BFP 4: Crucible of Steel

Published by: Bounding Fire Productions. January 2011
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Introduction:

From the back of the included magazine: CoS takes a focused look at the climactic German offensive of the Eastern Front known as Operation Citadel, or the Battle of Kursk. The scenarios contained in CoS depict some of the many struggles, both large and small, that occurred on the southern part of the Kursk salient between Army Group South and the Voronezh Front in the first half of July, 1943.

The fighting on the southern salient at Kursk was immense in scope, ferocious in nature, epic in consequence, and was witness to one of the largest tank engagements in history. Fighting during the battle led to staggering losses for both combatants.

Crucible of Steel includes the following:

32 Action-Packed Scenarios
2 full sheets of counters, depicting more units, weapons, vehicles, and planes that are depicted in the scenarios
3 double-wide 16"x22" geomorphic mapboards. These maps represent the "tank-country" and villages of Kursk, and are printed in two 8"x22" sections on heavy card stock (BFP DW-2, DW-3, DW-4)
3 8"x22" geomorphic mapboards, also printed on heavy card stock (BFP L, M, N)
Huge magazine with articles on the project, slopes, fortifications, and dug-in tanks
Rules pages describing new terrain counters, vehicle listings/notes, and special units
cover

Map board(s):

Board: BFP-L, BFP-M, BFP-N, BFP DW-2a, BFP DW-2b, BFP DW-3a, BFP DW-3b, BFP DW-4a, BFP DW-4b

Articles and Resources:

TitleAuthorDescriptionPage/url
A Walk through Crucible of SteelChas SmithReview10
Slopes in ASLChas SmithRules and Strategy6
Dug-in/Entrenched AFVsChas SmithRules and Strategy6
Fortifications PrimerChas SmithRules and Strategy17

Reviews:

This publication has been rated: 9.67/10 by 3 users. Write a review
Setting a new standard
Bill Brodie: 10.0 out of 10. [Review score: 4] [Agree] [Disagree]

ASL'ers are getting a wealth on high quality products not only from the official source, MMP, but from third part producers.

Crucible of Steel pushes the standard to a higher level. This products has it all.

It includes 32, yes, 32, new full colored scenarios covering the fighting on the southern flank of the Kursk salient during Operation Citadel. There is nothing new abou... Read full review...
An excellent module
Michael Rodgers: 9.0 out of 10. [Review score: 2] [Agree] [Disagree]

The only reason I did not give it a ten is because I am not fond of third party counters. In other words, I would have given a ten if they could have done this without counters. The production values are excellent; on a par with MMP. The glossy magazine is enjoyable to read and I found the Fortifications Primer to be especially good and useful to me. Despite playing for more than 20 years, I found... Read full review...
This module is a must have
Paolo Cariolato: 10.0 out of 10. [Review score: 2] [Agree] [Disagree]

I welcome every publication from BFP, but with CoS they put up their best effort to date.
The scenario pack features mainly medium of big engagement against fortified of heavy fortified defence, but this is Kursk so no one is complaining.
I played a solid 40% of the scenarios of this pack (also che big bad boy "Flying Turrets") and found tons of fun doing it, and I'm planning to play al... Read full review...

Scenarios:

