World At War Magazine #88: Kesselring

About The Game

W94 Kesselring's War: Decision in Italy 1943-44 (Joseph Miranda) is an operational level two player wargame covering the campaign in Sicily and southern Italy, July 1943 to February 1944. The game covers the months from Operation Husky through the initial landings in the southern peninsula up to the Anzio invasion and first battle of Monte Cassino. This was the time when the Allies could have gained a decisive victory but were stopped when German forces under the command of Field Marshal Albert Kesselring fought a series of delaying actions and then held a line south of Rome.

The game system portrays operations across the theater within a framework of logistical and command/control restraints, modeled as Action Points. The objective of the Allied player is to seize major objectives in Italy, while the Germans are trying to stop them or, by judicious counterattacks, turn the tide in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. Each hex on the map is approximately 30 kilometers across. Each turn of play represents a month of operations. Ground units represent mostly divisions, independent brigades, and regiments. Air units represent the equivalent of a Luftwaffe Geschwader, USAAF wing or RAF group (9 to 15 squadrons). Naval units represent task forces. 22 x 34-inch game map 176 5/8-inch counters.