[rbbane]

Done as you suggested Sneaksie.

Uninstalled game and removed any remaining game files. Checked registry. All relevant entries gone. Disabled AV. Re-installed game. This time installed without interruption, until right at the end that is, when it said "Options - failed to initialize properly (0x0000005)" or something like that.

Then game would not start, with the message as before - "The application failed to initialize properly (0x0000005)".

Got the "1.20" version figure from the registry, when I looked before to see if there was anything amiss.

But this time looked at the Readme, which I didn't do before. The Readme says Version 1.31.
(On the Africa 1943 game the Registry value is the same as the Readme, at 1.30 for both).
Changed the Registry value on Kursk to match the Readme, at 1.31. But made no difference. Game still wouldn't initialise.

So until I/we can figure out what to do, I'll just play Africa 1943. Africa plays perfectly so far.
Thanks again for your suggestions, Sneaksie.