War of the Triple Alliance

I am not especially well read on the War of the Triple Alliance, the greatest bloodshed South America has ever known. Even so, the game gave me the impression that it has studied its subject and is trying to portray it with historical weight, without drowning me in detail. It is also quite light for a wargame: you can explain it in around ten minutes, which I greatly appreciate when I want people at the table without turning the evening into a rules seminar.

At its core, the game is more interested in troop manoeuvres than in combat for its own sake. The point is to move your forces properly, read your opponent’s position, and create favourable situations on the map, rather than simply wait for a good die roll to settle everything.

The opposing forces play in pleasingly asymmetric ways, with different approaches to the conflict. Crucially, that asymmetry did not feel like it was artificially pushing the outcome toward one side merely to reproduce the real historical conclusion; it leaves room for play and decisions while retaining the sense of the subject.

I would not call it the best light wargame out there—there are obviously better ones. Still, it is not bad at all, and for someone looking for something clean, quickly teachable, and centred on unit placement and movement, it is a perfectly honest choice. If you prefer manoeuvring to endless battles and dice, I think it will please you especially.