Customer Emails (click here for a large list of emails):

"I am very impressed by number and the quality of the components of my newly arrived Advanced Tobruk 2016. The large hexes are superb, the overlays are gorgeous."

"Thanks for the extra map - in the local club it will help to bring rookies to PTO by playing a Peleliu scenario with your counters while the elders will compete on the same with Puller, the CH art and so on, in order to comparate the two sessions..."

"Ray, this is yet another example of why your Friday emailers are totally worth my effort in trying to get. . . because they are a fantastic read - with interesting history and great humor - let alone all the product info, details, offers, and answers to questions I had about shipping schedules! Once again, I really appreciate you sending this to me directly."

Critical Hit is the proud publisher of the first edition of Bob Murphy's NO BETTER PLACE TO DIE, the story of the Battle of La Fiere. Bob is gone but the words and story of this true American hero, confirmed to be the 'first man in' on D-Day, live on. The contest for the crucial Merderet River crossing following the 82nd Airborne's D-Day paradrop is now being made into a movie and Bob was an important consultant in the making of the ATS title AGAINST ALL ODDS. Here we've provided the full interview conducted with Bob during the making of that game: MURPHY INTERVIEW.

In our 27th year of publishing YOUR labors of love and counting! Founded in 1994, Critical Hit coined the phrase "Enthusiast Media" to describe the firm's approach to bringing together the publisher and the hobbyist/designer via voluntary submissions in a unique method of cooperation that strips away everything but a mutual effort to bring labors of love to the fore. This approach has proven successful in the form of many tactical-level simulations in print, and many more currently being prepared for publication.

Since inception, the work of more than volunteer contributors has graced the pages, maps and other publications available from Critical Hit, Inc. From a humble foundation of a free (just send a S.A.S.E.) newsletter to 1,300 discrete product SKUs, the emphasis has always been on the esoteric corners of history that others have left unexplored. During that time, and to the present, the aim is to keep the entire catalog in print. You can find it here: http://www.criticalhit.com/

Since the summer of 2014, every registered customer receives the Friday Emailer. This communication has been sent without missing a single week since then, a streak pushing some 350+ consecutive fridays and counting. To get on board, register at the CH Message Board - or make any purchase to join the "Battalion" of men with a thirst for military history and the intellectual horsepower to process cartography, orders of battle and simulation game engines that bring it all together.

Nominated for "Board Wargame of the Year", the ATS game engine is a tool for use in the study of historical events that range from the Great War, Arab-Israeli Wars, and beyond. All combatants depicted are historical; the focus of ATS is not on "what if" - but instead, what was.

ATS BASIC GAME iwTM is a re-imagining of the ATS system’s BG approach—one that brings you closer to the heart of the acclaimed tactical-level infantry combat system—than any other version before. What’s more, it even brings hard-core ATSers the latest state-of-the-art combat routines, while entertaining beginners with its chess-like impulse system. There’s MORE inside than ever, including grazing fire, a form of machine-gun fire lanes, new Surrender rules, and a BRAND NEW color play aid to go with the easy-to-assimilate 6-pages of color rules.

The ATS Basic Game series has been completely re-imagined with the implementation of routines that harken back to everything you founder interesting in ATS - built on and reinforced. What's more, there's a lot that is not 'basic' about the new BG Iw - "Bastogne or Bust" - from the new Surrender rules, Collateral Fire in a BG ... machine-gun firelanes using military terminology, new charts and tables in a color play aid - all set up to go in your binder, soup to nuts.

Wait, "Nut!" that's right - McAullife said NUTS and we say, well, nuts too - as in we made this extensive package available for a limited time at $29.95 - but that time is up. That's really too bad, since this is truly a chess match on a battlefield and brings ATSers their first looks at routines that will be making their way into the core system. And the thing is in no ways 'dumbed down' - quite the contrary - you might find it is time to dust off your ATS and dive right in using this package.

ATSers have long been waiting for the popular BASIC GAME 1 series to get rolling again .. and this here be some rolling! BASTOGNE.. or BUST! is a COMPLETE GAME - just bring one or more ten sided dice and you might want to keep your feet warm!

See, the affair is set during the infamous Winter of the Battle of the Bulge. It's an all-infantry, MG, light mortars affair and all the combatants are in their best winter gear. You get rules, charts, and a Teutonic Terror hex size set of maps totaling 24" × 18" PLUS all the counters you need to play. That means one 5" × 8" sheet of Bulge Germans another of Bulge Americans + another of the latest ATS Retro ½" markers PLUS a FREE bonus, 88 ATS American Bulge Inf and L Weapons Christmas special sheet. We think you'll agree the new MG art is the best in the system to date ...

