In spite of having Howard Dean on the box cover , EFTL is an excellent game of armored warfare on the Eastern Front. The game depicts platoon sized units,, 150 meter hexes, and formation cards for command & control. The game shows a heritage with Squad Leader in that soft factors, such as C3I and morale play a prominent part in the game. It is not a difficult game though, and plays at a brisk pace.

Game pieces are rated for AP and HE firepower; defense strength, range, and movement. The ratings are strictly based on hardware, so that unlike games like Panzerblitz, where ratings are distorted to accomodate troop quality a Panzer IV is not equal to twice as many T34s. There is no inflating of ratings to reflect training, doctrine, command/control etc.

Instead, the game uses formation cards representing company and battalion organizations to reflect the soft factors that control the effectiveness of the forces. Formation cards have ratings for command/control, experience and morale. Command/control ratings can be from A (the best) to F. Morale ratings are numerical as in Squad Leader which is used in certain situations for morale checks (using 2D6). Cards lastly show the experience of the formation as one of Veteran, Seasoned, and Green. Units of Veteran formation generally get bonuses in combat letting them hit harder, and making them more difficult to hit, while Green units are penalized.

The heart of game is the use of the formation cards to dictate the sequence of play during the game. Play starts with the activation of the formation with the lowest C3I rating. The card is played, and then either player can decide to trump this card with a higher rated formation. Once any trumps have been played, then whichever formation card is last played gets to activate first. Play then proceeds through the cards played down to the first one. This mechanism allows for fluid play, and shows how units that in real life had more experience and high morale could dominate a battle by dictating the initiative. There are some tie breakers, as well as provisions for the use of higher level command cards.

Once activated, the units of the formation can perform one operation each, which is simply to shoot, or move. These can be individually conducted in any order the player wishes, but is restricted to the units of the formation activated. The opposing player also has the chance for opportunity fire during movement. Once a unit has conducted an operation it is flipped down and done for the turn (and ineligible for opportunity fire). Opportunity fire also is considered and operation so any units performing it will also be flipped.

Combat is rather simple. It uses a one column CRT with 3D6. The base roll is modified by taking the attack factor and subtracting the defense factor of the target unit. Other modifiers are also used, including veteran or green status, range, and cover. Prior to shooting though, a unit must pass a spotting roll. If the spotting roll fails, then the unit's fire is considered to have been ineffective, or just having failed to see the target. Results of fire can be no effect, morale checks, or kills. If a unit fails a morale check then it becomes suppressed. An interesting wrinkle to this is the concept of the "Quick Kill" if a unit obtains a Kill result against it's target and rolls high enough, it can be a Quick Kill, and thus eligible for another action. The Quick Kill was based on the experience of the unit firing. Veteran units could obtain a QK with a natural roll of 10+, Seasoned units 12+, and Green units on 15+.

During operations, units are also restricted by doctrine, which in this game takes the form of command range. In general units must be within a certain hex range of each other to remain in command and not suffer penalties. for some Soviet units, this can mean units must stack in the same hex, while others have to remain within two hexes of a hex designated by the player. Units not within range become "Separated" and are penalized in combat and morale.

After all operations are complete there is then a morale phase. Suppressed units get a chance to rally, and formations that have lost units must check morale. Formations that check morale can become shaken or demoralized. Such units are restricted in their actions for the following turns until rallied.

While the mechanics of play are great, there are some weaknesses in the game. The first of these, is that at this point, the graphics are obviously dated, and an upgrade in the form of a reprint would do wonders. Secondly, and more seriously, the map in the game just does not cut it. The game scenarios each dictate a set of "battle conditions" which means that instead of using geo-morphic maps like in other games such as Panzerblitz, and Panzergrenadier, the game specifies that map features are treated differently in each scenario. In some scenarios, all contour lines count for elevation while in others the map is flat. Sometimes a hex is deep woods, while others, it is just brush. This is very distracting to the player.

Another problem is that there are simply not enough scenarios, and some of those that are included do not have good balance. It's really a shame that the Tank Leader games have not gotten the attention that Panzerblitz, and Panzergrenadier have received.

Overall, game play in the Tank Leader games (there are also Western Front Tank Leader, and Desert Steel) is very fluid and dynamic. It plays very well, and is quite enjoyable with enough detail for the battles depicted. I think it shows the proper importance that superior command and morale can have on the battlefield.

I think the Tank Leader series would be a great pick for one of the current game companies to pick up and reprint and upgrade. The game plays quickly with detail that stays true to history, and I think that if an historical module approach was taken it would be a winner.

If anyone has already read my review of World at War: Eisenbach Gap
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/thread/343217 I think you'll note some similiarities in approach.