Air & Armor
Air & Armor Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 2. Components
- 3. Game Sequence
- 4. The Mission Phase
- 5. Headquarters
- 6. Units and Steps
- 7. Zones of Control
- 8. Movement
- 9. Stacking
- 10. Assaults and Hasty Attacks
- 11. Fire Combat
- 12. Reaction
- 13. Artillery
- 14. Shattering
- 15. City Control
- 16. Bridge Destruction
- 17. Improved Positions
- 18. Night
- 19. Scenario Set-Up
- 20. Standard Game Scenarios
- Standard Game Players' Notes
- Designer's Notes
- Air & Armor Reference Works
- Unit Designations
- 21. Advanced Game Changes
- 22. Electronic Warfare
- 23. Helicopter Units
- 24. Anti-Aircraft Fire
- 25. Fire Strikes
- 26. Interdiction
- 27. Chemical Warfare (Optional)
- 28. Engineers
- 29. Mines
- 30. Airmobile Units
- 31. Advanced Game Scenarios
- Advanced Game Player's Notes
- Background Notes
2. Components
Air & Armor includes:
- one 32-page Standard Game rules book (with two 4-page pull-outs)
- one 24-page Advanced Game rules book (with one 4-page pull-out)
- one 22" by 34" full-color game-map
- one sheet of 400 two-sided die-cut counters
- one sheet of 200 single-sided die-cut counters
- two NATO track displays
- one Warsaw Pact track display
- one decimal die
- one counter tray with lock-on lid
- one game box
2.1 The Map
Air & Armor's map portrays a section of West Germany facing the Meiningen Gap, near Schweinfurt and Wurzburg, a likely invasion route into the U.S. Seventh Corps sector.
2.2 The Rules
There are two versions of Air & Armor; the Standard Game, and the Advanced Game. Each has a separate rules booklet. You must learn the rules to the Standard Game before the Advanced Game.
There are four Standard Game scenarios and six Advanced Game ones; in addition, three of the Advanced Game scenarios can be played using only the Standard Game rules.
The Standard Game booklet contains two 4-page folders, bound into its center. To remove them, pry up the center staples, pull the folders out, and press the staples back down. One folder contains the charts and tables needed to play the Standard Game; the other contains the Tables of Organization and Equipment (see 6.1).
The back page of the folder is the Warsaw Pact Planning Roster. The Warsaw Pact player will need a copy of this to play the game. Purchasers of the game are free to photocopy it (or you can easily construct a Roster out of a sheet of lined paper).
The Advanced Game booklet contains a 4-page folder printed with the Advanced Game charts and tables. Again, pry up the staples to remove, etc.
2.3 The Counters
The cardboard counters consist of military units, which are placed on the game-map to represent force concentrations, and game markers, which are placed on the map or tracks to record game information.
Certain units and markers are used only in the Advanced Game. Information about them can be found in the Advanced Game rules (see 21).
Units
Regular Ground Unit. The front (unused) side shows, from left to right and top to bottom: the unit designation (e.g., "1st Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Division"), the unit size (company), the fire strength, the unit type (armor), the symbol color (regiment for the Pact or brigade for NATO), and the defense strength. The back (used) side shows the same information but printed in black type, to indicate "used" status.
Artillery Unit. Shows the fire strength, unit size, unit type (self-propelled artillery), and the defense strength on the front; the range is shown on the back.
Headquarters Unit. Shows the unit size (indicating the unit is HQ for a brigade, not a brigade itself), the command point allowance, the unit type (headquarters), the command range, and the defense strength.
(2.31) The strengths of all ground units are printed in white on the front and black on the back. When a unit is "used," it is flipped to its back side to show that it cannot perform any further missions (see 4.6).
(2.32) NATO unit colors: American units are olive drab, Canadians are tan, and West Germans are grey. The unit symbols on both sides of each counter are printed in a contrasting color. Units with white symbols are "independent." Other colors identify brigades; all units of the same brigade have the same symbol color.
(2.33) Warsaw Pact unit colors: All Warsaw Pact units are printed in a shade of red, orange or purple. All units with the same face color belong to the same division. Units with white unit symbols are independent; other colors identify regiments. Units with unit symbols of the same (nonwhite) color and the same background color belong to the same regiment.
- Independent units attached to the 8th Guards Army have their own background color, but are not considered a division for game purposes (see 4.5); all have white unit symbols (except for the 207th Battalion, which is only used in the Advanced Game — see 30.32).
- The South East German Front Air Assault Brigade (or SEGF) has its own background color. It is only used in the Advanced Game (see 30.31).
(2.33) Unit type: The symbols used to indicate a unit's type are:
Infantry: Infantry, Mechanized infantry. Armor: Tank or Armor, Armored cavalry, Self-propelled anti-tank. Artillery: Towed artillery, Self-propelled artillery, Rocket-launcher. Headquarters: Headquarters (HQ).
Note: Some other unit types exist only in the Advanced Game (see 21.1).
(2.33) Unit size: The symbols used to indicate a unit's size are:
- I — Company
- II — Battalion
- X — Brigade
- XX — Division
"Brigade" and "Division" unit counters represent the headquarters for the brigade or division, not the whole brigade or division itself.
Markers
The game includes the following markers (front/back where applicable): Bridge / Demolished Bridge; NATO Command Point marker (normal / shattered); Victory Point marker; Fired marker; Improved Position marker; Obstacle marker (Advanced Game use only); Strength Point marker; Dummy Strength Point marker.
2.4 The Displays
Three separate track displays are included, two for NATO, and one for the Warsaw Pact. They contain the tracks and displays needed to play.
2.5 The Die
A decimal die is provided. In Air & Armor, rolls of "0" are read as "10."
2.6 Game Scale
Each hex represents an area one mile across. Day game-turns are two hours long, and night turns six. Each unit step represents one company of soldiers, except for Warsaw Pact artillery steps, which represent battalions. Steps of air and helicopter units represent three or four aircraft.
2.7 Abbreviations
Several abbreviations are used in these rules. They are:
ADM: Artillery-Delivered Mine DTB: Divisional Tank Battalion EW: Electronic Warfare HQ: Headquarters NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization SAM: Surface-to-Air Missile TO&E: Table of Organization and Equipment U.S.: United States
3. Game Sequence
Air & Armor is played in game-turns. Each game-turn is divided into phases.
3.1 Sequence
Warsaw Pact Planning Phase. The Warsaw Pact player assigns a "mission" to each of his regiments using the Warsaw Pact Planning Roster (see 4.4).
Initiative Phase. The players roll the die. On an odd roll, the Warsaw Pact player is the first active player; otherwise the NATO player is.
Mission Phase. The active player either passes or activates one of his major formations and conducts missions with it; then, the other player does so. The players alternate activating major formations until all major formations have been activated, or until both players pass in succession.
Reserve Phase. The players roll for initiative again (see Initiative Phase above). The player with initiative may move "unused" units (see 8.5); then, the other player does so. Note that they don't alternate back and forth, as they did in the Mission Phase; one simply performs all reserve missions he likes, then the other does.
Bookkeeping Phase. Various bookkeeping functions are performed, including:
- "used" units are flipped to their "unused" side (see 4.61).
- the NATO player moves his command point markers to the "0" boxes on their tracks (see 5.36).
- Dummy markers are returned to play (see 6.43).
- Fired markers are removed (see 13.21).
- The players check to see if any formations have been shattered (see 14).
- Reconstituted headquarters (see 5.4) are placed on the map.
- The game-turn marker is moved one box on its track.
3.2 Sequence Summary
- Warsaw Pact Planning Phase
- Initiative Phase
- Mission Phase
- Activation Segment
- Maneuver Jamming Segment
- Strike Segment
- Maneuver Segment
- Reserve Phase
- Engineering Phase
- Bookkeeping Phase
Note: Italicized phases and segments occur only in the Advanced Game.
4. The Mission Phase
Design Note: Equipping and briefing a unit to undertake action against the enemy requires a great deal of planning and preparation. The ammo mix must be right, the vehicles fueled, the commanders prepped on the terrain en route and the expected enemy deployment, and so on. Preparing a unit requires a commander to dedicate a considerable slice of his resources.
This fact has two implications. First, a command echelon can launch only a limited number of missions in a given time. Second, once a mission is launched, recalling and redirecting it if the situation changes takes time.
This second consequence is the basis of an idea called the "Intelligence-Decision-Action Cycle." Each action starts with certain intelligence about the enemy. After a time, a commander can digest this intelligence and base a decision upon it. Once he has done so, it takes another period of time to translate that decision into action.
Every army's objective is to achieve an Intelligence-Decision-Action cycle which is appreciably shorter than the enemy's. If this is achieved, at each point in the cycle, friendly moves are more responsive to the actual situation than enemy moves. As time wears on, the enemy's actions become more and more out of touch with reality, until his decision-making process is completely unhinged.
Air & Armor is predicated on these two concepts. The number of combat missions a player can launch each turn is limited. He must decide which missions are most vital and allocate scarce command resources to make sure they happen. In addition, each player must try to achieve, through his mission selection, an Intelligence-Decision-Action cycle that unhinges the enemy's, so that the enemy player's missions are inappropriate by the time they are actually executed.
Herein lies one of the fundamental precepts of the game. It is the designer's belief (backed by the opinion of the entire officer corps of the Western Alliance) that NATO's command structure is inherently geared for a faster I.D.A. cycle than that of the Warsaw Pact. Indeed, if this, true, this is now one of our few remaining advantages. NATO, having fewer but better-educated troops, a larger staff structure at lower echelons, and more communication links, has based its C3 (Command, Control, and Communication) techniques on flexibility and local initiative. The Warsaw Pact, having a scarcity of reliable officers, a cultural bias toward centralization, and an ideological bent towards complete preparation based on the "correct" approach, has based its C3 techniques on advance planning by higher authority.
This difference is our greatest counter to the Warsaw Pact's numerical superiority: a few troops at the right place, at the right time, can completely deface a much larger force caught unprepared. Air & Armor places the advantage of a shorter I.D.A. cycle firmly in the NATO player's hands. If he can't use it, he will lose every time.
During the Mission Phase, the players alternate activating "major formations." Once a player has activated a formation, he may conduct any number of missions with its units. Each unit may only be part of one mission, but different units from the active formation may perform different missions.
There are three mission types: "march," "hasty attack," and "assault." The owning player decides which type each of the formation's units will perform. "March" missions permit rapid movement; "assault" missions permit intensive attacks; and "hasty attacks" allow a little of both.
Once an active formation's units have performed all the missions it can or its owner wishes, play passes to the opposing player, who may now activate a major formation.
4.1 Activation
(4.11) For the NATO player, a major formation is a brigade. All units belonging to the same brigade have the same color unit symbol.
(4.12) For the Warsaw Pact player, a major formation is a division. All units belonging to a division have the same background color.
(4.13) When it is his turn to activate a major formation, a player must either announce which of his major formations he chooses to activate, or pass.
(4.14) Each major formation can only be activated once each game-turn. If a player has activated a formation, he may not activate it again until the next game-turn's Mission Phase. If a player has already activated all his major formations, he must pass.
(4.15) When a player activates a major formation, he becomes the active player, and the other player is inactive. The active player remains active until he has finished conducting missions with his chosen major formation. When a player passes, it becomes the other player's turn to activate a formation. If both players pass one after the other, the Mission Phase is over and play proceeds to the Reserve Phase.
Example: There are three major formations in play: one Warsaw Pact division, and two NATO brigades. The Pact player won the initiative. Since there is only one Pact Division in play, he must either activate it or pass. He elects to pass. NATO is now active and may choose to activate one of the two brigades or pass. If he passes, the Mission Phase ends, and neither player will have another opportunity to activate a major formation. But if instead NATO activates one of the brigades, the Pact player becomes active again. Once NATO completes all the missions he wishes to perform with the brigade, the Pact player becomes active again. Once again, he may elect to activate the division or pass. He chooses to activate the division. After he is done, NATO becomes active once more. NATO may either activate his remaining brigade, or pass. He chooses to pass. The Pact player has no more major formations to activate, and so must also pass. Both players passed consecutively, so the Mission Phase is over.
4.2 Missions
The active player (only) can conduct missions with units from his active formation (plus independent units — see 4.5).
(4.21) There are three mission types: march, hasty attack, and assault. Exactly what each permits is explained in more detail later, but here is a brief summary:
- A march mission is an order to move as rapidly as possible to an assigned position. It assumes that no significant contact with the enemy is likely. Therefore, the assigned units can move in column and follow the road net as much as possible, but cannot attack enemy units nor move adjacent to them.
- A hasty attack mission is an order to attack or penetrate enemy positions with a maximum of speed and a minimum of preparation. Hasty attacks are characterized by high mobility but limited fire support. A hasty attack mission is an excellent way to mount a quick assault on an enemy position. It is also a way to infiltrate friendly units past enemy positions and into the enemy rear.
- An assault mission is an order to conduct a fully-prepared attack upon an enemy position. It sacrifices speed and sometimes surprise, but allows the planning and coordination necessary to bring overwhelming firepower to bear on an objective. Assaults are especially useful when more than one formation must be brought to bear in an attack on a stubborn position, or when extra artillery support is needed.
(4.22) A player performs a mission by choosing a mission group from among the active formation's units (see 4.3 and 4.4), and assigning them a mission type. The mission type restricts how the units may move (see 8.2 through 8.4) and fight (see 10, 13.5, and 13.6).
- Once a group's mission has been performed, the active player may start another mission (of the same or different type) with other units from the active formation.
(4.23) Each unit in an active formation can only be part of one mission. However, the active player may conduct any number of missions with units from the active formation, as long as each unit involves different missions. Only after the player has conducted all the missions he wants to perform with his active formation does the other player become active (see 4.15).
(4.24) A player can only conduct one mission at a time. Only when one mission is over can he start another one.
(4.25) Units selected for a mission group are called active units for the duration of their mission. Once their mission is over, they cease to be active.
(4.26) A unit is never required to perform a mission. It is perfectly legal for a player to activate a major formation, decide not to perform any missions with its units, and announce that play passes to the other player.
4.3 Mission Groups and NATO
After the NATO player activates a brigade, he decides what mission he wants to perform first, and which units will be part of it.
(4.31) He can choose any or all units from the activated brigade for a mission. He is not required to include any units in the mission group, nor restricted to any particular units (except that only units from the brigade, plus independent units, can be chosen).
- Exception: During assault missions (only), any unused NATO units, of any brigade and any nationality, may be chosen for the mission group, as long as at least one chosen unit comes from the activated brigade.
(4.32) Once the first mission is over, the NATO player may launch a second mission with other units from the brigade. He continues performing missions until he no longer wishes to perform any, or all of the brigade's units are "used" (see 4.6).
4.4 Mission Groups and the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact player is required to decide which missions his units will perform at the beginning of the game-turn, during the Warsaw Pact Planning Phase.
(4.41) Warsaw Pact units are divided into divisions. All units from the same division are printed with the same background color. Divisions are divided into regiments; units from the same regiment are printed with the same unit symbol color (see 2.3). (Exceptions: 4.54, 30.31.)
- Some Pact divisions have a "Divisional Tank Battalion," (DTB), consisting of two battalions. The DTB is treated in all respects as a regiment, although it is technically a battalion.
(4.42) A Warsaw Pact Planning Roster is provided with the game (see the last page of the chart folder). Before beginning to play, the Warsaw Pact player must note which divisions and regiments he controls.
(4.43) During the Warsaw Pact Planning Phase, the Warsaw Pact player must note a mission for each of his regiments on his Roster. We suggest using the following abbreviations:
-
HA - hasty attack
-
A - assault
-
M - march
-
R - reserve
-
-
- none
-
-
The Pact player keeps his assignments secret; the NATO player may only inspect the Roster at the end of each game-turn.
-
Although "reserve" is not a mission, only units plotted for reserve status are eligible for reaction (see 12.4) and reserve movement (see 8.5).
(4.44) The only mission for which "shattered" regiments may be plotted is march (see 14.2). "Shattered" regiments may not hasty attack, assault, or reserve move.
(4.45) When the Warsaw Pact player activates a formation, he may conduct missions with any or all of its regiments. Each mission consists of units from one regiment. Units from different regiments may not be part of the same mission.
- Exception: When the Warsaw Pact player conducts an assault mission (only), he may choose any number of regiments from the activated major formation, as long as all chosen regiments were plotted to conduct assault missions.
(4.46) The Warsaw Pact player may conduct missions with regiments from his active division in any order he chooses, but a regiment can only conduct a mission of the type for which it was plotted.
(4.47) A regiment is never required to perform a mission; the player can always choose not to use a regiment instead of performing its plotted mission.
(4.48) When the Warsaw Pact player chooses a regiment for a mission, he must announce which of its units is the lead unit for the mission.
- Any "unused" unit from the regiment may be chosen (see 4.6).
- Any units from the regiment which are farther than three hexes from the lead unit are immediately flipped to their "used" sides, and do not take part in the mission (see 4.62).
Design Note: The "lead unit" rule represents the notional presence of a regimental HQ with a three-hex command range stacked with the lead unit. This requirement encourages the Warsaw Pact player to keep his regiments "in command" without the cumbersome addition of dozens of regimental HQ units.
4.5 Independent Units
Independent units are printed with white unit symbols. They can be included in a mission group even if they don't belong to the activated brigade (NATO), or to the regiment(s) chosen for the mission (Pact).
(4.51) When the NATO player activates a brigade and chooses units from it for a mission group, he may include as part of the group any independent units he wishes, as long as all independent units are of the same nationality as the activated brigade.
- The NATO player can also announce a mission which consists solely of independent units of the same nationality as the activated brigade.
(4.52) The Warsaw Pact has two different types of independent units; divisional independents, and 8th Guards Army independents.
(4.53) Divisional independents are printed with the same background color as their parent division. The Warsaw Pact player can include any of the active division's independent units when he chooses a mission group, in addition to one regiment (see 4.45).
(4.54) 8th Guards Army units are printed in their own background color. Even though it has its own background color, 8th Guards Army is not a "major formation" and may not be activated.
- Instead, when the Warsaw Pact player activates a division and assembles a mission group from its regiments and independents, he may include as part of the mission group any or all 8th Guards Army units.
- Different 8th Guards Army units can participate in different mission groups.
(4.55) Warsaw Pact independent units can only be included in a mission group with a regiment if within three hexes of the regiment's lead unit (see 4.48).
(4.56) The Warsaw Pact player never plots missions for independent units, as he does for regiments.
(4.57) Warsaw Pact independent units can conduct march missions by themselves. When the Warsaw Pact player activates a division, he may assemble march mission groups from among its independent units and 8th Guards Army units. (No lead unit is required.)
- Independent Warsaw Pact units (unlike NATO ones) may not hasty attack or assault by themselves — they can only perform missions when part of a mission group which also includes a regiment.
4.6 "Used" Units
Each unit counter is printed on both sides, with identical values. The only difference between the two sides is that the type is printed on the front in white, and on the back in black. The front (white) side is called the "unused" side, while the back (black) is the "used" side.
(4.61) During the Bookkeeping Phase of each game-turn, all unit counters with their "used" sides face-up are flipped over to their "unused" sides.
(4.62) A unit counter is flipped from its "unused" to its "used" side when:
- it completes a mission.
- it retreats after combat (see 11.6).
- it "reacts" (see 12.24).
- another unit "reacts" into the unit's hex (see 12.24).
- it is not within three hexes of the lead unit at the start of a mission (Pact only — see 4.48).
- (Also, when using Advanced Game rules, see 22.27 and 25.61.)
(4.63) A unit with its "used" side face-up may not be selected as part of a mission group.
(4.64) If a Soviet regiment is chosen to conduct a mission, and some of its units are "used," only the "unused" units may be part of the mission group. The "used" units may not.
4.7 Activity Summary
| Activity | CP Cost (Day/Night) | Movement Allow. | Road Movement | Enter Zones? | Artillery Effects: Offensive Fire (WP) | Offensive Fire (NATO) | Defensive Fire (WP) | Defensive Fire (NATO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hasty Attack | 1/2 | 6 | No | Yes | D | X | 1D | X |
| Assault | 1/2 | 3 | No | Yes | D & 8G | XX | 1D | X |
| March¹ | 0/1 | 6 | Yes | No | ||||
| Reserve | 1/2 | 3 | Yes | No | ||||
| Reaction² | 1/2 | 3 | Yes | No |
Key: "CP Cost" is the number of command points a player must spend to assign an activity to his unshattered units. The cost is per regiment for the Pact Player, or per hex for the NATO player. "Movement Allow." is the movement allowance each unit receives while performing the activity. "Road Movement" indicates whether road movement is permitted or not during the activity. "Enter Zones?" indicates whether units are permitted to move through enemy-controlled hexes during movement, or may only enter an enemy-controlled hex if friendly occupied (and must then stop moving). The "Artillery Effects" section indicates what kind of artillery can be used for offensive and defensive fire during hasty attack and assault missions. "D" means all artillery units of the same division may be used. "1D" means one unit of the same division may be used. "D & 8G" means all artillery of the same division plus 8th Guards Army artillery can be used. "X" means that only brigade HQs can coordinate fire; "XX" means division HQs may do so also.
Notes:
- Shattered units can only perform march missions, at a cost of 1 CP. Shattered units can only march during day game-turns; they cannot perform march missions at night.
- Only the NATO player expends CPs to react (the Pact player already spent them by assigning his units to reserve missions during the Warsaw Pact Planning Phase).
5. Headquarters
Design Note: Headquarters units are the nervous system of any army — a description that has grown increasingly accurate as the complexity of arms has grown, and with it, the need for coordination. As every army admits, combined arms coordination is the key to combat effectiveness on the modern battlefield. This coordination is only possible with a command center which understands what combination of arms a situation demands, and the relative threat each target poses. In Air & Armor, a unit cut off from command will not die because it lacks direction, but because it cannot access the combat support it needs to fight effectively.
Both sides have headquarters units. Headquarters spend "command points" to assign missions to mission groups. Headquarters rules for the NATO and Warsaw Pact players are very different.
5.1 Command Points and Ranges
(5.11) Command points come from two sources: headquarters units, and "off-map" command points. The scenario instructions list the number of "off-map" command points each player receives each turn; he may spend this points anywhere on the map, regardless of nationality or position.
(5.12) Each headquarters unit (HQ) has a command allowance, printed on its counter (see 2.3). This is the number of command points the HQ may spend during each turn.
(5.13) An HQ can only spend command points on a unit if that unit is "subordinate" (see 5.21 and 5.31) and "within command range."
(5.14) Each HQ's command range is printed on its counter (see 2.3). A unit is within an HQ's command range if the number of hexes between the unit and the HQ's hex is less than or equal to the command range.
- When counting ranges, do count the subordinate unit's hex, but not the HQ's hex. The presence of enemy units, zones of control, and terrain have no effect on command ranges.
5.2 The Warsaw Pact
(5.21) Each Warsaw Pact division has two HQs.
- A division HQ is superior to all units from its division; they are its subordinates (see 5.13).
(5.22) The Warsaw Pact player spends command points during the Warsaw Pact Planning Phase. Each time he assigns a hasty attack or assault mission or reserve status to a regiment (see 4.43), he must spend one command point on the regiment. No command points are spent to assign march missions.
- Command point costs are higher during night turns (see 18).
(5.23) A Pact HQ may only spend command points to assign a mission to a regiment if at least one unit from that regiment is within command range.
- If no command points can be spent on a regiment, it can only be assigned a march mission, or no mission at all.
5.3 NATO
(5.31) NATO has two sorts of HQs: division HQs and brigade HQs. Division HQs do not have colored unit symbols; brigade HQs do.
- All units of the same nationality as a division HQ are subordinate to that HQ.
- All units of the same brigade, plus all independent units of the same nationality, are subordinate to a brigade HQ.
- An HQ is superior to all subordinate units.
(5.32) NATO spends command points during the Mission and Reserve Phases.
- Remember that an HQ may only spend command points on its subordinates (see 5.13).
(5.33) The NATO player must spend one command point on each hex from which participating units are drawn when:
- He assembles a mission group for a hasty attack or assault. (Points are not spent for march missions.)
- NATO units react (see 12.4).
- NATO units are moved in the Reserve Phase (see 8.5).
Example: Two units are stacked in a single hex; two other units are in different hexes nearby. The NATO player wants to use all of them in the same mission group. He must spend three command points — one on the stacked units, and one on each of the separate units.
(5.34) The NATO player can use command points from more than one HQ in a mission, reaction or Reserve Phase. Any number of HQs can be used, as long as at least one command point is spent on each participating hex.
- If a hex contains units from different nationalities or brigades, by spending a command point an HQ can only satisfy the command requirements of its subordinates in the hex. The command requirements of other units in the hex must be met by another HQ, or they may not participate in the current mission.
(5.35) The NATO player also spends command points to transfer steps between brigades (see 6.26), and to assign shattered units to a march mission (see 14.23). Also, command point costs increase at night (see 18.3).
(5.36) Because the NATO player (unlike the Pact) spends command points at many different times in the course of the game-turn, command point markers are provided. There is one marker for each NATO HQ; they are placed on the NATO Command Tracks (see track display). When an HQ spends a command point, advance its marker one box on the track. During the Bookkeeping Phase, move all markers back to their zero ("0") boxes.
5.4 HQ Reconstitution
HQs are not permanently removed from play when eliminated in combat.
(5.41) When a Warsaw Pact HQ is eliminated, place it on the Game-Turn Track in the next game-turn's box. When a NATO HQ is eliminated, place it in the current turn's box.
(5.42) During the Bookkeeping Phase, HQs in the current turn's box can be returned to play. A player is never required to return an HQ to play; he may refuse, and return it to play on any subsequent Bookkeeping Phase.
(5.43) A player returns one of his HQs by taking it and placing it on top of any of its subordinate units. If no subordinates remain in play, the HQ may not reappear.
6. Units and Steps
Units do not have fixed strengths in Air & Armor. Instead, the players decide how each formation's strength is divided among its units.
Each unit consists of a unit counter and a step marker. The number facing the top of the step marker is the number of steps the unit contains (in this case, 4).
6.1 The Tables of Organization and Equipment
(6.11) The Tables of Organization and Equipment (TO&Es) are printed on a 4-page pull-out in the Standard Game rules booklet. Each NATO brigade and each Pact division has its own TO&E.
- In addition, independent NATO and Pact 8th Guards Army units are grouped into battalions, regiments, or other groups. Each has its own TO&E.
(6.12) Each scenario's set-up instructions describes how units are placed on the game-map by describing an area in which units from one formation may be placed (e.g. "deploy the U.S. 3rd Brigade within three hexes of 1213" — see 19.1).
(6.13) When setting up a formation, refer to its TO&E. The TO&E shows the counters included in the formation. Example: The U.S. 3rd Brigade consists of two "6-5" armor counters, plus four "3-2" mechanized infantry counters, plus one "1-10-1" HQ counter.
- In addition, the TO&E lists the number of steps of each counter type included in the formation. Example: The 3rd Brigade contains 4 steps of armor, plus 8 steps of mechanized infantry, plus one HQ step.
(6.14) A counter can be used to represent a concentration of between 1 and 9 steps. Whenever a counter is placed on the game-map, a step marker is placed underneath it.
- A step marker can indicate any number of steps from one to eight. Some markers are printed with the numbers 1 through 4; others, 5 through 8. Place a step marker under the unit counter with the number of steps the counter contains facing the top of the unit counter (see illustration below).
- When a unit contains 9 steps, place no marker underneath it, or a blank counter (as you wish).
Deployment A: The 3rd Brigade's four "3-2" mechanized infantry steps and one "1-10-1" HQ step are all assigned to a single HQ counter (1 step), while the 4 armor steps are split evenly between the two "6-5" armor counters (2 steps each) and the 8 mechanized infantry steps are split evenly between the four "3-2" counters (2 steps each).
Deployment B: An alternate legal deployment for the same brigade, assigning all 4 armor steps to a single "6-5" armor counter, and all 8 mechanized infantry steps to a single "3-2" counter (leaving one armor and three mech counters off the board).
The 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Mech Division has 4 steps of armor, 8 of mechanized infantry, and 1 HQ step. It consists of one HQ unit, two 6-5 armor units, and four 3-2 mech units. Since there is only one HQ step, it must be assigned to the HQ unit. One legal deployment is for two armor steps to be assigned to each armor counter, and for two mech steps to be assigned to each mech counter (Deployment A); another could be to assign all 4 armor steps to one armor unit, and all 8 mech steps to one mech unit (leaving one armor and three mech counters).
(6.15) When a player deploys a formation, he takes all its counters and then decides how many steps, out of the total contained in the formation, he will allocate to a counter.
- Any number of steps (up to 9) can be allocated to a counter.
- A player is not required to allocate any steps to a counter; if he doesn't give any steps to a counter, it is kept off the board out of play (but see 6.24).
