Spearhead

About this board game

Spearhead is a WWII division-level tactics game for 2–6 players, with games lasting approximately 120 minutes. Released in 1995, it provides a complete rules set focused on commanding a multi-battalion force.

Every major game mechanic serves that central priority. Players use division-level tactics to direct their forces, while pre-game orders determine how units perform during the battle. The system gives commanders only limited ability to change their plans once the action begins.

Spearhead is built around the reality that no plan survives the first ten minutes of a battle. However, the game does not treat this as an invitation to replace a flawed plan with an entirely new one. Instead, commanders must adjust as best they can within the systematic limitations of their troops and the availability of reserves.

• Command multi-battalion forces at division level.
• Set orders before the battle begins.
• Work within restricted opportunities to alter those orders.
• Account for troop limitations and available reserves when adapting.

This emphasis makes command control and preparation central to the experience. Decisions made before the first move continue to shape what is possible later, creating a game about managing an existing plan rather than freely improvising a replacement.

The system is expanded by Great War Spearhead. Scenario books include Where the Iron Crosses Grow for the Eastern Front, White Star Rising for the Western Front, Blaze Across the Sands for North Africa, and Forgotten Battles covering various theaters.

For players seeking a structured simulation of large-scale WWII command, Spearhead places planning, adjustment, reserves, and division-level decision-making at the heart of the battle.