Hungarian Rhapsody: The Battle for Hungary, October 1944-February 1945

Operational Combat Series (OCS) games simulate campaign-level combat from 1900 to the mid-1950s. The series goal is to allow a sophisticated study of historical events while maintaining mechanical simplicity. Every facet of modern combat is modeled. 

Hungarian Rhapsody is an Operational Combat Series (OCS) game that depicts the Soviet 1944 drive into Hungary which led to the battle of Debrecen, the siege of Budapest, and the German 1945 Konrad counter-offensives attempting to relieve Budapest.

Romania’s defection in August 1944 allowed the Soviets to outflank well-defended Axis positions in the Carpathian Mountains from the south. In the process, the German 6th Army was almost destroyed, losing most of its heavy equipment (which explains the relative weakness of the German artillery at the start of the campaign).

The game begins on the October 5, 1944 turn with the 2nd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts launching an offensive to isolate the German 8th Army which is still defending an area off-map to the east in the Carpathian Mountains. It allows players to play the two major Soviet offensives and several smaller scenarios covering the German counter-offensives, concluding on February 26, 1945.

The Soviet offensive power comes from three tank corps, five mechanized corps, and three cavalry corps—but faces formidable challenges. They are operating at the very edge of their logistical capabilities. While the Hungarian Plain is good tank country, Budapest and the surrounding terrain make for heavy going. And the Axis forces are capable of stinging counterattacks (such as the Battle of Debrecen) and all-out counter-offensives (such as Operation KONRAD). The Germans had 13 Panzer divisions, three Panzergrenadier divisions, two cavalry divisions, and two cavalry brigades present in this theater. The total seems large, but not all were present at the same point in the campaign.

Scenarios List:
The Battle of Debrecen, one map, 7 Turns
Grand Campaign, two maps, 43 Turns
The Battle of Debrecen, two maps, 7 Turns
From Debrecen to Budapest, two maps, 25 Turns
Operation Budapest, two map scenario, 17.5 Turns
Operation Budapest, two map Campaign Start, 34.5 Turns
Race to Budapest, two map large scenario, 7 Turns
Race to Budapest, 1.5 map small scenario, 7 Turns
Race to Budapest, two map Campaign Start, 25 Turns
Konrad I-II, one map, 3 Turns
Konrad I-II-III, one map, 13 Turns
Konrad I, two map Campaign Start, 17 Turns
Konrad III, one map, 4 Turns
Konrad III, two map Campaign Start, 12 Turns
Südwind, one map, 3 Turns

• Two 22" x 34" maps
  
• One 8-1/2" x 11" Budapest inset map
• Six countersheets
• Axis Tables/Order of Arrival booklet
  
• Soviet Tables/Order of Arrival booklet
• Eight full-color Play Aid Cards (Two Axis, Two Soviet, Two Corps Marker Cards and Two Terrain Effects Chart)
  
• Two OCS v4.3 Charts and Tables Booklets
• OCS Series Rulebook (version 4.3)
  
• HR-specific rulebook with Historical Commentary, Designer's, Developer's, and Player Notes
• Scenario booklet
• 2 six-sided dice