War in Europe

About this board game

War in Europe is a grand strategic wargame for 2–3 players, with an approximate play time of 360 minutes. It combines three modules—War in the East 2nd ed., War in the West, and the integrated War in Europe game—across a campaign spanning the continent.

The full game features three sides: the Italo-German Axis, the Anglo-French-American Allies, and the Soviet Union. The two base games can each be played separately for two-sided play, while the integrated module links them for a three-player contest. Political rules govern neutral alignment, minor-power units, cooperation between nationalities, and the relationship between the independent Allied and Soviet players.

Play unfolds across nine full-sized colored maps, using approximately 3,600 counters. Each hex represents 20 miles, each weekly game-turn contains three sequential player turns, and four turns form a cycle that begins with strategic warfare and economic production. Axis and Soviet forces grow through production, while Allied reinforcements arrive according to a preset schedule.

• Division- and brigade-sized land units, air points, and markers represent military forces and temporary conditions.
• Amphibious, naval transport, surface combat, submarine, and strategic bomber points support invasion, supply, interception, and economic warfare.
• Changing combat-results tables by nation and year reflect shifting military effectiveness throughout the six-year war.

Victory is determined through the Axis political-point total and control of specified hexes. Political points change through military actions, territorial control, and the conquest, occupation, or liberation of nations. Multiple scenarios cover the entire war or significant campaigns, giving War in Europe a broad range of strategic situations.