Red Sun/Red Star: The Nomonhan Campaign, 1939 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Game Equipment
  • 2.1 Game Pieces
  • 2.2 Unit Types and Values
  • 2.3 Motorized & Non-Motorized Units
  • 2.4 Unit Strength
  • 2.5 Abbreviations and Terms
  • 2.6 Unit Size
  • 2.7 The Map
  • 2.8 Tables, Charts, and Tracks
  • 2.9 Game Scale
• 3.0 Sequence of Play
  • 3.1 Summary
  • 3.2 Detailed Sequence
• 4.0 Force Adjustment
  • 4.1 Reinforcements
  • 4.11 Unit Entry
  • 4.12 Delay
  • 4.13 Headquarters
  • 4.2 Replacements
  • 4.21 Replacement Points
  • 4.22 Eligible Units
  • 4.23 Receiving Replacements
  • 4.3 Support Points
  • 4.4 Unit Withdrawal
• 5.0 Artillery Fire
  • 5.1 General Mission Restrictions
  • 5.2 Indirect Fire
    • 5.21 Bombardment
    • 5.22 Interdiction
    • 5.23 Counterbattery Fire
  • 5.3 Direct Fire
    • 5.31 Offensive Support
    • 5.32 Defensive Support
  • 5.4 Counterbattery Fire
    • 5.41 Special Restrictions
    • 5.42 Procedure
• 6.0 Ground Combat
  • 6.1 General Procedure
  • 6.2 Target Priority
    • 6.21 Lead Unit
    • 6.22 Armor Protection
    • 6.23 Soviet Flamethrower Tank
    • 6.24 Target Selection
    • 6.25 Unit Size
  • 6.3 Firefights
    • 6.31 Fire Restrictions
    • 6.32 Maximum Fire Strength
  • 6.4 Combat Effectiveness
• 7.0 Movement
  • 7.1 Moving Units
  • 7.2 Stacking and Movement
  • 7.3 Operational Movement
  • 7.4 Trucks
  • 7.5 Hasty Attacks
    • 7.51 Cost
    • 7.52 Stacks
    • 7.53 Movement Restrictions
    • 7.54 Combat Restrictions
    • 7.55 Resolution
  • 7.6 Reserve Movement
    • 7.61 Creation of Reserves
• 8.0 Zones of Control
  • 8.1 Exceptions
  • 8.2 Effects on Movement
  • 8.3 Effects on Supply
  • 8.4 Effects on Combat
• 9.0 Stacking
  • 9.1 Japanese Stacking
  • 9.2 Soviet Stacking
• 10.0 Supply
  • 10.1 Supply Sources
  • 10.2 Supply Lines
  • 10.3 Out of Supply
• 11.0 Bridges
  • 11.1 Destroying Bridges
  • 11.2 Japanese Bridge Unit
  • 11.3 Movement Restrictions
• 12.0 Air Operations
  • 12.1 Air Unit Allocation
  • 12.2 Air Missions
    • 12.21 Ground Attack
    • 12.22 Air Attack
    • 12.23 Unassigned Units
  • 12.3 Air Combat
    • 12.31 Fighter Patrols
    • 12.32 Interception Checks
    • 12.33 Targeting
    • 12.34 Dogfights
    • 12.35 Aftermath
• 13.0 Scenarios
  • 13.1 Japanese July Attack
  • 13.2 Zhukov's Masterpiece
  • 13.3 The Japanese Dream Scenario
  • 13.4 Campaign Game
• 14.0 Design & Play Notes
• Examples of Play
  • Artillery Fire (4.0)
  • Prepared Combat (6.0)
    • Night Combat (6.9)
    • Hasty Attack (6.0 & 7.5)
• Player Aid Charts
  • Morale Option Table
  • Formation Chart
  • Counter Anatomy
  • Counterbattery Table
  • Interdiction Table
  • Bombardment Table
  • Marker Effects Summary
  • Artillery Support Point Costs
  • Hasty Attack Movement Costs
  • Ground Combat Support Cost
  • Air Combat Results Table (Optional)
  • Soviet and Mongolian Reinforcements (Player Aid)
• Errata

1.0 Introduction

RED SUN/RED STAR is a simulation of the battles fought between the Soviets and Japanese in the barren wastes along the ill-defined border between Mongolia and Manchuria. The fighting that occurred between May and August 1939 resulted in the virtual destruction of Japanese offensive power in the region. The border claimed by the Soviets was restored, and the Japanese turned their attention to Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

RS/RS is designed for two players, and requires secrecy for certain procedures. Rules for Beginners and Solitaire Play are provided as needed.

The game contains three basic scenarios. The first covers the Japanese attack in early July which almost dislodged the Soviets from the disputed area. The second deals with the massive Soviet attack in late August led by General (later Marshal) Zhukov. A Japanese dream option is also provided to help balance the August Scenario. There is also a campaign scenario which links the two historical battles together into a single contest.

Each scenario is played in game turns, each composed of two player turns. A player turn is further subdivided into segments in which Force Adjustment (reinforcement, replacements, etc.), Artillery fire, Prepared Assault, and Movement are executed. Often the opponent will have an opportunity to interrupt the "friendly player" during the friendly player turn and either conduct Counter-battery Fire or move units designated as Reserves. Victory is determined at the end of each scenario.

A counter's color indicates its nationality:

• Black on yellow: Japanese Imperial Army and Air Force
• Black on white: Manchukuoan Army
• Black on Red: Soviet Army and Air Force
• Black on Orange: Mongolian People's Republic Army

The differently colored boxes and ID numbers on some units are used to determine the return of replaced units to play (4.2) and assigning Artillery Support (5.3).

2.0 Game Equipment

Each game includes a 22 x 34 inch map, 240 counters, and a rule book with supporting charts and tables. Players must supply at least one six-sided die (two are ideal). A pocket calculator and scrap paper are also highly recommended.

2.1 Game Pieces

The various pieces, called units, represent the historical formations which were engaged in battle. A number of game markers are provided to convey information about Disruption, fired units, Motorized Transport (trucks), and to record each side's current status. Players may create as many additional markers as they need during the course of play.

Counter Errata: The Soviet 24 and 149 motorized artillery units marked "3-20" on the front and "1-30" on the back should be "2-6-20" and "1-6-20" on front and back. The Japanese Mtr/2 unit (2-2-15) should have a normal artillery symbol, not an antitank symbol. The Japanese 1-20 "26" company-sized unit should be marked an antitank unit, not an artillery unit. The following additional markers will prove useful, and help avoid paper bookkeeping.

Counter note (printed on p.30): The text to the left of the slash is on the front of the counter, text to the right is on the back: Soviet Armor Repl/Soviet Armor Repl +10, Japanese Armor Repl/Japanese Armor Repl +10, Japanese Repl x10/(blank), Soviet Repl x10/(blank). Printed color images of these counters may be found elsewhere in this issue, and they will be printed on a countersheet in a future issue of S&T when space permits.

2.2 Unit Types and Values

Every combat unit has a symbol indicating its "unit type." Ground unit symbols are enclosed in a rectangular box, while air unit symbols are not. The following is a summary of the four major combat categories, with the specific types of units belonging to each category:

These categories are used to determine Target Priority (6.2) and Combat Effectiveness (6.4).

All units possess a Proficiency Rating in the upper right corner of their counters. All ground units have a unit identification (ID) number to the left of the unit-type box, and a formation ID number to the right of the box. All ground units except artillery have two values: the number in the lower left corner represents combat factors, and the number in the lower right corner is the movement allowance (MA). Artillery units have a third number between the combat factors and MA, indicating maximum firing range (in hexes).

