SPI Alive 2026

[pmuskett]

If you're interested in coming to Lancaster Pennsylvania and playing the classic SPI games. Russ Gifford is doing it again!!!!!

Sign up at this link. https://www.spigames.net/Form_FestSignUpForm.htm

There is a list of games that will be played there. If you interested in coming fill out the form and I will look forward to seeing you there.

Phil

 

[pmuskett]

Bringing this back up to the top. We are one week out.

I will be the Game Master for the GBACW games. I would love to see you there. If you live close by, swing by and check it out.

On the schedule we are playing the 1976 version of Terrible Swift Sword in honor of the 50th anniversary of its release. The father of all things GBACW.

Thursday we are playing McPherson's Ridge.
Friday we are playing Little Round Top.
Saturday we are playing Culps Hill.
Sunday, we are playing Pickett's Charge.

(I may even bring the maps for the upcoming GBACW River of Death update, that I am updating and redesigning)

Hope to see some of you there.

Phil

 

[rpkennedy]

Bringing this back up to the top. We are one week out.

I will be the Game Master for the GBACW games. I would love to see you there. If you live close by, swing by and check it out.

View attachment 584646
On the schedule we are playing the 1976 version of Terrible Swift Sword in honor of the 50th anniversary of its release. The father of all things GBACW.

Thursday we are playing McPherson's Ridge.
Friday we are playing Little Round Top.
Saturday we are playing Culps Hill.
Sunday, we are playing Pickett's Charge.

(I may even bring the maps for the upcoming GBACW River of Death update, that I am updating and redesigning)

Hope to see some of you there.

Phil

It always seems to fall when I am away on vacation. Have a good time, @pmuskett!

Ryan

 

[Jantzen64]

Bringing this back up to the top. We are one week out.

I will be the Game Master for the GBACW games. I would love to see you there. If you live close by, swing by and check it out.

View attachment 584646
On the schedule we are playing the 1976 version of Terrible Swift Sword in honor of the 50th anniversary of its release. The father of all things GBACW.

Thursday we are playing McPherson's Ridge.
Friday we are playing Little Round Top.
Saturday we are playing Culps Hill.
Sunday, we are playing Pickett's Charge.

(I may even bring the maps for the upcoming GBACW River of Death update, that I am updating and redesigning)

Hope to see some of you there.

Phil

Wish I could be there - many hours spent playing TSS and the original GBACW line in the late 70s/80s. Still have them all. Enjoy and please post an AAR!

 

[pmuskett]

The event was a success. We had almost 100 players over the four days, with most coming in and out to play.
The big game for the Civil War was Terrible Swift Sword edition, from 1976. We only got through the 2 pm turn on the 1st day. Union was on the doorstep of Cemetery Hill when the game ended last night.

Some of the other games played, Cedar Mountain, Little Round Top scenario, Culp's Hill July 2 scenario, and Wilson's Creek from SPI. I was unable to win Wilson's Creek, but I did not get Lyon killed. Little Round Top was again a Union Victory. Culps Hill was a Confederate victory. So really good dice rolling by the Confederate player.

Here are the opening moves for TSS. The maps are not the best but in 1976 this is what we got.

Here is Buford's last stand.

This was about all I got to play of this game. I was the Game Master for all the Civil War games. So busy answering questions and helping people learn the game they played 50 years ago.
While I was playing Wilson's Creek, I forgot to take pictures because I was walking Thomas through the rules as we played. Oh well, it wasn't pretty.
Sunday morning, I was looking forward to a Pickett's Charge, but the way E.P. Alexander proposed in his book. Here is the picture of that. This is played with Terrible Swift Sword, the TSR version from the early 1980's.

After a quick preliminary bombardment, the Confederate player attacked and due to the low strength, morale of the Union XI corps, the game was over in one turn. The Confederate player had advanced all the way on to Cemetery Hill and routed more of the Union troops. Alexander was right. In this game.
The other issue with this one was the incredibly high stacks of units that made playing almost impossible.

I had a great time at the event. Hope to see some of ya'll there next year. It is either going to be a week earlier or a week later next year, is what one of the volunteers said.

Phil

 

[Jantzen64]

The event was a success. We had almost 100 players over the four days, with most coming in and out to play.
The big game for the Civil War was Terrible Swift Sword edition, from 1976. We only got through the 2 pm turn on the 1st day. Union was on the doorstep of Cemetery Hill when the game ended last night.

Some of the other games played, Cedar Mountain, Little Round Top scenario, Culp's Hill July 2 scenario, and Wilson's Creek from SPI. I was unable to win Wilson's Creek, but I did not get Lyon killed. Little Round Top was again a Union Victory. Culps Hill was a Confederate victory. So really good dice rolling by the Confederate player.

Here are the opening moves for TSS. The maps are not the best but in 1976 this is what we got.
View attachment 585255

Here is Buford's last stand.
View attachment 585256


This was about all I got to play of this game. I was the Game Master for all the Civil War games. So busy answering questions and helping people learn the game they played 50 years ago.
While I was playing Wilson's Creek, I forgot to take pictures because I was walking Thomas through the rules as we played. Oh well, it wasn't pretty.
Sunday morning, I was looking forward to a Pickett's Charge, but the way E.P. Alexander proposed in his book. Here is the picture of that. This is played with Terrible Swift Sword, the TSR version from the early 1980's.

View attachment 585258
After a quick preliminary bombardment, the Confederate player attacked and due to the low strength, morale of the Union XI corps, the game was over in one turn. The Confederate player had advanced all the way on to Cemetery Hill and routed more of the Union troops. Alexander was right. In this game.
The other issue with this one was the incredibly high stacks of units that made playing almost impossible.

