Out of the Wrapper
I have been acquiring far too many games lately. This is partly because of several pre-orders coming to fruition at the same time, and I also blame the GMT sale which was just too ridiculously cheap to turn down. As a result I have a backlog of new games I really want to play but haven't actually got round to reading the rules to yet.

• Revolution (Phalanx): This was a must-buy, simply because it has the words "Francis Tresham" on the box. The map and components are gorgeous, and the rules do not look too demanding. But I suspect that actually playing the game intelligently will be hugely demanding.
• Rommel in the Desert (columbia): Another beautiful production. It looks like my ideal wargame - concise rules, great subject, lots of short scenarios, fast moving, high depth/rules-weight ratio.
• Von Manstein's Backhand Blow (GMT): a traditional hex-wargame with some twists. Another one that I hope will sit within my high-interest/low-complexity target zone. I have fancied this game for a while (in spite of the vaguely obscene name) so I snapped it up in the GMT sale for £15 including shipping.
• This Accursed Civil War (GMT): I bought this in the sale too, but what actually arrived in the box was Thirty Years War. GMT gave their usual excellent response and are air-mailing the correct game out immediately. I've never found a horse-and-musket tactical game that I can enjoy, but hoping this might be it.
• Grand Illusion (GMT): I preordered this a while ago, and it is shipping this week. Ted Raicer seems to be incapable of producing a boring design, and he has made World War 1 his very own era. I hope this lives up to expectations, but I'm a bit disappointed to hear of map errata before it is even published.

You would think that should be it for a while, but as you can see my recent acquisitions are all wargames, so to redress the balance here are a few Euros that I still crave.

• YINSH (Rio Grande): components look good enough to eat, and looks like a deep, fascinating abstract game at a bargain price.
• 1825 (Tresham): I would like to introduce the Farnborough group to 18xx games and this is probably a kinder gentler way of doing it than taking 1830 along to the next session!
• Struggle of Empires (WarFrog): we will be playing this on Thursday but I already have a feeling I will love it.

So what shall I put on EBay to make room for all this new stuff?

• ThroneWorld: I don't like the board or the resource chits, and realistically I'm unlikely to ever play this.
• Western Front Tank Leader: just looks very old-fashioned these days.
• Triumph and Glory: I can't decide whether to sell this or give it another try with the new (Borodino) rules. The subject is a major hook, but is it just another Berg fiddle-fest?
• Thirty Years War: I like this game a lot, but I now have a newly arrived shrink-wrapped copy to sell!