From: Daniel Thorpe <dwthorpe@AXIONET.COM>
Subject:      Re: Against the Reich-opinions

>On Fri, 21 Feb 1997, Ted Kim (Random Dude) wrote:
> Randy, can you offer some other opinions and comparisons on 1944
> France games like: (GDW) ROAD TO THE RHINE, (VG) FRANCE 1944, etc.

Just noticed this thread and, as Against The Reich (ATR), is one of my
favourites I thought I'd weigh in.

ATR is a Balkoski design, and does use a variation of his trademark impulse
mechanics. They work well for this situation with each impulse costing the
player supply points, which the allies must bring over beaches and ports
(each of which is marked for capacity). Most activations are by individual
division (almost all units are divs) but with some effort a Corps can be
activated together.

ATR took some stick when it first came out for its abstractions - the
effect of allied air on German movement is considered all pervasive and so
is abstracted into the impulse system. Most divisions of a certain class
have the same strength, and units smaller than a div are absent, factored
into the Corps attack bonus, etc, etc. But if you remember the game covers
a whole theatre over an extended period, then I think these are
appropriate.

And the great thing about the game is that it does cover the whole theatre
and in very quick and playable fashion. The mechanics are all very
straightforward and the two-week turns move right along, with lots of
movement. The two maps cover everything, from the landing beaches to far
enough into Germany that you have a real chance to end the war in '44. You
have the same dilemmas as the historical principles about stopping to clear
Antwerp for that big supply capacity, or plunging headlong into der
Fuhrer's Reich.

As for other games that cover all or most of the campaign (I leave out the
Normandy only titles)... The Avalon Hill stuff is obsolete. Victory's
France '44 is too small (folio map) and abstract, with a very clunky, slow
simultaneous impulse system. GDW's Road to the Rhine only covers the
grinding winter battles to get over the Rhine, after the campaign had run
out of steam. Rhino's Decision in France limits you to the historical
landing site, and its single map only cover's the French portion of the
breakout, so you have no reason to clear Antwerp or chance to cross the
Rhine before winter. Its essentially conventional system is also much
grittier and slower than ATR, though less abstract with sub-division units,
more varied unit strength's etc.

ATR may not be the ultimate game on the subject, as an earlier post in this
thread opined. But, it manages to present all the major historical options
and dilemmas in a GAME that remains fast and fun to play. Nothing else on
the topic even comes close, IMHO. It's one of the few West End games I
haven't replaced over the years; it still holds up as THE title on its
topic. If it's available for anything resembling a reasonable price, I'd go
for it.

Daniel