After all, the only thing that links the two games is the fact that both games centre on a form of area control in which the two players try to wrestle control of key parts of the conflict – whether military, social, or political – and both are driven by cards played in turn. Rather than comparing the two, I think it makes more sense to look at Red Flag Over Paris as a completely standalone game. The Paris Commune, on the other hand, is much closer to home – up step Frederic Serval’s adaptation of Mark Herman’s design, and with it, GMT Games latest offering Red Flag Over Paris. Even though my wife and I enjoyed it (and I rated it four out of five), it was always difficult to sell the idea of Fort Sumter to other people – mainly because the American Civil War is considered less interesting to those of us on the other side of the pond.
A two-player wargame simulating the onset of the American Civil War, Fort Sumter was a delight thanks to its light mechanics and deep, head-to-head gameplay. Some three and a half years ago I had the pleasure of reviewing Mark Herman’s Fort Sumter.
