SCE-SCORCHED EARTH

Updated 031208
  1. TITLE: Scorched Earth; Europa Game II
  2. PUBLISHER: Game Designers Workshop (GDW). Europa is the Trademark of Game Research/Design and materials related to the trademark are copyrighted by Game Research/Design.
  3. SCOPE: The Russian Front, 1942-1944
  4. RULEBOOK VERBAGE: Scorched Earth is the thoroughly revised edition of Unentschieden, the second game of the Europa series, and is the companion game to Fire in the East, the revised edition of Drang Nach Osten. Fire in the EastlScorched Earth is a detailed, operational-level game of the German invasio n of the USSR, from the start of the war in June 1941 to the end of December 1944.
  5. GAME BOX VERBAGE: April 1942: The 1941 German invasion almost succeeded, and the Soviet winter counterattacks had run its course. Now both German and Soviet forces regroup for the summer campaign of 1942, pitting the German Army at the peak of its power against the growing strength of the Red Army. If the Germans can break Soviet resistance, they will win the war in the east. If not, the Soviets will fight a relentless war of attrition, overwhelming the Axis Invaders.
  6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1987. Is there a 1.5 edition was published by GRD (Europa caretaker after the apparent demise of GDW). The complete errata for FIRE IN THE EAST/SCORCHED EARTH/THE URALS included in the Revision 1.5 gameset.. The errata includes all material not provided in the rulebook, orders of battle and charts contained in THE URALS and SCORCHED EARTH.
  7. CREDITS
    • Note: Scorched Earth contains many of the concepts and game mechanics which were presented originally in Unentschieden, which was designed in 1974 by Paul R. Banner and Frank Chadwick.
    • Design: John M. Astell
    • Special Assistance: Shelby L. Stanton
    • Research, Axis Order of Battle: Shelby Stanton, Franklyn G. Prieskop, John Astell
    • Research, Soviet Order of Battle: Charles S. Sharp, John Astell
    • Other Research and Research Assistance: Frank Chadwick, Marc Miller, Paul R. Banner, Louis Rotundo, Paul Dunigan, Karl Gaarsoe, Dave Hughes
    • Art Direction and Graphics: Barbie Pratt
    • Art Department Assistants: Lauretta Oblinger, Dana Reischauer, Tim Brown, Loren Wiseman, Lester Smith
    • Playtest, Advice, and Assistance: Frank Adami, Kirk Adamson, Jeff Aderly, Rich Allen, Chris Ammons, Eric Ammons, Harold Andrews, Bert Anz, Peter Atkinson, Bill Barber, Robert Betts, Rob Beyma, Andrew Black, Steve Blankenship, Seth Bolen, Julie Bonds, Peter Bonham, Robert Boyle, Jeff Brown, Kevin Brown, Tim Brown, Steve Bullock, Greg Cafarelli, Bob Caldwell, Mark E. Carter, Rob Cheek, Dylan Conner, Larry Conner, Jim Crust, Craig Daniels, Wayne Dare, John DeGregorio, Vince DeSimone, Richard Detar, Paul A. Disbrow, Sam Dobbins, Mike Dolan, Russ Dumke, Paul Dunigan, Steve Emmons, Brian Fagan, Michael Faletti, Darlene File, Gordon Foltz, Kenneth Fonarow, Terry Fong, Darrien Fox, Edward Rankin Gainsborg, Jr., Laura Tilley Gainsborg, Jose Garcia, James Gayler, Rick Gayler, John J. Gee, Tracey Gibb, John Giefer, Joe Giese, Chriss Goeke, Rob Goldsmith, John Gordon IV, Mike Graffy, Les Gray, Mike Graziano, Winston Hamilton, Greg Hanna, Lee Hanna, Harold Hansen, Wayne Harrel, Jerad Harper, Jim Hartley, Terrence Hatcher, Victor Hauser, Brad Hay, Norris Hazelton, Fred Helfferich, Charles Hill, Mark Hill, Jay Hoffman, Brad Houston, Don Howard, Dave Hughes, Todd Hutchins, Mark Isolda, Edward Jablonski, Hank Jacobson, Brian James, Tom Johnson, Ray Kanarr, Dan Kaszeta, Roger Keating, Ben Knight, Brian L. Knipple, Ken Koch, John Kostisin, Paul Kramer, Burt Labelle, Roland Labelle, Robert Lachowski, Roger Land, Doug Langsather, John Lawton, Mike Le Drew, Dan Lee, David Lilly, Robert Littlejohn, Art Lupinacci, John Madison, James A. Mattatall, Rush McAllister, Rich Mikulich, Jeff Millefoglie, Greg Miller, Steve Miller, Ross Nickle, Brian