Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863

by 

Worthington Publishing

 

 So, where do we begin this review? Gettysburg July 1st, 1863 touched off the bloodiest three days in the American Civil War. However, Gettysburg was not the largest battle in The Civil War. That distinction actually goes to The Battle of Fredericksburg. Because of the ramifications of the Battle of Gettysburg, most people assume it was the largest battle (one can make the case that the fall of Vicksburg at the same time was more momentous) of the Civil War. Yes, it did have the most casualties on both sides of any battle during it. However, at the time, it was not seen as the momentous occasion that it was. Lee was able to escape back to Virginia, much to President Lincoln's chagrin, and drag out the war almost another two full years.

 The next question about the battle comes from the grognard community itself, or at least a portion of us, and that is why another game about this battle? The big three games in wargaming are Waterloo, The Bulge, and Gettysburg. Someone said once, (it has been attributed to a few people), that NATO, nukes, and Nazis sell games. However, the big three games that I just mentioned are really the big sellers. The American Civil War is slightly behind World War II in wargaming circles. It is even a large seller in the European markets. So, why another game? Is it just a money grab or is there something else to it. To my way of thinking, it is not a cash grab. Designers have been bombarded with Gettysburg games since they were children. I believe they feel a burning need to try their hand at it. They have tallied up the pros and cons of all of the different Gettysburg games they have played and want to put their own spin on it.

 So, let us take a look at this go round by designers Grant and Mike Wylie and see if they have hit the mark or couldn't hit an elephant at that distance, much to Sedgewick's chagrin.

 This is what Worthington Publishing has to say about the game:

"GETTYSBURG 1863 is Volume IV in the Old School Wargames Civil War Brigade Battle series. The game allows gamers to refight the historic and pivotal battle of Gettysburg in 1863 using a large mounted map board, large pieces, and a streamlined set of series rules that is just 8 -12 pages long. The Battle Booklet will give you historical details, design, notes and 7 scenarios:

July 1 - Meeting Engagement

July 1 - Take That Hill (Can Ewell take Culp's Hill?)

July 2 - The Fight for the Flanks

July 2 - The Fight for Little Round Top

July 3 - Lee's Folly

July 4 - Should Meade Have Attacked?

July 1 - July 4 (the full battle)

The single day scenarios should take between 1 to 3 hours to play with the full battle taking 6 - 10 hours to play.

Special rules for early or late arrival of reinforcements, Follow up attacks, new terrain rules for multi level hex changes, a new rout rule, and more!

Game Scale:

Game Turn: 1 hour

Hex: 200-250 yards / 183-229 meters

Units: Infantry/Cavalry Brigades & Artillery Battalions

Game Inventory:

Two 22 x 34" full color mounted map boards (34x44" when combined for game play)

Five dual-side printed countersheets (540 3/4" counters - including 4 extra Tide of Battle counters intended for the earlier Antietam & Shiloh games)

Two 8-page Brigade series v1.4 rulebooks

Two 16-page Gettysburg playbooks

One Cavalry Battle Board Play Aid

Two Order of Battle Charts

Two Reinforcement/Casualty Charts

Two dual-side printed Combat & Terrain Charts

Two 10-sided dice

One Counter Tray

Solitaire Playability: High

Complexity Level: Medium

Players: 2 or more

Playing Time: 1-10 hours"

This is what comes in the box

 

 Although Worthington Publishing has been around a good number of years, it is sort of a dark horse. You don't see its games mentioned a lot when games are discussed. This is truly a shame because of their excellent product line. Hopefully, their Civil War Brigade Battle Series will make the above a thing of the past. The series now includes Gettysburg July 1-3 ,1863, Antietam September 17, 1862, Shiloh April 6-7, 1862, The Seven Days Battles, and the newest Franklin November 29-30, 1864. 

The Union Counters

 The production value of Worthington Publishing has always been one of their strong points. They go for substance rather than art form. The game comes with two 16-page Playbooks and two 8-page Brigade Battle Series rules. They are both in full color and have nice large print. In substance, they are much like a substantial magazine. Next, we have two card stock with all the charts needed to play, and on the reverse, the terrain chart. The player also gets two pages of a single-sided reinforcement chart with a casualty track at the bottom. These are also printed on card stock. Then we have a one-page card stock cavalry battle board. Finally, each player gets his own chain of command fold out sheet. The counters are incredibly easy to read and use and are 3/4" in size. These are not the largest we have seen but they are quite large enough for easy viewing and movement. The very large and nicely done map comes in two parts. There is no ambiguity of each hex's terrain for grognards to fight over. The large box is nice and sturdy which is another Worthington Publishing trademark. It even comes with a sleeve to cover the box. 

This is a close-up of the southern end of the battlefield

 I am a big fan of Worthington Publishing games, whether they are hex and counter or block games. They have always been a proponent of KISS for game rules and play. However, that does not mean that their games have no historical flavor. You can get as lost in their games as much as you can a game with four to five times the counters and size. Worthington Publishing adds as much historical flavor and reality as they can while still bringing you a playable and enjoyable game. The player has ability in this game to just play a smaller scenario or take the plunge into the entire battle and beyond. This is one of the few games that gives you a July fourth scenario to see if the critics of George Meade are correct. 

 One of the rules that makes the game different than most is the 'Tide of Battle Marker'. It is like a wild card to be used by a player once a day during a scenario. This can be used by the active player to:

 Reroll any one combat die roll made by their unit.

 Reroll any one morale check die roll made for their unit.

Various Game Markers

 With a rulebook that is only eight pages long the Worthington Brigade Battle Series is meant to be a player's game. You do not have to read through, or meander with some rulebooks, 40 plus pages to get a grip on how the game plays. Gettysburg was a large battle so you will need a large enough table for the maps and the ability to have it placed there for some time. You are not going to be able to squeeze in a game on the dinner table with only an hour until the food is served. This is perfectly fine and something that most wargamers, and especially grognards, thrive on. Much like a connoisseur of wines we like to gaze at the map and take it in slowly to get the full flavor of the game and setup, although most of us know the historical Gettysburg setups in our sleep. As Lee, do you attack as he thought he must, or do you take a more surgical approach to the battle? Playing as Meade, do you hesitate as he did, and rightly so, or take the bit in your teeth and go for broke? Worthington allows us to try any and all of the strategies that you can come up with. Thank you, Worthington Publishing, for allowing me to review this very well done on a much-gamed battle. Please take a look at the other games in the series and also Worthington Publishing' large stable of other wargames.

Robert

Worthington Publishing

Gettysburg July 1-3, 1863

 The Wars of the Sun King: Lace Wars Series - Volume I

by

Serious Historical Games

 This is an expanded edition of the game that was first issued in Vae Victis in 2019. Below is what the designer Philippe Hardy has to say about the game:

"This the Deluxe and augmented version of “Les Guerres du Roi Soleil 1667-1713” (The Wars of the Sun King) published in 2019 by Cerigo Edition.

This the first opportunity to play, with a single set of rules, the five conflicts led by France under the reign of Louis XIV the Great and the great rebellion called “La fronde”.

La Fronde rebellion (1648-1653) – taking advantage of the weakness of royal power while Louis, the future Louis XIV, was still a minor, the parliament of Paris and the nobility revolted at different periods and to different degrees against the regency ensured by Anne of Austria (widow of Louis XIII) and Cardinal Mazarin, hated by all. This weakening of France is a boon for Spain, still at war with France, to recover territories (Catalonia, Roussillon, the North of France).

The War of Devolution (1667-1668) - Spain’s non-payment of the Infanta of Spain’s dowry at her marriage to Louis XIV was used as a pretext for a war of conquest. This was the first conflict initiated by Louis XIV against a militarily and economically weakened Spain.

The Franco-Dutch War (1672-1678) - France wants to bring the Dutch Republic to its knees. This fierce commercial competitor, too tolerant as a state, opposes France’s expansion toward the Spanish Netherlands. This war for glory pitches against each other living legends of the Thirty Years War like Turenne, Condé et Montecuccoli. As a result of this conflict, the King of France earns the nickname Louis the Great.

This is the game map along with some of the counters

The War of the Reunions (1683-1684) - Spain does not accept the annexation by France of enclaves and surrounding areas in the Spanish Netherlands, stating their boundaries were poorly defined by the international treaties ending the War of Devolution and the Franco-Dutch War. Vauban recommends limiting the territorial enclaves, leaning against the mountainous area and securing the enclaves by constructing strongholds; it’s a matter of turf.

