Players 2 or more
Playing Time 2 to 3 hours
Period Second World War, ETO
Scale Strategic Turn 3 months
Map 50 miles per hex, covers entire area of western Europe
Unit army

Components

1 ziploc bag and box
1 12 page rules booklet
200 back-printed die-cut counters in at least 15 different shades
1 22" x 28" three-color map depicting western Europe from Greece to Spain in the south and from Ireland to Denmark and Germany in the north

Counter Manifest

15 Axis leader counters
12 Allied leader counters
6 Axis Panzer Army counters
24 Axis Infantry Army counters
18 Allied Tank Army counters 1
0 Allied Infantry Army counters
1 Allied Parachute Army counter

SimCan says:

“West Front is our grand strategic game of the European campaign. It can be played in historical scenarios starting at either the Italian or Normandy landings or in an open landing zone campaign. The game focuses on the Army Group level, with players controlling subordinate armies as the main combat formations. Leadership is a major component of the game, with each player having a pool of named and rated leaders available. In addition, the game uses the same system as our Lebensraum! game of the campaign in the East and the two games can be combined to produce an overall grand strategic game of the entire war in Europe from the start of the invasion of the U.S.S.R.”

The Reviewers say:

“What sets Lebensraum/West Front apart from other strategic level, World war II European Theatre games is the economic dimension. Indeed, it is the focus of the game, forcing military concerns into a position of secondary importance. It is an economic game with an economic system much advanced over the likes of, say, Third Reich. It is interwoven into the game fabric in a subtle yet dramatic way. For example, the number of movement points a player receives is the direct result of oil procured and functioning refineries. This goes a long way in helping players understand why Hitler REALLY turned the panzers from the gates of Moscow towards the south of the Soviet union.” --Paul Pigulski in F&M 55.

“The twist to this game is the emphasis upon economic considerations. ... The game’s main drawback are its drab, uninspired graphics.” --Jeff Petraska in F&M 65.

Comments

As noted above, West Front mates with Lebensraum! to provide a two-map, two or three player, 600 counter strategic study of the last four years of the European campaign. Like several other SimCan games, it can be found at quite a bargain compared with ones on similar topics and at similar scales as those produced today. You can purchase it new from Clash of Arms Games (if still available) for under $10 in ziploc bag format, when purchased with other SimCan games in quantity.

Collectors Notes

This SimCan game seems fairly easy to find at a reasonable price from both Clash of Arms and eBay. One could purchase both this and Lebensraum! together for around $20 or so. Boone lists low, high and average prices of 2/11/6.67 at auction and 11/20/15.60 for sale.

Errata

None listed in SimCan Newsletter.

Steve Newberg says:

This was the follow up to Lebensraum, bringing in the Western Europe Front 1943-1945. As with most follow ups that are not part of the original concept, it is not as good. This is, I suppose, the difference between a follow up or series game and a game system that is really unitary, but broken into several games for topic or market or economic reasons (such as our two tactical naval series, IJN/Torpedo!/Kriegsmarine and Line of Battle/Battleship). The game came out OK, in my opinion, and it mates well to produce a European Theatre mini-monster, but it is not as focused or informative as its predecessor.