If you want to play SPI Games,
the place to be is at Historicon July 15-19!

< -- See menu on Left for quick access Menus.     |        To the right are the new  pages added recently.  -->

Below are added links with explanations

7/9/26

Games for Sale Link

6/19/26
Aaron Danis has added a new article "The Evolution of the PGG Game Series" - pulling together the In Progress design posts and more from S&T and Moves! Enjoy! Link

5/25/26
Some guy named Russ Gifford was interviewed on Ardwulf's Chit Show. Don't hold it against Ardwulf. Link

 

5/8/26

Antietam Replay
Paul Sheppard gives us a short sharp replay of this Blue & Gray quad classic! Link

Berlin '85 Rules
A cleaned up copy of the Berlin '85 rules - with special thanks to Martin Spetz! Link

Korea Scenarios
New, clearer copies of the Korea scenarios - far easier to read.  Whew! Thanks to Clay Chadbourne! Link

Cobra Errata
I have added in the later boxed games insert covering an added point for Cobra beyond the earlier SPI errata sheet/ Special thanks to Nate Summerside. Link

4/29/26

Game Design and Development: A Case Study
Enjoy this chapter from SPI's book on Game Design. The author takes an in-depth look at a classic favorite  Panzergruppe Guderian. The author? Richard Berg! Thank you for sharing this,  Aaron Danis! Link

Game Design Images and Physical Systems:
If you liked that one, here's Redmond Simonsen's chapter on Images and Physical systems! Link

Game Design Newsletter:
And before it was ever a book - it was a newsletter! And you can access all 5 of them here! Link

4/15/26

S&T Supplements Newsletter:
And before those were the S&T Supplements - for everything else that did NOT fit in S&T! And you can access all of them here! Link

3/15/26

The Phoenix! All Issues!

The UK version of Moves - with lots of great, short articles!  Read them all! Link

2/24/26
Deane Sperdakos takes on the challenge of how to play for the win in Frederick the Great.  Link

None other than Joe Balkoski outlines the diplomatic side of the classic game of Frederick the Great. Link

Love the game of Frederick the Great ? Here are new scenarios covering the Silesian Wars, penned by Arnold Blumberg! Link

Greg Costikyan,  the developer of Conquistador!  gives us this in depth look at strategies for the game! Link

Greg also outlines things left out of AH's new rules for Conquistador, and suggests these additions to the game! Link

2/22/26

GBACW 4 to 1
You bought the new GBACW games but never used them? Here's a way to use them with the OLD rules!

BONUS: And a 'module' method to add some of the new rules into the old system when playing the new games. Yes - more chrome!

2/15/2026
Analysis and examples of PRESTAGS optional rules, which are VITAL for the full flavor of these games! LINK

2/15/2026
A Chit Pull activation variant for PRESTAGS along with an expanded Seq of Play!
Link

7/27/2025
Read the FULL After Action Report for the SPI's Alive in 2025! gathering at the HMGS Convention in PA!
Link

5/2/25
Cases: SPI Staff Discussion of Standardizing the Rules - a fascinating chance to be in the room as the discussion unfolds on the best way to present the most difficult part of any wargame created - the Rules manuscript. LINK

4/7/025
NEW Folio Covers added!UPDATED  - there are NOW 47 of these! James Eisert has gifted us all with some beautiful folio/capsule covers for some of the SPI and S&T games! His goal "so people can condense those games and store them easier if they wish." 47 of them! Check them out here! LINK

3/11/2025 - NEW!
Arnhem notes and play tips from UK SPI  Special thanks to Martin Spetz for this great find! Link

3/7/2025 - PRESTAGS Campaign Rules Andrew Cozzi has created a simple but exciting method to create a campaign game for PRESTAGS! - Link

2/28/2025 - PRESTAGS Mix and Match Brian Heddington provides a great article to smooth the way to create clashes between any of the armies in PRESTAGS! - Link

1/15/2025 - NEW!
UK SPI Catalog from the Summer of 1978! Special thanks to Simon Todhunter for this great find! Link

1/4/2025 - The Return of the Moves Footnotes! Dave Tofsted offers a tactical rules change variant for PGG! - Link

9/24/24 - SPI Games that were out of print by 6/30/1980 Link

SPI GameList with SPI IDs
A work in progress - have a few more to go but a listing of SPI games with their SPI ID- both the letter ID, and the later Number ID. (Number ID came in when the company changed from Flatpacks to Boxes.) Link
 
6/19/24 - Added - a beautiful cleaned up scan of the Barbarossa map! Wade Wilson again has done an incredible job cleaning this up. Thank you Wade! Link
In honor of Wade's work, I have added the de-roadmapped rules, and separated the counters and the VP chart out as well. Check the Extras Menu.

