Time Marches On

When Winston asked me to take over the magazine for Rick Gayler, I told him I probably could only do it for a couple of years and that time is fast passing.

I would love to continue for a lot longer (I'm sure not burned out), but the kids' former 7:30 bedtimes are now turning into after school homework and after work baseball practice and the editing hours are becoming scarcer and scarcer. At Europafest, I announced that after a few more issues I would like to pass the reins to someone else and I have already found promising applicants, as reflected in this issue's masthead.

We welcome David Lippman and Peter Robbins to the masthead as editors. Peter teaches at a junior college and has considerable experience in publishing. His work has appeared in these pages several times. David brings a particular qualification heretofore rare in the TEM staff - he has been a real editor; he even got paid for it. We simple wargamers sit in awe of this and look forward to his help.

More Eastern Navies

In this space of TEM #54 1 pointed out that it might be difficult to replicate the Soviet amphibious operations in the Crimea with the naval rules and OBs in that issue. At Europafest, Arthur politely pointed out that Soviet river flotillas can carry units to the Crimea and this is exactly what the Soviets historically did. Good point, Arthur!

This Issue

Originally, I thought a Mediterranean issue would be a neat way to sneak in some more desert stuff, but in the end we're actually weighted toward SF.

We also start a series of articles from Dave Tinny covering the German Navy's major ships. Yes, we know there were no pocket battleships in the Mediterranean, but we had to start sometime.

We had issue 55 finished to distribute at Europafest, but in the rush to get it there, bobbled the ball on both scenarios. Peter Rogers offers his corrections in "Crusader Throws a Track."

To reduce the potential for more fumbling, we bumped "Cape Matapan" to a future issue until some rough spots in that scenario are worked out.

Graziani's Offensive Addendum

Last minute playtesting (the presses were rolling) uncovered the need for an added special rule. Alas, we couldn't get the change in time.

The problem stems from the rule stating that the Allied player cannot use his surprise attack ability if he has already made an attack. This is a reasonable and necessary rule; you can't be letting the Allied player wait to launch his surprise attack whenever he pleases, long after any true surprise element is lost. However, the Axis player, unlike Graziani in real life, has read the surprise rule and can take steps to prevent the surprise attack by enticing a premature Allied attack on some Axis unit. The most obvious way of doing this is to send a sacrificial unit or two streaking toward the Delta and wreaking havoc with the British rear areas until attacked and eliminated.

There are two ways to approach this: 1) an idiot rule prohibiting Italian units from moving out of supply, or 2) a slightly more complex rule that allows British attacks on Axis units out-of-supply.

Either works, so we'll let you pick.

Option #1: Add the following rule:

"During the period of Italian disarray, Italian units may not move to a hex that would be out of general supply. Any Italian units that do so are eliminated. This restriction is lifted as soon as any British unit attacks an Italian unit."

Option #2: Change the last sentence of the first paragraph of the Allied Surprise rule to read:

"For the Allied player to attempt a surprise attack, no Allied unit may yet have attacked an Axis unit that was in general supply in the initial phase of the turn of the attack."

Either of these additions seems to eliminate the Axis tactic of sending suicide Italian units toward the Delta to prompt a premature Allied attack. We leave it to you to select which you prefer.

Coming Attractions

Lost Victories

The Soviet counteroffensive of 1942. Bradley Skeen

OVERLORD

A Jun I start for Second Front showing the complete Axis hex-by-hex setup up for that turn. Skip April and May and start with the invasion. - Jim Broshot

Normandy Bridgehead!

Don't like that first-turn invasion hassle? Skip it. The Allies are ashore and it's the German player turn of Jun II. A "bonus" scenario to be published with "OVERLORD."

The Dodecanese Campaign!

Combining components of SF, BF, and WitD, TDC covers one of the few instances of combat that doesn't appear in a Europa game. -David Hughes

Cape Matapan!

A naval scenario to provide a historical setting for testing the rules presented in TEM #54.

The Macedonian War!

A hypothetical war in which the Bulgarians invade Yugoslavia intent on freeing their "long suffering" Macedonian kinsmen. - Frank Watson

The Outposts - Part I!

Holding Boxes? Phooey! Here come the Canaries, Azores, etc. in color from the official mapmeister himself with rules for adding them to FWtBT. - A. E. Goodwin

Operation NORDLICHT!

The last operations in Finland. - Lars Wistedt.

Operation DICHTUNG!

Fearing the channel, the Germans take an indirect approach and invade Ireland. -Arnaud Delauney

The Golden Fleece!

Rommel has won and drives on the Soviet Union from the South seeking, as did the fabled Jason, the valley of Colchis. - Bradley Skeen

Gothic Line!

Allied 15th Army Group has only one chance to break through to the Po Valley before weather closes the way. - Frank Watson

Drive to the Meuse!

What? Another Bulge game? Sure. Why not? - Eric Pierce.