This is the first post for an exciting project that I have been working at on and off for the last 3 years or so. As readers of this blog may remember, I did a demo game on this subject at Partizan some while back (see under labels) and have retained a real interest in this final Soviet offensive on the Eastern Front. As I read more about it, I started to think that it would make a really interesting wargaming guide, in the style of the popular and lovely campaign books produced by Colin and Richard of Rapid Fire fame. Over the last few months I have started to push the project along and it is now within sight of the finishing post.
So what will it be like. Well I have enlisted the help of technical people who know what they are doing to help with the layout and photography - from the early drafts that I have, it should look lovely. It will be a glossy A4 production with fully illustrated front and rear covers (inside and out) and 56 internal pages. There are 12 scenarios, between 3 and 6 pages each, plus plenty of hopefully interesting background information. Each scenario will be supported by specially commissioned maps and full colour photos. There are also lots of additional rules and amendments to the basic Rapid Fire set, which hopefully capture some of the characteristics of the operation.
Although the orders of battle are expressed in Rapid Fire terms (we have used these rules ever since they first came out), they can easily be amended for other rule sets. A couple of the games are quite large and would suit a day long club game, the majority though are suitable for a typical 3-4 hour evening bash.
Here are three of the photos that didn't make the team (at least in this form).
Well I think that is about it for now. As the project nears completion (I am hoping to publish in November), I will put more information on the blog. Keep popping back to check or "Follow" the blog if you aren't doing so already. Hopefully you will find it of interest. If you have any questions, you can contact me at steveshann@blueyonder.co.uk
