Prelude to War: Europe 1936-1939

Prelude to War: Europe 1936-1939 is a detailed historical simulation game, for three players, that recreates the political, diplomatic and military maneuvering that preceded the outbreak of the Second World War. The players take on the roles of Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and the Western democracies of France and the United Kingdom. They advance their goals through diplomacy, intimidation, agitation, appeasement, pacts, economic warfare, rearmament, minor country dispute arbitration, multilateral conferences, political consolidation... The German and Soviet factions may also conduct territorial annexations, partitions, or military invasions. The game is card-assisted but not card-driven. The design postulate is one of rigorous historical accuracy, and explores in great detail the chain of events that lead to the pivotal international crises, the inner workings behind their resolution and the various aspects of their consequences, as well as the prominent domestic issues faced by each faction. The diplomatic wrangling and muscle-flexing between the major powers is translated into a “challenge” mechanism where players stake national pride and international credibility until one side caves in, or the escalation culminates in a final “test of nerves” that determines the victor. The resolution of these challenges does not involve any dice rolling and is essentially a mind game based on bluff and risk-management: the higher the escalation, the greater the cost for the loser (in terms of international prestige, national self-confidence, and support at home for the regime). Cards and hidden chits provide a realistic degree of uncertainty and limited intelligence. Turns are seasonal, counter density is very low, the action is fast-paced and very interactive. A detailed, historically contextualized After Action Report can be found on the game's page on the Legion Wargames website. —description from the publisher