This review first appeared in IPW, the newsletter for all discount games
club members. Contact colin@allusedgames.demon.co.uk for details.

TUNISIA 1943 (Vac Victis premier issue game)

The campaign in Tunisia during 1943 was a complex one and is certainly
difficult to translate into game terms. Despite this fact, that's
exactly what Vae Vctis attempted to do in their first issue.
Furthermore, this is a relatively simple, quad sized game that
nevertheless tries to simulate the campaign in an accurate and worth
while manner.

It gets around some issues by featuring two distinct scenarios. The
first covers the Allied drive on Tunis, the second the Axis
counter-attack that led to the battle of Kasserine. There is no campaign
game linking the two and in this way it steers clear of many situations
that would have led to making the game much more complex.

For gamers who have not had the good fortune to come across Vae Victis
before, it's a French publication much in the mould of S&T or Command
except that it also covers figure and computer wargames. It's full
colour throughout and has some of the best graphics you've ever seen - a
fact that reflects nicely in the appearance of this game. It is also
entirely in French which may frighten the faint hearted, but, believe
me, any experienced gamer will be able to work out the intention of the
rules armed only with a French/English dictionary. This review will
also, hopefully, make the path much smoother.

A game turn commences with the Support phase. A player has a number of
support points and may allocate them to his divisional headquarters as
he sees fit. Naturally, there are never enough to go around. The effect
is to allow subordinate units to move in the Exploitation phase later in
the turn. However, all Panzer divisions have this ability without the
need for support points.

The Movement phase follows and generally sticks to standard wargame
practices. It is worth noting that, although units must halt when
entering enemy zones of control, such zones do not extend into
impassable terrain. There is an awful lot of such terrain in Algeria
where this campaign is fought. In actual fact, armoured units do not
have to halt when entering enemy zones of control and can attempt to
infiltrate enemy lines. All units are rated for anti-tank cohesion. When
an armour unit enters enemy zones of control two dice are rolled and the
result compared to the cohesion level of each individual enemy unit that
exerts a zone of control into the hex currently friendly occupied. If
the die result is greater, then the friendly unit can continue its move.
If not, it must halt its move and have combat against one enemy occupied
hex adjacent in the Combat phase. It will come as no great surprise to
learn that the Germans have the highest anti-tank cohesion levels, the
Brits and Yanks fall in the middle whilst the French and Italian units
just have to pray their opponent rolls low. This rule alone lifts
Tunisia 1943 out of the ordinary and results in an exciting and fluid
contest.

After movement, there is Combat which is based on traditional odds but
modified by lerrain, air support (which is given to players in points
like support) and artillery support. Air support results in column
shifts whilst artillery support modifies die rolls. Artillery support
points are held by divisional HQ's and allocated to battles fought by
subordinate units with in range. A final influence on combat is Armour
Cohesion. Two dice are rolled, as for infiltration, if armour is
involved in an assault and, if successful, a favourable shift is gained.
Combat results are taken as retreats and step losses.

Exploitation Movement follows but can only be made by units whose HQ's
have allocated support, with the exception of the units that comprise a
Panzer division. Also, moving units may not enter enemy zones of
control.

At the end of a player's turn, his final act is to check Supply. Units
have to trace a path of up to four hexes back to their divisional HQ.
These, in turn, must be able to trace a traditional supply path back to
a supply source - usually a friendly map edge or port. Penalties for
being out of supply are severe (this is North Africa after all) with not
just the standard reduction in movement and combat factors, but also no
artillery support and reduced anti-tank cohesion.

A couple of extra rules exist covering co-ordination between two or more
different divisions in joint assault and two special German Tiger units.

The scenarios provided put the Axis on defence in the first instance and
the Allies on defence in the second. Due to the simple rules and small
number of units in play, this game is easily playable in an evening and
highly enjoyable solo. All in all, my advice would be to try to conquer
the language barrier. If you do, you'll treat yourself to a great little
game.

Alan Sharif