• Michael "6+3 Conklin

Stonne 1940 is one of two new Critical Hit products brought out at ASLOK this year. What you get is a a map of the area around Stonne, six scenarios (laid out in standard CH format), a PL campaign game, and 32 "Die Cut" counters (yes mounted counters).

The map is beautiful, bright in various shades of green, with large hexes. The area is less wide than the standard ASL map (A-BB) but deeper than 2 (22 hexes vis 20 for two maps). Seven levels, lots of woods and orchards, not good tank country, so battles between early war French and German tanks ought to be fun.

The counters, include 10 H39(L)’s, 16 B1-bis, 2 FCM 36’s, 2 AMR ZT 3’s, and 2 German Pz I with DC. If I have a problem with the counters, it is the use of CH’s art work, which list the vehicle attributes down the side, instead of around the counter per AH. I know this is part of the settlement, but I don’t have to like it.

The AMR ZT 3 is a 25LL variant of the AMR’s in note three of the rule book and is the only counter of the mix needed for the scenarios.

The Scenarios are layed out in standard CH format and include:

Stonne #1: Before Nightfall. Infantry battle in low visability.
Stonne #2: A Will to Fight. Infantry battle with OBA on both sides and German Air Support.
Stonne #3: One More Try. German infantry defend against a French Combined Arms attack.
Stonne #4: Trail of Strength. Germans defend against French combined assault with armor reinforcements.
Stonne #5: The Butcher. A section of French B1-bis go stomping over German Infantry.
Stonne #6: A New Day Dawning. Full combined armor with lost of tanks and infantry for both sides (uses the AMR ZT3 counter).

As I have stated previously, I have never play a PL campaign game (heck, I’ve only played one RB campaign game.) so I’m not qualified to judge whether this is a good campaign or not. It consist of eight firefights and both sides get lots of stuff to play with.

Overall I think this is one of CH’s best efforts recently. No attempt to rewrite the rules. The counters are actually mounted. I’m looking forward to trying this. Now if I can just find that ‘40 Panzerfaust rule.

Strong recommendation.