Hinge of Fate

Hinge of Fate Rulebook

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Components
3.0 Set Up, Fog of War & Hex Control
4.0 Strategic Events & How to Win
5.0 Turn Sequence
6.0 Stacking
7.0 Zones of Control (ZOC)
8.0 Supply
9.0 Reinforcements & Replacements
10.0 Borders & Red Row
11.0 Movement
12.0 Combat
13.0 Stukas & Airpower Environments
14.0 Historical Scenario
Bonus Material
15.0 Rhineland War Variant
16.0 Patton's First Victory (Boxed Game) Supplemental Units
- 16.1 Set-up

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Premise

Hinge of Fate (HoF) is primarily meant to examine the strategic alternative history possibilities inherent in the campaign that could've occurred within Poland and the Rhineland in September 1939 if the French had resolved to keep their promise to launch a "major offensive" into Germany within a week after that nation invaded Poland. The action in that scenario is fought on two maps, East and West, and also allows for the possibility of a last-minute change of side by Stalin. It can be played by two, three or four. There is also a smaller (one map) Historical Scenario, which is played only on the East Map. It can be played by one or two. Both sides' orders of battle are entirely historical in both scenarios. The main body of rules is written with the alternative history scenario in mind. Section 14.0 describes the changes necessary to those rules to play the Historical Scenario.

1.2 Two-Player & Multi-Player Games

If four play, one commands the East Map German (and Slovakian) forces; one commands the Polish (and possibly Soviet) forces on that same map; another commands the West Map German forces; and the fourth commands the French forces, which operate exclusively on the West Map. The Polish/Soviet and French players are on the same side (fighting to fulfill the same victory conditions in order to win), as are the two German commanders. In three-player games the participants may decide among themselves whether to split the Allied or German commands. In all cases, players on the same and opposing sides are allowed to talk between/among themselves (in private as well as openly). Of course, in two-player games, one commands all the German forces on both maps while the other commands all French, Polish and (possibly) Soviet forces.

1.3 Solitaire Play

Those interested in solitaire play should note the system easily adapts to that kind of use.

1.4 Inter-Map Transferability

Among the eight major force groups—German Army Groups North, South, and C (that's three groups), the Poles, Soviet Byelorussian Front, Soviet Ukrainian Front, the Luftwaffe, and the French—only one (the Luftwaffe) may have units operate on both maps during play of any one game. All units of all those other force groups will play on only one of the two maps in the game.

Designer's Note: The Germans don't have the option to transfer army ground units from Poland to the West Map because their railroad system was in no shape to both supply a major offensive into and across Poland and simultaneously transfer any major ground units from front to front. That was another way (the other being overall munitions production) in which the German situation in 1939 was inferior to that of 1914. In essence, in 1939 the German planners staked everything on being able to win the campaign in the east prior to the French being able to achieve any decisive results in the west. Of course, in the actual event, the whole issue wasn't even put to the test and Germany wasn't in such a strategically vulnerable position again for five years.

1.5 Scale

Each game turn represents three days. Each hex on the West Map represents eight miles from side to opposite side, while the corresponding figure on the East Map is 16 miles.

2.0 Components

2.1 The Game Pieces

The components to a complete game of HoF include these rules, the mapsheet and 88 die-cut counters (also called "units" and "unit counters"). Players must provide themselves with a standard six-sided die to resolve combat and other probabilistic events that occur during play.

Errata: The French "W2846" infantry corps (with a printed strength of "6") should be printed as "W2840" instead.

2.2 The Game Map

The game map represents the militarily significant terrain found in 1939 across Poland and its environs (East Map), as well that of northeastern France and the southern Rhineland (West Map) when portrayed at these scales. A hexagonal ("hex") grid is printed across both maps to regulate unit placement and movement similar to the way squares are used in Chess and Checkers. A unit is always in only hex at any one instant. Each hex contains natural and/or manmade terrain features that may affect movement and combat. The map's terrain representations have been altered slightly from their exact real-world configurations in order to make them conform to the hex-grid. The terrain relationships from hex to hex are, however, accurate to the degree necessary to present players with the same space/time dilemmas that were (or would've been) faced by their real-world counterparts. Each hex on both maps has a unique four-digit number printed in it. (The numbers are unique on each map and between the two maps. You needn't worry about "E" and "W" hex-number prefixes). Those numbers are provided to help you find specific locations referred to in the rules (for example, the German city of Karlsruhe is in hex 3543), and to allow you to record unit positions if a match has to be interrupted and taken down before it can be completed.

Errata: The hexside between hex 3443 and 3543 is mistakenly printed as a river, but in game terms, no river actually exists there.

Errata: On the East Map Movement Factors Chart, the Polish & Soviet Movement Factor line should have two asterisks after the column number (not just one asterisk), referring to the note below.

Errata: On the Fortified hex line of the TEC, under the Combat Effect column, the sentence mistakenly continues into the next highlighted row ("no concentric bonus when attacking into."), although the information is correct.

2.3 The Counters

The counters in the game mostly represent combat units; others are provided as memory aids and informational markers. Carefully punch out all the counters. Trimming the "dog ears" from their corners with a fingernail clipper facilitates their handling and stacking during play and enhances their appearance. Each combat unit-counter displays several types of information: nationality and force group, type, combat strength, historical identification, as well set-up hex or reinforcement status.

2.4 Errata & Bonus Counters

The counter sheet includes errata and bonus counters listed as follows.

Afrika Korps: Extra air units are included to provide flexibility in accounting for airpower (they are not additional reinforcements). Extra Fortified Boxes are included, allowing each side to now have up to four on the map at one time (if all are on the map, and if a player wants to build another, he must remove an existing one first). Supply units are for a future variant (do not use them with the current rules).

Partisan!: Twenty-seven additional tracking and memory-aid markers, a decoy "Tito" chit, and the six missing Croatian militia units.

South Seas Campaign: Extra Entrench/Intercept markers, Japanese and Allied bases to be added to the counter mix. Task Force markers are to be used as substitute holding markers for units and stacks to be placed off map. The CV-S and CV-Z units with the "A" reinforcement code come into play if the original counterpart (CV-S or CV-Z without the "A" code) is eliminated (but not if permanently eliminated by a refit roll). All other units are errata units intended to replace the misprinted counters.

Rhineland War: Thirty extra units to augment the game. See 15.0 of these rules for their usage.

Sedan: Four replacement counters for four units with misprinted unit ID's.

Patton's First Victory: Seven extra units to augment the game, as well as one errata unit (the British 6th Armoured, which is correctly printed here without the 8th Army patch). See 16.0 of these rules for their usage.

2.5 Sample Unit

Polish Group Bielsk (a corps-equivalent mountain infantry formation) is pictured below.

2.6 Sides

A unit's nationality and force group are shown by its color scheme.

German

Army Group North: Black on Field Gray
Army Group South: White on Black
Army Group C: Black on Confederate Gray
Luftwaffe: Black on Sky Blue

Slovakian

Black on Brown

Polish

Red on White

French

White on Dark Blue

Soviets

Byelorussian Front: white on red
Ukrainian Front: black on orange

2.7 Unit Types

Old Hands Note: The system doesn't make use of a mechanized/non-mechanized distinction (except for German panzer units attacking fortresses/cities); however, unit types can still be important for movement purposes. See the Terrain Effects Chart on the mapsheet and section 11.0.

