The World Crisis is a grand strategy game which uses many of the gaming systems developed for A World at War and its prequel games Gathering Storm and Storm Over Asia. It simulates the military, economic, political, diplomatic, research, and production aspects of the First World War and lets the players find out for themselves what might have happened if:
- Germany had stood on the defensive in 1914 and attacked in the east.
- Austria-Hungary had deployed its forces differently in 1914.
- Germany had remained true to the spirit of the Schlieffen Plan.
- Turkey and Italy had entered the war earlier, later, or on a different side.
- Germany had pursued a more aggressive naval strategy.
- The Gallipoli campaign had succeeded—or hadn’t been undertaken at all.
- Italy had broken the Austro-Hungarian front.
- Bulgaria, Rumania, and Greece had pursued different policies.
- Germany hadn’t attacked at Verdun, had followed its original plan, or had won the battle.
- Russia had collapsed earlier or hadn’t collapsed.
- The U.S. had remained neutral.
- YOU had been in command.
The World Crisis uses many of the game systems developed in A World at War, Gathering Storm, and Storm Over Asia, but it also includes the following innovations:
Placement of ground units on Army Charts, similar to Task Forces in A World at War, recreating the fog of war for both attacking and defending forces until combat occurs.
An integrated movement and combat phase, giving ground combat the flexibility of naval combat.
Multiple rounds of ground combat, with counterattacks and reinforcement for both sides, emphasizing both the importance of achieving results at the outset of a battle and the importance of staying power for the defense.
The control of terrain features in hexes still under enemy control, depending on combat results.
National cohesion levels as the crucial measurement of major power resistance.
Components:
13 Full-color Countersheets
Two 22" x 30" Full-color Mapsheets
120 Random Event Cards
Eight Player Aid Cards
Scenario Cards
Research Record Sheets
One 40-page Rulebook
One 24-page Battle Manual
Eight 6-sided Dice
Time scale: 3 months per turn
Map scale: 60 miles per hex (Europe)
Unit scale: Corps, individual ships, and naval squadrons
Players: 2+
