Correction 11/22: The game is actually being offered through Radiant Gaming (although multiple attempts to connect to the Radiant website bring back a site not found result) and NOT Valley Games. Sorry for the inaccuracy on that but since there was so much talk Valley would be producing this I zoned on noticing it wasn’t the Canadian company launching the funding drive…
From the Kickstarter page:
UP FRONT, a game of small-unit combat in World War II, is an award-winning game recognized for its innovative, card-driven play.
“Straight ahead guys! Right in that grove of trees. A whole squad of Nazis!” Platoon Sgt. Allen barked as he peered thru his binoculars, ”And…and another squad in the brush to the right. We got our hands full today men…give it everything you got for ‘ol Uncle Sam! Give me that radio Wilson, I need to warn Corporal Jenkins about those Germans in the brush.”
That setup is the basic premise for a quick, yet tension filled and exciting round of combat with the re-release of the highly acclaimed Up Front! fireteam leader card game system. You and your opponent are each in charge of a squad of men who have a specific objective to achieve. Whether you are charged with eliminating a majority of the enemy or you are trying to move a fireteam up close to the enemy without losing too many casualties there are many strategies to victory. The scenario variety of this system is what makes this game so different with every play and with game play under an hour you can fight multiple scenarios in an evening.
You decide which nationality to play; how to divide your men into fireteams and which weapons they will carry. Next, don’t forget to assign your Squad Leader and Assistant Squad Leader strategically to a fireteam(s). Also, make sure you have the firepower you need for each fireteam’s strategy. Then use the action cards you drew to meter out that withering burst of firepower or move your fireteams into better terrain for their survival. Speaking of movement, it is critical to remember that taking fire when you’re on the move can be very deadly. When advancing your men watch out for that marshy area and especially that barbed wire. This game has a tremendous decision tree which may cause you to change strategies with each firefight and almost constant player interaction. Even when it is your opponent’s turn you’re in need of plotting a response to their move. Did they just play a Fire 4 card on your weakest fireteam? Then it is time to lay down that Concealment Card to reduce your casualties. Whether it is your opponent’s turn or yours…your men’s survival lies within your hand of action cards. What will you do? Do you advance, retreat or lay down smoke? Do you sit quietly in that building you found and wait for them to make that daring advance or do you rally your pinned men and move Up Front! The decisions are all up to you, Lieutenant! Since each of the personality cards will have individual names and characteristics you’ll even grow attached to your men. You know, like Wilson the Radioman speaking of Wilson…“Wilson, Wilson… where is that guy when I need him? No need for him to worry about the Germans; I’m gonna kill him myself!” Ok, so you may not grow close to all of them.
Up Front! is a game for two players which can be completed in under an hour. The map is represented by the terrain cards you play throughout the game which means no two games are ever alike. In this revolutionary system, the action cards act as terrain, movement, fire, and results cards. Each nationality, per it’s historical leadership tendencies, dictates a hand limit so which action cards do you use for fire or movement and which do you hold for that risky strategy you have been planning. The victory goes to the best decision maker under fire! When you sign up for this Up Front! action; just don’t forget to bring along your favorite beverage as the tension will have you sweating “bullets.”
The base game will come with US vs. Germans and have the following;
- 31 US Personality cards
- 15 US Weapon cards
- 11 US Armored Fighting Vehicle cards
- 27 German Personality cards
- 18 German Weapon cards
- 17 German Armored Fighting Vehicle cards
- 162 Action cards (Country Deck)
- Basic rules booklet including detailed step-by-step walk-through
- Advanced rules booklet containing the basic rules AND the advanced rules
- Two token sheets
Wow, there is more to this than meets the eye. There are apparently several twists in this story. One is that the project is being put forward by Radiant Games, not Valley Games, and their relationship seems somewhat muddled. Also there is also a question being bandied about regarding an outstanding judgement against Valley Games, and whether some of the Up Front money would be liable for attachment to satisfy it. Makes for some lively discussion on BGG. So as much as I would love to see the game, I am still not going to hold my breath
Thanks for the catch and the update Ray! I have to admit I completely zoned on the project coming from Radiant since the news piece came through and not even thinking I wrote up the opening indicating it was a Valley production. I’ll make a quick edit to the post to indicate the correct company involved.
I know I was raked over the coals on a few sites out there when I shared my opinions here that I wasn’t holding my breath of Up Front! being reprinted and why. From what you’ve indicated, there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes which should concern prospective backers. I’m like you though, I’d love to see the game make a return regardless of what reservations I have…
I should point out one of the threads Ray has mentioned floating around at BGG and it’s worth a serious look for those who are currently backing our considering backing the project. I’d considered putting an op-ed piece together regarding the risks involved in backing the project or the real possiblities the Kickstarter funds could be garnished to pay off the legal settlement covered in the thread but I’m not in to mood on Thanksgiving to be called a grinch (or worse) on other websites.
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/883914/be-informed-before-backing-valley-games-on-kicksta
Thanks to the info provided here, I just spent the past 2 hours online wading through details of this still unfolding situation.
It’s readily apparent that this can be one of the most significant – and most disturbing – stories related to the hobby in quite some time. Wow.
Kudos to TGG (and its readers) for once again being on the cutting edge.
There is one more “interesting” level to all of this. In one of the threads someone asks the obvious question. Just how did Radiant/Valley Games acquire the rights to publish Up Front. If was a question that did not appear to be answered
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/14873/statement-by-radiant-gaming-on-up-front
Steve got it right on the nose. Add this to the other weirdness and this is the one of the most significant stories in the hobby.
Just more reason why as much as I’d love to get a copy of a new edition of Up Front! until it finds it’s way to game store shelves – by way of Valley Games, Radiant Games, Donald Trump, divine intervention or what have you – I won’t touch this with a ten foot pole. Even then I might not want to add this to my collection simply due to what can surely be called sketchy business practices (at the very least) by Valley. My gut impression is the U.S. courts will garnish funds from Radiant in order to satisfy judgements against Valley and we still won’t have Up Front! available.
I’m also curious why BGG keeps moving threads out of the Up Front! forum regarding the issues facing the reprint and moving them to the Valley Games area where fewer people are likely to read the warnings which are being posted. Does that strike you as odd?
I’m with Steve and Ray as far as this being rather disturbing but when you’re talking about hundreds of thousands of Kickstarter funding dollars at stake I suppose anything is fair game for some people regardless of legal or moral issues.