Quartermaster General: South Front - land, air, and sea conflict in the Mediterranean.
The major addition of South Front is the inclusion of a robust naval gameplay; however, the naval combat rules are consistent with those for land combat, so players familiar with East Front should be ready to play in just a few minutes.
South Front focuses on the conflict in the Mediterranean during World War II, allowing to relive historical events like the Axis campaigns in North Africa and the Balkans, the Allied landings in Sicily, and the hard-fought advance in Italy. The game is designed for two players, one playing the Axis (Germany, Italy, and their allies) and the other, the Western Allies (United Kingdom, United States, and Free France). Each player has a unique deck of cards that reflects the equipment, manpower, and strategies of their faction. The game is played in under two hours and is of moderate complexity (low complexity for a wargame).
The game is played over 16 game rounds, each representing three months, starting in Summer 1940, with Italy’s entry into the war, and ending in Spring 1944, when (historically) the Allies entered Rome. Most Victory Points are earned by controlling certain spaces during annual scoring rounds. After scoring, the game ends early if one player has 10 or more points than the other.
Like other titles in the series, the pieces represent abstract capabilities, with five types represented: infantry, tanks, airplanes, fleets, and aircraft carriers. On your turn, you will move your pieces, then take one action, and after that you will be able move some of your pieces, like fleets and tanks, a second time. Most of the time your action will be to play a card, but you will have a few other options if you don’t have the right card. The cards are divided into two parts: the top part is used when you play them as an action; the bottom part may be used during combat resolution.
South Front is played over 16 game rounds, each representing three months, starting in Summer 1940 and ending in Spring 1944.
Combat is quick but dramatic. Success usually relies on good hand management – making sure you have the right cards in hand to stop or continue a battle. Players need to get into the habit of stockpiling the right cards in anticipation of combat.
Even more than any prior Quartermaster General title, this game lives and breathes supply. Much of the early game will center around a centralized web of fleets and airplanes that can support each other in case of attack. The gamble for the Axis is knowing when you’re ready to stretch that mesh to strike into the Middle East or Gibraltar. If the Axis manage to seize Egypt or Gibraltar, they may be able to seal off half the Mediterranean, making their defense much easier. In the meantime, the Axis must also take the time to secure the Balkans, for both their victory points and supply source.
For the Allies, it is not enough to hold tight and wait for the Americans to show up. First and foremost, you should put the Axis on the defensive at sea, as well as take opportunities to stabilize their position in the Eastern Mediterranean - including suppressing the rebellion in Iraq, which you may want to do pre-emptively!
Once the United States enters the war, their plentiful resources will certainly throw the Axis onto the defensive – but will the Allies have enough time to make it to Rome before the game ends?
South Front is the second out of three games planned in the “Front” series: when all are out, players will then be able to join them together to form a two to five player “mini-monster”. Quartermaster General: West Front, due in 2026, will complete the triad, containing everything needed to combine all the games.
* This article was originally published by Game Trade Magazine, Issue 300 (February 2025).
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