8 PROFILE & CRITIQUE ERIC GOLDBERG'S KURSK Intensity in the East by Thomas Hudson I know I'm eventually going to get a lot of before attempting to play the game. Players whelming. To facilitate set-up, the game in­ questions as to why I made Eric's name so are urged to forego the Optional Command cludes two Deployment Displays: one Soviet big on the Kursk gamebox (and John Hill's System Rules (11.5) and get the thing right to (broken down into fronts) and one German on the BarrIe for Stalingrad gameboxl. Well, begin with - you wouldn't want to render (broken down into armies). As helpful as partly it's to distinguish between this brand most of the information pointless, would that is, perhaps the most useful touch for set­ new Kursk game and the old Kursk game. you? Kursk is a complex affair, and players up, and for play of the game, are the The Goldberg design is a completely new should not sit down to play unless they are counters themselves. A Kursk set-up is a very game that doesn't resemble the old one in willing to spend a considerable amount of attractive visual array; the German counters much of anything. Of course, there's time studying the game and planning. (In this are in various shades of gray and green(each another reason for the big designers' names, respect the game resembles the award win­ army having its own individual shade) and but you're going to have to guess that one. ning Green Fields Beyond). the Soviet counters are in shades of orange, -RAS red, and pink (according to front). The visual presentation not only speeds set-up (cutting down a seemingly endless task to a manageable two hours) but also greatly eases Finally, the long awaited and much play. The counters also indicate which units heralded game on one of the epic battles of are capable of mech movement, a capability WWII - Kursk - has been published by repre,sented by yet another band of color. SPI. Eric Goldberg's Kursk (the title makes one wonder if we are entering an era of The Mechanics of Kursk "famous" game designers) is a complex The basic sequence of play follows game, and, in the words of the designer, a rather closely that of PGG. First, both "most ambitious undertaking." Kursk is a players participate in a rather abstract Air major effort, taking well over a year to pro­ War Phase (the air game is given as an op­ duce, and deserves an in-depth analysis. tional rule, but I suggest its use as it is fairly Readers of this magazine, as well as of S&1: simple to perform and adds a nice seasoning have, no doubt, followed the on-again, off­ to the game). The German player then moves again progress of Kursk, from its original in­ his units in the Initial Movement Phase, per­ ception as a PGG spin-off, designed by Brent forming overruns as he goes. Movement is Nosworthy, -to its totally redesigned version greatly affected by a unit's mode (a very im· by Mr. Goldberg. portant concept in the game). The three Mr, Goldberg seems to represent the voluntary modes a unit can be in are: mobile "historical analysis intensive" school of (units are always considered in mobile mode game design (if all the information is there, unless otherwise designated by a neutral the game will take care of itself) as opposed counter), assault, and static. Units in static to the " design for effect" school, perhaps or assault modes have only half their normal best represented by John Hill. For example, movement allowance and may not perform Mr. Hill's latest effort, Battlejor Stalingrad, overruns. which has counters with little or no historical After the Initial Movement Phase comes information on them, is indicative of an ap­ Before scaring off those who run for the the First Segment Combat. Units in static proach to design that dismisses much of the hills at the first hint of complexity, let me say mode may not attack (though they receive information dear to Mr. Goldberg as irrele­ that the game mechanics are relatively easy to beneficial shifts on the CRT when attacked vent toward the achievement of his ends, assimilate. Although the game is fairly in­ - static mode is the defensive mode). Units which are, generally, entertainment and the novative in many areas (the combat routine is in assault mode may attack twice, creating in cre.ation ·of a certain "feel" for the subject. I especially interesting), Kursk remains a dis­ effect two rounds of combat. find it interesting that SPI has recently tant cousin to Panzergruppe Guderian and Following combat comes the Mechaniz­ published games by both gentlemen: Eric other PGG system related games. I suspect ed Movement Phase in which units may once Goldberg's Kursk and John Hill's Battlejor that Mr. Goldberg would resent any com­ again perform overruns. After the Mech Stalingrad. parison to PGG system games, but, be that Movement Phase, the German player-turn is The amount of research and informa­ as it may, the familiar old bones are there in concluded with the Disruption Removal and tion in Kursk is staggering. Kursk can almost Kursk. Players already familiar with over­ Reorganization Phases. be considered an historical document (some­ run, mech movement and so on will have an The movement system follows fairly thing almost unheard of in the hobby). How excellent jumping off point when trying to standard lines once modes have. been deter­ much of the information is necessary and im­ master Kursk. As for the rest, a complete mined. Units must SLOp when entering enemy portant is something else again, but Mr. course in army administration for only $15 is ZOC's, though units may exit ZOC's at the Goldberg has presented the owner of Kursk quite a bargain. beginning of the Movement Phase by ex­ with probably the most accurate O.B. ever Setting up the game is a pain. Even pending movement points. German units devised for an East Front game. Players though the game includes lengthy O.B. infor­ may "infiltrate" - move from zoe directly would be well advised to spend considerable mation and various playing aids, the sheer to zoe - in the first Movement Phase only. time absorbing the lengthy O.B. information amount of information is, at first, over- Rail movement is presented with two lines: 9 single track and double track. unit to be in supply, it must be able to trace a ing of the scenario, if the unit begins off-map Overrunning units that lose steps while Line of Communications to its parent HQ. as a possible reinforcement, if the unit is not overrunning may continue movement, the Units are given a limited ability to trace supp­ involved in the scenario at all, and finally if single criterion for a successful overrun being ly without the use of HQ's, but this method is the unit begins play at reduced strength. In whether or not the defending unit retreats much less efficient. A Line of Communica­ the scenario I played, there were 6 indicator from the hex. Defending units that retreat as tions is always 7 hexes, which is unaffected letters indicating various units were in-play, 8 a result of overrun also become disrupted. by enemy ZOe's or units! Once a Line of indicating various units were possible rein­ Disrupted units may neither move nor at­ Communications has been established, the forcements, and 7 showing which units tack, though they continue to exert ZOe's. HQ itself must be in supply in order to serve weren't in play at all! Stacking is by the point (not to be con­ as a source of supply. A disrupted HQ can­ There are no introductory scenarios in fused with steps); 6 points may stack in a hex, not function as a source of supply. A unit Kursk. All three scenarios are complete which works out per hex to three German or that is either out of supply or unable to trace games that use the whole map and the ma­ two Soviet units (not including anti-tank or a Line of Communication has its movement jority of the counters. artillery units, which stack additionally). allowance halved and may not conduct over­ As a final note before moving on to an The combat system is one of the many runs. A unit out of supply has its combat actual playing of Kursk, there are surprising­ unique features of Kursk. The combat pro­ strength halved. A limited number of units ly few charts included in the game, and of cedure involves two segments: the Gun Seg­ may be designated as independent com­ those, the majority are playing aids. The ment and the Combat Segment. In the Gun mand. designer should especially be commended for Segment, anti-tank units stacked with the The command and supply systems are the inclusion of the Miscellaneous Informa­ defending units "attack" the attacking very important in the play of Kursk; the tion Table, which serves as a general review units. Attacking steps lost in the Gun Seg­ players must always keep in mind the of the rules that are most easily forgotten and ment are lost before the attack is carried out. organization of their various army forma­ would otherwise have to be looked up. The attacking strength may bc further tions. Since supply is determined at the in­ decreased by defending artillery units. This stant of combat, there is considerable in­ Kursk in Action procedure is called suppression.