Blackshirt - The Italian Invasion of Egypt, 1940

Please note that this is a DTP (Desk Top Publishing) game designed on a desktop computer and all components, including the counters which will have to be cut and mounted, are printed on paper. These are designed by some very well-known designers and are a low cost alternative to today's professionally produced games. On rare occasions, some of these games are reproduced by other companies with higher quality components including die-cut counters but most of them are not. If you believe this game to have a professionally produced version, please contact us with your inquiry and we will help you to locate it if it does indeed exist.

Blackshirt, The Italian Invasion of Egypt, 1940, is a game covering Italy’s invasion of Egypt, before Rommel came to rescue them from their folly. This game uses an updated, and slightly expanded, version of the Bitter Victory game system: no CRT, buckets o’ dice, and cards...a totally new approach to gaming battles that can be learned in five minutes and played in 2-3 hours.

Most of the rules and mechanics will be familiar to anyone who has ever played a wargame. BSO Games, however, has added to this simplicity a combat system that rates units for how many dice they get to roll on their behalf, as well as what kind of dice (small arms or Heavy Weapons). No CRTs, no siree!

The game also uses cards, one deck (of 10) for each player (whose cards are somewhat different from those of the other player) to enhance the game. (They don't "drive" the game and they can be left out, if you’re so inclined.) The cards are part of a Resource system that gives the players a number of points which they can use to buy cards, rally units or bring in Reinforcements. The choice is theirs, but there are far more choices than points.

The cards, themselves, give the players "Opportunities", from using their (or negating their opponent’s) tank capabilities, to getting more supplies, to special Breakthrough and Reaction movement.

Playing time for Blackshirthas averaged less than 3 hours, and the rules are only 6 pages, including rules for playing Solitaire.

Each game of Blackshirt includes Rules, one sheet of Mike Lemick’s colorful cut-and-paste counters, two small decks of cards, and a snappy Pascal da Silva map (in one piece!)