Stalingrad (wargame)
Encyclopedia
Stalingrad is strategic
-level board wargame
published by Avalon Hill
in 1963. As one of the first board wargames (and the first one about the Eastern Front
of World War II
) it was extensively played and discussed during the early years of the wargaming hobby.
Despite its title, Stalingrad covers the entire campaign between Germany
and the Soviet Union
from June 1941 to May 1943. Often criticized for lack of realism, Stalingrad is the granddaddy of the many eastern front games that have since been published.
Germany wins the game by occupying the cities of Moscow
, Leningrad
, and Stalingrad and holding them for two turns simultaneously or eliminating all opposing units. The Soviets win by avoiding the German victory conditions or eliminating all German units.
The game is played on a 22x28 inch mounted hex grid map
of the eastern front with a scale of about 30 miles per hex. Cardboard counters represent military units (generally army
corps
), each game turn represents one month
. Key terrain features include major cities, rivers, rough terrain and swamps. Defenders can gain advantages in battle by occupying cities, rough terrain and defending behind rivers. Variable weather effects in fall, winter and spring months affect the movement rate of combat units.
Except for some Italian
and Hungarian
units, there are no reinforcements in the game. The armed forces of both sides are replenished by replacements. Replacements are eliminated units, which are returned to the game. The production capability of the Soviets is reflected in the replacement rate, which rises during the game.
The sequence of play and combat resolution in Stalingrad are similar to other Avalon Hill games published in the 1960s, including Afrika Korps
and D-Day
. In each turn, a player moves his forces, and then executes attacks. In some situations, the attacker may advance a hex after combat. The combat results table of Stalingrad is identical to the other two games. Players of Stalingrad are encouraged to use “soak-off” attacks, which give the attacker a good chance of eliminating an enemy unit, in return for the likely sacrifice of a friendly unit.
There are several criticisms of the game. Although the game is very competitive, it is not a good simulation of the campaign. The exploitation of breakthroughs by mechanized forces is absent as the opponent moves directly after combat, allowing him a chance to plug any holes in the line, and pull units out of threatened positions. A component of blitzkrieg warfare, tactical air power, is missing from the game. The time frame of Stalingrad covers parts of three years. During that time, the organization and order of battle of both armies changed significantly, but the game does not reflect any changes. In the numerous eastern front games that have followed after Stalingrad, game designers have addressed these and other issues of realism and playability.
Military strategy
Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Derived from the Greek strategos, strategy when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the "art of the general", 'the art of arrangement' of troops...
-level board wargame
Board wargame
A board wargame is a wargame with a set playing surface or board, as opposed to being played on a computer, or in a more free-form playing area as in miniatures games. The hobby around this type of game got its start in 1954 with the publication of Tactics, and saw its greatest popularity in the...
published by Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
in 1963. As one of the first board wargames (and the first one about the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) it was extensively played and discussed during the early years of the wargaming hobby.
Despite its title, Stalingrad covers the entire campaign between Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
from June 1941 to May 1943. Often criticized for lack of realism, Stalingrad is the granddaddy of the many eastern front games that have since been published.
Germany wins the game by occupying the cities of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
, and Stalingrad and holding them for two turns simultaneously or eliminating all opposing units. The Soviets win by avoiding the German victory conditions or eliminating all German units.
The game is played on a 22x28 inch mounted hex grid map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
of the eastern front with a scale of about 30 miles per hex. Cardboard counters represent military units (generally army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
), each game turn represents one month
Month
A month is a unit of time, used with calendars, which was first used and invented in Mesopotamia, as a natural period related to the motion of the Moon; month and Moon are cognates. The traditional concept arose with the cycle of moon phases; such months are synodic months and last approximately...
. Key terrain features include major cities, rivers, rough terrain and swamps. Defenders can gain advantages in battle by occupying cities, rough terrain and defending behind rivers. Variable weather effects in fall, winter and spring months affect the movement rate of combat units.
Except for some Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
units, there are no reinforcements in the game. The armed forces of both sides are replenished by replacements. Replacements are eliminated units, which are returned to the game. The production capability of the Soviets is reflected in the replacement rate, which rises during the game.
The sequence of play and combat resolution in Stalingrad are similar to other Avalon Hill games published in the 1960s, including Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps (game)
Afrika Korps is a two-player wargame published by the Avalon Hill Game Company in 1963 and then re-released in 1965 and 1977. Played on a mapboard depicting the northern coastline of Africa, the game follows Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps and their Italian allies as they fought back-and-forth...
and D-Day
D-Day (game)
D-Day is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill first in 1961 and later re-released in 1965, 1971, 1977 and 1991.An operational/strategic simulation of the Western Front between June and September, 1944, the game simulates the invasion by the Allies of France while it was occupied by the Axis...
. In each turn, a player moves his forces, and then executes attacks. In some situations, the attacker may advance a hex after combat. The combat results table of Stalingrad is identical to the other two games. Players of Stalingrad are encouraged to use “soak-off” attacks, which give the attacker a good chance of eliminating an enemy unit, in return for the likely sacrifice of a friendly unit.
There are several criticisms of the game. Although the game is very competitive, it is not a good simulation of the campaign. The exploitation of breakthroughs by mechanized forces is absent as the opponent moves directly after combat, allowing him a chance to plug any holes in the line, and pull units out of threatened positions. A component of blitzkrieg warfare, tactical air power, is missing from the game. The time frame of Stalingrad covers parts of three years. During that time, the organization and order of battle of both armies changed significantly, but the game does not reflect any changes. In the numerous eastern front games that have followed after Stalingrad, game designers have addressed these and other issues of realism and playability.