Introduction

Kharkov is a brigade/division level simulation of the spring 1942 Soviet strategic offensive. Each game turn equals one day of real time and each hex equals 6.9 kilometers.

The Kharkov game system is an adaptation of the system pioneered in SPI’s Panzergruppe Guderian.

Credits

Published by SPI in S&T 68 (July/August 1978)
Designed by Stephen B. Patrick
Developed by Brad Hessel and David Werden
Graphics by Redmond A. Simonsen

Components
1 22"x32" Standard map
1 Counter sheet of 200 die-cut counters
1 Rules folder

Counter Manifest

Germany and Rumania
2 4 9-8 Infantry Divisions
4 7-8 Light Infantry Divisions
1 7-8 Mountain Division
1 2-8 Security Division
1 4-7 Rumanian Infantry Division
2 3-7 Rumanian Infantry Divisions
1 (4)-12 Rumanian HQ
12 2-12 Mechanized Regiments
6 4-12 Panzer Regiments
15 2-8 Infantry Regiments
6 2-8 Infantry Divisions Reduced
3 1-8 Infantry Divisions Reduced
4 Air Points Markers
8 Disruption/Strong Points Markers
1 Game Turn marker

USSR

35 U-11 Untried Tank/Mechanized Brigades
39 U-7 Untried Infantry Divisions
18 U-8 Untried Cavalry Divisions
3 Guard Rifles Divisions
3 Replacements Infantry
2 Replacements Tank/Mechanized
6 HQ Units
4 Army Reserve Units
1 Air Points Marker

Player’s Value

Kharkov is an operational simulation of the Second Battle for Kharkov, the last of the Soviet winter/spring offensives before the German summer offensive of 1942. This battle began as a Soviet attack, occurring just before a German offensive planned at the same time and the same place. That gives us a particularly interesting game because each side will attack and defend in sequence. This particular battle for Kharkov has been less simulated than the third and fourth battles of winter and spring 1943 during and after the fall of the Stalingrad pocket. The system find its roots in Panzer Gruppe Guderian with overruns during movement, a mechanized movement phase after the combat phase, and a CRT that lets players choose between retreats and loss. The Russian troops are tied to their HQ to be supplied (i.e., to attack) and have most of their units untried. The most powerful Guard divisions are three-step units fully known, but all other units are deployed on their untried face with just the type of unit: infantry rifle division, cavalry division and tank-armored brigade. The units are not very powerful, but there are no zero-strength units as in PGG.

Of course, to follow the special aspects of the battle, some specific rules have been added to each camp. To simulate the punch of the initial Soviet attack, the Russian units can go through the German ZOC for the first two turns, and they can have CRT row shifts as a morale bonus for the first four turns. Lastly, they have powerful reserves and new headquarters available in the first five turns to enhance the push. For their part, German troops are separated in two zones: north and south. The southern part is frozen until the beginning of Operation Fredericus on the fifth turn. As the set-up is difficult to follow with few units, German divisions can be broken down into regiments to cover more frontline, and those regiments can form hedgehogs to become more powerful, losing their ZOC. The German set-up is a real headache and should be considered seriously to avoid losing the game before the trigger of Operation Fredericus.

The victory conditions gravitate around the three cities on the map: Kharkov occupying three hexes and interesting to capture or isolate, Dniepropetrovsk and Poltava, placed more to challenge the Russian than to be really occupied. Their loss brings some VP, and the Germans lose VP by failing to maintain a tight frontline. In summary for both camps, in order to win, capture cities without losses!

The game lasts for 10 turns. The Russians try to push as hard as possible for the first four turns in the north around Kharkov to capture or isolate it, and as far as possible to the two other cities on the far west of the map to disrupt the German organization. South of the borderline, everybody is frozen until turn five, except for Soviet units using the railroad. At the beginning of the fifth turn, the thunder explodes with six panzerdivisionen and the arrival of the famous IVth German Korps. The Soviets should try to maintain the pressure on the German 6 th Army in the north and fight an organized withdrawal in the south (something more serious than a sauve qui peut!) The German should of course relieve the siege of Kharkov if anybody is still there, crush as many Russian troops as possible, and pocket the Ivans to isolate them from their HQ and to reduce the units to half combat strength.

This game is interesting to play and challenging for both sides. First the setup of both sides can make or break the game, then the initial push of the Russians has to be carefully planned, and lastly the German counterattack should be as VP rewarding as possible. With 10 turns and not many units, the game plays quickly and the rules are rather clear. So, like a good bottle of Burgundy, this simulation has improved with age.

Collector’s Value

As interesting as many S&Ts of this period are for their historical articles, the game is still valuable and enjoyable to play on a battle rarely simulated. There have been two versions of the game, one with the magazine and the other sold in a flat tray box.

Boone quotes low, high and average prices of 4/28/10.12 at auction and 4/60/ 13.84 for sale.

Support Material

Moves 41 and F&M 18 both published elaborate articles about the strategy and tactics for each camp. Some capsule reviews can be found in F&M 13 and 63, and Moves 50.

Other Games of This Type

The Panzergruppe Guderian system has been used for many games on the eastern front: Drive on Stalingrad, Four Battles of Army Group South (Kiev, Rostov, Operation Star and Korsun) and Leningrad (all from SPI). Prelude to Disaster (CoA) also dealt with Kharkov in 1942. The following all deal with Kharkov in 1943: Duel for Kharkov (PWG & WWW); Duell bei Charkow (CoSi); Kharkov (Euro Games); Kharkov 1943 (Histoire & Collections); the Last Victory (CoA); and Ring of Fire (Critical Hit/ MiH).

Other Games by This Designer

Armageddon; Dark Ages; Freiburg; Korsun; and Remagen (all SPI) and the Rising Sun (Partanen).