From: Roberto Chiavini Subject: Two more reviews Verdun (S&T 198 with Lemburg) This game recreates the battle fought in September 1916 between the French and German Armies on one of the most important battlefield of the entire World War I. Paired with Lemburg, this game is the other half of the two Over the Top battle offered by Decision Games with their Strategy & Tactics 198. The rules for this game are mostly the same that I've already discussed in my Lemburg review, so here I limit myself to the few additions for Verdun and an overall evaluation of the situation portrayed. Artillery may use massive barrage fire, so you may set up your front to better exploit favorable columns and obtaining more easily suppression or step losses results. You have air units that may be used for air to air combat and, mostly, for barrage support, like other artillery, a great addition. Stacking is limited to two units in each hex (and this is obvious, as, especially the French player, who has far less units on the map than the German, must defend a long line of trenches north and east of Verdun). You may also use poison gas (a special CRT for artillery attack). The Germans have also two shock combat units, that may add a +2 differential in any attack they are used (but they have to suffer the first step loss in any such attack). Verdun comes with a standard 15 turn scenario and an extended scenario that adds 15 more turns, doubling this terrible historical carnage. The first player is the German, who has the clear advantage of setting up second. As the German is the player on the offensive and as much more morale points than the French player (10 instead of 3 at the start), more replacement points than the French in the first 5 turns (3 instead of 1 for the first 5 turns, the situation is paired from 6 to 10 turns, than is upturned in the last 5 turns of the standard game) and, most of all, several more units than the French. But the terrain and the rules heavily favor the player on the defense, who has to detain possess of the central position of Verdun). Anyway, the situation clearly reflects the war of attrition usual on WWI western fronts, and the game is probably a better simulation than Lemburg, certainly more fun for both players, as the higher range of most HQs (two hexes instead of one is all the difference in the world in a system as the one used in Over the Top) consent better exploitation of the rare, and costly, gaps that the attacker may obtain in the defensive line (that for the French is really stretched, because of the limited number of units he may use on such a vast front). This is not exactly the game for my tastes (I don't like particularly the WWI setting, even if this is the wargamer's trend of the moment), but overall the system for Over the Top is a good addition to any World War One buffs wargames' library. I rated Over the Top 7 out of 10, while Verdun 6 ½ out of 10.