
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,078
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Flames of War: The World War II Miniatures Game
- 2 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2002

Rules assistance for The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 is an expansion for Chain of Command released in 2017 for 2 players, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Chris Stoesen and its main mechanics are Simulation and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game.
The Campaign for Kharkov contains two pint sized campaigns designed for the TooFatLardies Chain of Command rules. They are easily converted to any skirmish ruleset such as Bolt Action. One covers the advance of the German 57th Infantry Division and the other the German 101st Light Division. The attack came in October of 1941. This city would be the site of three major battles for the city. The interesting aspect of the October 1941 battle is in the nature of the troops involved. The Soviets had superiority in armor. The Germans advanced with only a single STUG battalion in support of the 57th ID. The Soviets fielded the T34 as well as several improvised armored vehicles such as the KhTZ-16. While not a success on the battlefield, it demonstrated the Soviet inventiveness under the extreme pressure of the blitzkrieg. There are twelve total scenarios in the campaign. Full force lists are available for both German Divisions and the Soviet troops present. Maps are based on aerial reconnaissance photographs taken by German troops in September 1941. —description from the publisher
The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 is 120–180 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 belongs to these categories: Wargame, Miniatures, and World War II. Its main mechanics are Simulation and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 are: Chris Stoesen. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists The Battle for Kharkov: October 1941 as an expansion for Chain of Command. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Chain of Command to use it. Check that your edition of Chain of Command is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.