• The Russian Setup Library
• Download the Above the Fields TRC PBeM Program.
• How to use the PBeM Aid
• The TRC Rules Clarification Page

• 3rd round game of the 1999 BPA PBeM Tournamet
• End of the Russian Winter Offensive
• Chickasaw Creek

• The game ends in a draw more often than not
• And when it doesn't, the was a weather blow out, like a CLEAR-CLEAR-CLEAR or maybe a MUD-SNOW-SNOW. Thats no fun.

• Campaign game
• Historical Weather optional rule
• Offboard Rail Optional Rule

• 3 points for control of Berlin at games end
• 3 points (awarded once) for taking control of Moscow at anytime
• 2 points (awarded once) for taking control of Stalingrad at anytime
• 2 points for each major city controlled at games end ( including Berlin, Moscow, and Stalingrad, if controlled)
• 1 point for each minor city controlled at games end
• 1 point for each worker factor destroyed
• Automatic victory if enemy Capitol is controlled and enemy leader is eliminated

From my experience, the campaign game between two experienced opponents will be a draw 80% of the time, with 'great' weather handing a win to someone the other 20%. Now having 80% Draw indicates a balanced game, and thats good. Even better is heck of hard fought fought game with the victor just pulling it out. With the TRC VC's, that does not happen, its a draw. The scoring hopes to reflect, in conjunction with Historical Weather, an overall reflection of a game.

In essence, the scoring makes TRC victory akin to Victory in the Pacific or Breakout Normandy, games where every turn will impact the final, nail bitting finish. I won a few BKN games at AvalonCon a few years back by "0.1" each. Thats close, with every move counting.

What TRC, using the scoring does not have, is a "line" just yet ( 9.7 for BKN, 1 for VITP). Figure after, say 20 games, one will stand out. So come mid '43, when the Germans see COMPLETE destruction of Russia is no longer possible, hey, they back off, save their strength for the upcoming slow retreat, pretty darn certain, given their current strength level, and the fact it will still be 6 months or so before the Russians build enough for a serious assault, that Berlin will not fall, period. But if you throw scoring in there, now there is real incintive to push with all the German might into the depths of Russia (as the Germans historicaly) for the extra 2 bonus VP Stalingrad offers ( and no doubt a 1W in the city also).

Well, it was a campaign game with historical weather, so there was no weather blow out, though the weather was a bit favorable to the Russians. With no weather blow out, safe bet the Germans did not take Moscow and knock off Stalin. Also a pretty safe bet the Russians didn't quite make it to Berlin. And the third safe bet is that both sides saw the inevitable draw 8 turns before it happened, though they gamley played through. Did the Russians hold Lenningrad throughout the game? The Germans take Stalingrad? Don't really matter, games a draw.

Now if use the scoring, it is important to the outcome if the Russians held Lenningrad, if the Germans took Stalingrad, and how far the Germans actually got, and how much they could actually keep. For these reasons I feel that scoring a Campaign Game, using Historical Weather, makes TRC that much more interesting ( 'skill' replaces 'weather die roll') and fun (each years success counts, and someone is going to win, no draw).