HoldFast: North Africa 1941-1942

Holdfast North Africa takes the Holdfast system and turns it loose in the desert with Rommel and Montgomery.

As 1941 opened Great Britain had its back against the wall. Thrown out of Europe by Germany, its military’s only bright spot was defending Egypt against the Italians. Then Germany’s General Erwin Rommel arrived in the desert and began the legend of the Africa Korps. Rommel came within miles of severing the colonial life line of the British and crippling its Empire.

Now you are in Command reliving the great campaigns of World War II desert warfare. Fast tanks, steady infantry and grand sweeping movements across the desert to trap and confuse your opponents were the tactics of the campaigns. But supply limits how far you can go and the choices you must make.

The game has the campaign game that covers the North Africa action from March 1941 through December 1942 and one shorter campaign game from January 1942 through December 1942.

The game uses the highly rated Holdfast Russia game system (8.10 overall average on Boardgamegeek) with short playing time, fog of war, easy to learn mechanics and deep strategy. Some game player comments on Holdfast Russia:

Each box game of Holdfast North Africa comes with a 34″ x 11” sturdy game map, blocks, labels, and dice. For 1-2 players ages 13+ . Average playing time is 2 hours or less.

The game uses simple mechanics, with deep strategy and with a highly interactive turn sequence where both players participate in the combat and affect the results. Units move faster and further in this campaign.

One of the key elements in the game is the affect of Malta on the Axis supply situation. Every month it has the potential to greatly reduce Axis supplies which affects Axis operations of outfitting reduced units, movement and combat. Critical to the Axis player is how to use his air power. He can use it to support his operations in the desert to to neutralize Malta, not both. Malta was the most bombed location on earth during WWII.