Air units possess three numbers for combat. The one in the lower left corner of the counter is the dogfight factor, the one in the middle is the air-to-air defense factor, and the one in the lower right corner is the ground attack factor.

Armor

• Tank
• Light Tank (Reconnaissance)
• Flamethrower Tank

Leg

• Infantry
• Motorized Infantry
• Airborne Infantry
• Cavalry
• Border Guard
• Independent Guard
• Engineer
• Headquarters

Weapons

• Artillery
• Motorized Artillery
• Antitank
• Anti-aircraft

Air

• Fighter
• Light Bomber
• Bomber
• Heavy Bomber

Other Unit Symbols

• Truck
• 1, 2 = Disruption (Level 1, Level 2)
• Repl = Peplacement Points [sic; printed as "Peplacement" in the source]

2.3 Motorized & Non-Motorized Units

Any ground unit with a printed Movement Allowance (MA) of 16 or more is considered motorized. Any ground unit with an MA of 15 or less is considered non-motorized. These distinctions do not apply to air units. The difference is important when determining movement costs; see the Terrain Chart.

2.4 Unit Strength

Each unit's full strength is shown on its front side. Most units possess a reduced strength indicated on the back of the counter. When a full-strength unit suffers a "Step Loss" in combat, it is flipped over to its reduced side (or eliminated if the back is blank). The difference between the actual Step Loss number and the change in printed strength points is credited to the owning player's Replacement Track. The same thing occurs when a reduced-strength unit takes a Step Loss, except that in this case it must be eliminated.

Example: A full-strength unit worth 4 points receives one Step Loss. It is flipped over to its weaker 2-point side. The actual loss (1) is subtracted from the change in printed strength (2), which means that one point (2-1=1) is added to the number of Replacement Points on the friendly Record Track. The same unit later receives another Step Loss. It is removed from play, but the remaining point (2-1=1) not actually destroyed in combat is again added to the Record Track.

2.5 Abbreviations and Terms

1AG = First Army Group (USSR)

1Hvy = 1st Heavy Field Artillery Regiment (Japan)

7Hvy = 7th Heavy Field Artillery Regiment (Japan)

B = Border Guard

G = Independent Guard (Japan)

H = Hsingan Division (Manchukuo)

HQ = Headquarters combat unit

Ito = Composite Border Guard detachment commanded by Ito Takeo (Japan)

M = Muleng Heavy Artillery Regimen (Japan)

Air unit = any combat unit with an aircraft symbol.

Artillery = a combat unit belonging to the Weapons class that possesses a Range value (the middle number at the bottom of the counter, between the combat factor and Movement Allowance).

Attacker = the side that initiates a Prepared Combat or Hasty Attack.

Class = category to which a unit belongs (Armor, Leg, Weapon, HQ) for purposes of determining Combat Effectiveness prior to each combat resolution.

Combat factors = value used to fire at enemy target unit during combat (printed in the lower left corner).

Combat unit = any cardboard counter with combat factors used in ground combat or air operations.

CRT = Combat Results Table, used to resolve Prepared and Hasty ground combat.

Defender = the side whose units undergo Prepared Combat or Hasty Attack.

Direct Fire = Artillery assisting friendly units in a Prepared Combat with Offensive Support (for the attacker) or Defensive Support (for the defender).

Disruption = reduced movement and combat capabilities due to artillery bombardment or ground combat. There are two levels of disruption, indicated by placing either a "1" or "2" marker on top of the affected unit or stack.

Enemy = same as "Opponent."

Firing side = The units currently performing fire against a target unit. The units can belong to either the attacker or defender, since both sides have a chance to fire in each Prepared Combat or Hasty Attack. Artillery using Indirect Fire always is considered the attacker, since the target cannot immediately fire back.

Formation ID = ID number to the RIGHT of a ground unit's symbol box, used to determine artillery Support fire and stacking.

Friendly = units belonging to the phasing player.

Ground unit = any combat unit that does not have an aircraft symbol.

Hasty Attack = combat that occurs at the end of a unit or stack's movement.

ID = Identification number.

Indirect Fire = Artillery performing Bombardment, Interdiction, or Counterbattery fire missions. Non-artillery units may not participate. Firing units may not be adjacent to enemy units.

Japanese = All units friendly to Japan, including Manchukuoan units.

MA = Movement Allowance, printed in lower right corner of every combat unit, and in the lower portion of each Motorization marker. The value can be reduced by Disruption and participation in combat.

MP = Movement point, equal to a value of "1" deducted from a unit's Movement Allowance for a particular friendly Movement segment.

Manchukuo = Japanese puppet ally in northeast China.

Marker = cardboard counter used to record Motorized Transport of a particular unit, Interdiction of a hex, Disruption of a ground unit, Replacements, Support Points, and the current Game Turn.

Mongolia = Soviet ally lying between China and the USSR.

Negate ZOC = Ignore enemy ZOCs in a hex containing any friendly units for purposes of supply, retreat and advance in combat, but not movement.

Opponent = the player or side not performing the current Player Turn. The opponent can perform Reserve Movement (with Hasty Attacks), and Counterbattery fire in the phasing player's turn. In these cases only, the opponent is considered the attacker and the phasing player is considered the defender.

Phase = A portion of a Game Turn in which certain actions (and only those actions) may occur. These include Reinforcement Planning, optional Air Operations, and Game Turn Completion.

Phasing player = the player currently performing the Player Turn.

Player Turn = The portion of a Game Turn in which the indicated player may perform actions with friendly units during particular segments.

Prepared Combat = ground combat that occurs before any movement, during the special Prepared Combat phase. Artillery on both sides may provide Direct Fire Support.

Reinforcements = Units scheduled to enter play on particular Game Turns, listed on the Turn Record.

Replacements = Eliminated units off the map or reduced-strength units still in play that are eligible to be returned to play or flipped over to full-strength side. The appropriate type of Replacement Points must be available to permit a unit to receive replacements.

Segment = The portion of a Player Turn in which certain actions may occur.

Soviet = all units friendly to the USSR, including Mongolian units.

Stack = more than one unit in a hex. There are limits on stacking in the game.

Support Points = points expended from the friendly Support Point total that permit friendly artillery to undertake Direct or Indirect Fire missions.

Target = the hex or unit the firing side is shooting at.

Terrain = special physical features in a hex that increase the MP cost to enter.

Withdraw = units which must be removed from play on the Game Turn indicated by the Turn Record.

ZOC = Zone of Control, which affects enemy movement and retreat in combat. See rule (8.0).

2.6 Unit Size

• XXX = Corps Headquarters
• XX = Division HQ
• X = Brigade (3300 men)
• III = Regiment (220-3000 men)
• II = Battalion (300-900 men)
• I = Company (100-200 men)

Aircraft come in Air Groups (Japan) or Regiments (USSR), and range from 12 Heavy Bombers up through 45 Fighters per unit.

2.7 The Map

The map represents the contested area where the battle raged in 1939. The dominant terrain feature in the region was the Halha River (a/k/a Khalkhin-Gol) which more or less indicated the border between Soviet Mongolia and Japanese Manchuria. The Halha was 330-500 feet wide and surrounded by swampland that extended out about a mile from each bank. The riverbanks were steep—up to 75 degrees on the Soviet side. The other river in the area, the Holsten, was a much less significant obstacle; it was only 10-13 feet wide. The area on both sides of these rivers was largely desert, which afforded little in the way of concealment.

