Pursuit of Glory - The Great War in the Near East (1st Edition)

Pursuit of Glory: The Great War in the Near East is a sequel to the original, award-winning Paths of Glory by Ted Raicer and is designed with his permission. The new game puts you in the driver's seat as theater commanders for either the British/Russian alliance or the Ottoman Empire. The action stretches from the Balkans to the borders of India, from the Black Sea to Suez. Invasions by sea, holy war, revolts, revolution await, as well as some of the most famous personages of the First World War - Lawrence, Allenby, Enver, the Grand Duke Nicholas, Churchill, Kitchener.

In Pursuit of Glory: The Great War in the Near East, the Central Powers (CP) player, representing the Ottoman Empire and its allies, attempts to use his central position and initial superiority of forces to defeat his opponents early on, or to endure defensively until the enemy tires of the 'sideshow' and goes home. It is possible for the Ottoman player to win military victory or to exhaust the British Empire's patience, leading to a negotiated peace in the region - and Ottoman dominance of the region's oil at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Allied (AP) player, representing primarily the British and Russian empires, attempts to delay the Russian Revolution and bring his superior forces to bear before he is required to bring the boys back home. Of course, once the Russian Empire collapses, all bets are off -- the Turks and the Brits must race to gain control of the Caucasian and Persian regions, including the oil. The problem for the Turks is that the British blockade is crippling the Ottoman economy and the Turkish manpower pool is running dry - the longer the war continues, the fewer the Turkish recruits, the less reliable the Arab draftees, the more dependent Turkey becomes on German aid through that all-important railroad to Berlin. The problem for the Allied player is to stave off disaster long enough to build up his forces for an all-out assault, while using his naval supremacy wisely.

How does this game differ from the original? Pursuit of Glory: The Great War in the Near East uses all of the core rules from the original Paths of Glory. Players who know the original will find the new game easy to learn. The rules have been rewritten with both the newcomer and experienced player in mind. For the newcomer, the rules are clearly written, with examples and elaboration. For the experienced player, the new rules specific to Pursuit of Glory are clearly indicated, allowing him easily to skip rules with which he is already familiar. Quick Start guides will be included for both newcomers and experienced players.

There are special rules to address the issues of invasions by sea, including an entire Gallipoli sub-map. There is Holy War (jihad), allowing the Ottoman player to foster tribal uprisings and national rebellions (including the possibility of Egyptian and Indian mutinies against the British). Historically, jihad was a very conscious strategy of both the Turks and the Germans, with real efforts to gain access to Persia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, and India -- this is a key new dynamic in the game. The Russian Revolution is handled in a very realistic, yet simple manner, allowing the Allied player to postpone the revolution if he is successful militarily, especially if he achieves the age-long dream of the czars -- obtaining a warm-water port (particularly if that port is Constantinople). Units are primarily corps and divisions, with simple rules for cavalry, headquarters, German heavy artillery, and other special units, such as camel corps and armoured car detachments. The Armenian situation is not neglected. Even the Christian Assyrians of Lake Urmia make an appearance, fighting valiantly on the Allied side. Yet all of these extra features play with the same smoothness as the original Paths of Glory. Once the new systems are learned, experienced Paths of Glory players will find that they are integrated seamlessly with the original game system that they know and love. And newcomers should find the game accessible without any knowledge of the original.

And, yes, for those who frequently ask - the great German battleship, the Goeben, is present and can bombard Batum successfully. The Russian Black Sea Marines can land at the Bosphorus and seize Constantinople. And Churchill can attempt to bombard the Turkish forts at the Dardanelles, then run his fleet up past The Narrows, bringing fear to the Turk and succor to the Russian, who will gladly accept British aid.

Components:

• 1 map
• dice
• 110 card deck
• 2 player aid cards
• 1 sheet of Large Combat Unit counters (5/8")
• 1 sheet of Small Combat Unit counter (1/2")
• 1 rulebook
• 1 playbook, with scenarios and extended example of play
• 1 quick start guides (4-6 pages)