Deep Reviews
Long-form verdicts on strategy titles like Old World, Field of Glory and Total War: Rome. Free to read — full archive from CA$0.
Toronto · Games & Ancient Warfare
Every great battle is a system.
We play, dissect, and write about games that recreate the wars of the ancient world — from the double envelopment at Cannae to the phalanx at Thermopylae. Tactics, history, and design, one campaign at a time.
As referenced by tabletop clubs, history podcasts & strategy communities
Legion Weekly
Hoplite Cast
Kensington Games Co-op
Grognard Guild
Antiquity & Play
How we cover a game
From first turn to final verdict.
01
Play the full campaign
We log 20+ hours minimum before writing a word — every faction, every difficulty tier, and at least one full historical scenario played to its end state.
02
Check it against history
Every claim about terrain, formations, and logistics is cross-referenced with primary sources and modern scholarship, then flagged where the game takes creative liberties.
03
Break down the tactics
We publish annotated maps, opening builds, and the two or three decisions that actually swing a match — so you leave with something you can use at the table tonight.
Our recurring columns
What lands in your feed each week.
Battle Maps
Annotated tactical breakdowns of real engagements re-fought in-game. Downloadable map packs, updated monthly.
History vs. Game
Fact-checks pairing a scenario with the historical record — what the designers nailed, and where they bent the truth for fun.
Opening Guides
Step-by-step first-15-turn plans for competitive ladder play, with build orders and counters for each major faction.
Designer Interviews
Conversations with the people who model armies as numbers — how they balance realism, readability, and a fair fight.
Reader Roundtable
A members' thread and monthly meetup at our Kensington Market studio — Thursdays, 7–9pm, CA$5 at the door.
Recent field notes
Battles we re-fought this season.
From the readers
People who play with our notes open.
"Your Cannae breakdown flipped how I play cavalry. I went from bronze to gold on the ranked ladder in a month using the flank timing you mapped out."
"I teach a Grade 11 history unit on Rome and I assign the History vs. Game posts every year. Students argue about primary sources without even realising it."
"The Thursday roundtable in Kensington is the best CA$5 I spend all month. Real people, real dice, and someone always knows the actual casualty numbers."
Get in touch
Join the weekly dispatch.
One email each Friday: the new review, a battle map, and the best reader argument of the week. Have a game you want covered? Tell us below.
Phone
+1 (416) 555-4372Studio
194 Baldwin Street, Kensington Market, Toronto, ON M5T 1L8
Roundtable hours
Thursdays 7–9pm · drop-in CA$5