March 2009 Play It!

By Armchair General

 

Winter War, 1939

Strap on your skis and make things hot in sub-zero weather with the PC games Squad Battles: Winter War (HPS) or "Frozen Death: The Battle of Suomussalmi" for John Tiller’s Campaign Series (Matrix Games). Boardgamers have many choices including Mannerheim’s Cross: Finland at War 1939-1945 (Critical Hit); the Panzer Grenadier expansion "Arctic Front" (Avalanche Press); Arctic Storm (GMT; Out of Print) and the Europa series’ "A Winter War" (HMS/GRD).

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Glider Assault, Crete 1941
Assault from the sky with the PC games Conquest of the Aegean (Panther Games) or the "Crete -Operation Merkur 1941" scenario in Norm Kroger’s The Operational Art of War III. For boardgaming, try the "Kreta-Operation Merkur" expansion for Advanced Squad Leader (Heat of Battle). Operation Mercury (GMT; OoP) and Hunters from the Sky (The Gamers/Multiman Publishing; OoP).

Bomber War, 1944
Play a bombardier or gunner with Combat Flight Simulator III (Microsoft Game Studios) PC game. An updated version of Gary Grigsby’s Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich (Matrix Games) was under development as ACG went to press. Boardgamers nominated Duel in the Dark (Z-Man Games) for an Origins award in 2008. Two OoP classics about bombing the Reich are B-17 Queen of the Skies (The Avalon Hill Game Company) and Bomber! (Yaquinto).