If you like simpler war games, you'll enjoy it. Note the new supplements: Maps #7-10 are now published: Islands and Ocean set. Elite Units are now out. Three of the new maps have geomorphic land capability on only two edges - one long, and one short edge. The other two edges are pure water. The fourth map has water edges all around, so can only link to these three, all of which can link to the first 6 maps. Two of the maps have only 8PP worth of cities on them (the first 6 maps all have 10PP worth of cities), but they have one "resource" space. The other two new maps have only 6PP worth of cities, but two resource spaces each. The new counter mix has resource counters: each production phase, a resource step appears on a resource space. If you can deliver it to a city, you get (resource step * city value) worth of PP to use.

Each map has a language theme, BTW: the first six are French, German, English, Greek, Spanish and Arabic. The new ones are Turkish, Hindi, Polynesian and Pacific Canadian. The new maps are fine, though I'm not sure how the resource spaces will work out, balancing reduced cities. OTOH, they give four new scenarios using these maps, and most of them take reduced PP into account, by saying things like, "Player A gets double production" or whatever.

The new units - hmmm. I have mixed feelings. I like the six Resource counters, and I love the four Supply counters - although rules are missing regarding a combat unit and a supply counter together when out of supply. I assume supply units don't lose a step themselves when out of supply (they are Supply), but you can reduce them by one step to save the combat unit from losing a step. At least that's how I intend to play it.

I have problems with all the new planes: I don't like the jets, I don't understand the medium bombers (1 vs A, 1 vs G, 2 vs N?), and I'm worried about the ahistoricity of the Torpedo bombers. While I love to see an N3 air unit to cancel the overwhelming power of battleships, I believe historically that most torpedo bombers were shot down by ships before delivering their torpedos. But in Victory they fire before ships ...

The new naval units I'm also a bit dubious about. Destroyers are already subsumed into most other naval types - now you can buy extras for convoy duty, I suppose. To counter the pathetic weakness of their gunnery, you get more CV per step: 6, 4, 2, 1. I'm not sure how that will work out. The Cruisers included are specifically stated to be late war AA model: that is, they fire 2 vs A. It's nice to have a ship which can fire 2 vs air, but there weren't any such animal most of the war.

They did better on the ground unit mix. Two more marines for use with those new Island and Ocean maps - good choice. Two engineers - another good choice. They only have G1 fire, but can cross rivers without stopping, and aren't hurt in combat by crossing rivers. Most importantly, they can build airfields, a much needed effect. Two mountaineer units seem a bit too powerful - G3 in the mountains, and they can walk through them. I'd feel better if they had a CV cap of 2 or 3, but they don't. Elite armor are like the SS units in EastFront - I think four of them is too many, though. Mechs are strange, actually. They are identical to normal armor except they fire after armor. However, they have the ability to respond in battle, similar to a defender's planes, but only one space. While this is a fine idea, I wonder why armor can't do the same thing?

And finally Artillery. Much needed, but I think they blew it. They seem to have combined army artillery, shore batteries, and two types of anti-aircraft into one unit! Far better to have split that into three types of units, IMO. Arty are currently A2-N2-G2, move 1. I think actual arty should be A1-N0-G2, Move 1. Shore batteries should be something like A1-N2-G0, Move 0, and AA A2-N0-G1, Move 1.

Aside from quibbles, I'm happy to have the new units. I may make up my own stickers for the last three types of units - I'll never use the jets, so can use those blocks and the arty blocks to hold them.

Very good game, recommended.