Stalingrad Pocket, marking the debut of our Standard Combat Series, is expressly designed to be one of those 'open the box and set it right up' games. Its basic framework is that of the MoveFight-Exploit variety that was SRI'S bread and butter during their glory days. It is interesting to note that relative game complexity has increased so much in the past 15 years or so that this system, once considered the standard game framework, has been mistakenly referred to several times by gamers as Introductory.

The mechanics of the game are so familiar to veterans that they will almost know how to play before they read the rules. However, simple to learn and easy to play do not make for simple to master. SP is a tough fight for both players. It is full of sudden reversals of fortune and fluid action. What follows is a recounting of the first time I and my perpetual opponent, Dave "Sticky" Combs, locked horns over the wintry gray map of the Don River bend. Combs led the Stalinist lackeys, while I had the honor of commanding the gray-green Hitlerite slugs. (In the interest of Political Correctness, I shall try to dish out pejoratives in equal measure.)

German Initial:

Ever ambitious, I decided that I would shoot for all the marbles right from the start rather than adopting a more cautious strategy of retiring from Stalingrad in order to shorten my line. Retreat to the Chir was obvious because any German who tries to make a fight of it between the rivers is doomed. The Soviet forces are too strong for the mostly Rumanian defenders of the northern flank. In the south, I decided that a mobile defense Over the steppes was in Order.

Soviet Initial:

The USSR has it easy in terms of strategy. The historical plan of a double envelopment of the exposed Stalingrad salient is the obvious solution. Clearly, the USSR has enough troops to maintain the attack on both flanks. The limiting factor is supply since the Russian armored masses are tied to the slow (2 mp) HQs that represent their lifeline. Capture of the road net is critical to clearing the way for the HQ advance.

Turn 1

Soviet:

After a mostly (except for one unfortunate Rumanian hex) unsuccessful Katyusha barrage, the Soviet northern wing advanced. The 5th Tank Army led the way. It was the only army in supply in the north on turn 1. However, two more HQs arrived this turn This meant that the rest of the massive northern wing would be at full power on turn two. A number of Rumanians died in the Combat Phase, and some exploitation was accomplished, but no major pockets formed.

In the south, Sticky elected to steamroll the Rumanian 6th and 7th Corps, a pathetic bunch of fellows enjoying a restful stay in the lake district south of Stalingrad. Much of the 6th Corps was destroyed, and the 7th Corps faced daunting odds.

German:

I was initially pleased that he diverted so much effort against the Rumanians along the lakes. Then I realized he was simply securing his rear against annoying raiding parties. Still, the lack of a major advance in the south meant I could send the panzer force across the Don against the Soviets. While most of my Rumanians failed to escape, the 1st Corps (including the amazingly unscathed 11th Rumanian Division) got away.

Turn 3

Soviet:

In the north, the curse of Soviet armies everywhere has befallen Sticky. His leading spearheads were beyond the range of his HQs. This put them out of supply and at half strength. He completed the destruction of the Rumanian front line, and picked up a few stray Germans as well. Two more HQs arrived bringing supply to the potent Soviet force concentrated north of Stalingrad between the Volga and the Don, and opening yet another offensive against the German line. Several attacks brought few eliminations but plenty of step losses to the German 11th and 14th Corps.

Three southern thrusts developed. Near Stalingrad, Sticky chose to grind away with infantry. Meanwhile, the more mechoriented 57th and 51st Armies advanced along the road net angling towards Kalach and Kotelnikovo.

German:

The southern advance still seemed manageable, so I followed my plan of hitting his armored advance in the north. This was easier because the leading elements were now out of supply. Between overruns and combat, I destroyed a number of Soviet tank and mechanized units. I was beginning to build up a significant line along the Chir, equipped with a few escaped Rumanians, the leading alert battalions, and a couple of newly arrived German infantry divisions. In fact, I got a little cocky and smashed one of his spearheads with two German infantry divisions retreating from the tip of the Don bend. This mistake cost me next turn.

I still saw no immediate threat in the south, so I continued to keep the bulk of my mobile reserves in the north. I felt that by the time he advanced far enough to become a threat to my rear, I could retire behind the Don-Chir shield and meet that threat in turn.

Turn 4

Soviet:

Made cautious by the previous disasters against his lead armor, Combs adopted a More discretionary advance. He brought up the HQs to ensure supply for his troops. Concentrating large forces against the two German infantry divisions left behind last turn, he crushed them completely. However, there was little likelihood that any Soviet forces could make a quick rush across the Chir.

Due north of Stalingrad, the 24th and 66Lb armies continued to press their attacks against the German infantry line which was holding there. Again, large step losses were exchanged on both sides, though no breakthroughs were achieved.

Around the lakes, the remnants of the Rumanian 7th Corps were finished off, thus ensuring the security of the Soviet rear area supply lines and freeing up large forces for an advance to the northwest.

German:

Combs' efforts had presented me with some opportunities. I decided to risk them. In the north, I retired behind the Chir and swung my armor to the center. Then I proceeded, by dint of both overrun and regular combat, to maul both the 24th and 66th armies. I luckily avoided getting tied down by ZOCs since I needed to shift focus to the south where his forces were now unopposed. I had some good die rolls this turn, and I began to rely too heavily on the dice.

Turn 5

Soviet:

A tactical lull settled over the map. Sticky secured the Chir line. No further combat ensued in the Don Bend, but the German Chir line deterred him from further aggression. In the south, his HQs limited the pace of advance along that exposed flank, and no Germans lay within range. In the immediate vicinity of Stalingrad, Soviets were brought up for a continued pincer move around the 51st Corps.

