by Robert Ellis, 16 February 2023 ~ #UnboxingDay
An updated and expanded version of a game which first appeared in a 3W (World Wide Wargamers) magazine – Vol 1, Issue 23, back in 1983. Designed by Vance von Borries, who has been responsible for the design of a considerable number of games on various aspects of the North African Campaign, the original game has since been re-published by Compass Games who have expanded the original 1 map and 1 sheet of 1/2″ counters to a 2-mapper with 3 sheets of 5/8″ counters, although hey have retained the original scale of 2 miles/hex and units of, mainly, company/battalion size. In addition, new charts and player aid cards are provided with a rules update by the designer, which includes a substantial change to the artillery rules.
The rule book includes a couple of scenario’s plus the main campaign game rules, and is well laid out and does have some examples of play, which are always useful, plus a very handy rules index. Also included are some designer notes and a list of ‘suggested reading’, some titles of which I have read and/or have in my library! Exit Rommel, The Tunisian Campaign 1942-43 being a particularity good book on the subject.
click images to enlarge
The standards of the components are good, as you would expect from Compass Games, with the only slight quibble being that the colour contrast between US and German units is not that well defined and could cause a little bit of a problem under some lighting condition (or for those of us who’s eyesight aint as good as wot it used to be!). I notice from reading the games forum page on BGG that this is a common complaint.
I very much like the map design which also includes various record tracks and holding boxes (for air units and artillery bombardment markers) and the graphics style has a nice Tunisia feel to it.
This game is very much ‘On the Table’ and I’m busy getting familiar with the rules. It will be interesting to see how it plays in comparison (as I remember it from 40 years ago) to the original!
All-in-all, a nice looking package, and I thank my good pal, JD, for the long-term loan of it since he is now assuming a Napoleonic aspect and has taken to the wearing of outrageous hats! Enjoy your ‘Eagles of France’ games, JD.
My intention is to post some AAR’s at some point, so look out for the games thread on the forum.
Thanks for joining this month’s #UnboxingDay with the Armchair Dragoons and we hope you enjoyed a look under our hoods! You can always leave us your feedback in our #UnboxingDay thread, or in the comment area on this article, below.
You can find our regiment’s social media on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. (We have an Instagram page and we never use it.) We also have our Patreon, where you can support The Armchair Dragoons activities.
Feel free to talk back to us either in our discussion forum, or in the comments below.
Want to contribute to next month’s #UnboxingDay? Drop us a line in the #UnboxingDay thread in the forum and let us know
UNBOX THE BOX SO YOU CAN REBOX THE UNBOX
