Russian Front

Game Review

by Matt Costello


Designed by Neil Zimmerer
The Avalon Hill Game Company 4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21204
Released: June, 1985
Catalog No.: 865
Price: $23.00
Complexity: Advanced
Solitaire Suitability: Very Good
* * * 1/2

Russian Front is The Avalon Hill Game Company's new strategic level board game of WWII on the Eastern Front. It covers the period from the beginning of Barbarossa up through 1944 with the option to play several shorter scenarios. The game proceeds in monthly turns, and units represent corps and armies.

The first thing that you notice about the game is its excellent map sheet and counters. The map is both pretty and functional, and the counters are colored so that their type and function is readily apparent (for example, white on black indicates German armor, rather than the usual SS). There are also many other game markers to indicate battles, mine fields, step losses, supply status, etc. In fact, there may be a few too many of them, and the map board occasionally gets a little cluttered. Still, all of the counters have definite functions in the game and I think that overall the components are excellent.

The game mechanics are outwardly similar to many other games. Each player turn consists of a first movement phase, combat, and then an exploitation movement phase. Within this basic structure, however, Russian Front incorporates many excellent ideas that set it apart from other strategic games. First of all, the zone-of-control (ZOC) rules are unique. Units may freely move from one enemy ZOC to another, but the enemy has the option to intercept such a move and force a battle (this is called "response movement" and is the main reason that Russian Front is impractical to play by mail). Once a battle is joined, all of the involved units lose their ZOCs and may no longer move. This leads to tactics that mirror the real world. If An enemy has a strong stack consisting of several units, it is possible to paralyze them by moving in a single weak unit (a pinning attack) and then move other units around their flanks. There are no stacking limitations, but players soon find out that excessive stacking leads to large parts of their army being rendered ineffective in the above manner.

Combat is initiated by moving into an enemy's hex (or having an enemy unit "respond" to your attempting to penetrate its ZOQ. When this occurs, the units are removed from the map until the combat resolution phase and placed on the Battle Location Card. Combat is resolved by one ground unit at a time for each side (even if more than one is present) plus whatever air, naval, and artillery assets are available in the hex. Each battle continues for several rounds until one side is destroyed, forced to retreat, or decides that discretion is the better part of valor. If more than one unit is available, the players have the option of changing the involved unit after each round. The total defense strength is subtracted from the total attack strength and the proper column is found on the Combat Results Table (CRT). The basic attack and defense strengths are modified by terrain (for example, armor becomes much less effective in cities), but the basic mechanics are simple.

An interesting effect of the differential system is that differences in combat strength become very important. Most units have both their attack and defense strengths in the 3-5 range. Without support, combat between these units is usually indecisive. However, the Panzer corps and Russian Guards units are so much larger than other units that they are often able to sustain an attack on their own. Air support is critical, and both sides must position their air units carefully both to sustain attacks and help on defense. Combat losses are indicated by step loss counters. The attack and defense of a unit is unaffected by losses until the number of step losses reach the defense strength of the unit, when it is destroyed. Step losses stay with the unit until it is destroyed or the losses are removed by replacements. A simple system, but it does involve placing many step loss counters on the map.

In the advanced game, there are rules for reserves, blitz attacks, and naval movement. Units held in reserve can be used to defensively reinforce front line positions. In addition, infantry units in reserve can move during the exploitation movement phase, allowing them to move through holes blown in the enemy's line. Blitz attacks are made by armor units which can attack while moving. This tactic is very useful for removing a screen of small enemy units and allowing your infantry to move up unhindered. The naval rules allow you to support your ground offensive by fleet action (some of the larger fleets can really make a difference) as well as laying mines and fighting other fleets. I found that the reserve and blitz rules added flavor to the game, but the naval rules added more complexity than was really war ranted by the effect that they have on the game.

The supply rules are fairly involved and open to a bit of rules-lawyering. For example, the advanced rules allow any units in a coastal hex to be in supply. Because of the unlimited stacking, it is a viable (although not very realistic) tactic to place several strong armored units in supply on the coast. They can move off, attack, and move back to the blast in the exploitation phase, thus being in supply in the future. I think that more attention should have been paid to preventing this sort of tactic.

Play in this game proceeds along standard East Front lines. In the beginning, the German pounds on the weak Russian units and gains considerable territory. An interesting point to note is that even during this part of the game, the step loss system allows the Russian to weaken the German forces even though their combat strengths are outwardly unaffected. After their initial penetration, the Russian units the Germans originally were able to step on are replaced, and the fight becomes serious. The appearance and capabilities of the first Guard and shock armies will come as a nasty surprise to the unwary German. Victory is constantly monitored on a victory track which allows players to calculate how they are doing based on territorial objectives held by the Germans. The game will end if a decisive victory level is reached, but results of marginal and tie are also possible.

The rules are divided into three parts. The Basic game introduces the new ZOC rules and combat system. The Advanced game adds much of the chrome that makes the game unique. In addition, there are some optional rules that add extra capabilities. This division of the rules is one of the few real gripes I have with Russian Front. Very few gamers who would appreciate the Basic game are going to buy Russian Front anyway and when playing the ~~dvancecl game, you constantly have to switch back and forth between the basic and advanced rule books to clarify game mechanics. Although the rules are there, it is very often difficult to find what you need because of the poor organization. The game would have been much improved if the Basic game had been dispensed with and the rules organized into a single section with options.

In conclusion, Russian Front is an excellent game for the East-Front buff and hard-core board gamer, but it is not an easy game to learn. Its options are fascinating but I wish that The Avalon Hill Game Company had spent more time organizing the rules.

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© Copyright 1986 by Dana Lombardy.
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