A BRITISH BOARD WARGAMERS MAGAZINE ISSUE 12 MARCH/APRIL 1978 PRICE 30p REVIEW AND OPTIMUM STRATEGY GLENN ROBINSONEDITORIAL RAY BOWDEN for The Phoenix and as the cheers die ABRITISH BOARD WARGAMERS MAGAZINE down from all you readers | would like to take this opportunity of thanking each and every one of you who has contributed material, offered eneouragement or tendered constructive criticism over the past two years. Published March/April 1978 Copyright: Simpubs Ltd Publishers: M.Watson Editor/Aet Director: Ray Bowden Published and distributed by: Simpubs Limited ‘As The Phoenix has grown in size and ‘content I have found it inereasingly difficult to give the amount of time required to indulge in true Editorship, All contributions should be sent to The Phoenix, Simulations Publications UK, Crown The sheer physical task of getting the Passages, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire WAS 9SP. Articles submitted for publication in this "™@gazine together has absorbed most of magazine become the property of Simpubs L.td., and cannot be returned to the contributor my available spare time and energies. This ‘Articles. and illustrauons appearing in The Phoenix may not be reproduced without prior is why I am delighted to be handing over permission from the publishers. Contributors submitting historical material are asked to the Editorship to John Spence, who wil Include a list of sources from which the article has been compiled. Please note that the | am sure, concentrate his efforts towards ‘opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. anaaulding and guiding Thw Phosax towards what you, the reader, want. As the new editor he will be in a position to initiate articles from a number of regular contributors which, hopefully, will enable him to provide an answer to The Phoenix is a bi-monthly magazine aimed at providing UK gamers with a forum in which they may express theit opinions of, suggest improvements to and provide new rules/scenarios for board wargames. Advertising Rates full page £25.00 per issue half page £14.00 per is ‘quarter page £8.00 per issue (camera ready artwork reqd., or charged extea Subscription Rates year ( 6 issues ) £2.40 2 pears (12 sues) 64.20 all those of you who write in saying 3 years (18 issucs) £5.40 “Why don’t you have an article On...2” In the past, if someone hasn't written it first, then we were not in a position to publish it, This is in fact quite a consider despatch for S&T 66 is May 19th 1978. The estimated date of despatch for Moves 37 is pamapionies > seake grad sooeabiiddal sible to submit their material as typewritten copy in duplicate. Manuscripts should be double | hope that John will receive the same line spaced with approximately one inch side margins and typed on A4 (114""x84") size enthusiasm and encouragement that | Te ee ou tall ta ta address it you ubmasien, Mane: have verte pst wo years and | wih be re-prepared for production if published. Please ensure that the relevant name and manu: facturer of games discussed in your articles are included either within the article itself or fe] separately at the beginning or end of your article. 1¢ is also helpful to us if long articles (1200+ words) are written in such a way as to include natural breaks which will enable material tobe spread over successive issues if necessary. CONTENTS Page 5 — So you think you want to design a game? — Bob MciWilliams Page6 Airforce / Dauntless GDW's games jointly reviewed by Rob Gibson Page 7 Interpreting the Rules ~ by A McGee Page 8 — Winter War — Review and Optimum Strategy — Richard Sti Page 10 Hotline — Malcolm Watson Page 11 Buy the Book — Hamish Wilson Page 12 1815 — GDIW's game reviewed by Dave Mylie Poge 13 Scenario: Winceby 1643 — John Lee Alexander — reviewed by Andrew Hicks Page 14 Sixth Fleet — Glenn Robinson Page 16 Beginners Tip — Ken Newall Page 17 Mail Call — Readers’ letters Page 18 Rear Area Raid — Panzerblitz game history by Francis Comerford News from SPUK — Malcolm Watson Page 19 Feedback Questions hensDUNGEONS & DRAGONS The Original Role-Playing Fantasy Game BASIC RULEBOOK £2.50 (inc. p&p) Now printed in the UK by Games Workshop The Basic Rulebook provides a clear and concise quide to Dungeons & Dragons. you have just discovered D & D, or have been confused by the old edition, or have simply been waiting until the game was avaible at a price you could afford, then thsi the book for you! The Basic Rulebook ives you 4 Awel-explained introduction tothe idegs behind the game # Heroes, Wizards, Clerics & Thieves - Character development to 3rd Level % Dungeon Design notes {including sample level toSrd Lovel % Monsters * Magic ‘* Treasure JUDGES GUILD DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: WHITE DWARF PLAYING AIDS ISSUE 5 — NOW OUT DERLANDS OF HIGH FANTASY Campaign soanario for ont the Cry Stat peckaoe meezs ine ie] |S ah coAAIRY # SORCERY s+ CAMPAIGN HEXAGON SYSTEM For City Stats scenario : ‘ MONSTERS MILD MALIGN (m2) eh ae in. #7) secaupaitaes alris 98 JUDGES GUILD JOURNAL Newspsper reporting on Judges aMES Revi Gui and other Fantasy products Bop (ne #1) Sample Copy: on + oops 2005) NEW TO FANTASY GAMING? ———— Send 30pin stamps/PO/Cheque + a large stamped (9% . Sue ene “eames Workshop | Our new catalogue D&D introductory Shoot 7 Uxbridge Road, London W12 ONL | Games Pricelist Details of White Dwart or. 740-7040 | Figutes Pricelist Product News Avalon Hill & Leisure Time(Ex-3Ms) Games (650 High Road, N.Finchley N12 ONL Tol: 01-445 6531, tape tnieer anes nee 2ee Bs [FROM YOUR LOCAL RETAILER OR IN CASE OF GAMES 909, GAMETTES & PUZZLES 6pJoin the ABC of | WARGAMING If you live in or around Manchester, you can now join the Altrincham Boardgamers Club, ‘organised by SPU. The ABC will meet on the 2 4th Sunday of every month for the purpose of wargaming, There will be no games sales at these meetings ~ this is not a sales pitch but the formation of @ Club which will enable local gamers to get together every month to fight the good fight. the ABC is £2.00 idmission will be in order to cover The initial membership fee per head. A further 25p charged each time you att the Hall charges. These meetings will be held at the Jubilee Community Centre, The Firs, Bowdon, Gheshire. The first meeting will be held on Sunday, 26th February 1978, doors open 10.00 am, Catering facilities will be available on the premises for non-alcoholic refreshments and a | hostelry is adjacent for those who wish to par take of the juice To join ABC, send payment of £2.00 along with your name, address and telephone number to: Altrincham Boardgarsers Club, c/o Simulations Publications UK, Crown Passages, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire Further details can be obtained trom Ray Smiti at SPUK, Tel: 061-941 1533 | Buy Napoleon’s Last Battles Quads Now FOR ORDERS IS 28th APRIL SPECIAL OFFER !!! Sa'T AND PHOENIX SUBSCRIE. ERS. THE CLOSING DATE 1978. NO DISCOUNTS MAY BE For Only £5-99 Boxed Or £4-99 Unboxed Faxen oN THIS OFFER. PRICES INCLUDE INLAND P&P, NORMAL OVERSEAS POSTAL | SURCHARGES APPLY. ESTIMATED AVAILABILITY DATE ON THIS OFFER IS LATE MAY. fd, tnaly the ‘and British reinforcements bagin to arrive, ‘Throughout the diy, Ney, who. commanding. the British who Mold the around at the end ot the day. Wavre: Grouchy i tveral miles sway tram the Prustians Dushesdirectiy up the Guard aesault the woveSo you think NOTES ON SELECTING GAME IDEAS AND SETTING UP A DESIGN BOB McWILLIAMS Consderations required in deciding On 3 subject, exhaustive, merely my own approach to the (1) How to got star ‘whether to start at al | ysually start from ane of two premises ~ (a) that 4 subject that tam particularly interested in, which hasn't been done yet, would make a good game Tu} what {if anything, nowadays) has not yet been covered ina general senso, Both there catagories ten be further divided in that Having been done fan mean ethor 3 subject (i battle, eampaian, tvarl ora treatment (ve. theway in which tweaked Tove of complexity, realism, scale of game, ee) Thiemay sound like common-or girder coo sane but | have Found that ll my games aos have started out ar ane of these eatepores (which roy indiatea fandemantal uth about the nature Of ingpation or narrow mindedness on my part Having arrived at possible wbject or mabects, the next main question's, can tet sufficient hard daa malt relevant agpocts of the game, tothe relevant level of deta? The chicken and egy situation may ‘dota ~ this may dictate the love of the game. 1 wl launch int se second pat of the sexion heading wh Mettname Hvbothese tat ome desing the best woy to dacover character Uftees for beer thon paychosnalyse ard {Sian cheaper to boot. What you can (tin ‘tay Wook forward to erty period of total sesusor suvovided by rst of paper, mann ‘clrences and fled Kas putative system ‘Gund unworkable esounding levee of dete tation no fay Veplayabe poner oe hana decade of sore tee — id scteson ne shersed wth volent cuss with ay garner iGorencugh co cow your path, There ho very fea) thar, poss ity that te moistion ofthe ont To te nearest Home fo" Disilusoned Game ole bet rest, ‘game chart to the contrary, is ‘Desgner Ehminted Seriously, you must be possessed ofa reasoroble amount of patience, determination, everrhanded fs, rsonabie solvency (it does cost something {ven it you use homemade components) ara ‘considera, oF at lab reaulr spare time. You freed to austin your intarert over the whole des period and you need to work logically, progres Ieeiy and consistently. sas well return to that Ihotter of avaiable dota ~ check before commene {aome only t9dacover halfway through that you fan' get any further This i one reaton, | am ur, ‘ay SPI nave a research process batore dough gots {ing ful Blast. Again, logieal common sense but fi5y 10 forget | have presumed up to now that you are imorested imending up with a game which i suticentiy ferent from products an the market ta make its ould come up with game similar tan exiting product, perhaps because the game isa particular bug ofthe designer ~ thi ira possibility for Dorsorol use. With» ‘different game, two possi Ines acer ~ sani, for personel use toy which t ‘mas confined 10 the designer and acquaintances) ‘or with a view 19 aublieationand, dare | say I profit. This latter possibilty has iantieant bearing ‘onthestardard in all departments tobe aimed 31 Ieismy personal view tha even game for aersoral ‘use should boas inished' as possible, by the by, ‘ince gama enjoyment’ fear much 2 function of ‘Tho mattor of what constitutes» marketable standard it outad the scope of this discussion but the start ofthis article presumes that you are aiming ata possible published game, So far, then, make the folowing points (1 First choote a subject that you ean turn into 8 ‘gome uring avalable data (2) Make eure you nave the time, resources nd (@) Have good idea a8 tothe clas of use you wish the finished product put to (2) Planning One: Workload constituent: 1H you ae stl reading this, | presume you Fee! youve patted the frst hurdle but dont plunge head frst into deta yet. You know what subject you are going to treat, what the end result ought to ‘the mork might consist of. This ast point I row diecus, th first point wil follow on (am sightly Irish). The ‘workload! (producing the game) is 2 series of be which fll in eatgories though all ‘there jobs interrelate to the extent that al go into ‘making up a single finished product. Its wall to [anihany thoughts tha game dosign consists solely of formulating set of rules. Takea look at the Design Cradits ona recent SPI game. There will bbe found headings such 98 Physis! Systems, Graphics, Development, Gare Design I), Piay~ testing, ete ~ all differing tunetions for a'single end My own point af viw is thatthe workload ean be categorised in the following manner [1) Game Mechanics ~ the ‘meat of the rules (2) Rule Format ~ producing a usable format to