A Wargamers Needful Things: World War II

Showing posts with label World War II. Show all posts

Ju 87 Stuka Ace

Lock 'N Load Publishing

The JU 87 Stuka, short for Sturzkampfflugzeug, was the German Luftwaffe's dive bomber from the Spanish Civil War until the end of World War II. The German World War I ace Ernst Udet was an early proponent of the dive bomber concept. He was very impressed by the American Curtiss BFC-1 Hawk and its steep diving capabilities. He brought back two of them to Germany for testing. The JU 87 first flew in 1935. From then on it was an integral part of the German Lightning War concept. The JU 87 was also equipped with two small propellers, one on each landing gear, that made a banshee like scream in a dive. The German name was Lärmgerät but they are generally known as Jericho Trumpets, a Biblical reference to the 'Horns of Jericho'. If you watch any documentaries about World War II their scream will inevitably be heard in the soundtrack. Through the Polish and Western European campaigns, the JU 87 was a symbol of terror, and the Jericho Trumpets had Allied soldiers keeping their heads down even if the Stukas had already dropped their bombs. Their slow speed and small amount of defensive armament made them sitting ducks during the Battle of Britain. They were pulled from those air battles rather early because of losses. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22nd, 1941, the Stukas were once again in the forefront of the campaign. This game from Lock 'N Load Publishing is the latest in a spate of games dealing with this iconic German plane. Let us see what this game has to distinguish it from the competition.

The Game's Counters

This is what Lock 'N Load Publishing has to say about the game:

"Ju 87 Stuka Ace is a solitaire tactical air combat game by Lock 'n Load Publishing that places you in the cockpit of the infamous Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, one of World War II’s most feared dive bombers. As a Luftwaffe pilot, you’ll embark on historically accurate missions spanning multiple theaters of the war—from the blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and France to the ferocious battles of the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean.

But the war isn’t just about history—Ju 87 Stuka Ace also lets you explore "What If?" scenarios, putting the Stuka in alternate wartime operations, from early missions in China to hypothetical carrier operations aboard the Graf Zeppelin. Will you rise to become an ace or fall victim to the dangers of aerial warfare?

Engage in historical and alternate history missions, including:

Close Air Support – Strike enemy forces before they can counterattack.

Anti-Shipping Raids – Sink enemy warships and supply convoys while dodging AA fire.

Strategic Bombing Runs – Destroy critical infrastructure, bridges, and fortifications.

Interdiction Missions – Disrupt enemy supply lines and armored advances.

NEW: The Stuka in China (What If?) – Explore an alternate history scenario where Germany supplies Stukas to the Japanese forces against the Chinese Nationalists in 1937.

NEW: German Carrier Operations on the Graf Zeppelin (What If?) – Fly missions as part of the never-completed German aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, where Stukas are adapted for naval operations against the British Royal Navy and Soviet forces.

Each mission presents unique challenges, targets, and enemy defenses, ensuring high replayability."

This is what comes with the game:

1 x Counter Sheet (100 counters)

1 x Spiral Bound Game Manual (86 Pages)

1 x Spiral Bound Theater Book (44 Pages)

1 x Single Sided 11 x 17 Pilot Org Play Card

9 x Double Sided 8.5 x 11 Aircraft Reference Cards

4 x Double Sided 8.5 x 11 Player Aid Cards

1 x Single Sided 8.5 x 11 Player Aid Card

2 x Pilot Campaign Log 8.5 x 11

2 x Double Sided 8.5 x 5.5 Pilot Player Cards

1 x Plastic Insert

2 x Career Cards (Tarot Size)

28 x Action Cards (Poker Size)

11 x Altitude Cards (Poker Size)

49 x Flight Cards (Poker Size)

10 x Objective Cards (Poker Size)

31 x Target Cards (Poker Size)

3 x Munition Cards (Poker Size)

36 x Special Flight Cards (Poker Size)

9 x Bonus Ace Cards (Tarot Size)

1 x 3" Deep Heavy Duty Box

As you can see you get to fly all of the different versions of the JU 87

Right from the start you should know that I am blown away by the entire ensemble of game pieces in JU 87 Stuka Ace. Actually, I should rephrase that, I am blown away by all of the games that Lock 'N Load sent me this year. Their design, art and manufacturing are really second to none.