2.8 Tables, Charts, and Tracks

Some of the tables and charts needed to play the game are located on the map. These include the Terrain Effects Chart, Combat Effectiveness Chart, Combat Results Table (CRT), and the CRT Column Shifts Summary. The map also contains the Record Tracks for each side (which indicate the current number of Replacement and Support Points available) and the Turn Track (which indicates the current turn, the arrival of reinforcements, and the time of withdrawal for indicated units). All other tables, charts, and support materials (including the optional Air Displays) are located on the Player Aid Sheet in the center of the rules booklet. Players should remove the Sheet and set it near the map during play.

2.9 Game Scale

Each hex is approximately 3/4 of a mile across. Turns in the two smaller scenarios are one day each. Some of the turns in the Campaign Scenario are several days long.

3.0 Sequence of Play

Each game turn is divided into two Player Turns. A Player Turn contains subdivisions called segments. The scenario instructions specify which side is considered to be the First Player. Reinforcement Planning and optional Air Operations take place before either Player Turn.

3.1 Summary

• Reinforcement Planning Phase
• Air Operations Phase (Optional)
  • Air Allocation
  • Air Combat
  • Bombing & Interdiction
  • Air Unit Recovery
• First Player Turn
  • Force Adjustment segment
  • Artillery Fire segment (Second Player Counterbattery fire may occur)
  • Prepared Combat segment (Second Player Counterbattery and Defensive Support fire may occur)
  • Movement segment (Second Player Reserve Movement occurs during this segment)
  • Marker Adjustment segment
• Second Player Turn (same as First Player Turn, with Second Player acting as "phasing" player)
• Game Turn Completion

3.2 Detailed Sequence

• Reinforcement Planning Phase
  • Both players receive Replacement Points and Support Points listed on the Turn Track; add them to the current totals on each side's Record Track.
  • Both players secretly note down the entry hex numbers for reinforcements scheduled to arrive this game turn. These are not revealed until actual placement of reinforcements occurs in a friendly player turn. (When playing solitaire, roll a die; 1-4 = Japan selects first; 5-6 = USSR selects first.)
• Air Operations Phase
  • Air Allocation: Both players secretly place available air units in various mission boxes on their separate Air Displays, and then reveal the results. (When playing solitaire, roll a die for each side. The low roller assigns his planes to missions. In case of a tie, the Japanese assign missions second in a July game turn, and the Soviets assign missions second in August.)
  • Air Combat: Fighter (F) units in each side's Patrol Box attempt to intercept enemy air units. If interception occurs, air combat is resolved between interceptors, enemy escorts, and attacking mission aircraft.
  • Bombing and Interdiction: Surviving aircraft in each side's Bombing, Rear Area Bombing, and Interdiction boxes conduct their missions.
  • Mutual Air Unit Recovery: All undisrupted units in the "Not Ready" section of the Air Units boxes are checked to see if they become "Available" for Air Operations next game turn. Disrupted units on their back sides may NOT attempt recovery, but are flipped to their normal (front) sides after all recovery checks have been made.
• First Player Turn
  • Force Adjustment segment:
    1. The first player places reinforcements on entry hexes assigned during the preceding Reinforcement Planning Phase.
    2. Replacements and support points are added to the First Player's total.
    3. BOTH PLAYERS simultaneously allocate available Replacement points to return eliminated units to play and restore those still in play to full strength. First player performs replacement, then the Second Player.

4.0 Force Adjustment

Both players receive reinforcements (new units) during the course of the game. Replacement Points are used to restore reduced-strength units still in play to their full strength side, or return eliminated units to play either at reduced or full strength. Support Points are added to each side's current total, and are used for Artillery fire and offensive ground combat (both Prepared and Hasty). Certain units must be withdrawn from play, as indicated on the Turn Track. All points are received and reinforcement entry hexes selected during the mutual Reinforcement Planning Phase at the beginning of a game turn. Units are actually placed or removed during the friendly Force Adjustment segment of the same game turn, unless they are delayed.

4.1 Reinforcements

During the Reinforcement Planning Phase, both players check the Turn Track and Scenario for scheduled reinforcements. Each side then secretly indicates on paper which hex or hexes each unit or stack will use to enter the map. Reinforcements may only enter through a mapedge hex currently serving as a friendly Supply Source (10.1). A player does not reveal his choices until the instant units must be placed during the friendly Reinforcement segment.

Solitaire Play: The player rolls a die. On a result of 1-4, Japan selects all entry hexes first; on 5-6 the USSR selects them first.

4.11 Unit Entry

Units may be placed in excess of stacking limits and can even end movement overstacked, but excess units chosen by the owning player must receive a "2" marker. Units that enter in an enemy ZOC must immediately stop and move no further. Units scheduled to enter an enemy-occupied hex are placed in the nearest mapedge hex that is not enemy-occupied and still qualifies as a friendly Supply Source.

4.12 Delay

Players may always voluntarily delay reinforcements from turn to turn, as long as they give them no entry hex assignment. Once an assignment is made, reinforcements MUST attempt to enter play. If no eligible entry hex is available, or the hex contains enemy units, then reinforcements are delayed. Place all delayed reinforcements in the space for the next game turn on the Turn Track. During the next Reinforcement Planning Phase, delayed units may be given a new entry hex assignment or keep the same one as the owning player wishes.

4.13 Headquarters

The instant an HQ is eliminated, place it in the box for the next game turn on the Turn Track if it is able to trace a supply line (10.2) at the instant of its destruction. If it is Out of Supply, then place it TWO game turn boxes forward from the current turn. HQs returning to play must be assigned an entry hex like a reinforcement. An HQ can be delayed the same ways as a reinforcement.

4.2 Replacements

Each player receives replacement points to rebuild units already in play or eliminated. These points may be used during any friendly Reinforcement segment, or accumulated from turn to turn as the owning player sees fit.

4.21 Replacement Points

On the Turn Track, new Replacement Points are indicated by two numbers. The value to the RIGHT of the slash is the number of Leg class replacement points received. The value in parentheses is the number of Armor class replacement points. In addition, one Mongol and one Manchukuo replacement point is available in each short scenario. Three points are available to each client nationality in the Campaign Game.

4.22 Eligible Units

Any unit In Supply (10.0) at the instant of its elimination is placed in the friendly Replacements box and can return to play after receiving the appropriate type and number of Replacement Points specified below. Units that are Out of Supply at the instant of elimination are permanently out of play, and are not placed in the Replacements box.

• Armor class units may only receive Armor Replacement points.
• Leg class units may receive either Leg or Armor Replacement points.
• Weapons class units may never receive Replacements or return to play once eliminated.
• HQ class units are always replaced for free, but they are treated as Reinforcements ( ). [The parentheses are empty in the source.]
• Mongolian and Manchukuoan units may only receive Mongol and Manchu Replacement Points, respectively. Japanese and Soviet units may never use these points.

4.23 Receiving Replacements

To receive replacements a unit still in play on its reduced side must not be located in an enemy ZOC or possess a Disruption "1" or "2" marker. A unit must receive Replacement Points equal to the difference between its current (printed) combat factors and its full strength side. Expend the points and flip the unit over from its reduced-strength side to its full-strength side.

An eliminated unit must receive enough Replacement Points so that it can return to play on either its reduced-strength or its full-strength side. The owning player may bring replaced units back onto the map in ONE of the following ways:

• Place it on or adjacent to a friendly HQ unit.
• Place it on or adjacent to a friendly unit that has the same color unit-type box AND the same Formation ID number to the right of the box. (If the returning unit has no Formation ID number, then a box color match by itself is permitted.)
• Place the unit in any hex along a mapedge that serves as a friendly Supply Source, within the restrictions established for Reinforcements (4.11).

