Objective Kiev continues to frustrate

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I'm not sure exactly why I'm not getting a handle on Objective Kiev. Several possibilities come to mind:

  1. The rules are two pages longer (more complicated) than Battle for Moscow, a game with similar scope and (ostensibly) in the same rule system. Two pages is roughly 50% more rules.
  2. In three out of four games, the Russian 4th mechanized corps has been randomly positioned just north of Lyov, the absolute best possibly place to completely repel German breakthrough, and it fact, it has.
  3. The turn phasing on the map is incorrect for the Germans, which requires a mental leap every German turn.
  4. I haven't written out any of these games in much detail, which is always useful for really learning the rules.
  5. I seem to have a fair bit of trouble keeping track of whose turn and which phase is underway at any particular time.

There are possibly other reasons, but the above will do for now.

Writing everything out in detail as I play definitely helps keep track of game play, so for Turns 6 & 7 of an ongoing game, here's what's going down.

Turn 6

Looks hopeless for the Germans as the Russians have bolstered Kiev. The Germans must try for Kiev anyway, which is something the Russians know. The Russians don't have to do a lot more than keep the Germans bottled up in the west. They have all their units on the map, so they're in good shape for this.

German turn 6

Replacement/reinforcement

Bring in the 4th Inf as replacements.

Movement phase

Two places:

  1. Over to Kiev
  2. Position for breakthrough in the west.

Combat phase

  • 3:1 for breakthrough, needed all air for this DRL result.
  • 1:1 at Kiev, did not use any air, EX result.

Armor and reserve movement

  • Italians on the east edge to control Soviet communication and replacement entry.
  • 48 Pz creeps around Soviet units, still cannot get out of EZOCs.

Russian Turn 6

Replacements

Bring in 6-3-6 Mechanized, 4-4 infantry.

Rail

  • Move replacement to negate EZOC on Italian on east edge.

Combat

  • Drive German 34 Inf back to Lyov, advance into vacated hex.

Movement

  • Close the line around the Germans, again.

Turn 7

German Turn 7

Replacements

44 Inf back in west of Lublin.

Movement

  • Position to get try and break the Russian defensive line.
  • Reposition to take another crack at Kiev.

Combat

  • 2:1 Kiev, roll 4 NE
  • 2:1 against 16 mech, roll 5 NE
  • 1:1 against 12 Inf, roll 3 EX, hurts the Germans.
  • 1:1 against 15 and 22 mech, roll 5 NE.

Armor and reserve movement

Moot, game is lost, Russians don't need to do anything at all for a win.

Russian Turn 7

Russian win.

Replacements

Rail/mechanized movement

Combat

Movement

AAR

This was the worst game yet for the Germans. They didn't just lose, they lost by a stupendous amount. They weren't even able to break through in the west as the Russian defensive line held.

Blunders

  • Initial Soviet attack strengths: These are doubled on Turn 1, and increased by 50% on Turn 2, thereafter what's on the counter. This hardly seems necessary given how well the Soviets utterly destroy the Germans in this game without it.

  • Attacking from stacked hexes: I keep forgetting only one unit can attack through a given hex side.

  • Forgetting that Russian mechanized have a defense strength. I've been using the attack strength for defense.

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What to play next?

Deciding what to play next is always a tough call when faced with a closet full of games, all of which were purchased with intent to play. Here's one I'm dealing with the decision.

  • Something New: this means both something new to me and a game which has been published recently, within the last two or three years.
  • Something Classic: I've acquired a number of games properly considered "classic" which haven't yet been played. The current example would be PanzerGruppe Guderian.
  • Something Again: mastery requires constant practice, which means playing games many, many times to allow nuance to appear.
  • Something Vietnam: as I'm on a Vietnam binge. I don't have all the Vietnam games ever published, but I can say that I have a lot of them, and probably more than most people.
  • Something Obscure: as it's fun to poke around in the dustier corners of game design.
  • Something Different: break away from the same old publishers and try a game from one of the new kids on the block. Or, conversely, dip into legacy with a classic tried and true.
  • Something Light: once in a while it's nice to actually finish a game all the way through in one sitting, in an hour or two.
  • Something Heavy: if possible, it's nice to set up something big and complicated which can be left out for days or weeks or even months, for a leisurely stroll through a very large or long game.

There are surely many more ways to choose, but the above method keeps me busy enough, helps me get both breadth and depth into my play, and provides me with a sense of progress.

The odd man out

When there is an odd man out:

  • Have a solo game ready to play.
  • Keep score or advise on a game in progress.
  • Referee a game in progress.