The Neoprene Mat is a great example of the game's blend of art and function. It is great to look at but is also not large at all, and still it contains almost all of what you would need to play. Next, we will look at the Player Aids. If I counted correctly, there are 15 of them that are 8.5" X 11". Out of these, 13 of them are double-sided, and two are single-sided. These come in full color and are made of card stock. Nine of these that are double-sided are different variants of the JU 87 that you can fly! The next 8.5" X 11" card is double-sided with one side having the Pilot Campaign Log and the other having the Mission Report. Then there are two half page cards that are Pilot Player Cards. These show your rise in rank, if you become lucky and good enough at the game.

The Manual and Theaters books are both spiral bound, as all of the Lock 'N Load Rulebooks have been for a while. The Manual is 83 pages long. It is printed in enormous type size and is in full color with many pages of examples of play and pictures of the game's components. The Theaters book comes in at 41 pages. This goes from Spain/China in 1938 until the Soviet Union/Italy in 1944. Once again, the type size is the same ginormous one from the Manual. I believe you might be able to read some of it from 10' away.

The game's different decks are amazingly well done. Their size alone is something to write home about. The 'smaller' ones are the size of normal Poker Cards. Then they have some that are described as 'Tarot' sized Cards. I think that is the first in any description of a wargame that I have seen. If I had a Tarot deck handy, I would compare the two. However, I will take their word for it. The pictures that decorate the different cards remind me of watching The World at War with my parents when I was a child. All of the information on the cards is completely legible and large enough to read easily.

The game also comes with two very nicely done bookmarks. One is just about the game and Lock 'N Load Publishing in general. The other is sort of a public service announcement with some important phone numbers on one side (Depression or Suicide hotline etc.). The other has some quotes from the Bible. If you have no interest in that side, the hotline numbers are still good to have around.

All of the game materials, including the box, scream "look at me!" when you get the game into your hot little hands. The meticulous care that was taken from the packaging down to the smallest detail in the counters tells you that this is something special.

You can play a campaign game where you rise in rank and awards

The JU 87 variants you can fly are as follows:

JU 87 A-1 Anton (you can also fly it in Spain and China)

JU 87 B-1 Berta

JU 87 B-2 Berta

JU 87 B-2 Trop (Tropical for the Mediterranean areas)

JU 87 C-1 Caesar

JU 87 D-1 Dora

JU 87 D-3 Dora

JU 87 D-5 Dora

JU 87 D-5N

JU 87 R-1 Richard

JU 87 R-2 Richard

JU 87 G-1 Gustav armed with the two 37mm cannon

JU 87 G-2 Gustav armed with two 37mm cannon

The game is for solitaire play only. However, in this hectic world we now find ourselves in this is not a minus point for the game. Gaming clubs and even gaming nights are getting few and far between for most people. So, these solitaire games and especially excellent ones like this definitely have their place. The only thing some of you may miss is the ongoing battle with 'Joe' over the rules. Fill in whatever name you like all clubs had one.

The size of the rulebook may seem daunting but remember that it is done in very large type and has many full-page illustrations of play. At its heart, the game is not hard at all to learn. Your choices, which are myriad, and some luck are the cornerstone of its gameplay. One of your most important choices is how low do you dive before dropping your bomb/s. The lower you go the more accurate you are, but it also means that you will be that much longer in a straight unswerving flight path. Of course, that choice only appears if you have made it through enemy fighter and flak to make it to your target.

The game is easy to learn and relatively quick to play, especially if you are just doing a mission or two. It also does not take up a lot of space so that you can play it on the dining room table. The setup and breakdown time is also short so you should not get too many side eye glances from your significant other. Much like the Romance Languages things in the kitchen and dining room are usually in the female's zone of control. You will be happily bombing some target or parachuting to avoid the flames in no time flat.

The game also gives you some what if scenarios. These are interesting to me in games only if they are plausible. One what if in this game has you flying off the German carrier Graf Zeppelin. The ship was pretty completed before the war placed it on hold. So, that is entirely plausible. The other what if has the Germans selling some JU 87s to Japan and they use them against the nationalist Chinese. This too is in the realm of possibility, so I have no problem with it.

One of the biggest reasons I have for really enjoying the game is the fact that you get to fly all of the different variants of the JU 87. This means that you get to try your hand at the tank killer G1 series (Panzerknacker) or properly known as the Kanonenvogel. These JU 87s had two 3.7cm large cannon pods underneath each wing. The G series planes were also up armored (much like the Soviet Union's IL 2 and the German ground attack plane the HS 129) to help the plane and crew survive their low-level attacks. The German pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel made the G series famous. However, to be fair, his attack on the Soviet Union's battleship Marat and its sinking had already made him famous and the early war years had made the JU 87, and its sirens, one of the most recognizable planes from World War II.

