[Ed. note: Here is the official information about several recent and upcoming games from Moments in History. For a full listing of available MiH games, see www.CriticalHit.com/MiHPage.html, The Gamers on-line store at www.tgamers.com, or the Items for Sale page in this magazine. Enjoy special pricing, including the Operations subscriber's discount, when you order your MiH titles through The Gamers.]

Recent Games

Triumphant Return: The Soviet Liberation of Kiev, November 1943

Their successful offensive during the early autumn of 1943 found the Soviets with several bridgeheads over the Dnepr River. The largest of these, located north of Kiev, erupted on 3 November as infantry and tank units of the 1st Ukrainian Front burst through the German line. Soon Soviet tank columns were racing to the distant towns of Fastov and Zhitomir, mauling several German panzers divisions hastily brought up to stem the Red tide. On 12 November, however, the Germans managed to assemble a powerful striking force centered around the 1st and 1st SS Panzer Divisions, threw them at the overextended formations of the Red Army, and rolled them back. Over the next four weeks the action see-sawed back and forth as reserves were committed and attack followed counterattack.

Triumphant Return is a two-player operational simulation of the battle for Kiev which took place during November and December 1943. One side represents the German forces of the 4th Panzer Army while the other controls the Red Army forces of 1st Ukrainian Front. The game uses the highly popular Ring of Fire/Eastwall game system.

Scenarios: 2
Complexity: Low to Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: High
Scale: 7 km per hex, 4-8 days per turn, battalion, regiment, Kampfgruppe, brigade, division, corps.
Contents: one 17"x22" color map, 240 full color backprinted counters, one rules booklet, four player aid cards, zip bag.
Design by John Desch.

Clash of Titans: The Tank Battle for Kursk, 1943

It is the summer of 1943 and the fate of the Russo-German War--the largest land conflict of the Second World War--hangs in the balance. A decisive victory for either side means a profound change in the course of the war.

Clash of Titans is an operational simulation of the battle for Kursk which took place during July 1943. On 5 July 1943 the Wehrmacht attacked with 435,000 men in fifty divisions and 2,700 tanks and assault guns (including the new Panther and Ferdinand types). The Red Army was able to field 1,550,000 soldiers and 4,800 armored vehicles for this battle of titanic proportions. Operation Zitadelle had begun.

Clash of Titans comes with two more scenarios, one featuring a hypothetical early German attack in May (favored by some German generals), the other simulating the historical Soviet summer counteroffensive in August. One side represents the German forces of 9th Army, 2nd Army, 4th Panzer Army, and Armeeabteilung Kempf while the other side controls the Red Army forces of Southwest Front, Voronezh Front, Central Front, Bryansk Front, West Front, and Steppe Front. It uses the highly popular Ring of Fire/Eastwall game system and is suitable for two or more players or solitaire play.

Scenarios: 3
Complexity: Low to Moderate
Solitaire Suitability: High
Scale: 8 miles per hex, 2 days per turn, battalion, regiment, Kampfgruppe, brigade, division, corps.
Contents: one 22"x34" color maps, 600 full color backprinted counters, one rules booklet, three player aid cards, boxed or in zip bag (please state your choice!).
Design by John Desch.

Drive to the Baltic!

By July 1944, the initiative on the Eastern Front was firmly in the hands of the Soviets. At the northern sector of the front the Red Army had managed to separate Army Group Center from North, trapping the latter. Heeresgruppe Nord faced annihilation. Drive to the Baltic! uses the game system of the popular Turning the Tables (Kharkov 1942), designed by Dirk Blennemann and also available from Moments in History. The players of this popular system demanded new games utilizing its strengths, including fog of war, overall excitement and fast play. Drive to the Baltic! is the answer.

The game is played in game turns, each representing three days of real time. During a game turn a player moves and fights with his units and expends C3I Points. Both players have many opportunities to attack and defend, making for exciting and varied game play. The Turning the Tables game system used in Drive to the Baltic! is unique in its combination of easy to use mechanics and the depiction of fog of war. The system integrates various important aspects of combined arms warfare with a strong emphasis on uncertainty. The combination of Tactical Superiority determination, Random Events and Combat Chits make it possible to present a rather elaborate combat system with little Ôoverhead' in the form of complexity while allowing for the use of the system, including its fog of war features, in solitaire play. Players will immediately notice that the combat system captures the flair of warfare on the Eastern Front and produces realistic, and exciting results, while remaining easy to learn and handle.

Game Equipment: One 22 x 35 inch full color game board, 280 full color die-cut counters, One Rules Booklet, Player Aids; Game Scale: one hex = six miles, one Game Turn = 3 days of real time, units are: regiments, brigades, divisions and corps.

