Missing In Action

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Missing In Action is a very small footprint game shipping in a mint tin. This is my first "mint tin" game, so I'm pretty curious how it's going to play. The main conceit of the game is the "Gears" system for controlling movement and actions using imagery on a hand of cards held by the player.

Here's what the components look like:

Missing In Action Components

It's set up on forest scene playmat for extra theme.

Let's get after it.

Game 1

As it turns out, there was a base on the entry card. That's how it works out sometimes. I didn't make it very far, maybe column 5 or so before getting 3 hits from the same attack, then shortly after that another attack took me off the map. Also, the luck of the draw had very cards allowing me to move the direction I needed to go.

Game 2

The entry card for this game was much easier than the first game, and I was able to get rolling a bit faster. I got to the first respawn without much trouble, then found out extra enemy which are previously killed get right back on the map. I mean, I knew this from reading the rules, but that's a different thing from actually putting that extra enemy right on the map!

I think I might have gotten a win on this one. I exited the map, so for sure a win with asterisk. I'm not clear on a couple of finer points of movement, particularly Sneak.

AAR

For the forums:

  • When there are no gray gping the desired direction, but there are sneaks going in that direction, how is that played? For example, Suppose the only thing in my hand is a wild card and two right Sneaks. There right square is clear and not in a ZOC. What's legal?

  • Suppose the previous situation where the right square is a Jungle square. Can I play a Sneak to advance into that square?

  • Suppose the previous situation where the square is Jungle, and the Sneak fails. Do I advance and take the enemy attack?

I think there is another case but I don't recall at the moment.

From the forum:

You may not use a Sneak move to move into an open space outside of a ZOC.

You must use a Sneak move to enter a Jungle space. It costs 1 Stamina. There is no roll needed, if outside ZOC.

Sneaking into a Jungle within an enemy ZOC costs 1-3 Stamina. If you fail the roll, you enter the space, but the enemy attacks you.

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What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.