1985: Sacred Oil
1985: Sacred Oil Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Game Equipment
- 3. General Rules
- 4. Sequence of Play
- 5. Land Movement
- 6. Zones of Control
- 7. Stacking
- 8. Limited Intelligence
- 9. Ground Combat
- 10. Combat Steps
- 11. Cadre Rating
- 12. Lines of Communication
- 13. Supply
- 14. Detailed Supply (Optional)
- 15. Front Supply Heads (WP Only)
- 16. Railroad Regiments (WP Only)
- 17. Break-Down and Recombination
- 18. Artillery Units
- 19. Headquarters
- 20. Flak Units
- 21. Combat Engineers (WP Only)
- 22. Setup
- 23. Reinforcements
- 24. Replacements
- 25. Weather (Optional)
- 26. Chemical Warfare (Optional)
- 27. Nuclear Warfare (Optional)
- 28. Strategic Escalation (Optional)
- 29. Air War
- 30. Helicopters
- 31. Naval War
- 32. Bases
- 33. Alpine Units (Optional)
- 34. Special Forces (Optional)
- 35. Recon Air Units (Optional)
- 36. Bridges
- 37. Repair
- 38. External Events
- 39. Tension
- 40. Rules of Engagement
- Errata (Version 2, 11/05/2022)
1. Introduction
1985: Sacred Oil is a brigade/divisional level simulation of a Middle East conflict between Soviet Union and United States in 1985. Depending on the decisions taken, war could remain limited to the region or escalate to a global conflict between NATO and Warsaw Pact.
The six Operational Maps depict the area from Caspian Sea to Strait of Hormuz and from Baghdad to Eastern Iran, while the Strategic Map depicts the entire globe on a more abstract scale.
The Campaign Game covers a variable build-up period and the first 50 days of war, while a number of smaller scenarios cover operations over limited areas and shorter time periods.
2. Game Equipment
2.1 The Game Map
The six map sections slightly overlap to form the complete game map.
Each map is coded with a letter, used on counters and other charts to identify a specific map section. For example, a counter with deployment K1005 will start the game on Map K, hex 1005.
A white grid is superimposed on the map, subdividing it into blocks of 61 standard hexes, called a Megahex and used by Air and Naval movement.
2.2 The Playing Pieces
The pieces represent troops, aircraft and ships that could have been used in a conflict in the Southwest Asia region.
Ground units have a standard NATO size symbol printed on them. Air and helicopter units represent individual squadrons and have no printed unit size. SAM units represent air defence groups, ranging from single "heavy" batteries to several smaller batteries. Naval units may represent a single vessel or a group of up to 8 vessels.
2.3 Game Scale
Each hex represents 14 kilometres. Each Turn represents two days of actual time.
2.4 Parts Inventory
A complete game of 1985: Sacred Oil includes the following:
- 6x Operational Maps
- 1x Lines of Communication Map
- 1x US Faction, 1x Soviet, 1x Iran and 1x Iraq Airfield Charts
- 1x US and 1x Soviet Naval Tactical Display Chart
- 1x US and 1x Soviet Air Superiority Chart
- 81x Event / Mobilization cards
- 7x Counter sheets, each with 280 counters or markers
- 1x Rules booklet
- 1x Scenarios and Designers' Notes booklet
- 1x Field Manual with operational examples
- 2x Tables booklets
- 2x 1D20 dice
3. General Rules
3.1 Definition of Terms
ADA Flak: Air Defence Artillery, a mobile Support Unit armed with guns or missiles and with a printed Flak Rating and Range.
Air Group: A group of up to 3 aircraft squadrons, assigned to the same Air Mission. Air Groups are used to resolve enemy Flak Fire.
Air Space: A country or faction air space includes all the Megahexes completely inside the country territory, and all the LOC Boxes marked as part of the country territory.
Air Superiority Area: A map area where both Players fight for Air Superiority or where a Player has achieved Air Superiority.
Alliance: NATO and Warsaw Pact are the two Alliances that could join the conflict, depending mostly by Moscow strategic decisions.
Assault: An Assault represents the engagement of enemy units in combat with the goal of inflicting losses or dislodging them from their current location.
AEW: Airborne Early Warning aircraft, equipped with powerful on-board radar and communication systems. They are used to identify enemy air traffic and coordinate friendly air missions. In game, AEW squadrons give an advantage in air combat.
Barrage Strength: Artillery units may support friendly ground units in combat by using their Offensive or Defensive Barrage Strength.
Battalion: A battalion has an II symbol and may be a component element of a brigade, as indicated by the designation on the counter. (i.e. 2/5 indicates 2nd Battalion of 5th brigade). Independent battalions have no slash (/) in their designation number.
Break-Down: Division and some brigade units can be broken down into their component elements (a variable number of brigades, regiments or battalions).
Brigade: A brigade has an X symbol on its counter and is typically a component element of a division, as indicated by the designation on the counter (i.e. 2/1 indicates the 2nd brigade of the 1st division). Independent brigades not subordinated to a division have no slash (/) in their designation number.
Cadre: Cadre represents the level of skill and training of personnel in a ground unit. The higher the Cadre, the better trained the unit is. Most units start the game with a Cadre Rating which is dependent upon their nationality and type. Combat Units may lose their original rating in combat and assume a Veteran Cadre Rating, representing gained experience in real combat (if the original rating was lower) or loss of non-replaceable, highly trained troops (if the original rating was higher).
Combat Strength: Most of ground units have two or more printed values, representing their Combat Strength in various situations (Attack, Defence, Artillery support and more).
Combat Radius: The maximum distance in Megahexes an aircraft can travel from its base, execute a mission and return to its original airfield when carrying its full ordnance.
Combat Unit: A Combat Unit is a division, brigade, regiment or battalion with a printed Attack and Defence value.
Commitment: The level of support and collaboration offered to United States or Soviet Union by another country.
Contingency Defence: Some Support Units have an orange Contingency Defence value, used in ground combat when not stacked with friendly Combat Units.
Displacement: When a Warsaw Pact Front Supply Head is either successfully engaged in ground combat or attacked by air units, it is displaced. A displaced Front Supply Head is moved back 5 hexes.
Division: A division has a XX symbol on its counter. Soviet Union, Iran and Iraq typically operate in division-sized units, while most other countries are structured to have brigades acting as autonomous units.
ECM Squadron: An air squadron operating powerful Electronic Counter Measures equipment, used to jam or disrupt enemy radars. An ECM squadron can be assigned to a mission to lower the effectiveness of enemy air squadrons and flak units.
Electronic Warfare: Electronic Warfare (EW) units are used to jam enemy radio traffic, hampering or blocking coordination of the various combat elements needed by modern warfare.
Entry Area: A megahex connecting the Operational Map with an Entry Box on the LOC Map and with Off-Map Bases having the same code (for example, TC2 or TK2).
Faction: Soviet Union and United States are the two Factions controlled directly by the Players. Other countries could join or support one of the two Factions, depending upon the political and military events.
Fatigue: Units may move and fight during hours normally dedicated to rest and refit in order to increase their standard Movement Allowance. However, doing so may expose them to Fatigue, hampering their movement and combat efficiency.
Flak: Flak is a generic term indicating any ground-to-air weapon used to engage enemy aircraft and helicopters. Several types of Flak are represented in the game, from fixed SAM (Surface Air Missile) to mobile ADA (Air Defence Artillery).
Independent Formation: A unit with no parent unit designation (i.e. a slash followed by a number or code) is referred to as an Independent Formation.
LOC Map: Lines Of Communication map. A strategic map used by both sides to move forces and determine supply, and organized in LOC Boxes connected by land, sea or air routes. A LOC Box can also be connected to an Off-Map Base having a corresponding LOC Code. Movement and Combat on the LOC Map have in several cases their own rules.
Markers: various markers are used in the game to show units status, additional temporary terrain effects and similar.
Megahex: A block of 61 standard hexes, used by Air and Naval units.
Mode: Each ground unit is always in one of three possible Modes: Tactical (the default mode, suited for normal movement and combat), Road (ideal for moving fast, but vulnerable to ground and air attacks) or Hedgehog (entrenched, ideal for defense but allowing no movement).
Movement Allowance: A quantification of a unit's ability to move a certain distance during a Turn.
NATO: The following represented countries are part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization: France (FR), Greece (GR), Italy (IT), Turkey (TU), United Kingdom (UK), United States (US). Please note that the terms "NATO" and "US Faction" are not synonyms throughout the rules, and some countries (for example United States) are members of both.
Nuclear Pulse: Nuclear Pulses measures the strength of a Nuclear Attack. Each Nuclear Pulse represents a variable number of nuclear warheads adding up to the Kilotons required to affect the area covered by one battalion.
Off-map Base: Both sides have Airfields or Naval Bases not represented on map. Several Off-Map Bases have one or more Entry Areas and the corresponding Distance listed in their holding box (for example, TC2:4).
Operational Map (OpMap): The hex-structured map covering the main conflict area.
Recombination: The component units of a division or brigade may, under certain conditions, recombine and form the complete division or brigade.
Replacement Step: A Replacement Step is used to replace losses incurred by a ground unit. Each Replacement Step is worth approximately one battalion.
SAM Flak: A fixed Flak Unit, armed with Surface-Air Missiles, with a printed Flak Rating and Range.
Small Combat Unit: A battalion or smaller formation, with its values printed in Light Blue (NATO and US Faction) or Pink (Warsaw Pact and Soviet Faction). Small Combat Units are Combat Units, but do not exert a ZOC and use specific rules during Ground Combat.
Step: Each unit has a certain number of Combat Steps or Steps. Losses on the unit are absorbed by losing one or more Steps.
Support Unit: A Support Unit is an Artillery, Basij Militia, Brigade Base, Headquarters, SSM, Electronic Warfare, Railroad Regiment, Front Supply Head, Combat Engineer, SAM or mobile flak (ADA) unit.
Transport Capacity: Some aircraft, helicopters and ships have a blue Transport Capacity value, used to transport units and supply. Some Ships have an Orange Transport Capacity value, used to transport supply and specific unit types.
Undeveloped Land Connections: These are found on the LOC chart and represent areas where the transport infrastructure; roads, rail, canal etc is particularly poor and which impacts the ability to deliver supplies in volume. In game terms the use of an "undeveloped land connection" will render a supply source incapable of providing general supply.
Warsaw Pact (WP): The following countries are part of the Warsaw Pact: Bulgaria (BU), Czechoslovakia (CZ), East Germany (EG), Hungary (HU), Poland (PO), Romania (RO) and Soviet Union (SU). Please note that the terms "Soviet Faction" and "Warsaw Pact" are not synonyms throughout the rules, and some countries (for example Soviet Union) are members of both.
3.2 Fractions
All fractions are rounded down, unless specified otherwise in the rules.
4. Sequence of Play
Each Turn is played using the following sequence:
- Weather Phase Soviet Player determines Weather for the current Turn.
- Tension Phase a. Both Players make declarations of war. b. Soviet Player selects the Soviet Faction Events. c. US Player discovers Soviet Events, adjusts Tension Cost and rolls on the Tension Table. d. US Player selects the US Faction Events. e. Soviet Event Cards are implemented, followed by US Event Cards.
- Convoy Phase Both sides allocate or deallocate ships to convoys and trace each convoy's route.
- External Events Phase a. Both Players commit forces to External Fronts. b. Events are determined for each External Front.
- WMD Release Phase Both Players request the release of Weapons of Mass Destruction.
- SSM Attacks Phase Soviet Faction conducts SSM-Delivered Chemical Attack.
- Air Superiority Phase a. Air Superiority Placement Phase: Both Players alternate in placing Air Superiority markers on the map. b. Surveillance Placement Phase: Both Players place ASW Surveillance and Naval Surveillance markers on the map. c. Air Superiority Allocation Phase: Both Players secretly allocate Air squadrons to Air Superiority areas. d. Air Superiority Resolution Phase: For each Air Superiority Area, Players resolve Air Superiority Combat.
- Nuclear Strike Phase Players deliver and resolve Nuclear Attack on ground targets.
- Soviet Faction Action Phase a. Reinforcement Phase: Available reinforcements are placed on the map or near their entry hexes. b. Replacement Phase: Replacement steps are received and incorporated into units. c. Special Forces Raid Phase: Special Forces Raids are planned and executed. d. Movement Phase: Land and Naval Units move, engage in combat and resupply as required. e. Removal Phase: Flak Suppression, No ZOC, Breakthrough markers are removed. Interdiction Markers not placed during the current Action Phase are removed.
5. Land Movement
Generally speaking, each unit has 20 movement points (MPs) to expend during the Movement Phase. MPs are expended for most game activities, including Combat. A unit may move, initiate Combat against enemy units and, if the combat result allows it, continue moving.
5.1 Moving Ground Units
- During a Movement Phase, a Player may move all, some, or none of his units.
- Units must be moved one at a time (Exception: see 5.2).
- Players may not initiate movement for a unit before the movement of the previously moved unit is completed.
- Each hex entered or action taken costs a variable number of MPs (see Terrain Effects and Ground Movement Costs tables).
- Each LOC Box entered costs a variable number of MPs (see LOC Movement Table).
- A unit can move from an Off-Map Base to the connected LOC Box or vice-versa at the cost of 2 MPs in Road Mode, or 4 MPs in Tactical Mode.
- A unit may never enter a hex, Base or Box unless it can expend the required number of MPs.
- A ground unit may never enter an All-Sea or Lake hex, except when transported.
- A friendly unit may not enter a hex containing an enemy unit except during a Special Forces Raid (see 34).
- A unit must cease movement upon entering an enemy Zone of Control. Once a unit is in an enemy Zone of Control, it may leave only under certain conditions (see 6 and 9.7).
- A ground unit cannot move directly from an Off-Map Base to the Operational Map but must use LOC Map Movement instead.
5.1.1 LOC Map Movement
- A ground unit can move only on Land Boxes and can use only Land Connections.
- A ground unit expends a variable number of MPs for each Connection used, depending upon its Mode and by the Connection type (see Ground Movement Costs Table).
- A ground unit expends a variable number of MPs to move from a Transit Box to a connected Off-Map Base, depending upon its Mode (see Ground Movement Costs Table).
- A ground unit expends no MPs to move from an Entry Box to a hex on the map edge and inside a Megahex having a corresponding Entry Code, or vice-versa.
5.2 Moving More Than One Unit
Under certain circumstances, units that begin the friendly Movement Phase stacked together may move at the same time.
- Support Units starting the friendly Movement Phase in the same hex as a Combat Unit may move with that Combat Unit. Example: If a Soviet division is stacked with an artillery regiment and a Combat Engineers unit, all three units could be moved together.
- Support Units moving with a Combat Unit may be left behind (i.e. "dropped off") at any time but cannot be moved again for the remainder of the current Turn.
- Combat Units may never move together. Example: If two brigades are stacked in a hex together, each brigade must be moved individually.
- A Player may expend MPs for a unit that will be moved later in the current Movement Phase in the case of Break-Down (see 17.1).
- A Player may expend MPs for a unit that has already moved but is being recombined with other units later in a Movement Phase (see 17.2).
5.3 Ground Unit Modes
A unit is always in Road, Hedgehog, or Tactical Mode. Each mode offers specific advantages and disadvantages. See the Movement Costs Chart for the MP cost to change Mode.
A unit in Tactical Mode:
- Pays the MP cost under the Tactical Mode column on the Terrain Effect Chart.
A unit in Road Mode:
- Pays the MP cost under the Road Mode column on the Terrain Effects Chart, except when moving in Arctic terrain.
- Exerts no Zone of Control.
- Cannot attack enemy units.
- Has an adverse modifier when defending in Ground Combat.
- Has an adverse modifier when attacked by Ground Strike Missions and Nuclear Attacks.
A unit in Hedgehog Mode:
- Cannot move.
- Exerts no Zone of Control.
- Cannot attack enemy units.
- Cannot retreat in case of a D result when defending from an attack.
- Has a favourable modifier when defending in Ground Combat.
- Has a favourable modifier when attacked by Ground Strike Missions and Nuclear Attacks.
The following units have special considerations regarding their Mode:
- Support Units cannot use Hedgehog Mode.
- SSM units, Mobile ADA units, Soviet railroad regiments, and EW units moving alone (not stacked with a Combat Unit) are considered as moving in Road Mode.
- SSM units, Mobile ADA units, Soviet railroad regiments, and EW units have no adverse die roll modifier for Road Mode if attacked by an enemy Ground Strike / Nuclear Strike Mission when not stacked with Combat Units.
5.4 Fatigue
Units may exceed their Basic Movement Allowance of 20 MPs, but in doing so they are subject to Fatigue. A unit that is at either Level 1 or Level 2 Fatigue is Fatigued. Using Fatigue, a unit can expend a maximum of 50 MPs used. In no case may a unit expend more than 50 MPs per Movement Phase.
5.4.1 General Rules
- At the instant a unit exceeds its Basic Movement Allowance by 1 MP, the owning Player rolls a die on the Basic MP +1 Fatigue Table to determine if the unit incurs in Fatigue.
- At the instant a unit exceeds its Basic Movement Allowance by 11 MPs, the owning Player rolls a die on the Basic MP +11 Fatigue Table to determine if the unit incurs in Fatigue.
- At the instant a unit exceeds its Basic Movement Allowance by 21 MPs, the owning Player rolls a die on the Basic MP +21 Fatigue Table to determine if the unit incurs in Fatigue.
- If the expenditure of MPs for an assault requires a die roll for a possible increase in the Fatigue Level of the Assaulting unit, roll for Fatigue before rolling for combat.
- If upon entering a hex, a unit expends sufficient MPs to qualify for two Fatigue die rolls (e.g., it expends 11 or more MPs over and above its Movement Allowance by moving into that hex), then the die is rolled twice before any other action occurs.
- A unit can remove Fatigue at the beginning of its movement by expending 10 MPs for each removed Fatigue Level.
Example: A Warsaw Pact unit with no Fatigue has expended 19 MPs and enters a Rough-1 hex in an enemy Zone of Control. The Warsaw Pact unit must expend 4 MPs for the Rough-1 hex, 4 for entering an enemy ZOC and 4 to execute a Standard Assault, bringing the total of expended MPs to 31. WP Player first rolls a die for having exceeded the Movement Allowance by 1; the roll is 12, so the unit must increase Fatigue by one level. WP Player then consults the table for having exceeded the Movement allowance by 11, and the unit now at Fatigue 1 incurs automatically in an additional level of Fatigue. The unit is now at Fatigue 2 and the Combat resolution Sequence is started.
5.4.2 Effects of Fatigue
- Whenever a unit reaches Level 1 Fatigue, a Fatigue 1 marker is placed under the unit. Add one MP to the cost of each hex entered by a unit at Level 1 Fatigue.
- Whenever a unit reaches Level 2 Fatigue, a Fatigue 2 marker is placed under the unit. Add 2 MPs to the cost of each hex entered by a unit at Level 2 Fatigue.
- The Fatigue Level of a Combat Unit has adverse effect on its efficiency in Land Combat (see Combat Modifiers).
- The Fatigue Level of Support Units count as a combat modification only if there are no Combat Units stacked with them.
- Fatigue Levels have no effect on the MP cost during rail movement.
5.5 Road Movement
- In order to use a Road, a unit must move from a Road hex to a contiguous Road hex through a hex side traversed by a Road.
- Roads cannot be used to move into a City hex. The moving unit must pay the MP cost for a City hex.
- Roads can be used to move out of a City hex, providing an appropriate Road hex side is available.
5.6 Rail Movement
- A unit that begins the friendly Movement Phase on a Rail hex may move on the rail lines expending ¼ of a MP per hex. The unit must already be in or change to Road Mode in order to use a Rail.
- A unit may use Rail Movement only in its home country, in a country with a Commitment Level of 3 or more toward the unit's Faction, or in a country that surrendered to the unit's Faction.
- In order to use a Rail, a unit must move from Rail hex to contiguous Rail hex through hex sides traversed by a Rail.
- Once a unit leaves a rail hex or violates Case 3, the unit may not use the Rail for the remainder of the current Movement Phase.
5.7 Leg Infantry (Optional)
Some units still predominantly move by foot. This case reflects the different movement allowance of these unit types.
- All units with an Infantry NATO symbol are leg infantry.
- Leg Infantry in Tactical Mode doubles the MP costs paid for Terrain, LOC Movement, Assault and Disengagement.
- When in Road Mode, Leg Infantry pays the Road Mode MP cost only during Rail Movement or LOC Map movement. In all other cases, Leg Infantry in Road Mode pays the MP cost under the Tactical Mode column as per point 2.
6. Zones of Control
The six hexagons surrounding a Combat Unit in Tactical Mode constitute the Zone of Control (ZOC) of that unit. Hexes upon which a unit exerts a Zone of Control are called controlled hexes.
6.1 Zones of Control Effectiveness
- Only division, brigade and regiment sized Combat Units have a ZOC. Small Combat Units and Support Units have no ZOC.
- A unit in Road Mode, Hedgehog Mode or in the LOC Map does not exert a ZOC.
- ZOCs do not extend into or out of City hexes. Zones of Control do extend into and out of Urban hexes.
- ZOCs do not extend across terrain and National Border hexsides that the unit exerting the ZOC could not normally cross for any reason.
- A friendly unit expends MPs to enter an enemy ZOC. A friendly unit may enter an enemy ZOC only if it has enough MPs to expend (see the Terrain Effects Chart).
- All units must cease movement when they enter an enemy ZOC.
- Whenever a friendly unit enters an enemy ZOC, it must immediately stop and initiate combat with all enemy units exerting a ZOC into that hex (Exception: 9.6, Assault From March). A unit that has insufficient MPs to initiate combat must use Fatigue Movement. If a unit still has insufficient MPs to initiate combat, that unit cannot enter the hex.
- A unit that is alone in a hex in a hex in enemy ZOC may only leave as a result of an Assault or Disengagement.
- A unit retreating as a result of a combat loses its ZOC for the remainder of the current Movement Phase (see 9.12).
- A unit may always leave a hex controlled exclusively by friendly units without penalty or condition.
- There is no additional effect for having more than one unit exert its Zone of Control into a given hex.
- During a friendly Movement Phase, a unit located in enemy ZOC may change mode to Tactical Mode or Hedgehog Mode.
- A unit located in enemy ZOC cannot change Mode to Road Mode, unless another friendly Combat Unit in Tactical Mode and not being moved is present in the same hex.
6.2 Effects of Friendly Units over Enemy ZOC
- The presence of a friendly Combat Unit negates enemy ZOC in that hex for purposes of mandatory combat. In other words, a moving unit could reinforce a friendly Combat Unit in enemy ZOC without being forced to attack the enemy units exerting the ZOC. The moving unit cannot move any further after entering the enemy ZOC but could expend its remaining MPs on other actions (i.e. changing mode).
- A unit which begins its movement phase in enemy ZOC may voluntarily leave it if the starting hex also contains a friendly Combat Unit not being moved.
- The presence of a friendly unit negates enemy ZOC in that hex for the purpose of tracing supply.
- The presence of a friendly unit negates enemy ZOC in that hex for the purpose of Retreat, if that friendly unit is not involved itself in the retreat being resolved.
- A Unit must expend additional MPs to move adjacent to a friendly unit that is in enemy ZOC (see Movement Costs Table).
- A friendly Unit which begins its Movement Phase across a Major or Minor river hex side from an enemy unit may voluntarily leave the enemy Zone of Control, but the first hex entered cannot be an unoccupied hex in enemy ZOC.
6.3 Effects of Retreat on Zone of Control
- If a defending unit retreats as a result of Ground Combat, the unit loses its Zone of Control for the remainder of the current Movement Phase and has a "No ZOC" marker placed under it. The marker is placed even if the retreating unit does not normally have a ZOC.
- "No ZOC" markers are removed at the end of the current Movement Phase.
7. Stacking
More than one friendly unit can occupy the same hex, up to the restrictions listed under this rule. Stacking rules are in effect at all times, including during movement.
- A hex can contain 5 friendly brigades / regiments, with a maximum of 3 brigades / regiments of Combat Units, or 1 division plus 2 brigades / regiments of Support Units.
- Artillery, Headquarters, Division Bases, Front Supply Heads and Railroad Regiments are counted as a brigade each.
- SSM, EW, Combat Engineers, Flak, Basij Militia, Brigade Bases and Small Combat Units are counted as half a brigade each.
- The stacking limit for units using Rail Movement is counted separately from the stacking limit of other units in a hex.
- The stacking limit for units using Road Mode and moving along a Road is counted separately from the stacking limit of other units in a hex.
- When a hex contains units in excess of the stacking limit at any time during a Turn, the excess units are eliminated from the game by the opposing Player.
- If a unit is forced to retreat into a hex where the stacking limit would be violated, the owning Player must forfeit retreat and take step losses instead.
- At setup, some hexes could contain units in excess of the stacking limit. In this case, the stacking limit is temporarily ignored but the owning Player cannot move additional units into the hex in question.
- Stacking limit on the LOC Map is used only during Ground Combat.
8. Limited Intelligence
A Player can examine only his own units and the top unit of enemy stacks. Use the following rules for any other case:
- Any marker affecting a hex, Base, Bridge or Coastal Battery may always be examined by both Players.
- An enemy stack adjacent to friendly units may be examined without restrictions.
- An enemy stack in a hex Spotted by a friendly Recon Mission may be examined without restrictions.
- Any marker affecting a unit should be placed under the unit, in order to allow the opposing Player to see the unit counter at the top.
