PBM THIRD REICH
PBM THIRD REICH
By Dean Miller
(Copyright The Avalon Hill Game Company,
Reprinted by permission of The Avalon Hill Game Company,
from The General, Vol. 12, #4)
For those of us who believe that pbm is the only way to wargame, the arrival of a new title is always a
time of anxiety, and challenge. Can it be played by mail? Since nearly every game can, the secondary
questions are really the ones asked at this point: (1) In how much time; and (2) how complex a system is
required. As games have become more complicated, particularly as they have come to involve multiple step
turns, the difficulty of playing them by mail has increased. Correspondingly, the desirability of actually
beginning such a game has diminished. For one thing, you must be very careful in selecting opponents-
frankly, a goodly percentage of the persons who place or answer "Opponent Wanted" ads in this magazine
are either incapable or unwilling to cope with a complicated system. For another, the paperwork can be
enormous-ask about my pbm Jutland system sometime. In these circumstances, a game must have a high
degree of appeal in order to make it worth the effort for me. A notable example of such a game, in my
opinion, is THIRD REICH.
This game has two things going for it. First, it covers an era, and is on such a scale, as to be of great appeal
to most gamers. The popularity of this game and World War II show this. Second, THIRD REICH
followed another game on this subject, WORLD WAR II, which had built up the expectations of the
gaming public and then proved to be subject to serious flaws. At this point THIRD REICH came along,
showed itself to be better designed and thought through, and looked very good in comparison. This
advantage, coupled with the Avalon Hill practice of supporting its games with a continuing source of
interpretations, articles and opponents over the years, rather than abandoning them to as quick an
obsolescence as the market will tolerate, has helped to make THIRD REICH a very welcome addition to
the field, and in the process, a game which is well worth the effort to play by mail.
The system which I have devised and playtested does not permit play in precisely an identical fashion as
a face to face game. To do so would string out a game over a prohibitively long time period. However, I
believe that the corrections necessary to permit a game by mail do not change the essential nature of the
game, and most of them make for better realism. Primarily, they have the effect of forcing the defender to
decide in advance which hexes he will allocate his air factors to defend (anticipating also the possibility
of exploitation attacks). In addition, the defender must similarly decide how many of his naval units he
will use to attempt to intercept Transport or Sea Bombardment missions which his opponent might make. If
he guesses wrong, he is stuck with his decision, and cannot change these allocations if it develops that his
opponent attacks other hexes or performs naval missions not anticipated by him. Neither can he send
additional air units to a hex under attack. The severity of this system is mitigated somewhat by the
companion feature of this system which permits a player to use air or sea units which had been designated
by him to provide defense or interceptions, but which did not come into play because his opponent did not
attack or attempt the anticipated move, on his own offensive turn.
Here's how my system works, step by step:
1. Allied player deploys his units, and mails to opponent, indicating;
a. which of his units will have defensive air support, how much, and from which air units:
b. which fleet units will attempt to conduct interceptions of Transport Missions, and of Shore
Bombardments;
c. which counters are to be removed in the event of attrition (listing in order desired up to the
maximum possible.)
2. Axis player indicates deployment, and lists options chosen for each front, noting BRPs used.
3. Axis player lists moves. If interception of naval missions is possible, he lists two stocks for the
necessary die rolls. Interception will always be attempted at the hex closest to the base of the nearest
naval unit so attempting, unless the Allied player has otherwise specified; the path of naval missions
must always be direct between the ports involved .
4. Axis player lists attrition factors for fronts on which he has elected this option, and a stock for each
such front.
5. Axis player lists attacks, setting forth attackers, defenders, air interceptions, air support, odds and a
stock for each attack. If participating units are contingent upon outcome of interception attempts by
opponent, he lists odds in the alternative. He also indicates units to be exchanged and advanced after
combat.
6. Axis player selects stock date and 10 extra stocks. The extras are for use in resolution of battles
involving counterattacks. Axis player then mails steps 2 through 6 to opponent before stock date.
7. Axis player resolves interceptions, attrition and attacks.
8. Axis player selects hexes to be occupied under attrition results. (Allied player may pick hex to retreat
to at start of his turn.)
9. Axis player moves mechanized units under exploitation, and lists exploitation attacks with stocks and
date as in steps 5 and 6 above.
10. Axis player indicates for opponent's phase which units will have defensive air support, which fleet
units will attempt interceptions; and which counters are to be removed in case of attrition, as did Allied
player in step 1 above.
