Rob Ranks - Avalon Hill

Join Rob as he ranks the games from Avalon Hill!
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[@FallenDominionStudiosLLC]

Amazing list. So many of these games remind me of my childhood as well.

[@seahawk8601]

thank you!

[@GenghisVern]

I played most of those. Wood Ships & Iron Men was, for me, a stapled booklet that I picked up at a convention when I was young in the early 70s, and I used ships from Broadsides (remember that?). Excellent list. Good memories. Still have some of them in my collection.

[@seahawk8601]

i have broadsides very under rated game

[@michaelmelen9062]

I also grew up with AH, with my first one being Gettysburg in '60. I have or had all of your top 15 except Third Reich. My tops would add Magic Realm, Gunslinger, Midway, and Gladiator off the top of my head. I've probably forgotten a few. At one time I had most of their line. I moved to Baltimore in '76 and the second thing I did (apartment first) was visit their HQ on Read & St. Paul St. Mick Uhl was working on Gettysburg, and Alan Moon was helping with several projects. Fun times!

[@seahawk8601]

so many I would addd that is what makes this so hard

[@robertvandam3617]

Awesome list. That brought back many fond memories of my teenage years. Thanks

[@seahawk8601]

that is the way I felt!

[@josemiguelmarquescampo4902]

Thanks for your recollections! Really fun and immersive games! You brought back some pretty good memories from my youth. 🙂

[@seahawk8601]

Thanks

[@DownriverRick]

A really good list, Rob. Many that you mentioned are among my favorites from my youth and hard to ho wrong with any of them. A couple of games that weren't mentioned that I got a lot of play were Luftwaffe, Air Force with the Dauntless gamette and Victory In The Pacific. It's been years since the first two of those has hit my table, but VITP still sees play.

[@seahawk8601]

it was really hard to make this list

[@peteshirey9816]

This list made me cry a little.............

[@seahawk8601]

of course it did ........Kleenex but be the top of your grocery list each week you blubbering baby

[@stevenumerator]

I am glad we agree on so many Avalon Hill games. "Wooden Ships & Iron Men" was my first. I would need at least a Top 25 List, since I would include Richthofen's War, Kingmaker, Tobruk, Gladiator, Gunslinger, War at Sea, Submarine, RuneQuest (Avalon Hill edition), Machiavelli, and Diplomacy.

[@seahawk8601]

I know but I tried to keep it smaller

[@usmcfutball]

Thank you for including Tactics II. One that I could argue deserved inclusion was AH's "Blitzkrieg". It featured a superb fictional map board and upgraded the identical Tactics II Red vs Blue counters into a mesmerizing collection of Marines, Lancers, Rangers, Airborne Armor, Guards and Fusiliers. Sucked...me...IN! Rise and Decline Of The Third Reich is my personal favorite. Like you said yourself sir, buddies put on hold, dates cancelled, beer not enjoyed. Just getting those BRPs in line and making sure your lines of supply were secure. To this day it fascinates me. Excellent vid. Thank you.

[@seahawk8601]

thank you for the kind words my friend!!

[@MonsterX150]

Dune is coming back in print, Rob. This year!!! Supposedly before summer!

[@seahawk8601]

I hope so!

[@billmasters385]

You nailed it. Especially starship Troopers. It was really well done.

[@seahawk8601]

thank you my friend!!

[@timwhite977]

Love your number one pick Rob..in fact it I got this game as a gift in 1978 on my 10th birthday, however it was a little above my head at the time, it was the first game I ever owned..over the years I don't exactly know what happened to my copy, but of recent I've really gotten into collecting games again, and I just found an unpunched copy this week and can't wait to get it in the mail and start playing and re hashing old memories and making new ones. I as well can't say it's Avalon Hill's best game but it's a personal number one favorite of mine as well.

[@seahawk8601]

Thank you my friend

[@darioromano5773]

I miss the days of Avalon hill, my first wargame was panzerblitz, my grandfather got it for, it was a magical moment when I opened up that box read those rules and played it, and yes squad leader was another moment in my life that ill never forget.

[@seahawk8601]

That is how I feel my brother

[@Xix1326]

Man, this brings back memories. I have almost all these games. My favorites were 1. Blitzkreig, 2. Tactics II, and 3. Midway. I got a chance to lay out and set up the two-set World at War (War in the West, War in the East). It took most of my basement floor, much to my parents' chagrin. 😀

[@seahawk8601]

Great stuff!!!

[@bryangasche3192]

Excellent list Rob! I agree with many of your choices.

[@seahawk8601]

thank you sir!!

