Do we need a Western Front blow-up board?

  • Customizer

    Things have got to an almost unmanageable pass on my board along the line of the Western Front from Belgium to Naples. Small tts crowded with multiple stacks from multinational armies are beginning to over-spill and who belongs where could be forgotten if thing get any worse along this largely stabilized frontier. The fact that the board’s two halves join together along this line does not help.

    I’m beginning to think that either army boards/markers or a blow-up of this section of the board is needed to keep control.

    Any other solutions?


  • Could use task force markers from A&A Pacific.

  • Customizer

    Don’t have that.

    I’ve found some stand up six-pointed stars in various colours I can use as army markers, now I need to fashion some boards.

    I think I’ll also revert to dominoes for transport ships.


  • Well, if you don’t have the official task force markers, then you could just fashion your own like you are saying.  It is just difficult to glance at the board and realize what is in each territory sometimes.

  • Customizer

    Just a basic layout of blowup boxes. Does this cover it, or will it need a wider area?

    WestfrontBlowup.PNG
    WestfrontBlowup2.PNG


  • You kidding me? Nobody will use that but all the luck to them if they do.


  • If your western front are crowded then you play it wrong. Solutions may be:

    • Stick to pure infantry buys.
    • Let UK and US take responsibility for Belgium and Picardy, and France for the rest of the front. Dont cross fit.
    • Buy more navy

  • Um, aren’t you supposed to use multi-national forces to defend with?  And Artillery with air support are better in defense than plain infantry.  Are you joking Razor?


  • Yes, you can use multi national forces for defence, and you can buy artillery, tanks and aircrafts too, but then the territories got crowded for sure

  • Customizer

    Nobody is going to leave areas weak because there’s no physical room for the pieces!

    We need another solution.

    Another I’ve been thinking about is to simply use chips to represent all units of a power so, depending on how many chips you can hold of, you’d have something like:

    light blue/grey - infantry
    red - artillery
    dark blue - fighters
    brown - tanks

    All stacked together with the obligatory infantry unit to top it off.

    So 3 or 4 tall stacks rather than 10 or 12 medium ones. Fit better, but easier to knock over…

    Anyway next game I’ve decided to use old style chips as:

    grey - infantry

    red - artillery

    green - tanks

    white - fighters

    I have more, and they’re more distinct than the new chip colours.


  • Marshaling cards

    I use odd numbered ones for the CP
    and even numbered for the Allies

    So if a tt has only one marshaling card number in it; it is not contested (odd = CP, even = Allies)
    If a tt has 2 card numbers on it; it is contested

    Pretty simple solution

  • Customizer

    I think I prefer a box for each tt with all units lined up opposing each other.


  • Country specfic chips so you could stack multiple nations units under one nations piece? So, I may have a French infantry on top but below him is a stack of Light green(british)dark green(American) and blue(French) chips that represent a multinational infantry force. Then repeat for all your armies and bamn you only ever have one stack of every unit type for your side in a territory. I agree that as the game goes on the Western front becomes an almost impossible pile of every western nation packed into three or four territories.

    Sadly with eight nations it would be expensive for all of these chips and you would have to find spray paint that somewhat matches the nations in order to make these nation specific chips, but who cares if you really want to solve the problem on a game you have already paid a hundred bucks for.


  • I use Counters from Paths of Glory & Fatal Alliances for the Board & only set up
    the figs on the Battle Board.Of course our pimped out version we play is rather
    far from the base game but it solves the over packed TT problem.


  • @Old:

    I use Counters from Paths of Glory & Fatal Alliances for the Board & only set up
    the figs on the Battle Board.Of course our pimped out version we play is rather
    far from the base game but it solves the over packed TT problem.

    Do you have any pics?


  • Just invade Switzerland then the front will be more spread out ;)

  • Customizer

    Been there. Done that. Same problem.

    I’m focusing on the idea of using marshaling cards, but each card represents a region and has trenches on either side and no-man’s land in the middle.

    Don’t need chips for each nation, just a colour for each piece type topped off with an infantry.

    @italiansarecoming:

    Just invade Switzerland then the front will be more spread out ;)


  • Flashman you should really try this, it works great, doesnt clutter and doesnt require tons of new chips/colors or other peices.
    All you need is a set of Marshaling cards (10 is more than enough for me-i dont think ive used more than 6 yet in 4 games)

    @Uncrustable:

    Marshaling cards

    I use odd numbered ones for the CP
    and even numbered for the Allies

    So if a tt has only one marshaling card number in it; it is not contested (odd = CP, even = Allies)
    If a tt has 2 card numbers on it; it is contested

    Pretty simple solution

  • Customizer

    Again, I prefer a card = a contested tt, so I can immediately see the balance of forces in any given region.


  • @Flashman:

    Again, I prefer a card = a contested tt, so I can immediately see the balance of forces in any given region.

    2 cards = contested
    1 card = not contested

    odd = CP
    even = Allies

    You will rarely use more than 5 or so cards, so you can ‘immediately see the balance’

    Keep the cards that are in contested tts next to each, other off the board, so you can see the ‘balance of forces’
    Put cards near where they are on the map, off the board

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