Fire in the Lake

With Fire in the Lake you step right into the struggle for South Vietnam. This is a big and demanding game about the war in Vietnam, in which every faction has its own view of things. One player sends American helicopters over the jungle, another lets guerrillas slip unnoticed into the south. Talks between allies, politics in Saigon and the fighting around the Ho Chi Minh trail all run together. That way every game feels like a new chapter in a long story. The game builds on GMT's well-known COIN system, in which cards drive the events. Anyone who knows Andean Abyss, Cuba Libre and A Distant Plain will recognise the basics right away, but Fire in the Lake goes a step further. Think of pivotal events that upset the normal order, such as the Tet Offensive and Linebacker II, of tunnels where bases hide, and of a huge deck of cards that makes sure no faction ever plays out the same way. You play with one to four people and should set aside plenty of time. This is a game to really dive into, together at the table, where strategy, history and tension come together. Pick a short scenario to get used to it, or go for the long version and live through the whole struggle. If you like depth and are not afraid of a meaty evening of play, you will find something special here.