- The following markers affecting an enemy unit may always be examined by a Player: a. No ZOC b. Road Mode when moving a unit c. Hedgehog Mode d. Fatigue Level when moving a unit e. Out of Supply f. Flak Suppressed
- Markers affecting an enemy unit other than those listed above may be examined by a Player only after declaring a Ground Combat or after a successful Recon mission.
- A Player should ask for permission before touching an enemy stack, or alternatively the opposing Player can give the information about the markers that could be examined.
9. Ground Combat
Ground combat occurs during movement. A Combat Unit expends MPs to attack adjacent enemy units.
- Whenever a friendly unit moves into an enemy ZOC, the friendly Player is required to attack all enemy units exerting a Zone of Control into that hex (Exception: 9.6, Assault From March).
- A unit that begins a Turn in an enemy ZOC is not required to attack.
- A friendly unit not in enemy ZOC may attack any adjacent enemy unit. In this case, each hex containing enemy units must be attacked separately.
- Support units not stacked with Combat Units may receive support from air, helicopter and artillery units, should they be assaulted. Ground Combat is then resolved using the standard rules.
- If Support Units with no Contingency Defence Strength are attacked when not stacked with Combat Units and receive no support, they are eliminated after the attacker has executed any form of Assault. Such an attack does not consume any Ammunition Points.
- Enemy Airfields and Naval Bases with no other units on them are Garrisoned Bases and require an Assault before being able to enter the hex (see 32.4).
- Special Forces attacked when not stacked with any other unit may automatically retreat after an Assault is declared by the attacker. A No-ZOC is placed as usual, and the attacker may Advance After Combat.
9.1 Ground Combat Resolution Sequence
To resolve a combat, the following steps are conducted. In each step having both Players involved, the attacking Player goes first.
- Players determine if the combat being resolved is a Small-Scale Combat.
- The attacking Player declares the type of combat (Standard Assault, Column Assault, Assault from March, Single Echelon Assault or Disengagement).
- The attacking Player executes Missile-Delivered Chemical Attacks (WP Only).
- Players determine their supply status and declare the type of supply used (General, Limited, Embedded, Stockpiled or Ammunition Ration).
- Players commit EW units (see 9.19).
- The defending Player declares the type of Defence (NATO Only, see 9.17).
- Players commit Artillery Support (see 18.1), Naval Bombardment (see 31.18) and resolve SEAD Missions and Ground Support Missions.
- Players roll for EW (9.19).
- Final combat odds are calculated by comparing the total attack value with the total defense value and expressing the comparison as a ratio. Each ratio above 7-1 adds one combat modifier to the attacker; each ratio below 1-2 adds one combat modifier to the defender.
- Final combat modifiers are calculated.
- Die is rolled by the attacking Player and the Ground Combat Table is consulted.
- If Embedded Supply was used, the Players adjust the Embedded Ammo levels accordingly. If Stockpiled Supply was used, Supply Points are removed accordingly. If Ammunition Rationing (see 14.5) was used, the relevant Player rolls for actual ammo consumption.
- Players return Ground Support squadrons to a valid Base. Aircraft are placed in the "Used" section of the airfield, while Helicopters are turned upside-down to mark their usage.
- Combat results are implemented (see 9.10 and 9.11).
9.2 Small-Scale Combat
Combat Units with values printed in light blue or pink are Small Combat Units and are subject to the following rules in Ground Combat.
- Any Ground Combat involving only Small Combat Units on both sides (with or without Support Units) is a Small-Scale Combat.
- A Small Combat Unit uses its printed Attack and Defence values only in a Small-Scale Combat. In all other cases, a Small Combat Unit has an Attack Value of zero and a Defence Value of one.
- When all enemy Combat Units involved in a combat are Small Combat Units, friendly Artillery and Ground Support have their Strike and Barrage Strength increased by half their total value.
- A Small-Scale Combat never results in a Breakthrough.
9.3 Standard Assault
As the name says, Standard Assault is a full strength, organized attack against enemy positions. Most of combats resolved will be of this type.
- A Standard Assault costs 4 MPs.
9.4 Column Assault
Column Assault is a form of combat similar to a Standard Assault, but the attacking unit uses only its forward elements and does not employ its full strength.
- A Column Assault costs 2 MPs.
- The Attack value of a unit executing a Column Assault is halved (fraction rounded down).
9.5 Single Echelon Assault (WP only)
In a Single-Echelon Assault, a Warsaw Pact division employs all its regiments in the front line, leaving no forces as second echelon. In other words, Single Echelon Assault is an all-out attack using (and risking) all the divisional assets.
- A Single Echelon Assault costs 6 MPs.
9.5.1 Single Echelon Assault Prerequisites
- The unit launching the Single-Echelon Assault must be a division.
- The unit launching the Single-Echelon Assault can have a maximum of 1 step loss.
9.5.2 Single Echelon Effects
- The Attack Value of the division executing a Single Echelon Assault is multiplied by 1.5.
- If the final Combat Result is not a D, the attacking division must remove one additional combat step. In other words, a C result inflicts one step loss, an A1 result inflicts two step losses, and an A2 inflicts three step losses (reducing the division to its Division Base).
9.6 Assault from March (WP only)
The Assault from March rule simulates the preferred attack method according to Soviet military doctrine. Despite the deceptive name, it is not an attack made without leaving march formation, but a full-strength assault by a division not yet engaged, using speed and surprise to maintain momentum and weaken the defender's ability to call artillery and other support.
Assault from March is a form of combat similar to Standard Assault, but the attacking unit forfeits part of the support by other units in favour of speed and surprise.
- An Assault from March costs 4 MPs.
9.6.1 Assault from March Prerequisites
- The Unit must be a Soviet Category I division.
- The Unit must begin its movement not in an enemy ZOC.
- A Unit entitled to execute an Assault from March may continue to do so until it suffers an adverse Combat result (C, A1 or A2) or the defender chooses not to retreat.
9.6.2 Assault from March Effects
- A unit executing an Assault from March is not forced to attack all the enemy units exerting a ZOC on its hex. The moving Player chooses a single hex to attack, and only the enemy units in that hex will be attacked.
- Friendly Electronic Warfare and Artillery Units can support the attack only if they are moving with the division executing the Assault from March. Any Concentric Assault Bonus is counted normally as in Standard Assault.
- Both the attacker and the defender may add a maximum of 2 Air or Helicopter squadrons as Ground Support.
- The total value of defender's Artillery and Ground Support is halved.
- Should an attacking EW support unit be successful, the total value of defender's Artillery and Ground support would be halved again, thus adding only ¼ of its original value.
9.7 Disengagement Combat
In Disengagement Combat, the unit is trying to break contact with adjacent enemy units in order to move freely.
- A phasing unit may attempt to leave an enemy ZOC in which it begins a friendly Movement Phase using Disengagement Combat.
- Disengagement combat is resolved using the standard Combat Sequence, with the difference that the phasing Player is the defender, and the non-phasing Player is the attacker.
- A unit attempting Disengagement must attempt to disengage from all enemy units whose Zones of Control it is within. The total attack value of all non-phasing Units is used to determine the Combat Ratio.
- A unit attempting Disengagement expends 6 additional MPs. All rules applying to other types of combat also apply to Disengagement, including ammunition expenditure and combat support. Only the results of combat are different.
- A unit failing to Disengage cannot make additional Disengagement attempts during the current friendly Movement Phase.
- Units with an Attack Strength of zero, Out of Supply or Out of Ammo cannot prevent an enemy unit from disengaging.
- In a Disengagement Combat, the combat results have different meanings (see 9.11).
9.8 Concentric Assault Bonus
The "Concentric Assault" rule simulates both Warsaw Pact's "Wave Assault" doctrine and NATO doctrine of using local reserves to attack the flank or rear areas of enemy divisions already engaged in combat. WP regiments give no Concentric Assault bonus because they are not conceived as units capable of independent actions.
When a unit attacks an enemy unit and there are other friendly divisions or brigades exerting a ZOC into the enemy occupied hex, the friendly attacking unit gains one or more column shifts on the Combat Results Table.
- For each additional hex containing a division or brigade sized Combat Unit that exerts a Zone of Control into the hex being attacked, the owning Player gains a one-column shift to the right on the Combat Results Table. Column shifts are cumulative. The adjacent friendly units need not have attacked the enemy unit during the current Turn.
- As ZOCs do not extend into City hex, Concentric Assault is not allowed when attacking an enemy unit in a City hex.
- Friendly units which initiate combat against several defending units located in different hexes receive no Concentric Assault bonus.
- Warsaw Pact Marine and Airborne regiments are considered brigades for the purpose of this rule. Other Warsaw Pact regiments give no Concentric Assault bonus.
Example: A NATO 3D3 brigade is located at hex K3216. A Warsaw Pact 16B12 division moves into hex K3116 and assaults the brigade. The Combat Ratio is 5-1. A C results, and the 16B12 division must cease its movement and may not initiate any further combat. The Warsaw Pact Player moves a 13B15 division into hex K3215 and attacks the same brigade. The Combat Ratio is 4-1, but because of the Warsaw Pact division at K3116, the odds shift one column to the right, so the die result is read on the 5-1 column. A D results and the brigade absorbs a 2-step loss. Warsaw Pact Player can attack again with the same unit, but elects not to do so. Warsaw Pact Player moves in a third division, whose strength is 16B12. The Combat Ratio is 5-1, but because of the other two divisions, the die result is read on the 7-1 column.
9.9 Combat Modifications
For each combat both Players total the combat modifiers to which they are entitled. The Players then subtract the total attacker Combat Modifiers from the total defender Combat Modifiers; the net result gives the row that will be used on the Combat Result Table. See the Combat Modifiers Table for a list of all Ground Combat Modifications.
When more than one Combat Unit is defending against a single assault, combat modifications are calculated for:
- Best terrain.
- Worst supply state.
- Worst fatigue level.
- Worst mode status.
- Total of all step losses.
- Chemical warfare, EW, and "No ZOC" marker if any of the defending Combat Units are affected by them.
9.10 Combat Results for Assault
An Assault will have 4 possible results:
D: The attack was successful, and the defender's position has been compromised.
- The defender decides if his units will take losses and hold the position (see 9.13) or retreat one hex (see 9.12).
- If the defender retreated or is eliminated, place a Breakthrough marker (see 9.14) and execute the Advance after Combat (see 9.15).
- The attacking unit may continue to move or attack, using its remaining MPs.
C: The attack failed, with limited losses for the attacker.
- The attacking unit must stop and cannot move any further. It may spend its remaining MPs for non-movement actions (Change Mode or similar).
A1 or A2: The attack failed, with considerable losses for the attacker.
- The attacker takes losses on the unit involved in the attack (see 9.13).
- The attacking unit must stop and cannot move any further. It may spend its remaining MPs for non-movement actions (Change Mode or similar).
9.11 Combat Results for Disengagement
Disengagement Combat never inflicts losses. A Disengagement Combat will have 3 possible results:
D: The Disengagement attempt failed.
- The defending (phasing) unit must stop and cannot move any further. It may spend its remaining MPs for non-movement actions (Change Mode or similar).
C: The Disengagement attempt was partially successful.
- The defending (phasing) unit may continue moving, but all terrain costs are doubled.
- The attacking (Non-phasing) unit may Pursue the defender (see 9.16).
A1 or A2: The Disengagement attempt was successful.
- The defending (phasing) unit may continue moving, but all terrain costs are doubled.
9.12 Retreat after Combat
When the result for an Assault is D, the defender may choose to Retreat instead of taking Combat Casualties.
The owning Player retreats all the attacked units by one hex, subject to the following rules and limitations:
- All retreated Combat Units have a "No ZOC" marker placed under them and lose their ZOC for the remainder of the current Movement Phase. The marker is placed even under Combat Units normally not exerting a ZOC.
- A unit may not retreat into a vacant enemy ZOC, an enemy-occupied hex, a Breakthrough Zone hex, or across an unbridged Major river hex side. If no path of retreat is available, the unit must take a step loss instead.
- A unit cannot retreat across an Alpine or impassable hex side (exception: 35, Alpine Units).
- A friendly unit not involved in the retreat negates the enemy ZOC in a hex for the purpose of Retreat after Combat.
- Units may not retreat off-map and must take step losses if no other line of retreat is available.
- A unit in Hedgehog Mode can never retreat.
- Combat Units originally having a single Combat Step cannot opt to retreat; should they suffer a D result in combat, they are eliminated. Note: Step Losses does not change the number of Combat Steps of a unit. A brigade has 3 Combat Steps, even with 2 Step Losses.
- Support Units not stacked with a Combat Unit cannot opt to retreat; should they suffer a D result in combat, they are eliminated. This applies to Artillery units too. (Exception: Front Supply Heads). Note: Artillery has 3 combat steps which can be used to absorb step losses caused by enemy Ground Strikes and indirect Combat Losses, but they are useless in case of a direct ground assault against the artillery itself.
- A unit may retreat any number of times during a Movement Phase.
- Stacking restrictions cannot be violated due to retreat. If there's no other retreat path, the defending unit must take a step loss instead.
- If a retreating unit already has a "No ZOC" marker under it, the owning Player must roll a die. On a roll of 1 to 8, the retreating unit loses a step (and could be consequently eliminated); on a roll of 9 to 20, there is no effect.
- After the defending Player has completed the Retreat after Combat, a Breakthrough Marker is placed on the hex where combat took place.
9.13 Combat Casualties
- When the combat result is D and the defender chooses not to retreat or has no retreat path available, every defending Combat Unit must take one step loss. When the attack was conducted by a division sized unit and the defending Combat Units are a single brigade, a single regiment or up to three Small Combat Units, every defending Combat Unit must take two step losses. Example: a Soviet division attacks 3 US brigades defending in two different hexes. The combat result is D and the US Player opts for not retreating. Consequently, each of the 3 US brigades takes one step loss.
- When the combat result is A1, the attacking unit must take one step loss. If the defender is in a city hex, the attacking unit must take two step losses.
- When the combat result is A2, the attacking unit must take two step losses. If the defender is in a city hex, the attacking unit must take three step losses.
- Any artillery unit actively involved in combat and stacked with another unit receiving a step loss must take one step loss, in addition to any step losses inflicted on the unit.
- If all defending units are eliminated by the step losses suffered during combat, the attacker achieves a Breakthrough (see 9.14).
9.14 Breakthrough
If Combat Units normally having a ZOC retreat or are eliminated due to Ground Combat, a Breakthrough marker is placed on the map on every hex previously containing the defending units. The breakthrough marker remains in place for the remainder of the current Movement Phase.
The marker and the six adjacent hexes become a Breakthrough Zone, subject to the following rules and limitations:
- Non-phasing units do not exert a ZOC into a Breakthrough Zone.
- A phasing unit entering a Breakthrough Zone expends additional MPs (see Movement Costs Chart).
- Breakthrough Zones do not extend into neutral countries.
- Breakthrough Zones do not extend across impassable hex sides or into impassable hexes.
- Breakthrough Zones do not extend into or out of City hexes.
- Breakthrough Zones have no effects on non-phasing Player supply paths, but they do allow the phasing Player to trace supply paths across hexes that would be normally blocked due to enemy ZOC. Supply paths traced through Breakthrough Zones do not expend additional MPs.
9.15 Advance after Combat
If defending units with a combat value retreat or are eliminated due to combat, the attacking unit must Advance after Combat.
- The attacking unit (and any support unit stacked with it, at owning Player's discretion) is moved into the hex previously occupied by the defending units.
- If more than one hex was occupied by defending units, the attacking Player chooses which one will be used for the Advance.
- If the MP cost of the hex entered during Advance is more than the MP expended for conducting the attack, the advancing unit must expend the difference in MPs. This could lead to additional Fatigue or even Step loss for the advancing unit.
Example: A Soviet division attacks a US brigade in a Rough-2 hex. Soviet Player decides to conduct a Standard Assault and expends 4 MPs. The Combat result is "D", and US Player decides to retreat, placing a No-ZOC marker on his brigade and a Breakthrough marker in the attacked hex. As Rough-2 costs 6 MPs, the Soviet division must expend 2 additional MPs to advance into the hex.
9.16 Pursuit
One possible result of Disengagement Combat is Pursuit, where the non-phasing unit being disengaged from can pursue the moving phasing unit.
- One of the non-phasing Player Combat Units involved in the Disengagement combat can, at owning Player's will, follow the exact movement path made by the disengaging unit until it stops moving or make another Disengagement attempt.
- Pursuit following Disengagement is never mandatory and may be refused or discontinued at any point by the enemy.
- Pursuit following disengagement may not bring the pursuing enemy unit into the ZOC of a friendly unit other than the one which successfully disengaged; such a ZOC halts the pursuit.
9.17 Active Defence (NATO Only)
Since the '70s, several NATO armies had trained extensively in local counterattacks to seize the initiative, disrupt enemy plans and keep the attacking forces off balance.
In the '80s, this operational approach to the problem of Central Europe defense evolved into Colonel John Boyd's "Counter-Blitz" theory, focusing on the OODA (Observation-Orientation-Decision-Action) cycle as one of the key elements of modern warfare (For more information, see "Patterns of Conflict" by John Boyd).
That said, the basic prerequisite for a successful Active Defence or Counter-Blitz is that the units executing it must have a faster OODA cycle than the enemy. Should this assumption prove wrong, they would find themselves trapped or bogged down.
When defending in a Ground Combat, some NATO units can declare an Active Defence.
9.17.1 Active Defence Prerequisites
- All defending units must be of US, UK, Canadian, French or West German nationality.
- All defending units must be in General Supply.
- At least one defending unit must be a mechanized or armoured Combat Unit in Tactical Mode.
- Defending units cannot be completely surrounded by enemy ZOCs or units.
- No defending unit can have a No-ZOC marker.
- Active Defence cannot be used in a Disengagement Combat.
9.17.2 Active Defence Effects
- Defending units gain a +1 Combat Modifier for the combat being resolved.
- All involved defending units are considered to be using Active Defence.
- If combat result is D, all Defending units using Active Defence must take one step loss in addition to any other incurred loss.
- Active Defence effects are cancelled at the end of the single combat being resolved. If the same unit is attacked again in the same phase, it must check the prerequisites before being able to use Active Defence again.
9.18 Corps Reserves (NATO Only)
As almost any other army in history, NATO planners stressed the importance of having reserve units ready to contain or stop enemy breakthroughs in the front line. Given the game scale, assuming that the defender would not react for 24 hours to a dangerous enemy advance is unrealistic.
Corps Reserves are designated during US Movement Phase and can be activated and moved during any subsequent WP Movement Phase.
9.18.1 General Rules
- A maximum of one Combat Unit per NATO Headquarter can be declared as Corps Reserve.
- The designated Combat Unit must be within 3 hexes from a Headquarter of the same nationality, in General Supply, in Tactical Mode and not adjacent to enemy units.
- The designated Combat Unit expends 10 MPs to enter in "Corps Reserve" status and has a "Reserve" marker placed under it.
- A Combat Unit maintains its Corps Reserve status indefinitely until it is moved or attacked by enemy Ground Combat.
- At the beginning of a Scenario, NATO has no Corps Reserve units unless specifically stated by the Scenario rules.
9.18.2 Activation of Corps Reserves
- After Soviet Player has completed a Ground Combat (including Advance after Combat), but before the attacking unit continues moving, NATO can activate any or all of its available Corps Reserves.
- Each activated Corps Reserve unit can expend a maximum of 6 MPs, using the standard Movement Rules.
- Corps Reserve in an enemy ZOC cannot be activated, unless in a hex with another Combat Unit.
- Activated Corps Reserves cannot enter an enemy ZOC or Breakthrough Area, unless a friendly Combat Unit is already present in the hex.
- Activated Corps Reserves cannot attack enemy units.
- After being activated or moved, a Corps Reserve unit loses its Corps Reserve status.
9.19 Electronic Warfare
Electronic Warfare Units in or adjacent to the Ground Combat hex can be used to influence the combat result.
- During the appropriate step of the Ground Combat Sequence, each Player rolls a die for each employed EW Unit to determine if Electronic Warfare is successful.
- EW cannot be employed against enemy Units defending in Urban or City hexes.
- An EW Unit may be employed an unlimited number of times during a Turn.
- NATO countries EW is successful on a roll from 1 to 13.
- Other countries EW is successful on a roll from 1 to 10.
9.19.1 Electronic Warfare Effects
- Enemy Artillery Support is halved. Attacking Artillery firing from Urban or City hexes is not halved if the Attacking unit is also in an Urban or City hex.
- Enemy Ground Support is halved.
- Any enemy Concentric Assault Bonus is cancelled.
- The opposing Player subtracts 3 from his total Combat Modifiers. The total Combat Modifiers can never be reduced below zero.
- If more than one friendly EW Unit successfully initiates Electronic Warfare, there are no additional effects.
9.20 Fluid Combat (Optional)
This rule simulates a more "fluid" battlefield, giving the attacker the possibility to continue moving and fighting after a partially unsuccessful assault. The rule typically favours Warsaw Pact, who will be able to attack a defensive position repeatedly, also forcing the defender to a higher ammunition consumption.
- When resolving a Standard Assault or Column Assault, a C result does not force the attacking unit to stop. It may continue to expend MPs normally for moving (if not in an enemy ZOC), disengaging, attacking again or any other action normally allowed by the rules.
- When resolving an Assault from March, a C result does not force the attacking unit to stop. It may continue to expend MPs as per point 1, but it may not use Assault from March again during the current Action Phase.
- When resolving a Single Echelon Assault, a C result still forces the attacking unit to stop moving.
10. Combat Steps
- Each ground unit has a fixed number of Combat Steps, and a variable number of Step Losses. Ground units can receive Step Losses for a number of reasons (Combat, Air Strike, Nuclear Attacks and Fatigue).
- Step Losses on units are recorded by using an appropriate Casualty marker.
- Depending on their type, units have a different number of Combat Steps:
| Type | Steps |
|---|---|
| Combat Unit – Division, Brigade, Regiment | 3 |
| Combat Unit – Battalion | 2 |
| Division Base, Brigade Base | 1 |
| Artillery | 3 |
| Other Support Units | 1 |
- NATO, Austrian, Finnish, and Swedish units record Step Losses by using Casualty markers with a 2 printed on the back side. In other words, a unit with one Step Loss has a 1 Casualty marker under it, while a unit with two Step Losses has a 2 Casualty marker under it.
- Units of all other countries record Step Losses by using Casualty markers with a 3 printed on the back side. In other words, a unit with one Step Loss has a 1 Casualty marker under it, while a unit with two Step Losses has a 3 Casualty marker under it.
- If a unit incurs in Step Losses, the owning Player place a Casualty marker under the affected unit, or flip the already existing Casualty marker to reflect the new level of casualties.
- If the Step Losses on a division equals or exceeds its number of Combat Steps, the unit is replaced by its Division Base unit.
- If the Step Losses on a non-division size unit equals or exceeds its number of Combat Steps, the unit is eliminated.
- If a Ground Combat being resolved involves friendly Combat Units, step losses suffered must be absorbed by those Combat Units. If all the Combat Units are eliminated, any Support Unit stacked with them is also eliminated (exception: Front Supply Heads are displaced instead).
- If a Ground Combat being resolved involves only friendly Support Units, any Step Loss suffered eliminates all the involved Support Units (exception: Front Supply Heads are displaced instead).
11. Cadre Rating
At the beginning of the war, most units would have had no recent combat experience; the Cadre Rating of a unit is an estimate of its training, preparation level and will to fight. After acquiring combat experience, units may improve their Cadre Rating. For elite units, the opposite may be true, as the loss in combat of highly trained personnel could actually lower their overall capabilities.
- All units start the game with a Cadre Rating value (see Cadre Rating Table) and are placed on their front side.
- Whenever units participate in ground combat, the worst (lowest) Cadre Rating involved is added to the total Combat Modifications of a Player.
- After each Ground Combat, the Combat Units involved may acquire a Veteran Cadre Rating. Consult the Cadre Rating Change Table, using the die rolled in Combat and flipping any veteran unit on its back side.
- Airborne, Airmobile, Special Forces and Marine are elite units and add 1 to the original national Cadre Rating value. This bonus is lost should the Unit acquire a Veteran Cadre Rating.
- Support Units do not have a Veteran Cadre Rating. They always keep their original Cadre Rating.
12. Lines of Communication
The Lines of Communication (LOC) Map is composed by boxes and connections of different types, and is used by both sides to move forces and supply at strategic level.
Units on the LOC Map move from one Box to another by using the Connection between them and paying the corresponding MP cost (see the specific movement rules for ground, air, naval and helicopter units).
Supply must always be considered on the LOC Map too. Combat at all levels is also possible, even though ground combat will probably happen rarely.
12.1 LOC Map Elements
12.1.1 Move Box
- A Move Box is used for movement only and may contain additional features (for example a Port).
12.1.2 Entry Box
- An Entry Box connects the LOC Map to the corresponding Entry Area on the Operational Map.
- An Entry Area on the Operational Map includes one or more Megahexes, labelled with the same code of the Entry Box (for example, TK2).
- A unit ending its move in an Entry Box must be placed in the corresponding Entry Area on the Operational Map.
12.1.3 Transit Box
- A Transit Box connects the LOC Map to one or more Off-Map Bases having a corresponding LOC Code. For example, Transit Box TK1 is connected to Soviet Off-Map Bases 613 and 615.
12.1.4 Port
- A LOC Box with a friendly Port can be used as embark / debark point by naval units (see 31.3).
- A LOC Box with a friendly Port can be used as Base by Aircraft and Helicopter squadrons (see 29.1 and 30.2).
12.1.5 Supply Source
- A LOC Box with a friendly Supply Source can be used to extend the supply network over both the LOC and the Operational Maps (see 12).
