The Decision Games Pledge Program is an online preorder system for gamers to "pledge” their support to purchase future games thereby directing our efforts to the games customers have the most interest in seeing published. Pledge orders will receive a minimum 25% discount from the final retail price. We provide estimated pricing based on the latest information we have about components and print pricing however the final price is subject to change.
For your convenience, the Pledge projects are divided into three lists. Games in the A list are close to completion and are generally in the order we expect to publish over the next three years. Games in the B list are in some stage of design with several finished and simply waiting for a slot in the A list. Games in the C list are not standard wargame designs; some have a more Euro-style presentation, some are science-fiction or have a non-military historical theme. We continue to add games to the Pledge Program through the surveys we conduct as well as showcasing games submitted to us we believe our audience would be interested in.
To pledge for additional games, check your list, make changes or updates to your list or customer information, visit the pledge area of the Decision Games Shop. Pledges are a commitment to purchase a game when published and current payment information is required in order to make pledges, however cards are not charged until a game Is ready to ship. Credit card information must be kept current in order to maintain a pledge order. Accounts not kept current will have their pledge orders cancelled in order to keep an accurate count of pledge orders.
PLEDGE PROGRAM UPDATE
(25 SEP 20)
While we are on track to catch up with our magazine and game edition release schedule in 2021, the shelter at home and continued restrictions for isolating/social distancing have affected our boxed game schedule. Our play test teams have been able to get together for play testing and so progress is being made on the games that were already in the pipeline. Games and series that were set for major meetings this summer in order to evaluate whether games were ready for testing, determine play test schedules and get play testing started have been delayed until those meetings can occur.
GOSS
Joe Youst is working on D-Day at Saipan, then will move to Market-Garden. We anticipate the design work will be finished in time for a play test next June at CSW Expo, and if everything goes well and we can proceed with sending out kits to our play test teams, Market-Garden will be released as early as 2023. After Market-Garden, GOSS will head to North Africa with games on Alamein, Tobruk, and Tunisia, and then on to Sicily. Depending on the reception of the Hannut game in World at War #80, we may run some more proposals for GOSS-lite battle games in World at War.
D-Day Series
D-Day at Saipan is still in design in large part due to resolving concerns with the Iwo Jima rules. Effectively, Joe and Doug are rewriting the Iwo Jima rules so they are essentially a set of standard rules corresponding to Peleliu with separate exclusive rules for Iwo Jima and Saipan. Once the Iwo Jima rules are revised, they will be posted for review and feedback while Joe completes the Saipan game design.
Deluxe Editions
Deluxe Editions are magazines games that sold out and are selected for an upgraded reprint. They receive a mounted game board with potentially enlarged map, counters that may be enlarged and include new variant counters, a possibly expanded rules booklet with background story, and play aids. Midway Solitaire Deluxe will be published next year. It will include all of the variant counters previously published as well as some additional variants, a rules update, and play aids. Red Dragon Rising was the top pick in our online survey for the next game to receive the deluxe treatment and should be released in 2022.
Axis Empires
This is one of the projects delayed by the pandemic cancellation of a week-long summit we had planned to have at CSW Expo Tempe in June (and then August.) We are seeking to reschedule the meeting as soon as we can get the key people together and have a play test. We need to clarify all the components are errata-free, the base game with updates works well, and the additional modules, especially Schiffskrieg (the expanded naval system) enhance the base game and work well in their own right. While we want the game released as soon as possible, we will take the time to perform the due diligence. To do the proper testing may take more time than originally expected due to the need to bring together several teams of at least three players to work closely together on a regular basis for several months. The Covid-19 health and safety concerns have limited our usual play test methodology and adjustments will take time to implement. A Vassal play test kit is in the works but is likely several months away. Axis Empires will continue on the A-list, but we anticipate delays in finishing these all important steps.
Other Monster Games
North African Campaign has been on hold while Lucky Forward was completed. Now it may continue on hold while Axis Empires is completed (Doug can only manage one monster game project while keeping up with the magazine game schedule). Once Axis Empires and North African Campaign are released, we will move on to First World War and War in Europe. By the way, Ty Bomba’s Campaigns in Europe has been moved up to World at War #88-92 (that’s in 2023 for those wanting to subscribe for that series). Campaigns in Europe utilizes an updated set of the four central maps from War in Europe and a historically based corps/army level counter set to simulate the major ETO campaigns. It will not have the strategic elements of WIE (i.e. production spirals, convoy and bombing tracks, political, etc.) and will not simulate more than about six months of campaigning, however it will have accurate OOBs with historical variation in unit capabilities for all of the major campaigns (over 20 scenarios in all).
