Current (Feb 2023) Highlights from GMT’s P500 games, part 1: new Games

I feel that GMT is a company that makes games that are totally, 100% for me. It also makes games that are totally, 100% not for me. I’ve done a little skim of GMT’s current P500 offerings and prepared a pair of posts; one (this one) about some really interesting new games on offer, and another on some really great reprints that are coming.

Remember, not only does the P500 system let you preorder games, but it also gives a pretty significant discount. Each of the two posts features 10 games, which are presented in no discernable order. This isn’t a ranked list. With that said, let’s jump into the new games!

Mr. President

This game was first announced several years ago and immediately caught my interest. Having not followed GMT as closely in the past couple of years, I wasn’t aware of its current status. It is, it seems, now up for preorder on the P500.

Unlike the other presidency-themed game I enjoy, 1960, this is not a game about elections. You’re already in. You sit behind the desk on day 1 and… what next? This is about governing. Set your agenda, deal with crises, run the country.

The theming of this game and the gameplay information on the GMT page both make me quite excited about this game. That’s surprising, as I do not normally pay much attention to solo games. I’ve said this before, but I see gaming as a social endeavour and, if faced with the prospect of having nobody to play with, I’d rather just load up a video game. This is one of two games in today’s feature that makes me question that position.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

A Gest of Robin Hood

The first of two COIN games in this list, A Gest of Robin Hood stands out in three regards. Firstly, the game is 2-player COIN game. It’s not the first of these, as Colonial Twilight was also built for two, but it’s still a rarity. It’s also one of the first COIN games to be set in a fictional conflict. The other fiction-based COIN game is also a P500 title, and will be featured later in this post. Thirdly, this isn’t really quite a coin game, I am told. Its part of the Irregular Conflicts series, so it does stand somewhat apart.

The fact that this is a 2-player game, and the fact that it can seemingly be played in under an hour, combine to form a pretty attractive prospect. The game cover an asymmetrical fight that includes peasant revolts, feudal tax collection, and outlaw activities. Simply put, this is a COIN game that I am far more likely to be able to get to the table.

That’s a big plus.

Feedback from playtesters seems positive, too. This is one that I definitely picking up. No Question.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Prime Minister

A political game, you say? A British political game, you say? Yes, please! This is a theme that we’ve already established as something I enjoy. Set in the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria, Prime Minister is played around a number of different scenarios, each set for different player counts and approximate play durations. Depending on the scenario, the game plays up to four players, and has solo options.

I really like the visual design of the game, in addition to the aforementioned theming. I like the breadth of what’s covered, with the option to play as one of ten different prime ministers who served during Victoria’s reign. It’s also not limited to just playing as the prime minister (which makes sense as not every player could be the PM at once, I suppose), but also as opposition leader or backbencher.

This one seems really promising. I’m not sure if it’s one I’ll get to the table a lot. It doesn’t look too complex, but I worry the theme may be a tad dry for others, even if it’s really exciting for me.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Red Dust Rebellion

The second COIN game in this list, and the second COIN game after A Gest of Robin Hood to be based upon a fictional conflict. This is the game that takes the COIN system beyond the bounds of our own planet. It is set on Mars in the 23rd century against a backdrop of colonial uprising. It’s actually got some real The Expanse kind of vibes.

I think that this will be more thematically engaging for my gaming group than many of the other COIN games. It just appears a bit less dry, staid, and dispassionately historical. It builds on the tried and tested COIN system, much like how each of the games in that series has tweaked the ruleset slightly to fit the individual scenario at play.

Early previews seem really positive, and this is a game I’m excited for.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Away Team

Another solo game? Wow, this is unusual for me! Oh, sure, it has a 2-player mode, but this is a solo game at heart. There are both one-off solo scenarios and a longer campaign mode. The campaign seems really interesting to me, actually.

The game is actually a remake of the classic game, Voyage of the B.S.M. Pandora, that SPI released in the early 1980s. This is an updated version with up to date production values, new art, and the like. The art is actually really good, with the game being pretty thematic, particularly by GMT’s standards. It’s a right bonny game!

Looking at the art and the cool premise of the game, I find this pretty tempting. It’s odd that these solo games are appealing to me, whereas they really haven’t before. I suppose it’s because this is a narrative experience that feels quite different to other games I’ve played. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Expansion or Extinction

Triumph and Tragedy is a historical wargame I’ve long wanted to try. It’s always seemed such a good system, the scenario of which started just prior to the second world war. I found the openness of the game really interesting, as things could pan out very differently from how they did historically. Hell, the war doesn’t even need to happen. Now, GMT are creating a sci-fi game with the same underlying system.

