Columbia Games
| Type | Role-playing, block and card game publisher |
|---|---|
| Industry | Role-playing games, board games |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Headquarters | Blaine, Washington, U.S.A |
Key people | Tom Dalgliesh, Grant Dalgliesh |
| Products | wargames, card games, Harn, HarnMaster |
| Website | www |
Columbia Games is a maker of board and role-playing games including Hârn and a variety of games, mostly wargames (Wizard Kings and various historical and quasi-historical games) using blocks instead of the more conventional chits. The company is based in Blaine, Washington; it is run by founder Tom Dalgliesh and his son Grant Dalgliesh.
History[]
Columbia is one of the hobby's oldest wargame companies. Tom Dalgliesh, Lance Gutteridge and Steve Brewster founded Gamma Two Games in Vancouver, BC in the early 1970s, and published their first game in 1972. Brewster left the company soon after its formation. Ron Gibson soon joined the company but left the company in 1986. Gamma Two Games became Columbia Games in 1982. In the mid-1980s, Gutteridge left the company, leaving Dalgliesh as its sole owner, although the two still associate frequently and Gutteridge still makes some contributions. Columbia Games moved from Vancouver, BC to Washington State in 1994 for a variety of personal and economic reasons.[1]
Block games[]
Columbia's most well-known games are block wargames. Many of these games are designed for introducing new players to the hobby, but more detailed games have been produced, such as EuroFront, a wargame depicting the entirety of World War II in Europe, with various "what-if" situations. Among them is Hammer of the Scots, based on the English wars in Scotland (1297-1315).[2]
Other Wargames include:
- Athens & Sparta, a game based on the Peloponnesian War
- Bobby Lee, a game based on the campaign in the east of the American Civil War
- Borodino, a game covering the French invasion of Russia during the Napoleonic Wars
- Combat Infantry, a World War II game based on squad-level tactics
- Crusader Rex, a game based on the 3rd Crusade.
- EastFront, a game depicting the entire Eastern Front of World War II
- Gettysburg: Badges of Courage, covering all three days of Gettysburg during the American Civil War
- Julius Caesar, based on the Roman Civil War
- Liberty, based on the American Revolution
- Pacific Victory, based on the Pacific Theater of World War II
- Quebec 1759, based on the French and Indian War also known as the 7 Years War.
- Richard III, based on the Wars of the Roses
- Rommel in the Desert, based on the North Africa desert campaign of World War II
- Sam Grant, based on the campaign in the west of the American Civil War
- Shenandoah: Jackson's Valley Campaign, based on Jackson's Valley Campaign of 1862 during the American Civil War
- Shiloh: 1862, based on the Battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War
- Texas Glory, based on the Texan War of Independence, including the Battle of the Alamo
- Victory in Europe, based on the European Theater of World War II
- Victory: The Blocks of War, a generic World War II strategic, combined arms game
- War of 1812, a game based on the War of 1812
- WestFront, a game depicting the entire Western Front of World War II
- Wizard Kings, a non-historical wargame about fantasy armies and creatures warring at the strategic level
Block games are not limited to war themes, The Last Spike is a competitive strategy block game based on the Golden spike completing the First Transcontinental Railroad in the USA.
Card games[]
In the late 1990s, the company began producing collectible card games based upon military themes for the American Civil War (such as Dixie) and the Napoleonic Wars (Eagles: Waterloo).
Slapshot is a card game that focuses on managing a hockey team. Players trade, take, draw new team members and attempt to challenge opponents when they feel their opponents are weak. It is not necessary to know much about hockey to play.
Hârn[]
Columbia publishes Hârn, a low-magic fantasy campaign setting created by N. Robin Crossby, for use in role-playing games and for collaborative fiction. The Hârn product line is compatible with Hârn products produced by Kelestia Productions (Robin Crossby's own company) and is supported by additional material produced by the game's fans.
It publishes a set of supplemental materials called HârnQuest.[3] Each issue is approximately 32 pages and includes articles about Hârnic kingdoms, cities, castles, history, creatures, and other gaming topics. New Hârn Atlas maps are also sent under this subscription as they are released.
References[]
- ^ Haupt, Ian. "Family-run board game company sees big sales increases this year". The Northern Light. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ Jackwraith. "An Introduction to Block Wargames". There Will Be Games. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
- ^ "HârnQuest subscription". Columbia Games Ltd. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
External links[]
- Board game publishing companies
- Companies based in Whatcom County, Washington
- Publishing companies established in 1970
- Role-playing game publishing companies
- Wargame companies
- 1970 establishments in Washington (state)