New Game Round-up: Recruit Robots, Collect Animals, Then Relive the Finnish Civil War

Cogs and Commissars is a "take that" drafting card game about the glorious robot revolution. Become your robot party's Propaganda Minister and win the citizens over to your revolutionary cause! Use every trick in the dystopian book to brainwash the masses and stop your opponents in their treads!

At its core, Cogs and Commissars is a casual drafting game about growing/stealing a following of robots. Your seven-card hand determines which actions are available to you that round. Hand management is key; look for winning combinations. During your turn, you might rouse the proletariat, reprogram the bourgeoisie, or even recruit valuable commissars. Each of these citizens are worth points; when you have 15 points of citizens, you may attempt a revolution! The first player to successfully pull off playing their revolution card wins.

In Clades and Clades Prehistoric, players must quickly scan an array of cards on the table — along with their own private card — to make triples as quickly as possible. Whoever spots the most triples wins. (A "clade" is a branch of the evolutionary family tree such as mammals, arthropods, and sauropsids that are thought to have evolved from a common ancestor.)

Deep in the African jungle lies the lost city of Bumúntú. Legend says that the city contains gold, gems, and riches beyond anyone's imagination. A recent archaeological discovery has pinpointed where the city is, but now you must race your opponents to be the first one inside and claim the riches as your own.

But watch out! What you didn't expect is that the animals are fiercely protecting the city! Now, you must follow their guidance and earn their trust before they'll let you inside. Race through the jungle, let the animals guide you, and be the first one to find Bumúntú.

In Bumúntú, players start on a board full of African animals, each with their own way of helping players along. Each player can either move as normal or follow the wisdom of the animals, earning that animal's trust in the process. Players need to be strategic as the animals could lead them on a long, winding path. Some animals will make movement easier, while others can affect how opponents move, giving a lot of depth into a deceivingly simple strategy game.

The first player to collect each animal and make it to the city in the center of the board wins.

In this two-player wargame, one player takes the role of the Whites (i.e. the government troops) and other the Reds (socialist revolutionaries). In that bloody struggle future of the nation that has just declared its` independence is decided, and whether General C.G.E. Mannerheim of White forces or Comrade Kullervo Manner emerges triumphant is up to the players.

Map is point-to-point representation of the Finland from 1918 featuring both railways and roads of the time, both of which also effect the gameplay. Game is card-driven and more than 50 action cards (each with unique picture of the era) are at the heart of the game. Cards can be used either as action points or events. Events include German intervention, Swedish occupation of Åland islands, grain trains from Soviet Russia as well as drunk Red commander…

Units represent mainly company/battalion level and include both Civil Guards and Red Guards, as well as special units; armored trains for Reds and Jaeger units and German intervention forces for Whites. Reds can either try to occupy the White capital of Vaasa (preferably before Germans appear) or to defend their area until the end of the game. Balancing with actions and events is crucial for both parties.