Replacements cannot return to play in a non-mapedge hex containing an enemy ZOC, UNLESS the hex is currently occupied by a friendly unit.

Example: The Soviet 1/24 motorized infantry battalion has 3 combat factors when at full strength, and 1 factor on its reduced (back) side. When the battalion first takes one step loss, it is flipped over to its reduced side and the surplus combat factor lost due to this action is added to the Soviet Leg Replacement Point total. For the unit to return to full strength, it would have to receive TWO Replacement Points (one point would not be enough). If the battalion is eliminated while in supply, it could be returned to play at reduced strength by expending one Replacement Point, or at full strength by expending three Replacement Points. The unit could be placed on or adjacent to a hex containing any unit bearing the "24" ID number to the right of the unit-type box (indicating the 24th Regiment), or the "1AG" corps HQ unit.

4.3 Support Points

Each player receives an initial allocation of support points for each scenario, and an additional allotment every game turn listed on the Turn Track. Support Points are expended for all types of Artillery Fire, and by the attacking side in Ground Combat.

4.4 Unit Withdrawal

A number of Japanese units must be withdrawn during the friendly Force Adjustment segment of the game turns specified on the Turn Track. In the case of ground units that are in supply and air units, simply remove them from play. Withdrawal of a ground unit that is Out of Supply is delayed until it can trace supply during a later friendly Force Adjustment segment.

5.0 Artillery Fire

Artillery played a key role in the battle. In fact, given the open nature of the terrain, artillery was dominant at certain points in the campaign. The powerful Soviet artillery was instrumental in defeating the Japanese attack in early July. The inability of the Japanese artillery to suppress the Soviet guns spelled disaster to the short-lived Japanese offensive on 23 July, and set the stage for the climactic Soviet offensive in August.

An artillery unit may perform either Indirect Fire or Direct Fire within the limitations of this rules section. A unit qualifies as artillery if it possesses a "range number" (i.e. the middle value on a counter possessing three numbers at the bottom).

5.1 General Mission Restrictions

• An artillery unit may only fire once per player turn. Place a "Fired" marker on each artillery unit or stack the instant it performs any sort of fire mission. Fired artillery units have their printed movement allowance HALVED (round fractions up) during the friendly Movement segment.
• An artillery unit adjacent to any type of enemy unit may not use Indirect fire. It may still conduct Direct fire, but only against an adjacent unit.
• Artillery may not fire by itself using Direct fire. It must add its strength to that of at least one non-artillery unit.
• Certain artillery units provide Direct Fire Support only to particular friendly units. See Formations (5.6) for details.

5.2 Indirect Fire

An artillery unit may perform ONE of the following Indirect Fire missions during a friendly Artillery Fire segment: Bombardment, Counterbattery, or Interdiction. To perform Indirect fire, there must be at least ONE (1) intervening hex between the firing unit and the target.

5.21 Bombardment

An artillery unit may fire on any enemy unit within its range. Different artillery units (even those in different hexes) may combine their bombardment strengths. A unit may be bombarded more than once during an Artillery Fire segment, if the phasing player wishes. Artillery units may ignore Target Priority (6.2) when choosing a target. After selecting a single target-unit within range:

• Expend TWO (2) Support Points from the friendly Record Track for each bombarding artillery unit.
• Total the number of artillery strength points committed against the target.
• Consult the Combat Effectiveness Chart for any modifications to Indirect Fire against the type of target unit.
• Roll one die and find the result on the Bombardment Table.

5.22 Interdiction

This mission can only be conducted against Road or Bridge hexes within range in an effort to disrupt enemy movement. Use the following procedure:

• Expend ONE (1) Support Point for every TWO artillery units firing. A full point is expended even if only one unit fires, or for the odd-numbered firing unit. Thus, 3 firing units would cost 2 Support Points.
• Total the number of artillery strength points committed against a hex.
• Place an Interdiction marker in the target hex and note the number of factors performing the mission. Use spare numbered counters from other games, make your own, or jot down the hex number and factors on a piece of paper. Use "Interdict" markers to indicate hexes fired on by Soviet artillery, and "INT" markers to indicate hexes fired on by Japanese Artillery. A hex may contain one Interdiction marker belonging to each side. This has no effect on either marker's ability to interdict enemy units.
• Each time a unit or stack moves into a hex containing an enemy interdiction marker during regular or Reserve movement, it must interrupt its movement and consult the Interdiction Table. The indicated result is the number of extra movement points the unit or stack MUST spend to enter the hex. Any unit(s) lacking the necessary MPs may not enter the hex, and must halt their movement for the segment in the last hex they entered before attempting to move into the Interdicted hex. Friendly interdiction markers never have any effect on friendly units.

5.23 Counterbattery Fire

This is a special type of Indirect Fire. See (5.9) for details.

5.3 Direct Fire

Artillery may fire during the Prepared Combat segment. Both sides secretly allocate artillery on paper after the attacker declares which hex he is attacking with what non-artillery units. The active player performing his Player Turn may select Offensive Support missions. The opposing player may perform Defensive Support missions. Deduct ONE (1) Support Point per firing artillery unit. The results are revealed simultaneously.

Solitaire Play: Roll a die before allocating artillery in a combat. On a result of 1 through 4, the Japanese allocate first. On a 5 or 6, the Soviets allocate first.

5.31 Offensive Support

Any artillery unit may add its combat factors to friendly attacking units if:

• the artillery unit is within range of the enemy unit being attacked; AND
• Formation rules (5.6) are obeyed; AND
• Night Combat (6.9) has not been declared.

5.32 Defensive Support

Any artillery unit may add its combat factors to a friendly defending unit's strength when it fires if:

• the artillery unit is within range of the friendly unit being attacked; AND
• Formation rules (5.6) are obeyed.

5.4 Counterbattery Fire

When friendly artillery performs Indirect Fire against enemy artillery, this is considered Counterbattery fire.

5.41 Special Restrictions

• Friendly Counterbattery fire only occurs in response to Direct or Indirect Fire announced (but not yet resolved) by the opposing player.
• Any time BEFORE the phasing player consults the appropriate table to resolve a particular Direct or Indirect Fire attempt, the opponent may announce Counterbattery attacks against any or all hexes containing enemy artillery attempting to perform fire.
• Each unit conducting Counterbattery may fire once at a single enemy artillery unit. If more than one hex will receive Counterbattery fire, resolve the effects of fire into each hex separately, in any order the firing player desires.
• An artillery unit attempting Counterbattery fire may itself become the target of Counterbattery fire prior to resolution. The LAST declared Counterbattery fire in a particular combat is resolved FIRST, then the second to last, and so on until the first declared fire is resolved. In particularly complicated cases, players will need to keep a record of Counterbattery fire to assure that they are resolved against the correct targets in the proper order.
• Artillery that is suppressed receives a "Fired" marker. Suppressed or eliminated artillery may not perform its scheduled fire mission. All support points scheduled to be expended for artillery that does not fire are lost.

