Stratego
Designer⚙️: Jacques Johan Mogendorff
Artists🎨:Donato Giancola, Paul Windle [ Milton Bradley ]2 Players
When I was younger, we had a copy of Stratego in a long and skinny Milton Bradley box. Pieces would sometimes be randomly scattered about inside, with a thin board to accommodate them. My brothers and I would play this game for hours (as well as my dad joining in on the fun). There was something about the secret of your flag and fooling each other into hitting bombs that was so exciting!💣
Even though it's quite an old game, with some signs of older game design, I still find it quite enjoyable. The goal is simple: Capture your opponent's flag! Higher ranked numbers will beat lower ranked ones. Miners can disarm bombs. The spy is the only one that can take out the highest rank, but loses to all others. Scouts can move any number of spaces in a straight line.
I think what I love most about it is the fact that you start with no knowledge of your opponents placement of your pieces. Why? Because only you can see yours while only seeing the backs of your enemies. You have to send out troops to decipher what's what on their side. When two pieces meet you reveal them. Higher rank wins the fight, but now everyone knows what those pieces were.
It adds a layer of deduction and memory. Are they faking me out by having lots of bombs in this area only to realize the flag is on the other side? It's just good, suspenseful fun. Fun that I'll always have a spot for in my collection. 💣