- A step can only be allocated to a counter of the same type and strengths. Example: 3rd Brigade's mechanized infantry steps could only be allocated to its mechanized infantry counters, not to its armor or HQ counters.
- Once the player has decided how to divide up his steps, he takes step markers and places them underneath the unit counters. Only then are the unit counters (with their step markers) placed on the game-map.
(6.16) HQs always contain one step only. To save clutter, they can be deployed without step markers.
(6.17) Engineers are never deployed in the Standard Game; simply ignore their presence on the TO&Es (see 28).
6.2 Unit Reorganization
At any time during the game, a player may merge two units, split a unit in two, or transfer steps between units.
(6.21) Units can be merged or steps transferred between them only if they are in the same hex, are of the same type (see 2.33), have the same values (see 2.3), and have identical designations (see 2.3). Examples of units which cannot exchange steps:
- Mechanized infantry and armor units are of different types.
- "5-4" armor and "4-4" armor units have different values.
- A "3-3" mechanized infantry unit of the 117th Regiment/39th Guards Division has a different designation than an otherwise identical unit from the 112th Regiment of the same division.
(6.22) If two units are merged, add the number of steps together. Remove one counter from the map. The step marker under the other is replaced with a marker showing the total number of steps. (The removed counter is immediately available for a unit split; see 6.24.)
(6.23) If steps are transferred between units, simply replace their step markers with whatever ones you wish, as long as the total number of steps remains the same.
(6.24) A unit may only split in two if its formation contains a counter of the same type and designation which is not currently in play. Simply place the counter in the same hex as the unit which is splitting, divide the steps between the two counters any way you wish, and place the appropriate step markers under them.
- A unit may not be split if an appropriate unit counter is unavailable.
- If a unit is eliminated in combat, its counter becomes available for splits.
(6.25) If any unit involved in any of these reorganizations is "used," then all units involved in the transfer become "used."
(6.26) NATO (but not the Warsaw Pact) may transfer steps between units even if they do not have identical designations. However:
- A command point must be expended for each unit which receives steps. The command point may come from "off-map," or from an HQ superior to the receiving unit.
- The units must be of the same nationality.
- The other restrictions still apply, i.e., the units must be of the same type and values and in the same hex.
- It is possible to "split" a unit by transferring some steps to an unused unit counter of another formation. The unused counter is placed in the hex of the "splitting" unit. By transferring all steps from the "splitting" unit to the unused one, a unit's designation can effectively be changed. Example: A U.S. 2/3M "6-5" armor counter is not currently in play. A hex contains a two-step U.S. 1/3M "6-5" armor unit. By spending a command point, the NATO player could transfer both steps to the 2/3M unit, and replace the 1/3M unit with the counter.
6.3 Limited Intelligence
(6.31) You are always allowed to look at your own units' step markers.
(6.32) However, you may only look at the step marker of an enemy unit if it is adjacent to one of your units.
- If an enemy unit moves adjacent to one of your units in the course of its movement, you may immediately inspect its step marker, even if it moves away from your unit during the same mission. Similarly, whenever one of your units moves adjacent to an enemy unit, you may inspect its marker.
6.4 Dummies
(6.41) Two dummy step markers are available to each player. When you deploy units, you may place counters from your formations on the map with dummy step markers.
- You can also "split" one of your units into the same unit with the same number of steps, plus another counter and a dummy step marker, if available.
(6.42) A unit with a dummy step marker has no fire strength; it exists only to deceive the opposing player. It acts like any other unit, except that it may not fire in combat, and is removed at the instant an enemy unit moves adjacent to it (or vice versa).
- A player may voluntarily remove a dummy from the map at any time.
(6.43) When one of your dummy step markers is removed, place it on the Game-Turn Track in the current turn's box. You may not reintroduce the dummy to play until the Bookkeeping Phase.
7. Zones of Control
(7.1) A ground unit's zone of control is the six hexes surrounding the hex it occupies, except that:
- HQs don't have zones of control.
- Zones of control never extend into city hexes.
- Only armored cavalry and infantry units exert zones of control into heavy woods and town hexes (see the Terrain Effects Chart). (In the Advanced Game, so do the zones of engineer and helicopter units.)
- Zones of control do extend across river hexsides.
- (Advanced Game rules: helicopters have zones of control, but other air units don't; see 23.42.)
(7.2) Whenever a unit leaves an enemy-controlled hex, it is subject to "infiltration fire"; see 11.84.
- Exception: If a unit begins movement in an enemy-controlled hex, and its first move is to a hex not in an enemy zone of control, it is not subject to infiltration fire. Only when moving from one controlled hex to another, or when leaving a controlled hex which the unit entered during the same move, does infiltration fire take place.
(7.3) Zones of control also affect movement (8.22, 8.32, and 8.73), reaction (12.23), and retreat fire (11.85), and fire by artillery units (13.32).
8. Movement
Units can move during missions, during the Reserve Phase, and in "reaction" (see 12.2). (Units' locations can also change during retreat and advance after combat (see 11), but this is not considered to be "movement," and follows different rules.)
8.1 How Units Move
Movement follows different rules, depending on when and how it occurs. However, some rules always apply:
(8.11) When a unit moves from one hex to another, it spends movement points. It may move any number of hexes, as long as it does not spend more movement points than its movement allowance.
- A unit's movement allowance is always either 3 or 6, and depends on how movement occurs.
(8.12) The cost to enter a hex depends on the type of terrain in the hex (see the Terrain Effects Chart). If there is more than one type of terrain in a hex, units entering the hex pay the single highest movement cost.
- Exception: The movement costs for hills and crossing rivers or bridges are cumulative with the cost of other terrain. (Advanced Game: so are interdiction and obstacle costs — see 26.3 and 28.63.)
(8.13) If a unit begins adjacent to a hex which would cost more movement points to enter than the unit's movement allowance, it may enter the hex at the cost of all its movement points.
(8.14) Units which begin in the same hex may move together as a stack. (The only reason to do this is to reduce vulnerability to infiltration fire — see 11.84.)
- Units may be dropped off or picked up in the course of a stack's move. Units dropped off may not move any farther.
- During a mission, a unit may only be picked up if it is part of the mission group but has not already moved.
- During reserve movement (see 8.5), any "unused" unit eligible for reserve movement may be picked up.
- During reaction, any unit eligible to react may be picked up (see 12.24).
- A unit which is picked up may not move with the stack and farther — when picked up, its movement allowance is reduced by the number of movement points already spent by the stack.
(8.15) One unit's or stack's movement must be completed before any other unit or stack may begin to move.
(8.16) Ground units may never enter enemy-occupied hexes.
(8.17) Every river hexside crossed by a road (of any kind) has a bridge (unless the bridge is destroyed; see 16). When a unit moves across such a hexside, it pays 1 extra movement point, instead of the river's normal movement point cost (but see 8.72).
8.2 March Missions
Units chosen for a march mission have movement allowances of 6.
(8.21) Road movement is permitted during march missions (see 8.7).
(8.22) A unit on a march mission may only enter a hex in an enemy zone of control if the hex is already occupied by a friendly unit. If it does so, it must stop and may not move any farther in the same mission.
8.3 Hasty Attack Missions
Units chosen for a hasty attack also have movement allowances of 6.
(8.31) Road movement is not permitted during hasty attacks.
(8.32) A unit on a hasty attack mission may enter enemy zones of control, and may move from one controlled hex to another. Zones of control do not halt movement (but may cause infiltration fire — see 11.84.)
8.4 Assault Missions
Units chosen for an assault mission may move. The same rules used for movement in hasty attacks apply, except that each unit's movement allowance is 3.
8.5 The Reserve Phase
In the Reserve Phase, "unused" units may move. Each has a movement allowance of 3.
(8.51) At the beginning of the Reserve Phase, the players roll for initiative (see 3.1). The player with the initiative may move any or all of his eligible "unused" units; then, the other player may do so.
(8.52) The Warsaw Pact player may move units which are from regiments plotted for reserve movement (see 4.43).
- When he decides to move units from a regiment, he must designate a "lead unit" for the regiment, just as if he were performing a mission (see 4.48). Only those units from the regiment which are within three hexes of the lead unit may move. In addition, "unused" independent units from the same division and from 8th Guards Army may move if within 3 hexes of the lead unit.
(8.53) The NATO player must spend command points to move units during the Reserve Phase (see 5.33). However, all unused units may move, subject to this restriction.
(8.54) The same rules as for march movement are used, except that each unit's movement allowance is 3 (see 8.2).
8.6 Reaction
During enemy hasty attack and assault missions, friendly units may react (see 12). Reacting units have movement allowances of 3.
The same rules as for march movement are used, except for the movement allowance is 3 (see 8.2). In addition, the rules of 12.2 apply.
8.7 Road Movement
Units on march missions, reacting units, and units moving in reserve can use road movement. Units on hasty attack or assault missions may not.
(8.71) If a unit eligible to use road movement moves into a hex across an autobahn or highway hexside, it pays only 1/4 movement point regardless of the hex's terrain type. Moving across a regular road hexside costs only 1/2 movement point. (Advanced Game Exceptions: 26.3, 27.33, 28.6.)
- Units may combine road and off-road movement in the same move.
(8.72) Units eligible for road movement cross bridged river hexsides at no additional movement cost.
(8.73) A unit may not use road movement to enter an enemy-controlled hex; it must pay the full terrain cost to do so.
8.8 Terrain Effects Chart
| Terrain Type | Zone Effects | Movement Cost | Effect on Fire Strength (Infantry/Mech Infantry) | Effect on Fire Strength (Armor cav/Engineer/Helicopter) | Effect on Fire Strength (Armor/SP anti-tank/Artillery) | Effect on Fire Strength (Air/Heli) | Receiving Offensive Fire (Infantry/Mech Inf & town/city types) | Receiving Offensive Fire (HQ & Other) | Receiving Other Fire (Infantry/Mech Inf & town/city types) | Receiving Other Fire (HQ & Other) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Light Woods | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | +2 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| Heavy Woods | I | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | H | +3 | +1 | +1 | +1 |
| Town | I | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | H | +4 | +1 | +2 | +1 |
| City | N | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | H | +6 | +1 | +2 | +1 |
| Imp. Position* | — | NA | — | — | — | — | +2 | +1 | — | — |
| Hill* | — | +1 | — | — | — | — | +1 | +1 | — | — |
| Main River* | — | +5 | H | H | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other River* | — | +3 | H | H | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bridge | — | +1 | H | H | — | — | — | — | — |
*Cumulative
Road Movement: Autobahn & Highway — ¼; Road — ½; Bridge — +0
Procedure:
Movement Cost: Cross-reference the hex's terrain type with the movement cost column. The resulting number is the cost in movement points to enter the hex. If more than one terrain type exists in a hex, use the higher cost. Exception: "Cumulative" terrain costs are added to other costs.
Zone Effects: "—" = all units exert zones into these hexes. "N" = no units do so. "I" = only infantry (including mechanized, airborne and airmobile infantry), armored cavalry, engineer and helicopters exert zones.
Effect on Fire Strength: Cross-reference the firing unit's type with the terrain of the firing unit's hex and the target's hex.
- If either result is "1": The unit's fire strength is equal to the number of steps firing — that is, each step fires with a strength of 1.
- If either result is "H": The unit's fire strength is halved (unless the other result was "1", which takes precedence). If both results are "H," the unit's strength is not quartered, only halved.
Effect on Defense Strength: If offensive fire is taking place, use the "Receiving Offensive Fire" section of the table; otherwise, use the "Receiving Other Fire" section.
Cross-reference the defending unit's type with the terrain type.
- If the result is "—", the defense strength is unchanged.
- If the result is a number, add that number to the base defense strength to yield the final defense strength.
9. Stacking
9.1 Stacking Limits
No more than ten steps of ground units may voluntarily end movement in a hex.
(9.11) There may be any number of ground unit counters in a hex, as long as it does not contain more than ten steps.
(9.12) Any number of steps may pass through a hex in the course of movement, as long as there are no more than ten steps there at the end of each move.
(9.13) The only time a player may leave more than ten steps in a hex is when friendly forces must retreat (see 11.6) into a hex containing other friendly forces. (In addition, see 25.)
- If a hex contains more than ten steps of units, the extra units are "masked."
9.2 Masking
Units which are "masked" may not fire or advance after combat (see 11.7).
(9.21) If Warsaw Pact units from different regiments of the same division stack, the units of all but one regiment are masked.
- Warsaw Pact units of different divisions may never voluntarily stack together. If forced to do so, all but one regiment of one division are masked.
- Warsaw Pact independent units, airmobile units, and Divisional Tank Battalion (DTB) units are immune from this rule. They may stack with each other and with units from any one regiment without penalty, provided that units from different divisions do not stack.
(9.22) If NATO units from different nationalities stack, all but one nationality is masked.
(9.23) Units are also masked if overstacked (see 9.13).
(9.24) When some of the units in a hex are masked, their stacking order determines which are masked and which are not. Units from the top unit's regiment (Pact) or nationality (NATO) (or the top ten steps) are not masked; the rest are.
- A stack's order may be changed whenever a new unit ends its move in the hex, or a stacked unit is assigned to a mission group, provided that no fire has taken place from the stack's hex. Once fire is from a hex, the units that fired must remain at the top of the stack for the duration of the game-turn.
Example: A hex contains units from the 174th Regiment/57th Guards Division, the Divisional Tank Battalion/57th Guards Division, and the 60th Regiment/20th Guards Division. (Normally units of different divisions may not stack, but they have been forced to do so through retreat.) If the player puts a unit from the 174th Regiment on the top of the stack, the 60th Regiment is masked. The DTB is not masked, because DTBs can stack with regiments of their own division without being masked.
10. Assaults and Hasty Attacks
The only action that occurs during march missions is movement. During assault and hasty attack missions, units may both move and engage in combat.
10.1 Mission Sequence
When an assault or hasty attack mission occurs, the active player selects his mission group, then follows this procedure:
Objective Designation Step: If he intends to use offensive fire, he chooses one enemy-occupied hex as the mission's objective.
Movement Step: He moves units from his mission group (see 8.3 and 8.4). Infiltration fire may occur (see 11.84).
Enemy Reaction Step: If any units from the mission group are now adjacent to the objective hex, the inactive player may use reaction movement to reinforce this hex (see 12).
Artillery Declaration Step: First the active player declares what artillery units will support his offensive fire (if any); then the inactive player declares which artillery will support defensive fire.
Defensive Fire Step: The inactive player's units may fire on adjacent units from the mission group.
Offensive Fire Step: If an objective was chosen, active units may fire at enemy units in the objective hex.
Retreat Step: If "hits" are inflicted on units in the objective hex, the inactive player may retreat those units, at his option (see 11.6). Retreating units may be fired upon if they retreat into a hex in an enemy zone of control (see 11.85).
Advance Step: If the objective hex is now vacant, units which fired offensively may advance into it (see 11.7).
10.2 Objectives
(10.21) The only hex against which "offensive fire" may occur is the objective hex. That's why designating an objective hex is useful.
(10.22) The active player is not required to choose an objective hex. In this case, his mission group may not fire offensively. The advantage is that fewer units are subject to defensive fire (see 11.82).
(10.23) Note that it is often advantageous to declare a hasty attack without an objective, in order to move through enemy zones of control and into the enemy rear — something forbidden in march missions (see 8.3).
10.3 The Differences Between the Missions
Hasty attack and assault missions are conducted in the same fashion, except that:
(10.31) The movement allowance of each unit in a hasty attack mission group is 6; in an assault mission, 3.
(10.32) In assaults (but not hasty attacks), the active player may include units from more than one regiment (Warsaw Pact) or brigade (NATO) in the mission group (see 4.31 and 4.45).
(10.33) In a hasty attack mission, a player's ability to use offensive artillery support is more limited than in an assault mission (see 13.53 and 13.62).
(10.34) During a hasty attack mission, only one enemy stack may react; during assaults, any number may do so (see 12.1).
10.4 Assault & Hasty Attack Summary
- Objective Designation Step
- Movement Step
- Combat Jamming Step
- Reaction Step
- Defensive Helicopter Step
- Artillery Declaration Step
- Defensive Fire Step
- Offensive Helicopter Step
- Offensive Fire Step
- Retreat Step
- Advance Step
Note: Italicized steps occur only in the Advanced Game.
11. Fire Combat
11.1 When Fire Occurs
(11.11) There are four types of fire combat:
- The active player's units perform "offensive fire" during hasty attack and assault missions.
- The inactive player's units conduct "defensive fire" during hasty attack and assault missions.
- "Infiltration fire" can occur any time units move.
- "Retreat fire" can occur when units retreat.
(11.12) Which units may fire, and which may be fired upon, depends on the type of fire being resolved. The rules of section 11.8 describe the differences. The rest of the combat rules apply to all types of fire.
11.2 Targets and Firing Units
(11.21) One enemy-occupied hex is the target of each fire. Units in different hexes cannot be attacked in a single fire combat; fire against one hex must be resolved before fire against another hex.
(11.22) All units which fire at a target hex must be adjacent to that hex (exception: artillery, 13.11). Units from more than one hex may fire at the same target hex, as long as all firing units are eligible to fire, and all are adjacent to the target.
(11.24) No unit is ever required to fire.
(11.25) Masked units and HQs may not fire at any time (see 9.2).
- "Used" units may fire.
(11.26) A unit can be fired upon any number of times in the course of a game-turn.
11.3 Calculating Fire Strengths
(11.31) After the firing player determines which of his units will fire, he must calculate his "total fire strength".
(11.32) Each unit counter is printed with a fire strength (see 2.3). To calculate a unit's base fire strength, multiply the strength printed on its counter by the number of steps it possesses.
- Example: A three-step "6-5" armor unit has a base fire strength of 18.
(11.33) The base fire strength can be modified by the terrain in the firing unit's hex, and/or by the terrain in the target hex.
Design Note: In most games, only the defending unit's terrain modifies combat strength. In Air & Armor, both the firing unit's terrain and the target terrain do so. This is for two reasons. First, part of a unit's effective firepower is not in the weight of its shell, but in its ability to maneuver to get the best shot. If a unit's field of fire is blocked for all but a few degrees by the trees or houses surrounding it, its fire will be less effective. Second, if a unit's field of fire is blocked for all but a few degrees by the trees or houses surrounding it, only a part of the whole unit will be able to fire at a given threat.
(11.34) To determine the effect of terrain:
- Refer to the Terrain Effects Chart (see 8.8). Following the procedure described on the chart, determine the effect of both terrain types — that of the firer's hex and that of the target's.
- If the result from either terrain type is a "1," the unit's fire strength is reduced to the number of steps in the unit. Important: A unit's strength can never be reduced below the number of steps it contains.
- If either result is an "H," the unit's base fire strength is halved (unless the other result is a "1" — "1" results take precedence). Retain fractions. Even if both results are "H," the strength is still only halved (not quartered).
- If both results are " - ," the unit's fire strength is not modified by terrain.
(11.35) If the firing unit is firing across a river hexside, you must also check to determine whether the presence of the river has any effect on fire strength.
(11.36) If a hex contains more than one type of terrain, the player whose units are being fired upon decides which terrain type will be used to affect fire strengths (and defense strengths — see 11.53). Exception: The effects of hills, rivers and improved positions (see 17) are cumulative with all other terrain.
(11.37) After each firing unit's fire strength has been calculated, the firing player adds all firing units' strengths together to determine the total fire strength. (If any fractions remain, round down.)
- The total fire strength may be increased by the use of artillery (see 13).
(11.38) Examples: A three-step U.S. "6-5" armor unit fires:
- across a river. Its base strength is 18, but this is halved to 9 because of the river.
- out of a woods hex. Its strength is 3 — the number of steps it contains.
- out of a woods hex and across a river. Its strength is 3 — it can never be reduced below this value, so the river has no extra effect.
11.4 Resolving Combat
(11.41) Once the total combat strength is calculated, roll the die and refer to the Combat Results Table (see 11.91).
- Follow the table's procedure to determine the hit modifier.
(11.42) Halve the total combat strength of the firing units (as calculated in 11.3). Round fractions down.
- Add the hit modifier. (Remember that adding a negative number is the same as a subtraction.)
- The result is the number of hits inflicted on the target units.
- A fire strength of 1, halved to 0, may still inflict hits if the hit modifier is greater than 0.
(11.43) Example: Units attack with a total fire strength of 23 after modification. A "7" is rolled, for a modifier of "+1." Half of 23 is 11, plus the modifier of +1 yields a total of 12 hits.
11.5 Absorbing Hits
The units in the target hex must absorb hits. They may do so by retreating and by eliminating steps.
(11.51) The owning player decides whether or not he wishes to retreat his units.
- After he does so, the firing player decides which steps will be eliminated.
(11.52) Each step has a defense strength.
- Each unit counter is printed with a defense strength (see 2.3). This is the base defense strength of each step of the unit.
(11.53) To determine a step's actual defense strength, refer to the Terrain Effects Chart (see 8.8). Follow the procedure described on the chart to find the step's defense strength modifier.
- If the modifier is a " - ," the terrain does not modify the defense strength.
- If the modifier is a number, add this number to the step's defense strength.
(11.54) When units retreat, hits are absorbed.
- Determine which step in the target hex has the largest terrain-modified defense strength. This is the number of hits absorbed. Example: A hex contains two units; each step of the first unit has a modified defense strength of 3, while each step of the other has a strength of 6. If the stack retreats, 6 hits are absorbed.
- If more hits must be absorbed, the remainder are satisfied by eliminating steps.
(11.55) The firer chooses which steps to eliminate. Eliminating a step absorbs as many hits as its terrain-modified defense strength.
- Steps must be eliminated until losing one more step would absorb more hits than are left. The extra hits have no effect. Example: The weakest step's defense strength is 3. 2 hits are inflicted. The stack suffers no loss, because losing even the weakest step would absorb more hits than were inflicted.
(11.56) Example: A one-step "6-5" armor unit and a three-step "3-2" mechanized infantry unit occupy a light woods hex. 13 hits are inflicted on them during enemy offensive fire. If they do not retreat, all 13 hits must be absorbed by step losses.
The armor step's defense strength is 6 (5 plus 1 for woods); the mech step's strength is 4 (2 plus 2 for terrain). The enemy may eliminate all three mech steps, for a total of 12 hits absorbed (3 steps x 4 strength = 12), or eliminate the tank step and one mech step, for a total of 10 hits ([1 x 6] + [1 x 4] = 10). He could not eliminate the tank step plus two mech steps, because that would absorb 14 hits, more than the number inflicted.
If the owning player chooses to retreat, 6 hits would be absorbed (since the tank step has the highest modified defense strength, 6, in the target hex), leaving 7 more to be absorbed by step losses. The enemy player could eliminate one step of either type.
11.6 Retreats
Design Note: A force undergoing a hasty attack or assault can fall back to lessen casualties. This is a tricky operation, since a fast retreat can become a rout, and a slow retreat can become an overrun. Retreat under fire is generally conducted by leaving a delaying force to cover the main body as it falls back. Hence the rules stress the value of retreat in terms of the strongest unit in the retreating force: this is the unit doing the covering.
(11.61) Units may only retreat during the Retreat Step of assault and hasty attack missions. (In other words, units can only retreat from offensive fire, not from other kinds.) Units may only retreat if at least 1 hit was inflicted on them.
(11.62) To retreat, move all units from the target hex into an adjacent hex. They must retreat into the same hex.
(11.63) Units may not retreat into enemy-occupied hexes, across unbridged river hexsides, or off the map (advanced game: see 29.22). If there is no legal hex into which a stack may retreat, it may not do so.
(11.64) If the target hex was reinforced through reaction (see 12.32), no retreat may occur.
(11.65) Units may retreat into enemy-controlled hexes, but are vulnerable to retreat fire if they do so (see 11.85).
(11.66) When units retreat, they must follow the dictates of the Retreat Priority Chart (see 11.92).
Example: Unit A has attacked unit E, which wishes to retreat. It cannot retreat to 1906 or 1907 because those hexes are enemy-occupied. Hex 2006 is priority 3 because it is adjacent to a non-firing enemy unit (the presence of a friendly unit of a different nationality would make it priority 6, but lower priority numbers take precedence). Hex 2008 is priority 2 because it is adjacent to a firing enemy unit. Hex 2106 contains a friendly unit of the same nationality as the retreating unit, so is priority 7. Hex 2107 is priority 8, so that is where the firing unit must retreat.
(11.67) Any unit which retreats is "used" (see 4.62).
11.7 Advance After Combat
(11.71) Units may only advance after combat during the Advance Step of a hasty attack or assault mission.
(11.72) Advance may only occur if the objective hex for the mission is empty of enemy units during the Advance Step. Any friendly units which performed offensive fire against the objective hex may advance. No unit is required to do so.
- To advance a unit, simply move it into the objective hex. No infiltration fire occurs and no movement points are expended.
- No more than ten steps of units may advance. Masked units may not advance.
- If a unit is eligible to advance, it may split into two units (see 6.24), and one of them advance without the other.
(11.73) Units may not advance across river hexsides unless spanned by an intact bridge. (Advanced Game: see 29.22.)
11.8 The Different Kinds of Fire
(11.81) Offensive Fire: Offensive fire only occurs during the Offensive Fire Step of hasty attack and assault missions.
- Only units which are part of the mission group are eligible for offensive fire (exception: artillery support, see 13). Their target must be the hex chosen as the mission's objective. If no objective was chosen, no offensive fire may take place.
- All units in the target hex are subject to the effects of fire, even if over-stacked or masked.
- Retreats may only occur after offensive fire, not after any other kind of fire.
- Only units which use offensive fire may advance after combat.
- The effects of terrain on defense strength are calculated using a different section of the Terrain Effects Chart from that used for other sorts of fire (see chart).
(11.82) Defensive Fire: Defensive fire only occurs during the Defensive Fire Step of hasty attack and assault missions.
- If no objective hex was chosen, defensive fire may only take place against units that moved in the Movement Step of the same mission.
- If an objective hex was chosen, defensive fire can take place against any active units, whether or not they moved.
- If other inactive units occupy a target hex, they are not affected by the results of defensive fire.
- All units adjacent to hexes containing units which may be fired upon are eligible to perform defensive fire, even if "used."
(11.83) During defensive fire (only), a unit is sometimes eligible to fire at two or more hexes simultaneously. In this case, the owning player may split its fire strength into two parts, and resolve fire against each hex separately. Only one hex is the target of each fire, and other friendly units, if eligible, may participate in the fire; but two fires are resolved, one after the other.
- A step's fire strength may never be divided this way; a unit's fire strength may only be divided if it contains at least two steps, and each step's strength must be directed at a single hex.
- Similarly, if a hex contains two or more friendly units, the units may fire into different hexes, and are not required to fire together.
(11.84) Infiltration Fire: Infiltration fire may occur when a stack leaves an enemy-controlled hex. Infiltration fire does not occur when a stack which begins movement in an enemy-controlled hex moves out, only when stacks move from one controlled hex to another, or leave a controlled hex entered during the same move (see 7.2).
- All enemy units exerting a zone of control into the hex are eligible to fire.
- Infiltration fire interrupts movement; only after fire is resolved may the stack continue moving.
- The target of infiltration fire is the hex from which the stack is leaving. The moving stack is not actually moved out of the hex until fire is resolved.
- If other (non-moving) units occupy the target hex, they are not affected by the results of infiltration fire.
(11.85) Retreat Fire: Retreat fire occurs when a stack retreats into an enemy-controlled hex.
- The target hex is the one into which the units retreat, not the hex from which they retreat.
- All enemy units which exert zones of control into that hex are eligible to fire.
- Combat losses from offensive fire are absorbed before retreat fire is resolved.
- If other (non-retreating) friendly units occupy the hex, they are not affected by the results of retreat fire.
- Units may not retreat a second time to absorb losses from retreat fire; losses can only be satisfied by step elimination.
11.9 Combat Tables
(11.91) Combat Results Table
| Roll | Modifier |
|---|---|
| 1 | -3 |
| 2 | -2 |
| 3-4 | -1 |
| 5-6 | 0 |
| 7-8 | +1 |
| 9 | +2 |
| 10 | +3 |
Procedure: Roll the die, and find the hit modifier on the same row as the number rolled.
(11.92) Retreat Priorities Chart
| Retreat Priority | Hex Type |
|---|---|
| P | Enemy-occupied, off the map, across unbridged river hexsides. |
| 1 | Minefield (Advanced Game only — subject to mine attack). |
| 2 | Adjacent to an active unit which just fired. |
| 3 | Adjacent to any other enemy ground unit. |
| 4 | A hex farther from the nearest HQ superior to the retreating unit. |
| 5 | A friendly-occupied hex, in violation of stacking limits. |
| 6 | A hex occupied by friendly units of a different nationality from the retreating units (NATO only). |
| 7 | A hex occupied by friendly units of the same nationality as some retreating unit. |
| 8 | Any other hex. |
Procedure: Look at each of the hexes surrounding the retreating unit. Referring to this chart, assign each hex a priority number from 1 to 8. (Lower priority numbers take precedence; e.g., a hex adjacent to an active firing unit which is also friendly-occupied is priority 2.) The stack must retreat to the adjacent hex with the largest priority number. If two or more hexes are tied for largest, the owning player chooses which one his units will retreat to.
