Second Front: Germany Turns East

The Eastern Front of World War II, covered from start to finish. Different levels allowed one to see losses taken down to squad level. One could replace commanders, build armies, seize objectives — it was all here, but it was soon replaced by [Grigby’s own] War in Russia.

For the advanced wargamer, “Second Front: Germany turns East” is a division-level strategic game on a grand scale. The map extends from Berlin in the West to Stalingrad in the East, and covers the entire Russian Front.

Players command over 150 German divisions and over 200 Soviet divisions, with asset information available to the individual tank, plane and infantry squad level.

In the final analysis this campaign brought defeat for the Axis as it had for Napoleon in the preceding century, but not before the Germans had marched nearly to the gates of Moscow. Many historians feel that without interference from Hitler, the German commanders might very well have avoided the fate of Napoleon and won the war on this critical front. Now you may command the forces on what became known as Hitler’s Second Front and compare your strategic skills to those of the commanders that have preceeded you.

You may play either the Axis or Soviet forces against the computer or select the two player option against a human opponent. As supreme commander, you direct corps level movement and combat operations, order air missions, and control the production of war materials in your factories.

In Second Front you issue strategic level orders to your corps. Each corps is made up of from 1 to 8 divisions, and you may transfer individual divisions between corps. When you examine divisions and view combat results you will see your assets and combat results to the individual plane, vehicle, and infantry squad level.

The Second Front map is based on an invisible hex-grid system. In the full board 1941 and 1942 scenarios the map spans the entire theater of operations, from Berlin in the west to past Moscow in the east, and runs from Finland to south of Sevastopol. Each hex is 20 miles across and each turn represents 1 week of real time.

Select from two full board scenarios or two limited-area scenarios. The starting dates range from the start of the Eastern Campaigns in 1941 to the Axis offensive in 1942. Scenarios are played until one side meets victory conditions or until the date listed in the scenario description.