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Combat is, in other words, a bit random, but with the number of dice you roll, it’s rare for the outcome of a fight to end up being significantly different than average, other than times when one or two very wounded or weak units end up fighting each other. When a unit attacks, a die or two is rolled, and if the roll is low enough (how low it needs to depend on the unit, and any modifiers), it inflicts damage on the enemy. Once two armies end up in the same territory, they’ll fight, and both sides keep swinging at each other until one retreats or is killed. Apart from the use of cards, and the choice to retreat, you don’t have any direct inputĬombat is handled with simple dice rolls. It’s also not an incredibly complex game, although there’s enough going on here to give it a good bit of depth. This way of splitting up the turn into parts makes the game feel a lot less overwhelming, as, despite the large scope of it, it’s quite easy to keep track of everything.
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Each turn is split into a series of smaller segments, that you always do in order, like drawing cards, moving planes, moving troops and so on, on a strategic map. This is a turn-based strategy game using a so-called IGOUGO system, that is one side makes its moves, then the other makes its moves, and you repeat this process until the scenario ends. Each scenario has set starting conditions, that is you’ve got a bunch of units on the map, in set locations, and your goal is to use your resources as well as possible, in order to score more victory points than the opposing side. The smaller scenarios are treated as learning scenarios, meant to prepare you for the big one. In Winter War you take control of either Finland, or the Soviet Union, in either one huge scenario that lets you play through the entire war, or a few smaller scenarios, that only deal with small portions of it. While not great looking, the graphics are perfectly serviceable Gameplay In other words, they do exactly what you want them to do in a game like this. Sound effects are also not half bad, and give good feedback to your actions. The game’s soundtrack seems to be made out of stock music, but it’s fitting for the setting and does its job well. The graphics won’t wow anyone, but it’s not bad, and the art that’s used for the map and counters is good. Small numbers represent things like firepower and movement. Units are made up of square counters, that look a lot like the cardboard counters you find in tabletop wargames. You’ve got a map of Finland, and the area of Russia bordering Finland, split up in different named zones.
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Winter War looks like it could be a board game. The stage is set for the upcoming battles Graphics & Sound Germany and Sweden did send some support, while France and Britain drew up a plan that never came into fruition, and their attempts to send military equipment was blocked by Germany. And this despite the fact that no other nation really stepped in to aid Finland.
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But Finland still held out longer and inflicted greater casualties on the Soviet Union than any nation predicted, and the Soviet Union did not gain as much land as they likely had anticipated. The truth is not as glamorous though, Finland ultimately lost the war, and had to sign a peace treaty that was favourable to the Soviet Union. It makes for a great story, where the Finnish underdog beat the massive Soviet Bear (fitting, as Finland was portrayed as a small dog in Soviet propaganda). The popular narrative these days is that the small nation of Finland held back the Soviet army, and won the war. When Finland refused, the Soviet Union invaded. The Soviet Union had demanded that they would get land from Finland, near the southern end of the Finnish/Soviet border, in exchange for less valuable land elsewhere. The winter war took place between November of 1939 and March of 1940. Yep, that’s Finland, alright! Story & Setting