In this article I would like to introduce to the Dear Readers the newest creation of Ben Madison, another installment in the State of Siege series, namely Global War: World War II Worldwide 1939-1945. I had both pleasure and privilege to play-test that title, seeing its rules and concepts evolution and find it as a complete creation, which will allow Players to reenact World War II on strategic level in maximum 2-3 hours.
About the series:
But before we jump to actual description of the new game, couple of words about the series. State of Siege is a collection of solitaire games in which the player is the commander of a desperate situation. Surrounded by enemies in every direction, your decisions regarding your scarce military, political and economic resources decide the game.
The games share a set of characteristics: a series of tracks converging on an area. Each track can contain an enemy force, either real or abstract. A deck of cards (or chits marking the turns) instructs the players to activate units on tracks for movement and provides the players a number of action points, which are spent from a menu of options.
Players will engage the forces to attempt to stop them from reaching the end point of the track, which usually signals defeat. If the player can reach the fixed endpoint (usually the end of the deck of cards or last turn), victory points are summed up to determine the level of victory.
About the game:
“Global War: World War II Worldwide 1939-1945” is a strategic solitaire game of the whole Second World War. You control the Allied Powers (Britain, France, USSR, USA, and their many allies), referred to in the rules as the “United Nations” or “UN”. This is what the antifascist “Allies” officially called themselves from the start of 1942. The game’s automatic systems direct the efforts of the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan) who are trying to defeat you.
Epic carrier battles in the Pacific between the navies of Japan and the USA are played with simple rules. Ignore them at your peril; morale can crumble if you lose carrier battles, and this too can lose you the war.
You also fight the economic war between UN convoys and German U-Boats, and the Battle of Britain and the bomber campaign that reduced cities in Europe and Asia to rubble. Historians identify the failure to defeat the Allied economies as a main reason for the Axis defeat.
This is an extremely strategic view. Points are simplified to make it playable and to emphasize the “cool stuff” of World War II, like tanks, U-boats, carriers, A-bombs, leaders, and sideshows. This is not a detailed historical simulation, but a fun and challenging game covering the salient themes of the actual war while whetting the player’s appetite for more detailed treatments.
The game has two scenarios; the longer, campaign one will take you through all twenty-seven turns, from Fall 1939 to Fall 1945; the shorter one, called 1943 or Turning Point Scenario, focuses only on the last two and a half year and Allied final efforts to crush Axis.
Now, if you are looking for more information, here is coupe of links:
- The BGG page link: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/398368/global-war-world-war-ii-worldwide-1939-1945
- The White Dog Games game page: https://www.whitedoggames.com/global-war
Couple of words from me
Global War made a great impression on me; it really touches all the crucial elements of World War II, while keeping it simple and on strategic level. We have six fronts, out of which some are active already in early 1939 (you remember, War in China?). The two pivotal moments of this struggle – Barbarossa and Pearl Harbor – are very naturally introduced; we have impact of US isolationism, Gandhi movement, carrier battles, Manhattan Project, Stalingrad & Guadalcanal battles and many, many more. All of this nicely connected, not too complex and naturally implemented in the mechanics.
What I would like to also underline, is that the gameplay feels just right; initially you struggle to survive as Axis overwhelm Poland, Western Europe and most of the South-East Asia. You grind slowly and steadily through Axis forces, gradually getting momentum up to the point when it is a matter not “if” but “when” you crash them. Still, this is not an easy task to finish it historically on time – and for this you would need to crush all 6 fronts.
While there is a lot of dice rolling, there is no way to lose just by a single roll – well, there is but if you allowed for such situation to happen that is more a result of neglecting some things than pure unluck. You are equipped in enough funds to be able to repeat some of the most critical attacks or prioritize most important areas. Some things happen automatically, some you can mitigate or influence. Really like how this aspect was solved.
Also, as historically, economy is your friend – and most important long-term aspect of war. Without it you would not have forces to attack the enemy armies or prevent negative political & military events. It will also fuel your naval war with Japanese Fleet as well as allow development of Nuclear Bomb.
I could write a lot about the game but probably the most obvious recommendation I can give – just try it! You would not be disappointed!
Thank you for this clear and revealing review, I don’t get to play my multiplayer global war games with anyone and would not be particularly competitive if I did so I think this game will be perfect for me to explore this genre more actively.
All the best.
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If you have not tried yet other games in the series, this might be a great starting point. Good luck and please share your experiences.
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Sounds like an interesting game! Thanks for bringing it to our attention
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My pleasure! Really nice design!
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Looks very interesting! There’s always a charm in games that boil big topics down to manageable packages 😀
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True! That one does a pretty decent job!
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Thank you for your thoughts. I think I’ll get the game even though Kaiserkrieg was a disappointment for me. I do have to make a remark on SOS (State of Siege) games here: I can’t stand these games – don’t dislike them simply, nay: I abhorr them from the bottom of my old gamer’s heart. But I completely and utterly admire Ben Madison’s work. While many of his designs use the basic mechanics of different paths with abstract enemy armies moving in to your central point, they are oh so very much diffrent from the boring “wack a mole”-gameplay of most SOS-titles. They are so different in fact that I don’t regard them as SOS anymore. Ben understands how to bring in so much historical chrome and so many possibilities to influence the otherwise rather primitive concept of SOS that it’s basically a new experience – to that point where I regard calling them “SOS” is not doing them justice.
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Thanks for thoughtful comment; I had no chance to play Kaiserkrieg; my experience with Global War were very good and hope you will like it too.
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Let me know when you’ve got one that allows play of the Axis.
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Actually, I was contacted yesterday by one publisher & designer with exactly such game. Will keep you all guys posted!
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