Produktbeschreibung
Grand Strategy Game of World Economic and Military Conflict, 1933-1945
It is the 1930s and the world is still recovering from the Great War and the Great Depression that followed it. A second world war can break out at any time. Can you stop it? Will you start it? Better yet, can you win it?
Cataclysm is not your typical game about World War II. The game begins in 1933, not 1939, and is global in scope. Germany is far from dominating Europe. Japan is on the march in Asia. Every crisis is an unexpected opportunity. There is no hindsight and anything can happen.
Truly grand strategic in scope, Cataclysm requires players to lead nations, not just armies or fleets. You must craft a diplomatic strategy, develop political support for your policies at home, shift your economy to a war footing, and build up the forces you need to deter or vanquish your enemies.
There is no traditional I-go-you-go turn structure in Cataclysm. Counters representing political actions, military actions, units, and possible events are drawn at random from an action cup. As each counter comes out, the owning player resolves it, and play swiftly moves on to the next draw. You have to make plans to execute when your chance comes up, but you have no idea when, or in what order, events will transpire.
A game about global war gives every nation armies, air forces, and fleets. But in Cataclysm, military pieces have no numeric values. You know what forces you have and where they are deployed. To resolve combat, each side rolls up to three dice and compares their single highest die. You can devote more resources to a campaign (generating more dice or bonuses), but that does not guarantee a favorable outcome. Your efforts can lead to triumph… or to disaster.
In Cataclysm, you are free to explore alternatives. The Soviets can construct a massive long-range bomber force. Japan can build powerful armored forces to overrun Siberia. Germany can invade Britain, or France can take Berlin, provided you craft a strategy that gets you there.
When you play Cataclysm, you write your own history of a second world war.
"This is my most anticipated wargame of 2018." --Ananda Gupta, co-designer of Twilight Struggle.
"I WOULD EAT A KITTEN FOR THIS GAME" --Kuhrusty
Cataclysm: A Second World War is a quick-playing game about politics and war in the 1930s and 40s, designed for two to five players. The three primary ideologies of the time contend to impose their vision of order on the world. The Fascists (Germany, Italy, and Japan) seek to overthrow the status quo, which favors the Democracies (France, the United Kingdom, and the United States), while the Communists (the Soviet Union) look for opportunities to storm the global stage.
Not Your Father’s Panzer Pusher -
Cataclysm is unapologetically a game of grand strategy. Military pieces have no factors or ratings. The capability of your forces increases as you shift the commitment of your economy from civilian to military production. Land, air, and naval forces all have their role in prosecuting war. There is no Combat Results Table; instead, battles are resolved by opposed die rolls with a limited number of modifiers capturing the most important operational effects. The area map emphasizes political boundaries, drawing attention to strategically critical territory, encouraging players to think in broad terms of resource acquisition, control of border states, and the perception of power as the arms race plays out.
Geopolitics and The Clever Use of Flags -
Flags are the currency of political capital in Cataclysm. Nations earn flags through public mandate or provocation by opposing powers. Spending this political capital is subject to the effectiveness of your power, which determines how easily you can implement your policies. Readying for war requires you to increase your commitment, straining the stability of your government. You can offset this by using propaganda to shore up your position. You can form strong alliances with friendly powers, or use diplomacy to sway your neighbors to your side. You may need to pressure reluctant partners into taking action. Manage your political actions to suit your goals, but be wary of provoking your opponents, allowing them to earn flags in reaction.
A Continuous Flow of Action -
There is no sequence of play. Instead, Cataclysm relies upon a strategic chit pull system that randomizes the order of not only your actions, but also the appearance of newly built combat units. This creates riveting tension that keeps players involved at all times. Random crisis events will upset plans, as well as signal the approach of the end of the turn. Not all is governed by luck. Players can use their reserve to carefully time important moves. Each side faces unique challenges managing its political, military, and economic resources in the face of constant uncertainty. Without long-term planning, any crisis can turn into chaos.
A Sandbox Spanning Two Decades
The full game of Cataclysm covers the entire globe and runs from 1933 to 1950. The extensive playbook includes several additional scenarios allowing for a range of theatres and start points. Special rules account for Appeasement, the Chinese Civil War, Lend Lease, the Atomic Bomb, the Great Purge, Dreadnought Refits, etc. Great care has been taken to allow a different but plausible alternate history to unfold with every play.
Scale -
Armies are groups of 25-35 divisions, approximately 250,000 to 500,000 men.
Fleets are 2-4 capital ships with attendant lighter ships and escorts.
Air Forces are roughly 1500-2500 aircraft of all types.
Turns are 2 years long, with multiple opportunities to act.
Scenarios range from 60 minutes, to 5 or 6 hours for the full game.
Complexity: Game processes are generally simple, but novel even for experienced game players.
Solitaire Suitability: There are no hidden elements to hinder solitaire play, but no solitaire-specific rules.
COMPONENTS -
1 Rulebook
1 Playbook with scenarios and notes
2 half size map sheets (17 x 22 inches)
1 record display
10 power status and ideology special rules cards
9 6-sided dice
3 player aid cards
1 Crisis tables card
160 cubes in seven colors
456 counters (9/16”)
PUBLISHED 2018
DESIGNERS William Terdoslavich and Scott Muldoon
DEVELOPER Kevin Bernatz
MAP ART Terry Leeds
COUNTER ART and RULES Charles Kibler
PRODUCERS Gene Billingsley, Tony Curtis, Andy Lewis, Rodger MacGowan, Mark Simonitch |