12.1.6 National Territory
- A LOC Box marked as National Territory has restrictions on which countries, Factions and Alliances can access it (see 40.2 and 40.4).
12.1.7 SLOC Boxes
- Sea Line of Communication (SLOC) Boxes represent important sea routes used for transporting supply to strategic locations. Refer to the scenario rules for their utilization.
12.2 LOC Map Combat
12.2.1 Ground Units on the LOC Map
- Ground Units on the LOC Map must be organized in groups.
- Each group must obey the standard Stacking and Movement limitations. In other words, each group represents the units in a single hex.
- Groups can be reorganized during the Friendly Movement Phase, but only before moving any involved group.
- It is possible for both sides to have Ground Units in the same LOC Box.
- Zones Of Control do not exist on the LOC Map.
- Fatigue Movement cannot be used on the LOC Map.
12.2.2 Ground Combat in a LOC Box
Ground Combat on the LOC Map uses the standard rules, with the following exceptions:
- Ground Combat occurs between two groups of units in the same LOC Box.
- The Attacker can use only the units in the group being moved as Attack Force. Any other Combat or Support unit is ignored.
- If the Defender has no group with a "No ZOC" marker in the LOC Box, he can choose which group will be used as Defense Force. Any other Combat or Support unit is ignored.
- If the Defender has one or more groups with a "No ZOC" marker in the LOC Box, the Attacker chooses which group will be used as Defense Force. Any other Combat or Support unit is ignored.
- Only Standard Assault can be executed, at a cost of 8 MPs.
- No Concentric Assault Bonus can be used.
- The Defender has an intrinsic +1 Combat Modifier for Terrain.
- Should the Defender incur a D result, he may opt to retreat using the standard Retreat After Combat rules (Including the placement of a "No ZOC" marker), but any surviving unit stays in the LOC Box where combat occurred.
- There is no Breakthrough or Advance After Combat.
12.2.3 Intrinsic Flak
(Numbering continues from 10 as printed in the source.)
- Any LOC Box marked as part of Warsaw Pact or Soviet Union has one B-Rated Intrinsic Flak.
- Any LOC Box marked as part of NATO, containing a NATO Port or a NATO Supply Source has one A-Rated Intrinsic Flak.
- Intrinsic Flak has no range and can be used against enemy air or helicopter missions targeting friendly units in the LOC Box or the LOC Box itself.
- Intrinsic Flak cannot be destroyed but can be suppressed by a SEAD Mission.
- Intrinsic Flak does not use Flak Ammo.
13. Supply
Units and Air Bases must take supply from a Supply Source in order to function at their maximum capacity. If units are not in supply, they are penalized with respect to their movement and combat capabilities.
The game can be played using only the generic Supply Rules, which are easier to handle. If Players agree, they can use the more realistic Detailed Supply rules.
- The supply status of a Ground Unit is determined at the instant the unit initiates movement and at the instant the unit participates in combat.
- The supply status of an Air Base is determined each time a based Aircraft or Helicopter takes off for a mission.
- The supply status of a Helicopter not based at an Airfield is determined each time it takes off for a mission.
13.1 NATO Supply Sources
All units belonging to a NATO country use NATO Supply Sources to determine their supply status.
- A NATO Supply Source is defined as one of the following: a. A LOC Box with a NATO Supply symbol, or connected by Land Connections to a NATO Supply Symbol. None of the LOC boxes along the path may contain enemy Combat Units without friendly Combat Units also being present. b. A friendly-controlled Road or Rail hex on the map edge and inside a Megahex having an Entry Area corresponding to a Supply Source. c. A Supply Source activated by a Sea Line Of Communication (SLOC).
13.2 Warsaw Pact Supply Sources
All units belonging to a Warsaw Pact country use Warsaw Pact Supply Sources to determine their supply status.
- A Warsaw Pact Supply Source is defined as one of the following: a. A LOC Box with a Soviet Supply Symbol, or connected by Land Connections to a Soviet Supply symbol. None of the LOC boxes along the path may contain enemy Combat Units without friendly Combat Units also being present. b. A friendly-controlled hex on the map edge, with a Road or Rail exiting the map and inside a Megahex having an Entry Area corresponding to a Supply Source.
13.3 Other Countries Supply Sources
Supply Sources for countries not part of NATO or Warsaw Pact are defined as follows:
- A friendly-controlled City or Urban hex inside the National Territory and not surrounded by enemy ZOCs.
- A LOC Box marked as National Territory and not occupied solely by enemy Ground Units.
- If a country has joined the US Faction or NATO, its units may also use a NATO Supply Source.
- If a country has joined the Soviet Faction, its units may also use a Warsaw Pact Supply Source.
13.4 Convoy Supply Source
A Convoy can be used by both sides to activate a Supply Source in a friendly-controlled Port.
- During the End Phase, place a Supply Source marker in the Port hex or slot if all the following conditions are true: a. The Port is friendly controlled and undamaged. b. The Port has a Convoy able to deliver at least 3 Supply Points per Turn (see 31.14). c. The Convoy starts from a Port that is itself able to trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source. d. The inlets or rivers leading to the Port from the sea do not pass through any enemy ZOC.
- A Convoy delivering 3 to 5 Supply Points creates a Limited Supply Source, while a Convoy delivering 6 or more Supply Points creates a General Supply Source.
- The Supply Source marker is removed if the prerequisites do not continue to be fulfilled in any subsequent End Phase.
13.5 Supply Path
- A Supply Path is a continuous path of land hexes or LOC Boxes connected by land.
- The Supply Path starts from the Unit or Base being evaluated and ends at the Unit, hex or LOC Box used to get Supply.
- MP costs are calculated from the start point (excluded) to the end point (included).
- MP costs for a hex are calculated using the Road Mode column of the Terrain Effects Chart.
- MP costs for a LOC Box are calculated using the Movement Type allowed by the Land Connection used.
- Apart from terrain, the only other MP costs used by Supply Path calculation are interdicted hexes (where the required additional MPs must be expended).
- A Supply Path cannot be traced in a hex containing enemy Ground Units, enemy ZOCs, Nuclear Contamination or Chemical Contamination.
- A Supply Path cannot be traced across an unbridged Major River or Mountain hex side.
- A Supply Path cannot be traced in a LOC Box containing enemy Combat Units and no friendly Combat Units.
- Apart from the above, the maximum length and requirements of a Supply Path depend upon the type and nationality of the unit tracing it. (see 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8).
13.6 NATO Supply
All units belonging to a NATO country use the following rules to determine Supply:
- An Off-Map Base with an undamaged Port is always in General Supply.
- Any other Air Base must trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source. If the Base has more than one nationality, the owning Player may decide which one is used for determining supply. Example: Jubail Airfield (526) has a Saudi nationality, and has been made Operational by US Faction, thus gaining an additional NATO nationality. US Player may decide to trace a Supply Path to a Saudi Supply Source or to a NATO Supply Source.
- An Aircraft or Helicopter based at an Airfield or LOC Box has the same supply status of its Base.
- An HQ must trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source.
- Other Ground Units and Helicopters not based at an Airfield must trace a Supply Path of 15 or fewer MPs to an HQ of the same nationality which is itself in supply, to a NATO HQ which is itself in supply, or to a valid Supply Source.
- When a NATO division or brigade is broken down into its component units, a Component Unit must trace a Supply Path of 10 or fewer MPs to its Division/Brigade Base which is itself in supply. If the Division/Brigade Base has been eliminated or has not yet entered the game, the component unit is considered an Independent Formation tracing its supply as per point 5.
- (optional) US and UK brigade-sized units ignore point 6 above. They trace their Supply Path to an HQ or to a valid Supply Source, as per point 5. In the '80s, several NATO countries moved the logistical equipment and organization to brigade level, giving them a higher degree of independency.
13.7 Warsaw Pact Supply
All units belonging to a Warsaw Pact country use the following rules to determine Supply:
- An Off-Map Base with an undamaged Port is always in Limited Supply, unless already in General Supply by other means.
- Any other Air Base must trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source. If the Base has more than one nationality, the owning Player may decide which one is used for determining supply.
- An Aircraft or a Helicopter based at an Airfield or LOC Box has the same supply status of its Base.
- A Front Supply Head must trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source. The Supply Path must be traced exclusively on hexes containing Rail, Road, City or Urban, except for a maximum of 5 hexes.
- An HQ must trace a Supply Path of 10 or fewer MPs to a valid Supply Source, or to a Front Supply Head which is itself in supply.
- Other Ground Units and Helicopters not based at an Airfield must trace a Supply Path of 10 or fewer MPs to a WP HQ which is itself in supply, to a Front Supply Head which is itself in supply, or to a valid Supply Source.
- When a WP division or brigade is broken down into its component units, a Component Unit must trace a Supply Path of 5 or fewer MPs to its Division/Brigade Base, to a WP HQ, to a Front Supply Head or to a valid Supply Source. The unit used to get supply from must be itself in supply. Generic Component Units having no Designation may also trace a Supply Path to any Division Base.
13.8 Other Countries Supply
Other countries use the following rules to determine if they are in Supply (numbering continues from 8 as printed in the source):
- An Air Base must trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid Supply Source. If the Base has more than one nationality, the owning Player may decide which one is used for determining supply.
- A HQ must trace a Supply Path of 10 or fewer MPs to a valid Supply Source.
- Other Ground Units and Helicopters not based at an Airfield must trace a Supply Path of 10 or fewer MPs to a HQ which is itself in supply, or to a valid Supply Source.
- When a division or brigade is broken down into its component, each Component Unit must trace a Supply Path of 5 or fewer MPs to its Division/Brigade Base, to a HQ, or to a valid Supply Source.
- In all cases, any HQ involved in the supply chain must be of the same nationality of the unit.
13.9 General Supply
- A Supply Source is in General Supply if it does not use Undeveloped Land Connections.
- A Unit or Base is in General Supply if it can trace a valid Supply Path not using Undeveloped Land Connections to a Unit or Supply Source that is itself in General Supply.
- A Unit or Base in General Supply suffers no adverse effects due to Supply.
13.10 Limited Supply
- A Supply Source is in Limited Supply if it uses one or more Undeveloped Land Connections.
- A Unit or Air Base is in Limited Supply if it traces a valid Supply Path using one or more Undeveloped Land Connections, or to a Unit or Supply Source that is itself in Limited Supply.
13.10.1 Limited Supply Effects
- A Ground Unit starting its Movement Phase in Limited Supply may not expend more than 20 MPs during a friendly Movement Phase.
- A Ground Unit involved in Ground Combat while in Limited Supply adds 2 to the enemy Combat Modifiers.
- An Air Base, Aircraft or Helicopter in Limited Supply suffers no adverse effect.
13.11 Out of Supply
13.11.1 Going Out of Supply
If a unit is unable to trace a Supply Path to a Supply Source, its supply status will deteriorate quickly until the unit is considered Out of Supply.
- A Ground Unit that is not in Supply when moving or involved in Ground Combat has a Fuel-1 marker placed under it.
- A Ground Unit with a Fuel-1 marker that is in Supply at the beginning of a friendly Movement Phase has the Fuel-1 marker removed.
- A Ground Unit with a Fuel-1 marker that is not in Supply at the beginning of a friendly Movement Phase has the Fuel-1 marker changed to an Out of Supply marker. The unit is now considered Out of Supply.
- An Air Base, Aircraft or Helicopter that is not in Supply is considered immediately Out of Supply.
13.11.2 Out of Supply Effects
- An Out of Supply Ground Unit may not expend more than 5 MPs during a friendly Movement Phase. This condition continues until the unit is in Supply again.
- An Out of Supply Ground Unit cannot voluntarily initiate combat.
- An Out of Supply Ground Unit involved in combat adds 8 to the enemy Combat Modifiers.
- An Out of Supply Aircraft or Helicopter can execute only Ferry Missions.
13.12 Supply and Transport
- A Ground Unit transported by aircraft or helicopters keeps the same supply status it had when embarked for the remainder of the Turn.
- A Ground Unit amphibiously landed is automatically in General Supply for the remainder of the Turn.
- In the Turn following the debarkation, an Airmobile, Airborne, Marine or Special Forces unit is in Limited Supply if Its current hex is not inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area.
- Airmobile, Airborne and Marine units may be treated as independent Formations or as division components for supply purposes, at the owning Player's choice.
14. Detailed Supply (Optional)
Detailed Supply expands the generic Supply rules, introducing Embedded Supply and Stockpiled Supply. This gives more realism and flexibility on one side, and more problems and complexity on the other.
When using Detailed Supply, ignore the following rules:
- 13.4, Convoy Supply Source
- 13.7, Warsaw Pact Supply, point 1
- 13.10.1, Limited Supply Effects, point 1
- 13.11.1 Going Out of Supply
- 13.12, Supply and Transport, point 3
14.1 Supply Status
- The supply status of a Ground Unit is determined at the instant it initiates movement, at the instant it participates in combat and at the instant it tries to replenish its Embedded Supply.
- The supply status of an Airfield is determined each time a based Aircraft or Helicopter takes off for a mission.
- The supply status of a Helicopter not based at an Airfield is determined each time it takes off for a mission.
- A unit or Base able to trace a valid Supply Path can be in General Supply (see 13.9) or Limited Supply (see 13.10).
- A unit or Base not in General or Limited Supply is Out of Supply.
14.2 Embedded Supply
A Combat Unit not in General Supply may expend Embedded Supply to use its full movement and combat capabilities. Embedded Supply has two different forms: Ammunition (used for combat) and Fuel (used for movement).
- Each Combat Unit has a maximum number of Embedded Ammunition and Fuel Points, depending on its Nationality and Type:
| Country / Unit Type | Ammo | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| NATO countries | 2 | 2 |
| Warsaw Pact countries | 3 | 3 |
| Other countries | 2 | 1 |
| Leg Infantry, all countries | 2 | NA |
- If a division or brigade breaks down or recombines, the number of Ammunition and Fuel Points owned by the unit(s) on map equals to the lowest number owned by its components before the break down / recombination. Example 1: a NATO division recombines its subordinate brigades, all having their full complement of Ammunition and Fuel Supply except for a single brigade which has 1 Ammunition Point and 1 Fuel Point. The recombined division has 1 Fuel Point and 1 Ammunition Point. Example 2: a WP division with 2 Ammunition Points and 1 Fuel Point breaks down into its component units. Each component unit now has 2 Ammunition Points and 1 Fuel Point.
14.3 Stockpiled Supply
Stockpiled Supply is created by transporting Supply Points to a hex, LOC Box or Base and can be used to overcome the limitations of the standard supply network. See Convoys, Air Resupply Missions, Helicopter Transport and Naval Transport for details about transporting Supply Points.
- A unit may expend Stockpiled Supply for movement, combat, Embedded Supply Replenishment and Missions. Stockpiled supply has only one form and can be expended indifferently as Fuel or Ammunition Points.
- A Ground Unit on the Operational Map must trace a valid Supply Path following the same rules used for its nationality and using the Stockpiled Supply hex as Supply Source (see 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8).
- An Aircraft or Helicopter based on the Operational Map must trace a valid Supply Path using the rules for Helicopters of its nationality and the Stockpiled Supply hex as Supply Source.
- A Unit in an Off-Map Base or in a LOC Box can use Stockpiled Supply in the same Off-Map Base or LOC Box.
- If the Supply Path is valid, a certain number of Supply Points are removed from the Stockpiled Supply used, depending upon the unit receiving or expending them:
| Unit | Stockpiled Supply Used |
|---|---|
| Combat Unit, Battalion | 1 per Fuel / Ammo Point |
| Combat Unit, Brigade / Regiment | 3 per Fuel / Ammo Point |
| Combat Unit, Division | 6 per Fuel / Ammo Point |
| Aircraft / Helicopter Squadron | 1 per Mission |
| Artillery Ammo replenishment | 2 per Ammo Point |
| Flak Ammo replenishment | 1 per Ammo Point |
14.4 Fuel Points Usage
- A Ground Unit Out of Supply at the outset of its movement and expending more than 5 MPs must expend one Fuel Point from Embedded or Stockpiled Supply.
- A Ground Unit in Limited or Out of Supply at the outset of its movement and expending more than 20 MPs must expend one additional Fuel Point from Embedded or Stockpiled Supply.
- A Ground Unit in Limited or Out of Supply at the outset of its movement and expending more than 40 MPs must expend one additional Fuel Point from Embedded or Stockpiled Supply.
- MPs used for removing Fatigue Levels or receiving Embedded Supply are not counted toward the MPs total for Fuel consumption. Example: a Soviet Division Out of Supply and with a Fatigue Level 1 starts moving. It first removes its Fatigue by expending 10 MPs, and subsequently expends 15 additional MPs. Only 15 MPs are counted for Supply expenditure. The unit expends 1 Fuel Point from Embedded Supply, or 6 Stockpiled Supply Points.
- A Ground Unit in Limited or Out of Supply cannot execute a move if it is unable to expend the required Fuel Points by using Stockpiled or Embedded Supply.
14.5 Ammunition Points Usage
- A Ground Unit not In General Supply at the instant of combat may expend one Ammunition Point from Embedded or Stockpiled Supply in order to fight at its full potential.
- A Ground Unit Out of Supply and unable to expend Ammunition Point cannot initiate combat.
- A Ground Unit Out of Supply and unable or unwilling to expend the required Ammunition Point adds 8 to the enemy Combat Modifiers.
- A Ground Unit in Limited Supply and unable or unwilling to expend the required Ammunition Point adds 2 to the enemy Combat Modifiers.
- A Ground Unit expending Ammunition Points from Stockpiled or Embedded Supply may use Ammunition Rationing. Ammunition Rationing adds 2 to the enemy Combat Modifiers. At the end of the combat, the owning Player rolls a die: if the result is 1 to 10, the unit must expend one Ammunition Point from Stockpiled or Embedded Supply.
- A WP unit using Single Echelon Assault or a NATO unit using Active Defence cannot use Ammunition Rationing.
14.6 Embedded Supply Replenishment
- During the End Phase of a Turn, a non-Warsaw Pact Combat Unit may receive Embedded Supply: a. A unit in General Supply may receive up to the full complement of Embedded Supply. b. A unit in Limited Supply may receive one Ammunition and one Fuel Point. c. A Unit not in General or Limited Supply may receive up to its full complement of Embedded Supply using Stockpiled Supply (see 14.3).
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a Warsaw Pact Combat Unit may receive 1 Fuel Point and 1 Ammunition Point by expending MPs (see Movement Costs Chart). The unit must be in General or Limited Supply, or able to trace a Supply Path to Stockpiled Supply, in which case an appropriate number of Supply Points must be expended (see 14.3).
- A Warsaw Pact Combat Unit cannot receive more than 1 Ammunition Point and 1 Fuel Point of Embedded Supply during a single Movement Phase.
15. Front Supply Heads (WP Only)
A Front Supply Head (FSH) is the main logistical hub for a Warsaw Pact Front.
- An FSH is a Support Units with 1 Combat Step.
- An FSH has no MPs and cannot move alone. It must be moved using Soviet Railroad Regiments (see 16).
- An FSH can move only on the Operational Map.
15.1 Front Supply Head Arrival
- During the Reinforcement Phase of the arrival Turn, an FSH and any accompanying Railroad Regiment are placed on a friendly-controlled Road or Rail hex that is a valid Supply Source. If these conditions cannot be met, the units are re-scheduled for the next Turn.
15.2 Front Supply Head Displacement
- When an FSH is involved in a Ground Combat and the Combat Result is D, the FSH is Displaced.
- When an FSH is attacked by a Ground Strike Mission and the result is 1 or +, the FSH may be Displaced (see 15.2).
- To displace an FSH, Soviet Player moves the FSH 5 hexes back toward a map edge Rail or Road hex used by the FSH to draw supply. Any Support Unit currently stacked with the FSH may be displaced with it, at owning Player's will.
- If an FSH is less than 5 hexes from the map edge before being displaced, it is eliminated. Any accompanying Railroad Regiment can also be eliminated, at owning Player's will.
- An eliminated FSH returns to the map in the WP Reinforcement Phase of the following Turn. It is placed on any unoccupied, friendly-controlled Rail or Road hex of the same map edge of its elimination. If these conditions cannot be met, it is re-scheduled for the next Turn.
- An FSH can be Displaced an unlimited number of times during a single Action Phase.
15.3 Front Supply Head Redeployment
- During the friendly Reinforcement Phase, Soviet Player can redeploy an FSH and any Railroad Regiment in the same hex.
- The redeploying units are removed from the Operational Map and return as reinforcement in 6 Turns. Place the units on the corresponding slot of the Turn Track.
- During the Reinforcement Phase of the arrival Turn, the units are redeployed using the FSH Arrival procedure.
Example: During Turn 6, Soviet Player decides to redeploy a Front Supply and a Railroad Regiment located in hex I2010. The units are removed from the map and placed on the "12" Slot of the Turn Track. During the Soviet Reinforcement Phase of Turn 12, Soviet Player places both units in hex I6609: the hex is a valid Soviet Supply Source as it is inside a Megahex having a TK2 Entry Area, and the TK2 LOC Box has a Land Connection to the NCauc. 1 Supply Source.
16. Railroad Regiments (WP Only)
Railroad Regiments represent several transport assets used by Warsaw Pact to organize and deploy Front level supply depots.
- Railroad Regiments are Support Units with 1 Combat Step.
- A Railroad Regiment count as one brigade for stacking purposes.
- A Railroad Regiment can move only on the Operational Map, following the movement rules for a Support Unit. Despite its name, it can move on any terrain and is not limited to Rail or Road hexes.
- Each Railroad Regiment has 4 MPs. If a Railroad Regiment does not have enough MPs to enter a hex, it may move there at the beginning of its movement by expending its full Movement Allowance.
- Railroad Regiments cannot employ Fatigue Movement.
- Each Railroad Regiment can transport a Front Supply Head as it moves.
- If more than one Railroad Regiment occupies the same hex at the beginning of the Movement Phase, they may sum their movement capacity up to a maximum of 12 MPs and move together. In this case, the Railroad Regiments can transport only one Front Supply Head and must remain together for the entire duration of their movement.
- An eliminated Railroad Regiment returns to the map in the WP Reinforcement Phase of the following Turn. It is placed on any unoccupied, friendly-controlled Rail or Road hex of the same map edge of its elimination. If these conditions cannot be met, it is re-scheduled for the next Turn.
17. Break-Down and Recombination
During the friendly Movement Phase, a division or brigade can break down into its component units (usually two or three sub-units and a Division/Brigade Base). In addition, during the friendly Movement Phase, the component can recombine to form the parent division or brigade. Both Break-Down and Recombination require the expenditure of MPs by all units involved.
17.1 Break-down
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a unit not in an enemy ZOC may break down into its component units by expending 2 MPs in Road Mode or 4 MPs in Tactical Mode. Replace the original counter with its designated component units.
- After the Break-down, each component unit can be moved separately and has MPs available equal to the number of MPs that the original unit had remaining after concluding the Break-down.
- After the Break-down, each component unit has the same Fatigue Level as the original unit.
- After the Break-down, each component unit has the same Step Losses as the original unit, except for the Division/Brigade Base; the Division/Brigade Base component unit never inherits Step Losses.
- After the Break-Down, each component unit has the same Cadre Rating as the original unit.
- If using Detailed Supply, each component unit after Break-down has the same Fuel and Ammunition Points as the original unit.
17.2 Recombination
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a division or brigade can be recombined when all its component units are in the same hex and not in enemy ZOC. Remove the component units and replace them with division / brigade counter with the same designation or with any division which has been broken down in case of WP components without designation.
- Each component unit expends 4 MPs to Recombine; if any component unit cannot expend the 4 required MPs, Recombination cannot take place. The Players must keep track of the expended MPs for each component unit that has moved and will recombine later during the Movement Phase.
- The recombined unit will have a number of expended MPs equal to the component unit that expended the most MPs.
- Some units do not have all their component units on the map at the beginning of a Scenario. These units cannot be recombined until all the component units have arrived on the map.
- When a Unit recombines, its Fatigue Level equals to the highest Fatigue Level of the recombined component units.
- When a Unit recombines, if any component of the division has lost its original Cadre Rating, the whole division will have a Veteran Cadre Rating.
- If using Detailed Supply rules, the recombined division Fuel and Ammunition Points are equal to the lowest Fuel and Ammunition Points of the recombined component units.
- When one or more component units are surrounded by enemy ZOC, the remaining component units may Recombine by considering the surrounded component units as Eliminated (see point 9 below). The component units not recombined will be treated as Independent Formations.
- When the component units recombine, the Step Losses on the resulting unit are calculated according to the following table. Each eliminated brigade, regiment or battalion counts as 3 Step Losses, and an eliminated Division/Brigade Base count as 1 Step Loss. Surrounded component units not recombining (see Point 8) are counted as eliminated.
| Components Step Losses | Recombined Unit Casualty Marker |
|---|---|
| 0 | None |
| 1–3 | 1 |
| 4–6 | NATO, Austria, Finland, Sweden: 2; Others: 3 |
| 7 or more | Not Allowed |
- NATO units may be usually broken down into 4 elements (Base and 3 brigades or battalions), having the same Parent Designation. The exceptions are listed below:
| Nat. | Unit | Component Units |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1MAF/1M Bde | 1MAF/1M Base, 1/1MAF, 2/1MAF, 3/1MAF, 1T/1MAF |
| US | 7MAB/1M Bde | 7MAB/1M Base, 1/7MAB, 2/7MAB, 3/7MAB, 3T/7MAB |
- Warsaw Pact units may be Broken down or Recombined as follows:
| Nat. | Unit | Component Units |
|---|---|---|
| SU | Arm Cat I | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 4D2 rgts |
| SU | Arm Cat II | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 3D2 rgts |
| SU | Arm Cat III | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 2D1 rgts |
| SU | Mech Cat I | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 2D3 rgts |
| SU | Mech Cat II | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 2D2 rgts |
| SU | Mech Cat III, M | 1x 1C2 Base, 3x 1D2 rgts |
Most Warsaw Pact divisions were actually organized on 4 regiments, but of relatively small size in personnel and not conceived to operate as independent units. Hence the decision to break WP divisions down into 3 regiments.