Units may not retreat into "P" hexes.
12. Reaction
Design Note: In Air & Armor, the Warsaw Pact maintains a reserve by plotting regiments for reserve status. The NATO player achieves the same effect by keeping units "unused" behind the front line. These units are available for reaction — or for movement during the Reserve Phase.
Every general from the time of Thucydides has stressed the terrible importance of maintaining a reserve. NATO doctrine calls for one third of each echelon to be held in reserve. Warsaw Pact doctrine, on the offensive, calls for only a tenth to be held in reserve. On the other hand, the Warsaw Pact echelons its attacking formations much deeper than NATO, so the final effect is much the same.
The NATO player, especially, must be ruthless in stripping his front line to keep reserves available. Two tank steps in reserve can make the Warsaw Pact think twice about attacking any point in the line which the reserve force can reach. For the Warsaw Pact player, it is recommended that each motor rifle division's Divisional Tank Battalion be held as a reserve force whenever there are spare command points. This role is the battalion's primary function, and it is the only Warsaw Pact formation eligible to reinforce other regiments should they be attacked (see 12.53).
During the Reaction Step of a hasty attack or assault mission, the inactive player's units may move.
12.1 Which Units May React
(12.11) Reaction can only occur if an objective hex was chosen. If no objective was chosen, no reaction occurs.
(12.12) The following units may not react:
- "Used" units.
- Units which belong to "shattered" formations (see 14).
- Artillery units.
- Independent units (exception: 12.43).
- Units in enemy zones of control.
(12.13) During a hasty attack mission, all reacting units must begin in the same hex.
- Some units from a hex may react, and others remain in the hex.
(12.14) During assault missions, units from any number of different hexes may react.
(12.15) It is possible to split a unit's steps up among different counters, and have only one of the new units react (see 6.24).
(12.16) Only units which can move to the objective hex are allowed to react. If a unit cannot end its reaction movement in the objective hex, it may not react.
(12.17) Subject to these restrictions, the reacting player chooses which of his units will react.
12.2 Reaction Movement
(12.21) Each unit chosen for reaction has 3 movement points (see 8.6).
(12.22) Reacting units must move to and end movement in the objective hex.
(12.23) Reacting units cannot enter any hex in an enemy zone of control except for the objective hex.
(12.24) When units react, they are flipped to their "used" side. Any friendly units in the objective hex which are not already "used" are also flipped to their "used" side (see 4.62).
12.3 Reaction and Combat
(12.31) Reacting units may fire during the Defensive Fire step of the same mission. They themselves are subject to offensive fire.
(12.32) If reaction occurs, no retreats are allowed during the mission (see 11.64).
12.4 NATO Reaction
(12.41) The NATO player must spend command points each time NATO units react (see 5.33).
(12.42) A unit may only react if the objective hex contains a unit of the same brigade, or an independent unit of the same nationality.
- Exception: NATO units may react if the objective is an unoccupied "friendly city hex" (see 15.2).
(12.43) Independent units cannot normally react. However, NATO armored cavalry units may react if the objective hex contains another NATO armored cavalry unit.
12.5 Warsaw Pact Reaction
(12.51) A Warsaw Pact unit may only react if it belongs to a regiment plotted for reserve movement (see 4.4). If it does react, it is "used," but other units from its regiment are not. They could react at some other time, or move during the Reserve Phase.
- Since only "unused" units can move during the Reserve Phase, a unit which reacts will not be able to do so (see 8.5).
(12.52) Reaction is not a "mission"; there is no lead unit, no independent units may participate, etc.
(12.53) A unit may only react if the objective hex contains a unit of the same regiment, or an independent unit of the same division.
- Exception: Divisional Tank Battalion (DTB) units may react as long as the objective hex contains a unit of the same division — even if the unit is of a different regiment.
13. Artillery
Design Note: It is an aphorism of modern war that artillery inflicts more casualties than any other arm. However, as armies have become more mechanized, artillery munitions have become less oriented towards killing infantry and more towards destroying vehicles. Artillery munitions are also becoming more intelligent. We are not far from the day when all artillery munitions will actively or passively seek their own targets. Fortunately, NATO currently enjoys a substantial lead in this technology.
The critical link in artillery employment is communications. By design, an artillery unit generally lacks a direct line of sight to its target. Instead, it relies on a forward observer who calls in fire on the right coordinates. This link is highly vulnerable to enemy jamming. Furthermore, in a fast-developing battle, an observer may lose touch with his artillery, or with the combat situation itself. NATO addresses this vulnerability with redundant communication nets and highly mobile observers. The Warsaw Pact plans its fire missions in advance within the framework of the overall battle plan, and places more of its artillery forward where it can fire directly.
NATO's solution is more flexible. Fire can be requested from many more sources and brought to bear more responsively. These advantages are reflected both in NATO artillery units' fire values and in the fewer restrictions placed on their use.
13.1 Indirect Fire and Fire Strengths
(13.11) Artillery units can fire directly — into adjacent hexes — just like other units. In addition, they can fire indirectly — at a distance of two or more hexes — during offensive and defensive fire.
(13.12) When an artillery unit fires indirectly, its fire strength is calculated in the same way as any other unit's — the counter's strength is multiplied by the number of steps firing. However, when artillery fires indirectly, its fire strength is never modified by terrain.
(13.13) The fire strengths of artillery firing indirectly are included in the total fire strength, just like the strengths of units firing directly (see 11.37).
(13.14) Indirect fire cannot be used during infiltration fire or retreat fire — only during offensive and defensive fire (see 11.8).
(13.15) An artillery unit does not have to be part of a mission group to fire indirectly during the Offensive Fire Step. However, its fire must be "coordinated" by a headquarters unit (see 13.4 below).
13.2 "Fired" Markers
(13.21) An artillery unit may fire indirectly only once each game-turn. When it does so, a "Fired" marker is placed on top of it. Fired markers are removed during the Bookkeeping Phase.
(13.22) "Fired" artillery may be assigned to march missions, but not to hasty attack or assault missions.
- A "Fired" artillery unit can still perform direct defensive, infiltration, or retreat fire.
(13.23) If a (non-fired) artillery unit is assigned to a hasty attack or assault mission, it may not use indirect fire in the same turn — when the unit is flipped to its "used" side, also place a "Fired" marker on it.
- Artillery units do not receive "Fired" markers for performing direct defensive, infiltration, or retreat fire.
13.3 When Indirect Fire Occurs
(13.31) During the Artillery Declaration Step of a hasty attack or assault mission, both players declare which artillery units they will use to support offensive fire or defensive fire. The active (offensive) player declares first.
(13.32) Artillery units in enemy zones of control cannot be used; nor may "Fired" artillery units.
13.4 Which Artillery Units Can Fire
An artillery unit may only use indirect fire against a hex if:
- The hex is within the artillery unit's range
- the hex is "observed;" and
- the fire is "coordinated."
(13.41) Each artillery unit's range is printed on its counter (see 2.3). The target hex is within range if the distance between the artillery unit and the target hex is less than or equal to the printed range (see 5.14).
(13.42) A hex against which defensive or offensive fire is occuring is observed if at least one friendly unit is adjacent to the hex.
- Any friendly unit (including an HQ) can observe for defensive fire.
- Only active units can observe for offensive fire.
- Note that artillery declaration occurs before defensive fire. A unit which observes for offensive fire might be destroyed by defensive fire. In this case, observation has still occurred and the artillery can still fire indirectly during the Offensive Fire Step, even though no observing unit exists. However, the firing artillery's strength is halved in this case.
(13.43) Indirect fire is coordinated if both the firing artillery unit and the observing unit are within the command range of the same coordinating HQ (see 5.14).
- An HQ can only coordinate fire if it is superior to the observing unit (see 5.21 and 5.31). The HQ must also be superior to (Warsaw Pact) or of the same nationality as (NATO) the artillery unit (see 13.51 and 13.61).
13.5 NATO Artillery
(13.51) To coordinate artillery fire, a NATO HQ must be
- superior to the observing unit, and
- of the same nationality as the firing unit. (It does not have to be superior to the firing unit.)
(13.52) One HQ of each nationality may be used to coordinate fire during a particular mission — but no more.
(13.53) Division HQs may coordinate fire only during friendly assault missions.
- Brigade HQs may coordinate fire during any defensive or offensive fire.
13.6 Warsaw Pact Artillery
(13.61) Only one Warsaw Pact HQ may coordinate indirect fire each mission.
- The coordinating HQ must be superior to both the observing and the firing artillery units, and within command range of each (see 5.14).
- This means that only one division's artillery may support offensive fire or defensive fire in a mission (see 13.43).
(13.62) During the Offensive Fire Step of a friendly assault mission (only), any independent 8th Guards Army artillery units may also fire indirectly.
- One HQ must be chosen to coordinate the indirect fire. Any HQ belonging to the active division can be chosen, even though such an HQ is not normally superior to the 8th Guards Army artillery.
- The other rules for coordination still apply — the HQ must be within command range of both the observing unit and firing artillery units; only one HQ can coordinate fire; etc.
- 8th Guards Army can only support offensive fire (never defensive); and can only do so during assault missions (never hasty attacks).
- Different 8th Guards Army artillery units can be used to support different assaults.
(13.63) Only one Warsaw Pact artillery unit may fire indirectly during a Defensive Fire Step. That is, when Warsaw Pact units fire defensively during an enemy mission, only one artillery unit can be used to support defensive fire.
13.7 Reserves and Reaction
Artillery may never react, and may not move during the Reserve Phase.
14. Shattering
Design Note: Experience has shown that a formation loses most of its combat effectiveness long before it loses most of its troops. Depending on morale and training, one unit may give up the ghost after 10% casualties, while another will falter only after 50%. The point is the same, however: you don't have to knock out a whole unit to stop it dead in its tracks.
During the Bookkeeping Phase, both players check to see whether their brigades or regiments become shattered.
14.1 How Shatter Occurs
(14.11) Each NATO brigade and Pact regiment has a shatter value between 0 and 6. Shatter values are listed on the Shatter Chart (see 14.3).
(14.12) To determine whether a brigade or regiment has shattered, count up the number of steps it contains. (Do not include HQ and artillery steps.) If the number of steps is less than or equal to the shatter value, the regiment or brigade is shattered.
(14.13) Note that Warsaw Pact DTB regiments have shatter values of 0. This means they never shatter.
(14.14) The NATO player can transfer steps from one brigade to another (see 6.26). If, by doing so, he increases a brigade's step total above its shatter value, he can unshatter the brigade. Brigades become unshattered during the next Bookkeeping Phase.
- An unshattered brigade could become shattered again if it lost further steps.
- Warsaw Pact regiments can never be unshattered.
(14.15) When a NATO brigade shatters, flip the command point marker of its brigade HQ over on the Command Point Track to the "shattered" side.
(14.16) When a Pact regiment shatters, check the "shatter" box on its line of the Warsaw Pact Planning Roster.
14.2 Shatter Effects
(14.21) Units from shattered brigades or regiments:
- cannot be assigned to hasty attack or assault missions. (They can still march.)
- may not react.
- may not move in the Reserve Phase.
(14.22) When the Warsaw Pact player plots a march mission for a shattered regiment, he must spend a command point. (Normally, plotting march missions is free; see 5.22.)
(14.23) When the NATO player selects units from a shattered brigade for a march mission, he must spend 1 command point per hex from which shattered participating units are drawn (see 5.33).
(14.24) Shattered units may not be assigned missions or move in the Reserve Phase during night game-turns (see 18.4).
14.3 Shatter Chart
(14.31) NATO Shatter Chart
| Unit | Shatter value |
|---|---|
| U.S. Brigade | 6 |
| West German Brigade | 3 |
| Canadian Brigade | 3 |
(14.32) Pact Shatter Chart
| Unit | Shatter value |
|---|---|
| DTB | 0 |
| Other regiment | 3 |
15. City Control
Design Note: The city control rules reflect the paramilitary role played by the police forces of all West German cities.
Warsaw Pact units may only move into or through city hexes that are under Warsaw Pact "control."
NATO units can freely move into or through city hexes, regardless of control.
15.1
A city hex begins a scenario under NATO control unless both of the following apply:
- It is not NATO-occupied, and;
- a Warsaw Pact unit could have been deployed there under the scenario's starting deployment.
15.2
To capture a city hex, the Pact player must declare a hasty attack or assault mission, naming the city hex as the mission's objective. NATO units may react to defend the city hex (see 12.42). Some Warsaw Pact unit must execute offensive fire against the hex. If offensive fire inflicts at least one hit, and, after the Retreat Step, the city hex contains no NATO units, the Pact units may advance into the city, at which point the city hex falls under Pact control.
15.3
Whenever a NATO unit enters a Warsaw Pact-controlled city hex, it reverts to NATO control.
16. Bridge Destruction
Bridges may be destroyed in three ways: by set charge, by fire attack, and in the Advanced Game, by engineers. (For rules on engineers, see 28.)
16.1 Set Charges
At the end of any friendly mission, the NATO player may attempt to destroy any number of bridges. He rolls a die for each bridge; on any roll except a "1," the bridge is destroyed.
If a "1" is rolled for a bridge, the NATO player may not roll for that bridge again for the rest of the game. He only gets one try.
If a Warsaw Pact unit ever moves adjacent to an intact bridge, that bridge may not be destroyed by set charges.
16.2 Fire Attacks
A player may declare a bridge to be his objective (instead of an enemy-occupied hex). During the Offensive Fire Step, any active units at either end of the bridge may fire on it (but not at enemy units). Six or more hits will destroy a bridge (but see 28.23). Hits are not "cumulative:" if one attack fails to inflict 6 or more hits, the bridge is completely undamaged, and any subsequent attack must inflict at least 6 hits to destroy it.
- Artillery units may participate if in range of either hex abutting the bridge.
16.3 Markers
"Destroyed Bridge" markers are provided with the game. When a bridge is destroyed, place one in either hex adjacent to the bridge hexside.
17. Improved Positions
Improved positions represent foxholes, trenches, firing ramps, barbed wire, and other defensive enhancements.
(17.1) Some scenario set-ups instruct the players to place "Improved Position" markers on the game-map. This is the only way improved positions may be placed in the Standard Game; in the Advanced Game, engineers may place them also (see 28.8).
(17.2) Improved positions increase the defense strength of units in the same hex; they act like a cumulative terrain type (see Terrain Effects Chart, 8.8).
(17.3) Whenever a player moves or retreats a unit out of a hex containing an improved positions marker, he may remove the marker (at his option).
(17.4) An improved position is automatically removed if all occupying units are eliminated.
(17.5) An improved position is "neutral," and benefits whichever side currently occupies it.
18. Night
Design Note: The Warsaw Pact places great stress on night operations and the concept of a 24-hour battlefield. NATO pays lip service to the idea, but only the British appear really to train for it. Without a doubt, the first 72 hours of any future war in Europe will feature continuous combat operations. The major characteristics of night warfare are that 1) troops slink off to sleep unless pushed unmercifully; 2) engagement ranges shorten brutally, and 3) command and control techniques are tested to the limit.
Some boxes on the Game-Turn Track are tinted; when the game-turn marker occupies such a box, the night rules are in effect.
(18.1) Each scenario indicates the hour of the first game-turn. When setting up a scenario, place the game-turn marker in the box of the Game-Turn Track corresponding to that hour.
(18.2) During a night game-turn, the Warsaw Pact player must spend two command points (instead of one) to assign a regiment to a hasty attack, assault, or reserve movement. Assigning a regiment a march mission costs one command point (normally this costs none). See 5.22.
- Independent Warsaw Pact units marching under the special provisions of rule 4.57 do not require command points to march — only regiments do.
(18.3) All NATO command point costs are doubled (see 5.33). In addition, the NATO player must spend one command point for each hex from which units are drawn when assembling a march mission.
(18.4) Shattered units may not march at night (see 14.24).
(18.5) Certain Advance Game rules come into effect at night. See 23.33, 25.32, 24.4 and 25.73.
19. Scenario Set-Up
19.1 Placing Units on the Map
(19.11) Some scenarios only use part of the map; the map is divided into fourths by printed lines. If the whole map is not used, the scenario description will specify which sections are in play.
- Units may not move or retreat to areas of the map which are out of play.
(19.12) The scenario instructions usually tell players to set up units by describing an area in which units from one formation may be placed (e.g. "Place the 60th Regiment of the 20th Guards Division within five hexes of 4106"). The owning player may deploy the formation's units and steps in any legal configuration (see 6.1) and in any number of different hexes, so long as all units are placed in the area described and no more than ten steps are in a single hex. In some scenarios, formations will be missing steps or units, or will be augmented by steps.
(19.13) Engineers appear only in the Advanced Game; do not deploy engineer units in Standard Game scenarios.
19.2 Reinforcements
In most scenarios, one or both players receive reinforcements. Reinforcements enter the map during the Mission Phase. They are assigned to missions while still off-map, and brought onto the map in the course of a mission.
(19.21) If part of a reinforcing unit's major formation is already on the map, it is activated with that formation. An entirely-new major formation which arrives as a reinforcement may be activated while off-map.
(19.22) The Warsaw Pact player may plan missions for off-board regiments using the command points of superior reinforcing HQs or off-map command points.
(19.23) Every ten steps or part thereof of NATO reinforcements assigned hasty attack or assault missions requires one command point from a reinforcing HQ or an off-map command point.
(19.24) Reinforcing HQs may not expend command points on behalf of units on map until they themselves move onto the map. HQs on the map may not expend command points on behalf of reinforcing units.
(19.25) All reinforcements must be organized into units (see 6.1) before moving onto the map. Sometimes a player receives reinforcement steps for a formation already in play. He should be careful to reserve unit counters to take these steps; reinforcement steps may not enter until a counter is available (see 6.24).
(19.26) A player is not required to enter reinforcements; some reinforcements may be withheld off-map until a later time, and others entered, as the player wishes.
- Reinforcing units may not use reaction to enter the game-map.
(19.27) Reinforcements may only enter on road hexes. (Example: "The 57th Tank Regiment enters between 4001 and 4801" allows the regiment's steps to enter on any combination of 4001, 4401, and 4801, since these are the only road hexes along the mapedge between 4001 and 4801.)
(19.28) A reinforcement must enter where indicated in the scenario description, unless its indicated entry point is enemy-occupied, in an enemy zone of control, or in a gas zone (see 27.3). If blocked, it may enter at the nearest road, highway, or autobahn hex along the mapedge. If legal entry hexes are equally distant, the opposing player chooses which to use.
(19.29) Reinforcing units pay the normal movement point cost to enter their first hex.
19.3 Victory Conditions
(19.31) Some scenarios contain decisive victory conditions which allow a player to win automatically by meeting some objective. If no such conditions are listed, or if no player meets his decisive conditions, each player must determine how many victory points he earns.
- The scenario's "victory conditions" section describes how players earn victory points. Players record victory points on their Victory Point Tracks with the markers provided.
- At the end of the game, the smaller victory point total is subtracted from the larger. The player with the larger total finds the result on the scenario's victory point scale, to determine the extent of his victory.
- Many scenarios use this standard victory point scale:
0-5 Draw 6-10 Marginal Victory 11-15 Tactical Victory 16+ Decisive Victory
(19.32) Victory Points for the Destruction of Enemy Steps: The destruction of enemy steps is a common way of earning victory points; this includes HQs, artillery, and air and helicopter steps. A given HQ can be counted more than once, if it is reconstituted (5.4) and destroyed again. Each time a step is eliminated, the victory point markers are advanced on their track.
(19.33) Exiting the Map: Some scenarios require units to exit the map to earn victory points or a decisive victory. Units may exit the map by moving to a map-edge hex with sufficient movement points remaining to enter another identical hex. Exited units may not reenter the game. Units may not exit the map by retreat.
(19.34) Lines of Communication: Some scenarios require a player to trace a "line of communication." A line of communication is a continuous path of road hexes uninterrupted by enemy units or zones of control. Friendly units do not negate enemy zones for this purpose. (Airmobile units (see 30) and their zones of control do not block lines of communication.)
20. Standard Game Scenarios
20.1 Race for the Bridges
(20.11) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
For the 8th Guards Army commander, the first week of the war was a frustrating inglorious experience. His army was assigned the relatively inglorious role of screening the 1st Guards Tank Army's southern flank while it attacked the U.S. V Corps and drove towards Frankfurt. When this offensive finally bogged down in the face of two fresh U.S. Reforger divisions, the 8th Guards commander was quick to volunteer his army for a flanking operation. Noting a weakness near Schweinfurt, the SEGF commander approved the operation. The 8th Guards commander promptly ordered the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division to smash through NATO defenses in the area and open a path of advance for the rest of the army.
NATO
Because the VII Corps sector had been relatively quiet over the first week of the war, most of its first-line fighting units had been sent into the maelstrom to the north. The 35th Panzergrenadier Brigade was one of these units, and had only just returned to the Wurzburg sector in order to rest and receive replacements. This expectation was dashed by a phone call from the VII Corps commander in the early hours of D+8. A fresh Soviet division had been spotted moving over the frontier and it was heading their way.
(20.12) Map and Game-Length: The game lasts 5 game-turns. The first turn is game-turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). Use only the southern three-quarters of the map.
(20.13) Starting Deployment:
Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact player must plan missions for his first turn reinforcements before the NATO player deploys his starting forces. No Pact units start on-map.
Off-map Command Points: 1.
NATO:
Deploy the 35th Brigade of the 12th Panzer Division anywhere south of the autobahn running from 3301 to 2333 (exclusive). Delete four steps of infantry from the brigade.
Off-map Command Points: 0.
(20.14) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn One: The Warsaw Pact 55th and 60th Regiments of the 20th Guards Motor Rifle plus three steps of "4-11-2" and one step of "8-13-1" artillery, and both HQs from the division enter along the north mapedge, east of hex 2518.
Game-Turn Two: The rest of the 20th Guards enters on the northern mapedge east of 2518.
Game-Turn Three: The 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group enters on the southern mapedge. For this turn and the rest of the game, NATO receives one off-map command point.
(20.15) Special Rules:
The Warsaw Pact player automatically wins the initiative in the Initiative Phase of the first game-turn.
The NATO player may blow any bridges between hexes 3002 and 6017 (inclusive) before the start of play.
(20.16) Victory Conditions:
Both players receive 1 victory point for each enemy step eliminated.
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 victory point for each step which exits the map between hexes 4634 and 6434.
NATO:
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact regiment shattered.
- 6 points if no Warsaw Pact unit crosses the Main river between 6019 to 4634.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(20.17) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact player should concentrate on victory conditions with the 35th Brigade. Early reinforcements should use march missions exclusively to blitz around the thin screen of West German defenders. At least two avenues of approach should be used, to keep NATO spread thinly. The second-turn reinforcements should only engage NATO if overwhelming force is available or their advance has been completely blocked. When the 4CMBG arrives, the military balance will be even, so the Pact must be across the Main before the Canadians deploy. Once across the Main, Pact units should exit as rapidly as possible. If the Canadians have blocked the roads leading off-map, the Pact should infiltrate overland and avoid costly attacks.
NATO:
NATO is initially faced with overwhelming Warsaw Pact forces. A forward defense risks allowing forces to be flanked or overrun. Instead, NATO should block the major road junctions and fall back slowly, denying the Pact a speedy advance to the Main. Vigilance against an end-run will be rewarded even if it dilutes the forces opposing the Pact's main axis of advance. The 4th CMBG should move immediately to block the Main crossings and the Pact's exit areas. Above all, NATO should only attack if overwhelming force is at hand. One poor attack can cost NATO dearly.
20.2 Bear Trap
(20.21) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
When the 39th and 57th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions crossed the border, they encountered much lighter resistance than expected. NATO seemed sluggish and disorganized, and NATO units broke and ran whenever seriously pressured. By the end of the first day, the 8th Guards Army had achieved a major breakthrough. Schweinfurt had fallen with hardly a shot (the mayor had declared it an open city) and the army's lead elements were approaching Wurzburg. Taught to reinforce success, the commander of the 8th Guards Army ordered the 79th Guards Tank Division to exploit the breakthrough. Meanwhile, the 39th and 57th were sent to clear Wurzburg.
NATO:
The commander of VII Corps never had any faith in the concept of "Forward Defense." His vision of active defense required more room for maneuver. Working quietly with his division commanders, he developed a plan of operations for the defense of his sector which would have been cause for immediate dismissal if it had ever been made public. When the unthinkable materialized, the VII Corps commander threw the book out the window and followed his own plan. In the confusion of the first day, with a little judicious editing of situation reports, the true state of affairs was never noticed.
Rather than defending at the border, the US 3rd Mechanized Division immediately fell back before the advancing 8th Guards Army, simulating panicked retreat for the whole of D+1. Meanwhile the 12th Panzer marched forward and quietly concentrated to the west. Only when the 8th Guards' two leading divisions had reached the suburbs of Wurzburg did the 3rd Mech stop and hold its ground. Then, at dawn of D+2, just as the Pact divisions were preparing to assault the city itself, the VII Corps commander sprang his trap.
(20.22) Map and Game-Length: The game lasts 6 game-turns. The first turn is Game-Turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). The play area is the southern three-quarters of the map.
(20.23) Starting Deployment:
NATO deploys first.
NATO:
US 1st Brigade, 3rd Mech Division Base, and 72nd Field Artillery Brigade go within 5 hexes of any hexes of Wurzburg. Delete 6 steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the division base.
The US 2nd Brigade goes within 10 hexes of Gerolzhofen (4106), anywhere south of the Main River. Add three steps of "3-11-1" artillery to the 2nd Brigade (use a unit from the 3rd Mech Division Base).
Off-map Command Points: 2.
Warsaw Pact:
39th and 57th Guard Rifle Divisions, and the 8th Guards Army Artillery go within 10 hexes of any hexes of Wurzburg, provided that no unit is south of the Main River or adjacent to any NATO unit. Only deploy two steps of "6-17-1" and one of "12-25-1" artillery in the 8th Guards Army.
Off-map Command Points: 2.
(20.24) Reinforcements:
After the Warsaw Pact player deploys, NATO has a special pre-game Mission Phase in which to enter the West German 35th Brigade at 2531, and 36th Panzer Brigade and 12th Panzer Division Base at 4634. The formations may only perform march missions; no other units may move in this pre-game phase.
Game-Turn Four: The 216th and 220th regiments of the Warsaw Pact 79th Guards Division, plus three "4-11-2" artillery steps, one "8-13-1" artillery step, and both HQs from the 79th enter on the northern mapedge.
Game-Turn Five: The rest of the 79th Guards arrives on the northern mapedge.
(20.25) Special Rules: All bridges along the Main River from 5413 to 2902 are already blown at the start of play. In addition, the NATO player may declare any other bridges on the map to be blown before the Warsaw Pact player sets up.
(20.26) Victory Conditions:
The Warsaw Pact player wins decisively if he controls at least one hex of Wurzburg at the end of the game, and can trace a line of communication from this hex to the northern mapedge.
NATO wins decisively if the Warsaw Pact player controls no hex of Wurzburg at the end of the game.
If neither player wins decisively:
- each player receives 1 victory point for each enemy step destroyed;
- the Pact player receives 1 victory point for each hex of Wurzburg he controls at game's end.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(20.27) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
The "2-3" mech infantry regiments of the 39th and 57th divisions should mass against Wurzburg, while the rest of the regiments deploy for all-around defense. The "3-3" regiments, backed up by the DTB on reserve, are well-suited to hold the line. The tank regiments should be ready to drive north to reopen communications. Once a Wurzburg hex has been seized, the Pact player should concentrate on defense, giving ground slowly, especially in the north. When the 79th Guards arrives, the Pact can return to the offensive, pinching NATO from north and south.
NATO:
The NATO player cannot avoid losing a hex of Wurzburg. He can only hope to make the Pact pay dearly for the real estate. The optimal deployment is one step of infantry in each of the four outer hexes of Wurzburg, with the rest in reserve immediately behind. Defending outside the city is suicide. The US tanks should be held behind the Main outside the city, threatening local counterattacks across the river. The remaining NATO forces should attack southwards to collapse the Warsaw Pact perimeter. NATO should not be too aggressive, however; the Warsaw Pact has enough tanks to counterattack viciously, and sufficient artillery to make NATO attacks expensive. NATO's prime objective is to have enough force in being to block the Pact's line of communication to the northern mapedge. Once the 79th Guards appears, NATO should screen it and fall back before allowing combat.