2.8 Unit Types & Organizational Sizes

XXXX—army, or ad hoc army equivalent if bracketed
XXX—corps, or ad hoc corps equivalent if bracketed
XX—division, or ad hoc division equivalent if bracketed
X—brigade, or ad hoc brigade equivalent if bracketed

2.9 Abbreviations on Units

French

C—Colonial
NA—North African
R—Reinforcement

German & Slovakian

Br—Special Corps Brandt
Dnz—Danzig Brigade
Ei—Eifel Corps
FD1—Flieger Division 1
FF—Flieger Fuehrer Command
FKG—Fallschirmjaeger Kampfgruppe
Slo—Slovakian
SP—Saar-Pfalz Corps
Wo—Special Corps Wodrig

Polish

Bie—Group Bielsk
CD—Coastal Defense Group
CRCH—Combat Reserve of the High Command
Czk—Group Czersk
Grd—Group Grodno
Gru—Group Grudziadz (a.k.a. Group Wachod)
HFG—Hela Fortress Garrison
Jas—Group Jaslo
Kar—Karpaty Army
Krk—Krakow Army
Lod—Lodz Army
Mod—Modlin Army
Nar—Group Narew
Pio—Group Piotrkow
PNG—Prusy Army Northern Group
Pom—Army Pomorze
Poz—Poznan Army
PSG—Prusy Army Southern Group
Sla—Group Slask
Wys—Group Wyskow

Soviet

Bel—Byelorussian Front
CMG—Cav-Mech Group
Ukr—Ukrainian Front

Note: The CMG is the only "cavalry" unit in the game (in reference to the TEC line on the map).

2.10 Movement Factors (MF)

Movement Factors (MF) aren't printed on any of the unit counters. For details concerning them, see the West Map and East Map Movement Factors Tables printed on the mapsheet as well as sections 11.0 and 13.0.

2.11 Static Units

There are three "static" units in the game, the Polish "HFG", German "Dnz." and Polish "CD" unit in Gdynia. Those units, once placed on the map, are never moved from those hexes unless it's to go into the dead pile. Further, they never attack; they only defend in their hex of placement. (They do exert zones of control normally; see section 7.0). Their static status is indicated by their parenthesized combat factors.

2.12 Combat Factor (CF)

Each unit's combat factor is a numeric measure of its ability to participate in combat relative to the other units in the game. See section 12.0 for more details.

2.13 Steps

Units with CF on both sides of their counters are said to be "two-step units;" those with CF on only one side are "one-step units." Step strength is a convenient phrase to describe a unit's overall ability to absorb a certain amount of personnel and equipment losses before becoming hors de combat (in current US Army jargon, a measure of its "robustness.") All two-step units set up or enter play with their full step strength (higher CF) available. When a two-step unit suffers a step loss, it's flipped so its one-step side shows, and it's thereafter said to be "reduced." When a one-step unit, or an already reduced two-step unit, takes a step loss, it's "eliminated" and removed from the map to be placed permanently in the "dead pile." Note the German and French players have a limited ability to rebuild reduced units to full two-step strength (see section 9.0). Also note step strength isn't a consideration for any of the counters illustrated below in 2.14.

2.14 Other Counters

The following markers are included in the game as informational and memory aids. Their functions are explained in the relevant portions of the rules that follow.

3.0 Set Up, Fog of War & Hex Control

3.1 Choosing Sides

Players should first decide between/among themselves who will command which side and on which map, as described above in 1.2. Though this is an alternative history scenario, the alteration from the historical time flow only begins once play has started. All force groups of both sides therefore start both scenarios (see section 4.0 and 14.0) in their historic locations. Both sides' units are set up openly, simultaneously and cooperatively by the two, three or four players.

3.2 Combat Unit Set Up

All combat units of both sides with four-digit hex-numbers printed along their left sides should be placed within those exact hexes. For instance, Polish Group Bielsk (see 2.9) always begins play in hex 3333. That done, sort the Soviet units into two piles corresponding to their two front organizations (Bel and Ukr) and then temporarily set them aside within easy reach. Do the same with the French "R" (reinforcement) units, the single German reinforcement (22nd Motorized Corps, marked with a "3" in its upper-left corner), and the three Luftwaffe units (two Stuka, one paratroop).

Note: The German 19th Pz AGN unit is set up on the map in hex 1434.

3.3 Marker Placement

Put the Game Turn marker in the first box of the Game Turn Record Track printed on the mapsheet. Place the AGC Supply Status marker in the "49" box of the AGC Supply Crisis Table printed on the mapsheet. Place all the "REPS" markers for both sides, along with all the City Control markers and the Operation Seaside marker, off to the side of the map within easy reach. Place the Air Superiority marker with a Polish flag counter in the Air Superiority box of the German Airpower Environment Table printed on the mapsheet. Place the Air Parity marker with a French flag counter in the Air Parity box of that table. That concludes the set up for both sides.

3.4 Fog of War

Because of the limited ability to stack in this game (see section 6.0), there's little use for "fog of war" rules. Nevertheless, whenever units of the opposing side are found to be stacked within the strictures of the rules, it's forbidden to look beneath the top unit in such stacks until such time (if ever) that you declare an attack against that stack. Once such a declaration has been made and you've examined beneath the top unit in the enemy stack, your attack there may not be called off.

3.5 Hex Control

At the start of play all hexes inside Germany and East Prussia on both maps, along with all the hexes in Slovakia, are said to be under German control (that is, they're owned by that side). All other hexes are under Allied control. In general, there's no neutral or otherwise out-of-bounds territory shown on either map; however, certain force groups are under particular restrictions as to their permitted areas of operation. See section 10.0 for more details. The control (ownership) status of a hex switches from one side to the other as soon as a ground unit from the other side enters that hex. Such control switching may go back and forth any number of times in each hex during play. Hex control is only significant when it comes to city and fortress hexes and reckoning victory (see section 4.0 and 14.7). Some control markers have been provided for use in hexes where the overall lay of the front line doesn't make instantly clear the control status.

Note: The city of Danzig (1126) is also considered to be under German control.

4.0 Strategic Events & How to Win

4.1 Game Length

This scenario ends at the completion of Game Turn 12, or at the instant a player achieves a sudden death victory, whichever occurs first.

4.2 Allied Victory

Allied victory in this scenario is only achievable via the sudden death mechanism described here. That is, play stops and the Allied player/side is declared to have won the game the instant any one of the following first occur: 1) at least three supplied French units move off the north edge [2533-4233] of the West Map; or 2) supplied Soviet forces take control of Stettin [1137] or Breslau [2535] or Koenigsberg [1221]; or 3) supplied Soviet or Polish forces take control of Danzig [1126]; or 4) a coup occurs in Germany.

4.3 Map Edge

A moving French unit pays one movement point to exit the north edge of the West Map. Neither side's zones of control extend off the map edge.

4.4 Strategic Events Table

At the start of Game Turn 4, and at the start of each game turn thereafter, players consult the Strategic Events Table printed on the mapsheet.

To use it, first determine the total number of modifiers listed below it that will be applied to that turn's consultative die roll. Any and all that are in force—according to the situation then extant on the maps—are added in. For example, if the Germans controlled Warsaw (-2), and the French controlled five West Wall hexes (+1) and two West Map German cities (+2), the die roll modifier for that turn's table consultation would be +1. That is: (-2) + (+1) + (+2) = +1.

Note the maximum roll modifier that can be generated by each condition are listed along with these conditions. For instance, no matter how many West Wall hexes the French control, the total modifier generated by that condition will never be greater than "+1." At the same time, though, French control of West Map German city hexes earns a "+1" for each such hex, to a maximum of "+8" (which is the total number of such hexes on the map).

4.5 Warsaw

Warsaw is defined as consisting of hexes 2523 and 2524. For the German player to control it for purposes of obtaining the "-2" modifier, he must control both those hexes at the time of the roll. Note, though, the "-1" modifier for adjacency is obtainable even if just one hex adjacent to either hex of Warsaw is German occupied. Those two Warsaw modifiers are mutually exclusive; there will never be a single table consultation in which both apply. If the whole city is German-controlled and there are also German forces adjacent to it, the "-2" is the modifier applied.