to.enobo caty understanding and reference: (9) Graphics ~ producing» umble display of infor: mation to pley the game ~mapsheet, counters ‘ed charts 1K you ae seriously intending to ty and get the ‘thing published, there ie 9 further eatgory (a) Production Considerations ~arass where game ‘design must take account of physiealy con- ‘erting your cherithed es into saleable items. Of these categories, the firs isthe most really ‘Gontiied with wareoming. This where al those pet idsot on mavement, zones of contol, combat. feaders, otc are workad out. Thus thamethoaology (of your combat system and its detalis are game ‘mechanics —exsetly how you cover those detalis {fo that none are mised and obvious loopholae Covered, how the machanes are presented — is fules format. So's the method by which the player Ie able to ready fing his way into, aed ator back 1, soeifc queries. All that su at the mart about General Course of Play, Game Eauiement, ee. and thelist of contents al contain very litle hard Lat and by no means lost isthe graphics side of things. Graphs in wargame terms consists not just (of pretty colours on the map. Its how you arrange want sign a game? and present the information on the mapsneet and Counters and chars {if any So iis ae much the Strangement of tables on the mepshast end inform: [hysiealy, drawing the constituent details, For those of you concernad with tnt fourth ete gory, Produetion Consideration, the folowing are ‘words of restraint ilustated By example ‘One: larity is 2 worthwhile altar to knees. My professional ite impinges onthe world of contract, 50 well know just how circumacutory can be the im of plugs ngevery loophole. Balances necessary Say what you mann, but don't try to ether assume {00 mueh Taith in human nature or attempt 9 Kil the game stone dead by catering for every con. niable eventuality (I should prsctice whet | precchl of presentation. Rules may be complex, yet sill imple to work with. Also, © gome producer not going to love you it the mapsheet or counters need 2 fivecolour printing to ba workable. Most SPI temes are two oF three ealour printings (October ‘Wor is threeeolourl #0 i pote to simply, “Tree: degree of finish isa matter of discussion but aim at presenting 10a game producer o reasonably Finished oduct. | mua thsi two sonses— is, thatthe game should ba wall developed: tral ‘rould not have to come back from the producer With list of queries a long 9s your armor 3 note ta the effect that don't seem to beable to find the CRT anywhere inthe rules’ some such ‘Games on the market, Iworder whether anyone (cxeapting prhaps the designer) has played th ‘game prior to being marketed, Soconl, there is hye Tish, Hw help to ‘sl the dea i the producer can tee 8 geme design which i restonably Elose 10 the way it malt look when published. No ‘nse to go mad but consider that when your denign ‘complete, the publisher's job i just beginning. (2) Planning Two: Programming the Workload Have patience, not far off the end naw. You now know roughly what srt of work is ely £0 come up in the design process thoush of quantity wil vary with the type of game, amount of research, ‘te The lst job before actually going aheed ara articular a logial order of things. {can think of no worse way of starting in ona at of rus than attempting to start a page one and feudly plough through. By page thee you wil mn longer be abla to soe the wood forthe treet “inlets you have exceptional powers of organisation td's photographie memory 11am not going to set outa plan of work, since my main point isto port out that you need one, but Consider one or two things: (11'D. your resaren first ~ that wey you avoid (2) Ifyou are like me, you can't rset the implase te get going on the map and counters betore starting those boring old rules. Resist this it Vou can, sine the basic systems natmally ‘Sught so come first. If you can't, make wre Your fst attempt atthe map Is done In some ‘odium that ean be eased where ncessry (aod it wil be: (2) Berider this, thing about what can beef tl i& DAUNTLESS A JOINT REVIEW OF BATTLELINE'S NEW TACTICAL AIR SIMULATIONS ROB GIBSON together without indulging in eriieal comparison ‘would be pointes todo otherwise. Both cover Bspects ofthe air war in the ‘Second World Wat ‘Ait Fores” covers Western Europe 1939-48 and ‘Dauntless’ the Pacitie campaigns of 1942-48, oth se the same simultanous movement! combat method, usingaierattyaeeardsto provide Individual counters eprarenting a basi type ©. BI 109, Spire AIR FORCE Sede Vator Vr oo arses comes ‘ros | Mosquito Mosquito F8.6 | Mownite B06 ane a oe B76 DAUNTLESS Basie Type Primary Vatlant Adit Emily HBK.2 (Mode! 2) Frank Kiba ta hand te Toie Kits Kote BEN? (Mod 23) val D3At (Mode! 1) Oscar Kida - te ery GaM2s mode! 223) GéMae Tomy Kiet tb 1, 13 (mod) 1b Imad) 1- KATE, 1- KATA Zeke AGM2 (Modu! 21) ABM -N AAGMSb (Model 520) Model 52,920, $3¢ ‘Avenaer rer/Tawac 1P.1cP Devestator = TBD-1 Wildcat Fara Heller SB2C/SEW/SBF-IC A250 Cori FAUIAFGIA —-10,-2N Lightning PEG FSA, FB Pag ‘Droop Shoot" PHL, PIM, FSF, F5G Worhawle Pave Marauder 2268 Brick Widow POIAIB Havoc A-206 [A- 20G with at. ose armament, P-70A-2 Supertones 8.29A- BN Striped B:29A tor nght meenciary rats Mirena 26c/0 C1. ground attack variants, G Heileat For-2 aN Buttaio F2A-a ‘Additional Variants Included Faia, Faint 66,6.8/U4,G6/R1,G6ih2 cama ASIF, AB/UT 20 uc, no 23,810 NFL19 Fei Fortress 1A ‘The details of how to play are contained in nesly produced 18 page booklet (two per ome). These basic ar combat, you like, and an Advanced Game, which ter in Spotting, Non plottes Movement, Bombing and Rocket Fir, Training and Experionce ("ace"), Blind Spots, Baling Ot anid advanced game players ard sola senaros to Det fyieg experience in, no doubt). Although fch scenario hat realistic matching of sees in Yourmissonan the ease geomorphic map bos Bri9s in Forthcoming sues, fle play. Having played World War Two a combat barrage balloon, light and hey tak, vehicles and ships "Dauntess” only) The aitraft cover isInterpreting the Rules ‘arith that infuriating situation here he wants {W cary out some devastating manoquere but eae ‘or not. This i particularly trying for the novice: ‘Gncertainey over the ruler Many Inexperiencod payers wil alo have been subjected tothe ex Pevence, when playing an exper, of being victims Gt come werd snd wonderful tactical stroke, njoyable gare into a farce and its my aim Mere ines mays nv utes ord | shal consider fies the plight ofthe nave, (ule (i al the rules batfie you, cher get a semper ‘ame or tako up teysunks. Ta the plover In not covered in another section. This sounds Sbvious nut many games by smaller publishort ‘utter from badly organised rules and Ito t0 ‘ne particutariy useful hint, neidentally, won {eying toestalieh whether # unit ean do two. ‘hinge nthe same tur, is o.check the “sequence Dt plgy if one provided. Often thi wil show {hat te desired combination cannot be achiove taithout going out ofthe set soquonee. tn other matters will be necessary to uve common sone rd apply eneralprneipesgeaned from other games For se inexperienced player who may Five stun only a Tew games, this‘ bound to be Aifeui 30 here wa summary of the most eommon ‘A. Movement In gerwal units pay 1 movement point (MP) {o.ntora clear terrain how. For mechanised units, {his mey be reduced (0% MPT the hen containe Broad, Entry inta mountain, forest or desert feces geowaly costs a eat 2 MP and there may bea movement penalty fr erossina river: fd Gf units which may occupy onetex ata gen time “The further back one ges in tie, the smaller ‘the number allowed. Promechansation mos Usualy havea mit of Tor 2 unis, whist 3 is0 {common hipure in more made somes I Ma {jamen, thers often no limit and tactical ir {mes either prohibit two unite fom stackne fooether or alton thom only # they are ot different sirnues. ‘Eomention. The more ctent the partod of the fame the more rely opposing uns ean normally tmave through each other's Zones of Contra Inrmore modern games units commonly hove to pay a MP penalty to enter/esit opposing ZOC ‘rae cannot do s0 without combot 8. Combat Inia postion where vt may attack: Uselly a unit ‘mart on adjacent to one which i wishes to attack {Tad there moy be ® Movement Point penalty for Stacking, In which enue check to soe thatthe AMcGEE unit has enough MP lft In tactical games he ‘lowanee, the maximum number of exes {through when they may projet their tack Strength these games determining the Lino of sght is often a probiem and rules for this ean be fxtramely complex. Asa gororal rue, units at ‘round level have theit LOS blacked by virtually Sry protruding terrain feature fbut not by unt, ‘enemy of friendly, Units on higher pround can ‘ind Yor units firing trom an slevation to around evel the COS ie usually blocked i the blocking terrains nearer tothe fring unit than to the taraet Iigcommon for units datencting in wood/mountain hhexse, om sloper oF behind rivers tobe doubled Uimbothstatagie ard tactic! games) and in tactical ‘gamer unite n woods 19 oftan Immune 1 atock xcept from adjacent hoses, fetrent after comet, Such retreat ot normally permitted when ft would require violation of Stacking rules or entry inte an enemy cecupied hex or antry imtora prohibited hex. In these ©. Supply Supply rules often stipulate tha a supply tine may not exceed given onath- When this fengeh is the tot of each onits line asf tha unit were, Crossing those hexes ea 4upply line § MP Yong trot nocesariy thesore 2s 8 tupply line S hewet ‘fier they are required tobe “Free ct anerny Zones of Cantal and rules donot sways stn ita whether the presence of frtenaly unit ins ther slong the supply line negates an enemy ZOC. Tre aiticule co generalise on tis point but doubt itis prabebly better to fle that enemy ZOC are negated in his ase Before Napolaan hit onthe ela of extensive and in Pre Nopoloante scenarios on unsupplied “init likely to be elimineted. In more modern “Scenarios the only effect is ikely to be 3 having ‘of movement and combat values Having offre ll this avis, let me make i claar Teed rates for any game =i the game you are mentioned above, then you heve-no need of this Srtcin If, however, you find the rules ambiguous, ‘ticle fo underetand, or totaly locking 09 some Srucel poi my suggestions will you Rom More experienced players wil be aware that th {generalisations made above are by no means the fh ofthe problem, Now its not my intention £0 tell he experts the answers, | meraly want to make ‘few points about the methods of arriving atthe Innere, The fie that for some reason Wor. Smart acem tobe e notably argumentative bunch Sha iis cartinty that in» competitive game the {wo players will argue a disputed point with Complete dereord for historical aceuracy and with tir eas frmiy fixed on ther own advantage ‘The standart of advocacy n thee circumstances ‘Gotten very imprastive Dutt does not hep ith the gomet Therefore I would suggest that doubtful points be resolved on the spot ofter by tong 2 Eoinr by saying land | preter this metnoa) that ‘fine leitimacy of 8 move is questioned, then thet ‘move ls Wisnlowed, Theve arbitrary decisions, Shout nat be egardea as constituting a precedont Spd the matter canbe settled more calmly are, impartially afterwards ~ onthe spot rules Rave & nasty habit of gira wrong and erenting more ‘The second point realy aries from the fit 1s to stess the advantages af having an umpire HT gtall possible, tam aware of the aificulties isthe most effective way of maintaining order and Keeping payers Irom corning to blows The thie point cesureets 0 howry problem indeed ‘hat of playabiity ream, tw no Bore you vith al the auments in the ease, But | think tat itis worth comidoring me quettion when trying © Sort out aificutrulas. tis very eapy to get carried Say tying to recreate the mistrial station and dp with an unplayable game (mers, of Course, every chance thst the game designer