5.42 Procedure

Counterbattery fire is resolved the same way as Bombardment, except that:

• only ONE (1) Support Point per firing artillery unit is expended
• use the Counterbattery Table to resolve fire

5.43 Example

It is the Soviet Prepared Combat segment. The Soviet player announces that the 2/185 artillery battalion (5-8-20) will provide Offensive Support to a prepared attack. Before the attack is resolved, the Japanese player decides to perform Counterbattery fire against the Soviet artillery unit. The "1 Ind" regiment (3-9-20) is announced as the firing unit, and expends a Support Point. The Soviet player then announces Counterbattery fire against the Japanese 3-9-20, using the 1/185 artillery battalion (5-21-20). No further Counterbattery fire is announced for this particular combat. The 1/185 resolves fire first, rolling on the "5" strength column of the Counterbattery Table. A roll of "2" suppresses the Japanese 3-9-20, which receives a "Fired" marker. The Japanese Counterbattery fire is cancelled, because the one unit involved has been suppressed. The Soviet 2/185 now provides Offensive Support to the prepared attack. Both Soviet artillery units receive a "Fired" marker.

5.5 Range

Range is determined by counting the number of hexes between a firing artillery unit and the target unit.

5.51 Determining Range

Begin counting with a hex adjacent to the firing unit. Count the intervening hexes running in as straight a path as possible to the target unit. Include the target's hex in the count. If the number of hexes counted is the same or less than the artillery unit's printed range (the middle number on the counter), then the artillery unit may fire. If the number is greater than the printed range, then the artillery unit may not fire at this particular target. If for some reason the artillery was incorrectly assigned to a target it cannot hit, then it is "wasted" and cannot be reassigned to another mission. All support points assigned to the wasted mission are lost.

5.52 Line of Sight

Ignore all terrain features and units when determining range. There are no "Line of Sight" requirements.

5.53 Range Attenuation

• If at least one unit friendly to the firing artillery (or at least one participating artillery unit itself) is SEVEN (7) or fewer hexes away from the target, the Indirect Fire mission suffers no ill effects.
• If the friendly unit closest to the enemy target is between 8 and 14 hexes away, ONE (+1) is added to the fire resolution die roll.
• If the friendly unit closest to the enemy target is still 15 or more hexes away, TWO (+2) is added to the Fire resolution die roll.

(Note that the "friendly unit" is considered friendly to the artillery firing on the target.)

5.6 Formations

Generally, an artillery unit can provide Direct Fire only to units in its parent formation (usually a Japanese regiment or a Soviet division). Some artillery is considered "independent" and can provide support fire to more than one formation. Other artillery is under no special restrictions. These differences are indicated by differently colored unit-type boxes and specially tinted unit formation numbers on the counters.

5.61 Unit-Type Box Color

• A Japanese artillery unit with a red unit-type box may support any Japanese or Manchukuoan unit. The same applies on the Soviet side to Soviet artillery with a white box.
• A Japanese artillery unit with a different box color (purple, blue, yellow) may support any Japanese unit possessing the exact same box color as the artillery unit, UNLESS the artillery unit has a red-colored unit ID number (see below). The same restriction applies on the Soviet side to artillery with green, red, yellow, blue boxes.

5.62 Unit ID Number Color

A Japanese artillery unit with a red-colored unit ID number may only provide support to Japanese units that have the same red ID number. If the red numbers do not match, the artillery cannot provide support to that unit, even if the unit box colors match. The same applies on the Soviet side to artillery with white-colored unit ID numbers. Units on both sides with black ID numbers ignore these restrictions, although unit-type box color (5.61) will still affect them.

5.63 Formation Chart

All of the above rules are summarized in the Formation Chart on the Player Aid Sheet.

5.7 Disruption

Units may be disrupted as a result of bombardment. There are two levels of disruption. Place an appropriate "1" or "2" marker on top of the unit to indicate its current disruption level. (Note that units may also receive these markers for reasons other than disruption. All rules in this section apply to those units as well.) A unit retains its marker until the next friendly Marker Removal segment. The effects of disruption are as follows:

• Level 1:
  • movement allowance HALVED (round fractions up)
  • may not enter enemy Zones of Control (8.0)
  • may not attack or conduct fire missions
  • fires normally when defending
• Level 2:
  • may not move at all
  • loses its Zone of Control
  • may not attack or conduct fire missions
  • combat factors HALVED (round up) when defending

Effects of Disruption are briefly listed in the Marker Effects Summary on the Player Aid Sheet.

6.0 Ground Combat

Combat is completely voluntary for the attacker. The defender cannot refuse combat once the attacker declares it. During a Prepared Combat or Movement segment of a friendly player turn, friendly units in one or more hexes may attack any single enemy-occupied hex that is adjacent to all of them. During Prepared Combat, artillery that is adjacent or within range of the selected hex can provide Offensive Support to attackers whenever they fire. Enemy Counterbattery fire may suppress this Support before it can be used.

6.1 General Procedure

• The attacking player indicates which friendly units will attack, and which enemy hex will be the target. Units on both sides with "Fired" markers may not use their combat factors during the combat, but are still fired upon normally.
• The attacking player deducts one Support Point for each HEX that contains any non-artillery attacking units.
• Solitaire play only: Roll a die. On a result of 1-3, the attacker announces all "secret" decisions made throughout a combat first. On a roll of 4-6, the defender announces them first. See below for details.
• If this is Prepared Combat, both sides secretly select which artillery units if any will perform Offensive Support for the attacker and Defensive Support for the defender. Support Points are expended when a side announces the support. See Artillery Direct Fire (5.3) for details.
• Each side secretly selects a Lead Unit, and secretly notes down whether it will declare Armor Protection. These choices affect Target Priority (6.2).
• The defending player may resolve fire by performing one or more firefights (6.4). If the defender fires any units, he must expend ONE support point. Each firefight consists of the following steps:
  • Total the number of combat factors printed on all firing units, as modified by Combat Effectiveness (6.4).
  • Select a single target unit under the provisions of Target Priority.
  • Make the necessary column shifts for proficiency, terrain, encirclement, armor, and Flame Tanks.
  • Roll one die and refer to the Combat Results Table (CRT) for the result.
  • Defenders may NOT advance after fire into hexes vacated by attackers (6.8).
• Surviving attackers then perform one or more firefights against enemy unit(s) in the defending hex. Attackers may advance after combat.

6.2 Target Priority

Beginners: Ignore this rule. Units may shoot at any one unit in a target hex that the firing player desires.

Units stacked in the same hex MUST be engaged in the following order:

1. Lead Unit
2. Armor
3. Leg
4. Weapons
5. Headquarters

6.21 Lead Unit

Each side secretly selects one friendly unit from each hex involved in a combat as the "Lead Unit."

• The Lead Unit MUST participate in the first friendly firefight, if any units fire out of the hex at all during the combat. If the Lead Unit has already been eliminated, ignore this requirement.
• When a hex is fired on during the first enemy firefight, the Lead Unit MUST be the first target selected.

6.22 Armor Protection

A player with an Armor class unit may secretly choose the "Armor Protection" before combat is resolved. A player may NOT choose Armor Protection if an Armor class unit is chosen as the friendly Lead Unit (6.21). Both sides may declare Armor Protection in the same combat. Players reveal their choice simultaneously. Armor Protection changes Target Priority for the announcing player throughout the remainder of the combat as follows:

1. Lead Unit
2. Leg
3. Armor
4. Weapons
5. Headquarters

6.23 Soviet Flamethrower Tank

When part of an attack, this unit receives top priority and must be fired upon first if its hex receives fire from the defender, even if it has not been selected as Lead Unit. It is treated as a normal Armor class unit when it defends against ground attack.

6.24 Target Selection

Once the Target Priority list for each side is determined and a target hex is chosen, the firing player must select a single enemy unit in the hex with the highest priority number that has not been fired upon in this combat ("[1]" is highest priority, "[5]" is lowest). Once an enemy unit is fired upon, it no longer counts when determining priority in a hex. In other words, all enemy units with the highest priority in the hex must be fired on at least once before any units of the next lowest priority can be engaged.

