Atheory's Project: Stalingrad_43_Campaign

[Ocito80]

While I'm still formulating an OOB for my Smolensk_43 scenario, I created this alt-history campaign scenario in the meantime.


Stalingrad_43_Campaign (Uses Stalingrad'42 game)

Late May 1943, the German Sixth launch gathers its forces along the Don River just west of Stalingrad. It is waiting for the 1st and 4th Panzer Armies to finish assembling their forces in the South, and together will strike for the great city. The Russians, however, were aware and launched their own offensive beforehand. Soviet armies will now storm the Don River, race to cut off the German Sixth Army and destroy it. Hitler orders the Sixth Army push the Soviets back across the Don River and assist with Stalingrad. The Panzer Armies are also ordered to attack Stalingrad, even if it means leaving the Sixth Army to its own fate.

It is assumed late in 1942 General Paulus received the permission he requested to regroup and rest his Army before Winter arrived. After the battle of Kharkov in early 1943, the Kursk Salient was not given priority, instead shifting forces for the Stalingrad offensive.

This is a massive scenario, utilizing much of the Stalingrad Map.
I merged the Kursk43 and Stalingrad42 OOBs together, creating a plausible OOB for the area.

Now it needs play-testing. So grab a buddy and have some fun. Could also be a great 2v2 scenario as well.


Rules:
Optional Assault Resolution
Explicit Supply
No locking ZOC


Attached you will find updated Unit Images, just unzip them into the appropriate nation folders. There is also a small scenario briefing about the scenario, feel free to read it at your leisure.

Ongoing Work
1) Victory Point calculation. Hard to get that puppy right without testing.
2) Some unit HQs are missing images. But only a few.

As always, feedback is most welcome.

Thanks
Ocito
aka Josh

[Kool Kat]

Hey Josh:

I am confused on your development efforts.

You recently mentioned you were working on the following scenarios:

Stalingrad 43 Campaign
Smolensk 43 for S41

But the development of the following scenarios were put on hold back in May 2017?

Tunisian Rumble (Tunisia 43 scenario) - 440 turns
NA_Rumble (El Alamein 42) - 300 turns
Calais 44 Rumble (France 40 scenario) - 300 turns
Fortress Sicily

You stated that you were helping with the development of an upcoming Matrix game and working on your first novel.

So... when will your development efforts resume on the previous 4 listed scenarios?

Reason for my inquiry... I may be interested in play testing... based on my RL work schedule and other commitments... but before I invest any of my time into these efforts, I need assurance from you, the developer, that you are committed to working with play testers and finishing these scenario designs.

No offense... but having been a CS scenario designer (H2H designs: East Front, West Front, and Rising Sun), I understand the effort, commitment, and research required to not only put together an initial design, but to pro actively recruit play testers and then work in partnership with them to refine and revise these initial designs into a finished product. In many cases, it's the revision work that requires a lot of attention from the developer resulting in that rough design being transformed into a polished and complete scenario.

Finally, I am glad to see new TOC scenario development work... who does not like to play those "new car smell" scenarios for the first time?  

I appreciate your development efforts and look forward to learning more on the development status of your TOC scenarios!

[Ocito80]

@Kool_Kat

Allow me to alleviate your confusing status :)

All scenarios posted (meaning available to download and play) are in the same status as Stalingrad_43. Meaning they can be played, but are really in a play-testing phase.

My first novel never fully materialized, yet. I got 10 chapters in and then enrolled in college over the summer (for a 3rd time, not to start dating myself) and spent the fall/winter doing student things. That GI Bill comes in handy when you are ready to use it. I currently have no other projects outside of the school thing at the moment.

I've never received any feedback on my scenarios, so I just assumed no one played them. As I don't actively recruit play-testers, I'm okay with that. I create the scenarios and post them for the world to do with them as they see fit. If anyone wants to offer feedback, my PM box works just fine. I take pride in my scenarios and will always look to improve them over time.

The release of the "Gold" series grabbed my attention. And I have been placing more effort on my scenarios again. I will update the older ones, if needed, as the new "gold" versions are released.

Smolensk_43 is taking a bit slower to materialize, and is primarily my fault as I underestimated the amount of information available to me. I've been blessed with a generous helper who is feeding me OOB pieces in-between his IRL stuff. At present the OOB is about 60% complete. We're getting there, slow and steady.

Calais_44 still remains, in my view, the crown jewel of my scenario offerings. At least from a development standpoint.

Thank you for your interests and questions.