The Fog of War is a two-player grand strategic game covering the European theater of World War II from 1940 -1945. One player plays the Axis forces, and the other the Allies.
The game doesn't have units that move around a map; instead the game focuses on the planning and intelligence aspects of the war. Each player has a deck of cards that represent the army, navy, and other assets of their nations. A map shows the 28 land and sea provinces over which the players are battling.
You defend a province by placing cards face down on the map. If you wish to attack a province, you must plan an "Operation" to do so by creating one on your Operation Wheel. The Wheel is a unique way of forcing players to commit to operations in advance, while giving opportunities for intelligence gathering and bluffing.
An operation consists of a Province card that shows the target of the operation, plus one or more cards to conduct the attack. All of these cards are placed face down, so your opponent does not know the target of the operation, or the actual strength of the cards that are taking part.
Each turn the dial on the Operation Wheel is rotated by one position. This controls when an operation can be launched and any attack or defense bonuses that apply.
In addition to combat forces for attack or defense, you may also play Intel cards, allowing you to look at your opponent's operations and defenses.