PREMIERE ISSUE, NO.1 Version 1.0 PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN SPI REVIVAL • Issue One • July 1997 TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Editorial 4 Random Thoughts on PGG 5 Game Review by Ted Kim 21 Battle Report by Skip Franklin 26 “My Best Panzergruppe Guderian Game”by John Leggat 26 “My Variant Rules for Panzergruppe Guderian”by Ronald Wright 27 Game Errata In Our Next Issue: 28 Order of Battle and Organization by Danny Holte WINTER WAR 30 Magazine Reference List by Danny Holte 31 Counter Art Manifest,Front & Back

TRADEMARK NOTICE Most game names are trademarks of the company publish- About the Authors ing the game. Use of a trademark to identify a product commented upon in this publication should not be con- Ted H. Kim is a graduate strued as implying the sponsorship of the trademark holder. Skip Franklin joined the Air Use of the name of any product without the mention of student in Computer Science Force in 1975 and retired in trademark status should not be construed as a challenge of at UCLA. He is employed as 1995. He now works for the such status. a research assistant. Ted has US Postal Service as an IS enjoyed playing wargames contractor. Skip owns nearly Unless otherwise noted, the copyrights to the since 1972. He resides in the individual articles are the property of the individual 300 wargames, Aide De authors. Los Angeles, CAarea. Camp, and quite a few computer wargames. He has SPI REVIVALis published six times a year by John Kranz, Ted can be reached via email at: reviewed games for Paper Wars and 13426 E. Cindy St, Chandler, AZ 85225. This publication [email protected] is distributed for free. By request, you may receive a hard- Web-Grognards. Skip’s favorite games are WACHTAM RHEIN, COBRA, and as no copy of this publication by sending five dollars to the pub- Our other authors can also be reached via email. lisher. surprise, PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN.

All editorial and general mail should be sent to the Editor: Danny Holte:[email protected] Skip can be reached via email at: John Kranz, 13426 E. Cindy St, Chandler, AZ 85225. John Leggat:[email protected] wargamer@swbell.net Communications may also be sent via the internet to the Ronald Wright:[email protected] following email address: [email protected]

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The rest is, as they say, history. I was hooked. monster package arrived? Guess what my reaction was when that SPI brother at the time, I was in for quite shock. BLITZKRIEG game I was enjoying with my knew about the hobby and that “monster” RHEIN as my initial purchase. Considering all I AM topics, and decided to go with WACHT modest selection of games on varying themes and I looked over the catalog, which at time had a game catalog from Simulations Publications, Inc. Lo and behold I somehow stumbled upon a could be found in every toy store. “last” but “only” word in the hobby. Their games time, I thought Avalon Hill was not only the and BLITZKRIEG - just to name a few. At the sics: MIDWAY, GUADACANAL, TACTICS II, brother was playing some of the old AH’s clas- Back when I was a teen in the mid ‘70’s, my to how I was first introduced consim gaming. The brainchild of this project is in large part due H review of a single SPI game title per issue. “virtual” publication is dedicated to the in-depth the premiere issue of SPI REVIVAL. This I’d like to take this moment welcome you Dear SPI Revivalist, July 25, 1997 From the Publisher PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN WTHIS OW I DEA S TARTED best suited for printing and storage in your SPI for online viewing, the size of publication is While I would have liked to provide the review presented herein for your reading enjoyment. improvements can be made in the format and the opportunity to revisit them, I know long as their is a healthy interest in SPI games to see the response this publication generates. As presented within these pages, I am certainly eager question the quality of reviews that will be this is a grand experiment of sorts. While I don’t Being the premiere issue, one can safely say that W will now command. REVIVAL products in depth. This is the niche area SPI one find a publication which discusses their game auctions. However, nowhere out there can witnessed by internet discussions and the many got started. SPI still enjoys a large following, This brings up back full circle to how this project titles. about the poor development of many other SPI a good SPI game now and then, while lamenting pumping out in its prime. To this day, many enjoy don’t match the volume of games SPI was games published by other publishers, they still list goes on and on. Yet if one combines all the Taskforce, RAND, Sim. Canada, 3W, etc. - the remains. Gone are Battleline, Nova, GDW, doing business back then, only Avalon Hill business entity. Of the boardgame publishers gone from the game publishing scene as a viable Fast forward nearly 20 years, and SPI is long A TO HAT E XPECT the future. benchmark set in this issue can be replicated preparing future issues, I’m confident that the reviewing SPI titles. Based on correspondence in many Ted Kim’s are out there interested in effort I put in to get the next issue out, but how publication will certainly not be based on the his piece justice. The future success of this realized the responsibility placed before me to do magazine. Once I received Ted’s initial draft, I read since the early days of Fire & Movement what is, I feel, the best darn game review have Kim for his herculean effort in putting together I want to take this opportunity recognize Ted Ronald Wright. Saving the best for last, however, Skip Franklin, Danny Holte, John Leggat, and were it not for the tremendous effort put in by This publication would have not been possible S accessible free of charge. last resort...this publication is meant to be to forgo any expense. Please only rely on me as a rely on a friend to access quality laser print out It is my hope, of course, that you will be able to handling is $5.00. Please send orders to: hardcopy. The cost for printing, shipping and laser printer, you may contact me and receive a game. If you do not have access to a quality b/w PECIAL T HANKS

Chandler, AZ 85225 13426 E. Cindy St. Attn: SPI Revival John Kranz

SPI REVIVAL • Issue One July 1997 ae3 page

working on this piece and I look forward to WINTER WAR. Contributors are presently months. Scheduled for issue number two is SPI’s I hope to get an issue out at least once every two N of this publication. publish the feedback you provide in version 1.1 this issue. One thing I will do for certain is will gladly update and release a new version of materials on PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN, I others wish to provide feedback or additional you now is simply version 1.0 of issue #1. Should can be easily updated, so what you have before One nice feature worth noting is that each issue T next vote as well. for it’s money, you now know how to cast your BROG (a publication I thoroughly enjoy) a run amateur publication, so if you want to give now qualifies as an Naturally, SPI REVIVAL earned it. his behalf and present it to him. He’s definitely privilege and honor for me to pick up an award on ORIGINS next year, but it would be an absolute efforts. Anyway, I don’t know if Ted will make I certainly don’t mean to downplay their own the supporting cast played a big part as well. Ted Kim. His execution was flawless. Of course, this effort would have not been possible without Review/Reviewer, please make a mental note that Roberts award are upon us to select the Best Needless to say, the next time Charles S. CSR A HE PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN EXT I NK I WARDS SSUE N EVER D RIES Chandler, Arizona [email protected] John Kranz Sincerely, PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN. share with you some player comments regarding friends where to find it. In closing, I’d like hope you enjoy the SPI REVIVAL, and tell your I look forward to hearing from each one of you. comments and feedback. issue as well. They would welcome your Please also feel free to contact the authors of this URL: http://www.manzana.com/webx Wargamer Headquarters, located at the following Discussion area). This web site is The Virtual (in the Game Magazine regarding SPI REVIVAL web so you can chime in with your comments There is also a discussion board available on the issue as well. nice to find out who is receiving and reading this downloading the Acrobat document, it would be future. Since I won’t be able to track who is what improvements you would like to see in the you think of the format presented herein, and the readership is critical. Please let me know what This being the premiere release, feedback from F expected. releasing it sometime in September if all goes as EEDBACK P LEASE testing and development I have done since then.” the experience which launched me into playtester when I went to NYC in 1980. That was ensured that I had to go be a Friday night This game also kindled my interest in SPI, and still guarantee no two identical games for me. comings to the game, but untried Soviet units all-time favorite solitaire games. There are short- copy of PGG. It became, and remains, one my name for himself in this hobby) loaned me his Charles Sharpe (who subsequently has made a “Back in 1976, an Ops Sgt by the name of Random Thoughts on PGG perfect wargame.” What Dunnigan has forged in this jewel is a near confound the concentration of German armor. scarce resources for limited ripostes, and advance, harry the German flanks, marshal repeated blocking lines in front of the German defensively, but not passively. He must throw 1941 means the Soviet player must think and act magnificent weapon he wields. High summer of that he does not recognize the limitations of so enthralled in the glamour of panzer pushing PGG is confounding the German player who “One of the secret joys playing Soviets in

- Tony Curtis, developer GMT’s BARBAROSSA SPI REVIVAL • Issue One July 1997 continued on page 20

- Doug Dery ae4 page b G battle? cations have even one chapter focusing on this same can be said about books. How many publi this battle with more than passing interest. pressed to think of any other game which treats Kursk or Kharkov immediate name recognition like Stalingrad, However that PGG is about an Eastern Front battle. of this popular game? about the game’ Before proceeding, though, a note is in order famous game. look at the parts that make whole of this can make similar claims. In this review descent from a famous progenitor LIN) still pay homage to PGG as if claiming recent releases (e.g. SPIRES OF their all-time top ten list. Designer Notes for on their top ten list of SPI games and even design that still arouses interest. Many place PGG classic [22]. V Front games. least three times. It spawned several other Eastern played. It was republished in other packaging at 1976). It was well-liked, innovative and widely T quite a splash when first published in Strategy & P A. y ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN (PGG) made

actics (S&T) magazine, issue 57 (July/August ickers, in F&M 12, was asking if PGG a P

ame Re ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T In ed K tr , Smolensk is not exactly a battle with im o duc T oday W vie s subject. So what is the subject ay back when in 1978, Ralph tion , many regard it as a watershed . In fact, one would be hard w Almost everyone knows THE KREM . Few games , we take a The - - Smolensk was the climax of initial some 400 miles towards Moscow leading from East Prussia and divided Poland Smolensk was the third encirclement in a chain marize the context of battle as follows. Army Group Center (AGC). Operation Barbarossa and follow the actions of T T renew the of operation. Only in October nized forces were diverted south for the Kiev front moved relatively little as German mecha greater potential. ter showing than before and foreshadowed much claimed. On the other hand, this was a much bet massive victory that Soviet propaganda has stopped the Germans. However series of fierce counterattacks, which at times defense than before. Soviet forces put up a much more tenacious forces at both an operational and tactical level, there were still major problems with the Soviet the Smolensk pocket on 5 throughout July 1941; resistance finally ended in thrust. Fighting around Smolensk took place

yphoon. o search out this battle, we must dissect

“PGG’s strength is its play evokes the feel of Eastern value and interesting sys

tem. It is both an exciting

contest and a game that front armored warfare.” fensive in this area with Operation Afterwards, this sector of the This included an escalating August 1941. W , did the Germans e can briefly sum , this was not the . The Battle of

While - AGC - - - free bonus for subscribing to S&T ed map. versions. flattray and “Collector counters and eight pages of rules. SPI also sold of a 32” x 22” map, countersheet with 200 When first published in S&T B esting study in game design. ics were innovative for the time and are an inter designed today “design for ef the abstractions would probably receive lot of minor faults. For better or worse, many just plain fun. On the simulation side, PGG has a haps, even in its title! [7]). However victim to stereotypes of that titanic conflict (per warfare. Some may ar that evokes the feel of Eastern front armored system. It is both an exciting contest and a game PGG’ . C Pr The Battle of Smolensk, July 1941 Catalano, Kevin Zucker omp s strength is its play value and interesting oduction: Physical Systems and Graphics: The flattray version was also used as a Panzergruppe Guderian: The bookcase box version had a mount Development: Design: Redmond onen SPI, 1976 (S&T . Nevertheless, the game mechan

fect” label had the game been Manfred F SPI REVIV James F AH, 1984 ts A. Simonsen ’ s Edition” bookcase box gue that the game falls

Richard Ber AL • Issue One July 1997 . Dunnigan . Milkuhn, Larry , Linda Mosca 57, PGG consisted 57) .

