Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1991 11:39:00 GMT From: Subject: BALKAN FRONT; A REVIEW Hi Guys, This is it, the long awaited review!!! Balkan Front, Europa III Published by:- Games Research/Design Grinnel IA USA Cost :- $34.95 (25 pounds in the UK) Game type :- Balkan Front (BF from here on) is a Division/Regiment/Batalion level game which examines the campaign (strangely enough!) in the Balkans, from the abortive Italian invasion of Greece in November 1940, through to the German intervention in April 1941, ending with the possible invasion of Crete a few turns later. Turn length is two weeks. Components :- BF has two maps, one full size (21"*27") and one half size that cover the extents of the theatre of operations at the scale of 16 miles to the hex. Greece, Yugoslavia, and parts of Greater Germany, Hungary, Rumania, Italy, and Bulgaria are also on the maps. They are printed in Blue (sea) white (clear), medium brown (rough), dark brown (mountain), green "O S trees" (woods/forests depending on the depth of the forests), black (roads, cities, strong [impassable] terrain types [high mountain ridges]. Their appearance is smart, and very clean, with major cities, towns, and even certain historically intersting/important points/places of interest being shown on the maps. There are some 720 counters, 80% of which are "units", the rest are counters for forts, airfields, etc. Each counter has a unit id, unit type (standard NATO format) and a combat strength printed on them. All peices are double sided, some (divisions) with cadres for combat losses printed on their reverse. British units are light tan in colour, Common Wealth are dark tan (with a collection of unit ids in differing colours to indicate Australian/New Zealand units), Colonial/commando units are white with varying id colours. Greek units are a bright orange, Yugoslavia a dark brown, whilst the Italians are a pale green (obviously jealous/seasick!!). Germany has white on black SS units, black on grey/green Wermacht units, black on pale blue Luftwaffe units, while Hungarian units are black on grey/blue, and lastly, the Bulgarians are white on grey/blue. Once more, counter quality is high although the Yugoslavians and Commonwealth units do tend to cause eye strain. The Italians and the Germans are a little paler than previous games in the series. Divisional break- downs for the Commonwealth units are missing, while the UK artillery unit has been miss printed as an infantry unit. Rules :-These are concise, easy to read, and fairly simple, particularly once the basics have been grasped. They are basically similar to those published with Scorched Earth, but have a few theatre specific rules which cover ideas like the neutrality of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Hungary, and the assorted mobiliseation states of the various parts of Yugoslavia (this takes in the fact that certain areas were more inclined towards Nazis than towards the allies [eg Croatia]). Separate rules examine movement, combat (with overruns), air movement and combat, naval interaction, armour effects, air/sea assaults, replacements/reinforcements, victory conditions (depentant upon victory points ammased in combat and for capturing certain target cities/islands) Movement: by the expenditure of a given total (printed on each unit) of movement points. This is controlled by the terrain, and by the theatre of ops (in the Arctic movement point totals are halved). Overruns may take place during this phase, if, and only if the odds are very high. Units of Division size have ZOC which extend into neighbouring hexes. These also incur movement penalties on units moving into them. Combat: is by odds, worked out by comparing the total attack strength (of the attacking stack/stacks of units including offensive air support) with the total defense strength of the defending units (including defensive air support). The die role can be modified by terrain effects, or the fraction of armoured/anti- armour units in the stacks (all mods cumulative). Assorted combat results range from DE (defender eliminated) thro' AS (attack stopped [ex NE]) to AE (attacker eliminated). Air units: are in counters worth 40-50 airframes, and have air to air stats, and air to ground stats. Mission range on the counters =max range to target which can be extended by swapping bombs for fuel. Fighter air units can patrol, escort, or even bomb (at an air to air combat efficiency loss) ground targets. Bombers can fly Tactical missions (eg DAS/OAS, anti-airfield etc.) or Strategic (against ports, terror bombing against cities etc.) missions. Air to air combat and AA fire all affect units, which can either be forced to return, without completing their mission, aborted, ie they return but need repairs, or be destroyed. A maximum amount of DAS/OAS is allowed which is equal to the combat strength of the defending/attacking units strengh. Naval Rules: cover sector movement of troops/amphibious assault. Assaults need forward planning (1 turn). Attack strenghts are quartered during the assault phase. A similar rule covers air assault, although para units may be disrupted by a scattered drop. Supply: basically by tracing lines to major cities/ two towns /ports/map edges depending on the nationality/possition of the engaged units. Replacements (RPs): are displayed as "regimental equivalents" ie a division has 3 REs, therefore it requires 3RPs to re place it from new, 2REs for a cadre to be rte-built etc. Air units need 1 air RP to be replaced. Reinforcements: Placed on the map at designated points, eg a city, map edge. Game play :- The game moves swiftly, with constant , vital tactical decision being necessary to maintain a strategic superiority (ie when/how are the Germans going to come; will they do the necessary/dirty?). Play balance is very even until the Germans get involved, when their airpower in particular can win the game by paralysing allied units, and by depriving them of air support at vital moments. A good allied player will probably force the Germans (who HAVE to leave the map quickly to meet VP conditions) to draw or loose simply by hanging on, or atempting to wipe out a few high value nazi units. I have always enjoyed BF as it has low counter densities (unlike the Eastern Front) and is very quick to play (maybe 4-8 hours for the campaign). As an introduction to Europa as a system it is ideal, what with its speed, constant change, and large number of participating nations. I think it is a very good game, and reckon you should all go get it !!! Any queries are more than welcome, and look out for later posting on Europa, particularly the Armour system, Fire in the East, Second Front play test, and the Supermarina module from Europa News, issue 17. Once more I'm asking out there for any input on later issues of TEN????? I hope you enjoyed my ramble thro' BF, JOHN