World in Flames by Australian Design Group

World in Flames, a strategic wargame on World War II. The game was first released in 1985, and it has had a new edition, the 8th edition, released nearly 32 years after the first release.

WORLD IN FLAMES, simulates the entire World at War. The nearly 5000, yes 5000 counters represent nearly every military unit, from every country, that saw action in WWII. Counters also represent squadrons of planes and nearly every capital ship that was in existence during the war.

The rule book is nearly 100 pages, and the player’s guide and campaign reference manual runs about another 100 pages. The map of the entire world fits on a nice table about the size of a piece of plywood or 4 foot by 8 foot.

The game stretches from 1939 with the German invasion of Poland to the final victory against Japan in late 1945 played on turns representing two months at a time. The game plays best with four to six Generals, each representing one of the major powers in the war. Players will command not only the armies of the world’s powers at the time, but also must run their economies. Factories must be built, armies raised, tanks and planes and ships must be built before they see action. Game length varies depending on if the entire campaign is played or one of the numerous shorts campaigns are run. The game can last over 100 hours if the full war is played. So if you are playing a couple hours a week the game could take up to a year to complete.

Imported from Australia, the game costs over $150. If you are looking for the ultimate game on WORLD WAR II, World in Flames is your go to game!