The Marne: Home Before the Leaves Fall is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 that is a strategic simulation of the First Battle of the Marne during World War I. The subtitle is attributed to Wilhelm II, who supposedly told German soldiers in August 1914 "You will be home before the leaves fall from the trees." [1]
In the opening days of the First World War, German armies, following the Schlieffen Plan, swept through Belgium and forced the French and British forces into a headlong retreat back to Paris. However, in maneuvering near the Marne River, the German line developed a gap between two armies, exposing their flanks, and the Allied forces exploited that, driving a wedge into the Germans and forcing them to fall back to defensive positions and dig in. Although a French defeat and surrender was averted, the result was four years of industrial trench warfare and millions of casualties. [2]
The Marne is a two-player game in which one player takes the role of the German invaders, trying to avoid their historical defeat, and the other player controls the Allies, trying to re-create their historical victory.
The game box includes:
The game includes two historical scenarios:
These can be combined into one campaign game of 17 turns. In addition, the game includes four "what if?" scenarios that vary the number and variety of German forces.
Each turn represents one day of game time, and takes the classic "I Go, You Go" format, where the German player is active, followed by the Allied player, completing one turn. Each player completes four phases: [3]
This double move and combat turn was unique to SPI games up to this time. [3]
Although units can be stacked three high, reviewers noted that this is impractical due to the wide front to be covered, and also because it might allow enemy units to flank the stack, which would give the attackers a special bonus. [3]
The Marne was designed by John Young, with art and graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen and Manfred F. Milkuhn. Published only two years after the founding of SPI, it was one of the first games to feature SPI's "flatpack" box with an integral counter tray. [4]
In his 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming , Nicholas Palmer noted the "Quick set-up, easy to play, rather simple map, and not a very large number of units, so one of the shorter games (3–4 hours)." Palmer concluded, "The lack of complexity makes it perhaps a little too straightforward to attract great interest." [5]
In Issue 11 of Moves , Martin Campion said the double move and double combat sequence resulted in "a much more fluid game than one usually thinks of in connection with World War I. In fact it is so fluid that the disadvantaged player (the Allies in the first week, the Germans in the second) has little choice but to run like hell for most of the week." He concluded, "The game mechanics are quite simple so the game could be used to introduce new people to wargaming." [3]
Writing a retrospective review in 2014 on the centenary of the Battle of the Marne, Robert Smith said the 42-year old game "plays far better than one might think." He noted the lack of ambiguity in the rules, calling them "as clean as a set of rules of any game from this era." Unlike other World War I games entangled in trench warfare, Smith found "What makes this so much fun is the simple flow of the game. It’s the uncomplicated days of maneuver and open combat in World War One." He concluded with a strong recommendation for readers to look for a used copy, saying, "Few games are as fun, playable and easy to learn on WWI as The Marne." [6]
PanzerArmee Afrika, subtitled "Rommel in the Desert, April 1941 - November 1942", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates the World War II North African Campaign that pitted the Axis forces commanded by Erwin Rommel against Allied forces. The game was revised and republished in 1984 by Avalon Hill.
Blitzkrieg is a strategic-level wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1965 that simulates a non-historical attack by one major power against another using blitzkrieg strategy. It was the first commercial wargame that did not simulate an actual historical battle, and with almost 400 counters, it was a precursor of the "monster" wargames of the 1970s featuring more than a thousand counters.
Battle of the Bulge is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1965 that simulates the World War II battle of the same name. General Anthony McAuliffe (ret.), who had been commanding officer at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, was a consultant during the game's development. The game proved popular and sold over 120,000 copies, but was dogged by criticisms of historical inaccuracies, and was finally replaced by a completely new edition in 1981. A third edition in 1991 was released as part of the Smithsonian American History Series.
War in Europe is a grand strategic "monster" board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that attempts to simulate the entirety of World War II's European theater of operations from 1939 to 1945. One of the largest wargames ever produced, War in Europe features 4000 counters, four rulebooks, and nine maps that when placed together cover an area of 38.5 ft2. The game is nominally a three-player game, but each side can be represented by teams of players. SPI estimated the full game would take at least 180 hours.
Terrible Swift Sword: Battle of Gettysburg Game is a grand tactical regimental level board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. A second edition was published by TSR in 1986.
Conquistador, originally subtitled "The Age of Exploration: 1495–1600", is a board game published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the exploration of the New World in the 16th century. Players take on the role of European countries sending expeditions to find gold and establish colonies. Although the design uses the trappings of board wargames such as a hex map, combat is not a major part of the game.
Armageddon: Tactical Combat, 3000-500 BC is a board wargame first published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 in Strategy & Tactics, then released as a stand-alone game, then reimplemented as Chariot: Tactical Warfare in the "Biblical" Age, 3000-500 BC.
Napoleon's Last Battles is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications in 1976 that simulates the last four battles fought by Napoleon. It was one of SPI's most popular games, and also received many positive reviews.
Firefight: Modern U.S. and Soviet Small Unit Tactics is a tactical wargame originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that hypothesizes combat between small units of American and Soviet forces in West Germany in the 1970s.
Wacht am Rhein is a grand tactical monster board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates Germany's Battle of the Bulge offensive in late 1944 during World War II.
The Battle of Borodino: Napoleon in Russia 1812 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 that is a simulation of the Battle of Borodino during the French invasion of Russia in 1812.
'CA': Tactical Naval Warfare in the Pacific, 1941-45 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates surface naval battles during the Pacific Campaign of the Second World War.
Frederick the Great, subtitled "The Campaigns of The Soldier King 1756-1759", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates several of the campaigns of Frederick the Great in Central Europe during the Seven Years' War. When SPI ran into financial difficulties, they sold the rights to the game to Avalon Hill, who produced a second edition in 1982.
Fulda Gap, subtitled "The First Battle of the Next War", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates a hypothetical attack by Warsaw Pact forces against NATO defenders in West Germany using technology and tactics of the mid-1970s
Global War, subtitled "The War Against Germany and Japan, 1939–45", is a grand strategic and economic board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the entire extent of World War II.
Kursk: Operation Zitadelle is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1971. It was the first wargame to simulate the Battle of Kursk, the large tank battle during World War II.
MechWar '77, subtitled "Tactical Armored Combat in the 1970s", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates hypothetical tank combat in the mid-1970s between various adversaries, using the same rules system as the previously published Panzer '44.
The Moscow Campaign, subtitled "Strike and Counterstrike Russia", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1972 that simulates combat near Moscow during World War II.
1918, subtitled "Operation Michel: March 21–30, Germany's Last Chance in the West", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1970 that simulates Operation Michael, the final German offensive on the Western Front in which they tried to win the war or at least force peace talks before American soldiers started to arrive on the Western Front in force. The game was well received by critics, but did not sell well.
Breitenfeld, subtitled "Triumph of the Swedish System", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the 1642 Battle of Breitenfeld during the Thirty Years' War. Breitenfeld was a free game that appeared in Strategy & Tactics, designed to promote SPI's soon-to-be-launched wargame Thirty Years War. Breitenfeld proved popular and was also published as part of SPI's "folio" series of games.