Kursk a couple of Questions

[Landser34]

1 Why Isn't the Soviet artillery Stockpiled i mean they had more than 6 months digging in before the attack so it seems to me they would have had ample shells on hand.

2 Why don't the Soviets start the game because in fact a couple of hours before the Germans launched their assault the Russians Staged a preemptive artillery strike. even David Glantz states in his book it devastated alot of German Artillery and some unfortunate german units caught in there fires

[Volcano Man]

The question is, how much before the German attack did the soviets start their bombardment? I read the same thing but I do not think that it occured just as the Germans began their attack.

Also, if you swap the roles and place the soviet player as the first side then it generally confuses people because you then have to subtract VPs instead add them.

And in regards to soviet artillery being able to stockpile... I am not sure they had sufficient levels of ammunition to be considered as a stockpiled state? It is probably debatable either way but generally you want the attacker to have the stockpiled status if it is disputable, if not then you dont want to give the defender too much of an advantage.

[Landser34]

Hi i dug out my copy of Kurk by David Glantz on page 85 the Russian Artillery bombardment on German positions delayed the attack by 2 and one half hours in Army Group center and 3 hours in Army Group South

[Volcano Man]

Well, I think K43 picks up just after the bombardment. Or does it? It would make sense if it did. The question is, which German units were disrupted or weakened from the bombardment and it could be modelled in as having occured just prior.

[Dog Soldier]

One could add fatigue and losses to German units if they could be identified. I do not think Glantz or any one else has ever had a specific information on the effect of the bombardment.

[Marquo]

It well known that there are several stacks of Axis artillery in the north and the south which are exposed and in LOS of Soviet units. This simulates the Soviet bombardment well. The Axis player must either 1) move them on the first turn which puts them out of action for several moves (and thus simulates disruption), or 2) leave them to suffer the Soviet wrath. I think it works well.

As for stockpiling, do not forget that the Axis also prepared the attack for months, and VMs comments about the lack of relative advantage rings true.

Marquo