, the game is g

page 5 - - - -

Roslavl. the next set of objectives: Smolensk, three cities, one crosses a relatively empty area to V Mozhaisk. Near the western edge are cities of Moscow edge is Kaluga. Further north near the road to with Rzhev appearing on the edge. On east km. hex, the map covers roughly an area of 535 x 325 seem a hair smaller than 16mm.) hexes. (As actually printed, though, the hexes grain 16mm hex grid with 59 columns of 31 about 32.5” long. The map is actually slightly longer than most, maneuver the wide open spaces do suggest room for fluid much artistry shining through. On the other hand, its age. It is definitely functional, but there not decades. In this respect, the map of PGG shows Definitely drab, and the swamp graphics are green. green overprinting. dard “cottage cheese” blue forests were given a games with BREITENFELD (S&T also used green, which came into use in S&T standard SPI colors: dark brown and blue. PGG background. Map features and lettering use other and framing is standard SPI tan over an of marked reinforcement entry zones. track and terrain key The map includes the playing area, turn record B

.1. P itebsk, Orsha and Mogilev ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN The top of the map is oriented towards north M ap , the east edge is probably around The Dvina and the Dnepr are prominent , which this game certainly delivers. , graphics have come a long way in two The playing area uses a short- Also, the city artwork is olive . Along the mapedge are . Going east from the At 10.5 km per 55). The hex grid Y elnya and The stan f-white - -

are on the wrong side of river some oddities. For example, Gzhatsk and Kaluga rather sparse on forest and swamp. intentional. In general, the terrain interpretation is for PGG. It is possible some inaccuracies are since this map does not go far enough northeast to what the lake in northeast corner represents, objectives. It’ map fudging can be done to fit the game’ same source, Ber Dunnigan (who was the designer) [19]. In posite, replacing the first map given to him by Atlas, CIA compared to many sources (e.g. Rand McNally The topography is not all that accurate. exactly east-west on the map. of the transportation net that are rendered as probably the greatest impact is on those portions zig-zagging against the grain). In this case, (about 15%) in lines parallel to hex-spines (i.e. grid map, distance distortion is most severe links running towards Moscow the map, including main highway and rail Smolensk. landbridge”; this route is the direct path to between the rivers is known as “Orsha ly featured as well other rivers. Ber distances are distorted from reality

the eastern half of map is “The most serious issue with

g (the developer) the published map is a com

west transportation links.” the distortion of east- Also, a road and rail net is printed on W orld Fact Book, [5], [15]), it is clear s not clear g espouses a philosophy where , though, if that was done . As with any hex- . It’ . There are also According to s not clear The gap When s - around. the river ends in west, not other way north of the rail at east edge but south where late. For example, the Moscow river should be because some terrain features are hard to corre There is some uncertainty in this estimate edge to Smolensk including hex-grid distortion. the main Soviet reinforcement routes from east there is probably about 60 km extra distance in ated and overextends by about 40 km. Overall, between Gzhatsk and tion links. map is the distortion of east-west transporta The most serious issue with the eastern half of into the eastern half, then Germans have won. to the west, Soviets have won. If it’ good indicator of who won. If the front line is far objectives, the front line at game end is usually a conditions are primarily based on geographical has a nice indicator ef rarely extends out there. of the map are even included, since fighting One might ask why lar ef would hope, relatively minor issues with little include any of the reservoirs. or 190 km moving along the hexgrid (this equates map, it is roughly 170 km in a straight-line path should be about 1 Roslavl and the next set of game objectives (Smolensk, the western cities (V On the western half of map, distance from be a surprise even to Russians. fect on play Anyway The bend in the road and rail links Y . elnya) is simply not accurate. Orsha

, it appears the size of Russia can SPI REVIV 10 km from Smolensk. On the itebsk, Orsha, Mogilev) to V ge portions of eastern part yazma is overly exagger

T AL • Issue One July 1997 o this reviewer fect. Because victory These are, as one

, the map page

s firmly 6 - - -

NA The unit counters are depicted using the standard B forward Soviet defense is tougher Y must go further to get Smolensk, Roslavl and in the south. would be a tremendous asset to German supply be a road from Roslavl to Krichev a judgment call in Russia, it seems there ought to should not join together rain than in reality ter; in essence, this area has more defensive ter too much forest and river in the Roslavl perime issues with the terrain around Roslavl. (an additional three hexes). likewise displaced eastward by 30 km or more to six additional hexes!). Roslavl and Because of the divisional integrity rule, it is is probably warranted given their training. divisions more flexibility than other units, which gives the German panzer and motorized infantry at the regimental kampfgruppe level. sions. German mechanized forces are represented Soviet units and German infantry are divi satisfactory counters are clear and functional esthetically designations are also printed on the counters. just use a single combat strength. Historical separate attack and defense factors. Other units untried unit status. Soviet infantry divisions have to support German step-reduction and Soviet movement factors.

.2. P elnya. ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T C O symbology with the expected combat and oun At the same time, reinforcement of any . The net result is that the Germans t ers . The counters are backprinted The Iput and the Oster rivers . Though roads are often Also, there are other . . Such a road This design Y elnya are There is The - - - interdiction marker movement allowance. army designation as well leader rating and counters which list the leader name and historical ing. Soviet counters are orange-red with black letter the campaign [9]. speaks of Machinegun Battalion 5 and its role in flanks or stretch the line. For example, Guderian use non-divisional units to temporarily hold Germans slightly more, since it is not possible to game, this abstraction probably impacts the given to each division. If there is an ef For Germans, probably a proportional “slice” was probably ended up with the army headquarters. units. On the Soviet side, much of their strength [19]. PGG abstracts away the non-divisional publishing. choice and a result of format restrictions S&T level is probably both an intentional design The decision to design at the division/regiment counter and enlar KHARKOV format. Some games descending from PGG (e.g. beyond the graphic scope of S&T time, a color to easily identify each formations’ small font. since the historical designations are in a fairly Unfortunately German mechanized units is important. division. Reading the historical designations of important to identify regiments of the same The Soviet side also has army commander . ged the divisional designation on T The game had to fit in 200 counters , S&T oday , PGG does little to help in this task, -coded approach was probably , many games use color banding 68) recognized this problem . The back sides of Soviet There is also a Soviet units. fect on the magazine At that - randomness. defense unit quality or if it is merely accidental intent to show a dichotomy between attack and ness. In this case, it’ again, some might say there is too much random tion between the two is not very strong. Here dif defense strength for infantry divisions can also fact and good play balance [4, 22]. tion of strengths to be too random for historical form in combat [19]. Some have felt the distribu commanders did not know how units would per never seen combat before. Soviet units were of uneven quality and most had ates. Its historical basis comes from the idea that “fog of war” and the excitement game gener of PGG. Untried units are perhaps the most famous feature tacks [19]. Ber than defense. general, infantry attack strengths average lower division is given a non-zero strength of 2-5-6. In V happening with the 162nd Rifle Division near 25th Rifle Corps, reported an example of that example, Gorbatov where units literally dissolved in combat. For from zero to nine. from zero to eight. Infantry combat factors go and mechanized infantry pool has values ranging not follow a discernible distribution. untried status. Unit strengths vary widely and do with the combat factor given as a “?” to show divisions show type and movement allowance itebsk [16]. Ironically fer by as much five points and the correla g, to put realistic limits on Soviet counterat This type of uncertainty certainly adds to

This is by design, according to SPI REVIV The zero units represent cases , the deputy commander of s not clear if there was any

, in PGG, this particular AL • Issue One July 1997 Thus, even Soviet Attack and

The armor

page 7 ------

It’ coming straight from reducing the Minsk pocket. step losses already inflicted on infantry units For example, one might reasonably expect some units had experienced significant strength loss. the time of their appearance in game, some fered by more than 100 tanks in strength [12]. By between the Panzer divisions, some of which dif lished “waves” of German infantry divisions and ferences between the veteran and newly estab between individual units! One might expect dif ical situation. as one would expect to encounter from the histor cal in strength. known and within each unit type category la-coded strengths. Soviet unpredictability; they represent pure vanil The German units are the direct opposite of second counter to represent the last two steps. infantry divisions have four steps and thus need a which is roughly half of full strength. German regiments have a reduced strength backside are also two independent mobile regiments. has an extra motorized infantry regiment. Reich SS motorized division is an exception and out any motorization “wheel” symbols. use only the standard infantry type symbol with motorized infantry regiments, which curiously ments. Motorized infantry divisions have two a panzer regiment and two ors. Panzer divisions are made up of three units: markers and some game in German col There is also one cavalry division, air interdiction The one SS division is black with white lettering. German counters are grey with black lettering. P

s not clear if this was a “Design for Ef ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN There were certainly dif There is no variance whatsoever Their strengths are exactly grenadier regi ferences , identi There fect” The All ------

tion of German air power ef strength advantage also comes from an abstrac GRAD (SPI, 1977), some of the German combat of PGG spin-of Barbarossa. gap between the two sides was greatest during also comes from the fact that troop quality Soviet ones, but much of the strength dif mechanized unit is a 4-10. than Soviet units. German units are generally stronger and faster output. simpler game system, to focus on appropriate while Design for Ef process-driven mechanics that focus on input, [Editor tabulation basis. research was applied on a unit by strength sions are 9-7. German divisions were lar infantry division is a 3-4-6. German divi has two 3-10 regiments. regiments. sion has a 4-10 panzer regiment and two 2-10 Editor solution (“all comes out the same in end” - see

vast difference. The disparity

was intended by Dunnigan “The difference in unit size

alone cannot explain the cohesion and training.” ’

s Note below) or simply that no historical to show differences in ’ s Note]: Design for Cause describes A According to Brad Hessel, designer German motorized infantry division f game DRIVE ON ST The average Soviet armor or fect simplifies processes i.e. A fects [10]. An average Soviet German panzer divi ger than ference ALIN - - - - Gamers’ there is a catastrophic loss in strength, e.g. “cadre” model (where casualties accumulate until W ent models such as linear loss (e.g. People exponential decay strength. step loss approximately halves the current some strength loss in a German division. Each shattered a Soviet division merely resulted in cohesion and training [19]. Combat events that intended by Dunnigan to show dif explain the vast dif tion.) steps. (The German cavalry division is an excep one step, while German divisions have four to six German counterparts. Soviet divisions have only Soviet divisions are much more fragile than their supply “collectible” game section in a 1993 going out of print. It still appeared in the limited A After the death of SPI, PGG reemer page in the center of magazine. because it is on page S4, an advertising insert text, was published in S&T the game, which amounts to a half-column of listings are on the previous page. victory conditions and some reinforcement All charts are printed on the back page, though magazine. folder could be removed from the center of As with all S&T B .3. valon Hill label in 1984. It remained there until ar games’ R The dif ules and A ARDENNES). Thus, unit strength losses result in a The text is typeset in three columns. DUEL

ference in unit size alone cannot SPI REVIV games of this period, the rules . Some other games use dif ference.