Expansion or Extinction takes Triumph and Tragedy’s gameplay to the stars as Earth’s colonies rebuild after a period of instability, chaos, and destruction. There are paths to victory through your economy, technology, or through conquest, and you have a lot of options to arrive at those destinations.

The game seems solid, but I’m a little divided on the idea of the theme. I’d like to pick up either this game or the original Triumph and Tragedy and I’m not sure which one. The board, for example, is pretty bland. It suggests that as good as the strategy elements and gameplay might be, the theming will be a bit on dry side. Contrast this with Triumph and Tragedy where, although it looks like a lot of other wargames, you are at least tethered to a solid world. That’s our one, if you weren’t aware.

I’m leaning toward this game, but I’m not quite certain yet.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Twilight Struggle Red Sea: Conflict in the Horn of Africa

Update: I missed a trick here. The P500 for this game has already been fulfilled. Keep an eye out for it at retail.

Twilight Struggle is a fantastic game that has been in my top 10 games every year that I’ve written my top 50 list. This year it was number 6, having peaked at number 2 back in 2016. This is a smaller, shorter game that is based on the same underlying gameplay systems as Twilight Struggle, but which focuses specifically on events surrounding the 1974 coup in Ethiopia.

As a shorter distillation of the Twilight Struggle system, this is presented as a great entry point to the Twilight Struggle game and the series that seems to be establishing itself around it. What’s particularly interesting is the cross-compatibility of certain elements of the two games. Event cards can seemingly be used almost interchangeably, adding new events and decisions to Twilight Struggle by bringing in Red Sea event cards. Similarly, the Red Sea game can be expanded with the inclusion of some of the Twilight Struggle cards. This is an interesting feature of the game and one which rewards you for picking up both games.

This is another game that I will definitely be picking up.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

The Plum Island Horror

Another surprisingly thematic, non-historical title from GMT Games, The Plum Island Horror is a cooperative game that pits survivors against zombies. Add in some fun artwork and some tower defense-style gameplay and we’ve got ourselves a stew going!

It’s the theming of this game that really caught my attention. It’s just not typical of a GMT Games title, y’know? That in itself is pretty notable.

The map is a fun depiction of the titular island, complete with locations such as the Schnitzel Brewery, the Pomegranate Mall, Fred’s Fish Market, the Town Dump, and many more. It’s really well presented, colourful, and is ripe ground for all that zombie killing/dodging you intend to do!

The mix of factions gives some asymmetry to players, and they need to really work together to take advantage of their combined strengths and mitigate their assorted weaknesses.

Ultimately I’m not sure if this one’s for me. I really think that if I’m going for a cooperative zombie survival game, I’m likely just to stick with Dead of Winter. Will keep and eye on this, though!

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

Congress of Vienna

Churchill was a very successful game for GMT, and it saw a followup in the form of Pericles, and another in Versailles 1919. Now, there’s another game in this burgeoning series, Congree of Vienna.

This game is set in the aftermath of Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow in 1812 and covers the years that immediately followed this humiliating defeat. I count myself as reasonably well-versed in several historical periods, but I simply have never really done all that much reading on the Napoleonic Wars. With that in mind, I don’t think I get muich from reading the description of this game’s setting and scenario.

I do know the game, though. At least, I know the other games based on the same system. The actual combat in this game is secondary to the point. Yes, you do need to do some, but this is less a wargame and more a game of diplomatic maneuvering. Campaigns and military power are but tools to position oneself in the best possible state to support the bargaining and negotiation that follows. This is a game of diplomacy, and that’s interesting.

Given that I’ve not managed to get two of the title from this series to the table already, I will likely pass on this one for now. If I did not already have Churchill and Pericles, I’d give it some real thought.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.

The Weimar Republic

Set in interwar Germany, The Weimar Republic is a Card Driven Game (CDG) which sees four parties vie for political power. I love CDGs. Three of my favourite games from GMT (Twilight Struggle, 1960, and Washington’s War) are all card driven games. The political theming, historical period, and underlying system all combine to make this game a potentially interesting prospect.

Just reading the description of this game makes me want to go back and re-watch Rise of Evil, the Christian Duguay-directed miniseries that starred Robert Carlyle as Hitler. It focused on this particular period and really captured the political struggle in an engaging way. Carlyle was, as ever, intense and excellent.

The game looks a wee bit more complicated than Twilight Struggle, but still pretty approachable. This is a really tempting game and one I am likely to pick up. It just ticks so many boxes for me.

Click here to visit the GMT P500 page for this game.