War Stories: Red Storm puts you in command of German and Soviet tanks and platoons of vehicles in World War 2, 1942-43. The action is fast and realistic; the system is easy-to-learn. In War Stories you are the commander issuing orders to infantry squads and armored fighting vehicles. Each game presents a scenario using a map with terrain overlays that regulates movement and impacts combat in a unique system that does not require charts or endless modifiers. Players receive a secret set of instructions with hidden deployment and objectives. Unit blocks have a variety of information that regulates their ability to move, fight and remain cool under fire. War Stories also offers "rule breaking" asset and event cards. These enable War Stories to have additional complexity with minimal rules weight: the rules and effects are on the cards themselves. Assets are special equipment, troops, and abilities that a player has access to during the battle, such as machine guns, infiltration units, and the ability to lay mines. Events are random things that happen and create memorable moments on the battlefield such as reinforcements arriving, a gust of wind that starts a wildfire, or a damaged vehicle suddenly brewing up. ages 14+ 1-2 players (Note: there is no solitaire system; it is a normal 2-player wargame, but the publisher printed "1-2 players" on the box) 60 minutes GAME COMPONENTS: - 5 double-sided mapboards - 23 double-sided terrain overlays - 75 painted wooden blocks & stickers to represent vehicles & infantry - 109 counters (vehicle damage, battlefield damage, fog of war, unit, order and ambush markers) - 33 asset cards - 21 event cards - 24 combat chips and 1 cloth drawbag - 2 16-page scenario booklets (one German and one Soviet) - 2 player screens/aids - 1 20-page rule book Also see the sister game released at the same time: War Stories: Liberty Road, set on the Western front.