Advanced Third Reich

Lore & Background

Strategic warfare units became cheaper and more plentiful, with combat each turn. U-boats were more effective if Germany controlled French Atlantic ports or Gibraltar, but effectiveness diminished over time. Allied fleets could be placed in the SW box as ASW factors. Germany could send raiders like Graf Spee or Bismarck. Separate British and Soviet partisans were included, with only one of each kind built per country per turn. Each partisan behind Axis lines destroyed 1 enemy BRP per turn. Germany suffered oil effects if deprived of oil from Ploesti. Only Limited Supply could be traced from minor or colonial capitals. Key Economic Areas caused loss of BRPs if enemy-controlled. Diplomacy allowed allocation of Diplomacy Points to influence minor countries, with a companion rule booklet detailing options. Japan's activity could affect US entry speed.

Reader's Guide

Advanced Third Reich represents a significant evolution in World War II board wargaming, refining the mechanics of its predecessor to enhance both playability and historical simulation. Its introduction of cumulative defence modifiers, overruns, and limited offensives shifted the balance toward offensive action, particularly for Germany in the early years, while seasonal restrictions on the Eastern Front maintained historical constraints. The detailed naval and strategic warfare systems, including interception, air attacks on fleets, and U-boat effectiveness tied to port control, added depth to the maritime and economic dimensions of the game. The diplomacy system, with its secret allocation of points and a wide range of possible outcomes, emphasized the importance of political maneuvering, as the main rules noted that the worst blunders a player could make were diplomatic rather than military. The inclusion of separate British and Soviet partisans, oil effects, and limited supply from minor capitals further increased strategic complexity. Overall, Advanced Third Reich consolidated and expanded upon years of player feedback and design development, offering a comprehensive simulation of the European and African theatres.

Did You Know?

• The map was repainted by Charlie Kibler, showing most land in a slightly odd desert yellow color.
• Soviet units are red rather than brown, though the rules wrongly insist on calling them 'Russian'.
• Helsinki became a port, removing the need for Germany to place a corps there at the open.
• Britain has 5 submarine factors in Malta, which operate as if they were naval factors.

Origins & Design Philosophy

Advanced Third Reich, released in 1992, stands as a significant evolution in the World War II board wargame genre. Designed by Bruce Harper, the title simulates the European and African theatres of the conflict and was published by Avalon Hill before the license was sold to Hasbro. The company marketed it as the ultimate World War II strategy game. Rather than an entirely new creation, A3R functions as a thorough reworking of the 1974 title Rise and Decline of the Third Reich. Over roughly a decade, players and commentators contributed suggestions through The General, and Harper incorporated and developed those published ideas. The result was a game designed to improve both ease of play and historical realism, addressing the limitations of its predecessor while preserving the broad strategic scope that had defined the original.

Land Warfare & Historical Realism

The land combat system in A3R underwent significant restructuring to better reflect the realities of the 1939–1945 war. A newly painted map by artist Charlie Kibler expanded the playing area to include Iraq and Kuwait, while reclassifying Helsinki as a port to eliminate the requirement for Germany to station a corps there at the start. Perhaps most importantly, the setup sequence was revised so that Germany no longer places its forces last, removing the ability to launch implausibly devastating opening strikes on France or Yugoslavia. Defensive mechanics were overhauled: Defence Modifiers now stack cumulatively, meaning a unit sheltered in mountains behind a river enjoys a quadrupled defense rather than merely a tripled one. Offensive capabilities were enhanced through the introduction of overrun attacks during movement, though the Eastern Front remains constrained by seasonal mud and an annual Russian Winter die roll that limits Germany to a two-season attack window. The French player faces a particularly grim early war, as one of her five-factor air wings does not become available until Summer 1940, rendering her defeat by that point nearly unavoidable.

Naval & Air Combat Revolution

The naval and air combat systems in A3R represent a dramatic departure from the static exchanges of its predecessor. A new, more dynamic combat table allows individual naval factors to be damaged before being sunk, adding a layer of attrition beyond simple elimination. Naval engagement became far more frequent because strategic redeployment and sea escort operations can now be intercepted, with interception triggering automatically within four hexes—the range at which aircraft are considered active. The interception rules grow complex, as intercepting forces themselves may be intercepted, creating cascading chains of engagement. Air power against the sea was substantially strengthened: air factors may strike a moving fleet once per hex traversed within range, and a full five-factor air unit can inflict lethal damage on a passing convoy. Naval units gain a defensive roll before each air attack round, which can destroy or force the abort of attacking aircraft, meaning small air raids are unlikely to succeed. Naval reconstruction proceeds each turn without delay, though each major power faces shipyard capacity limits, such as Britain rebuilding one factor in Canada and two at Rosyth per turn.

Strategic Warfare & Logistics

Beyond tactical hex-level combat, A3R introduced a more granular strategic warfare and logistics layer. Strategic warfare units became cheaper and more numerous, with combat occurring every turn rather than intermittently. Each turn, only a quarter of these units are committed, and a die roll determines the percentage of maximum possible BRP losses inflicted. Countries suffering these losses see their Strategic Resources reduced, a penalty that particularly affects Britain during the mid-game. U-boat effectiveness is directly tied to territorial control: Germany holding the French Atlantic ports boosts submarine output, while also controlling Gibraltar amplifies it further, though this advantage erodes over time. Allied fleets stationed in the Southwest box each count as anti-submarine warfare factors, though U-boats can eliminate them in combat without sinking the parent fleets. Germany may also dispatch small groups of naval factors as raiders, evoking vessels like the Graf Spee or Bismarck, and if they slip past interception they can engage Allied naval factors in the strategic warfare box, disrupting convoy protection. Separate British and Soviet partisan units, distinguished by color, were also added to the game.