- Some Iraqi units can be broken down into 4 elements having the same Parent Designation, or into generic brigades as follows:
| Unit | Component Units |
|---|---|
| 4D6 Inf. Div. | 1x 0C1 Base, 3x 1D2 bdes |
| 5D7 Mech. Div. | 1x 0C1 Base, 3x 1D2 bdes |
| 7C5, 6C4 Arm. Div. | 1x 0C1 Base, 3x 2D1 bdes |
18. Artillery Units
Artillery units may support friendly units by adding their firepower to the combat strength of the units involved in Ground Combat. The first number (Offensive Barrage) is used to support attacking units, while the second number (Defensive Barrage) is used to support defending units.
Artillery Units use the following rules:
- Artillery is a Support Unit with 3 Combat Steps and a Contingency Defence Strength.
- An Artillery unit counts as one brigade for stacking purposes.
- An Artillery unit has 3 Ammunition Points.
- Artillery units are always considered Independent Formations and must trace their Supply Paths to a valid Headquarter, Supply Source or Stockpiled Supply.
- During the End Phase of the Turn, all Artillery units in General Supply receive their full allotment of Ammunition Points, and all Artillery units in Limited Supply receive one Ammunition Point. An artillery unit may also receive up to its full allotment of Ammunition Points by expending Stockpiled Supply (see 14.3).
18.1 Artillery in Ground Combat
- In order to use its Barrage strength in a Ground Combat on an Operational Map, an Artillery unit must meet the following prerequisites: a. It must be in Tactical Mode. b. For the defender, it must be within one hex from at least one of the attacked units. For the attacker, it must be within two hexes from at least one of the attacked units. c. It cannot have Step Losses. d. If in an enemy ZOC hex, it must be stacked with a Combat Unit or a non-artillery Unit with a Contingency Defence Strength. e. It must expend one Ammunition Point.
- In order to use its Barrage Strength in a Ground Combat on the LOC Map, an Artillery unit must meet the following prerequisites: a. It must be in Tactical Mode. b. For the defender, it must be part of the Defense Force. For the attacker, it must be part of the Attack Force. c. It cannot have Step Losses. d. It must expend one Ammunition Point.
- An Artillery unit does not expend additional MPs for using its Barrage Strength.
- An Artillery unit may support more than one combat, as long as it has remaining Ammunition Points. An Artillery unit cannot use Ammunition Rationing.
- An Artillery unit stacked with the supported Combat unit(s) or taking part to a combat on the LOC Map must take one Step Loss should the combat result inflicts Step Losses on the friendly units involved.
- During the End Phase of the Turn, Artillery units in General Supply receive their full allotment of Ammunition Points, and Artillery units in Limited Supply receive one Ammunition Point. An Artillery unit not in General Supply may receive up to its full allotment of Ammunition Points from Stockpiled Supply (see 14.3).
19. Headquarters
Headquarters represent the command and logistical structure of an Army, and the supply network heavily relies upon them to function properly.
- A Headquarters is a Support Unit with 1 Combat Step and a Contingency Defence Strength.
- A Headquarters counts as 1 brigade for stacking purposes.
- A Headquarters may be used by friendly Units to trace a valid Supply Path and draw Supply (see 13).
20. Flak Units
Flak Units are Support Units used to defend against enemy air or helicopter squadrons. Three different categories of Flak are represented in the game:
- Fixed Surface-to-Air Missile sites (SAM)
- Mobile Air Defense Artillery (ADA)
- Flak embedded in a Unit (Embedded).
The following rules apply to Flak Units:
- SAM and ADA Units are Support Units with 1 Combat Step.
- A SAM or ADA Unit counts as half a brigade for stacking purposes.
- SAM Units, ADA Units and Embedded Flak with A+, A or B Rating have 3 Flak Ammunition Points.
- Embedded Flak with C or D rating does not use Flak Ammunition Points.
- During the End Phase of the Turn, Flak Units in General Supply receive their full allotment of Flak Ammunition Points, and Flak units in Limited Supply receive one Flak Ammunition Point. A Flak Unit not in General Supply may receive up to its full allotment of Flak Ammunition Points from Stockpiled Supply (see 14.3).
20.1 Flak vs Aircraft
- A SAM or ADA Unit firing at enemy aircraft uses the range in hexes printed on the unit counter and must expend one Flak Ammunition Point. If it has no Flak Ammunition Points remaining, it cannot fire.
- An Embedded Flak with A+, A or B Rating has a 3-hex range when firing at enemy aircraft and must expend one Flak Ammunition Point. If it has no Flak Ammunition Points remaining, it may engage using a C Rating and a 1-hex range (see Point 3)
- A Combat Unit with a ZOC and a C or D rated Embedded Flak has a 1-hex range when firing at enemy aircraft and uses no Flak Ammunition Points, if it is in Supply or has at least one Ammunition Point remaining. If it is Out of Supply and has no Ammunition Points remaining, its Embedded Flak cannot fire.
- A Combat Unit with no ZOC and a C or D rated Embedded Flak has a 0-hex range when firing at enemy aircraft and uses no Flak Ammunition Points, if it is in Supply or has at least one Ammunition Point remaining. If it is Out of Supply and has no Ammunition Points remaining, its Embedded Flak cannot fire.
- A Flak unit on the LOC Map can fire at enemy aircraft only if part of the Attack or Defence Force, or if its group is the target of an enemy air mission.
- A Flak in an Off-Map Base can fire at enemy aircraft targeting the Base or any unit in it.
- A Naval Unit with a A+, A or B Flak Rating, not docked at a Port and not under direct attack can fire at enemy Air Missions targeting its hex or Off-Map Base. Naval Ammunitions expenditure must be checked as usual.
20.2 Flak vs Helicopters
- All ground Flak has a 1-hex range against enemy Helicopter squadrons using normal flight.
- All ground Flak has a 0-hex range against enemy Helicopter squadrons using Nap-Of-Earth (NOE) flight. When resolving a Ground Combat, Embedded Flak of the attacking unit and any other Flak stacked with it may engage enemy Helicopters squadrons using NOE flight and supporting the defense.
- A SAM or ADA Flak firing at enemy Helicopters uses a C Rating (in case of an A+, A, or B flak) or its normal printed rating (in case of a C or D flak) and must expend one Flak Ammunition Point. If the unit has no Flak Ammunition Points remaining, it cannot fire.
- An Embedded Flak firing at enemy Helicopters uses a C Rating (in case of an A+, A, or B flak) or its normal printed rating (in case of a C or D flak) and expends no Flak Ammunition Points, as long as the Unit is in Supply or has at least one Ammunition Point remaining. If a Unit is Out of Supply and has no Ammunition Points remaining, its Embedded Flak cannot fire.
- A Naval Unit cannot use its flak against enemy helicopters.
- A Flak Unit may fire only once at an enemy Helicopter moving in its flak range. Should the helicopter exit its flak range and subsequently re-enter, the Flak Unit would be entitled to fire again.
- A Flak Unit on the LOC Map can fire at enemy Helicopters only if part of an Attack or Defence Force.
- A Flak in a Base Slot can fire at enemy Helicopters moving into the Base or giving Combat Support to an attack to the Base.
20.3 Resolving Flak Fire
- Enemy aircraft may decide to abort their Mission rather than receive Flak Fire. The opposing Player may decide to abort an entire Air Group or only some squadrons. The aborting squadrons are immediately returned to the Used area of any valid Airfield.
- Helicopter squadrons can never abort and must take Flak Fire.
- Players calculate the average Evasion Value for the Air Group being targeted, and consult the Evasion Modifiers Table to find the die roll modifiers to apply. Helicopters do not execute missions in Air Groups, so simply use the Evasion Value of the Helicopter squadron being targeted.
- Players consult the Flak Fire Modifiers Table to determine any additional die roll modifier.
- The Flak owning Player rolls a die and adds the Die Roll Modifiers. He then finds the modified Die Roll on the column corresponding to the firing Flak Rating.
- The result indicates the losses inflicted to the target Air Group or Helicopter squadron, in Destroyed (left number) and Damaged (right number) steps.
- Results are implemented immediately.
- If the Flak uses Ammunition Points, it expends one Flak Ammunition Point. A Flak expending its last Ammunition Point has a "Flak Depleted" marker placed under it.
21. Combat Engineers (WP Only)
Combat Engineers represent regiments and battalions of specialized, combat-trained engineers used by Warsaw Pact.
- Combat Engineers are Support Units with 1 Combat Step and a Contingency Defence Strength.
- A Combat Engineer counts as half a brigade for stacking purposes.
- A Combat Unit involved in Ground Combat while stacked with Combat Engineers adds 1 to the Combat Modifications of the owning Player.
- Combat Engineers may support an unlimited number of Ground Combat during a Turn.
- Using more than one Combat Engineers in Combat has no additional effects.
22. Setup
Units starting on map in a Campaign Game have their initial setup printed on the counter. For smaller scenarios, Players should use the setup supplied with the scenario.
- Units with a map letter followed by a hex number (for example, "K2144") are placed in the indicated map and hex.
- Units with a Base code (for example, "216" or "Ame") are placed in the corresponding Base.
- Units with a LOC Code (for example, "TC1") are placed in the corresponding LOC Box, or in a Base having a corresponding LOC Code.
- Units with a Free setup code can be deployed in any hex, LOC Box or Base inside their national Territory.
- In all cases, a Base chosen for placement must have the same nationality as the unit or, for NATO units, a NATO nationality.
- Naval units deploying at sea can be formed into a Task Force.
- Ground units must be deployed in Tactical Mode. Divisions and brigades can be deployed as a single unit or broken down into their component units.
- Each scenario may have additional setup codes and rules.
23. Reinforcements
The political and military situation in the Southwest Asia Theatre has a range of possible developments, primarily dependent upon the real Soviet strategic intentions and by the level of threat perceived by the Western countries.
Consequently, there is no fixed reinforcement schedule. Each side must decide its level of commitment to the theatre, according to its strategic objectives.
Both sides receive reinforcements during their Reinforcement Phase. Some reinforcements have a fixed arrival turn, while others are determined by the decisions and by the events chosen by each side. For smaller scenarios, a predefined reinforcements list may be supplied.
23.1 Type of Reinforcements
Reinforcements are of two generic types:
- Standard Reinforcements, having a capitalised code followed by the arrival Turn (i.e. "Gt 6" or "Be 5").
- Event Reinforcements, having an E followed by a number with a plus sign (i.e. "E+5").
23.2 Standard Reinforcements Arrival
All Standard reinforcements use the following general rules. Additional rules may apply, depending on the nationality of the Reinforcements.
- Air squadrons are placed in any friendly controlled, undamaged Airfield in General Supply, not in enemy ZOC and not inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area. If no airfield is available, they can be delayed to the next Turn.
- Helicopter squadrons are placed on any friendly controlled, undamaged Airfield in General Supply, not in enemy ZOC and not inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area. If no Airfield is available, they can be delayed to the next Turn.
- Airmobile, Airborne and Special Forces are placed on a friendly controlled, undamaged Airfield in General Supply, not in an enemy ZOC and not inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area. Alternatively, they can be delayed one Turn, or they can enter the next Turn using the reinforcement rules for other ground units of their nationality.
- Other units enter from specific map hexes or specific boxes on the LOC Chart, depending on their nationality. They may enter in Tactical or Road Mode, at owning Player's discretion. An entry hex cannot be occupied by enemy Units or in an enemy ZOC. If there is no available entry point, they can be delayed to the next Turn.
23.3 Event Reinforcements Arrival
(Numbering continues from 5 as printed in the source.)
- Event Reinforcements are activated by playing the corresponding Event Card. For example, reinforcements with a E15 Setup Code are activated by playing the E15 Event Card.
- When an Event Card is played, the units with a corresponding Event Code are placed as Reinforcement on the Turn Track. The arrival Turn equals to the current Turn plus the number printed on the counter after the Event Code.
- During the Reinforcement Phase of the arrival Turn, the units are placed on the map following the instructions on the Event Card.
- If the Event Card list one or more LOC Box as Setup, the unit can be placed in: a. A LOC Box listed on the Card. b. A friendly controlled, undamaged Base with a LOC Code listed on the Card, in General Supply, not in enemy ZOC and not inside an enemy Air Superiority Area.
24. Replacements
In a global conflict between Warsaw Pact and NATO, neither side would have had enough production capacity to replace the equipment lost in combat in the projected timescale of the war. Replacements are therefore late and scarce.
24.1 Ground Replacements
Ground Replacement Points are used to remove Step Losses from ground units and are subject to the following rules:
- Ground Replacement Points can be accumulated from Turn to Turn if not immediately used.
- In order to receive Replacement Points, a unit must be in General Supply and not adjacent to enemy units.
- A unit can use only Replacement Points of its same nationality. Warsaw Pact Allies Replacement Points can be used by any Warsaw Pact country except Soviet Union.
- Removing a Step Loss from a battalion costs 1 Replacement Point.
- Removing a Step Loss from a brigade or regiment costs 2 Replacement Points.
- Removing a Step Loss from a division costs 6 Replacement Points.
- A Brigade Base that is the sole surviving component of a brigade can be rebuilt into a brigade with 2 Step Losses by expending 2 Replacement Points.
- A Division Base that is the sole surviving component of a division can be rebuilt into a division with 2 Step Losses by expending 6 Replacement Points.
- A unit can remove a maximum of one Step Loss per Turn using Replacement Points.
- A unit cannot expend MPs in the Turn during which it received Replacement Points.
- A unit receiving Replacement Points returns to its original Cadre Rating. If the original Cadre Rating was more than 5, the unit keeps its Veteran Cadre Rating of 5.
- An eliminated unit cannot be brought back in existence by using Replacement Points.
24.2 Air Replacements (Soviet Only)
Air Replacement Points can be used to remove Step Losses from air squadrons using the following rules:
- Air Replacement Points cannot be accumulated. If not used immediately, they are lost.
- In order to receive Air Replacement Points, an air squadron must be based in an undamaged airfield, not in enemy ZOC and not in an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area.
- Removing a Step Loss from a squadron requires 1 Air Replacement Point of the same generic aircraft type.
- A previously destroyed air squadron may re-enter play by expending Air Replacement Points of the same generic aircraft type. It may be placed in friendly undamaged Airfield in General Supply, not in enemy ZOC and not in an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area.
25. Weather (Optional)
Even in the Persian Gulf there is a small chance of bad weather, taking different forms depending upon the area: standard rain in the Caspian Sea, sandstorms in Saudi Arabia.
1985: Sacred Oil has only two kinds of weather: Good or Bad.
- During the Weather Phase, Soviet Player determines the weather for the Turn by finding the current Month and making a die roll on the "Gulf" column of the Weather Table.
- Any weather effect is applied on the Operational Map only.
25.1 Bad Weather Effects on Ground Units
- When moving in Tactical mode, all terrain costs to enter a hex or cross a hex side are doubled. Units moving in Road Mode are not affected by Bad Weather.
- The cost to enter an enemy ZOC is reduced to 2 MPs.
- No Airdrops can be executed.
25.2 Bad Weather Effects on Aircraft
- Aircraft with Limited Weather capabilities (Li) cannot perform any missions during a Bad Weather Turn.
- Aircraft executing Ground Support, SEAD, Ground Strike, Recon, Naval Strike and Wild Weasel Missions must roll a die before execution. On a roll of 1 to 10, the mission is aborted. Squadrons in the mission cannot roll again during the current Turn, but can perform Missions not requiring a Weather die roll (for example, Escort or Intercept).
25.3 Bad Weather Effects on Helicopter squadrons
- Helicopters must roll a die before moving. On a roll of 1 to 10, the mission is aborted, and the Helicopter cannot move during the current Movement Phase.
25.4 Bad Weather Effects on Naval Units
- The cost to enter a Megahex in Bad Weather is increased to 2 MPs.
- Cargo reorganization cannot take place in Bad Weather (see 31.3).
26. Chemical Warfare (Optional)
Warsaw Pact had substantial reserves of chemical weapons that could be used with little or no preparation, while NATO chemical weapons were only retained for use by United States and needed transport to the war theatre. Moreover, NATO official policy in 1985 was that any use of chemical weapons by Warsaw Pact would have had a nuclear response.
26.1 Initiating Chemical Warfare
- If US and Soviet Factions are at war, Soviet Player may initiate Chemical Warfare by simply declaring his intention during the WMD Release Phase of the Turn.
- US Player may begin using Chemical Warfare starting on the third Turn following the Soviet initiation of Chemical Warfare.
- Other countries may initiate or are already using Chemical Warfare. See the Scenario rules for details.
- When Chemical Warfare is initiated for the first time, Tension Level is increased by 2.
26.2 Using Chemical Warfare
- When a Player wants to use Chemical Warfare during a Ground Combat, he must declare it during the appropriate step of the Combat Resolution Sequence; the Player must also declare if he is using Persistent or non-Persistent Chemicals.
- If using Persistent Chemicals, a "Chem Area" marker is placed in every hex containing enemy units involved in the combat.
- The Player using Chemical Warfare adds the appropriate combat modifier to their Combat Modifiers Total. It's possible for both Players to use Chemical Warfare during a single combat.
- Use of Chemical Weapons against enemy units in City or Urban hexes has an adverse effect on Victory Points.
26.3 Contamination Zones
- A "Chem Area" marker and its six adjacent hexes constitute a Contamination Zone.
- Whenever a Warsaw Pact unit moves inside a Contamination Zone, all terrain movement costs are doubled. All other MP costs are unaffected.
- Whenever a non-Warsaw Pact unit moves inside a Contamination Zone, all terrain movement costs are tripled. All other MP costs are unaffected.
- Multiple Contamination markers have no additional effects.
- All "Chem Area" markers are removed in the ensuing End Phase.
- Supply paths cannot be traced through a Contamination Zone.
26.4 Missile Delivered Chemicals (WP Only)
- Missile Delivered Chemicals may be used by Warsaw Pact Player only.
- At any time during the Soviet Movement Phase or during the SSM-Delivered Chemical Attack Phase, each SSM unit can deliver chemical warheads to any hex on the map within a 50-hex radius, or to any enemy Units Group located in the same LOC Box.
- Each SSM unit can execute a single attack per Turn (i.e., it can attack during SSM-Delivered Chemical Attack or during WP Movement Phase, but not both).
- A hex or Units Group struck by one or more missile-delivered chemical attacks has an "SSM Chem" marker placed on it. All "SSM Chem" markers are removed in the ensuing End Phase.
- Support units struck by missile-delivered chemicals may be disabled. "Support units" here includes Artillery, Electronic Warfare, SAM and ADA units. In the instant the Support Unit should be used, US Player rolls a die on the SSM Chemical Strike Table to see if the unit is disabled. A disabled unit cannot be used during the currently declared Ground Combat, Ground Strike Mission or SEAD Mission.
- Before using an Air or Helicopter unit based in a hex struck by missile-delivered chemicals, the owning Player must roll a die on the SSM Chemical Strike Table to see if the unit is disabled. A disabled unit cannot be used for the remainder of the current Turn (Exception: point 7 below). Simulations conducted at Ramstein in the '80s concluded that the Soviets did not have the necessary delivery capacity to paralyze a large airfield, but they would have been able to seriously disrupt ground crew operations.
- An Air or Helicopter unit based in a hex struck by missile-delivered chemicals can execute a Ferry Mission without rolling on the SSM Chemical Strike Table. The air / helicopter Ferry rule prevents WP Player to continuously strike some key NATO airfields and make their air assets useless for the whole game. In a real war situation, NATO would have found a way to move the air assets to another airfield, no matter what.
Example: Soviet Player begins a Ground Combat with his moving unit. During the corresponding step of the Combat Sequence, he executes a Missile Delivered Chemical Attack against a hex containing a US Artillery unit that could support the defence. US Player rolls a 6; the artillery is disabled for the Ground Combat being resolved, but returns to its normal functionalities immediately after the conclusion of the attack. Should Soviet Player make a second attack involving the US artillery unit, US Player may roll again to see if the artillery is disabled.
27. Nuclear Warfare (Optional)
Utilization of nuclear weapons would have been undoubtedly one of the biggest "what-ifs" in a conflict between the Superpowers. Players feeling the urge to initiate Nuclear Warfare are strongly encouraged to use Nuclear Warfare rules in conjunction with the optional Strategic Escalation rule.
27.1 Initiating Nuclear Warfare
- If US and Soviet Factions are at war, both sides can initiate Nuclear Warfare by declaring their intention during the WMD Release Phase of a Turn.
- During the Nuclear Strike Phase of the Turn on which Nuclear Warfare is initiated, the initiating Player delivers and resolves all his Ground Nuclear Attacks first, followed by the opposing Player.
- During the Nuclear Strike Phase of any subsequent Turn, the Players alternate in executing their Ground Nuclear Attacks for the current Turn to one target within range of an appropriate delivery system. The Player initiating Nuclear Warfare goes first.
- Naval Nuclear Attacks are executed during the Movement Phase and resolved using the standard Naval Combat sequence.
- When Nuclear Warfare is initiated for the first time, Tension Level is increased by 6.
27.2 Delivering Nuclear Weapons
- Nuclear Weapons can be delivered by the following means: a. A Naval or Ground Strike Mission executed by a Soviet, US, UK or French aircraft with a Strike value of 3 or more. All standard rules are used to resolve mission execution. b. A Soviet, US, UK or Dutch Artillery Unit in General Supply within 2 hexes of the target hex. c. An SSM Unit in General Supply within 50 hexes from the target hex, or in the same LOC Box as the target Units Group. d. A Missile Attack executed by a Soviet naval unit with a Missile Attack Value of 5 or more. e. A Missile Attack executed by Soviet SSG or SSN submarine unit. f. An ASW Attack executed by a Soviet, UK or US submarine with an ASW Attack Value of 3 or more.
- In each Scenario, a Player has a total number of Nuclear Pulses that can be delivered by the appropriate delivery system (Air, Artillery, SSM or Naval). Once the Nuclear Pulses allotment for a certain delivery system reaches zero, the affected Player cannot use it anymore.
- Subject to the restrictions above, there is no limit to the number of Nuclear Pulses an Air Unit can deliver when executing a Ground Strike Mission.
- Subject to the restrictions above, there is no limit to the number of Nuclear Pulses an Artillery unit can deliver when executing a Nuclear Attack.
- An SSM unit can deliver a maximum of 2 Nuclear Pulses per Turn. It could execute two Nuclear Attacks delivering a single Nuclear Pulse, or one Nuclear Attack delivering 2 Nuclear Pulses.
- An Artillery Unit may execute any number of Nuclear Attacks during a Turn, in addition to the normal usage of its Barrage Strength. Artillery Units with Step Losses may deliver Nuclear Attacks.
- A naval unit can deliver a number of Nuclear Pulses equal to the attack value used for the attack type being resolved.
27.3 Resolving Ground Nuclear Attacks
- The Player executing the Nuclear Attack chooses one target hex or Unit Group within range of an appropriate delivery system. Air delivered Nuclear Attacks will require the execution of a Ground or Naval Strike Mission, using the standard procedure (see 29.10 and 29.19).
- The Player totals the number of Nuclear Pulses successfully delivered to the target and rolls a die on the Nuclear Attack Table. The result is the total number of Step Losses inflicted on the target.
- The Player distributes resulting losses among enemy Units, Bases and Bridges in the target as he sees fit. Naval units in Port can be included.
- A Base or Bridge is damaged by assigning 2 step losses to it.
- A Combat Unit in Hedgehog Mode hit by a Nuclear Attack absorbs the first Step Loss assigned without consequences; in other words, a minimum of 2 step losses must be assigned to inflict one step loss to a unit in Hedgehog mode.
- A Combat Unit in Road Mode hit by a Nuclear Attack suffers one additional Step Loss. In other words, if the executing Player assigns one Step Loss to an enemy Unit in Road Mode, the unit will suffer two Step Losses.
- A division eliminated by a Nuclear Attack is replaced by an appropriate Division Base. The newly placed Division Base is not subject to the Nuclear Attack just resolved.
- If a Ground Nuclear Attack obtains at least one step loss result, the Executing Player rolls a die on the Nuclear Contamination Table. The Nuclear Contamination level of the target hex is then adjusted accordingly by using Nuclear markers. Nuclear Contamination has a maximum level of 3.
- Nuclear Contamination is applied to Off-Map Bases, and it is not applied to LOC Boxes.
Example: WP Player attacks a hex, already at Nuclear Contamination 1, with 5 Nuclear Pulses. The Nuclear Attack inflicts 3 step losses. WP Player decides to inflict all the 3 Step Losses to a single NATO brigade in the hex; as the brigade is in Hedgehog Mode, it suffers 2 Step Losses. After implementing the results of the Nuclear Attack, WP Player rolls a 9 on the Nuclear Contamination Table, obtaining a 2 result. The Nuclear Contamination of the target hex is raised to 3.
27.4 Resolving Naval Nuclear Attacks
- A Nuclear attack against a naval unit requires the initiation of a Naval Combat using the standard sequence. Once combat has been initiated, any nuclear capable unit can deliver up to its maximum allowed number of Nuclear Pulses.