11. Axis player creates new units, noting BRPs spent, lists his Strategic Redeployment moves, and mails to
his opponent prior to stock date.
12. Allied player resolves exploitation attacks, and repeats steps 2 through 11.
13. Allied player computes BRPs by both sides at end of turn. If he is to be first phasing player on next turn,
he requests opponent to indicate step 1 information along with results of exploitation combat;
otherwise, he includes this information with his mailing.
14. Axis player resolves Allied exploitation attacks; and either performs step 1 or steps 2 through 11,
depending upon BRP count.
15. The forgoing process is repeated until the game is concluded.
Conversion of stock results to 6 digits can be accomplished through Hexagonal pbm CRT set forth by Tom
Oleson in the Nov-Dec 1974 General. However, I prefer the much simpler and equally random "divide by 6"
method, which I find is used by a large number of wargamers. Under this method you find the sales in
hundreds figure for the designated stock, divide it by 6, and use the remainder as the die roll. If the
remainder is 0, the result is a 6. Thus if the sales in hundreds figure is 742, the die roll is 4; if it is 666, the
die roll is a 6. You can also use Oleson's grid system for identifying hexes as it was set forth in the Mar-Apr
1975 General on page 20. Personally, I prefer an all numerical system, and use the following: Hexes are
numbered from right to left by row, starting from the top. Thus, the top row is numbered from the right hand
corner 0101, 0102, 0103, etc. The even numbered rows begin with the first full hex. Thus 0201 includes the
east half of the compass. Under this system, Moscow is in hex 0816; Berlin, 1230; Paris, 1538. Numbering
continues under charts and tables as if they weren't there; Cairo is in hex 3919; Damascus, 3414; Tripoli,
3533.
Deployment of minor country forces is handled as follows. The player who is contemplating attacking any
minor country requests his opponent to deploy the forces of that country. This does not commit the requesting
player to declare war and attack-it merely facilitates a smooth continuance of the game if he chooses to do
so. During subsequent turns in which no attack has been made the opponent may change the deployment
(always keeping the required unit in the capital, of course), to adjust to changed circumstances. It is possible
where both players are contemplating attacking a particular country, such as Turkey, for there to be two
deployments for that country, each set up in response to the opponent's request. Of course the deployment of
the opponent of the player who does declare war and attack is the one which is activated and used in such
a case. I usually request a deployment of Yugoslavia, Belgium, Denmark and Netherlands along with my
first communication to a potential Allied opponent.
Murmansk convoys require a different procedure. The Axis player must indicate with step 3 of his move any
naval, air and U-boat counters which are moved into the Murmansk box. This designation only affects
Allied moves which occur after this point, and lasts until the Axis player's next move. For example, if he
moves first on the turn in which he moves units into the Murmansk box, and second on the following turn, the
units so transferred will apply to convoy attrition for both turns, if the Allied player attempts Murmansk
convoys. The Allied player indicates the number of BRPs attempted to be transferred, the escorting forces,
and 2 stocks. with his turn 11. If the first stock result is a 1 or a 2, the Allied escorting strength is cut in half;
otherwise, it is full strength. The second stock result is used to resolve convoy attrition then. This
alleviates somewhat the fact that the Allied player will always know the number of Axis units in the
Murmansk box. It can be rationalized as reflecting the uncertainties caused by weather, leadership, etc. It
also serves to mitigate the lack of realism of the equal factor exchange system-one of the few undesirable
elements of the game as designed.
Strategic Warfare is handled in a similar manner, once again reflecting the difficulty of concealment of
strengths in a two player format. Each player creates his strategic warfare units during the unit
construction phase of his spring turn for a given year. Then the player performing step 11 for the winter turn
of that year includes a stock for resolution of strategic warfare. The opponent resolves this die roll in step
14 in the following manner: If the result is a 1 or a 2, Allied strategic warfare factors are cut in half; if the
result is a 5 or a 6, they are doubled; otherwise, they are not affected. Based upon the results of this die roll
strategic warfare is resolved as set forth in the instructions. Once again. this method can be rationalized,
with much force, on the same basis as the one established for Murmansk convoys.
