Panzer Campaigns Donbas '43

by

Wargame Design Studio (WDS)

 If you play computer wargame simulations and you have never heard of WDS, I have only two things to say: 1st, please follow the link below and prepare to be blown away. 2nd, if you are not actually a real Troll or Dwarf how do you manage to live under that rock. Also, please say hello to Regin and Fáfnir for me. But seriously, and stop calling me Shirley, the wizards of WDS are at it once again. Here in their own wonderful words are some of their thoughts on Donbas '43:

"Donbas '43' Info

**Overview

For the Germans, the Battle of Kursk was intended to be the main summer operation of 1943, aiming to slow the advancing Russians and regain the initiative. Launched on July 5, the initial victory quickly turned into a stalemate.

On July 13, Hitler summoned von Manstein and von Kluge, commanders of Army Group South and Center, to his Eastern Front headquarters, the Wolf's Lair in East Prussia. The Allied invasion of Sicily on the night of July 9–10, combined with the Soviet counteroffensive of Operation Kutuzov against the flank and rear of the northern side of the Kursk salient on July 12, along with attacks by strong Soviet forces at Prokhorovka on the same day, prompted Hitler to halt the offensive and redeploy forces to the Mediterranean theater. He ordered his generals to cancel Operation Citadel.

Kluge welcomed the decision, as he was already pulling units back to respond to Soviet attacks on his flank. Manstein urged continuing the offensive, believing he was close to a breakthrough. Hitler remained unmoved, worried about the Allied landings and the stability of his Italian allies. However, he did agree to Operation Roland, which aimed to destroy the Soviet reserves in the southern Kursk salient, caught between both the III Panzer Corps and II SS-Panzer Corps.

On July 17, the Soviet Southwestern and Southern Fronts launched a major offensive across the Mius and Donets Rivers against the southern flank of Army Group South, pressing against the 6th Army and 1st Panzer Army. In the early afternoon of July 17, Operation Roland concluded with orders for the II SS-Panzer Corps to begin withdrawing from the Prokhorovka sector back to Belgorod. The 4th Panzer Army and Army Detachment Kempf had already anticipated the order, starting to withdraw as early as the evening of July 16. Leibstandarte's tanks were split between Das Reich and Totenkopf, and the division was quickly moved to Italy, while Das Reich and Totenkopf were sent south to counter the new Soviet offensives.

In Donbas '43, as the commander of two Soviet Fronts—the Southwestern and Southern—you have multiple armies ready to defeat the proud but battered German Wehrmacht. As the German commander, you'll need to contend with limited panzer forces worn down by fighting at Kursk. Although Panzerarmee 1 is available, only the XXXX Panzer Corps has panzer divisions. Units from the 6th and 8th Armies are present, but their corps are mainly infantry defending the river lines. The Mius River defenses are strong, but both the quality and number of men available are likely to leave them vulnerable.

Lead Soviet spoiling attacks at Izyum and the Mius on July 17, while the Germans are still engaged at Kursk, or attempt a full multi-front offensive on August 16 to clear the Donbas. This will highlight how the Germans are discovering the challenges of ‘frontage versus depth’ and why the backhand blow tactics from four months earlier are no longer effective. The stage is set! All that's needed now is for you to launch one of the key campaigns of Summer 1943 on the Eastern Front!

**Game Content

Donbas '43 includes 101 Scenarios – covering all sizes and situations, including 5 solo tutorial scenarios plus specialized versions for both head-to-head play and vs. the computer AI.

The master map (211,470 hexes) covers the entire area from the Dnepr River in the west to Izyum, Voroshilovgrad, Stalino, and Rostov-Na-Donu in the east. 

The order of battle file covers the Axis and Allied forces that participated in the campaign with other formations added in for hypothetical situations.

Order-of-Battle, Parameter Data and Scenario Editors which allow players to customize the game.

Sub-map feature allows the main map to be subdivided into smaller segments for custom scenario creation.

Design notes which cover or include the production of the game, campaign notes and sources the design team used to produce this simulation game.

**Game features include:

Phase or Turn-based play with 2 hour turns and 1-kilometer hexes.

Three levels of 2D views and two 3D views of the battlefield.

The Panzer Campaigns game engine provides multiple play options including play against the computer AI, Play by E-mail (PBEM), LAN & Internet "live" play, and two player hotseat.

