From: Christopher Salander Message-Id: <199610010106.SAA09677@cds9838.Cadence.COM> Game Review Avalanche: Invasion of Italy Avalanche Games Avalanche is a battalion and company level recreation of the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy in 1943. I chose to buy it because I like detailed tactical level games, and because this battle was very close, and the landing was almost called off. Avalanche has a lot of detail. This is for players who want all the various aspects of a battle, and are willing to put up with the time and effort required to keep track of them. Terrain comes in multiple levels of different colors, like _Cassino_ and _Iwo Jima_. Each level has a different effect on movement and combat. There are also 3 unit movement types. (Infantry, Motorized, and Mechanized). Unit counters have attack, defense, movement, and morale numbers. Artillery has both limbered and unlimbered versions, and ammunition type (for supply only). Most counters break down into 3 or 4 steps. About 20% of the counters are breakdown units. Battalions can voluntarily break up into companies. Map and counter graphics are good, with tan for British, Green for American, Gray for Wehrmacht, Blue for Luftwaffe, and slightly different shades for Rangers and Navy. The charts are clear and easy to use, but they are scattered around on the map and on several player cards. Some information is only mentioned once, either on a chart, or in the rules text, but not both. The Allies get many ship counters, which act as off-shore artillery. Both sides get air power, for ground support, interdiction, and air superiority, and the Germans can try and go after the ships too. The Salerno area includes some air bases, which the Allies have the option of repairing to support fighters. Combat is the most detailed part of the game. It is based on simple ratios, but is modified not just by terrain, but also by morale, leaders, and the presence of armor and AT. Some units have _Europa_-style AT or armor factors, which shift the battle odds. This becomes crucial, since the Allies have much less armor than the Germans. But the armor bonuses are really combined arms bonuses, since you cannot receive them unless infantry are stacked with the armor. The Allies rely on numbers and artillery to shift the odds in their favor. The Germans rely on morale and armor. The Allies must undergo artillery fire when they first land, and there are some green units who may have problems on their first turn of combat. There is also a bonus for using battalions from the same regiment or brigade, as well as penalties for combining units from different divisions. The Allies start with 3 infantry divisions versus 1 spread out panzer division, and get 3 more divisions later. The few Germans on the board must hold out until help comes, but when the help does come, it is crack panzer and parachute units. The higher German morale usually means that they are hard to defeat and may often counterattack. You can paradrop the 82nd airborne division, behind enemy lines, or just drop them in your own zone to bring them on shore. You can try surprise attacks, and infiltration. ZOCs are "sticky and semi-rigid," meaning that you must pay extra to go in and out of each one, but it is sometimes possible to move directly from one ZOC hex to another. As the game progresses, the Allied player must decide whether to bring in artillery ammunition or new troops (artillery uses up supply points when it fires), and whether to leave units behind on the beachhead to expedite arrivals. Artillery can also bombard, but that is almost worthless. (Many points needed for little effect.) Artillery can also support a defense. Engineers can build fieldworks and fortifications, and can help in town assaults. Stacking is 5 battalions per hex, but only 2 batts. and a coy. can attack or defend. A breakthrough move and attack after combat is possible, but only if you start with a leader. There is a lot here, and when you first play this game, you will find yourself checking the rules frequently, and even movement will require a lot of chart checking. But none of this is complicated or unreasonable. It is just a long series of simple actions. There is a weather check at the beginning of each day. Clouds can limit air power, while rain can limit all movement and combat. The game lasts 11 days. Each day is 3 regular turns and a night turn. What is it like to play? Long and involved, but worth it. You have to spend some time figuring out what to do and how to do it, but in the end you get a very realistic result and a close and interesting battle. The CRT has a "turnover point" at 3:1, just like the simple old AH CRTs. Basically, the attacker gets the worst of it at 2:1 or less, so no one attacks unless they can be sure of 3:1. More is preferred, since there are still some nasty surprises in the CRT, and you do not know how much artillery your opponent will commit to a particular defense. The main point is that you feel that you have fought with infantry and armor and guns over steep terrain, rather than with "4-3"s versus "3-3"s. The details give the game life. But make time. - Chris Salander