.. but the important thing is whether you are an ATS VETERAN or green recruit -- you can get playing this impulse-based, chess like system in one sitting. Move. Counter move. Disaster! All on winterized maps.

ATS JUNO UPDATE: All copies of ATS JUNO have shipped.

For such a massive project the errata has been minimal and has no bearing on play. We're gratified by that, and you can get updated with the link right here and get into all the action:

THE ATS BATTALION FRIDAY HQ LINK: You know what it is as you are part of The Battalion and get the Friday Emailer! Click here and use the PW provided to you.

Wn 33, near La Rivière, NORMANDY, 6 June 1944: The British D_Day plan was that DD Shermans would crawl out of the water at H -5 minutes and suppress any AT guns, then at H hour, 7.30 on Gold beach, LCAs would disgorge their loads of infantry, and LCTs would land the Breaching squadrons of AVRE and Sherman crabs who would breach the beach defences and allow the supporting infantry to progress inland. D and B companies of the 5th Yorkshire were to land on King Red, at the extreme left of Gold Beach, and then swing left to overwhelm WN-33 and allow the following waves to penetrate inland. It was too rough to launch the DD Shermans so they were beach landed alongside the initial wave of infantry and the Breaching squadrons. The Naval bombardment had successfully suppressed WN 34 and WN 35b inland but had little effect on WN 33 itself. The 88LL At gun to the left of the beach knocked out at least two AVRE and two Crabs before a third Crab commanded by Cpt Roger Bell put three shells into it at point Blank range and destroyed it. Meanwhile the infantry had been pinned down under the seawall by machine gun and mortar fire, until several supporting Gun armed Landing Craft opened fire on La Riviera and suppressed the defenders. Once over the sea wall the Yorshires, ably assisted by several AVRE and Sherman's, rapidly captured WN-33, Hitler's Atlantic wall had been breached in less than an hour.

Bénouville Bridge, NORMANDY, 6 June 1944: At 22:56 on 5 June, 1944, the six gliders towed by Halifax bombers took off from RAF Tarrant Rushton. Horsa number one, the first of the three headed for the Caen Canal, carried Howard with Lieutenant Den Brotheridge's platoon, number two bore Lieutenant David Wood's platoon, and number three carried Lieutenant Smith's platoon. Priday with Lieutenant Hooper's platoon made for the river bridge aboard number four. Horsa number five carrying Lieutenant Fox's platoon was followed by number six bearing Tod Sweeney's platoon. Each glider also carried five Royal Engineers. Flying over the English Channel at 7,000 feet (2,100 m), the bombers crossed the Normandy coast at 00:07 on 6 June, 1944 and released their towed gliders. With Wallwork at the controls, the number one glider crashed into the barbed wire surrounding the canal bridge defences at 00:16. The other two gliders followed at one-minute intervals. The number two glider broke in half and came to halt at the edge of a large pond. One of the men fell into the water and drowned, becoming the first casualty of the operation.Brotheridge and Smith's platoons headed for the bridge, while Wood's platoon moved towards the trenches on its north east side.

Operation Deadstick was the codename for an operation by airborne forces of the British Army that took place on 6 June 1944 as part of the Normandy landings of World War II.[4] The objective was to capture intact two road bridges in Normandy across the River Orne and the Caen Canal providing the only exit eastwards, for British forces from their landing on Sword Beach. Intelligence reports said both bridges were heavily defended by the Germans and wired for demolition. Once captured, the bridges had to be held against any counter-attack until the assault force was relieved by commandos and infantry advancing from the British landing zone.

With years under our belts (and a couple of trips to Normandy, collectively) creating the first D-Day landing beaches for tactical-level gamers that carry an ATS Rulebook 2014 under their arms, it is high time that more than Omaha Beach come to your gaming table. What's more, the new KING RED AND OPERATION DEADSTICK is the result of the best thing there is: enthusiast created, inspired by the previous module(s) You can roll out Hobart's Funnies on an historical assault ... on D-Day and take part in the classic British Airborne action.

As we did with the Omaha modules, another Widerstandsnest is created, specifically Wn 33. Then we (you) hit the beach with your British DD tanks, AVRE Fascine, AVRE Bobbins, LCT's are on hand .... it is D-Day after all. What's more, in addition to a map of the beach area in front of Wn 33, you get a second map and scenarios depicting Operation Deadstick. Just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and system markers -- ALL THE COMBAT COUNTERS ARE PROVIDED and perhaps a pair of waders, as you are going to have to HIT THE BEACH!

ATS BRIEFING #3 is a full-on magazine RE-LAUNCH and not a 'Best Of' issue! The CH Annual has been a nice success, as it heads into #4 - a big Korean War extravaganza with material no one has (or will) touch on, an early Korean War focus. And the word has been passed up the line - ATS NEEDS ITS OWN MAGAZINE. So with that in mind, the ATS BRIEFING RE-LAUNCH is here > and the 'best of' approach is off the table.

