Strategy & Tactics 361 : Tsaritsyn : The Volga 1918-1920

Tsaritsyn: The Volga 1918–20 is a wargame covering one of the most important and turbulent campaigns of the Russian Civil War: the struggle for Tsaritsyn, a major industrial city and Volga River port later renamed Stalingrad and eventually Volgograd.

The game pits the Red Bolshevik forces against the White anti-Bolshevik forces, with Allied and German support also represented. The campaign begins in July 1918 with the first White siege of the city, continues through the White capture of Tsaritsyn in June 1919, and culminates in the Red counteroffensive that eventually recaptures the city.

Tsaritsyn was strategically important because of its industrial facilities and its position as a major river port on the Volga. In 1919, White General Anton Denikin also used the city as a base for one wing of his offensive toward Moscow.

The Game

The game system emphasizes the distinctive nature of warfare during the Russian Civil War, where railroads, morale and troop quality are critical factors.

Each game turn represents approximately six weeks to two months of operations. Each hex represents 20 kilometers (12.5 miles), while individual units represent formations ranging from approximately regiment to division level.

Operations markers represent specialized capabilities, including airpower and agitprop (agitation and propaganda).

The system has some similarities to Eleven Days War, although it features significant differences in its rules and its treatment of the chaotic operational environment of the Russian Civil War.

Game Contents

• 1 22 × 34 inch game map
• 176 × 5/8 inch counters
• Rules
• Game components required to play the Tsaritsyn campaign

Game Information

• Publisher: Decision Games
• Series: Strategy & Tactics
• Issue: S&T #361
• Game: Tsaritsyn: The Volga 1918–20
• Designer: Joseph Miranda
• Year: 2026
• Players: 1–2
• Map scale: 1 hex = 20 km / 12.5 miles
• Time scale: 6 weeks to 2 months per turn
• Unit scale: Regiment to division
• Period: Russian Civil War
• Level: Operational
• Language: English

Magazine Editorial Content

Strategy & Tactics #361 includes a historical feature on the Battles for Tsaritsyn, 1918–20, examining the struggle between Bolshevik and anti-communist forces for this strategically vital city.

The issue also contains:

• Battles for Tsaritsyn: 1918–20
• Red Cloud's War: A Strategic, Operational & Tactical Analysis
• The Battle of Benevento: 26 February 1266
• The Wagner Group: Russia's Shadow Army
• The issue therefore combines the Tsaritsyn game with articles covering conflicts ranging from the American Indian Wars and medieval Italy to modern Russian irregular warfare.

Highlights

Tsaritsyn: The Volga 1918–20 offers an operational-level simulation of the struggle for one of the key strategic objectives of the Russian Civil War.

The importance of railroads, morale, troop quality and specialized operations gives the game a distinctive character and reflects the highly fluid and chaotic nature of warfare in Southern Russia during 1918–1920.