**Document Preview

- Design Notes

- User Manual

- Changelog

**Credits

Scenario Designer: Daniel Asensio

Project Coordinator: David Freer

Artist: David Freer

**System Requirements

Windows 10 or 11

Processor: 1 GHz

Disk Space: 1 GB

Memory: 1 GB

Video Memory: 512 MB

This wargame is for sale at https://wargameds.com/collections/new-products - The Wargame Design Studio Store"

 As usual, WDS has created a game where you as the player are going to question your life choices. I mean if you can commit to playing 101 different scenarios in just this one game, being a monk in Shangri-la might have been a better lifestyle choice. However, for we Grognards their games are truly slices of heaven on earth. All of their games, which run the gamut from the Crusades to World War III, are filled to the brim with historical information about the campaign that you are playing. Thank you WDS, for continuing to not only flesh out more periods of military history, but for updating your older games almost on a weekly basis. 

 Sicilia 1943 - Operation Husky

by

Dissimula Edizioni

 This is some information about a new game from Disimula Edizioni.

Here is what they have to say:

"Even before the surrender of the last Axis troops in Tunisia, the Allied governments had reached the controversial decision to invade Sicily as the next phase, to take the first step on the continent.

The amphibious invasion of Sicily, code-named “Operation Husky,” with a force of 3,000 ships, more than 3,000 aircraft, and 100,000 men landing on the first day was the largest amphibious operation of World War II. After 38 days of hard fighting, the Allied forces, composed of the 7th US Army and the 8th British Army, entered Messina, completing the conquest of the island.

“Sicily 1943 – Operation Husky” reconstructs this important campaign, on a large map (… to maintain the right amount of simplicity and effectiveness. Game turns represent one day.

IN THE BOX

4 standard maps (3 km-hex)

2 small maps (scenarios)

4 counters set, 13 mm side 

Set up charts

Rules aid, tables

Orders display - Air display

Rules booklet

2 dice

English, Italian

THE GAME

The system involves a very intense interaction between players, and is based on the uncertain moment of activation of their Formations, and on the type of operations they will be able to carry out following the directives received at the beginning of the turn.

The rugged terrain of much of Sicily affects operations throughout the game, from the logistical importance of the road network to the possibility of using armored vehicles, lethal in open terrain, but vulnerable on narrow mountain roads.

Air forces (of both sides) and naval forces (Allied only) can be very important... if activated at the right time.

The game includes two challenging campaign games, one historical and one hypothetical, and numerous minor scenarios that concern some individual phases of the campaign, such as landings and counterattacks, the battles of Primosole and Troina, and others."

 You can still get the preorder price here:

Dissimula Edizioni

While you are there, please check out their other games.

Also check out this review from Polydor:

GIVE US VICTORIES - A Wargamers Needful Things

 Fiat Aeritalia Fighters

by

Luigino Caliaro

 The Italian aircraft industry was hobbled during World War II due to Italy not having enough manufacturing infrastructure. This was exceedingly lucky for the Allied powers. While Italy started the war with outdated airplanes, they soon developed some excellent designs that were as good or better than their allies or enemies. With this book, the second in a trilogy about Italian fighters, the author shows us those that were designed by the Fiat company.

 The book starts with a preamble about the history of Fiat's contribution to aviation going back to 1908. It then goes into a synopsis of the company's involvement with aircraft until the present day. The meat of the book starts in the Interwar years with the design and manufacture of the CR.20. This then developed into the CR.32, a very formidable aircraft at its inception. This airplane was blooded in the Spanish Civil War and gave a good report of itself against the Russian aircraft that the Republicans flew.

 Next, we have the design and history of the last Fiat biplane, the CR.42 Falco. This plane was one of the ultimate designs of the biplane era. The CR.42 frame was of an all-metal construction. It started to come off the assembly line in 1939. In the short campaign against France, it did well against the opposition. The plane was also useful in the very early period of the war in North Africa. However, it was still in use by the time Britain was able to manufacture enough Hurricanes and Spitfires to be used against it.

The FIAT G.50 Freccia was of the next generation of Italian fighters. These were among the first group of monoplane fighters that were considered for the Royal Italian Air Force. These types of Italian fighters had the 'chunkier' shape of many of the prewar designs from other countries. They did not resemble the shark like fighter aircraft being developed by Germany and Great Britian. Although a reasonably good aircraft for 1940, it soon was delegated to a second line one due to a lack of speed and armament. 