has ‘rugalee withthe some problem ~ your perplexity eced. Equally Ite posible to ert toa far on the ‘Sao of playabty, My own ew that there ‘int in producing ruler wnich need 9 lawyer to Cndarstad them and sation fo apply ther, But vu must be guided by your own preferences F course, the whole problem would be much user ion could consul the game designer nc {sc him what he intended and indeed SPI do run {T Rules Question service ft would alto be mie f difterent publers could get together and apres Gn standard definitions for various terms or teed ‘each publisher stuck to standerd terminology throughout hie games (an this repec, SPI must ‘ovn hgh mer). My final mought on this matters that for anyone tah is having trouble with particular fle, tere ia tot 1 beta for discussing It with others and i geome tore that h would Oe 2 good idee the Colum of "Pnoen'x" Magazine were to be used TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY Suggested subject for “Target of Opportunity” (the forthcoming regular column dealing with readers’ comments, brief reviews, modifications, queries, etc) is Hill's game SQUAD Avalon LEADER, Let's have your and ‘comments please, viewsinter ~~ REVIEW AND OPTIMUM STRATEGY RICHARD J STEPHENS When my S&T comes through the pos, immed [tly look at the atirgs chart to cheek the progress of two, in my opinion, underrated games: ‘ne fe Uatle for Germany are ine other Winter Wir. the subject of thisartcte. I comes by wey of experiment, attempting to bridge the gap between those who want revisns game statepier nd bone ‘ame sul Wntar Wer is concer nat with the Rusto‘innih ‘confit 1999-40, when the Finns hid off the ‘Vastly superior foes with aniy courage and a will torive, This naeto beretlected inthe game System, wen Is fainy single in tsa ard whieh ‘itterssightly for oneh player. Far example ‘combos femardstory for the Fuswane 398 nt Ssjneene Finnish ums but ls potsa for the Finns Fortharmore, the Finnemay “retreat before. combat" their mainunte 1-1-'sand 0.0.4, thus preventing tham beirg attacked atthe cost of Corcading a hex. Wherens the Finns are abwaye {Supplied n Finand, the Russanuns must race @ Tineto Headquarters unit within tive hexes ore that unit most be within tennexes of 8 town - dnd Strenath pains: 16 for wach eacmpt Potrocedovele {0 sr Caring (300). So whe the Russians (On the other hand, there are problems facing both layers Of these the greatest is the slowness of the units Sinee the game lasts 10 game turns on tverage Russa unit wth a movement alonance (MIA) 8 two could cover jost over hal of Finiond North to South (this ays something for the ie of the map 47 x 23 neces), ‘Another festure af the game isthe umber of ‘Sonarioserdspecil eventswhich moy be ectwotat On thevol of 8 diesach turn, Thesedda not intrude {tao large dageee onthe game but there area Couple which donot play-Oneis "German threat Uwehere the Soviets get no 20-12-2's 08 reinforce ‘ments thus rendering the the game sow are the Sther is "Cenae Fire’ (where the Finnacan stop fhe gamest any tone from turns 6 to, making the Game unbalancad) riswiseto call these ‘na effect Having diseusnad now the game works, | shal Conscier the best srategie to beused by cach THE RUSSO-FINNISH CONFLICT NOVEMBER 1939-MARCH 1940 _ The Finnish Player Inia the Finn ah layer ploy haunts face Russian player. All units are turned faceup when ‘he Rian hs deployed. The Finn must, how. ttn place ther sven 662° in ther Bight fort ation hoxcs, One hex of the Ladoga Line should beet empty, since early lore af the Msnnorhein [1)'the Finns can ro lorgr rotreat.boforecombst, 12) tne Russans get 40 vietory points: 15) the Finns nave virtually na ehanee of stopoing Place alto 41-1:3 with the units on hha Line. Without th exo unt Won defence ard the Russan con sii combine 2.20122 od 86-42 to et 21 odds with a Mall hance of an excharge shoe ro De or Dr real when attacking forts except st 5.1 or 61]. uta 86-2 anda 1'13.re worth 14 ondoferee, ths the usta wil hve to combine two 2072's to get 21 las 1-11 t00 dangerous with an Ae’ Roel Some "1's should be paced tothe North of the dog Line to slow the Russa at that pom. Tho next concentration of unit should be in Petsamo: place the 842 in Peto, ith to 2°2''r tothe South-West fa mountain hex coming beter thoes two), Even nth the most poseetu! Russian faree there due te alpaly considerate, {must consi of only two 6-42 tard 212, As {the Finnan 4-42 doubled detending na Finan town, the G-42' wl attack eat -1. As nmol the 23's adjacent to the 6-42, 8 must Sho Be attacked by the Fussn 21-2 at 1-1 and should do ths feat to cut off the ponsbie retreat of tho 4-42 from Patsamo. 1.1 is poor and the ‘mona Spero and dummy unite should be used to Flint gop in the centre of Finland to lt the ‘been mode. Thisgop should be made good ith the Fintoreoments from turns 2 ond 3 and» Russan Stack through hee can be rqpleed ith oo, Finnieh maves once the game has started depend Feally anow the Russare atack and the Finns ‘Should use the raiiay (they have an extenewe network in the South) to move thee units whore they are most needed but the Mannathim Line1 held for a8 long at possible. When it docs ‘and thei Zones of Control will stop the Russian Sree, Oars te Frans mus erst a 4 low dds of Int your units be destroyed. ‘Anatner ploy isa nate the maximum nurbar of foxes tne Russian could advan, For example, 3 force of 242+ 0n turn could Gniy advance Six nnn units stopping thar could beremoved The Russian Player “The Russion player must know what his objectives thelormertenn Line orth 40 victory point) ‘worth 20 VPr (oxemot Vipul ~ 25, ond BO): the line of seven hexes West of Vipurt worth § VPs each, He must sccumulate St {raw and lose than 30 moons © Fiansh decisive ‘At the sar the Ruston should react ro what the sre adjacent wo attacking 20.12:2e but don't let the Ladoys Line au and wnen further 20.12.25 Steve a reinforcements As for Petsamo, the Russian must commit hi most powortl ores ancl pray butt the woret happens, then have some {rite dawn South ready onthe roey line 9 be fant ro Murmansk. Be earful about attacking ‘monte omtutns 2 ond 3 can {wea howe rom the Finn bord " thu involving strategie Sectone ics makes i Vary intresting simulation for me. Uni Ty: 75 f — Unt Deigaton x WEHONw Southern Finland and the area of the Mannerheim Line FINLAND lake LadogaHOTLINE...HOTLINE™ NE...HOTLINE...HOT MALCOLM WATSON Comment: !eceived my copy of S&T 64 and The ueetion: mw: Question aw: Question uw: Comment: aw: Phoenix too fate to apply for special coffers or return the Fevabark We received mony complaints about ‘hig, some rather busi and not at al vwnat one would expect trom the innabit: tints of» Notion whieh te renowned for its ens of fr pay! As you know by ow the daspaten of S47 64 and Proenie 10 was delayed ist becsuse ‘S&T wos cought up ina US dock strike that latted from October Tat until mid December 1979. When the issue got to Cempoo! in late December it wos coughtina urtherevrike, Small wonder ‘han that deadlines sot back in me ‘October were invited bythe events that overtook us For future reference, IRyou raceWve an kaue af SBT/Phoenix 100 late to moet a deadline or speci! bffers or ferdbock corde, do mot be put fff. Sand your order in ard we wil ul {ie ifwe'can, Send your feedback ard inand we will ote tof at all pombe. Deadlines are set to bring panses iby eset tine but thay can be aajusted by us to sut the pre Do you stock rontsheots for SP printed games? I, how much do they eos? Frontshoets come uncer the category ‘of mare parts and are no longer avai able separately. Do you produce games in the UK that fre hot avaiable m the USA? If not, wy not PUK i fet and foremost an oraan ation set up for thedatrbution of ‘wargames throughout the UK. We Import or buy within the UK board times which wethen sl other by ail Sr through etal outers. Wie ‘tue that we endeavour to offer an ter sales terviee to cope with rules {Queries et, we do not havea game jengn staf or an rt Department. tn hort we are not wargame dosigners. The cnly way we could produce non Pl games would be to employ game desgnars ether fulltime or parttime ‘rw could buy desgrs from outside Sources, Commarcaly, it smors viable To produce games which ate proven geodullers ft would bequitepointoss Topurchate a Uk-designed game, pro ‘uve ft and then find that ie wail ot fall bocavte i nat an accepted brand nome. To attempt such a venture te would need to have risk money thet ‘We could atfora to have tied up should the gomeprove to'be flop. At ths Inwmeciate moment we do not have tucha grub sake ana wil therafore fof not oroducina sonSPI cares Does SPUK stock Tunnels and Trolls [Sie Edition) and the TAT solitaire game books? lor but you should beable to get i {rom Gomes Centre, 16 Horway Stroot Usmdon Wia 208. It would be 9 hela to know what games You have instock, say, published In Phosnie. Alternatively, ist the games not in stock, whichever the least, ‘Thisien good lee which unforturetely would not work in oractice. Phoenix put together 12 months prior to Serpatch therefore any stock situation Comment mw: Comment aw Ovestion ww: Question: mw: Question mw: Avestion: mw: Question: Question sppearing would beat last sb works fut of date. To print such 0 list woul Be to unite complaints from customers whohed ordareda gameonthe strarath ‘of aur information only to find the {game was now out of stock How sbout the dock atric. I's pity Phoenix gets held up too because of ‘Asexplainad inPhoorix 10, Phowne ie tre git gen with S&T to S&T tubsrbore, would be very costly {o:post the magnzinesepareely, not cam sce there ino eal to provide hrmal minatugar ets in thik country [but feel there 3 gap between the ‘gute game ard the boardgame, now: fer colourful the counters: What bout plastic figures in tingle colour rea, Fed for Briten Napoleon, or ‘ehicig tanks toriagete. =m think Ing at Tenn ana 1/300 vehicle Alternatively why not uae 1/300 ‘ones in suitable single colours Smbedced in clear porspox “eure” ‘amen would slow stacking, ator De Cones but would took rather splonete Teannt speak for SPI on thi subject but cortinly SPUK has no desire to ‘move into the figure moulding Vel. As for thowe clea peapex counters, | Beto produce such an item. Bo subserdere automatically got the ew issue of your eataloguer SET evbscrbore ar Kept up to date We do not send out brochures with Skit se the magarinecontainaextersive detailson non games wits the Phoenix contains nn order form. It theretore ssw that to fond out 2 Lrochure alsa would be westetal dup: ‘Any chenes of supplying games with \nfolded mens? Certainly. all we'd hove todo is prod Siw euntom mode boxes and peeking ‘materal foreach map sie. ean just {ee the postman rusming sbout with » pores! 