- Aircraft executing a Naval Strike may deliver a nuclear attack, subject to the restriction listed in 27.2.
- Nuclear attacks on Naval units are resolved using the standard Naval Combat sequence, but the roll on the Naval Combat Table has an additional +4 modifier for each Nuclear Pulse delivered on the target.
- Naval nuclear attacks never create a Nuclear Contamination Area.
27.5 Nuclear Contamination Effects
- The MP cost to leave a hex or Base with Nuclear Contamination is increased by the Level of Nuclear Contamination. The extra cost must also be paid to trace Supply Paths.
- Any ground unit occupying a Nuclear Contaminated hex or Base during the End Phase must roll a die on the Nuclear Attack Table, using the Nuclear Contamination Level as the number of Nuclear Points attacking. Results are implemented immediately.
- An air or helicopter squadron cannot execute any Mission while based in a Nuclear Contaminated hex, except for Ferry Missions. For air squadrons, the Airfield must be undamaged too.
- Damaged Bases or Bridges in a Nuclear Contaminated hex can be repaired by expending double the normal number of Repair Points required.
- During the End Phase, a die is rolled for each Nuclear Contaminated hex on the Radioactive Decay Table to determine if the Contamination Level is reduced.
28. Strategic Escalation (Optional)
Strategic Escalation simulates the uncertainty about the consequences of employing WMDs in an all-out conflict. The objective is to discourage a light-hearted utilisation and force Players to think again.
When using this rule, a side employing chemical or nuclear weapons forfeits his control over the future direction of the events. Once the red line has been crossed, the escalation could spiral out of control, eventually leading to a strategic nuclear exchange between the two blocs.
When using Strategic Escalation, Players cannot freely decide to employ chemical or nuclear weapons. Each Player must first obtain the release of these weapons from the political leadership.
There are two different types of Weapons of Mass Destruction: chemical weapons and nuclear weapons.
- The release of Weapons of Mass Destruction can be requested only if US and Soviet Factions are at war.
- US Faction cannot be the first to request the release of chemical weapons.
- If a side wants to use a WMD type for the first time, the Player must roll on the appropriate WMD Release Table during the WMD Release Phase. The Player declares the type of WMD he requests to release and rolls a die on the appropriate WMD Release Table.
- A side may request the release of a WMD type once per Turn. Once a WMD has been released for a side, he cannot voluntarily request for its release for the remainder of the game.
- In the Turn following the release of a WMD type by a side, the opposing side must roll on the appropriate WMD Release Table for his side. If both Chemical and Nuclear Weapons were released during the same Turn, roll separately for both.
- The actual utilisation of a released WMD by a side does not change in any way the sequence above. In other words, it does not matter if the side that obtained the release of a WMD actually used it. The opposing side will have to roll on the WMD Release Table in any case.
- WMD Release Table may result in a Strategic Nuclear Exchange between United States and Soviet Union. In that case, the first side who requested the release of any WMD loses the game with a Decisive Political Defeat. Of course, there is hardly a winner.
- Depending upon the Scenario, some specific countries can be authorized to use WMD since the beginning (see Scenario specific rules). This does not trigger any escalation.
- When Chemical Weapons are released for the first time, Tension Level is increased by 2.
- When Nuclear Weapons are released for the first time, Tension Level is increased by 6.
Example: During the WMD Release Phase of Turn 3, Soviet Player requests the release of Chemical Weapons. Soviet Player consults the WMD Release Table under the "WP requests Chemical Weapons Release" section and rolls a 6. Chemical Weapons are released for Soviet Faction.
As Soviets released Chemical Weapons in Turn 3, US Player must consult the WMD Release Table during the WMD Release Phase of Turn 4. US Player rolls a 10 under the "WP released Chemical Weapons" section. Chemical and Nuclear Weapons are released for US Faction.
As US released Nuclear Weapons during Turn 4, Soviet Player must consult the WMD Release Table during the WMD Release Phase of Turn 5. Soviet Player rolls a 17 under the "NATO/US released Nuclear Weapons" section. A Strategic Nuclear Exchange is triggered and, as Soviet Faction was the first to release WMDs, the game ends with a Soviet Decisive Political Defeat.
29. Air War
Air activities takes place during several phases of a Turn and use the following general rules:
- During the Air Superiority Phase, both Players decide where they want to obtain control of the air space and then try to achieve it.
- During the friendly and enemy Movement Phases, both Players may execute Air Missions to help friendly units in combat, destroy or damage enemy assets, or hamper enemy movements. If both Players want to execute an Air Mission at the same time, the phasing Player goes first.
- During the friendly and enemy Movement Phases, both Players may try to intercept enemy Air Missions.
- An air squadron not in an Air Superiority Area can perform one single Mission per Turn. After executing a Mission, it is returned to a valid Base and cannot be used for the rest of the Turn. Move the squadron to the Used section of the Airfield or turn it upside down if in a LOC Box.
- An air squadron in an Air Superiority Area can execute any number of Intercept and Escort missions during a Turn. It is returned to the Used section of a friendly Airfield during the End Phase of the Turn.
29.1 Aircraft Basing
- An air squadron must always start and end a mission in a valid Base, defined as one of the following: a. A friendly controlled Airfield. b. For squadrons belonging to a NATO country, a Land LOC Box owned by NATO or containing a NATO Port symbol. c. For squadrons belonging to a Warsaw Pact country, a Land LOC Box owned by Soviet Union or Warsaw Pact. d. A Carrier ship having a Base Code corresponding to the Setup Code printed on the air squadron.
- The type, nationality and status of a Base determines which missions can be executed by an air squadron: a. A squadron based in an Airfield having its same nationality or its Alliance nationality (i.e., NATO or Warsaw Pact) can execute any mission allowed by its type. b. A squadron based in a LOC Box or in an Airfield of a different nationality can execute Air Transport and Ferry missions only. c. A squadron based at an Airfield that is Damaged or in a Nuclear Contamination hex can only execute Ferry missions.
29.2 Aircraft Types
Several specialized aircraft are available, as described in the following table:
| Values | Specs |
|---|---|
| R-n-n | Recon: cannot be used in Air Superiority, Escort or Intercept |
| B-n-n | Fighter Bomber or Bomber: cannot be used in Air Superiority, Escort or Intercept |
| N-n-n | Naval Fighter Bomber: cannot be used in Air Superiority, Escort, Intercept or against ground targets. |
| T-n-n | Transport: cannot be used in Air Superiority, Escort or Intercept |
| ECM | Electronic Counter Measures: used in support to an air mission, an ECM squadron increases friendly combat effectiveness and decreases that of the enemy. |
| AEW | Airborne Early Warning: used in support of an Air Superiority mission, an AEW squadron increases friendly combat effectiveness and decreases that of the enemy. |
29.3 Air War and Megahexes
Megahexes are related to Air War in several ways:
- Aircraft move and determine their Flight Path by using Megahexes.
- During the Air Superiority Phase, Players may try to obtain Air Superiority over a Megahex.
- Wild Weasel Missions affect a whole Megahex, and cannot be executed over a Megahex where the enemy has Air Superiority.
- Naval and ASW Surveillance affect a whole Megahex, and cannot be activated over a Megahex where the enemy has Air Superiority.
29.4 Combat Radius
- Each Mission has a Combat Radius, depending on the mission type and the nationality of the air squadrons executing it (see Combat Radius Table).
- Each squadron executing a mission must determine its individual Flight Path to the mission target. The Flight Path is measured from the location where the squadron is based to the location where the mission will take place. The length of the path will determine which values the squadron uses when executing the mission.
- If the length of the Flight Path is equal to or less than the Combat Radius, the squadron will use its standard printed values during the mission.
- If the length of the Flight Path is more than and up to double the Combat Radius, the squadron may use Extended Combat Radius. The squadron's Attack and Strike value will be both reduced by two for the duration of the mission, down to a minimum of one.
- If the length of the Flight Path is more than double the Combat Radius, the squadron cannot execute the mission.
- A squadron with Long Range capability (Rn) doubles the Combat Radius for all mission types. For example, a mission having a Combat Radius of 4 and an Extended Combat Radius of 8 will have a Combat Radius of 8 and an Extended Combat Radius of 16.
- After the mission is completed, a squadron must return to an Airfield that is within the Combat Radius used for the Mission (Normal or Extended).
29.4.1 Calculating the Flight Path Length
- An air squadron moving on the Operational Map increases the Flight Path length by one for each Megahex entered, not counting the take-off Megahex.
- An air squadron moving from an Off-Map Base to a Megahex with an Entry Area or vice-versa increases the Flight Path length by the Entry Distance indicated on the Off-Map Base box. If the Base does not list the specific Entry Area, LOC movement must be used (see 3 and 4 below).
- An air squadron moving from an Off-Map Base to the connected LOC Box or vice-versa increases the Flight Path length by 1.
- An air squadron moving on the LOC Map increases the Flight Path length by 5 for each LOC Connection used to reach the mission target.
Example: A Soviet squadron takes off from Airfield 609 (Marnueli) to execute a Ground Strike against Tehran airfield (hex I4030). The squadron enters map at Entry Area TC2, increasing its Flight Path length by 4 as indicated by the TC2:4 label in Marnueli airfield box, then flies a 4 Megahexes distance to Tehran, thus bringing the Flight Path length to 8. As a Ground Strike mission has a Combat Radius of 6, the squadron must use Extended Combat Radius, bringing the Combat Radius to 12 but lowering its Attack and Strike value by two for the duration of the mission. After executing the mission, the squadron may return to any valid airfield within a 12 Megahexes range from Tehran.
Taking off from an Airfield and landing in a different one is not a standard practice and is covered by Ferry Missions. Combat Radius allows a certain degree of freedom, but in most cases, aircraft will find themselves using the same airfield both for take-off and landing.
29.5 Air Groups
Most Strike missions require the involved squadrons being organized into Air Groups before receiving enemy Flak Fire. Air Groups are formed and employed using the following rules:
- Each Air Group is composed of 1 to 3 squadrons, at the owning Player's choice.
- An Air Group can be formed by squadrons of different nationalities and aircraft types.
- An Air Group defends from Flak Fire using the average Evasion Value of the squadrons forming it.
- At the end of the Mission, the squadrons forming an Air Group may be returned to different Airfields.
29.6 Air Losses
- Most aircraft squadrons possess two combat steps.
- When a squadron has one step destroyed, flip it to its back side. If it's already on its back side, the squadron is eliminated.
- When a squadron with no damage receives a Damage result, place a Damage marker under the unit. If the squadron already has a damaged step, place a Damage marker over the unit.
- A squadron with all its remaining steps damaged cannot perform any activity until repaired, except for Ferry missions or returning to a valid Airbase (if damaged during a mission).
- Damaged steps have the same effect of destroyed steps. The only difference is that a Damaged step can be repaired.
- When Air Losses are inflicted by Flak Fire on an Air Group, they must be distributed as evenly as possible among its squadrons, starting from the squadron with the lowest Evasion Value.
- Squadrons with a Step Loss, of the same type and nationality and starting the Movement Phase in the same Airfield can be combined into a single, full strength squadron. The resulting squadron retains any damaged steps of the original squadrons.
29.7 Air Combat Modifiers
Air Combat die rolls can be modified by several factors. All applicable die rolls modifiers are cumulative.
- Pilot Rating The Pilot Rating of the defending squadron is subtracted from the Pilot Rating of the attacking squadron. The net result is the die roll modifier.
- AEW Squadrons a. If the attacking squadron has a friendly AEW squadron in the Air Superiority Area being resolved, the die roll is modified by +2 (for NATO AEW) or +1 (for any other AEW). b. If the defending squadron has a friendly AEW squadron in the Air Superiority Area being resolved, the die roll is modified by -2 (for NATO AEW) or -1 (for any other AEW).
- Numerical Superiority a. Numerical Superiority is evaluated by considering the total number of squadron steps involved in the Air Superiority or Interception combat being resolved, for each side. b. If the attacking Player has double or more total steps than the defending Player, the die roll is modified by +2. c. If the defending Player has double or more total steps than the attacking Player, the die roll is modified by -2.
- ECM Squadrons a. If the attacking squadron is supported by an ECM squadron, the die roll is modified by +2 (for NATO ECM squadrons) or +1 (for any other ECM squadrons). b. If the defending squadron is supported by an ECM squadron, the die roll is modified by -2 (for NATO ECM squadrons) or -1 (for any other ECM squadrons).
- Air Superiority Advantage (only in Intercept Combat) a. If the attacking squadron was taken from an Air Superiority Area, the die roll is modified by +1. b. If the defending squadron was taken from an Air Superiority Area, the die roll is modified by -1.
29.8 Air Superiority Phase
During the Air Superiority Phase, each Player tries to establish Air Superiority for the current Turn over specific Megahexes.
Air Superiority over a Megahex gives several advantages:
- Intercept enemy air missions in the area at favourable conditions.
- Protect friendly air missions in the area.
- Automatically attack enemy helicopters moving through the area.
- Deny enemy Wild Weasel Missions, Naval Surveillance and ASW Surveillance.
- Deny General Supply to enemy Airmobile or Airborne units.
- Increase Detection Level of enemy surface units.
29.8.1 Air Superiority Phase Sequence
- Air Superiority Placement: Players alternate in placing their "Air Superiority" chits over Megahexes.
- Air Superiority Assignment: Players assign squadrons to the Air Superiority Areas they want to control / contest to the enemy.
- Air Superiority Combat: Players resolve Air Superiority Combat separately for each Air Superiority Area, determining who (if any) effectively gains Air Superiority over the Megahex.
29.8.2 Air Superiority Placement
- Each Player has a variable number of Air Superiority markers, depending on the Scenario being played.
- Starting with the Soviet Faction, Players alternate placing their Air Superiority markers in any Megahex not already containing an Air Superiority marker.
- Air Superiority markers can be placed on the Operational Map only. Air Superiority cannot be obtained on the LOC Map.
- A Player cannot "pass" during Air Superiority Placement. If a Player chooses not to place an Air Superiority marker during his turn, all his remaining Air Superiority markers cannot be placed during the current Turn.
29.8.3 Air Superiority Assignment
- Each Player secretly assigns up to 15 squadrons to each Air Superiority Area. A Player may assign squadrons to any Air Superiority Area on the map. Which Player originally placed the Air Superiority marker is irrelevant.
- Each Player secretly assigns available AEW squadrons to any Air Superiority Area to which he has assigned squadrons. In other words, an AEW squadron can be assigned to an Air Superiority Area only if the Player has also assigned squadrons to that area.
- The assignment of squadrons to an Air Superiority Area is not mandatory. A Player may decide to assign no squadrons at all to an Air Superiority Area, conceding it to the enemy should he assign at least one squadron to it.
- When both Players have assigned squadrons to every desired Air Superiority Area, the assignments are revealed and cannot be changed in any way.
- Air Superiority Areas containing no squadrons are removed from the Operational Map.
29.8.4 Air Superiority Combat Sequence
Players resolve combat for each Air Superiority Area separately. Air Superiority Combat in the current Megahex must be completed before starting the next.
- Flak Fire Phase Any Fixed SAM, mobile ADA, or embedded Flak with A+, A or B Rating located inside the Air Superiority Area being resolved may fire once at an enemy squadron of its choice. Each enemy squadron can be targeted only once, unless all enemy squadrons have already been fired at. Results are implemented immediately. Note: In order to be eligible for fire, the flak unit must be physically inside the Air Superiority Area, not simply in range.
- Assignment Phase Each Player secretly arranges his available squadrons on the numbered boxes of the Air Superiority Combat Chart, starting with box number 1 and moving upward. When both Players are ready, the squadrons disposition is revealed.
- Numerical Superiority Determination Each Player counts the total number of undamaged squadron steps involved in the current combat. If a Player has double or more steps than the other, he obtains Numerical Superiority for the whole duration of current round of combat.
- Combat Phase Starting with box number 1, each squadron resolve Air Combat against the enemy squadron with a matching box number. Combat in a box must be completed before starting the next one. a. Each Player subtracts the enemy squadron Evasion Value from the friendly squadron Attack Value to determine the column he will use on the Air Combat Table. b. Each Player rolls a die on the Air Combat Table, applies the appropriate die roll modifiers and finds the result inflicted on the enemy squadron. Combat and losses assignment are considered to be simultaneous. c. If a squadron suffered an Abort result, the owning Player returns it to the "Used" section of a valid Base. d. If a squadron has no undamaged steps left, the owning Player returns it to the "Used" section of a valid Base. e. Combat for the current box is over; resolve combat for the next box number starting from phase 4.
- End Phase After all the squadrons with matching box numbers have fought between them, Players assess the situation: a. If both Players still have squadrons in the current Air Superiority Area, resolve another round of Air Superiority Combat starting from phase 2 (Assignment Phase). b. If only one Player has squadrons remaining, Air Superiority Combat in the current area is won by that Player; his surviving squadrons are kept in the Air Superiority Area for later use. c. AEW squadrons owned by the Player obtaining Air Superiority are kept in the Air Superiority Area. AEW squadrons owned by the opposing Player are moved off map and cannot be used for the remainder of the current Turn.
29.9 Ground Support Mission
Before resolving a ground combat, both Players can assign squadrons to a Ground Support Mission, in order to support the attack or defence.
29.9.1 Ground Support General Rules
- The attacker declares and resolves any Ground Support Mission first, followed by the defender.
- Each Player can execute only one Ground Support mission for each Ground Combat; in other words, should the mission fail to bring any effective support to the combat, there's no second chance. Helicopter Ground Support Missions do not count toward this limit.
29.9.2 Ground Support Sequence
- The Player conducting the Mission assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to a maximum of 10 Strike squadrons b. Up to a maximum of 10 Escort squadrons
- The number of Strike and Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- The opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 10 squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- The Player executing the mission organizes his surviving Strike squadrons into Air Groups.
- The opposing Player's Flak fires at each Strike Air Groups.
- The Strike Value of surviving squadrons is added to the friendly Combat Value.
29.10 Ground Strike Mission
In a Ground Strike Mission, the Player targets a hex or Units Group in order to:
- Damage or destroy enemy units.
- Damage Bases, Bridges or Fixed SAM Sites.
- Slow down enemy movement.
29.10.1 Ground Strike General Rules
- A Ground Strike Mission can be declared by both sides at the following moments: a. At the beginning of a Movement Phase b. After the phasing Player has completed the move of a Combat Unit
29.10.2 Ground Strike Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to a maximum of 6 Strike squadrons b. Up to a maximum of 6 Escort squadrons
- A Megahex, Off-Map Base or LOC Box is declared as the Target for the mission.
- Number of Strike squadrons and Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- Opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- If the declared target was a Megahex or LOC Box, the executing Player specifies the exact target (a hex in the Megahex or a Unit Group in the LOC Box).
- The executing Player organizes his surviving Strike squadrons into Air Groups.
- The opposing Player's Flak fires at each Strike Air Group.
- Each surviving Strike squadron attacks the target individually, using the Ground Strike Table.
29.10.3 Ground Strike Die Roll Modifiers
- If any enemy Combat Unit in the target hex or Units Group is in Road Mode, the die roll on the Ground Strike Table is modified by +4
- If all enemy Combat Units in the target hex or Units Group are in Hedgehog Mode, the die roll on the Ground Strike Table is modified by -3
29.10.4 Ground Strike Results
5 or 10: Place an additional "+5 MP" or "+10 MP" Interdiction Marker on the target hex / Units Group, up to a maximum of +20MP. This is the additional MP cost required to leave the hex, or for moving the target Units Group.
+: Executing Player may choose one of the following effects. Units must be in in the target hex / Units Group:
- One Base, Bridge or Coastal Battery is damaged
- One Fixed SAM Site is destroyed
- One Front Supply Head is displaced
- Up to 5 Points of Stockpiled Supply are destroyed
1: Place an additional +10MP Interdiction Marker. Moreover, one Combat Unit in the hex / Units Group takes a Step Loss, with the executing Player choosing the exact unit. If there's no Combat Unit, one Support Unit takes a Step Loss or the same effects of a + result can be applied.
Interdiction Markers are removed at the end of the following Action Phase; in other words, they remain in place for two Action Phases (the current one and the following one).
Example: Soviet Player executes a Ground Strike Mission during US Faction Action Phase of Turn 3, resulting in a +10 MP Interdiction marker in the hex. The Interdiction Marker remains in place until the end of Soviet Action Phase of Turn 4.
29.11 SEAD Mission
In a SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences) Mission, the Player targets a hex or Units Group in order to destroy or suppress enemy flak in it.
29.11.1 SEAD General Rules
- A SEAD Mission can be declared by both sides in the following moments: a. At the beginning of a Movement Phase b. After the phasing Player has completed the move of a Combat or Naval unit. c. After the phasing Player has declared a Ground Assault.
29.11.2 SEAD Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to a maximum of 6 Strike squadrons b. Up to a maximum of 6 Escort squadrons
- A Megahex, Off-Map Base or LOC Box is declared as the target of the mission.
- Number of Strike squadrons and number of Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- The opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- If the declared target was a Megahex or a LOC Box, the executing Player specifies the exact target (a hex in the Megahex or a Unit Group in the LOC Box).
- The executing Player organizes his surviving Strike squadrons into Air Groups.
- The opposing Player's Flak fires at each Strike Air Group.
- Each surviving Strike Air Group attacks a single enemy flak or ship unit in the target hex / Units Group using its total Strike value on the SEAD Mission Table. An enemy flak unit can be attacked more than once.
29.11.3 SEAD Die Roll Modifiers
- If an ECM squadron is included in a SEAD Air mission, the die roll on the SEAD Mission Table is modified by +3 for NATO ECM squadron, and +2 for any other ECM squadron.
29.11.4 SEAD Results
S: Flak Unit Suppressed; place a "Flak Suppress" marker under the unit. A Suppressed Flak cannot fire for the remainder of the current Action Phase.
SD: Flak unit Suppressed or Destroyed. If the target is an ADA or SAM Flak Unit, it is destroyed; If the target is an Embedded Flak, it is Suppressed (see above); If the target is a ship, both its Air and Missile Defence are Suppressed.
29.12 Wild Weasel Mission (Optional)
Wild Weasel squadrons, first introduced in Vietnam and still in use, are specifically trained and equipped to act in the opposite way of a standard attack aircraft. A Wild Weasel aircraft wants to be illuminated by enemy air defences, in order to locate and destroy them with Radar Homing missiles.
In a Wild Weasel Mission, the Player targets a Megahex in order to lower the effectiveness of enemy flak inside it.
29.12.1 Wild Weasel General Rules
- A Wild Weasel mission can be declared by both sides in the following moments: a. At the beginning of a Movement Phase b. After the phasing Player has completed the move of a Combat or Naval unit.
- Only squadrons with Wild Weasel capability (W) can execute Wild Weasel missions. The Strike Air Group executing the mission may contain non Wild Weasel squadrons (i.e., cannon fodder for enemy Flak), but only Wild Weasel squadrons can complete the mission successfully.
- Wild Weasel missions can be executed only on the Operational Map, on a Megahex with friendly or no Air Superiority.
29.12.2 Wild Weasel Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to a maximum of 6 Strike squadrons b. Up to a maximum of 6 Escort squadrons
- Target Megahex, number of Strike squadrons and number of Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- The opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 squadrons to Intercept. The Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- The executing Player organizes his surviving Strike squadrons into Air Groups.
- The opposing Player's flak fires at each Air Group. To be able to fire, a Flak Unit must be physically inside the target Megahex and have an A+, A or B Rating. Ships matching these prerequisites may also fire.
- If at least one Wild Weasel squadron survives with undamaged steps, the Player places a "Wild Weasel" marker over the target Megahex.
29.12.3 Wild Weasel Effects
- All hexes in the target Megahex become a Wild Weasel Area for the remainder of the Turn.
- Enemy Flak located inside a Wild Weasel Area has its maximum range reduced to 1.
- Enemy Flak firing on squadrons inside a Wild Weasel Area adds 2 to their die roll on the Flak Combat Table.
- Wild Weasel Markers are removed during the End Phase of the Turn.
29.13 Ferry Mission
In a Ferry Mission, a Player moves one squadron between two valid Bases. A Ferry Mission has no Combat Radius limit.
- A Ferry Mission can be declared by both sides in the following moments: a. At the beginning of a Movement Phase b. After the phasing Player has completed the move of a Combat or Naval unit c. After the phasing Player has declared a Ground Assault
- Both the start and end point must be valid Bases not inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area.
- The squadron executing the Ferry Mission is moved from its current Base to the Used area of the arrival Base.
29.14 Air Transport Mission
Air squadrons with a Transport Capacity may execute Air Transport Missions. The Transport Capacity represents the approximate number of battalions that can be transported.
29.14.1 Air Transport General Rules
- During the friendly Movement Phase, the phasing Player can execute any number of Air Transport Missions.
- A squadron can transport only specific unit types (see Transport Costs Table).
- A squadron must have enough Transport Capacity to carry the units being transported (see Transport Cost Table). Squadrons starting at the same Base can combine their Transport Capacity.
- The transport cost of a brigade / regiment is decreased by 1 for each step loss.
- The transport cost of a division is decreased by 3 for each step lost. Example: a Warsaw Pact Airborne division with 2 steps lost (Casualty Marker 3) has its air transport cost decreased from 9 to 3.
- Both the start and destination Base must be undamaged and not in a Nuclear Contaminated hex.
- The units being transported must begin the Movement Phase in the same Base of the transporting Aircraft, in Tactical Mode and not in an enemy ZOC. Other friendly Combat Units negate enemy ZOC for the purpose of this rule.
