UNTENSCHIEDEN by Game Designers Workshop,

This is the second part of the EUROPA series being produced by this group. The first was DRANG NACH OSTEN, reviewed here last issue.

This is not a separate game but an extention of DNO to carry it on through January 1945. It consists of six large sheets of die-cut unit counters, which are excellently printed in a great variety of attractive colors and cut very evenly (though the counters tend to fall out easily so watch it when you open your copy.) Also 4 more map sheets to be added to the DNo map. (Kirov-Kubishev area) and many, many pages of rules. charts, etc., including extensive revisions to the ONO rules. All this for $12.85 plus $1.00 for postage (DNO costs $13.75 plus $1.00) Taken together with DNO this provides the wargamer with the WWII East Front game to end all East Front games. Evidently GDW plan to keep expanding this series until it covers the entire War in Europe! The next part will be MARITA MERKAR, the Balkans Campaign, 1941-45. Available from Game Designers' Workshop. P.O. Box 582. Bloomington, IL 61701.

PATTON by Research Games, Inc.

Actually the full title of this game, which must set some kind of record for length, is "Major Battles and Campaigns of General George S. Patton." It was designed by Sid Sackson, who has most of the 3M games to his credit, and who writes a game review column in S&T. It comes in a flat, 14"x18" box which contains a board of heavy, stiff cardboard with only one fold; an 8 page booklet of rules; 10 (count 'em 10) dice; a few unit counters; and some cards.

Actually this is three games in one! There are three scenarios, and three separate maps on the board (a unique idea). Each half of one side has its own map: "The Bulge," and "Normandy Breakout," the other side of the board has one large map, "Sicily." The play mechanics are the same for all three names, but the units available etc. change, of course.

This is a very simple game to learn. Perhaps even easier than the Gamma Two Games (QUEBEC and WAR of 1812). Yet there is great complexity in the possible strategies. This, to my mind, is the best kind of name.

As with the Gamma Two games, there are no hexes, squares, etc. Movement is from point to adjacent point, regardless of physical distance, along connecting roads. A new feature is that some roads are better than others. Some cost one movement factor per unit, some two, and others three.

There are only two types of units for each side, intantry and armor. Armor units are equal to 2 infantry units in combat but cost no more to move or stack (only 10 units to a given point, and only 5 may use a given road between points at a time).

Combat is simply resolved. When one side attempts to move units into a point occupied by enemy units a battle results. For every two infantry or one armor unit a player has in the battle he rolls one die (up to a max. of 5). If he's rolling only 1 die, a six will cause the enemy to lose one unit (infantry if he has it, armor otherwise). When rolling two or more dice doubles will cause one enemy casualty, triples two, etc.

Also the total numbers on all dice thrown by both sides are compared and the side with the lower number must retreat all surviving units. It's possible to cause more casualties than you take and still have to retreat (a clever innovation!).

The greatest innovation, however, is the movement system. A deck of cards is provided, numbers from 1 to 10. These are dealt face down to the two players. The player moving first turns up his top card and the number on it tells him how many movement factors he has for the turn. He can allocate these however he wishes among his units: spread them among several units or concentrate them on one unit to move it a long way. Then the second player turns up his first card and adds this number to the card his opponent just used. This total is the number of factors he now has to use as he wishes. Then the first player turns up another card and adds that to the one last turned up by his opponent. This is a deceptively simple system that provides an almost perfect balance of total movement factors to the two sides while keeping both players in the dark as to how many they and their opponent will receive next. A truly brilliant idea!

Playing time runs about 1 to 2 hours, including reading the rules! The situations seem fairly well balanced. And all in all the g a. is really fun -- roughly on a par with the Gaima Two games. The components are nothing fancy, but adequate.

The only real gripe is that the unit counters would be a lot easier to pick up and move if they were a little thicker. It's well worth the $8.00 price.

The publishers (RGI) have been in the game business for 10 years. Their past efforts includePro Baseball, Pro Hockey, Pro Football, Pennant Fever, and others.

This is their first war game, but not, evidently, their last. PATTON is available from a few dealers including Lowrys Hobbies.

BASEBALL STRATEGY by Avalon Hill.

This old AH standby was recently revised and re-released in the bookcase format. The basic system of the name remains unchanged. Matching pitches and swings on a matrix, etc. The emphasis is on strategy: the line up, the pinch hitter, the hit & run, double play, sacrifice, etc.

The changes allow for different abilities tor hitters with batting averages in 4 different categories, plus power hitters and non-power hitters. Allowance is also made for left and right hand pitching, pitcher rotation and left and right hand hitting. All together an excellent game made better. It sells for $9.00 and is available wherever Avalon Hill games are sold -- well almost wherever.