From: Grant M Goodman Subject: Preview: Europa Universalis Expansion My birthday present to myself arrived the other day from Boulder Games, in a nice big box. Now, chances are I won't get to play these babies in the next decade, but I thought some of you might appreciate the results of my fondling the games and reading the rules. First up: EUROPA UNIVERSALIS EXPANSION by Azure Wish Edition (AWE) Ah! Just what I need! More detail, more counters for a game I'll play only in my dreams! (Or, if somebody wants to start a PBEM game sometime like January . . . .) This expansion kit ($14.80 from my source) adds a countersheet of 273 counters to AWE's game of early modern Europe (1492-1792, roughly). New types of counters include: Forts (like fortresses, but you can build them on the Rest-of-the-World map) Missionaries and missions, which give bonuses on some colonial actions. Some are marked Jesuit, Franciscan, Torquemada (Huh? I didn't EXPECT the Spanish Inquisition!) Colonial governors Sepoys (colonial land detachments -- they're the ones marked "Cipaye") can be raised by the French, British and Dutch for use in Asia Native allies -- American Indian detachments that can be raised by the French in North America New industry counters for Prussia, Sweden and some major powers New rules include: A simplified Fast Resolution System for land combat New minor states - Corsica, Napoli, Granada, Sicily, Catalonia, Ireland, Ukraine Rules for games with fewer than 6 players. You treat the non-player powers as Minor Countries A list of historical monarchs, with their Admin, Diplomatic and Military values. Additional/Replacement leaders for several scenarios in the original game, using new counters from the expansion set. Provisions for existing forts, missions, etc. in the campaign scenarios of the original game. New scenarios: 7 Years War in Europe and the world War of the Austrian Succession in Europe and the world Felicissima Armada (1588) Culloden Turko-Persian War of 1630-1639: Now THERE's a first in conflict simulation, I bet! War in Livonia 1560-1582 - More virgin ground, I swan. Other notes: The counters, as is standard for AWE, are little tiny works of art -- at some small cost to utility. The rules are in the same charmingly unidiomatic, but basically comprehensible translation from the French as the original game rules. There's a few more slip-ups where some excess French words got stuck in the draft. All in all, just what I was looking for. More cute stuff for the Universal Wargame. Now will I ever get to play it? Grant Goodman, Belmont, Mass. GrantG@juno.com "he put the telephone under his blind arm and exclaimed in disgust: 'Kiss me, Hardy!'"