Fall 1940: an additional scenario for Avalon Hill's Third Reich I would like to begin by saying that 'Third Reich' is the most stimulating game I have ever bought. The way it encompasses the strategic and economic facets of WWII and links them together is quite masterly and particularly appealing to me. Yet, after play ing all the scenarios 'Campaign', 1939, 1942 and 1944 I felt that there was 'something missing'. On reflection I decided that this missing 'something' was an element of strategic choice on the part of the Axis player. To be more explicit, in the 'Campaign' and 1939 scenarios the Axis is committed to throwing the British and French out of Western Europe before the Russian attacks them (and given a 2 player game the Russian attacks as soon as he is able to). These two games usually end as a sort of WWI situation only 25 years later. In the 1942 scenario the Axis player is already deeply committed to war with Russia. In the 1944 scenario the Axis player is totally on the defensive. In all these games the Axis player has no real strategic freedom, he is committed to a course of action already determined for him by the scenario. It is near impossible for him to develop alternative strategies, such as the 'Mediterranean Alternative' pressed for by Hitler's naval staff in 1940. I experimented with this strategy in the 1942 scenario but it is too late, the British are too strong, the Americans are about to descend and this adoption leads to serious losses on the Eastern front. As an alternative I decided to develop my own scenario based upon the situation as it existed after the fall of France in the Autumn of 1940. To do this I assumed that the war had progressed historically to that date. Thus Germany not only had to pay Basic Resource Points (BRP's) for her spring offensive on the Western front but for her attacks on Poland and Scandinavia also. Similarly the Russians had to pay for their assault on Finland, and the western Allies for their offensive move into Belgium and into Narvik. BRP's were worked out for 'Fall 1940' on this basis, and deductions were also made for replacing losses and building additional forces. (For the sake of brevity I have not listed these calculations here). The set up for 'Fall 1940' is as follows: Britain BRP total = 122 (Base rate 125) Forces= As the 1939 scenario 'At Start' forces + the 6 '1 ' counters Dispositions= At least: Gibraltar 1--4 airfleet, a 9 fleet factor, 1--3 infantry. Egypt, 5--4 Airfleet, 2 x 9 factor fleets, 2--5 armour, 3--4 infantry. Palestine, 1 x 1--3 infantry. Occupies British Isles, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Egypt, Palestine, Trans Jordan. Soviet Union BRP total = 118 (Base rate 110). Forces = As the 1939 scenario 'At start' forces. Dispositions = Restrictions as for 1939 scenario. Occupies Russian, Baltic States, Bessarabia Eastern Poland. Vichy French BRP = 0 Forces/Dispositions = 1 x 9 fleet factor, 2 x 2 3 infantry Vichy France . 1 x 2--3 infantry Syria 1 x 2--3 infantry Morrocco 1 x 2--3 infantry Algeria 2 x 9 factor fleets at Oran (Algeria) Occupies Vichy France, Corsica, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria. Italy BRP total = 36(!) (Base rate 75) Forces = As the 1939 scenario 'At Start' + 1 x 2--3 infantry unit and 6 x '1' counters. Dispositions= At least: Libya 1 x 5--4 airfleet, 4 ground cornbat factors. Albania 6 ground cornbat factors Occupies Italy, Libya, Albania, Sardinia, Sicily, Rhodes. Germany BRP total = 161 (Base rate 150) Forces = as the 1939 scenario 'At Start' totals + 12 x 3--3 infantry, 1 x 4-6 armour, 1 x 3--3 parachute, 8 x '1' counters. Dispositions= at least: 3 x 3--3 in Poland, 1 x 3--3 each in Germany, Rumania, Norway, Denmark, Belgiurn, Holland, 2 x 9 fleet factors in Kiel. Occupies Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Lux err1bourg, Non-Vichy France. Order of setting up forces = Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Germany. 1st to chose option and move = Axis. The appeal to me of this scenario is that the Axis has complete strategic freedom. Both Western and Eastern fronts are clear, the stage upon which the game is set is completely open to new interpretations withou pre-set committments. The Axis player may now attempt the moves open to Hitler and Mussolini in the Fall of 1940; a cross channel assault, an air and naval (largely strategic warfare) campaigning against Britain, an assault on Russia as early as 1940, or the Mediterranean alternative. Attacks can also be made on Sweden, Spain/Portugal and Turkey if desired, separate from or part of one of the above strategies. Games I have played using the Fall 1940 scenario usually have the Axis prefer a 'Mediterranean alternative' to the Eastern front. This usually results in Britain being forced out of the Mediterranean (albeit after 3 or turns). This gravely weakens Britain and further cuts off Russia. Given this situation 'Festung Europa' really is a tough nut to crack (although a US/British invasion of France is usually a success because of their air power). The general result is a far more 'open' and I think, interesting game. I hope that other 'Third Reich' players find my ideas interesting or of some use to them in perhaps thinking up a 1940 scenario of their own.