FOR KHARKOV) or a AL • Issue One July 1997 v alon Hill 58. It is easy to miss, The disparity was The errata for ged under the

ferences in

page 8 The fer AH - -

blanks are included. of objectives and rail cuts. included for: out of supply status, German control markers. New markers, not in the SPI version, are remain the same. version has 260 counters. the hexes are slightly smaller as well. version, measuring 31.375” x 21.5”. The map was reduced slightly from the SPI nicely done. with mounted map. Overall, the A version is unclear catalog. Exactly who was in char

valon Hill version was in bookcase box format P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T AHGC’ s version of PGG pictured above. , since no credits are given. There are additional disruption Also, a fair number of The units and leaders AH version is ge of the As a result, The The AH AH

have their labels reversed.) (Note, the first two columns on infantry table and the distribution of untried unit strengths. rules, listing some magazine articles on the game cards. ment schedules appear on cardstock player aid (GDW GRAD (SPI, 1972), DRANG NACH OSTEN in a lar The rules were reset in two columns of 12 pages (More on this later about play balance from S&T added. incorporated, and some minor clarifications were now shaded in pink. ence still looms lar Eastern Front operational games, and its influ exciting results. PGG set a new standard for crafted together in a way that produced new and mechanisms were not original. Rather number of respects in 1976. The PGG system was quite innovative in a C. moved down to the division/regiment level and and KURSK (SPI, 1971), BA marily corps/division level games such as established pattern for the Eastern Front was pri

games, and its influence still

“PGG set a new standard for S Eastern Front operational y VON MANSTEIN (RAND, 1975). PGG , 1973), st

Also, two appendices are added to the The only new rule is for rail cuts.

ger looms large today.” em , more readable font. Illustrations are W AR IN .) The tables and the reinforce ge today The errata from S&T THE EAST TTLE OF ST . Before PGG, the Y 58 was omitted. et, many of its (SPI, 1974) , they were The note ALIN 58 is - - - - forces. dif A C.1. STRA games as F sequence was not new anized movement phase after combat. even appealed to those who were not released. It seems safe to believe that the game PGG was very widely played when it first mechanized warfare. much more fluid, exciting and sweeping view of for retreats and untried units. added a few ideas such as overrun, trading losses movement followed by combat. made up two player turns. Each turn has tional. Each turn, which represents two days, is The sequence of play for PGG is rather conven integrity through the sequence of play this. Other elements are reflected in the system about unit values touched on some elements of compared to German forces. and lacked in tactical training cohesion when unresolved ambiguities still lurking to this day reasonably clear; though, there are still some tiny overly complex. completed in a day or less. playable and fast moving. front in general. T wo enthusiasts of tank warfare or the Russian fair part of the rules center around modeling ferences between the Soviet and German F TEGY or The Soviet forces were not well or , Soviet leaders and untried units. c ALL e D

I (SPI, 1971). SPI REVIV OF FRANCE (S&T The system is relatively clean, iff The rules, themselves, are er

, going way back to such AL • Issue One July 1997 enc What is unusual, but , German divisional The system is not A es The result was a There is a mech The discussion game can be 27) or even W This turn

orld page

ganized 9 W . ar - -

this ef integrity rule, however arms” modifier for combat. has a strength of 18. PGG no “combined for the three regiment SS Reich division which motorized infantry division has 12 factors, except division has 16 combat factors under this rule. German or Soviet. mobile divisions above all other divisions, together a complete German mobile division is stacked sional integrity rule doubles unit strengths when divisions and some Soviet divisions. factors look less powerful than German infantry German panzer and motorized division combat German divisional integrity rule. On the surface, for using the ability to split up is captured in split up or stay together as desired. regimental level. German mechanized forces are represented at a lower movement factor move faster than infantry divisions despite its phase also allows the German cavalry division to chance to recover turn to exploit; thus granting his enemy a greater advance after combat. He must wait until next speed. to drive through a combat breakthrough at full movement points. German mechanized units get twice as many on both sides have the same movement factor dramatic results. Even though mechanized units movement phase. asymmetric. Only the German gets a mechanized by no means unique, is that the turn sequence

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN fect. The Soviet player must be content with . This places the strength of German This allows these divisions to They are given the opportunity . A The mechanized movement This small dif full-strength German Panzer . , basically encapsulates The divisional ference has The penalty The divi A - , concept. worth noting that untried units was not a new Untried units have been alluded to before. It’ until destroyed. surrounded. locking ZOCs such units do not even have to be because they cannot attack. In fact, of units without a leader will be unable to break out, times be exploited. For example, pocketed Soviet AMERICA mand control a vulnerability be in supply forces. Essentially ilar command restrictions imposed on German tage for German forces because there are no sim Soviet leaders (army headquarters) are an advan than other divisions that cannot be split up. believe that mobile divisions have less cohesion other hand, there is no historical foundation to ness for overrun, as perhaps intended. On the mand limitations. rather simple, clean way to show Soviet com by adding strength factors to an attack. another role in representing support capabilities the ef deny them this integrity bonus. retreat, mechanized units are routinely split up to Because the enemy controls direction of Another odd interaction occurs with retreat rules. ly that they become randomly intermixed. obeying stacking limits are not squeezed so tight sions are present. One would assume that units strange. Some aspects of the integrity rule are rather fect of temporarily lowering their useful A The idea appeared first in INV division loses integrity if other divi (SPI, 1976). However , attack or overrun. They will just sit there indefinitely , Soviet forces need leaders to This rule makes Soviet com , which can some They also have This does have , in that game, This is a ASION: s ------war” and excitement of the game. initially appeared. It’ PGG is really where the concept of untried units AMERICA, in the hearts and minds of many much more widely played than INV takes center stage. In fact, since PGG has been the idea was just some extra chrome. In PGG, it change was only made in the errata. three divisions of any type per hex, although this ON ST interesting to note that the spin-of stacking rule does not address this distortion. It is Whether for simplicity or some other reason, the to have space leftover for another division. W sions one-third lar ple, infantry divisions in stacking “size”. For exam panzer divisions as no more than 50% lar more room but not that much. Most games rate other divisions either means motorized divisions do not stack with However present with a motorized infantry division. sion into a hex. best, you can only get one German panzer divi just as lar though, German mobile regiments are counted as corps could be put into a hex. For some reason, hex. Stacking three divisions roughly implies a Stacking for both sides is three combat units per C.2. ithin a 10.5 km hex, it seems quite reasonable TYPHOON (GMT S tack ALINGRAD (SPI, 1977) made stacking , the divisional integrity rule generally ge as divisions for stacking purposes.

ing and M Theoretically SPI REVIV ger than infantry divisions. s a key aspect to the “fog of . Mobile formations do take

, 1995) makes panzer divi AL • Issue One July 1997 , other units can be o f game DRIVE v

emen page ASION:

ger than 10 t At - - - ,

Soviet forces could sometimes rail troops behind garrison the rail lines. Under SPI version, al rule eliminates the need for German forces to version adds a rule about rail cuts. achieved so early into the campaign. in no way caught up to the rapid advances priate since the German rail conversion ef Soviet player gets any rail capacity Rail movement is fairly conventional. Only the and bridges do exist for supply purposes. advantage. Oddly enough, rails do cross rivers, of bridging equipment or the home field on Soviet forces. Maybe it has to do with a lack though, if the Luftwaf ings by bombing bridges [9]. One has to wonder does speak about Soviet attempts impede cross rivers. It’ only that, Germans pay a bigger penalty to cross links are broken where intersected by rivers. Not there are none for ordinary movement. Bridges receive unusual treatment. Essentially more valuable for blocking supply preferred tar For the German, rail movement is usually However which can slow ordinary enemy movement. does not. Both players have interdiction markers outrun mechanized forces, remarkably the swamp infantry terrain, mechanized units move faster than allowances than infantry or cavalry mechanized units have higher movement overrun, which is discussed below Movement is fairly conventional except for

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN . , these markers are rarely used this way s not clear what this models. Guderian While forest allows the infantry to get. The Soviet interdiction marker is fe wasn’ t even more harsh . . . This addition This is appro As expected, . In clear The All road fort had AH - - - , , .

1:1.) wants to retreat out of ZOC, the best odds are possibility of attacker retreats. (If the being able to leave a ZOC, since there is lower higher odds can actually lead to a lower chance of make sense. If the defender has enough steps, leave a ZOC. However selves. In essence, they must “force the issue” to must destroy or retreat the enemy them overrun) to do so. extricate themselves, but they must attack (or though, is harder to understand. Units can disengage from the enemy in a hoplite warfare). was lost after the enemy made contact (e.g. in some other historical periods where all control this historical period. Locking ZOCs are rather unusual for a game in controversial element of the PGG design. units by placing them in ZOC. combat. they cannot voluntarily leave except as a result of means that units entering the ZOC must stop, and (attacking is optional) and locking. Locking Zones of Control (ZOC) in PGG are semi-active C.3. version to assign some units guard the rail. German lines. superior mobility to be able

C

Also, it hard to believe that mechanized “One expects units with to escape regardless of

losing what the enemy did.” This leads to the tactic of pinning enemy Thus, it became mandatory in that Why it would be so dif W T o become mobile again, they ith the E This certainly made sense , this view doesn’ WWII simulation, This is a fairly nem t always ficult to y - more “fog of war” to the CR something like a D10 or 2D6 could have added defense than actual combat strength. Perhaps, 6:1.) In many cases, steps are more important to (Defender eliminated results start appearing at anteed. some other games (e.g. of trading losses and retreats already appeared in could be converted to retreat hexes. added to combat resolution was that step losses the averages. what deterministic. untried units, the CR first contact in combat can be dramatic due to Some results call for losses on both sides. PGG’ also limit penetration from overruns as well. victorious forces in ZOCs. Defense depth can hex. advances go at most a hex beyond the vacated advance after combat ignores ZOCs, such not enough to qualify as a reserve. Unlike other games, a high movement factor is reserves are actually held out of the front line. being anxious to avoid the “sticky” enemy actually seems to have validity in this game. maneuvering to concentrate at a schwerpunkt The idea of “nailing the enemy down” and then Locking ZOCs, however regardless of what the enemy did. with superior mobility to be able escape units can be pinned by infantry between holding their ground and taking loses or 51). The ef Thus, defense in depth will still entangle the s CR At 7:1, two or more losses are assured. T fect was that combatants could decide calls for elimination or step losses.

The unusual feature that PGG SPI REVIV At 3:1, one loss can be guar T

, itself, is actually some AL • Issue One July 1997 WORLD , are not all bad news. T . One expects units without distorting W The concept

AR 1, S&T page Though While

Also, 11 - - ,

idea. Overrun as implemented in PGG was a novel ent simplicity of having no fractions is a mirage. a unit by basis or only on totals. whether halving and rounding should be done on There is some ambiguity in the rules about and divisional integrity) becomes important. applying modifiers (for overrun, terrain, supply not always undo halving. Halving involves rounding. fractions, especially for combat strengths. attacker is no help for the defender nor a hindrance to forest, cities and behind rivers. Strangely In combat, the defender thing. ing forces are in a panic and always do the wrong retreating and giving way by the enemy (which is also the path of advance) controlled stalemate. Interestingly degenerate into a deathly choke-hold or endless ef three movement points are available. Since carried out at any odds as long the required combat strengths are halved. But, overruns can be game, overruns are limited to single stacks and coordination or force concentration. Obviously defender can be ignored during movement. rules that model attacks so overwhelming the This dif march formation (i.e. during movement phase). An overrun represents a hasty attack right out of most dif P

fect of locking ZOCs, so that it did not always ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN According to Ber No one gets to retreat in good order PGG. . fers in intent with “automatic victory” ficult rule to develop in the game [19]. Also, PGG seems to show a paranoia for , hasty attacks have little time for . It gives the impression that retreat , the direction of retreat g, this was perhaps the ’ s strength is doubled in As a result, the order of . Thus, doubling does This softened the Thus, in the The appar , swamp - -

Soviet player Movement Phase to clear the position before defending force during the Mechanized then he can try to overrun the weakened enough to eliminate the last step of defender attack conducted during the combat phase is not he has a chance to act. For example, if German may be worn down by successive attacks before are mounted against the same hex, a defender mounted in the same turn. If these extra attacks extra (albeit weaker than normal) attacks can be The implication of overrun is that essentially units. allowances, but it is not prohibited for infantry mechanized units, which have a high movement Obviously continue to move unless entangled by ZOCs. normal capabilities. Disruption robs the unit of many its but not destroyed, become “disrupted” for a turn. Defending units that were successfully overrun, allowing the attacker to be stopped in his tracks. double lines of weak units are an ef combat results are interpreted slightly dif overruns are partly based on “momentum”, But with overrun, such lines are easily penetrated defense, because there is only one combat phase.

rule to develop in the game.”