4.6 USSR Enters on Allied Side

If this is the result of consulting the table (on a modified die roll of seven or eight), Stalin has decided to make a last-minute policy switch, coming into the war on the Allied side. Once such a switch is made, it can't be undone or reversed during the rest of the game; any subsequent rolls of seven or eight are thereafter simply considered to be "No Event: War Continues." Soviet entry into play doesn't by itself automatically end the game. For details on the mechanics of the entry of Soviet units into play—which can only take place within the context of this table result—see 9.10.

4.7 Coup

If this is the result of consulting the table (on a modified die roll of nine or higher), a faction within the German politico-military high command is considered to have successfully moved against Hitler, assassinating him in order to gain a free hand to achieve a negotiated end to the war. The Allied player(s) thereby win the game. Note this result may be achieved even if the Soviets haven't switched sides as described above in 4.6.

4.8 German Victory

Failing the prior occurrence of an Allied victory as described in the rules above, play stops and the German player(s) is/are declared to have won the game the instant all Polish city hexes and fortress hexes are simultaneously under German control.

4.9 Drawn Games

Drawn games occur when the end of Game Turn 12 is reached and neither player/side has achieved victory.

4.10 Levels of Victory

Note there are no degrees or levels of victory in this scenario: a win is a win is a win, no matter the circumstances.

4.11 Hela Fortress Surrender

If Gdynia (1026), Danzig (1126) and both hexes of Warsaw (2523 & 2524) are all simultaneously German-controlled at the end of any game turn, the Hela Fortress hex (1125) surrenders at that time. The garrison unit there is eliminated and the hex is considered to instantly come under German control. Hela may also be attacked via the regular combat rules, normally.

5.0 Turn Sequence

5.1 Phases

All turns of the game are played according to the sequence given below. No action may be taken by either player except in accordance with this outline.

I. Strategic Event Phase*
II. German East Map Player Turn
- A. German East Map Replacement & Reinforcement Phase
- B. German East Map Movement or Combat Phase
- C. German East Map Combat or Movement Phase
- D. German East Map Replacement Removal Phase
III. Polish Player Turn
- A. Polish Combat Phase
- B. Polish Movement Phase
IV. Soviet Player Turn**
- A. Soviet Combat Phase
- B. Soviet Movement Phase
V. French Player Turn***
- A. French Reinforcement & Replacement Phase
- B. French Combat Phase
- C. French Movement Phase
- D. French Replacement Removal Phase
VI. German West Map Player Turn***
- A. German West Map Replacement Phase
- B. German West Map Movement or Combat Phase
- C. German West Map Combat or Movement Phase
- D. German West Map Replacement Removal

*Skip during Game Turns 1, 2 & 3. **Skip unless the Soviets enter play on the Allied side (see 4.6). *** Skip during Game Turns 1 & 2.

5.2 Game Phase Order

The various player turns are always gone through in the order presented in the outline above; their order never varies. Note, though, phases I, IV, V and VI don't take place during every game turn, as described in the asterisked notes immediately beneath the outline. Within that stricture, at the end of each game turn's final player turn, move the Game Turn marker forward one box on the Game Turn Record Track printed on the mapsheet and then begin a new game turn.

5.3 German Move/Fight or Fight/Move Phase Sequence

The German player(s) must declare, at the very start of each of his player turns, in what order he will take his movement and combat phases that player turn. The choice is entirely up to him/them, and the choice on one map doesn't effect or limit the choice for the other map. Those are his/their only two choices, and there's no inherent penalty or bonus involved in either phase sequence. Also note the French player may gain such a sequence choice if the Army Group C supply crisis rule comes into effect (see 8.10).

6.0 Stacking

6.1 Stacking Defined

"Stacking" is the term used to describe the piling of more than one friendly unit in the same hex at the same time. The ability to stack units in this game is limited compared to that of many other designs. In general, both players may have only one unit per non-city hex at any one time, while in city hexes units may be stacked up to two-high. Further details are explained below.

Designer's Note: We use the same stacking rules on both maps, despite the difference in hex-scale between them, because their vastly different overall topographies allow for it.

6.2 Set-up Stacking

Normal stacking is allowed during set up as given in section 3.0.

6.3 Free Stacking Units

The following units and markers have no stacking values, and they may be added to any friendly stack in accordance with the rest of the game's rules: the Polish CRHC unit, the German FKG unit, and the markers pictured in rule 2.14.

6.4 Stack Movement Prohibition

Never move stacked units as stacks; always move units one at a time.

6.5 Overstacking Penalty

Stacking rules only apply at the end of every phase and at the end of every advance and retreat after combat (see 12.2 & 12.3). If any hexes are found to be over-stacked at those times, the opposing player may remove the minimum number of units of his choice necessary to bring each such hex back into compliance with the stacking rules.

6.6 Enemy Units Stacking Restriction

In general, opposing units never stack together, even momentarily. For the exception, see 13.6 paragraph three.

6.7 Movement Exemption

During your movement phases, any number of any types of your moving units may potentially enter and pass through any given hex, as long as stacking limits are met at the times given above in 6.5.

6.8 Friendly Units Stacking Restriction

The following otherwise friendly units may not stack together at any time, even momentarily: German AGS and AGN units, Soviet Byelorussian Front and Ukrainian Front units, Polish and Soviet units. The Slovakian unit stacks as an AGS unit.

6.9 Friendly Fortresses

The cost to enter a friendly (or captured) fortress hex is always 1 MP, regardless of the other terrain in that fortress hex.

7.0 Zones of Control (ZOC)

7.1 ZOC Defined

ZOC rules are an abstraction of a unit's ability to project its combat power, through tactical fire and maneuver, into areas immediately around its main location. In general, every ground unit on the map exerts a ZOC into its hex and the six hexes adjacent to it. Your units' ZOC stop enemy movement (see 7.5), block retreat-after-combat (see 12.4) and supply paths (see section 8.0). Note that merely projecting a ZOC into a hex isn't enough to cause the "control status" (see 3.5) of a hex to switch from one side to the other. Don't confuse these ZOC rules with the rule concerning the control of hexes in section 3.0.

Designer's Note: We use the same ZOC rules on both maps, despite the difference in hex-scale between them, because their vastly different overall topographies allow for it.

7.2 Markers

The markers pictured in 2.14 never exert ZOC. Note the presence of one or more markers in a hex in no way inhibits ZOC-projecting units in that hex from projecting their ZOC.

7.3 ZOC Limits

ZOC aren't exerted across all-sea or all-lake hexsides. For example, a unit in hex 1321 doesn't exert a ZOC into 1222. No other kind of terrain or water feature has any inhibiting effect on ZOC projection (except impassable hexsides). Note, too, that OOS (out of supply; see section 8.0) units still project their ZOC normally while in that state. There's no qualitative difference between a hex containing a ZOC projected there by one unit and a hex containing ZOC projected there by several units. The ZOC of units of both sides may be simultaneously exerted into the same hex.

Exception: ZOC is also not exerted across any impassable hexside (any hexside with a thick black line along a hex edge); see hexes 3533, 3633 and 3732.

7.4 Enemy Zones of Control (EZOC)

EZOCs are generally not negated by the presence of one or more of your units in hexes containing them. The exceptions are the Operation Seaside rule (see 13.7) and tracing supply paths (see 8.2); in all other situations the presence of a friendly unit in a hex containing an EZOC in no way negates that EZOC.

7.5 EZOC & Movement

A moving unit must end its move for that phase when it first enters an EZOC. A unit that begins its move already in an EZOC may leave that hex, but only by entering a hex that doesn't contain any EZOC, and it must stop for that phase as soon as it does enter a hex containing an EZOC. Thus units may not move directly from EZOC to EZOC. The presence of friendly unit in a hex containing an EZOC doesn't negate that EZOC for movement purposes.

7.6 EZOC & Retreat-After-Combat

A friendly unit may not retreat-after-combat into an EZOC (retreating cleanly out of an EZOC is OK). The presence of friendly units in a hex containing an EZOC doesn't negate that EZOC for retreat-after-combat purposes.

