A new title from Vento Nuovo, that is a intuitive, fast playing yet subtle solo/COOP…and 2 player game depicting the Battle for Stalingrad on the Volga. There are a number of levels of abstraction here. So if that bothers you, I’d encourage you not to buy the game. If however you are a student of history, appreciate the theme, enjoy a level of decision tension that has become a hallmark of Vento Nuovo or perhaps you finally want to play a solo game vs the game playing you…well then this might be for you.

As many of you know I don’t always deal well with abstraction, so why am I giving this title a break? Simple, the design intent was readily apparent in the kickstarter and we have seen that VNG tends to lean towards this style of game versus counting arty shells and using arcane Soviet symbols, forcing you to ply the river in your Riverine units etc. There is absolutely a time and place for that style of play! But as many players have discovered while simple in concept there are many layered nuances in the system at play here in Inferno and other VNG games.

The AI is frankly so basic that you wonder how it can work. Then suddenly your forces are attacked, a hex is reinforced or troops enter from the other side of the Volga, just in time to thwart you. What the!?!

Perhaps this will clarify the cleverness here. When the Soviets have a lot of Victory Hexes [VH] under control such that there are more than the greatest number of stacked units [Do they have 2 stacks of 3? OR 4 stacks of 2?- we would take the 2 stacks of three units as our measure against the VH. ] IF the VH is greater than the # of stacks then the AI will move and or attack. If not then the AI will spawn reinforcements. Which in turn builds p the number of big stacks. This push-me pull- you is linked to card draws for the Soviets also. As the deck dwindles for the Soviets so does the German chance for victory an up goes the pressure ratchet. Many events or actions force a card draw, a poor move rolled by the AI, same numbers in a dice off, etc. Maddening.
In some ways the nexus of choices and related actions reminds me of the Hollandspiele mechanics the drive me so bananas in Agricola Master of Britain and Charlemagne.

Lets look at Game Turn 1: German Panzer regiments and Mechanized units plough through the left flank and head to the Volga and the edge of the City. Securing this VP hex, reduces the enemy Spawning of fresh troops. We must grab the other flanks also! But for that we must pause and take reinforcements a first choice.

The Russians must move units per the AI if they have more ‘top stacks’ than they do controlled VP locations [red hexes outlines=6]. Here we can imagine the Soviets pressing units forward to cover the Piers, as the you rolled a 4 on the AI movement direction.

The Soviets move units and draw cards as needed.

They pick up 4.!! When the deck is pulled, the game ends. This pull of four puts pressure on the Germans.

Into combat go the Germans attacking to clear a path to prevent the Khruschev card being so devastating. More on that shortly.

With the Russians stuck next with a move, now is a good time for get reinforcements onto the board and where they need to be.

A pretty decent draw., as we receive units for the right flank where we want to launch an assault, and also reinforcements for center & left.

Units will appear on the left and right flanks, helping the Germans greatly, as well as 2 infantry units in the center!

The next attack, affords the Soviets an infiltration, which means they get a fresh set of reinforcements in the battle hex.

The Khrushchev card plays havoc with the Soviets inflicting loss on both sides.

Soviets must move again.

The Germans attack going big on the VP hex with Howitzers.

As more reinforcements arrive, they too are pressed into service and begining to cover the approaches to the VP location and Piers.

Time to enter the urban areas proper.

The centre finally moves, and takes on the weaker Soviet troops, only to find they are armed with Tommy Guns… but Khrushchev and his tactical aggressiveness kill off a step! As they do in the next attack on the city proper:

The clears area 6 [ we need to add a rubble marker there]

There is a temptation to rush the #7 area. It is so weak!

NO! The Area 7 receives a reinforcement who thankfully shoots poorly!

7 falls quickly.

3 of 6 VP locations secured, but the Soviet draw pile is dwindling fast. It is a race against time.

Soviet units move again. The Soviets still have the wrong number of stacks!

Apparently, Snipers do not effect Tanks and Mech [which makes sense, but that is not how the rules read, so I played that wrong ;(…]

Zone 8 fights back hard, and forces significant reduction in the attacking forces:

The Germans press their luck! Attacking area 8. The zone falls but only one-unit advances.

Two fours almost take out the unit. [ I think we erred here and there should be a rubble hex.] I calculate the right result but forgot the marker.

Russians must move/Attack

Bam! This attack allows us to close in on the 2^nd last VP Hex.

Now adjacent to the final two VP zones the Germans must take big chances.

Khrushchev rolls hurt the Soviets.

Next turn the Germans attack again, and press home the advantage.

This zone also requires a rubble marker.

Ok the final assault, and the Soviet card deck is almost gone!

 

Oh no the Soviets have some decent dice and their Sniper card hurts. But not badly enough to forestall the advance.

 

 

Opportunity Fire hits the Germans! The Chuikov card when placed allows all adjacent unit to attack any German unit attempting to attack….brutal

The final assault is prepared.

The Germans use their Howitzer…you know…just to be sure.

Lets not mess around, Howitzer to the front!

So after one full game, 2 shorter games where I experimented with rules a bit this 2^nd full play thru was the first time the Germans even looked like getting close. In hindsight, I missed a couple of things so not ‘rally’ a victory for the other bad guys!