We shall not capitulate... no never.
We may be destroyed, but if we are,
we shall drag a world with us... a world in flames.
- Adolf Hitler
World in Flames (WiF) is the product of the Australian Design Group ADG. The first edition was printed in 1987. It currently also exist as a beta computer simulation - but purists shun this.
In it's purest form World in Flames is a strategic boardgame describing the military actions during the second world war (1939 to 1945). Up to 6 players can play, and each player is nominated control over a country. The countries playing is China, Japan, the USA, France, the Commonwealth, Germany, Italy and the USSR. China and USA is often played by the same player, as is France and the Commonwealth.
The core rules of WiF is currently in it's 6'th and "final" edition - currently abbreivated WiFfe. Development on add-on packages continues though. The core rules can be expanded with the following packages:
- Asia Aflame
- Includes a lot of territorial units for the Asian map, but also a map of Scandinavia - which replaces the simplified representation given in the original rules.
- Africa Aflame
- Expands the war into southern Africa - both with an African map, but also with colonial troops.
- America In Flames
- This package expands the war into the '50s, given that the fascists win the war of the pacific and European theatres. It includes a huge map of America that is suited for playing the final defence against the invasion.
- Carrier Planes in Flames
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Biplane or Jet : if it ever landed on a carrier, then it's in this pack.
- Days of Decision
- The ultimate politics package, this is so extensive that playing it can be an game for itself. In the latest rules they allow integration into WiFfe - contributing hugely to the overall game. The game now covers from 1936 to 1946, giving the fascist powers more control over how they want world domination to occur.
- Leaders in Flames
- This pack gives a few extra specialised troops - but also some special abilities to each general. Some are better at supply, while other handle blitz tactics with ease.
- Patton in Flames
- This is a post war kit, where Communism continues it's battle against capitalism.
- Pilots in Flames
- As with SiF, the core rules use 250-450 planes per marker. PiF reduces this number so that it is possible to fly smaller air missions - and with more specialised planes.
- Politics in Flames
- This adds rules for political manipulation of smaller countries, and your own. This is a "lite" version of Days of Decision
- Ships in Flames
- Includes a lot of markers for individual ships. The core rules handles ships as taskforces, where the "Yamato" counter includes both the awesome battleship and also some support vessels. SiF makes it possible to create these taskforces individually.
As one can see, WiFfe is a highly modular game - where the complexity is given from the amount of extra rules you are willing to play with. The game itself is possible to finish in under 100 hours, but that requires experienced players.
The game itself is turn-based, where each turn is two months. During this turn you can manage your country's economy to produce more military units, planes or ships. You can also (if playing with politics) pay for certain economic and political options ( gearing up wartime production, incite a coup in a minor country etc). Reinforcements purchased in earlier rounds will also arrive, and there are then several phases of unit movement. How many movement "impulses" you get depend on weather (and luck).
Each unit is represented by a small piece of cardboard, and it is printed with separate combat and movement factors. A naval unit is typically a few destroyers attached to either a aircraft carrier or two battleships, while a aircraft unit represents 250-500 planes. Land units are available as corps and brigade markers.
Sources include ADG's website at www.a-d-g.com.au and the rules freely available there.