Lion of Judah: The War for Ethiopia, 1935–1941

Lion of Judah: The War for Ethiopia, 1935–1941 is an operational wargame covering two interconnected campaigns in East Africa: the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and the later Allied counteroffensive.

Players command Italian, Ethiopian, and Commonwealth forces across a challenging theater where terrain, logistics, and irregular warfare play a central role. Units range from divisions and brigades to tribal levies and guerrilla bands, with armor, airpower, and headquarters support adding structure to modern forces.

The game’s core tension comes from logistics and movement. Supplying armies across mountains, jungles, and marshes is difficult, and pushing too aggressively risks disruption, loss of supply, or worse. Ethiopian forces operate under looser command structures, with activation rules reflecting their decentralized nature, while the Italian player may attempt to influence the battlefield through bribery and internal disruption.

Both campaigns blend conventional and guerrilla warfare. Success depends not only on winning battles, but also on managing unrest, protecting supply lines, and forcing the opponent to divert resources. Political pressure, diplomacy, and random events further shape the situation, from international reactions to the arrival of reinforcements and shifting strategic priorities.

This is a distinctive wargame focused on a rarely covered theater, offering a mix of operational maneuver, logistical challenges, and asymmetric warfare that sets it apart from more traditional World War II titles.

Contents include: one large-hex map, approximately 400 counters representing multiple factions, markers for status and events, and supporting materials for scenarios, rules, and gameplay.