New Osprey Game - Flashpoint: Platoon Skirmishes in World War III

[SJWi]

I commented on the rules in this thread back in 2021 ( ie 6 months before they were pulled). They looked "interesting" but IMHO still needed a lot of work, and the force lists were very rudimentary. Knowing how much effort Rich Clarke puts into polishing 2FL rulesets I think even if Rich were interested they would take years to mature.

[Rick]

It's a real shame - these rules looked interesting and I would have bought them without hesitation. I can't quite see Osprey's concern in this matter - this is a semi-historical set of rules, set nearly 40 years ago in an alternative past that never happened and yet they have pulled them because of modern conflicts that have very little in common? Has anyone suggested banning Bolt Action eastern front games? Korean War games? Even Battlefront continue to sell the WWIII/Oil Wars games without comment. I'm not trying to offend anyone by saying this but I am an adult that can discern fantasy from reality and I resent Osprey's implication that I can't. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that Osprey should've published - it's only a wargame for heaven's sake.

[steeldragon]

My guess is that they tried to avoid an AK Interactive situation with this book, and cancelling the release is probably to avoid the hassle.

Andres

[Daeothar]

And what would an AK Interactive situation entail?

[carlos marighela]

An unfortunate accident involving paints?

[Cypher226]

And what would an AK Interactive situation entail?

https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/ikzdo4/did_anyone_else_see_the_disturbing_ak_interactive/

Let's say the marketing for this book was questionable and particularly bad taste. 

[Daeothar]

OK

Yeah; that didn't go down well I see...

[carlos marighela]

Woah!!!!!  Fuck me!

Did nobody think that depictions of mass graves, assassinations and junkies shooting up might be jumping the shark, taste wise? Might have paid to have run a focus group or two if the corporate collective inteliigence wasn't bright enough to illuminate a rabbit hutch.

Outstandingly stupid and in such poor taste it deserves some sort of award. Maybe they should look at changing the formula of Coca-Cola and rebranding it? Clearly there's the corporate chutzpah if not the common sense to carry it off.

[carlos marighela]

My guess is that they tried to avoid an AK Interactive situation with this book, and cancelling the release is probably to avoid the hassle.

Andres

Having seen what you alluded to I rather doubt that.

Personally, I suspect that there was some issue with quality/ deadlines or something else that caused its demise. I simply don't buy the sensitivity towards current events schtick. It makes little sense in the context of their other publications.

[Rick]

I'm wondering if Osprey might have considered it too close to the Zona Alfa setting? There are some obvious similarities.

[carlos marighela]

West Germany during a putative conflict vs a post-apocalyptic setting in Eastern Europe? Seems a stretch but then I don't know enough about Zona Alfa or the binned rule set.

[Rick]

The way I read it was military survivors 12 months after WWIII, against Zona Alfa's military/mercenary/civilian survivors in an  'exclusion zone'/recent post apoc setting - that seemed sorta similar to me. I don't have the Zona Alfa rules as yet but they also seemed vaguely 'Twilight 2000' ish.
I am willing to be corrected by anyone that has the rules and can put me straight.

[dickiegranthum]

https://www.reddit.com/r/modelmakers/comments/ikzdo4/did_anyone_else_see_the_disturbing_ak_interactive/

Let's say the marketing for this book was questionable and particularly bad taste.

Wow - I had literally never heard that about AK. I have a LOT of their paints.

[dickiegranthum]

The way I read it was military survivors 12 months after WWIII, against Zona Alfa's military/mercenary/civilian survivors in an  'exclusion zone'/recent post apoc setting - that seemed sorta similar to me. I don't have the Zona Alfa rules as yet but they also seemed vaguely 'Twilight 2000' ish.
I am willing to be corrected by anyone that has the rules and can put me straight.

Plus Zona Alfa is clearly based on the 3 video game series. More craziness in Chernobyl than Twilight: 2000.

[irish marine]

It’s a rubbish excuse, Force on Force from Ambush Alley Games was released while the US was actively engaged in a war.