An alternative procedure, one which I have come to prefer, is also available for handling Murmansk
convoys and strategic warfare. This is for each player to indicate to his opponent at the times called for or
permitted by the rules, his unit builds of strategic warfare units and moves into the Murmansk convoy box
in code. At the time the inverted counters must be revealed, the players supply their opponents with the
keys to their codes, and convoy attrition or strategic warfare is decided in the usual manner. For example.
the Allied player wishing to SR BRPs to Russia via convoy so indicates with his step 11 of his move,
including a stock and date. The German then resolves convoy attrition, and includes the results with his
next move, including the key to his code so the Allied player can verify the number and type of units his
opponent had in the Murmansk convoy box.
For strategic warfare, the player having the last move for a year would indicate his own, and request his
opponent's strategic warfare counters, including the keys to the appropriate codes with his step 11. The
player moving first in the following year would resolve strategic warfare in the Year/Start sequence,
noting the result with his step 6.
This process requires that keys to codes used be changed frequently, a not unrealistic necessity. It is also
desirable to use different ones for strategic warfare and Murmansk convoy designations, as one may need to
be revealed before the other is. I encourage my opponents to endeavor to figure out the code used, and
attempt to do the same myself. This too, adds another element of realism, for if you crack your opponents'
code you may obtain the same advantages which actually accrued to the Allies when they did so in World
War II. A Captain Midnight decoder badge becomes very helpful!
As so described, I have found the game to be very enjoyable, and very realistic, in my judgment. More pre-
planning is required, as to allocation of defensive supporting forces, which I think more nearly represents
the true state of affairs once a battle is joined in a particular locality. The system does require that the
attacker resolve some of his die rolls. This should not be objectionable as long as he selects stock dates
which fall after his mailing date. His opponent can always check the accuracy of those results, and require
verification through a clipping, if he finds a discrepancy. Many of us have used similar systems for years in
our FRANCE '40 and similarly oriented games. The system does permit of modification, if you feel that a
facet of the game which I have removed is essential. For example, you can insist in the game preliminaries
that the Axis player deploy Italy first. Once again. I usually send such a deployment with my first
communication to a potential Allied opponent. In another area, the information called for in step 1 can be
stated in a number of ways. Allocations of defensive air factors or fleet intercepts can be stated in the
alternative, or be made contingent upon various factors, such as the size of the attacking force, the number of
fleet units conducting a type of mission which you wish to intercept, or whether other more important
missions are also being undertaken by your opponent. As long as your wishes are clearly stated so that your
opponent can understand what you mean, it doesn't affect the workability of the system.
By Dean Miller
(Copyright The Avalon Hill Game Company,
Reprinted by permission of The Avalon Hill Game Company,
from The General, Vol. 12, #4)
For those of us who believe that pbm is the only way to wargame, the arrival of a new title is always a
time of anxiety, and challenge. Can it be played by mail? Since nearly every game can, the secondary
questions are really the ones asked at this point: (1) In how much time; and (2) how complex a system is
required. As games have become more complicated, particularly as they have come to involve multiple step
turns, the difficulty of playing them by mail has increased. Correspondingly, the desirability of actually
beginning such a game has diminished. For one thing, you must be very careful in selecting opponents-
frankly, a goodly percentage of the persons who place or answer "Opponent Wanted" ads in this magazine
are either incapable or unwilling to cope with a complicated system. For another, the paperwork can be
enormous-ask about my pbm Jutland system sometime. In these circumstances, a game must have a high
degree of appeal in order to make it worth the effort for me. A notable example of such a game, in my
opinion, is THIRD REICH.
This game has two things going for it. First, it covers an era, and is on such a scale, as to be of great appeal
to most gamers. The popularity of this game and World War II show this. Second, THIRD REICH
followed another game on this subject, WORLD WAR II, which had built up the expectations of the
gaming public and then proved to be subject to serious flaws. At this point THIRD REICH came along,
showed itself to be better designed and thought through, and looked very good in comparison. This
advantage, coupled with the Avalon Hill practice of supporting its games with a continuing source of
interpretations, articles and opponents over the years, rather than abandoning them to as quick an
obsolescence as the market will tolerate, has helped to make THIRD REICH a very welcome addition to
the field, and in the process, a game which is well worth the effort to play by mail.
The system which I have devised and playtested does not permit play in precisely an identical fashion as
a face to face game. To do so would string out a game over a prohibitively long time period. However, I
believe that the corrections necessary to permit a game by mail do not change the essential nature of the
game, and most of them make for better realism. Primarily, they have the effect of forcing the defender to
decide in advance which hexes he will allocate his air factors to defend (anticipating also the possibility
of exploitation attacks). In addition, the defender must similarly decide how many of his naval units he
will use to attempt to intercept Transport or Sea Bombardment missions which his opponent might make. If
he guesses wrong, he is stuck with his decision, and cannot change these allocations if it develops that his
opponent attacks other hexes or performs naval missions not anticipated by him. Neither can he send
additional air units to a hex under attack. The severity of this system is mitigated somewhat by the
companion feature of this system which permits a player to use air or sea units which had been designated
by him to provide defense or interceptions, but which did not come into play because his opponent did not
attack or attempt the anticipated move, on his own offensive turn.
