[Consim-l] Craonne Replay & Review

[Dave Kohr]

On Nov 21, 2007 7:38 AM, Markus Stumptner <mst at cs.unisa.edu.au> wrote:
> I just finished a solo game of the Sandhurst Book of Wargames "Craonne"

Way back when, I owned this set. I think this is the only game from
the set that I actually played.

For those who are curious about it, here's a link to its entry on BGG:

  http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/22094

> Finally, the game has "Decision at Kasserine" style variable victory
> conditions.  Initially, not all Russian forces can be used, some must
> be held in reserve.  On the 13:20 turn, the Russian player rolls a die
> and finds out what Bluecher's orders for the day are.  These may
> require an all-out attack, a defense of most of the map, or a delay
> operation with fewer troops (in which the erstwhile reserves have to
> be withdrawn offmap to fight elsewhere).  These all imply different
> victory conditions.  The French player, who receives massive
> reinforcements over the day and becomes the more active party as the
> battle goes on, doesn't know what the outcome is until after the game
> and must guess.  Very amusing (and also quite historical).

After we'd been playing for awhile, I recall looking at the map and
thinking that there was no way the Russians could win if a particular
one of the victory conditions were imposed on them. I think this was
the "all-out attack" condition. Basically it required sweeping all the
French units off the map (albeit possibly using more Russian forces).
Am I remembering this condition correctly?

Dave