32a" atuek in he sock! ‘Any serous uestiors now? How much would a preprinted post ard explanira shiping strike Firat, twas 32 month delay, nox 3 ‘month’ The cow to pos out woul hove been approximately £200, tho Dist cost | would not know without {ooking imo tt Had we-sant out port cords they would hve simply 1018 you {that theSAT waslot, fact that would Beabvious to anyone who was anare fof the deadline for despatch. We could not have given any ETA, 26 the star tion shanged from day to day with tall of geting the sue out through Cara, thea tal ofthe sike being called ty thon ttermants that ‘would go'on indefinitely, 3 back to, Setting tout ttvough Cerada, We ost dic not know what was happening therafore could not gve you fer What's the circulation of Phoenix dnd what percentage return the fed bse ares Some with S&T. ‘Theanawerto both ta erulation in the UK of 2.500 with Feedback roturn Inexcest of 10% under normal crear is Cromwall i stock yer? Question Question: Comment or Comment: Not at tne time of writing. We placed ‘our order for Cromwell ma September. Tes not shipped out prior tothe US ‘dock trike which finished December: xtimate # would bo posted eriy Jaruary and should be frithus ate February, curly March, ‘This ofcourse i aabyect tthe goods coming through smoothly ‘Any chance of your importing the ‘games of Srmulstions Canada (est two feviewad in S&T 64? Wetave no plans to import diect from thateompamy. In thepostweattemated acoveras much of the wargames Held as possle by direct mort. To fo this one must be prpared to act ae ‘wholealersieemast game prodcars demand this. To wholesale one must, tarry substantial stock which can te Sp cash onslow moving gemes. Ths in ‘rman eause the infamous exeh flow problem. Is now our policy to sek fownolealing SPI products ord wy other Lines from 8 UK agent a5 Sndwenen such an agerey is estabished ‘Any chence ote refuction prices of products now that the E leup on the§? fleas red "News from SPUK Before me all rsh off our cash (0 SPO) to order Middle Earth, likely that It wl be avaiable eventually hore? [At thi imate momen, 1 cannat ‘oy Tor certain. SPI are negtiatng for theright to sel outst the North ‘robiems with the royalty rates, Apparently, they are being asked to bay extrarovyaltioson games sold abroad Sndporebly ose sold within the USA IWinay are piven permission to so ‘broad. To accept the latter propos inton SP would need tobe sure that the Oversos sales would justity the lass favourable terms for internal royalties For up to date information please see "Neer rom SPUK’ in this oF subse Ta my quest to impress upon my war iguming colleague the excstence of ‘SPland SPUK games| fia ban ap that thecompoxty “stings for thevorious omer published nether {nmagesinersuch o¢ Military Modeling Surely # would not be too atest or fexpenswe 9 remedy ths stuation? ‘This would act asam incentwe for younger (10-13) wargamors to try 3 {airy simple game (oetore you srt, ote thet introductory games such 3 NAW are only avaiable when you ‘order another ome!) How many times Rove | manrd te dentlese pase “sounds intresting, but is t00 com plicated for me" Hiwould bo posse, infact probably ervable, to put complexity rata ‘ino our brochura: When the next ieprinad ater this year I wil smost erally take up your suggestion, Unfortunately, there isnot enough space n our mapazine adverts to do the same Rev introductory games i true that Strike Force One avaiable ‘only when you take ut an S&T 5b Buthave you considered starting ‘people stan a folio gore? As you wil Betwore, the Quedftalio games are bard on the NAM system whe ‘makes them Kea fr ietrodueing new Tnmy exporionee British wargames Imtoreots cover wider age ot miiary history thon Amereans:-Whvlst S&T Concentrates henly on 20th Century Satter I tent Tho Phowno and SPUR Senerlly sould otteat to ersity more, Many smaller gimes mantoct Urers have produced exceliant games fom older periods: ‘Bonnie Prince Chori’ ‘English Civil War, Decline Fall, “Kingmaker” Also, could you dvite how ‘Stir rtings ate renee at Continued on poe 11‘AiR ASSAULT ON cRETE ‘Sree esan in Hitory ese at orig underating fa the este Tereeerewremn re ‘aston en rower Groen, Croat nd he Rowzathe Kewanee Great ans though Sas teirsenernart wears ny ware cou ot Ta wa ‘Sat lores opoes or four aifem oie, Gre uy pena ues Ree hie eon, ‘unin ctroreduchy forthe Seman prot a steer sme she Oy ae mock pee tartar itm rang bf Jt onperts on “ine Germans frelly oro ieeten conpunon te A Aaa "da for yet erg get: comers or hour yn te wi oe Set ord 5'90 ne Par Ta viva ESPANA | ‘The Spanish Civil War 1936-39 a el cat ‘ia ou enmity storgeysrsblosayewi va en? ot nosy ee yu te ha ones Sen ALPHA OMEGA ‘Tactical Combat in Space techs nea to detominemonenere, Teng ram ard the pean of the nt tach ox sonar’ fot ie Wonenton raw 9h vs ‘imemine the pacer count forte vr scenarios Oar peeing eee eee cee ‘be te Fab ea = ‘THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO BOARD WARGAMING BY NICHOLAS PALMER. fro eta cere ae ee ‘Kus rt ny inten gar on Stngy"Potes ara Wire rm the eager of ener waa, Saag sph in Yo pte sire sissy coy 'o om the alr compari are ‘tation of he bite ot Norling rom start Tiny with ‘on ihe books "Thee are wut protien Yo chalege te fe eum comes apr, equines tS ‘Gat sleevon vee ssl to Fervttee awe n Pewee B50 in. pa. OBJECTIVE: ATLANTA rein agra eared eset erie ‘the mort ‘important ‘factors present In the actual carn Te pares “strait ti ey ‘etry Conirs remain ‘pons Tore bene Pa. totes FLAT TOP: CARRIER BATTLES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC DURING 1942 ‘Sit aoe rane bts of te coed ‘Wore ain the ae be soe the reset wry of gent cn bo payed “he tre ie, Tre tr Sper te ay Meaghan ta to ar mere be ie. ch box or te mapa abut weny mes ars och sho unl rn one $5. SARL Vat porn soe ae once warn es “Ie manbourd sore of to, 20°27" scons showing the tin ovr which the imeuriant doe ate coments nme ok pace, (Bovis par eartne WARGAME DESIGN ‘The history, Production and Use of Conflict Simulation Games by the Staff of S&T Magazine Arnouh conftsiuitions land mp AVAILABLE FROM SIMULATIONS PUBLICATIONS UK!!sym nod 4) sasuodsas yoeqpeoy 4n0A uo wew0D 1 3980s Siyp BSN 0} NOA BIIAU! BM J0 UU 10W) 998) J8nON “auIzEbeU ayn 40 GL Obed tuo puno} ssoquinu onsen aq yoiews yor s9x0q sesuodsa} au) Ul SH9qUINUJaMSUE INCA aILM aseaid GHVv9 3SNOdS3a4 AOVEGIaS ZL XIN3OHd 225 Jad dog * °° “a1p paps oz PUR PePIS ZI ‘PAPIS B “papis p yoee avo Bujureiwoo 19g 9919 66'¢3° * *“usomteg) vow U0) ® SehuS UapOOM eee3 (oper) #85 ¥y 220A eunysns Se * yeopusuays + uBbedweg ueaiy sowleD 1dS-UON adky anio uozop % ‘adh ue uazop % ‘adAy haup uazop % adh ang uaz0p % ‘dh uel uazop 5% ‘addy. aig usz0p 5 1, 2A, BUM UBZOP 5 IN SNOLLVOITENd SNOILVINWIS WOH4 $H3440 TWID3dS (298 01 aw 9,004 ey souseb mau jo syn 506875 0} R04 OM) Os P.3H1) ‘sesuodses 420 2M OA 41 99% 20} 0x 39 * Si ain nei See borg. roq-aruodsor © soquin Sto uryy auots 2oeyd to.9y ureedeu ay) jo aaled ‘om 384] 94) Wo Puno} suaqUIRU uorisanb aun K>yeW YSIS ‘59x0q-2su0dsa1 94) tt SZ9qUIMU-JoMSUP sm DUM AS03Id Quo ASNOdS3Y AOVEGII4 99 SOILOV1 ® ADSIVHISbbe SaeseRnas papea! reggggscs Eporer pozepaeh son’ seessnnsy 88 oe 35 3 pe ea } ice Pema o | ae ae? | Folio Series Garmes and War Faken jLvtren 21 ‘ Le gues ae as Re = Soe Beller scant bie’ ge Be 2 ane ae Sees eaters eee 23 eee ar Power Politics Series Games “AIG CODE ra (ome hae Lease ae ge ae ae : Bpeaed Se ae ee ipiiericccs manta Renrtomn rin eae ea a s fee ae a z ce ae 3 ae 8 Bee eB ig aa 28 Eee = Lo 83 BE 311 snow smutarionspusuicarions UK. (CROWN PASSAGES, HALE, ALTRINCHAM, CHESHIRE.HOW TO ORDER pote READ CAREFULLY THIS ENTIRE SECTION glo pant hvu ace: cheques: many oer pte orator Pons UK BNE SED PAYMENT IN Cash Cont ay bso kal Gi et ne, me the = ay of eh spayed ee yer oe he eae Coe the bone povided. When pig by eel ane, ctr the amount tbe tne followed oy the tet {E,W ing grat adn daca Se yo Stn ce Dx re. gay yom fol ee ad po org habe revi (t lo eal our Pe, he feo Yur ero Sas Dept, Simalatiom Pubictlons UX. Preepost, Crown Pasapes Hale, Aline, ‘Grate WAL oa, No postage stamps ated 1 be fixed to orders coming 0 that addres. The repo sevice apes to oder Paes Bute Ok on cs on ice pont a puking ie UE, ge Cao ede a [Bs Fores. Ovens cusomer see the aecuon headed Fore Orr. Coods wl normaly be death shi one yom ee of over ifm sock gods ar out of tock You willbe acre o ts won ‘Toy by reat Tranter inact yout bank to BREURE ET (ale eis UPD, HALE, 2015.65 Far payment by National Gio Teal send payment to: Simulations Pleats UK (Ale No 698 3154) Prices ae bjt to change witht por note. kee enon & stamped, lf sree envelope with ll he (icwing Aesth he covet emitanee Ys ro coma say spf i, a wi Com Serv ng il ta samp nev fu one mj te coma emt er ety ‘tht you ae ming, when the es) ras ord and pe Your Ae cove Spel: Meme nt nt we a thon by 1 rf i. ead SAT Moe (Gtlogue or Brochure do aot aply to traction though SPU. ‘ake pelea stated mig On: Dt th ih cant of rns px, uo enn nl ch Te ‘hase bed on the tal weight of sy ener The wot fecha ior he hE nm. Mr teh leh your ore tonga hs wp whe te blow nn the covet amount fo our etance Foreign Order Payment: Overs caste tony advo! op by Eufohegu a ach payments are Sipe ote Siege onc wa se ol ne Yon nn a nds ct be avd mor other menos 0 pay forge Peta sgn ed hn ae Torte, Simon Hous, Ses i ‘Broce Kemink BV, PO Box 8 tahiti ‘Bechesund Wor Fuchs, Gerber I-40 Enh W Cty. (Gta el Sal SP, 20173 hen Via Cpe 10, Ta. Hates Moat (Py) Li, PO Box 197 flume 000, S.A, ‘The Tia Solder, Dendermone Sug 10, 7700 Sint Nit, Deg. Hob Seve x 18, 103 Nock, See, ‘OVERSEAS POSTAL SURCHARGES. Ho ocala the suring de o your odes. ‘Biacoun deta fw ‘STANDARD DISCOUNTS piscounrs 12 Slalom Series Canes nd QuadaiGames 10% 13 eect ane io Fal Bes Games ay quay io Hex Sher any sua ioe (Cote Sheets ary quest io Standard ames Boe ey anti, i Siatog & Tate, ay gan ioe Mons ay gat i ‘Note: Dscounts may be taken ony oe he ingle 1s tenes, Gots my NOT be tae 09 bsepon pie MULTIPLE GAME ORDER DISCOUNTS ‘Not: The M..0, Daun elated on the quantity 2 Stains Sater ng for Guedes bot it ‘ny one oder an ths epacesthe andr count. Seach cia emer cee ere Sestnation for Seo gt fer your oer Al gneiss gen in Ke or Ton rom de the ordre th Yur pon oon Taibo used ti ea ‘mam nid your pment to covet arees pote, Non Europes cate abo foo he sae SE, Sc age oe Ta ante et on 2 oe tbe tee tm Ye ras Tee ee Ske thee Tike See otter f 1 240 B10 400 £540 £780 £9.70 = 2 26 B50 430 6580 140 £1040 é 3 £6 Bean fim Bio fim : : Bi Bean fa os tim i : BSS iim 30 fim fv ttm : : Ba f50 890 Goo tise caso Sutera Ban Han F800 _H0 Sm . a re, tl eg Dre y (oe ae 88 Se oti tote ee erie eta era Tete pace ry ad ow, Tui at ral ace pelea peel meee cae een el postage x thet Cw vk. Whst te packaging used fr amall peck” apie ett oa ea fees i eneras eee rane eceatete meen ea Seton ac {fatonen may op oe hn om sec Torobteel pa ‘toe iy at el ‘Sad Pte rcs de Te flowy Corte ep el pck hat boxe pane, ranurc aoc $000 At counties, Sop ‘Sop ‘ie forested) wat KG ‘Oraet fr plate Bone teat 2K pr ten x en map x 5 ‘hdr for obo nett 25K Sal Pkt Cannot be sent mal packet ‘em be wae that theca othe eae oti ne hipped ic mal (los 1 ght wk fr de). tno wl "aon fr ny pr Gt an ten” Monahan om) Sp pean ane iow ite prep ie KG Bp hone handing and portage cous we ner when ing “SINPUBS LTO, T/A SIMULATIONS PUBLICATIONS U.K, CROWN PASSAGES, HALE, ALTRINCHAM, CHESHIRE, U.K. T 51 961 169, VAT. REG No, 150 8826 65Continued from page 10 (MW: agra that British wormomers interests aremore varied than ameriean, This pointhasbeenmade by SP themselves. do carry a diverse stock. 