OGRE is a science fiction board wargame designed by the American game designer Steve Jackson and published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 as the first microgame in its MicroGame line. When Jackson left Metagaming to form his own company, he took the rights to OGRE with him, and all subsequent editions have been produced by Steve Jackson Games (SJG).

Game description

OGRE is an asymmetrical two-player wargame set in the late 21st century that pits a single giant robot tank called an "OGRE" against the second player's headquarters, defended by a mixture of conventional units, including tanks, infantry, and artillery.

During each player's turn, they may move their unit(s), then engage in combat with the opponent's unit(s) if the movement has brought those unit(s) in range of the weapons on the moved unit(s). After the combat has been resolved by rolling a die for each encounter, the specialized "Ground Effect Vehicle" units may be moved a second time; play then passes to the other player.

! rowspan=2 | OGRE

! colspan=4 | Weapons

! rowspan=2 | Tread

|-

! Main<br/>4/3 D4

! 2ndry<br/>3/2 D2 or D3

! AP<br/>1/1 D1

! MSL<br/>6/5 D3 or D4

|-

! Mk I

| 1×

| 2×D3

| 8×

| 6(×1)

| 40(M4)

|-style="background:#faa;"

! style="background:#d88;" | Mk V

| 2×

| 6×D3

| 12×

| 6(×0)

| 60(M3)

|-

! Mk VI The map is divided into Northern (rows 7 and lower), Central (rows 8 through 15), and Southern (rows 16 and higher) regions; the defender is required to place their units in the Northern and Central areas, with restrictions on the initial total strength in the Central area, and the OGRE starts from the Southern edge of the map (row 21 or 22).

Strategy

The different types of units available to the defender encourage a combined-arms approach with each type being better than the others in different aspects. Heavy tanks have high attack and defense with moderate speed and low range. Missile tanks have moderate attack and defense with moderate range and low speed. but are easily destroyed (once an attacker has managed to get close enough), immobile, and expensive.

Publication history

thumb|Ogre Mk.III and Mk.III-B miniatures, on the 'crater map' from the OGRE Deluxe set In 1960, science fiction author Keith Laumer wrote Combat Unit, the first of many short stories and novellas about large, semi-intelligent tanks called "Bolos". These stories and Colin Kapp's short story "Gottlos" (1969) were major influences in the development of OGRE.

OGRE was designed by American game designer Steve Jackson and published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 featuring artwork by Winchell Chung. Jackson said his concept arose from the limitations of the "Microgame" format: "Thinking about writing a scenario using maybe 30 counters and just a few hexes, it hit me: give one side one counter. One big counter. After that, it started to fall into place." with a much larger print run and rulebook artwork by Clark Bradley rather than Chung.

In 1990, OGRE was combined with its sequel G.E.V. in a single OGRE/G.E.V. box. The OGRE rules were designated as the 4th edition and the G.E.V. rules were designated as the 3rd edition. The combined OGRE/G.E.V. game was released using a single box, and the rules were combined into a single two-way booklet, with the rule for one game printed in one direction; the booklet was flipped over to see the other rules.

In 2011 Steve Jackson announced a sixth edition, The OGRE Designer's Edition, combining OGRE and G.E.V. with larger full-color flat counters for most units and constructible cardboard figures for the Ogres. In May 2012, the new "Designer's Edition" was funded on Kickstarter, and the game was produced in 2013, with a cover illustrated by Philip Reed, containing five folding map boards, more than 500 counters, and 72 constructible 3-D OGREs and buildings. Numerous accessories were released at the same time, providing additional counters and scenarios. In 2021, as part of a Kickstarter campaign, SJG released the 1976 OGRE Playtest Booklet, a reproduction of the original typewritten rules and hand-drawn counters and map that were used during playtesting the first version of OGRE.

Other in-universe boardgames

Steve Jackson created a sequel, G.E.V. (1978), which is compatible with OGRE and adds terrain effects on movement, new units, and rules for stacking units on a single hex cell. After leaving Metagaming to form SJG, Jackson also designed and published Battlesuit (1983), which is set in the same fictional universe as OGRE and G.E.V., but concentrates on person-to-person battles instead

Ogre Miniatures is a book first published in 1992 with a cover illustrated by Jeff Mangiat; this included the rules for both OGRE and G.E.V. and revised them to use miniatures instead of counters,

Expansions

There have been three major expansions to OGRE, each adding new units and rules, since its initial release: Shockwave (1984), Reinforcement Pack (1985), and Battlefields (2000).

Steve Jackson promised an expansion to OGRE and G.E.V. for Origins '83; the first expansion, Shockwave, was released in 1984, packaged in a familiar plastic zipper bag. Shockwave added many new units and buildings, including corresponding counters, and came with a map designed to be placed adjacent to any side of the map included in G.E.V., expanding the playing surface.

Steve Jackson announced he was developing the Ogre Battlefields expansion in February 2000, and released it in January 2001; Battlefields includes new maps and specialized Militia and Engineer Infantry units.

Reception

In the April–June 1977 edition The Space Gamer (Issue No. 11), Robert C. Kirk concluded that the 1977 edition of "OGRE is attractive, easy to learn, inexpensive, and fun to play. What more can a gamer ask?"

In Issue 11 of Dragon, Tony Watson wrote, "The nice thing about OGRE is that after you've played a game there's usually time for one more. Thus, you can rectify perceived flaws in your defense or experiment with a new mix or set-up immediately, while the new ideas are still fresh in your mind. Such experimentation is always interesting, and certainly the best way to learn good play." Seven issues later, Jerry Eperson called OGRE "one of those games that get their hook into you the minute you play them [...] But hidden in the game are small subtleties that can only be found after playing OGRE several times."

