In its new guise as Dorking 1875: The German Conquest of Britain, the old Draken Games favourite is now available as a high quality physical product from Tiny Battle Publishing. A downloadable version will follow. To find out more, click on the cover picture below.
Good question! A while back I got an email from the nice people at Tiny Battle Publishing, a new company just launching its first titles. They had heard of 1871: The Battle of Dorking and were interested in buying the rights to it. I must admit I was torn. On the one hand, I’m very proud of Dorking: it’s true to the story that inspired it and I still love playing it. It is easily my best selling wargame and it’s been great to have it as part of the Draken Games portfolio. On the other hand, sales have dwindled over the years and it would be great to see a nicely produced physical version of the game, finished with the sort of production values I’ll just never be able to manage.
So after some deliberation I am bidding a fond farewell to the game. I am also retiring the free expansion 1871: Last Stand at Surbiton.
The new game will be called Dorking 1875: The German Conquest of Britain. Why the name change? Well, firstly to make it clear it’s a different version of the game. I’ve been working with the TBP people to update the rules. No changes to the game mechanics, but the format is quite different. And… ahem… the date? Well it turned out that while the battle is usually associated with the date of Chesney’s original story (1871), if you check the dates he gives in that story, it must actually be set in 1875. Oops. Well, at least that is rectified now!
I’ll post an update when TBP launch the re-vamped Dorking. Meanwhile, why not check out their website?
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