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After the disastrous defeat at Tannenberg in August 1914, Russia redeemed itself by defeating the Austrians in Galicia as well as the Germans in the Ivangorod-Warsaw campaign. Now having proved being able to fight and defeat the Germans, the Emperor Tsar Nikolai, still honoring the agreement with France, wanted to take the battlefield back in to Germany again. This time aiming directly to the heartland of Germany. Silesia. Hindenburg, the German commander of the Eastern Front had other plans. Through timely and accurate intelligence, Hindenburg knew exactly what was in the making, and a plan took form to repeat his crushing victory at the Battle of Tannenberg, by hitting the Russian flank as it moved into Silesia. By yet another masterpiece in logistical planning and execution, the Germans managed to move the reinforced Ninth Army under the command of the later legendary General August von Makensen by 80 trains per day in less than 10 days to a position outside Thorn in order to attack the advancing Russian steamrollers’ right flank.

The Battle of Lodz was to become one of the largest and most complex battles of the maneuver-period of World War 1. Deep operations, flank maneuvers and encirclements under harsh winter conditions made command and control chaotic.
The Game Mud & Blood recreate this setting making it a perfect re-encounter battle where both players need to carefully plan their moves in order not to create a disaster.

-Rules and mechanics
Rules are developed from the “Tannenberg 1914” game released in 2010 now forming the Standard Rule System Collision of Empires with chit-pull mechanics.
-Game components

• One A1 map

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

On 29 June 1941 the Platinum Fox phase of Silver Fox was launched. German Mountain Corps Norway, crossed the border and advanced on Murmansk. They were opposed by units of the Soviet 14th Army. The two divisions advanced in two directions. In the south the 3rd Mountain Division was able to penetrate the Soviet lines at the Titovka Valley in one day after fierce fighting. In the north the 2nd Mountain Division also made good progress in the first hours to secure the neck of the Rybachy Peninsula. The offensive soon met with heavy Soviet resistance, especially from some ad-hoc ground units of the Soviet Northern Fleet.

Platinum Fox™ is a game recreating the Petsamo-Murmansk Campaign,1943.

• One A2 map

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

After the failure of Operation Brevity in May 1941, General Wavell realised that Allied forces in

North Africa needed substantial reinforcement before another attack could be attempted. This was

provided via the famous Tiger Convoy which travelled across the Mediterranean, rather than take the much longer route around South Africa. Its arrival brought over two hundred tanks and fifty Hurricanefighters; the arrival also brought increased pressure from British Prime Minister Churchill to attack the Axis forces immediately.

General Wavell had reservations about the operation but, at the insistence of Churchill, had given the green light. The Allied attack on 15 June 1941 was divided into three: a Coastal Force tasked with capturing Halfaya Pass; a central force to capture Fort Capuzzo; a flanking force made up of the recently reconstituted 7 Armoured Division to deal with the expected Axis armoured counterattack.

Three days of heavy fighting saw the Allies retreat to their starting points, having lost about 100 tanks,with more damaged. For the Axis, losses were far lighter; Rommel concluded in a letter 23 June, “The joy of the “Afrika” troops over this latest victory is tremendous; now the enemy can come he will get an even bigger beating.” Upon hearing the outcome of the battle, Churchill concluded it was “a most bitter blow”.

A Most Bitter Blow™ is a game recreating Operation Battleaxe, 1941.

• One A2 map

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

On November 30, 1939 Stalin attacks Finland. While the majority of the battle is fought on the Carelian Istmus, this game explores the battles taking place on the northern shores of Ladoga. The Russian odds were overwhelming here. Had they pushed harder we might have seen another outcome in the Winter War.

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• One A1 map

• 286 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

British Prime Minister, David Lloyd George told Allenby, "he wanted Jerusalem as a Christmas present for the British nation." Lloyd Gorge made clear that this victory was needed in order "to strengthen the staying power and morale of this country."

The decision to launch a major offensive in Palestine, in the autumn of 1917, was also based on "very sound strategic reasons. Allenby's goal from the outset had been the annihilation of the Ottoman army in southern Palestine.

Allenby’s Gamble™ is a game recreating the Battles of third Gaza and Beersheba, 1917.

• One A2 map

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

“Red waves against a Blue Wall”

The Battle of Krasny Bor is game no 1. in HOLD THE LINE™. The Soviet offensive near the town of Krasny Bor formed the western arm of the Northern pincer of Operation Polar Star. The Soviet offensive began on the 10 February 1943, and produced noticeable gains on the first day but rapidly became a stalemate. The strong defense by the Spanish Blue Division and the German SS Polizei Division gave the German forces time to reinforce their positions.

”Stand firm”

The Battle of Smerdynia-Lyuban is game no 2. in HOLD THE LINE™. While the 55th Army attacked Krasny Bor, the objective of 54th Army was to create a shallow encirclement of the German 96th Div, which was recovering from the earlier fighting at Sinyavino. The army was to attack north of the village of Smerdynia in the direction of Tosno where it would meet the 55th; it would then attack towards Lyuban to divert the attention of German 18th Army from the deep encirclement being planned by Northwestern Front once its forces captured the Demyansk salient and its defenders.

Hold the Line™ is a game recreating the battles of Krasny Bor and Smerdynia-Lyuban, 1943.

• Two A1 maps

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

Operation Pole Star was planned by Georgy Zhukov in the wake of the successful Operation Iskra and envisaged two separate encirclements. One was to be carried out in the north by the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts near Mga and one was planned to be carried out further to the south, by the Northwestern Front, near Demyansk, with the objective of the complete destruction of Army Group North. (NOTE: The southern pincer is not part in this Supplement.)

Zhukov’s Failure™ is a supplement and not a game. Together with the games ”Iskra” and ”Hold the Line” it lets you to recreate the failed Northern Pincer of Zhukov’s Operation Pole Star, 1943.

• Two A1 maps

• One A2 map

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

FIGHTING HARD

The battle of Mersa Matruh was fought during the Panzerarmee pursuit of the Eighth Army as it retreated into Egypt and would be the last major victory for the German-Italian Forces. Rommel intended to defeat in detail the British infantry formations, before they had a chance to regroup. The fortress port of Mersa Matruh and 6,000 prisoners were captured, along with a great deal of supplies and equipment. The Axis cut off the line of retreat of X Corps and XIII Corps but was too weak to stop the British from breaking out.

Fighting Hard™ is a game recreating the Battle at Mersa Matruh, 1942.

• One A2 map

• 143 15mm counters and markers

• 16 page rulebook

• Two Player Aid Cards (PAC) A4 containing most of the Charts and Tables.

Walking through the desert of game design...