Brute Force: The War in the West, 1940-1945

About this board game

Brute Force: The War in the West, 1940-1945 is a 1–6 player operational game with an approximately 360-minute play time, covering three pivotal campaigns of the Western Front.

The game presents commanders with demanding decisions across Norway, the 1940 Blitzkrieg in the West, and Operation Overlord. Each campaign offers both sides numerous opportunities to influence the outcome through choices about forces, support, and timing.

Limited air and naval support must be allocated carefully, while manpower assignments add another layer of operational decision-making. The Allied commander must weigh where and when to commit the small but powerful BEF in 1940. In 1944, the Axis commander faces a comparable challenge when deciding how to use limited panzer forces.

• Three campaigns: Norway, the 1940 Blitzkrieg in the West, and Operation Overlord
• Units representing Corps, Divisions, and Brigades
• Hexes representing 30 miles
• Turns representing approximately two weeks

These scales place the focus on campaign-level decisions rather than individual combatants. Players manage the available forces and support within a structured representation of the war in the West from 1940 through 1945.

Released in 2003, Brute Force is the second installment in Clash of Arms Games’ Struggle for Europe series, following War Without Mercy. Its three campaign settings and emphasis on limited resources give each commander difficult choices from the opening operation through the final outcome.