7.7 EZOC & Advance-After-Combat

EZOC have no effect on advances-after-combat (see 12.2).

7.8 ZOC & Map Edges

ZOC and EZOC don't extend off the map. They do extend in and out of the Red Row (see 10.8).

8.0 Supply

8.1 Supply Defined

In general, in order for non-Polish units to be able to move and fight at their full potential they must be "in supply." Supply for non-Polish movement is determined at the moment a given non-Polish unit begins to move, and that status lasts all during that move. Supply for combat is determined at the start of each individual attack for all the involved attacking units in that battle. Polish units are always automatically in supply for all purposes.

8.2 Tracing Supply Lines

No counters are provided to represent the materiel consumed by the units. Instead, that's abstracted into the process of supply line tracing (tracing supply). In general, a unit that requires supply is considered to have supply (be in supply) if it can trace a path of contiguous hexes of any length from its location to an appropriate supply source hex. None of those hexes may be enemy occupied or contain an unnegated EZOC, nor may the supply path (supply line) cross a blocked, all-sea or all-lake hexside. Supply lines may generally be traced into and/or through hexes that are nominally enemy controlled (as described in 3.5), as long as those hexes are empty of actual enemy ground units at the time of that tracing. The exception to that is: no enemy controlled city hex may be part of any of your supply paths even if that hex is empty of actual enemy units or markers; you must control a city hex in order to be able to trace your supply paths into and out of it.

8.3 Out Of Supply (OOS) Movement

If a non-Polish unit is found to be without a complete supply line at the start of its move, that unit has available only half of what would otherwise be its normal movement factor for that movement phase (round down all remainders).

8.4 Out Of Supply (OOS) Combat

If an attack contains one or more non-Polish units that is/are found to be OOS at the start of that battle's resolution, those units' attack factors are halved for that battle (round down all remainders). OOS defending units aren't affected by that status for combat purposes.

8.5 Indefinite OOS

No unit is ever reduced in step strength or fully eliminated simply for being OOS. Units of both sides may remain OOS indefinitely.

8.6 Willful OOS

Both players may move units into hexes in which they may or will become OOS.

8.7 German Army Group North (AGN) Supply Sources

AGN units may trace their supply lines to Koenigsberg (1221), Danzig (1126) and/or Stettin (1137), decided at the convenience of the German player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. AGN units in Danzig and/or Stettin and/or Koenigsberg are automatically in supply for all purposes while in those hexes. It is permitted for AGN and AGS supply lines to cross.

8.8 German Army Group South (AGS) Supply Sources

AGS units may trace their supply lines to any west edge hex in Germany proper on the East Map other than Stettin (1237-3537), decided at the convenience of the German player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. AGS units in Breslau (2535) are automatically in supply for all purposes while in that hex. Map edge supply source hexes lose that capacity while enemy occupied, but regain it the instant that occupation ends. The Slovakian unit traces supply as if it were a German AGS unit. It's permitted for AGN and AGS supply lines to cross.

8.9 German Army Group C (AGC) Supply Sources

AGC units may trace their supply lines to any east edge hex (4233-4244) on the West Map, decided at the convenience of the German player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. Map edge supply source hexes lose that capacity while enemy occupied, but regain it the instant that occupation ends. AGC units in city hexes on the West Map are in supply while in those hexes, provided only that the hex(es) in question hadn't yet been under French control even temporarily. A city once French occupied loses its supply source capacity for the rest of the game.

8.10 AGC Supply Crisis

AGC begins the scenario with 49 Supply Points (SP); and it's the only force group that uses this more detailed kind of supply reckoning. AGC never receives any new or extra SP during the course of play; its SP total may only remain the same or decrease as the game goes on.

Subtract four SP every time an AGC unit (unit, not step) is involved in combat, offensively or defensively, no matter the combat result. Subtract two SP each time an AGC unit takes a replacement step.

When "1" SP is reached on the AGC Supply Table, all of the following pertain for the rest of the game: 1) all West Map combats shift one column on the CRT in favor of the French; 2) the French player may henceforth choose a move/fight or fight/move sequence for French forces; 3) the German AGC commander must henceforth use the phase sequence chosen for him by the French player, as decided by that player on a turn-by-turn basis; 4) AGC units may no longer receive replacements; and 5) all AGC units are henceforth considered OOS (except with regard to their movement factors, as printed on the map). Note that AGC entering a supply crisis doesn't affect German East Map operations, nor does it affect Luftwaffe operations on either map in any way. Also see 12.17.

Designer's Note: AGC historically only had enough supply available to engage all its units in combat for an estimated four days.

8.11 French Supply Sources

French units trace their supply to one, some, any and all Maginot Line hexes, decided at the convenience of that player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. Also see 9.9, 10.6 and 11.8.

8.12 Soviet Byelorussian Front (Bel) Supply Sources

Soviet Bel units trace their supply to one, some or any of the north sector Red Row hexes on the East Map (1816-2716), decided at the convenience of that player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. Northern sector Red Row hexes lose that capacity while enemy occupied, but regain it the instant that occupation ends. Bel units in north sector Red Row hexes are always in supply while in those hexes. It isn't permitted for Bel and Ukr supply lines to cross.

8.13 Soviet Ukrainian Front (Ukr) Supply Sources

Soviet Ukr units trace their supply to one, some or any of the south sector Red Row hexes on the East Map (2916-3916), decided at the convenience of that player on a unit-by-unit and phase-by-phase basis. South sector Red Row hexes lose that capacity while enemy occupied, but regain it the instant that occupation ends. Ukr units in south sector Red Row hexes are always in supply while in those hexes. It isn't permitted for Ukr and Bel supply lines to cross.

8.14 Supply & EZOC

Any given supply path may always be traced into one EZOC hex; however, no supply path may be traced through or out of such a hex unless that EZOC is negated by the presence of a friendly unit at the time of the tracing. See section 7.0 for more details.

9.0 Reinforcements & Replacements

9.1 French & German Replacements

The French and German players (only) have a limited ability to restore their reduced units to full step-strength.

9.2 German REPS Counter

In every Phase II.A. after Game Turn 1, the German player may place his AGN and AGS replacement ("REPS") counters atop two reduced friendly units of his choice, one per each of those army groups. Such units must be in supply, not in a mountain hex, and not adjacent to any enemy ground unit. The designated unit(s) is/are immobile and may not attack during that German Player Turn.

9.3 Procedure

During Phase II.D. the Germany player removes the REPS marker(s) and flips the replenished unit(s) so its/their full-strength side(s) again show(s) upward. The unit(s) operate normally thereafter.

9.4 AGC Eligibility

The same process, under the same strictures, may be used by the German player to replenish one AGC unit per game turn, during each Phases VI.A and VI.D, once the French have actively entered play and some AGC losses have been generated.

9.5 French REPs Counter

The same process, under the same strictures, may be used by the French player to replenish one of his units each game turn, during each Phases V.A and V.D, once those units have actively entered play and some French losses have been generated.

9.6 Elimination Permanency

The same unit may potentially receive replacements any number of times during a game; however, no unit once fully eliminated and in the dead pile may be brought back into play via replacements (or any other method). The replacement capacity for AGN, AGS, AGC and French units is always just one step per game turn per force group, no matter how many reduced units are on the map within each force group. Similarly, during turns when a given force group doesn't have any reduced units on the map, that group doesn't receive any replacements that turn (replacements don't accumulate in any way). Also note there are no Slovakian, Luftwaffe, Soviet or Polish replacements.

9.7 Reinforcements

Reinforcements are units that enter play on game turns after their respective force groups have initially become active. Only the French and AGS receive reinforcements. The French reinforcement units have an "R" printed in their upper-left corners; the single AGS reinforcement has a "3" (corresponding to Game Turn 3) printed there.