20.3 Counterattack to the Flank
(20.31) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
The 8th Guards Army's initial thrust towards Schweinfurt met with fierce resistance from the US 3rd Mechanized and West German 12th Panzer divisions. The 57th and 39th Guards Motor Rifle divisions crushed this resistance, liberated Schweinfurt, and drove south almost to the outskirts of Wurzburg. The 8th Guards Army then wheeled west and pushed towards Frankfurt at top speed, shoulder to shoulder with the 28th Army's advance through Fulda. By dawn of D+5, the US V Corps was badly mangled and the 8th Guards' lead elements were poised only 25 kilometers from Frankfurt. Only the 20th Guards division remained near Wurzburg to cover the army's flank from the NATO forces to the south.
NATO:
Badly surprised, the two NATO divisions near Wurzburg were thrashed in the first days of the war. When the pressure eased on D+3, the VII Corps commander consolidated each division into a single "Kampfgruppe" rather than maintain their seriously depleted brigade structures. For the next two days, the troops rested, without significant interference from the enemy. Then, on the afternoon of D+4, the VII Corps commander ordered to counterattack the 8th Guards' flank, to relieve the pressure on V Corps. Aware of how desperate V Corps' plight was, the VII Corps commander agreed to mount the counterattack at dawn on D+5 with the forces immediately available.
(20.32) Map and Game Length: The game lasts 6 game-turns. The first turn is game-turn 1 (6 A.M, Day 1). Use only the southern three-quarters of the map.
(20.33) Starting Deployment:
The Warsaw Pact player deploys first. He then plans all his missions for game-turn one. NATO deploys after this planning is complete.
Warsaw Pact:
20th Guards Rifle Division: One entire regiment must be deployed within 5 hexes of each of the following hexes: 4106, 3918, 4224, and 4725. (The designer recommends using the 60th, 20th, 55th, and 57th regiments, respectively). All remaining units in the division are deployed anywhere among the above areas, and in or any hex of Schweinfurt. The designer recommends that the DTB be deployed within 5 hexes of 4725.
Off-map Command Points: 1.
NATO:
The US 1st Brigade and 3rd Mechanized Division Base go within 5 hexes of 5811. Add one tank step and delete one infantry step from the brigade. Delete four steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the division base.
The West German 36th Brigade and 12th Panzer Division Base go within 5 hexes of 5622. Add two steps of infantry and delete one step of tanks from the brigade. Delete both "4-9-1" artillery steps from the division base.
Off-map Command Points: 2.
(20.34) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn Three: one step each of "6-11-1" and "6-17-1" artillery from the 8th Guards Army enters on road hexes on the northern mapedge.
(20.35) Special Rules:
NATO automatically wins the initiative for all phases of the first game-turn.
All bridges have already been blown, except those on the Main River between 5624 and 5211 (inclusive), and the two bridges in Schweinfurt.
The Warsaw Pact 8th Guards Army artillery reinforcements are treated in all ways as divisional artillery belonging to the 20th Guards Division. They may freely support hasty attacks and fire during Defensive Fire Steps, unlike normal army-level artillery (see 13.6).
(20.36) Victory Conditions:
Both players receive 1 victory point for each enemy step eliminated. In addition, they earn points as follows:
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 point for each of the following regiments which is unshattered at the end of the game: 60th, 57th, 55th, and 20T.
- 5 victory points for each shattered NATO brigade.
NATO:
- One point for each step that exits the western mapedge north of the Main River, or the northern mapedge west of hex 2516.
(20.37) Levels of Victory:
0-5: Draw 6-10: Tactical Victory 11+: Decisive Victory
(20.38) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
A well-deployed Pact player will not always win this scenario, but a poorly-deployed player will always lose it. With the exception of the troops deployed near 4725, no units should be deployed within NATO's initial striking range. The Pact player should make full use of reserve missions, letting NATO do all the attacking at the start. Once NATO has been worn down, the Pact player can look for local counterattack opportunities. He should usually pass until both NATO brigades have been activated, allowing him to plug any holes which develop, or to counterattack after NATO's artillery is exhausted.
NATO:
NATO's natural avenues of advance are on either side of the central forest. NATO should threaten both avenues, to keep the enemy's lines as thin as possible. At least token forces should advance on the east bank of the Main, to threaten the flank. The NATO player cannot be too aggressive, however; frontal assaults will quickly attrit his force away. Rather, he should attempt to unhinge the enemy line with a few very strong attacks, and then infiltrate the weakened spots. The NATO player can simply win by killing more steps than he loses; he should take time to make sure that his attacks succeed.
20.4 The Battle of Wurzburg
(20.41) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
The first two days of the war saw ferocious fighting as the 39th and 57th Guards Motor Rifle Divisions battled three NATO Brigades from the border all the way to the outskirts of Wurzburg. Losses were high and the enemy refused to break. Nevertheless as night slowly eclipsed the cratered fields on D+2, every Soviet soldier knew that the coming day would decide the outcome of the battle. If Wurzburg could be taken or pocketed, the army could commit its tank division with a free line of communications and organized resistance would end. If the city held, then NATO forces would anchor on this position and probably hold until a fresh army could be brought up. The exhausted soldiers finished what dinner there was to had and made ready for one last supreme effort.
NATO:
To the NATO troops holding the Wurzburg sector, it seemed as if they were facing an inexhaustible stream of enemy troops. As quickly as one threat was blunted, another materialized somewhere else. The line was always repaired, but always several miles farther back. Now there was no more room for retreat. The VII Corps commander had ordered that Wurzburg be held at all costs, or the 8th Guards Army would be free to wheel in too many different directions to be contained. The "battered bastards of the Wurzburg Glee Club", as the troops were now calling themselves, prepared as best they could for the final stand. The officers thought of Bastogne. The men thought of Little Big Horn. All thought the morrow would be hell.
(20.42) Map and Game-Length: The game lasts 8 game-turns. It begins on game-turn 7 (6 P.M., Day 1) and continues through the end of game-turn 14. Use only the southern half of the map.
(20.43) Starting Deployment:
The Warsaw Pact player deploys first.
Warsaw Pact:
The 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division (delete four steps from the 174th Regiment, three steps from the 57th Regiment, and three each from the 170th and 172nd Regiments) and the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division (delete three steps from the 120th Regiment, four steps from the 39th Regiment, four steps from the 112th Regiment and three steps from the 117th Regiment) deploy on or north of the road from hex 4434 to 4120.
Off-map Command Points: 2.
NATO:
The US 1st Brigade (delete five tank steps and three infantry steps), 2nd Brigade (delete four tank steps and one infantry step), plus some units from the 3rd Mechanized Division Base (both HQs, one step of "6-18-1" artillery, and six steps of "3-11-1" artillery) and the 35th Panzergrenadier Brigade (delete two tank steps and two infantry steps) deploy anywhere south of the road from hex 4434 to 4120.
Off-map Command Points: 1.
(20.44) Special Rules:
The Warsaw Pact player automatically wins the initiative on the first turn's Initiative Phase.
NATO may declare any or all bridges blown before the Warsaw Pact player deploys.
(20.45) Victory Conditions:
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 victory point for each hex of Wurzburg he controls from which a continuous line of communications can be traced to the north map-edge.
- 6 victory points if no NATO-controlled hex of Wurzburg can trace a similar line of communication to the southern or western map-edge south of the Main River.
NATO:
- 1 victory point for each NATO-controlled hex of Wurzburg from which a line of communications can be traced to the southern or western map-edge south of the Main River.
(20.46) Levels of Victory:
0-2 Draw 3-5 Marginal 6-8 Tactical 9+ Decisive
(20.47) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
A direct attack on Wurzburg will lead to inevitable failure. NATO has more than sufficient strength to hold the city against the Pact's depleted force. Instead the Warsaw Pact should cross the Main to the east and west, spreading NATO over a large frontage. Some units should advance to freeze a NATO force while the rest should then converge from both sides to cut NATO's lines of communication. Once this has been done, NATO must take the offensive, perhaps creating an opportunity for the Pact to seize at least part of Wurzburg.
NATO:
NATO cannot afford to engage the Pact forward. The U.S. 2nd brigade should be positioned in Wurzburg itself to take maximum advantage of U.S. artillery. The U.S. 1st brigade should act both as a reserve force for the center and to block incursions across the Main west of Wurzburg. The West Germans should defend east of Wurzburg and make the Pact pay for each hex south of the Main. By maintaining communications out of Wurzburg, NATO can force the Pact to assault the city itself.
20.5 Advanced Game Adaptations
Four of the Advanced Game scenarios (The Wolf's Jaws, Attack on an Exposed Flank, Attack to Relieve a Pocket, and Hammer and Anvil) can be played using the Standard Game rules. Simply ignore references to Advanced Game rules, and incorporate the changes described at the end of each scenario.
Standard Game Players' Notes
The Standard Game of Air & Armor is easy to learn, but considerably more difficult to master. It is not hard to figure out how to do something, but is quite hard to decide what ought to be done. You have too many choices to make without adequate information about the enemy. It will take you many playings to learn thoroughly all of the different mission options and weapon systems so that your operations are truly combined-arms. Take heart! History reminds us continuously that the first clash between combatants is always a comedy of errors, and that commanders sometimes take years to figure out how to bring it all together. The key point is to keep experimenting until you find a style of operations that works for you.
Deployment
The Warsaw Pact player is generally advised to deploy each regiment as a single unit counter whenever he is in an offensive posture. This will ensure maximum combat power at the point of attack and deter NATO counterattacks. The NATO player is generally advised to deploy most of his unit counters on the map and to keep individual units as small as possible. This will allow maximum coverage of the front and still permit him to keep some units in reserve. However, he should always attempt to keep at least one unit counter of infantry and one unit counter of armor in each brigade out of play. These unused counters will give the NATO player the flexibility to split on-map units into two smaller units to cover critical gaps in the event of an enemy breakthrough.
Mission Selection
The Warsaw Pact player will seldom have good reason to waste command points on reserve movement, unless on the defense. On the offense, assault missions are excellent ways to mass friendly firepower, allowing for multi-regimental attacks and army-level artillery support. However, they do not allow units to advance very far. Assaults should be used when facing especially strong enemy positions, or when the enemy is not expected to fall back. Hasty attack missions allow units to strike much farther and still pack considerable punch. This mission type tends to be the Warsaw Pact's mainstay. March missions always should be given to regiments lacking an offensive mission.
The NATO player generally should use hasty attacks on the offense. However, there are two good reasons to order an assault: 1) to attack with more than one brigade, or 2) to take advantage of the rule allowing artillery coordination through a divisional HQ, thereby allowing more distant artillery units to participate. On defense, the NATO player should use reserve movement whenever possible to move units. This allows the NATO player to avoid moving units during the Mission Phase, thereby keeping a maximum number of units available for reaction. Reaction is, in effect, a fourth mission type and NATO's primary means of mobile defense. Reaction and reserves are where NATO's command points should be spent.
Offensive Tactics
The most important point to grasp in the entire game is this: never attack frontally unless you have absolutely no other choice. The game system is designed to exact a terrible price from a player who simply throws his troops straight at his opponent. Players should always attack by indirection, or better yet, maneuver so as to force the enemy player to do the attacking.
The key to successful offense is maneuver. Whenever possible, seek out unguarded avenues of advance or swing around an open flank, even if this requires taking a longer route. Alternatively, if you face a solid enemy front, infiltrate your units past enemy positions rather than attacking them. This tactic is accomplished by assigning your mission group a hasty attack with no objective hex, and then moving the units right through enemy zones of control and into the enemy rear. Your units will take losses from enemy infiltration fire and will not be able to return this fire. However, your losses will be much lighter than otherwise because the enemy player will not be able to use his artillery against you. Moreover, now that you are deep into his rear, he will either have to attack you himself (very expensive) or retire past you (very risky). It is impossible to over-stress the importance of this tactic. Players should also note that Soviet doctrine strongly encourages high-speed infiltration.
If you do have to execute a series of frontal attacks, it is critical that you do not attack piecemeal. The key tactic is to deliver at least three heavy attacks in the same game-turn. The first, and possibly the second, will be slaughtered by enemy artillery fire and reaction forces. However, by the third attack, the enemy's artillery and reserves will have been exhausted and decisive breakthroughs can be accomplished with each additional attack. By comparison, a player who launches only one or two attacks a turn is simply giving his opponent's artillery a chance to get some exercise, without any promise of results. Also, if you have to attack an enemy position, attempt to infiltrate a strong unit into position behind it. This unit will block enemy reaction and subject the enemy force to withering retreat fire if it tries to retreat.
Another useful offensive tactic when facing a strong enemy line is to echelon attacks. This tactic is accomplished by striking at the same enemy force with two or three separate mission groups in the same game-turn. By echeloning attacks on a narrow sector, a player will encounter fewer enemy reserves and less artillery in range of his attack zone. The first attack may fail, but the second or third will almost certainly break through.
The trick to an echeloned attack is to concentrate sufficient forces without alerting your opponent as to the location of your main effort. Dummies are very useful for this type of deception. Ideally, the initial attack should be an assault, while succeeding echelons conduct hasty attacks from farther to the rear. It even may be a good idea to give the last echelon a march mission, allowing it to blitz through the breakthrough zone and deep into the enemy rear if earlier echelons clear the way. Players should note that the echeloned attack, rather than the massed tank charge, is now the Soviets' preferred form of attack against a prepared line.
A particularly useful offensive tactic for the Warsaw Pact, when army artillery is available and strong NATO counterattacks are likely, is to rely heavily on assault missions supported solely by army artillery. This tactic stems from two factors: 1) army artillery can support assaults, but cannot support hasty attacks, and 2) only divisional artillery can employ defensive fire. The object of this tactic is to minimize the use of divisional artillery for offensive fire support, thereby allowing you to reserve at least one artillery unit in each division for defensive fire. This tactic typically results in your divisional artillery reserve never firing. The reason for this silence is that the NATO player dares not counterattack.
Defensive Tactics
The key to a successful defense is depth. This is another point that cannot be over-stressed. A player who puts all of his steps up on the front line is a player who will soon lose his command. The best form of defense is to keep all front-line units down to one or two steps each. The remaining steps should be allocated to units held in a second reserve line positioned along the road net so as to be able to react as flexibly as possible.
The rationale for this form of defense is twofold. First, if an irresistable enemy attack is mounted, the most that the defender can lose is the one or two steps occupying the objective hex. Otherwise, the more steps he has in the hex, the more he is likely to lose. Second, if the attack is not irresistable, then a thinner front line will mean more steps available in reserve and therefore more steps able to react into the threatened hex. The net result is that the defending player either a) loses fewer steps than he would have otherwise or b) ends up with more steps in the right place at the right time. Keep those reserves!
A defense in depth also means that a hole blown in the front line will not necessarily create a breakthrough. The attacker still has to penetrate a second line. This is a critical point for the NATO player when facing an enemy division which may have two or three regiments echeloned against a single point in the line, all of which will get to move before he can respond to seal any gap. Keep those reserves!
A corollary to this form of defense is that a player should not rely on the firepower of his front-line units. Rather, the bulk of his firepower must be generated by his artillery and reaction forces. A player on the defense should learn to think of his front line as a cordon or tripwire whose main purpose is to halt enemy units long enough to call in massive firepower from the rear. However, he should be careful not to commit all of his artillery and reserves too early in the game-turn, since the presence of uncommitted firepower is a powerful inhibition to further enemy attacks. Sometimes an artillery unit which has not yet fired or a reserve force which has not yet reacted is worth the effect of three that have.
Another key tactic of special importance to the defender is to pick out a particular enemy formation and deliberately concentrate on smashing it each time it attacks until it shatters. Then another formation can be elevated as the prime target. This concentration will shatter more enemy formations at an earlier stage of the game, rather than spreading losses equally among all attacking formations. There is nothing so useless to the attacking player as a shattered formation.
One of the trickiest aspects of defense is the matter of counterattacking. Two contradictory observations apply to this problem. The first is that a player who never counterattacks will never upset his opponent's plans and so almost certainly will lose. The second is that mounting any kind of attack as the outnumbered player is a very risky proposition. The resolution of this contradiction is a matter of timing and opportunity. The best sort of counterattack is delivered from an unexpected quarter very late in the game-turn, when there is no longer a need for substantial friendly reaction forces and the enemy's artillery has already fired.
Note that a unit which retreats is considered used and therefore ineligible for a mission later in the game-turn. If you plan to counterattack in a particular sector, don't retreat from enemy attacks in that sector. This tactic will allow the forces in contact to participate in the counterattack when the time comes later in the game-turn.
Occasionally, it makes sense to counterattack directly into the enemy's main axis of advance, especially when the spearhead units are close to shattering. However, this type of counterattack risks annihilation in the following game-turn, since this is where the enemy's main force is operating. Generally, it is better to counterattack well away from the enemy's main axis of advance, where local superiority is more likely and more effective. The purpose of this type of counterattack should be to threaten the enemy's artillery positions and thereby force him to divert forces from his main axis of advance.
The defending player also should be particularly alert for opportunities to counterattack enemy armor with infantry in heavy woods, towns, or cities, where armor is especially vulnerable. Another potential counterattack situation arises when an enemy unit has infiltrated behind a friendly position, but the enemy player has been unable to destroy that position. In this case, the friendly position forms an ideal blocking force for a vicious counterattack, in effect turning the tables on the infiltrating force. Who is in whose rear, anyway?
Finally, there is always the prepared ambush. This tactic involves enticing an enemy attack into a cul-de-sac lined by particularly strong friendly forces which then close the bag. This type of operation is difficult to orchestrate and always highly risky. A strong ambush force necessarily requires a weaker line elsewhere, and there is no guarantee that your opponent will attack where you want him to. However, no operation is more likely to ruin your opponent's day than a properly executed ambush.
Terrain
Terrain has a great effect on defense strengths and fire strengths. A player who properly uses terrain to form defensive belts or launch covered attacks can reduce his losses tremendously. It is critical to keep armored forces out of heavy woods and urban terrain. It is also critical to defend in covered terrain fronting on clear terrain so that the attacker suffers a double disadvantage.
Combined Arms
On the offense, armor should be used whenever an attack can be delivered into light woods or clear terrain. Otherwise, a player will have to rely on his infantry and artillery to clear the way through close terrain. Even if infantry must be used, players should be conscious of planning to follow up the attack with armored units to break through into clear terrain and establish a strong presence well in the enemy's rear. Conversely, where the terrain favors armor, players should be conscious of following up the attack with infantry to secure close terrain along the flanks of the breakthrough or seize urban centers in the enemy rear.
On the defense, armor should be used to cover sections of the line where little cover can be found, and infantry should be used in heavy woods and urban centers. Players with little armor should defend open sections of the line with one-step armored units stacked with the more plentiful infantry. This tactic will allow you to gain the benefit of the armored unit's high defense strength when retreating. Armor is obviously the best counterattack force; however, the type of unit that should be kept in reserve depends upon the terrain along the front line.
Designer's Notes
Design Objectives
I had two major objectives in designing Air & Armor. The first was to portray accurately the differences in behavior between NATO and Warsaw Pact formations. This focus reflects my opinion that any future conflict will be decided not by the relative merits of the M1 versus the T-80, but rather by the clash of two very different command structures based on two very different military doctrines. I wanted to concentrate on the strengths and weakness of these command structures and to model their interaction in the tempo, scale, and sequence of opposing operations.
The second major design objective was to recreate the most common means of victory: surprise and ambush. As any military historian can testify, far more battles have been won via surprise or ambush than ever were won by weight of numbers. Further, with each quantum leap in the lethality of weaponry has come a corresponding quantum leap in the ability of a small force to destroy a larger one in the first instants of surprise. Hence this factor is more important today than at any point before.
Unfortunately, board games are generally terrible vehicles for recreating ambush and surprise because each player knows exactly where his opponent's units are and what they are capable of doing. Air & Armor attempts to surmount this problem by employing step markers, which conceal a player's strength, and mission plans, which conceal a player's intentions.
The Intelligence-Decision-Action Cycle
As stated in the design notes for "The Mission Phase" (section 4), the Intelligence-Decision-Action Cycle is a key element of the game. Preparing any operation requires a commitment of command resources. Any operation involves analyzing intelligence, making a decision based upon the analysis, then preparing and acting upon that decision. This process takes time. A commander's objective is to achieve an "Intelligence-Decision-Action" cycle shorter than the enemy's; if he can do so, enemy decisions become increasingly out of touch with the actual situation, until they have no relationship to the actual situation.
Air & Armor deals with this partly by providing a limited number of command points to each player. A player must decide which missions are key, and allocate scarce command resources to them.
In addition, reflecting the predominant belief that NATO's better-educated troops and larger staff structure gives it a faster I.D.A. cycle, the Pact is forced to plan its missions in advance, while NATO can choose them at the moment needed. This gives NATO one of its few advantages. The NATO player must exploit it to the utmost, or he will lose every time.
Missions
Mission assignment in Air & Armor is designed to simulate a number of limitations. First, a commander cannot attack with all of his units all of the time. He simply lacks sufficient command and logistical resources. Second, a unit tasked to undertake one type of operation cannot easily perform another. Once a force's posture has been chosen, maximizing offense, mobility, or defence, it cannot quickly switch gears. Third, there is a critical tradeoff between speed and firepower during maneuver. A unit tasked to march along a highway can generate no more firepower than is carried by its lead vehicle. On the other hand, it can move a long way in a short time. A unit tasked to assault towards a particular objective can take the time to deploy every weapon system it owns and can call in artillery fire on every clump of bushes along the way. On the other hand, it isn't going to move very fast.
Obviously, there are a great many more potential missions than the three provided in the game (four, counting "reserves"). I deliberately restricted mission proliferation to keep the game as playable as possible.
Command
There are a number of aspects of the command structure that deserve explanation. Off-map command points represent the activities of the U.S. VII Corps and Soviet 8th Guards Army HQs. The requirement that the Warsaw Pact player designate a lead unit for each of his regiments during mission execution represents the notional presence of a regimental HQ with a three-hex command range stacked with the lead unit. This requirement encourages the Warsaw Pact player to keep his regiments "in command" without the cumbersome addition of dozens of regimental HQ units.
The stacking and masking rules reflect the command-coordination problems encountered when units cross into each other's operational areas. Warsaw Pact regiments, in particular, are assigned strict operational boundaries. The extremely hierarchical nature of the Warsaw Pact command structure does not encourage lateral communications, thus when one regiment attempts to operate in the same area as another, all sorts of confusion arises. Despite strenuous efforts at cross-training, the same also may be said for NATO units of differing nationalities.
The greater speed with which NATO HQs can be rebuilt after destruction reflects the much larger command staffs attached to NATO battalions and companies. NATO has a much greater pool of command assets from which to reform headquarters units.
Units
Air & Armor's system of flexible step deployment is key for surprise and ambush. This system trades the cumbersomeness of fiddling with step markers for the fun of out-guessing your opponent. This tradeoff will not please everyone. For myself, however, the excitement of planning and executing successful ambushes was the primary motivation for designing this game.
The number of available unit counters was designed to allow each Warsaw Pact regiment to break down into three battalions, and each NATO battalion to break down into two task forces.
Terrain Effects
There are a number of terrain effects that deserve explanation. The terrain defense benefits received by infantry units are predicated on the assumption that infantry in covered terrain are operating dismounted, while infantry in clear terrain are operating from their vehicles. This assumption explains the low printed defense strengths assigned to infantry units: the printed value reflects the defense characteristics of each unit's armored personnel carriers. Conversely, the much greater terrain benefits that infantry units receive in covered terrain do not reflect the fact that their vehicles are better hidden, but rather that the troops themselves are dispersed and under cover.
The reduction of non-infantry unit fire strengths when firing into or out of heavy woods, town, or city hexes reflects the inability of vehicular systems to take advantage of their mobility and long range firepower when firing into or out of close terrain. This disadvantage also applies to infantry units, since a good part of their firepower is now tied up in their carriers. However, what is lost from the carriers is gained back by the ability to deploy rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and machineguns when dismounted.
Combat
The combat rules are predicated on the assumption that the defender has an enormous advantage in modern warfare. If the oft-repeated aphorism "what can be seen can be destroyed" holds true, then the attacker, who must move from cover first in order to deliver his attack, will take heavy losses before he can even identify his targets. Accordingly, the game allows the defender to execute defensive fire before the attacker can execute offensive fire.
The defender's ability to absorb as many hits via retreat as the defense strength of the strongest unit in the hex reflects the assumption that an element of the strongest unit will act as a rearguard to cover the retreat of the rest of the force.
The same mechanic is built into the strike disruption rules to reflect the fact that an entire stack cannot be considered disrupted unless its strongest element is disrupted. However, the actual choice to disrupt or not after an enemy strike reflects a decision either to press on, leaving damaged and shocked elements behind, or to halt in order to repair recoverable vehicles and reorganize shocked troops.
The loss rates in this game are extremely high. Players should note that I do not intend to imply that all of these losses are casualties. Most of the losses actually represent disorganization, demoralization, desertion, and minor damage, losses which can be recovered fairly rapidly. However, these losses are sufficient to put a unit out of action for the short time a scenario represents.
Artillery
The critical link in the employment of artillery is communication. A unit which cannot communicate with its supporting artillery is quickly lost. This link is simulated in Air & Armor by the requirement that artillery fire be coordinated through an HQ which can patch the calling unit through to the firing unit. This requirement also serves as a de facto artillery-attachment rule: an artillery unit may be attached to a formation only if it is in range of its HQ and subordinate to it.
Artillery units are typically attached to support one particular formation. The rules tying Warsaw Pact divisional artillery units to their own divisions, and NATO artillery units to brigade HQs, realistically prevent players from switching their artillery fire instantly from place to place, and are intended to require players to think carefully about which units will support which units. However, NATO's ability to switch artillery attachment between any nearby brigade HQs does reflect a more flexible attachment procedure based on extremely sophisticated communications and fire control equipment.
There is a distinct tradeoff between the breadth of an artillery unit's fire support and the speed of its responsiveness. The closer its attachment to a particular formation, the more responsive its fire support will be. On the other hand, the closer its attachment, the slower its fire support for other formations will be. Thus, Warsaw Pact army artillery units can support any division in the army, but are limited to supporting assaults and strikes where a considerable amount of lead time is available. Conversely, NATO artillery units coordinated through a NATO brigade HQ can respond quickly enough to participate in defensive fire, where the lead time may be seconds, but cannot support a unit of a different nationality, even when defending an adjacent hex.
The fire strengths assigned to each alliance's artillery units place NATO artillery tubes at a considerable superiority to Warsaw Pact tubes. This superiority reflects two factors: 1) NATO's technological advantage in communications and fire control equipment, which allows for real time fire support, as opposed to the Warsaw Pact's practice of planning fire support well in advance, and 2) NATO's lead in the use of improved conventional munitions and smart munitions.
The restriction of Warsaw Pact defensive fire support to a single artillery unit reflects the sluggishness of Warsaw Pact artillery employment in the face of the unexpected: by definition, such fire support cannot be preplanned easily, since the enemy's intentions cannot be predicted.
The Air Game
Air & Armor originally had a very detailed, very complex air game. Each individual anti-aircraft battery was depicted, players could select the type of ordnance each air strike carried, and aircraft physically moved across the map, taking anti-aircraft fire each time they moved within range of enemy anti-aircraft assets. However, there were three major problems with this. The first was the question of role: who was the player, the ground commander or the air commander? The two perspectives were very different, almost requiring two players per side. The second was that the level of complexity did not affect play: the outcome on the ground was similar no matter how much air detail was added. The third was that the playing time was very long.
Accordingly, the air game was reduced to the ground commander's view: he decides he has an air target, calls for air, and hopes that something useful shows up. The anti-aircraft mechanics were also abstracted considerably. Since a medium SAM battery could cover most of the map, its tactical deployment had little effect on play. Hence individual SAM batteries were removed from the play and their fire consolidated into a simple SAM umbrella value. Low-level air defense units were parceled out to ground combat steps and HQs, much as they would be in reality, and each ground step gained an intrinsic flak capability. Air-to-air combat mechanics were never included; this function was built into the variability of the Air Call Table.
A number of tactical assumptions should be explained. A low-altitude air attack is presumed to be any air attack launched below 500 feet. Above this altitude, a great many missile systems can track and lock onto attacking aircraft. An attack launched in bombing mode is delivering iron bombs and area bombs. Hence the attacking aircraft must directly overfly the target. An attack launched in standoff mode is delivering guided missiles and glide bombs. Hence the attacking aircraft can launch its attack from many miles away. Similarly, helicopters attacking in standoff mode are firing rockets and ATGMs, while helicopters attacking in gunnery mode are closing enough to use their cannon.
Low-altitude air-defense values are based primarily on airframe size and strength. High-altitude air-defense values are based primarily on the sophistication of electronic countermeasure (ECM) equipment.
