1998 BGG rank #8079

Victory: World War II

2–4 players 120 min Ages 12+ 2.6/5 complexity 5.6/10 rating

About this game

Victory: World War II, originally released as Victory: The Blocks of War, is a Block game published in 1998 by Columbia Games. It is a generic war game played on modular maps with World War II units. The game uses a stripped down Front system, with the whole command control element removed and simplified movement and unit production. Block sets for blue and red players and maps 1 to 4 are included in the base game. There are many supplements available, including basic block sets for four additional colors (black, orange, green, and gray), ten-unit elite sets for each color, maps with various terrain, and a logistics expansion which provides a twist on production and adds other strategic elements to the game. Expanded by: Victory: The Blocks of War – Additional Blocksets Victory: The Blocks of War – Elite Blocksets Victory: The Blocks of War – Extra Maps Victory: The Blocks of War – Logistics Set Victory FAQ based on info in the rules forum here and elsewhere. Reimplemented by: Victory: World War II – Second Edition published in 2019. Includes the Logistics Set and elements from the Elite Blocksets. Maps 1, 2, 6 and 7 are included

What it feels like

Hexagon Grid Dice Rolling Secret Unit Deployment Wargame World War II

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Setup

1. Place the hex map on the table between both players. 2. Each player sets up their blocks (units) in their starting positions according to the scenario instructions, standing upright facing their owner so only that player can see the current strength (step) value. 3. Distribute starting Production Points (PP) as directed by the scenario. 4. Place Resource and Supply blocks in their starting locations. 5. Each player places air units at eligible airbases (cities may base up to 2 air units; towns and airfields may base only 1 air unit). 6. Confirm stacking limits are not exceeded in any hex at game start. 7. Determine first player as specified by the scenario and begin play.

Turn flow

Each turn represents a period of the war. Players alternate taking actions. A full turn consists of: 1. PRODUCTION PHASE – Players spend Production Points (PP) to purchase new unit steps or replace lost ones. PP are generated by Resource blocks via strategic movement or conversion. 2. MOVEMENT PHASE – Players move their units up to their movement allowance across hexes, respecting terrain stop rules, stacking limits (checked at end of battle for battle hexes), and hexside limits. 3. COMBAT PHASE – Battles are resolved in contested hexes. Combat proceeds in Combat Turns. Within each Combat Turn: Elite units fire first, then normal units. All Bombers on one side fire simultaneously. All air firepower except Fighter firepower is classified as Flak. All units in a group targeted by air units may return Flak fire simultaneously for free; only air units that attacked that group can be hit by Flak. Fighter firepower is not Flak but is subject to Flak from defending air units. After battle, units exceeding stacking limits must retreat. 4. AIR RESPONSE PHASE – Eligible air units and some ground units (Mechanized, Heavy Armor, Jet Fighters) may respond to enemy movements or attacks within their response range. 5. SUPPLY CHECK – Units out of supply may be penalized per scenario rules (city supply rule applies).

Scoring and victory

The player who achieves the scenario's victory conditions wins. Typically this involves capturing a target number of enemy cities or accumulating victory points from controlled objectives. The specific target varies by scenario. Target score: Scenario-dependent Scoring sources: Controlling enemy cities, Controlling key objective hexes, Eliminating enemy units (scenario-dependent)

Source: Rulebook

Rules to know

The most useful rules for getting a first game right.

Turn structure

Army and navy stacking limits are not checked during battle; only checked at battle's end.

Do not check army or navy stacking limits in a battle hex until the end of the battle. This allows proper concentration of attacking force. Units in excess of the stacking limit after the battle is resolved must retreat.

Restriction

Stacking limits vary by terrain type: cities and towns allow 2 army units; deserts allow 2; clear terrain allows 3.

Army stacking limits (house rule revision): Cities = 2 units maximum. Towns = 2 units maximum. Deserts = 2 units maximum. Clear terrain = 3 units maximum. These limits are enforced at the end of battle in a contested hex; in all other cases they are enforced at the end of the movement phase. Units exceeding the limit after battle must retreat.

Restriction

Full terrain stacking limits: Clear=3, Forest=3, City=2, Town=2, Desert=2, Marsh=2, Mountain=2, Sea=4, Coastal=2. Alpine and Shoal are impassable.

Stacking limits per terrain type (hex limit / hexside limit): Clear: 3 / 2. Forest: 3 / 1. City: 2 / – (no hexside limit; other terrain effects also apply). Town: 2 / – (no hexside limit; other terrain effects also apply). Desert: 2 / 2. Marsh: 2 / 1. Mountain: 2 / 1. Sea: 4 / 2 (naval units only; army units at sea are considered naval). Coastal: 2 / 1 (naval units only; army units are considered ashore). Alpine: impassable. Shoal: impassable.

Restriction

Only one air unit may base at towns and airfields; cities may base up to 2 air units.

Air unit basing limits (house rule): Towns and airfields may each base only 1 air unit at a time. Cities may base up to 2 air units. Carriers may base up to 2 air units, but only when the carrier's strength (step count) is greater than zero. Exceeding these basing limits is not permitted; players must plan air unit deployment accordingly.

Combat

All of one side's Bombers fire simultaneously in the same fire step.

All Bombers belonging to one side fire at the same time during the combat turn (after Elite units, before or with normal units as applicable). This applies to Heavy Bombers, Medium Bombers, Dive Bombers, and Torpedo Bombers collectively. They do not fire in separate individual steps.

Combat

All air firepower except Fighter firepower is classified as Flak. All units in a group targeted by air may return Flak fire simultaneously for free.

All air unit firepower except that of Fighters is classified as Flak (i.e., Bomber firepower of all types). When air units attack a target group, all units in that group (army, navy, or air) may return fire simultaneously using their Flak value at no cost — this is free return fire. Only the air units that actually attacked that target group can be hit by this Flak return fire. Fighter air firepower is NOT classified as Flak; however, Fighters are still subject to Flak fire from defending air units.

Resource management

Elite/powerful units cost 2 PP per step; standard units cost 1 PP per step.

Unit purchase costs (house rule, per step): COST 2 PP: All Air units (Jet Fighters, Fighters, Dive Bombers, Torpedo Bombers, Medium Bombers, Heavy Bombers), Armor, Artillery, Mechanized, Cruisers, Battleships. COST 1 PP: All other Naval units (Submarines, Destroyers, Carriers), all other Army units (Airborne, Mountain, Marine, Infantry, Engineer, Supply). Heavy Armor costs 3 PP per step. Jet Fighters cost 3 PP per step.

Special

Armor gets G3 firepower when attacking or defending in clear or desert terrain that does not contain a city or town.

Armor units (not Heavy Armor) receive a Ground firepower value of 3 (G3) when attacking or defending in a hex with clear or desert terrain, provided that hex does not contain a city or town. In all other terrain types (forest, mountain, marsh, city, town, etc.) Armor uses its standard G2 firepower.