Introduction

The world-famous investigator stared intently at the looming structure, perched high on the mountain, that was limned in the soft Mediterranean moonlight. It was a peaceful scene, but the old castle radiated an underlying sense of menace. Turning to his portly companion, he muttered, "Something monstrous lurks there, Watson. We must send for help at once!"

Start: 0640 12 November 1946

End: 1240 12 November 1946

Map Area: Map B, east of the 32.xx hexrow.

First Player: British

German Information: Set Up:

1-1-FJ (3 x inf platoon, 1 x MG section) - w/i 2 of B48.12
2-Pio (3 x inf platoon, 1 x MG section, 1 x 81mm Mortar) - w/i 3 of B47.18
Hitler's Brain, 1 inf platoon of the Para Co - in Castle Leros

Special Rules

Hitler's Brain - The Brain may never move or be carried by any unit. It cannot be fired at or destroyed through combat. However, if alone in the hex with any enemy unit at any time, it is considered immediately destroyed.

Re-animation - any time either side (excluding villagers) suffers a step loss in any hex, mark that step loss with a regular loss marker. Each step lost would get marked with a separate step loss, up to the limit lost in that hex. These losses may be transported back to Castle Leros by German units, where they are automatically re-animated by the evil genius of Dr. Mengele. Re-animated units are introduced into play at the start of the next turn. Each re-animated unit is a 2-(6)-7 one step infantry squad, with a move mode side of A-A-6. Use any German PB squad counter from Omaha for these units. Each German unit may carry one step loss marker for every two steps it currently has. Once re-animated, of course, the Nazi-Zombies may move under their own power. Note that any step losses are eligible for re-animation as Nazi Zombies, including British units.

To pick up a step loss marker, the unit must expend 1/2 its movement allowance. It may drop step losses at any time, with no extra MP cost. Any unit that is forced to take a step loss or morale check, or flips to fire mode for any reason, drops the step loss(es) and must pick them up again to continue moving with them.

Historical orders

No orders are used in this scenario. No units are considered dug in.

British Information

Set Up: All units of Irish (14x Inf platoon, 2x 2 In mortars, 2x MG Section, 3x 3 In Mortars), 3xLRDG section, and 2x Bofors AA guns - w/i 4 of B35.01

Local Constabulary (use Italian 1-I-10 Inf Co. counters for this) - (3x Inf Platoon, 1x MG section) - w/i 1 B39.25.

Angry Mob (1 counter, values 3-(0)-10, with 20 steps of size, and move mode values of A-A-6.) - B39.30

Special rules:

Angry Mob - this is the usual collection of red-faced villagers fed up with the evil goings-on locally, and equipped with standard issue torches, scythes, and pitchforks. It has 20 steps, may never split up, takes fire normally, and may never fire in ranged combat. However, if this unit exists in the same hex as an enemy unit at the end of any assault combat round - even if paralyzed - the enemy unit is immediately eliminated, ripped apart by the angry mob, who are no doubt considerably angrier after suffering through an assault. Those of you who have the game may use one of the Palestinian Border Command units from Force Eagle's War, ignoring the range shown on the unit.

Victory:

The British player must eliminate Hitler's Brain, lest the world be plunged into a greater Hell than it has ever known before. If it is not eliminated by the end of the game, the evil Nazis have managed to spirit the brain away to some other secret location, and start their whole twisted scheme anew...

Balance:

You're kidding, right?

Optional rule: Accents

It is strongly urged that both players speak in cheap Hollywood accents in order to remain in character. I suggest that British players watch old Sherlock Holmes movies for dialogue and accent hints, while German players can get tone from Hogan's Heroes episodes. German dialogue can best be extracted from old Sgt Rock comic books, which provide a wealth of German military terms for those eternal ten-year-olds among us.

Designer's notes:

As we now know, while Hitler's body was charred almost beyond recognition on that fateful April day, Martin Bormann spirited the Fuhrer's Brain away using perverse medical secrets uncovered by the demented Dr. Mengele. The plan was to rebuild the Reich from some remote location after the world had lapsed back into its usual passivity and the Neville Chamberlains of the world were ready to make "Peace at Any Price" again. Conventional wisdom had long held that Bormann intended to slip away to Argentina, but found an eminently suitable location much closer to home, on a remote Aegean Island...

As anyone can see, once you have a real Castle on a remote Island to play with, you just have to have a Hitler's Brain counter. Once I convinced Dean to include one in the Christmas mailing for 1996, the rest just flowed.