The War of the League of Augsburg (1688-1697) - The Habsburg’s victory against the Ottomans diverted the Empire’s attention on the French territorial gains following the War of the Reunions. In 1687, Louis XIV wanted to transform the Truce of Ratisbon into a permanent accord and send an ultimatum to the emperor who refused. The German princes and the great European powers form an alliance to counter France’s politics of expansionism and religious persecution. France finds itself diplomatically isolated.

The War of Spanish Succession (1701-1713) - King Charles II of Spain dies with no descendants. The two principal reigning families of Europe, the Bourbons (France) and the Habsburgs (Austria), are both related to Charles II and claim the throne. The principal stake is the domination of Europe by seizing the enormous heritage of the Spanish Habsburgs. France is confronted with its fiercest military enemies: Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy.

This is the back of the box

Maximise your resource points to recruit armies, build strongholds, lead sieges and battles and win glory points.

Will you be able to vanquish Montecuccoli, Eugene of Savoy or Marlborough with Turenne, Condé, Villars and impose the Sun King’s will? Or Vauban will be the nemesis of all enemies ‘citadels?"

The game includes :

• One 59 x 85 cm MOUNTED (!) map

• 324 double-sided, pre-cut counters and markers

• A scenario booklet and a rulebook

• Many player aids

 I never played the original. However, I am a self-professed ultra fan of the history of Louis XIV's wars. This is a game that has been needed for a long time.

 You can order the game here:

 https://www.payfacile.com/serious-historical-g/s/the-wars-of-the-sun-king-1648-1713

 This is the link to the website of Serious Historical Games:

SERIOUS HISTORICAL GAMES

 This is about the wargaming company Europa Simulazioni

This is their newest release

 The following is in their own words:

  "Eighteen years have passed since 2006, when we founded Europa Simulazioni for the publication of the first game “All is lost save honour”. That game and the whole ES enterprise was a successful bet, we can say now. The Italian wargame market was languishing. The golden age of the 70s and 80s, when wargames were very popular in Italy, were far away. I myself was not sure that this hobby would last for many more years. I was colossally wrong!

I have been playing wargames since the late 80s, my first real wargame was AH War and Peace. A very sweet and indelible memory of passion for the Napoleonic epic and for that game, a great game still to this day to tell the truth.

But my viaticum towards simulation game design was the meeting with Kevin Zucker and his OSG. Napoleon at Bay changed my perception of how a historical simulation should be built. In short, the theme is to combine in-depth historical research and a game system that reflects as accurately as possible the dynamics and results of the campaign or battle you intend to simulate. It is a true art, of which Kevin is the undisputed master.

Added to this was my interest in a period of history that is very little covered in games: the early modern era and in particular the Renaissance period. The period is fascinating: it is mainly remembered, even in Italy, for the magnificent heights of artistic expression achieved by the greatest exponents of figurative art of all time. But from a military point of view, that era truly represented a turning point. Compared to the previous medieval period, armies began to grow, causing logistical and supply problems to grow out of all proportion. The ancient medieval way of conducting battles remained, but a new way of fighting soon emerged, bringing battle to the place and time deemed most suitable by the commander in chief. In the meantime, we see the use of firearms and the use of mercenary troops emerge. In short, a true revolution, which brought, it must be said, innovation, but also, unfortunately, greater destruction and death, for soldiers and for civilian populations.

Making a game, the first, about the campaigns in northern Italy in the early 1500s, the main phase of the so-called Italian Wars, yes, it was truly a gamble, also due to the serious problems of finding historical sources to draw on for the necessary research.

From there we moved on to build games set in different historical periods, always driven by a passion for History and the consequent desire to bring back to light pieces of our forgotten history. The soldiers, men and women of the past are our fathers and mothers, something of them is in us and we cannot forget them.

What are the “ingredients” of the recipe we use in ES to make a game? The first is a large dose of historical research. This starts first and never ends completely. On the contrary, after each prototype that leads to the final game, we go back and partially reread the sources to verify if they are respected with respect to the dynamics and results of the game. Then we need a system that is respectful of the historical period and the simulation that we want to create. How? A trivial example that I always give: there cannot be, in our opinion obviously, a game system based on the “fog of war” if in that historical period/moment the fog of war was not possible!

The beauty of the graphic components, the choice of materials and the ergonomics of the game are other determining elements. Finally, a monstrous dose of patience is needed: if you are a designer, you will have to put up with the requests of the publisher; if you are the graphic designer, you will have to put up with the requests of the designer and the developer; if you are the publisher, you will have to put up with everyone and everything. Step by step, over the years we have released a dozen games, and more will follow.

