Recent Additions: SPI Games
Web Site Additions

Bookmarks  to new sections:

Tactics board for GBACW Active!

Free Downloads of cool GBACW v1.0 stuff!

Going to try to keep this page updated as I add things, so it is easy to locate those 'new' additions!

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 he 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

1/4/2025 - 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.

PRESTAGS Scenarios!!

Mod 2 3 4
Four modules of PRESTAGES scenarios by the master! look under Scenarios and PRESTAGS to find them all! 

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.

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 - 11/30/21

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 (1st Ed). 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.

New - 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.)

New - Sometime in November

Added map for Battle For Stalingrad, improved items for Descent on Crete, (maps, charts, and added breakouts rather than complete only download.) Changed the Sinai download to rules PAGES, which should improve download and usage. (Format is still not good for printing, but 12 x12 works well on the screen.)

New - 11/1/21

Numerous items for Universe -- Look under the Profiles menu

Also see updated maps for Red Star White Star and Atlantic Wall

New - 10/26/21

Tannenberg TSG
An actual strategic article for the original TSG Tannenberg!

Bastogne S&T 20
A variant for SPI's original Bastogne game, published in  S&T 20!

Centurion
A run down of the many scenarios in the game of Centurion!
 

Week of 10/6/21

Napoleon's Last Battles Addenda!
The long overlooked addenda for this great game!

Compiled Development Notes

Hastings 1066
What was to be the first or second game in an ambitious "Great Battle of History" project! Read about this forgotten gem here! 

The Central Front Series!
Must see - "Winning with the Warsaw Pact"  by Allen Dickerson!! Lots of detailed analysis for this great system!

SPI by the Numbers
(New Chapter in SPI History)

Freedom in the Galaxy

After the Holocaust

Bulge,

Leningrad

John Carter

The Thirty Years War

Campaign for North Africa

Bloody April

Commando

Army Group South Quad

Fulda Gap

Objective Moscow

Red Sun Rising

Sword and Sorcery

 Vector 3

Kharkov

Siege of Constantinople

CityFight
A great look at a great game, including a play by play of a scenario!

DeathMaze
Nice review of an intriguing little game that works.

Good Game Design
Including  capsule discussions of Armada, Musket & Pike, Eylau, Vera Cruz, The Crimean War Quad, Red Sun Rising, Arnhem, Oil War, and Fulda Gap

War in the Pacific
None other than Nicky Palmer provides a detailed look at the play and components of the game!

Berlin 85
Diving into an excellent Operational Analysis of the opposing forces and the terrain they will be fighting over!

Blue & Gray I / II
OK Capsule reviews of each game and a grade by Steve List

TSS / GBACW
Pretty good capsule reviews of each game and a grade by Steve List

DragonQuest
Great review with detail!

Atlantic Wall 
An in depth look at the system!

A Soldiers Mini Campaign Game! 

Arnhem
Suggesting some improvements for Arnhem?

War of the Ring
Proposing a hidden movement system for the Character game!

Bulge
Great review of Bulge 1980 using Bastogne 1970 as the contrast!

Empires of the Middle Ages
Quick first look at the mechanics and counters of this game.

Tito
A deep look into this game by Nicky Palmer - includes play by play!

Kursk (II)
A look at the 1981 version of Kursk.

MechWar 2
A detailed review of the mechanics and components.

MechWar 2
Some ideas on the British troops and added rules.

Cobra
A far reaching variant for this classic.

Panzergruppe Guderian
Learning the tactics!

NATO Division Commander
Systems review

The Kaiser's Battle
Detailed Analysis

Week of 9/25/21

Learning Highway to the Reich!
Nice easy start overview from Mauro Faina!

Victory In the West Vol 1 and 2
Great analysis of the system and the specifics of Patton's 3rd and Op Grenade.

Spies!
A look and the pieces and the play of this game!

Central Front
Hof Gap and others detailed!

