Introduction

OT is an operational-level game. Players will not be concerned with the intricacies of low-level combat, nor the grand strategic questions of the respective High Commands. Rather, they will be faced with the problem of a corps and army-type assault -- distributing meager armored formations to the attack, choosing a strong defensive line, allocating supply, and assigning air units to ground support and interdiction missions.

Credits

Components

Counter Manifest

Russians (Black or White on red)
1 HQ 1 Shock Army
4 Ski Brigades
9 Infantry Brigades
2 Infantry Divisions
1 Cavalry Division
1 Tank Brigade
1 HQ 5 Army
4 Infantry Divisions
3 Tank Brigades
1 Mechanized Infantry Division
1 HQ 10 Army
9 Infantry Divisions
1 Cavalry Division
1 HQ 16 Army
3 Infantry Regiments
4 Infantry Divisions
3 Cavalry Division
4 Tank Brigade
1 HQ 20 Army
3 Infantry Brigades
7 Infantry Divisions
2 Cavalry Division
7 Tank Brigade
4 Tank Battalions
1 Tank Company
3 AT Brigades
3 AA Brigades
1 HQ 26 Army
1 Ski Brigade
1 Para Brigade
7 Infantry Brigades
11 Infantry Divisions
2 Cavalry Division
3 Tank Brigade
1 HQ 30 Army
1 Infantry Brigades
1 Cavalry Division
2 Tank Brigade
1 Mechanized Infantry Division
1 HQ 33 Army
1 Para Brigade
3 Infantry Divisions
1 Mechanized Infantry Division
1 HQ 43 Army
8 Infantry Divisions
2 Cavalry Division
4 Tank Brigade
1 HQ 49 Army
4 Infantry Brigades or Regiments
5 Infantry Divisions
3 Cavalry Division
1 Tank Brigade
1 Mechanized Infantry Division
1 HQ 50 Army
1 Infantry Battalion
6 Infantry Divisions
1 Cavalry Division
3 Tank Brigade
17 Out of Supply/Isolated Markers
10 Air Point Markers
5 Railroad Markers
11 Accelerated Assault Markers
21 3 - Strength chit
65 2 - Strength chit
95 1 - Strength chit Markers (Black on white)
1 Game turn
3 Victory Points Indicator
1 Snow Marker
1 Ground Marker
1 Weather Marker

Player’s Value

Two campaign games and three scenarios are provided. One campaign game lasts 15 turns covering the German push on Moscow from two sides from 15th to 30th November; the second campaign game extends the first one for 15 more turns covering the Russian counterattack, from 1st to 15th December. To win, the German player must choose between three plans: historical, strategic encirclement and broad front, each ask for capturing cities, destroying troops and exiting units but on a different ratio.

The three scenarios examine on one map each, the different attacks: South map for Guderian, Center map for a hypothetical attack from Von Kluge and North map for the big panzer push from two panzer armies.

In spite of its sheer size, OT is very playable, and interesting to play as a member of a Game System. A team of two players per side can manage the Campaign Game in less than a weekend. The whole game is hard to win for the German and very dependant on the chits picked for combat: some good or bad defense value of the initial or last Russian line can ruin or save the German days. But in all cases, the game will be tense for both side.

Collector’s Value

Support Material

Other games of this type

Other games by this designer

Reviews

• Operation Typhoon
• Patton's Third Army
• Operation Grenade
• Sicily

The Operation Typhoon rulebook served a dual purpose for SPI. Not only did it provide elaboration for the mechanics of game play, but it also formed the basis of a Christmas present for S&T and Moves subscribers. It came wrapped in eight pages of advertising. Well, seven pages. The first page was a letter of thanks, as follows...

Thanks for Supporting SPI...

As you may have noticed in your local press (and in many national magazines), wargaming is being taken much more seriously than ever before. We've finally made significant strides in establishing our interest area as a recognized and coherent hobby. SPI is proud that its efforts in public releations and advertising - in addition, of course, SPI's products - have played an important part in advancing the hobby. All of this effort, however, makes sense only in the context of your support. You are the primary agents through whom new gamers are introduced to the hobby, and your patronage supplies the wherewithal for us to grow and reach out to a wider audience with new products.

As a way of thanking you, this year we've sent you this free copy of the rules to our new game, Operation Typhoon. Now, we've wrapped it in eight pages of advertising, but you can remove this coat of commercials, and what remains is the full, 24 page official rulesbook (see also the special offer on the next page). if you're interested in the Typhoon subject area, this is a good opportunity to get a detailed look at the game at no risk to your wallet. And even if WWII in the east is not your specialty, you may find the system interesting enough to warrant more than a casual glance.

Whether or not you buy the rest of Typhoon, the rules are yours to keep. We're glad you're out there buying the results of our efforts, criticizing us when we make mistakes, praising us when we do something you like and, most essentially, remaining in communication with SPI and your fellow gamers in what has to be the largest and most far-flung "newwork" of active and intelligent simulation gamers.

We do hope you have a joyful time in the coming holiday season and wish you all the best for 1979

For all the SPI staff and contributors,

Remond A. Simonsen