 The FIAT G.55 Centauro is considered by many to the be ultimate Italian fighter in World War II. Compared to most Italian fighters of this time it was equipped with a very strong arsenal of cannons and machine guns. It was more than a match for any fighter in the skies above Europe during the middle of the war years. The author includes a conversation of the leaders of the German Luftwaffe praising the G.55 when it was flown against the Germans' latest types in 1943. Luckily for the Allies the Germans did not begin manufacturing the G.55. Also luckily, the Italian infrastructure was incapable of building more than a few of them.

 The book is very large, a real coffee table tome. It is absolutely filled on every page with photographs. The author not only goes through each plane's development, but also its use by the Italian Royal Air Force and other nations. The last part of the book shows surviving examples of the planes. For the person interested in aviation, this is a must read. It is also invariable for the modeler and really anyone interested in Italian aviation. Thank you, Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this encyclopedic reference book on Fiat fighters, both before and during World War II.

Robert Peterson

Book: Fiat Aeritalia Fighters

Author: Luigino Caliaro

Publisher: Crecy Classic

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

Steel Centurions

 Italian Armored Formations of the Second World War 1940-43

By 

Paolo Morisi

 In WWII the Italian armored forces started the war with an Albatross around their necks. The Italian Navy had some very well-designed ships at their disposal. The Italian Air Force also had some designs that were comparable to the best in the world, although in limited numbers. However, the Italian tank forces were never equipped to fight in the war. Their tanks were found to be woefully inadequate even during the Spanish Civil War. There they had faced some Soviet Union tanks that put them to shame. Luckily for the Italians the British tanks early in the war were not much better. So, forced to go to battle with old designs and not much better officers, on the whole, it is a wonder how much the Italian tankers were able to accomplish. This book is about their story during the war. The author has given us a comprehensive account of their history from 1940-1943. This book proves that the Italians were just as brave and full of fight as any other participants in the war. They were just so handicapped by design and staff that what seems on the outside to be woeful attempts at warfare is really a story of complete frustration, with bits of brilliance at times.

 The book takes you from the beginning of the Italian Armored formations and tactics until the end of the Sicily campaign. These are the chapters:

The Birth of the Italian Armored Units and Their Development

Minot Armored Campaign (France, East Africa, and Albania/Greece)

North Africa

Further Advance

Gazala and Tobruk

El Alamein

Tunisia

Sicily

M Armored Division and Ariete II

Followed by five appendices

 Naturally, the book's main focus is on the North African campaign, simply because it encompasses almost the entire Italian timeline in the war. The Germans did not find the Italian soldier to be unworthy. Not in the least. When commanded well, even with their outdated equipment, they were viewed as Allies in every sense of the word. Their bravery under great odds is shown throughout the book. I have always been interested in the role of Italy in WWI and WWII. Their forces in WWII are now seen as a cliche or a punchline to a joke. I have always believed that the reality was something entirely different. This is another book that shows that it actually was.

 If you want to know the truth about the Italian Armored formations during WWII and not just read the usual pap, then I suggest you pick up this book to find out for yourself. Thank you, Mr. Morisi, for another excellent book on what some people would call the obscure parts of the world wars. I also want the thank Casemate Publishers for allowing me to review this excellent book.

 The author Paolo Morisi Has also written two other excellent books in my opinion. The first, The Italian Folgore Parachute Division: North African Operations 1940-43. The second is, Hell in the Trenches: Austro-Hungarian Stormtroopers and Italian Arditi in the Great War. This is a link to my review of the second book:

Hell in the Trenches by Paolo Morisi - A Wargamers Needful Things

Robert 

Book: Steel Centurions: Italian Armored Formations of the Second World War 1940-43 

Author: Paolo Morisi

Publisher: Helion & Company

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

 Iron Squad

by

Princeps Games

On Kickstarter now

 This is straight from Princeps Games:

"Hello,

My name is Vukasin Nisavic and I am the cofounder of Princeps Games together with my brother Janko Nisavic. When we are not designing games I work as a legal adviser. My brother and I design games, playtest them and we are doing our best to deliver a fine product to the audience. Nothing new with ‘Iron Squad’ regarding this.

While playing board wargames it always bothered me how players can see the enemy’s units on the board. Even though there are some mechanisms which simulate the FOW system in computer games up to a point, all those systems were not quite there yet. There was always something missing. So, I decided to give it a try, and I designed a system that will allow the players to have the same experience while playing board games which they have while playing computer games.

