The other day, on the great Internet, I was taken to task by Ted Raicer (the one-man PR agency for WWI) for always saying that a recent Command game was unlike the “usual” offering. Considering that Ted once greeted me in the Men’s Room at Penn Station like a long-lost (and rather well off) relative - a lot of raised eyebrows therein - he is obviously someone to pay attention to. And, for the most part, he is correct. While XTR did foster the perception with their early games that this was a One Size Fits All operation, that is most certainly no longer true. And nowhere is this more evident than with their latest magazine venture, the rather Teutonically titled SS Panzer, Bloodbath at Kursk. (XTR is, most assuredly, most aware of which words push those sales buttons, although this one sounds a bit more like it should be SS Pander.) If you don’t believe me, check the play sequence. It’s a randomized, chit-pull, folks, a sure sign that XTR is willing to see what works with the gamers. Kursk - I’m sorry, I find it distasteful typing out the title; then again, this from the man who brought you the game Andy Daglish (professional UK gametwit) rather aptly called Geronicide - covers the massive, one day tank battle just west of Prokhorovka. It is a favorite of eastfront tankmeisters, and a battle dear to the heart of those who like to start with lots of counters and end up with a huge dead pile and a clean map. If you like your euphamistic killing fast and plentiful, look no further, because those panzers are a pandering right on your streetcorner. Units are battalions and companies, the hexes are 500 meters wide, and turns - all four of them! - represent an hour. Only four turns? Can anyone remember a game with fewer turns? Do not be fooled into thinking this is a one or two hour game, though. Each turn takes up to 2 hours to complete, so this is no date with a $5 hooker. (Betcha that cancelled a half dozen subs ….) The Beth Queman map is attractive, showing that the estimable Ms Queman is growing nicely with each new game, and this time the 5/8” counters - by the new “team” of Perello and Scollan - are needed, as some units have up to six separate pieces of information. The rules, also as usual, are clear and understandable, with two exceptions. Given some of the relatively unusual concepts invoked herein, I think a bit more intent insight would have helped, and, most unusual, there is an important piece of information missing: artillery strength against infantry. We assumed it was ‘1’, as anything higher proved to be the ordnancial equivalent of anthrax. From the start, be aware that Kursk is a “set-up” game. By this, I mean that what you do before actually starting to play will bear heavily on how well you do the latter. The German sets up first, allowing the Soviets to react to this deployment. Although some deployment is hex specific - mostly the cannon fodder Soviet static infantry, whose game purpose appears to be solely to convey the impression that a lot of people died in four hours - there is enough latitude so that second, and third playings can be different … sort of. The heart of the game is the use of a randomized play sequence. The German player has three corps; the Ruskie, six corps/divisions. Each of those gets a chit, and when that chit is pulled the units in that command go. I, of course, have been an advocate of this sort of mechanic for some time, crying its tension and play benefits hither and yon over the countryside. It doesn’t work for all situations, but it does, and well, here. Perleoo redesigned Desch’s game. What? Who knows. CAPSULE COMMENTS Playability: Has all the internal fluidity of a 90-year old man on an all cheese diet. from XTR/Command One 33” x 22” map; 538 counters; rules book. Addendum to Command #36. Back to Berg's Review of Games Vol. II # 21 Table of Contents Back to Berg's Review of Games List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1994 by Richard Berg This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com