Panzers East Solitaire: Army Group Center, June-August 1941

Panzers East Solitaire: Army Group Center, June-August 1941 Rulebook

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction
2.0 Components
3.0 Set-Up, The Soviet Front Line & Hex Control
4.0 How to Win
5.0 Turn Sequence
6.0 Stacking
7.0 Reinforcements & Soviet Reorganization
8.0 Soviet Defending Force Generation
9.0 German Movement
10.0 Combat
11.0 Soviet Supply & Pocket Breakout Attacks
12.0 Stavka-Directed Counterattacks
13.0 Southwest Front Counteroffensive

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Premise

Panzers East Solitaire (PES) is a simulation that covers the advance of Germany's Army Group Center (AGC), starting on the first day of Operation Barbarossa and potentially extending to the last day of August later that same summer. The design supports both strict historical and alternative history explorations. That is, at the end of July, when the AGC offensive was historically shut down in favor of supporting extended drives by the flanking army groups, it's possible that, if you've done better up to then than did your historical counterpart, Hitler would have authorized a continued and immediate advance on Moscow. You actively command the German forces while the rules system directs you in the handling of Soviet forces. You win or lose based on the timely seizure of key areas on the map.

1.2 Scale

Each game turn equals one-third of a month. Each hexagon represents 16 miles (24 km) from side to opposite side.

1.3 Die Roll Modifiers

In all situations, all applicable die roll modifiers are cumulative in their effect.

1.4 Compass Directions & Map Edges

True north is a little to the right of the top of the map, but the top registers "game north," which is what we're concerned with for directionality in the rules below. The north map edge extends from hexagon 1001 to 1542 inclusive. The south map edge extends from hexagon 2601 to 2643 inclusive. The west map edge takes in hexagons 1543 to 2644, inclusive. The east map edge runs from hexagon 1000 to 2600 inclusive.

1.5 Airpower

Throughout this period the Germans had, when measured at these time and space scales, uninterrupted air superiority. As a reflection of that, the benefits given to their operations by that overarching reality are simply built-in throughout all the design's sub-systems rather than being represented by particular airpower rules.

1.6 Late Game & Early Game

Turns 1 through 4 are collectively termed the "early game," while Turns 5 through 7 are collectively termed the "late game." The rules given below apply equally to both game portions unless specifically stated otherwise.

1.7 Orders of Battle

Both sides' orders of battle are historical. That is, the forces given, for both the historic early game, as well as for the potential alternative-history "late game," are drawn entirely from the orders of battle both sides had available on this front during those timeframes.

The German late game reinforcements are those divisions that were historically transferred from the two other army groups to take part in Operation Typhoon. Of course, we can't know those same divisions would've been chosen for this earlier drive on Moscow, but it seems reasonable to take them as representing the Germans' maximum effort, in either timeframe, for any Moscow offensive. (They're so much weaker because they've been actively campaigning in their own army group sectors prior to their transfer to AGC.)

The Soviet OB contains everything of relevant size they put out in August (which, relatively speaking, wasn't that much). Of course, the names of the ad hoc operational and cavalry groups (historically designated for their commanders or commitment locales) would've been different; however, the force mixes available to constitute them would've—in macro—remained the same. We therefore used the historic designators, rather than generic letters or numbers, to name them for the sake of historic color.

2.0 Components

2.1 Map & Game Pieces

The components to a complete game of PES include these rules, the map-sheet and 280 die-cut counters (also called "units" and "unit counters"). Players must provide themselves with at least one (preferably more, for convenience sake) standard (six-sided) die to resolve combat and other probabilistic events during play. You will also need two large-mouth opaque containers—such as coffee mugs or cereal bowls—to serve as the Soviet "force pools" (see 3.1).

2.2 The Game Map

The game map represents the militarily significant terrain found across the central-eastern Poland, Belorussia and west-central Russia in 1941 when portrayed at this scale. A hexagonal ("hex") grid is printed over it to regulate unit placement and movement similar to the way squares are used in Chess and Checkers. A unit is always in only one 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 you with the same space/time dilemmas faced by your real-world counterparts in the actual (and possibly extended alternative history) campaign. Each hex on the map has a unique four-digit number printed in it. They're provided to help you find specific locations referred to in the rules (for example, Smolensk is in hex 1916), and to allow you to record unit positions if a match has to be interrupted and taken down before it can be completed.

2.3 Counters

Most of the counters represent combat units; others are provided as memory aids and informational markers. Carefully punch out the counters. Trimming the "dog ears" from their corners with a fingernail clipper greatly facilitates handling and stacking during play and enhances their appearance. Each combat unit counter displays several types of information: nationality and organizational affiliation, type, combat dice rolled, step strength and specific historic identifications.

2.4 Sample German Unit

A panzer division is pictured below. It has a combat dice roll strength ("CDR") of 2. On one side the unit is printed showing its full two-step strength, while on the other side of the counter it's shown at its "reduced" one-step strength ("KG" side) with a CDR of only "1." It arrives into play as a reinforcement on Turn 6.

[Counter illustration in the original: "SAMPLE TWO-STEP GERMAN UNIT (1st Panzer Division)". Front: Reinforcement Arrival Turn (6), Unit Type (Mech), CDR 2, unit size 2 XX, Historic Identification 1st. Back: KG side, CDR 1, unit size 1.]

2.5 Step Strengths

All combat units in the game contain one or two "strength steps" (also referred to as "step strength" or simply "steps"). That's an arbitrary term used to express the ability of a unit to absorb a certain amount of combat losses before ceasing to be an effective formation (a measure of its "robustness" in current US Army jargon). If a full-strength (two-step) unit suffers a step loss, it's flipped so its "reduced" (one-step) side shows. If a one-step unit (or a two-stepper that had already been reduced) takes a step loss, it's removed from the map and placed off to the side. No unit may ever give, loan or otherwise transfer a step to another unit. See section 6.0 for more details.

2.6 Recognizing Step Strengths

The way to tell a unit's step strength is to note its CDR number. The higher number—always greater than "1"—is its two-step side; the lower number—always "1"—is its one-step strength.

2.7 Sides & Colors

Each unit's nationality and other organizational characteristics are shown by its color scheme. Remember: you, as "the player," actively command—decide the details of their movement and combat—all German units in the game. The activities of the opposing Soviet units will be determined by the strictures given below. Of course, you will still also take some part in that process by moving the Soviet units and rolling dice for their various activities, but only as and when dictated by the rules. Note that German units are coded so as to identify their mobility category—mechanized or non-mechanized—whereas Soviet units are coded so as to emphasize their time of appearance in the turn and combat sequences.

