Review of Battle for Moscow (C3i version 2011)
Designer: Frank Chadwick
Artist: Mark Simonitch
Battle for Moscow is an introductory wargame included with issue #24 of C3i from RBM Studios. The game has been published in a couple of different incarnations throughout the years, however, this is the first time I’ve ever played it. Currently it is being published by Victory Point Games along with several expansions using the same system that include other operations on the eastern front during WWII.
The game simulates Operation Typhoon which started in late 1941 as the Germans made one more push to capture the Russian city of Moscow. This final push was meant to finally break the back of the Russian army.
The production value of the game is excellent, as usual from the team at RBM Studios and Victory Point Games. The map is a nice glossy paper map with large hexes and counters that fit nicely in the hexes. The CRT and turn sequence are printed on both ends of the map so both players have their own reference. There is also a half-page Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) with the turn track on it. All of the parts of the game are in full color, including the rules so that there is no mistaking unit identities or terrain features. Counters are 1/2 inch counters in full color. Red for the Russians and grey for the Germans. Standard NATO symbology is used on the counters.
I think this is a good idea to get people used to the idea of NATO symbols. NATO symbology is not standard in wargames, but I find I prefer it to any other type of counter just because once you start to learn the symbols, it’s easier to identify units on the board as you get more familiar with them.
Each counter in the game represents a corps which equals about 20,000-40,000 men and all of their equipment. Players represent the German Commander or the Russian Commander in control of their respective sides. There are only two types of units in the game, panzers and infantry.
The rules come in a 4-page booklet. All four pages are rules, but there are a couple of paragraphs on the history of the game, the conflict, some balancing options and a note from the designer. I appreciate the inclusion of the balancing rules, which I think might help players enjoy this game more, depending on their wargaming experience level.
The rules are straightforward and easy to read. They use a mixture of classical case structure and paragraph structure for the rules. There is a bit of “chrome” in the rules, more specifically, rules that change the basic nature of the game so that it feels more like the conflict it is simulating. These extra rules aren’t difficult to deal with and seamlessly fit into the game. I didn’t have any circumstances that came up that weren’t covered in the rules.
A nice feature is the added rules that move this beyond an ultra-simple example of a wargame and into an actual game that can be enjoyed by both players despite what looks like an initial lopsided conflict. Not all is as it seems during the initial setup.
Some key elements of the game to notice is the turn order and the terrain effects. Both of these will dictate how each player takes advantage of their sides capabilities. Each side has different advantages and disadvantages above and beyond the simple combat factors on each counter.
The German player goes first, skipping the first two phases of his turn because of the setup. However, the German player gets Panzer units which can move before combat takes place. This is vital to the German exploitation of Russian weakness in their lines and defenses. Panzer units are the primary benefit for the German units. Their fast movement and double movement phases are what will get you into Moscow in time.
The Russians want to take advantage of terrain, railroads, and their replacements. By maintaining a solid front and supplying it with fresh units as much as possible, the Russian player can keep the Germans from waltzing all over Russia like they owned the place. The Russian defensive lines even up the odds even against three or four German units. Even when a Russian unit gets overwhelmed by a sea of gray uniforms, have no fear, you get plenty of replacements every turn.
There is no stacking and no markers in the game. This means is only ever one counter per hex, another wonderful feature. Players don’t need to worry about knocking over counters when trying to calculate combat odds or conduct a retreat.
In the 25 years since this was first designed, it’s obvious that the game has been honed to a very fine edge. Players will find themselves with a variety of winning and losing strategies to pursue. The Russian player will feel like they are behind the 8-ball at the beginning of the game, while the German player will quickly find out that the Russian replacements slow down their advance a lot quicker than expected.
This game can easily be played in under 60 minutes between two players who are familiar with the rules. One player teaching another could still get this finished in under an hour.
There is a VASSAL module of the Victory Point Games version of Battle for Moscow. They did a good job of adapting it and it looks quite good. I used the paper copy of the game that came with C3i #25 for my review. Here is a screenshot of the Victory Point Games VASSAL module.
Victory Point Games VASSAL module of Battle for Moscow
There are a few minor issues with the game. I think the primary detraction would be that the mid-turns (turns 4-5) might slow down a bit more than the tension filled first turns and the last turn. This might turn off some players who are hoping for a battle filled with casualties and huge swings back and forth. The CRT isn’t very deadly, especially to the Germans, so not nearly as many units will be removed from the game as you would expect.
The only other thing is that it is very clearly a wargame, and does not pretend to be anything else. You could mask the units and change it into a fantasy setting, but I don’t think that would be nearly as interesting nor as balanced. One of the reasons for this is the terrain on the map. The game relies very heavily on the terrain as a balancing factor for the two armies, and changing too much of that will ruin the game. The small map and limited setup options means that the game could have limited replayability. This may be a feature too, since the game is designed to lure people into the wargaming hobby.
Straightforward mechanics and light amounts of chrome really make this a great little game. It’s going to be too light for hardcore grognards generally, but they might be talked into it if you convince them you want to get into wargaming. There is just enough complexity in the rules to make it fun and replayable. It’s unlikely that this will be a frequent visitor to your gaming table, but it would probably be fun to break out in a cafe or dinner table when you have time to kill with another wargamer.
Further recommendations: Frank Chadwick’s Campaigns in Russia series, Red Star Rising by Multiman Publishing, Eastern Front by Avalanche Press
