurius5572 ah. That's fair. Me personally, as long as I like the game, I couldn't care if it's board or card. Although, the high price does kill it a bit, I'll agree.
Goal is to destroy America? I already like this game! >=)
Brave underdog americans defending against (communist!!!) invaders OR people of the world uniting to stop US from building giant death lasers. Does this game have an actual backstory and a reason for invasion?
The U.S. developed a laser system that can destroy missiles heading for the homeland. Obviously, it must be incredibly accurate to achieve such a feat. The rest of the world are understandably apprehensive. If it can do that, what is to stop the U.S. from taking people out on a whim? They asked that the U.S. dismantle the weapon system because it tips the balance of power to heavily in their favor. But the U.S. said that it would only use it for national defense purposes. Eventually it became clear... if this weapon system is to be destroyed, it would have to be by force. 1 chance. 1 invasion. 3 fronts simultaneously. The U.S. wouldn't use the weapon on their own soil, right?
The theme of this game is one of the reasons why the rest of the world makes fun of US...anyway, you like it, go for it
"For some reason the entire world does not like them".
This is North Korean thinking, most people love american culture and the american lifestyle.
First comment! Yay! :)