The last month of 1973 saw Simulations Publications publish what they now refer to as the most popular game in print, "World War II. While their most recent ratings tend to confirm this statement, the game still has to withstand the test of time. I do not mean to detract from the game, it is without a doubt one of the best in SPI's line. Money spent on it is well used. The game consists of three scenarios: 1939, 1940, and the 1941 (Barbarossa) scenario. All present several options, so (for brevity) I have decided to concentrate on the first, which presents Europe on the brink of war, or as it states on the game's front cover sheet, "The time is 0430 firs., 1 SEP 1939." The game may be played with two (Allies vs Axis) or three players (Allies vs Axis vs U.S.S.R.). and SPI is promising to bring out an expansion kit which will further increase the number of players. I have split the survival strategies into two sections, first the Allies, and then the Axis. The Allies: The Allied position at the opening of the war appears hopeless. Poland will present no oppositon to either the Germans or Russians, and Great Britain is so weak it cannot effect the outcome in France or the low countries. The French, if possible, should stack to present the Germans with the difficult task of eliminating six factors the first turn, instead of three. This stack should be in hex #1014 (a doubled position). French reinforcements entering the game should also stack and give up the production centers in favor of the doubled positions, and the Normandy coast. France will fall eventually; the idea is to tie down the Germans as long as possible so the British may reinforce Gibralter and Kuwait, and if possible, Suez. The decisive step for the French is in stopping the Germans from declaring a Vichy government with what remains of the French Amy. To do this the French units should set themselves up so that German zocs will enter every hex in France after the number of French strength points falls to eight or below, the on-board number necessary to declare a Vichy government. There are many ways of doing this, I will not go into them here, the important point is that it be done. This is important because it makes it possible for the Allied player to use the French units in Africa and the Middle East in the defense of Suez and Gibralter, instead of having them as a potential Axis ally. The British should stay off of the continent until well into the game. Their initial reinforcements should be used to make the British Isles impregnable to an Axis invasion. Chances are the German will not use his precious reinforcement points for amphibious units, but it is not the type of chance the English should take. The only game I have seen where the Germans invaded England, they were driven into the sea on the turn of invasion by a well prepared British force. Once the British Isles are secure, the Allied player must decide which of his three southern outposts he will reinforce; at the most two can be held, three would be nearly impossible. I opt for reinforcing Gibralter first. It requires fewer naval points, and has Spain (a potential ally) with its many mountains portecting it from the north. Next the British must choose either Suez or Kuwait. I prefer Kuwait, for I have found defending the Suez Canal a touch and go affair at best. A strong force in Kuwait will give the Axis a run for their money later in the game, especially if the German becomes bogged down in Russia and must begin shifting hi~ forces to that theater. There is one exception to this. If a Vichy government is declared, I would reinforce Suez. To reach Suez from Kuwait the British Army must go through Lebanon, and if the Vichy are in power, this will bring the French in on the side of the Axis. Vichy is weak, but often the difference of one or two points can decide the campaign for the Axis in Africa. For the British the most crucial campaign is here, North Africa and the Middle East. Hbld Kuwait at all costs, and use it as the base for launching your counterattacks against the Axis. Second, defend Gibralter and lastly protect the Suez Canal. Once North Africa is clear, the invasion of France is on. The only recommendation I can make is that more than ample reserves be on hand to back up the initial landing. I have seen successful invasions aborted due to the lack of sufficient backup. Do not invade Norway. Besides being against the rules if the Axis don't invade there first, it is a potential trap. The rules state the allies may not invade any neutral first, but if you wish to expand the game a little, you could say they asked for allied protection. In any event, even if the Axis invade Norway, stay out, the narrow neck of Denmark makes for a log jam, too many units can be trapped with nothing to do. Let the Axis take Norway and worry about defending it from a possible invasion. As for the U.S. Army, treat it as if it was just reinforcing the British, and use them accordingly. The big U.S. four strength points are especially useful in defending Gibralter and for use in any invasion of France. USSR The U.S.S.R. is a case study in itself. The Soviets have the second strongest army on the board at the outset of the game, but it is spread over the great mass of Russia. The longer the German delays the invasion, the better for the Soviets. If the Germans leave Russia half of Poland, take it. It not only moves the front a little farther from the production centers, it also provides the opportunity for the Soviets to go on limited war production. Next, make sure the Russians have sufficient units backing their front lines so that the