From: Doug Murphy Subject: Review: Battle for Moscow This minigame was produced in 1986 and distributed for free by the now defunct Game Designers Workshop. Designed by Frank Chadwick, BfM was inserted in a 16 page booklet which included a short overview to wargaming, some simple suggestions on learning play, 4 pages of rules and a pull-out section with an 81/2 by 11 inch map, TEC, CRT and turn record, backed by a history of GDW (behind the map) and a short history of Operation Typhoon (behind the charts). A nice touch is the use of the game map to trace the historical lunge toward Moscow and counterattacks. BfM is an introductory game with simple clear rules and few counters: 17 Soviet army-level units (doublesided) and 22 corps-level (doublesided) German units. Sov units are all 8-4 with the exception of the 1st Shock Army which is a 10-4. German inf are a mix of 7,6,5-4 with armor 8,9,12-6. There are approximately 24 blank counters which come in handy in you want to make up a "randomizer" as no die comes with the game. (note a number 1-6 on 6 chits and dump in an opaque container, picking randomly when a dr is required.) Counters contain combat strengths/movement allowances. There are only 7 turns with each turn representing approx. 1 week. Sequence of Play has 8 phases: 1) German takes replacements; 2) German Panzers move; 3) German combat; 4) German movement (all units, incl. Panzers); 5) Sov takes replacements; 6) Sov units on rail lines are moved; 7) Sov combat; 8) Sov units move. Semi-locking ZOCs. The map is stylized with initial unit placement noted with "stars" or "crosses," forest, Moscow, and fort hexes reduce odds, as do rivers if all attackers are across from the defending unit. CRT is simple odds ratio from 1:1 to 6:1. Results are Attkr loses step, Def retreats 2 hexes, Def loses a step and retreats, DE, NE and EX. Turns 3 and 4 are "mud" turns when movement is slowed and attack values halved. The sole reinforcement in the game, the Sov 1st Shock Army appears in Turn 4. Whoever holds Moscow at game end wins. The heart of this game is the replacement rule. The Sov receives 5 half-step replacements per turn; the German only 1. Previously eliminated units can be returned to play at halfstrength or a halfstrength unit flipped to full strength. Replacements can't be saved from turn to turn. Key is where replacements can appear...on a friendly map edge or in any friendly city which can trace a LOC free of enemy ZOC to the friendly edge... Sov. units can appear in Moscow even if out of LOC. This is a challenging game for the German player to win. Manipulation of the odds-ratio is key to victory: get the highest possible ratio to crack the successive Sov lines. You start in a line near Smolensk and have 8-10 hexes to go to reach the prize of Moscow. Except there are three defensive lines that must be cracked or turned and several odds -reducing forest hex lines as well. In addition, as quick as you kill Sov steps, they come back. And losing a panzer or two to an untimely EX can mean the difference between victory or defeat. Balance is suggested by adjusting the Sov replacements. But actually, this is a fun little gamette. Doug Murphy