 ‘Iron Squad’ was originally designed for our new ‘Fog of War’ system. We like to call it ‘revolutionary’. This system required a unique game management so we needed a simple game to start with and that’s how the ‘Iron Squad’ was born. Unfortunately, we found that mass production of this kind of FOW system was too challenging for our small company at this time, so we decided to do an overhaul of ‘Iron Squad’ and here we are. You would definitely have to check this FOW system in order to understand the scale of it. Here is the video if you’re interested

https://youtu.be/gIZgbsffANo

With ‘Iron Squad’ we wanted to offer a game with high replay ability, so this time we went for a game board design which will allow players to have a different terrain configuration in every game by using the ‘Terrain Tiles’. Also, a different setup of the game is possible thanks to the mini-map sheets which allow the players to set the starting position of their units in a different way every time they play the game. Players draw ‘Mission Cards’ and the player who completes the mission first is the winner. If this doesn’t happen until the end of round 12, the winner is the player with the most Victory Points.

There are so many factors which can lead to a different game. You have the ‘Terrain Tiles’ which bring new configuration of the game board. Then you have mini-maps which allow a different setup. Each player has 5 different Missions Cards to draw. In addition, you have a ‘Weather’ and ‘Day&Night’ modifiers. At the end, there is a very interesting combat system with a modified D20 dice which allow the players to choose the impact of luck.

‘Iron Squad’ is currently live on Kickstarter and you can check the campaign page and back the game by clicking on this link:"

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/princepsgames/iron-squad

These are two reviews I did of other Princeps Games:

The Battle of KhalKhin Gol July - August 1939 by Princeps Games - A Wargamers Needful Things

March on the Drina WWI by Princeps Games - A Wargamers Needful Things

This is a review that Polydor did:

FREEZING INFERNO - A Wargamers Needful Things

 Wings Over the Reich Expansion 'The Battle of France'

by

OBD Software

  OBD Software has been around for a long time. They hit the big time with their first game, 'Wings Over Flanders Fields'. Originally, it was really just a mod from the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3. Wings Over Flanders Fields has garnered many plaudits over the years since it release and is in many of the 'top 20-25 simulations of all time' lists. This is what OBD Software has to say about Wings Over the Reich:

"‘WOTR’ is an immersive WW2 Combat Flight Simulator for PC, that brings you full-on immersion in the greatest air battle that has ever been, the ‘Battle of Britain’, and now with WOTR Expansion, the earlier ‘Battle of France’ too! Immerse yourself via the new dynamic campaign systems, all developed by OBD specially for WOTR uniquely for both for BoB and BoF Be thrilled and absorbed in the frantic dogfighting in early WW2.Choose to fight for Britain, Germany or France (with the BoF expansion), in desperate fights to stop the early German advance!  With stunning immersive WW2 environments, OBD’s unique unmatched single player dynamic campaign system, beautiful lighting and scenery, superb unique weather systems, and the finest WW2 Artificial Intelligence pilot system for thrilling air combat! Now with the incredible “Battle of France" Expansion to take it further WOTR aims to be the definitive BoB and BoF WW2 flight simulator for PC! WOTR is unashamedly designed for single player, because gameplay matters!"

Curtiss H-75A2

 This is their thoughts on the expansion The Battle of France:

"Invasion Begins: Experience the intensity of 1940's blitzkrieg warfare as Germany launches a surprise attack through the Ardennes, catching the Allies off guard. You are at the heart of the action in an unprecedented dynamic campaign crafted by OBD, known for their record-breaking work in combat flight simulators. Dynamic Campaign System; Choose your side - Germany, Britain, or France - and immerse yourself in a rapidly changing battlefield. Our new campaign engine brings to life the swift and tumultuous Battle of France like never before. Witness history as the Germans carve their path along the Somme valley, bisecting French forces and cornering the BEF and French 1st Armies at Dunkirk. Evacuation of Dunkirk; Take on a pivotal role in history, flying Spitfire squadrons from England to assist in the famous Dunkirk evacuation. This is where heroism meets strategy. Seamless Integration: Your journey doesn't end here. Seamlessly transition from the Battle of France to the Battle of Britain, continuing your pilot's career across these iconic campaigns. It's one continuous war story. New Additions:Scenery: Explore new airfields, admire the updated grass textures, and marvel at the detailed Dunkirk area, complete with landmarks like the Mole and the Lighthouse. Flyable Aircraft: Test your skills in the Curtiss Hawk 75-A2, BF109E3, and others. For Battle of Britain enthusiasts, the cannon-armed Spitfire MkIb (Early), Spitfire MkIb, and Spitfire MkIIa await.AI Aircraft: Engage with the Bloch MB152, Morane MS406, Potez 63.11, Fairey Battle MkI, and Blenheim MkIV. Ground Realism: Witness German tanks advancing into France, capturing bridges and airfields. Observe the main armies moving across the battlefield in a real-time simulation of war. More to Explore: Dive deeper into the game's features in the 'News' section. Please ensure you check the 'Requirements' on the Support page before purchasing, to fully prepare for this unparalleled combat flight experience. For WOTR Fans: With numerous enhancements and additions, this is a must-have for any enthusiast of the series. Wings over the Reich: Battle of France offers a unique blend of historical accuracy and immersive gameplay."