In the August–September 1977 edition of White Dwarf (Issue 2), Martin Easterbrook began his review of Metagaming Concepts' original 1977 edition by saying "Be warned: this game could become a craze" adding that "the idea of the microgames themselves is remarkable enough in itself". He gave the game an above-average rating of 8 out of 10 but criticized the game's title and "flimsy equipment, weak infantry".

In the inaugural edition of Ares (March 1980), David Ritchie gave the game a "very good" rating of 7 out of 9, commenting, "The first of the MicroGames, OGRE started an avalanche of small, fast, playable games [...] A Panzer freak's ultimate dream."

In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames, game designer Jon Freeman commented, "It is ridiculously inexpensive — almost disposable. Despite its size and price, it is well produced and reasonably presented." Freeman thought its best value, though, was in its gameplay: "Most significantly, it's an exceptionally fast and interesting game." He noted the game's drawbacks were minor and gave this game an Overall Evaluation of "Excellent", concluding, "It's one of the best values in gaming."

In the October 1980 issue of Fantastic, game designer Greg Costikyan wrote, "OGREs success, I think, is largely due to its successful mating of two of gaming's most popular subjects — science fiction and the tank. This should not be taken as belittling the game, however, because OGRE is tense, fast-playing and a close match right down to the last die-roll. One of the comments frequently heard when it first came out was an expression of surprise that the game was of such high quality despite its small size and low cost; a lot of 'bang for your buck'."

In Issue 30 of Phoenix (March–April 1981), Michael Stoner thought the counters of the original Metagaming Concepts edition were flimsy and sometimes difficult to read, but otherwise called OGRE "an excellent 'fun' game, taking less than an hour to play and easy to teach."

In the August 1982 edition of Dragon (Issue 64), Tony Watson reviewed the first reissue by Steve Jackson Games, and called OGRE "a legend in the ranks of SF gamedom, and deservedly so... as well as being a lot of fun to play, it's an interesting extrapolation on high-tech armored warfare". Watson noted that the rules had remained essentially the same in the new edition, the most significant changes being to the physical design—with larger (still black and white) counters, and full-color maps by Denis Loubet. Watson also welcomed the retention of the original artwork alongside new pieces — "no one draws a GEV or OGRE like Mr. Chung". He concluded with a strong recommendation, saying it "would make a fine addition to any gamer's collection."

Stewart Wieck reviewed Ogre: Deluxe Edition in White Wolf #9 (1988), rating it a 9 out of 10 and stated that "Easy to learn and quick to play (less than an hour per game on the average), OGRE comes well recommended by many (including myself)."

In the April 1989 edition of G.M. (Vol. 1, Issue 8), Johnny Razor reviewed OGRE: Deluxe Edition and highlighted the game's ease of introduction and short playing time, but pointed out that most gamers either like the game or loathe it.

In the August 1991 edition of Dragon (Issue 172), Allen Varney reviewed the combined OGRE/G.E.V. edition of 1991, and stated, "[The] two simulation board games of armored combat on a future battlefield are among the best the field has ever seen: fast, elegant, and endlessly replayable". While praising the production values of the 2-color playing pieces, Varney found the box somewhat 'flimsy'. He concluded, "These twin classics shouldn't be missed."

OGRE was chosen for inclusion in the 2007 book Hobby Games: The 100 Best. Game designer Erick Wujcik commented " I think [OGREs] success really boils down to four essentials: OGRE is fast, ... asymmetrical, ... open-ended, ... [and] is a teaching tool. OGRE had restructured my mind pretty completely ... but it wasn't until 2002 ... that I realized how effective OGRE is at getting across so many important component mechanisms of play and design [...] Gameplay summons to mind a futuristic nightmare of desperation and exhilaration, where rumbling machines unleash barrage after barrage of titanic weaponry and the inexorable advance of a soulless giant can only be stopped by zinging swarms of self-sacrificing martyrs."

Spin-offs

Video games

The video game Ogre was published in 1986 by Origin Systems for Apple II, Amiga, Atari 8-bit computers, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC compatibles, and Mac.

A modern version of the game was released for Windows in 2017, with "Console Edition" versions for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One following in 2022, developed and published by Auroch Digital. It received mixed reviews according to Metacritic.

Board games

Other board games based on OGRE include:

  • Diceland: OGRE, a paper dice game by Cheapass Games.
  • Shockwave, an expansion that introduced new unit types including cruise missiles and a map that could be used with the G.E.V. map.

Miniatures and miniatures wargaming

Martian Metals produced the first set of OGRE miniatures under license from Metagaming Concepts in 1979.

A set of OGRE miniatures was also developed by Ral Partha.

Books

The OGRE Book (1982) is a collection of articles and rules variants from The Space Gamer. It was reissued in 2001, and expanded from 40 pages to 128 with further retrospective from Steve Jackson.

At the 1992 Origins Award, two OGRE-related products won awards:

  • OGRE Miniatures, produced by SJG, was awarded Best Miniatures Rules of 1991.
  • A set of OGRE miniatures developed by Ral Partha won Best Vehicular Miniatures Series of 1991.

In 2001, 34 years after OGREs original publication, The Wargamer presented Steve Jackson Games with a special Award for Excellence for the "OGRE/G.E.V. game system and Steve Jackson Games' efforts to expand and support it."

  • The Last Province No. 2 (Dec 1992)
  • Games & Puzzles #69, 81
  • Galileo
  • Analog Science Fiction and Fact
  • Abyss #13

Notes

References

  • OGRE Kickstarter Project page
  • Steve Jackson Games' OGRE page
  • Winchell Chung's page and his OGRE artwork