New Hypothetical Game is [b]Red Blood White Snow[/ for K43

[Cav]

The new ( big ) game is all but ready for testing , the only big issue is to decide the issue of the victory levels , it took some time to balance those for DIR . I have done a lot of play testing and made many small amendments . Initial details are on the K43 Forum page.

I am nearly ready to send out the game to those that want to look it over .

Michael

[Cav]

Here it is hundreds of hours of clicking later .

Red Blood White Snow

Summary of the Game
The game is a scenario designed for Kursk 43. The time period is November 1942 to Jan 1943. I have used units from many games ( and some are hypothetical ) but primarily R42 and K42
I wanted the feel of a quite sector erupting under the fury of a desperate Russian counter offensive. The control of Kursk will be the deciding factor the Russians must isolate and destroy its defence to ensure victory. The Germans must stay on the map and make a counter offensive of sorts to relieve the same in December / January.
There are other distractions and several strategy options for both sides.

Historical Background to the Scenario
Case Blue never happened instead the Germans made a massive effort against Leningrad and Moscow, Leningrad falls in October and by mid November the Germans are dug in the suburbs of Moscow , the Kremin is in ruins and the fall of Moscow seems inevitable .
Stalin knowing he cannot break the Moscow offensive takes a desperate gamble and looks for a counter offensive to isolate several German Divisions around Kursk .Perhaps then moving up on Moscow from the South West.
In early November the weather in the Kursk sector is very bad and the Soviets carefully make the build up. V. Paulus (against advice) is considering returning some units to Germany for refit and rest. In Kursk life is quite ,good restaurants are reopening and all German troops in the sector look forward to leave there. Several German Divisions are preparing to leave for Germany as the offensive opens. V. Paulus receives a call … you will remain in place …await further instructions.

Important notes on art for the game as well as sound
Please note you need to download Stewart Atkinson’s excellent art mod for R42 into your Kursk 43 art folders (I do not think it will change any of the existing K43 Summer style art). Any extra art (and Nation folders) will come with the game file zip.
You should also copy and paste the 4 snow media files from say the R42 media folder to the same media folder in K43 if you want the chilling winds and the sound of winter storms (which I recommend)!

The game is pretty much ready , I have done a lot of testing but to balance things up I will need feedback from players . I found with DIR I made several key amendments before getting to V4 . DIR has some drawbacks but it is now I feel as balanced as it can be .I intended DIR to be a rolling confused battle esp for the Russians this one is more fixed piece .

Here are a couple of further new features ...
I have depicted two famous tank commanders in the game Samokhin Konstantin and Michael Wittman giving there units abstracted fire and some better defensive capability. Its abstracted ignore the values given, they really do play quite well.
If you read up about how some of these men performed in action you will understand only an abstracted solution will do. If players feel it’s a step too far you can agree to move the units away from the action and leave them there.

Here is the optional house rule for the Manstein counter ...
2.Manstein “gets down to business”; I have included a counter for Manstein. Manstein often commanded and attended attacks at Regimental level. This is abstracted in giving him a unit with fire and movement capability. There are restrictions as to when his abstracted capability “firing “in game turns may be used. First he must be stacked with a regimental (or Divisional) HQ from a unit attached to 3rd PZC. That Regimental HQ unit must be stacked with at least two companies with fire capability OF THE TYPE TO BE USED. So for him to use his hard attack value (tactical command) the units firing (both) must have a hard attack value that can be used at one hex range. If players do not like what I have done then move him to the map edge and leave him there!!

OK any comments ?

Regards
Michael

[sval06]

That's sound good.
Need to test for smarter comments (especially on new features) :wink:

Best regards
Stéphane

[David]

Herr General Cav,

We're ready for test it !!

Best regards.

von David (8.Armee)

[Cav]

The files have all been sent to Laurent.

Please await its up loading . The file is 2.3 meg and I have been struggling to send it out with my ISDN line.
It killed me off ding this one , I hope you will enjoy it .

Regards
Michael