The gameplay overview is this:

Mission Setup

1. Prepare Flight Deck

2. Prepare Objective Mini-Deck

3. Setup Player Sheet

4. Setup Aircraft Sheet

* Select Payload

5. Prepare Action Deck

* Take Initial Hand

Mission Overview

1. Take Off

2. Approach

3. Target

* Attack (Bomb, Strafe, or Gun)

4. Return to Base

5. Refuel

Thank you, Lock 'N Load Publishing for sending me this wonderful, stupendous, action filled, just trying to stay away from the word excellent, game to review. Happily for me, and hopefully for you, their care package to me had to be dropped off with a truss. I will soon be reviewing these games:

Point Blank Winter Victory

Glory and Empire First Victories Wellington Versus Napoleon

Close Quarter Battles Waterloo

Blood and Fury World War 85 - This last one I will need some help from one of my sons to carry it to the table.

Robert Peterson

Lock 'N Load Publishing

Ju 87 Stuka Ace

This is a link to their new AI assisted manuals/rulebooks

Ju 87 Stuka Ace Manual Rev39-AI

France '40

GMT Games

Mark Simonitch

The 1940 French Campaign cannot be discussed without mentioning one individual, and that is Erich von Manstein. The idea for the 'sickle cut' came from his rather fertile brain. To go back a bit, you have to understand what the pundits, generals, and leaders had in their minds at the time. The French Army was the largest army in Europe. Who actually won World War One has been debatable down to this day. However, the French Army was absolutely one of the main reasons that the Germans finally lost. In 1940, all of the smart money was on the Allies. It is true that Germany had defeated Poland in a very short time. There were some mitigating factors about that victory, the largest being the stab in the back by the invasion of the Red Army. So, to a betting man, the size of the French Army and its strength was considered to be the largest factor in the coming campaign for Western Europe. The fact that there was also a British Expeditionary force added into the mix didn't help with the odds either. The bristling fortresses of the Maginot line also added to the thought that Germany had bitten off more than they could chew. The funny thing about the campaign is that both sides could not get the 1914 campaign out of their heads. The Allies based all of their plans on the Germans trying a repeat performance. Meanwhile, the Germans could not think of anything better to try than the same right hook toward Paris. The fact that most of the German High Command was absolutely in love with trying the same thing over again is a bit more than puzzling. More than a few of them fought tooth and nail for a repeat performance. Then along comes von Manstein with the audacity to suggest that maybe, going by how 1914 turned out, they should try something else. Was the furor on the German side just jealousy over the fact that none of them thought of it first, or our ideas that the German Great General Staff was filled with brilliant generals totally off the mark? Strangely the arguments on the German side continued until they inadvertently flew over the Allied lines and gave them the rehashed Schlieffen plan. At that moment Manstein's sickle cut became the idea for the campaign pretty much by accident. With this game we get to see why France fell in such a short time and all of the bookies went broke. It actually has two games included, so we also get to play out Operation Dynamo and see if the British, and some of their Allies, can escape the collapse of France. The box also has a nice picture of a French Char B1 tank on the cover.

This is what Mr. Simonitch says about the game:

"France '40 contains two separate games: Sickle Cut and Dynamo. Both games use the same rules and share many game pieces, but each has a separate full size map.

Sickle Cut: Guderian's Drive to the Channel

This game covers the crucial week in May 1940 when the German army broke the French line on the Meuse and raced to the sea at Abbeville. The game starts on May 13th, the third day of Case Yellow. Six panzer divisions have passed through the Ardennes and are now at the Meuse River. The French and British have raced through Belgium to reach the Dyle Line and cover the Gembloux Gap. The stage is set. Can the Germans cross the Meuse in front of strong opposition? And, if they can, will they be able to break out from the bridgeheads and advance across the map while threatened by Allied reinforcements pouring in from the north and south?

Dynamo: Retreat to Victory

This game covers the British withdrawal to Dunkirk and the evacuation. The game starts on May 24th, the day the British decide that the B.E.F. is in real danger of being cut-off from their supply base and the best option is to head for the coast at Dunkirk. However, many of the German panzer divisions are closer to Dunkirk than the British. Can the British reach the coast before the Germans? Can they hold the Dunkirk perimeter for eight days while they evacuate?

The rules for both games highlight armor, air support, and morale. Special rules include: Allied Heavy Tanks, DeGaulle, Rommel, Hitler's Halt Order, and French Command Paralysis.

