GDW created its be all-end all set of rules loosely patterned after a series of articles in Wargamer’s Digest. Each army’s organization is carefully worked out on a reduced scale even down to the musical bands. Scale seems intended for 1/72 figures but would work with 1/300th.
The emphasis on organization. The first edition could atomize the organizational structure of a division-sized unit in meticulous detail but later editions dialed this back a bit. Military bands are great but there are really no rules to accommodate them.
The rules are written for 20mm/15mm though can be adapted to smaller scales. Ground scale is 1” = 50 yards. Turns represent 15 minutes. Vehicles and towed weapons represent 4 – 6 of the same. Standard stands 3/4” x 3/4” represent 40 – 60 men represented by 2 figures while half stands represent 10 – 30 men represented by a single figure.
The rules offer a rich variety of terrain, command and control rules requiring order writing, command and staff stands, phases are, in order, command, movement, fire, close fire, morale, and close assault. Fire is simultaneous as is movement. Movement can be interrupted by opportunity fire. There are also advanced rules containing such minutia as engineers, weather, and airborne assault.
Appendix I covers painting (like we need more on the subject) while Appendix II covers campaigns including an example complete with a hex map and 6 individual scenarios for those wishing to leap right in. The action covers American and German forces in the area around Aachen. There are also ever helpful and interesting designer notes and an equally helpful index.
Two scenario books have also been published, Bastogne for western front enthusiasts and Barbarossa for the eastern front. The game is still played with current editions my own first and second GDW editions. http://testofbattle.com/drupal-4.7.4/
