Columbia Games
An American tabletop-games publisher known for wooden-block wargames, the Hârn role-playing setting, and card games.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Columbia Games is a tabletop-games publisher with roots in Vancouver, Canada, and a later base in Blaine, Washington. The company began in 1971 as Gamma Two Games, founded by Simon Fraser University graduates Tom Dalgliesh, Lance Gutteridge, and Steve Brewster. Its first publication, Quebec 1759, appeared in 1972 and established the design approach that would become the company’s defining signature: military units represented by small wooden or plastic blocks rather than conventional flat cardboard counters. The blocks can conceal unit identities and strengths from an opponent, creating an information-management element within historical strategy games. Gamma Two followed Quebec 1759 with War of 1812 in 1973 and Napoléon: The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 in 1974. Although Quebec 1759 eventually sold more than 20,000 copies, the founders concluded that the Canadian market for serious board wargames was limited. From the mid-1970s, the company broadened its catalogue with more family-oriented and general-interest titles, including Airline, Klondike, Supermoney, Smokers Wild, Foreign Exchange, Maneuver, and Score! Soccer Game. This period helped the business develop beyond its original historical-wargaming niche. The company adopted the Columbia Games name in 1982. In 1983 it expanded into role-playing games by publishing Hârn, a low-magic fantasy campaign setting created by N. Robin Crossby. Hârn became a substantial product family supported by settings, maps, historical material, locations, creatures, and other supplements. Columbia later published HârnQuest, a recurring supplement series, as well as additional Hârn-related material such as the Lionheart supplement. Hârn products have also existed alongside and remained compatible with material produced by Kelestia Productions and with fan-created content. During the 1980s, Gutteridge and Ron Gibson, who had joined after Brewster’s departure, left the business, leaving Dalgliesh as its sole owner. In 1986, Dalgliesh moved the company from Vancouver to Blaine, Washington, immediately across the United States–Canada border. The relocation gave Columbia access to the larger American market and simplified mail-order distribution by avoiding some cross-border customs and duty costs. The company has remained associated with Blaine since then, while Dalgliesh’s son Grant became involved in its operation. Columbia’s later catalogue centered on three broad areas: block-based historical and fantasy wargames, role-playing games, and card or collectible-card games. Its wargame line covers conflicts ranging from the French and Indian War, the War of 1812, the Napoleonic era, and the American Civil War to the Second World War and fantasy warfare. Notable designs include Rommel in the Desert, EastFront, WestFront, Hammer of the Scots, Julius Caesar, Pacific Victory, and Combat Infantry. These games generally use physical blocks to represent forces and emphasize strategic movement, hidden information, campaign-level decisions, or operational uncertainty. In the card-game field, Columbia developed military-themed collectible card games and card games in the late 1990s, including Dixie, based on the American Civil War, and Eagles: Waterloo, based on the Napoleonic Wars. It also published Slapshot, a hockey-management card game. The company’s continuing catalogue therefore combines specialist historical simulation with accessible strategic and thematic games. Columbia Games is best understood as a long-running independent tabletop publisher whose identity is anchored in block wargaming, supported by role-playing and card-game lines rather than video-game development.
History
Columbia Games was founded in Vancouver in 1971 as Gamma Two Games by Tom Dalgliesh, Lance Gutteridge, and Steve Brewster, all graduates of Simon Fraser University. Brewster departed soon after formation and was replaced by Ron Gibson. The company’s first title, Quebec 1759, was released in 1972. It simulated the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and introduced the block-based system for which the publisher later became known. War of 1812 followed in 1973, and Napoléon: The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 appeared in 1974. The early historical titles did not all perform equally well. Quebec 1759 eventually sold more than 20,000 copies, but the founders determined that Canada did not offer a sufficiently large market for specialized board wargames. Beginning in 1975, Gamma Two diversified into family and general-interest games, including Airline, Klondike, Supermoney, Smokers Wild, Foreign Exchange, Maneuver, and Score! Soccer Game. In 1982 the firm changed its name to Columbia Games. The next year it entered role-playing publishing with Hârn, a fantasy campaign setting designed by N. Robin Crossby. Hârn was conceived as a detailed, low-magic world and became the basis for supplements covering geography, political units, settlements, castles, history, creatures, and other aspects of play. Columbia published HârnQuest and the Lionheart supplement, while Hârn material was also produced by Kelestia Productions and by members of the fan community. Gutteridge and Gibson eventually left the business, leaving Dalgliesh as sole owner by the mid-1980s. In 1986, he moved Columbia Games across the border to Blaine, Washington. The location provided more direct access to American customers and reduced the practical complications associated with shipping from Canada into the United States. The company continued to operate from Blaine, and Grant Dalgliesh later joined the business. Columbia’s central publishing identity remained the block wargame. Its catalogue expanded into major historical campaigns and theaters, including the Second World War in EastFront, WestFront, EuroFront, Pacific Victory, and Victory in Europe; the American Civil War in Bobby Lee, Sam Grant, Gettysburg, Shiloh, and Shenandoah; and earlier conflicts in Hammer of the Scots, Liberty, Crusader Rex, Athens & Sparta, Richard III, Julius Caesar, Borodino, and Texas Glory. Wizard Kings applied the block format to fantasy warfare, while Combat Infantry adapted the approach to platoon-level Second World War tactics. The publisher also developed card games and collectible card games, particularly in the late 1990s. Dixie addressed the American Civil War, Eagles: Waterloo focused on the Napoleonic Wars, and Slapshot used a hockey-management theme. Across these lines, Columbia Games maintained a position between specialist historical simulation and accessible thematic tabletop play. The company remains associated with block wargames, Hârn role-playing products, and related card and board games.