2ND EDITION

France ’40 2nd Edition is a major upgrade to the original game. The rules for Extended Movement, Combat, Advance After Combat, Breakthrough Combat, and Determined Defense have been updated so they are more in line with the recent games in the 19XX series (such as Stalingrad ’42 and Salerno ’43). A new scenario has been included designed by Mark Merritt that combines both maps.

In addition, many new units have been added and some old units modified to provide a more accurate order of battle for both Sickle Cut and Dynamo. A few minor cities, some roads, and a fortified hex were added to the Dynamo map.

And most importantly, both scenarios have been sent through the playtest cycle again to make sure they are better balanced than they were in the first edition.

This game has long been one of my favorites due to the exciting situation and short playing time. I’m really pleased with this 2nd Edition and excited about the new features it has."

The Sickle Cut Map

This is what comes with the game:

Two Paper Maps

Two Countersheets

24 Page Rulebook

16 Page Playbook

Two Identical Player Aid Cards

Two Setup Cards

Two 6-sided Dice

You can also buy a mounted map for the game. The only issue that might crop up is that the new version of the game has a two-map scenario. Naturally, the mounted map has only Dynamo one one-side and Sickle Cut on the other.

The back of the box has the solitaire suitability and complexity both listed as a five. GMT Games states that playing time should be between four to six hours.

Dynamo Map

We will now take a look at the game's components. The Rulebook is 24 pages in length. It is in full color and also has many examples of play for the player to learn the rules. The type is nice and large for us old grognards. The Playbook is 16 pages in length and is produced in the same way as the Rulebook. You get some extended examples of play along with the 1st and 2nd Edition Notes. For the history lover, there are six pages of authentic situation maps of the campaign. Then you get the rules and setup to play the two games into one combined game. There are two card stock full-sized unit at start and reinforcement cards. On one side are the units for Sickle Cut and the other side for Dynamo. One is for the German player and the other for the Allied player. There are two card stock four-page fold out players aids. These have everything needed for play ie. the CRT, Sequence of Play, Terrain Chart etc. The type size on these is also quite large. There are two full countersheets. The counters are 9/16" in size and are very easy to read, and their larger than 1/2" size makes them easier for your fingers to manipulate them. They come with the standard 'NATO' markings except for the armored units which have a small picture of tanks from the unit on them. Both maps are very well done and are not just paper but have a laminate coating on them. The terrain is easy to see and there should be no quibbling about what terrain is in each hex.

The game components are fully up to GMT Games standard of excellence.

Counter Sample

The two games are part of the Simonitch 1940s wargames, which include:

Ardennes '44

Holland '44

Normandy '44

North Africa '41

Salerno '43

Stalingrad '42

Ukraine '43

These two games are in GMT Games P500 system:

Italy '43

North Africa '40

This is the Sequence of Play:

"A. GERMAN PLAYER TURN

France ’40 Player Aid Card 2nd Edition

EXPANDED SEQUENCE OF PLAY

B. ALLIED PLAYER TURN

1. German Initial Phase

• The German player flips all Air units from their Used side to their

Ready side.

• The German player places his Reinforcements in their Entry Hexes.

Dynamo scenario only:

• Starting on Turn 6 the German player must withdraw the units

listed on the Dynamo Turn Record Track.

• Each Panzer division under a Halt! marker and currently in

supply receive one replacement step (22.3).

2. German Movement Phase (7.0)

During this phase the German player may conduct any of the activities below in any order:

• Move some, none, or all his units.

• Conduct Auto-DS combat against any defending hex where at

least 10-1 odds are obtained. Indicate the units that participate in

that attack with Auto DS markers (7.7). Advance After Combat

for these units is conducted at the end of the Combat Phase.

• The German Player may place disrupted units in full retreat

(13.1.3).

3. German Combat Phase (8.0 - 15.0)

A. The German Player may attack adjacent enemy units or conduct

Disengagement Attempts (20.3) in any order. As each attack is

resolved apply the step losses, conduct the Retreat, the Determined

Defense, and the Advance After Combat before moving to the

next combat.

B. After all combats are completed, advance all units with Auto DS

Markers (7.7).

4. German Recovery Phase (13.4)

All German units that are Disrupted may recover one level—those

that are Disrupted have the marker removed, and those that are in

Full Retreat have their marker flipped to the Disrupted side. Units

adjacent to enemy units must roll for Recovery (13.4.2).

5. German Supply Phase

A. Check the supply status of all German units (18.0).

B. Roll for Attrition (18.5) of all German units that are:

• marked with a red Out of Supply marker (including those just

marked), and

• adjacent to an enemy unit.

