Kursk

Kursk, subtitled "History's Greatest Tank Battle, July 1943", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1980 that simulates the 1943 Battle of Kursk during World War II. The game proved popular, reaching the top of SPI's Bestseller list, and was well received by critics. Background In July 1943, the German summer offensive in Russia ran into a strongly defended Russian tank army near the city of Kursk. Nearly 1400 tanks and assault guns were involved in what became known as the largest tank battle in history, resulting in the destruction of almost 300 tanks on each side. Although the Russians withdrew, the battle was the final strategic offensive that the Germans were able to launch on the Eastern Front. A month later, the Russians launched a counteroffensive that marked the slow German retreat back to Berlin and the end of the war. Description Kursk is a tactical wargame for two players (or two teams) that covers various aspects of the battle. Three scenarios are provided: Von Manstein's Plan (May 1943): A "what if" scenario based on the original plan of attack that should have happened two months earlier, before the Russians were dug in. Hitler's Plan (July 1943): The historical battle. The Beginning of the End: The Soviet Summer Counteroffensive, 1 August 1943: The attack that would signal the start of the German retreat back to Berlin by 1945. Components The boxed set contains: 22" x 34" hex grid map of the area around Kursk, scaled at 10 km (6.2 mi) per hex 600 counters 25-page rulebook deployment charts for both players