German Units

Mechanized ("Mech"): white on field gray
Non-Mechanized ("Non-Mech" or "Leg"): black on gray

Soviet Units

Specialist—yellow on red
Regulars—yellow on khaki
Stavka-Directed Operational & Cavalry Groups—black on orange
Southwest Front—black on olive green
Fortified Zones—yellow triangle on red

2.8 German Unit Types & Mobility Classes

All German unit types fall into one of two broad mobility categories: mechanized or non-mechanized. See section 9.13 for details.

German Non-Mechanized Units: Infantry; Horse Cavalry.

German Mechanized Units: Panzer; Panzer Grenadier; Motorized Flak.

[Counter illustrations in the original show a non-mechanized infantry unit (XX, 4) and a mechanized unit (XX, 3) with their unit-type symbols.]

2.9 Soviet Unit Types & Commitment Categories

All Soviet unit types fall into one of four "commitment categories"—regular & specialist, Stavka-directed operational and cavalry groups, and Southwest Front. The term "commitment categories" has to do with when each such group may make an appearance during the turn sequence. See sections 8.0, 12.0, and 13.0 for details.

Soviet Regular Units: Rifle Divisions
Soviet Specialist Units: Tank Divisions; Motorized Rifle Divisions; Airborne Corps; Fortified Zones
Stavka-Directed Operational & Cavalry Groups: Operational Groups; Cavalry Groups
Southwest Front Units: Combined Arms Armies

[Counter illustrations in the original show sample counters for each category, including a Soviet rifle division (134th), a Soviet specialist unit (17th), a Stavka-directed group (5, XXX) and a Southwest Front army (6, XXXX).]

The size symbols used on the counters are defined as follows:

XXXX—Soviet combined arms army
[XXX]—Soviet ad hoc operational or cavalry group (corps equivalent)
XX—division
[KG]—German reduced-division battlegroup (KG for Kampfgruppe)
X—German panzer brigade or flak group
III—regiment

2.10 Soviet Regular & Specialist Units

Most of the Soviet units in both the regular and specialist categories are divisions, and all of them have just one step and a CDR of "1." (The organizational size-designation exceptions are the 4th Airborne Corps and the fortified zones. In both those cases, however, those units' true "sizes" were close enough to actual divisions to make no operational distinctions necessary for them in this game.) To visually simplify the regular and specialist units' appearance, all those counters are done up so as to only show their types and historic identification numbers. Those that come into play after Turn 1 have the number of that turn printed in their upper-left corners. Those that start the game already in play have blank upper corners.

2.11 Soviet Stavka-Directed Operational & Cavalry Groups

These units are each approximately Western corps equivalents and are controlled in their use directly from the Kremlin.

2.12 Soviet Southwest Front Units

These units are the combined-arms armies belonging to the higher-level Red Army command formation ("Front") that's located just off the map to the southwest. Historically those units were the ones surrounded and destroyed in the Kiev pocket when Hitler ordered the deflection of AGC's panzers to the south. Since that move doesn't take place here (assuming the German player survives into the late game), Southwest Front is thereby able to punch into the flank of AGC in order to aid in the larger defense of Moscow.

2.13 Unit Organizational Sizes

The historic organizational size of the various units are listed below from largest down to smallest. For the significance of those sizes, see section 6.0.

XXXX—Soviet combined arms army
[XXX]—Soviet ad hoc operational or cavalry group (corps equivalent)
XX—division
[KG]—German reduced-division battlegroup (KG for Kampfgruppe)
X—German panzer brigade or flak group
III—regiment

2.14 Abbreviations

The abbreviations on the counters are defined as follows.

Soviet Units

Bat—Batskelevich's Cavalry Group
Bol—Operational Group Boldin
Dov—Dovator's Cavalry Group
Ego—Operational Group Egorov
Eln—Operational Group Elnia
Erm—Operational Group Ermakov
Gor—Operational Group Gorodovikov
Kal—Operational Group Kalinin
Kas—Operational Group Kachalov
Kho—Operational Group Khomenko
Kul—Kuliev's Cavalry Group
M—Militia
Mas—Operational Group Maslennikov
Rok—Operational Group Rokossovsky

German Units

GD—Gross Deutschland
L—Lehr

2.15 Other Counters

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

Soviet Front Line (see 3.4 & 3.5)
Game Turn (see section 5.0)
Soviet Late Game Entrenchment (see 8.8, 8.9 & 10.10)
Movement Points Left (see section 9.0)

3.0 Set-Up, The Soviet Front Line & Hex Control

3.1 Soviet Set-Up

When preparing to play, you should first deploy the Soviet units as follows.

A) First put all Soviet regular and specialist units with blank upper corners into one of the containers mentioned in rule 2.1.

B) Temporarily put the remaining Soviet regular and specialist units and the six entrenchment markers, all with the numbers "2" or "5" printed in their upper-left corners, into the boxes on the Turn Track (printed on the mapsheet) corresponding to those numbers.

C) Put the five Soviet Southwest Front armies off to the side of the map, but within each reach.

D) Put the 13 Stavka-Directed operational and cavalry groups into the other container mentioned in rule 2.1.

E) Put 18 Soviet Front Line markers, one each, in the irregular row of hexes immediately on the (generally) eastern side of the initial border line printed on the map from 1437 to 2639 inclusive. Set the other markers off to the side within easy reach.

Note: No actual Soviet combat units begin set up on the map.

3.2 German Set Up

Take the German units printed with "6" in their upper-left corners and place them into that box of the Turn Record Track on the mapsheet. All the other German units constitute your starting force. Set them up, taking stacking rules into account (see 6.0), in any hexes west of the line of Soviet front line markers.

3.3 Other Markers

Put the Turn marker into the Turn 1 box on the Turn Record Track. Temporarily set aside the "MP Left" marker within easy reach. That completes the set-up of the game.

