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Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) was an influential American publisher of board wargames and related magazines, particularly its flagship Strategy & Tactics, in the 1970s and early 1980s. It produced an enormous number of games and introduced innovative practices, changing the course of the wargaming hobby in its bid to take control of the hobby away from then-dominant Avalon Hill. It went bankrupt in 1982. TSR acquired the company's trademarks and copyrights in 1983. Looking for a game? eBay is the best place to find SPI Games from the 70's and 80's. Here's a magic window into the next SPI S&T, war, monster, battle, combat, warfare, Ares, Command games games up for bid on eBay right now! |
War in the Pacific: I understand completely why someone new to wargaming would be confused. There is no monster in the game, it is a very detaied simulaton of WWII in the Pacific. Monster refers to the size compared to most wargames. This one has 9 mapsheet, several thousand counters, extensive displays for combat, etc versus a "normal" wargame, which might have one or two 22 by 34 mapsheets, and 200 to 400 counters. Hence the name monster game. If one wanted to play the campaign game starting at Pearl Harbor in 1941 to the end of the war in 1945, it might take teams of two players playing once a week for 4 hours a year to play, so it is a very detailed and serious, (no fantasy in it) simulation where the players can explore various what ifs during the war, and also see why the war wasa fought the way it was. It will give you a much better understandng of the conflict in the Pacific than any book can do, since you are running the conflict and have to live with your decisions. As an aside, the Maps when spread out and put together, will take up a decent size room floor, but the effect for the viewer is really cool. Thanks Bob PS: Decision games sells an updated copy of this game and I believe they still have new unpunched versions, but I believe the price is around 320 or so, and it is painful to the collector to cut out the counters.
Since December, 2009