Danube Front '85
After the perceived failure of détente in the 1970's, the 1980's saw an escalation in the intensity of the cold war. The war in Afghanistan, arming of Nicaragua, invasion of Grenada, US deployment of cruise-missiles to Europe, Soviet shoot-down of the Korean airliner, killing of a US Observer in East Germany and many other belligerent activities by the superpowers were all very real increases in tension. Regardless of intentions, the effect was disdain, distrust & more paranoia on both sides. As the west, led by the USA, began to pour money into force modernization programs, the USSR & Warsaw Pact began to feel the unease of a shift in the 'correlation of forces' - the balance of power. Training for war took on a more serious tone; exercises became even more realistic and thus more intimidating to the other side. A collision of the superpowers became almost inevitable. Thus the stage was set for a clash of titans, a struggle that would be fought on the fields, forests, hills & in the towns of Germany in 1985....
- 48 Scenarios covering not only the Danube Basin region but also representing battles for Berlin, AFNorth (Schleswig-Holstein & Denmark) and north Austria.
- The Grand Campaign covers the main Warsaw Pact assault into Western Europe.
- The Campaign scenario covers the first 30 days of the offensive and breakthrough until the time the offensive loses momentum.
- Smaller scenarios cover specific actions and situations.
- Many scenarios have a special play-by-email version where conditions such as supply, release of reserves, and victory levels have been altered for play balance.
- Turn-based game engine with 3 hour day turns and 1 mile hexes.
- Units are at the battalion and company level.
- Infantry, armor, helicopter, airborne, artillery, and special forces units.
- Special rules for chemical warfare, artillery-delivered mines, electronic warfare (SIGINT), and thermal imaging sights.
- The map area for Danube Front '85 encompasses over 65,000 hexes, representing all of Southern Germany including the US 7th Corps & West German 2nd Korps sectors.
A series of illustrated "Historical documents" written by Marc Bellizzi provide one possibility of how a war in the region might have unfolded. Using declassified documents as well as the US Army's Soviet Area Studies Office estimate of a Warsaw Pact invasion, Marc has detailed with orders, briefings, battle maps and graphic overlays a realistic portrayal of how the Warsaw Pact would attack, and NATO defend.
- Scenario Design: Glenn Saunders, Dave Blackburn
- Theater Research Specialist: Marc Bellizzi
- Playtesters: Robert Hutchison, Robert Barker, Mark Breed, Marty Nevshemal, David Ross, Rick Bancroft
System RequirementsWindows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10
Processor: 1 GHz
Disk Space: 1 GB
Memory: 1 GB
This wargame is for sale at The John Tiller Software Store