3.4 Soviet Front Line Maintenance

Every time a moving German unit or stack (a "force," see 9.1) enters a hex containing a Soviet Front Line marker, temporarily halt that force's movement and roll a die to generate the defending Soviet force for that hex (if any). After resolving that battle (if any), if the attacking German force has defeated the defending Soviet force in the hex, that locale is said to have been taken control of by the German side. In such cases immediately place around the battle hex the number of new markers necessary to accurately delineate the changed Soviet front line. Alternatively, if the German attempt to take control of the battle hex is defeated, replace the Soviet control marker back into that hex. There will never be any time when the Soviet front line is broken cleanly open. That is, each territorial acquisition by the Germans causes the front line to be immediately redrawn via the use of as many newly placed markers as are needed to do so.

3.5 Hex Control

At the start of play the Soviet side controls all the hexes on the map that lie in and generally east of the line created by the placement of the front line markers. A hex's control status switches from the Soviets to the Germans as described above. Such control switching may occur more than once (back and forth from German to Soviet and Soviet to German) in each hex on the map. The back and forth has to do with Soviet pocket breakout attacks, Stavka-directed counterattacks, and the Southwest Front counteroffensive. Hex control is also important for purposes of determining victory (see section 4.0).

4.0 How to Win

4.1 Victory Benchmarks

In your role as the commander of Army Group Center, your overarching goal is to capture Moscow. It's impossible for you to win without gaining control of at least one hex of that seven-hex city. Additionally, along the way to Moscow, at the ends of Turns 4, 5, and 6, you have to pass certain intermediate progress checks just to be allowed to continue striving to reach your final goal. There are no drawn games.

4.2 End of July Check

At the end of Turn 4 (III July), survey the map. If at that time you haven't destroyed a grand total of at least 50 Soviet specialist and/or regular units in pockets and, in addition, if the Soviets still control one or more LOC points lying west of the "End of July Check Line" printed on the map (1016/1017 to 2615/2616), play stops and you've lost the game immediately.

Historical Note: In the actual event, your historical counterpart didn't manage to liquidate an approximately four-hex pocket of Soviet control to the southwest of Smolensk, and he also failed to capture Yelnia (2113) and Roslavl (2415) by the end of July. Accordingly, Hitler determined the task at hand was too great for AGC to be allowed to try to continue with it at that time. He therefore halted the army group and temporarily took away its mechanized units to aid the flanking drives by Army Groups North and South. Of course, we can't know for certain if that decision would've been made differently based on the operationally superior performance called for in the rule above. Given, however, that the debate was a closely argued one as it was, and combining it with the theater's geography, this is the most direct and believable measure as to what would've been taken as constituting a validating success for AGC up to that time.

4.3 German Line of Communications (LOC)

There is a grand total of seven town and city hexes on the map shown in red. Taken together, they constitute your army group's line of communications back to its base of supply in Greater Germany. From west to east, those "LOC Points" (or simply "LOC," pronounced "loke") are:

Bialystok (1939)
Baranowicze (2232)
Minsk (2027)
Orsha (1919)
Smolensk (1916)
Vyazma (1810)
Mozhaisk (1805)

Gaining timely control of them, and then maintaining that control in the face of potential Soviet counterattacks toward them, is crucial in your overall effort to win the game (see below), as well as to the arrival of German reinforcements onto the map (see 7.3 & 10.7).

4.4 End of Turn 5 Check

At the end of Turn 5 (I Aug) survey the map again. If at that time you don't control all LOC points to the west of the End of July Check Line, as well as Vyazma (1810), play stops and you've lost the game immediately.

4.5 End of Turn 6 Check

At the end of Turn 6, survey the map again. If at that time you don't control all LOC points that lie to the west of the End of July Check Line, as well as Vyazma (1810) and Mozhaisk (1805), play stops and you've lost the game.

Historical Note: The requirements in 4.4 and 4.5 are simply ways to directly (and conveniently) work into the game the overarching logistical requirements of keeping a force as large as AGC properly supplied and operating coherently.

4.6 Victory at Moscow

At the very end of any turns that you control one or more hexes of Moscow, that control may cause sufficient morale loss among the Soviets so as to bring on the irrevocable military and political collapse of Stalin's regime. To check for that possibility, at the end of all such turns in which you control one or more Moscow hexes, roll a die and consult the table below.

Control one or two hexes of Moscow: You win on result of one or less.
Control three hexes of Moscow: You win on a result of two or less.
Control four hexes of Moscow: You win on a result of three or less.
Control five hexes of Moscow: You win on a result of four or less.
Control six hexes of Moscow: You win on a result of five or less.
Control all seven hexes of Moscow: You win automatically.

Historical Note: Of course, it's possible the Soviets wouldn't have collapsed even if the Germans entirely captured Moscow. For the purpose of measuring competitive achievement in game play, however, we'll still take the capture of the place as worthy of declaring you the victor.

4.7 Tula/Kalinin Die Roll Modifier

Subtract one from the die roll(s) above (4.6) if you control Tula (2502) and Kalinin (1105) at the time of those rolls. Check the control situation anew each time you make a victory check roll. The modifier applies whenever the situation is in effect, any number of times.

4.8 Pocket Elimination Die Roll Modifier

All during play, keep track (using the track printed on the mapsheet) of the grand total of all Soviet regular and specialist units eliminated in defeated pocket breakout battles. For every 50 of all such units eliminated in that way, subtract one from the result of the die rolls made in accordance with rules 4.6 and 4.7 above. This die roll modifier is in addition to the modifier awarded in 4.7. Remainders don't count.

Example: 99 units eliminated in pockets would result in only a -1 to victory check roll. The modifier applies whenever more than 50 units have been eliminated in pockets, with that grand tally being adjusted cumulatively all through play.

4.9 Two Other Ways to Lose

Note that you may also lose the game due to a successful Stavka-directed counterattack or a successful counteroffensive by Southwest Front. See sections 12.8 and 13.0, respectively, for details on those possibilities.

4.10 German Zones of Control & Possible Loss of Front Integrity

The six hexes surrounding every German unit or stack ("force") on the map (see 9.1) constitute each such force's "zone of control" (ZOC). That's an abstract term used to connote a force's ability to control terrain around its main location via patrolling and long-range artillery fire. German ZOC extend into all hexes around each force's location, regardless of terrain, and—for rules lawyer's purposes—ZOC are also considered to exist within the same hexes as the German units projecting them. At the very end of every turn's Phase II, examine the map. If, at that time, every German-controlled hex that's adjacent to one or more Soviet Front Line markers doesn't contain one or more German units and/or ZOC, the German front line is considered to have been broken open and you've thereby lost the game.

Exception: There are no Soviet ZOC.

