Victory points are how you win the game. This simple statement holds a lot of ramifications for any Europa match. In a recent game of First to Fight, the Germans seemed to smash the Poles, but a quick casualty count proved otherwise. Once again, the lesson of countless playtests, "Make haste slowly," was vindicated.

First, however, I must mention that a few home-brew rules were used. They were:

1. Tactical bombing factors were doubled if no AA, interception, cities or forts were present; and they were halved in forests, mountains and swamps.

2. Forests cost 2 hexes against the overland supply line for purposes of tracing supply.

3. Percentile dice were rolled to determine final odds.

All of the optional rules that added realism were used, but not the alternate- history ones (the variants).

The Germans planned the usual attack routes southeast and northeast of Poznan in a gigantic pincers and a thnist southward out of East Prussia. A few divisions would mop up the Poles at Hel, and non-c/m forces would move up to the Polish line to surround Poznan and wait for the fall of Warszawa.

The German player was somewhat complacent in planning his tactics, not really deciding whether he would sacrifice casualties for speed, and this would result in a number of exchanges down the road. He noticed that he had insufficient forces in East Prussia, in his opinion, to both support a viable offensive and cover the border areas away from his main thrust south. He opted to support the offensive, at the expense of his border defense.

The Poles had one motto: "Cause casualties." The Polish player noted the big victory point bonuses for killing Germans. While staying within the deployment parameters, he was able to put most of his forces behind natural and artificial barriers such as rivers and forts.

He endeavored to form a powerful front line in the west with weak reserves. He hoped to inflict maximum casualties at first and then use the inadequate reserves to slow the Nazis down. Facing East Prussia, he used a similar strategy, but had a second strong line in the fortifications north of Warszawa and on the Narew river. In the east, there were only a few regiments, as the Poles concentrated on the VP-rich (and more imminent) German threat.

Turn 1

As open warfare begins, the Germans hurl enormous forces at weak spots along the entire front. Out of complacency, lack of respect of the Polish air force, and ignorance thanks to Polish secret deployments, the Luftwaffe neglects to escort long range bombing of Warszawa and the ground support missions around Katowice. This strategy pays off over fighter-free Warszawa, but over Krakow, Polish P.11c interceptors defending their home base shoot down an Me 109D and a Me 110B/C while suffering no losses themselves. Inspired by the exploits of their pilots, the city's air defense gunners abort a Do 17E. Although four airbase hits are scored, no air units are damaged and the Germans have paid dearly for it.

However, the Germans learn nothing from this fiasco. In the other raids, AA gunners continue to return and abort lots of Luftwaffe pilots, and minimize Polish damage to the loss of a single R37B.

On the ground, four German corps hammer the fortified hexes near Katowice and score two DH results. The city is enveloped and nervously awaits the imminent German attack. Czestochowa is seized, and several spots between there and Poznan are taken, signaling an early disintegration of the Warta river line.

Noticing the rather thin defenses in eastern East Prussia, the German player attacks the swamps north of Bialystok and receives an AE result on a 2:1 (-2) attack when he rolls a "l." Other German units in East Prussia make only minimal progress against the opposing Polish border installations.

The Poles respond by sweeping through unoccupied eastern Slovakia and hitting the German right flank. While not entirely successful, they tie up German mountain divisions for much of the campaign. They also launch an "invasion" of East Prussia through the now ZOC-less Eastern border. Two border regiments destroy two bombers on the ground at Tilsit and Insterburg, incidentally racking up victory points for owning a German city.

After a ground support effort is wiped out by Nazi interceptors, the Poles take a few cheap shots at German border guards, wiping out three regiments and two weak c/m battalions. Except for Hel, the Polish corridor is abandoned as forces are either sent into western East Prussia (where they are repelled by German defenders) or to a line forming from Poznan to Grudziadz.

