Blocks in the West

About this board game

Blocks in the West is a World War II operational-level simulation for 1–4 players, with an average play time of 120 minutes. It recreates the decisive battles of the European Theater’s Western Front, from the German invasion of France through the collapse of the Nazi regime in May 1945.

Players can command the Western Allies on one side and Germany and Italy on the other, with one or two players controlling each faction. Although grounded in historical events, the game allows commanders to alter the course of the war. It also supports solitary play, with the player controlling both sides and using Fog of War as a mandatory rule.

The game uses a wooden blocks and cubes system on a large, full-laminated, multicolor map measuring 124 × 87 cm. It includes more than 900 wooden and plastic components, with no paper components other than the manual. The map and pieces represent the conflict at a broad operational scale:

• Each hexagon represents approximately 44 miles, or 70 kilometers.
• Each game turn covers one month.
• A full-strength counter represents a major formation, normally a corps of around 30,000 men, 300 tanks, or 300 planes, depending on its type and nationality.

The rules are divided into three sections that can be learned progressively. The basic game introduces the core concepts, while the advanced rules add features such as fuel use and a more detailed production system. Optional rules can introduce Technology Research, strategic warfare against German factories, the U-Boot Campaign in the Atlantic Ocean, amphibious invasions, and parachute assaults.

Blocks in the West can be played as a standalone game or combined with Blocks in the East and Blocks in Afrika for a broader World War II experience.