I have enjoyed playtesting against Jeff Nyquist, with council from Alan and Jay, for about a year. I have had luck favor me consistently, which can be vexing frustration for others. Jeff has often turned to Alan when his luck ran low, and last night was a special situation. It was July 3, 1942. Jeff and Alan's Germans played the Generals, which gave their extra Shift to ten battles! But they still had to roll...This time Alan delivered six "6"'s out of twelve.
We all have different playing styles. I like to plan well ahead, and find the cards to be an enjoyable part of this. Katyusha Rockets has a return time of +3 S, so it can be used in the Winter of '42, the Autumn of '42, and then in the Summer of '43, etc. This, like Zhukov, can give the Soviets a Red Bolt before all those great Air that become available in Autumn, '42. Note that with Diversionist Efforts, a Partisan Detachment that was placed in a prior turn can be Organized into a Division, which might block a LOC to a key German HQ. The Axis can try to eliminate such a threat by using a Free Stuff Anti-Partisan Sweep, or more certainly by garrisoning critical rail hexes to prevent such placement of Partisan Detachments (they cannot be placed adjacent to enemy units).
Dave pointed out I misremembered the new Katyusha Rockets. I was working from a spreadsheet. Here is the new card.
Gordon, you seem to have the bolts understood. The new play test game had OVERCAST rolled July I 1941. Trumpets is on the map but no Air Bolts so no auto shifts. You have the bolt count before the roll to see how many CAS dice you get the throw. Once they are rolled, some of the faces on the die are blanked. Never planes but you need a plane to be damaged to yield a full shift. A recent change was to allow the plane needing to be damaged does NOT have to target 8-Balls.
Please send me an email to hobbitjay@aol.com and I can more easily share treats. You must be playing on the 5.5 module.
Soviet Card changes Arrival Date
Nationalists Stir Spring '43
Air Offensive Spring '44
Katyusha Rockets Spring 42 Now a shift and a white bolt
Local Air Superiority Autumn 42
Major Airdrop Spring '43
Major Landing Winter '43
Marshal Zhukov Autumn 41 Now just 2 turns