Other Series Games
Battles in the East. This is an update of Army Group South (that was based on Panzer Group Guderian) with a standardized scale and a focus on battles not previously seen. HQ units are utilized to deliver higher level combat support and logistics. The first three volumes have completed first round testing. We’re giving the maps and counters a thorough update and moving the rules to a preliminary layout. The first pair (North Ukraine, April 1944, and Warsaw, August 1944) is scheduled to be published in 2021 and is moving to the A-list. The next two pairs will be ready for publication in 2022 and will be on the B-list.
Napoleon 20. This series is on hold. A meeting with all parties was scheduled for CSW Expo in June, but with the cancellation of that convention (and all other potential convention meeting sites for the time being), the meeting will have to be rescheduled, hopefully at CSW Expo in June 2021. Continues on B-list until the meeting occurs and the first quad is turned in to start play testing.
Power Politics Games
Following on our success with Bleeding Kansas and Banana Wars (S&T #322), we were working on another power politics game, Corrupt Bargain: The 1824 Election when the shutdown upended the completion of the game. We now have one of the two additional scenarios and are waiting on the designer for the final scenario. Play testers are standing by for a final run of play testing and the game is expected to be published in June 2021.
Middle East Struggle. The designers have continued working on a new mechanic for the game where influence is accumulated in their home country and then spent either domestically or in other areas. Cards have been adjusted and design level play testing is happening. We are hoping for the game to come in for a review by next summer and go out for OTH testing. That puts publication potentially in 2022 or 2023. B-list for now, A-list next summer.
Pax Britannica. What we have of the updated game looks great, with stream-lined rules and play. We have ideas about giving the game a graphic and component upgrade. What we don’t have is communication with the designer so we can move forward. Remains on B-list.
All of the following games are needing pledge support to move them into active completion.
East India Company. This 2-6 player game has similarities to the SPI Ares game Star Trader in terms of its economic system. Players represent global corporations of the 1600 and 1700’s attempting to acquire resources and set up trade networks. They contend with pirates, natives, stakeholders, storms and other events as well as each other as they seek to become the wealthiest company in the world.
Westward Ho! This is a 2-4 player game of the expansion into and settlement of the American West. Some similarities to Lords of the Sierra Madre in terms of cards representing economic opportunities.
Rails to Victory. A co-opetition game in which 2-4 players represent transportation conglomerates moving equipment, troops, and supplies to fulfill the requirements for major operations of WWII (e.g. the D-Day invasion). Players compete to earn the most victory points while avoiding collective penalties for delays or failures of operations that were not fully sourced.
Star Force: Alpha Centauri. Designer is working on modifying the original system to accommodate up to 4 players and allow for development. Two solo minigames will be published in 2022; one is a Star Soldier assault on a variety of planetary systems and the other is a tactical Star Force game where the player commands a group of Tele-ships against a variety of defenders.
Free Mars. The main game has dropped the tactical combat resolution module for a card-driven command and control system. A prequel Asteroid Wars game where players compete to mine asteroids is under discussion.
This is the projected schedule of pledge games at the moment for 2021-2023. All of the 2023-2024 games have enough variables going on that we’re not sure of their release date, but if we are back on track by summer 2021, we anticipate all three will be out in 2023 or 2024.
For Up-to-date information check out the What's New page!
2021
Battles in the East: Fortress Battles (Apr 1944) and Bagration Stopped (Aug 1944)
Corrupt Bargain: Presidential Election of 1824
Midway Solitaire Deluxe
2022
Battles in the East: Uman Pocket and Guderian’s Final Blitzkrieg (1941)
Red Dragon Rising Deluxe
Battles in the East: Operation Sonnewende and Drive on the Sea (1945)
D-Day at Saipan
2023+
Axis Empires Expanded Edition
Middle East Struggle
Market-Garden
INSTRUCTIONS:Please do not mix pledge orders with other game products.You can add a pledge for any game by viewing the item, selecting its check box, and clicking the "Add to Cart" button on that page, or by clicking the "Add to Cart" button from the game details page. In effect, a pledge is made like any regular order. When you view your cart you will see the pledge program notice that the item is on order. View your pledge orders at any time by logging into your account and reviewing your order history, where you can delete any pledge game order if you so desire. To add a new pledge game, simply place a new pledge order for that game.
Pledges are a commitment to purchase a game when
published and current payment information is required in order to make pledges—
credit card information
must be kept current in order to maintain a pledge order.
Accounts that are not kept current will have their pledge orders
cancelled so that we are able to keep accurate count of pledge orders.
Pledge FAQ
Q) I don’t see my pledges that entered previously. A) You must place a full order with only Pledge game items
in the cart and check out. We will
switch the status to pending and you are then able to modify the order and your
account at any time.
Q) Will I have a “pending” charge on my card? A) No, the website is not set up to automatically complete the order. No charge will appear until a game is processing for shipping.
Q) I don’t see a game I
pledged for previously on the listing now.
A) Game proposals that
are not making sufficient progress are dropped to make way for new game
proposals
.