AirWar
Thoughts on play and some suggestions!

Operation Star
Defending - while abandoning - Kharkov!

Oops - late addition - just found it on my site. Didn't recall writing it.

Why Wargames?

9/18/2021 -

I might have gone insane today. Added over 20 links, some with multiple pages. But most are development articles for SF/Fantasy Roleplaying, so it likely has limited interest. However, for those who like this, ... enjoy. 

Conan
Notes for the Game that Never Happened

Universe
Designer Notes by John Butterfield Part 1

Universe
Designer Notes by John Butterfield Part 2

Universe
A 'behind the scenes' look at the development of Universe by Gerry Klug!

Universe Development Notes
Ares 9-12

Universe Launch Advertisement

Universe Commlink Notes
Ares 12

Universe Commlink Notes
Ares 13

Roleplaying In the Land of Farie
David Richie crossover link for Albion and DragonQuest!

DragonQuest Development Notes for DQ Ares 12

DragonNotes
David Richie discussing DragonQuest, including some Q&A! 

DragonNotes
DR's second column.

DragonNotes
DR's third column, and addenda!

DragonNotes
Gerry Klug takes the helm!

DragonNotes
Non player character generation.

DragonNotes
Renamed Questing.

DragonNotes
Summoning Secrets

SPI Variations additions:

DQuest
An alternative Combat system for DragonQuest by Justin Lietes

SPI Scenario Additions

DQ
The House of Kurin

DQ
The Camp of Alla-Akabar

DQ
The Treasure of Socantri

9/12/2021 -

Tips on Better Play

Basic Tactics

Tactics of the Advance

Formation Tactics

Broad Front Strategy

Defense / Offense Strategy

Four by Frederick Georgian, using B&G and NAW  examples!

Conservative Tactics

Joe Angiolillo, a master gamer, explains how you can play effectively and still conserve your forces!

Military Tactics P1

Military Tactics P2

Military Tactics P3

Three Tactical Articles using real life examples for Simulation Games by Thomas Pratuch, using Mech War 2!

Match Play Guide
(By RAS)

Ode to RAS
Special thanks to Eric Lee Smith for sharing this.

Writers Submissions (old Moves guidelines!)

R&D Job Response! (DJR Response!)

SPI QuantitiesTSR? (DJR notes!)

The two items above are from David James Ritchie's family, Special thanks to Eric Schliffka.

9/10/2021 - A revamped look to the page. Still not where I want it to be. But you go to the net with the web site you have, not the web site you wish you had.

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. Well, I did all the GBACW development ones as web pages, and did NOT like the results all those years ago, so I stopped. I LIKE the results of these MUCH better!

Compiled Development Notes for SPI Games:

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)

Replays and Videos

A focus of this site is to improve play. Here are some recent adds to the
SPI Replays. Here are some links:

BAOR (Central Front Series)

Terrible Swift Sword

Cedar Mountain (GBACW)

Drive On Washington
(GBACW)

Chariot
(PRESTAGS)

Ligny
(NLB)

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

7/14/2021 - I added a few things, much of it from the fantastic help of others! Ned Kam has provided the following items:

Napoleon at Waterloo - the 1979 Free version, Rules, map, and counters.

The Intro to Wargaming from the same 1979 publication

SPI catalogs from 1972, 1973, and 1974!

Stephen Oliver provided an updated VASSAL module for Blue and Gray's Shiloh

6/1/2021 - I added a few things since the last update, much more than listed below:

Errata: Added a complied Errata for Search & Destroy. Some other clean up items.

Rules and Maps: Lots of new things here: Maps added for Empire of the Middle Ages, Chariot, Legion, Viking, A Mighty Fortress, Red Star White Star, Air War. Also counters for Legion, Chariot, and Centurion. Also pics of ALL the items in the every so rare Moments in Conflict boxed set for teachers!!!

SPI Scenarios: Added a new scenario for CA, and one for StarForce. (oops - 404 error now fixed! Thanks for the heads up!)

