Crete, 20 - 22nd May 1941

Crete, 20 – 22nd May 1941
Designer: Adam Niechwiej
Year of publication: 2024

The game portraits struggle between invading German forces and Allied defenders of Greek island Crete in May 1941. The gameplay shows first 3 days, which decided German success.
Gamers can play small scenarios using boards showing four landing zones. Moreover, there are four variants of landing German forces. Scenarios can be played simultaneously as campaign. This way German player must decide where commit reinforcements. He has elite units in his disposal, but his goals are ambitious.
Main challenge for Allied player is proper action coordination of possessed forces and mounting strong counterattack during first stage of operation. As we know, Allied commanders were unable to do this. Maybe you will perform better?

Contents of the box:
- 4 boards (594 x 420 mm each);
- 432 die-cut counters;
- 4 scenario sheets each of size A4;
- 8 initial setup cards each of size A5;
- 2 players aid cards each of size A3;
- rule book (8 pages).

IMPORTANT: Game does not include a deck of cards, which players have to supply themselves.

Playing time: 2 – 8 hours.
Game is suitable for 2 players from 12 years old upwards.

Main features of the “Great Battles of Small Units” system are:
1. To resolve all of the procedures, players use traditional deck of 52 cards. Thanks to that, cards played at the beginning of the game, influence the final result, as the probability curve is quite different compared to die rolls.

2. During turn, only units of one side can be activated and the initiative is alotted to a player randomly. Probability of having the initiative changes with each turn. It encourages prudence in players and forces them to plan their moves as effectively as only possible because it may be as well that during next turn there won`t be any chance to correct potential mistakes.

3. Random events are involved into a gameplay (like snipers, change of orders etc.) and they can turn the table on players, at the same time bringing the chaotic reality of a battlefield to life.

4. Small modifications to the basic rules allow for depiction of single vehicles and guns that served as an support to combatants.

Thanks to the simplicity of procedures, games that belong to the system are very well suited for players just beginning their adventure with boardgames. Experienced players should find also something to their liking, as they have to decide not only what to do but also how to do it.