No Retreat: The Russian Front

Played this excellent game with my Dad recently and great fun it was too despite forgetting to utilise the free Soviet Unit upgrades for several turns !!

Such a good balance of playability and flavour.

More Catching Up.....The Return...............

Busy here again but did manage to get some gaming in (including Pbem stuff)

Managed a game of No Retreat! with my Dad which I narrowly won as Soviets when Initiative changes on Turn 12.
Great game this and so playable.

Also a 'live' game of Blucher against Stephen using my 1813-14 French against his Russians.
We both enjoyed this and like its playability and feel fpr Corps level game.
Abstractions abound but it simply works for scale it is set at and another hit from Mr Mustafa.
I fielded two Infantry Corps one of which was Guard and a Cavalry Corps.
The Russians had 4 Infantry Corps containing several Guard and Grenadier types and two Cavalry Corps.

I also joined in an ACW game using Across A Deadly Field (by the late John Hill) at Stephens with his brother.
A Regimental level set that seems quite complex at first glance but plays quite quickly (much more so than Johnny Reb) but retains a lot of period flavour.
I have the rules on iPad but must get a physical version (and maybe some ACW troops !!)

No Retreat ! The Russian Front played

Game of the excellent No Retreat ! The Russian Front played at my Dads. 

Been awhile since we had this on table. 

Usual fun time with this very playable game.
Dad with the Germans came close to auto victory twice but try Russians narrowly (by 1 VP) took the game in turn 12 as Strategic Initiative switched.
Really good.

No Retreat! The Russian Front Solo System try-out

Obtained the solitaire variant for No Retreat in the excellent Ci3 magazine (Issue 26) and decided to give it a trial today.
Took a bit of getting used to but I found it a nice system especially the 'switcheroo' aspect wherein if the side you are controlling is close to a Sudden Death victory situation there is every likelihood that the Solo cards will force you to change the side you control !!
The mandatory orders for the 'AI' side are fairly reasonable with couple of choices although if you really hate yourself you can cheat a bit. The Stalin chit and the Stavka/OKH orders can be used in a 2 player game and are very like similar rules in Barbarossa To Berlin.
Very enjoyable with a game I like but have neglected of late.  
Nice variant to use rather than usual solo player 'split personality syndrome' style.

No Retreat The Russian Front Vassal game ends

Finished my online Vassal game with Daniel last night ending in abject and total defeat for my Germans.
Disastrous run of Exchange results over several turns saw the Whermacht bled white throughout 1942 and into 1943 with result that when initiative shifted to Soviets on Turn 12 (ie March-April 1943) they had well exceeded the auto-victory level required.
Tough for Germans if they take such losses as too expensive to restore units and very hard to trade real estate for time as recapture of cities simply increases Russian VP levels.
I guess the title of game says it all with Hitler style hold fast orders being the only real option.
Both myself and Daniel had not progressed this far in a game before so interesting to see how it played out when Ivans start churning out upgraded units and Huns get thin on the ground.
Great fun as always with this very playable game (works well in real time on Vassal as game can be saved between sessions but dont think its really viable via Pbem as too many interrupt type cards for both sides).

Endgame - note the amount of upgraded Ivan units (red counters) and the Hun losses in Destroyed box to right plus number of on map units reduced (ie flipped)

Same screenshot from within Vassal