Blind games other than Panzerblitz/Panzer Leader

[oldjarhead]

I found some good sets of rules for playing Pzbltz/PzLdr blind with a referee - I'm interested in doing the same with some other games on an operational or strategic scale, such as Afrika Korps. I already have 3 Afrika Korps sets. Anybody seen rules for that?
Thanks,
OldJarHead

[Keith Heitmann]

I've been out of touch with board games for a long time. I haven't seen anything myself. I wonder how many people here even play board games now.

[oldjarhead]

I hadn't played any in over a decade and didn't have my old collection anymore, but there's a brisk trade in old AH & SPI games on eBay - started collecting them again and am accumulating them fast at good prices. My wife is starting to learn some of them, and it seems easier with the board games.

[oldjarhead]

When I was stationed at 29 Palms in the early 90s, some of the training folks there were running miniatures games on a giant terrain board - they ran teams for each side, and kept the "blind" factor as realistic as possible - when it was your turn, they'd cover whatever areas your units couldn't see with a cloth, and each team was out of the room while the other team discussed the situation and moved. The thing took up a big room, though - not practical at home unless you're Bill Gates (and he would probably insist on a software game.)
The way I got started on this again was spotting an eBay offering from a guy who runs a wargame shop in 29 Palms, selling a special set he'd helped develop for the folks on the base.

[Keith Heitmann]

I bought my first AH game back in 1969, Luftwaffe. I wanted Jutland, but the store didn't have it. Never did get Jutland. I have about 20 of the AH board games, and 20 more for the TRS80 Model III/IV computer that I got in buy two get one free deal when they were closing out games for that machine. I have a number of SPI and a few other smaller company board games.

I never got to play against anyone back then because no one wanted to invest the time to read the manual and work it all out. So I played a few of the games solo, playing both sides.

I have seen a few of those miniature game tables and rooms. There was a group in Norway that used 1/35 scale model tanks on a giant table with terrain and hexagons on it, and I recently saw a outdoor terrain setup for remote control tanks. The tanks were modified so that one person drove while the second was the gunner and they would stage running battles on this outdoor terrain area they had setup for their club. They were selling it all on eBay for about $12,000 or more approx.

I think one of the guys that used to visit here said he was into 1/72 scale miniature combat and he and his friends used Airfix miniature tanks, etc.

[oldjarhead]

I did a lot of my playing solo as both sides too, but as a teenager I had some friends who were into AH games. One had a vacant basement where we set up 4x8 plywood sheets on sawhorses as game tables. It was nice because if we didn't finish a game we could leave it and it wasn't in anyone's way.
A table setup using 1/35 scale would be huge! I used to build tank models in that scale so I can visualize it. Seems like it would take a vacant lot.
There used to be an amusement arcade in Sacramento that had a setup with two-person tanks that were like enclosed go-carts, one driver and one gunner - the gun fired tennis balls, in an enclosure about the size of a baseball field. I took my kids there once about 15 years ago. No idea whether it's still around. It was a lot of fun; my son (8 then) really got into gunning.

[Keith Heitmann]

Most of the bigscale R/C tanks (1:6) by Tamiya have kits that lets it fire infrared light and if you score a hit on the other tank in a battle that tank is disabled for 10 seconds.

You should check out some of the old links in my Miltary Modelling and RC Toys section. I've links to several makers or large scale RC tanks.

[oldjarhead]

Thanks, I will check that out. I've never gotten into R/C models, but I do like the 1/35 tanks and 1/32 WW2 fighters.

[Keith Heitmann]

oldjarhead said:

Thanks, I will check that out. I've never gotten into R/C models, but I do like the 1/35 tanks and 1/32 WW2 fighters.

You may have to look back several pages of posts to find the ones about the R/C tanks (there are probably several threads).

These things are big at 1/6 scale. The ones machined out of metal weigh as much as 100lbs. Buying one with all the gear needed to make it run can cost you as much as $5000 or more!

[stormcaller]

I play with 1/35th 1/32nd outdoor minis all the time. I find its easier on my eyes and back then bending over a table. The tanks are alread assembeld and painted so you can start right away with no extra expence. Lots of them are metal now so you wont worry so much about damage. Making terrain in that scale is easy. scrap wood buldings and brnaches dressed up like trees. We play on flat fine dirt or short cut grass like s putting green. It very simple and fun. If you have limited space you could reduce ground scale to compensate. Even 1/72nd ina backyard is okay too. Many toys in that scale to use as well.

I find minis and boardgames simpler then PC. Constant upgrades and incompatability issues with computers becomes a finaical drain and big hassel. Now with more and more companies making pre assembled models its not hard or expensive to get game peices. even Tamyia makes pre assembled and painted tanks now.

[stormcaller]

VASSALengin.org has those games and many have blind play now.

[stormcaller]

opps. vassalengine.org. I speell bad.