Instead, the 48 page issue that is DONE and ships this coming week > includes new material never before presented in ATS Briefing. The chess-like BUSTING THE BOCAGE module is new, with an expanded map -- upgraded art, new scenarios + a color REPLAY that takes you through the action for ATS Rulebook 2014 owners. There's Terrain Oddities, a new regular feature, with color illustrations and information AND previews of new rules coming in the ATSRB 2017! A brand new GRAIN ELEVATOR map -- never before presented to ATSer and in an edition never before presented to anyone, true to the Jack Decker design - is included with the new scenario action that takes place on it - Stalingrad, new, map new. Speaking of Urban Warfare, the promised 4 new Berlin scenarios are ALSO presented, plus the 2 new maps needed to play them on. An article about buildings as targets, Finns, Obstacles, Scenario Design, and more.

All 48 pages are laid out in the color spread above - thar she blows! The flagship system magazine is back to stay and SUBMISSIONS AND ARTICLES WELCOME! Each issue will include Terrain Oddities, Rules explanations, a Replay, new modules and maps -- plus whatever we can cram in there!

SAMPLE CH FRIDAY EMAILER - OVER 80 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS AND COUNTING SINCE FIRST LAUNCH:

Guys,

The wheels of production are churning, have no fear – better yet, let’s reflect on the fact that another week is in the book, marking off every day on a wall calendar with a grease pencil, yes!

Special mentions of the week to Robert and Hansel, your yeoman-ness is noted and appreciated!

I have received a bunch of emails asking for the opportunity to purchase the ASLComp counters sheets, now at the printers, for the upcoming Gold and Sword modules – the operative answer around here always strives to be “yes” and you’ll find that answer made manifest at the February 2017 link for ASLComp.

Speaking of our Noble English, the orders are stacking up for Gold Beach and Sword Beach, for both systems – and you may not find yourself overlay surprised that the quantity of counter sheets spec’d on the product pages for the ASLComp editions has been ‘bumped’ up from 5 to 6. Refer to the immediately preceding paragraph for information relating to the publisher’s ability to say “no”. Mea culpa.

So in the time machine that these modules are, you find ‘yourself’ assigned to a massive, impressive Regelbau 626, replete with MG Tobruk in the roof, and protected embrasure, keeping the dogs-from-seaward at bay … for you and your kameraden, crewing your PaK 40.

Now one need not go back in time to get behind the gunshield of a PaK 40. A nice example of this piece of ordnance art can be found parked in front of the American Legion Post 1949, in Wingdale, New York. That is if you have the good sense to “head north” for a visit to “Big W’s”, the best Bar-B-Q in this hex, and a place where the proprietor, Warren, is right there behind his counter, at the door, personally cutting the wares he personally smoke out back.

Sounds all very Criticalhit-ish, no?

Now you won’t find any mention of said PaK 40 online, so you’ll just have to head on over to check it out. It is in the yellow circle in the image above.

Back to the crew in their unfinished R626 casemate. The walls were up, but the steel roof, well they never got around to that before D-Day. A canvas tarp would have to suffice, created our fire “OT” pillbox, aka “Casemate” in our Normandy module(s) parlance. Casemate counter, inset in the image above.

We have a pickle, however. Not a SNAFU, just a pickel (not a Pickelhaube). With the counters off to print, we are locked-in, quantity-wise, for the modules Gold/Sword – so I set a quantity at the site to “sold out” for the counters – first come, first served, and once the pages blip past the set quantity, the pages will come down – so we do not blow past the quantity needed for the modules. I hope this gets everyone taken care of, get them while they are hot. As in the past, the counters will ship (in your latest ‘Redball Express’ parcel) before the module(s) as they come available. The MMC sheets for the British have different unit ID’s, the Germans different leader names and ranks, the British SMC sheets different leaders, and the AFV/Gun sheets have a variety of different units, i.e., they are not carbon copies. The 5/8” and ½” “?” sheets are the same.

It is assumed by now y’all know our Bénouville /Ranville Bridges map includes, well, BOTH bridges, each a D-Day objective. And the terrain in between. The King Red portion of that module is a taste of what is now to come, one Widerstandsnester (Wn-33). Juno and Utah Beach are coming next, to round out the insane, large D-Day set that is, well, insane and large.

With King Red/Operation Deadstick and Port-En-Bessin squared up to ship imminently, along with a variety of counter sets, including ASLComp NAT Set 3 and more > the long-awaited and almost sold out for both systems … HUE … is in the chamber and will precede Hindenburg Line, to follow immediately – wrapping up that phase of the release cycle. It will be GWASL and CH Annual 4 time, with a distinct possibility that Gold and Sword will be out the door on or about the same time based on production status. Needless to say, we have a large army of cardboard warriors champing at their bits to meet their new human commanders.