 So, as you can see, Wings Over the Reich has a lot of pedigree in its DNA. About the only gripe that flight simmers have had about WOTR is the fact that originally you only had three planes you could fly. The Battle of France expansion adds a lot to the mix, and not only in the plane department. This is a list of the flyable and AI only planes in WOTR with the addition of The Battle of France:

British Flyable

Hurricane MkIa

Spitfire MkIa 

Spitfire MKIb (early)

Spitfire MkIb 

Spitfire MkIIa

British AI only

Fairey Battle MkI 

Bristol Blenheim MkIV

French Flyable

Curtiss H-75A2

French AI only

Potez 63.11

Bloch MB.152 C.1

Morane M.S.406 C.1

German Flyable:

BF 109-E3

BF 109-E4

German AI only:

JU88-A1 

JU87-B1 

Do17-Z2 

He111-H2

Bf 110 C4 

 Now I know that some German plane lovers might be upset about the flyable list. However, OBD Software is all about historical reality in their games. In the air war over the Western Front in 1939 and 1940 the plane list is completely correct for the time. This is for single seat fighters only at the moment. A big caveat to the list is what they have done with, and continue to do, Wings Over Flanders Fields and all of the plane and other additions that have come down the pike. So, I completely believe OBD Software when they say that more goodness is on the way. Please remember, this is not a big PC game studio like Microprose was and might be again. This is really two dedicated flight sim enthusiasts, with some help at times. I must stress that the biggest thing to me in both of their games is the length that they will go to make sure of their historical accuracy. We have had tons of combat flight sims over the years that gave us only eye candy with nothing underneath. OBD Software is really different. Yes, they have beautiful eye candy, but underneath the tip of the iceberg is the real meat and potatoes of the games.

 I have to say that I do drool over flying a FW 190 of any kind in these digital skies. I would also cut off a finger for a flyable BF 110 in WOTR. However, I truly believe that in this case good things will come to those who wait.

 Battle of France, to me, is another step forward for OBD Software to catch up WOTR with its older brother WOFF. The addition of the Battle of France in 1940 gives the flight simmer a new and huge amount of history to immerse themselves into. Now the Curtiss H-75A2 is not in any way shape or form near a Dewoitine D.520 (although Eric Brown did describe the Dewoitine as "It was a nasty little brute. Looked beautiful but didn't fly beautifully."). While flying your Curtiss you are slower and rather weaker than your direct counterparts the BF 109s. However, you do have maneuverability on your side. The 1940 versions of the German bombers are easier to handle than their beefed up later versions. Use your maneuvering capability to evade the BF 109s and get at the German Stukas or other bombers. If you are forced to fight a BF 109, do it on your terms if possible. Your turning rate is much better, and your climbing rate is pretty good. The Curtiss reminds me of a Japanese KI -43 Hayabusa. The Curtiss is really maneuverable, and relatively easy to fly, but it lacks any armor and has a pretty weak punch. In other words, it is very historically accurate. 

 Please take the above advice with a large salt lick. I have been flying computer flight sims since the early 1980s and have all of the bells and whistles that come with the hobby. Name a PC flight combat sim and I have flown in it. Unfortunately, my abilities as a pilot in no way equals my love of the genre and knowledge of the actual history of air combat. I can state that WOFF and WOTR are two of the most immersive flight combat sims ever produced. Just flying around in them is a pure joy.

 Thank you, OBD Software, for allowing me to review this excellent expansion for WOTR. Unfortunately for you, it has really only sharpened my appetite for what else you have in your rabbits' hat.  

