RBS-RUSSIA BESIEGED

Updated 180923
  1. TITLE: Russian Besieged
  2. PUBLISHER: 1st & 2nd edition: L2 Design Group; 3rd edition: Compass Games
  3. SCOPE: WWII East Front; 1941-45, Strategic Level.
  4. L2DG RULEBOOK VERBAGE (2nd edition): Russia Besieged is a two-player game based on the epic struggle between Russia and Germany (including its minor allies) spanning the entire Eastern Front theatre from Helsinki to Baku. While World War II spanned the globe, the Eastern Front was arguably the most critical theatre of the war. Russia, with significant economic help from its Western Allies, crushed Germany by mid-1945
  5. GAME BOX VERBAGE (2nd edition): June 22, 1941: Nazi Germany unleashes the blitzkrieg and crosses the Russian Frontier. Flushed with victory after crushing France, the German amy is experienced and confidently They underestimate the raw determination of the Soviet people to expel the Nazi invader. Russia Besieged is a corps level, military game that allows you to exploded the possibilities of this gigantic conflict. You take command of either the Russian or German war machine and try to change history.
  6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1st Edition -L2DG (2004); 2nd Edition -TAHGC (2008?); Supplemental counters and Rulebook edition (2009?). Most current rulebook:RBS-25Mar09-Living-Rules.pdf. A 3rd editions(2018) Compass Games.
  7. CREDITS
      • Key Playtesters: Rich Allen Robert Beyma, Richard Beyma, Wally Hnatiw, Art Lupinacci, Dales Martin, Mike Patterson, Larry Pavlov, Dough Richards, Bruno Sinigaglio, Alex Tihanyi
      • Proof Reading: Jim Eliason, John Alsen, Ken Nied, Aaron Silverman, Art Lupinacci, Rob Beyma
      • Counter Proofing: John Clark, Art Lupinacci, Wally Hnatiw
      • Box Art: Art Lupinacci
      • Map Art: Art Lupinacci
      • Historical Research: Robert Beyma, Art Lupinacci, Bruno Sinigaglio
      • Consimworld Noted Contributors: Valery Relland, Neil Randall, Craig Champagne, Jim Eliason
      • Publisher: L2 Deign Group; 3044 Bloor Street West; Suite 956; Toronto, Ontario Canada M8X 2Y8; L2DesignGroup.com; Copyright 2004, 2008, 2009 L2 Design Group
  8. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2
  9. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 5
  10. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 4-28 hours although greatly dependent on player speed. Tournament scenarios are typically 7 or 10 turns. Without time limits, studious German will typically take greater than 90 minutes per turn if allowed. With faster paced players, 4-5 hours for the 7 turn scenario. Not an issue with PBEM play.
  11. MAP SCALE: Approximately 30 (?) miles per hex.
  12. UNIT SCALE: German Corps and Russian Armies
  13. TIME SCALE PER TURN: Two months, broken into two impulse of movement and combat.
  14. NUMBER OF GAME TURNS: Campaign, 1942, 1943, 1944 (Avaloncon 1941, 1942) What If variations . Several tournament scenarios is use for BPA PBEM and WBC events.
  15. PARTIAL ARTICLE LISTING: Click here
  16. GAME INVENTORY: 2nd edition: 420 9/16" unit counters, one-piece 28"x44" heavy stock color mapboard, German Order of Battle card, Russian Order of battle card, 48 page rulebook. two double sided player aid cards (charts), and 1 d10 die. Game box size of 12.25xx15x1.5" is much more managable than L2DG TRC4.
  17. TOURNAMENT HISTORY: Frequent trial event at World Boardgame Championships and current regular event at Prezcon (Winter Nationals; Charlottesville, VA).
  18. PBEM TOOLS:
  19. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: No active tournaments but I seek to see the organization of pbem play via ladder and/or tournament.
  20. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: In many ways this is a re-tooled enhanced version of L2DG The Russian Campaign. Significant changes include; multiple step units, individual stuka/airbase counters, d10 combat results using steps & attrition, blitzkrieg combat option, distinction between mechanized & infantry units for drms & combat losses; 2nd impulse movement capability of Russian Infantry in snow turns; more detailed Axis & Russian replacement system, Field Marshals allocated for combat drms, shock armies, out of supply effects, and 1st & 2nd impulse rail movement. In my limited play, I enjoy it an now play RBS instead of TRC.
  21. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: One unpunched 2nd edition game though lacking the supplemental counters.
  22. ACCOLADES:
  23. CHANGES IN EDITION:
    For the 2nd edition, given there were two editions and an additional expansion set, I have found the supplementary counters an rulebook necessary for current tournament play. These define scenarios and additional counters (Field Marshals Hoth, Model, & Mannerhiem replacing vanity counters).

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