Review of COMMAND 37: Mukden
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I received these games a week ago (indeed, before the latest S&T), and
have had a chance to go through both once, so I'll post a brief review.

 Imagine my surprise expecting a monster along the lines of PM/DD and
finding Mukden with 88 counters (and 24 of those representing just 6
units) and Guderian's Gambit (GG) with 176 counters!  --- No more
harping about monster games in Command.  Given the countermix of both
games, they are eminently playable and easily setup.

Mukden covers the climactic assault on that Manchurian city by the
Japanese in the Russo-Jap War.  This is a fascinating game because of
the interesting way it simulates the topic without a lot of rules requiring
Stupid activities by one or both sides.  Game map is typical Command:
servicable, informative, with nice touches, like using an "Asiatic-looking"
font (where's Dave Wood when we need him) and actual photographs
of what appear to be Russian troops in their trenches along the
perimeter.  Taking away info markers and the dup units (I'll explain those
later, there's only about 50 combat units to keep track, mostly
division-level, with a few bde and regts.  Each hex is 3 miles.  Each turn:
2-3 days.

Here's the kicker in this game: you have to keep track of strength points
separately by checking off boxes for each unit on a chart, so yes,
there's a bit of photocopying to be done and recordkeeping in both this
game and GG.  So no multi-step counters.  Stacking is well nigh
prohibited (in every phase) so watch your movement sequence or you'll
box yourself in as I did with my Russians.  The Japanese however can
stack an arty unit with a cav or infantry.

The pace of the game is set by the Japanese player so this game is very
solitare suitable.  That is, he must assault the Russians to win.  Three
ways to win: via Attrition (keep track of your lost steps: Russian loses
78 or greater, he loses; Japanese loses 115 or more, he loses.; if the
Japanese take all five Mukden hexes; or if an in-supply Japanese unit
reaches a Russian Withdrawal trigger line of hexes.

The turn sequence is all important.  12 steps, with a variety of substeps.
Basically, it goes: check supply for all units.  Russians can move one unit
by rail.  Japanese can begin constructing one or more of 4 bridge
markers.  Then the Russian randomly decides to move 1 of his 3 armies.
Units of each army can't intermingle or attack together (since the army
commanders hated each other), after determining whether he wants to
release one/all of six units held in general reserve.  The Japanese have
two movement phases interspersed with Russian single-army movement
phases.  All Japanese units can, in effect, move twice per turn (once in
each phase).   Then comes combat.  Japanese attack first by conducting
arty bombardment, then taking Russian defensive fire and finally
meleeing.  Russians have no arty bombardment (or arty units....their arty
is "factored in" to combat strengths.   Russians take Japanese defensive
fire, then melee.  Bridges are completed by the Japanese and victory in
checked for in strict sequence: Attritional; Mukden Taken?; Withdrawal
Line triggered.

Supply rules are simple.  Trace LOS to respective map edges, except
through EZOC, although friendly units can negate them.   Russian units in
Mukden are in supply, 'cept units outside can't trace LOS to the city but to
the map edge.  OOS is a sequential step.  First, go Attenuated Supply,
mark unit with AS marker.  No ill effects for AS.  (Unit assumed to be
using up organic supplies).  Then next turn, OOS: combat strength,
movement halved, and you don't project ZOCs.  You can deliberately
move OOS.

ZOCs are semi-rigid.  Stop when hit one, then next turn can move out if
first move to a non-EZOC hex.

Mucho Fog'oWar.  Units deploy on their "backs" which only show type.
Supposed to keep strength tracks hidden.   A game for honest players.
We kept ours on a chair around the gaming table so we could glance at
ours but not the others.  Attritional victory (where you're supposed to
keep track of your own but not your opponent's losses) requires
honesty to announce it....(happened to me as the Russian....mentioned
my opponent's victory with gritted teeth).

Those six Russian units in general reserve can be released individually
to One of the three armies in a phase during movement.  The game
solves tracking this by providing counters for these units when in
general reserve, and when in all three Russian armies.  So you have 24
units in all, with the other army-designate counters being discarded once
they are assigned.  Assigned out of General Reserve is permanent.

Another rules for grognards to note is stacking limits (essentially no
stacking) are in effect at all times, so you can box yourself in if you're
not careful.  Sequence of movement is important.

Relatively simple terrain types and effects.  Roll on special CRTs for
bombardment (Japanese arty) and defensive fire, and melee.  Japanese
get a bonus when flanking Russian units in attack (basically concentric
attack bonuses).

Losses are in steps, marked off the record sheet.  Retreats are
interesting.  Don't have to retreat in the direction of supply map-edge so
possible to retreat into a better condition.  I managed to do that twice.

Calvary are in general useless fodder for both sides.

The battle is a bloody slogfest and much fun.  Japanese must push the
flanks as frontal assaults are brutal.  In our games, the Japanese never
reached Mukden, but were able to win on losses.

This is one game that truly plays according to the player's notes. ( I like 
to see when playing a game if there are other workable strategies than those 
recommended and in this case, there aren't.)

The Japanese player has the enviable position of being relatively immune
to attack by any combination of  Russians, provided he stays in supply.
However, he should not bash against the entrenched line across most of
the central front. (I tried this solitaire to see if I could break through 
with frontal attacks a la the Somme and burned out the entire Japanese army
in 3 turns).  This is more a game of bluff and position.  The Japanese
should threaten both flanks.  His right is lost in mountains which diminish
the already low (in comparison with his opponent) Japanese movement
allowances but it is possible to worm some units through to threaten the
rail line and hopefully tie down some of the General Reserves.  But this is
a minor front of relatively few units on both sides.

It is on the Japanese left that he should develop his offensive toward
Mukden and where the Russian should attempt to hold as long as
possible.   The game becomes a race between both sides shifting units
toward that front (which is somewhat channelled by two minor
rivers/marsh).  The Japanese must laboriously cross the major river
(build one or two bridges to help the arty cross), while Russian
movement is stymied by command limitations.

I truly believe the Russian should almost never attack...they are truly
horrible in the attack...except to kill an unstacked arty unit (which a
competent Japanese player will never allow).  So the game becomes a
race between the 8-game turn limit and the Japanese pushing the
Russian 2nd army and General Reserves back toward Mukden.

The Russian will find he can hold his trench line with just the 3rd army,
allowing the 1st and 2nd to attempt to hold the flanks.   In several games,
the Japanese have reached Mukden only once, but won on scoring more
Russian losses.  In one game, a successful gambit was to engage the
Russians on the left and then send one or two units on a loop even
further out on the flank toward the disengagement zone.   The Russians
have to hope 1) they get a few good die rolls causing more Japanese
losses, and 2) they don't crack before game end.

Doug Murphy