 All of the pictures were from WOTR with The Battle of France expansion added.

Robert Peterson

Wings Over the Reich

The Battle of France Expansion

Wings over Flanders Field

These are links to two reviews that we did on Over Flanders Field and its expansion Between Heaven and Hell:

Wings Over Flanders Fields Between Heaven & Hell II by OBD (Old Brown Dog) Software - A Wargamers Needful Things

Wings Over Flanders Fields UE Review - A Wargamers Needful Things

 The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper

in the Battle of the Bulge

by

 Hugues Wenkin and Christian Dujardin

 This book starts out with the German plan for their attack in the Battle of the Bulge. It goes on to explain, more than most books, about how absurd the plan really was. All of the major German officers who were informed of the plan did not like it or believed that it could work. Even someone as fervent a Nazi as Sepp Dietrich thought it was almost ludicrous. Then the book goes into the preparation of Kampfgruppe Peiper for their part in the attack. The US troops that were going to oppose the attack are written about. The authors show us that while the German industrial capacity was the greatest it had ever been in the autumn of 1944, it still could give the German soldiers weaponry. Fortunately for the Allies, what it could not give them was gas and oil. The overwhelming strength of Allied airpower was another force that the Germans could not handle. In reality, the attack could grab headlines around the world, something Hiler was hoping, but the further the German penetration the worse it actually was for them. We are shown by the authors how the German infantry was a brittle shell of what it was when it broke out of the Ardennes in 1940.

  

 No book on Kampfgruppe Peiper could be complete without discussing the Malmedy Massacre, and others, that took place during the Bulge. The authors do a very good job in explaining what happened and what the circumstances were surrounding them.

 The authors do a very good job of keeping a balanced view of Joachim Peiper. Was he a good soldier fighting for a disgusting cause? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. Should he and his superiors have been held accountable for the massacres of prisoners and civilians? The answer is also resounding yes. The book does show all of the different aspects of the human and military during the breakthrough until its inevitable failure. They heap praise on the American combat engineers that they feel were the real reason that Kampfgruppe Peiper was put in such a hopeless position. 

 Thank you, Casemate Publishers, for allowing me to review this very good book. The authors did a great job of showing the reader the whys and hows of the futile breakout. The book is filled with photographs of the people and places from the time. The only thing that I could wish for is more maps.

Robert Peterson

Book: The Breakthrough of Kampfgruppe Peiper in the Battle of the Bulge

Authors: Hugues Wenkin and Christian Dujardin

Publisher: Pen & Sword

Distributor: Casemate Publishers

 Balkan Fury

by

TKC Games

 The whole problem of the Balkans for the Axis powers in World War II can be laid at Il Duce's door. Mussolini was upset about Germany taking all the glory with their rapid march of conquest through Europe. So, he decided that he would attack Greece from Albania that Italy had conquered earlier. Hitler had expressly told Mussolini in at least one of their conferences to not stir up trouble in the Balkans. Not that he was afraid of the armed forces of those small countries. No, he was afraid of English intervention in Greece, as had happened in World War I, and the possibility of the English bombing the Romanian oil fields. Germany had no real oil fields and even before the war was trying to make as much synthetic oil as possible from the coal that they had in abundance. Besides a few oil fields in Hungary, the Romanian oil fields were all there were in Europe with the exception of the Soviet Union, from which Germany was getting oil due to the 1939 Non-Aggression pact with the Soviet Union. The Italian army was fine in 1936 when it helped put Franco on his pseudo throne. By 1940 however, the Italian Army was already far behind the other major European powers. So, Il Duce botched the Greek invasion which, cue the I told you so, led to British intervention in Greece. Yugoslavia also had a coup that put them firmly on the side of the Western Allies. Germany had to bail out Italy in Greece and on the way through decided to try and conquer Yugoslavia. This led to a continual fight against Yugoslavian, Greek, and other nationals rising up and becoming almost as large a problem as Napoleon had with his Spanish Ulcer. Many historians have written that the Balkan episode delayed Operation Barbarossa long enough to make certain that Germany did not win in the Soviet Union in 1941. Il Duce stumbled from one failed attempt to recreate the Roman Empire to another. Germany had to bail him out in North Africa and after he was deposed captured him from his own people and set him up almost in a sort of Manchukuo in northern Italy. It is possible that the entire Italian Balkan adventure was the reason that Il Duce ended up hanging upside down at a gas station. This game, Balkan Fury 2 gives you the chance to invade Albania, Greece, Yugoslavia and to also try your hand at Operation Mercury in the island of Crete or to defend against those same invasions. 