“Overrun as implemented in

According to Berg, this was

perhaps the most difficult PGG was a novel idea. , this mechanism is most dramatic with ’ s turn. In some other games, The successful attacker can ferently fective , , fewer hexes to a road leading of German supply is either traced through 20 or of these modes. wonders how supply is transported if not by one cavalry) can move through swamps. One because all types of units (mechanized, foot and be traced through swamp terrain. the swamps. Supply (Soviet or German) cannot map edge. itself, must also trace a supply path to friendly within a leader radius. the presence of army leaders. Units must be As noted earlier play what causes many unit retreats to occur during of being the victim this type development is impaired and probably easy to destroy sweeping encirclements. of supply is, in fact, the payof Supply is cut by enemy units and ZOCs. supply halves movement and combat strengths. The ef C.4. uncertainty and anticipation about the result. run are of untried strength, there is often added strong ones. Since many units tar positions, but they are encouraged to bypass forces can roam freely and overrun weak the presence of locking ZOCs. Mechanized rule helps the game achieve a fluid flavor integrate movement and combat together and swept away . Supply and P fects of supply are fairly simple. Loss Again, there is a nit to pick regarding , Soviet supply is dependent upon

. Overrun is an early attempt to SPI REVIV

The army headquarters, AL • Issue One July 1997 The pocketed units are ar tisans f the western map f for executing geted for over This is strange

. page The fear The loss , despite

. 12 This -

divisional supply or because they are probably using their own map edge are limited by movement points, Those units drawing directly from the western bottleneck for three turns in the game. player can place the interdiction unit on bottleneck is the preferred location. which can block supply er has a partisan/air force interdiction unit single road) at the western edge. supply has a drawback; there is bottleneck (a army-level truck feeds. road network are probably being supplied by movement points or less. Units drawing of edge or directly to the west map in 20 other for one type of unit may not be in supply the cavalry movement, hexes that are in supply range dif can be somewhat of a nuisance. Because the checking supply by counting movement points would then be in supply line capable of tracing a path drawn on the map. Alternatively should simply be a given number of hexes. Perhaps, the range to western map edge of PGG might benefit from further simplification. This is one place where the relatively clean rules and in combat, whether attacking or defending. turn: in each movement phase, overrun German unit to check supply more than once in a normal movement. It may be necessary for each for purposes of this supply rule, though not

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN ferences between mechanized and infantry/ . T o muddy the waters further , a supply range line could simply be Any German units behind the ganizations. Unfortunately . The road method of . Obviously f the western edge The Soviet play , bridges exist The Soviet , the f the - , main road. really not possible without some support from the independent thrusts in the north or south are German to clear the main road Smolensk. Deep road supply must be used. map edge will only carry you so far corner enter from the west map edge or northwest No German forces setup on the board; all of them on multiples of five points. all city points and most levels of victory are based up to the four point level (four divisions), since Usually are rare occurrences as one might suspect. dif most games, only the city points really make any to determine the winner and level of victory reinforcements. concede some points by taking optional cities from the Germans. destroying entire German divisions and liberating The Soviet player can reduce the German total by occupying cities and east map edge entry zones. Points are accumulated by the German ditions of the game are based on victory points. for game play is provided here. the Battle Report Section, a strategic framework experiences and lessons learned are presented in While some comments on PGG game D western cities (V mar Smolensk leaves the German just short of a . ference. Destroying divisions or retaking cities Vic S ginal victory tr . Drawing supply directly from the western , the Soviet player takes reinforcements a t or t A eg y C victory point count reveals that the y The total is compared to a table itebsk, Orsha and Mogilev) plus . One more objective must be onditions and The Soviet may also This forces the The victory con . Eventually . In - , further east, e.g. must all be taken as well other objective(s) this means that Smolensk, Roslavl and level in favor of the Soviets. Practically speaking, other German levels of victory be shifted one Mar poses, it was recommended that a German Soviet commander must react tactically to mined primarily by the Soviet plan. strategic options. supply is relatively constrained by victory points and and has several tactical choices, his strategic plan While the German has to do bulk of attacking agree with this errata. the last word on play balance. However German mar that the expected and historical result was a 1976). issue of S&T came with the errata published in following entry area “X”. But the of divisions to any reinforcements entering from countered by adding a fixed number of rifle Moscow [1 tion is to vary the Soviet reinforcement rate from rectify any perceived imbalance. count, it is obvious a bid system could used to game. Leader Evacuation Rule can tilt the balance of The rules, themselves, suggest that the optional to win without Smolensk. or Roslavl is chosen. It practically impossible taken to achieve an ginal victory be considered a draw and that Also, since victory is determined by a point . Meanwhile, the Soviet player has more Among the errata was pronouncement

1].

ginal victory V SPI REVIV A (issue 58, September/October The shape of the game is deter yazma. For many

Axis victory German advantage can be AL • Issue One July 1997 . For play balance pur ficial word on balance . Usually Another sugges , this has been

While the page , , not all Y Y

elnya elnya 13 - - -

northeast of defense in an arc-shaped defensive position from forth [6]. new Soviet defense called the “Egg” was brought Somewhat later in Moves 33 (June/July 1977), a frustrating and not interesting to play [4]. has led some to feel that the Soviet role is gloomy picture of Soviet play point levels in the errata. It also paints a rather This strategy relies on the adjustment of victory to form speed bumps along the road Smolensk. Roslavl. Only minor forces defended further west Line of Resistance” back as far Smolensk and Redmond Simonsen advocates a Soviet “Main (October/November 1976) [17]. In this article, strategy articles appeared in Moves 29 Only a month after the errata, one of earliest shuttle his forces north and south. This gives the German a protected corridor to prohibited from moving to the western map edge. the first half of game, Soviet player is also the beginings of his defense on turn one. During reinforcement army first turn. rolls to determine if they can even move on the three other armies, but two of them require die fleeing east from the Minsk pocket. commander has two armies near the west edge strategy in mind. On the first turn, Soviet German moves, he must also keep his overall this strategy was so ef road to Smolensk. the woods just northeast of Orsha astride main using the original victory conditions. In F&M 12

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN The Egg was a much stronger forward W V itebsk following the Dvina south to ith these five armies and one The authors of the Egg felt that , the Soviet player must form fective that they advocated . Similar thinking There are

result that the author feels is possible. chronologically correct, but it does convey the The “Second Stalingrad” is, of course, not defense is highlighted in General 24/1 (1987) [8]. western cities. becomes a full-fledged line defending all the plan, the Soviet forward defense is expanded and Defense” in General 22/4 (1986) [14]. In this the last. Soviet strategy seems to be more aggressive than have agreed with their developer of Soviet strategies appeared. Anyway this, since original victory conditions. (W developer felt the game was balanced under appears this was intentional. ed and reference is made to the above articles, it S&T ry conditions did not include the adjustment from When published under the original victory conditions. author does not endorse reverting back to the end blocks the road to Smolensk. However moves the Soviet shield south so that northern is advocated [22]. (July/August 1978), a variant of the Egg strategy

effective that they advocat “The authors of the Egg felt

58. Since all other S&T that this strategy was so

, after publication by ed using the original victory conditions.” Among them was the “Quagmire AH does not name their developer An even more aggressive Soviet The “Southern Egg” strategy AH banner Apparently 58 errata is includ AH, another wave AH players must e cannot confirm , since each new , the victo , the

, the - AH .) - - attacks to relieve the Smolensk pocket [5]. Division appears to have participated in counter Reserve Front. In particular which were renumbered when absorbed into the ought to include some of the 100 series divisions, It also appears that the armor division countermix somewhat later a mechanized corps did join it [5]. with four rifle and no armor divisions, though Glantz, the 13th many details remain sketchy material slowly coming out of Soviet archives, the details of Soviet army was designed, there little information about fully suspect, much less certain. The Soviet order of battle is, as one would right of form the Germania Regiment was detached earlier to help Deutschland and the 1 Das Reich SS division should have Der Fuhrer from the 10th Panzer Division. By this period, counters appear to have been mistakenly taken should be 20 and 41. regiment numbers of the 10th Motorized Division fairly accurate. The order of battle in PGG for the Germans is E E .1. . ficially a brigade and not regiment. G Or ame as Hist der of B W iking SS division.

There are some minor errors. Army should probably only start SPI REVIV The numbers printed on the a

ttle AL • Issue One July 1997 or 1th regiments. y , the 101st . Even now with At the time PGG . Also, Lehr was

According to page

T 14 The The ank - - , There was bickering throughout the campaign happen after forming a pocket is somewhat hazy 19th and 20th also mounted to relieve the trapped Soviet 16th, for about a week. Persistent Soviet attacks were ef Smolensk[9]. However 26 July [5]. On 16 defenders of the Soviet 13th was formed around Mogilev on 13 July with 9th Smolensk. It was intended that Panzer campaign objectives certainly included taking a good job at simulating history issue 57. Here, we only consider if the game does The history of the battle is well-described in S&T E Historically fairly broad front with five dif the infantry forces for this battle. the Minsk pocket capitulated, finally releasing and the main road to Smolensk. On 9 July 1941, eventually including attacks along the Sozh river of [9]. Further attacks included action north and east in the north. Actually down by the operation to reduce Minsk pocket. were not immediately available. was the primary objective. whether Smolensk or destruction of Soviet forces was plainly intended, it is not clear exactly at Smolensk in a pincer action. by Guderian) with 2nd and 4th

.2. P

fectively seal the leaky pocket from north ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN V itebsk. Panzer G er , Panzer Army and Panzer man , Panzer V itebsk was taken on 9 July 1941 gruppe 2 and 3 for Armies. Exactly gruppe 2 attacked in the south, Vie gruppe 3 mounted an attack , Panzer w , Panzer gruppe 2 (commanded The infantry armies Army held out until ferent thrusts [16]. Army would meet gruppe 3 did not While a pocket , what was to They were tied A gruppe 2 took ged ahead on a small pocket . German gruppe 3 . These . about objectives and this continued. By 20 July the direct path to Smolensk, supply rules are and discourage a true pincer attack. Even along focus the German assault on road to Smolensk cally the case. Perhaps, supply rules overly dent thrusts in the north and south as was histori supply rules make it dif essential to any German plan. However The victory conditions certainly make Smolensk 1941 [16]. The Smolensk pocket finally yielded on 5 southern flank captured Roslavl on 1 fierce counterattacks [9]. Operations along the to forward elements of Panzer Historical Essay as appeared in S&T issue 57. Y elnya, but were subsequently subjected to ficult to conduct indepen gruppe 2 had gone on August [9]. August , the - - , advantage in several areas. the troops go, game does reflect a German system, we do not delve into them here. we have already examined the various nits of units brushing aside (overrunning) weak units. Massive breakthroughs are possible with armored provide a good illusion of armored warfare. At a lower tactical level, the game seems to operational objectives. reflect the confusion and dischord about some variability to the victory conditions counterpart. likely to be more careful than his historical ing Soviet forces, though the player is victory conditions. destroyed Soviet units should be reflected in the a major goal. Perhaps some accounting of tion of the Soviet army could also be considered between commanders, OKH and Hitler Depending on how you read the ar pocket occur after the game ends. of Roslavl and the capitulation Smolensk accurage depiction. Historically up near the center of board which would be an of a well-matched game, front lines tend to end does seem to have a historical basis. Soviet player to defend these objectives, which objectives. Certainly by doing so, it forces the victory should be so heavily tied to geographical [9]. One could even ar but was fighting around Smolensk and road near Orsha as late 20 July (game turn 9) Panzer perhaps overly restrictive. Historically gruppe 2 did not have access to the main

Another approach would be to add SPI REVIV

This would encourage pocket AL • Issue One July 1997 gue whether German The question is , both the taking At the end

, destruc page As far as guments Y

elnya 15 As - - , was surrounded by Panzer 1 price, they were very costly as well. Starting from were repeatedly ordered. the German attack progressed, counterattacks V 24th and 28th were positioned further back near under Lukin was positioned near Smolensk. under stream of reinforcements were gathered together Front (19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd), a steady escaped the Minsk pocket, armies from Reserve tar had to be stopped. Smolensk was the next logical From the Soviet point of view E ZOCs and attritional fighting. mobile forces become bogged down in locking shortage of infantry early on. the same time, German player experiences a things seem to go as a tank enthusiast expects. the dif such an early part of the struggle, it’ Here you could get conflicting opinions. But for whether the size of gap is properly reflected. V in and went straight into the attack towards Army resumed the attacks near almost been destroyed. they were isolated ef many went of supposed to part of a coordinated plan. However and other attacks to the north south were 1 July

.3.

yazma [5]. P

itebsk [5]. By 13 July get on the road to Moscow ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN S W o ference was fairly lar , the 19th est Front command [16]. viet f so badly that the Germans felt The 13th Vie Army under Koniev was railed forts [5]. w A Army held Mogilev and few days later While they did exact a , the 19th gruppe 2 advances. ge. On the whole, , the German thrust Thus, at times his V . Remnants that itebsk [5]. The 16th s clear that Army had , the 20th These Army The As At ,

ble ef the untried units, they probably have no apprecia designations and arrival dates. However recent historical accounts regarding army The game has a few discrepancies with more pocket. 5 breakout [5]. On 26 July attempt a relief of the pocket. Some forces did few days later inside the pocket, 20th to forces along a front from north of Smolensk south (24th, 28th, 29th and 30th) attacked German ing 18 July [5]. Starting 21 the pocket. Rokassovski went on attack start prevent Panzer Rokassovski assembled an ad hoc group to try 16th Fierce battles in Smolensk, eventually forced the avoiding German conquest of cities. result. that easy to do much better than a historical In terms of victory conditions, though, it’ he has a better chance of avoiding encirclement. occurred historically can attempt a better handled defense than

to be stopped. Smolensk was the next logical target on view, the German thrust had August, resistance ceased in the Smolensk

