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Roads To Leningrad (3) GMT Games
 
Manstein Attacks 1941

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Manstein Attacks

Manstein Attacks: To solve the deepening crisis at Staraya Russa, the German command called on Manstein's LVI Corps. On the 19th he struck, crushing the Soviet flank division in one day. In three days, he surrounded Soviet 34th Army, forced most of it to surrender, and then pushed on east. German play in this scenario depends on the mobility and timing of Manstein's troops. The Soviet player knows he is about to be trapped but maybe one more push would break the German infantry to the north.

Manstein attacks an unprepared Soviet army

By the 3rd turn - 20AM the Axis garrison is already struggling in Staraya Russa, the Axis have lost two of the four town hexes to the Soviets

Game Mechanics

Time Scale: 12 hours per turn
Map Scale: 1.2 miles per hex
Unit Scale: Battalion and Companies
Players: Two - Intermediate Complexity
Solitaire Suitability: Intermediate complexity
Playing Time: 30 + hours

Scenarios

German Army Group North Operations in Russia

1) The Battle of Soltsy (10 turns)
2) Counter-Blow at Soltsy (6 Turns)
3) Battle of Staraya Russa (22 turns)
4) Manstein Attacks (7 turns)

Game components:

528 Die-Cut Counters
1 22x34 Map (printed both sides)
1 Rules booklet
1 Scenario/Play booklet
2 German Set-up Cards
2 Soviet Set-up cards
1 11x17 Player Aid Card
1 10-Sided Die

Game Strategy

Standard hexagonal game mechanics with medium complexity rules, designed by Vance Von Borries, published 2004

A good historical game with plenty of game-play notes and examples. Well designed playing pieces and colour codes makes it easy to keep track of armies and HQ units.

Expanded sequence of play included in the Play Booklet
Turn 3 - 20AM
Manstein's SS Divisions (black tiles) and 3rd Mechanised (grey tiles) push back the Soviet defenders (brown tiles) who were slow to co-ordinate a realistic defence
Turn 3 - 20AM
The Soviet 257 Rifle Division (brown tiles with red inserts) takes centre stage as they attack the German 30th (grey tiles with green inserts) Division to their north in order to attempt to capture two of their strategic objectives, the villages of Buregi and Solobsko. The 259th and the 262nd are also on hand to the left and right.
Turn 3 - 20AM
By Turn 3 the Axis have already lost two of Staraya Russa's town hexes at a cost of ten VP's (Victory points) each. As well as attacking the other two hexes they will also want to capture trhe village of Dubovitsy to the north of the town, which is another of their strategic objectives.
Game Notes
The following Charts were printed off from the booklet:

1) The Operations Sequences (p. 31) and the Extended Sequence of Play (p. 32 (back page) of the rules booklet printed back to back.
2) Unit Identification Charts (pp. 3 & 4 back to back) of the Rules booklet

Game played Dec 2020 - Jan 2021

 
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