It is time to continue with the series of articles retrospectively summarizing the year 2024 for The Boardgames Chronicle as well as outlooks for 2025. So what is the plan for today? My fellow content creators oftentimes share the new games they had a chance to play and familiarize with. Thus, taking that great example I would like to have a look what new positions hit my table in 2024. For reference regarding this idea, see the cult of new to me by Dave.
Summary of 2024 and look into the 2025:
The Boardgames Chronicle most often played games of 2024
The Boardgames Chronicle in 2024 – analysis
My statistics show that in 2024 out of 103 games played, 58 were new to me. That is definitely great year for me as far as discovering the new titles is concerned. It comes to around one new title per week! This is a good continuation of trend – to compare it with 2023, also 58 out of 105 positions were new (same number!). Definitely, attending a lot of boardgame conventions helped, as this was the time when I had a chance to try many new titles!
Let me focus on some most prominent and important new titles of 2024 for The Boardgames Chronicle – we will not be discussing all 58 of them of course! The most liked by me – five titles – will be shown in more details. On top of this, I will also do tabular summary of each title played at least thrice.
One disclaimer: five titles which were New to Me in 2024 and were very important I described in Top wargames suggestions for Christmas 2024 – Part 1 – new releases. I am talking of course about:
As those were covered in such detail already, I will not write about them again. We shall look at another five new, great and intriguing positions!
Last Hundred Yards from GMT Games
The Last Hundred Yards is definitely unique in comparison with other tactical wargame published to date. It introduces innovative system of action-reaction, intended to model Small Unit Behavior in Combat during WW2. It is pretty fun, really fast-paced, and provides a very good simulation of what it was like to command combat units at the platoon or company level – both infantry and vehicular units.
The game is purposely designed to deliver a brisk yet intensive gaming experience that forces many decisions upon you as you take command of an infantry company in Western Europe after the D-Day landings. On top of this, it is marvelously published with one of the most beautiful maps I have seen so far.
I got my box last year and then played with Dave asynchronously like four scenarios. It took us some time to get used to it – I can see why people appreciate this game so much.
More about this title:
The Adventures of Robin Hood from Kosmos
That was my great discovery of 2024 – as far as family games are concerned. And it all started in Essen. I am attending those fairs pretty regularly (see: SPIEL 2024 (ESSEN): My Impressions) and the rule is that I am always bringing something for my two youngsters – Natan (11 years) and Kuba (10 years). This time I was again looking for some interesting title and got inspired by Marc von Martial to try a cooperative game he had a lot of fun with his kids. Yes, I am talking about another Robin Hood!
In The Adventures of Robin Hood, players take on the role of Robin Hood and his companions, with the action taking place on a living game board with no set paths. The board changes over the course of each adventure, and the movement of the characters is handled via an innovative mechanism that uses different length wooden character pieces. Various actions and secrets are integrated into the game levels and are revealed only in the course of the story.
To say we had a blast with this title would be understatement. We played whole campaign, nine sessions (with some scenarios repeated due to earlier failures) in two months! That was great experience and we need more similar games!
More about game:
Dune: Imperium – Uprising from Dire Wolf
I was eyeing Dune franchise for some time. When I was on verge of decision to acquire the game, the announcement came from Dire Wolf that the new spin-off will be published. And as my birthday was approaching, I asked for this as a present.
Dune: Imperium Uprising is a game that uses deck-building to add a hidden-information angle to a traditional worker placement. It finds inspiration in elements and characters from the Dune legacy, both the new movies as well as literary series by Frank Herbert.
At the same time this is a standalone spinoff to Dune: Imperium that expands on that game’s blend of deck-building and worker placement, while introducing a new six-player mode that pits two teams against one other in the biggest struggle yet. But that is not all. You will be able to use Spies for various actions or learn the Freemen ways and ride mighty Sandworms into battle. The game board was also reworked, adding a bit more balanced choices.
I played this game extensively in 2024 but still need to bring it to the table in six-players set-up. Will be fun!
More about game:
Wir sind Das Volk from Histogame
Another great discovery with interesting background story. This time with Clio, my boardgames friend
When on vacations near the Lake Constance in south-western Germany, one of the highlights – and plans – was to meet face to face with Clio. But of course, not only meet but also play games! And what would be the better title in those circumstances than the tale about the struggle between Eastern ans Western Germany during the communists times of 1945-1989?
Wir sind das Volk! (“We are the people!” – the main slogan of the East German demonstrators in 1989) recreates the history of the divided Germany, from the Berlin Airlift to the fall of the Berlin Wall. It guides us through the four decades (1949-1989) of the bitter competition between the Eastern and Western German countries.
This is a card-driven game, with 84 of such directing your options – play your or neutral event, or play for ops. Be careful though of opponent events! What you will do? First and foremost, build up your economy and then increase the living standards of your people. Definitely do not fall behind, as otherwise you will face widespread unrest – and if you are ahead, you can incite it behind the border! Then, win the contest for international prestige – it will help you in critical phases of the game. Also, do not allow socialism to grow too strong in the East as you will otherwise lose automatically as West. Sounds easy? No way – a good planning will be needed in order for you to execute your plans!
More about game:
Manila: The Savage Streets, 1945 from Revolution Games
Two years ago I spent many great evenings playing Stalingrad: Advance to the Volga, 1942. This title simply fascinated me with straightforwardness of its rules as well as with the depth – and replayability – of its actual play. So it was a no brainier to get the sequel!
Manila: The Savage Streets, 1945 puts the player in charge of the attacking and far more mobile American side while the game system handles the defending and largely static Japanese side. Each turn presents new and unique challenges for the player in the form of random events, uncertain supply deliveries, and unknown Japanese area strengths and defensive strategies.
The game has very quick set-up which is different each time you play; there are several optional rules which can really spice-up the game – but also, most probably, make it more challenging. And what is important for wargamer who loves history, there is a lot of background information!
More about game:
Supplement
Below table presents full set of new-to-me games in 2024, which I played at least twice. Except for the mentioned above, I really enjoyed Table Battles via Rally The Troops or another family game – Harmonies.
I hope to play many more new, interesting games in 2025. What am I specifically waiting for? An article about it is already being prepared – Top Anticipated Wargames of 2025!
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