Combine your ATS Briefing #3 with the new ATS Basic Game 1: Stalingrad (which can be played with full boat ATS of course) and you will have not one, but TWO NEW STALINGRAD MAPS in hand -- this week!

The historic D-Day landing at Omaha Beach has been recreated using the game system nominated for 'Board Wargame of the Year', ATS, like no other. The seminal epic is in print in one NEW printing. The counters have been re-done, using the latest art, wrecks on backs of all vehicles, and when combined with the new maps, an unprecendented presenation awaits you.

Two versions of OMAHA are ready to order and ship by February 2016: OMAHA EAST 2016 and OMAHA WEST 2016. Each game provides ALL the combat counters you need to play, just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and markers. What's more, every bit of the other materials have been remastered in color, fully for the first time.

This is a VERY LIMITED SPECIAL EDITION ATS MODULE that you can get, here, by ordering as long as this page is up. Each copy contains:

>> 7 sheets of color die-cut counters, all NEW in Olive Drab, new leaders, and more!
>> A Full set of color scenarios!
>> Omaha East or West map set (depending on the title you order) with latest art!
Play Aids and AFV Cards in COLOR.
Color foilio with charts on inside, a first!
BOTH OMAHA East and West come with the full set of 7 sheets of counters and OMAHA East includes a MONSTER that links it all together (and requires both modules to play)

Ownership of the ATS Rulebook 2014 and standard system markers is required to play.

The historic D-Day landing at Omaha Beach has been recreated using the game system nominated for 'Board Wargame of the Year', ATS, like no other. The seminal epic is in print in one NEW printing. The counters have been re-done, using the latest art, wrecks on backs of all vehicles, and when combined with the new maps, an unprecendented presenation awaits you.

Two versions of OMAHA are ready to order and ship by February 2016: OMAHA EAST 2016 and OMAHA WEST 2016. Each game provides ALL the combat counters you need to play, just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and markers. What's more, every bit of the other materials have been remastered in color, fully for the first time.

This is a VERY LIMITED SPECIAL EDITION ATS MODULE that you can get, here, by ordering as long as this page is up. Each copy contains:

>> 7 sheets of color die-cut counters, all NEW in Olive Drab, new leaders, and more!
>> A Full set of color scenarios!
>> Omaha East or West map set (depending on the title you order) with latest art!
Play Aids and AFV Cards in COLOR.
Color foilio with charts on inside, a first!
BOTH OMAHA East and West come with the full set of 7 sheets of counters and OMAHA East includes a MONSTER that links it all together (and requires both modules to play)

Ownership of the ATS Rulebook 2014 and standard system markers is required to play.

ATS is hitting the PACIFIC beaches HARD ... in a new release cycle with products aimed at owners of ATS LEATHERNECK 1.

Hill 362 A, Iwo Jima, 3 March 1945: Marine armored dozers were available across the battlefield, were in constant demand and were moved from one hot spot to another. Usually escorted by a full platoon to ensure its security from enemy sappers and tank hunter-killer teams, at one point a Corporal by the name of Daniels had to escort some dozers with a handful of battle-weary Marines. The Marine soldiers knew the duty drew an inordinate amount of enemy artillery fire, as well as Japanese tank-hunting teams. Daniels was detailed to escort a dozer team forward through a previously secured area when the Japanese attacked. Swarmed by enemy soldiers carrying demolitions charges, Daniels had to call for help. After help arrived and the situation stabilized and Daniels recalled one Japanese soldier emerging from a cave carrying an artillery shell and a hammer. The enemy soldier had been given a heavy shell and he could not move very fast. Undeterred, the man stumbled over rocks and debris, picking up the shell multiple times after dropping it, and moving forward only to fall again. Daniels could hear his BAR man laugh at the macabre scene. Moments later the persistent Japanese soldier was cut down in a hail of Marine bullets

This is ATS IWO JIMA: HILL 362A, an ATS module that brings the fighting at Iwo Jima to your gaming table. Ownership of AT Leatherneck 1 is required, just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and system markers.

ATS is hitting the PACIFIC beaches HARD ... in a new release cycle with products aimed at owners of ATS LEATHERNECK 1.

