Gathering Storm (Inglés)

Gathering Storm, both a Game in its own right and a prequel to GMT’s A World at War, covers the Period from 1935 to the outbreak of World War II, whenever that might be. Like A World at War, Gathering Storm simulates the military, economic, political, diplomatic, research and production preparations for the Second World War, allowing the players to explore what might have happened if:

• Admiral Doenitz had convinced his superiors of the importance of Submarine Warfare in the impending War with Britain.
• Germany had pursued the Z Plan earlier and more consistently.
• The development of the Ural Bomber had been pursued.
• Poland had become a German satellite, rather than resisting German aggression.
• War had broken out over the Sudetenland, or even the remilitarization of the Rhineland.
• Mussolini had given a lower priority to Naval Armaments, to the benefit of the Italian Armor and Air Forces.
• France had extended the Maginot Line.
• De Gaulle’s arguments to expand and strengthen France’s Armor Units had been accepted.
• Britain had rearmed sooner.
• Russia had deferred the Great Purges. Or accelerated them.
• The Spanish Civil War had been won by the Loyalists.
• A Civil War had broken out in Yugoslavia. Or Greece.
• Atomic fission had been discovered earlier.
• The Second World War had begun with a Franco-Italian conflict. Or a French pre-emptive attack on Germany. Or a Russo-German war, with Italy and the Western Allies neutral.
• War comes early. Or later, in 1940 or even 1941.

Gathering Storm can be played as a separate game in a single session, with its own victory conditions, but A World at WarPlayers will want to press on and see how the War they have created plays out. While using different mechanics, Gathering Storm’s structure is consistent with A World at War and allows for a seamless transition to whatever alternate war the players planned, or stumbled into. Some 30 years in development, with 3 years of design and playtesting, Gathering Storm, includes the following:

• 6 random Events each turn, providing unlimited replay value.
• Economics based on tiles and activity counters, eliminating any paperwork.
• Flexible mobilization rules, allowing Players to emphasis civilian or military production, each at the expense of the other.
• Unit construction which allows Players to activate Reserve Units for immediate benefits, at a cost of limiting future options.
• Variable research, which can focus on air, naval, military or intelligence projects, as well as short or long term gains.
• A fast-moving Diplomatic System, with each Player allocating Diplomatic Counters each turn. Diplomatic Targets are public, but the points allocated to them are not.
• Shipbuilding that allows varied Fleets, including the possibility of 5-factor Super Battleships.
• Ahistorical A World at WarCounters, including Armor Units of different strengths and additional Ships.
• A dynamic Crisis System, in which the Allies can appease or oppose the Axis, with neither side necessarily being certain whether war might break out.
• No Dice.

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