2023-ā24 Central Front Wargame Tournament Semi-Finals Part I
Eight wargames remain. Only four will make it to Sunday.
Operational Level
1 NATO the Next War in Europe
2 Third World War: Battle for Germany
This matchup is a heavyweight boxing match. Tyson vs Ali in every way, shape, and form. Unfortunately, only one title can emerge as the winner.
Maps– NATOās map is colorful, contains vital cities and other important objectives, and it even has a map key and game turn track attached. Quite useful. Third World Warās map is more basic and no-frills oriented. It does the job, but comes up lacking in details and overall aesthetics.
NATO: 4.0 Third World War: 3.5
Unit Counters– Both games contain relatively simple and very useful counters that provide essential information. Each game also uses NATO counters instead of miniature vehicle or infantryman silhouettes, but to be fair, NATO counters were the standard back in the 1980s. This round is a wash.
NATO: 4.0 Third World War: 4.0
Rules– Two games with rule sets that have stood the test of time. That being said, there are some issues with both. However, when all is said and done, the way NATO abstracts the air war leaves me rather disappointed whenever I break the game out. Finally, I get some payback. š
NATO: 3.0 Third World War: 4.0
Game Flow– Operational level games do not run lightning fast. Playing solitaire practically guarantees at least twenty hours of gametime to complete a scenario from either game. NATO and Third World War run rather smooth, however. My only major gripe comes with NATOās airspace rules and the chaos they bring to many parts of the gameā¦unnecessarily.
NATO: 3.7 Third World War: 4.2
Legacy– Weāve talked about the large footprint these games have had on wargaming. The fact that each had recent reboots published proves this. This category is a tie
NATO: 5.0 Third World War: 5.0
Final Scores: NATO-3.94 Third World War- 4.14
Winner of the Operational Level category: 2 Third World War: Battle for Germany
PC/Console Games
4 Theater Europe
2 The Operational Art of War Volume IV
Digital games age differently than tabletop wargames do. The scoring table will reflect this.
Maps– Chunky VGA 80s vintage for Theater Europe and digital 21st Century graphics for TOAW IV. No contest.
TOAW IV-4.0 Theater Europe- 2.5
Unit Counters– Theater does not use counters, instead employing round pegs on the map. Each one identifies an individual NATO or Warsaw Pact corps/army group. TOAW IV counters are computer generated square unit identifiers mainly carrying NATO symbology. Again, the advantages of this are apparent.
TOAW IV- 4.0 Theater Europe- 2.5
Rules– Digital wargame rulebooks are also quite different from their tabletop counterparts. More significant, mid-80s digital wargames contain rules that are considerably different to those found in more contemporary games. To be fair, Iāve never been a fan of TOAW IVās rules especially when it comes to scenario editing. But Theater Europeās rules are basic. No clear advantage for either title here.
TOAW IV- 3.0 Theater Europe- 3.0
Game Flow– Theaterās basic layout and features compared to modern games is made very apparent here. That being said, TOAW IV has issues with its game flow, owing to a cumbersome set of rules, tables, turn variations, etc. This gives it a slight edge.
TOAW IV- 3.5 Theater Europe- 3.0
Legacy– To the surprise of many, both games continue to chug along on different paths. Theater Europe has adopted something of a cult following, and the game is presently available on Steam and other places online. TOAW IV is the tool that many hardcore wargamers rely on to develop new projects and scenarios. It also had a mob of dedicated followers that is at least somewhat bigger than Theater Europeās crowd.
TOAW IV- 3.5 Theater Europe- 3.0
Final Scores: 2 The Operational Art of War IV– 3.6 4 Theater Europe- 2.8
Winner of the PC/Console Games Category– The Operational Art of War IV
Author’s Note: Semifinals wrap up Saturday
Third World War 1987 