November 30, 1998 - Out of the Wrapper
Latest Installment Added to East Front Series
Latest Installment Added to East Front Series
|
November 30, 1998 - Out of the Wrapper
Latest Installment Added to East Front Series |
Release date: November 1998
There is no question that the GMT Game Series with the most momentum behind it is the EAST FRONT SERIES, designed by Vance von Borries. Fans are now receiving the latest installment of the Barbarossa portion of the series. In total, three titles will cover the initial drives of the three Axis Army Groups (South, Center, and North).
BARBAROSSA: ARMY GROUP CENTER, 1941 now joins TYPHOON! and BARBAROSSA: ARMY GROUP SOUTH, 1941. Up next will be the much anticipated ARMY GROUP NORTH installment, thus allowing players to recreate Operation Barbarossa across the entire Russian Front from June - September 1941.
BACKGROUND
In the early morning hours of Sunday, 22 June 1941 the western border of the Soviet Union erupted with the fury of a Nazi surprise invasion, the greatest and longest continuous battle in history had begun with the roar of 7184 German artillery pieces and 3300 tanks. Nazi Leader Adolf Hitler thought the Soviet Union could be defeated in one grand Blitzkrieg campaign, "... a few swift kicks and the whole rotten structure would fall down." In fact, the shock of the initial German attack found many Soviet commanders reporting, "We are being fired upon! What shall we do?"Delivering the main blow was German Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center), arguably the most powerful offensive grouping the world had yet known. It controlled four army sized groupings under some of the top German commanders of the day: von Kluge's 4th Army, Strauss' 9th Army, Guderian's Panzer Group 2, and Hoth's Panzer Group 3. In charge of all was General Feldmarshall Fedor von Bock, an excellent strategist, who saw Moscow as his goal and his army group as the instrument to win the war. The 600 miles from the border at Brest-Litovsk to Moscow was, however, to prove insurmountable.
Opposing Army Group Center were, initially, the four armies of Soviet Western Front (3rd, 4th, 10th, and 13th) with 44 divisions (including 12 tank divisions) with 672,000 men, 10,087 guns, 2200 tanks, and 1909 aircraft, a formidable force but one which proved to be almost fatally inefficient. Through the end of the summer all or parts of another dozen Soviet armies, and more, were committed against the relentless German advance and suffered some 800,000 casualties; yet somehow they held the line and Germany lost its best opportunity for decisive victory.
BARBAROSSA: ARMY GROUP CENTER, 1941 is an operational level wargame covering the German Blitzkrieg campaign in Belorussia and western Russia from 22 June to 10 September. Here, the Axis player assumes the role of army group commander, von Bock; his Soviet opponent plays the role occupied first by Soviet Col.Gen. of Tank Forces D.G. Pavlov, then later by Marshal of SU. S.K. Timoshenko. The Axis player must engage and destroy Soviet units and occupy enough geographical objectives to conduct the Fall offensive to Moscow (as seen in the TYPHOON! game). The Soviet player must deny these objectives to the Axis. The Axis player starts with a full strength army including nine Panzer and five motorized divisions and the dreaded SS troops plus special weapons units such as super heavy artillery, railroad artillery, rocket artillery, assault guns, anti-tank guns, and Stukas and other aircraft. Against this the Soviet player poses across the great expanse of Russia his own heavy artillery, anti-tank artillery, river flotillas, armored trains, NKVD political troops, cavalry, militia, special volunteers, paratroops, and Sturmovik aircraft.
Scenarios Included
Learning Scenario -- Battle of Borisov, 1-4 July 1941. 3 turns, uses a small portion of just one map. Here, Soviet 1st Moscow Mot. Div. tries to stop Gen.Nehring's 18th Panzer Division from capturing the crossings of the Berezina River; almost an even fight. Scenario #1: Yelnya Offensive Operation, 29/30 Aug to 8/9 Sep. 6 turns, uses part of just one map. Covers the historically successful Soviet offensive against this German salient. Zhukov is in command of the Soviets.Scenario #2: Counterattack at Lepel, 5-9 July, 3 turns, uses a portion of just one map. Here, German 39th Panzer Corps defends against a massive counterattack by Soviet 5th and 7th Mech. Corps and parts of a couple Soviet armies. Historically, this was a disaster for the Soviets as the attacks were not set up well and Germans down along the Divina River quickly gained a crossing and out flanked the whole operation capturing Vitebsk in the bargain. I need to work on this scenario a bit more to add more of the down-river action.
