The AVALON HILL. $2.50 May-June 1981 Volume 18, Number 1 2 Avalon Hill Philosophy Part 85 *The AVALON HILL t II GENERAL AVALON HILL POSTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS The Game Players Magazine The Avalon Hili GENERAL Is dedicated to the present"" As promised in Vol. 16, No.6, we hereby an­ rently available as a back issue for $ 2.50 plus the tionof aUlhoritatlve articles on the strategYi.tacti:csj.Ctr:d nounce the opening of the Avalon Hill Postal Cham­ usual postal charges. If you are not currently an variation of Avalon Hill wargames. Historical' artic1t?S are pionships. We've made several format changes as AREA member you may still enter the tournament Included only Insomuch as they provide useful backgrourtd a result of reader response to those initial plans but Information on current Av",lon HIli titles. The GENERAL Is by sending for your AREA membership at the same 'published by the Av",lon Hili Game COmpany solely for the the basic premise remains the same. What follows time you apply for tournament entry. c.LJltu~al. edification of the serious gameaficionad?,in the constitute the official rules for what we believe to hopes of Improving the game owner's proficiertcYQf playand be the first wargame manufacturer-sanctioned, providingservices not otherwise available to theAvaion Hill THE GAMES; game buff. Avalon Hill is a diVision of MonarchAvaloh'lndustdes. truly international, championship wargame event. Ine.,a wholely owned subsidiary of Monarch~valOl1i lnc.Th~ At the outset we should state that play will be Championships in this first tournament offering 'shar,es of Monarch Avalon, Inc. are pUblicly traded On the limited to AREA members and governed by the will be limited to those games most suitable for NASDAQ System under the symbol MAHL For information ease of postal play. Therefore we will offer com­ execiJtjveof~ AREA Code of Conduct rules published in Vol. 16, "about the company write to Harold Cohen at the· petition in the following games only: fices of thecompany, 4517 Harford Rd., Baltimore, MD 21214. No.6 of The GENERAL. The latter is prerequisite Publication is biwmonthly with mailingsmadedeseto reading and should be carefully considered before AFRIKA KORPS (1980 editionI the end of February. April, June, August. October,and entry into the tournament. Those who don't have ANZIO (Basic Game; 4th editionI December. All editorial and general mail should be sent tq the Avalon Hill Game Company, 4517' ffarford Road, this particular issue are advised to purchase it Baltimore, MD 21214. One year subscriptions are $Q.OO. before getting involved in the tournament. It is cur- Continued on Page 13, Column 2 .Two year subscriptions are $14.00. Previ0l!s subscriptIon rates of $7~50 and $12.00 will be accepted as5 and 8 issye terms respectively. AU domestic subscriptions sent via bulk I-?ermit. Domestic First Class Delivery and all $Ub$criptions,~o Canada and Mexico must pay an additional $9.09 per year postage charge. All overseas subscriptions mustaddanaddi~ •. ~ tlonal $12.00 per year postage charge. Send Checks ormoney orders only. AH is not responsible fotcash lost in tr@osrt,Those: yvith a currentAmericanExpress, VISA, or tylasterCharge qard may call 800,638-9292 toll free to renew subscriptions or order merchandise. Absolutely no complaints orquestions WI!' be handled on this, number. Any business other t~a~ a credit card purchase must be hand led by mail. Addresschanges must be submitted at least 6 weeks in advance to guarant~e delivery. paid advertising is not accepted,; but newsotimpor~ tarice.fo the gaming community is soli'cited. Corwentionan;, nouncements must be received at least, 3 mOhthsin;idval1ce and contain information pertaining to Atfgames1n use.' , Articles from subscribers 8reconsldered for publicatioh ",t the discretion of our editorial staff. Articles shOUld be typewritten, double,spaced, and embrace the tenets OfgpOd English usage. There is no limitt0V'!0rdlenglh.Accomp~ny­ ing examples and diagrams should be neatlydone in bt.ack or red ink. Photographs should have caption and credit lin!; written on back. Rejected artlcleswiU be returnedwhenever possible. EDITOR: Donald J. Greenwood ASS'T EDITOR: Alan R. Moon GRAPHICS: Jean Baer, Dale Sheaffer, Charles Kibler, MacGowan, Margaret Lehman,Stephanie Czech· Cover Art: Rodger MacGowan'" . AREA Technicians: Jack Dati & Robin Bara EXCLUSIVE AGENTS: ARGENTINA; Sandler.. Gesang, ~.I\ ..i Jose E. UriblJru 377; 1027, Buenos Aires; AUSTRALIA: ~ed~() Games Ltd., 18 Foneca Street; Mordialloc 3t95; Vlelorla; BELGIUM: CODACO SPRL; 1072 Chaussee de Nlnove;1080 FURY IN THE WEST 3 Bruxelles; fRANCE: Jeux Descartes; 5, rue de la Baume; '75008' A Commander's Notebook By Robert D. Harmon Paris; GREAT BRITAIN: Michaels Models; 648 High Road; N. Rnehley N. 12 ONL; GREECE: American Boo~ & News, 68, THE TACTICAL SIDE OF BISMARCK 14 Syngrou Ave; Athens 408; ITALY: Dott, Alfredo Gentili; Tirrenla Analysis of the BISMARCK