Smolensk full game

[flip0009]

Yvan and I played many of the short Stalingrad scenarios. Last year he asked me to play the whole game. This is over 300 turns! Well, we are at turn 130 or so and I have found the whole battle to be much more interesting than any of the scenarios. Last year I would have never said that. The freedom to adopt any strategy with almost no time limit makes the game really interesting. The demand to keep units organized and supplied is a welcome challenge.

Anyway, I have only one other tiller game with the possibility of duplicating this experience and that is Smolensk. It is not as big a game as Stalingrad and the total game is only 170 turns! (I can't believe I wrote that!).

Does anyone want to devote a year or so to the playing of one battle?

Typically, it takes me and hour and a half to two hours to play a turn of Stalingrad.

Has anyone else tried playing the whole battle with other games? Would you recommend any particular game?

[76mm]

I've played full campaigns for Moscow 42 and Minsk 44, and am in the middle of playing Smolensk 41 now. Smolensk is by far the most interesting, indeed it is one of the most interesting campaigns I've every played, because of the fluid nature of the fighting--not enough troops for continuous lines, and constant reinforcements being fed in for both sides. I'm on turn 110 now, and I'm still not sure how it will play out... I didn't think that the AI could handle the situation in Smolensk, so am actually playing it hotseat against myself!

Minsk 44 was a snooze. Moscow 42 is pretty good, or should be against a human, although the AI didn't put up much of a fight...

[Mr Grumpy]

It really tests the power of the memory when players ask questions about S41 !

I seem to remember that most players felt that the 168 turn "Drive on Smolensk" was a better balanced scenario than the 170 turn "Smolensk" campaign and this is actually born out by the stats for both scenarios..........

Drive on Smolensk 52 games with 26 German wins, 20 Russian wins and 6 draws

Smolensk campaign 60 games with 43 German wins, 14 Russian wins and 3 draws.

Once again if my memory is correct the Drive on Smolensk scenario came with the Smolensk battle pack #2 expansion pack from Glenn's site.

http://members.shaw.ca/gcsaunders/smolensk_bp2.html

[FM WarB]

"Drive on Smolensk" is the expansion pack version. I've been sort of itching to try it, wondering if it would bring back fond memories of the old SPI Panzergruppe Guderian game...

[76mm]

Just to clarify, I'm playing the "Drive on Smolensk" campaign, I think it is brilliant!

[fabiominatti]

Hi,
i'm interested to try to play the Smolensk full game.
As they said the more experienced friends, i'm interested to "drive on Smolensk": i would prefer
the Alt scenario of Volcano, but can fit also the Xp2 by Avanzini.
I would like to play to German side, 2/4 turns for week.
For rules with to play , we see: if we play Volcano scenario, I would prefer Volcano rules.
I await your response
Bye

[flip0009]

Hi,
i'm interested to try to play the Smolensk full game.
As they said the more experienced friends, i'm interested to "drive on Smolensk": i would prefer
the Alt scenario of Volcano, but can fit also the Xp2 by Avanzini.
I would like to play to German side, 2/4 turns for week.
For rules with to play , we see: if we play Volcano scenario, I would prefer Volcano rules.
I await your response
Bye

I am willing to play but all I have is the basic game download. You will have to give me instructions on how to get "drive to Smolensk" I think alt scenario is a battle listing but I do not know "volcano". If everything is a just whole bunch of tedious downloads, I may pass on your offer.

[BigDuke66]

Check this out:
http://volcanomods.com/

[Mr Grumpy]

Hi,
i'm interested to try to play the Smolensk full game.
As they said the more experienced friends, i'm interested to "drive on Smolensk": i would prefer
the Alt scenario of Volcano, but can fit also the Xp2 by Avanzini.
I would like to play to German side, 2/4 turns for week.
For rules with to play , we see: if we play Volcano scenario, I would prefer Volcano rules.
I await your response
Bye

I am willing to play but all I have is the basic game download. You will have to give me instructions on how to get "drive to Smolensk" I think alt scenario is a battle listing but I do not know "volcano". If everything is a just whole bunch of tedious downloads, I may pass on your offer.

I understand that getting the downloads can be tedious if you have a slow internet connection, problem is that the standard campaign game is not very balanced.

If you look at the important threads section of this forum there is all the info you need to understand what the "volcano man (or VM) alternate (alt) scenarios are all about and if you want just to try the standard Drive to Smolensk scenario I have already provided that link.

[fabiominatti]

Hi Flip0009,
the friends of forum have explained well where to find the scenario that I have said.
The scenario "Drive of Smolensk" is historically more correct than the standard and more balanced.
In this respect, I suggest you to read the "Smolensk ExPk2 Designer Notes" doc file present in Smolensk '41 Battle Pack #2 by Avanzini. I suggest too to read the "Smolensk Alternate Campaign Changes" doc file of Volcano Mods: the Alt scenarios are highly appreciated by the players on the forum.
Take your time for read this files: however, will be useful if you want to play in this forum!
Let me know if you still interested in my proposal, and good luck!