V for Victory: Velikye Luki is an operational level simulation of the Russian winter offensive of 1942 to liberate Velikye Luki and capture the Vitebsk-Leningrad rail line along with the subsequent German counterattack. This game has seven scenarios including the campaign game to choose from. You may play as either the Germans or the Russians. You may play against the computer or in a hot seat competition. If you play against the computer be warned that like most AI’s of the period it is a bit sub par.
Expect it to behave like a rabid junkyard dog. The computer attacks relentlessly even when its defenses are crumbling. It’s best to assign the computer to the side on offense, the Russians for the most part.
There are many points of interest in this game. The Realism Options available when choosing a new game are very interesting. If you choose Limited Intelligence information about the enemy gradually becomes more accurate and available. When you first contact an enemy unit it appears as a Russian Star or a German Cross. Later the unit type and statistics will appear. The Fog O War option distorts information about your own units as they become disrupted and fatigued. Combat odds shown before battle resolution will also be incorrect.
These options along with the One Division Per Attack allow this game system to excel.
This can be a long game. There are 6 four hour turns per day and the campaign game is over two months long. However there are a few scenarios that move along fairly quickly. You can take advantage of the Staff Duties Menu to speed up game play. The computer can allocate supply for you, plan fire support, or even handle all of your operations, although where is the fun in that. These options can reduce game length considerably.
There are many interesting units available to each side. There are German Mountain troops, Russian Guard and Calvary units and even an optional Fallschirmjager division. Both sides have Ski units which really shine when the weather changes to deep snow.
Playing this game against the computer leaves a lot to be desired. The AI is predictable and not very good. To make the game more competitive it’s best to set the computer as the Russian player. There are four optional Russian formations that can be added to the computer’s forces. These additions still will not make the game competitive but should make it more interesting. Velikye Luki is best as a hot seat game. Playing against an opponent with some familiarity of the game system allows for an exciting time. And by utilizing the Realism Options different strategies may result, bringing about a game that can be played many times without becoming repetitious.