SPI Replays:  Terrible Swift Sword - the entire first day!!! PanzerGruppe Guderian, Chariot, Cedar Mountain, Drive on Washington, Road To Richmond, Seelowe, Chinese Farm, Desert Fox! replay. Many thanks to the folks offering these. To me, THESE are perhaps the best news in recent years. If you are familiar with the game, these are exciting to watch. You can also see games you know well take entirely unexplored directions because YOU never thought to try it! Which means you LEARNED something!

And if you have NEVER played the game, you get some ideas how it works, and some tips for first time set ups, which to me is a REAL boon! Thanks to EVERYONE for their contributions to this - and remember, if you are doing solo games, TAKE pictures and make a few notes on each turn. Send those to me and I can put it together for you!

SPI Videos: Also added many new SPI Videos! As you know, I am very picky on videos - I don;t need someone that has never read the rules playing the game wrong, and I rarely take an 'unbox' video. But there are links to more than EIGHTY videos now! That's some serious efforts by a lot of people to help you see and understand over FIFTY DIFFERENT games! Wow!

SPI Advertisements: I am adding at least 10 to 15 new advertisements.

And lots of other things tucked in here and there. Enjoy!

4/1/2020 - I added a few things since the last update:

SPI Replays: Crete (ST18), Punic Wars (2), and the start of a Desert Fox replay! Coming - a short, sharp PanzerGruppe Guderian replay. Many thanks to the folks offering these. We now have over 25 of them! Remember - if you are playing by VASSAL, of soloing games, and want to take pictures and make notes, you can send them to me and I will make the PDF for the Replay!

Errata: A few cleanups, and small additions, including for Great Medieval Battles, and Modern Battles.

SPI Variants: Added a variant for King Arthur that removes the Leader to Leader combat and gives them leadership ratings and abilities instead!

Rules and Maps: Working through additions of better maps and rules for Panzer '44, and others in that series.

SPI Videos: Also added a couple of new SPI Videos, one long one for BattleFleet Mars and a few others.

SPI Advertisements: I am adding at least 10 to 15 new advertisements.

Let me know if there is something you are looking for and can't find on the site. Drop me a note at the feedback page. Link

1/1/2020 - Today, I have added the following to www.SPIGames.net: 

SPI Scenarios: for FireFight, Air War, Raid, and a solo scenario for StarForce.

SPI Profiles: Longer articles on Art of Siege, Armada, The Crimean War, Highway the Reich, BattleFleet Mars, Operation Typhoon, Fulda Gap, War of the Rings, and Sauron.

And some proposed variants or house rules articles for Napoleon's Last Battles, To the Green Fields Beyond, and two planes for Air War.

No matter what - if you are LOOKING for something, drop me a note at the feedback page. Link

Recently, I added new chapters to my ongoing history of SPI:  Chapter 1 to the ongoing History of SPI via the formats offered: Link

2/1/16 -  new updates to formats listings, new scenarios included in the scenarios pages.

No matter what - if you are LOOKING for something, drop me a note at the feedback page. Link

Again - there have been many many updates that I have not listed here.

7/11/15

Looks like I did it again - had lots of updates in the past few months, and not mentioned them at all here!  A quick recap:

In June, added Chapter 6 to the ongoing History of SPI via the formats offered: Link

3/31/15

Added Wellington's Victory rules to the download page. Long download - 175 mb? Link

3/20/15

Hmmm... was adding so many things, I forgot to update this. And that include many things I may never have mentioned.

OK - I have the articles and items in Phoenix, up through issue 15. These include a LOT of scenarios for older English games, using Musket & Pike, Rifle & Saber, etc.  Check for the Scenarios on this page (Link), and the general game reviews - and there are many - here (Link.) 

I have also added a number of new Errata pages, including Bloody April, John Carter, Red Sun Rising, Swords & Sorcery, and more? (Link).

