Original D&D Discussion - Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)

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Original D&D Discussion :: Other TSR Classics :: Other TSR Games :: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)

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Topic: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill) (Read 419 times)

Otto Harkaman
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Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Thread Started on Sept 13, 2012, 4:16pm »

I got a strange hankering to reread Harold Lamb's "Alexander the Great"

It also got me to thinking that one of the early wargames I owned was Avalon Hill's "Alexander the Great." Tripped me out finding out that this was one of Gary's first published games.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/1726/alexander-the-great

Anybody else ever played this?

« Last Edit: Sept 19, 2012, 4:37am by Otto Harkaman »

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owlorbs
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #1 on Sept 14, 2012, 11:43pm »

Another old classic I acquired and read but sadly have not played (AH version). It has some fascinating stuff, like the multiple defense factors, the different sized and shaped counters, and the sliding morale track. A solid game for 1971 as far as I can tell. I see there is a Vassal mod.

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #2 on Sept 14, 2012, 11:56pm »

Fun reading this old Harold Lamb book on Alexander, looks like it was published in 1946. Lamb got his start writing for a lot of the pulp magazines. I think he was a favorite of Robert E. Howard.

I think as I've gotten older I have more and more respect for Philip II, Alexander's father. There is no way Alexander could have done what he did without Philip's accomplishments. Olympias, Alexander's mother, is a very fascinating character. I think the rumors were true that they both were central to the plot to assassinate Philip. He had divorced her and if he would have birth another son with his new bride would have declared him his heir I believe.

I wish I could find the rules to this old board game, the vassal module looks well done. For such a simple game it seems pretty complex with the morale and multiple defense as you stated.

Oh do you still have this game owlorbs? As I said it was one of the first games I owned but sadly long lost in some move or other catastrophe.

« Last Edit: Sept 14, 2012, 11:59pm by Otto Harkaman »

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #3 on Sept 15, 2012, 8:58am »

I was wondering how much influence Gary's development of this might have affected his development of Chainmail?

The whole morale thing is interesting since its essential to both games.

« Last Edit: Sept 15, 2012, 8:59am by Otto Harkaman »

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owlorbs
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #4 on Sept 15, 2012, 11:08am »

I still have a nice copy that needs playing. I'll see if I can track down a rules copy. This game also has an extremely rare expansion that would be fun to find.

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #5 on Sept 15, 2012, 2:29pm »

Yes I saw the expansion on boardgamegeeks, "Alexander's Other Battles."

[image]

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/15207/alexanders-other-battles

We would be extremely lucky to find that!

I do have digital copies of all the AH Generals, I've extracted a couple of the articles that looked the most interesting. There is a good replay in V14 and how to win playing Darius in V18.

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SMKSensei
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Re: Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #6 on Sept 15, 2012, 2:31pm via the ProBoards Mobile App »

Sept 15, 2012, 2:29pm, Otto Harkaman wrote:

Yes I saw the expansion on boardgamegeeks, "Alexander's Other Battles."

[image]

Ooooo..... Shiny. Gamer porn.

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #7 on Sept 15, 2012, 2:33pm »

Quote:

Ooooo..... Shiny. Gamer porn.

LOL true

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #8 on Sept 15, 2012, 2:39pm »

I was able to find the 1956 version of "Alexander the Great"

[image]

Going to be my late Saturday afternoon matinee

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #9 on Sept 17, 2012, 9:30am »

I am just totally enjoying this Harold Lamb book on Alexander, just fought the battle of Granicus. Alexander sounds totally crazy, I don't think he would have won against another first rate general with a solid loyal army at his back. His uncle I believe Alexander of Epirus was soundly thrashed by the Romans around the same time. I doubt Alexander would have done any better against them.

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owlorbs
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #10 on Sept 17, 2012, 10:53am »

I was inspired by your post to get a copy of the book in hopes my daughter might read it (she seems interested). I have several games on Alexander so I could get some good mileage out of the book. Of course, I'm sure I'll enjoy it as well.

I also have a copy of "Alexander the Great at War: His Army - His Battles - His Enemies" which has some great visuals.

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #11 on Sept 17, 2012, 11:52am »

Quote:

I was inspired by your post to get a copy of the book in hopes my daughter might read it (she seems interested).

Lamb's books are classics, he was very popular in his day. I think Cecil B. Demille used him as a consultant on a couple of his movies. I think you will really enjoy it. I had forgotten about the great men that were contemporaries of Alexander and that Aristotle had been his tutor.

Currently I am marching with him down the coast of Asia Minor into what then was called Lydia. 8-)

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #12 on Sept 18, 2012, 8:14am »

It is wild to think that the mole that Alexander had his engineer Deiades build to besiege Tyre is still there! And for how long the Phoenicians had ruled the trade routes in the ancient world, hundreds of years, wow!

[image]

Fascinating to read this ancient history with what is going on in the world right now.

« Last Edit: Sept 18, 2012, 8:18am by Otto Harkaman »

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Finarvyn
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #13 on Sept 18, 2012, 6:10pm »

I have this book called The Mask of Command by John Keegan. In it he examines the lives of four key commanders in world history. The main sections of the book are titled:
(1) Alexander the Great adn Heroic Leadership
(2) Wellington: the Anti-Hero
(3) Grant and Unheroic Leadership
(4) False Heroic: Hitler as Supreme Commander

It's been decades since I read it, but have fond memories of the Alexander section in particular.

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Otto Harkaman
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Re: Alexander the Great (Avalon Hill)
« Reply #14 on Sept 18, 2012, 7:11pm »

Oh I have enjoyed several of John Keegan's books but I don't think I have read The Mask of Command. I really enjoyed his Face of Battle and I've poked a little bit into the book he did on the American Revolution.

This Harold Lamb book changes from a historical novel to a character analysis of Alexander after he crosses into Asia Minor. I'll have to find Mask of Command Finarvyn and see what Keegan has to say of Alexander.

Alexander seemed crazy at the battle of Chaeronea and Granicus but starts to show more tactical sense at Issus. I am amazed they were able to pull off Gaugamela where Alexander really showed a more cooler head in the whole matter (at least by Lamb).

I was thinking of Crassus's defeat and was intrigued that there isn't much mention of arrows that so decimated the Romans.

« Last Edit: Sept 19, 2012, 6:22am by Otto Harkaman »

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