Background
Malta Besieged is a solitaire strategy boardgame covering the epic World War Two struggle between the British Commonwealth (Allies) and Germany and Italy (Axis) in the Mediterranean Theater during 1940-1942. The game uses a very original game system and works well. The game was published by Victory Point Games but seems to be unavailable now.
Malta Besieged is a solitaire strategy boardgame covering the epic World War Two struggle between the British Commonwealth (Allies) and Germany and Italy (Axis) in the Mediterranean Theater during 1940-1942. The game uses a very original game system and works well. The game was published by Victory Point Games but seems to be unavailable now.
Allied Objectives
The Allies’ strength are Resource Quantities and Fortification Levels, so these must be kept as high as possible. For victory, the Allies must hold on to Malta, Tobruk, Alexandria and Cairo.
Axis Objectives
The Axis strategy is driven by five Fronts, Regia Aeronautica, Regia Marina, Luftwaffe, U-boats and Regio Esercito/Africa Korps. Each time the defences of Malta are breached, a check is made to too see if Operation Herkules is launched and Malta invaded.
Scenarios
There are three epochs, Early (1940) , Middle (1941) and Late (1942) each with a card deck. These epochs are played in order.
Game Play
I borrowed Malta Besieged from a friend and played three games in all. Results of the first two was Strategic Setback and finally a Draw. I really enjoyed playing the game and it was very interesting from the historical aspect too, especially in view of me actually residing in Malta.
History
For those who would like to research this military period further, I am listing the cards by number. I played the first game in this sequence, which is the historical one. One will notice the large numbers of air, land and sea operations and other events influencing this military theater over the three years. Quite fascinating really.
Early Epoch 1940
1. Faith, Hope and Charity
2. The Fall of France
3. Operation Catapult
4. Battle of Calabria
5. Operation Hurry
6. Operation Hats
7. Italians Invade Egypt
8. Italians Invade Greece
9. Operation Judgement
10. Battle of Cape Spartivento
11. Operation Compass
12. Fliegerkorps X
13. Operation Excess
14. Air Defences Reorganized
15. Malta Gets Mined
Middle Epoch 1941
16. Rommel Arrives
17. Resupply From Alexandria
18. Battle of Cape Matapan
19. Malta Reinforced
20. Evacuation From Greece
21. Operation Tiger
22. Air Assault on Crete
23. Bletchley Park
24. Barbarossa
25. Operation Substance
26. Operation Status I/II
27. Operation Halberd
28. Force ‘K’
29. Ark Royal Sunk
30. Operation Crusader
31. First Battle of Sirte
32. Black Winter
Late Epoch 1942
33. Rommel Attacks
34. Invasion Looms
35. Operation Exile
36. Second Battle of Sirte
37. Operation Calendar
38. Operation Bowery
39. Battle of Gazala
40. Operation Harpoon
41. The Fall of Tobruk
42. First Battle of El Alamein
43. A Change of Command
44. Operation Pedestal
45. Battle of Alam El Halfa
46. Second Battle of El Alamein
47. Operation Stoneage
48. Operation Torch
49. Eighth Army Advances
I like this game so much that I have succumbed to ordering Zulus on the Ramparts!, a game using a similar design approach.
The Allies’ strength are Resource Quantities and Fortification Levels, so these must be kept as high as possible. For victory, the Allies must hold on to Malta, Tobruk, Alexandria and Cairo.
Axis Objectives
The Axis strategy is driven by five Fronts, Regia Aeronautica, Regia Marina, Luftwaffe, U-boats and Regio Esercito/Africa Korps. Each time the defences of Malta are breached, a check is made to too see if Operation Herkules is launched and Malta invaded.
Scenarios
There are three epochs, Early (1940) , Middle (1941) and Late (1942) each with a card deck. These epochs are played in order.
Game Play
I borrowed Malta Besieged from a friend and played three games in all. Results of the first two was Strategic Setback and finally a Draw. I really enjoyed playing the game and it was very interesting from the historical aspect too, especially in view of me actually residing in Malta.
History
For those who would like to research this military period further, I am listing the cards by number. I played the first game in this sequence, which is the historical one. One will notice the large numbers of air, land and sea operations and other events influencing this military theater over the three years. Quite fascinating really.
Early Epoch 1940
1. Faith, Hope and Charity
2. The Fall of France
3. Operation Catapult
4. Battle of Calabria
5. Operation Hurry
6. Operation Hats
7. Italians Invade Egypt
8. Italians Invade Greece
9. Operation Judgement
10. Battle of Cape Spartivento
11. Operation Compass
12. Fliegerkorps X
13. Operation Excess
14. Air Defences Reorganized
15. Malta Gets Mined
Middle Epoch 1941
16. Rommel Arrives
17. Resupply From Alexandria
18. Battle of Cape Matapan
19. Malta Reinforced
20. Evacuation From Greece
21. Operation Tiger
22. Air Assault on Crete
23. Bletchley Park
24. Barbarossa
25. Operation Substance
26. Operation Status I/II
27. Operation Halberd
28. Force ‘K’
29. Ark Royal Sunk
30. Operation Crusader
31. First Battle of Sirte
32. Black Winter
Late Epoch 1942
33. Rommel Attacks
34. Invasion Looms
35. Operation Exile
36. Second Battle of Sirte
37. Operation Calendar
38. Operation Bowery
39. Battle of Gazala
40. Operation Harpoon
41. The Fall of Tobruk
42. First Battle of El Alamein
43. A Change of Command
44. Operation Pedestal
45. Battle of Alam El Halfa
46. Second Battle of El Alamein
47. Operation Stoneage
48. Operation Torch
49. Eighth Army Advances
I like this game so much that I have succumbed to ordering Zulus on the Ramparts!, a game using a similar design approach.
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