3 out of 4 titles qyotad by you are sold by SPUK. ‘sor Phoenie, that «not ineny province but na doubt your comment fas been noted by the Editor. le: the ‘Solita ratings you wl neod to got that information through Sel os thay are the people that st the ratings. In resporee to Feedback questions 27 51 in S87 64 concerning a computer limped mail game, have nguited among my colleagues (of the Stack port Grammar Senos Wergame Society the Malad Fist Wargame Society) 48 t ther reactions to the proposal. ‘Tne esetions have been of 100% poor forsuch scheme providing it ‘would be run within the UK on @ {oringhly ot perhaps mookly basis {caim down! ieeanbe done ~ the Intute of Charterad Accountants ‘ave Geen running thelr very sar "Busine Game’ ora weekly basis) Presumobly with the add of «computer from OMIST (Uni. of Manchester Wargame Sociaty could arnt here] and copy of SP's program. Most of the Deople whe have expressed interest ea that asemseudal setup is best so ean Ite done? Wasa much toa good an Fait bewth SP in Api ae wil see ‘shat they hove in mind ged! f eam bo'mplomented in the UE Does it aay take two weeks to answer a rules query? | expectod a {hat games order arrive within a week of sending my ord. ‘There are three people whose prime fonction the receipt ara dowatch of oiders. There is one person who, aport from answering rules queries, aso Fanles complaints, general queries, theethecking of incoming shipment, oleate orders, sales and avert tation! the bulk af incoming {iephons ell Allwrtten enquries radaait witn in thor order of ara thd do fake preference over most other Settee, Alo, the nature of incoming Correspondence requires more men hours thaman incoming order "averaao™ order roquies 30 minutes to record ed deste land that's saraad bbetwoon three people. The “verano rules query requires an hour, and handled by one parson. In short los ‘queries ara very time co rsuming. BUY THE BOOK HAMISH WILSON Iehat not escapes my notice, oh best beloved that there are those amongst you whe have mented, bewaled and even complained tat thizcolumm has contained no reviews of books ‘eating with war gomest Oh! ye of litle faith and evar less knewodge of the publisher” lists. now ye not thet aur sport hobby, passion, intrest an fun Ras yet to have hy thing more robust than papered covered masa nes peinted about it? But now | have ws for vou, For from the gust sable of Weisenfla {hd Nicholton ~ masquerading under the mame of "Arthur Barker” comes 2 book. Yea, printed upon paper containing iustrations a mith Comment Ouestion as hard cover complate with dust cover bestrown with Nexagons and layout Irom S.P.'S "NATO! Simeupon it, 3 book. hir Nicholas Palmer i the Suthor of thi historic work, I say histrie becouse ite, n 900d sooth, the very fist book to be tarttan ypon board games It's tile "A Compre hensive Guide To Board Wargaming” and it eno! ust goed book, is fun to read In two parts, the book sets aut to be aviding Night tthe tro, and to be a source of infor btion and eieeioion for the hardened gamer” In the fret part Mr. Psimer covers se history 9 the ‘development of board gorning, the base mechanics, bf one game system s0 Beloved ofa of ue various levels of gome thinking and facies prowdes us all ‘sith Some interesting prablems to solve on the ‘way. These problems are of the nature of "hore biective, whet are you going to.do'about i ‘hie excellently presented ond Me: Palme i aretul (or clever enough! not to sot Rimsclt up 3¢ not offered as the only posebiasolution, only 95 posible way of working. This kind of problem Satting would be opleasint feature of “Phoanix Ed. plaase copy. Tha second part ofthe book is 4 guide taal tne worgames on the market wen the book went to press whieh judging from the Introduction was sometime in late 1976, This dating wil oxpiin aad ommission, In Append Bi there ina let of publications, ueiul dresses {nd o on. Tha mast important publication Is ‘missing fom ths role af honour. I retro ‘Course to tne "Phoenia” buna doubt inthe Second edition af the book this omvmision val be Second edition of the book because | Dallove that {hor own selves ana to give tas resents to Irionde who are nat yet intredueed to the hobby forthe book isalo's fie introduction to board morgarning with text supported not only by Tine tlusvations and sample games, but aso by 2 {roe game. Nesting inthe fly leat tthe back of the book is @eapy of '§.P.5 “suke Fores One” nd good fun 100, 1 must bea record for the Smallest board mar gore in the word ~ do the Guinness Book of Records Know? For the record ‘Tie Comprehensive Guide to Wargaming” by. Nicholas Paimer, publied by Arthur Barker an Coste £8.50 whichis aot lot for 9 very good and ‘etal and, {say again, historic Yocore of the To tuen now from game history back to military History which is, Ob, bet beloved, the very stuf of ‘ur hebby and iook at ome mare books on thet Subject. OF necessity, these must be briefer ‘mention than usual fnce | have 3 lot of ground {ocover since last tera th column, Firstly two atlases both, | suggest useful if not Incapenmable forthe wargame. The fists from Suely Serve ord w by that spparently, indefatigable crtogrepher Arthur Banks. youve read ten books on itary history the odds {re that about half of therm hod maps by. Arthur Banks, Thi work ieaiod "A World Atlas OF Miltary Histary” ang covers tha poried 1860: O48, Perhaps one of the mos tumultuout periods In world Mistory, covering ram the American hil Wor throughout the Franco-Prussian War, the Gimeo, Boer War ght up to the First and Socond ‘World Ware, Mr. Bonks could hardly have given himset mare work. The result has boon wel! ‘worth theetfort for thebaok isa most useful quick Foforones book showing, si does, tera, prine= ‘pal commonders, numbers, base dapostions {nd maverente ofthe. ates volves in ‘major ware and afar ae I'm abe to tell al the ‘minor Ones at well There are one hundred and {lety oagee of maps and an indo tot ru #0 twrenty three pages. Mr. Banks i to be congrat Ue aut think he must fet Bt ike ‘Alexander has he any world ef to conquer? {28°50 the very reasonable price asked for this Irvaluable work. Another of the sor comes {fom Arms and Armour Press. "The Atlas Of Noval Wartare™ by Helinut Pemsel costs £10.95, ‘and covers moval warfare rom Salami to Vietnam. itis more than an atl iti also a briel chronology nd the text contains a commentary on the history ‘ich te dates piv” But the wesith of the book Tian the careful matching of text nd maps ‘with diagrams af the ships taking part in the “ctions-"Not all the ships are siown of course but ‘vessels typitying the princil ships are there and for players of "Wooden Was." "CA." or any af tho others this Book & an absolute must nox only 355 source of scenarios but, hopefully, asa eource Bt new design ideas because, a ve sid here once Before, none has gor the navy bit although “Jutland end "Wooden ‘ome near. Nut eaifor the navy feaks hit Book iran absolute imporative. And is published Sy Arms and Armour Press at £1095, Late last year Ronald Lewin was awarded prize fora biograpny of Field Marenal Si William Slim, tanich sented "Slim" (Leo Cooper, £7.50) and ‘ES marvellous Book whieh should have had ‘montion in thiseoluenn long ore this but for pressure on space. This price rather overshadowed Shother Sook by this wery fine historian and ‘rter Called "The Life And Death OF The ‘Arka Korps” it's published by Botsford a £5.50. ‘Thar ays tall but doesnt describe the ‘marvellous way in which the author tlle the story, story which fs probably well known to most war: ‘jomert and yet there ay compelling ar mut fave bean to read over the breekfst table during the days when Tt was actually happening. Tiss not unconnacted with she fact thatthe author ‘ought against Roma's troops in North Africa Snd'eo an immediacy is brought 19 the story inleh atherwise might be mised. It doesn't ‘attor how often you've gamed tof Fea I ‘od this book. You willbe glad you di. There are ten maps and almost twice that number of Mstrations, most of which havn't been published before. 1d now for something completay atferent Dictionary OF Chivalry” by Grant Undsn published by Penouin Books in hard beck In their Pestrel imprint this fa ¥e-ksue of = book published by Longmans and is 8 most intaresting ftudy of the days when nights wore bald and. oper watt invonted. VirWally every name (fou've heard afin tho Arthur tos storie of the Found Table mentioned here and close description af tacts In seige and an the field of Nonour ae aso avaiable. The llustrations are a Tittle on the romantie side torus Rordened gamers ‘but the gon fe ood and the book will be all, ‘humbed attr ony lit tule an the shat £5.95 is atked for thie volume and while t's not ‘ay period tm sure thre mil bu many gamers ‘iad to spend that for very uae book. “Three books now from tan Allan. The first two are trom the pon ofthat prolific writer Alfred rie, The fire i caled "Bite On Britain” and ie i bret ofthe principal bombing stacks indaring the Second Weis War. 10 ‘Smadering this the author touches, of neces, ‘on the mar of radar and right Fighters and target ‘morking but allt the Benet of the book which, slthough bret thorough end fascinating In tha itis the first Book dealing withthe subjet watten ster the opening of thot astion af the Pubic Records Office nd ea containg information that ‘hasnt been avaliable before, £498 isthe price Allan ae aking for shit volume and that's | wiah | could have been as enthusiastic about the tamevwriter® “Luftwate Handoooe™. Thiet 2 ‘much les substantial Book and should have been tmuch happier to wee» larger book with more ‘consideration hen toa very camlox military and politi! subject. History souldnt be made too ‘Somplex but nitherthovld tbe skimmed over Sna''m afaic that's my feeling about Nr. Price ther Book, ATE SOT not sxpensve but tha no récommendstion Lastly, and from the some publisher comar Phantom’ by Bil Gunaton.Nendlas 9 sy tht ‘must forall "Foxbat and Prartom’ layers {otloning, as it does the Gevelopment ofthis incred= ble aieratt from i's earlst beginnings right up fo the prevent day” Iss remarkable hintory for an sircrat whore desig has been ealled, more than ‘nee, "The final vietory of brute force over ghar nee.” The author mates cinar that he Rot not ought to write the definitive version ofthe history ‘of the phantom But he has surely done the seat best thing, and done it n'a manner which tntertine even folk like me who are not all thet {urned on bys langthy list of mod. or mark hhumbarr” £9.98 recurer fan book and good tures Be BadGame Designers’ Workshop 1815: ‘The Waterloo Campaign DAVE MYLIE 1815 — The Wateriog Campaign is one of the ine long line of Wateroo parses. Coming tit does from Game Designers Workehop Faraly needs to be sad that physialy Issuperb. The eourtars have a7 almost feel fo hem, aitmough the Angi Allied army prevented n'a bewldering variety of colours for the terain fs prevented ‘andbrown and bive ‘There are chart for terain, combat and ordars of battle, Tho rules ares rel surprise being elmost, imple n comparison with pretious GOW ‘games (anyone who has Narvik, Crimes, Torgau {ie will Know what mean ‘The game isan operations simulation of the three dayscampaign andissimia to SPs NAM. system, For example, the turn sequence I the zlmole movementieombat, and units Mey not leave s zone of contol except vis combat. The ‘combat retults table incorporates retreats, loses, fxchanges and disruptions. there is limited Step reduction in thet nits are inverted for the first lose and removed Yor the second. Terrain in ‘combat hes the effect of adding #0 the die fll father than affecting the strength of # unit, Certain unica have shock effect on combat, this Iesignified by the presence ofan asterisk i the opright corner of the counter. In any given, ‘Combet the side withthe most shock points receives a favourable die ‘eit moditeation 1815 har a certain flavour whichis due in part 10 the ruler governing the uve of cavalry and ntilery.Covairy eannot be used as mare mobile infanery but hast be erelly preserved ne ‘red eperingy. Afters cavalry unit hes atackad ‘Ripecomes Blown and is haved in movement and annot attack fora complete turn. I the blown ‘Givaly i attacked solely by enemy eau Sito halved on defence. Blown cavalry {herefore vulnerable to counter ettack. Cavalry and hore arly may retreat ane hx before Combat if attacked solely by infantry. Artery Unie may attack inthe same fashion os other Units or they may bombard from one or wo hhexes distant. ian erilery unit has not mowed Inthe ture it may bombord. The aiferenee ‘between attack and bombor eth if atilery Bombords it uses is huge defence strength. For ‘example, the Prussian 1st Corps artilery has an sttockstenath of 22. Artilery i posttoned wel an be potantally devostating. Arty in this some is something to keep out of the way of and {Esleo extremely etticut 10 succes atta Units wich become dlarupted are subject to 8 fot of morale, they may not attack and thei ‘etence dnd mowement i halved. Al disrupted Unitrare underupted in the Sam turn of the following day. In addition French and Beith ‘troops may rll 9 gi for recovery of morale after Ailios ore Brigada and eiferont stacking ewes Spply to nach ofthe throw armies Each daylight turn represents one hour and each nigh tur tao