Strategy & Tactics #315: Red Tide South – A Potential Soviet Attack on Italy is a two-player strategic wargame depicting a hypothetical Soviet invasion of Italy during the 1980s Cold War. Designed as a stand-alone game, it can also be combined with Red Tide West (Modern War #15) to create a massive, multi-front European conflict simulation.

• Historical Context: During the Cold War, NATO planners considered various fronts in Europe where the Warsaw Pact might strike. While West Germany was expected to be the primary theatre of operations, a Soviet offensive through the Balkans and Northern Italy represented a dangerous secondary front. Red Tide South explores what might have happened had the Warsaw Pact attempted to seize the industrial Po Valley — the economic heart of Italy — potentially forcing Rome to surrender and opening a path into Southern France.
• Gameplay & Objectives: The Soviet player leads Warsaw Pact forces advancing from Yugoslavia into Northern Italy, aiming to secure key industrial and transport regions before NATO can mount a coordinated defence. The NATO player commands Italian, French, and allied forces, struggling to hold the mountainous terrain and defend critical cities long enough to prevent Soviet breakthrough. Each side must balance momentum, supply, and attrition across a demanding operational front.
• Scale & System: Each hex represents approximately 10 miles (16 kilometres), and each turn represents about one day of operations. This operational scale captures the pace and intensity of modern mechanised warfare — with armoured thrusts, air support, and logistics playing decisive roles. The system emphasises realistic command limitations, unit fatigue, and the challenges of coordinating combined arms across rugged terrain.
• Integration & Expansion: Red Tide South is fully compatible with Red Tide West (Modern War #15), allowing players to link the two maps and simulate the entire southern front of a European World War III scenario. The combined game expands strategic options dramatically, creating a dynamic NATO–Warsaw Pact campaign stretching from Germany to Italy.

Game Components:

• 1 x 22” x 34” full-colour operational map depicting Northern Italy and the Balkans
• 228 die-cut counters representing NATO and Warsaw Pact divisions, brigades, and air units
• 46 bonus counters for integration with Red Tide West
• Rules for airpower, supply, reinforcements, and modern mechanised combat
• Playable as a stand-alone game or as part of a combined campaign

Scale:
Players: 2
Level: Operational
Hex: 10 Miles (16 km)
Turn: 1 Day

Gameplay Focus: Red Tide South challenges players to manage modern Cold War warfare under realistic constraints of time, distance, and logistics. Success depends on achieving objectives swiftly and efficiently — before reinforcement delays or overstretched supply lines bring the offensive to a halt.

Strategy & Tactics #315: Red Tide South delivers a gripping “what-if” scenario of Cold War Europe turned hot, offering both stand-alone and linked campaign play for serious wargamers and military history enthusiasts.

Available now from Milsims Games — Australia’s trusted source for historical wargames, strategy titles, and military simulations for over 50 years. Price-match guarantee and fast shipping from Mont Albert, VIC.

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