Game Spotlights

Published: October 11, 2022

Devin

Vuca Simulations – Two New Releases

Photo: Bundesarchiv Bild 193-04-1-26, Schlachtschiff Bismarck — CC BY-SA 3.0 DE

Vuca Simulations — Two New Releases

It’s a great Autumn. We know it is because VUCA Simulations dropped two titles at the same time!

The Chase of the Bismarck – Operation Rheinübung 1941 covers the famous sortie into the Atlantic by the new German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen on May 18th–27th 1941. It uses a double blind system with each player having his/her own search board.

1914 – Nach Paris is an operational simulation of the first big confrontations of the Great War. Contains a great campaign as well as several scenarios of varying sizes.

Let’s take a closer look at each of them!


The Chase of the Bismarck – Operation Rheinübung 1941

game box cover for The Chase of the Bismarck from VUCA Simulations

Chase of the Bismarck plays in turns, each representing nearly five hours of real time. In each turn, both players secretly move any or all ships and air units under their command on their own search board.

Each player may then call out zones in which they’ve acquired enough search factors to locate their opponent’s ships. This is the operational part of the game.

If opposing ships are discovered to be in the same zone, they may proceed to combat on the Battle Board. This is the tactical part of the game.

The game ends if Bismarck is sunk, arrives at a friendly port or the last turn of the game—evening of May 29th—has been played.

Components

Bismarck warship photo from Vuca Simulations war game Chase of the Bismarck

  • Two Operational Search Boards
  • One Battle Board
  • About 300 counters
  • 45 Ship cards
  • Several Player Aid Cards
  • Two Player Screens
  • Several blue and red wooden blocks
  • Optional Hit Record pad
  • Rulebook (pdf)
  • 2 Ten-sided dice

Pick up your copy of The Chase of the Bismarck today!


1914 – Nach Paris

game box cover for 1914 - Nach Paris from VUCA Simulations

In August 1914 many French people were proud to fight for Freedom, against autocracy and pan-Germanism. Germans and French were confident of victory, the former would soon see themselves in Paris and the latter in Berlin, all of them knew the price of duty.

The vast majority of soldiers mobilized in August 1914 thought that the conflict would be swift and that they would return home for the harvest at the latest. It was with fervor and conviction that all of them took the “flower with the gun” to the battlefield.

During the battles of the borders and the Marne, the losses amounted to more than 1,128,000 men of all nationalities, with about 293,000 killed.

  • Were there any strategic errors?
  • Were there bad evaluations of the forces involved?
  • Was there serious military incompetence on both sides?
  • Or was it the macabre result of a brutal confrontation between two heavily armed military blocs?

With 1914 – Nach Paris you can try to find the answer to questions like these.

Gameplay

Finely modeled units of the belligerents, an accurate and representative topography of the theater of operations and the various fortified obstacles, the accuracy of the chronology of the disposition of troops and highly detailed logistical networks are modelled to faithfully simulate the first big confrontations of the Great War.

game map for 1914 - Nach Paris war game

The Grand Scenario allows players on a relatively wide front and for a longer period of time to test strategic engagements with a very high degree of command autonomy.

The game includes several shorter scenarios of varying size and length, such as the assault on Liege or the Battle of the Meuse.

Components

  • Four map sheets (2 full size, 2 half size) for a total footprint of approx. 1.3 x 1.05m
  • Two Player Aid sheets
  • About 1,000 full-size counters
  • Ca. 350 smaller markers
  • 8 small standalone maps for small scenarios
  • One Rulebook (pdf)
  • One Scenario booklet (pdf)
  • Setup sheets

Grab a copy of 1914 – Nach Paris today!


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