Spring Prelude

The game utilizes the strength chit-pull mechanics originally from the Victory in the West series and further refined in its VCS series descendant. New rules cover how rain, mud, and swollen rivers played their part in the beginning stages. Stacking rules use relative unit sizes which are portrayed using white or gray dots. The addition of Headquarters will allow the Soviet command structure to feature in a more accurate way. Air missions are expanded to cover a few more options. Of course, what would the game be without the Soviet doctrine restrictions?

Background work is primarily based on Kharkov 1942: Anatomy of a Military Disaster by David Glantz with some OOB fleshing by Nafziger and maps based on post-war USGS surveys (which were themselves taken from wartime Soviet surveys).

The Second Battle of Kharkov is the perfect situation to entice players into the world of strength chits. One not heavily covered by titles and sporting the fact that during the fighting both sides were attacker and defender. Given this situation, a wide variety of outcomes were theoretically possible. Which one will your forces achieve?