SGS Fall Weiss

SGS Fall Weiss (German for White Plan, the code name for the operation) covers the Polish campaign from September to October 1939. The Second World War officially commenced with Germanys invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939. This initiation came after Hitlers initial plan to launch the operation on August 26, but due to diplomatic considerations, it was postponed. Nevertheless, not all the specialized units responsible for actions behind Polish lines received the counter-order in time, resulting in various clashes.  The German forces displayed incredible speed, brutality, and what was rapidly characterized as blitzkrieg tactics. Interestingly, the term «blitzkrieg» was coined by Western journalists and was not an official military concept.

In fact, the Germans themselves did not employ the term. Instead, it represented a judicious application of technical advancements in motorization and radio resources, coupled with tank deployments that drew inspiration from several military theorists ideas developed over the past two decades. SGS Fall Weiss is a turn-based game, with each turn equivalent to two days of real time. The campaign scenario spans 19 turns (including a «pre-turn» where you select future options). Units are depicted as counters, organized at the division, brigade, or regiment level, with a few battalions or battalion-equivalent units. In essence, it operates at an operational scale. One of the primary objectives of SGS Fall Weiss is to offer players an interactive understanding of how this historical conflict unfolded, akin to an interactive history book.

Players have the opportunity to maneuver units that participated in the Polish campaign in September and up to October 1939, including forces from Slovakia and the Soviet Union. Players command armored, motorized, cavalry, infantry, and artillery units, as well as armored trains and river flotillas for the Polish side. The respective air forces are also integral to the game. To achieve swift success while minimizing losses, the attacking player must strike a balance in employing air support, armored units, artillery, and regular infantry, all while considering terrain effects like woods, forests, and rivers. Additionally, players must manage the cards in their hand, which simulate tactically successful actions or strategic events, ranging from the bonuses resulting from the use of Pervitin within German units to the increase in Polish replacements due to popular support.

About This Game

The objectives are straightforward. The invaders must capture key strategic objectives, beginning with Warsaw and Lvov. As long as these two cities remained unconquered, Poland would not surrender. The defending player must inflict maximum casualties on the attacker and hold out as long as possible, utilizing terrain effectively and carefully managing reinforcements and replacements to replenish depleted units. The longer the German player delays and suffers losses, the more challenging it becomes to mount a subsequent western offensive (which no one had yet envisioned) on the historically significant date of May 10, 1940. Moreover, by withstanding for an extended period and based on events and cards played, an Allied offensive in the West against less formidable German forces (as the best units would be committed to Poland) could transpire, leading to an automatic German defeat. The Axis forces are formidable, but they must act swiftly, and as time progresses, the Polish player gains the ability to establish increasingly robust defensive positions.

Historically, the promised great Allied offensive of 1940, pledged to Poland two weeks after a possible invasion, never materialized. However, envision, for a moment, a scenario where German forces encountered significant difficulties in Poland, facing an accumulation of unfavorable events for Berlin. Unfavorable weather conditions could also emerge, favoring the defenders. The Soviet invasion, following the German onslaught, further compounds the initial shock. The Polish player faces an additional dilemma: whether to anticipate this invasion and retain substantial forces in the east or to clear the eastern border to rebuild units decimated by the German invasion.