2024 · Wargame

In a Dark Wood

A hypothetical 1985 Warsaw Pact assault on NATO positions in West Germany, centered on the US VII Corps sector and the Hof Gap. Players command regiment- and battalion-sized forces across a 5 km-per-hex map, managing movement, combat, supply, artillery, air support, intelligence, and command, control, and communication problems. The system emphasizes the OODA loop, battlefield confusion, doctrine, and the pressure of time. NATO and Warsaw Pact formations have distinct strengths and weaknesses, while electronic warfare, chemical and nuclear weapons, specific and random events, and two campaign games and four smaller scenarios shape the conflict.

groupPlayers

2–4 best 2

schedulePlaying time

180–600 min

cakeAge

14+

psychologyComplexity

3.3 / 5