Tunisia 43: The Battle of Kasserine 1943

Tunisia 43 is an operational level simulation of the Axis offensive in central Tunisia against the Allied forces around the important Kasserine Pass which took place from February 14-23, 1943. The game depicts Operation Fruehlingswind, the Axis Kasserine offensive, with additional focus on the limited Axis attack on Faid Pass from January to February 1. The game is designed for two players but is great for solitaire play as well.

Tunisia 43 is designed by Dirk Blennemann and uses the latest version of the acclaimed operational warfare system debuted in Triumphant Fox and continued in Piercing the Reich. Rich in detail, the system focuses on command control and is fast paced and highly interactive.

Game Equipment: One 22 x 35 inch full color game board, 420 full-color die-cut counters, 6 Play Aids, One 36 page Rules Booklet with Historical and Designer's Notes and extensive examples of play; BOXED game; Game Scale: one hex = two miles, one Game Turn: 1 day of real time, units are: regiments, brigades, battalions, companies, kampfgruppe and HQs

Royal Tank Corps: The Battle of Cambrai 1917

Says designer Ted Raicer: "In my new Royal Tank Corps, play does not automatically alternate one impulse at a time between players; you don't activate a single area and then pass to your opponent. Instead, players can continue activating as long as they have fresh units--or until a combat results in a defeat. This creates a fundamentally different dynamic than previous area movement games. And much more excitement and tension during play. The continuous impulse system also rewards the use of reserves. Without fresh units, you cannot react to take advantage of unexpected setbacks to enemy plans. Royal Tank Corps is that rare game where many turns will end with both players holding back forces from the battle, rather than be the first player without fresh reserves."

Royal Tank Corps is MiH's exciting new presentation of World War I warfare, presenting Hall of Fame designer Ted Raicer's vision of The Battle of Cambrai. The game uses an area movement system, providing more "sweep" to the battle than any Great War game ever published. Game Equipment: One 22 x 35 inch full color game board, 352 LARGE FORMAT full-color die-cut counters, One Rules Booklet with Historical and Designer's Notes; BOXED game; Game Scale: one mile per inch, one Game Turn = 1 day of real time, units are: regiments, brigades, and battalions

Velikye Luki: Little Stalingrad of the North.

The town of Velikye Luki was captured by German forces during July 1941. From the view of Heeresgruppe Mitte which was responsible for this sector, Velikye Luki was very important for three reasons-(1) It formed a bridgehead across the Lowat River; (2) it was a major railroad junction; (3) It screened the vital Vitebsk-Leningrad railroad. The Red Army launched several attacks and partisan actions against Velikye Luki during the following 15 months, but failed almost completely. By November 1942, Velikye Luki and the surrounding area was still in German hands.

Velikye Luki uses the game system of the popular Turning the Tables (Kharkov 1942) and Drive to the Baltic! (Army Group North 1944) designed by Dirk Blennemann and also available from Moments in History. The players of this popular system demanded new games utilizing its strengths, including fog of war, overall excitement, and fast play.

Each game turn representing three days of real time, during which a player moves and fights with his units and expends C3I Points. Both players have many opportunities to attack and defend, making for exciting and varied game play.

Upcoming Titles

Tobruk: Silver Anniversary

Tobruk System: The upcoming October 2000 release of Tobruk: Silver Anniversary Edition is is nothing less than the start of a tactical level tour of duty across the length and breadth of the war in North Africa. The system is dedicated to the memory and life's work of Tobruk designer Hal Hock and we promise to make this something very special for the enthusiast of the period.

D-Day: The Great Crusade

To be released September 2000. Designer Danny Holte got our interest with his promise of the tightest order of battle for a D-Day game. Combine that with a nice large (read "long" and playable on an average gaming table) map and a playable, yet detailed approach to the battle and we were hooked. This is a must-have game for the enthusiast of the battle of Normandy.

Streets of Stalingrad

New edition to be released for Christmas 2000. The buzz has been, well 'buzzing' while we have been developing away at this monster project. Get ready to 'get to know' talented designer/development team Dana Lombardy and Dave Parham again while girding for the debut of new industry talent Art Lupinacci in the design and development field. This game will be manufactured in limited quantities.

Gotterdamerung

To be released October 2000. This game covers the last battle for Berlin, 16th April to 9th May 1945. Game scale is 5.5 kilometers per operational hex, 900 meters per siege hex; battalion/regiment German units, corps Soviet units with some Soviet break-down units provided for actions on the siege map; 2 days per Game-Turn. The game features a detailed German Order of Battle, city-fighting in Berlin on the siege map, American units and the meeting at the Elbe, Wenck's 12th Army, Volks sturm, Vlasov's 600th infantry division, Soviet support units (artillery, etc.), and more. Components: 420 counters, one 22-inch x 34-inch map. Complexity: Medium