And here we are at Caporetto 1917, the last son of the family.

This is a game of considerable size, with a very detailed order of battle. The number of counters around a thousand and the detail of the maps included give an idea of the historical research that was done to complete it. But a game is not a treatise, and it is of no use to anyone if it remains gathering dust on a shelf. So, we have worked very hard in recent months to improve its usability and playability.

Caporetto is a challenge for a designer. This is the most catastrophic battle in Italian history, which has also entered common parlance, and given the initial historical conditions and with a good supporting game system, the Italians cannot win. So, the question arises spontaneously, why a game about this battle? We thought of a historical scenario with two paired players, each one holding a part of the Austro-German deployment and the opposite side to the Italian player's opponent. The player who does better wins. The historical scenario has the initial historical setup and this, as the player can easily understand, makes a big difference. In the free setup scenario we have given a limited possibility to deploy the Italian units in slightly different positions, at the player's choice. In this second scenario, things are completely different, and the German player will have to work hard and not a little to win the same battle!

In this way, players can follow step by step what happened. But also, they can verify that, with a few precautions and a more rational Italian defensive disposition, the battle would have had a very different outcome.

Caporetto setup

Caporetto Map close up

A true historical simulation must allow for historically reliable results. We think that Caporetto achieves this goal and really allows us to analyze in depth the real reasons for the greatest Italian military disaster, outside of any prejudice about the ability and commitment of our troops and finally looking at historical facts as they happened. And also, allow me, having fun, because this is still a game."

 Below are the links to their website and the Caporetto game itself. I have the game, and it is both big and beautiful. I will be posting a review of it in the future. While you are there, do yourself a favor and look at all of their other games.

 Europa Simulazioni

Caporetto 1917

 ITALIA 1917-1918

A FAREWELL TO ARMS

FROM

NUTS PUBLISHING

The Italian Front in WWI is definitely one of the lesser known periods in military history and so, not surprisingly, one of the less frequently gamed episodes.  The narrative in the famous Hemingway novel, from which the game's sub-title is drawn, was my first and only encounter with any battles in Italy during WWI, until SPI's folio game on Caporetto came out in 1978 as part of its quad, The Great War in the East.  Currently two other games on the battle are underway, one of which has just been published as I write. Caporetto, in fact, is probably the best known and often only known battle from the period.  Sadly too it was a major disaster for the Italian army. Though Italia does include this battle, it provides far more than that single devastating rout. What we do get is a very full and impressive package.  Nowhere is this more evident than in the three splendid maps, two of which are double-sided, plus a mini-map.  

The mini-map, Monte Grappa, is intended to allow you to dip your toe into the basic rules.  Billed as an introductory scenario, it does that job admirably. Though small in scale it introduces virtually everything in the Basic Rule Book.  It focuses on the major Central Powers attack at the end of the campaign and provides a short, brutal gripping defence by the Italians which historically stopped the Central Power forces.

Perhaps, it’s no surprise that the first full scenario is Waffentrue: the battle of Caporetto and this gets its own full size map.  

The Battle of Caporetto map

The remaining four scenarios are all played out on two full size maps that together are entitled 1918: The Battles of the Piave. On the reverse of two out of these three maps, you again combine them together to form the map for playing the whole Campaign game that covers a period from October 1917 to November 1918.  This major undertaking in game time is covered by the Advanced Rule Book which introduces many new concepts and rules, but more about those later.

The larger scale maps combined to form the Battles of the Piave

Italia 1917-1918 is the third game in the series using the same basic system.  The first two games designed by Nicholas Rident were Marne 1918 Friedensturm and Somme 1918: Bloody Spring.  Whereas this latest Italia, designed by Stephane Senechal, introduces several modifications which are easily identified by being printed in blue and can retrospectively be introduced into the previous two games.  In addition, rules specific purely to Italia are printed in red.  Being unfamiliar with the system, I found that they needed careful reading, despite being only 18 pages long.

The turn sequence overall is very easy to sum up and grasp, as it is made up of only three Sequences: Administrative Declaration, Operational and Victory Point. The last is very, very brief and takes little time to carry out and the first is hardly any longer.  This Administrative Sequence has three Phases - Offensives Declaration which can only be made by the Initiative Player and is determined by a Scenario's rules, a Supply Phase carried out by both players and an Air Superiority Phase which is an optional rule, but so simple, quick and easy that it's hard to see why you wouldn't always use it.