hour, ie gue (every fons uring 10-49 gar turns Iahuld also be noted that there are Corps ane ery tevel headquarter units included with the game that have no use whetever, they {re Included for historical interest. Ir sams Unit size Corps: Unit sype Attack strength Detense strength Tie T~ shock points Unit designation Movement allowance canary Foot Artillery Horse Arilery Disrupted marker Blown marker Bombardment marker w&S 2 eo 2 fp * pity that GOW could not have incorporate these Lin into the mechanics of the game. Players win by eliminating snemy units and esting the map (Pronen oniyh just North of Waterion, Jn view of the fact tha tis such 3 lang game, the following ison attempt to provide a shorter son {rio based on the Water bara on the third ‘ay of the campaign, Anglo Allied 0.8. Neorg All unis IWCorps 2rd Allied Division ‘th Gritah Infantry Brigade (from 4th Allies Div Reserve Corps Sth 8 6th Allied Divisions at Nenu Regiment Reserve Artilery ‘The Bruntnick Corps Coury Corps Altunits Franch 0.8. Imperial Guard Ai unis "ors alt units IW Corps All units excapt for 7th Inf. VCore Allunts exeapt for 24st Int Dw Gov! Corps All units WV Gav. Corps All units Bed Cov. Dw.” [rom Il Coros) Sth Gav. Div. [From | Cavalty Cores) Prustion 0.8. PCorpe All units lative Som ‘Corps All une frrve dpm) W'Gorpe il units lave 20m) All unite re considered at ful strength anc the ‘game commaneos on the 1pm turn, Victory ead ‘Tans ae the same ae forthe standara game txeent that tne French start with 30 vetory “The Alig deny tt on ar north ofthe line of exes 0872, 0924, 0928, 1026, 1028, 1229, 124, All units of he Anglo Allied amy ar ‘The French deploy second on or south of the tine Ot henge 1299, 1223, 1428, 149, 2138. All unite (of the Franch army are deployed in this way the village of Lasne “The game ends st 10pm and vietory is assessed as per the sanord game Movement allowance‘The sea of the 1815 mapsheet required for the short scenario deseribed oposite, towing the Base postions ofthe opposing bate ins scenario: @ JOHN LEE Foie Pyar ait SHC GOR’ Stacking 2 Deploy atleast 8 hexes south of road unction Wemembar that the compass vase isupside down ‘we erat) Seong Player ~ Pari Ver PPM 17H Fe Stacking 2 ‘Deploy at lest 10 hexes north of road junction, ‘Game Length ~ 10 Turns. Victory Conditions — contra of road junetion at theend of me game Inve fiat campaign ofthe Civil War on 11h October 1683, » Royalist Force of 2,500 men {indee the command ofa veteren soldi Sr John Henderson was ent to veieve Bolingbroke Cari, ‘The Parliamentarians sent 2,000 Cavalry and 2 {mall detachment of foot wider the command af Manchester, romwrell and Fairtex 10 Malt the Royalist, SPI's MUSKET & PIKE WINCEBY 11th October 1643, his Oragoors to most the Rourdheads wo were Seploved near Winesby Farm. Wnen Gromwal hargud the Dragoons with Nis woop he Nod his horse shot out from under him, thus putting Mem [Mesmahie, Fairfax with sxeond troop of Cavalry Dtacked diagonally rot the Fld and the Roa ists under Soe, counght on the flank, Broke and. Hed: Many af the retreating men were wrapped In 3 fled surrounded by a high hedge where they were tu to paces, Henderson was forced to ata [Ax Manchester said later ~ “Our men ha litle alse fo dobut to pursues ving enemy which they di “Thi battle convinced Parliament thatthe man to lead the new medel srmy was Thomes Fitfax HC™ Heavy Cavalry OR ~ Dragoons PP Protamsianel Pkemen LC — Light Cavalry PM —"Profersional Museters AH’s ALEXANDER! REVIEWED BY ANDREW HICKS Alexander ia simulation of the Bate of Arbel, 534° BC. Tmere ore two gradstions of pay: advanced and bese What the saverced game Tove in paybity ic gins Inston souray. ‘The mounted mapbourd is aather peeule snd Eentusing mess of greens and browns with» Superimposed hex gi The courtor vary in see ‘ram fy lvge phalanx unis to sel round inade paces. The Macecanion counters ore blue, the Pesan counters red, There are many yoet ot Unis inthe seme infentry,phalaraes, mine Une cova, chariots, hove archar ahd leghants UH "Some units are designated es merconries ena rules nave been formuloted fr ther ose No Roroge soace provided forthe counters “There ina seperate chert for combat results upon vahich thee oe four CRTs showing efferent ith nell section at the enc tiled "Quertone and Answers on The outward appearanes ofthe game does not rouse much interest but tie Geile etna The commanders are allowed to set up thk troops on, or one hex Bening, their storial order of Battle, Bath armies start off wih 2 morale foctor fof twenty. The routine of play stars with the Macedonian Playor moving hit unit, thon the odds ‘of any atocks he wishes to make are computes wn resolved and any Tactors ost computed on te Temporary ‘After the Macedonian Payer has ‘those Une sabes, the Persian Player at the same soquenea. At the and ofthe Urn, ‘Scale added tothe currant amount mowing on the Morale Status Gauge ofeach respoctve player. ‘A movemant factor is given to each piece whichis printed on the counter” Movement i the advanced fame becames much more involved than i the Basle game, with specilied manoeuvres such 8 retrograde sidestep, cavalry manonvrex ond hors Senor spit move fn the baie game, units may ‘move up to thelr maximun movement ily. objet to tarrain and stacking imitations. Being a tactical game, there are three areas in Sshich unit eam be atacked the eves exes in Front of mnit are reardad asthe front, the two 95 (9 either side but slighty below the nit are ‘eparded asthe flank and the hex diretty behind the units ragarded as the rear combination of attacks are made on b unit then the worst of the, two attacks computed Le. the Thracan Light Iintantry attacks the Coelo-Syean unit n the tnd the Third Hypasiat Infantry unt attacks tin the rear, then it would be token 9s though bath Units were atacking the rear of he Uni Printed on the bottom af the eaunters are three ombere” the fie gives the tack and fronts ‘Sefanes factor, the second the flank detonce factor Sd the third the ear defence factor. These ae ‘aed when siffrent stacks are made on a unit oF ‘wen 2 units attacking in tho example of the [attack previous described: the two Gresk Units ‘would use thar first combat Figure, the Pesan Unit would use its thi In tis example, would be an automate ietory forthe Greeks asthe rear ‘Selenee strength of the Coele Syrian Uniti 0. ‘The only time when there may be combat of Units that are not adjacent to each other Is when {ims units ring at an sremy unit. tn shi {nue a range of two Nexes i the maximum ‘The difference between the advanced an bosie game rules may be compared to the diferance In StarForee 1s the advanced rules eter fer much ‘more tactical game than the base game ~altheugh {he basie game offers some tata! experiance. The rules re made re wich, agar From making the numberof words neodad to expla [At the end of tho Rules Booklet tere ‘or designer's notes anda hstrial summary To summarise. For those people who ike teticst somes, Alexander wil probably sit them. Hon ver in these times of seonomc sringoney, the Burchave of Alexandr will make 8 nasty hoe ‘nets pocket,GLENN ROB US/Soviet Naval Warfare in the Mediterranean in the 19706 Seal ie 8 houre per turn and 46,4 nautical mils 3 hex. Game Sequences Combat/Move. Tuer Ti ‘nly Soviet move phase, Turn 2,3, ee NAO Combatlitove: Sovit Coribat/Move. There ‘Reinforcements arrive between turns 10 and 14 ance: Defence Strength: ECM level Zones of control {Z0Cs) 00 force combat but akeraft, submarine ort isanewcrafts 200 {you are in, Only subrmarinas may move ciety rom one Z0C to anather No unit may Fetrest through 8 206. ZOGe of unite tat hoven ta attack strength of the cornet type may be ‘anored by the moving unit. Comba by diferent atscker minus defender) ards vitory” Units on in he order they are tacked, ror The only way toakip aunt elf you con't possess the vght attack strength Air unity MUST return toa national airuase o Stroyed count tonardevetory). Hl thatFett Closeup ofthe naa of acon nthe Plewure 2 i rd. of turn 4. Crete and Eekisohir have been el si gporating from Selly until the fate of the ast earier resolved. I Tome would beerepling to NATO. swwnnsiene So 7] Bw A annsurtee 14D 2 3 | Deemes samsung | OO | ecm vane End of turn 10. All esrvaunte are at he bottom of the photograph fas in picture 3 foranvone although NATO is he favorite Sample Submarine Unt aniavsnes TQ g/t ‘Senet faBEGINNERS TIP ‘Strategy & Tecties magazine ints tile sums up ‘what needed in almort a wargames ard @ ‘good ployer needs ail both eas Tove land aithough a great svateget my opponents tay not agree Iam efeaig all 10 atten fal hort nthe tactiea side. This se ply aly beenuse great strategie moves cannot be mace fotnout the tactics fo Back them ‘This falling of mine became most apparent when Treg Battle Yor Germany against an opponent no was, | must admit, a better toetcan than myself I watched In amazement st my E2tt ‘Ghemane matted vey Tike Duttr on 9 hotplate | has deployed my Germans something lke shot thon in dlagram 1 (Tris ste st up at te {fart of the Russian Comost Phage in turn 2) Experienced gemars con perhape ree the dancer immediately as did my opponent. His now lagendary battle ery “ART Ah Surround a kil” furs up why my deployment war such Di Tne point i natin Battle for Germany and rms with rigid and semerighd Zanes of Control iis impossible ta surround a slid ine in the ‘movement phase. However, uch alin a forma single units On adjacent exes! ivory ‘ulnerable to being surrounded inthe combat Shue By 2 wel co-ordinated pincer attack: ‘Slagram t'and note ‘The best policy therefore i to maintain, os much tingly, and possible, doubly stacked units every tltermate Rex: Now even it you ore pushed beck {you cannot be dettoved at such fom odo a 1-2 {See agram 2) fer Germany. teal games where i impor 16 K NEWALL situation on the bend of the Vistul, DIAGRAM T Russian Payer Turn 2 Poly on 2626 attacks German Infantey 20 (22-6) (00-2829. Die roll=4(@ 1:11. Gorman retreats to 3822, Pol atvances, Tse Guards (774) and Sed Guards (6-46) on 2224 attack 86 Panzer (43.5) on 2324 0 2.1 Bie oll" Ex. Loote the 6-4-6 and advance the 78 ‘The relatively strong German stack on 2424 (a 3.9 & 2-44, total srengih’7) enon attocked iby the Srd and tn Russian Guards armies Thapay@ 11, A'3 salle and, being unable to ‘erent the Garvan are dstrovsd DIAGRAM 2 Untortunataly the bund ofthe river has had to be tvacuated dt ta the rather lucky arenes of the Urrainan Front (8203) vee the ror folowing st yuccentul 12 attack, ‘ent as shown isnot ecestrily the bet pombeorga: Probleme: ‘Thotater Errata thatthe Garves Cente (16, Haney Street, London Wt they are now G.D IN URK“agente and wil end euch esta x3 ‘eccenary| has not covered J 8 Poole ive points. May try to help him? DP True 13 mile paragraph) a routing unit immediately executes a reraat move & then Serenade enone ut) {eects of Formation on Combat chart bottom re) 1) In offensive fre all unitshave a maximum of 4 hots (Rule 11 first para): offensive artery have 4 shots, unlss thay move or have their LOS ‘locked by the mowe of rind unit (Coe theer sive fire Bland el are svogetions for rule chonaes not Problems of interpretation. It might be interesting Setencve fire capacities of artillery at forge would help the Austrians (see my complaint in Cal ‘tno.9), te the restrition realistic? Well n-2 Some ith sequential moves t seme to me realistic follimit defensive fre to “targets of eppartunity There ore of eourse many more potential mbigutieslarking in these rules, ‘The one | and ‘my opponents Nave been most every and bitterly {iviged ons Rule 11 the pare, above the cows) fnenemy unit mows from portion sdjcont to Unit Anco unit B- Anyone Solved that one Rab Gibson's ‘Action off Vestiord raises afew ‘queries in my mind. The Offi! History [War at Sen! by Rosi takes a rather diferent view of "der aqualiy matched, Captain Roskil asking