German:

In fact, the German 51st Corps was beginning to leave its zone. The troops holding the flanks (German 8th & 14th Corps in the north, the 4th in the south) were wearing thin. I needed the forces of the 51st to bolster the lines. I had garnered three supply points prior to this move, so I had a small reserve with which to risk a brief encirclement. Hitler raved, no doubt, but troops of the 51st departed.

Turn 6

Soviet:

The 66th and 24th renewed the attack, but suffering from low odds attacks with poor die-rolls to boot, were thoroughly unsuccessful. The 57th Army joined with the 64th in attacking the German 4th Corps (still holding most of set-up area 9), while the 51st struck deep towards Kotelnikovo despite heavy armor losses due to excessive overrunning of hapless Rumanians.

German:

Now was the moment! He left me a hole. I promptly leapt forward and struck. Between overruns and successful attacks, I destroyed both the 24th and 66th HQs as well as a large number of their subordinate units. Freed during the exploit phase, my armor departed this newly stabilized sector to rush south and meet the burgeoning threat there.

Turn 7-8

Soviet:

With the loss of the two above HQs, the drive along the east bank of the Don evaporated. Because the troops between the Don and the Volga were all out of supply, that attack shut down. Combs began the tedious work of shifting an HQ or two out of the Don Bend to reinvigorate the assault, but for the moment, all was quiet.

In the south, a series of give and take armor actions developed as the Soviet 51st, 57th and 64th armies engaged the Germans. Again, no breakthroughs resulted, but attrition took a heavy toll on both sides. The Germans were especially hurt because they had no step losses to spare.

German:

The Chir line was held by a combination of Rumanians, Luftwaffe Field troops, and some weak KG formations, allowing me to shift my handful of powerful infantry reinforcements towards Kalach. In Stalingrad, I abandoned all but two of the city hexes. I elected to hold the barest minimum, since I so desperately needed troops everywhere. In the south, I damaged his forces, but attrition was starting to tell on my armor force as well. I lost the better part of one Panzer division in exchanges. One small mech unit cut the only road supplying the 51st Army, putting yet more Soviets out of supply next turn.

Turn 9

Soviet:

The Soviet portion of the turn was a continuation of 7 and 8, though he did make a desperate effort to resupply the 51st. Some reinforcing armored units rushed in and tried to overrun the Germans blocking the 51st lifeline, but were solidly rebuffed. Fresh HQs finally made it to replace the ones lost from the 66th and 24th Armies. They brought with them masses of reinforcements and almost all the mobile troops of the I Gds Army. (The bulk of the 5T and 21st armies' units were destroyed by now.) The 62nd army marched unopposed into the vacated half of Stalingrad itself.

German:

I charged ahead aggressively. I was intent on destroying the 51st and 57th armies before shifting back north to deal with the new threat towards Kalach. Again, a combination of overruns and successful attacks destroyed the troops of both armies and I got their HQs as well, but at a reckless cost to my armor. Last turn (8) saw the arrival of the first of my big Panzer units, the 11Pz. I now brought them forward for their first turn of action. The exploit phase saw German tanks on the move, departing for Kalach and a new crisis.

Turn 10

Soviet:

The drive on Kalach began! The Germans forward of the Karpovka river line were immolated in the Soviet attacks which spelled the demise of the German 8th Corps, for one. In the south, the 64th Army retreated to the lakes, preventing encirclement and a ate similar to the 51st and 57th. Stalingrad was still supplied only by the thinnest of links, one hex held by troops of the German 4th Corps.

German:

Now I was ready to make a big mistake. I launched a series of 5-1 odds attacks, led by the 11th PZ, against his Kalach spearhead. However, my high rolls deserted me this time. At the end of the turn, the 11th was embroiled in enemy ZOCs forward of my established river line, had suffered several step losses, and was ripe for destruction.

Turn 11

Soviet:

He quickly pounced on the 11th Pz. I watched it disappear, destroyed in its first engagement. Bringing to bear an armored force I could not hope to match, fresh Soviet hordes began to appear each turn almost until the end of the game.

German:

My strategy heretofore was ambitious: Go For Broke. Now I was faced with the possibility that I could not maintain an overland supply line to Stalingrad. My losses were more than 90 units already. At this rate, I was doomed. Abandoning my previous aggressive posture, I chose to cut my losses. If necessary, I would retire from Stalingrad in hopes of minimizing any Soviet victory.

Turn 12-14

Soviet:

Continued attacks, less reckless than previously seen, pressured both sides of the Stalingrad position. Now that the German armor was busy elsewhere, the 64th army even managed a limited advance in the sector alongside the Volga.

German:

Despite further successes, I continued to lose ground. By turn 14, 1 abandoned all but the two hexes of Stalingrad itself where five regiments and two supply units formed, at long last, the Stalingrad Pocket. I adopted a strongly posted defensive line along the Karpovka and Chervlyonaya Rivers and reached out with my armored reinforcements to inflict what damage I could. At one point, I almost encircled about 10 units of his lead spearhead again, but lacked the forces to decisively isolate them. I retired instead behind the rivers.

Turn 15-16

Soviet:

On turn 15, the Soviets stormed Kalach, but were rebuffed by the lone KG holding the place. On turn 16, Kalach succumbed to the inevitable, and the Soviets took the last two hexes of Stalingrad (on a 3-1 and 2-1 attack, respectively) as well.

German:

At the end of turn 16, I had lost over 120 units and all the hexes of Stalingrad. This produced a Soviet Massive victory. I had managed to kill off an enormous number of Soviet troops (including 4 HQs), but that had little effect on stopping the onslaught. My mistake was in trying for too ambitious a victory right from the start. I was seeking a German massive victory all the way. A more troop conservative strategy would have dictated a retreat from Stalingrad much sooner than turn 14.

Congratulations, Stick, for a battle well fought.