- After debarking, the transported units cannot move for the remainder of the current Action Phase.
29.14.2 Air Transport Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to 6 Strike squadrons, using exclusively Air Transport squadrons b. Up to 6 Escort squadrons
- Target Megahex or LOC Box, number of Strike squadrons and number of Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- The opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- If the declared target was a Megahex, the executing Player specifies the exact target hex.
- The executing Player organizes his surviving Transport squadrons into Air Groups.
- The opposing Player's Flak fires at each Transport Air Groups.
- For every step of transporting aircraft destroyed, the transported units must lose one combat step. If, after the step losses, the surviving air transport capacity is less than the Transport cost of the units, the transported units must immediately reduce their transport cost by losing an appropriate number of Combat Steps. If all transport aircraft are destroyed, the transported units are also destroyed.
- Transported units are debarked in the arrival Base.
- The transporting squadrons may remain in the destination Base or return to a different Base, at owning Player's discretion.
29.15 Airdrop Mission
In an Airdrop Mission, a Player uses one or more Transport squadrons to transport Airborne units from an Airfield to a target hex or LOC Box.
29.15.1 Airdrop General Rules
- During the friendly Movement Phase, the phasing Player can execute any number of Airdrop Missions.
- Only Airborne or Special Forces units can be transported by an Airdrop Mission.
- A squadron must have enough Transport Capacity to carry the units being airdropped (see Transport Cost Table). Squadrons starting at the same airfield can combine their Transport Capacity.
- The unit being airdropped must begin the Movement Phase in the same Airfield of the transporting Aircraft, in General Supply, in Tactical Mode and not in an enemy ZOC. Other friendly Combat Units negate enemy ZOC for the purpose of this rule.
- The Airborne unit expends 5 MPs to airdrop. Players must keep track of this on a separate piece of paper.
- An Airdrop can be executed on a hex with the following Terrain Types only: Plain, Arctic Plain, High Plain, Desert, Rough-1, Arctic Rough-1, Urban or any Land LOC Box.
- An Airdrop Mission cannot be executed on a hex having Bad Weather.
- An Airdrop cannot be executed in a hex containing enemy ground units or Garrisoned Bases.
29.15.2 Airdrop Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to 6 Strike squadrons, using exclusively Air Transport squadrons b. Up to 6 Escort squadrons
- Target Megahex or LOC Box, number of Strike squadrons and number of Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- Opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 air squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- If the declared target was a Megahex, the executing Player specifies the exact target hex.
- The executing Player organizes his surviving Transport squadrons into Air Groups.
- Opposing Player's flak fires at each Transport Air Groups. If the Airdrop is in a LOC Box, the executing Player chooses which enemy Units Group will fire.
- For every step of transporting aircraft destroyed, the transported units must lose one combat step. If, after the step losses, the surviving air transport capacity is less than the Transport cost of the units, the transported units must immediately reduce their transport cost by losing an appropriate number of Combat Steps. If all transport aircraft are destroyed, the transported units are also destroyed.
- The executing Player places the surviving transported Airborne units in the target hex / LOC Box. If an Airborne unit is airdropped in a hex inside an enemy ZOC, the owning Player must roll a die: on a 1-10 result, the unit takes one step loss; on an 11-20 result, the airdropped unit takes no step losses.
- Regardless of the die roll, the airdropped unit must immediately attack the enemy units exerting the ZOC using the Standard Combat Sequence.
29.16 Air Resupply Missions
Air squadrons with a Transport Capacity may execute Air Resupply missions to transport Supply Points from a Base to a destination.
29.16.1 Air Resupply General Rules
- During the friendly Movement Phase, the phasing Player can execute any number of Air Resupply Missions.
- A squadron may transport a number of Supply Points equal to its Transport Capacity.
- Supply Points are loaded at the start base and unloaded or airdropped at the destination.
- The Supply Points that can be loaded depend by the supply status of the start Base: a. If the Base is tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in General Supply, each squadron can be loaded to its full Transport Capacity. b. If the Base is tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in Limited Supply, a maximum of 3 Supply Points can be loaded in the Base each Turn. c. If the Base is not tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in General Supply, a maximum of 1 Supply Points can be loaded in the Base each Turn. d. In all other cases, only Stockpiled Supply present at the base can be loaded.
- The destination must be one of the following: a. A friendly controlled Airfield. b. A friendly controlled hex not in enemy ZOC and having Plain, Arctic Plain, High Plain, Rough-1, Arctic Rough-1 or Urban terrain. c. A Group of units in a LOC Box.
29.16.2 Air Resupply Sequence
- Air Resupply missions use the same sequence as Air Transport missions.
- If the destination is an undamaged Airfield, all the Supply Points transported by surviving squadrons are placed at the destination.
- For any other destination, 1/3 of the Supply Points transported by the surviving squadrons are placed at the destination.
29.17 Supply Interdiction Missions
US Player may execute this specialized type of Ground Strike Mission in order to destroy Soviet overland supply. If successful, the affected units will be forced to move and fight with rationed supply.
29.17.1 Supply Interdiction General Rules
- At the beginning of the Soviet Movement Phase, US Player may demand that the Soviet Player traces the Supply Path of any or all his Front Supply Heads.
- After the Soviet Player has traced the Supply Paths, US Player may attack any hex along them by executing a Supply Interdiction Mission. The mission is resolved as a standard Ground Strike Mission, but with different results.
- If a Supply Interdiction Mission obtains a result in red on the Ground Strike Table, all Front Supply Heads using that Supply Path are Interdicted for the rest of the current Turn.
- When using Recon rules, no Recon mission is needed to execute a Supply Interdiction mission.
29.17.2 Supply Interdiction Effects (with Standard Supply Rules)
- A Combat Unit tracing its Supply to an Interdicted Front Supply Head can move a maximum of 3 hexes on the Operational Map and cannot move at all on the LOC Map.
- A Combat Units tracing its Supply Path to an Interdicted Front Supply Head add 2 to the enemy Combat Modifications during Land Combat.
29.17.3 Supply Interdiction Effects (with Detailed Supply Rules)
- A Combat Unit tracing its Supply Path to an Interdicted Front Supply Head can move a maximum of 2 hexes on the Operational Map and cannot move at all on the LOC Map. Embedded or Stockpiled Supply can be used to overcome these limitations.
- A Combat Units tracing its Supply Path to an Interdicted Front Supply Head add 4 to the enemy Combat Modifications during Land Combat, unless using Embedded or Stockpiled Supply.
- An Interdicted Front Supply Head may resupply a maximum of 10 divisions with Embedded Supply Points.
29.18 Minelaying Missions
Bomber and Naval squadrons with a Strike Value of 5 or more can execute Minelaying Missions to mine naval chokepoints and access to enemy ports.
- Minelaying uses the same sequence as a Ground Strike mission, but it can be executed on the Operational Map only.
- For each surviving Step of Strike Aircraft, the Mine value of the target hex is increased by one, up to a maximum of three.
29.19 Naval Strike Missions
In a Naval Strike mission, the Player targets a surface ship or a Task Force in order to damage or sink it.
29.19.1 Naval Strike General Rules
(Numbered 3 as printed in the source.)
- At any moment during the Movement Phase, both Players can execute any number of Naval Strike Missions.
29.19.2 Naval Strike Sequence
- The executing Player assigns squadrons as follows: a. Up to a maximum of 6 Strike squadrons b. Up to a maximum of 6 Escort squadrons
- The target Megahex or LOC Box, number of Strike squadrons and number of Escort squadrons are announced to the opposing Player. No information about Mission type or squadrons' values must be given.
- Opposing Player assigns up to a maximum of 6 squadrons to Intercept. Interception attempt is resolved using the Intercept Combat Sequence (see 29.21).
- The executing Player announces the target ship or Task Force. Depending upon the target's Detection Level, additional details about the Task Force composition and deployment on the Naval Tactical Display could be obtained (see 31.6).
- The executing Player makes a single die roll for Naval Interception (see 31.8). Active Emissions cannot be used.
- If the Naval Interception attempt fails, assigned squadrons are returned to the "Used" Slot of a valid Base or to their initial Air Superiority area.
- Strike squadrons with Standoff capability (St) attack the target, using the Missile Attack rules.
- Strike squadrons with no Standoff capability are organized into Air Groups, and each Air Group resolves its attack separately: a. If the Target is a Task Force, the Air Group flies towards its desired Target Sector, starting from the Outer Sector and taking enemy Flak Fire in each Sector entered. Flak Fire is resolved using the Task Force AA Fire rules. b. If the Target is a single ship not part of a Task Force, it fires at the Air Group using the standard Flak vs. Aircraft rules. c. If the Target is a ship in a Base, any available Flak in range can fire at the Air Group using the standard Flak vs. Aircraft rules. d. Each surviving Strike squadron is assigned to a ship in the target Sector. If the target is a Task Force with a Detection Level of 2 or more, the attacker chooses the target ship; in all other cases, the target ship is chosen randomly among those deployed in the Sector. e. Each surviving Strike squadron rolls on the Naval Combat Table, modifying the die roll for target's Toughness and Detection Level. Results are implemented immediately.
29.19.3 Task Force AA Fire
- For each Task Force ship firing, the standard die roll modifiers for Flak vs. Aircraft are applied as usual.
- Air Groups flying into the Outer Sector take AA Fire from each ship in the Sector. If the Task Force has a Detection Level of 3, all AA fire from Outer Sector has an additional +3 Die Roll Modifier.
- Air Groups flying into the Inner Sector takes AA fire from each ship in the Sector, with an additional die roll modifier based on the number of ships in the Outer Sector (see Task Force AA Modifiers).
- Air Groups flying into the Core Sector takes AA fire from each ship in the Sector, with an additional die roll modifier based on the number of ships in the Inner Sector (see Task Force AA Modifiers).
29.20 Intercept Missions
From the foregoing paragraphs it will be seen that except for missions in support of Ground Combat and some Naval missions the player generally will not know what kind of mission he is using his scarce resources to intercept. Is that mission transporting supplies, or paratroopers?
See Field Manual 05-001 for a full example of an Intercept Mission.
During the Action Phase, a Player may try to intercept any Air Mission declared by the opposing Player, except Ferry. After a Player has declared the number of Strike and Escort squadrons and the target, the opposing Player may try to intercept.
- For each enemy Air Superiority Area entered by the Air Mission before reaching the target, the opposing Player can intercept using squadrons from that Air Superiority Area only. If the Mission uses different Flight Paths to reach the target, only the squadrons physically transiting the enemy Air Superiority Area are intercepted.
- Once mission reached the target, the opposing Player can intercept using aircraft from a valid Base, and from an Air Superiority Area in the same Megahex.
- Players resolve each Interception attempt by using the Intercept Combat Sequence.
29.21 Intercept Combat Sequence
The Intercept Combat Sequence is used to resolve any Air Combat resulting from Air Missions, except Air Superiority.
In Intercept Combat, the Intercepting Player first verifies which squadrons successfully intercept. Squadrons successfully intercepting must then engage or evade any Escort squadrons. Surviving Intercept squadrons can then attack Strike squadrons assigned to the Mission.
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Manoeuvre Phase In the Manoeuvre Phase, the intercept Player determines how many of the assigned squadrons successfully intercept the enemy mission. a. The intercept Player rolls a die for each intercept squadron, applying the Intercept Modifiers for the Flight Path distance and the presence of friendly AEW squadrons (see Interception Modifiers Table). b. On a modified Intercept roll of 9 or more, interception succeeds. On any other result, interception fails and the squadron is returned to the Ready section of any valid Airfield. c. Squadrons taken from an Air Superiority Area automatically Intercept and do not need to roll.
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Transition Phase In the Transition Phase, squadrons are deployed for the upcoming combat. Each Player secretly arranges his available squadrons on the numbered boxes of the Intercept Combat Chart. a. Strike squadrons are placed in the "Strike" Air Boxes, starting with box number 1 and moving upward. b. Escort squadrons are placed in the "Escort" Air Boxes, starting with box number 1 and moving upward. c. Intercept squadrons are placed in "Intercept" Air Boxes, starting with box number 1 and moving upward. d. When both Players are ready, the squadrons disposition is revealed.
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Escort Numerical Superiority Determination Each Player counts his total number of undamaged squadron steps in Escort or Intercept boxes. If a Player has double or more steps than the other, he obtains Numerical Superiority for the duration of the Escort Combat Phase.
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Escort Combat Phase In the Escort Combat Phase, Escort and Intercept squadrons fight each other. Intercept squadrons may choose to Engage (forfeiting their chance to fire at Strike squadrons) or Evade (forfeiting their chance to fire at Escort squadrons). Starting with box number 1, each squadron resolves Air Combat against the enemy squadron with a matching box number. A squadron in a box with no matching enemy squadron may attack any enemy Intercept or Escort squadron. In this case, the enemy squadron will be attacked more than once, but will fire back only at the squadron with a matching box number. a. Each Player subtracts the enemy squadron Evasion Value from the friendly squadron Combat Value to determine the column used on the Air Combat Table. b. The Escort Player rolls a die on the Air Combat Table, applies the appropriate die roll modifiers and find the result inflicted on the Intercept squadron. c. The Intercept Player announces if his squadron will Engage or Evade. If the Intercept squadron Evades, skip to phase 4.e. d. The Intercept Player rolls on the Air Combat Table, applies the appropriate die roll modifiers and find the result inflicted on the Escort squadron. e. Each Player assigns step losses inflicted on his own squadron. Squadrons with no undamaged steps left or suffering an Abort result are immediately returned to the Used section of any valid Airfield. f. Escort Combat for the current box is over; resolve combat for the next box number starting from phase 4.a.
29.21.1 Intercept Pursuit (Optional)
When using this rule, a Strike squadron voluntarily aborting does not automatically avoid Attack squadron(s) fire.
- If the Strike squadron voluntarily aborts during Phase 6.a, the Strike Player rolls a die.
- On a roll of 9 or more, the Strike squadron successfully disengages before combat.
- On any other roll, the Attack squadron may fire at the Strike squadron.
- Irrespective of the result, the Strike squadron cannot change its mind and must abort the mission.
29.21.2 Attack Squadron Splitting (Optional)
When using this rule, the Intercept Player can Split an Attack squadron and engage two different Strike squadrons during the Attack Phase.
- In order to Split, an Attack squadron must have no Damaged or Destroyed steps.
- A Split Attack squadron is considered to occupy the Attack Box where it is placed and the adjacent Box with a higher number. No other squadrons can be placed in those boxes.
- During the Attack Phase, the Split squadron will make a total of two attacks, one against each enemy Strike squadron with a matching number.
- A Step Destroyed result inflicted by a Split Attack squadron is converted to a Step Damaged, and a Step Damaged result is ignored (i.e., a 1 Destroyed 1 Damaged result becomes a 0 Destroyed 1 Damaged).
29.22 ECM Squadrons
Both sides have a limited number of Electronic Counter Measures squadrons that can be used to support Air Missions.
29.22.1 ECM Squadrons General Rules
- An ECM squadron can be used to support any Air Mission, except Air Superiority and Wild Weasel.
- An ECM squadron is attached to a mission during the Assignment Phase and does not count toward the maximum number of squadrons that can be assigned to the mission.
- An ECM squadron cannot be attacked or forced to Abort in any way.
- At the end of the mission, the ECM squadron is returned to the Used section of a valid Base.
29.22.2 ECM Squadrons Effects
- Air Missions including an ECM squadron have a favourable modifier during Intercept Air Combat (see Air Combat Modifiers Table).
- Air Missions including an ECM squadron have a favourable modifier against enemy flak firing at them (see Flak Fire Modifiers Table).
- SEAD Air Missions including an ECM squadron have a favourable modifier when resolving the mission (see SEAD Modifiers Table).
- Assigning more than one ECM squadron to a mission has no additional effects.
29.23 Stealth Squadrons
- A Stealth squadron has a Sh code printed on the counter.
- A Stealth squadron may execute any Air Mission normally allowed by its printed values.
- In order to use Stealth capabilities during an Air Mission, all involved friendly squadrons must be Stealth.
- A Stealth Mission is defined as any Air Mission executed by Stealth squadrons only.
29.23.1 Stealth and Interception
- Aircraft taken from an Air Superiority Area and trying to Intercept a Stealth Mission must roll a die. On a 18 or more result, the Interception attempt succeeds; on any other result, the Interception attempt fails.
- Aircraft taken from an Airfield and trying to intercept a Stealth Mission have an additional -12 die roll modifier on the Interception attempt.
29.23.2 Stealth and Flak
The 1999 downing of an F-117 over Serbia by a SA-3 battery showed that, after an initial surprise effect, a resourceful enemy can quickly adopt countermeasures against stealth technology and detect aircraft using it, even though with considerable difficulty.
- During the first Stealth Mission executed by a Player, enemy flak cannot fire.
- During the second and third Stealth Missions executed by a Player, enemy flak can fire with an additional +10 modifier to the die roll.
- During the fourth and subsequent Stealth Missions executed by a Player, enemy flak can fire with an additional +8 modifier to the die roll.
29.24 Strategic Airlift
Strategic Airlift represents a combination of heavy lifters like the C-5 Galaxy and of military and loaned civilian aircraft used to transport military personnel along routes considered as safe.
- Each side may have a variable number of Airlift Points, depending by the scenario and by the resources mobilised.
- Each Airlift Point can be used once per Turn to execute an Air Transport Mission. Any number of Airlift Points can be allocated to a single mission.
- The mission is resolved using the standard rules, can be escorted, and can be intercepted by enemy aircraft (see 29.24.2).
29.24.1 Personnel Airlift
A Personnel Airlift mission can be used to transport the personnel of a unit whose equipment has been previously sealifted to a friendly port. The personnel are airlifted to a nearby airfield, and then "married" with the equipment on site.
- Personnel Airlift is a specific type of Air Transport Mission executed by Airlift Points to remove the "Equipment Only" marker from one or more units (see 31.3.2).
- The involved "Equipment Only" units must be in one of the following locations: a. A hex or LOC Box within 4 Movements Point, calculated in Road Mode, from a friendly-controlled, undamaged Airfield. b. A LOC Box containing a friendly-controlled, undamaged Port.
- The Player expends a number of Airlift Points equal to the Ship Troop Transport Cost of the involved units (see Transport Costs Table).
- The mission follows the Air Transport Mission rules but has no flight path, and the Port / Airfield used as prerequisite is the target.
- If the Transport Mission successfully reaches the target, the "Equipment Only" marker is removed from the involved units.
- A unit cannot move in the Turn during which the "Equipment Only" marker is removed. If forced to do so for any reason, it is eliminated.
29.24.2 Interception of Strategic Airlift
Strategic Airlift should be used only in areas with an established friendly air superiority or supremacy. Loss of these key strategic assets due to enemy interception can have heavy consequences on the whole campaign.
- If an Air Transport Mission executed by Strategic Airlift is successfully intercepted, Interception combat ensues as usual with the following additional considerations: a. Each Airlift Point is represented by a T-1-0 Aircraft Step, with a Transport Capacity of one (i.e., two Airlift Points forms a full-strength Transport squadron with a Transport Capacity of two). b. Each Transport squadron step destroyed during the mission permanently reduces the Airlift Points of the intercepted Player by one. c. In a Personnel Airlift, the "Equipment Only" units whose personnel is being transported are subject to step losses.
30. Helicopters
30.1 Helicopter Missions
- Helicopters may move and execute missions once per each Action Phase. In other words, they may move once during the friendly Action Phase and once during the enemy Action Phase.
- A Helicopter executing a mission is moved to the target, taking any enemy Flak Fire along the path. It then executes the mission according to the appropriate rules, and it is moved back to a valid Base, taking any enemy Flak Fire along the path.
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a Helicopter may execute a Ferry mission by moving from a valid Base to another.
- During the friendly Movement Phase, Helicopter may execute a Transport mission.
- During the friendly Special Forces Raid Phase, a Helicopter may transport Special Forces units to the target hex and back.
- During Ground Combat, a Helicopter may execute a Ground Support mission and add its Strike Value to the friendly Combat Value.
30.2 Helicopter Basing
Helicopters can be based almost everywhere, but each choice has its pros and cons. A fixed airfield allows to take advantage of the existing supply structure but ties the squadron to a point, while a FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point) allows mobility but forces the squadron to organize its own logistic.
- A helicopter must always start and end a mission in a valid Base, defined as one of the following: a. A friendly controlled Airfield. b. A friendly controlled Plain, Arctic Plain, High Plain, Desert, Rough-1, Arctic Rough-1, or Urban hex. A maximum of 2 Helicopter squadrons can use the same hex as Base. c. A Land LOC Box inside the unit's National Territory, or inside the National Territory of a country with a Commitment Level of 2 or more toward the unit's Faction and not occupied solely by enemy Combat Units. d. A Land LOC Box containing friendly Combat Units, or a friendly Port symbol and not occupied solely by enemy Combat Units. e. A Carrier ship having a Base Code corresponding to the Setup Code printed on the helicopter. f. A ship having a white Helipad symbol. A maximum of one helicopter squadron can be based on the ship, in addition to any squadron having the ship designation as setup.
- If a LOC Box does not have any more the prerequisites for being used as a Base at any time during a Turn, Helicopters based there must move to another Base before the end of the current Turn or be eliminated.
- In addition to Supply, the type, nationality and status of a Base also determine which missions can be executed by a helicopter squadron: a. A squadron based in an Airfield having its same nationality or its Alliance nationality (i.e., NATO or Warsaw Pact) can execute any mission allowed by its type. b. A squadron based in an Airfield not having its nationality can only execute Air Transport and Ferry missions. c. A squadron based in a hex or LOC Box can execute any mission allowed by its type. d. A squadron based at a Damaged Airfield or in a Nuclear Contamination hex can only execute Ferry missions.
30.3 Helicopter Movement
- The movement value printed on a Helicopter represents its total movement, not range. The Helicopter must therefore be able to move to the target and back to a valid Base (not necessarily the one it departed from). If unable to do so for any reason, it is destroyed (i.e. ran out of fuel and crashed). "Suicide missions" where helicopters are not able to return to a Base are not explicitly forbidden but are considered a very gamey tactic.
- A helicopter expends 1 MP for each hex entered in the Operational Map.
- A helicopter can use Nap-of-Earth (NOE) flight to reduce its vulnerability to flak fire (see 20.2). NOE Flight costs 3 MPs per hex and can be used only on the Operational Map.
- A helicopter may freely change from Normal to NOE flight and vice-versa at any time without additional costs.
- A helicopter expends 8 MPs multiplied by the Entry Distance (Listed in the Base Slot) to move from an Off-Map Base to a hex on the map edge and inside a Megahex with a corresponding Entry Area, or vice-versa. Example: Soviet off-map Airfield 609 (Marnueli) has an Entry Code TC2:4. A helicopter expends 32 MPs (8 MPs * 4) to move from Marnueli to a hex on the map edge and inside a Megahex marked with a TC2 code.
30.3.1 LOC Map Movement
- A helicopter can move on Land and Sea Boxes, using any Connection type.
- A helicopter expends 30 MPs for each Connection used.
- A helicopter beginning its move with less than 30 MPs can move to an adjacent Box connected by Land by expending all its MPs.
- A helicopter cannot end its movement in a Sea Box, unless landing on an appropriate ship.
- A helicopter expends no MPs to move from a Entry Box to a hex on the map edge and inside a Megahex having a corresponding Entry Code, or vice-versa.
- A helicopter expends 4 MPs to move from a Transit Box to a connected Off-Map Base, or vice-versa.
30.4 Helicopters and Air Superiority Areas
- In the instant a Helicopter enters an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area, the owning Player must roll a die on the Helicopter Interception Table and apply the result immediately. The die roll is modified by the Evasion Rating of the helicopter being moved.
- If the helicopter survives, it can continue moving inside that specific Air Superiority Area without additional rolls on the Helicopter Interception Table.
- Should the helicopter move out and successively re-enter the same or another Air Superiority Area, it will have to roll again on the Helicopter Interception Table.
30.5 Helicopter Losses
- Most helicopter units possess two combat steps.
- Any Damaged result against a helicopter is converted into a Step Loss. helicopters have no Damage status.
- When a helicopter squadron takes a Step Loss, flip it to its back side. Should the helicopter take another Step Loss, it is eliminated.
- Helicopter squadrons with a Step Loss, of the same type and nationality and starting the Movement Phase in the same Base can be combined into a single, full-strength squadron.
30.6 Helicopter Transport
A helicopter squadron with a Transport Capacity may execute Transport Missions. The Transport Capacity represents the approximate number of battalions that can be transported.
- Squadrons starting at the same Base can move together and combine their transport capacity. In this case, the group has a number of MPs available equal to the squadron with the lowest movement capacity.
- Squadrons moving together for Transport still take enemy flak fire, Helicopter Intercept Attacks and step losses individually.
- A helicopter expends 3 MPs to load / unload in a hex, Airfield or LOC Box.
- A helicopter expends 6 MPs to load / unload on a ship with a Helipad symbol. The helicopter itself could start embarked on the ship.
30.6.1 Transporting Units
- Helicopter squadrons can transport only specific unit types and must have enough Transport Capacity (see Transport Costs Table).
- A helicopter can load / unload units in any place that could be used as a Base (see 30.2).
- The transport cost of a brigade / regiment is decreased by 1 for each step lost.
- The transport cost of a division is decreased by 3 for each step lost. Example: a Warsaw Pact Airmobile division with 2 steps lost (Casualty Marker 3) has its helicopter transport cost decreased from 9 to 3.
- A unit being transported must be in Tactical Mode and not in an enemy ZOC. Other friendly Combat Units negate enemy ZOC for the purpose of this rule.