lin tect} how Renown could have been expose {uch danger, and finds the Gorman witha incredible: Rosi ato gies Renown 9 destroyers inesoorteurely (the British foreer having ‘originally conssted of Renown, Reputee and ten ‘scartng destroyers, Repulsa was unabie to Keep up ‘arth the ret ofthe foree and one destroyer lox time scorching for © man swapt overboard, bacame ‘etatened fom the rest of the force and ended up ramming Hippes instead Why, then, does Mr Gibson consider the sides fsqus? I would ike him to explain how he coleu lated the gunnery strengtn of the Germam ships \ahich seme 10 Be crucial to game balance | note ‘hat nan artile n Phoenix 10 [Deviing now Seznari) neeaiculsts the gunnery srenath of “Graf Soe’ as 14, noting 3s he docs so that Seharn horet and Gnewenau had 9x'11" sure of the same type ar Spee, Surely thie meane thatthe gunnery ‘rength of 16 whieh he gos ina bit on the low fide or Scharohorst ane, Gneise neu? (On the calculation of gunnery strength, sursly ‘hore thould be som Heel taken of the rate of fico oF the gums avon if such deta as diaroncos fa Imuzsievelcelty wre ignored, The weights quoted by hr Gibson tre mot ashe claims the wuight af explosive inthe shell they re the weight of the hal ony 20-20% of which was the High Explosive bursting enarae RJ. Camel With reference to alah Viekers review of GOW’: "Russo-denarese War" in Phoenix 10. tm not leaping to GOW's defence since | Neve nlther see ‘hor played the aume, Ihave no opinions. But the ‘val combet rales Ho which he abjacts so strongly Rove, in fet a frm historical bass. Navel gun ying in thi period and fora tang time afer, ‘depended crucially on being abe to observe the {ail of snot I sevorl ships were to Tire at ane target, it wauld make Ie difficult to ezerain Which splashes were your awn. Furthermore, if Your own ship wore Being Tired on, thera would be ‘ores of shel pleshes much closer to hand, Soscuring the view amongst other things and ‘mating tcuraterangetinding even more difficult hip to engage is opposite numbers there would beng confusion in abserving the fil of your wo Hear shot, nd neither woud any enemy ship be len the opportunity of any tee gunnery practice In ‘Dreadnought’ SPI skilfully bring ot both of ‘hewn elects; tea reduction n combat strength ItSeveratships fre at one target, anda vie ral! ‘adie (aha fri ship elf being fred on, Meera that GOW have eluded at leat the former, As for excess dvitions if ane side indeed had mare than three, may | submit that the excess {hips wouldn't be sie to se 4 damn thing to {neat amide all the smoke? they did Bur cos Of courte, general principles ofthis sort were made for tne obedience Of fools ana tne guidance of wise ‘hey could easly Become at mindless” (Vickers word) asthe Brian Ademralty Fghting Inst uetions ‘tne Tet Century. Surey the player of Tsushima ‘being made to decide whether the advantages of Concentrating his fre outweigh the disadvantages 13h lo the rea bate, of course, Tago crossed the Fussian T and rightly concentrated his fre on the {to leaing enemy ships. the GOW combat System randers this impossible. thon they have ‘deed gooted. Otherwise "svahima’femerely Strategie ame with an abstract tactics Flvourna, inthe tradition of such games 93 Midway, Fast Camars and The Conquerors. The crack about the spelling of ‘Olyatya is yile alphabet Nir Vickers choles has clesly ome via the French of Jaques Mordal, GOW ‘halee hasn't (and nether hes ine! ‘May I, in conclusion, express the nervous hope that Fovnot igperg Of another Fraderiek of the Palatinate sg, ‘hm Hind 1 noticed inthe last isue of the Proenix the continuing requests fr a game tobe Included in the mogavine. Ignoring the ebvious rawback ot the meena age inerene in the ubsration sibjo to devote sufficiont time to all the somes {leady im print, thi ould be one of your lat fone. more money is mace sviable to tne Poanos, from whatever sure, | would prefer {no ied to increas the. quality ofthe meaozine, father than trying fo compete oganst S&T with | 98 sory to read thet SPUK are going to stop thor spare part eorvice Whiln appreciating the iticitias inthis area hope, ge one who likes to Dow the SW sue games, that It wil st Be por "bia ta obtain boxe and frontaheats Finally, 1 wonder if those beginners, whe keep Fequesting help and advice on how to pay, might Sppreciae the Series Replay type of ariel seh as {ebtues inthe General. Although very few poyere ‘oul beresh enough trate themaeves os expert, si an ae umber a gare vai should Estee options th ime | must write and complain that in the October tstue of Phosnix thers wets artcs thet wae no ‘more than foe and very bls advarvsing. Drew Mackie one ofthe designers wrote sn atile on the use of Bonnie Prines Cate ae teaching ald Inschools. In tis the gore i feterred to as useful {or teaching history tosehooleh dren andstuaents, Wisoniy farsa point aut that evan itor ‘mulation Bonnie Prince Char no mare than Boni Prince Chale is an arse movernent gore fof the Scottish Rebellion of 1748 wth a tata ‘matrix rystam for combat derive from 1776. ‘Aitnough the physical quality ofthe game i {uite ood the rules fave alot to be Gevired, They Ste too biel and are open to many interpretations ‘The game is unbalanced (1 have only seen one heavy engineered Scotts victory in 6 gees. ‘The game system sof an artificial kind losin iglomecy) and victory depends ona simple points Szcumlston syst 30a all there ir ary Tite to volte to any metorel happening feven the ography of the Brith Isles a more than a ‘Sonn Prince Chale i ertsinly a good gome for S laugh otter fen drinks, ol a gms with faa iow compity rating a Natori tm KcASSimith | was particularly pleasedto ee in Phoenix 11 ‘Tony ones arile on» #010 scenario for Rent ‘fants War aaeme ta me that Pow has rather fenced to neglect the many solo wargamers around {the country. probably unjustly, and | hope that me {hall su! more articles onthe same weet Next ples for more historical articles; 1 relie that Phoenix basically almad at the gaming Side or perhaps you would dipute this) but feemsto'me that snere i in any ease Toom forthe ‘people on both sides of the playability realism | urn naw to the vexad question of publishing tomes in Phoenix, UK Wargamers have menaped £9 SSrvive the Finanlal consequences of ths step (es ‘hells producing a magasine larger anc of hisher Bhyscal quality than Phoenix) and ieseerst0 me hat Phoenix sin some danger of bainglett behing Presumably costa olor stumbling block, but Tor one would be quite prepared to se the distrigution of Phoenix entirely saparated from {hat of S&T end to poy the extra price Involved Inhaving games in the magazine; perhaps it i time for you to resins the pontion and to ask the ‘adars wnat thoy fel about the matte. McGee —AREAR-AREA RAID ‘A GAME HISTORY OF AH's PANZERBLITZ FRANCIS COMERFORD, ‘Astrong reconnaisonce bettalion races through the stopper of Western Byalorussia. I's eorly Autumn. During the Summer the Wehrmacht wa thrown from thaws steppes, Now the battalion is determined to celay further Fusion advonces, It's objective ts to cause confusion in the rear ares of the Russian Tine by attacking any vulrarable target. (One such target i an Army HO. now lying only @ fevw kms away. The HO i orate in Bednost © small town situated on low fit topped hil, Kenown to the Germans as Hil 132, ‘The Russians, surprised by this sudden penetration of thal lines, react at sift ax possible In Bednost, heavy MG's and S7rm antitank guns ace sited while cooksand clerksare hurriedly marshall Into emergoney units To the north in the neighbouring town of Golod, toe rifle companies and two batteries of arly are loaded into trucks in prepartion for 8 rush to. Bednast. More important, to the ear large relat column hurts t0 Bednoet. It consists of 2 battalion of 734/88 tanks, a Motor/Rifle battalion land a mixture of supporting tanks and tank dosoyers numoering sbout 80 AFV's, This column is only 4 kms awey a5 the erow flies or T kms on the road which twists amidst very iff Tan the Germans attack at Golod. The truck onrieting of Lynx raconnaizance tanks. Thee ‘more armoured ear platoons circle Hill 132 and Setup rood blocks determined t0 slow the Russian ‘elit column, [At Hill 122 ita, the bulk ofthe German troone lad by four batteries of tank destroyers charge the slopes ana halt circle Besnost. A battery of the superb Jagdpantners leads 8s the Germans attack Becnort trom the rea Russian antitank units fre defiantly at these lead ing Jogdpanthors but to litle effoct. The clerks sortie ut but, badly armed, their attack has oven taller effect. Inolated Inthe opan, only a fev hundred metres from the Jogdpanthers these corks won't last fone. Meanwhile, the Russian rll columns charge the German roadblock. The Germans retire but the column is delayed. 92 tucks out of Goled, tnding ‘he road to Badnost blacked, ae forced to proceed along stream bed. The remainder set up a mortar ‘battery oma rosd-commanding hill hoping to regain contal of the road ‘At Becnost,fahting continues. The long 75mm ‘un of the S&1G 111/75 tank sestorvers aro ‘irscted a the tov. One third ofthe tow, the ‘Army HQ and a guard consisting of an anti-tank battory, wre ail low out of existence. oad panthers overrun the haplss clerks an lito penzerarenadiers assault other elrks entanched 18 Yet somehow the clerks hold out ~in the town, anyway ~ ina small wood to the northeast, two, Companies of elerks and supporting heavy machine ‘gune are gunned down, The main rliet column i disgraced whan 10 T-34C' fal to destroy 7 lightly armed armoured cars, which they managed to corner against « rapped in a forest road but burst out. The arm- ‘ured ear, some sporting 75mm anti-tank guns, ‘overrun a Russian Rifle company. I's a death ride however, as only 250 metres trom the site ofthis, wild attack the armoured car are pinned aginst a Slope. The huge SU-182 stseuit guns and smaller yet stil deodly SU-100' are ratponsible forthe struction of these road blocking ermoured eas. Now fre to advance, the Ruston tanks charge ‘eeklassly up Hil 132, Outnumbered by this wil horde, but wth superior guns (8's and the erucia! advantage of fire fire, the Germans make a mistake “thay decide to fight tout. A hasty retreat would ‘mean abandoning a battery of Jagdpamthers, an Infantry company and a platoon of engineers. The Germans hope to moul the Russians badiy enough roeseape with the whole Tores They initially do well, destroying 20 7-49/88's but revenge is awit. The dealy 88's of the ewo bateries nda latoan of infantry ace overrun, Meanwhile, 835 the Golod convoy at last arrives the clerks, Strangthened, rally ond destroy an armouted ear ‘The Germans pull outbeaten, Thay have to abandon ‘two platoons of infanty. One is destroyed almost Immediately st 60 Russian tanks open fie on sixty ‘men crouching helplessly on aground strewn with lwrackage. The second platoon was caught by the 'SU52' 0 few minutes later, wying to reach the surviving S&G111/75'e lead the Germans towards the South West and ine German lines. A little ticked unit. The last German armoured cat platoon is wibed out hen the Russians send ‘As the end turn ative avery strong Russia force holds Gecnost and the roads lading tt. Much of this ores is ruck infantry who never found it tong rad. A strong Russian armoured force's tra ing the retreating Germans whe now number ‘one light tank piston, two 5&G'111/75 platoons, CChifly beeause the Germans hit, in this "it and ty of battle, tut did not rn “The gome wa situation 14 from "A Wargomert Guide to Panzer" fan absolute must for Panzer bite. It wes short and enioysble game, JEWS PHO BPG MALCOLM WATSON In this jsue's Hotline, t have been asked if prices will come down now thet the pound Nae strength {ed against the dello, Pleat though that, brospeet may be, I'm stra’ that SP are putting {Sp the price of hair $6.00 game to $9.00 and 2 number of their $9.00 games to $10.00. Thus {ny benatit wo mht have fet from the more ‘ovourable rate of xchange has been snatches From us: Frustrating though this tls ont fair to point gut that $1 have held own ther prices te tw UX marker for quite some time. The base brie for ST fashion governe tne UK subeeriston oat has boon held since May 1974, The cor Siderabie achievement in the face of eantinund ietation bat a aways that inflaion wine out In the end. That baw price i gong up by $1.00 per ‘sue but the provent UK S&T prices wil be had forthe time being, $8.00 and $9.00 game bate pricts to us have been held since December 1975 (despite an increas brought into force inthe Stats ary ast yeat ~ SPs agents wore gen 3 Stay af execution on that ineroara but has mow ‘aught us up, ones again, no mennachieveman inthe economic climate that har exited over the ‘nd thsi the ving foetor, the higher, Breed gomes wil ot Wen tay that tthe Sving fator, what | mean i that by virtue ofthe feet that we ore making a larger profit onthe ‘games presently costing €7-78 and upwards idve forthe etter rate of exchange we wil beable fo hola down the prices of our £5.55 games, wich Soul go up to £5.99 based on the nw prices huth outa Iresh ores tat at this point in time ‘el adapt the singe nd roundsbost method “at we Toe8'on the standard pares (and see) sve wil gen on the other ems inthe range, ‘Wien we come to drawing up our new brochure later this yao all prices wl be reviewed ond ‘brought intone withthe situation current ot ‘Avalon Hill UK implemented a price increase at the beginning of February. Mest games have gone Upby between 75p ond £i.25p wach due to# manufacturers price create. Full oetal can be {ound in the eente spread price list Going back to SPI for a moment, itis their Intention to drop 3 numer of tiles fom therange as they go out of print. Needs to say ‘has wil be the least popular games and we have Suficant stock ta ensure supply atthe normal fate of demand up to the end of 1978, Also, SPI Intond to sll Folio Gomes as Z-pock items with ‘ur the folders or any form of exterior publilty ‘material {just the game an the plastic bog), SPUR willevertualy be obliged to adopt 9 similar ‘ance but at present no changer wil Be made, ‘The ‘Lord ofthe Rings soga continues unresolved dus tothe inevitable wheting and dealing on the royaltiesieopyright rant ‘The indications are {voursble and { Blteve that we wil tain per mission to sll the game, in ich ease the Campaign version nl be produced inthe UK. ‘The Folios ail also’be mace availabe but wu be imported. Hopetly, by the time the nex Phoen'x goes to prett ve wll havea deision on this subject. Its our intention 1 produce 4 Quad ames in ‘tho UK shi yor starting with Napoleon's Last Battles n Apri followed by West Wall Queds, North Aten Quads and Nopoteon at War Quads (nor nocereariy in that order. These, coupled wrth “Lord! ofthe ings (hopefully) ail cover all Uk production for the yeer (Once again, the reaction tothe Phosnix feedback ‘ene nataifelenty high to be of any use. UGnuoubtodly the reac forthe poor response ‘ons the ate arrival of SBT 68. The sue da not ter to mort subscribers until on or around the Ulachine for the turn of fewdback cords As ‘mentioned in Holine, inthe event enor the sue ‘Tiare, send in those card anyery a8 thoy do helps and we do want to hear from you. 'S&7 66 looks like beina 9 coupe of weeks ite Twas despatched behind schedule due 10 SPs {Games now in took Sun Rising (SP. Up Scope (SHI) and ed ‘New armes expected in the near future are: Ob [active Moscow (SPI mid Apr): Descent on {Erte ISPI ~ ma May! Groen Fide Beyond, War inthe Pattie (SPI — mid June), Swords Soreery [SPI mia July) "Submarine (avalon Hilt mid Ape €8,8)' Napotoon (Avalon Hil Tiina Mores £8.98). Qinar up and coming games {rom Avalon Hil are: The Rising Sun fhe Poctic Verton of Third Rosen) remark 3 owe game Des on the hunt for the Bismark), Trreme (Facticaljnvel game of ancient navel wartore), Tales ofthe Old West (Foe playing gama cf the old West, Normandy Beachhesd (Tacteat/oper {tonal Ine! some ofthe landings and brackout No prices oravaiabiity daterare tohrd ye Highway to tne Reich recond edition rules fhould be avaible by the time you ead this. You bought HIVTA through us of one of our etal Butlers you are siglo fora free copy of these ‘ules. To obtain thon, ust send a 9°%12" sell reseed envelope wth 15p postage stars Sitixed slong mith the onginal rant cover of {our fiat edition rules, NB. photestats of rues overs wl mot be accepted a proo! of your ele Filly, the next ingueof Phoenix wil be the first tobe produced under the Edtardhp at John Spence John the Regional Director af tne “Avalon Hill Internationa! Kregspe! Society’, sccity setup to encourage play by mal gomes Hes been warpaming Tor a numberof yes {nd wel thought of by those othe Mabey who fave come into contact with him dohn wi have Sram of writers who wil contribute a main Sarto foreach lsu, around which he wil build ermal way. Fay Bowden wil continues Art Dieector ana tail work alongside John. | ould like to take This opportunity to thank Ray forthe hoge wo: lume of wore that he has put into Phognixe Very {ow eople know jst how much ay has done for the mogazine- ute rant, if t ware not for fhm the Phoenix might never Nave got otf the ‘roune! ata. Pressure of ark has forced hie 10 {un down his involvement but Nopetuly he wil ‘continue hie section for yes to come, ‘Thanks Ray | FEEDBACK Proenix 12 Published March/April 1978 How t0 use the Feedback Response Card: After ‘youve finiaved reading thi sue of hoon, ‘leas read the feedbock questions below and give ‘Gr your answer/numbrs on the eard inthe response boxe which corrgpond to each number. Sec ‘contre sproad For ead, Please ba Sure to ansner all {the quertione (but do not write anything in the box for duestion-numbers belle "no question Incompletely filled aut cards cannot be processed. What the numbers mean: When answering questions "0" always meons NO OPINION or NOT APPLIC: ABLE Wher the question isa "yes or "no {question "1" means YES and "2" means NO. When the question sa rating question, "16 the WORST rating, “9” isthe BEST rating, °S"i63" tverege rating and all number in-between express “arious shades of approval or dissporova, “The deadline for the return ofthis ear is April 28h, 1978. (2) Oia you sent i the Phoenix 11 feedback? (2) Based an the act two months, how do vou fate the service you receive from SPUK (1-9)? (2) Do you fee ou serves is (11 improving [2] tne same ar sivays: (3) deetinina? (4) What ie the usual time Ing betwen your order being mailed tous and receipt of that order? (Winen answering ths assume that you use 2nd clas port when writing Yo Us, that YOu have ordered an item that comas back to you 2nd clase post and thatthe tem is not Out of stock). (1) 10 days: (2) 14 days: (3) 17 days (4121 aays: (6) more than 21 days (8) Whot vs the uaua time lag between your order being mailed tous and the receipt of that frder? (When snawering this, dssume that You the 2nd class post when writing tus. thot {You nave ordered an item that comer back eo You Paral Port an tot the tem isnot out Dt stock) (1) 10 days: 2) 14 days: (31 17 ‘ays: (4) 21 days: (8) more than 21 days {6} What isn usval time log between your order ‘being mailed to us and recipt ofan out at Stock note (auming all ems on your order fre out of stock) When Grswering this assume {that you use 2nd cass post when iting fous (1110 days; (2) 18 days 31 17 days: (@) 21 days 5} more than 2¥ dave (7) Bane! onthe ast two months how do vou tte our Alter Sales Service Ie rus queries, omalzints, ete}? (19) (8) Dayou foe! tht this service is (1) improving {2} the same a always (3) detining? (2) Wot is he usual time ig between your ‘comolnintirues query being sent tous and {our receipt of an newer trom Customer Service? (1 10 days: 2) 14 days: (3) 17 ays; (4) 21 days; (5) moce than 21 days. (10) Indicate wich area in the UK your orders usualy go: (1) SW Englana: (2) SE Enaian 12) London; (al N.Ireend: (5) Midlands (6) NW England; (71 NE England: (8) Wales (9) Seotiana; (10) West Country 111) Do you think thisssue was bettor than the lage 1) Yes: (2} No: (3) about the same. 112) Rate the overall presentation of this isue(1-0) (13) B you intend to submit material for pubic {ation in Phoenix loner than in Mail Cali? Fate the following articles on a 1.9 scale: (14) So you think you want to design a geme? (15) Aicoree & Dauntless Joint Feviow (6) Interpreting the Rules (17) Winter War ~ Review and Optimum Stateay (8) Hotine (181 Buy the Book {20} 1818: The Waterioo Compan (21) Scenario: Wineaby 1643, (22| Aloxander! Review {23} Sixth Fleet (24) Beginners Tip (25) nia Cal (26) Rear Area Rais (27) News From SPUK (28) This issue hasbeen set ina male size of type than generally used unt isue 11), D9 you feel that tian improvement? (29) How many boord wargimes do you have? {Quad games count a fou) (0) How tong have you been playing boord war fimea? (hut number of year in box) (1) Ba yu preter longer ariele in Phoenix? (1) Yes: (21 No: antrely dependent upon ‘the quality of the article. (22) Do you proter orterartiels in Phoonix? (single page ores] (1) Yes: 2) No: (3) fenuiroly dependent upon the ality of the (391 Would you ike to soe same relays in Proanix? 134] Would you be wiling to un sucha sorvies? [851 Weuld you be interested in game problems? [36] Would you be wing to produce wich problems? ‘Continued trom page 5 ater. Obviously rules format is one, snc it ‘dovsrt matter Now the ule are written at first a you're likely t0_be making changes. ‘Ass purely persorel preference, {would leave ‘optional scenarios asthe lat rules itm slong with vetory conditions which don't normally Consider nti ulayterting i under way. (4A tinal point ~ always keep 9 sare blank pad handy for jotting down ideas whieh come to {ou about one facet af she game whist working on another. Such ithe interrelation. {hip of same design that you may Interrupt tne rules rection to note Wass onanother bmttely afore Lamy, | hope tht the foragoing hat whetted 3 few appetites more ikly put you of) W the UK. ‘games scan is nat to bscome entitaly swamped by ‘Amarican krovefow and shazzy production, now is tho timo to get a healthy Rome grown produet sore inthe limelight.a “Wargames & _ Fantasy Games! SPI, AH, GDW, (TSR & more. | All indoor games | 50-54 Manchester St., LIVERPOOL . 051-236 - 2605 MAIL ORDER EnquiNIs INVITED. WEHRMACHT DO YOU LIKE REFIGHTING THE EASTERN FRONT? BUT..... (a) are fed up spending move after move trying to capture Brest-Litovsk? (b) think that killing Stalin is a stupid victory condition for an adult game, (c) have worked out how to take Kharkov in Turn One and don’t think this is realistic. WELL YOUR TROUBLES ARE OVER! Fusilier Games, a British board games group have just published WEHRMACHT: The War in Russia: 1941-45, which fulfils the two basic requirements of a corps level game of the Eastern Front in World War Two. 1, ITIS ENJOYABLE TO PLAY 2, IT IS AN ACCURATE SIMULATION OF THE EVENTS AND POSSIBILITIES OF THE CAMPAIGN. WEHRMACHT, with 255 die cut counters, 3 colour map, rule book, set-up cards, scenario and playing game sheets and counter bags comes in a large minigrip bag and is available from FUSILIER. GAMES, 27 Ashvale Place, ABERDEEN. Price £3.00 (ine. p&p) £3.25 Overseas. Foreign cheques add 50p. “Sept Release: BATTLE FOR ROME: Anzio Cassino. 35 \ \ e 2 3\05 : a> Fuslier “Games proudly present their NEW RELEASE. — BATTLE FOR ROME: Anzio- Italian capital. Our new game, with 420 die-cut Games, 27 Ashvale Place, Aberdeen, Scotland. Price £3.00 ine. p8ip. Overseas add 25p for seamail, 75p for airmail. Foreign cheques add another 50p. We are an amateur concern intending the prod uction of a wide range of military simulations in the months to come. Future intended releases will be advertised here. NOW IN STOCK & MOVEMENT No9 PRICE 95 p INC. P&P FROM SPUK 20