Guns of August

The long drought of World War I strategic games is over. Frank Hunter of Adanac Command Studies has completed his development and Guns of August has now been published by Matrix Games. Gamers interested in World War I have been waiting for years for this game while gamers who thought the war was a static slaughter may have their eyes opened. With patch 1.01, let’s see if the wait was worth it and if the game can broaden some horizons.

More than Just Going “Over the Top”

Strategic games require consideration of elements other than military matters, but some games go overboard on non-military aspects to the extent that combat seems anti-climatic. Guns of August avoids this problem by using a simultaneous turn/impulse system. Each of the four starting point scenarios – 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917 - begins the first two month turn with mobilization where players can freely move units in areas they control. Stacking limits are overridden by the game’s default settings but are enforced when shifting units during deployment. These limitations are a function of terrain, unit type and unit size. This flexibility of deployment is one of the features that assures replayablity as does optional ahistorical alliances. For example, players on the Central Powers side can use a modified Schlieffin plan, the original plan, a super Schlieffin plan or go for a “Russia first” strategy. Any setup can be saved as such. The ensuing strategic phase marks the beginning of each turn thereafter and is where players deal with issues such as research, diplomacy, buying or building units, refitting corps and headquarters, and allocating sea and air power. Naval and air combat is resolved after each turn’s strategic phase. A turn then consists of – weather permitting - three sets of impulses with the headquarter activation phase followed by the orders phase. Combat is resolved simultaneously. Each scenario can end after a set number of turns or be played out to the end of 1919.

The two adversaries are the Central Powers and the Triple Entente. In 1914, the Central Powers consisted of Germany and Austria-Hungary and the Triple Entente was Britain, France and Russia. Both sides picked up allies during the war. The game uses the abbreviations CP and TE.

The game’s scale is approximately 64 KM per hex with infantry and cavalry corps, head quarters, slightly abstract heavy and siege artillery units, and naval squadrons grouped by ship type and class. Air power is handled as abstract points.

When playing through to the end of the war, the key element is the understated “Economy” section of the National Status screen used during the strategic phase. Raw materials and food supplies are tracked for amounts produced in-country, traded, coming from subjugated countries and consumed. Industry points are shown in terms of potential and used. Players can adjust these figures only by capturing or losing resource hexes. These points affect not only national morale but also determine what players can buy (there are eight items including headquarters, diplomacy and research points, trenches and aircraft). This screen also tracks available manpower and casualties, public morale and army exhaustion.

Research, diplomacy and air power are handled by allocating points. Countries can be influenced by diplomatic points, although declarations of war are free. Air points are allocated to fronts while research points can buy progress in six different area including poison gas, assault troops and tanks.

Nine naval missions, including raiding, patrol, shipping and submarine warfare, can be issued to squadrons after the desired sea or ocean is selected. Each mission costs naval assets that are also spent in repairing damage. Ship classes include dreadnaughts, pre-dreadnaughts, battle cruisers, cruisers, destroyers and subs. Squadron status can be found by clicking on them during the strategic phase when they can be brought back to port for repair. The glamorous warships, though, take second place to the lowly transports. These ships move and supply troops while maintaining the all-important trade without which the home front shrivels. Warships either control sea areas to defend transports or destroy enemy transports. An option allows damaged ships to be repaired immediately at the cost of unknown amounts of assets. Another option, with grievous diplomatic consequences, is unrestricted U-boat warfare.

The build screen allows resources to be used to construct corps, headquarters, ships and special units. The refit screen brings up headquarters, corps and various other units that are understrength. Limitations are one impulse to headquarters per turn with a limited number of those refits available. Refits to combat units are dependent on available resources. After finishing the strategic phase, naval and air combat is resolved and results are shown. Also exhibited are conquests, diplomatic results and off-map events.

