The game includes a 34"x22" map that is glossy (ugh!) and not very attractive, I'm afraid. It is functional, but this map looks like something a "third world" company would have used in the 70's. Again, this is more of an aesthetic concern than a gameplay concern. It includes two playing aid cards and 140 counters that are also glossy (sigh). It's a personal preference, but I greatly prefer a matte finish on the counters to glossy since a glossy finish creates eyestrain for me under bright lights. Over all, the graphics are disappointing, but not a "deal-breaker".
The game consists of nine turns with a familiar sequence of play: Weather, German Organization Phase, Bombardment Phase, Movement Phase, Assault Phase, and Breakthrough Movement Phase followed by a French identical sequence. The organization phase is used to check for supply, rally troops and bring in replacements and reinforcements. The rulebook follows the sequence of play quite well and I didn't find any glaring omissions.
The most important wrinkles in this system are the way artillery is handled, the use of German Pioneer and French Hunter troops, and the rules for digging-in. There are three types of artillery: Army, Corps and Divisional. Army guns can only do barrage and interdiction (limit movement and supply lines to the enemy). Divisional guns can only do Offensive and Defensive Assault support and Corps guns can do anything. However, they can only shoot once (with the exception of the Big German gun that can shoot three times in a turn). Here is the wrinkle: each gun can only shoot once per turn. Therefore, the players have to be careful how and when they use their guns. On top of that, these guns can only move or shoot, so the Germans have to decide each turn whether to fire one more time or move up the guns into better position.
The second wrinkle involves the elite units for both sides - German Pioneer and French Hunter troops. The German Pioneers give an assault bonus on attacks and allow infantry stacked with them to participate in the Breakthrough Movement Phase. However (and here is the wrinkle) if they participate in an assault, they have to take the first damage result. This means it is really easy for the German player to blow out his Pioneers before they get anywhere near Verdun. For the French, the Hunters can change German Infantry ZOC's from strong to weak (allowing for French Infantry to slip through German Infantry ZOC's) and allows French units stacked with them to participate in the French Breakthrough Movement Phase. The wrinkle here is that if Hunter units are destroyed in combat, they cannot be replaced.
The final wrinkle are the rules for Digging-In. This rule really helps the French hold the line before the Germans can reach Verdun. It isn't as good as a trench, but it definitely serves a good purpose for the French early in the game.
So how does the game play? Quite well, actually. The Germans will blow huge holes in the French lines early on and much of the success for the French will depend on how many of their troops survive the first couple of turns. However, if the French can keep their wits about them, starting on turn three they will receive reinforcements. In the games I have played, these reinforcements showed up just in the knick of time to avert disaster. I would call the play balance pretty even, although the more experienced player should probably play the French since they seem to have a smaller margin for error. The game includes four optional rules to balance the game as needed, depending on the player's preferences.
It has become fashionable lately to pick on Avalanche Games because of their spotty track record with game development. I won't argue that point since I have also been disappointed by some of AP's games. If I were to judge this game strictly on its graphics, I would have to not recommend this game. The graphics distract, rather than complement, this product. However, I am a gamer and not an art critic and as I gamer, I can recommend this game to anyone looking for a fun, well-balanced game with a minimum of setup time or rules interpretation. Every game I played was a tight affair which could have gone either way when the game was concluded.
Although Avalanche Games is hardly thought of as the standard of conflict simulations, they've earned your ducats this time. For $20, you get a fun game with a lot of replayability. I recommend it.
Last edited on 2007-03-13 11:44:04 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
Posted Mon Mar 12,2007 06:17 am