The core and depth of the game all comes in the Operational Sequence.  It contains four steps: Movement, Combat, Disengagement and Exploitation.  All four steps are executed first by the Initiative Player and then by the Reacting Player. As the Scenarios range from a single turn to two Scenarios lasting 3 turns Scenarios and two Scenarios lasting 4 turns, even the longest two initially appear likely to be playable in a short time. However, this is misleading, as in each Scenario's special rules, the Initiative player has to launch an Offensive every turn.  Launching an Offensive means that the Operational Sequence is carried three times in each turn!  You quickly realise that most of the Scenarios take nearly the equivalent of 9 - 12 turns and certainly cover a lot of action and require considerable rules' knowledge.

First of all the game layers in many familiar features: weather, creating pontoon bridges along with building and destroying bridges, forced march, the use of trucks, designating reserves and their use and activation, supply depots, disorganisation and reorganisation.  Along with these are some interesting developments such as  disengagement which follows combat and can only be applied to units identified by disengagement markers placed at the end of the Movement Phase.  

However, what significantly enriches, but also adds to game length is an exceptionally detailed combat system.  The first complicating factor is the distinction between conventional units, primarily infantry, some cavalry and, for this late stage of the war, an element of tanks as opposed to Support units.  The latter include HQs, artillery, a variety of assault troops specific to each nation, along with the optional air support units.

Combat starts with the indication of the standard combat units involved and then each side allocates artillery support types that may either be for bombardment or counter-battery purposes and the resolution of whichever types have been allocated.  This is the first significant increase to the length and complexity of the combat process.  

Familiar Odds Ratio CRT and Combat Modifiers

The next step is wholly familiar and easily applied:- a normal odds ratio CRT [Combat Results Table] comparing each side's strength points to find the appropriate column to roll on.  Then add many typical DRMs for terrain, morale difference between lead units, tanks, assault troops, being out of supply etc. One original touch that I like is that should the attacker be left with no unit that fulfils the requirements for a lead unit, the attack is cancelled and the attacking unit with the highest morale loses 3 steps.  Ouch!

Normally, the last step rolling the dice and checking the result is the easiest.   What is added to the system in Italia gains my qualified praise. Four dice are rolled - two white, one blue and one green. The summed total of the two white dice referenced to the ratio column on the CRT gives you the basic number of hit points each side takes.  So far so good. But then you have to reference the blue Central Powers die and the green Entente die to an additional Tactical Coordination Table that has both its own modifiers and set of results that produce both compulsory and optional actions.  

Tactical Consideration Table

My praise goes to the granularity of detail added to the combat results, but my qualification is for the considerable length of time that every combat takes.  Nor is everything finished yet. The results from the Tactical Coordination Table have all to be applied before the CRT results are dealt with and the hit points have to be converted into step losses. 

Hit Point Conversion Chart

The Operational Sequence is rounded out by Disengagement and Exploitation.  The first of these, Disengagement, allows units so marked at the end of the Movement Phase to leave enemy ZOCs, however it doesn't allow Support units to move. The other, Exploitation, is even more limited as only those rare few units qualify that received an Exploitation marker because of a Tactical Coordination result during combat.  It allows those that are adjacent to an enemy unit to have combat if wished while those marked with Exploitation (or a Reserve marker) that are not adjacent to an enemy unit may move.

Finally, a Turn is rounded off with the removal of appropriate markers and the conventional totalling of VPs.  What I've detailed so far allows you to play all the Scenarios.  One Scenario is played on both maps that together make up the map labelled 1918 The Battle of Piave, while another Scenario uses the southern portion of both those map sheets.  Two further Scenarios are played, one on the west map and the other on the east map of 1918 The Battle of Piave and finally the Caporetto Scenario is played out on its own single, full sized map.  They all provide substantial medium to medium/high level games.  

Having absorbed all the not insignificant number of basic rules, we come to the Advanced Rule Book and another 18 pages of rules.  Its introduction states,

"The Advanced Rules do not make the game any more complex.  In the majority of cases they are organised such that players can learn them as they go along."

Just looking at the list on the front cover of the Advanced Rules Book (seen above) had me doubting that statement and reading and assimilating them hasn't changed my mind.

