General Orders: World War II by the design duo of David Thompson and Trevor Benjamin and published by Opsrey Games (2023) is a very welcome addition to the RockyMountainNavy Lite Family War Games Collection now sitting alongside great titles like 1754: Conquest – The French and Indian War (Academy Games, 2017) and War Chest (AEG, 2018) amongst others. I enjoy playing this tabletop strategy war game even though is has a very light theme. The use of a non-traditional wargame mechanism—worker placement—works better than I expected in this war game with a very Eurogame-feeling design where the game mechanisms clearly dominate over theme.
On the back of the box Osprey Games makes it clear they categorize General Orders: World War II as a “wargame.” Specifically, the game is called a “Worker Placement Wargame – Historical.” As the publisher’s blurb reads, “This compact and elegant two-player game combines the dynamic tactical gameplay of a traditional wargame with the sharp decision making of worker-placement games.” Based on the publisher’s blurb I originally categorized General Orders: World War II as a wargame in my collection. Then I read the rules and played the game and found myself questioning that decision.
Wartime work
As noted by Osprey Games the core game mechanism in General Orders: World War II is worker placement. This is not a game mechanism I usually associate with wargames. The BoardGameGeek (BGG) glossary defines worker placement as:
n. A term used to describe the game mechanic which involves a “token-based, turn-limited, locking action selection menu.” Players, in turn order, place tokens (aka workers) to select various actions presented on a board, cards, tiles, etc. Once an action is selected, it usually cannot be selected again on that round. Often players may think of this as a supervisor deploying workers on various jobs. A very popular game mechanic used in many recent games such as: Agricola, Caylus, Stone Age, Pillars of the Earth, etc.
BGG Glossary “worker placement”
In General Orders: World War II, the “workers” are called “commander tokens.” The sequence of play (called “How to Play” in the small rulebook) is built around deploying and then recalling commanders. When a commander token is placed on a space, be it on the map or support board, the player takes that action. Like many worker placement games once a commander/worker is placed then that space cannot be used by the opponent (though there are certain operations cards that allow an exception).
In what may be a surprise to some grumbling Grognards, I think the worker placement game mechanism in General Orders: World War II actually works. In this game the players must devise and implement a strategy to control territory. The actions at their disposal are triggered by placing their commander token so their forces (i.e. troop or aircraft tokens) can Advance, Fly, or Paradrop or perform a Barrage or Bomb action in support. The player can also choose to Reinforce/Take Off (place troop or aircraft tokens on the board) or Plan (draw cards from the operations deck).
In what may also be a surprise to some gamers, General Orders: World War II includes rules for supply. Those rules are very simple; for a token to be in supply (i.e. able to act) the player must control the area and that area must in turn be connected to your HQ through an unbroken line of areas you control. The rule is so simple it doesn’t get in the way of game play yet still creates some welcome decision complexity.
As befits a wargame, General Orders: World War II has a combat mechanism. Again, the game mechanism is very simple if not a bit untraditional—at least from some Grognards perspective. Conflicts are resolved in a two-step process:
- Defense Roll – The defender rolls one die (two if they control the air zone) and remove a number of attacking troop/aircraft tokens equal to the roll.
- Attrition – Players remove troop/aircraft token simultaneously one-for-one until at least one player has no tokens remaining in the space.
The combination of the worker placement game mechanism as well as the rules for control/supply and combat conflict makes General Orders: World War II very easy to learn. But don’t let that ease of learning deceive you; the game calls for strategic planning though not in an overly complex way.
A very general World War II
General Orders: World War II calls itself a wargame of the Second World War. There are two “game modes” included in the box; players can chose to fight in Alpine or Island game mode.
The game tokens used in General Orders: World War II are abstract representations of military forces. The two colors clearly represent two sides but nowhere are belligerents named even in a general “Allies” or “Axis” manner.
The tokens and map in General Orders: World War II try to be somewhat evocative of World War II but, frankly, the theme is so thin the game could simple be called General Orders dropping the subtitle. I also cannot un-see the post-World War II looking angled-deck aircraft carrier with propless aircraft on the Island mode map. I’m sure most of the target audience of General Orders: World War II will never notice that small detail but for me it ruins the illusion of being of a particular timeperiod. Understand that when I see that aircraft carrier I don’t like the game of General Orders: World War II any less, I just see it as another reason I am confident this is a war game where game mechanisms trump theme.
The use of the term “game mode” and lack of named belligerents in General Orders: World War II is symbolic of just how abstract the game actually is. A short historical note on the last page of the rulebook tries to connect the game to World War II, but it undercuts itself with its own words when it says, “Whilst actions and settings are historically based, this is not a simulationist game. The core mechanic of worker placement is an obvious abstraction from the choices available to generals at the time.”
Another reason that General Orders: World War II feels like a boardgame is the language it uses. As already mentioned there are not scenarios but “modes.” Players don’t fight or command they instead, “take on the role of a general.” Even in a game with the word “orders” in the title players “Deploy” and “Recall” commanders. When advancing, your troop tokens “Move in” and “Resolve Conflict.” When a troop token or aircraft is lost in conflict, it is simply placed in your “Reserve.” Taken as a whole, this is a very family-friendly set of terms highly suitable for a war game.
General Orders of play
Personally, I enjoy playing wargames to help me to study and learn more about conflicts or the art of war. General Orders: World War II, however, neither advances my knowledge of historical conflicts nor enlightens my study of warfare. It is, however, a fun GAME to play with my family and friends. General Orders: World War II is a well-designed tabletop strategy boardgame that challenges your thinking in a not overly-complex manner. It has rightfully earned a place in my rotation of lite family war games.
Feature image courtesy RMN
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Awaiting my copy now…
Patience…