Labyrinth: The War on Terror 2001-?

[Raak]

 

So... Labyrinth- The War on Terror 2001-?, besides having an unwieldy title with questionable punctuation, is an amazing solo or 2 player conflict game. Notice I didn't say "wargame" which though I might consider it to be, it does not fit the proper traditional description of.

 

WARNING: This isn't really a review so much as a "gosh this is a great game - check it out" post.

 

Basically there are 2 sides. US and Jihadist. In the Solo variant you play the US and a flowchart helps with the opposing AI

 

The map board is beautiful and very well done as is the card art. The game is balanced asymmetrically ( exactly as the conflict plays out IRL) so this allows for interesting game play at the solo and 2 player level. The US player has certain actions they can take with the operational value of their cards (disrupting terrorist cells, deploying troops to allied Muslim countries, conducting a War of Ideas, etc.), which are almost entirely automatically successful once they’ve played a card of high enough value. The Jihadist player has an entirely different set of actions (recruit terrorist cells, carry out jihad in countries with cells, set up bomb plots), which require a die roll for success every single time. The upshot of this is that the Jihadist can carry out operations all over the world, regardless of their cards, but the operations are prone to failure, while the US can only play where they have strong enough cards, but the operations work nearly all the time. It’s a neat touch that simulates the difference between a covert network of sparsely funded terrorist cells and the military and political might of the US.

 

As someone on BGG has pointed out, the game has garnered a little controversy, basically for the following reasons:

1. It’s based on a current, ongoing conflict, with many of the cards representing real people (living or dead), recent events or things you don’t really want to have to think about while playing a game. For example, one of the cards represents the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Too soon? Maybe for some.
2. In the two-player game, one player controls the US while the other controls the global jihadist movement. Yes, you get to be a terrorist. Not a cartoonish, balaclava-wearing terrorist, but a setting off WMDs in Israel and overthrowing the Somalian-government terrorist. It’s a bit… dark.

 

Solo players need not be put off by the somewhat daunting flowchart that serves as the AI for the Jihadist. This particular Rock Star created python code that automates, tracks and saves the AI process for solo players. It's slick, works like a charm and availabe on GitHub if you want to monkey with it (I wouldn't, it's pretty damn good as is)

 

All in all I am thoroughly enjoying this game. It can be hard to find people willing to devote a few hours to Twilight Struggle but this is the perfect antidote! (Same company and similar theme/mechanic)

 

Warhamster Note: Nathaniel stocks GMTs a "A Distant Plain" (which I plan to review soon) so I'm sure ordering from the shop is a cinch. Just FYI, GMT is my second favorite big Game Design House next to Fantasy Flight right now. They're simply awesome for those with a wargame bent.

 

 

EDIT: If you need help with installing Python and running a .py script then some google-fu like "How to install python on [insert your OS version here]" or "How to run a python script on [insert your OS version here]". Alternately you can PM me if you like.

[xipetotec]

Labyrinth is one of my favorite games right now.  Its work very similar to Twilight Struggle (which deals with the cold war) with the additions of troops and terror cells. 

 

Also, A Distant Plain is probably the best game in the COIN series right now (although I really can't recommend the COIN series enough, amazing games)  Playing ADP really makes you realize how crazy the whole Afghanistan fight is.

[Raak]

Labyrinth is one of my favorite games right now.  Its work very similar to Twilight Struggle (which deals with the cold war) with the additions of troops and terror cells. 

 

Also, A Distant Plain is probably the best game in the COIN series right now (although I really can't recommend the COIN series enough, amazing games)  Playing ADP really makes you realize how crazy the whole Afghanistan fight is.

 

Yeah, the designer is a Genius; and an ex-analyst for the Company. FWIW he says his personal favorite in the COIN series is Andean Abyss. I like them all. Cuba Libre just hit the table the other night.