J is for June no-show? Tally4: Operation Mary, a Hawaii-based “military aviation thriller” promising simmy FMs, sizeable dogfights, and constantly evolving AI pilots (“The more people play, the smarter and more unpredictable the opponents become.”) was meant to enter Early Access this month. Nothing about the Steam page and forum suggests an imminent catapult launch. Maybe the lack of news is a consequence of a nascent publishing deal; Tally4 looks like just the sort of project that would pique MicroProse’s curiosity.

K is for Khe Sanh next?

Hopefully, Iron Swell: Dien Bien Phu won’t be 87Accident’s last ‘hold the fort’ TBS. Simple yet absorbing, it plays like a low-complexity solitaire board wargame. Surrounded, and outnumbered four to one, the player is asked to hold the titular base for 56 days. Financed using Action Points, five of which are provided at the start of each day, defensive activities come in fifteen different forms and range from fortification construction and force shuffling, to runway repair, recon patrols, and tank sorties. Few decisions are easy and few turns dull in this stylish freebie.

L is for Little labourers

Enlivening every one of Task Force Admiral’s floating airstrips with animated crew figures will take time (unique deck configurations mean each vessel needs its own path network) but Yorktown, the ship at the front of the queue, should be alive with busy plane preppers and pushers by the end of the week.

M is for Memorable moments

If you’re a simmer of a certain age, the latest batch of Low Level Hunters screenshots is sure to raise a smile. Presently working on the game’s campaign, Hijong Park has unveiled WIP versions of the images that will be wheeled out when sorties end. They capture the playfulness of most Nineties flight sims perfectly.

N is for No narrative

Currently, I’m using the Quake-y, price-slashed Herald of Havoc to satisfy my appetite for nostalgic FPSs. Its total disdain for story (you’re never told where you are or who or what you’re fighting) was a tad off-putting at first, but thanks to thoughtful level design and gratifyingly brutal weaponry, I was hooked by the end of level three.