[@garryeckert5929]

I love Waterloo and Gettysburg '64 was great

[@seahawk8601]

both are great

[@calliecooke1817]

I enjoyed every game on your list. I've seen several such lists lately. Civilization has to be my personal favorite on your list. No one has mentioned what I believe to be two of their best games, Diplomacy and 1830. I really like these because there is no element of chance. We used to have a lot of fun with Merchants of Venus, too. It didn't go on forever. A clear winner was usually evident after a couple hours. Thanks for the memories.

[@seahawk8601]

Both are very good

[@supark3244]

This takes me down memory lane. Many of these are at the back of my closet. List seems incomplete w/o Stalingrad. Nice job big guy.

[@supark3244]

Alright, I am sold. Panzer Leader is coming out of the closet this month.

[@seahawk8601]

nice!!!!

[@dennisheinen3898]

Great list Rob, love them all! Only 2 games I would add, B-17 and Gettysburg (1977 Edition). I know there are better Gettysburg games and people tend to pan the AH version, but I really do like the campaign version.

[@KabukiKid]

B-17 is a great one... I also love Britannia, 1830, Up Front!, and Diplomacy. :-) Another underrated gem is The Origins of WWII.

[@dennisheinen3898]

KabukiKid , I actually picked up a ‘used’ unpunched copy of Origins of WW II recently. I had to check it out after watching Stuka Joe’s play through. Yes, Diplomacy is a classic, but no one in my group of friends want to play it anymore......bad memories....

[@seahawk8601]

so hard to make this list

[@ThymeKeeper]

Can't really argue with ASL and Squad Leader, but Panzer Blitz and Panzer Leader are pretty close to each other. You could put them together at #1 and have room for another game.

[@seahawk8601]

I know I thought of that after the fact

[@kirbyculp3449]

Arab-Israeli Wars

[@mikeyoung1313]

Two years ago, and still being found. Nice list Rob… I probably agree with it… even though I only have a few of the titles in my collection. Some have been lost during moves over the years, and some I just didn’t ever get around to purchasing, or had an interest in. Your number 1 is also top of my list, along with SST, Dune, etc.

[@seahawk8601]

Very cool

[@warrdogg]

Great list. I’ve played and own 20+ Avalon Hill games. I still play ASL today. I would have to say my #1 AH game would have to be UpFront. When it was released there was no game like it. Imagine a wargame without a map board! It still gets to the table a few times a year. In my opinion it has aged well.

[@seahawk8601]

Thanks for sharing!

[@armoredinf]

I had Panzer blitz(my first), PanzerLeader and Arab-Israeli Wars; since they use relatively the same rules; i would switch out units from one game and substitute units from one of the other.(like Playing Panzer blitz but use American units for German, etc.). But my favorite was Tobruk. Yea I know, a little too detailed for many; buts that's what made it interesting for me.

[@seahawk8601]

good post!!!

[@BogWraith1]

Rob, I would just add a game that innovated to the nth degree and that's Up Front. One of the best games I've ever played. Yes the rule book was a bear to get through, but it has since been re-written and there have been many additional learning aids done that make the game much easier to learn. Outstanding game!

[@seahawk8601]

good call

[@kirbyculp3449]

Up Front rocks! I have had some good fun with UF. In one scenario my character card got into close combat against an opponent that was armed with a flamethrower. My guy won the CC, acquired the flamethrower, and then roasted the foes with their own flamethrower! Ha ha!

[@billdavis2788]

Respectable list. Everyone is going to have their own favorites based on what they played. There are a number of games on your list that would make mine including Squad Leader, Starship Troopers, & Third Reich.

[@seahawk8601]

Thanks!

[@glencochrane901]

Totally agree buddy, great times. I thought Battle of the Bulge should've been on your list. As kids we would start the game every Dec.16th and just play and make moves for that day then quit and come back and play the next day and so on till the end. Great memories!!

[@seahawk8601]

wait til you see the video i have going up this week.......

[@ironkrieg3368]

A fine list, for sure. I would have combined Panzer Blitz & Panzer Leader into one entry, and Squad Leader & ASL into one entry. Then I would have added Blitzkrieg and Up Front. :) Thanks for taking the time to make this list!

[@seahawk8601]

Thanks

[@wolvenmeck]

Our group started playing wargames in the early 80s. We started with 3R. Starting with that was a blessing. After that no rulebook/game has ever seemed complex to me. Our group had/have all of these. I have/had all but two. My buddy had WS&IM and PL, I didn't. My Wizard's Quest went missing after a move a some point. But, I have all but those three on my shelves right now.

