Interesting how Blocks in the West is evolving as a game. I asked this question on teh forum:
Given that in Blocks in the East the Hitler block had a limited influence will Churchill and Allied Leaders have a roll in BitW? Will leaders be important?
Yes Kev,
while tanks have played the main role BLOCKS IN THE EAST, in BLOCKS IN THE WEST marines and leaders will be the most important actors.
They are used only after have learnt the basic game, in which leaders are not needed and may only complicate things.
In the Advanced Game:
Every Power (minors included) has its own leader, acting stratetgically (so with unlimited command range) so Italians have Mussolini, UK has Chirchill, France has Gamelin, Germany has Hitler, Dutches have Winkelman, Belgians have Leopoldo III and finally the most important Americans have Eisenhower.
Also some Major Powers have a new kind of leader (acting strategically, so with unlimited command range) commanding a specific branch of the army: Goering the Luftwaffe, Doenits the Kriegsmarine, Vuillelmin l’Arme de l’Air, Harris and Dowding the British RAF (fighter and bombers).
As usual, as the rules are the same of BLOCKS IN THE EAST, a leader may be activated and use some or all of its Action Points (black drums) to make an action, chosen from the ones below, but no more than 1 action of each type may be performed per activation:
• Move 1 armor unit as if it is in full supply.
• Move 1 air unit as if it is in full supply.
• Move 1 unsupplied unit as in full supply.
• Make 1 free SRMt (7.4).
• Make 1 naval movement (OR 18.0).
• Launch 1 airborne respectively airlanding infantry assault (OR 23.0).
• Put 1 GU in Reserve Mode (Motorization31.0).
Then as usual, every Major Power has tactical leaders, acting with a limited command range of 5 hexes, and committed to AIR UNITS OR TANKS.
When playing with at the Master Level, leaders gain more abilities (as described in cards – yes cards). So for istance, after the Casablanca Conference, Eisenhower and Churchill become able to launch massive amphibious invasions in Europe.
See pic:
