Duel for Kharkov. Unpunched. Complete. Added Feature.

The game: A simulation of the battle that raged between the Donets and Dnepr Rivers in the late winter of 1943, including the Third and Fourth Battles of Kharkov. This campaign was the high water mark of the Red Army’s second winter offensive, which began at Stalingrad and ended on the Donets and Mius Rivers. The wide frontages and scarce resources, combined with the massive commitment of mobile formations by both sides, created a wild amd fluid action which ranged across snowy steppes and thawing streams. Powerful German reserves railed in from Western Europe, together with a blow by the remnants of the 1^st and 4^th Panzer Armies, sent the overextended Soviet armies of the Southwest and Voronezh Fronts reeling back to the Donets. One hexagon = three miles; one turn = two days; one player “round” = 12 hours; one unit counter = one company, battalion, regiment, brigade, or division. Most Soviet units are brigades or divisions; most German units are regiments. In addition to the campaign game of Feb. 1-Mar. 19, 1943, the game has six scenarios: “Operation Star”; Third Battle of Kharkov; and Duel in the South, Pursuit and Counterattack, all three Feb.1-Mar.1; Backhand Blow, Feb.19-Mar.19; and the Fourth Battle of Kharkov and Riposte, both Feb.19-Mar.19. Eleven types of special units include, for example, partisans, armored trains, and ski troops. The rules attempt to limit intelligence of enemy formations. People’s War Games, 1985. Design: Jack Radey, David Bolt.

Components: Two map sheets; 800 counters; rules booklet with scenarios, a section on locating the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses, and bibliography; sheet with Soviet and German formation holding boxes; two sheets with orders of appearance and eight other charts and tables; two sheets with three formation displays, nine tracks, and four charts and tables; die; box and lid.

Condition: Excellent. Counters unpunched. Some counters fell off the counter sheet and have been reinserted. Rules booklet has some typographical corrections. Maps and other sheets unmarked. Box lid slightly scuffed.

Added feature: List of maximum strengths of units in the game, compiled by seller.