The attack values assigned to aircraft in this game reflect a number of factors. The first is that aircraft are much better at attacking static targets like bridges and airfields than mobile targets like vehicles, hence aircraft are not as powerful in this game as might seem reasonable in other types of simulations. The second is that aircraft pilots have a very hard time finding targets in covered terrain, hence their effectiveness in this terrain is abysmal. The third is that an aircraft can carry a much greater weight of explosives if it is armed with bombs rather than missiles, since it is not wasting any of its lift capacity on guidance equipment or propellant. The fourth is that NATO technology in the field of smart and area weaponry is considerably more advanced than Soviet technology.
Altitude also has a profound impact on an air strike's effectiveness. A low-altitude air attack is much harder to execute than a high-altitude attack, primarily because there is less time to acquire the target and less time to deliver the ordnance. The only advantage is that a low-altitude attack allows an aircraft to strafe its target (no small benefit, however, to aircraft like the U.S. A-10 and Soviet Su-25, which carry powerful gatling cannon).
Training is another major factor in effectiveness. Soviet bombing values are penalized severely at low altitude because Soviet training emphasizes bombing runs from altitudes much higher than 500 feet. Conversely, West German bombing values do not decline at all at low altitude because this is the primary attack profile that West German pilots train for. American bombing values do decline, since the U.S. Air Force still believes that it can operate at high altitudes in a high-threat environment and trains accordingly. However, an exception must be made for U.S. A-10 pilots, who are thoroughly acquainted with nap-of-the-earth attack tactics. Note that Soviet and West German aircraft are not permitted to execute low-altitude standoff attacks at all, since most of their air-to-ground missile systems require a line of sight to the target.
Acquisition
The intelligence and acquisition mechanics used in this game assume that the modern battlefield is fairly transparent. Battlefield reconnaissance assets, including ground and helicopter scouts, radar, aerial photography, and even satellite surveillance will keep commanders fairly well informed about the general location of enemy forces, though not sufficiently well to determine their precise strength nor to pinpoint them instantly for friendly strikes. Thus the game presumes that what a player can see on the game-map is roughly what a commander would see on his situation map.
The strike rules require a player to commit his forces to a strike before he knows whether he has acquired the target or not. Following the assumption of transparency just outlined, these rules presume that the striking player actually has acquired the target but that his intelligence may not be fresh at the time that the strike is made. Thus the acquisition roll is really a check on the accuracy of a player's intelligence.
Note that a player's intelligence level simulates both the number of reconnaissance assets available to him and the amount of time that his forces have spent in the area.
Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare is an extremely difficult area to simulate: most of the information on the subject is highly classified. Several facts are known, however. One is that the Warsaw Pact possesses a great deal more electronic warfare battalions than does NATO. Another is that jammers are sensitive pieces of machinery that break down a lot. They also put out a great deal of energy, immediately advertising their presence, though normally from remote antennae. The high chance of destruction assigned in this game to the use of a jammer represents primarily the breakdown of the jammer or the destruction of a large number of its antennae, not the complete destruction of the unit.
From all indications, electronic warfare can be very effective. A modern commander stripped of his communications is operating in a World War I environment with threats developing at World War III speeds. The result is catastrophic. Countermeasures rely on pre-planning, visual communications, couriers, and especially cable. The benefits that NATO units derive from occupying towns and cities reflect their ability to use the West German telephone system. This benefit is not accorded to Pact units on the assumption that abandoned switching equipment will be wrecked first. The benefit that units of both sides receive in improved positions reflects the laying of cable in such positions.
Chemical Warfare
The Soviets will almost certainly use chemical weapons unless we develop a credible capability of our own. It should be pointed out, however, that toxic weapons can be a much greater tactical nuisance to the attacker than to the defender. This observation results from the fact that the defender knows his own terrain and hence is hampered much less by poor visibility from suits and buttoned-up vehicles than the attacker, who must cross unfamiliar territory. Toxic weapons also slow the speed of operations considerably, since everyone is being very careful about exposure, and this slower pace further favors the defender. Hence it is more likely that the Soviets will employ chemical weapons against strategic targets in NATO's rear areas and defensively along lightly-held sections of their own line, than against tactical targets along their main axes of advance.
Players should note that the Advanced Game scenarios are finely balanced in all respects except for chemical warfare. If players choose to employ chemical warfare, allowance should be made for a considerable imbalance in favor of the Warsaw Pact player.
Nuclear Warfare
There are no nuclear warfare rules in this game. There are three good reasons for this omission. The first reason is that the use of nuclear weaponry would make the simulation of conventional combat in a little piece of West Germany completely moot. The war would be decided on a totally different scale. The second reason is that the entire command structure simulated in this game would be put off the air instantly and all game mechanics have to be restructured for a World War I command environment. This would require a whole new set of rules, in fact another game. The third reason is that there is no challenge to shooting fish in a barrel. I wouldn't waste your time.
Logistics
There are no logistical rules in this game primarily because the time frame is too short for logistical considerations to have much impact. Further, all scenarios take place within the first few days of the war when ammunition stocks and other stores would still be very high.
Order Of Battle
All major combat units in each division depicted have been included in the counter mix with two notable exceptions: air defense and reconnaissance units. Reconnaissance units, by definition, operate in a highly dispersed mode. Their effects have been factored into the acquisition mechanics and scenario intelligence levels. As previously mentioned, the effects of air defense assets have been abstracted in various ways and hence they also are not represented directly on the map.
Players should note that the odd battalion in each Warsaw Pact regiment (the tank battalion in motor rifle regiments and the motor rifle battalion in tank regiments) has been broken down and its elements cross-attached to each primary battalion as per standard Soviet practice. This cross-attachment accounts for the especially high defense strength of Soviet motor rifle regiments: each regiment contains forty tanks in direct support.
The Game-Map
The game-map is drawn directly from photostats of West German 1:50,000 topographic maps of the area. Over one man-month went into the terrain analysis.
Design Critique
The critical design problem faced by any modern wargame designer is how to simulate the incredible number of dimensions along which modern combat can be fought, and still come up with a game that players can finish before they reach their retirement age. In almost every case where you might wonder why I chose to do one thing over another, the answer is speed of play. Even so, there is a lot of complexity to this game. Modern warfare is complex.
The key to structuring this complexity into a manageable process was in the game's sequence of play. By organizing functions into mission cycles, grouping missions into formation activations, and grouping activations into game-turns, enough structure was provided to represent all of the different dimensions of modern warfare without degenerating into chaos. The "cycle-within-cycle" structure also made for a highly interactive game system.
A workable system of play is a necessity for any game, but it is only the starting point for what really makes the game interesting: exciting scenarios. Accordingly, a great deal of development time was spent generating scenarios. Some scenarios were played as much as forty times. Many were tried and abandoned. What we present to you is the pick of the litter. Careful attention has been paid to the realism of the probable orders of battle and to the timing of reinforcements. Each scenario attempts to make a point about a particular type of engagement. These points have not been explicitly stated and are there for you to discover for yourself.
More than most games, Air & Armor was a team effort, with contributions made by a very large number of people. The initial design was laid down in 1978, long before I ever thought of publishing my games, and it has undergone a steady evolution in the years since. This aging process has allowed me to try out a great many ideas, not all of which worked, and to settle gradually on a mature game system. The primary design criterion was fun: this game has been my lead hobby for the last eight years. I have played it well over a thousand times. I have sustained my interest in it for this long by focusing on the elements which give me pleasure in gaming: surprise, double-guessing, advance planning, and daring in the face of the unknown.
In many ways, Air & Armor is a labor of love. I hope that you will enjoy playing it as much as I have.
Air & Armor Reference Works
An exhaustive bibliography of all of the books and articles which contributed to this game would be extremely boring in addition to requiring a third rules booklet. I would, however, like to mention two books which were absolutely seminal in the game's development. These two books are outstanding in their depiction of the strengths and weaknesses of the armies of the two great European alliances.
NATO
F.W. von Mellenthin, R.H.S. Stolfi, & E. Sobik, NATO Under Attack, (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1984).
NATO Under Attack offers a detailed analysis of German operations against France and Russia during WWII. It proceeds to draw lessons from these operations applicable to a future war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. It then examines the current status of the armed forces of each alliance and draws the conclusion that NATO is not nearly as weak as commonly assumed. The book's main theme is that numbers and technology do not account for victory nearly as much as indicated by peacetime analysts. Rather, victory is largely a function of three factors: 1) strategic initiative, 2) morale, and 3) command style. The book goes on to make some excellent points about the type of command style essential to success in modern operations. The message is simple. If NATO is to win a conventional war, it must abandon its reliance on superior technology and concentrate instead on superior command style, doctrine, and elan. This is a message which is being heard with increasing frequency from a wide variety of critics. Nowhere is the case more thoroughly stated than in this work.
The Warsaw Pact
Suvorov, Victor, Inside The Soviet Army, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., 1983).
Inside The Soviet Army is just that: an insider's view of the modern Soviet armed forces. Suvorov (actually a pseudonym for a defected Russian officer) examines the Red Army from its political and social foundations all the way to its tactical doctrine for BMPV's. He depicts, in fascinating detail, the major structural strengths and weaknesses of the Soviet Army. Naturally, his view of these strengths and weaknesses is not always in accord with traditional Western analyses. He offers insights which reveal an awesome array of Soviet military potentials and unsuspected levels of sophistication which are truly frightening to anyone steeped in the myths of Soviet military ineptitude. On the other hand, he confirms longstanding Western suspicions concerning the abysmally poor motivation and training of the Soviet conscript at the bottom of the pyramid. His major theme is that NATO has not assessed properly the threats posed by the Soviet Army, and that we remain victims of both Soviet deception and our own wishful thinking. This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking to develop a balanced view of Soviet capabilities.
Unit Designations
The following is a list and definition of all the unit designation abbreviations used on counters in Air & Armor.
United States Units
- 1/87: 1st Battalion/87th Infantry Regiment (from 10th Infantry Division)
- 1: 1st Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (VII Corps)
- 2/11C: 2nd Squadron/11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (V Corps)
- 2: 2nd Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (VII Corps)
- 3: 3rd Brigade, 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (VII Corps)
- 3M: 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division (VII Corps)
- 4/27: 4th Battalion/27th Artillery Regiment (VII Corps)
- 72FA: 72nd Field Artillery Brigade (VII Corps)
- 9/7: 9th Battalion/7th Engineer Brigade (VII Corps)
Canadian Units
- 4CMBG: 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group
West German Units
- 12: 12th Panzer Division
- 26LL: 26th Luftlande Brigade
- 35: 35th Panzergrenadier Brigade, 12th Panzer Division
- 36: 36th Panzer Brigade, 12th Panzer Division
- 55HS: 55th Heimatschutzen Brigade (Home Defense Brigade)
- III: III Corps
- V: V Military Defense District
Warsaw Pact Units
- 20G: 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division
- 39G: 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division
- 57G: 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division
- 79G: 79th Guards Tank Division
- 207: 207th Airmobile Battalion
- 8GA: 8th Guards Army Artillery
- SEGF: South East German Front Air Assault Brigade
21. Advanced Game Changes
The Advanced Game includes rules for electronic warfare, air strikes and helicopter support, chemical warfare, engineering, and airmobile operations. These rules increase the game's length and complexity, but provide a more accurate feel for the many options open to modern commanders.
21.1 Components
Some counters are used only in the Advanced Game. These include air units, helicopters, engineers, airmobile units, and various markers.
Helicopter Unit. Front (gunnery mode) shows the unit type (e.g. Mi-24), fire strength, and range. Back (standoff mode) shows the same silhouette with a different fire strength and defense strength.
Air Unit. Front (bombing mode) shows the aircraft type (e.g. A-10), the silhouette, and separate fire strengths for High Altitude and Low Altitude attack. Back (standoff mode) shows the same aircraft with a defense strength and a separate range for high- and low-altitude attack.
In addition to the ground unit types included in the Standard Game, several new unit types are added in the Advanced Game: Airborne infantry, Airmobile infantry, Engineers, Airmobile artillery, Airmobile mechanized infantry.
Many additional marker types are added in the Advanced Game:
Map Markers (front/back): Disrupted marker; EW Asset marker (available / not available); Gas Zone marker (Persistent / Nonpersistent); Interdiction marker; Maneuver Jamming marker (-1/3 or -2/3); Mine marker / Dummy Mine marker.
Track Markers: Air Hit marker / Air Support Point marker; Artillery-Delivered Mine point marker / Helicopter Transport Allowance marker; Mine point marker / Nonpersistent Gas point marker; Persistent Gas point marker.
21.2 Advanced Game Sequence
In the Advanced Game, the sequence of play changes somewhat to incorporate the new rules:
Warsaw Pact Planning Phase: Unchanged.
Initiative Phase: Unchanged.
Mission Phase: The Mission Phase is now broken into a series of segments.
- Activation Segment: The active player may activate a major formation or pass. If he activates a formation, play proceeds to the Maneuver Jamming Segment. If he passes, the other player is now active and can activate a formation or pass. If both players pass in succession, the Mission Phase is over and the Reserve Phase begins.
- Maneuver Jamming Segment: The inactive player may make "maneuver jamming" attempts against the activated formation (see 22.2).
- Strike Segment: The active player may make fire, interdiction, ADM and gas "strikes" against enemy units (see 25, 26, 27.1 and 29.3).
- Maneuver Segment: The active player may conduct any number of missions with units from the activated formation (just as in the Standard Game). Once he has done so, play returns to the Activation Segment, and the other player is now active.
Reserve Phase: Unchanged
Engineering Phase: The players roll for initiative again. The player with initiative can have "unused" engineer units perform engineering actions (see 28). Once he has done so, the other player may use his engineers.
Bookkeeping Phase: In addition to the tasks performed during the Standard Game's Bookkeeping Phase, other bookkeeping tasks must occur:
- All "non-persistent gas," "maneuver jamming," "interdiction," and "disruption" markers are removed from the game-map (see 22.29, 25.63, 26.6, and 27.14).
- The players check for "decontamination" (see 27.43).
- "Electronic Warfare" markers are flipped to their "available" sides (see 22.13).
- Helicopter counters in the "Rearm & Refuel" box are moved to the "Ready" box (see 23.13).
21.3 Hasty Attack and Assault Sequence
In addition, several new steps are added to the hasty attack and assault sequence to reflect the new rules:
Objective Designation Step: Unchanged.
Movement Step: Unchanged.
Combat Jamming Step: The active player may attempt to "combat jam" the enemy (see 22.3).
Reaction Step: Unchanged.
Defensive Helicopter Step: If NATO is inactive, he may place one helicopter unit on the game-map to support defensive fire (see 23.22). (The Warsaw Pact may not use helicopters for defensive fire.) The active (Pact) player conducts "flak fire" (see 24).
Artillery Declaration Step: Unchanged.
Defensive Fire Step: Unchanged.
Offensive Helicopter Step: The active player may place one helicopter unit on the game-map to support offensive fire. The inactive player conducts "flak fire."
Offensive Fire Step: Unchanged, but after retreat is resolved, all helicopter units on the game-map are placed in the "Rearm & Refuel Box" on the track display (see 23.12).
Advance Step: Unchanged.
22. Electronic Warfare
Design Note: From a historical perspective, no single invention has revolutionized the nature of battle so much as the humble radio. A commander's span of control has gone from the range of his eye to the breadth of the globe. However, the tremendous enhancement of battlefield control which radio communication affords is also a commander's Achilles' heel. If his radio is jammed, he is reduced to a Napoleonic command environment, with no training in Napoleonic command techniques.
Recognizing this vulnerability, both NATO and the Warsaw Pact are prepared to fight electronically. This type of warfare employs sophisticated radio interception and decryption equipment to listen to enemy transmissions, highly trained linguists to break into enemy nets and plant misinformation, and jamming equipment to blanket the airwaves and drown out enemy communications.
The consensus among defense analysts is that the Warsaw Pact has considerably more electronic warfare (EW) assets than NATO. It is also widely held that the Warsaw Pact is better prepared to operate in a high-intensity EW environment. This follows from the Pact's greater reliance on planned operations and "correct" solutions. The price is a marked lack of flexibility; the advantage is that a Warsaw Pact commander is not constantly on the radio figuring out what his next move will be — he already knows.
For these reasons, it is likely that NATO will be on the losing end of the electronic battle in any future conflict. This conclusion is especially unsettling because NATO places so little reliance on the firepower of its front-line troops, and so much on its artillery, helicopters, and aircraft. Cut off from support, most NATO formations will be hard-pressed to defend themselves.
There are two types of electronic warfare (EW): "maneuver jamming" and "combat jamming."
22.1 EW Assets
(22.11) Some HQ units possess EW assets. The scenario's description indicates which ones do so (see 31).
- If an HQ possesses an EW asset, place an EW marker underneath it at the beginning of the game. The EW marker moves with the HQ and stays with it at all times. If it is eliminated, so is the EW marker, which does not return to play if the HQ is reconstituted.
(22.12) HQs with EW assets (only) may make jamming attempts. Other HQs and other units may not.
(22.13) An HQ may only make one jamming attempt each game-turn. When it does so, flip its EW asset marker over to its back (blank) side.
- During the Bookkeeping Phase, all EW markers on their blank sides are flipped back to their front sides (printed with an EW symbol; see 21.1).
- When an HQ makes a jamming attempt, it is not "used;" the EW marker is flipped over, but the HQ counter is not.
22.2 Maneuver Jamming
(22.21) Maneuver jamming attempts are made during the Maneuver Jamming Segment of the Mission Phase (see 21.2). Since this segment is after Activation but before Maneuver, the jamming player will know which enemy formation has been activated, but no mission groups will have been selected yet.
(22.22) The inactive player may try to jam units in the newly-activated formation. He must declare all jamming attempts before any are resolved.
- There is no "maximum range" for maneuver jamming attempts; an HQ can be any distance from the unit it is trying to jam and still make the attempt.
(22.23) Each Warsaw Pact EW asset may attempt to jam one hex. If the attempt is successful, all units belonging to the activated brigade (plus all independent units of the same nationality) in the hex are affected.
- If a hex contains a NATO HQ, no units of the same nationality in that hex can be jammed.
(22.24) Each NATO EW asset may attempt to jam one regiment. If successful, all units from that regiment and all other units stacked with them are affected.
- If any unit from a regiment occupies a superior HQ's hex, the regiment cannot be jammed.
- If a hex contains Warsaw Pact independent units, NATO may attempt to jam that hex (instead of a regiment). If the attempt is successful, all independent units in that hex are affected. (Independent units stacked with a superior HQ cannot be jammed.)
(22.25) Only one jamming attempt may be made against a particular hex or regiment in a Maneuver Jamming Phase; if the first attempt fails, a second one may not be made.
(22.26) To resolve a jamming attempt, roll the die and refer to the Maneuver Jamming Table (see 22.41). Follow the table's procedure to find a result. Note: On an unmodified roll of 1 or 2, the EW asset is eliminated.
(22.27) If the result is "Targets Used," the affected units are immediately flipped to their "used" sides.
- If the result is "Maneuver -1/3" or "Maneuver -2/3," place the indicated marker on top of the affected units.
(22.28) If a unit with a "Maneuver -1/3" marker moves, its movement allowance is reduced by one-third — to 4 if on a march or hasty attack mission, to 2 if on an assault mission, reaction, or moving in the Reserve Phase.
- Similarly, a "Maneuver -2/3" marker reduces the unit's movement allowance by two-thirds — to 2 or 1.
- Remember that a unit can always move one hex (see 8.13).
(22.29) A unit's "Maneuver -1/3" or "Maneuver -2/3" marker is removed when it is "used," or, failing that, during the Bookkeeping Phase.
Example: NATO activates the U.S. 1st Brigade. In the Maneuver Jamming Segment, the Warsaw Pact player says he wishes to jam two hexes: a city hex containing units from the 1st Brigade, and a clear hex containing independent units from the 3rd Mechanized Division.
The roll for the first hex is "10," modified to 8 because of the city (see table). A "Maneuver -2/3" marker is placed.
The second roll is also a "10." This roll is not modified, so the units in that hex are flipped to their "used" sides and may not conduct missions.
22.3 Combat Jamming
(22.31) Combat jamming takes place in the Combat Jamming Step of a hasty attack or assault mission. It is performed by the active player against inactive units. There is no "target" of the jamming attempt, as there is for maneuver jamming; instead, if the attempt is successful, the enemy (inactive) player's ability to perform defensive fire and/or react may be restricted.
- Combat jamming may only occur if an objective hex was chosen.
(22.32) When an active player wishes to attempt combat jamming, he chooses one EW asset to make the attempt. There is no point in using more than one EW asset in any given mission, as only one attempt may be made.
(22.33) If an enemy HQ is adjacent to any active unit (see 4.25), anywhere on the game-map, no combat jamming attempt may be made.
(22.34) An HQ may only make a combat jamming attempt if a) an active unit which is subordinate to the HQ is adjacent to the objective hex, and b) the HQ is within command range of the active unit (see 5.14).
(22.35) To make an attempt, the active player rolls the die.
- If the unmodified roll is a 1 or 2, the EW asset is eliminated (see 22.26).
- Otherwise, follow the table's procedure to obtain a result.
(22.36) Possible results include:
- "No defensive helicopters." The inactive player may not use helicopters, to augment defensive fire. (Since the Warsaw Pact player can never do so anyway, this result has no effect on him.)
- "Only one defensive artillery." No defensive helicopters are permitted; in addition, the inactive player may only use one artillery unit to augment defensive fire. (Again, since the Warsaw Pact player can only use one artillery unit for defensive fire in any event, this result has no effect on him.)
- "No defensive artillery." No defensive helicopters are permitted; in addition, no artillery units may fire defensively.
- "No reaction." No helicopters or artillery units may use defensive fire; in addition, the Reaction Step is skipped and no units may react in this mission.
22.4 Jamming Tables
(22.41) Maneuver Jamming Table
| Modified Die-Roll | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5 or less | — |
| 6-7 | Maneuver -1/3 |
| 8-9 | Maneuver -2/3 |
| 10 or more | Target Used |
Procedure: Roll the die. Modify the number rolled as described by the "Jamming Die-Roll Modifiers" (see 22.43). Find the modified die-roll on the table, and read the corresponding entry. If the result is "—", jamming has no effect. If the result is "Maneuver -1/3" or "Maneuver -2/3", place the appropriate marker on the target units (see 22.28). If the result is "Target Used," flip the target units to their "used" sides.
(22.42) Combat Jamming Table
| Modified Die-Roll | Effect |
|---|---|
| 5 or less | — |
| 6 or more | No defensive helicopters* |
| 7 | Only one defensive artillery* |
| 8 or more | No defensive artillery |
| 9 or more | No reaction |
Procedure: Roll the die. Modify the number rolled as described in 22.43. Find the modified die-roll on the table, and read the corresponding entry. If the result is "—", jamming has no effect. Asterisked (*) results have no effect if the target is Warsaw Pact units. "No defensive helicopters" means the inactive player may not deploy a helicopter unit during the Defensive Helicopter Step of the current mission. "Only one defensive artillery" means only one artillery unit may fire in the Defensive Fire Step. "No defensive artillery" means none may do so. "No reaction" means the Reaction Step is skipped.
Each result is cumulative with results listed previously on the table, e.g. "No reaction" also means no helicopters or artillery may be used defensively.
(22.43) Jamming Die-Roll Modifiers
An unmodified roll of "1" or "2" eliminates the EW asset.
- +1 if all affected units are out of command range of all superior HQs
- -1 if any affected unit occupies an improved position
- -2 if the farthest affected unit is more than 15 hexes from the nearest unit subordinate to the jamming HQ
- -1 if the Warsaw Pact is jamming NATO units in a town hex
- -2 if the Warsaw Pact is jamming NATO units in a city hex
23. Helicopter Units
Helicopter units can take part in offensive fire, defensive fire (NATO only), and "fire strikes" (see 25).
They do not follow the normal rules for mission selection, movement, zones of control, or stacking.
23.1 Helicopter Units and the Helicopter Display
Helicopter units are kept on the Helicopter Display (see track displays) until needed.
(23.11) The Advanced Game scenarios assign helicopter steps to each player, by helicopter type. A player should take all unit counters for the type of helicopter assigned him, and divide the assigned steps among them as he wishes, just as for ground units (see 6.15).
- Then, all helicopters are placed in the "Ready Box" of the Helicopter Display.
(23.12) When a helicopter unit is used, the owning player takes it from the Ready box and places it in any eligible hex on the game-map (see 23.2). After the unit fires, he places it in the Rearm & Refuel Box of the Display.
(23.13) Only helicopter units in the Ready Box can be placed on the game-map; units in the Rearm & Refuel Box may not (so a helicopter unit can only be used once per game-turn).
- During the Bookkeeping Phase, all units are moved from the Rearm & Refuel Box to the Ready Box.
(23.14) A player may freely rearrange steps among helicopter units of the same type and nationality in the same box of the Helicopter Display at any time, at no cost in command points.
23.2 Helicopter Placement
Helicopter units can be placed on the game-map during the Helicopter Steps of hasty attack and assault missions and "fire strikes" (see 25.2).
(23.21) Only one helicopter unit can be placed in a Helicopter Step. The placed unit can contain any number of steps, however.
(23.22) Only the NATO player can place a helicopter unit in a mission's Defensive Helicopter Step. The Pact cannot use helicopters defensively.
- The NATO player can only use a helicopter defensively if the Pact declared an objective hex.
(23.23) In a mission's Offensive Helicopter Step or a "fire strike's" Air & Helicopter Step (see 25.2), the active player can place one helicopter.
(23.24) NATO helicopter use is limited by nationality. During offensive fire and fire strikes, only helicopters of the same nationality as the activated brigade may be used. During defensive fire, a helicopter may only be used if a unit of the same nationality is in the objective hex.
(23.25) To place a helicopter unit, the player takes it from the Ready box of the Helicopter Display and places it on the game-map, regardless of stacking restrictions and the presence of enemy units.
(23.26) Each helicopter has two modes — gunnery and standoff. The front side of the counter is printed with the values used for gunnery mode, and the back for standoff.
- When a player places a helicopter, he may decide which mode he wants to use, and flip the helicopter's counter appropriately. Note: Helicopters are never "used."
(23.27) Each helicopter has a range, which depends on its mode, and is printed on its counter (see 21.1). A helicopter must be placed within range of its "target" (see below).
- Note: Helicopters have longer ranges but lower fire strengths in standoff mode.
- Some helicopters have ranges of zero ("0") in gunnery mode. They must be placed in the same hex as their "target."
(23.28) In a "fire strike," a helicopter's target is the target of the strike. In a friendly mission, the target is the objective hex. In an enemy mission, the target is any hex into which defensive fire may occur (see 11.82).
(23.29) After a helicopter unit is placed, the opposing player conducts "flak fire" against it (see 24). As a result, helicopter steps may be eliminated or "aborted."
23.3 Helicopter Fire
(23.31) Helicopters used offensively add their fire strength to that of other units firing on the objective hex during the Offensive Fire Step.
- Those used defensively may fire on any hex(es) the inactive player is eligible to conduct defensive fire against (see 11.82). The defensive fire can be alone, or in combination with other units. A helicopter may split its strength to fire defensively on different hexes, just like other units (see 11.83).
- Those used in a "fire strike" add their fire strength to that of other striking units.
(23.32) To calculate a helicopter's fire strength, multiply the strength printed on its unit counter (see 21.1) by the number of steps it contains.
- Then, refer to the Terrain Effects Chart to see how terrain modifies its fire strength. Important: A helicopter's fire strength, unlike that of a ground unit, is modified only by the terrain of the target hex (see 11.34).
(23.33) The fire strengths of all Warsaw Pact and West German helicopter units are halved when firing at night. If halved by terrain, they are halved again (although a unit's strength is never reduced below the number of steps firing — see 11.34).
(23.34) As soon as a helicopter's fire is resolved, it is returned to the Rearm & Refuel Box.
- Exception: An offensively firing helicopter is not returned until after retreats are resolved (see 23.42).
23.4 Helicopters, Retreats, and Observation
(23.41) Helicopters may not act as observers for artillery (see 13.42).
(23.42) Helicopters, unlike air units, do have zones of control (see 7). A helicopter's zone of control also includes the hex it occupies.
- The only function of a helicopter's zone is to permit retreat fire. If a unit retreats into a hex in an offensively-firing helicopter's zone of control, the helicopter may participate in retreat fire.
- Units can retreat into hexes occupied by enemy helicopters. Such a hex is priority 2 (see 11.92).
24. Anti-Aircraft Fire
Anti-aircraft fire occurs whenever a helicopter or air unit is placed on the game-map. In addition, it can occur when units use "airmobile movement" (see 30.4).
24.1 SAM and Flak Fire
(24.11) There are two types of anti-aircraft fire: SAM ("Surface-to-Air Missile") and flak fire. Anti-aircraft strength is calculated differently for each, but they follow the same rules otherwise.
