Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
A solitaire game based on the Gulf War. While the Iraqi unit's reactions are programmed, it is still possible to lose by taking careless chances that cause an excessive amount of friendly casualties.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Movement Points
Spend a movement allowance across spaces with different costs.
Hexagon Grid
Use a hexagonal map where each space connects evenly in six directions.
Simulation
Model a real or imagined system through detailed cause-and-effect rules.
Solo / Solitaire Game
Provide rules and objectives designed for a single player.
Read the full game description
A solitaire game based on the Gulf War. While the Iraqi unit's reactions are programmed, it is still possible to lose by taking careless chances that cause an excessive amount of friendly casualties. To win, you must do as well as the actual campaign. What makes this difficult is the need to explicitly manage the flow of supplies to allied combat units. The difficulty of the game adds to its play and replay value. Phase Line Smash handles a number of aspects of the Gulf War in a realistic and sensitive manner. Fratricide is one such issue that is included in the game mechanics and discussed in the historical notes included with the game. The game box is rather heavy because of the historical notes included with the game. Other extras include optional rules for up to eleven players. This adds the complexity of having to coordinate with other players for use of limited supply routes and coordinating attacks.