GURPS WWII:

Iron Cross

by Bill Rutherford

by Steve Jackson Games

Iron Cross is SJG’s expansion to it’s recent GURPS WW II, which is itself their WW II expansion to the popular Generic Universal Role-Playing System. If you’re a GURPS player, this review can be summed up: Get it. If you’re not, read on… This sourcebook details the people and armed forces of Nazi Germany and epitomizes what I like about GURPS sourcebooks.

Though there’re 39 pages of small arms, equipment, and vehicle data for GURPS, the balance of this 128 page soft-bound book is essentially a gamer’s gazetteer to WW II through German eyes. The first 26 pages briefly trace Germany at war from the late 19th century up through 1945. Nothing new here in terms of history, but interesting to read nonetheless. Another 14 pages briefly describe the German armed forces during WW II – mainly to give RPGers an idea of what sort of game they might find themselves in. 16 pages of character details proved more useful, from a miniatures gaming perspective, than I anticipated. There are lots of ideas buried herein for characters, quirks, and heroes in one’s skirmish games. Another 16 pages discusses the German home front and the People, while a final 16 pages discusses the sorts of campaigns – role playing, that is – that players might embark upon.

Virtually all of the preceding is useful in a “soft” way. That is, there are no pre-set scenarios, no specific campaign rules, in fact, not much “hard” data of any sort (if you’re not a GURPS player). The book, to me, is an extended “mood setter” for WW II skirmish, filled with scenario ideas; designed to introduce the GURPS player who’s probably only ever played fantasy or science fiction games to WW II, Iron Cross does a good job of introducing WW II Germany to the reader in a very basic, but adult manner.

Priced at $22.95, Iron Cross is not cheap but I think it’s got enough good ideas for even the non-GURPS player to find worthwhile. Available from your local game shop or, failing that, directly from Steve Jackson Games at Box 18957, Austin, TX 78760. You can also visit the GURPS WWII website at http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/ww2.

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