The diagram's top represents an abstracted portion of the map's north edge, while the bottom of the diagram represents the map's south edge. The beige units are Soviet Front Line Markers. The hexes tinted red are Soviet-controlled territory. The un-tinted hexes are German-controlled territory. The green and gray units are German. It's the end of Phase II of any turn. The front line as shown here is convoluted, but the same principles for rule 4.10's adjudication would apply even if it ran perfectly straight from one map edge to the other.

In the situation depicted in the diagram, the German player is meeting the front line integrity requirements given in rule 4.10. That is, there are one or more German units and/or zones of control in every German-controlled hex that's adjacent to one or more Soviet Front Line Markers. Note, however, the German situation is precarious in that, if any one of the six German units shown were removed, the German front would lose its integrity and the Soviets would thereby win the game.

Also note not every ZOC being projected by the German units is labeled as such on the map, only those pertinent to the maintenance of front line integrity are shown. German units project their ZOC into all hexes surrounding their locations.

Last, note that German units being used to maintain front line integrity needn't actually be in the foremost front line hexes in order to carry out that mission. One hex back from the edge of the front is okay as long as the overall ZOC and/or unit integrity requirement is met.

[Diagram in the original: a convoluted front line of Soviet Front Line markers, red-tinted Soviet hexes, six German units and labeled ZOC hexes. Not reproduced.]

5.0 Turn Sequence

5.1 Phases

Every turn of PES is divided into "phases" which are then each subdivided into individual actions. You should conduct all your various actions and complete the phases of each turn as given in the outline below and as described in the rest of the rules.

5.2 Turn Sequence Outline

I. German Reinforcement Phase (skip on Turn 1; also see 10.7)

II. German Movement & Combat & Front Integrity Check Phase

III. Stavka-Directed Counterattack Phase

IV. Southwest Front Counteroffensive Phase (only Turn 6 or 7)

V. Moscow Victory Check Phase

VI. Administrative Phase

5.3 Sequence Irregularities

Phase I only takes place during Turn 6 (see section 7.0). Phase IV only takes place once, either during Turn 6 or 7 (see section 13.0).

5.4 Ending a Turn

After the resolution of the current turn's Phase VI, move the Turn marker ahead one box on that track on the mapsheet and start a new turn with Phase I. Except for the exceptions described above in 5.3, all turns are identical in their overall structure and sequence.

5.5 Ending Play

The game ends as described in section 4.0, or whenever you, in your role as AGC commander, become convinced you can no longer win and you concede defeat to the system, whichever comes first.

5.6 Administrative Phase

This is a general "clean up" phase before beginning a new turn. See 7.2, 8.7, 8.9, 10.6 and 13.2 for more details.

6.0 Stacking

6.1 Stacking Defined

Stacking is the term used to describe the piling of more than one unit of the same side in the same hex at the same time. The stacking rules given below are in effect all through play, in every phase of the sequence of every turn, from set up through to final victory determination.

6.2 German Divisional Stacking Limit

You may never have more than six German divisions (regardless of types) in the same hex at the same time. Note that divisions reduced to KG are still considered divisions for stacking purposes.

6.3 German Non-Divisional Stacking

The six German units in the game that are smaller than division-size—the four flak groups, the Lehr Brigade and the GD Regiment—each count as half a division for stacking purposes.

Exception: There may never be more than two flak groups in any one hex at any one time.

6.4 German Stacking & Mobility Categories

In addition to the strictures given above, German units of the two different mobility categories may not move or attack together as a force. If you decide to stack together mechanized and non-mechanized units, that's allowed; however, they would have to move out of that hex (if they were to move) as separate mechanized and non-mechanized forces. They could defend together, though, in their mixed hex, against Soviet pocket breakout attacks, Stavka-directed counterattacks, and the Southwest Front counteroffensive.

6.5 Soviet Stacking

The stacking of Soviet regular and specialist units will usually be determined by each force determination die roll, which will be made anew each time a German force first enters any given Soviet front line hex. See section 8.0 for details. Stavka-directed operational and cavalry groups, and Southwest Front armies, never stack with any units; they are always encountered only one per hex.

6.6 Stacking Irrelevancy

Both sides' stacking limits are mutually exclusive. That is, the number of German units in a hex in no way affects the stacking limit of Soviet units in that hex and vice versa.

7.0 Reinforcements & Soviet Reorganization

7.1 Reinforcements

Reinforcements are units that enter play after the end of Game Turn 1.

7.2 Soviet Reinforcements

During every turn's Phase VI, look ahead to the next turn's box on the Turn Record Track. If there are any Soviet units in that box, immediately move them from there into the specialist/regular unit force pool. Once entered into the pool, Soviet reinforcements function in all ways as if they'd been in play there from the start.

7.3 German Reinforcements

During each turn's Phase I, look to that turn's box on the Turn Record Track. If there are any German units in that box, immediately move them from there onto the map. Arriving units may be entered by being placed in any German-controlled LOC point and/or Greater Germany hex(es) on the map. Stacking restrictions must be taken into account during placement. Once on the map, German reinforcements function in all ways as if they'd been in play from the start.

Note: 10.7 applies, as well.

7.4 Soviet Reorganization

During Phase VI of Turn 1, roll one die and draw that number of random units (one through six) from the dead pile of Soviet regular and specialist units. Immediately place those randomly drawn units back into the Soviet regular-and-special force pool, from where they're again available for normal reentry into play. During Phase VI of Turn 2, follow the same procedure again, but this time roll two dice (to retrieve two through 12 units). During Turn 3 again do the same, that time rolling three dice, and so on through Phase VI of Turn 6, when you'd make a final roll using six dice. In making those rolls and recycling the "reorganized" units, don't decrease the overall tally of Soviet units that you've destroyed in pocket battles.

Designer's Note: The rule above represents that historically, no matter how hard they tried, the Germans couldn't keep all the Soviet units they'd pocketed from escaping and then later getting back into the fight.

8.0 Soviet Defending Force Generation

8.1 Soviet Dispositions

Soviet units don't generally move about the board in the manner of German units (see sections 9.0, 11.0, 12.0 & 13.0). Instead, each time a moving German force (a single unit or stack of units) enters a hex containing a Soviet Front Line marker, you must pause it to "roll up" (via die roll) that place's defending force. Note that all the defensive force pulls described in the rest of the rule sections below are made only from the combined specialist and regular unit pool you created as your first step within rule 3.1.