Iwo Jima, 19 February 1945: The 1st battalion, 28th Marine Regt.’s mission was to slash across the small waist of the island of Iwo Jima, cutting off Mt. Suribachi to the south. The Marines had been surprised by the light resistance met on the beaches. The battalion pushed elements of 3 companies across to the far shore but had bypassed many enemy positions. The area was far from secure. This mopping up operation was loosely organized as all of the battalion’s elements had been dispersed in the dash across the ashen terrain between the two coasts. Small groups of Marines would stumble on an incredibly well camouflaged enemy position and silence it. At times, the Marines found a position only after the enemy within would lay low one of the attackers. One of these small groups of Marines was led by Cpl. Tony Stein, a former Machinist’s Mate who had fashioned a rig which allowed him to single handedly wield a machine gun salvaged from a wrecked aircraft. With his “Stinger” in hand Cpl. Stein and his colleagues went about the business of securing the area at the base of Mt. Suribachi.

This is ATS IWO JIMA: MOTOYAMA AUIRFIELD #2, an ATS module that brings the fighting at Iwo Jima to your gaming table. Ownership of AT Leatherneck 1 is required, just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and system markers.

ATS is hitting the PACIFIC beaches HARD ... in a new release cycle with products aimed at owners of ATS LEATHERNECK 1.

GONA VILLAGE, NEW GUINEA, 8 December 1942: After the at- tack on the 6th December, Lt. Col. Honner, commander of the 39th Battalion requested two changes to the support provided his unit. Firstly, he refused any Allied air support, declaring it to be too inaccurate and capable of only forewarning the Japanese of impending attack. Secondly, he requested time delay fuses on the 25-pounder shells so they would penetrate the logs on top of the bunkers. In addition, his plans focused on the right flank of his lines, through the bush-land that a section of D Company had penetrated on the 6th. Finally, he committed his troops one minute prior to the end of the bombardment. Junior officers in A Company had similar ideas to Honner, and set out one minute early as well, and the Japanese defenders were taken by surprise. A Company cleared 5 pillboxes, and D Company burst through into the Mission Area, finally capturing the Mission. At the end of the day, the Japanese still held positions along the coast and South-West by the Creek, but the defenses were untenable, and the Japanese would have to break out that night.

This is ATS NEW GUINEA 1: GONA MISSION, an all new ATS module that brings the fighting at the end of the Gona-Kokoda Trail to your gaming table. Ownership of AT Leatherneck 1 is required, and you get 7 scenarios and a British Personnel sheet - just bring your ATS Rulebook 2014 and system markers.

ATS Berlin 1 - HUGE MONSTER Edition: Crazy, big, massive, enlarged, and unprecedented. Those would be terms one could use to describe the Battle of Berlin. You might also want to trot them out for a description of this new edition of Berlin I, an unusual and unique gaming experience-the first truly large hex city fight. What you get is an enlarged (check our site for actual dimensions, it aims at as Deluxe as can be considering the huge scale of this battlefield) game map using the new lay-flat, hard boards. It's just mind-blowing to look at, the expanse. You also receive the scenario collection in latest editions in color + new color rules pages in 3-hole, the new presentation. Bring your own counters from any edition or purchase the ATS BERLIN COUNTER SET now available.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE WITH EACH COPY:

A full set of 15 BERLIN I scenarios in color format
All new map board set, GIANT style enlarged
3-hole punch version of the latest edition of the rules
Reichstag Play Aid on card in color

ATS Berlin 2 - HUGE MONSTER Edition: Crazy, big, massive, enlarged, and unprecedented. Those would be terms one could use to describe the Battle of Berlin. You might also want to trot them out for a description of this new edition of Berlin I, an unusual and unique gaming experience-the first truly large hex city fight. What you get is an enlarged (check our site for actual dimensions, it aims at as Deluxe as can be considering the huge scale of this battlefield) game map using the new lay-flat, hard boards. It's just mind-blowing to look at, the expanse. You also receive the scenario collection in latest editions in color + new color rules pages in 3-hole, the new presentation. Bring your own counters from any edition or purchase the ATS BERLIN COUNTER SET now available.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE WITH EACH COPY:

A full set of 15 BERLIN I scenarios in color format
All new map board set, GIANT style enlarged
3-hole punch version of the latest edition of the rules
Reichstag Play Aid on card in color

The GWATS project rolls on and the YANKS ARE COMING ... not to mention Russians vs. Germans on the Eastern Front of 1914-1916. That means lots of new colorful boards, counters, and scenarios using them.

It is high time that you start building your ATS Great War collection as the YANKS ARE COMING! Ownership of GWATS 1: Tankschreken! is a pre-requisite and of course, the ATS Rulebook 2014.

GWATS III OVER THERE brings .... you guessed it! The Americans enter the fray with all the fanfare that was mustered as they boarded ships to save Europe. The proud, but untested ‘doughboys’ could not have know what was waiting for them ‘over there’ ... specifically, battle-hardened German soldiers, led by officers that knew victory first-hand. And were fighting for the Vaterland....