- A unit using Helicopter Transport must expend 2 MPs. Players must keep track of this on a separate piece of paper.
- A unit being transported must not necessarily start in the same point of the Helicopter.
- For every 2 steps of transporting helicopters lost due to Flak Fire, the transported unit must take one Step Loss. If, after the step losses, the surviving helicopters' transport capacity is less than the Transport cost of the unit, the transported unit must immediately reduce its transport cost by losing an appropriate number of Combat Steps.
- If all the helicopters transporting a unit are shot down by enemy Flak fire, the transported unit is also eliminated.
- A unit debarked in in a LOC Box, in a friendly Base or in a hex not in enemy ZOC may move normally during the current Action Phase.
- If a unit debarks in an unoccupied hex in enemy ZOC, it must immediately attack the enemy units exerting the ZOC using the standard Land Combat Sequence. If the combat result is D, the unit may move normally during the current Action Phase. On any other result, the debarked unit cannot move during the current Action Phase.
30.6.2 Transporting Supply
- A helicopter with sufficient Transport Capacity can transport Supply Points (see Transport Costs Table).
- A helicopter can load Supply Points at the following places: a. A friendly Airfield. b. A ship with a white or blue Helipad symbol.
- The number of Supply Points that can be loaded at an Airfield depends by its supply status: a. If an Airfield is tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in General Supply, each squadron can be loaded to its full Transport Capacity. b. If the Airfield is tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in Limited Supply, a total of 3 Supply Points can be loaded each Turn. c. If the Airfield is not tracing its Supply Path to a NATO or Warsaw Pact Supply Source and is in General Supply, a total of 1 Supply Points can be loaded each Turn. d. In all other cases, only Stockpiled Supply present at the Airfield can be loaded.
- When loading Supply from a ship, only Stockpiled Supply embarked on the ship can be loaded.
- During transport, the number of Supply Points embarked must be adjusted to reflect any loss inflicted to the transporting squadron.
31. Naval War
Naval activities take place during the following phases of a Turn:
- During the Convoy Phase, both sides allocate or deallocate ships to Convoys and trace each Convoy's Route.
- During the Movement Phase, the phasing Player may move his naval units, and both sides may try to intercept and initiate combat with enemy naval units.
31.1 Naval Units
A Naval Unit may represent a single vessel or a group of up to 8 small vessels. Single vessel units are usually more powerful but lose a significant amount of movement and combat capability when damaged. Multiple vessels units are less powerful but retain most of their capabilities even when damaged.
- With a few exceptions, Naval Units have two steps. When a Naval Unit takes a step loss, it is flipped on the back side and is considered Damaged. A second step loss sinks (destroy) the unit.
- A Damaged Naval Unit also used as Air Base has its Support and Repair capacity halved, down to a minimum of 1.
31.1.1 Naval Squadrons
Naval squadrons represent a group of crafts operating independently over an area.
- A naval squadron has its Type printed in Orange.
- A naval squadron cannot join or form a Task Force.
31.2 Naval Movement
- Naval units on the Operational Map move by using Megahexes. A naval unit may move from its current Megahex to an adjacent one connected by a partial or complete sea hex side.
- Naval units must be moved one at a time. A Task Force moves as a single naval unit.
- A naval unit's Movement Allowance depend by its type and characteristics, as listed in the Naval Movement Allowance Table. Units having a Slow (Sl) special code are slower than other units of the same type.
- A Damaged naval unit with a yellow triangle on its back side has its Movement Allowance reduced by 3.
- A naval unit expends 1 MP for each Megahex entered on the Operational Map.
- A naval unit can move from an Off-Map Base to a Megahex with a corresponding Entry Area or vice-versa by expending a number of MPs equal to the Entry Distance listed in the Base Slot.
- A naval unit expends 1 MP to dock or undock at a Port or coastal hex. This additional cost does not apply while on the LOC Map. Place a docked ship over the Port symbol of the Base or in the land part of the hex, and an undocked ship in the "At Sea" slot of the Base or in the sea part of the hex.
31.2.1 LOC Map Movement
- A naval unit on the LOC Map can move on Land or Sea Boxes, using Sea Connections only.
- A naval unit expends 5 MPs for each LOC Box entered using a Sea Connection on the LOC Map.
- A naval unit expends no MPs to move from an Entry Box to a Megahex having a corresponding Entry Code, or vice-versa.
- A naval unit expends 1 MP to move from a Transit Box to a connected Off-Map Base or vice-versa.
31.2.2 Patrol
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a naval unit or Task Force at sea can be placed On Patrol by expending 6 MPs and placing a "On Patrol" marker under it.
- A naval unit On Patrol cannot move or attack during the friendly Movement Phase, but it can Intercept enemy naval units during the enemy Movement Phase (see 31.8).
- A naval unit can stay On Patrol indefinitely.
- A naval unit can abandon Patrol and resume normal movement at any time during the friendly Movement Phase, at no cost. Remove the "On Patrol" marker from underneath the unit.
31.2.3 Naval Positioning
In most cases, Players should feel free to ignore the exact position of a naval unit inside a Megahex. Some activities, like mine warfare and embarking / debarking, may require a more detailed approach.
- When moving into a Megahex, a naval unit can be placed into any hex to which it can trace a valid path starting from its current hex and having all the hexes within the starting or destination Megahex.
- When entering a Port, embarking / debarking in a coastal hex or laying / sweeping Mines, a naval unit must move into the desired hex by tracing a valid path from its current hex.
- When leaving a Port, a naval unit must move into any hex inside its current Megahex by tracing a valid path from the Port hex.
- Before Gun or ASW Combat, the initiating naval unit must move into the enemy unit's hex by tracing a valid path from its current hex.
- A valid path is defined as a contiguous path of sea hexes starting from the naval unit's current position to the destination hex.
- If the path defined by a naval unit enters any hex containing enemy Naval Mines or within range of enemy Coastal Batteries, all the resulting attacks are resolved before any other action.
31.3 Naval Transport
Naval units with a Transport Capacity may transport ground units, helicopter units and supply.
- A naval unit may have a Troop Transport capacity (blue value) and / or a Supply Transport capacity (orange value). Supply can be transported by using either Troop and Supply capacity, while units may require a specific amount of both (see Transport Costs Table).
- The transport cost of a brigade or regiment is decreased by 1 Troop and 1 Supply for each step lost. Example: A US Mechanized brigade with 1 step lost (Casualty Marker 1) has its naval transport cost decreased from 3 Troop and 3 Supply to 2 Troop and 2 Supply.
- The transport cost of a division is decreased by 2 troops and 2 supplies for each step lost. Example: a Warsaw Pact armoured division with 2 steps lost (Casualty Marker 3) has its naval transport cost decreased from 9 Troop and 9 Supply to 5 Troop and 5 Supply.
- Naval units part of the same Task Force can combine their Transport capacity.
- A naval unit can embark / debark cargo or troops when docked at the following locations: a. A friendly, undamaged Port on the Operational Map. b. A friendly, undamaged Off-Map Base with a Port symbol. c. A LOC Box with a Port symbol.
- Units debarked by a naval unit cannot move for the remainder of current Action Phase. Helicopters debarked by a naval unit cannot execute missions for the remainder of the Turn.
- For every 2 steps of transporting ships lost, the transported unit must take one Step Loss. If, after the step losses, the surviving transport capacity is less than the Transport cost of the unit, the transported unit must immediately reduce its transport cost by losing an appropriate number of Combat Steps. If all transport ships are sunk, the transported units are destroyed.
- Naval units in the same Task Force can reorganize embarked Units or Supply among them by paying the appropriate Movement Cost. When using Weather rules, no cargo reorganization can take place during Bad Weather.
31.3.1 Amphibious Landing
- Ships with a Landing Ship symbol can embark/debark Marines, Mechanized Marines, Special Forces and Supply Points when docked at a coastal hex having Plain, Arctic Plain, High Plain, Desert, Rough-1, Arctic Rough-1, Urban or City Terrain, or in any Land LOC Box.
- When debarking units, the debark hex cannot contain enemy units or Garrisoned Bases but it can be in an enemy ZOC.
- When debarking Supply Points, the debark hex must be friendly controlled and not in enemy ZOC, or must have a friendly Combat Unit already in it.
- Units debarking in an unoccupied enemy ZOC must immediately attack the enemy units exerting the ZOC using the standard Combat Sequence. If the combat result is C, A1 or A2, the debarked unit must take one additional Step Loss.
- If Ground Combat caused by an Amphibious Landing has a D result, Advance after Combat is not mandatory.
- Units making an Amphibious Landing cannot move for the remainder of the current Action Phase.
31.3.2 Equipment Sealift
During the 1991 Gulf War, 99.6% of the US troops were transported to Saudi Arabia using a combined sealift and airlift procedure. In short, combat equipment moves by sealift to a port, while personnel move by airlift to a nearby air base is and subsequently "married" to the equipment already at the port. NATO REFORGER and US Marines MPSRON programs both use similar concepts.
A unit can be moved by transporting its equipment via Sealift and its personnel via Airlift. An Equipment Sealift uses the same procedure of a normal Naval Transport, with the following additions:
- Any Troops Transport Cost of the unit is converted into a Supply Transport Cost of one (i.e., a Mechanized brigade having a 3 Troops + 3 Supply Transport Cost can be embarked for a cost of 4 Supply Transport).
- An "Equipment Only" marker is placed under the transported unit.
- The "Equipment Only" unit can be debarked at a friendly Port, using the standard Naval Transport rules.
- A unit with an "Equipment Only" marker cannot move or fight and is automatically destroyed if an enemy Combat Unit attacks it or enters its hex.
- An "Equipment Only" marker can be subsequently removed by executing a Personnel Airlift Mission (see 29.24.1).
31.4 Naval Mines
31.4.1 Minelaying
- A naval unit with a Ml Special Code can lay Mines.
- The minelaying unit expends 6 MPs and increases the Mines Level in its hex by one (see also 31.2.3).
- Mine Level in a hex cannot be increased above 3.
31.4.2 Minesweeping
- A naval unit with a Ms Special Code can remove Mines.
- The naval unit expends 6 MPs and removes one Mine Point from its current hex (see also 31.2.3).
31.4.3 Entering a Minefield
- A Minesweeper (MS) naval unit entering a Mine hex must roll on the Naval Combat Table using an attack value equal to the Mine Level multiplied by 2 and with the die roll modified by the naval unit's Toughness.
- Any other naval unit entering a Mine hex must roll on the Naval Combat Table using an attack value equal to the Mine Level multiplied by 3 and with the die roll modified by the naval unit's Toughness.
- If the moving naval unit is a Task Force, the owning Player chooses which ship will be used to resolve the Mines attack.
31.5 Task Forces
Ships can be organized in a Task Force. A Task Force attacks and defends as a single entity and offers better protection from enemy attacks.
31.5.1 Forming a Task Force
- A Task Force can be formed at any moment during the friendly Movement Phase.
- A Task Force can include up to a maximum of 15 naval units.
- Only Task Force capable ships (having Type printed in White or Black) can be included in a Task Force.
- All the included ships must be in the same Megahex or Port and have at least 2 MPs remaining.
- A Task Force Marker is placed in the Megahex or Port, and all the ships included are placed in the corresponding Task Force Slot.
- The newly formed Task Force has a number of MPs equal to the ship having the least MPs remaining.
31.5.2 Joining a Task Force
- During its movement, a Task Force capable ship can join an existing Task Force that has not moved yet.
- The joining ship must be at sea, in the same Megahex of the Task Force and expend 2 MPs.
- The joining ship is placed in the corresponding Task Force Display.
- If the Task Force moves afterward, it is considered to have already expended the same number of MPs expended by the joining unit.
31.5.3 Leaving a Task Force
- A ship can leave a Task Force at any moment during a friendly Movement Phase.
- If the Task Force is moving or has already moved, the leaving ship cannot move for the remainder of the current Movement Phase.
- If the Task Force has not moved yet, the leaving ship can move normally and has its full allotment of MPs.
31.5.4 Moving a Task Force
- A Task Force moves following the standard Naval Movement rules and has a Movement Allowance equal to the slowest ship included.
31.5.5 Disbanding a Task Force
- A Task Force is Disbanded when ending its movement in a Port, or at any moment during the friendly Movement Phase at owning Player's will. Remove the Task Force Marker and place the ships in the Megahex or Port currently occupied by the disbanded Task Force.
- If the Disbanded Task Force had not moved yet, ships previously in the Task Force may move normally.
- If the disbanded Task Force had already moved, ships previously in the Task Force cannot move during the current Movement Phase.
31.5.6 Naval Tactical Display
- Ships in a Task Force must be placed on the corresponding slot on the Naval Tactical Display and deployed among the three Sectors of the Task Force (Outer, Inner and Core).
- It is not mandatory to place ships in every Sector.
- Sectors must be filled in ascending order, starting from Core Sector. No ship can be placed in a Sector that is numbered higher than an empty Sector.
- Only Frigate and Destroyers (FF, FFG, FFL, DD and DDG) can be placed in the Outer Sector.
- Within the above rules, ships in a Task Force can be rearranged freely at any time during movement, except from the instant the enemy declares an interception or naval strike up to the conclusion of any ensuing combat.
- Depending by the Task Force Detection Level, the enemy is entitled to know certain details about the ships' disposition before commencing an attack (see 31.6).
31.6 Detection Level
Each naval unit has a Detection Level ranging from zero (no information) to three (exact position and composition known).
- Each Naval Unit has a Base Detection Level, depending on its current location and described in the Detection Level Table.
- The Base Detection Level can be further modified by additional factors, as described by specific rules and summarized in the Detection Level Modifiers Table. All modifiers are cumulative.
- Depending on the Detection Level, the enemy is entitled to obtain a certain level of information about a Task Force:
| Detect Level | Information |
|---|---|
| 0 | No information |
| 1 | Total number of ships and type of ships present |
| 2 | Number of ships for each type; Number of ships in each Naval Tactical Display Sector |
| 3 | Exact disposition on the Naval Tactical Display |
31.7 Surveillance Areas
- Each side has a certain number of ASW and Naval Surveillance markers, depending upon the scenario being played.
- During the Surveillance Placement Phase, both sides may place and remove their available Surveillance markers on the Operational Map. Each marker creates an ASW or Naval Surveillance Area in the Megahex where it is deployed.
- An ASW Surveillance marker can be deployed within two Megahex range from a friendly, undamaged Airfield or Naval Base, including Off-Map Bases. If this condition is not fulfilled at any time during a Turn, the ASW Surveillance marker is removed.
- A Naval Surveillance marker can be deployed within four Megahexes range from a friendly, undamaged Airfield or Naval Base, including Off-map Bases. If this condition is not fulfilled at any time during a Turn, the Naval Surveillance marker is removed.
- For both ASW and Naval Surveillance, the Base used must have a nationality part of the Faction placing the Surveillance Area, or belong to a country with a Commitment Level of 3 or more toward the Faction (see 40.4).
- A Surveillance marker inside an enemy-controlled Air Superiority Area is immediately removed.
- A Surveillance marker cannot be placed in a Megahex in a Bad Weather zone.
- It is possible for both sides to have Surveillance markers in the same Megahex.
- A Naval Surveillance Area increases the Detection Level of any enemy surface unit in it (see Detection Level Table).
- An ASW Surveillance Area increases the possibility to successfully Intercept enemy Submarines in the same Megahex (see Naval Interception Table).
- An ASW Surveillance Area can make one Interception attempt per Action Phase against any enemy Submarine unit in its Megahex, using the following sequence: a. A normal Interception attempt is resolved, with no modifiers for Movement Allowance. Active Emissions cannot be used. b. if the Interception succeeds, the ASW Surveillance Area attacks the enemy Submarine with an attack value of 6, using the normal ASW Combat rules.
31.8 Naval Interception
In order to initiate Naval Combat, enemy naval units must be Intercepted first.
- During the friendly Movement Phase, a naval unit may attempt to Intercept enemy naval units in the same Megahex or in the same LOC Box by expending 6 MPs.
- During the enemy Movement Phase, a naval unit On Patrol can make a single Interception attempt against one enemy naval unit up to one Megahex away, or in the same LOC Box.
- If both sides want to attempt an Interception at the same time, the side with the lowest Detection Value goes first. In case of ties, the attempts are resolved using the following order: a. phasing Submarine units and ASW Surv. Areas b. Non-phasing Submarine units and ASW Surv. Areas c. phasing Surface units d. Non-phasing Surface units
- No Interception is required to attack naval units in a Port.
- Naval units in a Port cannot intercept.
31.8.1 Naval Interception Sequence
- The Intercepting Player announces the naval unit trying to intercept and the target naval unit.
- The Intercepting Player announces if he's using Active Emissions. Active Emissions cannot be used if the Intercepting side is an ASW Surveillance, a Naval Air Strike or a Submarine that will execute a Missile Attack.
- If Interception is successful and Active Emissions are used, the Detection Level of the Intercepting side is increased by one for the duration of the ensuing Naval Combat.
- If the Intercepted side tries to evade, the Intercepting side rolls on the Naval Interception Table, applying all the relevant Die Roll Modifiers.
- If the Intercepted side does not try to evade, no roll is needed and the Interception automatically succeeds.
- If the Interception is successful, Naval Combat ensues.
- If an Interception is successful on the Operational Map at one Megahex distance, the Intercepting naval unit must be moved into the Megahex containing the Intercepted enemy units. If the Intercepting unit moves into hexes containing Naval Mines or in range of enemy Coastal Batteries, the appropriate type of attack is resolved before Naval Combat.
- A naval unit successfully intercepted has its Detection Level increased by one for the duration of the following Naval Combat.
31.9 Naval Combat
Naval Combat may occur at any moment during the Movement Phase between Naval Units in the same Megahex or LOC Box. A successful Interception is required for initiating Naval Combat.
31.9.1 Naval Combat Sequence
- Missile Combat takes place.
- If the intercepting side conducted a Missile Attack with a Submarine, Naval Combat is over.
- The side whose naval units has the highest Movement Allowance (i.e., the fastest ships) decides if Gun Combat takes place. If the involved naval units have the same Movement Allowance, the Intercepting side decides.
- ASW Combat takes place.
31.10 Missile Combat
During Missile Combat, both sides may execute a Missile Attack against enemy surface units engaged in combat.
- Only surface units can be attacked in Missile Combat.
- If the Intercepting side executes a Missile Attack, its Detection Level is increased by one for the duration of the Missile Combat.
- Irrespective of the overall situation, the side executing the Missile Attack is the attacker, while the other side is the defender.
31.10.1 Missile Attack against a Ship
- The attacker totals the Missile Attack Value of the units executing the Missile Attack.
- The defender rolls on the Missile Defence Table, using the Target Ship's Missile Defence Rating. The Missile Attack Value is reduced accordingly.
- The attacker rolls on the Naval Combat Table, using the final Missile Attack Value and applying all the relevant modifiers.
- All attack results are applied only at the end of Missile Combat.
31.10.2 Missile Attack against a Task Force
- The attacker totals the Missile Attack Value of the units executing the Missile Attack and distributes it among the three Sectors of the target Task Force, as he sees fit. It is not mandatory to attack every Sector.
- For each ship in the Outer Sector, the defender rolls on the Missile Defence Table, using the ship's Missile Defence Rating. The Missile Attack Value assigned to any single Sector, at defender's discretion, is reduced as indicated by each result.
- For each ship in the Inner Sector, the defender rolls on the Missile Defence Table. The Missile Attack Value assigned to the Inner or Core Sector, at defender's discretion, is reduced as indicated by each result.
- For each ship in the Core Sector, the defender rolls on the Missile Defence Table. The Missile Attack Value assigned to the Core Sector is reduced as indicated by the result.
- Attack in each Sector is resolved: a. Attacker rolls on the Missile Distribution Table to determine how many targets will be attacked. b. A corresponding number of ships is chosen randomly among those in the attacked Sector. c. Attacker distributes the final Missile Attack Value as evenly as possible among the target ships. d. Attacker rolls on the Naval Combat Table for each ship attacked, using the Missile Attack Value assigned and modifying the die roll for target's Toughness and Detection Level.
- All attack results are applied only at the end of Missile Combat.
31.11 Gun Combat
During Gun Combat, naval units may attack enemy surface units using their Gun Attack Value.
- Gun Combat can be initiated only against surface units having a Detection Level of 2 or more.
- Only surface units can be attacked in Gun Combat.
- Naval units involved in Gun Combat while in a Port must all participate in combat and have their Gun Combat Value reduced by 3, down to a minimum of 1.
31.11.1 Gun Combat Sequence
Gun Combat is resolved in rounds, up to a maximum of three. Each Round uses the following sequence:
- Each side determines which of his surface units are Screened and will not participate in the current round of combat.
- If one or both sides have all their surface units Screened, Gun Combat is over.
- Starting with the unit with the highest Gun Combat Value and going down, each ship fires at one enemy surface unit by rolling on the Naval Combat Table and modifying the die roll for target's Toughness. Results are implemented immediately.
- If several ships have the same Gun Combat Value, the two sides alternate firing with each ship, starting from the phasing side.
- If both sides agree, another round of Gun Combat is fought. If one side is inside a Port, the opposing side alone decides if another round of Gun Combat is fought.
31.11.2 Screening
At the beginning of each round of Gun Combat, both sides must determine which surface units are Screened.
- Only units in a Task Force can be Screened. Ships moving alone or attacked in a Base are never Screened.
- Each side rolls a single die and consults the Screening Table to determine which Sectors are Screened.
- Units in a Screened Sector cannot fire nor be fired at during the current round of Gun Combat.
31.12 ASW Combat
During ASW Combat, submarine units can attack and be attacked by other naval units.
- Naval units in a Port cannot attack or be attacked using ASW Combat.
31.12.1 ASW Combat against a Task Force
- The Submarine side declares a Target Sector that will be attacked. If the Sector has no enemy ships, the Submarine side can choose another Sector.
- For each Sector containing ships and having a number higher than the Target Sector, the Task Force side executes one attack: a. The total ASW Combat Value of ships in the Sector is calculated. b. A roll is made on the Naval Combat Table, modifying the die roll for Submarine's Toughness and Detection Level. Results are implemented immediately.
- The Submarine side chooses a ship in the Target Sector and rolls on the Naval Combat Table, modifying the die roll for target's Toughness and Detection Level. Results are implemented immediately.
- After resolving the attack, the Detection Level of the Submarine unit is increased by one for the remainder of the current ASW Combat.
- The Task Force side totals the ASW Combat Value of every ship in the Target Sector and rolls on the Naval Combat Table, modifying the die roll for Submarine's Toughness and Detection Level. Results are implemented immediately.
31.12.2 ASW Combat between single Naval Units
- The side with the lowest Detection Level rolls on the Naval Combat Table using its ASW Combat value and applying all relevant modifiers. In case of tie, Intercepting side goes first. Results are implemented immediately.
- After resolving the attack, the Detection Level of the attacking unit is increased by one for the remainder of the current ASW Combat.
- The opposing side rolls on the Naval Combat Table using its ASW Combat value and applying all relevant modifiers. Results are implemented immediately.
31.13 Naval Ammunition
- On a roll of 1 to 10 during Missile Combat, the attacker must place a "Missile Halved" under a ship participating to the attack and selected randomly among those not already having a "Missile Halved" marker. The unit's Missile Attack Value is halved until the Marker is removed.
- On a roll of 1 to 5 during ASW Combat, the attacker must place an "ASW Halved" marker under a ship participating to the attack and selected randomly among those not already having a similar marker. The unit's ASW Attack Value is halved until the Marker is removed.
- During Flak Fire or Missile Defence, a naval unit with a A+, A or B rating and rolling a number from 1 to 8 has a "Flak Ammo 1" Marker placed under it. The unit's Flak is decreased to the nearest inferior Rating until the Marker is removed (i.e., A becomes B, B becomes C).
- During the End Phase of a Turn, a naval unit has any "Missile Halved", "ASW Halved" and "Flak Ammo 1" markers removed if any of the following is true: a. It is in a friendly Naval Base, or in a friendly Port on the LOC Map. b. It is in the same Megahex or in the same Task Force as an AFS or TAK ship of the same nationality or Alliance.
31.14 Convoys
Convoys can be used to organize and protect transport ships and ensure a steady, continuous flow of supply to a port not connected to the supply infrastructure.
During the Convoy Phase, each side may create, reorganize and disband Convoys.
31.14.1 Creating a Convoy
- The Player defines the Starting Port and the Arrival Port for the Convoy. Both Ports must be friendly controlled.
- The Player places any Task Force capable ship currently in the Starting or Arrival Port in a Convoy Slot. He then deploys the ships in the various Sector of the Convoy, following the same rules used for a Task Force.
- The Player defines the Convoy Route by placing "Convoy" markers with a corresponding number on the Megahexes and LOC Boxes used. The Convoy Route must connect the Starting and Arrival Ports.
31.14.2 Reorganize a Convoy
During any successive Convoy Phase, the Player can:
- Change the Convoy Route as he sees fit, subject to the rules for creating them.
- Add ships to the Convoy, taking them from the Starting or Arrival Port.
- Remove ships from the Convoy, placing them in the Starting or Arrival Port.
31.14.3 Disbanding a Convoy
During any successive Convoy Phase, the Player can disband any Convoy. Place the convoy ships in the Starting or Arrival Port and remove all the Convoy markers.
31.14.4 Supply Delivery
During the End Phase of a Turn, each Convoy delivers a certain number of Supply Points to the Arrival Port.
- The total number of Supply and Troops Transport Points in the Convoy is calculated.
- The distance in MPs between the Starting and the Arrival Ports is calculated.
- The number of Supply Points delivered is calculated using the Convoy Supply Delivery Table.
- If the Starting Port is not able to trace a Supply Path of any length to a valid General Supply Source, no Supply Points are delivered.
- If the Starting or Arrival Port is Damaged, the number of Supply Points delivered is halved.
- If a Convoy Route is forced to enter one or more Naval Mines hexes, resolve each Naval Mine attack normally before delivering supply.
31.14.5 Attacking a Convoy
- A Convoy can be attacked in any Megahex or LOC Box along its Route.
- An attack against a Convoy follows the standard Naval Combat rules, Interception included. A Convoy is considered a Task Force for Naval Combat purposes.
31.15 Naval Airborne Early Warning
- A Megahex containing one or more friendly CV or CVN units at sea is considered to have an AEW squadron deployed, unless inside an enemy Air Superiority Area.
- A LOC Box containing one or more friendly CV or CVN units at sea is considered to have an AEW squadron deployed for any Air Mission executed in the LOC Box and involving aircraft that are based on the CV.
31.16 Intelligence Ships
Auxiliary, General Intelligence (AGI) ships were widely used during Cold War, particularly by Soviet Union. Usually posing as fishing vessels of unremarkable appearance, they were actually equipped with top-notch sensors and communication equipment and manned by a specialist crew.
- An Intelligence Ship has an AGI type and a De Special Code on its counter.
- When a Naval Interception or Naval Strike occurs in a Megahex or LOC Box where a friendly AGI ship is present, the owning Player rolls a die: on a 11 – 20 roll, all the involved enemy surface units have their Detection Level increased by one for the duration of the Interception attempt and for the subsequent Naval Combat.
31.17 Naval Repair
- During the End Phase, both sides may attempt to repair Damaged naval units representing a single vessel (i.e., having a yellow damage triangle on the back of their counter)
- In order to attempt repair, the unit must be in a friendly, undamaged Naval Base having its nationality or a NATO nationality, and must have expended no MPs during the current Turn.
- The owning Player rolls a die for each Naval Repair attempt: on a roll of 19 or 20, the Naval unit is flipped on its undamaged side.
31.18 Naval Bombardment
- Friendly naval units in a coastal hex and not docked at a Port can support a Ground Combat occurring in the same hex by adding 1/4 of their total Gun Combat value as Combat Support.
- Naval Bombardment is subject to enemy Electronic Warfare effects (see 9.19.1).
32. Bases
Airfields, Naval Bases and Ports are considered Bases and are subject to the following rules.
32.1 Airfields
Each Airfield and CV has a corresponding box on the Airfields Chart. Air Units based at an Airfield are placed in the corresponding box.
32.1.1 Support Capacity
Each Airfield has a limit to its capacity to maintain, refuel and rearm squadrons keeping the high tempo requested by modern combat operations.
- Each Airfield has a Support Capacity printed in its holding box, representing the total number of squadrons that can operate effectively from that Airfield.
- Airfields with no printed Support Capacity can support up to 20 squadrons.
- Squadrons in excess of a Base Support Capacity should be placed upside down and can only execute Ferry Missions.
32.1.2 Repair Capacity
During the Repair Phase of a Turn, Airfields can repair Damaged aircraft squadrons.
- Each Airfield has a Repair Capacity printed in its holding box, representing the number of squadron steps that can be repaired each Turn.
- In order to use its Repair Capacity, an Airfield must be undamaged, in General or Limited Supply and not in a Nuclear Contamination hex.
- The unused Repair Capacity of an Airfield is not accumulated from Turn to Turn.
32.1.3 Airfield Damage
An Airfield can be damaged in several ways: Ground units attacking and occupying it, Special Forces Raids, Ground Strike Missions and Nuclear attacks.
The following rules apply to a Damaged Airfield:
- Air and Helicopter squadrons cannot execute Missions until the Base is repaired, apart from Ferry Missions.
- Aircraft squadrons cannot be Repaired.
32.1.4 Capture of Airfields
- A friendly unit can capture an enemy Airfield by assaulting it (see 32.4).
- Air and Helicopter squadrons in an Airfield under attack may execute a Ground Support or Ferry Mission, subject to the standard rules and limitations. This also means they can choose to land in a different Base after supporting the defense.
- Air and Helicopter squadrons in a captured Airfield are eliminated.
- An Airfield is considered Damaged if a Ground Combat has been resolved for capturing it.
- A Captured Airfield loses any existing nationality and can support only limited activites until made Operational (see 29.1 and 32.1.5).
32.1.5 Operational Airfields
- An Airfield can be made Operational by a Faction if It has been Captured or is controlled by a country with a Commitment Level of 3 or more toward the Faction.
- During the End Phase, the Airfield becomes Operational if it is occupied or within the ZOC of a Ground Unit of the Faction, and one of the following conditions is fulfilled: a. The unit used as prerequisite is in General or Limited Supply, and 5 Repair Points are expended. b. 10 Supply Points stockpiled at the Airfield are expended.
- An Airfield made Operational has a Faction Marker placed on it, is considered to have the Faction nationality in addition to any nationality already present, follows the same rules of a standard Base and maintains its original Support Capacity.
- An Airfield that has been captured and made Operational has a Repair Capacity of one, if its original Repair Capacity was one or higher. If the original Repair Capacity was zero, it remains zero.
- An Airfield controlled by a friendly country and made Operational retains its original Repair Capacity.
32.2 Ports
Ports, both on-map and off-map, can be used by friendly units of any nationality.
32.2.1 Port Damage
A Port can be damaged by Ground Combat, Ground Strike Missions, Special Forces Raids and Nuclear Attacks.
- A Damaged Port cannot be used as Supply Source.
- Embarking and debarking cargo in a Damaged Port has the same MP Cost of a Coastal Hex.
- Convoys departing or arriving at a Damaged Port deliver only half of the normal Supply Points.
- Reinforcements cannot use a Damaged Port as entry point.
32.2.2 Capture of Ports
- A friendly unit can capture an unoccupied enemy Port by simply moving into its hex.
- A friendly unit can capture an enemy Naval Base by assaulting it (see 32.4).
- A Port or Naval Base is considered Damaged if a Ground Combat has been resolved for capturing it.
- Each enemy naval unit docked in a captured Port must roll a die. On a roll from 1 to 10, the unit is destroyed; on any other roll, the unit is placed at sea in the Port's Megahex or LOC Box.
32.3 Off-Map Bases
Off-Map Bases represent one or more Airfields or Ports located outside of the Operational Map boundaries. An Off-Map Base uses the same rules of a standard base except for what listed below.
32.3.1 Entry Areas
- Several Off-Map Bases have one or more Entry Areas listed in their holding box, followed by the distance to the corresponding Entry Area on the Operational Map.
- A listed Entry Area allows aircraft, helicopters and ships to move directly from the Off-Map Base to the Operational Map, without using the LOC Map. See the specific movement rules for each unit type for the details.
32.3.2 Intrinsic Flak
- An Off-Map Base could have an Intrinsic Flak value, listed on its holding box. For example, French Base 501 (Toulon) has an 1x A-Rated and 1x C-Rated Intrinsic Flak.
- An Intrinsic Flak has no range and can be used only against enemy air or helicopter missions targeting the base or units inside the base.
- Intrinsic Flak can be suppressed by a SEAD Mission, but cannot be destroyed.
- Intrinsic Flak does not use Flak Ammo.
- If an Off-Map Base is captured by the enemy, any Intrinsic Flak is permanently destroyed.
32.4 Garrisoned Bases
- Airfields and Naval Bases are considered Garrisoned Bases.
- A Garrisoned Base is a Small Combat Unit with a Defence Value of 0.
- A friendly unit can capture an enemy Garrisoned Base by declaring an Assault and expending the appropriate amount of MPs.
- The Defender may allocate Artillery or Ground Support Missions to the Combat, even if no ground units are present.
- If the Defender has ground units, combat is resolved normally. A friendly unit can capture the Base by eliminating the enemy units or forcing them to retreat and advancing into the Base's hex.
- If the Defender has no ground units and successfully allocated Combat Support, Combat is resolved normally using the nationality of the Base as the Defender's Cadre Rating. A D result allows the friendly unit to capture the Base by Advancing after Combat into its hex.
- If the Defender has no ground units and has not successfully allocated Combat Support, the Base is automatically captured by Advancing after Combat into its hex or Box.
- A successful attack against a Garrisoned Base with no ground units in it does not create a Breakthrough zone.
32.4.1 Combat in an Off-Map, Garrisoned Base
- If a LOC Box contains no enemy Combat Units or enemy Combat Units with a No-ZOC Marker only, the Phasing Player may elect to attack any enemy Off-Map Base having the same LOC Code.
- The Attacker can use only the units in the group being moved as Attacking Force. Any other Combat or Support unit is ignored.
- Only Standard Assault can be executed, at a cost of 8 MPs.
- No Concentric Assault Bonus can be used.
- The Defender has an intrinsic +1 Combat Modifier for Terrain.
- If the attacked Base contains ground units not embarked on ships, the Defender may create a Defence Force using them. The Defense Force must obey to the standard Stacking limitations for a hex, and any other Combat or Support unit is ignored.
- After the Defense Force has been defined (if any), Ground Combat is resolved following the standard Garrisoned Bases rules.
- If, as a result of Combat, the Defender opts to Retreat After Combat, all the ground units in the base are moved into the LOC Box corresponding to the LOC Code of the attacked base. The Base has been captured and the Attacker can advance the Attack Force into the Base Box if so desired.
33. Alpine Units (Optional)
Alpine units are specially trained to move and fight in mountainous terrains.
- An Alpine unit can cross an Alpine hex side by expending 10 MPs.
- An Alpine unit expends less MPs than usual when entering Rough-1, Rough-2, Arctic Rough-1 and Arctic Rough-2 hexes (see Terrain Effects Table).
- An Alpine unit attacking a Rough-2 hex from another Rough-2 hex adds 1 to its Combat Modifications.
34. Special Forces (Optional)
Both sides have Special Forces units, usually with battalion size. When using this optional rule, Special Forces may execute raids in enemy rear areas.
Special Forces are subject the following specific rules:
- Special Forces not stacked with other units may automatically retreat as soon as an enemy attack is declared. The normal procedure for retreat is applied (No-ZOC, possible losses if already retreated and Advance After Combat).
- Special Forces may execute Raids. A Special Force Unit involved in a Raid cannot move for the remainder of the current Turn.
34.1 Plotting Raids
- At the beginning of the Raid Phase, the phasing Player plots all his Raid Missions.
- For each Raid, he defines the Special Forces units performing it, the Helicopter transport used and the target. The target can be a hex, a Units Group in a LOC Box, or an Off-Map Base.
- A Helicopters unit used in a Raid must start the Raid Phase in the same hex of the Special Forces being carried.
- The plotted Raids are resolved one by one using the Raid Mission Sequence, in any order decided by the phasing Player.
34.2 Raid Sequence
- Each involved Helicopter unit and the Special Forces units being transported are moved to the target, using the standard rules for Helicopter Movement.
- Enemy Flak along the path fires at the Helicopter units using the Standard Flak rules. Enemy Flak in the target hex can attack approaching helicopters only before they reach the target itself.
- If a Helicopter transporting a Special Forces unit suffers a Step loss, the Special Forces unit must also take a Step loss.
- Once all the assigned Helicopters and Special Forces arrived in the target, the opposing Player rolls a die on the Raid Ingress Table for each flak in the target hex or Units Group. Results are implemented immediately, with the Raiding Player distributing losses among Helicopters as he sees fit.
- If the target being assaulted contains enemy Special Forces, one Special Forces unit must be eliminated by each Player until only one Player has surviving Special Forces in the hex.
- Surviving Special Forces units execute the planned Raid, using the Raid Assault Table. Results are implemented immediately.
- After implementing the results, two Special Forces Steps are eliminated for each brigade equivalent of enemy Combat Units in the target hex or Units Group (A division counts as 3 brigades).
- Surviving Special Forces embark on the Helicopter units and move back to a valid airfield using the standard Helicopter Movement Rules. Enemy Flak units in the hex just assaulted cannot fire. Other enemy Flak units along the path may fire using the standard Flak rules.
34.3 Raid Results
- If the Raid is successful, the phasing Player can choose one of the following options for each surviving Special Forces unit: a. Two Combat Steps of Support Units in the hex or target Units Group are eliminated, chosen by the phasing Player. b. One Air or Helicopter squadron is eliminated, chosen by the phasing Player. c. Two steps of Naval Units anchored at Port are eliminated, chosen by the phasing Player. d. One Base or Bridge is Damaged. e. Up to 5 Stockpiled Supply Points are destroyed.
Example: NATO Player executes a Raid on a hex containing one division, one ADA Flak battalion and one Artillery regiment. The Raid is successful, and 2 Special Forces units survive. NATO Player destroys the ADA Flak unit (1 combat step) and the Artillery regiment (3 Combat Steps). After eliminating the units, the 2 surviving Special Forces must take a total of 6 step losses due to the presence of a WP division and are consequently eliminated.
35. Recon Air Units (Optional)
When using the Recon Rules, aircraft can execute an offensive Mission against an Operational Map hex only if at least one of the following conditions is true:
- The hex is adjacent to a friendly occupied hex.
- The hex or Units Group has been previously Spotted by a Recon aircraft.
- The mission is a SEAD Mission against a flak unit which has already fired during the current Action Phase.
- The mission is Wild Weasel, Supply Interdiction or Naval Strike.
- The mission will attack and have effect only on enemy Bases, Bridges, Coastal Batteries or Fixed SAM Sites.
35.1 Recon Missions
35.1.1 Recon Missions General Rules
- Only Recon squadrons can execute a Recon Mission.
- During the Movement Phase, after the phasing Player has completed the move of a Combat Unit, both Players can execute any number of Recon Missions.
35.1.2 Recon Mission Sequence
- The Player executing the Recon Mission declares a target hex or Units Group and assigns a single Recon squadron to the Mission.
- The opposing Player's available Flak fires at the Recon squadron. Only A+, A and B Flak can fire at a Recon Mission. Losses are implemented immediately.
- If the Recon squadron has at least one undamaged step, the opposing Player rolls a die. On a roll of 1 to 6 for Warsaw Pact and 1 to 3 for other countries, the hex remains unspotted. On any other result, it is Spotted and a Spotted marker is placed on the target. Spotted Markers are removed during the End Phase of the Turn.
- The Recon squadron is returned to the Used section of any valid Airfield.
36. Bridges
Any river or sea hex side containing a bridge symbol or crossed by a Road / Railroad is considered a Bridge. A Bridge can be damaged by Ground Strikes Missions, Special Forces Raids, Nuclear Attacks and Demolition.
36.1 Bridge Demolition
- A Player can automatically demolish a Bridge adjacent only to friendly units at any time during an Action Phase. Place a "Damaged" marker over the Bridge.
- A Player can attempt Demolition of a Bridge adjacent both to friendly and enemy units at any time during an Action Phase, except during resolution of Ground Combat. Only a single demolition attempt can be made for each Action Phase.
- A Player can attempt Demolition of a Bridge with no adjacent friendly units at any time during an Action Phase, if all the following conditions are true: a. The Bridge is inside his originally controlled territory. b. The Bridge has never been crossed by enemy units. c. The Bridge is not adjacent to enemy Units. d. He has not already attempted to demolish that particular Bridge during the current Turn.
- To attempt a Demolition, the Player rolls a die: on a roll of 1 to 13, the Bridge has been demolished and a Damage marker is placed over it.
36.2 Damaged Bridges Effect
- In game terms, a damaged Bridge does not exist anymore until it is Repaired.
- Ground units crossing a river on the damaged Bridge hex side must pay the Terrain cost for crossing an unbridged Major or Minor River.
- Supply Paths cannot use a damaged Bridge to cross a major river.
37. Repair
During the Repair Phase, both Players may repair damaged Bases and Bridges.
- Each Faction has a certain number of Repair Points per Turn, depending on the Scenario played.
- Repair Points cannot be accumulated from Turn to Turn. If they are unexpended, they are lost.
- In order to be repaired, a damaged Base or Bridge must fulfil all the following prerequisites: a. It must be occupied or within the ZOC of a friendly unit. b. The unit used must be in General or Limited Supply, or able to trace a valid Supply Path to Stockpiled Supply. In the latter case, a number of Supply Points equal to the repair cost must be expended and no Repair Points are used.
- The Repair Points must be expended from the pool of the Faction or country to which the unit used as prerequisite belongs.
- A country having no assigned Repair Points can make one single Repair attempt per Turn: on a die roll of 01 – 10, the involved Base, Port or Bridge is repaired.
- A Damaged Airfield can be repaired by expending 5 Repair Points.
- A Damaged Port or Naval Base can be repaired by expending 10 Repair Points.
- A Damaged Bridge can be repaired by expending 3 Repair Points.
- A Base or Bridge inside a Nuclear Contamination Zone can be repaired by expending double the usual number of Repair Points.
38. External Events
During the External Events Phase, both sides may allocate forces to fronts not directly represented but having a significant impact on the conflict, and determine the events unfolding on each front.
See the Scenario Booklet for the specific rules and usage.
39. Tension
For the whole duration of the Cold War, Western countries rarely answered to Soviet moves with an immediate, full-scale deployment, but opted for a "proportionate reaction" policy instead.
US contingency plans for the Persian Gulf made no exception, and called for a rapid but progressive build-up, with the objective to deter and eventually meet a Soviet aggression against Iran.
Tension rules use Event Cards and various numerical indicators to define the level of tension between the two blocs.
Each Soviet Event Card played will raise the Tension Cost. The higher the total Tension Cost, the faster the Tension Level will increase, ultimately giving US and its allies a wider choice of Event Cards and of possible countermoves.
Some Event Cards also have an impact on the forces available in other strategic fronts and could backfire if, or when, the conflict extends to other areas.
39.1 Event Cards
Event Cards are used by both sides to commit forces, make diplomatic moves, or execute special operations.
All Event Cards contain the following information:
- Card Number: Used to identify the exact units that are brought into play by the Card.
- Card Title: A short description of the Card.
- Tension Level (Red Circle): The minimum Tension Level required to use the Card.
- Tension Cost (Orange Circle): For Soviet Cards, the number added to the total Tension Cost if the Card is discovered. For US Cards, the number of Tension Points that must be expended to play the Card.
- Victory Cost (Green Circle): The Victory Cost for playing the Card. The total Victory Cost paid by each Side may influence victory.
If the Card mobilizes or commit forces, the following information are also included:
- Forces: A summary of the forces mobilised or committed. Exact units are identified by the Card Number in their Setup Code.
- Setup: A description of the setup or arrival method for the forces.
If the Card is a diplomatic move, a special operation, or commit forces not represented by physical units, all the relevant instructions are printed on the Card.
39.2 Tension Level
The Tension Level represents the perception by NATO and other countries of the danger posed by Soviet actions and military developments.
- Events played by the Soviet Faction during the Tension Phase may increase the Tension Level (see 39.3).
- Several military or political actions may increase the Tension Level.
39.3 The Tension Phase
During the Tension Phase, both sides select and play their Event Cards by using the following sequence:
- Soviet Player selects the Event Cards he intends to use this Turn and place them covered in front of US Player.
- US Player rolls a die on the Tension Intelligence Table to determine how many Soviet Events are discovered.
- US Player flips a number of Soviet Event Cards equal to the number of Events discovered. The Tension Cost of the discovered Events is added to the Tension Cost running total.
- US Player rolls on the Tension Table, using the current Tension Cost total. The result is the number of Tension Points added to the US Player total, and the increase of the Tension Level.
- US Player select the Event Cards he intends to use this Turn. Only Cards having a Tension Level equal or lower than the current Tension Level can be selected. The total Tension Cost of the selected US Cards is subtracted from the US Tension Points available.
- The Soviet Player flips any undiscovered Event Card, and applies the effects of each Soviet Event Card, in any desired order.
- The total Victory Cost of the Soviet Cards is added to the Soviet Victory Cost running total.
- The US Player applies the effects of each US Event Card, in any desired order.
- The total Victory Cost of the US Cards is added to the US Victory Cost running total.
40. Rules of Engagement
40.1 Factions
The 1985 conflict in the Persian Gulf has two main adversaries, here named Factions: the US Faction (United States, United Kingdom and France) and the Soviet Faction (Soviet Union).
Both Factions may try to gain military support from specific countries, and to obtain access to bases and territory to strengthen their strategic position. Other countries could also join a Faction, depending upon the political and military events.
40.2 National Territory
- The National Territory of a country is defined as: a. Any hex inside the national borders. b. Any Megahex completely inside the national borders. c. Any LOC Box marked as part of the country.
- The Air Space of a country corresponds to its National Territory and is defined in the same way.
- Bases of a country are defined as any Base inside the country's Territory, connected to a LOC Box that is part of country's Territory, or having the country's nationality.
40.2.1 Entering National Territory
- A unit can enter another country's Territory if one of the following is true: a. The country belongs to the same Faction of the unit. b. The Commitment Level of the country allows the unit to access the country's Territory. c. The country or its Faction is at war with the unit's country.
- A Helicopter or Aircraft squadron can move through a LOC Box in a country Territory by using a Sea Connection, no matter the Commitment Level or belligerency status of the country. The squadron cannot land or stop if the LOC Box if is not normally accessible, but can land on a friendly ship at sea (see 30.2).
- A Naval Unit can enter a coastal hex or LOC Box containing another country's Territory, no matter the Commitment Level or belligerency status of the country.
- NATO, Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact LOC Boxes cannot be entered by a Ground Unit not belonging to the same Faction or Alliance.
- NATO, Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact LOC Boxes cannot be used as Base by a Helicopter Unit not belonging to the same Faction or Alliance.
LOC Boxes marked as part of NATO or Warsaw Pact were heavily garrisoned by forces not directly represented in game, thus ruling out any attempt to raid them.
40.3 War & Peace
- When a country is at war with no other countries, the following rules apply: a. Bridges in the country Territory cannot be demolished. b. The units of the country cannot lay naval mines. c. No naval mines can be placed in a hex containing a port of the country.
- When two countries are not at war with each other, the following rules apply: a. Units and Bases of the other country cannot be attacked. b. ZOCs exerted by units of a country are ignored if the Commitment Level allows the moving unit to access to the Territory of that country. c. In any case, no Disengagement is needed to leave a ZOC exerted by a unit of the other country. d. When a Task Force, an air mission or a helicopter mission contains units of countries both at war and at peace with a country, the whole group is considered as at war and can be attacked.
40.4 Commitment Level
Commitment Level determines how a Faction can act within a country territory, and its possible use of the country Armed Forces.
40.4.1 Commitment 0 (Neutral)
- Friendly Faction has no access to country Territory, Air Space or Bases.
- Units of the country cannot be moved, unless at war with another country.
40.4.2 Commitment 1 (Friendly)
- Air and Helicopter units of the friendly Faction have access to the country's Air Space.
- Units of the friendly Faction have no access to the country's Territory or Bases.
- Units of the country cannot be moved, unless at war with another country.
40.4.3 Commitment 2 (Supporting)
- Air and Helicopter units of the friendly Faction have access to the country Air Space and Bases.
- Naval and Support units of the friendly Faction have access to the country Bases.
- Units of the friendly Faction can trace a Supply Path through the Territory of the country.
- Supply Points can be Embarked / Debarked in the country's Bases.
- Units of the country cannot be moved, unless at war with another country.
- Aircraft, helicopters, and support units based in the country's Territory cannot be used to attack the units or the National Territory of a country that is not at war with the host country.
Example 1: NATO is not at war with any other country and has a Commitment Level 2 toward the US Faction. A US aircraft based inside NATO Territory cannot be used to attack the units or the National Territory of another country.
Example 2: Iraq is at war with Iran and has a Commitment Level 2 toward the Soviet Faction. A Soviet aircraft based inside Iraqi Territory cannot be used to attack units or the National Territory of another country, except for Iran.
40.4.4 Commitment 3 (Active)
- Units of the friendly Faction have access to the country's Air Space, Bases and Territory.
- Airfields in the country's Territory can be made Operational by the friendly Faction.
- Naval and ASW Surveillance Areas can be established using the country's Bases.
- Units of the country cannot be moved, unless at war with another country.
40.4.5 Commitment 4 (Allied)
- The country joins the friendly Faction.
- Units of the Friendly Faction have access to the country's Air Space, Bases and Territory.
- Units of the country have access to the Air Space, Bases and Territory of other countries in the friendly Faction.
- The country is considered at war with any country the friendly Faction is at war with.
- Units of the country can be moved and used by the friendly Faction for any activity allowed by the rules.
Errata (Version 2, 11/05/2022)
The following is the publisher's official Errata, Version 2, dated 11/05/2022. It amends components and the Scenarios Booklet.
Event Cards
- Soviet Event Card E07 erroneously list map F as the deployment hex of two units. Change the reference to map I.
Scenarios Booklet
67.4 Victory Conditions
Point 3 should read:
- Soviet Union gains 30 VPs if, at any moment during the scenario, a Soviet division positioned on the South map edge would be in General Supply using the standard Supply rules (see 13.7) and hex I6001 or I6510 as Supply Source.
74.1 US Faction Setup
The US Special Forces initially located in CONUS 2 LOC Box are missing. Add the following rows:
| Nat. | Type | Design. | Values | Deploy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | SF | 1/7 | 3-D-3 | CONUS 2 |
| US | SF | 2/7 | 3-D-3 | CONUS 2 |
| US | SF | 3/7 | 3-D-3 | CONUS 2 |