Here's how my system works, step by step:
1. Allied player deploys his units, and mails to opponent, indicating;
a. which of his units will have defensive air support, how much, and from which air units:
b. which fleet units will attempt to conduct interceptions of Transport Missions, and of Shore
Bombardments;
c. which counters are to be removed in the event of attrition (listing in order desired up to the
maximum possible.)
2. Axis player indicates deployment, and lists options chosen for each front, noting BRPs used.
3. Axis player lists moves. If interception of naval missions is possible, he lists two stocks for the
necessary die rolls. Interception will always be attempted at the hex closest to the base of the nearest
naval unit so attempting, unless the Allied player has otherwise specified; the path of naval missions
must always be direct between the ports involved .
4. Axis player lists attrition factors for fronts on which he has elected this option, and a stock for each
such front.
5. Axis player lists attacks, setting forth attackers, defenders, air interceptions, air support, odds and a
stock for each attack. If participating units are contingent upon outcome of interception attempts by
opponent, he lists odds in the alternative. He also indicates units to be exchanged and advanced after
combat.
6. Axis player selects stock date and 10 extra stocks. The extras are for use in resolution of battles
involving counterattacks. Axis player then mails steps 2 through 6 to opponent before stock date.
7. Axis player resolves interceptions, attrition and attacks.
8. Axis player selects hexes to be occupied under attrition results. (Allied player may pick hex to retreat
to at start of his turn.)
9. Axis player moves mechanized units under exploitation, and lists exploitation attacks with stocks and
date as in steps 5 and 6 above.
10. Axis player indicates for opponent's phase which units will have defensive air support, which fleet
units will attempt interceptions; and which counters are to be removed in case of attrition, as did Allied
player in step 1 above.
11. Axis player creates new units, noting BRPs spent, lists his Strategic Redeployment moves, and mails to
his opponent prior to stock date.
12. Allied player resolves exploitation attacks, and repeats steps 2 through 11.
13. Allied player computes BRPs by both sides at end of turn. If he is to be first phasing player on next turn,
he requests opponent to indicate step 1 information along with results of exploitation combat;
otherwise, he includes this information with his mailing.
14. Axis player resolves Allied exploitation attacks; and either performs step 1 or steps 2 through 11,
depending upon BRP count.
15. The forgoing process is repeated until the game is concluded.
Conversion of stock results to 6 digits can be accomplished through Hexagonal pbm CRT set forth by Tom
Oleson in the Nov-Dec 1974 General. However, I prefer the much simpler and equally random "divide by 6"
method, which I find is used by a large number of wargamers. Under this method you find the sales in
hundreds figure for the designated stock, divide it by 6, and use the remainder as the die roll. If the
remainder is 0, the result is a 6. Thus if the sales in hundreds figure is 742, the die roll is 4; if it is 666, the
die roll is a 6. You can also use Oleson's grid system for identifying hexes as it was set forth in the Mar-Apr
1975 General on page 20. Personally, I prefer an all numerical system, and use the following: Hexes are
numbered from right to left by row, starting from the top. Thus, the top row is numbered from the right hand
corner 0101, 0102, 0103, etc. The even numbered rows begin with the first full hex. Thus 0201 includes the
east half of the compass. Under this system, Moscow is in hex 0816; Berlin, 1230; Paris, 1538. Numbering
continues under charts and tables as if they weren't there; Cairo is in hex 3919; Damascus, 3414; Tripoli,
3533.
Deployment of minor country forces is handled as follows. The player who is contemplating attacking any
minor country requests his opponent to deploy the forces of that country. This does not commit the requesting
player to declare war and attack-it merely facilitates a smooth continuance of the game if he chooses to do
so. During subsequent turns in which no attack has been made the opponent may change the deployment
(always keeping the required unit in the capital, of course), to adjust to changed circumstances. It is possible
where both players are contemplating attacking a particular country, such as Turkey, for there to be two
deployments for that country, each set up in response to the opponent's request. Of course the deployment of
the opponent of the player who does declare war and attack is the one which is activated and used in such
a case. I usually request a deployment of Yugoslavia, Belgium, Denmark and Netherlands along with my
first communication to a potential Allied opponent.
