BoLS Review: Ostfront: Barbarossa to Berlin
BoLS takes a deep dive into the Ostfront: Barbarossa to Berlin – A Bolt Action Theater Book
Hey BoLS Readers! Today I wanted to talk about a part of History that often get swept under the rug or minimized – at least in the western textbooks – and that is the Ostfront. The Eastern Front in WWII was a brutal battle field with 10s of millions dead and countless others lost. It’s estimated that over 30 million human lives were lost on that front and a large chunk of those deaths were civilians. I’m bringing this up not to put anyone in a downer mood, but because it’s important to remember how horrible a World War can be.
It’s hard for me to separate the feelings I get when I think about historical games, or more accurately, it’s hard for me to separate the game from the history when I play historicals. I really think this book does a great job of respecting the history and importance of the Ostfront. At the same time it does present new rules, scenarios and units to play a game about the Eastern Front of World War II. Historicals may not be everyone’s cup-of-tea but I will say that I learned a lot about the campaigns presented in this book and I appreciate the manner in which it was presented as both a game reference and as history.
That said – Here’s my review:
It’s not a dry, textbook-like book. It’s full color and it has tons of real history as well as colorful unit descriptions. The extra rules and scenarios are interesting and are well done. If you’re playing a German Army you’re probably going to want to pick this up as it covers a lot of the late-war units and campaigns. If you’re interested in playing the Russians, well this is a must-buy. It even has some Japanese units included as well as some Finnish units, too. And if you’re not playing any of those factions but you want to learn more about the Ostfront this is still a great resource to have. Basically, if you’re playing Bolt Action or have an interest in History – buy this book. You’ll appreciate it!
Ostfront: Bolt Action Theater Book $32.00
Take charge of Operation Barbarossa and drive towards Moscow or command the steadfast defenders of the Soviet Union. From the early battles for Leningrad and Sevastopol to the tank clash of Kursk and the bitter urban warfare of Stalingrad, this new Theatre Book for Bolt Action provides wargamers with new scenarios and special rules that give them everything they need to focus their gaming on the Eastern Front.
Part of me wants to go watch Enemy at the Gates while I paint some models. The other part of me wants to go to my happy place…which is still painting models.