6/18/2024 - a 1.4 VASSAL version  of the original Terrible Swift Sword 1st edition. (Original missing the 17th Maine from III Corps.) All credit remains with Al Hay, who willed so many of these SPI Vassal modules, and Allen Dickenson, who added to this one and is keeping it alive.  LINK 

6/11/24 - Since I did not find a VASSAL module for Dreadnought online, I have added one here. It is a work in progress.  Link

6/4/24 - Added - scan of SimPubs version of the  Creature that Ate Sheboygan Rulebook Link

5/30/2024 JFD and RAS illuminate their approach to Game Design looking back on their 1972 games. Game Design: Where Do We Go From Here? by James Dunnigan. Link
Physical System Design in Conflict Simulations by Redmond Simonsen Link

5/16/24 - Draft of a profile of Operation Grenade by Nathan Mueller- including my 'important rules to play the game' on pages 2 and 8! Link

5/12/24 - Added - scan of Original Dawn of the Dead Rulebook Link

(Guys - if I am missing something in the Extras files - ASK! I might not have it - but it is more likely I have not bothered to add it. Just alert me and I'll see what I can do!)
 

4/2/2024 Added the original scenarios for Armageddon - so they are separated and easier to use.  Link
Also have 26 additional scenarios for Armageddon, provided by Steven B. Guy and Kim Meints. Link

2/16/24 - Andrew Cozzi contributes a great After Action Report on a Musket & Pike scenario from the first round of the M&P VASSAL tournament! LINK

2/13/24 - See the excitement you are missing - read my latest weekly update for the Musket & Pike VASSAL tourney - and see my hair raising finish to my first round battle! LINK

1/22/24 -- Take a trip back to 1973 and visit the offices of SPI with John Positano in "Tales of the Old Guard!" -- LINK

1/1/24 - Bob Wolski has de-roadmapped the rules for The Ardennes Offensive! Yea!!! LINK

Link to M&P Vassal module with scenarios in place: LINK

Link to B&G modules with setups in place: LINK

12/11/23 Added an interview with artist Timothy Truman (GrimJack, Scout, and a WHOLE lot more) talking about his first professional job - at SPI in 1980-81! You'll recognize the art from Ares magazine - some of their BEST covers - and you will get to see the people we know at SPI, too! LINK

12/8/23 Wade Wilson is at it again! He has given us a pristine copy of the WWI map. Enjoy, and Thanks Wade! JPG LINK PNG LINK

12/8/23 Richard Mottram has uploaded numerous counterset images -- all added in the Extras menu! Many thanks, Richard!

12/5/23 And Philip Sabin has updated his Napoleon at Waterloo Variant rules. These have been popular! See more under the Variant menu! Or just download here! LINK
And he invites you to see a video of the game here LINK

12/2/23 Floated the idea of a Musket & Pike VASSAL tournament and it looks like it has enough players to be a go! Interested? Sign up here! LINK

12/5/23 A quick review or the TSS1 rules, with lots of pictures and links. LINK

11/12/23 I have added the Hetzer Sniper Rules. Special thanks to John R.S. Kovacs! LINK

11/9/23 James F. Epperson has struck again! Three scenarios for Empires of the Middle Ages now available! LINK

11/4/23 Don't overlook all the Panzergruppe Guderian articles in the Profiles section!

