FSE -FORTRESS EUROPA

1. TITLE: Fortress Europa
2. PUBLISHER: The Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC)
3. SCOPE: Allied Invasion and Western Front campaign
4. TAHGC CATALOG VERBAGE: World War II Western Front Invasion Game
5. GAME BOX VERBAGE: FORTRESS EUROPA recreates the Allied campaign in Western Europe from D-Day to March, 1945. The Allied player must select an invasion site and make a successful landing, break out of the beachead, drive across France, and push deep into Germany. The German player must prevent the Allied invasion or else conduct an orderly withdrawal across France, constantly delaying the Allies, and then counter-attacking in the winter. An EPIC struggle.
6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1980. Only one published edition. An unofficial softcopy 2nd edition FSE incorporating published variants has been partially completed by WG A...
7. CREDITS
   • Original Game Design: John Edwards
   • AH Redesign: Alan R. Moon, Richard Hamblen
   • Game Development: Alan R. Moon
   • Artwork: Dale Sheaffer, John Edwards
   • Box Art: Rodger MacGowan
   • Typesetting: Colonial Composition
   • Printing: Monarch Services
   • Production Coordination: Don Greenwood, Thomas N. Shaw
   • "Battle Of the Bulge" and "On To Berlin" scenarios: Tony Adams
   • Playtesting: Don Eisen (w/ jim Payne, Harry Welch, Kevin Eisan), Mark Cohen, Chicago Wargamers Assn. (Jeff Clark, Toy Adams, Dave Miller, Jim Vincent), Phil Evans, Jersy Wargamers Assn. (Dennis Shorthouse, Bob Riconda, Lew Ritter), Jim Jowski, David Perlman, Larry M. Connor, Paul Siragusa, William J. Knap, R. H. Winslow, Matt Taylor.
   • Special Thanks: Don Eisan
8. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2
9. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 5
10. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): Six hours and up.
11. MAP SCALE: good question, I would guess 25 miles per hex.
12. UNIT SCALE: Divisions
13. TIME SCALE PER TURN: One quarter month
14. NUMBER OF GAME TURNS: 44 for the campaign; 5 scenarios (4, 7, 11, 12, 28 turns)
15. PARTIAL ARTICLE LISTING: Click here
16. GAME INVENTORY: 520 unit counters; 22" x 24" mounted mapboard; multiple playing aids and charts, 1 die; 16 page rulebook.
17. WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Continuous event since Avaloncon 1991.
18. PBEM TOOLS:
• No Java application VASSAL module at this time.
• A full Play by Graphics toolset using Claris Draw exists in the WGA archives to PBEM using a multilayer graphics file. Claris Draw installers exist for both Macintosh OS9 and Windows. Claris Draw is an orphaned application.
19. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: Contact Wargame Academy if interested. A Boardgamer Player Association PBEM tournament can be organized by WGA pending suitable interest once a VASSAL VFSE module is completed.
20. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: A less popular sequel of The Russian Campaign adapted to western front combat but using divisions instead of Corps. A more extensive air and naval system is in use with many player options. The Allied player selects the invasion site(s) against visible and hidden German forces. If the Allies land successfully and build up, it is a game of attrition where the Germans have only limited offensive capability which even if locally successful detracts from his longevity. Hence if the game is not decided in the initial flurry of activity, it is a slow grind with requires players with suitable mindsets.
21. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: Two game play copy, softcopy rulebook, complete game editable multilayer map, Order of Battles, Counter library and charts in Claris Draw.