 This is what TKC Games has to say about the game:

"BALKAN FURY 2 is the eagerly anticipated revision and expansion of the second game in the TSWW series. Balkan Fury is an exceptionally fun game to play… and now includes an much extended timeline, partisans, partisans and more partisans… plus of course all the original elements of our top selling game!  In the revised edition the game rules, order of battle booklets, and at start booklets are perfect or stitch bound (depending on booklet size), whilst the charts are printed on the high quality card stock so beloved of owners of Day of Infamy, Barbarossa, and Singapore!  Of course, we still provide you with 2 D10 dice (we can delete them on request if you have enough dice to start a shop already) and the usual TSWW refinements ranging from “what if” forces to a game system that gives historical results if you play using historical decisions.

Balkan Fury is the all-encompassing operational game covering the campaigns in Albania (39), Greece (40 and 41), Yugoslavia (1941), the Balkan partisan wars (1941-43) and the Aegean. The game mates with Barbarossa, Blitzkrieg and Mare Nostrum seamlessly to provide coverage of the War in the West from 1939-43…"

Balkan Fury includes:

MAPS

2 TSWW Standard size maps (each about 18″ x 26″) covering the Balkans. On map area includes Albania, Greece, Yugoslavia, plus parts of Italy, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey. Maps are to our latest graphic standards and are updated to include the very latest information..

COUNTERS

2800 counters on 11 countersheets with the forces that fought in the Balkans, representing Albanian, Croat, Serbian, Yugoslav, Yugoslav Communist, Slovenian, Bosnian, Macedonian, Montenegran, Italian, Greek, Bulgarian, German, British and Hungarian forces, with 2 in game modules at a 5 day rather than a half month scale to permit a super detailed approach to operations in Albania (1939) and Crete (1941) to be shown.

ORDERS OF BATTLE

The OBs are dramatically expanded with 20 plus modules and scenarios provided to help players learn the game system, ease into the fury of combat in the Balkans and finally master the Grand Campaign overall.  Highlights include various small learning modules, the Italo-Greek War, the planned but never attempted Italian invasion of Yugoslavia, Operation Marita, the German invasion of the Balkans, Operation Merkur, the catastrophic assault on Crete by the Luftwaffe’s crack paratroops, Balkan Fury – the over arching grand campaign, and much, much more.

RULES AND CHARTS

Fully updated to include the very latest TSWW rules and Chart elements, like the rest of Balkan Fury 2, they include all known FAQ and Errata elements from the first release of the product, and build upon the success of the original game.

2 D10 DICE!

 

 If you own a TKC (The Knowledge Company) game, congratulations! You have in your possession one of the finest simulations of World War II in your hot little hands. If you do not, wherefore Romeo or Juliet are you not possessed of one? They have a large number of simulations about World War II in their TSWW (The Second World War) lineup. These are going to be joined soon by a good number of them from their upcoming TFWW (The First Worls War) series. I am waiting with foetid breath the release of these new games. I will have a link at the bottom to the other review I did of TKC's Barbarossa.

 So, the first thing you need to know is that the boxes that their games come in are large and weighty. This one is a bit lighter than usual because of only having two maps. This is instead of the usual amount that needs an auditorium to set them out. 

 The maps remind me of the old Europa maps. These would be them if they were updated to 21st century standards. I am a big fan of the TSWW maps. The rules for the terrain mean that you do not have to argue about what terrain is actually present in each hex. This is a direct quote from John Bannerman, the designer and publisher, about the maps:

"Our maps are UV coated (which does reduce fading a bit) and then single side matte laminated with a plastic finish.  This should (and does) make them all but impossible to tear or crack.  It also means you can spill a drink without major issues if you mop it up quickly."

 Next up, we come to the smorgasbord, or plethora, of Player Aids. There are 18 double-sided (36!) of them that are made from card stock and are in color. These are 11.5" x 8+" in size. There are two more that are double that size and folded to give you eight more Player Aids. That means that the total number of Player Aids is a whopping 44!

