"World War II - What's your favorite era to wargame?" Topic

There are lots of options when it comes to World War II, but which is your favorite era to wargame? You may select more than one.

(a) War breaks out in Europe (1939–40)
(b) Western Europe (1940–41)
(c) Mediterranean (1940–41)
(d) Axis attack on the USSR (1941)
(e) War breaks out in the Pacific (1941)
(f) Axis advance stalls (1942–43)
(g) Allies gain momentum (1943–44)
(h) Allies close in (1944)
(i) Axis collapse, Allied victory (1944–45)

Feel free to elaborate on the specifics as to why you prefer this phase of the war. You may also modify the above time line as it suits you.

H). Because the two sides are evenly matched, save for air power, it makes for interesting games.

g) Balanced period with some of the super weapons not available yet. The eastern front especially is well matched.

H and I. Specifically Western Europe between D-day & VE day.

Damon.

ALL of it.

(f) Axis advance stalls (1942–43)

I like those points where the coin spins and could fall either way.

Not listed, and not historical, I would like to play a Soviet attack on the Third Reich after the partition of Poland. German apologists always maintained that Barbarossa was preemptive, and spoiled a massive drive on western Europe. This would be interesting to game, with the massive but clumsy Soviets going up against the lighter, nimbler Germans on the defensive.

A,B,C,D,F.

I like early to mid-war. Europe/Med/Russia

H & I

G, if I have to pick just one.

H. north west Europe in late '44 or Eastern Front about the same time.

We mostly play 44-45 (Europe and Soviet) but I actually tend to prefer the 1939-41 period. Panzer II, T26 and British Cruiser tanks? Oh yes.

If I can only have one, "G". East front and Sicily type engagements are very interesting. If I can add more then tack on "H" and "I."

Coastal forces in the English Channel, 1939-45
Burma 1944

I enjoy (b) Early War France-Belgium best, but actually don't play it often due to lack of other people being interested – mostly play (f) 1942-43 with emphasis on the Western Desert, then (g) and (h) with (g) being Eastern Front and (g) being mostly northwest Europe

For the past five years I have mostly played northwest Europe 1944

Not sure my periods actually map very well onto the suggestions above. In no particular order the main ones are:

France 1940
Western Desert 1941-42
Tunisa 1942-43
Italy 1943-44
NWE 1944-45
Russian Front 1941-42
Russian Front 1943
Russian Front 1944 (these all really quite different in nature)

If forced to pick just one, NWE 44-45. I'd almost break that down into Normandy (June -August 44), Battle for the Rhine (Sept-Nov 44), The Bulge (Dec 44-Jan 45), Battle for the Rhineland (Feb 45-March 45). Again, all quite different in nature.

I've done very little post March 45, as it is all pretty much over bar the shouting by then although there are a couple of interesting post Rhine crossing actions.

I am much broader in periods, or more specific in some cases. As for Western Front gaming, I really love the Battle for Normandy, D-Day through Cobra, all of that bocage country fighting has always fascinated me and really lends itself well to miniature gaming.

Eastern Front: Anything, from Barbarossa to Berlin, love it all for different reasons. Love early Stalingrad a lot, the autumn, pre-winter fighting. Love Kursk too, and Kharkov, but would gladly game any part of the Eastern Front.

The Pacific interests me too. I am interested in the theater from pretty much 1942 on. The pre-Pearl fighting there doesn't catch my interest that much, but love the island hopping campaign to follow. Loads of opportunities for the game types I like there too.

d, g, h, f – more or less in that order

Mine are East Africa and Western Desert – both in 1941

(C). I lkve the "amateur hour" aspects of the early conflicts.

(c) Mediterranean Naval war only
(e) 1941 The Pacific is a new area of interest of mine
(h) 1944 D-day/Arnhem my favorite battles
(i) 1944–45 Bulge

I run mostly aerial games so I prefer anything before 1944 because the aircraft were evenly matched.

Phil

C and H for me.

My favorite has always been the Normandy campaign, but really, I like any WW2.

Rob

j. Baltic partisan guerilla actions
k. French partisan guerilla actions
l. Polish and Czech partisan guerilla actions

That's is for eras, but my favourite battle is the Battle of Hel, 1939, which falls in (a).

Yes!

Though we wargame;
1940 what if's
1943 Eastern front
1944 Normandy.

1. Italian invasion of Ethiopia.
2. Operation Barbarossa.
3. North Africa.
4. German invasion of Poland.
5. German invasion of France.
6. Allied invasion of Italy.
7. Winter War
8. Fictional: Rommels march on India.
9. Fictional: Allied push from South Africa.
10. Fictional: Japanese invasion of California.

G through I