Colossus Stumbled

The Second Battle at Kharkov – 12–23 May 1942

Publisher: Three Crown Games (3CG)
Series: WWIIB
Period: World War II – Eastern Front
Subject: Second Battle of Kharkov
Scale: Operational / military units
Players: 2
Language: English

GAME OVERVIEW

Colossus Stumbled covers the first 12 intensive days of the Second Battle of Kharkov, from 12 to 23 May 1942, on the Eastern Front.

On 12 May, Soviet forces launched a major offensive against the German 6th Army, attacking from the Izium-Barvenkovo salient established during the previous winter's Soviet counteroffensive.

After an initially promising start, the Soviet offensive was brought to a halt from 15 May onward, notably by massive German air attacks. The Axis forces then launched their counteroffensive, Operation Fredericus, in the Kharkov region.

Its objective was to eliminate the Soviet bridgehead at Izium on the Seversky Donets and destroy the Barvenkovo bulge, one of the main staging areas for the Soviet offensive.

GAME SYSTEM

Colossus Stumbled focuses on this short but extremely intense operational campaign.

The game covers the 12 decisive days of the battle, allowing players to recreate the initial Soviet offensive and the subsequent German counteroffensive.

It is part of Three Crown Games' WWIIB (World War II Battles) series, which focuses on individual operations and battles of the Second World War. Three Crown Games states that its games are thoroughly playtested before publication.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Soviet offensive around Kharkov was intended to regain the initiative on the Eastern Front in the spring of 1942. The large Izium bridgehead provided the Red Army with an important launching position for the offensive.

The German response dramatically changed the situation. Strong Luftwaffe intervention was followed by Operation Fredericus, turning the battlefield into a major counteroffensive against the Soviet forces.

The Second Battle of Kharkov became one of the major and most consequential clashes of the spring 1942 campaign on the Eastern Front.

CONTENTS

• 1 A1 map
• 286 15 mm counters and markers
• 1 20-page rulebook
• 2 A4 Player Aid Cards (PAC) containing most of the game's charts and tables

The contents are confirmed by the official Three Crown Games project page.

KEY FEATURES

• Covers the Second Battle of Kharkov, May 1942
• Recreates the crucial 12-day campaign from 12–23 May 1942
• Soviet offensive followed by the German Operation Fredericus
• Large A1 game map
• 286 15 mm counters and markers
• Compact 20-page rulebook
• Part of the historical WWIIB series by Three Crown Games