From: RGS48@aol.com
Subject: Re: OSG (was Series on Napoleon operations)

<< As Tim suggests, they did some WWII games too--the only one that I
own is the J. A. Nelson design, Rommel & Tunisia.  By the standards of
today, the 28 page rulebook is, I suppose, a mere bagatelle. But for
1978, the whole presentation gives the impression of somebody going for
Big Ideas and Very Serious Stuff.  It's one of those games that I've
looked at numerous times and thought about playing, but, lack of time,
lack of energy...and so on, have prevented me from doing more than
browsing my copy.  In the whole canon of N. Africa games, I would judge
R&T to have been largely forgotten--it would be interesting to see if
this is one of the games that was one of Tim's favorites.  And if so
Tim, what am I missing?>>

Well, not being Tim I can't answer that question but I am familiar with
ROMMEL & TUNISIA, which was one of my faorite games for years and still
has a spot in my pantheon of All-Time,  All-Timers.

The game was way, way ahead of its time and some concepts it employed
are only just coming into vgue now, some twenty years later.  Like most
ground-breaking designs, the game's rules are a bit fuzzy (and not well
organized, at that).  But while a bit difficult, they are not opaque and
you can get a pretty good grasp of what the designer was aiming at.

The game's emphasis is one command, control, and supply.  From memory,
each side gets a number of resource points each turn (which can be
interdicted or increased) which get allocated down the chain of command
(Army, corps, division, and, for the Germans, KG's), each component of
which has a track.  Each formation's movement requires sme command
effort, in the form of a resource point, as does combat.  Combat
modifiers come primarily (but not solely) from application of resource
points from the varioyus com mands.  The more the resources expended by
the various commands (ie, how much attention s paid to the combat by
thew high command), the greater the modifiers.

Once you figure out how to do it, the wole thing is fairly effortless,
the resources being kept track of conveniently on tracks.  Unit density
is, as you might expect, fairly low even though the primary unit is the
regiment (although units can beak down into companies).

The game disappeared into the Great Void since it was so far ahead of
its time as to be almost mystical.  This is a shame because this is a
most intriguing design and one that could be easily brought up to
today's gaming standards.  (The map is but-ugly and the rles need a
re-write)

John (and anyone else who can get their hands on this gem), you sould
really break this one out and give it a try.  You won't believe this
game is over 20 years old -- it has a most contemprary feel.