Gaming World War III: The Conflict Model Part III

All things considered, air warfare is an entirely different species of animal than its land, and sea counterparts when it comes to wargaming. This is especially true when dealing with NATO-Warsaw Pact games set in the ‘80s. The air war that was to be unleashed on the Central Front, and other theaters when the balloon …

Gaming World War III: The Conflict Model Part I

When I first started giving serious consideration to the idea of creating a hypothetical World War III I understood what I was getting into. It was not going to be as simple as breaking out The Third World War one weekend, playing it, then posting a brief after-action report online afterward. If I was going …

The Central Front D+6 (15 July, 1987) Part VI

With a major Soviet-Warsaw Pact attack expected to come in the north within hours, CENTAG started D+6 unsure about what the day would bring. The 1st Guards Tank Army’s first echelon units in the Main Battle Area (MBA) were almost ready to take over where 8th Guards Army had left off. Air attacks against the …

The Central Front D+6 (15 July, 1987) Part IV

0700 Continued- Artillery barrages and airstrikes preceded the Soviet divisions westward advance. A full regiment of MiG-29 Fulcrums was on station over the area, keeping NATO airpower from inflicting damage on the advancing first-echelon regiments, and giving protection to the MiGs and Sukhoi attack planes flying strikes in support of the units on the ground.  …

The Central Front D+6 (15 July, 1987) Part III

0500- Elements of the 2nd Guards Tank Army (2GTA) begin a series of supporting attacks against the Dutch 4th and 1st Divisions. The 207th Motor Rifle Division moved into the 4th Division’s sector expecting to find the enemy quickly. This was not to be the case. The two forward brigades had largely withdrawn, as per …

The Central Front D+5 (14 July, 1987) Part V

The southern region of the Federal Republic of Germany was not spared from the Third World War. Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces streamed across the border here on D+0 as they had in the northern and central areas of the country. Fighting was fierce, casualties heavy, and collateral damage considerable. Lamentably, the fighting in southern …

The Central Front D+5 (14 July, 1987) Part IV

The temporary moratorium placed on offensive operations by Western TVD failed to disrupt Soviet forces in central Germany to the degree as it had the army groups farther north. D+5 was a day of transition for the 8th Guards Army and 1st Guards Tank Army. The indecision surrounding the final destination of 1st GTA had …

The Central Front D+5 (14 July, 1987) Part III

By the early afternoon, General Snetkov was growing less confident about the chances of commencing the attack today. No guidance was forthcoming from CINC-West, though Snetkov was hardly surprised by the communications black hole that had developed between his command post and Western TVD’s wartime headquarters. He was certain that his superior was not willfully …

The Central Front D+5 (14 July, 1987) Part I

Not long after 0100 hours CEST, a diplomat at the Soviet consulate in Geneva was hand-delivered a message by a middle-aged, bookish official from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The Swiss official explained that the message came from a West German man claiming to be a representative for a bloc of West German, …

Gaming World War III: The Importance of the Time Period

The number of NATO-Warsaw Pact wargames produced in the past forty-five years stands as a testament to the longevity and popularity of the genre. Even today, nearly thirty years since the end of the Cold War, new NATO-WP themed games continue to be developed and sold. Used games still command a hefty price on eBay …