by Billy Riley, 17 August 2023 ~ #UnboxingDay
I wonder why it wasn’t called Barbarossa? Anyway…
Box Art – Some Russians…some Germans and the time is 03:15 on the 22nd June 1941.
click images to enlarge
The back has all thee details you require to see if it fits your expectations.
Die – There’s one, solitary die.
The Rule Book– It’s two column and on standard paper. Full colour. Also, it’s 36 pages cover to cover, but only 20 pages of rules. The rest are Optional Rules – of which there are many! They’re well laid out in 2 columns and easy to read with a decent index at the back.
The Counters
There are 3 sheets of counters. Really not many for such a huge battle – but this is a large scale game utilising Corps and Army units. They include optional counters with silhouettes for armoured and mechanised units.
I would say I’m disappointed in the counters. The colours between different German Corps and also between some Russian units are almost indistinguishable.
Setup Cards
There are 3 double sided setup cards and 1 single sided card.
Two of the double sided ones are for the Campaign game…one for the Germans and for the Russians. One side has the basic setup and the other side has the optional rules setup. They’re very handy.
The other double sided one and single sided one are for the other 3 scenarios – Zitadelle, FallBlau and Bagration.
Player Aid Cards
There are 4 player aid cards – one is duplicated.
There are two double sided ones containing Movement Allowance Chart/Combat Results Table and Terrain Effects Chart.
Then there’s a single, smaller double-sided card which duplicates the Movement Allowance and Combat Results card.
And finally, a single sided Weather Chart.
The Map
I plunked to buy the extra full mounted map. The map that comes with the game is normal and perfectly serviceable – but I like me some mounted maps.
Anyway, it’s kind of plain – kind of a nod back to the original game, I guess. It doesn’t matter really. At the scale you’re playing, there’s not a lot you need to deal with in terms of terrain.
There’s also an insert to deal with “suggestions” that the mountains near Lvov are too restrictive…you place this insert over that area to remove the mountains which gives the Germans a better chance in the centre (mountains give a x2 defensive bonus and non-mountain trained units have to stop when entering them.
That’s it. Honestly, I’m a bit torn with the quality of a Deluxe 5th Edition.
The colours on the counters are an issue – and it’s not just my old eyes, I’ve seen other people complain about them. Also, some of(?) the Guards units are not the proper colour from what I gather.
The game also did not come with a Sequence of Play player aid.
However – I did play one campaign and failed miserably – but it was hugely enjoyable. Unfortunately, Fields of Fire is always shouting in my ear and a guy on YouTube started a video session and it caught my eye again – so I stuck that on the table.
Honestly though, fairly simple, 20 page rule book and lots of fun.
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With trembling hands and eager zeal,
I unbox a wargame with great appeal.
Countless components I behold,
Strategies yet to unfold,
In this box, a battlefield surreal!
Yet another iteration.
This game’s been fondled more than a Times Square hooker during fleet week.