Cold War Battles S&T #235

Overview

S&T #235 included two separate games using the Cold War Battles game system. The first is BUDAPEST 1956, covering the Hungarian rebellion at its capital Budapest in late 1956 and the subsequent Soviet suppression. The second is BLITZKRIEG ANGOLA, featuring the clashes between Cuban and South African mechanized forces in Angola in the late 1980s.

This review is the result of a single playing of the Budapest game, although the mechanics for both games are very similar.

Game Mechanics

The game follows a You-Go-I-Go Move-Fight sequence.

For combat, the game system uses a differential CRT system that is very similar to earlier SPI games. Artillery is represented by units that can fire strength points against targets, either in conjunction with a ground attack, or on its own as a bombardment attack. There are additional rules for transport and attack helicopters.

In the Budapest game each hexagon on the map represents half a kilometer across, and each game turn is one day. Soviet units are mostly battalions, with regiments for their artillery; Hungarian rebel units are ad hoc groups, and Hungarian military units are also featured. The aim of the game is to have units occupy key locations on the map at game end.

Special rules add early Hungarian army defection, and even NATO (US) intervention in the form of the 82AB division.

Comments

Initial impressions: The game seems to play quickly, and my first game took slightly more than an hour. The game does seem to favour the Soviet player, and after one try, it appears that an initial blitz, followed by a methodical advance to kill as many enemy units as possible is a Soviet strategy that is hard to beat. Due to their artillery (many of which have infinite range), even weak reconaissance units can become overwhelmingly powerful. This, coupled with the speed of the armoured units on roads mean that they can make the last dash for VP locations only on the last few turns.

Further thoughts: The strategy espoused earlier not be entirely correct. The Soviets have to detach units to hold squares/VP hexes to prevent reoccupation by Hungarian reinforcements. This is not trivial, and a careless Soviet player may find his precious artillery units ambushed by Hungarian rebels who appear out of nowhere. These units form a large portion of Soviet firepower, and their early loss will be sorely missed.

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