Far Side of the World: Guerre de Course

This game is not yet available, but will be out soon. Please allow an extra eight weeks for delivery.

Note: This item can only be shipped to the UK or EU as part of an order of $200 or more. Grazie mille, Giorgia!

In the 1890’s, the French Navy embarked on a program of building large armored cruisers with long range, powerful armament, and, for the time, high speed. France could not match Britain battleship-for-battleship; nor would she try. As part of the Jeune École concept of naval warfare, these cruisers would prey on British commerce while torpedo boats fended off the British battle fleet. A war on commerce, or in French naval parlance, a guerre de course.

The concept would not be tested in the Great War, as France and Britain came to an understanding in 1904 that slowly led to a close but informal alliance. But how would it have worked in 1914, had Britain and France opposed one another in the Great War? Unlike Germany, France had a string of bases around the globe, and a fleet of armored cruisers to sally out of those ports to attack the Achilles heel of British economic power.

Guerre de Course is a Campaign Study based on this unique French naval strategy. It includes the background of this thinking, French preparations for such a war, and scenarios for Far Side of the World allowing you to play this out for yourself.

You’ll need Far Side of the World and The Wine-Dark Sea to play all of the scenarios.