6. GQG Phase —Sickle Cut scenario only

Any GQG markers scheduled to be removed are removed at this

time (21.2.6). The German player places the remaining GQG

markers currently in the GQG Marker Holding Box on Allied

stacks containing at least one French unit. He then rolls two dice

and removes the GQG markers with those numbers (21.2.4).

1. Allied Initial Phase (depends on the scenario)

Sickle Cut scenario only:

• The Allied player flips all non-Disrupted HQs that can trace a

Line of Supply to a W, S, SE or E Entry Hex from their Used

side to their Ready side (17.2.1).

• The Allied player draws a number of units from his Reinforcement Draw Cup and places them on a friendly controlled Entry Hex.

Dynamo scenario only:

• The Allied player flips all RAF units to their Ready side (22.6).

• Check to see if Belgium surrenders (22.4.1). Belgium automatically surrenders in the Allied Initial Phase of Turn 5.

• If Turn 4 or later, the Allied player may evacuate units from

Dunkirk (22.5).

2. Allied Movement Phase

Identical to the German Combat Phase except switch the term

German with Allied. In addition:

• Sickle Cut scenario only: The Allied player may use Rail

Movement (7.6), and may complete the Dyle Line IP’s if still

occupied at the end of the Movement Phase of Turn 1.

3. Allied Combat Phase

4. Allied Recovery Phase

Both phases identical to the German Combat and Recovery Phases

except switch the term German with Allied.

5. Allied Supply Phase

Identical to the German Combat Phase except switch the term

German with Allied. In addition:

• Allied HQs do not roll for Attrition. They are eliminated if they

cannot trace a Line of Supply to a friendly Combat unit.

• Do not roll for Attrition of Fort Units until all friendly Combat

units stacked with or adjacent to the fort are eliminated.

• Sickle Cut scenario only: On or after Turn 5 the Allied player

may use the Hitler’s Halt Order rule (21.3) to slow German

mechanized units.

• Dynamo scenario only: In the Allied Supply Phase of Turns 1

and 2 the Allied player takes any Halt markers in the holding

display (always either one or two) and places them on a German

panzer division and then rolls two dice to remove up to two

Halt markers.

C. END PHASE

Record the completion of a Game Turn by advancing the Game

Turn marker one box and proceed to the next turn."

I have to confess that I am a fan of the 1940s game system and have played all of the above released games from it and enjoyed playing them all. So, my expectations for France '40 were probably higher than normal. They seem to have the perfect mix of playability and be historically correct at the same time.

There are numerous rule changes in this second edition compared to the 1st. The components have also changed a bit. Here is that list:

1.11 new units included, plus many units had their values changed.

2. New CRT

3. A few roads were added to both maps.

4. Determined Defense Table changed significantly.

5. Disengagement Table changed.

Mr. Simonitch states that he tried to fix the play balance in Sickle Cut because it was too difficult for the German Player. I find this interesting because I have seen people posting that it is now too hard for the German player. Two things come to my mind. The first is that you cannot make everyone happy. The second is that hopefully you will not be playing against a French opponent who is as abysmal as the French Command was in 1940. After all, the Allies had more men and tanks (although spread out and poorly used) and it should have taken the Germans much longer than it did.

One of the most interesting rules of the series is the one that deals with 'Determined Defense'. Usually in games, you roll the die and crosscheck the number rolled in the CRT on the appropriate odds ratio column and voila, you follow the instructions under that column piece. Not necessarily in this game. The defending player may choose to use a 'Determined Defense' against the attackers. As the rules state "A Determined Defense represents a hold-at-all-cost order or an immediate counterattack". You do have to first deal with any step losses from the CRT roll before the defender can make use of this rule. Then one of the defending units must be a 'Lead Unit' (see rule 11.2 in the link to the online rulebook below). You then would roll and look at the 'Determined Defense Table' to see if and what applies to this action.

This game itself has some rules that add some historical reality and flavor to the game. The first are the 'GQG' (Grand Quartier General) markers. There are six of these markers that the German player can use in the beginning of the game. This number drops due to die rolls and what turn it is in the game. These are placed on different French stacks be the German player. The GQG markers are effectively army fetters that hogtie those French units affected by them. This is to show the incredible confusion in the French High Command at the beginning of the 1940 campaign. The Allied player gets to use the 'von Rundstedt Halt Order' once on or after the fifth game turn. This is to replicate the Germans' actual halt order during the campaign. They had become almost frightened by their own success and were afraid that all of the Panzers would be cut off by an Allied counterattack. Both of the above rules are used in the Sickle Cut and Combined scenarios.