[@seahawk8601]

Nice

[@campbellmj9405]

Nice. First AH game I ever bought was Third Reich. Completely consumed by it as a kid. I had mounted the boards on felt covered plywood, it was great. Up Front was the last game I bought -- great game as well, unfortunately I had laminated the player cards which didn't hold up too well over all these years. Hardest part with AH games was always finding someone to play with. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[@seahawk8601]

you are welcome!!

[@thebes118]

I had PanzerBlitz, Anzio, and a few others. I think I wanted Panzer Leader but never got it. I also was in a wargame of the month club, They would send a new game every month with paper maps and it would be like Waterloo, one on ancient war with Egyptians fighting the Sea Peoples and such. It was really fun. Now I play computer wargames, and other types of course. I am currently hooked really bad to an online game World of Warships. Been on it about three years straight and can't stop!

[@seahawk8601]

i need to check that out

[@shadowcat3163]

Nice list and still have 7 of them. Do miss Tobruk on this list though, made a good start into micro armor games. Leader and Blitz are great and is Tactics 2, did miss Blitzkreig though (still got it), 1st one I ever got back in the mid 70's was Guadalcanal, and am on my 2nd or 3rd copy of it. As for WSIM still looking at it as an Alt rules set for my Warlords Black Seas ships.

[@seahawk8601]

Nice

[@Aphenro]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Third Reich was my favourite, except when you got the dreaded 2:1 with rolls of 4 then 6. :(

[@seahawk8601]

Lol

[@windyhillbomber]

Starship Troopers also made me read the book. A sensational emersive game

[@seahawk8601]

I agree

[@BeforeTheDarkAge]

interesting list. Never got to play ASL only one person I knew had it. I probably would put regular squad leader at number one followed by civilization. Civ is such a fun game when you have 6 people playing. I should try Dune and Starship troopers, Arab Israli war is worth a mention it is similar to panzer leader and panzer blitz with more modern weapons which I thought made a cool twist on familiar formula.

[@seahawk8601]

good call

[@michaelrobertson3369]

It'd be great if you could set up one of these games and do a quick overview some time.

[@seahawk8601]

we will be doing some live plays over the next few weeks

[@timzales5344]

Awesome list! I played all of the wargames and agree. Never had a chance to play the non-wargames at the time. I'd agree with a few mentioned in the comments, Victory in the Pacific and B-17 QotS -absolute classics. I'd add two of their newer ones though, Turning Point Stalingrad and Breakout Normandy. Late classics. Still love 'em!

[@seahawk8601]

I agree with this

[@an12cubMike]

10k subs coming up! Congrats, you’ve worked hard for it!!!

[@seahawk8601]

thank you

[@charleslatora5750]

I have most of those games. Got sucked in with the original squad leader no way I'm going to get sucked in with advanced squad leader. Your list is your list but I would add:, France 1940, AIW, Luftwaffe, Submarine, Air Assault on Crete (Malta), WAS/VITP and Tobruk.

[@seahawk8601]

all great games

[@snoopydog3328]

My favorite Avalon Hill game is Air Assault on Crete!

[@seahawk8601]

nice!!

[@TSimo113]

Russian Front and Turning Point Stalingrad are top 15

[@seahawk8601]

Ok

[@ThymeKeeper]

Dang, Rob, you made me have to set up a Third Reich game :). I couldn't stop thinking about it after watching the video :).

[@seahawk8601]

it is what I do..lol

[@kirbyculp3449]

I had Third Reich but could never find an opponent. IIRC, one of the informal requisites to playing was having a room dedicated for gameplay.

[@GotoHere]

1. Wooden Ships and Iron Men. (Nothing like grappling and blowing your opponents ship down). 2. D-Day (You get to pick the beach to land on.) 3. Battle of the Bulge (Tough to win as the Allies.) 4. Africa Corps. 5. Starship Troopers 6. King Maker (Learned history) 7. Wilderness Survival (Quick but fun) 8. Panzer Leader 9. 1776 (Learned geography)10. Business Strategy (Way better than Monopoly.)

[@seahawk8601]

good list

[@mikebaker6804]

Squad Leader is my #1 :)

[@seahawk8601]

nice

[@Xurrah]

"Frank Herbert's Dune" is my absolute favorite Avalon Hill game (hit me up if you want my homebrew expansion rules).

[@seahawk8601]

nice!

[@joehough838]

Rob, great vid. Just discovered your channel. Keep up the good work! That being said, I would agree about about Panzer Leader, but would put ASL before Dune....

