WARGAMESOSD

First to Fight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case White

On the 1st September 1939 Germany unleashed a new weapon that permanently changed the face of warfare. On that shattered dawn a blitzkrieg swept over Poland and in thirty short days the balance of power was reshuffled and Europe was at war.

Game Mechanics

Time Scale: Three day turns
Map Scale: Sixteen miles per hex
Unit Scale: Divisions, regiments, battalions
Players: Two - Medium Complexity
Solitaire Suitability: High complexity
Playing Time: From two to four hours, depending on the rules used - solitaire approx 12 hours

Game components: (second edition 1998)

1,296 Die-Cut Counters
2 Maps (one used, one for 'Grand Europa')
Rules Book
Chart set
2 Die
Boot Camp Rules, introduced in the 1991 edition
Editions: 'Case White' (1977, 1979, 1985) 'First to Fight' (1991 & 1998)

French Intervention

France and Britain had guaranteed Poland's independence. Starting on game turn 4, the Polish player consults the French Intervention table at the start of his player turn to see if France launches an offensive against Germany. A die is rolled and the player consults the table, following modifications.

Soviet Intervention

The Soviet Union Intervenes in Poland in the first German player turn following the capture or the evacuation of the Polish government. When the Soviet Union intervenes, the German player controls the Soviet forces, which operate (move, attack, fly missions etc) during the German player turns.

Optional Rules:

a) Advanced Game Mechanics
b) Special Unit Abilities
c) Increased Polish Capabilities
d) German Transfers to the East
e) First Turn Airstrikes
f) Lithuania
g) No Blitzkrieg (Polish Fantasy Option)
h) August Attack (German Fantasy Option)
i) Defense in Depth Scenario



Polish forces - Army Krakow
Set up at start of first turn 1 September 1939



German forces - Army Group South
Set up at start of first turn 1 September 1939
The illustration above is of the first edition (1991), however, the desciptions and innovations described on this website are to the second edition. The red box above was released with second edition rules and it is this release that is described below. The later 'official' second edition 1998 actually had a mainly white cover with a mauve transition of the red colours above. Pictures of the revised second edition may be seen on BoardGameGeek.

'First to Fight' consists of one game or scenario, the invasion of Poland. The game has 10 turns. However, what makes this game interesting is that there are a number of scenarios that could have been swung into action on those fateful days in September 1939. For example, following the declaration of war, France could have attacked Germany and Hitler was forced to divert much resource to maintaining the 'Westwall'. Troops were diverted to the Westwall, and then sent back east again and so on. This is cleverly represented in the game.

The other possibility, of course, was that the Soviet Union could have occupied eastern Poland earlier rather than later, as for some reason Hiltler saw no strategic importance in this area. Stalin, however, was set on extending the Soviet Union's borders further west as indicated by the Russian occupation of the Baltic states of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.

In the 'First to Fight' 2nd edition (1998) one of the most significant changes are to the air rules, with the 'air on demand' system replacing the previous edition's air phase. A new optional rule also allows Lithuania to be added to the game.

Defense in Depth Scenario

Perhaps something for the gamer to explore further is the Defence in Depth Scenario. Poland had two proposed plans for its defence against Germany in 1939. The one it adopted called for a strong defense of the Polish border areas, with a gradual withdrawal as the German offensive developed. The Poles hoped this plan would buy them enough time for the French to launch an offensive and thus turn the tide against Germany.

The other plan called for a defense in depth - Poland would abandon its overly-long border with Germany and concentrate its troops behind the river lines of Central Poland. The Germans would thus have to advance eastwards and then engage Polish forces ensconced in good defensive terrain. The hope, again, was that the plan would buy enough time for the French to enter the war and take the pressure off Poland.

The second plan was rejected because it was too risky. The peacetime stations of many of the Polish units were well to the west of the river lines, and these units needed to withdraw east for the plan to work. For a variety of reasons, Poland couldn't afford to mobilize these units and move them west, unless a German attack was certain and imminent. This, however, led to the possibility of a German surprise attack cathching and destroying these units as they tried to mobilize and move east.

The Defense in Depth Scenario explores the military campaign had Poland adopted the defense in depth plan and was able to implement it without being caught by a German surprise attack.

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