No Retreat! The Russian Front- solo play

Got one of my many neglected board wargames to the table albeit in solo mode and a very enjoyable outing it was.

Such a clever game this allowing one to game the massive Eastern Front campaign in such a playable fashion whilst retaining a great feel of the epic scope of the struggle.

Even played solo (I didn't use the solo specific card deck) this is a fun game.

Germans failed to crush Soviets in 1941 and then saw the Russian juggernaut gather steam from late 1942 onward, I ended the game just as 1945 was about to start with Soviets already with a foothold in the Reich.

No Retreat! The Russian Front again

Another session with this excellent game with my Dad.

I recently acquired (ie this week) the updated 3rd Edition Card Deck and so gave these a run out (along with 3rd Edition rules of course).

Some significant changes (more so to cards) but nothing too onerous to revise in brain.

We started campaign from Fall Blau scenario (second scenario in game) which starts in Turn 7 and played through to Turn 20.

Another great game it was too, with the Russians getting stronger and stronger as game progressed.

Germans were being pushed right back to the Reichs borders pretty much on schedule, with their southern 'Balkan' zone about to crumble but still in reasonable strength up in Poland/East Prussia.

When I got back into board Wargames about 10 or so years ago (after a hiatus following demise of Avalon Hill) this was one of my first purchases and one I keep coming back to as just such a good experience to play.

Is it the greatest game on Eastern Front ever ? probably not but its a damn fine one being so playable with low unit count and yet so much 'feel' of the campaign.

 

No Retreat! The Russian Front played

 

Game with my Dad of No Retreat! The Russian Front.

Such an excellent and playable game of....um...er....The Russian Front.

We started with the standard Op Barbarossa scenario and played through to Turn 12 (March -April 1943) just as Initiative turns to Soviets.

Great game and Dad close to an auto-win on Turn 3 being just 1 VP shy.

We saw Leningrad fall, Moscow threatened and roving Cauldron type battles around Moscow and Kharkov as Soviet strength grew.

Great stuff in a very playable format.

We used 1st Edition rules but will try updated 3rd edition rules at some point.

Poor pics as lighting not phone-camera friendly

Several board wargames dabbled with..............

 Been a quiet sort of week gaming wise but did manage to get a few board wargames to table top to muck about with solo fashion.

First up was Paths of Glory a game I have neglected and trying to re-learn

Then it was No Retreat! The Russian Front 

And last but by no means least Colonial Twilight

No Retreat! The Russian Front played and arrival

Game of No Retreat! The Russian Front today with Stephen (as I was away a few days so no time to set up a figure game).
I took Russians and Stephen the Nazis and we set up with Barbarossa scenario.
We managed to play 11 Turns with very few rules queries and mistakes.
I also managed to cut off a Panzer and Infantry unit which failed to break out giving me a couple of key victory points.
A few too many Exchange results hampered German offensive early on and so they fell short of auto victories.
The Russian kept regurgitating units despite losing use of several events but were able to maintain a solid defensive line.
Once they start getting upgrades its a tough old slog although my Guards Tank Army managed to be destroyed twice.
As we called it on turn 11 the Nazis were on 14 VPs so Russians likely to start the Initiative swing with 16 Vps.
Great game easy to teach but with great depth and flavour despite the low unit count.

New Napoleonic rules 'Bataille Empire' arrived today and on initial skim through they look rather good with Shako sized units seeming to suit our basing best.

No Retreat! The Russian Front full game played

Another outing with this engrossing game with my Dad.
This session we had time to play beyond the Turn 12 Initiative switch.

Played through to Victory Phase at the start of Turn 21 with Russians crushing the Fascist vipers in their lair (ie achieving an Auto Victory level of 31).

But a real roller coaster of a game with Germans twice coming up only 1 VP shy of an auto-win themselves.

Dad had Moscow surrounded but I just managed to break the encirclement saving myself a gaming losing VP (and likely another along with -1 Card for loss of Moscow).

The Soviet upgrades change things and then once initiative changes mid 1943 (Turn 12) the Soviet juggernaut really goes up a gear and any Axis losses (usually to an Exchange result) hurt as so costly to Upgrade them to full strength.

The SS Panzer is a tough unit but it only last 6 turns and its removal along with 2nd Panzer 2 turns before really dent German offensive strength.

The mountain areas help Germans but Prussian and Berlin is much easier fare for rampaging Ivans.

Great stuff once more with this game.

No Retreat! The Russian Front played again

Another session of No Retreat with my Dad and another fun outing with this excellent game.

Again we played from Barbarossa through to Turn 12 when Initiative shifts to Soviets and another draw declared.
Different game
 to last time with much more action around Moscow and much less on southern front.
Leningrad fell this game but not Sevastapol.
I nearly forced the surrender of 3 German Panzer armies outside Moscow but they managed to get supplies through damn their Fascist hides !

Such a playable East Front game this.

We also played the initial scenario from this game but as I forgot to take pics I will discuss its very interesting system when I do.

No Retreat ! The Russian Front game played

Played this excellent game with my Dad tonight.

We managed 11 full turns calling it a Draw on Turn 12 when Initiative shifts to Soviets as neither of us got an Auto-win.

Forgot how slick, enjoyable and absorbing this title is.

Germans had pressed Ivans back across the board but failed to take enough Cities or Objectives for the win although they came within one Victory Point on turn 9.

Love the low unit count in this game and nice use of cards (not a CDG but card 'enhanced')

Nice feel to the game with great Ostfront flavour with fairly low rules overhead (just wish the VP system was explained a tad better).






Early moves with Russians rather sparse on southern sector

But shoring up defence of Moscow region

Some much needed Reserves appear in South

The busy Game Turn track

A hard line defends Moscow

Stalemate at Moscow as Soviet units begin to convert to improved units

No Retreat ! The Russian Front played

Gaming time at an absolute premium at present so was especially pleased to get a Board Wargame on the table at my Dads.

We played 9 turns of the excellent No Retreat ! The Russian Front with me as Ivans trying to hold off the Nazi hordes.

No time to say much other than it was a cracker with Moscow falling mid 1942 after an epic defence.

Stalingrad and Kharkov both succumbed to Panzers but both promptly retaken.

Game very much in balance when time ran out for us but Ivan Guard units gathering south of Moscow just waiting to try to trap a mass of Nazi units around the capital......

No Retreat: The Russian Front

Played this excellent board Wargame with my Dad again and a T12 (Spring 1943) loss for the Germans. Initially the Germans made good progress into Russia capturing 6 cities including Leningrad but the Ivan's made good their losses and began to recover several cities to auto win the game.

Hugely enjoyable game as ever.