IMPORTANT: This rule DOES NOT REQUIRE that a side fire on lower priority units once all higher priority units have been targeted. The firing player may choose the same high priority unit(s) more than once, while completely ignoring units with the next highest priority that could now be fired upon.

6.25 Unit Size

If there are two or more enemy units with the same Target Priority that have not yet been fired upon during the combat, then the one with the highest current number of combat factors must be fired on first. The owning player chooses the unit when ties occur. (Remember that units already fired upon in a combat DO NOT COUNT toward Target Priority for the remainder of the combat.)

6.3 Firefights

A combat is composed of one or more "firefights." During a firefight, an individual unit may fire by itself, or a group of friendly units may combine their combat factors into a single total. Each firefight is resolved against a single enemy unit, selected according to the provisions of Target Priority. Each firefight is resolved completely before another can be announced.

6.31 Fire Restrictions

No friendly unit may fire more than once, but an enemy target unit may be fired upon any number of times. Results are applied immediately, except during Night Combat (6.9).

6.32 Maximum Fire Strength

If a player tries to perform two or more firefights in a single combat, then the number of printed combat factors used in the current firefight may not exceed the number of printed factors used in the previous firefight. Excess factors are simply ignored. Maximum strength is determined before making any adjustments for Combat Effectiveness.

This rule prevents the use of weak "soak off" or "diversionary" attacks followed by major assaults on rear-area units like artillery and HQs. To penetrate the front lines, you first have to defeat the armor and leg units present in the hex!

6.4 Combat Effectiveness

All combat units are grouped into "classes." Each unit belongs to one (and only one) class throughout the course of play. Each class (Armor, Leg, Weapon, HQ) possesses certain characteristics which affects its ability to attack units in different categories. See the Combat Effectiveness Chart on the map for details.

6.41 Firing Side's Class

Each class of firing unit must check the Combat Effectiveness Chart separately. Find the row corresponding to a firing unit's class.

6.42 Target Class

The proper column on the Combat Effectiveness Chart is determined by the class of the target unit selected.

6.43 Applying Results

Check each class of unit involved in a particular firefight. Cross-index the row and column to determine whether firing units use their normal printed combat factors, double them, or reduce them by one-half or one-quarter. All fractions are rounded UP.

6.5 CRT Shifts

In certain situations, players are awarded combat advantages. These result in column shifts on the CRT. Determine all rightward column shifts favoring the firing side, and all leftward shifts favoring the target side. Subtract the target side's shifts from the firing side's shifts. If the number is 0, no shifts occur. If the number is positive, shift that number of columns to the RIGHT. If the number is negative, shift that number of columns to the LEFT.

6.51 Unit Proficiency

Each unit has a Proficiency rating located in the top right corner of its counter. This represents the level of training, steadfastness, morale, cohesiveness, and combat experience of the unit.

• Add up the Proficiency ratings of all firing units EXCEPT ARTILLERY, and divide the total by the number of firing units (retain fractions). Compare the result to the target unit's printed Proficiency rating. Players will find a pocket calculator useful here.
• The side with a Proficiency rating at least one full point higher than the opponent receives a one column shift in its favor (left for the target side, right for the firing side). A difference of at least TWO full points produces a two-column shift, and a difference of at least THREE or more produces a three-column shift (the maximum allowed for Proficiency).

6.52 Terrain

CRT shifts for terrain benefit the targeted side only.

• Locate all types of terrain that cause column shifts in the target hex, and along those adjacent hexsides through which units are firing into the hex. See the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC).
• Only the hexside that causes the FEWEST number of column shifts (or none at all) counts in the target side's favor.
• Add together all the eligible column shifts for terrain.

6.53 Encirclement

One column shift to the RIGHT in favor of the firing side is awarded for Encirclement. This occurs when every hex adjacent to the target hex contains at least ONE of the following:

• unit(s) friendly to the firing side (including those not involved in the combat)
• ZOCs exerted by any friendly unit(s), even into hexes occupied by enemy units
• terrain prohibited to the target enemy unit

6.54 Light Armor

Some units were equipped with vehicles that had minimal armored protection, and were in fact barely bulletproof.

A target unit with a Light Armor indicator (a "+1" or "+2" inside a black box located in the upper left hand corner of the counter) causes a shift to the RIGHT a number of CRT columns equal to the Light Armor indicator. There are no shifts when Light Armor is on the firing side.

6.55 Flamethrower Tanks

The Soviet Player possesses a special company of OT-133 Flamethrower Tanks, modified from existing T-26 machines. As the Pacific War later demonstrated, these vehicles were of great utility against tenacious Japanese defenders.

The firing side receives ONE column shift RIGHT in favor of the firing player when the flamethrower company adds its combat factors during any Soviet firefight directed against a Japanese Leg class unit.

6.6 CRT Results

The first number on the left shows the number of steps that must be immediately removed. The second number on the right is the Morale Result, which may be satisfied by retreat or a morale check as the owning player chooses.

If you want to hold (or seize) a key piece of terrain, morale checks will probably pay off. Losses will inevitably be higher than through simple retreat, but there is a reasonable chance that the enemy will not gain possession of the hex.

6.61 Step Loss

Immediately remove at least the indicated number of steps (i.e. combat factors) from the target unit involved in the fight by flipping it over to its reduced side or eliminating it. If this causes step losses in excess of the combat result, credit the difference to the target side's Replacement Point total. Armor factors are added to the Armor Replacement total, and Leg factors are added to the Leg Replacement total. If on the other hand there are unmet step losses, they must be taken out of the next available unit according to Target Priority. Continue eliminating and selecting units in this fashion until the Morale Result number is met. If all assigned friendly units put together in a hex cannot meet the step loss requirement, simply eliminate them all. No other hex may absorb any portion of unmet step losses.

6.62 Morale Check

The target side receiving a Morale result on the CRT must decide whether or not to make a Morale Check. If the total number of combat factors belonging to the target unit plus all other units in the target hex does not at least equal the Morale result, then no Morale Check is allowed.

• If no Morale Check occurs, ALL units in the target hex must retreat a number of hexes equal to the Morale result number. Place a "1" marker on the retreated units.
• If a Morale Check is made, roll one die and compare it to the single highest Proficiency rating of any unit in the target hex, even one that was not selected as the target during the firefight. If the roll is the same or less than the Proficiency rating, all units in the hex pass the check. If the roll is greater, the morale check fails.
• Fail Morale Check:
  1. Target unit loses a number of steps equal to the Morale Result number on the CRT. The procedure is identical to Step Losses outlined above.
  2. If all units belonging to the DEFENDER in a combat (not the attacker) are eliminated, then the ATTACKER may advance after combat any or all units assigned to the attack a number of hexes equal to the portion of the Morale Result number not consumed by the defender's step losses.
  3. If the target hex contains any units belonging to the ATTACKER that took step losses, place a "2" Disruption marker on them. Other units in the hex are not affected.
  4. If the target hex contains any units belonging to the DEFENDER, all the units (NOT just those that took step losses) must retreat the number of hexes equal to the Morale Result. Place a "2" marker on them.
• Pass Morale Check:
  1. Lose a number of steps equal to the Morale Result number, using the same procedure under #1 "Fail Morale Check" above.
  2. No retreat or disruption occurs.

6.7 Retreats

Units are always retreated by the owning player. If stacked, units may retreat separately or in one or more groups as the owning player desires. All units must retreat the full number of hexes called for away from the enemy unit.

