Tom’s Column – Gary Grigsby’s Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich Review

Tom’s Column – Gary Grigsby’s Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich Review

As a seasoned gamer and history enthusiast with a soft spot for World War II strategy games, I can confidently say that Gary Grigsby’s Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich has become my latest obsession. Having grown up watching documentaries about Bomber Command and reading accounts of the air war over Europe, this game feels like a dream come true.


While enjoying a cup of tea at my desk amidst the drizzle of an overcast English day, my mind drifts to imagining an airborne assault venturing far into German territory. I can’t help but ponder the number of planes that might return safely from this mission.

This isn’t a personal account from someone in Bomber Command during 1944; instead, it’s me reliving Gary Grigsby’s Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich (EDtBtR) in modern-day England, eight decades later, as autumn unfolds, with a cup of tea by my side. Some aspects remain timeless.

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Without the enticing discount at Matrix Games store, I likely wouldn’t have purchased this game given its age and limited popularity. However, I decided to take a risk, and fortunately, it proved beneficial – let’s hope this is reminiscent of a successful bombing mission over Germany.

To put it simply, EDtBtR is a unique gaming experience that combines two games into one. You can engage in the Eagle Day scenarios, where you have the option to play as either the Axis or Allies, focusing on the early years of World War II when the Allies were predominantly on the defensive. Interestingly, there’s also a “What if?” scenario that explores a hypothetical German strategy concentrating more on the UK rather than Russia. This campaign covers an extensive period of 184 turns, with each turn representing one day.

As an option, you might try out Bombing the Reich, a game with multiple scenarios, including a lengthy 622-turn campaign that spans from 1943 up until the war’s end. This is the campaign I embarked upon, and after two weeks of play (taking tea breaks), I find myself on turn 10!

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As a passionate player, I’d say the game employs a WEGO system, which means both me and my adversary (be it AI or another human) take turns in a strategic planning phase, where we decide on bombing sites, reconnaissance missions, or fighter sweeps. After this phase ends, the actions unfold, with the flights launching, creating an air war that spans across day and night. All I can do is observe and cross my fingers, hoping my strategy pays off.

The intricacy in EDtBtR is noteworthy; it demands attention to numerous aspects such as troop morale, cloud conditions, radar usage, light intensities, distance, altitude, among others. As you delve deeper into the authentic complexities of aerial combat, your capacity to strategize and carry out successful campaigns significantly improves. I’ve already gleaned substantial knowledge, and I’m yet to explore nighttime bombing missions, which resemble mini-games and necessitate a distinct strategy due to their unique requirements.

The vastness of the air combat, combined with the option to schedule multiple missions and attacks, may seem overwhelming, but the game offers an automatic planning mode. For example, if you’d rather not plan midnight “Terror” assaults, you can establish certain rules and let the AI take care of the specifics. This feature is particularly handy when the planning process becomes tiresome or when you believe the AI might perform more efficiently!

One of the best aspects of the game is the freedom to prosecute the air war as you see fit, allowing you to shape your own strategic bombing campaign (if playing as the Allies) with the resources available. For example, in my playthrough, I have so far avoided the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission—a mission that suffered heavy losses and, in hindsight, might not have been the best idea. This freedom to rewrite history is satisfying, though Hollywood could take note; it would be nice to see a WWII story that isn’t a one-dimensional “British bad, America good” narrative.

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In this game, you’ll perform authentic nighttime city bombings, much like Bomber Harris did in the past, with the term “Terror” raids used here in quotes to emphasize its historical context. The scoring system even includes a category labeled “Terror.” This game is set during a survival war, and it can be challenging to pass judgment when one’s own cities aren’t under threat of being destroyed.

In the broader context of the war, your actions in the air battle have consequences on the ground operations too. For example, when Operation Avalanche, the Italian invasion, commences in 1943, it’s crucial to contribute to its success. The more efficiently you support this operation, the quicker the ground campaign could advance. Although I haven’t witnessed this connection firsthand, online discussions indicate that it does occur. This integrated approach is beneficial since it enables your air war strategies to impact the overall conflict without demanding excessive control over every detail.

Absolutely, there’s no denying the game has its challenges. The user interface, while functional, is quite outdated and can be a bit clumsy to navigate. It’s like bumping into furniture in a dark room—you just have to bear with it and persevere. The graphics and sound are stripped-down, effectively communicating the necessary details but undeniably showing their age.

Although the instruction manuals could use some improvement, I’ve found the game’s Discord community and Matrix forums to be incredible resources, even if the developer’s name is hilariously misspelled as “Grisgby” instead of “Grigsby” in the Discord channel! Fortunately, a program called “dxwnd” was essential to get the game running on my Windows 10 PC. Thankfully, the forum community came to the rescue of this tech newbie, proving that even those less tech-savvy can find success.

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To sum up, I find this game exceptional due to its intricate challenges that require strategic resource management and creative bombing campaign design. Despite being visually and interfaced outdated compared to modern games, it stands alone in providing such a detailed portrayal of the vastness and complexity of air warfare. The WEGO system, instead of the conventional IGOUGO, introduces an element of anticipation as you watch the battles unfold, occasionally resulting in satisfying victories or tragic defeats.

It seems the rain has let up, and the clouds are clearing. Maybe the 100th Bomb Group can prepare for their mission now.

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2024-10-31 13:42