Tag Archives: Eckenfels

Pavlov’s House – First Look!

Pavlov 1st SPLASH

Cracking open DVG’s new Stalingrad game ~

Michael Eckenfels, 11 July 2018

The Battle of Stalingrad is a good time for wargamers – at least, for me it is. I do enjoy some Eastern Front WWII battlin’, but the campaign in 1942 is of special interest to me, considering its scope and objectives. Stalingrad isn’t just a well-represented source for games, but could fill a library with all the books written just on that battle itself, let alone all of Case Blue.

ed note: we also had pre-release proof copies of this one on the table at Origins.  See what you miss when you’re not there!?

Pavlov’s House from DVG isn’t a grand-scale representation of Case Blue, though; it’s more of a microscopic view of one slice of that campaign, which makes it extremely intriguing. All I know is it not only represents the tactical battles over the apartment complex that was famously known as “Pavlov’s House,” but also the general area of that battle, as well as the Soviet Army sector in which it took place.

For reference purposes, I found a good map on the Trip Wire Interactive forums

From what I’ve seen online, it looks like a lot of folks mistake the Steam Mill (#6 in the pic above) as Pavlov’s House.

Anyway, you’re not here to read history…you want to make it, through this game. Let’s take a look at what Pavlov’s House has under the hood.

Pavlov 1st 001

Just look at the cover of this game. It just reeks of Soviet strength and determination.

Iwo: Bloodbath in the Bonins – First Look!

Unbagging DG’s solitaire Fire & Movement folio ~

Michael Eckenfels, 2 May 2018

Released in 2013, this game is one of many Folio-style games that Decision Games (that’s a lot of ‘games’ in one sentence) has done. I’ve never owned one and figured it was time to check one out. While there are several at cheaper prices than this one, I picked it up for about $20 on Amazon.

It comes in a folder, within a large, clear, plastic bag.

 

RAF The Battle of Britain 1940 – The GrogHeads AAR, part 5 of 5

Will the climax of the AAR leave shots all over England? ~

Michael Eckenfels, 1 May 2018

 

0600 TIME SEGMENT

RAID ONE: HORNCHURCH (Airfield)

MAJOR RAID

This raid has the Decoy Raid card attached to it. I get to choose two Squadrons from the Enroute Sectors listed on the Target card and put them in the Inflight Box. I choose two of the three Spitfire Squadrons from 6/11 as we have a Major Raid coming in to take down the Radar Net at Foreness.

The two RAF Squadrons assigned by Fighter Command find that this was a Luftwaffe trick; the two Squadrons are now out of the picture for the time being, cursing their luck and good German ingenuity, no doubt.

RAF The Battle of Britain 1940 – The GrogHeads AAR, part 4 of 5

After a refractory pause, gearing up for the next load ~

Michael Eckenfels, 25 April 2018

INTERMISSION

PERSONAL DIARY ENTRY

AUGUST 13, 1940

A call from Berlin at near midnight on 12 August and suddenly I find sleep elusive. A drenching, sticky rain came in shortly after darkness fell, and my staff and I looked forward to a few miserable hours of sleep. Unfortunately, the call meant none would be had by me, except perhaps on one of the Fuhrer’s personal Ju-52 transport aircraft, which the call said would be arriving to fetch me in approximately 30 minutes, to take me to the Obersalzberg.

I’d rather be at a figher’s controls.

I hurriedly grabbed a few notes while my aide, Oberst Steinhoff, calmly packed a few items. True to form, the aircraft landed in the midst of the most drenching of rain, right when the phone said it would, and we boarded. No sooner had the ground crew topped off the tanks, and we were revving down the runway as water splotched on the fuselage like soft bullets. The interior was well appointed, the sound dampened somewhat by the extra work done inside, but it felt like a coffin. I’d rather be at a figher’s controls.

We arrived shortly before 0400 at the Obersalzberg field and were immediately met and driven to Hitler’s own home. He was well known for staying up until dawn, so I figured we’d be coming in at about the time when he was ready for bed. Hopefully, he was in a good mood.

Black Orchestra – First Look!

What’s inside Black Orchestra (2nd Edition, Starling Games, 2017) ~

Michael Eckenfels, 18 April 2018

“Is it twue what they say about boawd games wif ‘bwack’ in the title? (opens box)…Oh…it’s twue! It’s twue!”

– Lily Von Shtupp, upon receiving her copy of Black Orchestra, 2ndEdition…or so I imagine, anyway