From: Roberto Chiavini Subject: more reviews Arnhem 1944 (Vae Victis 13) Thirteen should be a lucky number, but it's not the case for this French treatment of the battle of Arnhem, which is at least an "unfinished" business in my opinion. I approached to this game with great hopes, as I like this battle (in particular the SPI folio- game on this subject, which is similar in scale to the Vae Victis design) and have heard several really good comments on the game by other player all over the world (on Consimworld, but even here in Italy), but I was very early dismayed in my dreams of a very good game. The graphics are, as usual, wonderful (with silhouettes of the various tanks and gun pieces used at Arnhem) and the rules are concise and, most of them, clear. Simply, in my opinion, the system is convoluted and vainly complicated by strange combat result tables, an activation system that I simply don't like, the map and the situation doesn't make for a particularly exciting game. Anyway, let's take a look to this game, so you may also made your opinion on it. The combat units have from 1 (for a few British paratroopers units) to 3 steps and are rated for combat, tank/antitank strength, movement and, only for the artillery units, range. The latter have also different values for offensive and defensive support. All the HQ units have a command range of 5 and a supply range of 2 (you have to trace your line of supply to an HQ and this one have to reach a supply exit through one or more roads). The turn starts with a weather phase (optional; if you want to play historical, each turn has a fixed weather, ranging from clear to cloudy to rainy; weather affects Allied drops and air support); then the Allied player drops his para reinforcements; then both players draw supply and check their line of comunications (judging out of supply/command units; they have half movement and combat factors in this state). Then there is the most interesting aspect of this design (but, alas, for me, totally chaotic and boring): the action phase. After the initiative roll (the German player wins every tie), the phasing player may activate up to six units of the same formation into the command range of their HQ, or up to three units of his choice, from every formation and in every state of supply or command. With these units he may move and have combat. Then, the other player proceed in the same fashion, until both player pass, or both of them finish their actions. As combat is a function of movement, there are three different kinds of combat, each having different movement costs for the units involved (from 1 for marching attack, to 5 for prepared assault); the CRT have separated tables for each different kind of terrain; each combat is made up by two different calculations: the combat strength ratio and the tank/antitank strength ratio (the latter may modifies up to 4 columns to the left or the right the odd that you have found with the first ratio). All in all, a convoluted system, not fluid, not easy to understand and normally complicated by the added treat of artillery modifiers to the sum (even these based on the kind of attack). With a few other easy rules on drop zones and air support, the learning of the game is completed. The victory conditions privilege, of course, the taking of the Arnhem bridge by the Allied forces, or, at least 12 combat steps on the north side of the river at the end of the 10 turns game. As I have said earlier, I haven't liked my first approach to the game: after only a few moves, you have two different zone for battle: the German encircling of the British paras near Arnhem (the Allied player must be very lucky to reach the suburbs of the city), and the frontal assault of the Allied XXX corp and Guard units against the German defenses around Njimegen, to take the only route toward Arnhem. I'm almost sure than, barring several lucky dice rolls by the Allied player, the only fun from the game may derive from the German crushing of the British paras on the north (where the British may try to resist like Leonidas at the Thermopylae, but are doomed in the end), as the south front is far from really interesting. Probably, for absurd, the game could be more interesting if the players use the optional easy action rules provided with the game, as I think that the interactive activation system needs more than a little tinkering before to be proposed to players like me (that, obviously, could be even a minority in the wargaming world, as, I repeat myself, this game has had several good reviews from other sources). I rate this game 6 out of 10.