Victory in the West, Volume 1Patton’s 3rd Army
The Lorraine Campaign
8 Nov-1 Dec 44
Introduction
Patton’s 3rd Army is a simulation of the U.S. Third Army’s November 1944 offensive in the Lorraine area of France. Each game turn represents one day of real time and each hex represents about 2.6 miles from side to side.Credits
Designer: Joseph M. BalkoskiPublisher: SPI, 1979 (S&T 78)
Components
1 22”x34” Map
200 die-cut counters
1 Standard 8-page rule folder
1 Exclusive 4-page rule folder
Counter Manifest
USA (black on green)14 Tank Battalions
8 Mechanized Infantry Brigades
3 Reconnaissance Regiments
1 Self-Propelled Artillery brigade
21 Infantry regiments
10 Artillery brigades
7 Anti-Tank battalions
Germans (Black on grey)
8 Panzer battalions
12 Mechanized Infantry regiments
27 Infantry regiments
8 Infantry battalions
7 Artillery brigades
4 Anti-Tank battalions
Markers (black on white)
1 Game Turn
1 Mud indicator
2 Corps support (12th and 20th)
14 3-Strength Chits
25 2-Strength Chits
16 1-Strength Chits
Player’s Value
Published in S&T 78, Patton’s 3 rd Army follows the main rules of Operation Typhoon, but is the first game of the Victory in The West Game System. The subject is a battle never simulated before: the liberation of Lorraine in November and December 1944 by US troops. After the main sweep into France, Patton would have followed up to the Rhine, but logistical constraints and priority set by Eisenhower, required a halt. During the rest, German troops fortified the area around Metz and the north-south rivers. When the offensive restarted two months later, the Germans were ready, but supply is still poor and the weather terrible. So the Patton offensive was sluggish, with green troops attacking through flooded rivers, terrible mud and entrenchment lines. The game, as a good simulation, follows this path.The rules are 100% those of the game system with a few additions for the Metz garrison, poor supply requiring support points by corps to be expended for each attack, and some air attacks. The German side will see the initial attack creeping over the rough terrain as the US support points drop. Later panzer reinforcements will help avoid a major German disaster as their second line is often non-existent. The US side will see a painful first part trying to go through the first entrenched line, but after, it is a free for all, rushing for victory points as the poor German soldiers rush all around. There are two scenarios, one lasting twelve turns and the other 24, this being an extended version of the first. All in all, the game is very playable, fast to play but better to play twice, switching sides. Warning: the pace of the game can be frustrating for cavalry/panzer/tank men like Patton…
Collector’s Value
Boone lists low, high and average prices of 2/16/7.12 at auction and 3/22/ 9.95 for sale. The S&T issue provides a good historical background and is a great addition for the collector.Support Material
The Phoenix 35: Jan 1982, pages 7-9 and Paper Wars 8, page 10 give a good review of the game. F&M 65, page 26 provided a quick capsule review, part of the WWII Games Anthology. For French readers, Casus Belli 13, February 1983, presents the game briefly.Other games of this type
Operation Typhoon; Operation Grenade; and Sicily.Other games by this designer
Operation Typhoon
Reviews
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