14 DAY TRIAL // Army Command plans to retreat the Grossdeutschland division in a few turns, so I plan to use them as much as possible until then. The idea is to punch through Soviet lines towards the Caucasus, using a mobile force, then swoop in infantry to hold the line and try to move past the actual mountains. The more mobile elements will then swing North, moving to the Stalingrad engagement, It will draw reinforcements both from the Axis and the USSR, and a mobile reserve will be needed. Let’s hope that Italian and Romanian forces can occupy some segments of the line while my elite troops focus on the big objective.
Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2: Steel Inferno is developed by 2by3 Games and published by Slitherine Ltd. This is the first downloadable content pack for the hex-driven military strategy title. It enhances variety by introducing two new full campaigns and eight scenarios.
The two long campaigns focus on 1943 and 1944, the first centered around Germany’s last chance to seize the initiative, and the second focused on the Soviet all-out assaults that gets them to Berlin. Both are big and filled with details, but don’t necessarily deliver anything that the base game lacks.
The most interesting elements of Steel Inferno are the scenarios with a lot of alternate history potential. Race for the Caucasus and Case Blue Phase II, both normal and alternate, allowing German players to try and do better than the Wehrmacht in the Southern theater.
Kutuzov to Bagration gives Soviet players the challenge of taking down Army Group Center as quickly as they can, possibly one year earlier than in the real world. A similar idea is explored in Western Ukraine 43-44 for another offensive operation. All the new scenarios display plenty of attention to detail and feature interesting tactical situations.
War in the East 2 is a classic hex and turn-based wargame. Players control unit movement, air force actions, as well as supply, reinforcements, and replacements (some can be delegated to the computer).
Achieving campaign and scenario objectives requires good planning, an understanding of the historical context and operational parameters, and a good grasp of strategy and tactics. Securing rail lines and air bases is important, flanks require protection, and breakthroughs are worthless with no reserves.
Steel Inferno might offer smaller scenarios, but the core game ideas still take time to absorb and apply as needed. The game is rewarding and fun but it does ask players to give it time and plenty of attention. Presentation is one of the areas where War in the East 2 failed to improve significantly on its predecessor and Steel Inferno adds little clarity. This is no visual feast but it does simulate and present a lot of info. Playing with the manual open is the best way ensuring one gets all the details the game features. The soundtrack is orchestral and well-suited to the Eastern Front.
Conclusion
But this game will probably never attract players who don’t already love the formula, which is a shame. The developers should use future content to make it easier for strategy fans to try and see the fun that such a deep set of mechanics can offer. Until then, Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2 is the most complex representation of the biggest theater of World War II, and Steel Inferno adds hundreds of hours' worth of campaigns and scenarios.
A review code was provided by the publisher.