6.71 Retreat Path

Units should retreat as directly as possible toward a map edge that serves as a friendly Supply Source (10.1). Enemy ZOCs may affect retreat; see (8.4) for details. A unit may not retreat into or across any terrain prohibited to it. Units ignore stacking limitations (9.0) during retreat, and may exceed stacking limits at the end of retreat if no other destination hex is available. The excess units are placed beneath a "2" marker.

6.72 Terrain Effects

• Halha River: Only Leg class units may retreat across an unbridged Halha River hexside, and each retreating unit (not stack) must take a Step Loss. All other types of units are immediately eliminated if they cannot avoid retreating across an unbridged Halha River hexside.
• Minor River: Armor and Weapons class units take one Step Loss per stack (not per unit) when retreating across an unbridged Minor River hexside. Leg and HQ units retreat across an unbridged hexside without penalty.
• Bridges: Units may retreat across a Bridge hexside without penalty, except when either hex adjacent to the Bridge contains an enemy Interdiction marker. The retreating unit or stack interrupts its retreat in the interdicted hex and performs a normal Interdiction roll (5.22). The result is the number of Steps Losses that the stack must absorb. The player who placed the Interdiction marker chooses which units take the losses. A unit must be completely eliminated before another unit is selected to absorb further losses.
• Map edge: Units forced to retreat off the board are NOT eliminated. Simply return them to play the next player turn at the nearest hex unoccupied by enemy units.

6.8 Advance after Combat

If all units belonging to the DEFENDER are eliminated or retreat out of the target hex during a combat, any and all attacking units EXCEPT WEAPONS CLASS UNITS may perform advance after combat. Defenders may not advance when the attacker vacates a hex during combat.

6.81 Path of Advance

Advances are calculated in hexes, not movement points. The maximum length of the attacker's advance is a number of hexes equal to the Morale result just obtained against the defender on the CRT. The first hex entered must always be the hex vacated by the defender. (If the defender's hex is not completely empty, then no advance may occur.) Thereafter, the path can enter any hex not occupied by an enemy unit.

6.82 Overstacking

Stacking limits are ignored during the advance, but advancing units are placed beneath a "2" marker if they end an advance overstacked.

6.83 Enemy ZOCs

Once an advancing unit occupies the defender's vacated hex, it must stop its advance after entering the next vacant hex containing an enemy ZOC. The presence of a friendly unit negates enemy ZOCs in a hex.

6.84 Rivers

Units of any type may only advance across the Halha River through Bridges, and only Leg class units can advance across a Minor River.

6.9 Japanese Night Combat

Imperial Army doctrine placed great importance on night attacks. Japanese prowess in night combat was demonstrated on several occasions during the Khalkin-Gol Campaign.

The Japanese Player (only) may declare any Prepared Combat will be conducted at night.

6.91 Unit Participation

Roll one die for each Japanese Armor and Leg class unit assigned to the combat. If the result is the same or less than the unit's Proficiency rating (located in the top right corner of the counter), then the unit joins the attack. If the result is greater than the Proficiency rating, the unit receives a "2" Disruption marker and is left out of the combat.

6.92 Special Conditions

• No weapons class fire by either side.
• ADD ONE (+1) to the Proficiency rating of FIRING Japanese units.
• SUBTRACT ONE (-1) from the Proficiency rating of Soviet units that are either firing or making a Morale Check.
• Fire is simultaneous. The Japanese side applies fire results against its attacking units AFTER firing upon the Soviet target hex and applying any results against it.
• Advance after combat is limited to the hex vacated by the defender. If the Japanese retreat any units as a result of Soviet fire, there can be no advance.

[Printed here: "continued on page 43."]

6.93 Japanese Disruption

After completion of a Night Attack, all participating Japanese units are placed beneath "2" markers.

7.0 Movement

Movement is performed during each player's friendly Movement segment, and as Reserve Movement during the opponent's Movement segment. A player may move none, some, or all eligible friendly units up to the limit of each unit's printed Movement Allowance (MA). The printed MA will be modified or reduced to zero by "Fired" and Disruption (1, 2) markers a unit currently possesses. Movement points may never be accumulated from turn to turn or transferred between units.

7.1 Moving Units

A unit moves across the game map from hex to adjoining hex, paying the appropriate movement point (MP) cost for each hex entered and each special hexside (e.g. river, slope) crossed. Note that some terrain has differing MP costs for motorized and non-motorized units. MPs are deducted from the unit's adjusted MA as it moves. No unit can enter a hex for which it lacks sufficient MPs, unless the unit has not yet moved at all during the current segment. A unit may never enter a hex or cross a hexside prohibited to it. See the Terrain Chart on the map for details.

7.2 Stacking and Movement

Units may be moved individually or in stacks. If units begin movement as a stack, members of the stack may be "dropped off" at any time, and must be dropped off when they are no longer able to continue moving. No units may be "picked up" by a moving stack.

7.3 Operational Movement

Any unit that begins its movement at least FOUR (4) hexes away from any enemy unit AND never moves closer than 4 hexes to any enemy unit may perform Operational Movement. (There must be at least three intervening hexes between the friendly unit and all enemy units at all times.) A unit using Operational Movement:

• DOUBLES its printed MA before making any other adjustments.
• pays TWICE the printed result on the Interdiction Table when attempting to enter a hex containing an Interdiction marker.

7.4 Trucks

Both sides deployed large numbers of trucks to supply the battlefield. There were a few trucks left over to transport troops and equipment.

• The Soviet Player may motorize a total of THREE (3) battalion-sized units, or ONE (1) regiment-sized unit, at the beginning of each friendly Movement segment.
• The Japanese may motorize two units of any size at the beginning of each friendly Movement segment.
• A unit may NOT be in an enemy ZOC at the instant it receives a Truck marker. Thereafter, it may move exactly like any other motorized unit, obeying normal movement rules.
• Place a friendly truck marker on each selected unit. Units with a truck marker are considered to have a normal MA of 20, subject to all the usual adjustments.
• A unit with a truck marker may conduct Operational Movement and increase its MA to 40, if it meets all requirements.

7.5 Hasty Attacks

Whenever a friendly unit or stack moves into an enemy ZOC, it may immediately exercise the option of performing a Hasty Attack if it has sufficient MPs remaining to pay the cost.

7.51 Cost

To conduct a Hasty Attack, a unit must have enough MPs left to pay the following movement costs after entering an enemy ZOC:

• Motorized—4 MPs
• Non-motorized—2 MPs

A unit that cannot afford to pay the added cost may not participate in a Hasty Attack, even if it has not yet moved at all during the current segment.

7.52 Stacks

Units in a stack may combine together in a single Hasty Attack, or make separate Hasty Attacks as the owner wishes. Only one stack may participate in a particular Hasty Attack; multiple stacks may not combine to conduct a Hasty Attack.

7.53 Movement Restrictions

Once a unit or stack participates in a Hasty Attack, it may not move any further that segment. A Hasty Attack for a unit or stack must be resolved before the next unit or stack moves. (Units may not "pile into" a hex and then launch a Hasty Attack!)

7.54 Combat Restrictions

Artillery units and all types of units with a "Fired" marker may not participate in a Hasty Attack. Antitank and anti-aircraft units must be stacked with at least one Leg or Armor class unit in order to conduct a hasty attack.

7.55 Resolution

A hasty attack is resolved using standard Ground Combat rules. The units performing the Hasty Attack are the attackers, and those receiving the Hasty Attack are the defenders. Target selection and Target Priority are handled normally. A single defending hex may receive any number of Hasty Attacks during a single segment.