New military art created by CH just for your gaming tables? Check. New men and machines? Check. New situations? Check. New geo boards to play it on? Yup. And in the larger, new AP-style 11” × 16” format? Check. And ALL the boards needed for the included scenarios? Checkmate! Ownership of GWASL I and GWASL II is required ... as you know the Battle of Belleau Wood pitted Americans, alongside French and British troops as they faced down the Kaiser’s 1918 Spring Offensive! Includes eight new scenarios, two sheets of counters, all the geo boards needed to play the scenarios, folio, and special rules.

It is high time that you start building your ATS Great War collection as YOU HAVE NEVER GAMED THE EASTERN FRONT LIKE THIS! Ownership of GWATS 1: Tankschreken! is a pre-requisite and of course, the ATS Rulebook 2014.

GWASL IV SAMSONOV’S ARMY takes the action to the Great War’ Eastern Front and pits the soldiers of General Ludendorff against invading Russians under General Samsonov. The dark forests, forced-marches, and human waves of a low-morale, poorly led force ... face the crack troops of a still ascendant Germany. The horror of a two-front war is upon the Kaiser’s best leaders and there is only one way out: total victory.

Historians know the battle took place near Allenstein. However, General Erich Ludendorff named it after Tannenberg, some 30 klicks to the west, to avenge the defeat of the Teutonic Knights at the earlier battle of the same name that occurred in 1410.
The world was a far different place during the summer of 1914. Germany was on the offensive on the Western Front. Trench warfare had yet to set in. Crowds, out in the streets welcomed war with open arms, and cheers. A massive Russian Army headed for East Prussia, and eventually, the heart of Germany ... in an unprecedented invasion—ten Russian Armies in all could be mobilized. Hindenburg was called out of retirement to manage the German side along with Ludendorff. Despite overwhelming numerical advantages by the enemy, the battle resulted in the almost complete destruction of the Russian Second Army, and the suicide of its commanding general, Alexander Samsonov.

A series of follow-up battles (1st Masurian Lakes) destroyed most of the First Army as well, and kept the Russians off-balance until the spring of 1915. The Battle of Tannenberg set the stage for the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes a week later, where the reinforced German Eighth Army now faced only the Russian First Army and forced it back over the prewar border. Russian forces would not again march on German soil until the end of World War II.

You did not think you were getting left out of the LEATHERNECK PARTY ... ATSers! Quite the contrary, the USMC, cardboard variety, is hitting the beach an then some with boards, counters, scenarios ... and did we mention the boards! Everything from coral reefs, sea walls, to Iwo Jima hills.

WE ARE ALL IN with ATS Leatherneck Modules 1-2-3! Each module builds on the rest and you'll need to own LN1 to play LN2, and LN1 and 2 to play :LN3.

The collection builds an all-new 11" × 16" geo board set and brings in new and familiar terrain, piers, coral reefs ... and so much more. The action is HOT but playable and you've never, ever hit the beaches ... hills ... and jungles like this in the history of ATS.

Hold your Semper Fi fellahs ... cuz the packs give you the special COUNTERS YOU NEED TO PLAY-- just bring the new ATS USMC and JAPANESE Personnel and your ATS Rulebook 2014 and YOU ARE IN BUSINESS!

Beach landing boards. Check. aked ridges, with twisty ravines, myriad lines-of-sight. Fire traps, ambushes, Jungle, Elephant Grass, slippery-sided streams. And a collection of boards and no hexside trim square sided overlays for new village terrain, airfield ... effluent, OCEAN, Beach, printed submerged/exposed Reef terrain .... yes, a LONG PIER .... IWO JIMA hills and crags. Get it all and have a larger collection of boards than offered by ANY other system. Plus 8 scenarios per module. What you won't get is a lot of cave-heavy scenarios, noting against the troglodyte wing of wargame guys, why do you think God invented those cute little basement windows, to get them some LIGHT. But we know YOU, the Chesty Puller-kind of wargamer wants SUNLIGHT, and that means we aim to get you into the ACTION, not expose you to a hexside overlay trim-a-thon, or 1120 and 1121 on 431 and 432 ... dis-incentive to HIT THE BEACH. Hit it, men, with ATS Leatherneck 1, ATS Leatherneck 2, and ATS Leatherneck 3 modules. But first, clear some shelf space for these here purdy foloders as they will be full and by all means, drop and give me 20, you will have to be IN TIP TOP SHAPE soldier ... to wade in against enemy fire!

ATS LN 1 provides ALL the combat counters you need to play the LN1-2-3!

ATS Leatherneck 1 FINAL Includes:

>> Folio with BW rules printed inside in color format.

>> PTO Geo Board CC.

>> PTO Geo Board EE.

>> PTO Geo Board FF.

>> PTO AF-1 overlay.

>> PTO Vil-1 overlay.