9.8 The 22nd Motorized (Panzer) Corps

The 22nd Motorized (Panzer) Corps is the AGS reinforcement. It enters play during Phase II.A. of Game Turn 3 by being placed, by the German player (or East Map commander) in any hex of Slovakia that's then free of EZOC (no negation possible in this regard). It begins moving and fighting normally with Phase II.B of that same turn. The unit enters at two-step strength.

9.9 French Reinforcements

French Reinforcements enter play, at the rate of one per game turn, in any order chosen by that player, starting with Phase V.A. of Game Turn 3. Each reinforcement unit is entered by being placed in any Maginot Line hex, decided on a turn-by-turn and unit-by-unit basis by the French player, regardless of the presence of EZOC in the chosen hex. Each arriving unit begins fighting and moving normally with Phase V.B of the turn of its arrival. Each unit enters at two-step strength.

9.10 Soviet Entry

When/if Soviet entry into the war is triggered, the Polish player should immediately place all five Byelorussian Front units placing them in Red Row hexes, no more than one per hex, from 1816 through 2716 inclusive. He should then also do the same with the three Ukrainian Front units, choosing from among the Red Row hexes between 2916 and 3916 inclusive. EZOC have no effect on those placements. No units of either front may be held back for later entry. All Soviet units enter at two-step strength, and may begin fighting and moving normally during Phase IV.A. of the game turn of their placement on the map.

10.0 Borders & Red Row

10.1 Geographic Map Restrictions

This section details the geographic map restrictions in play for the various force groups.

10.2 Polish Units

Polish units may only move into hexes in Poland and Danzig, which includes that city hex plus the other four hexes of that territory. Within that movement stricture, Polish units may attack across international borders; however, they may not retreat-after-combat or advance-after-combat (see 12.2 & 12.4) into any forbidden area even if their attack was successful or when suffering a defender retreat result. Polish units otherwise defend normally against any attacks made against them from across border hexsides. Polish ZOC extend normally across all borders, and they must conform to EZOC rules in regard to EZOC projected into their hexes from across borders.

10.3 AGN & AGS Units

AGN and AGS units may move and fight normally anywhere on the East Map; however, also see 6.8, 8.7, 8.8 and 12.3. Consider the Slovakian unit to be part of AGS for this purpose (also see 12.20).

10.4 AGC Units

AGC units may only move, defend and attack in hexes inside Germany on the West Map.

10.5 Luftwaffe Units

Luftwaffe units, both ground and air, may potentially operate on both maps. For details see section 13.0.

10.6 French Units

French units may move and fight in any hexes on the West Map.

10.7 Soviet Units

Soviet units of both fronts may move and fight normally anywhere on the east map; however, also see 6.8, 8.12, 8.13 and 12.3.

10.8 Red Row

Only Soviet units (of both fronts) may enter the Red Row, both during initial entry into play (see 9.10) and during later phases. All units of both sides' ZOC extend normally in and out of Red Row hexes. German units may not attack into Red Row hexes, and Red Row hexes don't allow Soviet units to move or retreat off the map.

11.0 Movement

11.1 Moving Units

During your movement phases, you may move as many or as few of your units as you desire and as circumstances permit. Within the strictures given above in section 10.0, units may be moved in any direction or combination of directions within the overall pattern of the hex-field overprinted across the map.

11.2 Procedure

Units are moved one at a time, tracing a path of contiguous hexes across the hex grid. As each unit enters a hex, it pays one or more movement points (MP) from its movement factor (MF) in order to do so.

11.3 Strictures

Your units may generally be moved only during their own force group's movement phases. The exceptions to that—FKG entry (see 3.5), advances-after-combat (see 12.2), and retreats-after-combat (see 12.4)—aren't considered regular movement and therefore don't consume MP. A unit may never expend more MP during a given movement phase than it has available. A unit may expend all, some, or none of its MP in any of its movement phases, but unused MP may not be accumulated from turn to turn or phase to phase, nor may they be transferred, loaned or given from one unit to another. Once a unit has been moved and the player's hand taken from it, it may not be moved again during that phase unless the opposing player graciously permits it.

11.4 MP Availability

Each non-Luftwaffe unit's total MF is determined at the start of each of its moves throughout the game according to the data found on and beneath the West Map and East Map Movement Factors Tables printed on the mapsheet. For example, each French unit's MF would normally be six; however, if the German player had air superiority on the West Map (see section 13.0), all French MF would then be only five MP.

11.5 No Minimum Movement Guarantee

Unlike many wargames, there's no minimum movement guarantee in this design. If a unit doesn't have the available MP needed to pay all costs associated with crossing a hexside and/or entering a hex, that unit may not make that move.

11.6 Terrain Effects on Movement

A unit must expend one MP to enter a clear terrain hex. To enter certain other types of hexes, a unit must expend more than one MP. When the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC, printed on the mapsheet) calls for a "+" MP expenditure to cross a hexside, that cost is in addition to the terrain cost for entering the hex. For a hex to be considered clear, it must be all clear without any other terrain type in it. Note that cities annihilate (for all purposes) the river hexsides that would otherwise exist around them. See the TEC for more details.

11.7 AGN, AGC & AGS River Crossings

In general, each time an AGN, AGC or AGS unit crosses a river hexside, the moving player must make a separate die roll check (halved, rounded down) to determine that unit's crossing cost (from zero to three extra MP). For example, a die roll of "6" would be a "+3" extra MP cost. For the exception, see 13.6 paragraph four.

11.8 French Units in France

French units in France move as if all hexes there were clear terrain, and they pay no river crossing costs. Both sides' ZOC do extend normally into and out of France.

11.9 The Sarreguemines Gap

The two swamp hexes in 2639 and 2739 are known as the Sarreguemines Gap (loosely translated as the confluence of the Saar River). Those hexes are considered Maginot Line hexes in all respects.

12.0 Combat

12.1 Attacking

Attacking is always voluntary, but defending is mandatory (there's no retreat before combat in order to escape from being attacked).

12.2 Advance After Combat

The victor in every battle may always occupy a vacated defended hex with one or more involved attacking units. Advances aren't mandatory, but each one must be conducted before starting the resolution of another battle.

12.3 Multi-Hex Attacks

Multi-hex attacks are allowed; however, the object of any single attack may never be more than one hex. Defending units in the same hex may only be attacked as if they were one combined unit. Also note the following otherwise friendly units may never participate together in the same attack: Polish and Soviet units, Soviet Byelorussian and Ukrainian Front units; and German AGN and AGS units. The Slovakian unit may never attack unless it does so in conjunction with one or more AGS units.

Note: You may not launch an attack into a hex that's empty of enemy units.

12.4 Defender Retreat

Retreats–after-combat (DR results) are always one hex; and their direction is always determined by the player owning the retreating force. They may potentially be made in any direction. Stacked units need not retreat together. Units may not over-stack at the end of a retreat, and may not retreat into a hex from which one or more of the attackers originated, nor may they retreat into a hex or across a hexside they couldn't normally move into or across. Units may not retreat out to sea. Units blocked from retreating for any reason remain in place and suffer a DE result (see below). See 7.6 and section 10.0 for further strictures.

12.5 Bloodbath

The combat result of BB (Bloodbath) means the attacking and defending force must both have one step (total) eliminated from among them. The owning player chooses the step to sacrifice on his side. If a BB leaves a defended hex empty, the attacker may advance-after-combat if he has any survivors among his involved force.

12.6 Attack Stalled

The combat result of AS (Attack Stalled) means nothing happens to either side's involved force.

12.7 Attacker/Defender Eliminated

A combat result of DE (Defender Eliminated) or AE (Attacker Eliminated) means all involved one-step units of the affected side are removed to the dead pile and all involved two-step units of the affected side are reduced (while remaining in place).

