News Blackout Continues

The Week did not arrive today. Nor did The Economist. Splendid! The news blackout continues.

My wife is so thoughtful. She purchased a game for me for Father's Day, 1989: The Dawn of Freedom. Think of it as a sequel to Twilight Struggle. She even offered to play it with me. Now that is devotion.

I'm drawn to games like 1989. The idea behind it is to have two players re-create a historical era or event. In this case, it's a re-enactment of the year in which the Iron Curtain fell. One player tries to hasten its fall and the other tries to maintain Soviet control over the six countries of the East. I look forward to playing it.

Game makers  have tried this type of game with other eras in history. I know of one that tries to recreate the Reformation (Here I Stand). Another does the Civil War. Labyrinth tries to replicate the War on Terror (which is too raw for my taste).

The Cold War might just have ended up being the best subject matter for the game. Perhaps that is because one can play it knowing that the dreadful nuclear climax never took place. Perhaps that is because we know the good guys won. Perhaps it taps into nostalgia about a time when a monolithic enemy had a distinctive style and way of life that seemed so different but which, paradoxically, existed alongside. I'm itching to play it again.

I'm itching, period. Mosquitos are nasty tonight on this longest night of the year. I tried to stay out through to dusk but I think I have to give in. Time to retreat.

Oh, the Battle of Gettysburg book remains good but I'm not as far with it as expected at the end of news blackout week.