10/30/23 James F. Epperson, whose original work for MOVES included articles on TSS and Stonewall, has contributed a TSS scenario for our use! This is a "What If" scenario, happening the day BEFORE the traditional Gettysburg, with extra cavalry that COULD have been there. Enjoy!  LINK

10/29/23 Joseph Godbout has gifted us with an excellent review and partial replay of the original Kursk! There is a lot to unpack in this article, so let's get started! LINK

10/14/23 I am honored to bring you a GREAT new article by Eric Goldberg! Here is his look at what might be the top SPI games of the mid 1970s. LINK

10/14/23 Tabletop Games has certainly come a long way. This sheet shows some 225 SPI games are now available in this popular online format. (The list shows 212 - but some some of the quad games are not listed separately.) LINK

9/3/23 We are starting September with a bang - Joseph Godbout has gifted us with an excellent play by play of Year of the Rat - a game we never see enough of here! LINK

8/27/23 Bruce Redenour has contributed a replay of the SPI Classic, The Ardennes Offensive. I added a rules review, and and put it all together here! LINK

8/18/23 Wade Wilson is at it again! This time, he has a beautifully cleaned the map for Battles of Bull Run ! JPG Link PDF Link

8/9/23 Many of us tried playing MechWar 77 with the October War rules. In this case, though, someone thoughtfully integrated the October War rules into the MechWar 77 rule book. The result is amazing. Find it here! MechWar 78 rules at this link.
 
8/8/23 Ross Menzies offers 3 simple house rules for Conquistador! Link

8/8/23 Joseph Godbout gives us a detailed look at 1812, including some nice color pics for what might be SPI's first 4 color map? Link

7/30/23 I have added the Second Edition Armada rules to the site, as well as the Errata pages for Armada 1st edition. Link to 2nd Ed Rules
Link to 1st Ed Errata

7/29/23 Wade Wilson is at it again! He has a beautifully cleaned map for Lost Battles, an early lost gem from the SPI House of Wonders! Original PDF Link  5 Meg JPG Link  3 Meg JPG Link

7/26/23 Wonder what makes a good set of rules? Hear from everyone in this round table discussion with the best and the brightest of SPI's golden era. LINK

6/15/23 Check out Philip Sabin's deceptively simple rules tweaks to Napoleon at Waterloo! Link

(And find his other wargaming links by googling 'Sabin wargames.)'

5/14/23 A new Rules Overview / Game discussion. The subject this time? Operation Grenade! (Link) Nathan Mueller gives a quick view of strategic and tactical choices, while I provide a quick review of the rules to get you playing this 'perfect for solo play' game!

4/28/23 Alan R. Arvold contributes two articles on Lost Battles! The first is a recap of changes, and needed errata, plus suggested counters! And the second is a rundown of all the counters in the game, along with the ones he proposes in the first article! Enjoy! Advanced Lost Battles Link And Counter Listing Link Brian Train shared this PDF of Arvold's Variants! Link

4/14/23 A list of publications by hobby mainstay Martin Campion - scholar, researcher, writer, and long-time chronicler of the simulation games hobby! I have also linked all the articles of his that are already on the website so you can read them. Special thanks to the late John Kula for this, and to Brian   Link Link to unpublished Campion article here!

4/6-8/23 George Nap is at it again! This time it is the SPI great, Chickamauga! See it here! Link

And now,  Fredericksburg! Link

A highly detailed replay of Balaclava from The Crimean War Quad has been delivered to me from Leo Zappa. This is a very enjoyable effort! Link

My newest effort - a look at The Crimean War and a detailed rules overview designed to get you playing fast is also online now. Link

Also one for Blue & Gray. (I know, but what the heck.) Link

3/31/23 Wade Wilson has recently provided us with a beautifully cleaned version of the Musket & Pike map! Link And Rob Hickman has a colorized version of the Grenadier map as well. Link .

3/25/23 Bannockburn scenario cards for ROI Link and Yeoman Link. Honoring the day Robert the Bruce became King of the Scots - and the battle that marks the beginning of the end of the Feudal system. Need the ROI VASSAL module? Link 

New 3/22/23
Two intriguing replays that also teach you the rules of play. See the Agincourt scenario in Yeoman (played by  Andrew Hobley, and to explore the differences, I did the same scenario from the grandfather of all the tactical games, Renaissance of Infantry. I  contributed additional info to teach the rules to both these great games!
Link - ROI  Link - Yeoman
And this link will allow you to hear Dr. Nofi talk about the design and development of ROI! Link

Gary N. Mengle pulled together a Zoom call with 5 SPI greats (Davis, Herman, Butterfield, Parker, and Eric Lee Smith) to discuss the SPI days! WONDERFUL!See the video on YouTube HERE!

New 3/18/23

PRESTAGS Scenarios!!

Mod 1 2 3 4 5
Five modules of PRESTAGS scenarios by the best in the business! Look under Scenarios and then PRESTAGS to find them all! From Joe Miranda, Steven B. Guy, and Kim Meints!

