PUBLISHER: Game Designers Workshop (GDW). Europa is the
Trademark of Game Research/Design and materials related to the trademark are
copyrighted by Game Research/Design.
SCOPE: The Russian Front, 1942-1944
RULEBOOK VERBAGE: Unlike most previous titles in the Europa
series, The Urals module is not a game playable in itself. Instead, it is
a module containing Europa material on the Ural Mountains region during World
War 11. Prior ownership of both Scorched Earth and Fire in the East is necessary
to use The Urals module. The components contained in The Urals module are
presented at standard Europa scales. Also included is information on combining
this module for play with Fire in the East/Scorched Earth.
GAME BOX VERBAGE: June 1941; Operation Barbarossa begins
as Hitler’s armies make a lighting strike against the Soviet Union.
The plan calls for the infamous blitzkrieg to overwhelm the Russian force
and slash into the heartland of the Soviet Union. The prize: the largest food
and industrial base in Europe. The Soviets immediately begin the relocation
of their war industries to hopeful safety of the Urals. Soon the new factories
will begin to pour out tanks, guns, and planes and provide the training ground
for the counterstrike that will end German dreams of glory forever.
YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1989. The complete
errata for FIRE IN THE EAST/SCORCHED EARTH/THE URALS included in the Revision
1.5 gameset.. The errata includes all material not provided in the rulebook,
orders of battle and charts contained in THE URALS and SCORCHED EARTH.
CREDITS (until I can borrow a TUR rulebook as mine remains
in shrink wrap, the Fire in the East credits are listed)
Design: Dennis J. Dubberley
Design 1943 Scenario: Dennis J. Dubberley
Research, Soviet Order of Battle: Charles C. Sharp,John
M. Astell
Other Research and Research Assistance: John M. Astell,
Dennis J. Dubberley, A. E. Goodwin, James F. Goff, Victor Hauser, Shelby
Stanton
Development: John M. Astell, Winston Hamilton
Art Direction and Graphics: Winston Hamilton, Barbie
Pratt
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2+ (multiplayer teams)
WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 10;
TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 100+ hours for full campaign,
40+ hours for the scenarios
MAP SCALE: 16 miles per hex.
UNIT SCALE: Divisions, regiments (30 counters for typical
division)
TIME SCALE PER TURN: 2 weeks
NUMBER OF GAME TURNS:
ARTICLE LISTING: GRD published a Europa News journal of
which I have photocopies of EEF articles.
GAME INVENTORY: Four maps (Europa maps 28, 29, 30 and 31);
One chart set, consisting of charts necessary to link The Urals module to
Fire in the East/Scorched Earth; A revised Soviet Order of Battle providing
minor revisions as well as detailed information on those units raised in the
Urals, Siberian, Central Asian, Transbaikal and Far Eastern Military Districts
that appear in Scorched Earth/Fire in the East; A rules booklet for combining
The Urals with Fire in the East/Scorched Earth; 50% reductions of maps 28,
29, 30 and 31 for use as the player desires; An errata sheet covering Fire
in theEast/ Scorched Earth/The Urals; The 1943 campaign and grand campaign
Axis and Soviet orders of battle and deployment maps.
JETis computer program that is aimed to make playing of Europa
board games easier. JET's main goal is to allow easy PBM (Play By Mail)
playing and playing without paper maps and cardboard counters. JET also
helps you by taking care of sometimes tediuous and error prone tasks like
calculating MP's and combat strengths.
PBEM OPPORTUNITES: Contact Wargame
Academy if interested. A Group effort would be required to create a VASSAL
module. See WebGrognards.
WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: I have seen the game played by
several different groups on different occasions but family responsibilities
negated my on-going participation. However viewed from my extensive War in
Europe perspective(SPI), I consider the Europa East Front modules a step up
in complexity and realism. Most notably, the units are individually rated
unlike the generic WIE units. The game is approximately the same unit and
map scale although two weeks a turn instead of one week in WIE. EEF lacks
the player controlled German and Soviet production but air and naval units
are type specific rather than WIE abstracted points. EEF details unit winterization,
AT/Mech component capabilities as part of a more complex combat resolution,
air fields (on map and constructed), RR construction units, other constructed
fortifications, variable Finnish war effort adds additional suspense.. Although
more detailed than WIE its playability is lessened. A generalization cant
be made which system is better, it is a matter of player preference as either
is a enormous investment of time and space requiring an ongoing series of
gaming sessions. However as a detailed simulation of the most significant
campaign in World War II European war, EEF has no peer.
WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: One shrink-wrapped
copy. Currently creating a 3rd edition WGA rulebook then to make a EEF (Europa
East Front) rulebook-Java game combining Fire in the East, Scorched Earth,
The Urals.
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