TRC-THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN

1. TITLE: The Russian Campaign
2. PUBLISHER: The Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC); 4th Edition by L2 Design Group; Consim Press/GMT (2016/2017) 5th edition pending
3. SCOPE: WWII East Front; 1941-45, Strategic Level.
4. TAHGC CATALOG VERBAGE: RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN: not another Stalingrad, the game covers all the action on the eastern front from start to finish. Initiative changes hands frequently! A double-impulse movement system realistically recreates the German blitzkrieg., large breakthroughs and mass armor encirclements with each side capable for launching a crippling strike from an apparently hopeless position.
5. GAME BOX VERBAGE (4th): Corps level game recreating the entire Russo-German conflict from 1941-1945. Initiative changes hands frequently! A double-impulse movement system realistically recreates the German blitzkrieg deep into the Soviet Union, large breakthroughs and mass armor encirclements with each side capable for launching a crippling strike from an apparently hopeless position. The game features air strikes, production, partisans, and a modified weather chart along with stunning new graphics, revised rules, map and counter art. Map and counters have been enlarged to 5/8" and included with the game is a ready-to-use ADC2 Limited program and ADC2 module on CD.
6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1st Edition -Jedko (`1974); 1st Edition -TAHGC (`1976); 2nd edition -TAHGC (1977); 3rd edition-TAHGC (1977); Jedko's TRC Series II edition (1985); 4th edition L2 Design Group (2003); PendingConsim Press/GMT (2016/2017)
8. CREDITS
   • TAHGC 3rd Edition
   • Game Design and Historical Research: John Edwards
   • Game Development: Tom Oleson, Donald Greenwood, Richard Hamblen
   • Component Design: John Edwards, Don Greenwood, Jim Hamilton
   • Box Art: Rodger MacGowan
   • Playtesting: Eric Marting, Mick Uhl, Paul O'Neill, Tom Oleson, Dennis Brackman, Jerry Thomas, Oleg Kis, Dean Miller, Mark Saha.
   • Typesetting: Colonial Composition
   • Printing: Monarch Services
   • L2Design Group 4th edition
   • Game Design and Historical Research: John Edwards
   • Game Development: Tom Gregorio
   • Component Design: Art Lupinacci, Paul Barron
   • Box Art: Art Lupinacci
   • Playtesting: Tom Gregorio, Pat Flory, Alan Hayes, Doug James, Dick Jarvinen, George Karahalios, Roy Walker
   • Special Contributors: Robert Beyma, George Codero, Gary Dickson, John Edwards, Jim Eliason, Jerry Geasland, Jeff Handley, B Jeske, Dana Lombardy, Charles McLellan, Janice Sellers.
   • Typesetting: L2 Design Group
9. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2
10. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 4
11. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 2 to 5 hours. Campaign game and seven scenarios (TAHGC); four scenarios (L2DG). Additional tournament scenarios are utilized in Boardgamer Player Association (BPA) events.
12. MAP SCALE: 35 miles per hex
13. UNIT SCALE: German Corps and Russian Armies
14. TIME SCALE PER TURN: Two months, broken into two impulse of movement and combat.
15. 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.
16. PARTIAL ARTICLE LISTING: Click here
17. GAME INVENTORY: TAHGC editions:: 200+ 1/2" unit counters, 22"x28" mounted mapboard, German Order of Battle card, Russian Order of battle card, rulebook. L2DG edition, there are 384 5/8" counters, 30 x 39" game map (heavy stock), German and Russian Order of Battle cards, a Scenario card, and Terrain Effects/Weather/Movement Allowance Chart as well as the 4th edition rule book.
18. WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Continuous event since Avaloncon 1991. TRC4 is now the default tournament version. Play by email ladders and tournaments are yearly evetns as well. Additionally a Prezcon single elimination tournament is held annually. Both typically use the 5 or 10 turn tournament scenario.
• TRC WBC Event History.
19. PBEM TOOLS:
    • VASSAL module for TRC3 & TRC4 is found on the VASSAL Module page. VASSAL is java based so it is 1: Free; 2: Platform independent (Macintosh OSX, Windows all flavors, LINIX; and UNIX regardless of platform you opposition uses); 3: Enables both step review with chat window of PBEM & inherent server play and 4: Considered by most users as the superior remote play interface.
• TRC 3rd edition PBEM tool is offered by Hank Burkhalter's Above the Fields site. (Windows specific).
• TRC 4th edition game is a ready-to-use ADC2 Limited program and ADC2 module on CD. (Windows).
• Two ADC2 TRC 3rd Edition modules and one TRC TAHGC's 3rd Edition/Jedko's Series II Edition (with all variants published in AH's General magazine) module The combined edition module can provide print listing for PBM or for PBEM with an opponent not equipped with ADC2. (Windows specific)
• Cyberboard TRC module (Windows specific).
20. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: PBEM BPA tournament is held regularly; in addition to an active PBEM ladder currently ongoing. This title sees significant unorganized PBEM play primarily due to its simplicity and as TRC4 is one of the top best selling boardgames of all time; almost every gamer owns on.
• Organized Play be Email via www.russiancampaign.com
21. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: Popular game title as noted the the volume of General articles. Excellent game with high ease of play. One of my favorites but I am not good at it. In a campaign played to conclusion, plan on about 5-8 hours as a function of player speed. Very popular at Avaloncon/World Boardgame Championships, Prezcon and PBEM due to simplicity and being a title owned by most gamers. Both sides have offensive capability; the Russians get to 'play' attacker if they survive the initial onslaught.
22. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: TRC3 game play copies, softcopy rulebook, WGA's complete game (editable multilayer map, Order of Battles, Counter library and charts) in the early 1990s in Claris Draw has since been replaced with a state of the art TRC3& TRC 4 VASSAL module.
23. ACCOLADES: 1976 Charles Roberts Award Best Strategic Game winner.
24. CHANGES IN 4TH EDITION: Map changes other than hex size: One hexrow added above Archangel; two rows added below Berlin; portion of Bulgaria & Turkey added but not playable in standard game; half hexes now unplayable denoted by lack of hex ID; Hex Id scheme numbering altered. Rules reflect cleanup for years of tournament play. Two sets of counters; one with standard NATO symbols as in 3rd edition; one with graphical icons.
25. CHANGES IN 5TH EDITION: I believe other than cosmetic changes, it will be identical to the 4th edition in respect to tournament game play. Publication prompted by no L2DG TRC4 game sets are available for purchase other than through second hand markets.