Niffen, Andy Nunez, Tom O'Neil, Sean Pane, Ron Pappin, Jack Parks, Rich Paris, John Paul, David Peters, Paul Pigulski, Eric Pinnell, Mark Popofsky, John Porter, Randi Porter, Tony Quatrine, Rob Ramey, Justin Reynolds, Charlie Riegel, Denis Robideau, Eric Rollins, Robert F. Rosenthal, Louis Rotundo, Eric Rubinfeld, E. Richard Russel, John Rutter, Dave Samuel, Gary Schaap, Dave Schooley, Robert Scogin, Johnny Scott, Dave Smith, Keith Smith, Marlan Smith, David Smuts, Nick Somlo, Les Spain, Gary Stagliano, Mike Stankovich, Tobin Stevens, Bill Stone, Richard Strickland, A. M. J. Svajlenka III, Andrew Taubman, Max Thanner, Alex Tihanyi, Ian Trout, Douglas Trumble, Larry Weis, David Wells, Gary Wells, Richard Wells, Paul Weston, Dave Wheeler, Gregory Whiley, Guy R. Wilde, Bill Wilson, Steve Winslett, Loren Wiseman, Ron Woodward, Bruce Wright, Mark Wright, Russ Wynne, Joe Youst, Mark Zimmerman
  8. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2+ (multiplayer teams)
  9. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 10;
  10. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 100+ hours for full campaign, 40+ hours for the scenarios
  11. MAP SCALE: 16 miles per hex.
  12. UNIT SCALE: Divisions, regiments (30 counters for typical division)
  13. TIME SCALE PER TURN: 2 weeks
  14. NUMBER OF GAME TURNS:
  15. ARTICLE LISTING: GRD published a Europa News journal of which I have photocopies of EEF articles.
  16. GAME INVENTORY: 3840 counters, three maps, one rules booklet, two order of battle booklets, on set of game charts
  17. WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Not Applicable
  18. PBEM TOOLS:
    • No Java application VASSAL module at this time.
    • JET is computer program that is aimed to make playing of Europa board games easier. JET's main goal is to allow easy PBM (Play By Mail) playing and playing without paper maps and cardboard counters. JET also helps you by taking care of sometimes tediuous and error prone tasks like calculating MP's and combat strengths.
  19. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: Contact Wargame Academy if interested. A Group effort would be required to create a VASSAL module.
  20. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: I have seen the game played by several different groups on different occasions but family responsibilities negated my on-going participation. However viewed from my extensive War in Europe perspective(SPI), I consider the Europa East Front modules a step up in complexity and realism. Most notably, the units are individually rated unlike the generic WIE units. The game is approximately the same unit and map scale although two weeks a turn instead of one week in WIE. EEF lacks the player controlled German and Soviet production but air and naval units are type specific rather than WIE abstracted points. EEF details unit winterization, AT/Mech component capabilities as part of a more complex combat resolution, air fields (on map and constructed), RR construction units, other constructed fortifications, variable Finnish war effort adds additional suspense.. Although more detailed than WIE its playability is lessened. A generalization cant be made which system is better, it is a matter of player preference as either is a enormous investment of time and space requiring an ongoing series of gaming sessions. However as a detailed simulation of the most significant campaign in World War II European war, EEF has no peer.
  21. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: None at this time. One shrink-wrapped copy (2nd edition), a separate rulebook is also in WGA archives. Currently creating a 3rd edition WGA rulebook then to make a EEF (Europa East Front) rulebook-Java game combining Fire in the East, Scorched Earth, The Urals.
  22. Europa on-line forum - to subscribe send email message to:- europa-request@lysator.liu.se

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