Murmansk convoys require a different procedure. The Axis player must indicate with step 3 of his move any
naval, air and U-boat counters which are moved into the Murmansk box. This designation only affects
Allied moves which occur after this point, and lasts until the Axis player's next move. For example, if he
moves first on the turn in which he moves units into the Murmansk box, and second on the following turn, the
units so transferred will apply to convoy attrition for both turns, if the Allied player attempts Murmansk
convoys. The Allied player indicates the number of BRPs attempted to be transferred, the escorting forces,
and 2 stocks. with his turn 11. If the first stock result is a 1 or a 2, the Allied escorting strength is cut in half;
otherwise, it is full strength. The second stock result is used to resolve convoy attrition then. This
alleviates somewhat the fact that the Allied player will always know the number of Axis units in the
Murmansk box. It can be rationalized as reflecting the uncertainties caused by weather, leadership, etc. It
also serves to mitigate the lack of realism of the equal factor exchange system-one of the few undesirable
elements of the game as designed.
Strategic Warfare is handled in a similar manner, once again reflecting the difficulty of concealment of
strengths in a two player format. Each player creates his strategic warfare units during the unit
construction phase of his spring turn for a given year. Then the player performing step 11 for the winter turn
of that year includes a stock for resolution of strategic warfare. The opponent resolves this die roll in step
14 in the following manner: If the result is a 1 or a 2, Allied strategic warfare factors are cut in half; if the
result is a 5 or a 6, they are doubled; otherwise, they are not affected. Based upon the results of this die roll
strategic warfare is resolved as set forth in the instructions. Once again. this method can be rationalized,
with much force, on the same basis as the one established for Murmansk convoys.
An alternative procedure, one which I have come to prefer, is also available for handling Murmansk
convoys and strategic warfare. This is for each player to indicate to his opponent at the times called for or
permitted by the rules, his unit builds of strategic warfare units and moves into the Murmansk convoy box
in code. At the time the inverted counters must be revealed, the players supply their opponents with the
keys to their codes, and convoy attrition or strategic warfare is decided in the usual manner. For example.
the Allied player wishing to SR BRPs to Russia via convoy so indicates with his step 11 of his move,
including a stock and date. The German then resolves convoy attrition, and includes the results with his
next move, including the key to his code so the Allied player can verify the number and type of units his
opponent had in the Murmansk convoy box.
For strategic warfare, the player having the last move for a year would indicate his own, and request his
opponent's strategic warfare counters, including the keys to the appropriate codes with his step 11. The
player moving first in the following year would resolve strategic warfare in the Year/Start sequence,
noting the result with his step 6.
This process requires that keys to codes used be changed frequently, a not unrealistic necessity. It is also
desirable to use different ones for strategic warfare and Murmansk convoy designations, as one may need to
be revealed before the other is. I encourage my opponents to endeavor to figure out the code used, and
attempt to do the same myself. This too, adds another element of realism, for if you crack your opponents'
code you may obtain the same advantages which actually accrued to the Allies when they did so in World
War II. A Captain Midnight decoder badge becomes very helpful!
As so described, I have found the game to be very enjoyable, and very realistic, in my judgment. More pre-
planning is required, as to allocation of defensive supporting forces, which I think more nearly represents
the true state of affairs once a battle is joined in a particular locality. The system does require that the
attacker resolve some of his die rolls. This should not be objectionable as long as he selects stock dates
which fall after his mailing date. His opponent can always check the accuracy of those results, and require
verification through a clipping, if he finds a discrepancy. Many of us have used similar systems for years in
our FRANCE '40 and similarly oriented games. The system does permit of modification, if you feel that a
facet of the game which I have removed is essential. For example, you can insist in the game preliminaries
that the Axis player deploy Italy first. Once again. I usually send such a deployment with my first
communication to a potential Allied opponent. In another area, the information called for in step 1 can be
stated in a number of ways. Allocations of defensive air factors or fleet intercepts can be stated in the
alternative, or be made contingent upon various factors, such as the size of the attacking force, the number of
fleet units conducting a type of mission which you wish to intercept, or whether other more important
missions are also being undertaken by your opponent. As long as your wishes are clearly stated so that your
opponent can understand what you mean, it doesn't affect the workability of the system.
Comments
Post a Comment