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From 1941 through 1943, Army Group South fought a campaign in southern Russia. Hitler issued goals that ranged from the far oil fields to a city on the Volga by the name of Stalingrad, finally deciding not to decide and ordered the far flung Army Group to divide and go for both.
Across endless steppe, in the blazing sun and freezing cold, the Axis legions advanced to the edge of Asia and the Caucasus mountains. Some of the oil fields, and most of the city were taken.
Then the Red Army had its turn...
Case Blue is a game that covers both the Axis advance (1941 and 1942) as well as the Soviet counterattacks (Nov 42 to Jan 43) and the German counteroffensive at Kharkov (Feb-March 1943) that ended the series of campaigns in the south. The game covers in great detail all the operations from October 1941 until May 1943 on a large play area extending from Voronezh almost to the Turkish border. The full scope and grandiose nature of these operations come to life here.
Case Blue covers and replaces the 1994 award winning game Enemy at the Gates. Players get to encircle Stalingrad, run their pocket and relief attempts and the many operations that game covered.
Case Blue is the 10th game in the award winning Operational Combat System and is the result of over 6 years of intensive research and testing. Players control units ranging from battalions through divisions (OK, there are a few very strange companies), making key decisions on the use, objectives, and means of war. The series is based on modern concepts of maneuver warfare and allows players a far more insightful look into how campaigns (large and small) really work.
Case Blue is designed to be played both separately or linked to the 2001 game Guderian's Blitzkrieg II. The monster linked game allows players to run operations on the entire Eastern Front (except for Leningrad) from the fall of 1941 until mid-1943.
Multiple scenarios (one map to very large) allow play to be picked up at various key points in the campaign.
If you want a serious look at these pivotal campaigns while having fun at the same time, this is the game for you.
Perhaps the Operational Combat System finest hour, this game is huge.
Game Scale:
Game Turn: Half Week
Hex: 5 miles / 8 Km
Units: Company to Division
Game Inventory:
Nine 22 x 34" full-color mapsheets (Maps A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K)
One 14 x 22" full-color mapsheet (Map E)
Ten dual-side printed countersheets (2,660 1/2" Unit counters)
Three dual-side printed countersheets (840 1/2" Marker counters)
One 48-page OCS v4.0 series rules booklet
One 16-page Case Blue game rules booklet
One 80-page Case Blue Scenario Book 1
One 48-page Case Blue Scenario Book 2
One 24-page Case Blue Axis Booklet
One 24-page Case Blue Russian Booklet
Two 4-page two-color OCS v4.0 Charts & Tables booklets
Two 6-sided dice
(from MMP web site:)
- classic gems polished and perfected
- exciting to play any Ric game
- fun theme
- Competing for the most 'mouse tips'
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we also always want to try new stuff
- we don't need this many games there's no reason for that if you don't have a YouTube channel
- I'm going to be telling you all about how the game box looks because that's the extent of my knowledge about this game
- this is the thing in this whole video which I'm the most excited about
- I backed a Kickstarter to get a lid
- I have a problem it looks really good
- I'm so happy to see that we can get new versions of these games maybe there's hope for Mad some way down the line
References (from this video)
- engaging bidding mechanism with meaningful choices
- fun cat/Mice theme with charming art
- tight rounds and good race for resources
- four-player experience can dampen bidding dynamics
- some players may find the bidding feels constrained
- quartets of cats; market bidding and tips
- auction/draft with cat-themed artwork
- light, humorous, party-game tone
- Cascadia
- Other auction/drafting games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- auction/bidding with hand cards — Players bid with their current hand to claim sets of four cards (quartets).
- jokers and penalties — Joker cards can substitute any value, but overusing jokers can incur penalties.
- round-based tableau management — Over three rounds, players manage a shrinking supply of mouse tips and bids.
- Set Collection — Form quartets of identical values to score mouse tips and bonuses.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Such a silly game. If you just want a little filler time waster, you could do a lot worse than Flip Seven.
- Castle Combo ... quick, neat little game that is not that deep. It is just a bit of fun.
- The mind bug gimmick is excellent. It's a really fun head-to-head game.
- It's a masterclass in how you riff on a core system that's very strong and introduce new elements.
- One more game. One more game because it's so quick and addictive.
References (from this video)
- engaging tension from bidding
- clear quartet-based scoring with tangible tokens
- Jokers add depth and strategic choice
- Jokers can create swingy outcomes and penalties late in games
- prototype status means balance and rules may change
- three-player dynamic can be intense and chaotic
- cat-themed jazz/blues busking with quartet collection
- busking streets, in-game performance to score mouse tips
- competitive bidding with rhythm of street performance
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- auction bidding — players bid on a display of cards; higher bid wins the entire set without revealing bids
- end-game and scoring tokens — scoring relies on mouse tips and quartet tokens; the game ends when the deck runs out or a quartet is completed and tokens are claimed
- hand management / replenishment — after winning a bid and melding, players may replenish to four cards or continue; Jokers affect replenishment decisions
- set collection / quartet building — collect four cards of the same value to form a quartet and gain points (tips)
- wild Jokers — Jokers are wild and can be used to form quartets or outbid opponents; they are kept face up in front of a player when melded
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- this is a prototype copy of the game so things are subject to change in the future
- it's a Cutthroat game
- Jokers are wild you can use them basically in place of any value when bidding and when melding quartets
- this is a deck full of ones through fives
- you can meld several quartets if you're able to
References (from this video)
- Hidden gem status
- Dynamic pairing of auction and set collection
- Engaging with a strong theme and art
- Newer versions add variations; base game may feel dated to some
- feline social-club auction and set collection
- nocturnal cats recruiting blues in a music world
- playful, clever
- Cat Blues: The Big Gig
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Auction — players bid for cats and abilities to assemble groups
- card-driven asymmetry — cards have different abilities and impact
- Set Collection — collect mice as victory points
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- I love the original release of Drur and Ruber from Hansenlug.
- The gameplay is simply amazing and a lot of fun with a competitive edge that can be quite mean.
- Rainforest City is a brilliant game.
- It's an excellent choice for family game night and classroom environments.
- Chow Chow is fast-paced, easy to learn, and typically takes around 20 minutes to play.
- I absolutely love Tonga Banga. The gameplay is incredibly entertaining and the way money functions in this game is pure genius.
- Cat Blues is truly a hidden gem, and I absolutely love this game.
- Genius Idea has exceeded my expectations and I've thoroughly enjoyed every session.
- Indigo is a 2012 Spiel Jarus recommended game.
- The artwork in this version is mesmerizing.