Back To The Front: 2nd Edition Sergeants From LBG

In 2004 Lost Battalion Games tried an interesting experiment with the release of Sergeants on the Eastern Front. Created by veteran wargame designer S. Craig Taylor, Sergeants was a skirmish level game of tactical combat on the Eastern Front using only a handful of troops on a small map. The core game consisted of the rules folders (about four pages), a single 8.5 x 11 map, a single scenario, and a sheet of counters. I can’t remember the exact cost but I think I paid six bucks for it.

Now why it was an interesting experiment was due to the fact that once players bought the initial set Lost Battalion was going to release new maps and scenarios for free online. Additionally, they would release other core sets featuring other campaign fronts and then proceed along the same path with them. Essentially, for the cost of a hamburger and soda one would be able to have an extensive tactical game to play, with the majority of the content being free.

At first they made good on their promise. Maps and scenarios came out on a regular basis. Then, another core game was released set in North Africa during the Second World War. And then…nothing. The experiment was apparently dead. I don’t know what killed it, whether just a lack of interest in the game, a lack of even knowing about the game (Lost Battalion has never been a well known company), designer boredom, or all of the above. Which is a shame because I really liked the idea of a highly manageable, almost microgame (and I have a soft spot for anything resembling microgames) WWII game that was mostly free.

Recently Lost Battalion has released a second edition of Sergeants on the Eastern Front. So there must have been other fans after all. Eschewing the bare minimum content followed up by free online content of the first edition, the new edition is an absolutely gorgeous full featured game.

Retailing for thirty bucks, which is still a great deal in today’s gaming world, second edition Sergeants is game that upon opening begs the players to play. The manual and all play aids are in full color and the counters are big, thick, and easily punched. Though I will warn that for some reason they leave a black, newsprint like residue on your hands. The dust comes from the edges of the counters and so be sure to wipe down the counter sides before playing. I have no idea where the gunk comes from, other than it may be a byproduct of laser cutting the counters.

Pulling out my first edition copy and comparing the rules showed that for the most part the gameplay has remained the same with a few tweaks. Besides the core rules the game has added a few advanced rules, along with vehicles, towed guns, and various battlefield accessories. The new higher page count manual allows for some illustrated examples which is helpful.

Unlike edition number one the game ships with two maps (a double-sided thick puzzle-construct mapboard) and eight scenarios. An expansion pack adds more maps, scenarios, and units.

I’ll go into a full play review in the next edition of our newsletter, but I will say for now that if you’re looking for an easy tactical wargame in an ever-increasing crowded market, Sergeants is a very worthwhile and economically sound choice.