Y elnya and Roslavl [5]. On 23 July “From the Soviet point of Army out of the city [5]. In north, fect on play

The game generally comes down to road to Moscow.” gruppe 3 formations from closing , renewed attacks occurred to . In general, the Soviet player . W Army attacked as well. , Mogilev finally fell. On ith historical hindsight, , four armies The victory , given , from s not A - - participants did. Certainly knows too much to attempt what the historical trying many attacks. Perhaps, the Soviet player strengths discourage the Soviet player from leaders, untried units and generally low attack coordination and other problems. In PGG, Soviet attacks. Many of them suf leaders like Rokassovski. additional attack capability is called for in select victory points for successful attacks or some Perhaps, there ought to be a greater payof sees lower than historical German casualties. many risks. points for retaking cities is not suf Army problems of command and control in the Soviet leader rules are fairly good at simulating the war is quite thick and appropriate. Likewise, the untried unit strengths. In these aspects, the fog of ability of his armies to react on turn one and many factors outside of his control, such as the T turn!) example of this. (In game terms, it falls on the last hold out a long time. Mogilev was historical ought to be extended western edge cities which victory that retaking a city represents maybe awarded. points for retaking a city are generally not justified, but very hard to achieve. Similarly points for destroying German entire divisions are rue to history . Historically The minor morale and propaganda Also, it appears the average game

, the Soviet commander finds SPI REVIV

, there were several major AL • Issue One July 1997 , the payof ficient to take

f in victory

fered from

page 16 , the f in

Battle of Smolensk”. reported as “PanzerGruppe Guderein [sic]: The definitely grown. The title of the game was final scale, but the size of game had “new design elements”. The map was not at the counters, division/regimental level and many as having a 34” x 22” map at 7 km per hex, 200 57, was described which was scheduled for S&T 1976) reported on “Work in Progress”, the game, 54 (January/February In fact, by the time S&T size games and less traditional topics in S&T. plated to counter resentment about smaller folio Apparently, a larger format was already contem- that the game was hit in feedback [19]. of many misspellings Guderian. Berg states only a folio size map. Also notable was the first different scope or scale was contemplated with This was the begining of PGG. Obviously, a invasion in 1941. in one of the decisive battles German against massive, but disorganized Russian forces leads outnumbered German armored forces Question 66. Smolensk, 1941: Guiderian [sic] follows: be available. One of the proposals read as version with mounted maps would also maps. A proposed games would be folios with 22” x 17” placed into the Feedback Questions. The number of game proposals for folio games were 53 (November/December 1975), a In S&T F. PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN History of the Game History called in to replace Kip Allen as developer [19]. “With time running out”, Richard Berg was counterattacked and pushed the Germans back. Soviets were completely wiped out, or they and had no resemblance to history. Either the needed major work. Results were wildly unstable the game attention it needed. The game These circumstances prevented him from giving relocating (PGG was his last assignment at SPI). Unfortunately, Kip Allen was in the process of an easy game to design [3]. Dunnigan’s own recollection was that PGG responsibility to see that things moved forward. during development, but it was the developer’s monitor progress and be available to consult ed reading list” [2]. Of course, Dunnigan would scribbled notes, a preliminary map and suggest- He would hand his developer “8-10 pages of Costikyan notes that this was Dunnigan’s style. 51), was chosen. Greg WORLD WAR 1 (S&T work it all out. Kip Allen, the developer of countermix, and then looked for a developer to form, including an order of battle and preliminary Dunnigan wrote all this up in short paragraph basic pattern of overrun, supply and untried units. 36). Dunnigan also set down the CENTER (S&T GROUP the one in DESTRUCTION OF ARMY only a few hours. The initial map an adapted from historical research on the game was completed in Relying on his background in the area, initial elements [19]. He worked up an initial CRT. Dunnigan’s initial design centered on a few key

divisional cohesion on defense. attacks more concentrated and encouraged mechanized divisions together made the German strength. This further encouragement to keep regiments and to include an effect on defense attack strength. Berg changed this to require all Dunnigan’s original rule also only applied to applied when at least two units were together. Moves 25 reported that divisional integrity zero to nine. The final range of combat values for infantry was Soviet counterattack ability to realistic levels. mostly lower attack strengths. This reduced the strength. The final version added separate and that rifle divisions still had a single combat from zero to eight in value. It appears at this time Untried units were reported to have strengths was slated to contain “numerous scenarios”. 25 that differed from the final version. The game However, there were elements reported in Moves reflect their superior training and cohesion. the larger number of steps in German units to four steps. From the onset, Dunnigan intended sional integrity. German infantry divisions had at the regimental level with two steps and divi- supply. German motorized units were represented to be in the radius of a Soviet leader receive Soviet units were single-step, untried and needed was two to five. Soviets could use rail movement. semi-active. The range of Soviet leader values design were present at this time. ZOCs Battle of Smolensk”. Many elements the final game as “Panzergroup Guederian [sic]: The Moves 25 (February/March 76) described the

SPI REVIVAL • Issue One July 1997 ae17 page

the problem. Ber forced to attack at low odds and kill themselves. struggles. After contact, units became locked into death (making combat mandatory) as well locking. point in the design, ZOCs were apparently active units to leave next movement phase). Also, ZOCs were reported to be rigid (allowing movement points. into the final version of half strength for three strength. Further development simplified things strength overruns and four points for half a two movement point expenditure for one-third with ZOCs. Dunnigan’ several times, especially to clarify the interaction hardest rule to debug. Ber slightly dif somewhat dif The snapshot in Moves 25 also described overrun done in about two weeks with the help of map’ frankly admitted that he had suspicions about the playtest results was the initial map. Dunnigan A the final fix to overall problem. see Ber eventually went back to locking. Later was kept to avoid suicide at low odds, but ZOCs eventual result was that the semi-active nature snapshot of experimenting with ZOCs. strength. possible to overrun at half or one-third of was available only to the Germans; it

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN part of the problem with Kip g initially tried to change the ZOC rules fix s source. Ber g eventually added another element for The ef This meant that Soviet units often were ferent. Overrun proved to be the ferently Apparently fects of Disruption were also g had a new composite map . It was implied that overrun s original rule allowed for , Moves 25 captured a g had to rewrite the rule Allen’ , we will At some V s wild ir gina The reported to be “somewhat bloodless”. published version in not having any “split” retreat. His original CR conception of the CR less is interesting, because Dunnigan’ The fact that the CR final 10.5 km per hex scale. in spite of the fact that map was still not at have their final 10 point movement allowances, It’ scale reported is as published in the final version. much as “twenty hexes a turn”. turns allow German mobile forces to advance as km per hex and two day turns. Double impulse Smolensk” would use a scale of approximately 9 “Panzer S&T reported the map was now at a new scale. something had changed by S&T the other problems. It is clear probable that the map was fixed before many of into the areas historically chosen” [19]. It quite historical results. German thrusts were “directed Mullholland.

s also apparent that German mobile units now

Dunnigan’s original concep

reported as fairly bloodless

tion of the CRT had no “The fact that the CRT is

55 (March/April 1976) reported that

is interesting, because group Guederian [sic]: possibility of retreat.” This map produced much more T is reported as fairly blood T T had no possibility of dif fered from the , though, that The Battle of 55. The CR That issue s original The time

T - is - of German to exit three supplied mobile divisions objectives. to him is a representation of the historical not that important to him [1, 19]. More playtesting. Ber conditions were not defined until the end of to give some flavor of air operations. Late in development, interdiction was also added have to stay in a static defense just waiting die. locking ZOCs. Now units did not necessarily retreating. control over standing and paying in blood or converted into retreats. important change was allowing step loss to be duce somewhat more variability exchanges. Ber results. response [3]. By the time S&T he too was surprised at the overwhelming Dunnigan thought the game would do well, but The game was rated at a whopping 7.23. was published. December 1976), the first feedback on game was published. (September/October 1976), errata for the game publication in four issues of S&T published. PGG had gone from game proposal to In S&T unusual for the German to get eastern edge. what playtesting was producing. It not conditions are interesting, because they show current point system. These were eventually discarded in favor of the to keep certain eastern rails under their control. f the east edge. Also, the “Engaged” results were 57 (July/August 1976), PGG was This finally solved the problem of The first formulation required the g made all these changes to intro

g frankly admits play balance is SPI REVIV The numbers were astounding. Then, in S&T

The Soviets requirements were AL • Issue One July 1997 This gave the Soviets The original victory . But, the most 59 (November/ . In S&T

60 (January/ page V

ictory 18 58 -

IRON, (TERRIBLE SWIFT There were now only four games rated higher price had apparently gone up by a dollar to $10. played had dropped slightly to 53%. acceptability of PGG up to 7.3. Percentage (May/June 1979) showed another increase in After another year in issue 60, all but three had sunk below PGG. original 13 that were rated higher in acceptability two were higher in percentage played. Of the nine games were rated higher in acceptability and in the ratings chart is rather unusual. played percentage had dropped to 59%. Climbing had climbed in acceptability to 7.2, though the Chart in S&T About two years after publication, the Rating percentage who received their money’ realism, percentage who would still buy and game length suitability categories, including ease of play was rated well above average in most other Playback Review at a 7.60 overall rating. It also (June/July 1977), 434 readers rated PGG in the higher in percentage played. In Moves 33 13 games above PGG in acceptability and none rating) with 74% played. Rating Chart at a 7.0 acceptability (popularity February 1977) came out, PGG had gone into the COBRA widely RING). the same success. PGG spin of PGG had many children, though none quite

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN . W Three games had been played more and KHARKOV T ACHT wo of these were related games: 68 (May/June 1978) showed PGG AM RHEIN, , the Rating Chart in S&T , complexity suitability SWORD, CROSS OF . At the time, there were W , play balance, AR OF At this time, s worth. fs started Also, the THE 74 , cousins is OPERA considered cousins. One of its more famous borrowed from PGG and thus maybe should be NOR campaign was published as game using PGG derived mechanics on the same again in 1994. Lastly After SPI’ LENINGRAD (W ST in 1984. overly complex. Even a reasonable amount of an exciting, fun and playable system that was not Soviet leaders and even locking ZOCs to produce double-impulse turn, divisional integration, losses for retreats, untried units, an asymmetrical such elements as overruns, the ability to trade went well beyond that. It skillfully combined interesting Russian front topic. But its appeal appeal include mechanized combat and a fairly of the all time great war T G. published by 3W PGG descendent on the same campaign was LENINGRAD. But in the same year In 1980, the last SPI spin-of GROUP KHARKOV appear in COBRA GRAD. appearing in 1977 with DRIVE ON ST o many ALINGRAD (1984) and COBRA F inal C TH by SSG in 1982. Many other games , Decision Games published LENINGRAD , P SOUTH QUAD was published in 1979. Also, 1977 saw a derivative system s passing, PGG was republished by ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN is one TSR republished DRIVE ON (S&T ommen ar TION under the title gamer 14). Finally 68) was published. games. (S&T TYPOON (SPI, 1978). ts f was published with The reasons for its ARMY 65). In 1978, ASSAUL , yet a third , another GROUP (1985). ARMY ALIN T ON AH - W [4] Jon Freeman. 1997. [3] James F http://www CONQUIST [2] Greg Costikyan. Developer Notes for and 1 March 1997. [1] Richard H. Ber I. Skip Franklin for their helpful comments. The author would like to thank John Setear and H. classic. P query posed in F&M 12 is obvious. reviewer necessarily answered questions. In this point, game strategy and balance are not fatal to the system or fun. Even at this nits to pick in the area of simulation. But none are months from original conception. Amazingly leaders add command control limitations. Untried units introduce uncertainty “fog of war” is included in this clean system. ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN is definitely a Ref ar A games. Simon and Schuster ck er ’ no s opinion, the answer to Ralph , the game was produced in only eight enc .crossover . Dunnigan. Private email. 1 March ADOR.