- 2025
Alliance is listed in the catalogue
[1]Alliance: Multiplayer Napoleonic Wargame extends Columbia’s historical block-wargame catalogue into multiplayer Napoleonic strategy.
- 2017
Combat Infantry: WestFront is published
[1]Columbia applies its block-game design tradition to platoon-level combat in the Western European theater of 1944–45.
- 2002
Hammer of the Scots is published
[1]The company releases a block game about the English invasions of Scotland.
- 1991
EastFront is introduced
[1]Columbia publishes a block wargame covering the Eastern Front of the Second World War.
- 1986
Move to Blaine, Washington
[1]The company relocates from Vancouver to Blaine to serve the American market more efficiently.
- 1983
Hârn launches the role-playing line
[1]Columbia enters role-playing publishing with N. Robin Crossby’s Hârn fantasy campaign setting.
- 1982
The Columbia Games name is adopted
[1]Gamma Two Games changes its corporate and publishing name to Columbia Games.
- 1975
Diversification into family games
[1]Gamma Two begins emphasizing broader family and general-interest games after assessing the limited Canadian market for board wargames.
- 1972
Quebec 1759 is published
[1]The company releases its first block wargame, depicting the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
- 1971
Gamma Two Games is founded
[1]Tom Dalgliesh, Lance Gutteridge, and Steve Brewster establish a Canadian games company in Vancouver.
Products and positioning
An independent specialist tabletop publisher distinguished by hidden-information block wargames, historically grounded conflict simulations, and the Hârn fantasy role-playing setting.
Historical and strategic board games · 1972
Block wargames
Columbia’s signature product family uses wooden or plastic blocks to represent military formations. Blocks can hide identity, strength, or other information until revealed, producing uncertainty and fog-of-war effects absent from many traditional counter-based wargames. The catalogue covers conflicts including the French and Indian War, the War of 1812, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, the Second World War, and fantasy settings. Representative titles include Quebec 1759, Rommel in the Desert, EastFront, WestFront, Hammer of the Scots, Pacific Victory, and Julius Caesar.
Role-playing game setting · 1983
Hârn
Hârn is a detailed, low-magic fantasy role-playing campaign setting created by N. Robin Crossby and published by Columbia Games beginning in 1983. The line emphasizes developed geography, cultures, political entities, settlements, castles, history, and other setting material. Columbia has supported it through supplements and the HârnQuest series, while related material has also appeared through Kelestia Productions and fan-created projects.
Collectible card games and card games · 1990
Military-themed card games
Columbia developed card and collectible card games built around historical military subjects during the late 1990s. Dixie focused on the American Civil War, while Eagles: Waterloo represented the Napoleonic Wars. These products extended the company’s interest in historical conflict into a card-driven format rather than the larger-map operational systems used by its block games.
Sports card game
Slapshot
Slapshot is a hockey-themed card game in which players manage teams, trade and draw players, and choose opportunities to challenge opponents. Its design is intended to be playable without extensive prior knowledge of hockey.
Role-playing supplement series
HârnQuest
HârnQuest is a recurring supplement line supporting the Hârn role-playing setting. Issues provide additional material on kingdoms, cities, castles, history, creatures, and other subjects, with associated Hârn Atlas maps released as part of the subscription-oriented support system.
Brand decisions
1986
Cross-border relocation to the United StatesStrategyBackground
The company sought more efficient access to the much larger American market.
Action taken
Tom Dalgliesh moved Columbia Games from Vancouver to Blaine, Washington, near the Canadian border.
Aftermath
Blaine became the company’s continuing base and supported mail-order distribution while reducing some cross-border customs and duty complications.
1982
Rebranding as Columbia GamesStrategyBackground
After a decade operating as Gamma Two Games, the partners revised the company’s identity.
Action taken
The business adopted the Columbia Games name.
Aftermath
The new identity became associated with the company’s block wargames, role-playing products, and later card games.
1975
Diversification beyond specialist wargamesStrategyBackground
The founders concluded that the Canadian market was too small to support a business focused only on board wargames. Quebec 1759 had sold well, but subsequent historical titles were less successful.
Action taken
Gamma Two expanded into family and general-interest games such as Airline, Klondike, Supermoney, Smokers Wild, Foreign Exchange, Maneuver, and Score! Soccer Game.
Aftermath
The broader catalogue helped the company continue operating while preserving its later specialization in historical strategy games.
Sources1 sources
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