Is The World Feeling Like It’s Melting Down? Time to Play Meltwater!
There’s a chill in the air, but it doesn’t feel like a refreshing autumnal breeze…
The last vestiges of the Cold War play out on the barren landscape of Antarctica, where the survivors of nuclear war desperately cling to the hope that they can outrun the fallout. It is a false hope.
In Meltwater: A Game of Tactical Starvation, the United States and the Soviet Union face each other in a last desperate battle on the rapidly deteriorating wasteland- not for glory, but for basic survival, or at least the distinction of being the last human standing. Meltwater isn't a game of grand expansion; it is a claustrophobic scramble on a board that actively encircles your pieces in an ever-shrinking cloud of death. Turn by turn, radiation creeps inward from the coasts and players are pulled between rescuing civilians that wash up on the frozen coasts, securing their inland stockpiles of supplies, and contending with the last remnants of the enemy military. (Disclaimer: we earn a small commission from the affiliate link at no extra cost to you.)
Meltwater is an unmissable and unique experience of pure, deterministic tension—there are no dice to roll, no random cards to save you, and nowhere to run. The game blends a haunting narrative with a set of simple basic choices, where every move forces you to maneuver opposing populations into irradiated dead zones and sacrifice your own troops just so one of your pieces might outlast the enemy for one more turn, as the final logic of the Cold War plays out on the board.
Well, that escalated quickly… Photo © 2026 WargamesandWhisky.com
Pro-Tip: Meltwater was recently re-released by Capstone Games, with some excellent component quality. The rule book to the new edition, however… it just isn’t any good. We very much recommend players use the rulebook to the original Hollandspiele edition which can be found and printed here.
It was on a nice fall night that we first encountered Breckenridge Bourbon. It’s made with snowmelt off the Rockies, featured on the bottle’s unique internal label, which reveals more of the mountain peaks as you work your way through the bottle. Breckenridge’s use of snowmelt makes this bourbon a clean, smooth elixir, blending whiskeys from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana. Breckenridge is ideal for sipping while contemplating the end of humanity. As you ponder bad and worse options, you can savor the flavor evolution as it shifts from sweet candied peel to peppery spice, and finally to a toasted sesame driven by Breckenridge’s high rye content. The water in Antarctica may be irradiated, but this whiskey is delicious!
Step away from the radioactive water- drink whiskey! Photo © 2026 WargamesandWhisky.com
