At long last, this project is complete. Protracted testing (and family health issues for me) led to seemingly interminable delays, and getting the semi-abstract land campaign right held up matters at the end. Developer Andrew Brazier and I feel the game is finally ready for publication, however, and with luck it will find its way into the production queue ere too long.

One of the early challenges was working the degree of surprise into the design. The Decision at Sea system does a good job allowing tactical surprise through its unique reconnaissance system, but a game allowing for the historical “what ifs” demands more. N40 delivers this, both strategically and operationally, without adding new mechanisms.

At the strategic level, both sides were prepared to invade and occupy Norway in early 1940, with identical goals of securing access to Swedish iron ore production for themselves and denying it to the enemy. The Allies intended to justify their landings by claiming they were to support Finland against the Soviets, and British troops were already embarking when the Finnish armistice with the Soviets on 13 March deprived them of their political cover. This caused the cancellation of Operation AVONMOUTH, which would have occupied Narvik (Operation STRATFORD, a complimentary scheme to occupy ports in central and southern Norway, had already been scrapped). The Germans proceeded more methodically with planning for Operation WESERÜBUNG (‘Weser Exercise’), and were ready to invade Norway with six divisions (and Denmark with two more), over 500 aircraft, and virtually the entire Kriegsmarine when Hitler gave the order on 2 April.

Suspecting that a German attack on Norway might be in the offing, the Allies had prepared a two-part pre-emptive action. Operation WILFRED would mine the Inner Leads to deny passage to German ore ships in Norwegian territorial waters and provoke German reaction. Plan R4 was to land troops at Narvik, Trondheim, Bergen, and Stavanger upon clear evidence of an impending German invasion. But despite warnings from Swedish and other sources, neither the Norwegians nor the British were aware that Axis invasion forces were already at sea when the Operation WILFRED forces got underway on 5 April. Not until Coastal Command aircraft sighted and attacked German warships in the North Sea on 7 April were Home Fleet units dispatched to intervene. The Norwegian response was even more hesitant:  they protested the laying of WILFRED minefields the morning of 9 April without interfering and, famously, began mobilization with notices sent by mail.

Norway 1940 reflects the uncertain timing and conflicting plans by using its own unique Special Conditions Table. The players’ secret chit draws before the Invasion Scenario and Campaign start determine when the Royal Navy’s WILFRED, R4, and Home Fleet response forces may leave port, when the German naval forces sail and when their invasion occurs, and what, if any, German heavy ships may attempt to break out into the Atlantic. They also provide a modifier to German surprise rolls when they attack a port, reflecting potentially better or worse local Norwegian readiness. Because a pre-emptive Allied invasion would effectively eliminate Axis prospects for success, there is less than a 4% chance of this happening. Still, the range of variation keeps both players guessing on where opposing forces are going and when they’re likely to get there, and careful planning by both sides is essential for success.

Operationally, Scenario Special Rules promote uncertainty for both sides. For example, in the initial German invasion, the Surprise rules allow the range of local Norwegian responses from confusion and passive acceptance to stout resistance. In the Operation SICKLE scenario, the Axis player won’t know if the Allies are required to reinforce their lodgment at Åndalsnes or if they must subsequently evacuate, as these are determined by secret Allied chit draw. Similarly, in the Operation JUNO scenario, the Axis player won’t know if the Allies are evacuating newly-captured Narvik or reinforcing it, while the Allies can’t be certain if the Germans are attempting to occupy Iceland, break out into the Atlantic, interdict Allied traffic to and from Norway, or some combination.

In the Campaign Scenario, the players themselves make many of these decisions without their opponent knowing. But higher command may still dictate that the Allies must bombard a German-occupied port, or that the Axis must send a supply convoy to a port in Norway. And unlike in PQ-17, there are many destinations and objectives towards which forces may be directed, so trying to unravel your opponent’s plan is crucial.

In the next installment I’ll describe some of the new rules required to address more of the unique aspects of the Norwegian campaign.

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