AGAINST THE ODDS 2014 ANNUAL: Set Europe Ablaze

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Set Europe Ablaze captures the spirit and complex choices involved in Occupied Western Europe. Award-winning designer John Prados, who last gave us Beyond Waterloo, again focuses on action in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Prados brings us a card-driven game pitting the Occupying Axis forces against the combination of Allied intelligence efforts and brave local citizens, fighting the shadow war that made 'the Maquis' a name to remember proudly.

Unlike many board strategy games, the focus is not on movement and combat by military units but on political-economic strategy. The Axis player wants to extract as much raw materials and finished goods as possible, to aid the war effort, and the Allied player seeks to avert this. Allied tactics include sabotage, interdiction, and intelligence gathering.

Axis responses include partisan sweeps, counterintelligence operations, and labor pool mobilization to repair damage. Turns abstractly represent about six months each, with rounds within each turn varying according to cards played. While there is no combat in a literal sense, there are competitions for resolving actions that have both players rolling dice. Excitement levels will be high, as players wonder what the next card will bring.

Allies will take advantage of infiltration and special units (SAS, Jedburgh, OSS) while the Axis will use Security forces, the Abwehr, Gestapo, and even Vichy police. 'Barbie' competes with 'Passy' and 'Giskes' versus 'Jean Moulin.' There is even Stalag XVII.

One full color 22x34-inch mapsheet, 176 colorful die-cut large 5/8-inch counters, 48 cards, 20-page rules, and 8 pages of charts. Rules length - 20 pages, Charts and tables - 8 pages, Medium Complexity, Low Solitaire suitability, and playing time up to 3 to 4 hours.