 We will now take a look at the counters. There are certainly enough of them to give you Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in whatever hand you use scissors in. The blurb from TKC says that there are 2800 of them and I will just take their word. I know it is enough to make Guns of August pale in comparison. These 2800 counters are just for the campaigns in this small area of Europe. I cannot imagine the lengths that Mr. Bannerman went to, to create these Orders of Battle. The counters themselves are .5" in size. They are on the thin side. However, unless you also wanted to pay for a pack mule to help deliver the game they really have to be. There is a lot of information on them. The size of the information has to be somewhat small, (see above), but unless your myopia and age has gotten that bad, they are readable. The counters use the usual color-coded system for each country and different colored troop/naval counters within that country.

 There are four Manuals or booklets that come with the game. One of them is about the size that you would expect to find in a game box. The other three resemble yearly reports for Project Blue Book in size. Together they are about the size of a small city's phone book. They are printed in a no-nonsense way. They are totally in black and white. There are no examples of play or anything like that. Anything that is needed to be in color for the player is taken care of in the Player Aids. The printing uses the whole page, instead of the two columns we are used to in game rulebooks. The type is on the small side. Again, if it were larger the game would need to come with a back brace. 

The rules Manual, with index, is 142 pages long.

The Axis Order of Battle is 80 pages long.

The 'At Starts' for each scenario is 97 pages long

The smallest is the Allied Order of Battle at 22 pages long.

 The Order of Battle manuals also have a large amount of what ifs information for the players. This includes refitting of ships to the collapse of the entire Italian Army in Albania and everything in between.

 This is not a Euro wargame by any stretch of the imagination. It will not win on a catwalk exhibition of wargames for which is prettier. It is, however, among the penultimate hex wargames of 2025. This is a late 1970s wargame on steroids and using all of what the 21st century manufacturing can muster. Is it a pig with lipstick? Not by any means. It is a tour de force of substance over style.  

 Why do we play these monsters, even ones that are as manageable as this one? That I suppose is the question that has been asked since 1970 or so. There are computer games that can help with the minutiae. However, you lose the comradery and joy of being with and playing with other gamers. I know learning games is much easier with others to help. I still cannot help but think what a caveman from 50,000 BC would think of our wargames. I know, it is a strange thing to think about. In some ways I know that wargames help us to fight off the ravages of father time on our minds. Why exactly are we or have we chosen to be grognards? But I digress, just forget the above and put it down to a fevered dream.

 The one major thing about the campaign is that Britain is in the unusual situation, in this campaign, where their naval assets are in serious danger. Historically the Italian Fleet was not much of a player in the Mediterranean Campaign. Mostly, this was because of orders from on high. Mussolini was just as reticent as Kaiser Wilhelm to risk his big, beautiful ships. The cramped area of the Aegean made for easy hunting of British ships for both the Italian and German air assets. So, while we usually think of the invasion of Crete as a German fiasco it could have easily turned into a British one. When playing as the Italians you do have older tanks and airplanes than the Allies. However, your troops, especially with German help, can still be capably led. Just because the Italians did everything wrong during these campaigns does not mean you have to. 

 Balkan Fury II is a labor of love, just as much as anything that an artist can create. Mr. Bannerman has chosen to take us back to a time in history where momentous decisions were made on a daily if not hourly basis. The main thing from our point of view is that Balkan Fury II, and all of the TSWW 'games', works as a simulation of that period in time. Is this game time consuming to setup and learn? You betcha. Is it fun and stimulating for our historically bent minds? Of course. This game was made for players who love minutiae and well written rules that allow us to see a glimmer of what the actual commanders saw. If we wanted to play an excellent game, we would play chess. If we wanted to just waste some time, we could play Candyland (unless we were playing with special youngster). No, we have drawn the line in the sand, and we want to setup those 2800 counters and place them on a map of 1940 Europe and let the iron dice roll. 

 This game expects a lot of the players. In return it also gives back a ton. Just from a purely historical point of view, to see exactly how each army is setup for each scenario is a revelation. Military history books in the main are usually bereft of maps or have maps that resemble a child drawing something in the sand. Wargames fill in a lot of the empty spaces that books a lot of times leave out.

 Thank you TKC for allowing me to review this in-depth simulation of World War II in southern Europe. If you have not yet, do yourself a favor and look at the other games that TKC has in its stable. If you are intrigued by this game, they have even larger ones to get lost in.

Robert Peterson

TKC Games

Balkan Fury

My review of TKC's Barbarossa:

Barbarossa by The Knowledge Company - A Wargamers Needful Things