The Genesis of Junta

[vtsaogames]

It started with a couple tin soldier games. The tale can be found here.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Thaddeus Blanchette]

You were the creative mastermind behind Junta, Vince?

Hat’s off, mate! That is one of the most brilliant games ever made!

We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

[McKinstry]

I certainly agree that Junta is brilliant but most of all, pure fun.

The tree of Life is self pruning.

[vtsaogames]

Thank you guys. I worked on a couple two-player games. One was Crusader, the WWII desert battle. It was so misbegotten I gave up after one solo play test. Another was Wagram. It provided some entertainment but was not in the same galaxy as Junta. Each side had a powerful stack of units. The French one was the Imperial Guard and the Austrian one, less imposing, was the Reserve Corps of grenadiers and cuirassiers. In play testing both avoided each other and feasted on the lesser breeds who made up the rest of the combatants. I decided it didn’t really have that much to add to the gaming world. Both games hit the trash bin.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Who Asked This Joker]

Well Vincent, this one was a big hit back in the 90s.  I think my friend had the West End version on the game.  At the time he lived in a group house with 3 other people.  Occasionally we’d gather there and play Junta with our own little happy hour.  Two of his room mates were non-gamer girls.   They both agreed to play one night as a 6th and 7th player.  Both absolutely loved the game and joined in on several other occasions.  So to say the game is accessible is an understatement.  Great design and nothing was quite like it at the time.

John

"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."

--Abraham Lincoln

[Thaddeus Blanchette]

Vincent, the game is a classic, right up their with Diplomacy. I think one Junta 99% of Ty Bomba’s work, taken together. So if it’s the only game you did, that is something to be very proud of!

We get slapped around, but we have a good time!

[madman]

Vincent

Thank you so very much for this game. I have two copies of the very first printing (one which I picked up back then and another I came across when another similarly aged gamer was downsizing). Far and away my most played game. Probably put 4 to 6 games a year on it. I have a recent version but never brought it out. I feel like I should be duplicating the guys in Wayne’s World, prostrating myself and chanting “I am not worthy”.

BTW I have also been collecting suitable 6mm figures and buildings so as to bring the game to the miniatures table.

[Patrice]

Thanks for the story – and for the game!

I haven’t played it since years but it was very popular in my gaming club when I was in Rennes.

http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/

[Anonymous]

I appreciate you very much for making this game. I own two copies of the original printing—one that I purchased at the time and the other that I discovered during a downsizing by another player my age. My most-played game, by far. Put 4–6 games on it yearly, ideally. I have a current version of Board Game earning app list, but I’ve never used it. I feel like I should be prostrating myself and shouting “I am not worthy” like the guys in Wayne’s World.

 

[Tony S]

Well, you should be quite pleased then, that the first time I ever played Junta was at a miniatures convention, using miniatures.  Mind you, it was very abstract as I recall for a miniatures game.

But absolutely brilliant fun.

[Jim Webster]

Had an awful lot of fun with this game. We played so much we ended up adding an extra pack of cards which made things harder for the president, who drew one card per turn from the pack. Our presidents had just got too good

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[vtsaogames]

Thank you, gents. This is a zombie thread, coming back to life after two years!

It's never too late to have a happy childhood

[Author]

Posts