(24.12) SAM fire occurs whenever an air unit is placed at "high altitude" (see 25.34).
- Each player is assigned a SAM strength by the scenario description (see 31). This is his anti-aircraft strength when he conducts SAM fire.
(24.13) Flak fire occurs whenever a helicopter is placed, and whenever an air unit is placed at "low altitude." It is also used when airmobile movement is used (see 30).
- All ground units (except for disrupted ones; see 25.6) have a flak strength. Flak strengths are:
NATO Brigade HQs: 1 Other HQs: 2 Other ground unit (any type): 1/3 per step
- To determine the anti-aircraft strength for flak fire, total the flak strengths of all units within two hexes of the air, airmobile, or helicopter unit. After totaling, round fractions down.
- If there are no undisrupted units within two hexes no fire takes place.
- If the flak strength is rounded down to zero, flak fire does take place, with a flak strength of zero.
- If a player does not want to reveal his strength, he can claim to have a flak strength total less than he really has.
(24.14) When airmobile movement takes place (see 30), flak fire occurs twice — once at a moving unit's starting hex, and again at its destination hex.
(24.15) During flak fire, a unit is sometimes eligible to fire at two or more enemy units simultaneously — because both a helicopter and an air unit were placed, or because two or more enemy units are using airmobile movement. In this case, the owning player may split the unit's flak strength, and use it to fire on more than one enemy unit. As with defensive fire, each step's flak strength cannot be divided (see 11.83).
24.2 Resolving Anti-Aircraft Fire
(24.21) To resolve anti-aircraft fire, determine the total anti-aircraft strength (see 24.1). Then, refer to the Anti-Aircraft Table (see 24.4) and follow its procedure to determine a result. The result will be no effect, or number and/or a call for a "hit check".
(24.22) If the result is a number, the indicated number of steps are aborted.
- When air unit steps are aborted, simply replace the aborted unit's step marker by a new one of lower value.
- When helicopter steps are aborted, the indicated number of steps must immediately be returned to the Rearm & Refuel box. If another helicopter unit of the same type is already in the box, simply change the step markers appropriately. If a spare helicopter counter of the same type is available, place it in the box and replace step markers accordingly. If no helicopter unit counter is available, the owning player has a choice: he may eliminate the aborted steps, or he may return the entire helicopter unit to the Rearm & Refuel Box.
- When an airmobile step is aborted, it returns to its starting hex. As with helicopters, this may require the owning player to split the airmobile unit, eliminate steps, or return the entire unit to its starting hex.
(24.23) When a "hit check" is called for, roll the die. If the number rolled is less than the defense strength of the target air or helicopter unit, there is no ill effect.
- If the roll is greater than or equal to the defense strength, one of the aborted steps is instead eliminated.
- If the target is a helicopter, simply remove one step from the unit.
- If the target is a air unit, remove one step and advance the "air hit" marker (see 24.3).
- If the target is an airmobile unit, remove one step and reduce the target nationality's "helicopter transport allowance" by one (see 30.13).
- In addition, the enemy player may gain a victory point for the eliminated step (see 19.32).
(24.24) Aborted and eliminated steps may not fire in the following fire strike or defensive or offensive fire.
24.3 Air Hit Markers
(24.31) Each player has an air hit marker. At the beginning of the game, he places it on the "0" box of his Air Hit Track (see track displays).
(24.32) When a player loses an air step to SAM or flak fire, the air hit marker is advanced one box to record the total number of air hits suffered.
(24.33) When a player makes an "air call," the number of air hits suffered is subtracted from the die-roll (see 25.3).
24.4 Anti-Aircraft Table
| Die-Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 9 or less | — |
| 10 | 1 |
| 11 | 1* |
| 12-15 | 2* |
| 16 or more | 3* |
Die-Roll Modifiers:
For SAM Fire: Add firing player's SAM strength to roll. For Flak Fire: All of the firing player's units within two hexes of the target may fire. NATO Brigade HQs have flak strengths of 1; other HQs of 2; other units of 1/3 per step. Total flak strength, round down, and add to roll. All Fire: -1 at night.
Procedure: Find the modified die-roll along the left-hand side, and read the corresponding entry. If the result is a blank, the target is not affected. If it is a number, that number of steps is aborted. If, in addition, the result contains an asterisk (*), a hit check must be made. Roll the die again; if the roll is less than or equal to the target unit's defense strength, no "air hit" has occurred. Otherwise, one step is eliminated. If the target is an air unit, the "air hit" marker is also advanced one step; if an airmobile unit, the "helicopter transport allowance" is reduced by one.
25. Fire Strikes
A fire strike is a bombardment of an enemy-occupied hex.
25.1 Which Units Can Conduct Fire Strikes
(25.11) During his Strike Segment, the active player may conduct fire strikes. He may conduct any number of fire strikes, but a particular hex can only be the target of one.
- A hex could be the target of a fire strike, and still be the target of an "interdiction," "gas," and/or "Artillery-Delivered Mine" strike in the same segment (see 26, 27.1, 29.3).
- A hex can be the target of a fire strike once each Strike Segment.
(25.12) When a player decides to conduct a fire strike, he must decide whether it is an artillery, air or helicopter fire strike.
(25.13) One friendly helicopter unit (only), and no other units, may take part in a helicopter fire strike.
- The helicopter unit must be of the same nationality as the activated major formation.
(25.14) Any number of friendly artillery units, plus one friendly helicopter unit, may take part in an artillery fire strike.
-
NATO artillery of the same nationality as the activated brigade can participate. All participating artillery must be within a single HQ's command range, and the HQ must be of the same nationality.
-
Warsaw Pact artillery of the activated division, plus any 8th Guards Army artillery units, can participate. All participating artillery must be within command range of an HQ from the activated division.
-
An artillery unit may not take part in a fire strike if adjacent to the strike's target hex (i.e., it must use indirect fire).
-
Any artillery which takes part in a fire strike is "Fired" (see 13.2).
(25.15) One friendly air unit may take part in a fire strike. When a player announces an air fire strike, he follows the "air call" procedure (see 25.3) to determine the number of steps and type of air unit he receives.
- When the NATO player makes an air fire strike, he may use one helicopter in addition; the Warsaw Pact may not use helicopters in air fire strikes.
(25.16) Artillery and air units can never be used in the same fire strike.
25.2 Fire Strike Sequence
When a player conducts a fire strike, follow this sequence:
Target Declaration Step: The active player chooses his target hex.
Unit Selection Step: The active player decides which units will participate (see 25.1).
Air Call Step: If the active player is making an air call, he rolls on the Air Call Table to determine what air unit is received (see 25.3).
Air & Helicopter Step: Air and helicopter units, if used, are placed on the game-map (see 23.2 and 25.36).
Anti-Aircraft Step: SAM and flak fire are resolved (see 24).
Acquisition Step: The active player checks to see whether the target hex is "acquired" (see 25.4).
Fire Resolution Step: The fire strengths of participating units are totaled. If "acquisition" failed, the total is halved. Fire is resolved (see 25.5).
Disruption and Loss Step: The inactive player decides whether the target units become disrupted, and eliminates steps to absorb hits (see 25.6).
Air & Helicopter Removal Step: Air and helicopter units are removed from the game-map.
"Fired" Step: "Fired" markers are placed on artillery units which participated in the strike (see 13.2).
25.3 Air Units
Air units are used solely to conduct fire strikes. Like helicopters, they do not follow the normal rules for missions, movement, zones of control, or stacking.
(25.31) Each nationality is assigned a number of air support points by a scenario. At the beginning of the game, take each nationality's air support marker, and place it on the Combat Support Track to show how many points it owns. As a nationality spends air points, move the marker down the track.
- Even after a player has spent all the air support points assigned by the scenario, he may continue spending points. Each time he spends an additional air support point, he loses one victory point (see 19.32).
(25.32) If a player chooses to use air units in a fire strike, he must make an air call. To do so, he spends one air support point of the same nationality as the activated formation.
- If he wishes, he may spend a second air point. In this case, he adds two to the number of air steps received (see below).
- Making an air call at night costs two air support points; the player may spend a third point to receive two extra air steps.
- No nationality may spend more than three air support points in a single turn. This may restrict the number of fire strikes it can make with air units.
(25.33) To make an air call, the player refers to the Air Call Table (see 25.72) and follows its procedure to determine what air unit and how many steps he receives.
- He then takes the counter for that type of air unit and the appropriate step marker, and places them on the game-map.
- Note: Part of the Air Call Table's procedure directs the active player to subtract the number of air hits he has suffered from the die-roll (see table). As described in 24.32, a player uses his Air Hit Track to record the number of air hits suffered. When a player makes an air call, he refers to the track to determine how his die-roll is modified.
(25.34) Air units, like helicopters, have two modes — standoff and bombing. The active player chooses which mode his air unit will use.
- Air units also have two altitudes — high and low. A unit can be at either altitude in either mode. After a player has chosen his unit's mode, he chooses its altitude.
- Ranges and fire strengths vary with mode and altitude (see 21.1). Air units at high altitude are subject to SAM fire; those at low altitude, to flak fire (see 24.1).
(25.35) If a helicopter unit is used in the same fire strike with an air unit (only NATO can do this), the air unit must be placed in low altitude bombing mode.
(25.36) After the active player has determined his aircraft's mode and altitude, he places the unit on the game-map, within range of its target (following the same rules as for helicopters — see 23.27). Anti-aircraft fire occurs (see 24).
(25.37) Then, he calculates the air unit's fire strength, using the same procedure as for helicopters (see 23.32).
- All air units' strengths are halved at night.
(25.38) Air units, unlike ground units and helicopters, do not remain on the map or Helicopter Display. They come into existence when the Air Call Table directs, and disappear at the end of each fire strike. Eliminating an air step does not permanently remove the step from play (although see 24.3).
25.4 Acquisition
When a player conducts a fire strike, he must attempt to "acquire" the target hex. Acquisition may also occur during "gas" and "ADM" strikes (see 27.2 and 29.35), and after airmobile movement (see 30.17).
(25.41) When a player attempts to acquire a hex, he must choose a spotter for the attempt. Any unit which is subordinate to and within the command range of an HQ which is part of the activated major formation may be chosen.
- Enemy units adjacent to the spotter are automatically acquired.
(25.42) When attempting to acquire a unit in a non-adjacent hex, determine the hex's terrain type, and refer to the Acquisition Table (see 25.73).
(25.43) A die is rolled, and the procedure described on the table is followed to determine whether or not the hex is acquired.
- One of the modifiers listed on the table is the player's intelligence level. Each scenario assigns an intelligence level to each side (see 31).
(25.44) Example: The target hex is heavy woods, which has an acquisition value of 9. The player rolls a 9. The roll is modified as follows: -1 because the hex contains improved positions, +4 for the acquiring player's intelligence level, -1 for night, and -2 because the nearest eligible spotter is 16 hexes away. The final modified die-roll is 9, which is just enough to acquire the target.
(25.45) If a target hex is successfully acquired, the striking player may freely examine the step markers of any units in the hex.
25.5 Fire Strike Resolution
(25.51) Once the total fire strength of participating artillery, air and/or helicopter units has been determined, a fire strike is resolved just like any other fire combat. That is, the players refer to the Combat Results Table (see 11.91) to determine a hit modifier; the total fire strength is halved; and the hit modifier added to the result. The final result is the number of hits inflicted on the target.
(25.52) If the target hex is not acquired, the total fire strength is multiplied by one-fourth, not one-half. If it is acquired, the total fire strength is just halved, as normal.
(25.53) The target units must absorb hits through "disruption" or step elimination. No retreats may occur.
25.6 Absorbing Hits and Disruption
(25.61) Disruption works much like retreat. The owning player of the target units determines whether he wishes to disrupt them or not.
- Disrupting a stack absorbs as many hits as the retreating stack would absorb (see 11.54).
- A stack does not move when it is disrupted. Instead, all units in the stack become "used," and a "Disrupted" marker is placed on top of it. When an artillery unit is disrupted, place a "Fired" marker on top of it in addition.
(25.62) Additional hits may be absorbed by eliminating steps.
- If the target was acquired, the active player chooses which steps are lost (just as in regular fire; see 11.55).
- If the target was not acquired, the inactive player chooses which steps to lose. He must allocate losses in such a way as to absorb the maximum possible number of hits (but remember that hits need only be absorbed until the number left to be absorbed is less than the strength of the weakest step remaining).
(25.63) Disrupted units:
- Fire at half strength. (This is in addition to terrain, gas and minefield effects, but a step's strength cannot be reduced below one; see 11.34.)
- Cannot project flak (see 24.13).
- Cannot spend command points (if an HQ).
(25.64) All disruption markers are removed in the Bookkeeping Phase.
(25.65) A disrupted unit may not be disrupted again. If it is hit by another fire strike, hits may only be absorbed by step elimination.
25.7 Fire Strike Charts
(25.71) Fire Strike Summary
- Target Declaration Step
- Unit Selection Step
- Air Call Step
- Air & Helicopter Step
- Anti-Aircraft Step
- Acquisition Step
- Fire Resolution Step
- Disruption and Loss Step
- Air & Helicopter Removal Step
- "Fired" Step
(25.72) Air Call Table
| Die-Roll | Warsaw Pact | U.S. | West Germany | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or less | 4 Su-17 | 2 A-10 | 2 Alpha | 2 F-18 |
| 2 | 4 MiG-27 | 2 A-10 | 2 Alpha | 2 F-18 |
| 3 | 4 MiG-29 | 3 F-4 | 3 F-4 | 3 F-18 |
| 4 | 4 Su-24 | 3 F-16 | 3 F-4 | 3 F-18 |
| 5 | 4 Su-25 | 3 A-10 | 3 Tornado | 3 F-18 |
| 6 | 6 Su-17 | 3 A-10 | 3 Tornado | 3 F-18 |
| 7 | 6 MiG-27 | 4 F-4 | 4 F-4 | 4 F-18 |
| 8 | 6 MiG-29 | 4 F-16 | 4 F-4 | 4 F-18 |
| 9 | 6 Su-24 | 4 A-10 | 4 Tornado | 4 F-18 |
| 10 | 6 Su-25 | 4 A-10 | 4 Tornado | 4 F-18 |
Procedure: Roll the die. Subtract the number in the box occupied by the air hit marker from the die-roll (see 24.3). Find the modified roll along the left-hand column of the table, and cross-reference it with the nationality of the major formation calling for air support. The result is the type and number of steps of the air unit which is placed.
If 2 air support points (3 at night) were spent, the number of steps arriving increases by 2.
(25.73) Acquisition Table
| Terrain Type | Acquisition Value |
|---|---|
| Clear | 4 |
| Light Woods | 7 |
| Heavy Woods | 9 |
| Town | 10 |
| City | 11 |
Die-Roll Modifiers:
- +# Acquiring player's "intelligence level" (see 25.44).
- -1 Improved Positions in target hex.
- -1 at night.
- -2 If nearest spotter is more than 15 hexes from target hex.
Procedure: Find the target hex type on the table; the number listed is its acquisition value. (If the hex contains two or more terrain types, use the larger value.) Roll the die, and modify the number rolled as indicated by the "die-roll modifiers" section of the table. If the modified roll is greater than or equal to the modified acquisition value, the target is acquired. Otherwise, it is not.
26. Interdiction
Interdiction strikes are used to impede enemy movement. The active player may make them in the Strike Segment of his missions.
(26.1) Artillery units conduct interdiction strikes. Rule 25.14 (which applies to fire strikes) is used to determine which artillery can participate in an interdiction.
- Air and helicopter units never take part.
- Artillery units which make interdiction strikes are "fired" (see 13.2).
(26.2) To make an interdiction strike, the active player selects a target hex and announces which artillery units are taking part.
- Then, he totals the fire strengths of the participating artillery units.
- This strength is quartered. Fractions are dropped. The result is called the interdiction value. Exception: U.S. artillery units' strengths are only halved. (This reflects superior U.S. sensor technology.)
- The maximum interdiction value is five. If the value is higher, it is reduced to five.
- The active player takes an interdiction marker (see 21.1), and places a strength marker corresponding to the interdiction value under the interdiction marker. He places them in the target hex.
(26.3) Each time an enemy stack attempts to leave a hex containing an interdiction marker (whether it started there or wishes to move through the hex), it spends extra movement points.
- Refer to the Combat Results Table (see 11.91). Roll a die, and obtain a "hit modifier." Add the hit modifier to the interdiction value. The result is the number of extra movement points which must be spent.
- Each time a stack leaves an interdicted hex, roll on the Combat Results Table. Different stacks may have to pay different movement point penalties.
(26.4) If a unit in an interdicted hex does not have enough movement points to move out of the hex, it may not do so (exception: see 8.13).
(26.5) A player may not interdict a hex containing friendly units. If units ever enter a hex interdicted by friendly artillery, the interdiction marker is immediately removed.
(26.6) Interdiction markers are removed during the Bookkeeping Phase.
27. Chemical Warfare (Optional)
27.1 Gas Strikes
During the Strike Segment of his missions, the active player may conduct gas strikes.
(27.11) Each player may be assigned persistent and/or non-persistent gas points by the scenario (see 31). Two markers (one for each type of gas point) are provided for each player. At the beginning of the game, a player should set his markers up on the Combat Support Track (see track displays) to indicate how many points of each type he possesses.
(27.12) Each time a player makes a gas strike, he must decide whether to use persistent or non-persistent gas. He must then move the appropriate gas marker one box down its track.
- Once a player has spent all points of one type assigned him by the scenario, he may not spend any further points of that type.
- A player may receive reinforcement gas points during a scenario.
(27.13) To make a gas strike, a player chooses a target hex, decides whether to use persistent or non-persistent gas, spends a gas point, and places a gas marker in the target hex. No artillery, air units, or helicopters are used. (The strike is delivered by off-map missiles.)
- Gas markers are printed on one side with a non-persistent gas symbol, on the other with a persistent gas symbol. Use whichever side is appropriate.
(27.14) Non-persistent gas markers are removed during the Bookkeeping Phase. Persistent gas markers are never removed.
(27.15) The Warsaw Pact can make gas strikes any time he activates a formation. Any number (up to gas point limits) can be made each Strike Segment.
- NATO can only make gas strikes when he activates a U.S. formation. (West German and Canadian units cannot use gas.)
(27.16) Any hex anywhere on the game-map can be chosen as the target for a gas strike, as long as any friendly units are in or adjacent to the hex. Exception: NATO may not target a city or an adjacent hex.
27.2 Acquisition
Each gas marker represents a gas zone consisting of the marker's hex plus all adjacent hexes. When a gas marker is placed, the active player must check to determine whether enemy units within the gas zone are acquired.
(27.21) Use the procedure described in 25.4 to determine whether a hex is acquired. Make a separate acquisition attempt for each enemy-occupied hex within the gas zone.
(27.22) If a hex is acquired, refer to the Chemical Warfare Table (see 27.5 for table and procedure). A separate roll is made on the table for each unit in the acquired hex.
- As a result, steps may be eliminated (see table), and the unit may be "contaminated" (see 27.4).
(27.23) Units already in a persistent gas zone (or which are contaminated) are not affected when a new gas zone is created. Units already in a non-persistent gas zone are only affected if a persistent gas zone is created which includes their hex.
27.3 Gas Zone Effects
(27.31) The fire strength of a ground unit firing into or out of a gas zone is halved. Note: When two "H" results appear on the Terrain Effects Chart, only one applies (see 11.34). Similarly, if a unit fires out of a gas zone and into a gas zone, it is only halved once. However, if a unit is halved both by a gas zone and by terrain, its strength is quartered. Again, a unit's strength cannot be reduced below the number of steps it contains.
(27.32) Artillery firing indirectly into a gas zone is not halved. Nor are air or helicopter units. Artillery firing out of a gas zone is halved.
(27.33) The movement point cost to enter a hex in a gas zone is double the normal terrain cost of the hex (hill and river costs are doubled, too). Road movement can be used through the hex, at double normal cost.
(27.34) Any unit that enters a persistent gas zone is "contaminated" (see 27.4).
(27.35) No steps are lost when units move into a gas zone (as they can be when a gas strike is made). This is because units moving into gas are prepared to deal with its effects, while units under gas attack have to scramble for their chemical warfare equipment.
27.4 Contamination
(27.41) When a unit is contaminated, place a "Contamination" marker on top of it (see 27.22 and 27.34).
(27.42) Contaminated units move and fire as if they were in a gas zone (see 27.3) even if they are not, paying double movement costs and firing at half strength. If steps from a contaminated unit are transferred to another unit, both units are contaminated.
(27.43) During the Bookkeeping Phase, some HQs may attempt to decontaminate units.
- Each Warsaw Pact division HQ may decontaminate one stack of subordinate units.
- Each NATO "MN" (Main) division HQ may decontaminate one NATO stack. "TAC" (Tactical) division HQs and brigade HQs may not. Note that a division HQ can decontaminate any friendly stack, even one containing units of a different nationality.
- An HQ may only decontaminate units within command range.
- "Used" and disrupted units and units inside a persistent gas zone may not be decontaminated.
27.5 Chemical Warfare Table
| Die-Roll | Persistent Gas | Non-Persistent Gas |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | L | L / C |
| 5 | — | L / C |
| 6-7 | — | C |
| 8+ | — | — |
Die-Roll Modifiers: Add 2 to the die-roll if the unit is Warsaw Pact; add 1 if West German.
Procedure: If a unit is acquired (see 26.2), roll to determine the effects of gas on it. Find the gas type along the top of the table. Roll a die, and modify the number rolled as directed by the "die-roll modifiers" section of the table. Find the modified die-roll along the left-hand side. Cross-reference the row determined by the die-roll with the column determined by the gas type to yield a result. Possible results are:
- — = Gas has no effect.
- L = The unit is subject to loss. Roll the die separately for each step in the unit; on a roll of "1" or "2", that step is eliminated.
- C = The unit is contaminated (see 27.4).
- L/C = The unit is subject to loss and contaminated.
28. Engineers
During the Engineering Phase, "unused" engineer units may take engineering actions.
28.1 The Engineering Phase
(28.11) At the beginning of the Engineering Phase, the players roll for initiative. The player with initiative takes as many engineering actions with his "unused" engineers as he wishes; then the other player does so, after which the Bookkeeping Phase begins.
(28.12) Engineers in enemy zones of control may not take engineering actions.
(28.13) Each "unused" engineer may take one engineering action. The possible actions are:
28.2 Bridge Construction
(28.21) An engineer adjacent to a river hexside may build a bridge across it.
(28.22) When a bridge is constructed across a hexside that contains a destroyed bridge marker, simply remove the "destroyed bridge" marker.
(28.23) When a bridge is constructed across any other hexside, place a bridge marker in either adjacent hex. Bridges represented by markers are called military bridges; it only takes 3 hits (instead of 6) to destroy a military bridge (see 16.2).
28.3 Bridge Demolition
An engineer adjacent to a bridge may attempt to destroy it. The owning player rolls a die; on a roll of "1" or "2," there is no effect. On any other roll, the bridge is destroyed. If represented by a bridge marker, remove the marker; if printed on the game-map, place a "destroyed bridge" marker.
28.4 Laying Minefields
(28.41) Some scenarios assign mine points to one or both players. Mine point markers are provided; they are placed on the Combat Support Track to show the number of points available, and are moved down the track as points are expended.
- NATO mine points are assigned by nationality.
(28.42) An engineer unit can only lay a minefield in a hex if the hex contains engineer units alone, without any other friendly units.
(28.43) When an engineer lays a minefield, its owning player spends one mine point of the same nationality (if all have been spent, no further mines may be laid.) Place a minefield marker in the engineer's hex.
(28.44) An engineer is immune to all of a minefield's effects until it leaves the hex (see 29.2), and does not incur the usual exit penalty (see 29.21). Once it has left the hex, it is no longer immune.
28.5 Clearing Minefields
An engineer may clear a minefield in its own hex. Simply remove the marker. This is the only way that minefields can be removed.
- Note: Since only "unused" engineers can conduct engineering actions, an engineer clears a minefield by moving into its hex on one turn (suffering a mine attack; see 29.24), then clearing it on the following one.
28.6 Creating Obstacles
(28.61) An engineer may place obstacles in its hex. Place an obstacles marker (see 21.1) there.
- Only one obstacles marker can be placed per hex.
(28.62) Road movement may not be used to enter a hex with obstacles.
(28.63) Entering a hex with obstacles costs one extra movement point (cumulative with other terrain costs).
28.7 Removing Obstacles
An engineer may remove obstacles in its hex.
28.8 Digging Improved Positions
An engineer may create an improved position in its hex; place an improved positions marker (see 17).
29. Mines
29.1 Placing and Removing Mines
(29.11) Some scenarios instruct the players to set up minefield markers on the game-map. In addition, engineer units (see 28.4) and artillery (see 29.3) can place minefields if mine or "ADM" points are available.
(29.12) Engineers can remove minefields (see 28.5).
(29.13) Some scenarios instruct a player to place dummy minefields on the game-map. Dummy minefield markers look like regular minefields, except that the word "Dummy" is printed on the back.
- When any unit enters a dummy minefield hex, the marker is removed.
- A player may, if he wishes, place dummy minefields by engineer or artillery, following the normal rules for such. Placing a dummy minefield does require the expenditure of a mine or "ADM" point.
(29.14) A hex may only contain one minefield marker.
29.2 Minefield Effects
(29.21) A unit must stop moving when it enters a minefield hex. Units which begin movement in a minefield hex may move one hex, and then must stop.
(29.22) A unit may not advance or retreat out of a minefield hex. Units may advance or retreat into a minefield hex, but are subject to "mine attacks" when they do so.
- Note also that the presence of a minefield affects a hex's retreat priority (see 11.66).
(29.23) The fire strength of a ground unit firing out of a minefield hex is halved. (It can be halved again by gas and/or terrain; see 27.31 and 11.34.)
(29.24) A stack which enters a minefield hex is subject to a mine attack. Roll the die once for each entering step; on a roll of "1" or "2," that step is eliminated.
- If there is an engineer unit in the stack, steps are only eliminated on a roll of "1."
- The moving player may make his rolls secretly, to avoid revealing the number of steps in his stack.
(29.25) Minefields affect both players equally; there are no "friendly" minefields.
29.3 Artillery-Delivered Mines (ADMs)
During the Strike Segment of a Mission Phase, the active player may use artillery units to place minefields.
(29.31) Some scenarios assign a player ADM points. Players should record ADM points on the Combat Support Track with the ADM markers provided.
- NATO ADM points are assigned by nationality.
(29.32) The active player may make any number of ADM strikes during the Strike Segment (subject to the availability of ADM points and artillery units). Rule 25.14 is used to determine which artillery units can be used.
(29.33) To make an ADM strike, a player chooses a target hex, chooses an artillery unit to make the strike, spends an ADM point of the same nationality as the firing unit, and places a minefield marker in the target hex.
- The target hex must be within range of the chosen artillery unit.
- A "Fired" marker is placed on the artillery unit.
(29.34) ADM strikes may not be made against town or city hexes.
(29.35) When an ADM strike is made against an enemy-occupied hex, the active player must immediately make an acquisition attempt against the hex (following the rules of 25.4).
- If the acquisition attempt is successful, each unit in the target hex undergoes an immediate mine attack (see 29.24).
(29.36) The only Warsaw Pact artillery units which conduct ADM strikes are the rocket launcher units (see 2.3 for the symbol).
(29.37) All U.S. artillery units may conduct ADM strikes. No Canadian units may do so. All West German artillery units may conduct ADM strikes except for the "1-9-1" units.
30. Airmobile Units
All units whose counters are printed with a bullet (•) are called airmobile units, and may perform "airmobile movement."
30.1 Airmobile Movement
(30.11) Any time airmobile units are eligible to move (in a mission, Reserve Phase, or Reaction Step), they may perform "airmobile movement."
- Other units may perform regular movement at the same time that airmobile units use airmobile movement.
(30.12) To perform airmobile movement, a player follows this procedure:
- Determine which stacks are moving.
- Check the "helicopter transport allowance" to make sure all units can be moved.
- Perform flak fire for each moving stack.
- Choose a destination hex for each moving stack.
- Move each stack to its destination.
- Perform flak fire for each moving stack at its destination.
(30.13) Some scenarios assign a player a helicopter transport allowance. This is the number of airmobile steps which may perform airmobile movement each game-turn.
- A "Helicopter transport allowance" marker is provided; players should place it on the Combat Support Track to record the allowance. The marker is moved when the allowance is reduced by flak fire (24.23).
(30.14) When units perform airmobile movement, flak fire occurs twice: once at the starting hex, and once at the destination hex (see 24.14).
(30.15) A unit using airmobile movement can move to any hex on the map, regardless of distance, intervening terrain or intervening enemy units.
- A unit using airmobile movement ignores movement point costs and allowances.