“One Staff Officer Jumped over the Other Staff Officer’s Back”

Headquarters activation phase comes next and, despite its easy left-click/left-click mechanics, may well be the most important phase of the game. An activated headquarters allows all adjacent friendly units to move into enemy territory one hex at a time. This mechanism portrays the difficulty in maintaining an offensive, given the communication and logistical problems of the period. A headquarters could easily exhaust itself in two months and receive only one refit per turn the rest of the war. A possible “gamey” solution is to stack headquarters or have several in one area. The confusion of handing of corps off to different generals would have been greater than the game shows – not to mention the jealousy of national commands within the Entente. If players choose to work the system in this way, they will be punished by leaving other fronts weak.

Another function of this phase is aerial recon. The side with air superiority over a front may have one or more points to click on enemy-occupied hexes to see the number and types of units. This recon also makes barrages more effective.

Once activated, infantry and accompanied cavalry can plow into enemy hexes either individually or as stacks. Unactivated units can move into friendly hexes or use strategic moves to go as far as rail points allow. Unactivated cavalry can go “into the green fields beyond” of enemy clear, unoccupied hexes. Unactivated siege artillery can barrage adjacent enemy positions or re-load, using poison gas when available. Amphibious movement is also carried out by unactivated units.

Combat is simultaneous with the order of action based primarily on readiness values. First, barrages are done, damaging not only units but also trenches and fortifications. A defender with a high readiness value and easy terrain to the rear may actually pull back before the shells hit. Battles occur when enemies try to occupy the same hex. Again, a wily outnumbered defender can pull back, leaving the attacker hitting empty air and wasting an impulse. Not only readiness but also numbers, troop quality, supply and terrain decide real battles, although the introduction of gas and assault troops can be decisive. Losses are measured in casualties and lowered readiness. Attacks succeed when the attacker suffers fewer casualties or outnumber the defenders after combat. All action and results are displayed in a table at the bottom of the screen. The AI is not only competent but creative. Of course, the toughest opponents will be PBEM and hotseat.

Overall victory is a function of victory points for capturing cities and winning battles. Civilian morale and army exhaustion feeds into victory also. Countries surrender when the enemy controls all hexes but low Russian morale will bring on the revolution and defeat.

At Least the Graphics are Clear

Strategic games do not need fancy graphics. The primary map in Guns of August shows major rivers, mountains, sea areas, national boundaries and cities nicely while toggles show resource centers and hex control. The map covers the area of Britain to Egypt and the Pyrenees to Moscow. The only glaring cartographical mistake is Scapa Flow, shown on the English coast since Scotland is not shown. The mini-map is useful for moving about the main map. The “overall” togglable map shows all units. The information bars showing the assets for players during an impulse, the characteristics of a hex and the values of units are easily readable. The many screens for information and strategic decisions are also clear. The counters are figures of unit type – infantry, cavalry, artillery, headquarters and ships – superimposed over national flags. The values for combat value, readiness, quality, entrenchment levels and available impulses are easy to discern. The menu buttons are very distinct and appear only when they can be used. The tool tip also explains many things. The only fault related to graphics is scrolling. Horizontal scrolling is very slow and vertical scrolling is non-existent. Moving on the map is done best via the mini-map and arrow keys.

Clear graphics are good things because they replace the ill-organized 36-page manual. The manual does go into detail on mechanics but is actually unclear on the sequence of play. A brief outline of turns and impulses would have set a context for the detail but, as constructed, players who want to dive into the game may flounder for awhile. Inexcusable is the lack of explanation of counter values. Fortunately, a fine AAAR by J. P. Falcon, a good FAQ and answers to many questions can be found on the Matrix forums. Even if the manual was written before last minute changes in the game were made, the writer should have considered what a new player anxious to play would need to know quickly.

Sound effects do not have a major role in the game but are effective when they occur. The thin roar of old rotary engines is heard when air points are delegated and machinegun fire crackles when land battles occur. The dramatic music is nice at first but is soon clicked off.