wledgemen SPI REVIV es g. Private email. 28 February .com/~costik/conqnotz.html

The Complete Book of AL • Issue One July 1997 , NY There are many ts

, 1980. , and Soviet page V

icker 19 ’ s [9] Heinz Guderian. Panzer Leader General 24/1 (1987), pp. 42-44. [12] June 1996. [1 ST [10] Brad Hessel. Designer Notes for DRIVE ON Press, NY V [8] Mark Green. (January/February 1988), pp. 17-19. W [7] James F Approach. Moves 33 (June/July 1977), pp. 8-10. P [6] Bill Dunne, Mike Gunson and David Parish. Lawrence, KS, 1995. Stopped Hitler When [5] David M. Glantz and Jonathan House. Smolensk Campaign: 1 Playing the Reds in P [14] Brett Murrell. [13] Moves issues 25, 33. SPI. S&T corrected diagram.) “Letters to the Editor” in General 23/1, p. 43 for IAN. General 22/4 (1986), pp. 42-44. (Also see

ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN: P ictory in P

1] Markus Kaessbohrer

ar ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN ALINGRAD. SPI, 1977. game 57 (July/August 1976), pp. 4-19. V ictor Madej and Shelby Stanton. T itans Clashed: How the Red , 1996. T . Gof itles. ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN. . University Press of Kansas, f. Pro-Nazi Bias in East Front A W Second Stalingrad: ar ANZERGRUPPE GUDER gamer vol. 2, number 4 The Quagmire Defense: 1 July -5 . CONSIM-L August 1941. A . Da Capo Dissenting email. 28 A Soviet Army The - [21] Rick Swan. 74. SPI. [20] Strategy & Staf Conflict Simulation Games (Strategy & Design: [15] Richard Natkiel. [19] Staf 2nd ed. Panzer Press, [18] (October/November 1976), pp. 4-9. W GUDERIAN: [17] Redmond 1941-45. Presidio Press, Novato, CA, 1993. [16] [22] Ralph 55. 63 (December 1989/January 1990), pp. 14-24, 3: 1978), pp. 16-24, 50-51. IAN: Is it a Classic? F&M 12 (July/August arfare. Gallery Books, NY The Eastern Front Operational Games. F&M f Study number 2). SPI, NY T Albert Seaton. om Slizewski. The History f of Strategy & V ickers. P Assaulting the Mystery A. Simonsen. P W T actics issues 53-55, 58-60, 68, orld W ANZERGRUPPE GUDER , Production, and Use of Arvada, CO, 1993. The Russo-German ar W Atlas of 20th Century game Collector ar 2 , 1982. T Anthology Chapter actics. ANZERGRUPPE , 1977. . Moves 29 W ’ T s Guide, ar actics game W ar - played “Those untried Soviets changed the way I years introduced many newcomers to war “A game and the system.” of us won the game. I just remember liking playthrough even though I have no idea which I still remember the enjoyment of that first somewhat complex (only eight pages back then). Back then the rules seemed to be long and German Panzer and for the Soviets and a unit integrity bonus revolutionary rules such as untried unit strengths game had been touted as having some punched the counters was almost palpable. ment in the air as we unwrapped game and and I went to pick up our copies. first hit store and the thrill I felt when my cousin “I can remember when Panzer the few non-Napoleonic era games I play doubt one of my personal favorites, and ing by playing PGG. great 1st or 2nd game! I have over the last 15 RANDOM ALL - Dr war . S. Borkowski, M.D, Oslo, Nor

games. SPI REVIV THOUGHTS ON PGG (cont.) This game is without a

Y AL • Issue One July 1997 AHOO!” grenadier Divisions. gruppe Guderian - Michael Balog The excite - Lar

r page y Caskey .” gam The

- 20 way - b P B German glued to the ground west of Smolensk. ing that hole in the front line and ten divisions map. Short of a perfect turn, however but five divisions in supply on the entire game ground commanders are now well placed with all the Reserves march west towards Gzhatsk. the map near Hoth enters the Fray of The German planes bomb the rail line just south Soviet Soviet Player: Lloyd Hudgens German Player: Skip Franklin is going to hurt. activating. Stavka keep the 16th and 19th couldn’ except for a hole near Dnepr/Dvina River line. newly arrived 22nd Dvina River and surrounding of Marshal von Bock orders the crossing of thus denying them of defensive terrain, Field Soviets before they recover from their retreat; out of the trees south 20th Panzer and Motorized expel infantry without much ef Panzer and 14th Motorized force the Dvina

y S P

anz

a ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN V ttle Rep yazma and a communications breakdown at k ip F T t close. 24th er urn One T urn One r This shortage in badly needed troops ank gr V upp lin itebsk. In an ef : fort (0-10 Soviet armor unit), T The retreating 13th, 20th, and or HE Army rails to Smolensk and . 39th Panzer Corps enters t R e G V V ETREA elizh that 13th and 22nd itebsk while 7th Panzer Army stop on the The front line is solid uder T fort to attack the FROM V Armies from ian itebsk. 12th M , consider INSK The - the lake north of A Soviet One German motorized infantry step lost. One Soviet tank and three infantry divisions lost. G becoming bogged down by the Red infantry the next few days or army is in danger of the Soviet line. Hoth demands more action over the V V 6th Corps moves up to assist in the attack on 57th Panzer Corps enters the area of operations. The Smolensk defensive belt deploys and Soviet A German towards Gzhatsk. strength. divisions and is now up to 10 in reserves using provisional reinforcement southern flank. Rokassovski is building up 24th deploy further forward. 20th with 16th and 19th held by 22nd is left to the invaders. G solid German first game turn. movement finishes the isolation of takes the western half of elizh. itebsk, while 57th Panzer Corps slices towards AME AME strategic re-deployment puts the front line from 0-10 Soviet tank unit lost. No German losses. W ehrmacht is engaged and no major breaks in T T T T V URN URN urn urn T itebsk holds out with losses, and most of These formations now march forward urn Three T T O wo T WO NE Army wo : V R R D : elizh, south to the Dnepr ESUL T ESUL EFENSE , and Smolensk is defended Armies, while the 13th and HE The northern shoulder is TS TS R ETREA IN V DEPTH itebsk. Follow-up T Army holds the V itebsk. V itebsk , west . A Army is now marching onto the map. Smolensk with Rokassovski not far behind. 28th shortage of units. but up north in the open ground, there exists a River units are double-stacked then along the Sozh and swamps, through the open ground where south through the trees, along Kasplya River front line now originates from the lake, running and stragglers. More retreating, as Smolensk fills with supplies Soviet battle. Germans haven’ Germans from penetrating their lines and the No German losses. T fails to clear Guderian throws his troops into battle. 6th Corps German Rokassovski still marching in from the rear Army between river near Mstislavl. 21st enters the area. a few miles then south to the Sozh river where it G eliminated. Mogilev and Orsha both fall. Soviet units in the Corps are able to engage two infantry divisions. engage the enemy line. 46th and 47th Panzer Dnepr river line, 3rd Panzer turn (engaged). Since the Soviets evacuated fighting keeps the Germans out of city for this wo Soviet tank and three infantry divisions lost. AME . T The line is fairly strong now in the south, T URN urn Four T urn T Three HREE V A

itebsk with an overrun as hard t been able to bring the Soviets SPI REVIV Another reor : The 30th V second line is behind the Sozh T The Soviet player has kept the V yazma and Smolensk R HE itebsk/Dvina River area are ESUL

R ETREA AL • Issue One July 1997 Army is at Roslavl, 30th TS Army is strong east of ganization of the T gruppe could not C

ONTINUES page

. 21

German can bring to bear Smolensk is holding firm against all the Germans destroyed after repulsing the other regiment. German 18th Motorized Infantry Division is counterattack is rebuf Russian defense line. The German 18th Panzer has penetrated the Soviet defensive posture. infantry divisions to draw upon in maintaining a provides the Soviet player with a strong pool of Army in the open, overrunning it. Revenge! 10th Panzer catches the Soviet 16th still can’ German PzG regiment step loss. Five Soviet infantry Divisions eliminated. One G Reich. exploited by three motorized divisions and Das created hole in the Kasplya marshes is now Kasplya marshes scores a success. ed all along the line but only attack in the defender being doubled. able to attack the river defensive position without unable to retreat, the 24th Panzer Corps will be being defended. has a hole since the south end (hex 0831) is not Assault is the key word. German Roslavl. Gerisamenko has two tank divisions in reserve at P

AME ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T T V URN urn Five T T itebsk falls during the breakthrough. t bring the Soviets to battle. urn Five urn Four F OUR . : While a unit positioned there is C R OUNTERA ESUL fed, a regiment of the Although the even-odds The Dnepr River defense TS Attacks are conduct TT ACK ! A The Germans pocket west The newly- This - German killed outright. win. leaving only Roslavl and the Russians. Smolensk could fall in a turn or two W the Soviet retreat is causing problems for The infantry continues its forward advance, but Smolensk area. the river defensive area south to bolster Furthermore, six divisions are transferred from another three divisions to Smolensk. with six rifle divisions. Rail movement brings in Khomenko’ Smolensk, it’ As only Gerisamenko’ Soviet Reich suf more than garrison duties for this formation. Das Division is reduced to a single step, leaving no 16th The Soviets lose eight Infantry 1 of Smolensk containing some 7 Soviet Rifle and G assaults. divisions are crushed in continued overruns and tions due to their lack of mobility unable to keep pace with their key area penetra in the vicinity of advancing German infantry Russian line. But alas, it is nowhere to be found have made their presence felt by assaulting the had stood their ground longer AME T ehrmacht. ank Division has now been formed. T Army HQ. oo bad the German 18th Motorized wasn’ T T URN urn Six T fers a single step loss during an overrun. urn Six s 30th army is located just to the east F The German infantry are simply IVE s very fortunate indeed that : Things aren’ R R The German 18th Motorized ECOVER ESUL s headquarters is holding TS Y Y el’nya for a German t looking good for , one tank and the , the units could . If the Soviets All these - t . then breakthrough to capture Roslavl or Game it’ now reached the halfway point of this operation, west of Smolensk really hurt the Soviets. Having including Lukin of the 15th than 26 infantry and five armor divisions, Motorized no less. motorized infantry - three from the 18th three steps of mechanized and four a purpose; to greatly hamper the German timeline! Smolensk, but they have been positioned there for units will certainly die quickly at the gates of of the city towards German troops. allowing for some Soviet infantry to advance out Smolensk is a bust as the attack repulsed, even German deteriorating defensive positions presently held. thus releasing Soviet units trapped in the to engage the Germans just acheive defense line. Unfortunately Smolensk, it’ In light of the tightening grip being put on Thus far Soviet Only time will tell.... G cost of only one step German infantry divisions are also eliminated in Smolensk, at the take a step loss in return. there, as they destroy two Soviet divisions but is good enough to release the panzers fighting Low-odds attacks on the Sozh river nonetheless AME s building up to a German victory with six T T T urns still remaining to take Smolensk and URN , the Germans have lost 1 step of infantry urn Seven T urn Seven S s time to start establishing the next

IX SPI REVIV R ESUL : The Soviets have lost no less B A

TTLE

TS AL • Issue One July 1997 , the Soviets may need IN T wo Soviet infantry Army THE BALANCE . The pocket

A1 results; page . Y el’nya.

