For all impatient Readers 🙂 direct link to the campaign immediately:

I am really glad to inform you guys about very interesting crowdfunding campaign which just started. Assault Sicily 43 “Gela Beachhead” is the second volume in a series of tactical-level wargames where players lead historical units into battles during the landing and airborne operations around Gela Beachhead in July 1943. Americans, Italians and Germans fight bitterly for the back door of Sicily as a launch pad for the invasion of the continent.

So, what do we get? The scenarios and included dynamic campaign (with different path to victory depending on results) show the fierce and brutal fighting in the early days of the landing. US Rangers and Airborne soldiers face Italians and German counterattacks by Panzergrenadiers and the Hermann Göring Division, supported by the 504th Heavy Panzer detachment (with some cool tanks of course!). What is more, you can also courageously lead assaults on Italian positions by the American airborne troops of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment dropped the night before the landings – this is in separate scenario series. 

Click on below photos to see the game components.

Game features

Let me share now some game features – with my comments – which will provide more details about the title:

  • The best way to play the game is with 2 players, although 4 is also well accommodated; the title will also be solitaire friendly – which is a great way to learn the system.
  • As for the scale, you will have squad and team level infantry units plus individual vehicles and artillery pieces.
  • Depending on the scenario, the turn should take from 5 to 20 minutes, with the total game time of 1 up to 3 hours – so easily to play couple of battles in one sitting.
  • There is a separate set of well-designed optional rules, which can make your experience even more realistic and demanding – but also enjoyable!
  • The game is highly replayable – due to forces draft and set-up at the beginnings of the scenarios.
  • What is worth mentioning, this position can be played in campaign mode, where result of each scenario impacts the next; on top of this we have experience and unit depletion mechanics – cool elements, making it almost a legacy game experience 🙂

Rulebook

One of the best ways to familiarize with the game and answer the question if this title is for me, is to have a look at its rules. Below link to the pre-production rulebook which will tell you more details (click to open in the new window):

Short impressions from me

I had enormous pleasure to play Assault Sicily 43 live with the designer – Wolfgang – during the Essen 2023 fair. He was able to explain rules like in 10-15 minutes, and many of those on the fly – that shows how intuitive the system is. What I really liked the most – after we played one, whole scenario – is that you do not have multitude of roll modifications, etc. but simply four color-coded dice with deferent hit distribution – when you need to take into account the hindrance, cover, protection, etc. you simply take additional dice. That speeds up the gameplay enormously.

Another element is how beautiful the game looked like – even the prototype – and the fact the board was not too crowded with counters. Also, the morale element – which decides about victory in the game – is nicely intertwined into game mechanics, making this even more exciting.

You may ask – why should I get this game? Well, I think I provided a lot of information above, but one additional thing stands out – enormous passion from the creators and direct access to them should you have questions to the game, system, components, etc. The personal touch is something which will you not experience with large, multi-title companies. Here you have it assured!

Check the campaign and decide for yourself – strongly recommended:

Enjoy!