Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
On a cold, foggy morning in November, 1942, a four-hour artillery barrage rocked the Rumanian lines north and south of Stalingrad. Countless swarms of Red infantry, tanks, and guns then swept the lines.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Simulation
Model a real or imagined system through detailed cause-and-effect rules.
Hexagon Grid
Use a hexagonal map where each space connects evenly in six directions.
Zone of Control
Restrict or influence movement through areas controlled by nearby pieces.
Read the full game description
On a cold, foggy morning in November, 1942, a four-hour artillery barrage rocked the Rumanian lines north and south of Stalingrad. Countless swarms of Red infantry, tanks, and guns then swept the lines. In four days, the pincers met near Kalach-um-Don – entombing the 6th Army in Stalingrad. During the next three months, the Germans will reel from successive Soviet hammer blows, try in vain to relieve the 6th Army, and fail to supply it from the air. The 6th Army surrenders, and only the counter-attack by von Manstein’s panzers stop the red tide. The turning point of World War II in Europe has passed. Enemy at the Gates, the second Operational Combat Series release by The Gamers, offers players different challenges from those in the very popular game Guderian’s Blitzkrieg. The Soviet army has rearmed and reorganized their Tank Corps – their challenge to the Panzer Divisions. The unique force structures of each side force players to fight differently in order to maximize their strengths. And, of course, players must face the toughest operation and strategic choices they have ever faced. When to stand, when to run…and when to strike. Enemy at the Gates covers the entire period from 19 November 1942 to mid-March 1943. There are numerous one and two map scenarios. The game covers Operation Uranus, Operation Little Saturn, the German Relief and airlift efforts, and Operation Star and Gallup (to include von Manstein’s famous “backhand blow”). Extensively researched, playtested, and developed, Enemy at the Gates will satisfy the Eastern Front interest of any gamer who wants to know more than the pulp-history version of these pivotal events! Features: Dynamic and fluid situation All of the pivotal battles in AG South The creation of the Stalingrad pocket The relief effort and airlift Mansteins famous Backhand Blow! Follow-on to the popular Guderian's Blitzkrieg: The Drive on Moscow game and system- refined based on player feedback Player skill is highly rewarded Game Scale: Turn: Half-week Hex: 5 miles / 8 Km Units: Battalion to Army Game Inventory: Four 22 x 34" maps (Maps A, B, C & D) One 8 x 11" Stalingrad 'Blow-Up' map Eight dual-side printed countersheets (5 combat, 3 markers - 2,800 1/2" counters) One 36-page OCS rules booklet One 36-page Enemy at the Gate game specific rules booklet Two 6-page OCS version 2.0 Charts & Tables Folders Four Player Aid cards Two 6-sided dice Complexity: High Solitaire Suitability: High Playing Time: 4-100 hours Players: 1 or more (from the Game Box) All 4 maps were changed and reprinted in 2001. Updated and replaced by Case Blue.