Anyone noticed the pages on Monster Games link, or the Quad Games? Link. Besides the over view page for monsters and quads, the games are linked to individual pages for each game. The Monsters are linked to Web pages, the Quads are linked to the full page ad that announced their arrival in the pages of S&T! Here's a sample, with clickable thumbnails and linked articles for Wacht Am Rhein (link)

2/22/15

Added articles and scenarios from the British Sim Pubs magazine Phoenix.  Issues 1-11 are done. Must be at least 30 new pages of material on the site, mostly under Scenarios and Variants. 

2/15/15

Updated the page on the quads to include a link to the full page advertisement S&T published when each quad was released. Hyperlink is on the name of the quad in the middle column. Link to Quads

2/8/15

Added page of the SPI Quads Link to Quads

1/23/15

Added the errata for Battle of Cassino  Link to Errata

1/23/15

Added the rules for Battle of Cassino  Link to Errata

1/14/15

Added links to all TSS / GBACW Discussion Pages (Link)

1/4/15

Started SPI Quad pages  - overall page for all quads,
and started individual Quad game pages.

You know there is the same thing for the Monsters already, right? (Link)

Individual pages for these are linked on Monsters page.

12/28/14

Added:
History of SPI, Chapter 4: Birth of the Flat Pack  (link)

12/23/14

Updates:
To the 'History of SPI' pages, Chapters 1,2,and 3. (link)
To 'Chapter 5: Coming of the Quads.' (link)

12/4/14 -

Added:
Link to Q&A (Errata) for SNIPER!  Link to Errata

11/29/14 -

Added:
Variant for Dawn of the Dead Link to Variants

Addenda for Mech War 2 (which includes items for Red Star White Star 2nd Ed. and Suez to Golan. Link to Errata

Rules for October War Link to Rules

11/22/14 -

Somehow missed Irad B. Hardy's great operational analysis of Wagram from Moves 29! It is now on the Profiles page and in the directory! Link to Profiles

11/1/14 -

Forgot that I had done individual pages on each of the SPI Monster games! (I tell you, there are hundreds of pages on this site!)  Individual games are linked to the games' list on the SPI Monsters page. Today I fixed some of the picture links, added some info to a few of the games, and added additional pictures and data to each. Link to SPI Monsters

10/31/14 -

Added scenario and variant for Drive on Washington.
Link to Variants Menu

Added May 19 1978 Errata sheet for Drive on Stalingrad.
Link to Errata Menu

10/14/14 -

Added the 1977 full color "Worlds of Simulation Gaming" SPI catalogue to the Advertisements page.  Link to Advertisements Menu

10/12/14 -

Added Errata for :

• After the Holocaust
• Constantinople, Siege of
• Great War in the East
• Red Sun Rising
• Stonewall (yeah, can't believe I didn't have that up here already!)
• Wacht Am Rhien
• World War Three

There might be others, too. But as of right now, I think I have errata for over 125 SPI games on the site! Using the last known listing of 'errata available' from S&T, I think the ones for War in Europe might be about the last of those to get in here. Now it is down to looking in the boxes for the later sheets I gathered.

BUT - I am ALWAYS interested in adding anything YOU might have that I don't! Please send along any errata I don't have listed, and I'll share it here!
Link to Errata Menu

9/30/14

Added a few new links to videos on SPI games:

• Berlin '85
• Seelowe

These are multiple parts - as you watch them on YouTube, see the right hand menu to reach the next installment! Link to Video Menu

9/21/14

My largest effort that last few months has been this project. But I can't really talk to much about it. There are nearly 40 of them here though, and I will add more as I get time. Link to Project

9/1/14

Some additional Profiles (longer articles on games):

• Sword and the Stars
• Tank! After Action Report
• Napoleon's Last Battles Campaign report
• the Jerrold Thomas analysis of the PRESTAGS units
  
  and a manifest of the PRESTAGS units themselves. Link to Profile Menu

8/25/14

Added Variants for Pandora fans!