Some of the Newer Units

The scenarios each last this long:

Sickle Cut: 10 Turns

Dynamo: 12 Turns

Combined Scenario: 23 turns

As I said, I have been a fan of the game series since the start of it. So, it comes as no great shock that I am more than pleased with this game's new refined issue. You can, as the German player, recreate history, which is as it should be. Conversely, you can use your French forces to dull and even stop the Sickle Cut Plan from working. The game has the best of both worlds as far as size is concerned. You can have the normal size game that does not take up a lot of space and yet still be a good game. If you have the room, you can also play the combined scenario with both games - sort of a mini monster. If you are looking for both great gameplay and historical gaming, France '40 delivers on both accounts. Thank you, GMT Games, for letting me review the newest in the 1940s series.

Robert Peterson

GMT Games

France '40 Rulebook

France '40

Old School Tactical Volume 4: Italian Theater 1943-45

A Mark H. Walker Game

Flying Pig Games

Churchill's 'Soft Underbelly of Europe' did not seem so soft or easy as Churchill had in mind. The Allies had knocked Italy out of the war with the invasion of the Italian mainland at Salerno. Unfortunately, they forgot to tell the Germans to take their ball and go home. 'Smiling Al' Kesselring was going to make the Allies pay for every inch of Italian soil that they took. The mountains and rivers of Italy were the perfect natural barriers for the Germans to use to make the Allied offensive a slow grinding process. Even after Rome had fallen, Germans did not give up and were still a thorn in the Allied side until the end of the war.

This is what comes with the game:

3 sheets of unit, weapon, vehicle, and condition counters

A large (We are talking HUGE!) 30" x 41" mounted game map, hexes are 1"

27 luck cards, such as Tank Killer, No More, and Veteran Skills

40+ unit data cards

Full-color Playbook with 14 scenarios, including SAS Raiders- British SAS commandos search for the Italian howitzers to protect the landings in Sicily and Fallen Allies- with the capitulation of the Italian state, the Germans moved quickly to seize power. Some Italian units did not go peacefully.

2 x player aid cards

Color rule book

Dice

Massive box

The Soaring Swine have, and rightly so, a reputation for beautiful and huge, not just large, wargames. The components that come inside this extremely large box are completely up to that reputation.

The very well-done map shows both the pastoral and rugged terrain that the Allies and Axis soldiers fought over. It does not show the really rugged terrain of the Battle of Monte Cassino. This is shown in the OST Volume 4 expansion 'For the Empire' (that also includes the Commonwealth forces that fought in Italy). As usual, the hexes are large and show exactly what terrain is in each one. You get a Rulebook that is magazine type in style and is 25 pages long and also has an index. You also get an 18-page Playbook in the same style as the Rulebook. Both are in full color and the Rulebook is studded with examples of play etc. The players each get their own aid card with all of the terrain, CRTs, and pretty much everything else you need to play. The counters, along with everything else, are made to the same high standard that we have come to expect from Flying Pig Games. Next up, we have three countersheets. Two are for the units and one for gameplay. The infantry counters are 3/4" large and the armor etc. are 7/8". Then we have a deck of unit data cards, and another deck marked 'luck'.

The scenarios included run the gamut from the fighting in Sicily to the landing at Anzio near Rome. I was very happy to see that they included one of the more successful Italian pieces of armor: the Semovente. This was roughly the Italian equivalent of an assault gun/tank destroyer. It was probably smaller than the Hetzer, but it gave a good account of itself in battle.

Thank You, Flying Pig Games, for allowing me to review another of your games in the Old School Tactical Series. The original game was about the fighting in Western Europe. They followed it up with Volume 2 taking place on the Eastern Front and Volume 3 in the Pacific. They also have an equally wonderful series called 'Black Swan' that was designed by the master Hermann Luttmann. This includes his magnum opus A Most Fearful Sacrifice. This has been joined by a game on the almost historical Pipe Creek campaign. The next massive beauty in the series is coming up and is called The Rock of Chickamauga.

I will have at least one more follow up piece on the actual gameplay of OST Volume 4.

