Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets is the latest strategy title from the award-winning team at Strategic Studies Group. A synthesis of the very best elements of two critically acclaimed and top-rated game systems, Decisive Battles and Battlefront, and a successor to both, the new Kharkov: Disaster on the Donets brings to life a campaign of epic scale and dynamic battles on the Eastern Front of World War II.
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Adam Parker
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Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Adam Parker »

I loved the Panzer Campaigns "Kharkov 42" game covering the 2nd campaign for the town IIRC. However, those of us who own the oversized and glossy (and bit expensive) Last Victory in Russia know that the action truly heated up in the 3rd campaign where the SS "Fire Brigade" came of age.

Apologies if the advert pre-blurb mentions this - but will this game cover battles 1, 2 and 3 ('41, '42 and '43)?

Also - wot be the difference between this and Battlefront - and its predecessors (beloved by me) Battles in Normandy/Italy? What's been learned and why should we buy?

Best wishes,
Adam.
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e_barkmann
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by e_barkmann »

tm.asp?m=1792278

Pretty much covers your q's

cheers
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Gregor_SSG
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Gregor_SSG »

ORIGINAL: Adam Parker

I loved the Panzer Campaigns "Kharkov 42" game covering the 2nd campaign for the town IIRC. However, those of us who own the oversized and glossy (and bit expensive) Last Victory in Russia know that the action truly heated up in the 3rd campaign where the SS "Fire Brigade" came of age.

Apologies if the advert pre-blurb mentions this - but will this game cover battles 1, 2 and 3 ('41, '42 and '43)?

Also - wot be the difference between this and Battlefront - and its predecessors (beloved by me) Battles in Normandy/Italy? What's been learned and why should we buy?

Best wishes,
Adam.

This game covers the 1942 battle. There were almost 300,000 casualties just on the Russian side, I think you'll find that there's plenty of action.

The article that Chris referred to does cover a lot of what's new. But I would stress two points here about what's so good from our point of view about the game.

The first is that the scenario is absolutely fun for both sides. There's a springtime for Stalin, as the Russian offensive crunches through through the opposition, then an early winter as the German drive from the south sweeps aside the somewhat flimsy Soviet defences. Both sides, at all times, feel that they just don't have enough men to do the job properly and that they are one slip away from a disaster.

Secondly, this game, more than any other that we have done, puts you in the position of the field commander. You have to complete your mission with the forces allocated to you. What's more the mystery variants mean that no matter how many times you play the game, you're not certain what your opponents tasks really are, or what forces he has to do them, so you're forced to react to circumstances as they unfold. It makes Kharkov a game where nothing can be taken for granted.

Gregor
Vice President, Strategic Studies Group
See http://www.ssg.com.au and http://www.ssg.com.au/forums/
for info and free scenarios.
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Adam Parker
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Adam Parker »

ORIGINAL: Gregor_SSG

Secondly, this game, more than any other that we have done, puts you in the position of the field commander. You have to complete your mission with the forces allocated to you. What's more the mystery variants mean that no matter how many times you play the game, you're not certain what your opponents tasks really are, or what forces he has to do them, so you're forced to react to circumstances as they unfold. It makes Kharkov a game where nothing can be taken for granted.

Gregor

It certainly sounds like you've taken on board some great feedback with Carriers at War. I really wish you luck with this one. If Battleground had more vanilla scenarios I'd have bought it long ago.

Thanks to you both for the heads up re Erik's long thread.

No chance of a Kharkov 43? No one's gamed that out on the PC yet?
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Howard7x
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Howard7x »

Mystery viarant sounds amazing. No longer will Talos and Sorcerer and Savio be able to memorise every unit position and strategy! YAY! I might actually stand a chance! [:D] The again...
"In times of peace, a good general is preparing for war" - Gaius Julius Ceasar
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Talos Run5
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Talos Run5 »

ORIGINAL: Howard7x

Mystery viarant sounds amazing. No longer will Talos and Sorcerer and Savio be able to memorise every unit position and strategy! YAY! I might actually stand a chance! [:D] The again...

Well still think I will be able to chase your troops round the battlefield Howard[:)]
"There is only one decisive victory: the last." (Karl von Clausewitz)
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Gregor_SSG
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RE: Wot Be the Difference Between....?

Post by Gregor_SSG »

ORIGINAL: Howard7x

Mystery viarant sounds amazing. No longer will Talos and Sorcerer and Savio be able to memorise every unit position and strategy! YAY! I might actually stand a chance! [:D] The again...

You could always get Talos and Sorceror to use the Historic Area of Operations, while you had a Mystery Variant to give you an element of surprise, although the better players could give me that advantage and still beat me. Might make them work harder though!

Gregor
Vice President, Strategic Studies Group
See http://www.ssg.com.au and http://www.ssg.com.au/forums/
for info and free scenarios.
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