7 Holiday Games for Wonks

What to get the serious gamer on your shopping list.

BY MICHAEL PECK | DECEMBER 20, 2011

 


3. Persian Incursion. Is it a game or tomorrow's headline? Persian Incursion simulates an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. We've covered this game in FP, and we can tell you that while it's not the easiest game to learn, it's a more intensive primer than any Pentagon briefing on the complexities and consequences of an Israel-Iran conflict. Just reading the background information in the game, including the exact dimensions and air defenses of every (known) Iranian nuclear site, is worth the price. So is setting up the pieces on the map, planning the Israeli raids, and realizing that trying to eliminate a nation's nuclear infrastructure is not for the faint of heart.

 

Michael Peck is gaming editor at Foreign Policy.

ERIC INSALACO

7:15 PM ET

December 20, 2011

Great recommendations

I am still looking to get Persian Incursion, I play Victoria 2 (Vicky2 in player parlance) and Pandemic, both very fun.

I might only add Supreme Ruler: Cold War and Theatre of War to the list, both quite enjoyable as well. I'm still looking for a good modern country-rule sim in the vein of Victoria for the current world though.

As budgets and internal politics come to the fore of wonkish studies, if the author knows any recommendations for budget and governance simulators as well, do tell.

 

NIGHTHAWK0066

10:42 PM ET

December 20, 2011

Superpower 2

Superpower 2 had a lot of potential as a geopolitical simulator. Set in modern times, it was an open ended or a scenario game where the player took control of economic, political, military, and diplomatic affairs. You controlled budgets, made industries either state owned or private, everything from various food production to utilities to luxury manufactured goods. You could design military hardware, wage war, form alliances and treaties, move forces, and conduct covert ops.You could even ban or allow same sex marriage and abortion, and could lose by being defeated in an election (if you chose a democratic form of govt).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SuperPower_2

 

TIMETWISTER

11:34 PM ET

December 20, 2011

I love War on Terror

LOL - I hate the real "War on Terror" since it just a global scam that allows us to continue pumping money into the Military Industrial Complex...

But I *love* the way this game looks. I saw it at the book store too and almost bought it for my favorite wonk. Thanks for the recommendation - I've still got a last minute gift to pick up and this one will be it.

At least we can take our own aggression about the War on Terror out in a fun way when we go over to his house next year. :-)

 

THREE NORTHERN COURTS

12:25 AM ET

December 21, 2011

More suggestions

Labyrinth is another card-driven board game in the Twilight Struggle mold, but dealing with the GWOT. The designer, Volko Ruhnke is a CIA intelligence analyst.

His latest is Andean Abyss, also card-driven but multiplayer. It portrays the four-way struggle over Columbia between FARC, AUC, the cartels, and the government.

 

RABBIT

6:59 AM ET

December 21, 2011

Holiday sales

Holiday sales always provide a good opportunity to check out some old favorites that you may have missed out on for one reason or another. Recently I was able to acquire a cheap copy of Tropico 4 and have thoroughly enjoyed the ferocity and glee with which it embraces its banana republic aesthetic.

 

GRANT

9:25 AM ET

December 21, 2011

Generic FPS. If it's going to

Generic FPS. If it's going to be an action game then at least something like Deus Ex: Human Revolution to get them thinking outside the gun-shaped box.

 

PERMAGUEST

2:32 PM ET

December 21, 2011

Persian Incursion: -Forcibly

Persian Incursion:
-Forcibly eliminate all settlements not protected by West Bank "wall"
-Beef up security on all borders, including Syrian/Jordanian border in West Bank
-Nuclear first strike on Iranian army/navy/air force bases, with focus on Rep Guard
-Immediate follow-up air strikes on all Iranian nuclear facilities
-Nuclear strike on all nuclear facilities not destroyed to a certainty
-Air strikes on Hezbollah & Hamas strong points
-Dare anyone to respond

 

FPLOVERAAA

8:13 PM ET

December 26, 2011

Some Iraqi refugees seem to

Some Iraqi refugees seem to have drowned in the Indian ocean south of Indonesia a few days ago, failing to make it to Australia. Countless more are in refugee facilities of one kind or another, and struggling to do better. Discussing the refugees issue, Livingston guessed that perhaps two million Iraqis had fled their homeland, and perhaps their number was three million. Thus writes the senior analyst.mkv converterMKV ConverterYouTube Converter for MacYouTube To MP4 ConverterPdf Converter for MacPDF Editor for MacPDF Editor for MacPdf Converter for Mac
Having not got the figure right, he loses interest in them. Why exactly did they flee their homeland? How many have returned to it? How many plan or hope to? How many plan never to return? How many remain in Syria and Jordan, the border states? How many have fled to other nations? How many died in exile? Again, outside Livingston's interests. How many were Christians (the nation was virtually stripped of its Christian population by 2007)? How many were medical and other professionals? Outside the Livingston interest: one blasted Iraqi in this piece is pretty much like any other.

 

MOHSINFD

10:09 PM ET

December 21, 2011

You are forgetting Hearts of

You are forgetting Hearts of Iron, that is probably the most detailed (it covers WWII) game for armchair generals and policy wonks. It is from the same Swedish makers of Victoria. As some wise soul said, games like Civilization are for inept commanders like Mussolini, Hearts of Iron is for the Churchills.

 

B881428

4:47 AM ET

December 25, 2011

You could design military

You could design military hardware, wage war, form alliances and treaties, move forces, and conduct covert ops.You could even ban or allow same sex marriage and abortionPDF Editor for Mac
PDF Editor for Mac

 

ANGELIE

3:03 AM ET

December 24, 2011

Cerebral Games 101

I'd go for the Civilization 5 and send it as a gift to one of those world leaders who can't build lego blocks if they tried. Maybe they could place it on a portable slate tablet pc so if they get stumped, they can play and learn before making any destructive decisions.

 

CALCINHA

6:48 AM ET

December 29, 2011

Holiday sales

Recently I was able to acquire a cheap copy of Tropico 4 and have thoroughly enjoyed the ferocity and glee with which it embraces its banana republic aesthetic. Holiday sales always provide a good opportunity to check out some old favorites that you may have missed out on for one reason or another.
massagista
avioes venda

 

DANNY2006SP

2:47 PM ET

December 29, 2011

Horror

I hate the real "War on Terror" since it just a global scam that allows us to continue pumping money into the Military Industrial Complex. I Game with Messenger

 

HECTORGREG11

11:25 PM ET

January 6, 2012

nice list

very non-traditional, but board games are definitely great fun if you can get people together to play them. The problem with all of them is that it is hard to get enough people together for the amount of time that one of these takes to play austintxapartments.net, but if you have enough friends who want to devote this amount of time to learn and play then it is totally worth itdulse.