Duane Beckett
When it comes to family nights, there’s nothing quite like a board game. However, if we look back to the 1970s, board games were often war games, and that offered a much different kind of table-time experience for youngsters. These games had heavy strategy, dense rulebooks, and play times that could run hours. Today, many of these games carry strong nostalgia value, and complete copies still draw interest from collectors. These five 1970s war board games stand out from the crowd.
Squad Leader (Avalon Hill, 1977)
Squad Leader put World War II infantry combat on the table in a way that felt serious at the time. Players commanded squads, leaders, support weapons, guns, and vehicles across Eastern and Western Front scenarios, with morale checks and combat tables deciding whether a unit held firm or broke under fire.
According to Military Trader, John Hill’s game became “an instant classic,” and a sealed first edition recently sold for $500. Information from The Games Are Here shows an opened but unused 1977 unpunched copy listed at $125, while another vintage listing showed used copies around $45 to $75.
This price tracks with the appeal. It’s a complex, physical, and very 1970s war board game, in the best possible way.
The Next War (SPI, 1978)
The Next War captured the Cold War fear of the late 1970s. Instead of replaying an old battle, it imagined NATO and Warsaw Pact forces fighting across Europe during the first 60 days of a possible modern ground war.
Military Trader reported that SPI framed the game with the line “the time is: Tomorrow,” which says plenty about the mood of the era. Players had to manage operational forces, air power, supply, and a Soviet armored push that put NATO on the back foot.
For collectors, scarcity is the hook here. Military Trader found that unpunched copies sell for about $400 to $500, which makes this one more serious than a casual shelf grab, but still affordable for collectors who want 1970s war board games.
Diplomacy (Avalon Hill/Games Research Inc., 1970s editions)
Diplomacy is war without dice, which is part of why people still talk about it like it’s a personality test in a box. Set in pre-World War I Europe, players control armies and fleets for major powers, then negotiate, lie, ally, and betray their way toward control of supply centers.
BoardGameGeek states that Diplomacy is a classic game of pure negotiation, while the rules describe seven European powers and just one element of chance: the initial country draw.
As someone who has played Diplomacy during my board gaming days, I’ve always found that one aspect so fascinating. You’re almost reliant on that initial draw and have no dice to blame. Just bad deals and worse friends.
Collector prices vary, but Etsy listings show 1970s Games Research and Avalon Hill copies in the roughly $20 to $80 range, depending on condition, edition, and shipping.
Terrible Swift Sword (SPI, 1976)
Terrible Swift Sword re-created the Battle of Gettysburg at a massive scale. This was not a light family-night game. It covered three days of Civil War fighting with detailed units, hex maps, probability charts, and scenarios that could run far longer than most players expected.
The Dice Tower states that the full game runs 125 turns and can stretch past 60 hours, with 2,000 die-cut playing pieces listed in the first-edition contents.
The Charles S. Roberts Awards history lists Terrible Swift Sword as the 1976 winner for Best Tactical Game. That award pedigree matters to some collectors. Complete copies often sit around $40 to $80, though condition and missing counters can swing the price fast.
Tobruk (Avalon Hill, 1975)
The board game Tobruk focuses on North African tank battles that took place in 1942. It focuses on British, German, and Italian armored vehicle clashes that fans of military conflict love to pick apart. Each conflict could be broken down into single vehicles, so the gameplay was more granular than many other tactical games at the time.
According to Military Trader, Tobruk lets players take control of individual tanks but warns of the game’s reliance on dice to determine hit probability and damage. So if you’re unlucky for a few rolls, your military campaign could be over. Opened 1975 copies of Tobruk can be found for around $45 on Etsy. Unpunched and unopened copies can be much more costly, according to Military Trader. Copies can cost around $100 and more. If you can find a complete version for that lower estimate, you’re doing well.