12.8 Unitary Combat Factors

A single unit's full combat strength must always be used whenever it's involved in combat. No single attacking unit may have its combat factor split in order to be applied in more than attack or to hold back a portion of it.

12.9 Stacks Attacking & Defending

Units in the same hex need not all take part in the same attack simply because they're stacked together. If stacked units are adjacent to more than one enemy occupied hex, one or more of those units might attack into one hex while other units in the same stack attacked into another hex or simply not attack at all. If there's more than one unit in a defending hex, that defending force may only be attacked as if it were one combined unit.

12.10 Attack Resolution

Attacks may be made in any order—as determined by the attacking player—as long as the resolution of one attack is completed before that of the next is begun. The attacking player need not declare beforehand all the attacks he will make that phase.

12.11 Combat Resolution Procedure

To resolve an attack, the attacking player (the player who is taking his combat phase) should total the combat factors of all his units involved in that combat. Then he subtracts from that total the combat factor strength of all the units in the defending force being attacked. That resulting number—either positive, zero or negative—is the "combat differential." The attacking player then locates the column heading on the Combat Results Table (CRT) printed on the mapsheet that corresponds to the combat differential he just calculated. He then rolls a die and cross-indexes that result beneath the that column heading and finds the "combat result." That result is applied immediately, before going on to start the resolution of another attack. When he's made all the attacks he wants to make, he announces the end of that combat phase.

12.12 Concentric Attack Column Shift Bonus

In general, when you attack a defended hex through two diametrically opposite hexsides; or when you do so from three hexes with an uninvolved hex between each of your attack hexes, or when you do so from more than three hexes, you have achieved concentricity.

Note, though, concentricity is never available against cities or fortified hexes. That is, you may attack into cities and fortifications from positions that would otherwise achieve concentricity, you simply don't get the column shift bonus for doing so. The German bonus when attacking with concentricity, and one or more of the attacking units is a supplied panzer, is to shift that battle's combat differential two columns rightward. The French bonus, and the German bonus when attacking without panzers, is to shift that battle's combat differential one column rightward. Polish attacks and Soviet attacks never gain the concentric bonus.

12.13 Terrain & Rivers in Combat

In-hex terrain types have effects on combat that are usually expressed as column shifts to the initially calculated combat differential. Those effects are noted on the TEC. For instance, an attack with a differential of "+4" would instead be resolved using the CRT's "+1 or +2" column if the defending force was in a mountain hex (abbreviated as "2L" on the TEC). Units attack through a river hexside do so with their CF halved for that battle (round down all remainders).

12.14 Defending in Cities

As given on the TEC, there are several combat effects when the defense in a battle is taking place in a city hex: 1) there is never any concentric attack bonus, no matter who's attacking or from how many hexes he's doing so; 2) German panzer units, the Soviet CMG unit, and the Polish CRHC may never attack into city hexes and defend in them as if they were in clear terrain; 3) static units [see 2.11] also defend in cities as if they were in clear terrain; 4) non-static units, other than those listed above in number two, have their CF doubled when defending in city hexes; and 5) DR results are converted to AS or BB (see below).

12.15 City Combat Result Conversions

The general rule when attacking into city hexes, DR results are converted to either AS or BB. The conversion is to AS unless the attacker declares an "all out attack," in which case a DR converts to a BB. Soviet units attacking into a city must always go all out, while attacking Poles and French may never go all out. For the German player it's a choice. To go all out, he must have chosen the fight/move sequence on that map that turn, and all his involved units must be in supply and, if on the West Map, AGC may not be in supply crisis (see 8.10). Those preconditions having been met (on a case by case basis), he declares and rolls the die. The "all out" declaration may be made before or after the die is rolled.

12.16 Defending in Fortified Hexes

Fortifications exist in their hexes along with the natural terrain shown there. On the TEC, the "+1L" combat shift is given in addition to any shifts for the natural terrain (rough, mountain, forest) in that hex. Also note, unlike cities, fortifications don't annihilate rivers in their hexsides. Also note conditions numbered one and two from 12.14 are applied to attacks into these hexes.

12.17 Differential Limits

If the finally determined combat differential is higher (or lower) than the highest (or lowest) column heading on the CRT, resolve that attack using the highest (or lowest) column.

12.18 Lowering Combat Differentials

The attacking player may choose to lower (move leftward on the CRT) his combat differential in any given battle by one or more columns. He must announce that decision before rolling the resolution die.

12.19 Polish Army Cooperation

In general, no Polish attack may contain more than one army (XXXX) unit. Exception: once during the game the Polish player may conduct an attack using any number of army units. There is never any limit on the number of Polish groups that may participate in an attack, nor is there any restriction on stacked Polish armies defending together.

12.20 Slovakian Army

In general, the Slovakian unit attacks, and is supplied, etc., as if it were an AGS unit. In addition, though, it may not attack unless one (actual) German AGS unit is participating in the same effort.

13.0 Stukas & Airpower Environments

13.1 Stukas

The Stuka counters in the German force mix represent Flieger Division 1 and Flieger Fuehrer Command. Historically for this campaign they were given pretty much every operative dive bomber then in the Luftwaffe inventory. Each may be used in combat once per game turn in both scenarios at the discretion of the German player. A Stuka counter may only be used to support a German ground attack made in an air superiority environment (see 3.3). They have no defensive applications.

13.2 Limitless Range

Within the strictures given in this section, there are no range limits on the Stuka counters, they may potentially operate anywhere across both maps.

13.3 Above it All

The Stukas have no stacking or step values. They may never be given up to satisfy combat losses, and they may never be eliminated in any way, nor do they take part in advances-after-combat or retreats-after-combat, nor do they exert ZOC. At the end of Game Turn 6, or when transferred to the West Map (whichever comes first) both Stuka counters are flipped from their four-strength CF side to their three-strength side, no matter on what front they're then serving. That diminishment in strength represents the unavoidable loss of planes and aircrew, as well as a drop in sortie rate, as the campaign progresses and attrition makes itself felt. Neither Stuka counter is ever eliminated or reduced to less than a CF strength of three, no matter the circumstances and timing of their use.

13.4 Stuka Combat Factor (CF)

The Stukas never attack by themselves; they may only be used to assist German ground attacks. No single German ground attack may ever have more than one Stuka counter assist it. The Stukas have no function at all in air parity environments. The Stukas make their contribution felt in battle simply by adding in their CF (three or four) to the combat differential calculation of the attack being supported. Neither Stuka may contribute more CF to a ground attack than is being contributed to that same attack by the involved German ground units (simply ignore any excess Stuka CF).

13.5 Airpower Environments

If the German player has only air parity on the East Map, all combats on that map shift one column in favor of the Poles/Soviets and those nations' units' MF increase by one while German MF decrease by one. If the German player has air superiority on the West Map, all combats on that map shift one column in favor of the Germans, and German units' MF increase by one while French MF decrease by one. In the Hinge of Fate Scenario, the German player may not make more than one airpower environment switch per game, and the two maps' air environments always begin as given in 3.3. A switch, if there is to be one, must be declared by the German player at the start of any of his East Map Player Turns (step II in the turn sequence outline). In the Historical Scenario, the East Map is always a German air superiority environment and there is no switch possible.

13.6 German Airborne (FKG) Operations

The single German paratroop unit may only enter play via airdrop in the Hinge of Fate Scenario; it doesn't appear in the Historical Scenario. It may potentially be airdropped into play—no more than once per game—during any portion of any friendly or enemy player turn. The FKG may not land in mountain or city hexes; it may land atop friendly units. It doesn't count for stacking nor does it exert ZOC.

To assist in a German defense, simply land it atop the selected German defenders and add its CF into that combat differential calculation. It is not automatically eliminated unless the combat result for that defense is a DR. It may be given up to satisfy a BB loss requirement, and it's affected normally by a DE result.