ScenarioPlayedTotalRatingLocationTheatreAttackerDefenderLengthBalancePopularity*
BFP-102: Tolstoy Woods0182 7.11Tolstoy Woods, RussiaETORussianGerman5.1 hrs57% German10%
BFP-84: Kreida Station054 6.93Kreida Station, RussiaETOGermanRussian6.8 hrs58% Russian3%
BFP-95: Obian Highway048 7.18South of Novoselovka, RussiaETOGermanRussian6 hrs61% Russian3%
BFP-101: Panzer Spirit033 6.88Near Jamki, RussiaETORussianGerman (SS)6.2 hrs60% Russian2%
BFP-83: The Second Belt033 8.00Lutschi, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian22.7 hrsBalanced2%
BFP-90: Early Morning Action029 6.40Bolshoi-Majatschki, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian3.5 hrs59% German (SS)2%
BFP-81: Iron Coffins027 6.50Near Beresov, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian9.1 hrs64% German (SS)1%
BFP-82: Steamroller025 7.07State Farm Ssolojew, RussiaETOGermanRussian7.7 hrsBalanced1%
BFP-89: Relentless Pressure022 6.20East of Maslovo, RussiaETORussianGerman5.9 hrs57% German1%
BFP-99: Ivanovskii022 6.37Ivanovskii Vyselok, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian3.1 hrs62% German (SS)1%
BFP-97: Renewed Pressure020 6.67Near Batratskaia Dacha, RussiaETORussianGerman5.3 hrsBalanced1%
BFP-80: Ratushniak's Sacrifice019 6.30South of Bykovka, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian4.2 hrs63% Russian1%
BFP-75: Schreiber's Success019 6.30Beresov, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian9 hrs56% Russian1%
BFP-79: A Hard Push018 6.11Near Bykovka, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian5 hrs79% German (SS)1%
BFP-92: Trenches in Flames018 7.11North of Djen Uroshaja, RussiaETOGermanRussian5.4 hrs78% German1%
BFP-76: Trial of the Infantry017 6.00Near Zadel'noe, RussiaETOGermanRussian4.9 hrsBalanced1%
BFP-100: Tiger Vanguard017 6.43Kazachie, RussiaETOGermanRussian6.4 hrsBalanced1%
BFP-77: Burning Down the House016 6.53Cherkasskoye, RussiaETOGermanRussian15.6 hrs61% German1%
BFP-103: Knife in the Flank016 6.28Vypolzovka, RussiaETORussianGerman7.8 hrs81% German1%
BFP-88: The Bunkered Village015 6.74Luchanino, RussiaETOGermanRussian5.9 hrs56% Russian1%
BFP-73: Preliminary Move015 6.94Near Gertsovka, RussiaETOGermanRussian5.4 hrs71% German1%
BFP-74: Coiled to Strike013 5.85Near Butovo, RussiaETOGermanRussian17.2 hrs58% Russian1%
BFP-87: Fork in the Road012 5.92Hill 254.5, RussiaETOGermanRussian5.1 hrs67% Russian1%
BFP-96: Hotly Contested Town011 7.50Verkhopenye, RussiaETOGermanRussian14 hrs78% Russian1%
BFP-94: To the Last Shell09 7.36Gresnoe, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian12.3 hrs57% German (SS)0%
BFP-91: Death Roamed Freely09 5.88Staryi Gorod, RussiaETOGermanRussian10.3 hrsBalanced0%
BFP-93: Klein Stalingrad09 6.50Melikhovo, RussiaETOGermanRussian16.4 hrsBalanced0%
BFP-78: Operation Wheatfield09 6.00South of Razumnoe, RussiaETOGermanRussian10.1 hrs56% German0%
BFP-104: Flying Turrets08 5.90Southwest of Prokhorovka, RussiaETORussianGerman (SS)45.9 hrs69% German (SS)0%
BFP-86: Panzer Regiment Rothenburg06 6.86Northeast of Krutoy Log, RussiaETOGermanRussian17.2 hrs83% German0%
BFP-98: Place of Honor05 6.40Oktiabrskii, RussiaETOGerman (SS)Russian18.7 hrs67% Russian0%
BFP-85: Churchills at Kursk04 6.40Northwest of Ternovka, RussiaETORussianGerman (SS)7.5 hrs100% German (SS)0%

 * Popularity is the sum of Roar and Archive reported playings based as a percentage of the parent publication's total games.

 (Dark) grey rows indicate Night scenarios.

Median length of scenarios: 7.15hrs

Average rating of scenarios: 6.58

Total playing time: 325.7hrs

All Rights Reserved. (c)2022 Dave Ramsey.