Sitting astride the sea lanes from Italy to North Africa, the island of Malta hobbled Axis attempts to supply their forces in Libya and Egypt. Frustrated Axis planners hatched a series of operations designed to capture the fortress, known as Operation Herclues to the Germans and Operation C.3 to the Italians. Several times the assault seemed imminent, but at each juncture the Axis held back from rolling the dice. Now we let you see what might have happened. The game includes two scenarios, plus variants covering various Axis and Allied plans to defend and attack the island. The game system, used previously in Red Steel, and in our proposed Classic Wargames Alamein and Sicily, is one of our more involved yet thanks to the island’s small size takes only 2 hours to play. For two players.

In Red Russia, designer William “Defiant Russia” Sariego takes the popular game system from Soldier Kings to a decisive moment in history, when the “Red” faction emerged victorious over the Tsar’s domains. Players represent from two to five factions: the Reds (Communists), Allied Interventionists, Siberian Whites (monarchists), Southern Whites or Northern Whites. The game is played in turns representing a season of the year (three months). It begins with the summer turn of 1918, and ends with the conclusion of the spring 1921 turn. A full game without an Automatic Victory is thus 12 turns long. For two to four players, game play lasts from 3 to 4 hours.

This third installment in the Rome-at-War series highlights a time when Rome had outstanding heavy infantry, good, light cavalry (provided by her allies) and even an elephant. In the game, the Britons depend on the fury of their Celtic charge, as well as chariots and slingers. Plus, they have Druids to help inspire them. To play, participants strategically move between numbered areas on the board, enacting battles from the Roman era.

This two-player game by Rob Markbam recreates the battle of Austerlitz, fought between the Allied army and France’s army, led by Napoleon, on Dec. 2, 1805. Game pieces come in two sizes, representing infantry divisions, cavalry brigades and artillery batteries. Playing time is one to three hours.

This game by William Sariego challenges players to artillery bombardment and assault combat during the 10-month struggle between Germany and France. Elite troops have numerous advantages, and morale is vital. Game pieces represent regiments and a handful of battalions. Units are rated for morale, attack, defense and movement.

This supplement to the Panzer Grenadier series focuses on the actions of the Union of South Africa and the Axis powers during 1941. It is not playable by itself, but requires ownership of Desert Rats to play all of the scenarios, and Afrika Korps, Eastern Front Deluxe Edition and Road to Berlin to play some of them. It includes 88 game pieces and 20 new scenarios.

In this game, 50 scenarios re-create historical actions as well as those that might have taken place in the North and Baltic Seas between 1914 and 1919 during the ongoing four-year struggle to control the seas around Germany’s coasts. Players plot the movement of their fleets in advance, and when opposing forces meet, play moves to the tactical map to resolve combat.

This game by Brian L. Knipple about the 1943 invasion of Sicily includes four scenarios and features a game system that takes only a few hours to play. Game pieces represent battalions, regiments, brigades and divisions. Headquarters are vital to activate units and send them into action, and supply is important to keep units at full efficiency.

A supplement to the Panzer Grenadier series, Blue Division focuses on the actions of the German Army’s 250th Infantry Division between 1941 and 1943. The module is not playable by itself, but players can own various games to play all or some of the scenarios.

Bismarck: Commerce Raiding in the North Atlantic is the latest installment in the Second World War at Sea series, and the one war-gamers have demanded since the series debuted. The game covers the famous hunt for the Bismarck, but also all of the other German commerce raids into the Atlantic between the fall of 1939 and the summer of 1941. The breakout of the battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau is here, the raids of the cruisers Admiral Hipper and Scheer, and much more. As with all games in the series, this one is packed with scenarios. The German player is trying to sneak past the British picket lines, and then seek out and destroy the vital convoys that bring troops, food and supplies from the rest of the world to Britain. The British player has vastly superior forces, but the Atlantic is vast, with plenty of open ocean in which a German raider can hide. When more than one of them is loose, the task facing the Royal Navy is even more daunting.

Road to Berlin is loaded with heavy gear. The Germans get Royal Tiger tanks for the first time in the Panzer Grenadier series, plus giant lumbering vehicles such as the Hunting Tiger with its 128mm gun and the Hunting Panther. There are the fast Hetzer tank destroyers, too. Road to Berlin has both regular army and Waffen SS pieces, including SS cavalry. There are also pieces for the German home-defense militia called out in the last days of the Thousand-Year Reich. The Red Army of Workers and Peasants is also loaded with powerful weapons. Road to Berlin will feature six of the semi-rigid mapboards of the type found in Airborne and Eastern Front. These are new to players of the series, with art by Terry Moore Strickland. And as will all games in the series, there will be plentiful replay opportunity: 75 scenarios drawn from the battles of 1944 and 1945 on the Eastern Front. Launch date: Early 2005.

American paratroopers spearheaded the Allied return to Europe, unraveling Hitler's vaunted Atlantic Wall and starting a drive that would destroy the Nazi regime. Airborne Introductory Edition features 20 of these battles, and is the perfect starting place for players new to the Panzer Grenadier series. Playing pieces represent the leaders, troops, tanks and guns of World War II. 

The play in this game by William Sariego is based on the grim days of 1941, when the Soviet people repelled hordes of Nazi invaders. Players move the actual armor and infantry units of the German Wehrmacht and the Red Army of Workers and Peasants. The object of the game is to either capture the key cities of the Russian heartland or defend the Revolution from evil. Units are rated for combat strength and movement capability.

Red Vengeance is a swift-playing game based on the triumphant end of the Great Patriotic War, when the Soviet peoples threw the Fascist invaders back into the ruins of Berlin. Players move the actual armor and infantry units of the German Wehrmacht and the Red Army of Workers and Peasants. The object of the game is to either hold off the vengeful Soviets, or put an end to an insanely evil regime. Units are rated for combat strength and movement capability.