Musket & Pike Scenarios!!  

Musket & Pike The Gold Rush of scenarios for this old favorite, by "the usual suspects?" MANY THANKS to Steven B. Guy, Kim Meints, Arthur Hendrick, Lawrence P. Duffield, John Lee, and Rob Gibson.

There are 23 scenarios here. Enjoy!

New 3/16/23

New Replays!
Mike Dyer and a short sharp battle introducing you to Rifle & Saber! Link A rules recount that could have you playing ASAP!
And don't miss the replay of Naseby in Musket & Pike by Joseph Bruce Redenour! Link 
And Andrew Hobley contributed this Yeoman replay! Link

New 3/12/23

New Replays!
Clayton Martin provided a short replay of a Viking scenario featuring - no Vikings! It is the Byzantines vs those pesky Bulgars at Balthusta, 1014. Keep an eye out for this one. (Oh, did I go there? 'Eye' guess 'eye' did.)

PRESTAGS Quick Ref Chart
A handy quick rules reference Chart for PRESTAGS - and should help anyone play the earlier versions of the game using the new rules, too.

New 3/8/23

Adjourned Game Sheets
Lee Enderlin sent these Excel worksheets to record unit positions for the eight GBACW Games!

New 3/7/23

New Replays!
I have added  six new replays in the past few days. The list: Battle of the Wilderness, and Hooker & Lee out of the Blue & Gray Quad; Bloody Ridge, from the Island War Quad, Sedan, from the Battles for the Ardennes Quad,  and Outreach, the SF Classic!

New 3/2/23

Have you noticed the new menu item, Tactics? I have recently added some nice articles, including a look at reinforcement choices in Arnhem, and other articles to follow!

New 12/18/22

Cedar Mountain Tactics If Tactics is all about how you move the units, this 11 page booklet looks at making your maneuvers on the board 'all about menace' that forces your opponent to prevent disaster! The booklet focuses on the power and proper use of Artillery and Cavalry. Don't overlook the little realized points of a cavalry charge. Quizzes review your understanding of elevation and line of sight, and the later review of calculations for fire and melee combat!

New 12/13/22

King Arthur Replay!
Jeff Parker serves up a short, sharp replay of the final battle between Arthur and Mordred from the Great Medieval Battles Quad! 

Cedar Mountain Strategy Russ Gifford walks through the first two turns of Cedar Mountain, and discusses the development of a winning strategy for the Union!

New - 6/20/22

JFD interview by Pat Flory
With Pat Flory's recent passing, I thought we should remember him with this look back at his interview of Jim Dunnigan. RIP, Patrick.

New - 6/12/22

Chinese Farm
Mark Saha provide player's aids and insights on this great little game from the Modern Battles Quad!

New - 4/17/22

Invasion America
One page PDF Addenda for Invasion America, from 1980!

GBACW 4 to 1
Four pages of rules to use the NEW GBACW games as GBACW v1 games!!

And a three page look at separate rules to add more chrome from the new games!

Plus a few examples to drive home the points.

SPI Videos
Added a set of videos from Hex 2 Hex featuring Pleasant Hill. Four parts but each are about 6 to 7 minutes. Nice to hear his strategy and the results!

2/8/22

'Your Move' Newsletter!
A 12 page newsletter with SPI articles, event notices, and a game challenge - it is 'Your Move!'

Writer's Guidelines for 'Your Move'
Lots of requests for these.

New - 1/23/22

Looking for Opponents?
New information on using the SPI Opponent's Finder to reach players!

SPI Napoleon Quad Tournament / Fest!
Details and Downloads!
Great way to find new opponents!

Quick Start VASSAL Guide!
See how to jump start using VASSAL as a way to exchange moves!

New - 1/8/22

TAC GAME #3 !!!Stephen Oliver has gifted us all with a beautifully restored copy of TAC Game #3!! Many, many  thanks for the game and the effort to restore it! Enjoy!!

Event-Year Cards  Added the cards for Empire of the Middle Ages - thank you John Edwards. Much nicer than my originals!

Foxbat Phantom Map Not perfect, but you should be able to see the setups and speeds info now!

Creature Video
Added Centurion Gamers Video play through of Creature that Ate Sheboygan. Watch this short video, and you can start playing the game!

