BGG Description:
On August 3rd, 1943, less than two weeks after the Kursk offensive, the Soviets launched a massive offensive near Kharkov that ripped open the German line. The ensuing battle began their summer offensive that would take them across the Ukraine to the Dnieper River.
During August the two sides were equally matched and a tremendous war of attrition raged from Kharkov to the Sea of Azov with neither side willing to give ground. In September, bled white by the never-ending Soviet attacks, the German army retreated in haste to the safety of the Dnieper River. In October, the battle raged along the length of the Dnieper and for the Perekop Peninsula, the only land exit to the German 17th Army in the Crimea. During this three month period German reinforcements poured in from every sector, but it was never enough. Three Soviet Tank Armies and four Soviet Fronts ground through nineteen panzer and panzergrenadier divisions. German and Soviet losses were staggering. Kiev, the capital of the Ukraine, fell on November 6th.
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/3263/ukraine-43
Awards:
- 2000 Charles S. Roberts Best World War II Boardgame Winner
- 2000 Charles S. Roberts Best World War II Boardgame Nominee
- 2000 Charles S. Roberts Best Wargame Graphics Nominee
You can find it at GMT’s site for purchase. This is the 2nd edition, which had some heavy system revisions and rules revisions as well as adjustments to the maps, and locations on maps.
This will be a straight play thru write up. I’ll wait and see how it all goes before committing to any system commentary etc.
Turn 1, August 3-7
Air; 1/1 Ger/Soviet
Opening positions:
Ideally if I could advance on Sumy Turn 1 that would allow me to get ahead of the VP clock, which can trigger an auto victory.
The Soviet Offensive begins:
A net 3:1 attack after column shifts. This drops a step on the Germans and forces a 3 hex retreat which can be mitigated by Sumy city hex.
This is where a mobile assault into the city would have been smart but I chicken out and just move. The Simonitch systems rewards aggressive play and I forget this here. It is also noteworthy that if you do not attack continuously, replacement can be brought in to the very front line. So you waste an attack.
Soviets force a loss and a retreat south of Proletarskiy.
This allows the supporting tanks and infantry units to advance
Units which retreat are disordered. Subject to the result 2 or more hexes must be retreated.
When the two tank armies attack they also force retreats and close in on the 4th Pzr & 8th Army boundary. Their follow on attack against 7th Panzer is a disaster incurring an A1, fortunately they do not have to retreat.
In the South the Mountains and rough terrain hinder the attack and the losses are one for oen.
A pretty mediocre turn 1 for the Soviets. I was hoping to at least capture 1 VP this early. Now I must capture a VP otherwise I fall behind the victory track. I also forget to attack on the river bend…..
Turn 2. Start of August 8-12
I love how this system seems to have the flexibility to handle a wide variety of scale, in terms of time and hex size. In Ardennes ’44 its partial day turns , here we are dealing with 5 day turns!
Clear Weather.
Air: 2/2
Positions turn 2:
Note the Germans have drifted their fire brigade units up to the center. This may give us a chance to press harder down Sth.
