Battle for Moscow: Elegance in Brevity

[Gerald]

Battle for Moscow is a game that's been around for awhile.  It was first printed back in 1986, and then it was reprinted by Victory Point Games in 2009, and finally republished by GMT Games in 2011.  It is a two-player game about the Germans' push to capture Moscow and the Russians' valiant defense.  In the end, the Germans were stopped along the entire front, tired and demoralized, almost able, but ultimately failing to achieve their objective (they went so far as to see the spires of Kremlin) as winter grew ever colder.

This game is a great "gateway" wargame that can be taught easily and be played in about sixty minutes.  It also serves as an excellent tool to impart the basics about the importance of maneuvering and calculating strength superiority.

This review will be based on the C3i Edition published by GMT Games.  I haven't played the previous editions, so please forgive any slight differences between said editions in this article.

COMPONENTS:
The game comes with a map that, in my personal opinion, has better color contrast compared to its predecessors.  The map is on thick, semi-glossy paper and contains almost all of the details you'll need to play the game (i.e. Combat Result Tables, turn sequence, etc.).  All the other details that were not included in the map is located in the terrain chart that comes with the game.  Once everything is laid out, there is little reason to refer to the short and well-written rulebook.  The game also comes with a handful of counters of average thickness (nothing to get too excited about).  The only thing missing was a six-sided dice, but its pretty easy to scrounge one up anyway. 

All in all, the components are slightly above average for what you'd expect from a magazine game (or at least it was for me).

GAMEPLAY:
The gameplay is quite simple.  Initial set-up just requires both sides to place their units on pre-designated areas.  For the Russians, since all their units are the same, set-up is even breezier.  For the Germans, they have the option to place their units in any hex as long as they don't go beyond their pre-designated area.

The goal for the Germans is to capture Moscow.  The Russians on the other hand, need to retain Moscow and hold on to at least ONE other city to garner the win.  Anything else results in a tie.  The game lasts for only seven turns.

The turn sequence for the Germans is divided into four phases.  The first phase is for replacements, where the Germans are allowed to either bring in a new unit or to strengthen units that have lost a step.  For those who're unfamiliar to "steps"... a step is a common term (at least its commonly used by me) used in wargaming where you flip a counter or block to show its reduced/weakened side.

After replacements, all armored German units get to move their full movement allowance, taking into consideration restrictions created by ZOC (Zone of Control) and/or Mud (turns 3 & 4 of the game).  After moving, ALL units get a chance to fire/attack.

Attack in this game is resolved by using a combat result table.  Basically, the attacking units total their strength value, and divide it with the defense value of the unit they're attacking.  Afterwards, any terrain modifiers are applied, a dice is rolled, and the result is followed.

After attacking, ALL German units can move their full movement allowance, taking into consideration all restrictions I stated above.

The turn sequence for the Russians is almost the same, but instead of armored units movement, Russians have a railroad movement phase where all units that start their turn on a railroad can move up to their full movement allowance.  Other than this, the Russian turn plays out in more or less the exact same way as the German turn.

After seven turns/rounds, objectives are checked and the victor is determined.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
While Battle for Moscow is far from being the greatest wargame one will ever play (unless its the ONLY wargame you ever play), its simplicity and elegance gives it a place in my humble collection.  Its a game I've taught my wife and she LOVES it... and she often asks for it whenever we have the time to play.  The game's brevity is a definite plus and so is its size, as we can play it almost anywhere and it won't really eat up too much of our time.

So, if you're a veteran wargamer who's played a lot of wargames, you might not find anything special about Battle for Moscow.  If you're the type of wargamer who prefers monster wargames, this game definitely isn't for you.  But if you're someone who's interested in wargames or if you're someone who's just beginning to learn 'em, this is good game to get your feet wet in. 

[vladsee]

Nice review! 

What I like about this is that the turn sequence for the Germans is not the same as the Russians.  It reflects the fact that the powerful German armor moves very quickly and leaves behind the infantry when it attacks and moves.  The Russians on the other hand were getting reinforcement from the east by rail which is also reflected in the Russian turn sequence.  There is also some "flavor" as the winter weather affected movement and combat, which I thought was a nice addition.   

I also found the combat first before movement a bit odd as it forces you to make sure that all your units are in position in the previous turn for an attack on the next turn.  The pressure is on the Germans in this game and the German side will be forced to take some risks in his attacks to force a breakthrough.  Although I think the game balance seems to favor the Russians.       

   

[Mark Humphries]

Great review Gerald 

My feeling is that the Germans must go hell bent for leather to achieve a breakthrough before the weather changes to mud. If they can do that they have a very good chance to win, if not it will be very difficult for them to take Moscow, and they should focus on guaranteeing a draw.

[Zinegata]

I get the impression that much like most good Barbarossa games, Battle for Moscow is an exercise for the Russian player in choosing between when to stand and fight (and losing men in the process), and when to withdraw and consolidate (losing ground and some men, in exchange for what is hopefully a stronger defense line next turn).

Meanwhile, the German player's job is essentially attempting to create breakthroughs. Try to punch holes in the Russian line, which can then be exploited by the armor to force the Russians to fall back or take heavy losses (due to units being surrounded and eliminated).

It's the classic offense vs defense scenario, with the offensive player having superior material, but constrained by having to accomplish his objectives in the face of a stringent time limit and vast distances to cover within that time limit. If the attacker doesn't accomplish his objectives quickly, either time will run out or the defender gets enough reinforcements to turn the table on the attacker.

[Mark Humphries]

Good overview Thomas.