[@seahawk8601]

nice call!! and thank you!

[@alyssonlago]

Have you played Magic Realm, Rob? What’s your opinion about it?

[@seahawk8601]

I really enjoyed it ....it is a classic

[@charlesrowan1978]

AH going is like Plato going, classic games never go. Long live Vassal :))) I have 8 hard copies of the games. Do you play on vassal?

[@seahawk8601]

I do not play vassal ....but I should to be truthful

[@soccerche]

Gotta’ go with 3R as number one. We plugged the holes in the rules with common sense and consensus, and it was the most played, absolutely fun war game. Spent an entire summer playing it. I really like your list and have played every game except Dune. I would also mention Anzio. The best three player game is Caesar/Alesia if the inner Gauls under siege by the Romans and allies and the outer Gauls trying to break the siege can not communicate.

[@usmcfutball]

"Common sense and consensus". Yes. Well said. My personal favorite. You KNOW it's a game you CARE about when your Rule Book is an artwork of multi-colored notes, addendum, arrows, underlines, hi-lighting and cross-outs! Enthralling!

[@seahawk8601]

there are no wrong answers here ....nice call

[@RossEphgrave]

Hi Rob... I have owned many AH games over the last 40 years and still have many... I can only rate that which I have played/owned and enough to grasp them fully. 1. Third Reich - own it 2. Hitler’s War - own it 3. Squad Leader with Cross of Iron - own them. 4. Jutland - own it 5 Fortress Europa - own it 6. Blitzkreig deluxe edition 7. Bismarck - own it 8. Tactics 2 - own it 9. Victory in the Pacific - own it 10. War at Sea 6 and 10 were stolen from me 25 years ago. I have also played Stalingrad, D-Day, Afrika Korps. I bought Wooden Ships and Iron Men in 1991 when my local war game store was closing. I’ve never played it, me and my childhood gaming group had long since grown up and gone our separate ways. I love purely the war games - Ww1 and 2. No one to play with now, later in life we had a son, in a few years I hope to talk him into playing these beautiful classic strategy games. My daughters are grown up and moved out - they weren’t interested. I have had collectors approach me and I refuse to sell, always browsing eBay hoping to buy more. Take care, too bad you are a Leafs fan... from a major Habs fan, Ross from Ontario

[@seahawk8601]

great post!!!! and its okay i still like you even though you love the Habs!!!

[@usmcfutball]

Blitzkrieg deluxe edition s-t-o-l-e-n? Oh, the humanity! Fantastic game experience, that. Cheers!

[@douglaspearson1647]

Since I have been board war gaming gaming since 1965 I don't know I could make a list but mine would differ slightly. 1) I never played Tactics II as it in my opinion was replaced by Blitzkreig. Great Game that brought in Nukes & SAC. 2) Love the Classics Afrika Korps is far and away my favorite only 2nd to ASL, Low counter quantity, 4 pages of rules, lot of strategy that change fast and a real feel for the history, Whats not to like. I still play this game a lot. 3) Jutland a Miniatures game if the Dreadnoughts and my 1st AH game. It ties with Wooden Ships & Iron Men. 4) Panzer Blitz opened a new era More than 4 pages of rules, more colors and better graphics. The beginning of more complex games. Always liked Blitz better than Leader. Always felt the Americans were over power compared with history. My #1 is ASL a highly detailed miniatures game in a box with an unlimited supply of scenarios. Other games I would add to the list are Guadalcanal, B of the Bulge, Midway, Bismark, Gunslinger, Up Front and Breakout Normandy (Probably my favorite D-D game of all time). Honorable mention For & We the people, History Of The World, Victory in the Pacific, Struggle of Nations and Turning Point Stalingrad.

[@seahawk8601]

great list

[@douglaspearson1647]

@@seahawk8601 I forgot Victory In The Pacific.

[@shadowcat3163]

Jutland, forgot about that one, sitting on the shelf next to me right now.

[@jimnewl]

1. Up Front/Banzai 2. 3rd Reich (original) 3. Freedom in the Galaxy (i.e. Star Wars Vietnam) 5. Civilization 6. Down With the King 7. Arab/Israeli Wars 8. Kingmaker 9. Struggle of Nations 10. Conquistador If Victory Games games are allowed, I'd put Vietnam up at number 2 or 3.

[@seahawk8601]

good list!

[@MrWasim100100]

wow Panzer Leader such a good game for those who wanna play there is software called Vassal for board games the software comes these board games on pc! i recommend buy a hard copy of this game Panzer Leader!

[@seahawk8601]

cool!!!

