Ken Nied - 05:30pm Aug 13, 1998 PST (#9 of 14) Currently playing: Breakout: Normandy, Yom Kippur, DAK Ok, Mike. Here's a quick recap. If you've seen or played the 1981 version of AH's "Battle of the Bulge", your first impression will be that BW is a clone. But there are major differences, and some more subtle ones. Most of my comments will reference the differences between BB '81 and BW. Physical components: One 22 x 32" unmounted map, 320 counters including markers, 16-page rulebook. Scale: 2 mile hexes, brigade/regimental size units, 12-hour turns running from Dec. 16 am through Dec. 26 pm. The map has one major terrain addition, namely light woods. This reduces the number of clear hexes accordingly. The map has a border (no half-hexes to worry about) and includes a terrain chart, turn record track, and German supply chart. One very nice touch is that each starting unit has its position indicated directly on the mapsheet. These graphics are small and do not obscure the hex's terrain. Armored counters now feature a tank silhouette, ala Panzerblitz. Most counters also have a reduced, step-loss reverse side. Leader counters are a new addition in the optional rules. A leader within command range can allow a stack to fulfill a "D-back" result by eliminating a similar number of steps, simulating a "hold at all costs" mentality. The major change on the counters is the meaning of the numeric values. In BB '81 a 9-5-4 unit attacked with a strength of 9 and defended with a strength of 5. In BW such a unit would both attack and defend at 9 -- the middle number represents an "endurance rating", which provides a 1 drm to the side with the higher value unless negated by the defender's improved position. Combat: THE biggest change in the game is that combat is now voluntary, not mandatory. This is a huge difference. In BB '81, a unit adjacent to an enemy unit was forced to counterattack or withdraw unless in a fort. The combat results look the same at first glance, though there are some subtle differences. Advance after combat is restricted by the unit's movement allowance -- a unit usually cannot advance farther after combat than it could have moved. Exception: armor along a road can advance 1.5 times as far. Terrain modifiers are usually represented by column shifts. The maximum doubling on defense is now two times -- in BB '81 a unit defending in a rough hex across a river was quadrupled. Bridge demo has been significantly changed. Now an Allied unit must be adjacent to the bridge HEXSIDE and a German unit must be one hex away or adjacent before a demolition can be attempted. This potentially forces the US player to defend further forward than he might like so he can blow key bridges. Hope this helps, -- Ken John Grant - 06:42pm Aug 13, 1998 PST (#10 of 14) Ken's recap is pretty good, but there are two other major differences between BITTER WOODS and other Bulge games which open the game up quite a bit, in a way which I think enhances the fun and the simulation. First is that mechanized units can be placed into reserve (they don't move or fight in the regular phases), and then released from reserve by the appropriate leader for movement in a post combat exploitation phase. (The basic game allows the exploitation without the leader release requirement, since the leaders are an optional rule). If a hole can be blown in combat, exploitation allows a mechanized unit to move into the rear. This is more limited than it might sound, because the mechanized units are needed to blow the hole in the first place, and proper defense can limit any exploitation chances. It adds some real fluidity and planning to the game though, The leader who is to release the reserv must be in the hex from the start of the turn, unless he is one of three favored generals who can move to the reseve units in the movement phase (Manteuffel, Patton, and Collins). The other, more subtle change is the advance after combat rule which has the advancing units ignore any ZOC in the defender's hex. This adds to the ability of the advance to gain ground. There are other rules which add some fun options--a rule much like the Bulge 81 blitz attack, a bombardment option for artillery, a flanking attack bonus which gives a reason to keep the panzer and armored divisions together rather than parceling them over the map. Another thing this game does better than almost all other Bulge games is recreate the excruciating choice faced by the Germans about the seige of Bastogne. If the American player fortifies Bastogne, and places 3 units there with a leader (who can convert retreat results into step losses), the German player needs to devote substantial resources (including at least one panzer division) to taking the place. It will take 3 or 4 turns. The time and resources can't be easily taken from the effort to drive west. The German has to decide to attack or bypass. The decision is not easy, but a reasonable bypass route exists through Houffalize. In the campaign game, this decision can take some real thought. Try this game--I think you'll like it.