Scaling engagements at different levels

The majority of the scenarios featured on this site are a fraction of a larger engagement in which multiple companies or battalions fought in the surrounding area, in similar circumstances. This means that we can effectively ‘zoom in or zoom out’ of the encounter specified as we move between the intended scale. You prefer to play Blitzkrieg Commander at the Battalion or Regimental level? Or maybe something more concrete, with fewer more flexible units. All you need to do is refer to the force converter for a rough guide on ‘translating’ the scenario to your chosen scale. We follow the approach that while the highly specific details of the battlefield, forces and scope of the encounter can be greatly satisfying, the heart of wargaming is in the novelty of the experience and its sense of authenticity, rather than forensic recreation of the real thing.

Adapting scenarios between game systems

These scenarios have been written for compatibility with some of the most popular second world war wargames – based on an awareness of the variables which change between encounters and forces, from troop quality/morale, deployment mechanics, special rules of all types from assets to units. We trust you, the hosting wargamer, to be capable of a little extra preparation when using these scenarios to ensure that they are suited to your system of choice.

Achieving authenticity without sacrificing fun

The philosophy at the heart of this project is one which values a particular flavour of historical realism, authenticity over accuracy – we care less about the exact number of Panther tanks involved in a particular engagement, or the arrangement of St Marie du Vostock’s civil buildings, or the detailed timings of unit arrival.

We focus instead on authenticity – were German tanks present, which models would they be – regardless of the availability of sources, what is our best guess at their number? What was the rough shape of the settlement, the lay of the land? Storytelling is based on a combination of historical research at several levels, combined with a focus on the human experience of the encounter.

You won’t find IS-II tanks in 1943, or British Paratroopers just-so-happening to be defending Greece in 1941. We won’t field German forces in Normandy as lavishly equipped, armoured, buzzsaw-armed wundertruffen. And we hope that the scenarios get the right things right for you, so that you and your friends can have memorable encounters which evoke the feelings, challenges and respect for the real events which we are only playing at, after all.