The Road to Cheren

About this board game

The Road to Cheren: 1941 East African Campaign is a two-player wargame about the 1941 Eritrea campaign, with games lasting approximately 2–4 hours. British and French forces face the Italians in a wild, mountainous setting where movement and timing are critical.

After one side moves, the opponent may react with only a few units. This creates difficult decisions throughout the game: should you send help to a unit likely to be attacked, or use your reaction to push troops forward in an area where you are on the offensive? Combat is followed by exploitation movement, adding another important opportunity to advance.

Only motorized infantry, tanks, and cavalry may exploit, and these units are scarce during the campaign. A chit pull system gives both sides special abilities while keeping players guessing about what may happen next.

Italian native units introduce another layer of uncertainty. Some may decide to join the Allies, while others remain loyal, creating additional tension as the campaign develops. The game is designed around a one-week game turn, with each hex representing 7.5 miles or 12.5 kilometers and units ranging from companies to brigades.

• One 11 × 17-inch full-color map
• One dual-sided countersheet with 140 half-inch counters
• An 8-page rulebook and dual-sided player aid card
• High solitaire playability and medium complexity

Released in 2013, The Road to Cheren offers a focused campaign experience driven by tactical movement, limited reactions, scarce mobile forces, and shifting loyalties. Players must weigh immediate threats against opportunities to exploit an offensive across the difficult terrain.