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Next War series GMT

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23 Dec 2017 11:51 #259535 by Gary Sax
Next War series GMT was created by Gary Sax
Any opinions on this series? It looks brutally complex; I know it has simple version and complex version but I worry the simple version would be pretty unsatisfying. You guys have any experience playing it? It looks pretty traditional hex and counter igo-ugo, but does it have any interesting wrinkles? I'd probably try to play it all on VASSAL which looks like the most reasonable way to do this.

I do love the "new war" type scenarios so the series *is* very attractive on some level, especially because it covers some very untread ground (e.g. India Pakistan border war, WWIII in Europe, Taiwan, I forget what the other one is. Those are cool scenarios!).
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23 Dec 2017 21:20 - 23 Dec 2017 21:20 #259549 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
I usually depend on msample for stuff like this. ;)
Last edit: 23 Dec 2017 21:20 by Gary Sax.
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24 Dec 2017 13:39 #259564 by Msample
Replied by Msample on topic Next War series GMT
As a fan of the Larry Bond book RED PHOENIX I got and played NEXT WAR Korea when it first came out. It did capture the nature of the book well IMO. It is complex , esp the original. That said, the new edition has excellent documentation and copious charts and play aids . I have not played the new edition .

The main diff between the basic and advanced games is mainly in the air rules .The basic game has air abstracted out as air points other then helo units . In the Advanced game, there are aircraft type specific air units .The Allied air force is unsurprisingly of higher quality, but must first degrade the AA defenses of the Commies before they can truly unload their full might on the NKs.

The bad guys in turn have lots of bodies, infiltration tactics and light infantry that gives them favorable mods in combat .The new edition has rules for chemical warfare. I think the basic game w/o air is still detailed enough to do a decent job recreating the theoretical war . Other advanced rules cover Special Forces and Detection ( spotting ground targets ) . Again, there is a fair bit of chrome, but given many people who are interested in the genre likely read techno thrillers like Clancy/Bond etc, they'll probably appreciate and expect the chrome. One cool rule has to do with clearing large installations that don't have combat units, like airfields or cities to represent REMF and the uncertain nature of how long it can take .

The biggest advantage of the new version is that it kicks off a NEXT WAR series of games. Once you learn one, the rest will be a lot easier. My sense is that Korea is the biggest, but I haven't seen the others besides Taiwan, which can be run in tandem with Korea. I think India/Pakistan has some small footprint scenarios .

I am not really an alt history type, but I found Korea enjoyable. Friends of mine that like the genre speak highly of the games as well. The biggest issue is that NW:K is out of print and getting decent money on the secondary market . If you enjoy the genre, I think you should check it out.
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24 Dec 2017 13:44 #259566 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
Thanks, man! That is helpful! Interestingly, it looks like the "supplement" they released has a third air system that splits the difference. That's intriguing to me. And Poland just got released... that and India Pakistan could be interesting scenarios to me. Taiwan looks like way too much non-ground war stuff to me.

Also, you going to consimworld con in Phoenix in 2018? I live in Flagstaff now so I'm pretty tempted, my recollection is you had nothing but good things to say about it.

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24 Dec 2017 13:47 #259567 by Msample
Replied by Msample on topic Next War series GMT
CSW EXPO is up in the air due to work uncertainties. If you are in AZ you should definitely check it out. It is a wargamers bucket list con for sure. I think there has been NW games played there the last few years.

Remember the scene from CLERKS where Randall goes to Big Choice Video ? That will be you at the Expo, or any wargamer for that matter .

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05 Jan 2018 12:50 #260273 by ThirstyMan
Replied by ThirstyMan on topic Next War series GMT
I have all of these, including Poland.

They are very good and the player aids really help.

In addition there are good VASSAL modules to play around with for all of them. Recommended.
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05 Jan 2018 15:58 #260309 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
Cool. Definitely using a GC I got for xmas to buy India-Pakistan. Might go Poland after that.

