Move Out (1971)

Move Out (1971, ADA, $1.50), by Tom Kaeter, simulates man-to-man combat in Western Europe in 1944. It pits all or part of an American infantry platoon (31 men, 31 counters) against a German platoon (32 men, 32 counters). Each side has one of five possible missions as they enter the board from opposite sides. Upside down placement and blank counters are used to add the fog of war. The terrain includes brush, hills, woods, a creek, a pond and two small buildings, one with several rooms. The men have their separate weapons and also a number of individual differences. Some can see better, some run faster, some are sharp-shooters, and others experts at hand to hand combat. Unfortunately, it is a very unfinished game. The rules are hard to figure out and some are almost impossible to carry out. Things are particularly difficult when fighting develops around the buildings. The game is an offshoot of Terry Griner's Patrol, published as a set of rules in Strategy & Tactics Nr. 7, and reading the rules in that source does help to figure out Move Out. Furthermore, the reproduction of the rules and map is quite poor. There are no counters, only pictures of counters and the pictures are hard to decipher. In spite of its faults however, Move Out offers something unusual and worthwhile for anyone who wants to investigate small unit tactics through a game. (Moves Magazine description)