- Either the starting hex or the destination hex must contain or be adjacent to a superior HQ. If the unit does not begin stacked with or adjacent to a superior HQ, its destination hex must meet this condition.
(30.16) Units using airmobile movement may not move to:
- enemy-occupied hexes.
- enemy-controlled city hexes (see 15).
- hexes in enemy zones of control, unless occupied by friendly units, or performing a hasty attack or assault mission.
(30.17) If a player conducts a hasty attack or assault mission, and the only active units which move adjacent to the objective hex are airmobile units using airmobile movement, an acquisition attempt must be made against the objective hex (see 25.4).
- First, move all airmobile units and resolve flak attacks.
- Then, resolve the acquisition attempt, following the rules of 25.4. The airmobile units may not act as "spotters" — some other friendly unit must do so.
- If acquisition fails, the airmobile units are returned to their starting hexes and are flipped to their "used" sides. If acquisition succeeds, the units remain in their destination hex.
(30.18) Units using airmobile movement are not subject to infiltration fire.
(30.19) Airmobile units can always use normal movement instead of airmobile movement. However, see 30.22 and 30.34.
30.2 NATO Airmobile Formations
There are two NATO airmobile formations: the West German 26 Luftlande Brigade and the U.S. 1st Battalion of the 87th Infantry Regiment.
(30.21) The 26th Luftlande is a brigade and a major formation.
(30.22) The U.S. 1/87th is not a major formation, but consists of independent units.
- Whenever 1/87th units use normal movement, each unit of the formation may move one hex only, regardless of movement allowance. (They have no organic transport.)
30.3 Warsaw Pact Airmobile Formations
The Pact has two airmobile formations, the South East German Front Airborne Assault Brigade, and the 207th Airmobile Battalion.
(30.31) The South East German Front Airborne Assault Brigade (abbreviated "SEGF" on the counters) is a major formation, and is treated like a Pact division for activation purposes, even though it is technically a brigade.
- However, the whole formation is considered to consist of a single regiment for mission-selection purposes (see 4.43). In other words, a mission must be plotted for the brigade; and, when activated, the entire formation may perform one mission.
(30.32) The 207th Battalion is printed with the background color of the 8th Guards Army, but with its own regiment color. Its units are not considered to be independent, and may not be selected for a mission with a division's regiments, as 8th Guards Army independents may be (see 4.54).
- Instead, the 207th Battalion is treated like a regiment for mission purposes — the Pact player must plot missions for it, etc. Command points to plot missions for the 207th must come from off-map (see 5.11), not from any HQ.
- Whenever he activates a major formation, the Pact player must announce that he is also activating the 207th Battalion. He may activate the battalion with any major formation, but only once per game-turn.
- If the 207th has been activated, the Pact player may choose it as the "regiment" for a mission group at any time during the succeeding Mission Phase. He may select the 207th before and/or after missions performed by units from the activated major formation.
- For artillery observation purposes (only), units of the 207th are considered subordinate to the HQ of the activated major formation (see 13.61).
(30.33) Several special rules apply to both the SEGF and the 207th:
- The Warsaw Pact player may withhold units of either formation from the formation's primary mission, if he wishes. The withheld units may march.
- No lead unit is required for missions by either formation.
- All units of both formations may stack with any other units, of any regiment and division, without being masked or masking those other units (see 9.2).
- All units of both formations may react in support of any friendly units, regardless of regiment or division, if plotted for reserve movement (see 12.51).
(30.34) The Pact airmobile "1-1" airborne infantry units may only move one hex when using normal (not airmobile) movement, regardless of movement allowance. Other Pact airmobile units may move their full allowance.
31. Advanced Game Scenarios
31.1 The Wolf's Jaws
(31.11) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
To preserve surprise, the invasion was launched from the barracks, divisions thrown into the fray pell-mell in whatever order they managed to reach the border. To make matters even more confusing, the first crossings took place just after midnight. Whole regiments got lost. On the other hand, NATO was caught totally unprepared, and resistance was surprisingly light. The 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division, the lead division of the 8th Guards Army, saw no serious action until 5:00 AM, when it attempted to punch between the positions of the U.S. 1st and West German 35th Brigades. A fierce firefight erupted, with heavy losses to both sides. By dawn, however, the 39th had smashed past this resistance and was moving south again. All was proceeding according to plan. Then came the stunning news that in all the confusion none of the 8th Guards' other divisions had yet managed to cross the border. The 39th was almost 50 kilometers deep into West Germany, and all alone...
NATO:
When the invasion materialized, it was the textbook nightmare that NATO officers had dreaded for decades. Everything was in chaos, nothing was where it was supposed to be, and the enemy was crossing the border pretty much unchecked. The only good news was that most of the front-line aircraft had survived the initial Pact air strikes. The two forward brigades in the Wurzburg sector, the U.S. 1st and West German 35th, were still trying to load most of their vehicles with fuel and ammunition when lead elements of the 39th Guards crashed into the few companies that had managed to deploy. Those companies gave as good as they got, but were eventually broken by weight of numbers. Not until dawn were all of the NATO troops in the sector finally on the move. By then the VII Corps commander had determined that only one enemy division had actually broken through his lines. This was a gift! He immediately ordered the forward brigades to seal the penetration and directed the two brigades coming up from the rear, the U.S. 2nd and West German 36th, to counterattack. The 39th Guards Motor Rifle just might be destroyed before the rest of the 8th Guards could relieve it.
(31.12) Map and Game-Length: The scenario is eight game-turns long. The first turn is game-turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). The entire game-map is used.
(31.13) Starting Deployment:
NATO deploys first.
NATO:
The U.S. 1st Brigade goes south of the Main River, within 10 hexes of any hexes of Schweinfurt, and/or in the hexes of Schweinfurt north of the Main. Delete two steps of infantry and two of tanks from the brigade.
The 2nd Brigade goes within 15 hexes of 5723.
The U.S. 3rd Mech Division Base goes anywhere in either of the brigades' deployment areas. Delete three steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the base. The "MN" HQ has EW assets.
The West German 35th Brigade and 12th Panzer Division Base may be deployed in Bad Kissingen and anywhere north and east of the Frankischer Saale River. Delete two infantry steps from the brigade, and the two "4-9-1" artillery steps from the 12th Panzer. The 12th Panzer's HQ has EW assets.
Warsaw Pact:
The entire 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division, minus five "3-3" infantry steps, four "2-3" infantry steps, and two "4-4" tank steps, goes within five hexes of 3822. The division HQs both have EW assets.
(31.14) Starting Combat Support:
| U.S. | West German | NATO | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 2 | 2 | ||
| Intelligence Level | 2 | 2 | ||
| Helicopter Steps | 8xAH-64 | 6xMi-24 | ||
| Helicopter Transport Allowance | 0 | 3 | ||
| Air Support Points | 3 | 2 | 6 | |
| SAM Strength | 3 | 4 | ||
| Mine Points | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
| ADM Points | 3 | 0 | 2 |
(31.15) Special Rules:
NATO may declare any bridges blown after the Warsaw Pact sets up, before the start of play.
NATO automatically wins the initiative in all phases of the first game-turn.
The 8th Guards Army Artillery entering on Game-Turn 2 are treated in all ways as divisional artillery belonging to the 57th Guards.
(31.16) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn One: All units of the 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division, except for the 124th, 57th Tank and DTB regiments, enter between 1001 and 1021. The 207th Airmobile Battalion may enter by airmobile movement.
The West German 36th Brigade enters on any road between 7018 and 7028.
Game-Turn Two: The rest of the Warsaw Pact 57th Guards and one step of "6-11-1" and two steps of "6-17-1" artillery from the 8th Guards Army Artillery enter on roads between 1001 and 1021.
Game-Turn Three: Two steps of "4-9-1" artillery from the West German 12th Division Base arrive on any road hex between 7018 and 7028. The West Germans receive two ADM points.
(31.17) Victory Conditions:
Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact wins a decisive victory by exiting a non-airmobile unit from the 7000 hex row of the southern mapedge. Otherwise he earns:
- 1 victory point for each NATO step eliminated.
- 2 victory points for each step of the 57th or 39th south of the autobahn connecting 5001 to 6434 (E5) at the end of the game.
- 1 victory point for each step of the 39th Guards south of the autobahn connecting 3201, 3821, and 2333 at the end of the game (not cumulative with the preceding award).
NATO:
NATO wins a decisive victory if no Warsaw Pact units are both south of the autobahn connecting 3201, 3821, and 2333 and south of the Frankischer Saale River at the game's end. Otherwise NATO earns:
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact step eliminated.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(31.18) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: No modifications are necessary, except that the Warsaw Pact 207th Battalion is not used.
(31.19) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
To say the Pact is between a rock and a hard place in this scenario would be an understatement. The 39th Guards should deploy for all-around defense with its regiments dispersed. The DTB must be kept in a central location to add backbone to any threatened portion of the perimeter. One strategy is to use the 57th Guards to drive directly south and cross the Main east of Schweinfurt. At this point several regiments must drive west to the river to link up with the 39th Guards. The 39th, having driven east to the Main, will be in an excellent position to block any NATO interference to the 57th's advance on the east bank of the river. Ideally, the 57th will only have to contend with the 36th Panzer as it attempts to exit the map.
NATO:
NATO's first priority is to bludgeon the 39th Guards. NATO should commit all of its air support assets and helicopters to shatter the 39th's combat regiments. If this is accomplished speedily, the 57th Guards will run up against a rock wall. Be wary, however, of a Soviet dash for the southern mapedge. This would cost NATO the game regardless of how thoroughly he smashes the 39th Guards. If the 57th and 36th link up, the three forward NATO brigades should cordon them in a "U". Any attempt to leave this pocket should be met by the 36th Panzer. Eventually, the Pact will exhaust itself and be open for counterattack.
31.2 Hasty Attack on a River Line
(31.21) Scenario Briefing:
The South East German Front commander made his main effort in the Hof Gap area. After bitter fighting north of Nurnberg, the U.S. 1st Armored Division's attempt to contain this thrust was defeated. The remnants of the division retreated to Nurnberg itself, unhinging the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division's flank. Into this gap, the commander of the 8th Guards Army committed his sole fresh formation, the 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division. The U.S. 3rd Mech, heavily engaged along the East German border, was in no position to respond. The defense of this open flank fell to the West German 55th Heimatschutzen Brigade, which had been fortifying the Kitzingen area for the previous 24 hours, and the 35th Panzergrenadier Brigade, VII Corps' last uncommitted reserve.
(31.22) Map and Game-Length: The game lasts eight game-turns. The first turn is Game-Turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). Use only the southern half of the map.
(31.23) Starting Deployment:
NATO:
The West German 55th HSB Brigade may be deployed anywhere north of the Main River and anywhere south of the Main River on or west of the autobahn from 7008 to 6011.
(31.24) Starting Combat Support:
| West German | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 1 | 1 |
| Intelligence Level | 3 | 2 |
| Helicopter Steps | 4xPAH-1 | 6xMi-24 |
| Helicopter Transport Allowance | 4 | 3 |
| Air Support Points | 3 | 4 |
| SAM Strength | 3 | 4 |
(31.25) Special Rules:
NATO may declare any bridges on the map blown at the start of play.
NATO may deploy an improved position under each West German unit at the start of play.
NATO may deploy four real and four dummy minefields anywhere within or one hex beyond the 55th's deployment area.
All units of the 26th Luftlande are treated as independent.
The Warsaw Pact automatically wins the initiative for all phases of the first game-turn.
(31.26) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn One: The 55th Regiment plus all independent units of the Warsaw Pact 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division enter from the eastern mapedge. Each division HQ has EW assets. The 207th Airmobile Battalion may enter by airmobile movement.
Game-Turn Two: The 57th and 60th regiments of the Warsaw Pact 20th Division enter on any eastern mapedge road.
The West German 35th Brigade and the "4-9-1" artillery from the 12th Panzer Division Base enters at the western mapedge.
Game-Turn Three: The rest of the Warsaw Pact 20th Guards Division enters on any eastern mapedge road.
Two "1-1" airmobile steps and two "2-1" airmobile anti-tank steps from the West German 26th Luftlande Brigade enter by airmobile movement.
(31.27) Victory Conditions:
The Warsaw Pact wins decisively if NATO cannot trace a line of communication from a NATO-controlled hex of Wurzburg to the southern mapedge at the end of the game.
NATO wins decisively if there are no non-airmobile Warsaw Pact units south of the Main River and west of the highway between 7018 and 5921 (19).
If neither player wins decisively, each receives 1 victory point for each enemy step eliminated and the standard victory scale is used (see 19.31).
(31.28) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: This scenario cannot be played without the Advanced Game rules.
(31.29) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
Warsaw Pact strategy is wholly dependent on NATO. If the 55th HS Brigade defends forward, the Pact should not hesitate to engage and destroy it. The destruction of this formation is sufficient to assure victory if done with mimimal casualties. If, however, the 55th attempts to disengage and retire towards Wurzburg, engagements should be avoided while an encirclement of Wurzburg is attempted. Finally, if the Germans simply sit in Wurzburg, the Pact should rapidly advance and cut off the city's line of communication to the south. If this can be accomplished quickly enough, the Pact can assume the defensive and let the Germans fight their way out.
NATO:
NATO must block any fast move to the west. The 55th HSB should be deployed in depth along the most likely Pact advance routes. Sacrificing as few units as possible, the 55th should slowly withdraw towards Wurzburg and the 35th Panzergrenadier. The 26LL is best used in the forests south of Wurzburg. NATO should sacrifice territory for time and stand fast only when good defensive terrain is to be found.
31.3 Attack on an Exposed Flank
(31.31) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
The collapse of the U.S. 1st Armored Division's forward defenses around Bamburg on D+2 created a gap in the U.S. line from Bamburg to Schweinfurt. Despite the exceptionally difficult terrain in this sector, the South East German Front commander immediately dispatched the 79th Guards Tank Division to exploit the gap. Meeting almost no resistance, the division travelled 30 kilometers in nine hours and emerged on the flank of the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division at dawn on D+3. The Front commander then ordered the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division, holding the sector in front of the U.S. division, to launch a pinning attack, and simultaneously ordered the 79th Guards Tank Division to attack the U.S. 3rd Mech division from the flank.
NATO:
The 8th Guards Army's main thrust was through Coburg and the Hof Gap, so the Wurzburg sector saw no serious action for the first three days of the war. Consequently, 12th Panzer was moved north to assist V Corps in action against the 28th Army, leaving only two brigades of the 3rd Mech to defend the area. These two brigades busily fortified their front. In the evening of the third day, the 55th HS Brigade moved into the area as a reserve force to be shifted either north or east as the next day's situation dictated. This proved fortuitous, as the 55th was the only effective fighting force between the 79th Guards Tank Division and Wurzburg when the lead tanks of the 79th suddenly materialized out of the early morning fog.
(31.32) Map and Game-Length: The scenario is eight game-turns long; it starts on Game-Turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). The entire game-map is used.
(31.33) Starting Deployment:
NATO:
The U.S. 1st Brigade is deployed within 10 hexes of any hex of Schweinfurt.
The U.S. 2nd Brigade goes within 10 hexes of any hex of Bad Kissingen.
The U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division Base and 72nd Field Artillery Brigade go within 10 hexes of any U.S. brigade HQs. Delete three steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the 3rd Mech base. The 3rd Mech "MN" HQ has EW assets.
The West German 55th HS Brigade goes within 15 hexes of any hexes of Wurzburg, but all units must be north of the Main River.
(31.33) Starting Combat Support:
| U.S. | West German | NATO | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 2 | 2 | ||
| Intelligence Level | 3 | 2 | ||
| Helicopter Steps | 6xAH-64 | 5xPAH-1 | 6xMi-24 | |
| Helicopter Transport Allowance | 4 | 3 | ||
| Air Support Points | 4 | 2 | 6 | |
| SAM Strength | 4 | 5 | ||
| ADM Points | 3 | 0 | 2 | |
| Persistent Gas | 0 | 4 | ||
| Non-Persistent Gas | 0 | 4 |
(31.34) Special Rules:
NATO may deploy up to 12 improved positions with U.S. (not West German) units.
NATO may declare any bridges blown at the start of play.
NATO may deploy five real and five dummy minefields within one hex beyond any U.S. brigade deployment area. No minefields may be deployed south of the Main River, however.
All units of the West German 26th Luftlande Brigade are treated as independent for this scenario.
(31.35) Reinforcements:
After all NATO units, improved positions, and minefields have been deployed and any bridges blown, the Warsaw Pact has a special pre-game Mission Phase in which to enter the following formations. They may only perform march missions; no other units may move in this pre-game phase.
All units of the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division, except for the 117th, 39th Tank, and DTB regiments, enter between 2801 and 1021. Each division HQ has EW assets.
All units of the 79th Guards Tank Division except for the 227th and 79th Mech regiments, enter between 3201 and 5801. Each division HQ has EW assets.
The 207th airmobile battalion may enter by airmobile movement.
Game-Turn One: The rest of the Warsaw Pact 39th and 79th divisions enter in the areas described above.
Game-Turn Three: Two "1-1" airmobile steps and two "2-1" airmobile anti-tank steps from the West German 26th Luftlande Brigade enter by airmobile movement.
(31.36) Victory Conditions:
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 victory point for each NATO step eliminated.
- 1 victory point for each NATO-controlled city hex from which NATO cannot trace a line of communications to the western mapedge at the end of the game.
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact-controlled city hex.
NATO:
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact step eliminated.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(31.37) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: Delete the Warsaw Pact 207th Airmobile Battalion. Delete the West German 26th Luftlande Battalion. NATO may place two improved positions each Bookkeeping Phase. An improved position may only be placed in a hex containing an unused friendly unit.
(31.38) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
The 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division is the anvil. The 79th Guards Tank Division is the hammer. Following this analogy, the Warsaw Pact should avoid attacking with the 39th Guards early in the game. Its function is to pin down as many U.S. units as possible north of Schweinfurt. If it attacks and loses a significant number of steps, NATO will be able to pull units away and send them south. Since the 39th lacks the firepower to blast through two brigades, it should wait for the 79th to cross the Main and start attacking Schweinfurt from the rear before it launches any major thrusts of its own. The 79th should avoid tangling with U.S. units on the east bank of the Main. Rather, it should cross to the west bank as soon as possible. Crossing is usually best accomplished just north of Kitzingen. Once across, the Warsaw Pact player can either divide the division, sending part towards Wurzburg and part towards Schweinfurt, or send the whole division to encircle Schweinfurt. The latter is usually more effective. Once the 79th moves within striking range of the U.S. defenses around Schweinfurt, both the 79th and 39th should attack simultaneously. NATO lacks the firepower to beat off both divisions at once. Patience in setting up the encirclement is the key to victory.
NATO:
NATO's U.S. forces start badly out of position. The 1st Brigade's tank steps should be deployed on the east bank of the Main, to threaten Warsaw Pact crossings too close to Schweinfurt. NATO must defeat one of the Pact divisions before the 79th breaks into his rear. If the 39th is too aggressive, NATO should counterattack and destroy it. Otherwise, the 2nd Brigade's tanks should move towards Kitzingen to screen the 79th's advance. Since the 79th is too strong to attack frontally, NATO should attempt to defeat it with a sustained series of fire strikes aimed at shattering one or both of its forward regiments.
The 55th HS Brigade should not attempt to contest the 79th's crossing of the Main. It is simply too light to do more than die by the riverside. It should retire into Wurzburg, where even the whole of the 79th Guards will have a tough time digging it out.
NATO must conduct a mobile defense, keeping his forces intact and his firepower in constant operation. Even if the Warsaw Pact succeeds in isolating Schweinfurt, NATO can make the defense of the encircling ring so costly that he ultimately wins.
31.4 Operational Maneuver Group
(31.41) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
In preparing his invasion plan, the 8th Guards Army commander drew upon three years of personal study of NATO's dispositions and exercises in the Wurzburg area, as well as intelligence studies going back much further. His conclusion was that the 8th Guards Army would wreck itself if VII Corps were given time to form a line along the border. The key to unlocking NATO's defenses, he believed, was to insert an Operational Maneuver Group of at least two divisions behind NATO's line before it could be properly manned. Once this had been achieved, the rest of the 8th Guards Army could easily exploit the penetration and execute a flanking envelopment against VII Corps, rather than a frontal assault. Everything depended on speed. If the OMG could blitz through NATO's positions in the opening hours of the invasion, VII corps would never put all the pieces back together again. On the other hand, if the OMG was stopped before it could break through, the Army's subsequent attacks would be piecemeal, without the coordination and combat support of a properly planned assault. To tip the balance in his favor, the 8th Guards Army commander lobbied vigorously and successfully for the Front's Airborne Assault Brigade; with this formation to seize bridges and hold open routes, the OMG's chances for success were virtually assured.
NATO:
"My God! Those aren't ours..."
(31.42) Map and Game Length: The scenario is eight game-turns long, starting on Game-Turn 4 (Noon, Day 1). Use only the northern three-quarters of the map.
(31.43) Starting Deployment:
NATO deploys first.
NATO:
The U.S. 2nd Squadron/11th Armored Cavalry Regiment goes anywhere in the northernmost quarter of the map.
The U.S. 1st Brigade goes in any city hexes of Schweinfurt. Add three "3-11-1" artillery steps to the 1st Brigade.
The West German 35th Brigade goes within one hex of 3529. The 12th Panzer Division HQ (only), with EW assets, goes in 5525.
Warsaw Pact:
The South East German Front Air Assault Brigade may be placed in any number of hexes, anywhere on the map, so long as no unit is in heavy woods, a city hex, or adjacent to NATO units. The entire brigade need not be deployed; any units withheld may be entered as airmobile reinforcements whenever the Warsaw Pact player chooses.
(31.44) Starting Combat Support:
| U.S. | West German | NATO | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 2 | 2 | ||
| Intelligence Level | 2 | 3 | ||
| Helicopter Steps | 0 | 0 | 7xMi-24 | |
| Helicopter Transport Allowance | 0 | 3 | ||
| Air Support Points | 0 | 0 | 8 | |
| SAM Strength | 2 | 5 | ||
| Mine Points | 6 | 4 | ||
| ADM Points | 4 | 0 | 4 | |
| Persistent Gas | 0 | 2 | ||
| Non-Persistent Gas | 0 | 2 |
(31.45) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn One: All units of the 79th Guards Tank Division except for the 227th and 79th Mechanized Regiments enter between 1001 and 1021.
Game-Turn Two: The rest of the 79th Guards and the "12-25-1" artillery of the 8th Guards Army Artillery enter between 1001 and 1021.
The U.S. 2nd Brigade and 3rd Mechanized Division Base enter on the southern mapedge (i.e., on the 5500 hex row). Delete six steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the division base. Six steps of U.S. AH-64 helicopters arrive in the Ready Box of the Helicopter Display.
Game-Turn Three: All units of the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division except for the 117th, 39th Tank, and DTB regiments enter from the northern mapedge.
The U.S. receives 4 air support points. The West Germans receive 2 air support points. NATO SAM strength goes up to 3. Three steps of "2-15-1" artillery from the West German 12th Panzer Division Base enter from the southern mapedge.
Game-Turn Four: The rest of the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division enters from the northern mapedge.
NATO's intelligence level increases to 3.
Game-Turn Five: The West German 36th Brigade enters on any southern mapedge road hexes.
(31.46) Special Rules:
During Game-Turn 1, no NATO units except the 2nd Squadron/11th Cavalry may conduct missions, react, or conduct infiltration fire. Flip all NATO units, except the 2nd Squadron, to their used sides. In addition, NATO may not conduct engineering or EW activities on Game-Turn 1.
The Warsaw Pact player automatically wins the initiative for all phases of the first three game-turns.
NATO may not destroy bridges by "set charges" (see 16.1) on Game-Turns 1 and 2.
Units of the Warsaw Pact SEGF Airborne Assault Brigade are considered part of the 79th Guards Tank Division for artillery coordination purposes (see 13.6). Either formation's HQs may coordinate fire for artillery belonging to either formation, in support of units of either formation, using observers of either formation.
(31.47) Victory Conditions:
Both players receive 1 victory point for each enemy step eliminated.
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 victory point for each non-airmobile step which exits the southern mapedge (5500 hex row) or western mapedge south of the Frankischer Saale River.
NATO:
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact step that is still north of the autobahn running from 3201, 3821, to 2333 at the end of the game.
- 1 victory point for each city hex that is still NATO-controlled at the game's end.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(31.48) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: This scenario can only be played using the Advanced Game rules.
(31.49) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
The Pact player must decide at the outset whether he will drive west or south. If he chooses the south, the SEGF airborne brigade must be dropped to secure the fastest route to the Main, allowing the 79th to advance rapidly. The 79th should not engage NATO unless its path is completely blocked or if overwhelming superiority is at hand. The 39th should be assigned to mop up the NATO resistance. If a westerly route is chosen, speed is much less important. If the road net is not clear, the Pact should advance as far as possible, but when NATO stands its ground the Pact should assault on a narrow front. The inevitable holes will provide advance routes for the 39th which should then exit as quickly as possible.
NATO:
NATO begins this scenario out of position and with few defensive options. This is no time to practice forward defence. The SEGF Air Assault Brigade should be dealt with quickly before the 79th is able to deploy. First priority is to slow the Pact attack by defending in depth and blocking key road junctions. If the Pact attacks takes a westerly direction, a U.S. brigade should be shifted to the west. The Germans simply do not have the artillery or strength to beat back a Soviet division by themselves. The 26LL will be of best use to the west where its infantry can take advantage of the terrain. The 36th should arrive just in time to either save the day or watch the Soviets stream off the map. This scenario will be decided in the first few turns so it is important that NATO remain as flexible as possible and deny the Pact an easy victory by blocking the road net and maintaining an adequate reserve to blunt penetrations.
31.5 Attack to Relieve a Pocket
(31.51) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
The main thrust of the South East German Front was through the Fulda Gap, spearheaded by the 28th Army. To the 8th Guards Army fell the rather inglorious job of screening the Front's southern flank and tying down as many NATO troops with as few resources as possible. For this reason, the 8th Guards Army committed only two of its five divisions to the Wurzburg sector. Even so, the advantages of complete surprise and air superiority allowed these two divisions to maul the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division, pocketing most of it in Schweinfurt at the end of the first day. Reinforcing success, the 8th Guards Army commander immediately committed his whole artillery brigade to this sector and ordered the two divisions to clear the pocket. If he could demonstrate a clean breakthrough, he knew he could win the Front commander's permission to unleash his tank division.
NATO:
Caught without warning and pummeled from the air, the commander of the 3rd Mechanized Division felt that he had lost the fight before it was even begun. By the end of the first day, half of his command was destroyed and the rest was completely surrounded. However, he still had enough troops and munitions left to hold out for a while, maybe even a couple of days, if he was given time to fortify the city. VII Corps wouldn't hear of it. The 3rd Division was going to be rescued... somehow. Taking a great risk, the commander of the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group volunteered to rail his command up to Kitzingen. CENTAG approved, and the Canadians and West German railway workers labored desperately over the long night to get the brigade loaded up and routed over the badly-bombed rail net to Kitzengen. By dawn of D+1, the tank squadron had already disembarked and was probing towards Schweinfurt from the southeast. The rest of the brigade was still en route. Meanwhile, the two brigades of the 12th Panzer had regrouped and were preparing to break into the pocket from the southwest. Help was on the way, if the 3rd Mech could just hold out a little longer.
(31.52) Map and Game-Length: The scenario lasts six game-turns starting in Game-Turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). The entire game-map is used.
(31.53) Starting Deployment:
NATO's forces are deployed in two stages. The forces outlined in "Initial Deployment" are placed. Then all Warsaw Pact units are placed and the Warsaw Pact player plans his missions for Game-Turn 1. Then NATO's "Final Deployment" occurs.
NATO Initial Deployment:
The U.S. 1st Brigade (one step of tanks, five of infantry, and HQ only), U.S. 2nd Brigade (three steps of tanks, three of infantry, and HQ only) and the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division Base (six steps of "3-11-1" artillery, three engineers, and TAC HQ, with EW assets, only) go in any hexes of Schweinfurt.
Warsaw Pact:
The 39th Guards and 57th Guards divisions go anywhere within ten hexes of any hexes of Schweinfurt, provided that no unit is adjacent to a NATO unit. Both division "MN" HQs have EW assets. Some regiments are at the following reduced strengths: 112th (5 steps), 117th (7), 120th (4), 39th (6), 170th (5), 172nd (6), 174th (5), 57th (6). All other regiments and artillery are at full strength.
The 8th Guards Army Artillery goes anywhere within five hexes of 2621.
NATO Final Deployment:
The West German 35th Brigade may either be placed within five hexes of 3529, or within five hexes of 4224 (not both). Delete two tank and four infantry steps from the brigade.
The West German 36th Brigade goes within five hexes of 4224 or 5118 (not both).