8.2 Clear, Hill, Forest, or Marsh Hexes

If a newly German-entered Soviet-controlled hex contains one of the terrains listed in the title of this rule, roll a die and that result minus three—expressed as "1d6-3," meaning you get zero, one, two, or three units—is the number of Soviet regular and/or specialist units you then blindly pull from that force pool (see 3.1) in order to make up the defense of the hex under attack.

8.3 Town Hexes

All towns exist in otherwise clear hexes. The defending force generation die roll formula is therefore the same as given above for clear hexes, in both early and late game turns, with the important addition of a "+1" to it. That is, in the early game, the formula is "(1d6-3)+1," while in the late game it's "(1d6-2)+1." In other words, a town hex will always have at least one defending unit generated for its garrison.

8.4 City Hexes

When you roll for any non-Moscow city hex's defensive force, early game and late, the formula is one six-sided die (1d6), for a force of one to six units. When rolling for a Moscow hex, the formula is two six-sided die (2d6) for a force of two to 12 units.

8.5 Undefended & Undermanned Hexes

If the defensive force generation procedure results in there being no Soviet units appearing in the hex in question, or if no regular or specialist Soviet units are available to be drawn that pool, the hex in question is left empty and immediately switches to German control without any combat. Similarly, if the number of units available in the pool is less than the number called for by the die roll process, simply deploy those units that are available; the missing remainder aren't received.

8.6 Successful & Subsequent Hex Defenses

If the Soviet defense of a hex defeats a German force attacking it (see 10.1), at the end of that battle simply leave all the involved surviving defending Soviet units in place in that hex on the map. If that same hex comes under attack again that same phase by another German force, don't roll up a new or reinforcing defense force; simply use the one already in place in that hex.

8.7 Defensive Force Removals

During Phase VI of every game turn, the general rule is you remove all on-map defense forces from the map and place them back in the pool. For the two exceptions, see below.

8.8 Fortified Zone (FZ) & Entrenchment Marker (EM)

There may be more than one FZ in a hex; however, there may never be more than one EM in a hex and there will never be an FZ and an EM together in the same hex. If one or more FZ is/are pulled from the pool to defend against a German attack taking place in a hex east of the End of July Check Line printed on the map, permanently set it/them aside and draw a substitute(s) for it/them. If more than one EM shows up to defend in one hex, set it/them aside and pull a substitute(s). After the defensive force for that hex has been generated, immediately place the temporarily set-aside EM(s) back into the pool. EM may only deploy into defensive forces for hexes east of the End of July Check Line. Also see 10.10.

[Counter illustration in the original: a fortified zone counter ("58th", "5") and an "ENTRENCHMENT MARKER". Not reproduced.]

8.9 Further EM Exception

If you attack and take a hex containing an EM, that marker goes back into the Soviet pool during that turn's Phase VI. During the late game, each turn begins with six EM in the Soviet regular/specialist pool, except for any left out in German-failed-attack hexes. Also see 10.10.

9.0 German Movement

9.1 Movement Defined

The German units and stacks in the various hexes across the map at the start of each of your Movement & Combat Phases are each termed a "force." Each such force moves and fights one at a time. Once you've begun the movement and/or combat of one German force, you may not begin that of another until you've completed the actions of that first force.

9.2 Movement Procedure

A moving force may drop off, but not pick up, units as it moves. Further, units dropped off from a moving force end their activities for that phase in their drop-off hex. In such cases, though, any German units of a force that had been in a drop-off hex since the start of that phase would still be free to conduct their operation. In other words, dropped-off units and units that started the phase already in the drop-off hex aren't considered to reconstitute into a new combined force until the end of that phase. When you initially start moving with a force, you may decide to do so one or two units at a time, which then immediately reconstitutes the still unmoved units in the original hex as a new force that are still eligible to conduct movement and combat that phase. Always also keep in mind, though, the stacking limit given in 6.1.

9.3 Enemy Contact

Combat is a function of movement. That is, each time a moving German force enters any hex containing a Soviet Front Line marker, combat may occur there. It costs nothing "extra" for you to launch a force into its first round of combat in a hex; if it had the MP needed to enter the hex in terms of paying all the involved hexside and in-hex terrain costs, combat may occur. If hex entry occurs, the possibility for combat must be checked as described in section 8.0.

9.4 Sustained Combat

Every battle is potentially a multi-round engagement. Each round of combat after a force's first attack, however, costs that force another MP (no matter the terrain involved) from its allotment for that phase.

9.5 Forging Ahead

If a round of combat ends with all the Soviet defenders in that hex having been eliminated, the attacking German force may resume its movement and combat provided that's what you want to do and your force has the needed remaining MP to move off in the direction you want to send it.

9.6 Calling a Halt

If a round of battle ends with Soviet defenders still in the hex, and you don't want to risk any more German losses by forging ahead with another round of that attack at that time, or you want to do so but don't have the needed MP remaining to pay for a new round, that battle ends in a German defeat. In such cases, move the attacking German force back into the hex from which it entered the battle hex. That force's movement and attacks are over for that phase.

9.7 Movement Points Remaining Table

To keep track of a moving force's remaining MP, use the table printed on the map along with the marker provided. If your engaged force is out of MP and there are still one or more Soviet units in the battle hex, that fight has likewise ended in a German defeat just as described above in 9.6 and the breakoff procedure is also the same.

9.8 Movement Allowances

All German force movement takes place from hex-to-hex within the strictures given on the Terrain Effects Chart printed on the mapsheet. No force may ever give or loan MP to another force, nor may any hexes be skipped over during movement. All movement is from hex to adjacent hex across traversable hexsides with the moving force deducting the MP needed to pay all involved costs as it moves. No unit may ever move farther than allowed by its remaining MP, nor is any moving force guaranteed any minimum movement capability.

9.9 Mnemonic

To aid in remembering which forces have moved and which haven't, maintain a common facing with all German forces; then rotate each one 180 degrees as it finishes its movement and combat.

Or, alternately, use any other spare game pieces from another game or perhaps coins to indicate which units have moved.

9.10 Perpetual Combat

Within the strictures of rules sections 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0 and 10.0, any Soviet-controlled hex may potentially be attacked any number of times, by any number of German forces, in any number of combat rounds, in each turn's Phase II.

9.11 Movement Costs

All movement costs on the TEC (Terrain Effects Chart) are paid on a per-hex basis by terrain type. Each hex contains only one in-hex natural terrain type. The river hexside crossing cost of "+2" or "+1" is paid in addition to the cost involved for the in-hex terrain in the hex into which the moving force is crossing.

