A Bold Stroke: The Soviet Liberation of Kiev, 1943 (1996)

About this game

A Bold Stroke: The Soviet Liberation of Kiev, 1943, is a wargame simulation of the battles between the Soviet Union and the German forces for the control of Kiev and the right bank of the Dnepr River in November and December of 1943. Early November Soviets attacks blew holes in the thin German defenses, resulting in the liberation of Kiev and the pursuit to Korosten and Zhitomir. A massive German riposte led by the XLVIII Panzerkorps stuck the Soviet flank and rolled back some of the initial Soviet Gains. In December, additional German efforts pushed in the Soviet forces around Korosten. Heavy Soviet reinforcements (undetected by the Germans) enabled the Soviet to return to the offensive on Christmas Eve and drive the Germans back from Kiev once and for all. Game Scale: Turn: 2 days Hex: 5 miles / 8 kilometers Units: Battalion to Corps Game Inventory: One 22 x 34" full-color mapsheet One dual-side printed countersheet (280 1/2" counters) One 46-page A Bold Stroke rules booklet Two single-sided Set-up Charts Two Player Aid cards One 10-sided die Players: 2 Playing Time: 2-20 hours Complexity: Medium-High Solitaire Suitability: Moderate

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Strictly 2 players — no more, no fewer.
• Rules load. At 3.5/5 this is a heavy game — read the rulebook before people arrive.
• Age. The publisher suggests 12 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.