Note: A successfully landed German airborne (FKG) unit on the west map is considered an AGC unit for all purposes, but does not use supply if stacked with any other German unit.

On offense, it may only attack in conjunction with at least one other German ground unit (a Stuka could potentially participate in the same attack). The FKG is landed atop the selected enemy defender and is thereby automatically and instantly destroyed; however, it also adds in its CF to that German attack's combat differential calculation.

The FKG may be dropped during a German Movement Phase on a bridge seizure mission. To do so it's dropped into any non-mountain and non-city hex with one or more river hexsides that's then empty of enemy units (EZOC OK). Its effect is to negate all river-crossing costs that phase for hexsides that are part of its landing hex. At the end of that German Movement Phase eliminate the FKG.

No matter on what mission it's sent, the FKG must make survival check prior to executing any operation. To do so the German player consults the German Airborne Operations Table printed on the mapsheet. Note the FKG may be airdropped in either airpower environment, but its chance of survival is greatly enhanced under air superiority.

13.7 Operation Seaside

In both scenarios the German player may carry out Operation Seaside, against any city in Poland, at the very end of any game turn starting with Game Turn 7. To be the target of Seaside, a city must be entirely surrounded (in immediately adjacent hexes) by German units and/or their ZOC. Polish units in those surrounding hexes negate German ZOC for purposes of this rule. (If Seaside is run against Warsaw, and both hexes are Polish-controlled, the German siege ring must be set up so as to contain both those hexes. If one hex is already German controlled, only the remaining Polish-controlled hex need be besieged). That stricture having been met, the German player places the Seaside marker atop the selected city hex.

During the game turn following the placement of the marker, the involved German units may not move or attack, though they defend normally and they may be reinforced during the course of the game turn. The Polish units in the hex(es) being targeted likewise may not move or attack. If, by the end of that game turn, the German siege ring is still unbroken (by Polish or Soviet units attacking/moving into it from the outside), all Polish units inside the siege ring are fully eliminated and the German player may immediately conduct an advance after combat into the surrendered hex(es) just as if he'd won a battle there during the combat phase. If the siege is lifted, the marker is removed and the Polish units inside that city immediately begin to operate normally again. Seaside may not be run more than once per game no matter its outcome.

14.0 Historical Scenario

14.1 Scenario Rules

All rules for the main scenario (see 4.0) apply when playing the Historical Scenario except as added to, deleted or otherwise amended in this section. This is a two-player scenario in which one player commands the German East Map forces and the other commands the Polish forces. It's also easily amenable to solitaire play.

14.2 Set Up & Force Mix

The West Map isn't used in the play of this scenario. Similarly, French forces, Army Group C, the FKG paratrooper, and the units of both Soviet Fronts are also not used. Set up German Army Group North and South units, along with the two Luftwaffe ground support Stuka and Polish units, as given in 3.2.

14.3 Marker Placement

AGN and AGS have replacements available to them as given in section 9.0; so use those Reps markers accordingly. The Game Turn marker starts in box-one of the Game Turn Record Track and play ends, at the latest, at the end of Game Turn 12.

14.4 Airpower

The entire scenario is played out under the conditions of German air superiority. The two Stuka units undergo strength reduction at the end of Game Turn 6. Operation Seaside and the Hela surrender rule are available for use in this scenario, but the FKG isn't available at all.

14.5 Turn Sequence

The German player is the first player in every game turn. Only use steps II and III of the turn sequence. That is, there are never any Strategic Event Phases, nor any Soviet Player Turns, nor any French Player Turns, nor any German West Map Player Turns.

14.6 German Sudden Death Victory

If, at any time prior to the start of Game Turn 6, the German player has gained simultaneous control of both hexes of Warsaw (2523 and 2524), and has accomplished that while keeping his side's step losses at no more than 12, play stops and he's declared the winner of the game.

14.7 Winning the Game

Failing a German sudden death victory, that player can still win the game if the following three conditions are all met within the time strictures given for each.

No later than the end of Game Turn 7, German forces must have gained and maintained control of all the cities and fortified hexes in Eastern Poland (which includes all hexes generally east of the German-Soviet Demarcation Line printed on the East Map) or, alternatively, German forces must be in position to accept the Polish surrender of that entire area at that time (see 14.8 below).

Note: This includes hex 1125, where the Polish Hela garrison unit is set-up, although see rule 4.11.

No later than the end of Game Turn 12, German forces must simultaneously control all cities and fortified hexes on the map outside Eastern Poland, and they be must also have eliminated all Polish units from the map.
At the time the number two condition above is fulfilled, German step losses must not total more than 12.

14.8 Evacuation & Surrender of Eastern Poland

If, prior to the end of Game Turn 7, the German player has one or more supplied units anywhere in the northern portion of this area (see the Terrain Key on the mapsheet), all Polish units in that sub-region immediately surrender (go into the dead pile). The same is true in the region's southern portion in reaction to a similarly timed and supplied German presence. If the German player isn't in position to accept either one or the other of those surrenders, he loses the game at that time. If both surrenders are made, German units in both portions of Eastern Poland must then move out of all of Eastern Poland as rapidly as possible (figured in terms of terrain costs and EZOC). The demarcated area on the map from hex 3017 and south is the southern portion of the region in question; hex 2817 and north is the northern portion of the region. Don't count Red Row hexes.

Designer's Note: What's happening is the Soviets are conducting their historical invasion of eastern Poland, and both the Germans and Poles are then reacting to that off-map move in the same historical manner. Note no actual Soviet units are used in any aspect of the play of this scenario.

14.9 Polish Victory

There's no sudden death Polish victory rule. The Polish player wins at the end of Game Turn 7 if the German player has been prevented from fulfilling that side's first victory condition as given above in 14.7. Failing that, the Polish player wins at the end of Game Turn 12 if the German player has been prevented from fulfilling that side's second and/or third victory conditions as given above in 14.7.

14.10 Draws

In this scenario there are no drawn games.

Bonus Material

15.0 Rhineland War Variant

This issue includes a set of extra counters for Rhineland War, the wargame in World at War #21. Rhineland War is based on "what if" World War II had broken out in 1936 over Hitler's order for the Wehrmacht to march into the Rhineland. Most of the European powers were not ready for a major armed conflict and the situation was chaotic, to say the least. The game uses Crisis markers to provide a wide range of military and diplomatic events, with Europe wide open to any number of alternative fights. As a result, games can have wide swings of fortune. With so many possibilities, there was an opening for variant counters—and here they are!

15.1 Additional Crisis Markers

Add these to the Crisis Pool.

Action: Logistics Collapse. Each player counts the total number of Crisis hexes his forces currently occupy. If one side occupies at least three more hexes than the other, then the marker is played and affects the player occupying fewer hexes. Otherwise, return it to the pool without playing. If Logistics Collapse goes into effect, then on the next player turn all units of the affected side are Out of Supply (except for units supplied via rules 13.12, 13.13 and 16.22). The marker is removed from play at the end of that next player turn. If both markers are picked in the same phase, return one to the Pool (do not pick a substitute; the first one goes into effect).

Action: Spanish Republican Infighting. This goes into effect if the Spanish Civil War has been triggered; otherwise, return it to the pool without being played (do not pick a substitute). Immediately delay all Spanish Republican reinforcements on the turn record track by two turns.

Belligerency: Great Britain 2. This functions the same as the Great Britain marker, and is in addition to it; either one will trigger British belligerency. If one of these markers is drawn, and then a second, Britain remains a belligerent and add the "CW" tactical air unit as an immediate British reinforcement.

15.2 Frontier Fortifications

Several of the powers had built up frontier fortifications and border guard forces by 1936. Add these units to the starting order of battle.

Italy: 2 x fortifications. These must be placed on hexes bordering France and/or Austria.

Poland: 3 x fortifications. Two must be placed on hexes bordering Germany, and one bordering the USSR.

