Von Manstein's Backhand Blow (2002)

Von Manstein's Backhand Blow is a low/intermediate complexity two player game using the well-received Turning the Tables system pioneered in earlier east front games produced by Moments in History. The game system itself is easy to learn and master. No two games will ever play out alike because a great deal of uncertainty and randomness is injected into each combat due to the Combat Chit Draw and Random Events Table. This uncertainty makes Von Manstein's Backhand Blow ideal as a solitaire game since combat results cannot be accurately predicted.

Dirk Blennemann, the designer, has the reputation for creating excellent Orders of Battle for East Front simulations. Using detailed Russian and German language sources, he provides a broad array of maneuver units - Soviet division and corps on one side, and German units ranging from regiments down to the multitude of ad hoc German kampfgruppen thrown into the battle to stop the Soviet advance.