Robert Peterson

Old School Tactical Volume 4: Italian Theater 1943-45

Flying Pig Games

My Review of Old School Tactical Volume I

My Review of Old School Tactical Volume II

Blitz in the East

The Russian Campaign 1941-45

VentoNuovo Games

The campaign in Russia was started on June 22nd, 1941. Amazingly it was not expected at all by the majority of the Russian High Command, (which really means Stalin and a lot of yes men. Most of the others were removed from this earth during the purge). The actual backwardness of the Soviet Union, as far as a good road network, is what really saved them. The strain on German supply and the actual breakdown of all types of motorized vehicles was something they had not planned on at all. In fact, Hitler had actually decreased the number of tanks being manufactured before the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. Still, the Soviets in 1941 suffered horrific loses in numerous kesselschlachts (encirclements) throughout the area of the European Soviet Union. The soldiers of the Soviet Union defeated the original onslaught because of their ability to be just like the moles in whack-a-mole. For every Soviet troop concentration that the Germans captured or destroyed at least one, and sometimes two, popped up again. The campaign went from the Germans almost taking Moscow in 1941 to the Soviets taking Berlin in 1945. One can make the argument that the Lend-Lease program was responsible for as good portion of their victory. However, their losses throughout the war show that they were determined to find victory no matter the human cost.

So, VentoNuovo Games has decided to enter the fray again by releasing another game about the Russian Front. This one is slightly different then their last one. Their newest release is on the small physical scale compared to most Russian Front games. This is what VentoNuovo Games has to say about it:

"VNG developers have created a brand-new engine for this game that is both easy to learn and hard to master. The base rules are minimal in length with many designer notes, examples, and beautiful graphics. Several optional rules and the Scorched Earth Expansion also add more historical flavor and complexity for more seasoned wargamers. The game engine is the strength of BLITZ IN THE EAST, as it is new, easy, and incorporates all of the historical campaign’s main themes. You will not have the feeling of playing "another" Russian front game." says designer Emanuele Santandrea. The base game, with clearly defined concepts, minimal rules length, and numerous examples, allows novice wargamers to quickly learn and play.

The map is the ultimate creation of our design team. Emphasizing every detail, it depicts the area of operations at 1200dpi instead of the standard 300dpi. This allows for zooming into details without disrupting the graphics.

The 65 counters represent the Armies/Fronts involved in the campaign and are 2.5mm thick, 18x18mm wide, and pre-rounded.

There are also more than 100 game markers to assist game play.

Each turn is two months. The game offers several scenarios and a campaign to relive the struggle from June 1941 till December 1945 (or earlier).

For proficient players, each turn takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. So, a scenario can be played in an afternoon. For campaign play, assume an afternoon and evening is required to complete.

German panzers are really powerful and can punch a hole in the line. But it is infantry that holds the line. Germany cannot win this war without help from her allies. "We are a small company and dedicate attention to Minor Countries." says Emanuele Santandrea."

The very stylish colorful map

As you can see by the pictures this is a very handsome wargame, as are all VentoNuovo Games, that is in the newer Eurogame format. This has much more glitz than most of us grognards are used to.

The map has very large hexes and shows the area of Europe from roughly Berlin to the Urals. It also shows the Balkan nations of the forties. The counters are a sight to behold and come prerounded. There is only one countersheet due to their size and the scope of the game. The Soviets have 30 units and the Germans and their allies have 25. The map and counter information and writing is nice and large for these old eyes. There are two Player Aids that are on hard cardstock. Everything that is needed for play is either on the two-sided Player Aids or on the map. The Rulebook is in full color and is 30 pages long. Its pages are thicker than most Rulebooks. The writing in it is as big as what you get in a Large Print book. It is filled with easily understood play examples. It comes with a deck of 28 cards. These either show a historical picture or a picture of a commander from either side. Visually the game is stunning. The fact that all of the writing is oversized just adds to players' ease in learning the ropes.

Back of the box

You would think by the size of the game and the terseness of the Rulebook that this would be more of a beer & pretzels game. In this you would be highly mistaken. Although VentoNuovo Games, all designed by the owner Emanuele Santandrea, are very much in the flashy Eurogame category, his games always have some meat under that glittering skin. The rules are designed for both grognards and tyros.

Counters

The gameplay is meant to be easily understood and to have the player up and running in as little time as possible. You can jump right in and start playing after only a cursory glimpse through the rules. The cards and the optional rules help to make it a much deeper game than you would think upon first glance. Remember that book and cover adage. Air, Armor and everything else that you have come to expect in a game about the Russian Front is here. What you do not get is tons of fiddly high stacks of counters and a rulebook that looks to have been published in 1975. The gameplay can be as fast as the early blitzkriegs of the war. However, I suggest you put as much thought into it as you would with some of its weightier cousins. As was mentioned, the game is played in two month turns and the designer expects each turn to be around 20 minutes. So, even if you wanted to play the whole campaign through, the game does not need to stay on your table (annoying your wife) for more than a day, especially if you were going to play one of the scenarios.

