Ogre (game)

Ogre

Ogre microgame cover (Second edition, 1977)
Publisher(s)	Metagaming Concepts
Publication date	1977
Genre(s)	Board wargame

Ogre is a board wargame first released in 1977 as the first Metagaming Concepts Microgame, designed by Steve Jackson. It is an asymmetrical forces game, set in the late 21st century. One player has a single giant robot tank (called an "Ogre") pitted against a second player's headquarters, defended by a mixture of conventional tanks, infantry, and artillery. The concept was strongly influenced by Keith Laumer's novel Bolo (1976), and Colin Kapp's short story "Gottlos" (1969). The Ogre itself is named after the large and strong mythological beast ogre.

Since its initial release in 1977 Ogre has been reprinted many times, most recently in 2014. After Jackson founded his own company, Steve Jackson Games, Ogre, its sequel G.E.V., and further expansions were published in the Pocket Box format. On March 8, 2008, Steve Jackson Games announced the planned production of Ogre 6th Edition. In 2012, a new version of Ogre successfully completed funding on Kickstarter.com, for release in November 2012. After multiple delays, the elaborate 29 pound Designer's edition was shipped to all Kickstarter backers in November 2013.

Ogre uses a hex map depicting barren terrain with only ridgelines and large, radioactive craters as obstacles. The defender sets up his forces in the more congested part of the map and the Ogre enters the opposite side at the beginning of the game. The basic version of the game has the attacker using a single Ogre heavy tank (referred to as a "Mark III Ogre"), while the advanced scenario gives the attacker the larger, more powerful "Mark V Ogre" tank versus an increased number of defenders. The defender is allocated a certain number of infantry and 'armor units', but gets to decide the exact composition of his own armored forces.