Pocket General is a strategy game that has a chess like approach to combat units, the strategic depth of conquering the globe and a war game's exciting chances to turn things around with a lucky roll of the dice. And all of it fits in my coat pocket!
This is a 2 player war game that can be played in about 45 minutes.
Set Up
Place the center board between the two players. Note that it is divided into three key areas; the Location world map, the 3 hex battlefield and the recruitment areas.
Decide which country each player will use; Germany or Japan versus Russia or the United States. Place your 11 units on your player card. The card includes details on combat unit values in each Location type and a place to manage your recruited units.
Next, place the Early and Late war markers on the board. These color coded markers show your path to victory. Place your Capital on its space.
Randomly place all the Location hexes on the world map. Now you can see the global map and plan the entire war.
Each player gets one Operations die. See how they have positive and negative numbers? These unique dice have unevenly distributed values, to keep great plans unreliable and ensure the fates of war are always at risk.
Now you are ready to play.
After both players recruit units, Players take turns placing them on the battlefield. There is a lot of depth in this chess like exchange — each unit performs differently in each Location — and you watch your enemy commit troops — so battle is a back and forth struggle to outwit your enemy to get the best dice odds.
Sum the combat values of your units, then roll to resolve combat. Place the Locations you conquer on your war markers to conquer the world.
There are two ways to win. The first is to force capitulation by filling your war markers with conquered locations before your opponent does. The second is to unlock your enemy’s capitol in the late war and take it in combat. This is the most difficult, and most rewarding way, to win.
As the game progresses, Locations needed to complete the war or unlock your enemy’s capitol become critical. With strategy and luck, your plans will lead to victory.
There are ways to feint, redeployment tactics and unique units for each country. Lots of war game in a small box.
