FREE FORTRESS AMERICA BOARD GAME PDF Ffg | none | 20 Jun 2012 | Fantasy Flight Games | 9781616613983 | English | United States Fortress America | Board Game | The Dice Tower | The Dice Tower Fortress America is a game with an interesting history. If you go back far enough it was obviously inspired by a game published in by that sainted company SPI and called Invasion America. This was an old-school hex-and-counter game designed by the legendary Jim Dunnigan himself. The last time I played it was at FatDog about 8 years ago. Fortress Americaitself, was published by Milton Bradley as part of their Gamemaster series, which included such well-known games as Axis and Allies, Shogun, Conquest Fortress America Board Game the Empire and Broadsides and Boarding Parties. Milton Bradley, however, took a different Fortress America Board Game than SPI. The hexes were gone as were the cardboard counters. The rules were simpler and there was no case numbering, exception listing or cross-referencing. In any case, it won the Charles S. Robert award as the best 20th century game of For example, infantry and partisans must hit other foot soldiers if possible. So, players must declare which areas they will attack before they move and infantry does not move in the first phase. Gary playing the southern invader in a game of Fortress America — second edition. The last edition of Fortress America was published without major changes by Fantasy Flight Games only a few years ago. The only differences are:. The invaders now have their own cards and sometimes get reinforcements above their starting horde. In this version, the invaders may bring in 8 reinforcements a turn as normal or 5 plus a random reinforcement card. These cards do vary in importance so when chosen the invaders are gambling they are worth more than 3 figures. While some are Fortress America Board Game powerful, for example, there is a card that places an overlay on the map that permits invaders to parachute new units inland and another that allows western invader helicopters to transport infantry, there are others that are for all practical purposes worthless. Some examples of eastern invader figures in the second edition. Mobile units transport infantry. This is especially important for the western invader as he was burdened by slow-moving infantry to a greater degree than his partners. What happened prior to this improvement was that his army would split in two shortly after the invasion with slower infantry garrisoning coastal territories and high-value units leading assaults. This put him in something of a bind. He had no combined arms bonus when fighting through the Rockies and no infantry units on his front lines to absorb partisan and enemy infantry hits. Fast moving infantry turns all this around. A couple of cities in the east have been de-listed E. This gives the western invader something interesting to aim for in turns 2 and 3. And, in any case, if Fortress America Board Game invaders ever reach the Buffalo area the game is over with or without a city being there. Although the promotion of Las Vegas and Colorado Springs does tilt the game somewhat in the invaders favor as they now have additional, reachable targets. Most dice now have symbols, not numbers. The game definitely ends after turn Although I have no idea how important this is as all our games end in concessions by turn 6 or 7. In the first edition, they were called the Asian Peoples Alliance the western invadersthe Central American Federation the southern invaders and the Euro-Socialist Pact the eastern invaders. A view of the board from the Canadian border. The circular figures in the lower part of the picture are captured cities. Fortress America Board Game either all win or they all lose together. The Americans have 30 cities defended by 60 combat units and if 18 cities are captured they lose. The invaders, on the other hand, start with 60 combat units each, though after the first wave of 20 only 8 or, in the last edition, 5 plus an invader card can land per turn. So the US is outnumbered 3 to 1. But as the game heavily favors the defenders things are not as clear-cut as these numbers imply. Combat units encompass infantry, mech forces including mobile units — APCs — and hover tanks and powerful air Fortress America Board Game including helicopters and bombers. The Americans also have an ace in the hole in the form of laser towers that come online one per turn. They have an unlimited range and target individual enemy units. In addition, they hit 60 percent of the time. Though I must say, this whole laser tower thing is a nice touch. The green figures in the upper right of the photo are Americans regulars second edition. The gray figures to the left are US partisans and a US laser cannon with the rectangular base. The card generates random events. And these cards are of supreme importance. In fact, they are so important some American players intentionally put two or three high-value units on the invasion beaches. This way, although these units will undoubtedly be lost in turn one, they are ready to be called back to duty in turns two or three if one of the better reinforcement cards are drawn. Without first turn losses of high-value units the first or second reinforcement card may turn out to be valueless. At least this way, the reinforcements can be placed where they are most needed. I always felt garrisoning coastal cities only with infantry makes better sense. The gray figures are Fortress America Board Game city marker with a circular base and a U. The green figures are regular U. They focus on recapture cities. Each re-capture results in one extra reinforcement card being drawn by the US player next turn. In order to re-capture a city Fortress America Board Game players use their laser towers, card reinforcements, and counter-attacks in a concentrated effort. By withdrawing weak forces, even Fortress America Board Game cities, on the front line, the Americans preserve their forces for the important fights later on when the odds are not so lopsided. They are also spreading out the invaders, who now have to garrison these cities, and providing the Americans with a slew of captured cities to target. They pick their shots. Normally, the defender eliminates the highest value target possible when he hits. But when defending cities this is not always the best idea. Many players instead concentrate their defensive fire on the rarest type of attacker in an effort to break his combined arms bonus. For example, say the attacker has targeted a key city. Perhaps he is bringing 2 infantry, 2 mobile units, 2 hover tanks, 2 helicopters and 2 bombers to the attack. Now, say the defender has only 2 infantry and 1 hover tank. The defender fires first and scores two hits, one by his infantry and one by his armor. As normal, the infantry eliminates an infantry unit, but the tank has a choice. It could eliminate an infantry or a mech unit if one is available theoretically, he could choose to eliminate an air unit, if no infantry or mech units are left, but Fortress America Board Game careful attackers always make sure there are more ground units attacking then ground defenders this particular option is rarely usable. Of course, most players in this situation have their armor eliminate the tank Fortress America Board Game the most valuable target possible. But some players realize the importance of holding key cities. And this might just be enough to hold the city. At least for this attack. They use an all or nothing defense. That is, Fortress America does not allow blitz moves as does Axis and Allies. So, an empty area slows the attackers just as much as a weakly held one. Therefore, Americans typically fall back and clump there regular units in keys inland cities. On the other hand, they also like to spread out their partisan units between these cities as they fire better dice when alone. They carefully pick areas to counter-attack. There are certain areas that are natural killing grounds. These include Washington DC and the area south-west Fortress America Board Game Atlanta. If the Americans then throw in a laser, some bombers and attack from 2 directions, they can usually stop the eastern invaders cold. They use different strategies in different regions. Against the western invaders, players fall back trading space for time. Against the southern invader, the Americans usually fall back initially and then counter-attack their spearheads. Once these are broken it takes the invaders much Fortress America Board Game long to bring up high- quality replacement units. The invaders can win but they are on a tight Fortress America Board Game and anything Fortress America Board Game throws them off by even a turn or two can be fatal. In the east, American players concentrate a majority of their laser targets and defend all their cities and Fortress America Board Game areas to the last unit. Trading space for time not being an option on Fortress America Board Game front. The eastern invader has the toughest job but then again he has the shortest route to multiple laser defended cities. Carefully Fortress America Board Game areas to invade. Normally, attacking players Fortress America Board Game to cut off any possibility of retreat before they launch an attack and they want at least three to one odds plus a combined arms bonus when attacking cities or mountain areas.