Trashdome - Samurai Swords VS Fortress America

YOU NASTY FUCKER !

What a terrible choice - my two favourite Gamemaster entries.

Samurai Swords is more of the classic wargame between the two, and it is multi-player with diplomacy and hierachal units in battle ... and the ninja. It has a hidden bidding auction (suck on that mechanic-stealing euros of the 90s/00s) and lots of (basic) warfare.

Fortress America is a semi-coop smash&over-run type wargame, it has variable and hierachal unit types for attack dice and damage results. It has event cards which help add the unexpected for the US defender, it has a better dice battle system (IMO), it has lots of different plastic vehicles ... and it has choppers with rotors and LASERS.
And it must rate a point or two higher for non-US gamers who get to kick Yankee ass.

Tough choice - but FORTRESS AMERICA.

I never got to play Fortress: America. One thing I love about Samurai Swords is the combat system. It's incredible. Sadly, after all these years it does tend to overstay its welcome.

I think other games have improved on Samurai Swords/Shogun's vibe, but only one game would make you shout "WOLVERINES!" Therefore I will have to toss my vote in with the game I have not played, because I'm pretty sure that's how I'd vote if I got the chance to play it.

VOTE: FORTRESS: AMERITRASH (and that other game too with the similar name)

Ken B. wrote:

VOTE: FORTRESS: AMERITRASH (and that other game too with the similar name)

Seriously, who can vote against so much awesome?

Okay, that kicks giant ass. Did you do that, man?

WAHHH! The Galactica is going to fight that dragon right over the ghostly image of Eugene!

The bad news is that Ken voted F:A. That means it's going to lose based on the historical results of his support. Oh well, it's the _right_ vote at least.

WHAT DO WE WANT? WOLVERINES!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT? WOLVERINES!

Ken B. wrote:

Okay, that kicks giant ass. Did you do that, man?

Made it several days ago in some spare time. Submitted it to "weekly" snapshot, but it instead got imortalized on the "About the Fortress" page. Which is cool, but I don't think anyone saw it (except the editor).

Michael Barnes wrote:

If you vote against FORTRESS: AMERICA you are voting against Fortress: Ameritrash's namesake. I believe I speak for most of us that such an action will be severly frowned upon.

Well, that by itself, would make me want to go contrarian Michael and vote for Shogun/Samurai Swords. Because that would truly be the F:AT way... (LOL)

But disregarding that, this is a clear vote in my book. I like games that have a strong historical element and great gameplay. Samurai Swords doesn't feel dated. Just from gameplay alone, Shogun/Samurai Swords is a sure winner with me.


Vote: Shogun/Samurai Swords

See, are you guys going to vote with Ryan? Do you all like A DOG'S LIFE too?

Aarontu wrote:

Ken B. wrote:

Okay, that kicks giant ass. Did you do that, man?

Made it several days ago in some spare time. Submitted it to "weekly" snapshot, but it instead got imortalized on the "About the Fortress" page. Which is cool, but I don't think anyone saw it (except the editor).

Sorry...Junnie's taken over a lot of the publishing gig so I missed it. It is awesome, deserves to be immortalized. Kudos, man.

Michael Barnes wrote:

See, are you guys going to vote with Ryan? Do you all like A DOG'S LIFE too?

(LOL) That's funny. I love it. Way to rally the troops! Hey, you'll need everything you got to stop Shogun/Samurai Swords from ruling over the land. ; ) So to help you out, I'll admit that I own and like Mona Lisa Mysteries too. (LOL)

But it still ain't gonna stop Shogun from winning this.

---

BTW: A Dog's Life rocks. Admittedly the rules set is whacked... but easily rectified by house rules. And women love the theme, Michael. So I'll take it. : )

I hate to do this because Fortress Ameritreash is a very cool game but the more scripted play (as someone else already mentioned) is a little less enjoyable for me. I had the same problem with Axis and Allies too. Samurai Swords is a smooth game and pretty damned fun.

I wouldn't really play either today though.

For most of my life I would have said Shogun to this hands down. But I recently started playing Fortress America again and as it stands now I think that one gets the not.
It is a better game than shogun in many ways, and being able to scream Wolverines!! ar random at the top of your lungs puts it over the top.


Fortress America.

-M

Michael Barnes wrote:

WHAT DO WE WANT? WOLVERINES!
WHEN DO WE WANT IT? WOLVERINES!

People actually liked Fortress America? If you want to yell "WOLVERINES!", rent Red Dawn.

My vote goes to Shogun.

Fortress Ameritrash, no doubt.

The co-op nature, and overall wackiness for me actually make it more fun than A&A. And Shogun just seems just a little TOO dry.

But then. I also like A Dog's Life. Again, it needs some house rules, and the translator probably deserves a kick for screwing up one crucial sentence about piddle markers.