Double Blind —
True Fog of War
Double Blind is where we create two identical tables with two sets of identical figures and vehicles, then place a screen between them. In this case: Soviets vs. US 11th ACR Cavalry. One side plays on one half of the table while the other plays on their own mirror image. The screen prevents anyone from seeing what is happening on the opposite side.
A dedicated game master moves between the two tables, updating what each side can actually see and observe. The result is a genuinely powerful Fog of War — when your forces cross onto the board, you know your mission and the terrain, and that is all.
Echoes at Alpha
The game we chose to run in Double Blind format was drawn from our Fulda Firestorm scenario book: Echoes at Alpha. The premise is tight and tense — Outpost Alpha is under attack by a Soviet Recon Platoon at the very opening hours of World War III.
The U.S. forces must get a radio working and communicate to higher command while the Soviets race to take the tower. It is an inherently dramatic scenario, and it maps perfectly onto the Double Blind format. Both sides have clear objectives. Neither side knows exactly where the other is.
Short version: everyone who sat down to play left with a story.
We Had a Blast
We ran games all day Friday and Saturday. There was always a crowd — players at the table, spectators leaning in, and a constant queue of people eager to jump in next. It is hard to capture each individual game, but the thread running through all of them was the same: ebb and flow, razor-thin margins, and moments nobody expected.
The scenario proved beautifully balanced. We watched time and again as victory swung on a single die roll — one side clawing back from the brink just when the other thought it had the game locked down. Jeeps mounted with .50-cal and M60 raced around the board. Soviet recon probed every approach. And then there was The Wolf.
As a side note — we gave away the Soviet Hero "The Wolf" figure to everyone who played. Consider it a souvenir from the front line.
Quick to Learn,
Built for Stories
The game absolutely does not need to be played in Double Blind format to be great — but running it that way at Adepticon was absolutely worth every bit of extra setup. The BattlegroundHD rules are designed to be picked up quickly by new players while still producing the kind of dramatic, cinematic moments that people talk about long after the game ends.
New players were up and making meaningful decisions within a few minutes. Veterans found the depth they were looking for. And everybody — from the curious passerby to the grizzled wargamer — left having experienced something they hadn't before.
We plan on returning to Adepticon next year, and we will absolutely be packing in some new surprises. Keep an eye out for early signup.
