Paper Tanks Battle. Building the Game. Starter Kit

After one year of building game slowly I found that I can build something like starter kit.

My son said, that they have a history day at school and his teacher said, they can bring some strategic games related to WW2 era.

So I did some inventory. On table I started checking all tanks, token, range rulers, smoke and damage markers and decided to create something like starter kit for David.

Small enough to carry into school. Full table with all tanks and in the middle starter kit.

And I build a "Battle for Village" kit.

Russian troops have two T-34/76 and one T-34/85 tanks and German troops will get one Panther, one Panzer IV and one STUG III tank.

Playing field will be 80 x 120 cm with small village, forest and lake if necessary. enough for starter.

Russian have three tanks. Two are 76 mm and one is 85 mm. They have less power but they move almost twice faster then STUG or P.IV.

German has three as well. two with 75 mm canon and Panther to be equal vs. 85 mm Russian tank. Plus Panther tank can move same as T-34 tanks.

For testing I had to build village to explain him how to build playing field. Center part of field is village. Green field allow to allocate location for each building so there is no chaos between kids how to setup village.

Range ruler for aiming and shooting for each tank and also weather condition are important.

MYST - create shortest distance for shooting,

RAIN - blue part of each ruler and SUN - allow to have longest range for each tank, per ruler range.

Weather condition is setup before game start. First dice - type of weather. Second throw - how many Movement Phases we need to play with that condition.

In that test I have selected MYST for next four Movement Phases. After four phases we check weather again. Since it is worst weather shooting range will be very short and that will create a lot of opportunities for both sides during battle. Let's play then.

Shooting Range sticks for T-34/76 are shortest.

Middle range is for STUG and Panzer IV tanks.

Longest are Panther and T-34/85 canons.

Each Aim/Range ruler has three colors for weather condition which determine range for each canon based on selected weather.

Explosion markers for tanks. Five... one tanks must always survive...

Smoke explosion to cover tank from enemy fire.

I added also small Movement Ruler to help move tanks.

In my testing German starts first. STUG moved. Since it has no turret - when you want to turn you must use middle point on movement plate and turn tank. Maximum turn can be 90 degree. Or left side or right side.

Here you can see that STUG turned right and changed direction for movement.

And move forward till the end of movement plate. "Speed" of STUG is one movement plate forward, when STUG must turn - then turn consume half of move. Difficult tank to drive.... But low profile and good distance with his 75 mm canon. I might build few more and test Finland vs. Soviet Union 1944 time.

Panzer IV tank can move one and half mount plate forward on road and only one on terrain, one when it must turn any direction no matter on road or terrain. Red line is reverse gear. All tanks have same reverse distance.

End of Blue Field is end of One Movement plate for P.IV tank.

Panther is scary.... can drive same distance as T-34 tank...two mount plates or road or terrain.

Fast and very maneuver. And good canon. But in fog became almost similar to 76 mm canon from T-34 tank. So now in that weather condition he need to drive close to enemy.

Here you can see how it moved One Movement plate forward. Still one left.

Since I saw Russian tanks... and weather is Myst...I slow down. No reason to advance if my flank is still far back.

Only half mount plate forward instead of full.

Situation after German Movement Phase.

Now it is time for Russian. First Phase, weather - worst.... and still three move. It is going to be a short distance fight...First T-34/76 moved. They can move two mount plates forward and only half reverse.

First move was straight with turn

Then I moved second half

That looks two mounting plates move for T-34 during game.

Second T-34 moved.

That was easy... one plate straight. I know there is a fog and enemy is not far away but can't shoot long distance.

And ready to move second plate.

He drove straight. Two Mounting plates - that is one good benefit of T-34.

Third T-34 going to move.

And Phase one from four with Myst weather condition. Since dice gave me three - German start new Movement Phase.

STUG decide to drive around ruins. First - half turn and forward.

Then second tank made his move - drive forward.

Panther tank is too fast for other...Did only one plate because doesn't have support from second tank.

Time for Soviet. Movement ruler on start position.

And full speed forward as a first part.

Second T-34/85 know that somewhere in Myst there is enemy and slow down. just half speed...

Third tank. Is going to drive around building.

One Movement Plate forward.

Second move done... fast tank on terrain.

Situation after second phase... still two more in worst weather condition. MYST

I tried to measure distance... blue range - rain.... but we have the Myst.... so we need to come closer.

This time Soviet starts....

T-34/85 move around haystack. Want to build them more.

View from Soviet tank...

Now it turn for second tank. He is going to made turn left.

Done...

And drive straight - it is counted as one movement plate.

Then drive forward. As fast to rich proper distance to attack Panther.

In normal weather condition... we should be already after few shoots and some damages.. but still weather required from player to came closer.

Another Soviet tank moved.

Forest block view... I see P.IV coming.... in Myst...

Three Soviet tanks are inside village.

Now turn for German. STUG move first.

After turn - drive forward.