• Rules to allow Wreck of the BSM Pandora to be played by two players instead of the original 'solitaire only' rules.
• Rules to link Wreck of the BSM Pandora with Voyage of the BSM Pandora for a larger experience!

And I think there were some other adds, but you'll have to check out the list for yourself! Link to Variants Menu

8/7/14

I know I have added nearly 50 new advertisements and pictures of games. I'll let you look for them! Link to Advertisements Menu

Well, here are a few: Link(DE), Link(CAP), Link(AC)

3/1/08: Pea Ridge reviewed

John Leggat has shared his Pea Ridge survey / review, which includes his thoughts on the SPI game, as well as Eric Lee Smith's Across Five Aprils and FGA's version of the battle. (Many thanks, John!) (click here)

2/27/08: Pea Ridge After Action Report!

John Leggat, editor of the long-running Lines of Communication newsletter, has sent a blow by blow description of a hard fought Pea Ridge battle! (click here)

2/25/08: Melee under the microscope....

Greg Laubach and I dissect the Retreat Before Melee / Melee sequence of events, looking for clarity. (click here)

2/18/08: Discussion on leadership tactics in TSS/GBACW started....

Started a new discussion thread this week. Weigh in on leadership lessons in TSS/GBACW. (click here) And see all the discussion threads here! (click here)
 

2/12/08: Snow, snow, and more snow....

Starting my fifth week in the Rochester, NY region. I'm in my hotel room, and it is snowing like crazy.

In other words, nothing new here. How are things with you?

Actually, I added a snippet on early development of Bloody April from issue 40 of MOVES magazine. (click here)

2/6/08: Just found Crazy Igor's store in little Hilton, NY.

Obviously, I actually died last night and didn't know it, because I just stumbled into heaven.

Seriously, this place has every kind of game, from AH to Yaquinto, and everything in between.

SPI games looking like they came out of the SPI warehouse last week, not 25 or 30 years ago. All sorts of wargames, magazines, role playing and all the rest. Stacks of the stuff. Every wall and all the free space is taken up with shelves and racks.

Big games. Little games. Campaign for North Africa. War in the Pacific (the original, of course.) Two copies of Bloody April. Two copies of Corinth/Jackson at the Crossroads. Everything. Anything.

I'll add his address and phone to the Gaming Links page.

I'm still in shock.  I have to lay down for a while....

2/1/08: Added a discussion page for GBACW gaming tactics. (Click here)

The idea of the RussGifford.net site was to support wargaming in general, and GBACW games specifically. The CD-Rom training disc has been very popular, and it helps people learn how to play the game. But the constant follow-up question is "what about playing the game well?"

So - trying this concept out: the new discussion board is a place to share your experiences or learn about tactics in GBACW/TSS2!  Click here to read GBACW Tactics!

I currently have three subjects listed, (Maneuver, Artillery, Cavalry) but feel free to go beyond that. You pick the subject, and I'll do the posts.

Post your ideas to me, (here) and I'll put them in a page at the GBACW Tactics page.

(And feel free to post me YOUR ideas. I don't have to agree with it - just realize, they are coming to me in a letter first, to prevent spam and cross talk. This is to be a spot for and exchange of ideas on play of the games.)

Again, click here and send me ideas to share with the rest of the gaming public!

2/1/08: Corrected counter scans added!

Greg Laubach, GBACW gamer extraordinaire,  has been very busy of late. He has done a GREAT job on correcting the errors on that cropped up on a few of the GBACW series. This means thanks to Greg, the leader counters in Wilson's Creek are correct. He also made the suggested optional counters for the Drive on Washington scenario  in Moves.

And just this week, Greg made the counter errata changes for Battle of Corinth as well. I've posted them in the free download page, here. Thanks, Greg!

(Greg also has posted some of his gaming thoughts on the Tactics discussion board, as well!)