Game is a solo type on Germans attack on Stalingrad in early October 1942.
It is based around the Area system first seen in the old 'Storm Over Arnhem' Avalon Hill title, of which designer Mike Rinella is very much an aficionado/proponent, so usual aspects of Area defence factor variety, Movement Costs, Spent units and so on.
One plays as Germans with Soviets as purely static (but tough) units, with fog of war element being that the Soviets are unknown/hidden units each with varying defence strengths and 'tactics' and are taken from a pool of units based on terrain type.
Tactics are labelled as Heroes, Ambush, Guard and similar all of which have varying effects in or post combat (extra losses to attackers, loss of morale that sort of thing).
Germans have Supply points which they can spend to 'buy' assets at varying cost of usual variety; Stukas, Artillery, Engineers all of which generate modifiers to combat. They can also boost their Morale level.
The victory schedule for Germans looks tough (only played a single turn so far) as they need to capture essentially all areas whilst their Morale (combo of morale and logistics) level dwindles and Soviet resistance increases as they push further into urban areas (defence factors increase)
Great production values in game with nice counters and a luv'rly mounted map board.
Rules are short concise and clear and this is a rules light game although it does include a couple of scenarios and some optional rules.
Have Cyprus game from The British Way set up on other side of table and just started as well so I feel like a Chess Grandmaster (except not so grand or in any way a master and not playing Chess, but otherwise identical).
This one is similar to Palestine game with Arms Caches, Intel and Cells on a very small area of conflict.
Adding a game. Check. Enjoying it Priceless .
ReplyDeleteThe joys of retirement :-)
DeleteTwo great looking games.
ReplyDeleteAlmost as attractive as I, but not quite :-)
DeleteI will be interested in your views of Stalingrad after a few plays. I bought this, but it went on the shelf rather than straight to the table (just squeezed out my so much stuff!), but I know at the game store I bought from (Second Chance Games) it sold like hot cakes. I have had a glance and it looks very straight forward, but I disappointed to see that so many questions cropped up over on BoardGameGeek as this sort of thing tends to make a design look suspect - I must admit, having come from pre-internet days, if one had a sticking point in a game, you just had to work it out for yourself. These days the answer is often there, but the gamer is too quick to hit the keyboard and expect the designer to have responded within the day :-).
ReplyDeleteStalingrad does look like a great candidate to take away on short vacations.
Not had time bar initial try but game seems perfectly understandable out of the box (concise easily digested rules) and whilst the Soviets are static (no counterattacks/maneuvering) they are tough as old boots.
DeleteThere is no AI as such for Soviets just their stats and hidden status (I can see others my dislike this) but subsequently there are minimal charts to consult so less process driven in that sense compared to some solo types.
The replay value comes with the variable and hidden nature of Soviet units (reminds me of PzGruppe Guderian) and player trying overcome via judicious use of assets and dice (I sense impending doom) but you are always contesting same areas as its Stalingrad never anything else (there is a scn which uses a few included extra counters which I think is shorter 4 turn affair ?)
There is a small errata doc (literally a few sentences) which mainly changes wording re strength/values/factors for clarity.
Indeed we are so spoiled now, no more dispatching 'urgent' queries via SAE or waiting for latest General mag or as you say using own grey matter.
Game has fairly small table footprint (map and box lid would suffice) so yes an option for holidays (I often take B17).