10.1997 Critical Hit Magazine, Stalingrad Special Edition

Publisher/Date:
Critical Hit (1997)

Product Type:
Periodical

Country of Origin:
U.S.A.

Contents:
56-page magazine, including 8 scenarios as pages of the magazine; 8.5" x 14" historical map.

Commentary:

General information on Critical Hit Magazine can be found here.

Critical Hit Magazine Special Edition 1997.  56 pages (including 8 scenarios.  Also includes a detachable 8.5″ x 14″ color map on glossy paper of the “Grain Elevator” area of Stalingrad).  Critical Hit’s second “Special Issue” focuses on Stalingrad as a theme and the Grain Elevator map as its centerpiece.  The map is not unattractive (it is very orangey), although, being relatively small, there is not much room for maneuver.  One scenario, CH84 (Every Man a Fortress), takes place on the map (it seems to be unbalanced in favor of the Germans); there is also a Platoon Leader Campaign Game for the map.  With only four Campaign Dates and a small map, it is one of the more manageable campaign games around; unfortunately, it seems to be significantly unbalanced in favor of the Soviets.  Other Stalingrad related materials include an SASL Mission (xTW-1, “Knight’s Cross”) using the Dzerhezinsky Tractor Works map and a scenario for the same map, TW-A (Zholudev’s Guards).  Other features include an interesting article on using 15mm miniatures with ASL and an interview with former Avalon Hill employees Robert MacNamara and Charles Kibler.  Unfortunately, despite the historical map included, this is not one of the better Critical Hit Magazine issues.

The scenarios include actions for Iwo Jima 1945 (Americans vs. Japanese); Soviet Union 1942 (Soviets vs. Germans [2]); Italy 1944 (Americans vs. Germans, New Zealanders vs. Germans); Tunisia 1942 (Americans/British vs. Germans); Belgium 1944 (Americans vs. Germans); and Germany 1945 (Soviets vs. Germans).

Note:  In 2008-2009, CH reprinted content from several older issues of the magazine as “Retro Issues.”  However, the content does not always entirely duplicate that of the originals.  See Retro Issue section for details.    The “Retro” version includes the scenarios on cardstock (though the original scenario pages are still there); the scenarios also ostensibly incorporate any errata.

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