Teaching an older Bear, New tricks!
How does John Tiller teach an old Bear, new tricks?
Easy
He gets a talented researcher like Mike Avanzini and sets him on a task, with no pressure and no deadline, and lets him do what he can do with this great game system. The result is a new Smolensk '41 Battle Pack #2, the second since this series launching title came into being two and a half years ago. Click on the image at the right to see the setup of the new Campaign in 2D zoom out scale of the Vitebsk sector.
Introducing the NEW Smolensk '41 Battle Pack #2!
This FREE Battle Pack started out with John Tiller expanding the Smolensk map to the west when an old Grognard expressed some serious interest in revising the game to include action such as the Soviet counterattack near Lepel. John had Glenn Saunders add 30 km on to the east of the existing map. Unfortunately, (or fortunately as it turns out) the party who expressed the initial interest got cold feet.
At the same time, Mike Avanzini was looking into some missing units in the Soviet order of battle while play testing Kharkov '42 which put him in contact with David Glantz on another issue pertaining to the Kharkov 'Order of Battle'. Glantz tipped Mike off on a set of microfiche that he used for his books.
During the discussion Mike learned that Glantz had updated information for the Smolensk situation maps but had no time to revise the maps, so Mike offered to create the new maps for him and they started work together on a new Atlas of the battle. Armed with this information, it was obvious Mikes next step was to completely rework the order of battle for Smolensk with the new Soviet information and in it to match the style used in Kharkov '42 where the German units broken down to companies. With this work on the OOB the expansion pack project took on a new life.
Here is what's included in the Expansion Pack
- As seen in the image at the right, the Order-of-Battle has been completely overhauled and the German units are broken down to the company level. Researched in detail using Microfilm sources and new info from David Glantz, this OOB also feature the correct German spelling that most fans of World War II enjoy and appreciate.
- Six scenarios including a new Campaign game.
- Storming the Land Bridge
- (Vitebsk), covering the first four days of PanzerGruppe 3's attack toward Vitebsk and the Dvina - A Decision to be Made
- (Orsha), covering the first four days of PanzerGruppe 2's attack between Orsha and Mogilev - Drive on Smolensk
- The Campaign game using the new OOB.
- The Bear Lashes Back
- covering the Soviet counteroffensive starting on 23 July and lasting six days. - Drive over the Dnepr
- (Mogilev), A small scenario covering the attack on Mogilev. - Closing the Ring
- (Yartsevo), A small meeting engagement between 7.Panzer-Division and Operational Group Rokossovsky
- Storming the Land Bridge
- New larger map with more area to the west of the Dnepr. Click on the jump map image at the right to see the full size image. The cyan coloured line shows the extend of the old Smolensk Campaign Map.
- Designer Notes and list of sources useful for any gamer interested in this period of the War.
This first game of the series has now suddenly just got an awful lot better!
Click here to download this 3 MB Smolensk '41 - Battle Pack #2 by Mike Avanzini.
You can also down the small zip which is only a 184KB if you have already downloaded the Large Pack with the Art, or if you have Volcano's Alternative Art Pack.
This Link will lead you to Volcano's Alternative Smolensk Art Pack!
Also, be sure you have the initial Saunders and Blackie Battle Pack #1, which is available on the HPS Simulations Site. This includes the 10 FREE Scenarios available for Download.
Don't own a copy of Smolensk '41? Click HERE to jump to the Smolensk '41 Game information Page
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