Decision Games Folio Game Series: Masuria, Winter Battles 1915 1631

After the Tannenberg campaign of August-September1914, East Prussia became a strategic backwater asboth sides focused their efforts in Poland. But theRussian threat remained, and the following winterthe Germans set about cleaning up their northernflank. A massive attack on the open right flank of theRussian Tenth Army sent it reeling; only the sacrificeof an entire corps in the Augustowo Forest enabled it to escape.

Masuria uses a modification of the Fire & Movementgame system. Developed to portray the mechanizedbattlefields of a later generation, F&M stresses theuse of rapidly-concentrated fire support to generatebreakthroughs, followed by a rapid penetration bymobile reserves. In 1915, although railroads allowedthe rapid shifting of forces on a large scale, no onemoved faster than a man on foot on the battlefield,making exploitation ineffective. However, here bothplayers have hidden movement, allowing them toconcentrate in unexpected locations to surround anddestroy isolated enemy units. The clumsy and inflexiblefire support is represented by the artillery brigadesavailable to division and corps commanders. It must bebrought to the point of decision, then supplied to giveit the firepower to affect the fighting.

The historical outcome at Masuria was the clearingof the East Prussian border. It might have gonedifferently; Russian reserves were available, and theGerman forces were a hodge-podge of units of widelyvarying quality. Both sides have a number of optionsto turn the fortunes of the campaign. The player whomakes the better choices, and backs his strategy to thehilt, will emerge the victor.

Game Contents:
17 x 22 map
100 die-cut counters
One Standard Rules booklet for this series
One Exclusive Rules booklet for this title

Scale:
Players: 2
Level: Brigade
Hex: 4 miles (6.5 km)