For example, crossing a river into a hill hex would cost a moving infantry force a total of three MP: that's two for the hill and "one extra" for crossing the river in order to get into the rough hex.

9.12 German Operational Logistical Constraint

During the early game, no German movement or combat is allowed into any hexes east of the End of July Check Line printed on the map.

9.13 Mobility Categories

All German units' movement factors are determined by their mobility category (mechanized or non-mechanized, see 2.8) on a turn-by-turn basis. In essence, both types start out relatively fast (16 for mechanized and 10 for non-mechanized) and then lose MP as time, distance, logistical shortfalls and vehicular losses have their effect. The resultant MP are tabulated on a turn-by-turn basis on the German Movement Points Table that's printed on the mapsheet.

Appendix to 9.0: German Movement Rates Table

The German Movement Points Table is printed on the mapsheet. It was missing from the WW45 map, and the companion chart sheet reproduces it as follows (headed "Missing Chart from WW45 Map").

German Movement Rates Table

Turn	Mechanized	Non-Mechanized
Turns 1 & 2	16	10
Turns 3 & 4	15	9
Turns 5 & 6	14	8
Turn 7	13	7

10.0 Combat

10.1 Combat Procedures

After you've determined the Soviet defensive force in the hex that you're attacking, go through the steps in the sequence given below in order to resolve that battle's first round.

Step 1: Roll one die for each factor of CDR among the involved German flak units. All of those "hits" (step loss results) are implemented and take effect instantly among the engaged Soviet specialist units (see 10.4). If there are no specialist units involved, flak units don't fire at all.

Step 2: Roll one die for each factor of CDR among the involved (and still surviving, if flak-generated losses were generated above) Soviet specialist, operational group, cavalry group, or Southwest Front units. Those hits are immediately scored against involved German units (see 10.4).

Step 3: Roll one die for each factor of CDR among the involved non-flak German units and immediately inflict those losses on any involved Soviet units (see 10.4).

Step 4: Roll one die for each factor of CDR among the involved (and still surviving, if losses were generated above) Soviet regular units. With those Soviet regular unit hits implemented, that round of combat is over. If all involved Soviet units have been eliminated by German fire, you have won that battle. Realign the Soviet Front Line markers as needed to designate the new control status of the hex where the battle was just fought.

If, instead, all involved German units were eliminated by Soviet fire, the battle is also over, but you've suffered a defeat. In that case, surviving Soviet units remain in place in the battle hex (see 8.6). They may potentially be attacked again that same phase by a fresh German force.

If a combat round ends and there is/are one or more surviving involved units on both sides, you need to decide if you will initiate another round of battle. See 9.6 in regard to that decision. If you decide to reengage, pay one more MP, and go back to the first step and execute a new battle round.

10.2 In-Hex Terrain Effects

Note that on the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) printed on the mapsheet that the various kinds of in-hex terrain (as well as river hexsides running between the attacking force's jump-off hex and the hex in which the battle is actually taking place) affect the combat result of some firing German units. For example, a panzer unit firing into a rough hex reduces its die roll results on the Combat Result Table by one. So, a rolled six would be reduced to a five. Again: the number of CDR dice rolled isn't reduced; the rolled result when subsequently consulting the CRT is reduced.

10.3 River Hexsides

When it comes to the river hexside combat effect, the side being attacked gets the first-round +1 benefit. In general, the Germans are the attackers, but there are important exceptions in regard to Soviet pocket breakout attacks, Stavka-directed counterattacks, and the Soviet Southwest Front's counteroffensive. See 11.0, 12.0 and 13.0.

Note: Cities nullify—for all purposes—all the river hexsides that would otherwise be on the perimeters of those hexes. Also note the Germans ignore the presence of rivers during all their Turn 1/Phase II operations.

10.4 Allocating Step Losses

When you're firing on the CRT, don't pick out specific target units before making each die roll. Simply roll the appropriate number of dice for each firing unit type, and then implement those hits. When you have step losses to allocate among an engaged force of either side, you're generally always free to apportion them amongst the involved units entirely as you see fit. The two exceptions are as follow:

Flak units may only fire at, and therefore possibly score hits against, Soviet specialist units; and
No involved one-step German unit may be removed from a battle hex until all involved German two-step units have first been reduced to one-step strength.

10.5 Combat Results Table (CRT)

Each roll on the CRT is either a "hit" or a "miss." Hits are designated on the CRT by requiring the elimination of one or two steps. Misses are simply designated by dashes (-) on the CRT and are operatively "no effect" results.

10.6 Administrative Phase Soviet Force Pool Returns

During each turn's Phase VI, you generally take all the Soviet specialist and regular units that may have survived on the map and put them back into that side's force pool.

Exception: Leave in place any units isolated in Brest-Litovsk and/or Moscow. Similarly, all German units "eliminated" in battle will actually be returned to the map at the start of each turn (see 7.3 and 10.7).

10.7 German Unit Immortality

No German unit is ever permanently eliminated from play. Instead, whenever any German unit (division or smaller) showing a CDR of "1" sustains a hit, simply place that unit temporarily off to the side of the map within easy reach. All such units are returned to play during the next turn's Phase I, via friendly-controlled LOC points as described in rule 7.3. Note, though, such returnees, if divisions, are always returned to play showing their "1" KG sides; they never regain full strength throughout the rest of the game. Also note, however, that even divisional KG may go in and out of play in this way any number of times during a game.

10.8 Soviet Unit Mortality

All Soviet units eliminated in combat of any kind are thereby permanently eliminated from play except via the process of Reorganization (see 7.4). Place permanently eliminated units away for the remainder of the game.

10.9 Stalin Line & FZ/EM

If a German attack is taking place in any hex in or west of the Stalin Line (printed on the map, from hex 1016 to about 2615), an appearance by one or more FZ in that hex's defending force is treated normally while any EM would be temporarily set aside and another unit drawn in its place. If a German attack is taking place in any hex east of the Stalin Line, any appearance by an EM in that hex's defending force is treated normally while any FZ would be temporarily set aside and another unit drawn in its place.

10.10 EM Combat Effect

If an EM is drawn as part of an eligible (see above) and supplied (see below) hex's Soviet defending force, all the regular and specialist units in that battle add +1 to their rolls on the CRT (on each round of the battle). EM never participate in pocket breakout battles; if they show up for one, set them temporarily aside and pull a substitute (return them to the pool after the Soviet defending force has been drawn for the current battle).