These 22 ,

G Smolensk appears only a matter of time! while th elimination of all Soviet forces around Roslavl, as well the open road east to should rein supreme throughout the Soviet ranks. pated results for the Germans no doubt. Panic runs following these attacks. Better than antici favorable. nized infantry during overruns, the results are Although the Germans lose two steps of mecha Krichev allowing the near isolation of two armies around hole is blown in the Soviet line west of Roslavl, turning point. Further attacks are also fruitful. and an infantry attack in the north represent results. A German area to head of reinforcements are being rushed to the Smolensk Soviet infantry are being recycled this turn and their divisions where they can not be surrounded. The Germans have been careful in positioning Soviet infantry step. mechanized division. The Soviets only suf G mechanized infantry are eliminated during over during combat and an additional infantry Four additional Soviet divisions are destroyed destroyed during the first movement phase alone! armor division, and six infantry divisions are P AME AME

very determined German drive yields glorious ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T T T A URN URN . urn Eight T urn Eight The Germans are now threatening determined assault south of Smolensk A E S EVEN Soviet Leader (Gerisamenko), an IGHT f the oncoming panzers. : R R R fer the loss of an infantry and ECYCLE ESUL ESUL The Germans lose an TS TS Y uknov A - - - , quite yet. The Soviets realize the Germans haven’ Soviet to the communications center heavy fighting, but full reports have not come in There have been some German losses due to the infantry divisions and Rokassovski is no more. The German have destroyed twelve Soviet G well. troops are flanking the Soviets east of Desna River south of time, however Attacks on Smolensk gain little to speak of at this the south and three infantry divisions in north. Smolensk is surrounded by a panzer division in being placed in a compromising position as well. with little resistence. being prepped for its finish as Roslavl is taken The Slaughter Begins. A Soviet German Soviet units are forced to retreat west. in the line directly south of Smolensk as three infantry division is disastrous and opens up a hole advancing quickly the rivers should keep Germans from a hole south of Roslavl, however longer unlikely that the Soviets can hold out much ago, but would only make things worse now may have had an impact if exercised two turns AME partial restoration of the front line. . T T T The women and children of Moscow must URN urn urn Nine T T urn Nine aking the optional SW T N en . Panzers have now pushed over the INE : : S . One lone attack on a German R R TILL ESUL ECOVER Y The northern shoulder is el’nya. Other mechanized HOLDING TS The Krichev Pocket is Y . OUT , but fortunately reinforcements There is still V elizh as t won . It is back full strength to the bar the way in south. though the northern hex is taken. continues to tighten. Smolensk holds out even north and the noose around Krichev Pocket Setup for the kill. German Smolensk. flank. the defensive front is mended on southern The supply line is re-established to Smolensk and Soviet remaining. in a tight balance at this time with only two turns luck could work in the Soviets favor This timely delay putting a momentary halt on the German drive. The Soviets call out their air interdiction marker G division in Smolensk. The only loss this turn is a Soviet infantry partisans, or being interdicted by Russian planes. the front is either stuck in mud, harassed by Smolensk has achieved some success. only several kilometers wide. Pocket shrinks to half it previous size and is now Headquarters says push forward. German partisans. the Germans are out of supply due to our dig deep now to set those tank traps. Good thing AME The Germans lose heavily in attacks around T T URN urn Eleven T T urn Eleven urn The northern front is also sewn up. T T EN

en SPI REVIV , along with some much needed R A ESUL : A minor hole is blown in the STRONG TS

W AL • Issue One July 1997 The last turn will bring ehrmacht. SHOWING Three divisions The battle for . The Krichev The game is

The rest of

page 23 , Despite the route to achieving only an “Engage” result. unknown unit which results in a 1-2 odds attack, assaults across a river line into trees against an highlight of the last turn is when Das Reich eliminated except for a provisional unit. advance (engaged). in an attempt to surround Smolensk but can’ continues to hold. 7th Panzer blasts through a unit the line gains a hole to exploit, but Smolensk resistence via overruns. Krichev Pocket is reduced to two points of allowed panzers to break through even take Smolensk. German Y “C’mon Germans!” (Please don’ pin down the Germans. Smolensk is reinforced. Preparing for the final assault. Every unit tries to 1-3 odds. One more Game force in Smolensk is too lar across the Dnepr to north side also fails. the Soviets still win. Even an attempt to jump Last Gasp Ef Soviet T hangs in the balance as we enter final Game Germans regain some momentum. Three Soviet infantry divisions are gone as the G

urn. Smolensk must be taken at all costs! el’nya.) P

AME ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN T T URN urn T urn T E fort for the Germans. Initially welve T LEVEN welve : The Krichev Pocket is now S R Y T ESUL el’nya being uncontested, AND The northern portion of TS A ge to be overrun at T T ALL urn would have t look to hard at The game now C OSTS V yazma or ! , the The The t G Kiev Pocket the prize of Moscow was lost. Hitler sent the panzers south to help out in wonder the Soviets had such a hard time. were in this part of the Eastern Front, it is no men. Considering that half of the German tanks and the Soviets must just be ready to lose lots of absorb losses in panzer units tight situations turns. most games are decided in the last three game for three turns. marker which can put the Germans out of supply have a preponderance of men and the interdiction lar Germans plow through Soviet infantry like a Player it more often than not comes down to the final GUDERIAN among equally-matched opponents, As usually happens in P The Sons of the Soviet Union and Hitler four enemies on the Eastern Front: Stalingrad and the oil fields. Moscow to take the Crimea, Leningrad, survival the German could have attacked out of may have well been over Moscow and its transportation hub gone, the war

AME

“The Soviet Player must take

ge truck through football fans, but the Soviets

defender and be willing to on the role of aggressive T

The German player must be ready to

T

attacks into the teeth URN carry out well-placed

urn. In the dozen games seen here of the panzers.” T WEL This game is balanced so well that VE AND THE . After a winter of G The Germans had ANZERGRUPPE AME T ime, Mud, . When W ith halfway through the game to take Roslavl or can normally take Smolensk and still only be grip held on Roslavl and least two divisions must be destroyed or a firm well-placed attacks into the teeth of panzers. aggressive defender and be willing to carry out The Soviet player must take on the rule of timetable. pockets so long as you pay heed to your a situation - fine. If the Soviets are keen enough to pull out of such until it comes down to that “Do or Die” objective. objectives will simply fall in your hands - at least supplies and in more cases than not, your maneuvering. Simply cut of geographical locations solely through proper conceed the objective.” In fact, you can take most NEVER plan on taking that city (or whatever) BY T when the enemy is surrounded and out of supply one turn of maneuver T A Motorized was victimized by this oversight. reserves without flank support. Germans: Don’ sometime and fight. lessen the blow Soviets: Retreating in front of superior forces will KE en divisions were lost by the Soviets through ry this threat against an opponent sometime, “I lot can happen on the battlefield in three days. Y LESSONS LEARNED ASSAUL

t advance in the face of strong , but you have to turn around SPI REVIV TING IT Then you can easily mop up .

Attacks are easily won AL • Issue One July 1997 Y ...i.e. the Russian will el’nya. The German 18th f your enemy

The Germans

page 24 At .

marker one turn earlier player screwed up in this game by not placing the can’ Soviets can place their interdiction marker half of the game. must husband their forces carefully for the last the German player must take For a mar muskets). Skip needs tanks to support his morale. (stand 100 yards apart and blaze away with Ed.) and most other games with linear tactics spanked Skip in In defense of the Soviet Player PL Game Player ground will result in pockets and the Soviet swirling battles and not realizing when to give the fresh panzers. Poor management during only chew up your valuable units in the face of units surrounded and out of supply Y Mogilev player can pull of the time. However the Germans should be able to win majority of still lose. temporarily or destroy one German division and Points. The five cities will give the attackers 55

el’nya. P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN t be used on Game A ’ YER T s undoing. The Soviets could take two cities back , Smolensk and either Roslavl or urn Nine is the final turn in which The trick is to get advancing German According to what I’ve read and heard, ginal win, not counting friendly losses, ’S NO T f a win. AHGC’ , a resourceful or sneaky Soviet T o stand and fight early will TES . T The best plans know for urn s GETTYSBURG (2nd T welve. V itebsk, Orsha, . , Lloyd has The Soviets The Soviet Y V el’nya. ictory . It defense. and Six brought a division to point 6 for the river T point 5 near Roslavl just where they were needed. leader units. disengagement rule as in COBRA The only rule change I would like to see is a units. such good rolling been seen for the provisional the German at Krichev Pocket. Never has this game. being number 3. T attempting to flank the Soviets. Right on time! turn came in with Gerisamenko. brought divisions to Rokassovski and the third right places for the Soviets. provisional reinforcements don’ Interesting side note. Normally the Soviet published in the Soviets is Quagmire Defense, as the optional evacuation rule. end up dead. Seldom do they get a chance to use how leaders get trapped in an EZOC and usually cannot enter another during the phase. I don’ exit an enemy zone of control (EZOC) and urn urn Eleven is the first bad turn with point T en was point 1 where the German were T urn Seven and Eight brought them to T urn The General magazine. Y ou spend half your movement to T This unit will not enter battle in welve brings infantry in behind The first two turns t show up at the T urn Four for at least the , Five

t like

SPI REVIV

AL • Issue One July 1997

page 25

the participants all played with chess clocks. Panzer most memorable and enjoyable game of mind that I now describe what, for me, was my of which PGG was a prototype. It is with this in of the reasons I prefer limited intelligence games, of each position or the perfect attack. perfect move of each piece, the total optimization playing with opponents who agonize over the simulating the fog of war spontaneity and uncertainty more closely along, trading perfect moves for a bit of My preference in most war manner of play course, I've been in games where, due to the game of PGG in about four to five hours. Of reasonably paced players can complete a 12-turn It's been my experience that two experienced and Germans sitting on the eastern edge of board. Decisive with no Soviets left on the map and holding outcome, from a Soviet Decisive with them winning strategies. I've seen every possible balanced, with either side able to develop have found it to be highly variable and well Over the years, I've played a bunch of PGG and b “ BONUS SECTION G

y J P

My B ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN uder ohn L gruppe Guderian - a tournament in which V itebsk, Orsha and Mogilev to a German est P ian G egga , it has taken twice that long. t anz ame er . I don't especially like games is to move play ” gr upp This is one e of clock time. German, each side was given a specific amount usual bid for victory points and the right to be of opponents had a chess clock and following the The way the tournament was or least amount of time with only the most critical game, both players were feverishly moving in the allot the remaining moves. By end of the amount remaining to determine how best position and checking their elapsed time against middle game, both players were assessing their line by shredding their defense. During the of more time as, for the Germans, their earlier early in the game, both of us planned to spend very tense and highly char and preparing to take his turn. each player had to be considering his alternatives all times as even while the opponent was moving, ponder endlessly their movement. It was not possible to sit and side was forced to budget their time and prioritize the Soviet had 12.5 minutes per turn. So, each player had an average of 15 minutes per turn and W combat phase. but the clock was stopped for each player's time included all movement and overrun combat, without exceeding their clock time. each player had to complete the twelve turns opponent. So, to have any chance of winning, allotted time would forfeit victory to the understanding that either side running over their clocks were set for those amounts with the German and 2.5 hours for the Soviet. fensive requires opening holes in the Soviet ith twelve turns in the game, German As I recall, it was 3 hours for the . Both sides were in the game at ged game. I recall that, ganized, each pair The result was a The clock The chess never particularly liked the impact of Soviet mar admitted when they suggested that a German slight advantage in the game, as even SPI later gimmicky feel better balances the game and makes it less also have developed a few variant rules which I I enjoy playing the game as it was designed, but newcomers to our hobby and have used it with great success in teaching favorites. I have played it solitaire, competitively twenty years it still remains one of my all time first appeared in S&T I have been playing this game of Panzer of us considered it the most exciting game won the game, but I vividly remember that both with scant seconds to spare. I truly for couple of minutes long. But, both us made it frantically and the last couple of turns were just a At the end, both players were moving and passing victory hex without running out the clock. of the game centered around getting last of perfect stacks every other hex. Instead, the end activities allowed. Gone were the beautiful lines P b “ BONUS SECTION y Ronald J. My anz ginal victory be considered a draw gruppe Guderian that we had ever played. V er . I believe that the German player has a ar gr ian W

upp SPI REVIV r igh t R t e G Issue No. 57; even after ules f

. AL • Issue One July 1997 uder f and on since it or

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” 26 , contain nothing more valueless red cardboard. Soviet player when a key hex is discovered to the game, but it can ruin best laid plans of defense strength certainly hightens the tension of E. German units “guarding” the supply road to area the ludicrous, ahistorical placement of a string "air interdiction" rule, because it often leads to 12.3 No-strength Units: 10.4 Evacuating Soviet Leaders: Use this rule. restrictions. units comprising it must satisfy stacking choice. player may move the units of one them - his for the 16th and 19th All of the rules should be used together following variant rules, which have been tested. “fix” these perceived problems I of Soviet player receives only these four units from the German player receives four points. turn two. The Soviet player receives four rifle divisions on 14.2 Soviet Southwestern Front Reinforcements: map. Soviet interdiction marker is never placed on the 13.4 Soviet Interdiction: Omit this rule. “0-1-10.” armor divisions are considered to have a value of considered to have a value of “0-1-6.” Defense Strength.

