Strategy & Tactics # 355 - 11 Days War: WWI East Front, 1918

From Strategy & Tactics Press:

The Magazine:

The 11 Days War In February 1918, the Central Powers launched their last offensive in Russia. Their objective was the overthrow of the new Bolshevik regime, and their forces made huge advances from the Baltic Sea to the Don Basin. The offensive was codenamed Operation Punch (Faustschlag in German) and it came close to changing the course of history.

Additional feature articles:

Arthur Wellesley & The Siege of Badajoz Badajoz is on the south bank of the Guadiana River, 10 miles from the Portuguese border. Along with Ciudad Rodrigo, it was a geographic key needed for Gen. Arthur Wellesley (later the Duke of Wellington) to launch an invasion of Spain. He captured Ciudad Rodrigo on 19 January 1812 and then turned to Badajoz. That siege was one of the bloodiest of the era, costing some 4,800 allied casualties in a few hours of fighting during the final attack.

The Battle of Ankara: 20 July 1402 The Battle of Ankara, fought on 20 July 1402, pitted two great empires—the Ottoman, led by Bayezid I, and the Timurid, led by Tamerlane. After winning the battle, Timur advanced to the Aegean coast where he captured Smyrna. The battle was catastrophic for the Ottomans, almost bringing on the collapse of their empire.

The Russo-Georgian War of 2008 When the Soviet Union broke up and Georgia declared its independence, the Abkhazians and the South Ossetians inside Georgia also wanted their own states. Fighting broke out from 1991 to 1994, and both regions obtained de facto independence. However, that was not accepted by the Georgians, and growing hostility resulted in a new war in August 2008.

The Game:

11 Days War: WWI East Front, 1918

11 Days War is a two-player wargame, covering the final Central Powers offensive on the East Front, February to May 1918 (Operation Faustschlag), to include both the initial 11 days of offensive operations against the Bolsheviks and the ensuing pursuit in the Ukraine. The game pits the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, their allies) against the Bolsheviks (or Reds, plus their allies). Additionally, there are third power forces called Greens which may come under the control of either player. There are three scenarios, representing different starting situations. The game system models warfare in the chaotic situation of the Eastern Front during the opening of the Russian Civil War. Further, the movement rules model the situation of operating in later Winter and Spring thaw, where railroads were vital.

Each game turn represents one to ten days of operations. Each hexagon (hex) on the map represents 60 kilometers (40 miles). Each unit represents anything from a brigade up to corps. Strategic markers represent specialized forces, such as airpower, and agitprop (agitation and propaganda).

22 x 34-inch game map and a sheet of 176 5/8-inch counters. Design by Joseph Miranda