Turn 2

The Germans hit Katowice and Poznan and bring up the reserves in Slovakia. They also attack out of East Prussia in all directions. Concurrent air efforts are largely frustrated by lucky Polish AA gunners. By surrounding Katowice, the Germans get 6.2:1 (-1) odds and roll a DE result. The exploiting Teutonic hordes roll into Katowice and an underdefended Krakow (remember the Polish strategy .. ). The Poles celebrate AS results at Poznan and Hel. Meanwhile, East Prussia is cleared of the pesky Polish border regiments.

The Poles invade East Prussia again, this time throwing in the kitchen sink, and take the fortress at Lotzen. The Poles manage to surround two c/m divisions plus gravy just north of Czestochowa, just hoping for a DR at 2.09:1 (-2), but roll a 1, resulting in an AE. Nine units turn into two cadres and potentially open up the road to Warszawa. The Poles lament their bad luck.

Turn 3

Several more German attacks all but eliminate the Poles from the Warszawa/Poznan/Krakow triangle, as the line in that area is more or less vaporized, bit by bit, with few reserves to replace losses. The valiant defenders at Hel finally succumb to combined ground and air attacks. Poznan is cut off, and the Nazis finally achieve major breakthroughs in the area of their main thrust out of southern East Prussia. Four German corps are now poised to directly attack Warszawa.

After evaluating his chances of inflicting significantly more casualties, the Polish player decides to evacuate the government to avoid capture. Some units in Slovakia and extreme southern Poland escape to Hungary, but most stay to fight. Suddenly, the Poles alertly spot Danzig, guarded by only a static battalion.

Grabbing a few scattered units, a successful attack is launched, catching six (count 'em, six) aircraft on the ground, four of which are destroyed (piling up 20 VPs in the process). The Poles take a few more cheap shots at Nazi border regiments.

Turn 4

The Nazi hordes race over the countryside, trying to cut off and place in ZOC as many units as possible. Four corps attack western Warszawa after eastern Warszawa is overrun, giving the Germans 3.88:1 (-1) odds. Hitler's minions, in a fit of incompetence, roll a 98, leaving things at 3:1 (-l). They roll a "2": Attacker stopped. Jubilation spreads through the Polish ranks. In the east, the Soviets manage to envelop and devour all but one of the Polish border installations.

Polish jubilation is short-lived during the Polish turn, mass surrenders follow. All units west of and including Warszawa, except for a few brigades near Bydgoszcz and a stubborn mountain cadre near Katowice lay down their arms. All remaining units immediately attempt to get to Lithuania, except for the mountain cadre, which heads for Hungary.

Turn 5

The game is basically over. The Germans, realizing their precarious victory point position, begin acting carefully. The escaping units are pummeled from land and air, while other bombers harass the Poles mercilessly. Very few escape.

Turn 6

The last cadred division slips into Lithuania; Poland belongs to the Nazis and the Communists.

As you can see, it was a Polish Marginal Victory! Note the huge role German casualties played in the victory.

This experience, besides showing the dangers of moving too quickly, demonstrates that it is possible for the Poles to win if the German player is careless and the Poles are alert, although I can't see how the Poles could credibly threaten Berlin (I'd like to hear about THAT game in these pages if anyone has accomplished the feat!).

The game also gave me a chance to try out some home-brew rules, as mentioned earlier. TBF doubling was not a huge factor, since Polish AA seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. However, air power, doubling and all, was crucial in a few battles, and the terrain modifiers seemed to balance it out all right. The extra supply cost for forest hexes only came into play once, and it helped a Polish stack to surrender.

Here is the final victory point count:

Victory Point Count

Poland: VPs
Eliminated Units:
German Air Units (11) 55
German Non-c/m REs (24.5) 49
German C/m REs (1.5) 6
Other VPs:
German City Taken 5
Polish REs Evacuated (19) 19
Polish Air Units Evacuated (3) 6
Total Polish VPs 140

Germany/USSR:VPs
Eliminated Units:
Allied Air Units (5) 15
Other VPs:
Terror Bombing Hits (9) 9
Polish Gov't Evacuates Turn 3 30
All Cities in Poland Taken 25
All Fortresses in Poland Taken 10
France Didn't Intervene 25
Total German VPs 114