Howdy. Just in time for the release of Marita-Merkur, the Grenadier begins this regular column aimed specifically at the Europa series of GDW games. In addition to our keeping you abreast of what we're doing with Europa, we hope you will keep us abreast of what you're doing with Europa. This column is intended as an on-going dialogue among Europa fans. Don't hesitate to send us your opinions and ideas, c/o the Grenadier.

Marita-Merkur

We promised to print Europa III back in 1973, and it's finally coming down the home-stretch for release at Origins this summer. Play-testers are polishing the refinements to the basic Europa system and thrashing out the new rules necessary for each scenario. At this point it appears that the box will include: the Italo-Greek War; the German invasion of Yugoslavia, Greece, and Crete; and the combined campaign game. The game system is the traditional Europa system with some continuing evolution. The game resembles Case White in that the German player must win big to satisfy the victory conditions. While Greece and Yugoslavia are doomed to fall, the question is "when?" The game will have a map and a half, 2-3 sheets of counters, and will be boxed.

Next. With Marita-Merkur out of the way, Europa moves back into full swing. It is impossible to predict with any degree of accuracy, but here are some indications of how the project will proceed. The next title will probably be The Fall of France: Blitzkrieg in the West, 1940. This will be a large but manageable game that includes (tentatively) the Low Countries, all of France, Switzerland, and the Franco-Italian border regions. Don't hold your breath, but this could be ready by Origins 1980.

Future games, in no particular order, will include D.A.K. (all of North Africa), Italia (Sicily, Italy, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, Pantelleria, etc.), Spanish Civil War (including Gibraltar for hypothetical actions if Franco joins the Axis), and France '44. After all the major European Theater of Operations ground games are released, there will be additional modules and expansion kits: Strategic Bombing Campaign, Battle of the Atlantic, Production, the Middle East, East Africa, and more.

Revision.

Work continues slowly on Their Finest Hour. It is out of print while we are in the process of splitting it into separate games, mate-able with each other and the whole of Europa. Sea Lion will be the hypothetical invasion game, and Battle of Britain will cover the aerial war. No release date can be estimated. Up-coming revisions include Narvik, which will be updated, provided with Case White, Marita-Merkur style color maps, and boxed. Again, no estimate of when this will be done. It is expected that the counters will remain unchanged, and players wishing to upgrade their first edition sets will be able to purchase a revision kit with new rules and maps: watch this column for complete details. Incidentally, the new mapping will eventually supercede DNO/UNT as well, and the complete maps will someday be available separately.

News

Drang Nach Osten is the cover story of the current issue of Fire & Movement. Editor Fred Helfferich presents a very balanced picture of the game, along with an interview with Marc Miller, designer's notes by Frank Chadwick and Rich Banner, and the story of some on-going multi-commander ' postal games of DNO/UNT A brand-new publication on the subject is the Europa Forum, a fan magazine serving much the same purpose as this column, but more frequently and in more depth: write to The Europa Forum, P.O. Box 3001, Bloomington, IL 61701 for details. The Forum also undertakes to organize postal DNO games.

Errata

The current errata sheets for Europa titles are dated as follows. DNO/UNT - 25 January, 1976; Narvik - 14 January, 1976; Case White - 15 July 1977. It is necessary to send a self-addressed, stamped envelope when requesting an errata sheet. Work progresses on a major new DNO/UNT errata sheet which will probably include a completely new Supply and Isolation rule. When it is ready, you'll hear about it here first. Also available for a long SSAE is the eight-page DNO Revised Air System and Air Order of Appearance. This is a set of draft, untested rules being circulated for player testing and com- mentary before official incorporation into DNO/UNT We still get requests for the old Europa Newsletter, but they are long out of print. Check the Europa Forum address given above for the possibility of reprints.

Unofficial

We'd like to reinstate this old section of the Newsletter here. Submissions should be new or modified rules for use in Europa games. Please keep your contributions short.