Germans may not overrun the entire Soviet front in one turn (i.e., make sure the Soviets have enough overlapping ZOCs to prevent overruns). The decisive battle of the war will be fought in Russia. If Russia falls the Axis can turn his entire might (minus a small garrison) on the western allies, and take North Africa (if not already in his hands) and the Middle East, and proceed to make Fortress Europe a reality. The Russian must protect his production centers (in the game called resource centers) so he may create new troops. Stack as soon as it is possible. During peacetime I have found a defense that consists of the Russians having a front line as deep as possible the best way to slow down the Germans. By this I mean a front three hexes deep with the Russian two- point units if at all possible. This not only prevents an overrun attack, it also can cut off any German unit which unwisely advances after combat into the jaws of the waiting Soviets. One final word on the defense of Russia, do not ignore a possible southern front. Build up here slowly but steadily. The European defensive line could possibly evaporate in a single German mass wave attack, but it will take him several turns to develop a threat on the Southern front. The Soviet will be able to see it coming, he shouldn't ignore it, it can have a powerful say on the outcome of the game. Finally, if the Germans ignore Finland, the Soviets should too. The small powerful Finnish army is a potential thorn, but unless the Axis use Finland for a jumping off point, ignore it. It will only lengthen an already overextended front. Once the Germans and their allies are on the run, make for Berlin and knock Germany out of the game, Allied Summary To summarize the Allied position: I. Prevent formation of Vichy France, II. Protect England from any possible invasion, III. Heavily defend at least one of the African or Middle East ports, and IV. Prevent overrun attacks in Russia. The Axis Though the German Army is the strongest at the beginning of the game, with the foreknowledge that the Allies have tremendous potential, the Axis commander must wonder if the Germans can conquer the obstacles which will be placed before it. The answer is yes, with a little help from the Italians. Use the German reinforcement points to build infantry units. Mechanized movement is very important, but a strong mechanized unit is too expensive to build, especially in the middle game when units are probably needed on at least two active fronts. Take all of Poland, this will put the German army closer to the crucial Russian resource centers. Use only the minimum number of units necessary to overrun the Polish army, swing the rest west and hit France and the low countries hard. The sooner France falls, the sooner those units can go east or south. Declaring a Vichy government can be tricky. Any large scale adventure in Africa will bring the Vichy Army in on the side of the Allies. I recommend the Vichy government. A two to one advantage is all that is necessary to eliminate the French army, and Vichy units can present a problem to the British in Africa and the Middle East. Use the Italians to take Suez. Unlike the actual Italian WW II army, this one can be very useful. Of course taking and holding Suez are two different problems. German reinforcements will be needed to hold Suez, and are definitely needed to conquer North Africa and the Middle East. As for the Germans, after France falls, I recommend sending a strong force to North Africa with the rest of the German army being used for a quick buildup on the eastern front. The force in North Africa should be strong enough to hold Suez and make threatening gestures at Gibralter and Kuwait. The Germans should keep all of his mechanized forces in Europe. Invade Russia early in the game, at the latest the summer of 1941. The longer the Axis wait the stronaer the Russians become. The overrun attack in Russia can be the deciding factor, use it whenever and wherever possible. Once the Russians are on the ropes, the Germans can divert forces to the African Theater and take out the Allied forces located there. Italy is restricted in the number of units she can have in Africa, use the excess to take the Balkans. Stay out of Turkey. Invade it only if the Axis are winning and can afford to tackle the double positions in eastern Turkey. Stay out of Spain for the same reason. To restate the Axis position: 1. Conquer Poland with the minimum force necessary, II. Pit France hard and early and declare a Vichy Goverment if at all possible, III. Hit Russia early, and use the overrun attack, IV. Don't try to conquer the Soviet Union and North Africa at the same time, V. Do not invade England. Conclusion I have only touched upon a few of the many possible directions this game may take, and I have ignored many of its aspects (Partisans, lend lease routes, etc.). "World War II" is a fascinating game with numerous twists, turns, and surprises. I have avoided stating a certain number of strength points that should be used in each theater because the number will vary greatly from game to game, and the players must adapt the above plans to each came played. My strategies are based on the plans I have formulated in the playing of "World War II" several times. I do not claim it is the "perfect plan," or that it is infalable. "World War II" is a game which deserves many articles discussing its many interesting facets. Back to Table of Contents -- Panzerfaust #64 To Panzerfaust/Campaign List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1974 by Donald S. Lowry This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com