Fire in the Lake

My first encounter with Fire in the Lake was a proper disappointment; it was the first crack in COIN’s previously untouchable reputation for me. But the upgraded edition, and especially the promise of different scenario setups and a handful of cards, made a second visit worthwhile. Very worthwhile.

The underlying machinery has not fundamentally changed, but the scenario changes where everyone begins in the conflict, and that changes the whole game. In the mid-war scenario, the first Major Op turned the situation upside down: fighting broke out everywhere, the sides became thoroughly entangled, and nobody could afford to pursue only their own plan.

That is where its real tension lives. One player’s moves create openings or slam doors on another, while your allies are under no obligation to let you take the glory. In our game, the American came from nowhere and snatched victory from ARVN’s teeth. An alliance, yes. Until it isn’t.

I have completely revised my opinion of Fire in the Lake. It may be the most complex modern COIN in terms of how much is happening, so I would not make it a first stop before Cuba Libre, Andean Abyss, or A Distant Plain. But if you already speak the series’ language, this is the sort of game that makes you grin whenever an airstrike lands on the red tide.