One side of the Player's Aid

The scenarios that come with the base game are:

The game comes with two tutorials

Beyond the Dnieper

Blitz in the East

Operation Barbarossa

Russian Campaign

A picture of some gameplay

The game can be enhanced by the addition of The Scorched Earth Expansion. This is some information on the expansion:

125 game markers 2.5mm-thick with pre-rounded corners

28 Game Event Cards

Illustrated rules with many examples

Two historical scenarios plus two alternative "what if" scenarios

"The base game, with clearly defined concepts, minimal rules length, and numerous examples, allows novice wargamers to quickly learn and play.

Veteran wargamers can also enjoy a more complex experience via several optional rules and the Scorched Earth Expansion.

New events and new details add historical flavor and depth with "what if" situations and detailed logistics management to expand your game experience!"

The new rules and additional scenarios really help to make this game into much more of a grognards game. The additional scenarios are:

Fall Blau

In or Out

Balkans Pacified four turn version. This is a hypothetical scenario; there was no Balkan campaign in 1940-41.

Balkans Pacified full 28 turn version

I was fully prepared to not take to the game. I am one of those people who thought that because the Russian Front was so massive you need a big game to simulate it. Luckily, I persevered with a Blitz in the East and found that I was totally mistaken. The addition of The Scorched Earth expansion also made my grognard synapses feel more at home. Thank you, Mr. Santandrea, for allowing me to take Blitz in the East for a test drive. As usual, with all of your games, it brings a new twist on an old gaming subject.

I forgot to mention that the game has a free downloadable Strategy Guide for the players.

Robert Peterson

Blitz in the East

VentoNuovo Games

Aces & Armor

PKB Games

PKB Games is a new smaller company that has already made a big name for itself with their first KS game Trench Club, now Trench Club Legacy. Wargames with miniatures, real wargames, and not the simpler more children friendly versions of the 1960s, have become more and more popular. Even on the digital side of wargaming, 3D miniatures have been used for quite a while. So, has this merger between a more artistic approach and simulation type rules been a success? In the games that I have played it has been an undeniable yes. Let us see how this new KS from PKB Games measures up. Here is what they say about their company:

"We are a small board game publishing company. Our games started with games we wanted to play ourselves but didn’t exist yet. So, we were our first customer ourselves. I hope you share the excitement, and we wish you hours of fun with our games!"

There has been a move in recent years to add minis and colorful maps to some wargames. To the grognard, it is easy to dismiss them as just Axis & Allies clones. In this you would be sadly mistaken. Many of these games that mix Euro games and normal wargames together are deep and give the wargamer a great experience.

As you can see, the game map and game pieces and player aids are extremely well made. They are colorful but large and very easy to read.

Here you can see how meticulous the detail is in the miniatures. They are also paintable if you so choose.

The miniatures sit on bases that have two columns built on them. These columns are used to keep track of the units' status elite, veteran, etc. and also the damage that any unit has.

The units that the game gives you to play with are:

Infantry

Mobile Infantry

Mechanized Infantry

Militia

Cavalry

Tiger

Panther

T-34

Sherman

Pak 40

8.8 Flak

Katyusha

Howitzer

ME 262

Ju 87 Stuka

BF 109

Ju 88

IL-2 Sturmovik

Yak-9

P-51

B-17

The game can be played by one to four players. This game follows the trend of giving the player a full solitaire experience right out of the box, instead of having to play both sides or wait for someone to create some solo rules for the game.

These are two painted minis. You can also see the detail in the railroad bridge.

The game comes with three scenarios. However, the main crux of the game is its skirmish mode. This allows each player to choose the units that he wants to play with in the game. There are also factories to take away damage from units and to build new units. Victory is achieved through the capture of enemy factories. Because I prefer to play solo when I can, I was very happy to see the built in solo rules. I found the solo rules and play to be just fine. The game is made to be played fast and furious (the rules even suggest to time player moves to five minutes). It is not a game that you will leave up on your table looking at all of the different strategies you can try out before making your move. This is not a beer & pretzels game, but it certainly isn't Squad Leader either. Still, I had an enjoyable time playing it. The game is also completely finished. This cannot be said of all Kickstarter games by any means.

Thank you PKB games for allowing me to kick the tires on your newest game. If you get the chance, also look at their Trench Club Legacy game.

Robert

PKB Games - PKB Games (pkb-games.com)

Aces & Armor Kickstarter - Aces & Armor by PKB Games — Kickstarter