>> Counter sheet USMC Personnel 2016

>> Counter Sheet Japanese Personnel 2016

>> Counter Sheet Japanese AFVs and H Wpns

>> Counter Sheet USMC AFVs and H Wpns 2016

>> Counter Sheet ATS Misc PTO AFVs and H Wpns 2016

>> FIVE counter sheets in all!

>> 2 sheets of 11 AFV Cards to trim out.

>> 8 scenarios on 4 cards.

The CWATS Upgrade Set is packing to ship and will be on your desk in a matter of days!

It is TIME TO MAKE YOUR MOVE ... to the Battle of the Bulge with ATS Battle of the Twin Villages!

BATTLE OF THE TWIN VILLAGES: KRINKELT-ROCHERRATH is a natural follow-on to the successful Hurtgen Forest monster.

The Battle of Elsenborn Ridge was the only sector of the American front lines during the Battle of the Bulge where the Germans failed to advance.[1] The battle centered on the Elsenborn Ridge east of Elsenborn, Belgium in the Ardennes forest. West of Elsenborn Ridge, near the cities of Liège and Spa, Belgium, was a vast array of Allied supplies and the well-developed road network leading to the Meuse River and Antwerp. The Germans planned on using two key rollbahns or routes through the area to seize Antwerp and force a separate peace with the United States and Britain. Capturing Monschau and the nearby village of Höfen, and the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt just east of Elsenborn Ridge, were key to the success of the German plans, and Hitler committed his best armored units and infantry troops to the area, including the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.

The green, untested troops of the 99th Infantry Division had been placed in the sector during mid-November because the Allies thought it was an area unlikely to see battle. Their soldiers were stretched thin over a 22-mile front, and all three regiments were on line, with no reserve. In early December, the 2nd Infantry Division was assigned to capture a vital crossroads marked by a customs house and a forester’s lodge named Wahlerscheid, at the southern tip of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. They transitioned through the 99th division's lines and after a deadly, costly battle, capturing the crossroads. But the Germans counterattacked in what the Americans initially thought was a localized spoiling action, but was actually a leading element of the Battle of the Bulge. The 2nd ID consolidated their lines, pulling back into Hünningen, and then to the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt, and finally at the dug-in positions held by the 99th ID at Elsenborn Ridge.

>> VIRTUAL ATS 3.11 HAS BEEN DEPLOYED to owners of the ATS RULEBOOK 2014 (the latest edition > a year has been given for adoption) and the established user-base is: 1) TRUE BLUE ATS SUPPORTERS; 2) About to get VATS 3.11 and rulebook updates FREE -- via email. We need YOU to support YOUR system - and that cannot be accomplished without owning the current rulebook. Over a decade in the works > if you are holding out ... it is TIME. Needless to say > but saying it ... older versions of VATS, extensions, and e-books have been provided, literally, by the thousands ... we've done our part and will be stepping up the support -- check your In Box in the next 2-3 days. VATS 3.11 and new editions will be available to owners of the ATS Rulebook 2014 and subsequent editions as an additional benefit > in addition to the FREE ATS E Rulebook you also receive with the printed edition, a $69.95 value ...

We're about to hit this page with a pile of the new graphics from THE LARGEST DEPLOYMENT OF ATS NATIONALITIES IN THE HISTORY OF THE SYSTEM. And that spans over a 12-year span. Stay tuned and get YOUR copy ordered now by clicking HERE to get to the new items ordering page.

A NEW edition of the ATS system small marker counters is HERE and features a RETRO look to celebrate the new GAZALA Monster -- that literally brings you full bore into the original TOBRUK. Colorful, evocative, immediately useful and a great addition to your counter collection ... and then some.

New black moved and fired markers in new (old) presentation! New ammo markers, and an ALL NEW BOT-marker systern! We suggest you nail 3-4 copies of this sheet right now.

They're all there, Casualties, Collateral Fire, Crossfire, and more!

The BASH ON items are well into production and your In Box should contain an update by the time you are reading this page. The counters below and many more are coming to YOUR gaming table soon!

SHIPPING AS OF TODAY: Both Scottish Corridor CORE MODULES are NOW SHIPPING! You are going to love the new maps, packaging, color format scenarios, and AFV Cards.

A center-piece of the ATS series, BERLIN RED VICTORY ... has been out of print for some years and has never recevied a full update. That is ALL OVER NOW ... just in time for the 70th Anniverary of the Battle of Berlin!

The new edition ... well, everything is flat out NEW. The new edition of the Berlin I maps, ALL NEW COUNTERS .... a complete revamp that demands to be in your collection. Get your start with BERLIN RED VICTORY and we'll have a new edition of BERLIN FÜHRER"S BUNKER available to mate with it in no time flat!