11.0 Soviet Supply & Pocket Breakout Attacks

11.1 Soviet Supply

In general, a Soviet-controlled hex, and all the Soviet units that may come to appear in it as its defensive force, is said to be "in supply" if you're able to visually trace an uninterrupted path of contiguous Soviet-controlled hexes from the one in question to any hex(es) along the east map edge (see 1.4). Such hex paths are called "supply lines," and they may be traced into and through all type of terrain as well as lake or reservoir hexsides, but not through German units or German ZOC.

11.2 Formation of Soviet Pockets

Any time during German movement and combat the changed control-status of a hex renders one or more Soviet-controlled hexes out-of-supply (OOS), a "pocket" has been formed. It's important to note you may use the map's west, north, and south map edges (but not the east) to form portions of your pocket perimeters. In other words, the hexes that would lie just off those three map edges are considered to functionally already be German-controlled and thus are considered one side of a pocket that is near the map edge (assuming it is joined up by a German unit or ZOC that meets that map edge at some point).

11.3 General Pocket Breakout Battle Procedures

As soon as a pocket is formed, temporarily stop German movement and combat in order to resolve that situation by executing a Soviet pocket breakout attack launched into the hex where the pocket was just formed. To do so, note the number of towns in the pocket and then remove from the map all the Soviet Front Line markers from all the hexes that had just been rendered OOS by the German pocket creation (in other words, everything inside the pocket). Then, roll dice to determine the number of Soviet units in the force that will attempt to "break out" of that pocket.

Roll a number of dice depending on the size of the pocket according to the following list:

For a pocket containing 1 to 6 non-city hexes = 1d6
For a pocket containing 7 to 12 non-city hexes = 2d6
For a pocket containing 13 to 18 non-city hexes = 3d6
For a pocket containing 19 to 24 non-city hexes = 4d6
For a pocket containing more than 24 non-city hexes = 5d6

Continue increasing the number of dice rolled for each pocket based on the hex-count formula given above. Example: a pocket containing 64 hexes would have 11 dice rolled for it.

For each town inside a pocket, increase the roll-determined breakout force by one unit.

If a pocket contains a city other than Brest-Litovsk or Moscow, simply count the city hex(es) as given in 8.4, and then add in that force to the rest of the pocket's non-city force (but don't double-count the city hex(es) when rolling to determine the pocket's force size).

The Soviets never break out of Brest-Litovsk or Moscow. If any of those hexes are made part of a pocket, roll for a separate non-city breakout group normally, and then roll again for the Moscow or Brest-Litovsk garrison(s). The latter will hold in place until you assault and capture their hex(es) in a regular German attack (they are not part of the breakout assault). Soviet units in Brest-Litovsk or Moscow never try to break out; they just always hold in place.

Exception: If Brest-Litovsk or Moscow has already been captured within a pocket, do not roll for a garrison in that city hex, only for the pocket force itself.

Blindly draw that rolled number of units from the Soviet regular-and-specialist force pool. Immediately resolve that Soviet breakout attack in the hex where the control-status-switch caused the pocket to be formed (in other words, the last hex captured by the German attack that created that pocket). All such battles have only a half-round of combat, and there is no return German fire (all Soviet units are destroyed automatically if they cannot rupture that pocket, thus there is no need for return German fire).

11.4 Successful Breakouts

If a Soviet breakout attack succeeds—by eliminating the entire German defense force in one round of combat—and thereby restores Soviet-control to the hex in which you'd only moments before cut off Soviet supply and created the pocket, put all involved Soviet units back into that side's force pool for further normal deployment from it during the rest of the game. Then place a Soviet Front Line marker into the hex through which the attacking Soviet units just broke out (the rest of the collapsed pocket remains German-controlled). Then resume German movement and combat.

11.5 Failed Breakouts

If a Soviet breakout attack fails to restore Soviet-control to the hex in which you'd only moments before cut off Soviet supply, automatically eliminate all the Soviet units involved in that failed attack. Then resume German movement and combat.

11.6 Brest-Litovsk, Moscow Pocket Exception

Again note that all the non-Moscow, non-Brest-Litovsk hexes inside every pocket become German-controlled at the end of the pocket breakout battle—and that's true no matter the fate of the Soviet breakout attack itself. Also be sure to note 4.8.

11.7 FZ & EM Pocket Battle Exceptions

If one or more FZ or EM make an appearance as part of a pocket breakout attack force, simply set them aside and draw other units in their place. An FZ set aside in this way is permanently eliminated; an EM would simply be recycled into the pool at the end of that turn.

11.8 No Terrain Effects

Neither in-hex nor hexside terrain or rivers have any combat effect in Soviet breakout attacks.

12.0 Stavka-Directed Counterattacks

12.1 Counterattack Determination

At the start of Phase III of each turn, roll a die to determine the number of Stavka-directed (meaning ordered directly from the Kremlin) counterattacks. During the early game, the die roll formula is 1d6/2ru, where "ru" means "round up" any remainder. During the late game, the formula is changed to (1d6/2ru)+1.

Example: During a late game turn, if you rolled a "5," that number would be divided by "2" to get "2.5," which would be rounded up to a "3," and it would then have "1" added to it, to finally get "4."

12.2 Operational Group (OG) & Cavalry Group (CG) Characteristics

OG and CG are functionally the same type of units; their names differ simply to reflect the fact that the OG were primarily mixes of rifle and tank units while CG were primarily horse-mounted formations. (Further, the Soviet high command also used those terminologies at the time.) Stavka-directed counterattacks are only ever conducted by units in the OG/CG pool you created during set up (see 3.1). Further, such counterattacks are the only way those units enter play. OG/CG never take part as a defensive force resisting German Phase II attacks, nor do OG/CG ever take part in Soviet pocket breakout attacks. OG/CG will never stack with any other Soviet unit, not even other OG/CG nor is there any way for them to survive on the map beyond their phase of creation. They will either win the game for the Soviet side, or be destroyed, during their phases of appearance.

12.3 Counterattack Location Determination

As you pull each OG/CG from that pool, immediately determine its counterattack-launch-hex on the map by using the following list:

If neither Tula nor Kalinin is German-Controlled

1-3 = launched against the most easterly German-controlled hex on the map.
4-6 = launched toward the nearest German-controlled LOC point.

