Sisu, 1942

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Another one from my list of 2026 targets. AS stopped by for a shorter than usual session. While Sisu was a new game for both of us, it was on my 2026 list and he had indicated he wanted to play it. So this was a good day for just that.

We decided on 1942 scenario, winter, everything all frozen.

The game play is a bit unusual compared to other games of this scale. Combat units get “activated,” and can move or fight, or if they have enough movement points, move and fight and maybe more than once per activation phase. There aren’t odds per se, but the relative size of units engaged determine the outcome of Suppression results of combat. It seems pretty cool, but it took us quite a while to get a grip on it. It also has reaction fire, which is pretty cool.

I think I want to play it again, and I think my usual opponent is up for it as well. Here’s the situation at the end of the game:

Sisu game 1 end

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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.