I had a great time at the event. Hope to see some of ya'll there next year. It is either going to be a week earlier or a week later next year, is what one of the volunteers said.

Phil

Thank you! I note the crazy colored map from the TSR update. How did everyone compare the original Berg system compared to the 1980s update?

 

[pmuskett]

My opinion of the 1976 version was not favorable. I enjoyed it when I was younger, but now that I know more, that game is not realistic to the Civil War. Artillery could advance right up to the infantry line. Only if it changed from Limbered to Unlimbered could it be fired upon. Terrain on the map is not that great either. Brigades could move away from divisions with no penalty.
We only got one turn in on the 1980's version before the Confederate player called it due to the massive counter stacks. We pulled many stacks off the side and tried to make it easier, but it was still a mess.
We played the 1980 version last year. That one is more realistic for the time. But nothing beats the current Gettysburg GBACW game. "Three Days at Gettysburg Deluxe". That version is a simulation of the battle. More realistic to the era.

 

[ArcLight]

I used to playtest at SPI. I also playtested for Richard Berg and John Prados.
The technical details of TSS may not have been based on facts.

I find regimental level combat is too low for Gettysburg and it works better for smaller battles like Wilsons Creek or Pea Ridge.

Even brigade level games like the Gamers CWBS (Thunder at the Crossroads) take too long for my taste

 

[rpkennedy]

My opinion of the 1976 version was not favorable. I enjoyed it when I was younger, but now that I know more, that game is not realistic to the Civil War. Artillery could advance right up to the infantry line. Only if it changed from Limbered to Unlimbered could it be fired upon. Terrain on the map is not that great either. Brigades could move away from divisions with no penalty.
We only got one turn in on the 1980's version before the Confederate player called it due to the massive counter stacks. We pulled many stacks off the side and tried to make it easier, but it was still a mess.
We played the 1980 version last year. That one is more realistic for the time. But nothing beats the current Gettysburg GBACW game. "Three Days at Gettysburg Deluxe". That version is a simulation of the battle. More realistic to the era.

There would have to be a ton of house rules to bring it up to a semi-realistic state.

And the giant stacks was always my number one complaint about these games. You'd knock over 2 stacks trying to get to the one that you wanted. It made the games extremely unwieldy. And yet, we still sunk hours and hours into them.

I enjoyed Terrible Swift Sword but my favorite was always A Gleam of Bayonets.

Ryan

 

[Jantzen64]

There would have to be a ton of house rules to bring it up to a semi-realistic state.

And the giant stacks was always my number one complaint about these games. You'd knock over 2 stacks trying to get to the one that you wanted. It made the games extremely unwieldy. And yet, we still sunk hours and hours into them.

I enjoyed Terrible Swift Sword but my favorite was always A Gleam of Bayonets.

Ryan

Ryan, what did you think of the McClellan corps commitment chit draw rule in AGOB? Did you think it worked? I played one game where the Union got "lucky" and a number of corps were activated at the same time and the Rebels were crushed . . . .

 

[rpkennedy]

Ryan, what did you think of the McClellan corps commitment chit draw rule in AGOB? Did you think it worked? I played one game where the Union got "lucky" and a number of corps were activated at the same time and the Rebels were crushed . . . .

I liked the introduction of a random element into the game which could decisively swing the battle one way or the other. Another element that other games have used to offset some potential wild swings (and I think would work well in AGoB and I don't recall if it had it) is to randomize when Confederate reinforcements arrive on the field. The AotP might be able to activate all of their corps early but what if A.P. Hill got an early start and arrives at 10 am? It makes for some interesting what-ifs.

Ryan

 

[pmuskett]

I used to playtest at SPI. I also playtested for Richard Berg and John Prados.
The technical details of TSS may not have been based on facts.

I find regimental level combat is too low for Gettysburg and it works better for smaller battles like Wilsons Creek or Pea Ridge.

Even brigade level games like the Gamers CWBS (Thunder at the Crossroads) take too long for my taste

By chance did you do any playtesting with Berg on River of Death?

 

[pmuskett]

This is a Facebook post from Russ Gifford. Hope to see some of you their next year.


"It is now official -- got email from HMGS secretary Friday night:

"STOP THE PRESSES
HISTORICON DATE CHANGE!!

Historicon 2027 is changing dates to Wednesday July 21 until Sunday July 25, 2027."

If you intend to go, make it part of your planning now!

If you need incentive:

1 - Five days of GREAT GAMING! The place to go to play the SPI games you have wanted to get back on the table! (I have a request to do Wacth am Rhein as the monster next year - thoughts?)

2 - Nice room, easy access, and most of the games you want to play are likely 'in the library' even if they are not on the schedule!

3 - Opponents are pretty easy to come by: Pro Tip - Set up the game - then SIT BY IT and you will GET AN OPPONENT. (I did that three or four times each convention now.) Seriously!

4 - Learn games fast! Lots of friendly instruction last convention -- which I find amazing, personally. Also, had at least one session where VASSAL was taught!

5 - The chance to interact with some of the greats in SPI's history. Al Nofi and David Isby stopped by both years. Danny Parker came in via Zoom this year. I will be sending out an invite to all I can reach to make it via Zoom - -and I hope to make a Zoom session part of the deal every year.

6 - An incredible opportunity to meet brothers in arms - or reconnect with old friends. That connection is not to be overlooked.

The question you have to ask yourself is: What do I want?

If any of YOUR reasons are on the list above this is the con to Make it Happen.

We are not getting any younger -- but we still have GREAT TIMES others only WISH they could experience!"