JTS PzB Kursk Released

[Compass Rose]

In early July, 1943 for the last time as equal combatants; German and Soviet forces fought one of World War 2's most pivotal battles at Kursk in Southern Russia. The battle was to be the zenith for Germany; it was never to drive the initiative in the East again. Kursk was to be the first time that the Russians stopped a German summer offensive before it had achieved its strategic aims and more significantly build their own operation where there was a clear defensive and offensive phase. The German attack was but Act I in the Russian plan.
Battles of Kursk – Southern Flank is the first release in John Tiller's Panzer Battles series. With a focus on the more climactic southern attack, players will understand why both sides viewed the battle as a victory; though many would consider it pyrrhic. Fought across nine days from July 4th to July 12th the battle was much more than the imagined storming of a fortified line. Meeting engagements, hasty defences and even the first widespread use of tank busting aircraft were more typical of the day to day fighting. Both side deployed their countries elite forces. The Germans fielded their carefully reconstituted Panzer forces, led by the II SS Panzerkorps. The Soviets deployed the armies that had recently crushed the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, newly replenished and promoted to Guards honorifics.



Scenarios
Battles of Kursk – Southern Flank includes 60 scenarios ranging from 5 turns to 38 turns in length. All nine days of battle are covered with a good mix of small (battalion/regiment), medium (division) and large (corps) engagements.
July 4th; XXXXVIII Panzerkorps preliminary attacks – 2 scenarios
July 5th; II SS Panzerkorps – 4 scenarios
July 5th; III Panzerkorps – 4 scenarios
July 5th; XXXXVIII Panzerkorps – 6 scenarios
July 6th; II SS Panzerkorps – 7 scenarios
July 7th; III Panzerkorps – 6 scenarios
July 7th; XXXXVIII Panzerkorps – 1 scenarios
July 8th; Voronezh Front – 9 scenarios
July 9th; XXXXVIII Panzerkorps – 7 scenarios
July 10th; II SS Panzerkorps – 6 scenarios
July 11th; II SS Panzerkorps – 4 scenarios
July 12th; Voronezh & Steppe Fronts – 4 scenarios

Just under half of all the scenarios are less than 15 turns in length and can be comfortably played in an hour or so.

Features
Game features include:
--A game scale of 1 hex equal to 250 meters, 1 turn equal to 30 minutes, with platoon and section size units.
--60 Scenarios – covering all sizes and situations, including specialized versions for both head to head play and vs. the computer AI.
--The Master Map covers 102,000 hexes covering the area of the German attacks and the initial Soviet counterattacks. 45 sub maps are included.
--An Order of Battle with over 15,800 units from two Soviet Fronts and a German Army Group including units from Wehrmacht, SS, and Luftwaffe formations as well as Guards and regular Russian Army units.
--Unit component, Order-of-Battle and Scenario Editors which allow players to customize the game.
--Sub-map feature allowing any of the included maps to be "chopped" up into smaller segments for custom scenario creation.
--All new map graphics with 3D overlay to improve height perception. --Fortifications and other icons are integrated into the game map.
--Three different counter sets switchable in game including side on, top down and NATO symbols.
--All new images for unit art for both sides, including infantry, guns and vehicles.
--Exceptional Documentation including a 57 page 'Visual order of Battle' and 84 page 'Designer notes'.
--Battles of Kursk – Southern Flank provides multiple play options including play against the computer AI, Play by E-mail (PBEM), LAN & Internet "live" play, and two player hot seat.











PzB Kursk can be only purchased directly from the JTS store located here:  http://www.johntillersoftware.com/PanzerBattles/BattlesOfKurskSouthern.html

[Jarhead0331]

Instant buy when I get home.

Also, is SB:Grenada going to be a full release, or is it just a free demo?

[sandman2575]

I've never played any of the John Tiller titles, but looking at this makes me think I'm about to break that rule -- and at $40 seems incredibly reasonable for what you're getting --

Also, love the scale.  Squad-based hex games have never really been my thing, and getting kinda tired of the large-scale division-sized chit shufflers a la WitE.  This looks perfect.

[Compass Rose]

Also, is SB:Grenada going to be a full release, or is it just a free demo?

As far as I am aware of, it will just be a free Demo.

[SgtRock]

Are the 2D counters really any bigger? Do they scale (keep the same size) with different screen rez?

[JudgeDredd]

Tempted by this...but I'm just not sure. It looks pretty huge

[Tuna]

Do the units have different ranges? Tanks can shoot from so many hexes away.. infantry soft and hard?

[ComradeP]

Judge: contrary to a Panzer Campaigns title, the numerous small scenarios really are small as in: often less than ~50 friendly units, sometimes barely over a dozen.

The turn limits of some of those scenarios are...tight to say the least, but I'm having a lot of fun thus far. It's easier to get into than PzC I'd say. It has a different feel and "flows" more naturally. The game gives you the feeling that even your battalion- or regiment sized operation matters, unlike PzC where it could sometimes be intimidating that you knew your corps in the medium sized scenario was part of a much greater offensive and that your actions might not really influence it.

The feedback of what I'm doing feels more tactical/operational in PB. In PzC, operational scale scenarios often still felt like a somewhat smaller strategic scale scenario in terms of how it played and what you had to do.

-

Tuna: yes, units have different ranges. The max range of a Tiger is several kilometres, but there's a modifier that decreases damage with each hex beyond 2 hexes so even though the mmg variant of the MG 34 with tripod can theoretically also fire at a target 1 kilometre away, it's unlikely to do more than kill a single unlucky Ivan at that range. If you really want to kill something with infantry weapons, you need to get within 2 hexes. I haven't tried tank combat yet, but I'm guessing that engagement ranges above 1 kilometres are fairly pointless for the Soviets and that the Germans also prefer to hit their targets at 1 kilometre tops in order to be able to do some damage.

There's also a new mechanic for the now unlimited opportunity fire where you can roughly set the range you want your units to engage the enemy at, which can be used to ambush the enemy.

You can get I believe either nearly all or all documentation for free from the store page, so you can read some of the documents at your leisure to see if the rules are your cup of tea before buying.

[Tuna]

I always thought PzC was too big.. this might be just right!

[JudgeDredd]

Bought. Damn it I am one weak willed p*ssy!

[Bison]

Played a couple of battles this evening.  I really like some of the improvements they brought to the game.  The map and counters are a really nice improvement.


I would still like to see the top bar buttons be a little larger and one more zoom level.

[-budd-]

what's tiller's store using for DRM these days? I have only bought Tiller's stuff at HPS. This scale looks up my alley.

[Bison]

Serial number activation.

[jomni]

Serial number activation.

You skipped a little detail...

Online Serial Number Activation. :)

[Asid]

I would still like to see the top bar buttons be a little larger and one more zoom level.

The button/icon size has been an issue for me before in the other Tiller games. They seem so small.