Undaunted Board Game and Expansion Buying Guide

Best for: People who want the simplest, fastest version and don’t object to the military theme.

The first game in the series sets the action in the days after the allied invasion of Normandy during World War 2. While none of its predecessors are particularly complex, it is nevertheless the most accessible game in the series, focusing entirely on different types of infantry units and with a limited range of quick-playing maps. While that has an obvious attraction for casual play, it can feel a bit repetitive if you want to commit to playing all the scenarios in the box. It also has the most realistic historical bent apart from Undaunted: Stalingrad which might appeal to those interested in the military aspects of the series, but which some may find off putting.

Best for: Players who want to see vehicles in their wargames, or who like cinematic action.

One of the most frequent asks from fans of the original was the addition of vehicles, and publisher Osprey Games delivered in this sequel, adding armored cars and small tanks to the mix. While these are governed by the same simple card play that drives all the units, they do necessitate a degree of extra rules overhead to cover the difference between anti-armor and small arms fire. As well as moving the setting to the North African theater, this also turns down the scale with the squad-level counters of the original turning into individual combatants. This gives the game a more gung-ho, cinematic feel, heightened by the choice to feature the allied troops as the Long Range Desert Group, the forerunner to Britain’s famous SAS.

Best for: Hardcore fans, gamers who want to solo Normandy or North Africa.

Many fans of military games like to be able to play solo, even if it means playing both sides themselves, but Undaunted’s tense initiative bid system made this difficult. As a result, a key draw for this expansion, which – unusually – also supports both the first two games, is the addition of a complex but very effective set of AI routines to allow challenging solo board game play. Each scenario in both the original boxes has unique routines tailored for each unit, meaning the automated opposition is very effective.

There are also new units and scenarios for both of the original games, as well as an expanded box that allows you to store both of those titles together. As good as all these features are, however, they’re only really for hardcore fans. You have to own both of the previous games and be interested in solo play to get the most out of this expansion.

Best for: Those willing to put in repeat plays for the best Undaunted experience.

Both of the initial games could be played in a loose form of campaign, progressing through the scenarios and keeping a tally of who won what. But Stalingrad kicks things up a notch, featuring a branching campaign with narrative elements and in which the results of each scenario carry into the next. Soldiers gain experience, or carry injuries, while the city itself is slowly reduced to rubble in which troops can find cover or build fortifications. The result is an absolute triumph, earning a 10/10 in our Undaunted: Stalingrad review by retaining all the great things that made those first two games such hits, while adding yet another strategic layer to ponder and wrapping the whole thing in a dramatic, unfolding story.

While this is the best game in the series, beware: you and an opponent will need to commit to a lot of repeat games to get the most out of it.

Best for: Undaunted veterans who want a novel take on familiar mechanics.

In a major departure from the infantry combat that characterizes most of the Undaunted games, Battle of Britain takes the action to the skies. While the core deck building remains unchanged, the way units behave on the board is very different, reflecting the fact that airplanes can fly! Most notably, units now have a facing and they have to move each time their card comes up, meaning you have to plan more carefully, trying to set up traps for your opponent in the likely direction of travel, just like a real dogfight. However, deck construction just doesn’t fit the theme quite as well as it does in terms of having officer cards direct the combat on the ground but, despite that shortcoming, the game is still fun and full of thrills and, most importantly, feels fresh and different compared to its peers in the franchise.

Best for: People who want the action and strategy, but not the historical military theme

Following the success of the original game, a growing body of gamers started asking the designers for a version that didn’t glory in the horrors of real-world warfare. Their answer was to move the game to outer space in this sci-fi version. It’s a fantastic translation as we explained in our Undaunted 2200 review: capturing all the great stuff that have made the franchise such a hit, but also learning lessons to improve on the previous entries. There are vehicles to pilot, greater asymmetry between the two factions, and a more varied mix of scenarios to enjoy. So if the military focus of the previous titles put you off, this is a fantastic alternative, and even if you’re not bothered by the theme then, mechanically speaking, it's the best of the series after Stalingrad.