If Tula is German-Controlled

1-2 = launched against the most easterly German-controlled hex on the map.
3-4 = launched toward the nearest German-controlled LOC point.
5-6 = launched from the nearest Soviet-controlled hex to Tula; then it attacks toward Tula.

If Kalinin is German-Controlled

1-2 = launched against the most easterly German-controlled hex on the map.
3-4 = launched toward the nearest German-controlled LOC point.
5-6 = launched from the nearest Soviet-controlled hex to Kalinin; then it attacks toward Kalinin.

If Both Kalinin & Tula are German-Controlled

1-2 = launched against the most easterly German-controlled hex on the map.
3-4 = launched toward the nearest German-controlled LOC point.
5 = launched from the nearest Soviet-controlled hex to Kalinin; then it attacks toward Kalinin.
6 = launched from the nearest Soviet-controlled hex to Tula; then it attacks toward Tula.

Note: If no LOC is available, Greater Germany is always considered LOC hexes.

12.4 More Than One Target Hex

In all the situations above, to determine "the nearest" hex, count the straightest hex path possible regardless of terrain, rivers and control status. If two or more hexes are tied in the count, resolve that by rolling another die (as many tie-breakers as it takes). Also note that no counterattack may ever be directed across a lake or reservoir hexside; in such situations, roll to pick the next-nearest eligible hex.

12.5 Counterattack Combat Resolution

Use the same procedures given in rule 10.1, but note that German flak fire has no effect on OG/CG, and so can't fire if they're present in the German defensive force (though any present are eligible to be used up as loses within normal strictures). The counterattacking Soviet OG/CG will be the first-firing units in each such battle, with their hits scored immediately on the involved German units of your choice.

12.6 Soviet Tenacity

Like a Soviet breakout attack, the only modifier applied to Soviet fire in these battles is +1 on their first round die rolls (only) on the CRT. There are no modifiers applied to German CRT die rolls, no matter the terrain involved or the presence of a river.

12.7 OG/CG Step Strength

Note that all OG/CG are two step units, with "1s" as their reverse steps. The first German hit on one flips it over, and the second immediately and fully eliminates it (just as with two-step German units).

12.8 OG/CG Automatic Advance After Combat & LOC Recapture

At the end of a round of counterattack combat, if the involved OG/CG has survived, move it forward one hex toward the nearest German-controlled LOC point or Greater Germany hex, whichever is closer by straight hex-count taking only lakes and reservoirs into account for that count. Such advances take place even if the counterattack's original goal was simply to attack the easternmost German-controlled hex. That kind of advance goes on, hex after hex, until the OG/CG is eliminated or it reaches a German-controlled LOC point or Greater German hex and thereby wins the game for its side. If an OG/CG that's aimed at a LOC point faces only a German ZOC, rather than an actual German unit or stack, in the next hex lying directly between it and the nearest LOC point, that Soviet unit will attack the German unit or stack projecting that ZOC, though any advance after combat would then still take place in the direction of the targeted LOC point. If there's more than one German force exerting such a ZOC, resolve the direction of attack via die roll(s).

12.9 Tula/Kalinin Recapture

If German-controlled Tula or Kalinin are retaken by the Soviets, that doesn't end the game, but it does end that counterattack. Simply readjust the front markers as needed and then permanently remove from play the involved OG/CG.

12.10 End of Stavka-Directed Counterattacks

Once all OG/CG have been removed from that force pool, there are no further Stavka-directed counterattacks during that game. Simply skip Phase III during all remaining turns.

12.11 Moscow Counterattacks

If one or more hexes of Moscow is/are German-controlled at the time of any Stavka-directed counterattacks, skip the procedures given above in 12.3 to determine their locations. In that kind of situation, simply direct all die-roll generated counterattacks against the German-controlled Moscow hex(es), easternmost first.

13.0 Southwest Front Counteroffensive

13.1 SWF

The Red Army's Southwest Front (SWF, an army group equivalent) is initially deployed off the south edge of the map. Historically, it was that large formation that was pocketed and destroyed by the Germans when Hitler deflected AGC's panzers after the end of July. Here, of course, if you survive the end of July victory check, there's no such AGC panzer deflection. Accordingly, the SWF is therefore available to launch a counteroffensive to try to recoup the overall situation in front of Moscow.

13.2 Determining Turn & Direction

During Turn 4's Administrative Phase, roll a die to determine the time of the SWF counteroffensive. On a roll of one, two or three it will take place during Turn 6's Phase IV. On a roll of four, five, or six it will take place during Turn 7's Phase IV. That done, immediately roll a second die to determine the axis (northwest or northeast directionality) of that coming Soviet effort. A roll of one, two, or three means the attack will drive to the northwest. A roll of four, five, or six means it will push toward the northeast.

13.3 Determining Center of Gravity

When Phase IV or the previously designated turn arrives, roll two dice to determine the deployment of the five SWF armies on the south map edge. Hexes 2620 through 2610 are marked on the map as "SWF2," "SWF3," etc., up to "SWF12." So, for example, if you rolled an eight, that would designate hex 2614 as the offensive's center of gravity. That done, immediately place any one of the SWF armies into the newly determined center of gravity hex, and then deploy two of the other SWF armies into the two hexes immediately to its east and the two remaining armies into the two hexes immediately to its west. Note that, just as with OG/CG [printed "OC/CG" in the source], no SWF armies will ever stack with any other Soviet unit.

13.4 Map Edge Arrival

Even if one or more of the called-for map-edge SWF arrival hexes are German-controlled at the time of the SWF's arrival, simply put the arriving armies into those hexes and deploy front line markers as needed to delineate the new situation.

13.5 Combat Procedure & Victory or Defeat of the Counteroffensive

Use the same procedures here as given in rules 12.5, 12.6, 12.7 and (mostly) 12.8. Resolve the various SWF armies' attacks by moving across their line from west to east. Automatically advance after combat—in the direction determined in 13.2—victorious SWF armies until they retake a German-controlled LOC point or reach any hex in the 18xx row, at which time play stops and a Soviet victory is declared.

Example: if the counteroffensive had been given a northwest axis, a victorious SWF army in hex 2615 would advance and attack again into hex 2515, then from there into 2416, 2316, etc.

Designer's Note: You're able to know those details of the Soviet deployments ahead of time due to the Luftwaffe's aerial reconnaissance reports.