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A SHORT HISTORY OF STRATEGO - PART 2

Have something to add? If so, please e-mail me.

 

 

Electronic Stratego
first came out in 1982.

On eBay, prices for this game came can often be found in the $50.00 - $70.00 range.

 

 

STRATEGO - The strategy game full of surprises.

This box cover artwork is from a Stratego game that was released in the United Kingdom in the early '80s.

 

 

In 1990, Accolade came out with the first commercial Stratego game for the PC.

The AI (Artificial Intelligence) was absolutely horrible (I don't think the program ever beat me)...
...but the graphics for that period of time were simply outstanding.
Click on this image for a larger
and more detailed view.

 

 

In 1997, Winning Moves
came out with Ultimate Stratego.

Stratego for four players! Players form allied teams in order to move their flags adjacent to each other. The team whose flags unite or who captures both their opponents flags wins the game.

Also included are the rules for the classic game and a two player Campaign Game where each player controls two armies!

 

 

Here's a photo of a Stratego game sold in England.

Notice the pieces are round-shaped instead of the "normal" rectangular cube shape seen in all of the preceding photographs.

 

 

Here's a similar set, also with round-shaped pieces.
As you can see, this board looks slightly different than the one above.

I recently purchased this set on eBay from a gentleman
who lives in the United Kingdom.

Click on this image for a larger
and more detailed view.
Click on this image for a larger
and more detailed view

 

 

 

In January of 1999, Hasbro Interactive released Stratego for Windows 95/98.

Several reviews of this program can be found in my Links section.

 

 

 

In 1999,
Avalon Hill / Hasbro teamed up to produce Stratego Legends:
The Shattered Lands.
This game took on the familiar gameplay of Stratego and expanded it into something new. Instead of only having numbers, all pieces now have powers as well.

 

 

 

Stratego 4
is a three and four player version of the game. You can play on either side of the playing board.

This first image shows the four-player game...
... and this second image shows the three-player game.

 

 

 

Stratego Junior

 

 

 

A Travel Edition
of Stratego
by Jumbo

 

 

 

Compact Stratego by Jumbo

This Compact Stratego board measures just 10.5 inches by 10.5 inches.

In my opinion, the pieces are a little tall in relation to the size of the squares.

 

 

 

 

This is what the current Stratego game
from Milton Bradley / Hasbro looks like.


Click on this image for a larger
and more detailed view.
Click on this image for a larger
and more detailed view.

 

With this version, I was very disappointed to 
discover both the red and blue pieces are blank  
when purchased and one is required to stick
a label of the officer image on each piece.

Arrgh! With care, all my other Stratego 
pieces will last a lifetime.

These pieces will only last as long as the 
glue on the back of this label holds up!

 


Another disappointment - the Marshal, although 
still the strongest piece, is now given a 
numerical 10 instead of 1.
The General is now given a 9 instead of 2, etc.

Ugh! Thanks a lot Hasbro! This doesn't 
make it any easier for new players to grasp 
the concept of rank and yet is a
bane to the rest of us.

(Dozens and dozens of other players have 
written to me to say they agree with me on 
both of these points.)

 

 

 

 

 

In 2002 Milton Bradley / Hasbro released 
Nostalgia Editions of several of their games.

One of these is Stratego!

 

"The planning... the attack... the capture!  Play the classic game of
battlefield strategy -- the way you remember it -- with the Nostalgia
edition of the Stratego game.  Inside this collectible wooden box you get
vintage game board art based upon the early '60s version, classic
metallic-printed army tokens, a Stratego game history, and the original
ranking system -- the Marshal is #1!"

Without having purchase this set yet,
I can already see I recommend this set over the set listed above.

 

 

 

 

I know very little about the version below.
It's called the Michael Graves Stratego Game and for many years it was available via Amazon.


It comes with game board, 40 black pieces, 40 ivory pieces and 2 removable storage trays.
The legs fold out for board support; 
fold up for carrying case.

Please note! The numbering system on 
this set is also "backwards!"
(The Marshal is listed as #10, the General as #9, etc.)

 


Here's another recent version that first appeared in 2007... 
America's Civil War Collector's Edition

 

 

 

Return to
A Short History of Stratego - Part 1

 

For more on the history of Stratego, be sure
to read the many, many posts in the Message Board!

 

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