Scenario #3: Minsk Pocket, 22 June to 1 July, 6 turns, uses two maps. I probably should sub-title this one the Belorussian turkey shoot as historically the Soviets suffered their greatest disaster here. German Army Group Center, FM von Bock in command at the time, destroyed the vast bulk of the Soviet forces here but his infantry was hard-pressed to finish the job and many individuals made their escape. The challenge for the German player is to be able to capture Minsk on schedule and get through the wooded choke-points before Soviet remnants put a cork on the problem; yes, it is difficult for the German to get out of the woods, in the literal sense.
Scenario #4: Army Group North, 22 June to 1 July, 6 turns, one map. Actually, the map area used is equivalent to only half a map but it is on a diagonal, to fit the army group boundary with A Gp Center (which must follow the same army group boundary)and so should really be counted as a full map scenario since this is the way it will feel on your game table. Here, the initial forces of Army Group North are on map for you to destroy the Soviets of Northwest Front (title as of the beginning of hostilities). Like with Scenario #3 the German must destroy most of the opposing team and exit units off the north edge. This scenario requires more work as the destruction of Soviet forces is proving just too easy to accomplish (hence the value of playtesting).
Scenario #5: Smolensk Pocket, 10/11 July to 3/4 Aug., 13 turns, one map. Here, the German objective is to encircle and destroy Soviet units and to capture sufficient objectives to get properly set up for the fall offensive, Operation Typhoon. Historically, the Germans pretty much accomplished what they had to do although the Soviets dug in well enough on he final objectives that they could not be budged from them.
Scenario #6: Guderian Drives South, 13/14 Aug to 8/9 September, 14 turns, one map. This scenario covers the German Gomel Offensive and merges with Hitler's orders for a general offensive to cut off the giant Soviet-held Kiev salient. German 2nd Army and Panzer Group 2 (Guderian's boys)are opposed by Soviet Central Front. Soviets managed a counter-attack on the flanks of this offensive but they had problems in command and co-ordination. Sov. Central Front is not as large a force as some recent wargame designers have led us to believe, it is however a fine Defensive army, not well oriented for the attack. The Germans will score a big victory in this scen. if they can exit significant units off the south edge (which would be ahead of historical schedule).
Scenario #7: Campaign game, 22 June to 8/9 September, 40 turns, four maps. This is the whole shooting match, the full campaign in this area. It will include all of Scen #3 units and set-up. Uncertain victory conditions will be featured. A lot happens here; will Soviet reserves be sufficient to stop the Panzers?
Scenario #8: Thunder on the Dnepr, 10/11 July to 8/9 Sep., 31 turns, two maps. Just like with a similar scenario in B: Army Group South game, this scen. starts the big campaign some turns already into the event; for those who want to dispense with the early slaughter and get into the real event, or just plain want to do it all but in somewhat less time.
Game Components and Features
+ Four full size maps of scale 5 miles to the hex, 2 days per turn.
+ Over 1100 counters representing divisions and brigades and independent regiments and battalions.
+ Many player-aid cards including set-up cards. Separate Rulebook and Playbook including extensive Bibliography, Design Notes, Players Notes, and historical commentary
+ Eight scenarios plus a Learning Scenario, many of these played on only one map.
+ Best possible research on Order of Battle and maps and including extensive Bibliography, Design Notes, Play Notes, and examples of play.East Front Series game which physically links in time and space with both prior games: TYPHOON! and BARBAROSSA: ARMY GROUP SOUTH, 1941. A two-player game, suitable for team play.
Designed by Vance von Borries
Placing your Order
BARBAROSSA: ARMY GROUP CENTER, 1941 is now available for $65. To place your order, please use the GMT Games Order Page or call Toll Free (800) 523-6111. Outside the U.S. call (209) 583-1236. You can also email your order togmtoffice@aol.com.
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Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
Headline News | Archives | New Products
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Copyright © 1999-2002. ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
Headline News | Archives | New Products
Game Ratings | Clubs | Events | Discussion Board
Copyright © 1999, 2000 ConsimWorld.COM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited. Web Masters are encouraged to link directly to this page, this URL is not subject to change. For general site information: kranz@consimworld.com