First of all, there are both totally new rules and significant modifications to the basic rules. On the simple level, each player has a new Phase, Strategic Movement, which takes up a full two pages of rules.  In many a game, this entails a simple doubling of movement while remaining a specific number of hexes away from enemy units. In Italia 1917-18, these detail the use of Strategic Movement markers and their use in Offensive and non-Offensive turns, the movement of units from the map to the Strategic Reserve Box or Rebuild Track and strategic movement on rail lines.

However, what is the most complex new addition for me is the Unit Admin Phase.  It introduces the rebuilding of eliminated units, units’ rest and recuperation and the managing of artillery support.  Apart from its extension of the rules, it substantially adds to an already sizeable play area by needing two display charts, one for each player.  The relevant rules add two more pages explaining the use of morale tracks and a brigade or regiment track along with four separate boxes for resting, loss, eliminated and encircled units.

Inevitably what I do like most in the Advanced rules are the extensive decks of Event cards of which the four illustrated below are a mere taster.  They are something I intend to explore adapting into some of the basic game play. 

So, to sum up, the basic game is a detailed and very thorough treatment of this infrequently covered theatre of WWI.  It provides real value for an amazingly low price (£50.95 at Second Chance Games - my go-to supplier), though as always I've Nuts Publishing to thank for providing this review copy. Its three maps are an exceptional geographic presentation and the package provides a good range of substantial scenarios with Caporetto probably being the one that most gamers will plump for.  For me, the Advanced rules took it to a level of depth outside my comfort zone, so the grand campaign will probably remain unexplored and I would suggest is more likely to be played at conventions where time can be devoted to it.

Armored Brigade II by Slitherine/Matrix a tutorial by Joe Beard

 This is a video tutorial of the newly released Armored Brigade II

by our good friend Joe Beard

https://youtu.be/ILB_RGTIAso

Thank you very much Joe!

SONG FOR WAR

FROM

INVICTA REX GAMES

RELAUNCHING SOON

In 2023, I reviewed and immediately pledged to the Kickstarter for Song For War when it was launched.  An outstanding game reviewed enthusiastically by myself and many far more well-known names, such as Zilla Blitz and Andrew & Grant of The Players Aid.  Much to my disappointment and the disappointment of many more, its ambitious target eventually wasn't met.  But from the outset, Chris and Seth, who formed Invicta Rex Games, had encouraged comments, ideas and advice and these have helped inform their subsequent planning. 

So here we are on the verge of that re-launch in 2025 and I'd like to fill you in on what to expect.  But first, if this is the first time you've heard of the game, I'd suggest having a look at my original review at this link Song For War and at some of the many other reviews on this game.  But first just a quick reminder of what everything looks like when set out.

My focus today is going to be specifically on the single major new development.  This development had already been under consideration by the guys at Invicta Rex even before the gaming community started suggesting it. It was a request for some shorter scenarios and that's just what the new launch provides.  These two new Scenarios are Italy and North Africa.  What’s even more important is that you're being offered even more choice.  You'll be able to pledge for  the whole Song for War: Mediterranean Theatre with these two new Scenarios or you can choose to pledge for a separate package Song For War: Mediterranean Operations containing just the two Scenarios.

What’s the difference?

Song For War: Mediterranean Theatre contains all that was previously covered by the first launch.  But now on the reverse of one of the two amazing mounted boards is a new map focusing on Italy and its surrounding seas and on the other map’s reverse is a similar closer focus on North Africa and the bordering Mediterranean.  This is an amazing addition, as the following pictures show.   First of all, Italy.

Followed by North Africa - at a slightly tilted angle!

Both retain the gloriously vibrant map colours of their parent map.  To accompany these two new maps and their respective Scenarios

come some modifications to the rules to reflect the more detailed picture that this narrower geographical and historical focus allows, as well as the omission of the National Support Phase from the whole theatre game’s rules.

However, if you want something a little lighter, whether on your pocket, your shelf or your playing time, this smaller game [and that word smaller is a very misleading one] Song For War: Mediterranean Operations will be a stunning buy in its own right with a single mounted board with the two maps on opposite sides.  I hope I've whetted your appetite and in a few months time, curtesy of Invicta Rex Games, I shall be able to give you an even better detailed view and review of my own copy of this separate game. Personally, I shall still be pledging for the whole Mediterranean game as well, but that's my choice.

Meanwhile here are just a couple of highlights to savour.

The Allies land at Salerno

Tobruk - will it fall or not?  It's up to you!