ATO's first Campaign Study, Wintergewitter : Operation Winter Storm brings detailed historical articles on the battles covered in this study. Operation Winter Storm began as the final relief effort of surrounded Stalingrad, with a scratch Panzer Korps made up of units from all over the theater (and the strongest, 6th Panzer Division, coming back from refit in France!). Supported by already shaken Rumanian units, the force had 110 kilometers, two rivers, and two Soviet armies to cross, compounded by unusually mild early winter conditions, with as much rain as snow. They made it over halfway to Stalingrad, with the attack called off when 6th Panzer had to be used to support an Italian collapse which threatened losses even more catastrophic than Stalingrad.

The game features different combat styles for mech/foot units, the importance of support, air and artillery operations, an attrition-based loss system and fog of war, with significant initiative benefits that urge both players to keep on attacking (or else...). Players will use 560 two sided counters, representing units from regiments to companies and kampfgruppen. Students of the campaign will enjoy a highly detailed OB, drawn from both German and Soviet sources, and appreciate the realistic allowance of the very limited support of Operation Thunderclap from within the 6th Army pocket. Four scenarios are included, from a free-wheeling introductory, We Are Coming, to the near despair of Hoth's Last Gasp. A full campaign scenario allows players to fight through the entire 11 days that doomed the Third Reich, while a highly valid what if scenario allows the use of units which were assigned to the campaign but did not arrive in time, or units which were present and could have (should have?) been used.

This boxed set includes one maps, 560 counters, rules and charts.