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21 Oct 2018 12:52 - 21 Oct 2018 12:54 #283689 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
Reading the rules on India-Pakistan. Not too bad yet in the standard rules form. I bought supplement one as well, in case I ever play the advanced game. I think the advanced game approach with individual plane type squadrons sounds dumb. Techno fetishist wargamer stuff---what commander at the level proposed in the ground model would be making tactical decisions about plane deployment? The supplement seems like it hits on a good solution (limited numbers of broader "packages" of planes).

tbh, one of the big draws of some of these games is fighting battles in non-tired map situations. eg not invading Russia again.
Last edit: 21 Oct 2018 12:54 by Gary Sax.

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21 Oct 2018 15:42 #283694 by repoman
Replied by repoman on topic Next War series GMT
I agree that the change in setting/battle is a draw. I read the rules and played a turn of Next War Korea. For some reason I just could not get my head around it. The rules themselves are understandable for the most part.

I just could not get my head around it. I would stare at the map and have no god damn idea of what I should do or a viable strategy. Perhaps it was just me. Perhaps it was because we used the advanced rules right off the bat. Or maybe I just don't connect with modern conflict games.

I guess what I'm saying is I'll give you my copy of Next War Korea when you show up for Trash Fest.
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21 Oct 2018 16:46 #283695 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
You're brave, I can't imagine starting from these advanced rules.

The CRT looks murderous for everyone involved.

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22 Oct 2018 20:36 #284396 by Msample
Replied by Msample on topic Next War series GMT

repoman wrote: I agree that the change in setting/battle is a draw. I read the rules and played a turn of Next War Korea. For some reason I just could not get my head around it. The rules themselves are understandable for the most part.

I just could not get my head around it. I would stare at the map and have no god damn idea of what I should do or a viable strategy. Perhaps it was just me. Perhaps it was because we used the advanced rules right off the bat. Or maybe I just don't connect with modern conflict games.

I guess what I'm saying is I'll give you my copy of Next War Korea when you show up for Trash Fest.


Without a historical blue print to guide you, I can see where a “WTF do I do now” feeling being an impediment to grokking how to play.
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14 Mar 2019 12:44 - 14 Mar 2019 12:45 #293812 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
Decided to finish clipping my counters for India-Pakistan and get out the rulebook. I need to get the standard rules down well enough to solo the Srinigar scenario, it looks like a neat little thing. I just find even the standard rules kind of intimidating.

Story of my life is having wargames I might like to pick away at over the course of a couple weeks a turn at a time but that not being doable in a) my commuting lifestyle and b) my table situation. For some reason wargaming has become an increasingly physical and tactile thing for me---I used to be an enthusiastic VASSAL wargamer.
Last edit: 14 Mar 2019 12:45 by Gary Sax.

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16 Mar 2019 13:05 - 16 Mar 2019 13:06 #293925 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
Played a bit more, the counters started moving and I got the core play sort of down, which is always a big turning point for me.



Not sure how I feel yet about the game, but the Kashmir scenario is a very neat attack/defend intro scenario. It's on rails a bit, as intro scenarios usually are, but it has a ton of flavor. Mountain troops tromping through the Himalaya.
Last edit: 16 Mar 2019 13:06 by Gary Sax.
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17 Mar 2019 07:53 #293939 by Hadik
Replied by Hadik on topic Next War series GMT
Very intriguing. What is the rule book like? I’m diggging the topic but a crunchy 28-page GMT rule book would make it a no go.

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17 Mar 2019 11:11 - 17 Mar 2019 11:13 #293942 by Gary Sax
Replied by Gary Sax on topic Next War series GMT
100% no go on this one then. It's a very crunchy, traditional wargame. And I'm not even playing with the advanced rules which add like 15 more pages of rules for aircraft, cruise missiles, special forces operations, etc.
Last edit: 17 Mar 2019 11:13 by Gary Sax.
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