You need to own the ATS RULES 2014 Edition (as per the GREEN cover logo on all participating products) but EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO PLAY IS INCLUDED! All, latest state-of-the-system ... here are some soldier art samples below on German Personnel counters (yes, ALL Germans in Feldgrau now...)

A center-piece of the Critical Hit line is the ADVANCED TOBRUK SYSTEM (ATS). Nominated for board wargame of the year and inspired by the original TOBRUK by Avalon Hill, the system has been expanded to depict the gamut of 20th Century warfare at the scale of 50 yards per hex. In addition to a series of board wargames and expansions, ATS is augmented with VIRTUAL ATS (VATS) software, a free download licensed for use by any owner of the matching print title. VATS allows users to play ATS online and in real time against anyone in the world and is also a great use for SOLO play and for saving set up information and games in progress. It is a fully supported licensed software product created by Critical Hit and uses original source graphics for game pieces and maps.

UPDATE: The Tobruk DEPRO material has been moved to its own page here.

In 2006 the popular Japanese wargame magazine COMMAND published ATS Basic Game II, a system best-seller, in a Japanese language edition. It's popularity paved the way for a fully licensed edition of ADVANCED TOBRUK in that country.

The ATS RULEBOOK 2014 has been a strong seller and is only available direct from our site. In this way, the entire user base is known, can be reached at any time with 100% 'radio communications' taking place.

It is hard to believe that the launch of the ADVANCED TOBRUK SYSTEM took place 18+ years ago, in 2002. It is said "time flies", but in the case of ATS, it wheels, half-tracks, and clanks with fully tracked AFVs prowling the battlefields of World War II and beyond.

We are taking feedback for a new, 15th Anniversary Edition of the ATS Rulebook NOW. Rest assured, like the currrent edition, the new one will be 100% backwards compatible. And with a full connection to the user base, we can reach one and all with a special offer to get the new rulebook - and of course, your ownership rights will include E RULES and play aids.

This is a call to arms, for any and all feedback, nothing too minor, for the upcoming new ATS Rulebook We have a completely controlled established user base for this, a best selling publication here > since it has ONLY been sold direct. So, as the new book will be 100% backwards compatible with past titles, and we can reach EACH and every member of the user base – look for a special roll out that will include Electronic Edition materials, the works.

But that’s not going to happen until we exhaust every opportunity to exhort YOU, the ATS rules owner, to pick any nits, pipe up, and let your voice be heard. Around here, no one speaks “from the mount” now or ever – we’re a blue collar shop, spent years rolling up sleeves, inking up and repairing our own presses > YOUR influence counts, use it.

Short version: We’d love to hear from you!

If you're looking for 3000 of your fellow hobbyists and what is widely recognized in wargame circles as the friendliest and most informative message board on the internet you can sign up for the CH Message Board. It's a free service provided by Critical Hit and has attracted over 100,000 posts to date and counting.

 Three years and multiple research trips to Normandy in the making, OMAHA EAST WEST MONSTER breakd all limits and is available for order RIGHT NOW. It depicts the landings on ALL of Omaha Beach in unprecedented detail and scope at this scale.

OMAHA EAST WEST MONSTER includes all NEW art created especially for this game as well as American soldier types never before used. Each counter is highly detailed and drawn by renowned military artist Alan Archambault and include Shore Fire Control Party personnel, Wire Cutting Teams, Medics, Bazooka Teams, and an expanded command structure with counters depicting officers such as Norman 'Dutch' Cota down to individual NCOs.

Not only are the soldiers treated to new art. A complete collection of new landing craft counters are provided for LCVP, LCA, and LCM use the standard vehicle counter while larger ships, including LCI(L), the destroyer Frankford, and LCTs, use new watercraft counters.

The defenders of Hitler's Fortress Europa are depicted in ultimate detail. Ground-breaking research conducted for this game places each and every weapon found in Widerstandsnester (Resistance Nest) Wn65 through Wn 73 in its exact location. New emplacement counters were created depicting various casemate types, with their unique fields-of-fire. Also included are counters for Tobruks, open flak platforms, and Panzerstellung, the latter coupled with accurate turret counters which can be realistically pivoted during play. You also receive the 5cm pedestal gun, Goliath counters, and 320mm Wurfgerat rockets, all part of the Omaha Beach defensive network.

At the heart of each and every ASLComp release is a historical map and OMAHA MONSTER is no exception. The game includes the largest historical map published in any system release to date. Measuring a whopping ALMOST 12 FEET long by three feet wide, the detail included will provide hours of enjoyment before the first game piece is placed. It's all there on the map, Belgian Gates, anti-tank walls and ditches, minefields, trench networks, hedgerows, paths, the Chateau de Vermicel, Vierville church, St. Laurent sur Mer, and of course the infamous seawall. Each and every detail is faithfully recreated at this scale.