Panzer IV ready to drive...

And he drove forward...

View of two tanks from German Side.

And view from P.IV...

So close and still can't see each other? I did some distance measurement...

And I found that Panther can attack in Myst T-34... better optics and canon.

Box with damage tokens ready to use.

And result was track. tank is grounded until crew will fix track. If they use dice and throw proper number...

Last phase with Myst... German starts.

Panzer IV tried to drive around building.

Panther decide to move back.

Trying to hide from firing range in Myst weather condition.

Only one chance for Soviet tank. Attack. Move forward.

Forest cover Panzer IV and slowly have close distance to Panther.

Second movement phase and small chance to attack enemy even in worst weather condition.

Second tank is trying to fix damage. No luck this phase. Can't move.

Last tank move forward, weather change is comming... last phase whit that Myst.

T-34/85 move forward

Target selection Phase. Both sides found that they are in the range of fire. Token and round numbers are on table.

And big suprise. From the Myst two other tanks found opportunity to fire short distance. Another round. Player can decide how they want to shoot per round token with number on it. Each round is always selected by dice.

So at the very end of bad weather - we have two rounds..

First round was Panter attack - missed with two smoke grenades shoot by T-34. And because of that...even T-34 can't shoot. That is the price of smoke. They both are blind... No chance to shoot for Soviet.

Second round starts German tank. He missed and red arrow on token - fire back, So T-34 hit Panzer turret.

After fire back, T-34 hit Panzer.... and damage that tank completely. Round finished.

This time weather change to SUN for next six phases.

Soviet moved first

Smoke barrier still cover field

Second tank move backward

Trying to hide behind building

Third tank is trying to fix track. No luck this time.

STUG is making turn

And trying to join battle. He can see enemy target - T-34 who attacked Panther tank.

Quick measurement of distance.

And first target acquired. Also T-34 found good range and going to hit Panther

Weather change....during fog all tanks came close enough to start shooting.

View from T-34

Smoke grenades cover T-34/85

First round - Soviet tank was hit in track in previous shooting phase. Can't move. But he was manage to hit Panther turret. German tank can't shoot from now. Because of that his target - T-34 survive....

Also Soviet tank was hit in turret.... STUG saved Panther live. T-34 can't shoot.

New movement phase. Smoke grenades removed from field. Full visibility

German moves first - Panther hide in reverse gear. Trying to hide from 76mm canon range.

Soviet tank was manage to fix track and he move forward. Player in movement phase will point tank whit some damage and throw dice. If numbers match - damage is removed from that tank.

Second T-34 tried to fix turret, w/o success. And he is trying to pull back and hide from STUG canon.

But T-34/85 joined battle now. He was hidden behind building.

Panther still can't fix turret and can't shoot. Still trying to run away. But in sunny weather 85 mm canon can shoot longest distance. So he is Soviet T-34/85 range.

STUG moved forward.

So now two Soviet tanks aim their canons to wounded Panther

Meanwhile STUG is going to repeat hit to T-34 with nonoperational turret.

View from T-34/85

First hit - STUG started. and Soviet tank lost track as well...

Panther survive... again ricochet with smoke grenades..

And second tank can't shoot....

Another movement phase. STUG moved forward.

Panther still move back and dice result allow to fix turret. He is back in action.

Unlucky tank can't fix turret and track.

Only one operational Soviet tank going to turn and attack.

So now two tanks are going to repeat attack when smoke grenades will be removed from view.

Move forward

Second tank move as well

Third shoot to T-34

Result - engine hit. So now he has track, turret and engine...

View of playing field before next movement phase.

STUG still advance

Panther trying to run away from 76mm range.

This time luck is on Soviet side. Turret fixed.

And track fixed. Tank can move half of speed and fire back.

And moved forward to cover other tanks from STUG fire.

All targets selected on both sides.

Panther decide to hit 85mm T-34 tank.

This time STUG will be also under fire from T-34

First hit - Soviet starts. Panther was hit in track.

Then Panther fired....and T-34/85 burned.

Second round started Soviet tank and he pay back. Panther is also lost.

STUG fired and ricochet with smoke grenades save his live. But that smoke also cancel his opportunity to fire back.

View from STUG.

After when Panther is lost two tanks decide to attack STUG...

Second tank found good spot near smoke barrier and we have shooting phase.

Both tanks going to fired but dice will pick who will be first.

STUG fired and ricochet flew away. Token has black arrow down (that mean tank can move forward) and red arrow with S (SHOOT back) so I picked damage token for Soviet tank... and same as Russian - Ricochet with two black arrow and shoot back. STUG picked another shoot.

Bang!!! Duel finished. T-34 was hit and damage.

After shooting phase I have started movement phase and German advance.

Lucky STUG... last soviet tank had chance to destroy or at least damage canon - but again. Fired first and STUG got ricochet with SHOOT BACK arrow. picked token was again - tank destroyed.