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The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow
1987
Rules assistance for The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 420 min
- 12+
- Complexity 3.9/5
Rules assistant for The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow is a board game released in 1987 for 2 players, 420 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by John Schettler and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow, covers the time between the fall of Stalingrad to the spring thaw that shut down the Eastern Front. The Soviets. flush with victory, thundered west towards Kharkov in an attempt to finish off the battered remnants of the German Army Group South. Falling victim to the law of overstretch, the Soviets were badly surprised and beaten back through the strong leadership and superior strategy on the part of the Germans. If Stalingrad had determined that the Germans could not win the war, then the Battle of Kharkov led them to think they had not yet lost. From the Battle's results, each side drew vastly different conclusions. The Germans were determined to renew the offensive, to finish the uncompleted victory cut short by the thaw. The Soviets were determined to await the offensive, trap and immobilized the attacker, and then launch a massive counteroffensive of their own. With over 1000 playing pieces, four maps, two rule books and in depth briefing material including historical review, from the Winter Storm Campaign Series this operational level game is the sequel to Winter Storm: Decision at Stalingrad by Vanguard Games and covers the campaign for Rostov and Kharkov in February-March 1943. The system features detailed supply rules similar to OCS, weak ZOCs that show the potential of infiltration and the effect of terrain, and a flexible sequence of play to show the principles of mobile warfare. Game Scale: Game Turn: 2 days Hex: 5 miles / 8 kilometers Units: Battalion to Corps Solitaire Playability: High Complexity Level: Medium Players: 2 or more Playing Time: 4-15
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Clash of Arms Games
Questions and answers
The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow 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 Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow is 420 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 Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow for ages 12 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 Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow has a complexity rating of 3.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
The Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow belongs to these categories: Wargame and World War II. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. 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 Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow are: John Schettler. 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 Last Victory: Von Manstein's Backhand Blow as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.