Franco-Prussian War 40: August 1870 - March 1871 (2012)

New from the father of VPG's Napoleonic 20 series, renowned game designer Joseph Miranda, the von Clausewitz series brings you the great campaigns of what historians call "The Long 19th Century" -- that period between the French Revolution and World War 1. The series seeks to faithfully demonstrate how war was thought about and waged during this epoch. It features quick, streamlined gameplay, simple but not simplistic mechanics, card play, and the fog of war.

Unique to the series, and following the theories of Clausewitz himself, players must be aware that many of their actions will build Friction Points -- which a wily opponent can then use against them to sabotage their best laid plans. Careful management of reserves and reinforcements, clever card play, and knowing when to throw caution to the wind to strike at an opponent will win the day.

The first game in the von Clausewitz series is Franco-Prussian War 40. Two continental heavyweights duel for supremacy in the conflict that smashed the French Second Empire, triggered the Paris Commune, and birthed the German Reich, with fateful consequences for Europe and the world. The German player must strike fast while holding the advantage in numbers, careful not to overextend his forces and put his tenuous supply lines at risk. The French player must seek to hold off the initial German invasion and defend Paris until he can unleash the Republican forces of the Third Republic. Will the war end in the streets of Paris, or Berlin? The fate of Europe hangs in the the balance!

Game Data:

Complexity: 5.5 on a 9 scale
Solitaire Suitability: 4 on a 9 scale
Scale: Each unit represents an army, or corps (approximately 20,000-60,000 men and their equipment). Each space on the map is approximately 30 kilometers across. Each turn represents a half month of operations.