Thread: Re: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

Eldard — 2008-06-16T21:15:30+00:00

Marauder2001 wrote:
Now, the game can be combined with the game Bloody Kasserine for a larger game, but since I don't own Bloody Kasserine, I won't comment more on that, as I haven't tried it.

Bloody Kasserine is excellent, as well. These are very playable and attractive games, and as you noted, can be combined into a single game.

Thread: Re: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

JackFlash — 2008-06-16T04:46:06+00:00

That's an excellent review! I had forgotten about that game! Thanks for reminding me!

Thread: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

Marauder2001 — 2008-06-16T03:06:29+00:00

When I noticed that this nice little game had not been reviewed at all I though I'd remedy that.
This will be my first review here, so I hope you approve.

I bought the game on clearance about 10 years ago, played it a summer, and then it was packed away. I recently dicovered it, while moving house. And it was still a decent challenge.

Now, the game can be combined with the game Bloody Kasserine for a larger game, but since I don't own Bloody Kasserine, I won't comment more on that, as I haven't tried it.

Short but sweet: The map is quite small, a bit larger than A3. Now for me that is a plus, as it means the game can be played on a normal kitchen table. It's mostly in shades of ochre and yellow. naturally, but clean and easy to read. The Player-aids and the turn-track / airbase-chart is in black and white, and they look a bit cheap, but they are functional. The Rulebook is only 16 pages, of which only 10 are really rules (the rest is background info and notes on the scenarios). The rules are quite easy to get to grips with, without being over-simplified. Combat is straight forward: Compare stats in the stacks which are engaged, find the ratios attacker vs. defender and roll on a chart. Movement is controlled by movement points, with terrain modifiers, and penalties for entering an enemy units Zone of Control.

The tokens: Sand Yellow for the Germans, Brown for the British, Dark Green for US troops, Greenish Yellow for the Italians while the French are Blue.
There's 176 tokes all in all, but not all are used in all scenarios.

The tokens, which represents battalions (except some armoured companies, recognized by an image of the vehicles on the tokens) are easy to read, heavy and support units have coloured boxes around their stats, so you should remember their special rules, and the tokens are, all in all, nicely done.

The basic game lasts 17 turns (Nov. 24 – Dec. 10. 1942.) but their are an OOB for an early start at Nov. 17. as well as rules for extended flay until the 17. or 24. of December.

There is the aforementioned combined game, and finally rules to enact operation Eilbote. (Jan. 19. to Jan 24. 1943)

They game is well balanced, with a slight edge to the Axis in the basic game. (Though some of the advanced rules shifts the power more towards the Allied forces.) It's plenty of units to keep track of, but not overwhelmingly many.

The advanced rules open for weather, air support, supllylines, more rules on the effects of terrain and counterbattery fire.

A special note should go to the simple mechanic to show how the french units were a bit unsure about who really was the enemy. (Allied and French units had fought in Algerie only weeks before this battle, after all.) In the early-start scenario, the allied player must roll equal or less than the current turn number, or the French units will not enter the zone of control of a axis unit, nor fire in support of a non-French unit. The roll have a -1 as soon as any French unit have been engaged by an axis unit. This opens for a bit of strategy for the Axis player, as he might risk not targeting French units for the first few rounds in the hopes that they won't have full offensive capabilities. In one game I played the French didn't get their bearings until round 5, by which time the British units had taken a bit of a mauling. Needless to say, that battle went in favour of the Axis.

The game can technically be played as a solitaire game, but 2 players is recommended. It's possible to have more players as well, with one player controlling each faction, but the small map size really doesn't invite it.

If you come across this game, give it a go!

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verdun — 2006-08-23T20:21:12+00:00

turn record chart

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verdun — 2006-08-23T20:21:06+00:00

Terrain effect chart

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verdun — 2006-08-23T20:21:01+00:00

combat chart

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verdun — 2006-08-23T20:13:37+00:00

counter chart

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montsegur — 2005-05-06T19:53:19+00:00

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fuzzyfife — 2002-09-03T17:14:48+00:00

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fuzzyfife — 2002-09-03T12:24:51+00:00

Game: Race For Tunis

Thread: Re: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

Thread: Re: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

Thread: Desert warfare on a coffee-table.

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