Restriction. None of the fortification units may be placed in cities.

15.3 German Defensive Mobilization Option

The German order of battle in the game presumes a full-scale commitment by Berlin and the Wehrmacht to offensive warfare. This option assumes a more defensive orientation. Add the following units to the German order of battle.

2 x fortifications. These must be placed on hexes bordering Poland; they may not be placed in cities.

3 x Landwehr corps (LaW). One each is placed on turns M+2, M+3 and M+4 as reinforcements.

German reinforcements. The German player does not roll for the two German armored and four motorized division reinforcements, and the airborne regiment, at the start of the game. Instead, the rolls (M+DR) take place on the Reinforcement phase of the August 1936 turn.

15.4 Additional Historical Reinforcements

Axis & Allied Fifth Columns. These are added to each player's pool of available Fifth Column units.

Spanish Nationalist and Spanish Republican Shock Corps. Each side in the Spanish Civil War gets a shock corps. These are received M+DR. They include the Nationalist PN (Primera de Navarra) and Republican GOC (Grupo d'Accio).

Increased European Mobilization Option

This option assumes the various European powers initiated their plans to expand their armed forces earlier than they did. The following units are received as reinforcements.

Baltic States: 3rd Infantry Corps. Received M+DR.

Czechoslovakia: Res (Reserve) Armored Division. Received M+DR.

German: OstL (Ostland) Corps. The Ostland corps is received only if the Baltic States are an Allied power; place it on the first German Reinforcement phase that German units occupy all cities in the Baltic States.

Great Britain: CW (Commonwealth) tactical air unit. This is received the second time the Allies pick a Great Britain belligerency marker (per the Crisis markers).

Hungary: 1 x cavalry corps. Received M+DR.

Poland: Car (Carpathian) mountain corps, 1 x TAC. Received M+DR (roll for each).

Romania: 1 x cavalry corps. Received M+DR.

15.5 Errata Counters

German RAD paramilitary corps: shown as a division in the original game.

Austrian Alpine corps: shown as a division in the original game.

Italian naval bombardment unit: the +1 combat modifier was left off in the original game.

Turn marker: this was left out of the original game, mainly because of space limits on the counter sheet.

15.6 Option to rule 8.1: Armor Doctrine & Stacking

When playing with the Standard rules, change rule 8.1 to: stacking limits are as follows: 1) one army-sized unit plus one division; or 2) up to three corps or division sized units; and 3) an unlimited number of brigade and regiment-sized units.

For example: you could have one army and an armored division; or one corps and two divisions; or three corps, two regiments and one brigade.

The original stacking rule can be used when playing with rule 33.0 World War II Level Operations.

15.7 Variant Notes

The German Landwehr corps represent the large pool of semi-trained manpower which would have been available from second line reserves as well as the SA and Reich Labor Service, had they been rushed into service.

The additional Great Britain belligerency marker will increase the chances of Britain entering the war, which is the intent. While Britain was largely isolationist during the 1930s, a European war was more likely to draw it into the conflict.

The Logistics Collapse marker represents a couple of things. One is that the European powers had mostly not geared up their economies for war production. It also represents morale; if you are not seizing territory (as well as resources) your home population will lose their already limited enthusiasm for another European war. One other reason for including this rule was to prevent the game tactic of removing your units from Crisis hexes which you have captured in order to forestall the possibility of picking a Collapse chit.

The Polish and Italian fortifications actually existed. In 1939, the Poles made one of their last stands in just such a fortification zone. The Italians also had some forts up in the Alps. As for the Germans, they had initiated a limited fortress building program on their eastern frontier during the 1930s. The more extensive Westwall fortifications would not come until later. These units also represent the not inconsiderable border guard formations that these powers maintained. (Following the Rhineland Crisis, there was a considerable upsurge in fortress building throughout Europe, but this was after the events of the game).

The Ostland Corps is a bit of a stretch, but following the invasion of the USSR in 1941, the Germans did recruit some formations, mainly security, in the Baltic States. The Hungarian and Romanian cavalry units also represent some early mechanized forces. The Commonwealth tactical air unit represents an increased mobilization of British airpower, drawn from various overseas populations.

The Spanish Civil War shock corps represent elite units, such as they were in that conflict. They also give both sides a little more offensive ability. I did not want to push this too far since with a major European war in progress the powers would have been unlikely to send too much military assistance to Spain.

The Increased European Mobilization rule can work to either player's advantage, given that all these countries can become the ally of either player. Finally, the restrictions to stacking of divisions prevents an unrealistic massing of mechanized formations for the mid-1930s.

15.8 Rhineland War Errata

Map

(Clarification) The Rhineland—hex 3618—is part of Germany. The border hexes running to the N, NE and SE of the hex are incorrect and should be ignored. The correct border hexes are the ones shown to its NW, SW, and S.

Initial Deployment & Reinforcement Table:

German and British antiaircraft units are divisions, not corps (the counter mix is correct). British 1st Infantry Corps is an M+1 unit.

The Soviets receive one airborne corps as part of their initial deployment; they do not receive the airborne corps listed for M+1.

Terrain Effects Chart (omission): Mountains give defenders x2 defense.

Counters:

The German RAD division should be a corps. The Austrian Alpine division should be corps. The Italian naval bombardment unit should have a "+1".

Rules

2.7 Land Combat Types

The unit type with an empty box indicates a paramilitary unit.

3.3 Unit Set Up (clarifications)

The British Commonwealth (CW) Corps enters play via the Commonwealth Rallies event (see 5.7).

The Portuguese unit is placed by the Axis player anywhere in Portugal.

Fifth Column units are held off map and brought into play via the Fifth Column events.

14.4(4): Rail movement may not be used in Spain if the Spanish Civil war is in effect.

16.6 Duration of Terror Bombing Markers (clarification)

During the Axis Player Turn, remove terror bombing markers from cities of Axis countries; during the Allied Player Turn, remove terror bombing markers from cities of Allied countries. This is regardless of who controls the city currently.

22.0 (clarification):

The USSR is not affected by a Putsch or General Strike; only by the Red Army Purge.

31.2 Nationalist Deployment

Drop "Burgos"; Nationalists can deploy up to two units per hex.

Republican Deployment (change): should be 2 x 2-4-2 (not 2-3-2).

Rule 31.3 Republican Reinforcements (change): should be 1 x 2-4-2 (not 2-3-2).

16.0 Patton's First Victory (Boxed Game) Supplemental Units

Additional units are provided for both sides, but mostly the Axis side, to allow more offensive conduct during the game. The application of these bonus units are listed as follows.

16.1 Set-up

The bonus units begin the game on the map, except for the US artillery, which only appears when the Patton marker arrives (arriving with the Patton marker), the British 6th Armoured unit, which simply replaces the misprinted British 6th Armoured unit already present with the game, and the German "21st (Combined)" unit, which is only used as a replacement (see below). Both players may set-up their bonus units in any hexes they prefer, within normal rules, strictures and stacking limits.

Special Rule (Flak Unit): The German player is provided with a special "Flak" support asset which functions as a normal land unit in all respects. If the Flak unit is present in any hex where any Allied air unit has flown, one (but never more than one per combat) Allied air unit (of the Axis player's choice) is reduced automatically.

21st Panzer (Combined): When the game begins the Axis player may, if he desires, combine the two "21st" units as one unit, whereby the two German "21st" units (Gruen and Pfeiffer) that began the game on the map are removed from the map (permanently) and are replaced by the "21st (Combined)" unit. The 21st (Combined) unit thereafter functions like a normal land unit in every respect (and is replaced by a battlegroup normally, if eliminated), and may be replaced normally, but it may never split up into the Gruen and Pfeiffer units again (which were removed from the game permanently).

British Artillery: The British artillery unit may begin the game in any hex where a British unit is set-up, including as part of the 8th Army, if the Allied player prefers.