A World At War
A World At War (2003) by GMT Games
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| Publisher(s) | GMT Games |
|---|---|
| Players | 1-8 (2-6 considered best) |
| Age range | 14+ |
| Setup time | Long |
| Playing time | 50+ hours |
| Random chance | Medium-low |
| Skill(s) required | Strategy |
A World At War is a board wargame published by GMT Games, simulating the Second World War in Europe and the Pacific. It is a descendant of Avalon Hill's games Rise and Decline of the Third Reich, Advanced Third Reich and Empire of the Rising Sun. The emphasis of the game system has shifted from novel and far-fetched strategies (pre-1992 versions of the game) to diplomacy (A3R) to studying the effect of changes in a country’s forcepool.
A World At War is exceptionally complex - articles on previous versions should be read for explanations of some game concepts and this article concentrates on changes to the game system rather than attempting a comprehensive summary.
The Axis always move first, whatever the BRP (Basic Resource Point) total, so there are no longer any double turns; the opening Japanese double-turn is replaced by Allied paralysis in the following player-turn.
Forest has been added to the map in Scandinavia and parts of northern Russia, making the area between Leningrad (now a swamp instead of a printed fortress) and Moscow easier to defend. The river Elbe has been added to Germany, whilst the Rhine has been shifted one hex east so that the map can depict the Rhineland, containing Cologne and Mannheim.
Any supplied unit, including replacements, may now move one hex per turn, regardless of zones of control, weather, terrain or oil status; all replacements begin the game on the map. Rough terrain (but not rivers) costs an extra movement point. Armoured exploitation from rough terrain is reduced by 1 in Europe and forbidden in the Pacific (except for the Japanese, who may exploit out of jungle).
Winter effects now apply on all fronts. In the West, including western Poland, winter overruns and exploitation are forbidden (similar to Spring on the Eastern Front), so a German attack in the West in Winter 1939 probably won’t get any further than the Low Countries. The Mediterranean has a mild winter, in which exploitation is reduced by 4 (to a minimum of 1); this does not apply at all in Mediterranean islands or in Africa, but effectively prevents a quick German conquest of Spain & Gibraltar in Winter 1940. The severity of the Russian Winter is decided by die roll as before - in the Second Edition Germany may make some limited attacks in milder Russian Winters, but in winter turns Russia may select the hexes from which Germany must take her attrition losses, putting key units at risk.
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Wikipedia