Hitler's War

Review by David Pope

Designed by Rex Martin and Bruce Shelley
The Avalon Hill Game Company 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214
Released: September 1984
Catalog No. 861
Price: $16.00
Complexity: Beginner to Intermediate
Solitaire play: Moderate

For those of you who sometimes get the urge to conquer Europe in one evening, Hitler's War will provide a remedy. A strategic level simulation of World War II, Hitler's War is one of Avalon Hill's latest offerings, and it is a pleasant surprise. When Metagaming released this game in 1981, it struck me as reminiscent of a much older title by Simulation Publication, Inc. (SPI), World War II: ETO. A closer inspection revealed, however, that Hitler's War was not just a re-hashed concept but an attempt to incorporate all factors of strategic conflict-including production and technological advance as well as air, naval, and land combat-into a game that could be played to conclusion in a single evening.

Well, time passed, and Avalon Hill picked up the rights to Hitler's War. The original version was a nice little game, but its new owners have done it a good turn. First of all, the new game components show the mark of Avalon Hill production standards. The new map is mounted and has a color scheme which is quite pleasing to the eye. Another improvement is that charts and tables used in play have been put on the board, not buried in the rules. This addition alone speeds up play considerably. Next, the Military Record Cards, upon which all sorts of vital information is indicated, are printed on cardstock and have been spruced up with graphics symbols.

The biggest general change, though, is in the rules. Rex Martin and Bruce Shelley revised the existing rules and added a half-dozen optional rules of their own. The new version is much cleaner and easier to read and understand. While it appears that the new rule book is just about double the size of its predecessor, the truth is that the rules are just a bit more spread out. Also included are two scenarios and basic and advanced Campaign games. All of this is set up in a programmed-instruction format so players can learn by doing.

The rules have been revised, but play of the game is pretty much unchanged; Hitler's War works like its predecessor, but more smoothly because of the improvements noted previously The Research Phase is probably most important to the pattern of the game. During Research, each player has the opportunity to develop sophisticated techniques of modern warfare including strategic bombers and advanced missile technology, but Research also allows a players production capacity to turn out better quality ground combat units at lowered costs.

So research affects play directly as well as indirectly. Hitler's War is an ideal game for players who wish to simulate the strategic events of the period 1939-1945. Since the only other games which do an adequate job of this are large enough to be intimidating to novice gamers, the game also fills a void in the hobby Hitler's War will appeal to greenhorns and grognards alike, and its uncomplicated system of play will provide plenty of gaming enjoyment. All in all, this is Avalon Hill's best reworking of a purchased-title game to date.

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