[@antiussentiment]

you had me at #15. ~ smiles ~

[@seahawk8601]

lol ...thank you sir!!

[@TheSultan79]

What’s your thoughts on hitlers war

[@seahawk8601]

Very good game !!

[@TheSultan79]

@@seahawk8601 I use to play that one a lot back then and on vassal as well

[@indy_go_blue6048]

For much of my gaming life AH was THE only gaming company in town. (Well I did have a couple of SPI Tactics' games.) I still own about 90% of the wargames but wasn't into their other line too much. I'd still have to put as #1 Third Reich, #2 Russian Campaign, #3 SL/ASL. Oh, and #4 their off-color "Black Spy" card game.

[@seahawk8601]

good call!

[@neilmanhard1341]

I didn't play the science fiction (except Starship Troopers) or fantasy games like you. So, in lieu of them I would've included War at Sea, Victory in the Pacific, Tobruk, B-17, Arab Israeli Wars, Storm over Arnhem and Air Assault on Crete.

[@seahawk8601]

nice!!!

[@Higzilla]

All good choices... I would have put B-17 somewhere on this list.

[@seahawk8601]

damn your right!!

[@jrustyshaffer5438]

Where’s Luftwaffe??? That was great!!

[@seahawk8601]

Not there

[@davidcashin1894]

OMG how could you leave out Midway and Blitzkrieg? By far in the top ten. Otherwise spot on.

[@seahawk8601]

That is why I don’t do lists anymore.......you always leave good stuff off of it and to be honest what does my opinion really mean anyway?

[@davidcashin1894]

@@seahawk8601 Rob, always interested in your opinions. I just think of it as a thought/memory provoking discussion.

[@tovarischD]

Surprised Arab Israeli Wars didn't make this list as it is the final incarnation of PanzerLeader and PanzerBlitz.

[@seahawk8601]

I did what I did what can I tell you

[@peterbaker7963]

Circus Maximus and the Colosseum and to different places 1/2mile apart !!!!!!

[@seahawk8601]

ok

[@charlesrowan1978]

Thank you for the review :)))))))))))))))))0

[@seahawk8601]

your welcome!

[@charleslatora5750]

Wow. Somehow the others games I would add got deleted...oh well....try again later...gotta go.

[@seahawk8601]

later!

[@rags417]

Civilization - lousy sim, fantastic GAME !

[@seahawk8601]

Good point

[@gwggamingwgaravaglia]

Doing a Russian Front playthru

[@seahawk8601]

nice!

[@jimsmith7445]

Hey Rob! BEST LIST EVER!!!! You and I are SO on this one! I can agree with nearly ALL of your game choices, and own 90% of the games as well. While our lists are similar... I would have added any of the Status Pro games (Baseball, Football, Basketball), Midway, a fantastic two player game. I think you missed "B-17, Queen of the Skies", and "Origins", a great political strategic game. Here's a few I'd have to include... Guadacanal (first hidden movement game), Titlebout (Boxing), and Tobruck (long game, but maybe the best Afrika Korps game, when you get the rules). See IF you can get the "D-Day" expansion (1974) with the unit reduction system... it's a much better CRT.... here's to Blitzkrieg a long game that makes for a great afternoon.

[@seahawk8601]

thank you my friend!!!! it is so hard to make a list like this

[@TheSultan79]

I never got to play rise and decline of the third reich

[@seahawk8601]

Very good game

[@ThymeKeeper]

Third Reich would be in the top 1 for me ;), but every game on this list is someone's #1.

[@ThymeKeeper]

Never heard of it, but they did do some family style and party games

[@seahawk8601]

i agree

[@richardkerr4458]

lock n load is better then asl

[@seahawk8601]

okay

[@shomerfuckingshabbos]

Thanks. Your video brought back a lot of gaming memories. Best AH game ever though...has to be Empires in Arms. Completely immersive experience where I can still remember game play from 25 years ago. Honorable mentions to Advance 3rd Rich and Rome.

[@seahawk8601]

I miss the old days!!

[@shomerfuckingshabbos]

@@seahawk8601 Yep.

[@NaughtyVampireGod]

Hi Rob: Great video. At one point I owned about 20-25 Avalon Hill games but my favorite boardgame was Divine Right by TSR. Have you ever played it? My favorite AH games were Starship Troopers and Tactics II. i also loved Cosmic Encounter (not by AH).

[@seahawk8601]

i have not ...now i am going to try and find it!

[@NaughtyVampireGod]

@@seahawk8601 Sounds good, my friend. Let me know what you think.