Andrew Tullsen
United States
Tigard
Oregon
Custom Prototypes, Game Parts, Print & Play Games, Short Runs, POD
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Intro
This is a light wargame, light on both rules and pieces. WW2, invasion of Russia by the Germans.
Ease of Printing
There are a few versions. You can get by with a very light ink intensive map version on one sheet of paper and a few simple counters on another sheet of paper. That is how I first did this game.
Or if you are feeling particularly aggressive, you can go for the full color 4 page map and full color counters.
The counters are double sided, so that's another wrinkle in the production.
How to Play
The setup:
the Germans begin with all their units at full health and ready to roll on the west side of the map. The Russians have only a few weaker units trying to defend their border.
The units:
The Germans have panzers. The Russians, well, don't. Each unit has a move number and an attack number. Each unit can be flipped to a half health side.
The GamePlay:
Each player gets a turn, one at a time.
Turn Structure:
Reinforcements
The germans get 1 point of reinforcement while the Russians get 5 points each turn.
These points can be used to get a half strength unit or repair a unit to full strength.
Special Move
The German Panzers get a special movement phase now.
Or if it's the Russians' turn, they get rail movement.
Combat
All enemy units adjacent to you must be attacked. Combat is done on a standard CRT, with shifts up and down on the columns based on terrain usually.
Movement
Now you can move all your units. There is zone of control which limits movement.
Winning:
After a set number of turns, whoever holds Moscow wins.
HOW does it Play?
This is a brilliant game. First of all, it's a standard wargame. It has double sided counters, a CRT, a hex map, special rules for special places and units, ZOC, supply lines, all in very simple formats. It's a perfect game for someone new to the wargame hobby. The redesigned rulebook with the new art explains everything with lots of pictures and examples.
The game is fast playing. It plays on a small map, and has a strict turn limit.
Once you have played the base game a few times, you can move on to the "longer" variant, which just continues several more turns and counts up points based on units killed and cities captured.
The Germans set up their forces in the beginning, so you have a different setup each game. They can concentrate their panzers on one flank, or spread them out. The Germans seem nice unstoppable in the first half of the game. but the Russians get just enough reinforcements to stem the gray tide at the gates of Moscow. It's a tense, exciting game.
Worth the ink?
Oh yeah. This is a classic game, and everyone should own copy. I highly recommend the new redesigned components, but if you are looking for a more "old school" look, the original game components are great as well.
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Stig Morten
Norway
Kvernaland
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A very nice little rewiev, Andrew.
I am looking at getting this game through C3i #25.
How long does it take to play for you? And is it much shorter when you are familiar with the rules?
Stig Morten
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Herodian Smith
United States
Alabama
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Great review! I printed my copy of the same version you have pictured. Mine is on 110lb card, and it looks great. As you mentioned, the counters being double sided can be tricky. I cut the fronts out as a single block, the backs out as a single block, and just used spray adhesive (the adjustable kind, not the instant-bond kind!) to carefully fit them together. It's not perfect, but it was quick. Folks might want to also print the combat results table on a separate piece of card for each player, to keep from having to constantly pass the rules printout back and forth until you have it memorized.
BfM can also be played online, live or by email, on Vassal:
http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Battle_for_Moscow
edit: You may have to copy and paste that link. The editor doesn't like there being a colon in the URL apparently.
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Robert Wesley
Nepal
Aberdeen
Washington
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Herodian wrote:  I made that LINK, yet, what is there? 
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Christopher
Belgium
De Panne
Bachten de Kupe
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GROGnads wrote: Herodian wrote: I made that LINK, yet, what is there?
you should change the '_' between Module and Battle into a ':'
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Custom Prototypes, Game Parts, Print & Play Games, Short Runs, POD
