Tide of Iron
Encyclopedia
Tide of Iron is a wargame
designed and published by Fantasy Flight Games
, also notable for publishing other large games containing a large number of counters and/or other components such as World of Warcraft: The Board Game and Arkham Horror
.
and American
forces in Western Europe
during 1944 and 1945. Players take the role of division commanders, and play through a pre-designed or original scenario. The game takes place on imprinted cardboard map tiles, using cardboard markers of various types and plastic models for representing the various military units used in gameplay.
Game scenarios are given a title, descriptive write-up, player objectives, and force setup information. Scenario details provide further information about the scenario, including information on the number of rounds to be played for that scenario. Victory is determined by meeting, or preventing, the objectives from being accomplished. Strategy cards are used by players to influence the ebb and flow of battle.
The game comes with over 200 plastic figures, which are snapped into bases to form units for play. The plastic figures are well detailed and include clearly distinguishable tanks like the American Sherman, the German Panzer IV and Tiger.
Other components include markers for terrain, the terrain boards themselves, and unit tokens. An extensive rulebook lends credence to reviewers' Medium complexity rating.
The game has met with positive reviews, with reviewers often remarking on the customizable, open-ended nature of the game through its scenario system. Reviewers did note that the generic nature of the units and the uneven nature of some scenarios were minor detractions from the game. It was also one of seven games listed by Fortune Small Business as being worthy of putting the Xbox down to play.
From a wargamer's perspective, this game has rules covering opportunity fire, overrun and suppressive fire by mortars to appeal to those wanting some realism.
The game was a nominee for the 2007 Editor's Choice Award on Tabletop Gaming News.
is introduced in this expansion, along with the British Army
. Included are 9 new desert map pieces, new pieces for all 3 countries, additional game mechanics, and a booklet of scenarios.
Fantasy Flight Games released Tide of Iron: Designer Series Volume 1 in December 2008. This expansion (book) is a collection of scenarios for the game created by numerous game designers.
The Normandy: Operation Overlord Expansion is also available. It adds beach and hedgerow tile sets to the game as well as new units and specializations. It also includes a book of scenarios as well as a campaign of scenarios that are meant to be played in order, with bonuses that carry for specific American units that survive each scenario. Other new mechanics are also introduced to enhance the way the new scenarios are played.
The Fury of the Bear expansion has been announced for Winter(2010)/Spring(2011), themed for the conflict on the Eastern Front
focusing on the Soviet Union and Germany. It includes 9 new maps featuring winter tile sets, 100+ Red Army units, and new units for the other countries.
Wargaming
A wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
designed and published by Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games
Fantasy Flight Games is a Roseville, Minnesota-based game company that creates and publishes role-playing, board, and card games. Fantasy Flight Publishing was founded in 1995 by its CEO, Christian T. Petersen. Since the release of its first game product in 1997, the company has been doing...
, also notable for publishing other large games containing a large number of counters and/or other components such as World of Warcraft: The Board Game and Arkham Horror
Arkham Horror
Arkham Horror is an adventure board game designed by Richard Launius, originally published in 1987 by Chaosium and most recently published in 2005 and revised in 2007 by Fantasy Flight Games. In both editions, players take on the role of investigators in H. P. Lovecraft's Massachusetts town of...
.
Overview
Tide of Iron focuses on GermanGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
during 1944 and 1945. Players take the role of division commanders, and play through a pre-designed or original scenario. The game takes place on imprinted cardboard map tiles, using cardboard markers of various types and plastic models for representing the various military units used in gameplay.
Game scenarios are given a title, descriptive write-up, player objectives, and force setup information. Scenario details provide further information about the scenario, including information on the number of rounds to be played for that scenario. Victory is determined by meeting, or preventing, the objectives from being accomplished. Strategy cards are used by players to influence the ebb and flow of battle.
The game comes with over 200 plastic figures, which are snapped into bases to form units for play. The plastic figures are well detailed and include clearly distinguishable tanks like the American Sherman, the German Panzer IV and Tiger.
Other components include markers for terrain, the terrain boards themselves, and unit tokens. An extensive rulebook lends credence to reviewers' Medium complexity rating.
Reception
From a wargamer's perspective, this game has rules covering opportunity fire, overrun and suppressive fire by mortars to appeal to those wanting some realism.
The game was a nominee for the 2007 Editor's Choice Award on Tabletop Gaming News.
Expansions
Tide of Iron: Days of the Fox was the first expansion for the game. The North African CampaignNorth African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
is introduced in this expansion, along with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Included are 9 new desert map pieces, new pieces for all 3 countries, additional game mechanics, and a booklet of scenarios.
Fantasy Flight Games released Tide of Iron: Designer Series Volume 1 in December 2008. This expansion (book) is a collection of scenarios for the game created by numerous game designers.
The Normandy: Operation Overlord Expansion is also available. It adds beach and hedgerow tile sets to the game as well as new units and specializations. It also includes a book of scenarios as well as a campaign of scenarios that are meant to be played in order, with bonuses that carry for specific American units that survive each scenario. Other new mechanics are also introduced to enhance the way the new scenarios are played.
The Fury of the Bear expansion has been announced for Winter(2010)/Spring(2011), themed for the conflict on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
focusing on the Soviet Union and Germany. It includes 9 new maps featuring winter tile sets, 100+ Red Army units, and new units for the other countries.
External links
- Tide of Iron official homepage