Replay: Golan  George Nap finishes his replay / analysis of the original Modern Battles Quad with this replay of Golan! Can the Syrians change the outcome? Can the IDF repeat their stunning vistory? Special thanks, George!

Replay: Yugoslavia Breaking into the Mod Battles II quad, George Nap adds this Yugo/NATO effort to eject the invading Soviets from Zagreb!

Replay: Mukden Mr. Nap provides yet another great replay from The Modern Battles Quad. This time it is Mukden, a hypothetical battle that occurs when the Soviets invade China!

Replay: Wurzburg
An EXCELLENT new play by play AAR from George Nap! This time it is Modern Battles, and the name of the place is the Wurzburg.

New - 1/3/22

Campaign for North Africa
In Progress notes for the game that changed how we look at wargames - Campaign for North Africa. There is some amazing insights here, and well worth the read. Especially for those who don't think it was playtested.

RAS on Large Games
Redmond Simonsen discusses "The Large Game Syndrome."

RAS on Game Graphics
Redmond Simonsen considers "What Have I Been Doing??" when Tom Oleson questions his graphics qualities!

New - 12/31/21

The Next War Intro
A couple of turns of The Next War in a play by play. Enjoy!

Operation Typhoon
TC Bradley takes you through the first 6 turns of Operation Typhoon!

New - 12/23/21

Normandy Rules
With special thanks to David Barkey, the rules for the TSG game Normandy are now on the site. Special Note - these are not complete. But I am happy to have this much!

New - 12/21/21

Leipzig Rules
With special thanks to David Barkey, the rules for the TSG game Leipzig are now on the site!! 

Wreck of the Pandora
Excellent Review / Overview of the game by Jeffery Bass!

New - 12/12/21

Special Issues 
In 1977, 1979, and 1981, SPI created a special "Introduction to Wargaming" magazine. See them under 'Special Issues' on the menu for Advertisements

S&T Books
I - IV Link
 

New - 12/8/21

Barbarossa Rules
With special thanks to David Barkey, the rules for the TSG game Barbarossa are now on the site!! 

Tannenberg Rules
With special thanks to David Barkey, the rules for the TSG game Tannenberg are now on the site!! 

New - 12/4/21

Some Universe stuff added - like errata, other things.
Hey... check it out where it wasn't at last time you looked.

New - 11/26/21

Deployment Rules!
With special thanks to David Barkey, the rules for the TSG game Deployment are now on the site!! 

New - 11/26/21

Game Design Newsletter #5
The Last issue of the Game Design Newsletters!!   Lots of great articles including the upcoming 'Dark Ages (TAC 16) addition to the Renaissance of Infantry and Centurion series of TAC games!

Game Design Newsletter #4
The fourth issue of the Game Design Newsletters!! Designer's Notes discusses the new big game, WAR IN THE EAST. And the Reviews include a detailed look at TSG Deployment, and why it is re-imagined into GRENADIER.

 

Tactical Tips
Many articles on tactical play of these great games. Some are general, using the standard sticky ZOC games, and a number are specific to GBACW.

 

 - 11/17/21

The Never Quads
Brian Train looks deep into the Feedback questions and brings us a DETAILED look at all the Quads that never were - AND what happened going forward!

Game Design Newsletter #3
The third issue of the Game Design Newsletters!!  A new format made the scanning far nicer! Lots of great articles!

Game Design Newsletter #2
The second of the Game Design Newsletters!!  This one needs more work - but wanted to make what I had available.

New - 11/14/21

Against Four Worlds
In Progress notes for the game that never was - what would have been the last of the Quads!

Game Design Newsletter #1
The first of the Game Design Newsletters!!   Great articles reviewing the Test Series Games with lots of behind the scenes info; a nice article from Dr. Al Nofi on designing TAC 14 (Renaissance of Infantry.) And much more!

S&T Supplement 8
The final missing copy of S&T Supplement newsletters! (All links here.)

Below: I'm excited about these Designer / Developer Notes compilations. It was a goal when I started this web site to do ALL of these.

Compiled Development Notes for SPI Games:

Against Four Worlds

Battle of Monmouth

Berlin 85

Central Front Series

Rapid Deployment Force

If you want the original versions I did for the GBACW Development Notes, here is the link to the first page of them. Follow the links on that first page for the rest. (GBACW Link)

I recently added links to new videos - there are over EIGHTY videos at SPI Videos!