Afghanistan '11 - Not Your Grandpa's War Game

Afghanistan, graveyard of empires. Can you win a war without frontlines?

Every Single Soldier, the makers of the highly acclaimed Vietnam '65, are beta testing their next installment in counterinsurgency war games. Everything shown here is from a beta version, so you know ... Things are not final.

And off course the subject is the war in Afghanistan. Turn and hex based, with non-specified dimensions for both of them, Afghanistan '11 (A11) excels in the abstractions department. It's not only that A11 makes you worry less about game rules and mechanics and focus on dealing with the uneasy task to win a counterinsurgency operation.

A special operations team dropped on a ridge overlooking one of our FOBs.

The scale is grand-tactical/operational and there are scenarios ranging from simple tasks like keeping a FOB on the ground, to whole campaigns covering massive amounts of real estate. The US forces feature infantry units (Coy size), MRAPs, counter-IED vehicles, special operation forces, transports, UAVs, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, construction units and supply trucks.

From the same scenario as shown in the previous figure, a UAV is tasked with keeping an eye on an Afghani village. Note the US FOB and the before mentioned special operations team on top of the ridge.

Supply is one of the most magnificent things I ever seen in a wargame. There is nothing too complicated to logistics in  A11: fuel, rations, ammo, etc. It is the way is intertwined and built into the game. I never played a wargame that punishes me so bad for my lousy logistics.

After too many IEDs on the main road towards the FOB, multiple patrols are launched in the fertile areas surrounding the village of Jackal.

A view of the theater of operations. The US HQs are located in the bottom right (star icon).

The enemy is incredibly deceptive and hard to find. I sent this US special forces team in that direction after one of my convoys hit an IED. The insurgents were moving towards the mountains.

I will go over several features in A11 in the next weeks. On the meantime, please keep yourself informed about this wargame because I'm sure you will like it.

Cheers,