Combat Systems IPisa); Via dei Leeei, 1; JAPAN: Post Hobby Co,; 1-38 Yoyogi, ' By Bob Proctor Shibuya-ku Tokyo; MALAYSINREPUBLIC DF SINGAPORE; Wong International Entp; 6 Jalan Sinar Bulan; Singapore 17; SQUAD LEADER CLINIC 20 .SOUTHAFRICA: Gamma Games LId; P.O. 8ox'2904, A Quiz on Basic Infantry Tactics By Bill Nightingale Capetown 8000; SPAIN: Joe-Play; Arlbau, 272-274: Barc'elona~6; SWEDEN: P1aybround HB; Skarpskyttevagen,2; DUAL PLAYER DUNE 23 F; S"222 42 Lund A DUNE Two Player Variant With Allies By Paul Snow GENERAL Subscriptions: Gertrude Zombro Purchase.s of Games, PBM kits and parts: Chrlsty$haw THE ART OF NEGOTIATION IN DIPLOMACY 24 Questions Concerning Play: Research & Design Depart- 'The First in a Four Part Series on the Game Without Dice By Lewis Pulsipher ment '., .Note: Ali questions should be thoroughly diagrammed. Nq FACE LIFT FOR A CLASSIC BEAUTY 27 questions wilt be answered that are not, accompanied by a A Tour of the Revised AFRIKA KORPS Rules By Frank Preissle self-addressed, staQ1ped envelope. Only questions regard' ing rule clarifications (not historicalor design subjects) can STAFF BRIEFING be answered.' 31 IF YOU CHANGE yOUR ADDRESS; infqrm us iQ1rn~dl­ An Interview With Tom Dalgliesh By Craig Besinque ately. The Post Office destroys magazineseven ifyoLiIj,avea forwarding address. AH ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBiliTY MOBILE PANZER DEFENSE 33 • FOR ISSUES LOST DUE TO AN INVALID ADDRESS. Please A Model Replay of Scenario 6 of PANZERBLITZ By David K. Rod state both your new and old address. THE OPPONENTS WANTED SURVEY III 38 Th,#! Copyrl~ht 1981 .. ~ Once Again an Accounting of the Want-Ads By Tom Greer A.l'ALON HILL~V5.J()<>. DARIUS THE GREAT 41 Gall'e Company . How to Beat Alexander in ALEXANDER By Antonio Santasuosso MARCHING TO A DIFFERENT DRUMMER 43 4517'Harford Road, ~... ~. Alternate Strategies for WAR & PEACE By Lee Lasky Bal.timore, Md. 21214 \&J ~ FURY IN THE WEST A COMMANDER'S NOTEBOOK by Robert D. Harmon FUR Y IN THE WEST was one of BA TTLE­ a game that is both playable and uniquely realistic, As of New Year's, 1862, Confederate forces in LINE'sfinest effortsfrom aplayabilitystandpoint. introducing a new dimension in unit reduction; the West still held a forward line across southern Although handicapped by a less than beautiful straggling. FITW players, for the first time, Kentucky, which was nominally Union territory. mapboard it isprobably a bettergame than either of directed armies that actually seemed to tire, and Commander of these forces, all Rebel forces be­ A valon Hill's earlier Civil War battle games, and would crumble if pushed too hard. tween the Appalachians and the Mississippi, was because wecouldfind nothing basically wrong with This article is both an introduction to AH Albert Sidney Johnston. A Kentuckian by birth, he it there will be no A valon Hill revision aside from a devotees who haven't had the experience of playing had risen to Brigadier General's rank in the armies new mapboard and conversion to bookcase pack­ FITW, as well as a briefing for past owners of the of the Republic of Texas and, later, of the United aging adorned with this issue's Rodger MacGowan game. The article is divided into historical commen­ States; his last assignment being command of the cover art. Despite this testimonial, FUR YIN THE tary and Critical Issues, the latter dealing with Department of the Pacific. Upon the secession of WEST has not gained widespread popularity. various aspects of game strategy in compartmen­ Texas, he resigned his commission and made the Whether this is due to unattractive packaging, talized form. march from San Francisco to EI Paso. Now he was Battleline's less effective marketing, or the lack of Like many readers of THE GENERAL, I a full general, the highest-ranking field commander interest in the title is inconsequential. It is far too myself have been mystified by strategy articles on in the Confederacy, and the most highly regarded good a game for such a plight and it is hoped that games I don't own or haven't played. I wind up soldier on either side. this feature will give the game enough exposure to reading the history and skipping the discussion of Till February of 1862, Major General Henry cause it to be discovered anew by A valon Hill game an unfamiliar map, units, and rules. Critical Issues Halleck, Johnston's Union counterpart, had pur­ players. I and 2 are written with this in mind, as an introduc­ sued a conservative strategy; in essence, none at all. tion to a new game. Now, an unknown subordinate, Ulysses S. Grant, Battleline Games, throughout the Seventies, in­ came forward with a suggestion, one he was sent troduced a series of playable, innovative wargames HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: out to try. Forts Henry and Donelson, at the at a time when monster games were looming on the "SEEING THE ELEPHANT" mouths of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, scene.