5.2 Soviet First

P ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN The fact that some Soviet units have no The other army stays in place and the The Soviet player must enter them, and T urn Special Rules: Do not roll All “0-0-6” rifle divisions are Armies. Instead, the Soviet All Soviet units have a All “0-10” . fer the The The T o v P G instant of overrun. involved in Overrun attacks is determined at the [6.59] CLARIFICA armored capabilities in the game. deliberately to give wider fluctuation Soviet than are needed for play more Soviet set-up and reinforcement purposes. units are considered to be [3.4] CLARIFICA end of the game. gain a mar player achieved 50 points by turn six, he would level on before turn six; e.g., if the German game if the German player achieves a victory Increase these levels by one at the end of victory 125+ al victory 80-124 50-79 follows: 15.2 Levels of the Southerwestern Front for entire game. ersion r anz ame E German victory points = strategic German victory points = Draw German victory points = mar er ginal victory rather than a draw at the gr r Armored units in the countermix r ule change upp a V ictory: ta, TION: TION: Supply for all units e G including AH The Soviet Mechanized This rule is altered as uder Armored Units for . This was done ian There are gin - 1 TION: Under Road Hex, the referral to Case this case, the reference should read [15.1 they may consider a German Mar German Mar some extent (i.e., there is a bias in favor of V German campaign was a Mar [15.2] 13.23). [6.7] Division. addition to those units listed, the 268th Infantry Entrance [16.2] Division, not the [16.1] CLARIFICA would be considered a draw better win only if he achieves a Strategic "historical" victory German Player receives the [16.2] CORRECTION: In Game-T 12 reinforcements. map. i.e., the Soviet player does schedule in the rules is right, not table on 1.14 should read ictory 1] CORRECTION: In the last paragraph of . In such a case, German Mar TERRAIN EFFECTS CHAR ADDITION: . ADDITION: On Game-T The Play of the game reflects this to Area E, the German player receives, in

ginal SPI REVIV 16th V 1 , but a German "player" may 1.13 ictory). If the players so wish TION: The actual outcome of the .

. AL • Issue One July 1997 . The Reinforcement not 26th ginal T urn ginal receive ; CORREC urn Seven, 14.23 V

V page T ictory or Infantry wo, the ictory a V ictory ginal

T 27 (not urn - b P Or Or marker available for new cuts. combat unit over the cut, and thus make Markers previously placed by moving a German German Player may ber of markers provided with the game (6). ber of rail cuts permitted is restricted by the num ef were presumably somewhat abstracted for design game, this is not a serious consideration. they are setup unknown at the beginning of should be considered as loosely historical. Since Soviet Or G during the Movement may resume over repaired rail lines mally during the Movement Phase. Rail units entering the Rail Cut hex while moving nor Rail Cut Markers are removed by Soviet combat Movement into or through a Rail Cut Marker Marker in that hex. Soviet units may not use Rail rail line. Mark cut lines by placing a Rail Cut units moving through a Railroad hex may cut that 6.37 (addition to A

y D P fect rather than strict historical simulation. anz

v ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN ame C ganiza der of B alon Hill ann er y H ganization in Panzer T gr urn following their repair olt oun upp tion e a AH version): German combat V ttle and t , however ers - S ersion C e G uder , remove Rail Cut gruppe Guderian o viet hange ian . The num They The - - - . 1-10 Mechanized Infantr 8-8-6 7-6-6 6-7-6 6-5-6 5-5-6 4-7-6 4-5-6 4-3-6 3-7-6 3-4-6 2-6-6 2-4-6 2-2-6 1-5-6 1-3-6 1-1-6 0-0-6 Infantr 4-10 6-10 0-10 T 16th 4-10 24th Headquar 7-10 ank Divisions (10 Divisions) Army Army y Divisions (78 Divisions) 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 5 1 1 6 1 5 3 1 5 3 8 3 1 3 1 1 ters (15 - In order 2-10 5-10 8-10 Lukin 3-10 Rakutin 5-10 y Divisions (10 Divisions) 9-8-6 7-7-6 6-8-6 6-6-6 5-8-6 5-4-6 4-6-6 4-4-6 3-8-6 3-5-6 3-3-6 2-5-6 2-3-6 2-1-6 1-4-6 1-2-6 0-1-6 1 1 3 3 2 of appearance) 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 3 3 3 4 2 1 1 1 (3) 10 (2) 10 Air 33rd 32nd 49th 31st 29th 28th 21st 30th 22nd Reserve combat losses (4-steps total). counter available for further breakdown due to In addition, each infantry division has a 2-7/1-7 Infantry Division (18 Divisions) 4-10/2-10 Panzer Regiment (x1) 2-10/1-10 Panzer Grenadier Regiment (x2) Panzer Division (9 Divisions) U G in the Game Rules. All Soviet Order of Battle information is located S 20th 13th 19th 9-7/4-7 Infantry Division (x1) o nit Or ame C Interdiction Counter viet Or Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army Army ganiza oun

der of B V Zakharkin Onuprienko Dolmatov Maslennikov Kashalov Gerisamenko Khomenko Y Rokassovski Kurochkin Remezov Koniev SPI REVIV ershakov ishnevsky t ers - G

tions AL • Issue One July 1997 (1) a ttle (3) 10 (2) 10 (2) 10 (2) 10 (3) 10 (2) 10 (2) 10 (3) 10 (5) 10 (3) 10 (4) 10 (4) 10 (5) 10

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GAME 3rd Panzer Gruppe - Hoth Corp.) Corps. It should be attached to the 57th Panzer 12th Pzr Division is listed as part of the 39th ARMY Or Game Disruption Marker (x3) Air Interdiction Marker (x3) Independent Das Reich SS Motorized (1 division) Panzer Grenadier Division (5 divisions) P

39th Panzer Corp - Schmidt Regiment Gross Deutschland 4-10/2-10 Panzer Grenadier 1st 4-5/2-5 Cavalry Division Lehr 3-10/2-10 Panzer Grenadier Regiment 3-10/2-10 Motorized Infantry Regiment (x3) 3-10/2-10 Motorized Infantry Regiment (x2) ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN der of B 14th Pz Gren Div - Furst 20th Pz Div - Stumpf 7th Pz Div - von Funck T urn Marker (x1) GROUP TURN ONE 59/20 Pz Gren, 1 1 6/7 Pz Gren, 7/7 25/7 1/14 Mot Inf, 53/14 Inf CENTER - von Bock a ttle (Note: In the game, 12/20 Pz Gren, 21/20 f GAME 2nd 2nd Panzer Gruppe - Guderian 9th 3rd Panzer Gruppe - Hoth GAME 57th Panzer Corp - Kuntzen 47th Panzer Corp - Lemelsen 8th Corps - Heitz 5th Corps - Ruof 57th Panzer Corp - Kuntzen Lehr Pzr Regt 6th Corps - Forster Army - Strauss Army - von 20th Pz Gren Div - Zorn 12th Pz Div - Harpe 18th Pzr Div - Nehring 18th Pzr Gren Div - Herrlein 17th Pzr Div - 161st Inf Div 35th Inf Div 5th Inf Div 19th Pzr Div - Knobelsdorf Lehr Pz Gren Rules) 26th Inf Div (listed as 16th in Game 6th Inf Div TURN TURN 76/20 Mot Inf, 90/20 Inf 5/12 Pz Gren, 25/12 29/12 52/18 Pz Gren, 101/18 18/18 40/17 Pz Gren, 63/17 39/17 30/18 Mot Inf, 51/18 Inf 73/19 Pz Gren, 74/19 27/19 THREE TWO W eichs f W eber f 4th 4th 4th 2nd GAME GAME GAME 9th Corp - Geyer 7th Corp - Fahrmbacher 9th Corp - Geyer 46th Panzer Corp - 12th Corp - Schroth 24th Panzer Corp - von Schweppenbur Army - von Kludge Army - von Kludge Army - von Kludge Army - von 292nd Inf Div 23rd Inf Div 263 Inf Div 137 Inf Div 29th Pzr Gren Div - von Stockhausen 258th Inf Div 1st Cav Div - Feldt 10th Pzr Gren - Loeper 4th Pzr Div - von Langerman 3rd Pzr Div - Model Gros Dtshld Pzr Gren Regt SS Das Reich Pzr Gren Div - Hausser 10th Pzr Div - Schaal TURN SEVEN TURN SIX TURN FIVE Inf 2/DR Mot Inf, 3/DR 4/DR 69/10 Pz Gren, 86/10 7/10 69/10 Mot Inf, 86/10 Inf 12/4 Pz Gren, 33/4 35/4 3/3 Pz Gren, 394/3 6/3

15/29 Mot Inf, 71/29 Inf SPI REVIV W eichs V

ietinghof AL • Issue One July 1997

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GAME 2nd 4th ARMY 2nd Campaign #79 GAME 3rd Panzer Gruppe - Hoth Campaign #82 Larry Lippert, Gregory Mumm • Strategy Game Charles Starks • Panzer P

ampaign, 7th Corp - Fahrmbacher 7th Corp - Fahrmbacher 12th Corp - Schroth 20th Corp - Materna 13th Corp - Felber ANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN Army - von Kludge Army - von Army - von 78th Inf Div 252nd Inf Div 15th Inf Div 7th Inf Div 34th Inf Div 31st Inf Div 268th Inf Div 17th Inf Div er , Analysis: Panzer gruppe Guderian: a rebuttal and TURN NINE TURN EIGHT GROUP enc e List f T • • Analysis W W CENTER - von Bock he G pg 10 pg 28 eichs eichs M o gruppe Guderian v ener or es , F&M, al Fir Fir Friedrich Helf Der Russlandkrieg Ralph Smolensk, July 1941 Panzer Fir W General Rick Swan • Review Front Operational General Henry C. Robinette • Strategy Is Smolensk Burning? General Andrew Lockton • Replay - Nixon vs. Clunkey Series Replay General PG Guderian Brett Murrell • Strategy - Playing the Reds in The Quagmire Defense Mark Green • Strategy - A General Panzer David S. Bieksza • Strategy - By the Book Advanced orld Second Stalingrad e & Movement #5 e & Movement #12 e & Movement #63 V gruppe Guderian: gruppe Guderian W ickers • ar 2 V V V V V T ol. 21 #4 ol. 21 #4 ol. 22 #4 ol. 24 #1 ol. 24 #6 actics for PGG Anthology ferich • Review Analysis • • • • • pg 5 pg 10 pg 42 pg 42 pg 29 • , Chapter 3: • • pg 43 A The Battle of pg 16 pg 21 Soviet A Manual of V ictory in The Eastern S&T Historical article w/game issue V 1941 The Smolensk Campaign, 1 S&T Steve List • Review A On PanzerGruppe Guderian; General Moves #50 #29) (Opposing view to strategy article in Moves Bill Dunne,Mike Gunson,David Parish •Strategy PanzerGruppe Guderian; Moves #33 Redmond Mystery (Operational Moves #29 Designer's Notes (Preview) Compr this Refer Special Thanks to Danny Holte for pr Errata and games published in these periodicals shor Moves #25 Jim Lutz • Panzer Storming Smolensk ictory Madej, Shelby Stanton Survey The Eastfront; #58 #57 ehensive Refer V ence List. He will be selling a • • A. Simonsen • Strategy ol. 25 #3 Addenda for Panzer (Inser pg 4 • • • • pg 24 pg 4 pg 3

pg 8 SPI REVIV gruppe Guderian By Mail t) T wenty-Nine Games in Print: • V ence List for all consim

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ia the Postal Route Analysis) AL • Issue One July 1997 Assaulting A 1 July - 5 Dissenting gruppe Guderian Accompanying The oviding August

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