Arctic Front: Battle for Norway

About this board game

Arctic Front: Battle for Norway is a two-player wargame for a 240-minute session, released in 1985, depicting a Soviet assault on Norway during the Third World War.

Using the same rules as its series predecessors, the game presents a distinct operational challenge. The Soviet Leningrad Front deploys special airborne, amphibious, and arctic-equipped forces against Norway, which is supported by elite units from the United States, Britain, Canada, and other NATO nations.

Norway’s constricted front creates sharply different battlefields. Relatively open terrain near the Soviet border can enable a rapid advance, while mountainous Arctic regions may become formidable defensive barriers. Soviet forces must use airmobile, airlanding, and marine units to penetrate these areas, while NATO guards against raids by U.S. marines and British commandos.

Neutrality adds another layer to the campaign. The Soviet player may attempt to move through Finnish Lappland, while Finland can permit a violation of its neutrality or offer limited or full resistance. Sweden always defends its territory, although its effort may vary, and it may volunteer an expeditionary force to NATO even when its neutrality is not violated.

The Soviet high command can also mandate a general Scandinavian offensive rather than focusing only on Norway, bringing additional strategic-reserve forces into Finland and Sweden. Each decision changes the balance of a tightly contested northern front.

Arctic Front can be combined with The Third World War: Battle for Germany and Southern Front: Race for the Turkish Straits to cover all European war zones. Reinforcing Norway may turn the tide, but those units could be desperately needed elsewhere.

• 240 die-cut counters
• Two 17 × 22 inch maps
• Rules booklet, briefing/background sheet, and game charts
• Two dice