The 12th Panzer Division Base (HQ has EW assets) goes within five hexes of 4224 or 5118 (not both). Delete the "4-9-1" artillery from the 12th Division base.
Three tank steps of the Canadian 4th Mechanized Brigade Group go within five hexes of 5004.
The "MN" HQ of the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division and the 72nd Field Artillery Brigade go within five hexes of Kitzingen (5811).
(31.54) Starting Combat Support:
| U.S. | West German | Canadian | NATO | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 2 | 2 | |||
| Intelligence Level | 3 | 2 | |||
| Helicopter Steps | 5xAH-64 | 5xPAH-1 | 6xMi-24 | ||
| Air Support Points | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| SAM Strength | 4 | 4 | |||
| ADM Points | 2 | 0 | 0 |
(31.55) Reinforcement Schedule:
Game-Turn One: Two steps of "4-9-1" artillery from the West German 12th Panzer Division Base enter at 7027. Four steps of infantry, four of "2-11-1" artillery, and the HQ of the 4th Canadian Brigade are placed directly at 5811. The Canadian reinforcements may not move on Game-Turn 1.
Variable: If the Warsaw Pact controls every hex of Schweinfurt at the end of any game-turn, he receives all units of the 79th Tank Division (except for the 227th and 79th Mechanized Regiments) on any northern mapedge road on the next game-turn, and the rest of the division on the turn after that.
(31.56) Special Rules:
NATO may declare any bridges blown at the start of the first turn. The Warsaw Pact player may then deploy three bridge markers across the Main River; both hexes touched by all the bridges must be within ten hexes of Schweinfurt.
U.S. artillery may employ indirect fire in support of Canadian offensive fire, provided that they are coordinated by the Canadian Brigade HQ. It cannot support Canadian defensive fire.
(31.57) Victory Conditions:
Both players receive one victory point for each enemy step eliminated.
Warsaw Pact:
- 1 victory point for each hex of Schweinfurt controlled at the game's end.
NATO:
- 10 victory points if a line of communication can be traced from any NATO-controlled hex of Schweinfurt to the southern mapedge.
Use the standard victory scale (see 19.31).
(31.58) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: Use the following victory scale instead of the standard one:
Draw: 0-2 Marginal Victory: 3-5 Tactical Victory: 6-8 Decisive Victory: 9+
(31.59) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
Though you are the besieger, you are in a tough spot. Both of your divisions are pretty beat up. The U.S. 3rd Mech isn't happy either, but it just has to sit back and defend in great defensive terrain. And the Canadians and West Germans are a strong fighting force. You should concentrate your "3-3" regiments against the city, and screen the West Germans with your tanks in the light woods to the west. Keep the engineers back, and protected from air strikes, and build a secondary line of improved positions to fend off the West Germans when they break through the woods line. Make two massive assaults against Schweinfurt, keeping only one artillery unit back from each division to blunt the pressure from the West Germans. With any luck, you'll take two city hexes a turn, and the relieving force will be too badly battered to break through. Watch out for German units slipping by and into the city. It is tough enough to root out the weakened U.S. units.
NATO:
The 3rd Mech is a sad shadow of what it once was. All your brigades are shattered, or will be very soon. All you can do is garrison all Schweinfurt's hexes, and keep a reaction force in its center, ready to shoot up Warsaw Pact regiments that are near shattering. Try to set up one or two improved positions in the city; these will be tough to break. Don't be afraid to try sorties with the U.S. armor once the 72nd FAB comes up; the armor is pretty useless in the city, and will be most useful helping the Germans crack the encircling armor.
31.6 Hammer & Anvil: The Attack of the 8th Guards Army
(31.61) Scenario Briefing:
Warsaw Pact:
In defining strategy for the invasion, the General Staff chose to maximize surprise against NATO's air forces. This strategy meant giving NATO no more than three hours potential warning time. The Army was allowed only very limited preparation, under the cover of fall maneuvers. Not until 12:00 AM of the day itself were most divisions allowed to draw their equipment, and it was almost dawn before many were forced to move. For this reason, each army in the echelon arrived at the border one division at a time, and some of these divisions had not reached even the border by the end of the first day. On the other hand, NATO's front line airfields were thoroughly devastated by the initial air strikes, stripping NATO's ground forces of much of their firepower and promising an easier time to the advancing armies than would otherwise have been the case.
To the 8th Guards Army fell the task of breaking through VII Corps' defenses around Wurzburg and advancing down the corridor of relatively open terrain in this sector to seize Stuttgart, 200 kilometers from the border. When completed, this advance would effectively sever the U.S. VII Corps and the West German II Corps from the rest of NATO's forces, and allow them no retreat from the advancing armies of the Czechoslovak Front. To perform this mission, the 8th Guards Army was to concentrate its entire attack along a front of only 50 kilometers. The Army commander was counting on the narrow frontage, surprise, and the deeply echeloned mass of his whole army to provide the necessary momentum to smash all the way to Stuttgart.
NATO:
The private nightmare of the commander of the U.S. 3rd Mechanized Division was that he might wake up one morning to find his division the sole object of an attack by an entire Soviet Combined Arms Army. One morning, his private nightmare came true, complete with a stray bomb that woke him up by taking out all of the glass in his bedroom window. Along with the glass went a goodly portion of NATO's front-line air forces, as well as whatever barracks positions were targetted by the older Pact aircraft unable to reach NATO airfields. Nevertheless, two pieces of good news did emerge from the shambles. First, the war was not immediately nuclear. Second, very few Pact formations were actually on the border. There was still time to move troops up into good defensive positions. The commander raced to his headquarters and set the division in motion. By 10:00 AM, however, he was beginning to worry about the direction his division was moving. His G2 had pieced together sufficient indications to provide a preliminary intelligence assessment: the entire 8th Guards Army was heading in their direction. The commander called VII Corps headquarters, and found that they too had just come to the same conclusion. VII Corps' commander promised that the two brigades of the 12th Panzer Division in the same sector would be kept there.
(31.62) Map and Game Length: The scenario lasts 14 game-turns, starting with Game-Turn 1 (6 A.M., Day 1). The entire map is used.
(31.63) Starting Deployment:
The Warsaw Pact player plans the missions of Game-Turn One reinforcements before NATO begins to deploy.
NATO:
The U.S. 2nd Squadron/11th Armored Cavalry Regiment goes anywhere in the northernmost quarter of the map.
The U.S. 1st Brigade (add three steps of "3-11-1" artillery from the 3rd Mech Base) goes within 2 hexes of Schweinfurt.
The U.S. 2nd Brigade, plus two steps of "3-11-1" artillery, one of "6-18-1" artillery, and four of engineers from the 3rd Mech Base go within two hexes of 5811.
The HQs of the 3rd Mech go within two hexes of Wurzburg. The "MN" HQ has EW Assets.
The West German 35th Brigade goes within two hexes of 3529.
The 12th Panzer "MN" HQ, with EW assets, goes to 5525.
NATO begins in "peacetime battalion quarters:" each infantry and tank unit must have exactly four steps, and each "3-11-1" artillery unit must have exactly three steps. Not all unit counters will be used at start.
(31.64) Starting Combat Support:
| U.S. | West German | NATO | Warsaw Pact | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offmap Command Points | 2 | 3 | ||
| Intelligence Level | 2 | 3 | ||
| Helicopter Steps | 0 | 0 | 7xMi-24 | |
| Helicopter Transport Allowance | 0 | 3 | ||
| Air Support Points | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| SAM Strength | 3 | 4 | ||
| Mine Points | 12 | 6 | 12 | |
| ADM Points | 6 | 0 | 5 | |
| Persistent Gas | 0 | 3 | ||
| Non-Persistent Gas | 0 | 2 |
(31.65) Reinforcements:
Game-Turn One: All units of the 39th Guards Motor Rifle Division except for the 117th, 39th Tank and DTB Regiments enter between 1001 and 1021. Both division HQs have EW assets. The 207th airmobile battalion is available to enter by airmobile movement (only).
Three steps of "2-15-1" artillery from the West German 12th Panzer Division Base enter on the southern mapedge between 7018 and 7028.
Game-Turn Two: The rest of the 39th Guards enters between 1001 and 1021.
The U.S. 72nd Field Artillery Brigade enters between 6034 and 6733. Eight steps of U.S. AH-64 helicopters arrive. The West German 36th Brigade enters between 7018 and 7028.
Game-Turn Three: All units of the Warsaw Pact 79th Guards Tank Division, except for the 227th and 79th Mechanized Regiments, enter between 1001 and 1021.
Game-Turn Four: The rest of the Warsaw Pact 79th Guards Tank Division and the 8th Guards Army Artillery enter between 1001 and 1021.
The U.S. 3rd Brigade and 9th Engineer Battalion enter between 4034 and 6434. Two U.S. and two West German air support points arrive. NATO's intelligence level increases to 3.
Game-Turn Five: All units of the Warsaw Pact 57th Guards Motor Rifle Division except for the 172nd, 57th Tank, and DTB Regiments enter on the northern mapedge.
Two steps of "6-18-1" artillery from the U.S. 4/27 Battalion enter between 7006 and 7008.
Game-Turn Six: The rest of the 57th Guards enters on the northern mapedge.
Two steps of "4-9-1" artillery from the West German 12th Panzer Division Base enter between 7018 and 7028. Three West German ADM points become available.
Game-Turn Nine: All units of the Warsaw Pact 20th Guards Motor Rifle Division arrive on the northern mapedge, except for the 57th, 20th Tank and DTB Regiments. Nine Warsaw Pact air support points become available. Warsaw Pact SAM strength goes up to five.
Four U.S. and two West German air support points become available. NATO SAM strength goes up to four. Two non-persistent and one persistent gas points become available. Also, any time from Game-Turn 9 on, the NATO player may begin taking the units of the West German 26th Luftlande Brigade by airmobile movement (he may take as many steps each turn as his helicopter transport allowance permits); NATO receives a bonus of five victory points if no units of the 26th are taken, however.
(31.66) Special Rules:
After NATO deploys, the Warsaw Pact may expend up to three air support points to call in aircraft for fire strikes (no artillery or helicopters may participate). In these pre-game strikes, targets are automatically acquired, there is no flak or SAM, and targets receive no terrain benefits to defense strength. (Exception: Units of the 2nd Squadron/11th Cavalry do receive terrain defense benefits.)
The Warsaw Pact player automatically wins the initiative in all phases until the end of Game-Turn Three.
NATO may not destroy bridges via set charges (see 16.1) on Game-Turn 1.
(31.67) Victory Conditions:
Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact player's victory point total is solely dependent on the location of his southernmost unshattered regiment at the end of the game.
If it is in the northern half of the map, the Warsaw Pact player loses decisively. If it is in the third quarter, the Warsaw Pact player earns 10 victory points. If it is in the southernmost quarter, he earns 20 victory points. If it has exited the southern mapedge from the 7000 hex row, he earns 30 victory points. All of a regiment's surviving steps must be in an area for the regiment to be considered to be there. Units of DTBs do not count for the regiment for Warsaw Pact victory point purposes at all.
NATO:
- 1 victory point for each Warsaw Pact regiment that is shattered.
- 3 victory points for each NATO Brigade that is not shattered (except for the 26th Luftlande; there is no bonus if the 26th is unshattered).
- 5 victory points if no step of the 26th Luftlande is ever taken.
The standard victory scale is used (see 19.31).
(31.68) Modifications When Using Standard Game Rules: The Warsaw Pact player may not make any pre-game strikes. NATO may place two improved positions each Bookkeeping Phase on the first day, and three each turn on the second. An improved position may only be placed in a hex containing an unused friendly unit.
(31.69) Scenario Notes:
Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact must get through the forest belt that dominates the northern quarter as quickly as possible. If NATO can bring four brigades up to the line before the Warsaw Pact has broken though the forest, the Pact will take enormous casualties trying to smash through. The key to a successful Pact opening is in the air. The Pact should take three air calls during his special pre-game Strike Phase and use them to disrupt three stacks of NATO troops, preferably all from the same brigade. During the first game-turn, one airmobile company should be deployed around the junction of the autobahns in the forest south of Wurzburg to delay the NATO reinforcements trying to use the road net in that area. The other two airmobile companies should be used to block the forward movement of the two front-line NATO brigades. The West German 35th Brigade, in particular, can be totally immobilized in this manner, giving the Pact a clear avenue of advance on the western flank.
The Warsaw Pact player should concentrate the 39th Guards on the western side of the front. The terrain in this area is more suitable for infantry, and the West Germans have only a fraction of the artillery available to the Americans. The 79th Guards should be used more on the eastern side of the front, where the terrain is much more open. The deployment of follow-on divisions depends on which of the first two divisions is making better progress.
Before the Army artillery arrives, the Warsaw Pact player should limit his attacks and emphasize infiltration, however expensive, to bypass NATO strongpoints. Once the Army artillery brigade arrives, the Warsaw Pact player can really consider some major attacks. As Army artillery units can only participate in assault missions, the Pact player must be careful to plan enough of this asset to use all his available assets. However, a few hasty attack missions should be given to second echelon regiments so that troops are available to exploit any breakthroughs. Another very good use of the Army artillery is to make fire strikes against NATO's artillery. A few successful strikes will seriously weaken NATO's artillery shield.
Until he has broken out of the forest belt, the Warsaw Pact player will be forced to make frontal attacks. To minimize casualties, he should make maximum use of air strikes, ADMs, airmobile troops, and combat jamming to block NATO reaction movement. Note that NATO has sufficient artillery to inflict very heavy losses on the first two or three attacks launched. It is therefore the fourth, fifth, and later attacks that will really have a chance of succeeding. Be aggressive. The Pact player should also concentrate on attacking in depth: sending several waves of attacks against the same narrow sector. Eventually, NATO will run out of reserves and artillery, and somebody will break through. Conversely, if the Warsaw Pact makes a large number of attacks over a broad front, he will probably break through nowhere.
Once through the forest belt, the Warsaw Pact player should ignore his flanks and avoid making any unnecessary attacks: everything should be focused on bypassing NATO forces and punching through to the rear. Success in this strategy will force NATO to counterattack in order to contain your advance. Such attacks can be made very expensive indeed.
NATO:
NATO's opening strategy is simple: get forward as quickly as possible. NATO has to try to hold on to the forest belt for as long as it can. This strategy will be quite expensive, however, unless dovetailed with the tactic of defending on the front line with single-step units. The first advantage to this is that the worst that can happen is that one step is lost, while defensive artillery can still take its full toll from the attacker. The second advantage is that large reserve forces can be maintained, ready to react into select positions. Once the Pact has his Army artillery, however, NATO should be very careful about reacting onto the line. The artillery is strong enough to roast a stack, even one supported by reacting reserves.
NATO should be careful about giving the West Germans too broad a frontage. Lacking much in the way of artillery, they are going to attract most of the Pact's attention, especially in the early part of the game. Give the U.S. the job of covering most of the front, and keep the West Germans concentrated in mutually-supporting positions.
Another key to a successful NATO defense is imaginative use of the engineers and mine points NATO receives. These assets should not be used on the front line, or they will quickly be lost. Rather, they should be used in the rear, to create a second line of defense composed of improved positions fronted by minefields. This line must not be too far forward, or it will be overrun, nor too far back, or it will be of little use in critical fighting. A properly sited line can win the game, if all the NATO engineers are used to build it; a player who uses engineers as extra combat steps on the front line is wasting one of his most valuable assets.
NATO should never miss an opportunity to strike Pact artillery outside of towns and cities. If he can win several artillery duels, a lot of the Pact's offensive potential will be blunted.
NATO has enough tank strength to launch several strong counterattacks each turn. However, NATO should be careful not to counterattack until the Warsaw Pact has used all divisional artillery. Otherwise, a counterattack will cost more than it gains. NATO should also be careful to counterattack in as many small stacks as possible, to avoid creating an attractive target for an ADM or chemical strike. Wherever possible, a counterattack should have the objective of shattering a regiment; counterattacks that have no chance of this should be avoided.
If possible, NATO should hold onto the forest belt, even at the cost of a few units. The restricted frontages in this belt make it much harder for the Pact to bring his full mass to bear, and much easier for NATO to seal off sections of the front with light forces or ADMs. Once the Pact has broken through into open terrain, his tank strength will be hard to stop. If a breakthrough does materialize, the 26th Luftlande may be necessary.
This force should not be used at the point of the breakthrough, however. Rather, it should be flown into covered terrain elsewhere along the line, freeing regular units to retreat into blocking positions.
Advanced Game Player's Notes
Air & Armor's Advanced Game places many more options at the players' fingertips, greatly adding to the challenge of achieving combined arms coordination. The salient features of this version are, first, that there is a great deal more firepower available, and second, that there is no front line: every force is a potential target. As a result, players will find themselves being much more conservative in seeking contact with the enemy, and will be encouraged to maximize the use of covered terrain to conceal friendly forces.
Deployment
In sharp contrast to the Standard Game, both players should keep individual units and stacks as small as possible. Any sizeable concentration of steps in one hex invites a devastating strike. Attacks should be delivered from multiple hexes and only part of the force should advance after combat. The defender should think carefully before reacting with a large force.
Air Operations
Air and helicopter units are expensive and easily lost. A player who simply employs these units as extra firepower will probably lose as many victory points as he gains. Air units should be used only when a really valuable target exists, or when enemy antiaircraft fire is light. Remember to husband a reserve of unused air assets: this reserve will inhibit enemy operations in clear terrain and curtail marginal attacks for as long as it is maintained.
The most attractive targets for friendly air and helicopter assets are enemy artillery and HQ units. Unfortunately, these targets tend to be the best protected. Never miss an opportunity to strike one when it moves into the open.
NATO air strikes are best delivered at low altitude in bombing mode: the projected firepower is fairly good and a low altitude attack usually draws less antiaircraft fire. Warsaw Pact air strikes are best delivered at high altitude in bombing mode: this is the only profile that generates significant firepower and NATO SAM fire is generally weak. Helicopter units should attack in gunnery mode, unless the target is particularly tough.
Since enemy flak fire is heaviest where the enemy is concentrated for an attack, low level air and helicopter attacks should not be used to chew up enemy spearheads. It is better to use artillery against enemy thrusts and to keep air and helicopter assets for offensive use. This tactic allows such assets to be employed where the enemy is not necessarily expecting you, and therefore where flak fire is much lighter.
To counter enemy air operations, keep your units in covered terrain as much as possible, keep individual stacks small, and place HQ's adjacent to your artillery positions to provide strong flak fire. Particularly valuable artillery units should be guarded with combat troops so that if the enemy successfully strikes them, the combat units can maximize the hits absorbed by disruption and (if the acquisition fails) die in place of the artillery.
Electronic Warfare
The attacker should always attempt to cover his hasty attack and assault missions with combat jamming, unless the enemy has already exhausted his artillery and reserves. The defender, on the other hand, should rely on maneuver jamming: there is nothing more useless to the attacker than a mission group that can't quite reach its objective. EW assets die fairly quickly, but if you have more than one, it usually makes sense to use them as often as possible. In the realm of countermeasures, the NATO player should attempt wherever possible to defend in prepared positions or urban centers, where he is more difficult to jam. The Warsaw Pact player should consider placing his forward HQs with his strongest regiments, thereby blocking NATO jamming attempts on these formations.
Strikes
On the offense, fire strikes should be employed to soften up particularly tough front-line positions just prior to attack, and to disrupt enemy reserves. On defense, fire strikes should be used to blunt enemy spearheads, especially when the attacker has been forced to move into the open. In both roles, however, strikes on enemy artillery and HQ units should be your highest priority, since early luck here will cripple your opponent.
Interdiction strikes are especially useful for blocking choke points, such as bridges or roads in heavy forests. Players frequently overlook this type of strike in favor of destroying steps. Don't. A well-timed interdiction strike can block an enemy attack or reaction or thereby save many more friendly steps than a fire strike could take from the enemy.
Artillery-delivered mine strikes should be used with great care. These strikes are extremely powerful, but scarce, and as usual the threat of their existence is often more effective than their actual employment. For the attacker, they are most useful for blocking reaction or counterattack. For the defender, these strikes are best used to delay enemy breakthroughs when no troops are near enough, or to punish an opponent thoughtless enough to mass forces in a single hex.
Chemical strikes have the same uses as artillery-delivered mine strikes, but much more range. It is especially important for the attacker not to place these strikes anywhere near his major axis of advance, as they will slow him down as much as the enemy. For both players, the best use of these strikes is to delay enemy reinforcements trying to move up to the front line.
Engineering
It is impossible to over-emphasize the usefulness of engineers, especially on defence. Whenever possible, the defender should pick a line in his rear and put his engineers to work mining approaches and digging prepared positions. The troops at the front should then conduct a delaying action timed to arrive at the prepared line just as it is completed. Naturally, this timing is not easy. Properly managed, however, this tactic will frequently win the game. Whatever else, do not use these troops to cover your front line. They are far more effective fortifying your rear.
On the offense, engineers have two roles. The first is to accompany your spearheads, protecting them from artillery-delivered mine strikes and clearing mines and obstacles that block your path. The second is to build bridges. Always attempt to build more bridges than you think you will need, since enemy strikes may peel away your engineers before construction is completed.
Airmobile Operations
Airmobile troops have little firepower and poor defense. In a head-to-head battle with conventional troops, they will evaporate quickly. Therefore, they should be kept out of front-line operations as much as possible. There are two tactics, however, which work wonders. The first is to deploy a rotating force of airmobile companies to block roads ahead of enemy reinforcements, just out of hasty attack range. Each turn that the enemy advances close enough to attack, the blocking force is extracted and another is dropped in just out of range again. This tactic can delay enemy reinforcements for a long period of time.
The second tactic is to drop an airmobile force behind an objective hex after the enemy player has activated nearby formations. This action will block enemy reaction without risk of immediate attack. However, if you fail to win the initiative on the next game-turn, the airmobile force will probably die unless your attack force has already linked up with it.
Airmobile forces also are especially useful for seizing bridges. Once a Warsaw Pact airmobile unit has dropped at either end of a bridge, the NATO player cannot destroy it by set charge.
Airmobile troops make great reaction forces. They are not limited to a movement allowance of three movement points and so can react anywhere on the map. However, they would react only into town and city hexes: in other types of terrain they are simply cannon fodder.
Operations
Coordinating all of your missions into a series of smoothly-integrated operations is the most difficult part of this game. Your plans and assumptions will be upset constantly by the unexpected strength of enemy units and by the highly interactive nature of play. For the attacker, there is the challenge of planning your attacks to catch your opponent where he least expects action. For the defender, there is the challenge of guessing where your opponent's main blow will fall. For both players there is the challenge of placing the right units in the right place at the right time with the right mission. None of these challenges is very easy to meet. Ask any officer with combat experience. Nor does this game spoon-feed you with easy answers. You will have to discover them for yourself. Persist. The frustration of watching your attack being blown to pieces or your defense crumbling will be more than offset by the eventual pleasure of putting it all together and watching it work. Air & Armor rewards careful planning, combined arms tactics, and a willingness to take risks to create the unexpected. Have fun!
Background Notes
Unit Descriptions
Below are depicted all of the combat units which appear in Air & Armor. Accompanying each is a description of the vehicles and weapon systems included in one step of the unit type (note that each air step represents three to four vehicles).
US Ground Units
Armor: 14 M1 "Abrams" Main Battle Tanks; 1-2 M125 Self-Propelled 81mm Mortars; and 1-2 M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles.
Armor: 16 M1 "Abrams" Main Battle Tanks.
Mechanized Infantry: 13 M2 "Bradley" Infantry Fighting Vehicles; 1-2 M125 Self-Propelled 81mm Mortars; 1-2 M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles; and 3 M901 Improved TOW Vehicles.
Armor: 8 M1 "Abrams" Main Battle Tanks and 12 M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicles.
Airmobile: 6 Dragon ATGMs; 1-2 81mm Mortars; 1-2 60mm Mortars; and 1-2 TOW ATGMs.
Engineer: 2 Combat Engineer Vehicles; 10 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; 1-2 M60 Armored Vehicle Launched Bridges; 1 Grader; and 2 M9 Tractors with dozer blade.
Artillery: 8 M109A1 Self-Propelled 155mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 8 M110A2 Self-Propelled 203mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 9 Self-Propelled 8-inch Multiple Launch Rocket Systems.
US Air Units
Fighter-Bomber: A-10A "Thunderbolt 2" Ground Attack Aircraft.
Fighter-Bomber: F-16A "Falcon" Fighter-Bomber.
Fighter-Bomber: F-4E "Phantom" Fighter Bomber.
Helicopter: AH-64 "Apache" Attack Helicopter.
West German Ground Units
Armor: 13 Leopard 2 Main Battle Tanks.
Armor: 13 Leopard 1A4 Main Battle Tanks.
Armor: 13 M48A2G2 Main Battle Tanks.
Armor: 13 Jaguar 2 Tank Destroyers equipped with TOW ATGMs.
Armor: 10 TOW ATGMs; 10 Kraka Light Vehicles; and 6 Rh202 20mm Cannons.
Mechanized Infantry: 11 Marder Infantry Combat Vehicles; and 2 Self-Propelled 120mm Mortars.
Mechanized Infantry: 10 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; 2 Towed 120mm Mortars, and 2 M48A2G2 Main Battle Tanks.
Infantry: 10 Trucks; 2 Towed 120mm Mortars; and 2 M48A2G2 Main Battle Tanks.
Engineer: 4 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; and 1 "Biber" Bridge-layer.
Airborne: 7 Milan ATGMs; 3 Kraka Light Vehicles; and 2 Rh202 20mm Cannons.
Artillery: 6 Pack 191 Towed 105mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 6 M109G Self-Propelled 155mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 6 FH-70 Towed 155mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 8 "LARS" Self-Propelled 110mm Rocket Launchers.
West German Air Units
Fighter-Bomber: Tornado Fighter-Bomber.
Fighter-Bomber: Alpha Jet Trainer/Recon/Strike Aircraft.
Helicopter: PAH-1 Attack Helicopter.
Canadian Ground Units
Armor: 17 Leopard C1 Main Battle Tanks; 7 M113R Reconnaissance Vehicles; and 2-3 M113's with TOW ATGMs.
Mechanized Infantry: 16 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; 1-2 M113R Reconnaissance Vehicles; 1-2 M113's with TOW ATGMs; and 1-2 81mm Mortars.
Engineer: 9 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers; and 2 "Biber" Bridge-layers.
Artillery: 6 M109A1 Self-Propelled 155mm Howitzers.
Canadian Air Unit
Fighter-Bomber: CF-18 Fighter-Bomber.
Soviet Ground Units
Armor: 10 T-80 Main Battle Tanks; 3 BMP Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles; and 2 SAU-122 Self-Propelled 122mm Howitzers.
Armor: 10 T-72 or T-64 Main Battle Tanks; 3 BMP Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles; and 2 SAU-122 Self-Propelled 122mm Howitzers.
Mechanized Infantry: 10 BMP Mechanized Infantry Vehicles; 2 "Vasilek" 82mm Automatic Mortars; 2 Self-Propelled 120mm Mortars; 4 T-62 Main Battle Tanks; and 2 SAU-122 Self-Propelled 122mm Howitzers.
Mechanized Infantry: 10 BTR Armored Personnel Carriers; 2 "Vasilek" 82mm Automatic Mortars; 2 Self-Propelled 120mm Mortars; 4 T-62 Main Battle Tanks; 2 SAU-122 Self-Propelled 122mm Howitzers.
Engineer: 7 BTR Armored Personnel Carriers; 2-3 MTU-55 Bridge-layers; 6-9 Trucks; 4 TMM Truck Mounted Bridges; and 3-5 IMR, BTM and other Combat Engineer Vehicles.
Airmobile: 3-5 AT-4 Spigot ATGMs; and 1-2 82mm and 120mm Mortars.
Airborne Mechanized: 14 BMD Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicles; 3-5 AT-4 Spigot ATGMs and 1-2 82mm and 120mm Mortars.
Artillery: 18 SAU-152 Self-Propelled 152mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 18 BM-21 122mm Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems.
Artillery: 24 D-20 Towed 152mm Howitzers.
Artillery: 24 M-46 Towed 130mm Guns.
Artillery: 18 M-1952 240mm Mortars.
Artillery: 24 BM-27 240mm Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems.
Artillery: 18 BM-14 140mm Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems.
Soviet Air Units
Fighter-Bomber: SU-17 "Fitter C" Ground Attack Aircraft.
Fighter-Bomber: SU-24 "Fencer" Strike/Interdiction Aircraft.
Fighter-Bomber: SU-25 "Frogfoot" Ground Attack Aircraft.
Fighter-Bomber: MIG-27 "Flogger-D" Strike Aircraft.
Fighter-Bomber: MIG-29 "Fulcrum" Fighter-Bomber.
Helicopter: MI-24 "Hind-E" Attack Helicopter.