7.6 Reserve Movement

Certain units designated as Reserves are only allowed to move during the opponent's movement segment. A thin line can thus be strengthened by the timely intervention of friendly units.

7.61 Creation of Reserves

During the friendly Marker Adjustment segment, a player may place a Reserve marker on any unit that:

• has no "Fired" or Disruption (1, 2) marker on it
• is not located in an enemy ZOC
• is within two hexes of a friendly HQ unit (i.e. a maximum one intervening hex between the unit and the HQ)

See the special scenario instructions for those units which must begin the scenario in reserve. Players may create as many additional Reserve markers as they need. The number of markers in the existing countermix is not a design limit.

7.62 Leaving Reserve Status

A player may voluntarily remove any Reserve markers from friendly units during the friendly Marker Adjustment segment. A unit MUST lose its Reserve marker the instant ONE of the following occurs:

• it expends over half of its MA (round fractions up) during Reserve Movement. For example, a unit with a printed MA of 15 could use 8 MPs and still remain in Reserve, but if it spends 9 or more MPs it loses the Reserve marker.
• it enters an enemy ZOC.
• an enemy unit places it in an enemy ZOC.

If the marker is removed during friendly Reserve Movement, then the unit may still complete its movement and perform a Hasty Attack if desired.

7.63 Moving Reserve Units

Units bearing a Reserve marker may interrupt the enemy Movement segment whenever the opponent has completed moving a single unit or stack, including any Hasty Attacks that come at the end of movement. Any and all Reserve units may then move their printed MAs (subject to modification by Fired, Disruption, and Motorized Transport markers), and conduct a Hasty Attack at the conclusion of movement (Exception: Japanese Release). Reserves can move in stacks, and obey all normal movement rules. After moving the number of Reserve units desired, the player announces that the opponent may resume regular movement. As long as any Reserve unit can still be moved, the owning player may continue to interrupt enemy movement, if he so chooses.

7.64 Japanese Release

July: The Japanese Player rolls one die and consults the Japanese Reserve Release chart whenever he attempts to move a Reserve unit, AND no Reserve units have thus far achieved Release during the current Soviet Movement segment. Once any unit achieves Release, die rolling ceases and all Reserve units can move freely for the rest of the segment. The Release procedure begins fresh every Soviet Movement segment during the month of July, through the end of the "29 July-1 August" game turn.

August: Beginning with the "2-5 August" game turn, every Japanese Reserve unit must check the Reserve Release chart, even if friendly units have already achieved Release during the current Soviet Movement segment.

8.0 Zones of Control

All units normally exert a Zone of Control (ZOC) which extends into all six adjacent hexes.

8.1 Exceptions

• ZOCs do not extend across Halha River hexsides, including those crossed by Bridges.
• Units beneath a "2" Disruption marker lose their ZOCs.

8.2 Effects on Movement

• Entry: A unit does not expend any additional movement points to enter an enemy ZOC, but must immediately stop moving for the rest of the current segment.
• Exit: If a unit leaves an enemy ZOC hex which still contains any friendly units, then the exiting unit [sic: "unit unit" in the source] must pay TWO (+2) additional MPs beyond normal terrain costs to enter an adjacent hex. If it is the last friendly unit to depart, it must pay HALF its current MA (round fractions up) beyond normal terrain costs to enter an adjacent hex.
• Re-Entry: A unit may use its entire MA to move directly from one enemy ZOC hex to another, but only if the destination hex is already occupied by a friendly unit. A unit that leaves an enemy ZOC and enters a hex not containing an enemy ZOC may not enter another hex containing an enemy ZOC for the remainder of that segment.
• Artillery units with a range value of SEVEN (7) or more may not voluntarily enter an enemy ZOC, but may remain in an enemy ZOC if an enemy unit moves adjacent to them.
• Friendly units: The presence of friendly units has no effect on enemy ZOCs during movement, except when moving directly from one enemy ZOC to another.

8.3 Effects on Supply

Supply cannot be traced through a vacant hex containing an enemy ZOC. Any friendly unit in a hex negates enemy ZOCs in that hex when tracing a supply line.

8.4 Effects on Combat

• Units may not retreat through an enemy ZOC unless there is no other path available.
• A stack containing ANY Armor or Leg class units may retreat through a vacant hex with an enemy ZOC, but each time it does so an Armor or Leg unit must immediately take a one Step Loss for the entire stack (not one loss per unit). The owning player decides which unit takes the loss.
• A stack containing ONLY Weapons and/or HQ class units is eliminated the instant it retreats into a vacant hex containing an enemy ZOC.
• The presence of any friendly unit in a hex that has not itself retreated during the current firefight negates the effects of enemy ZOCs on retreat through that hex.

9.0 Stacking

Stacking limits apply at the conclusion of the movement segment, during retreat, and during advance after combat.

9.1 Japanese Stacking

Any number of Japanese company-sized and HQ units may stack in a single hex. In addition to any of these, the Japanese side may have ONE of the following in a hex:

• ANY AND ALL units bearing the same Formation ID number; OR
• up to TWO (2) units NOT bearing the same Formation ID number

Only Formation ID numbers (the ones to the RIGHT of the unit-type box) count when determining stacking.

9.2 Soviet Stacking

Any number of Soviet company-sized and HQ units may stack in a single hex. In addition to any of these, the Soviet side may have ONE of the following in a hex:

• ONE infantry regiment (8-10 full strength, 4-10 reduced strength); OR
• ONE airborne infantry brigade (9-12 full strength, 4-12 reduced strength); OR
• ANY AND ALL units bearing the same Formation ID number (EXCLUDING infantry regiments and brigades); OR
• up to TWO (2) units NOT bearing the same ID number.

Only Formation ID numbers to the RIGHT of the unit-type box count when determining stacking.

10.0 Supply

In order for units to move and fight at full effectiveness, they must be able to trace a supply line to an appropriate supply source at certain times during a game turn.

10.1 Supply Sources

• USSR and Mongolia: any hex not occupied by enemy units on the western edge of the map.
• Japan and Manchukuo: any hex not occupied by enemy units on the
  • eastern edge of the map; OR
  • northern edge of the map located EAST of the hex row currently occupied by the westernmost friendly unit.

Example: If the Japanese or Manchukuoan unit furthest west is in hex 2010, then every northern mapedge hex from the 21xx hex row on east (22xx, 23xx, etc.) can serve as a friendly Supply Source when not occupied by an enemy unit.

10.2 Supply Lines

Trace a line of connected hexes, beginning with the hex containing units being checked for supply and ending with a Supply Source hex. The line of hexes may be of any length, and need not proceed in a straight line. The following block a supply line:

• enemy units
• enemy ZOCs (unless a friendly unit is present in the ZOC hex)
• Halha River hexside (unless crossed by a Bridge)

10.3 Out of Supply

A unit that cannot trace any proper supply line at the instant it begins movement or becomes involved in a combat is "out of supply." Units are never eliminated simply for being out of supply, but they do suffer the following effects:

• Artillery units may only fire at adjacent units in the Artillery and Prepared Combat segments.
• Motorized units have their printed MA HALVED (round fractions up), before adjusting for other reductions.
• Any unit in combat: subtract ONE (-1) from its printed Proficiency rating.

11.0 Bridges

A key factor in the campaign was the ability of the Soviets to hold crossing points over the Halha River which allowed them to maintain a bridgehead on the eastern bank. All but one of the Halha bridges were Soviet built. The Japanese did make a concerted effort to destroy these important targets with artillery and raiding parties, but were never able to achieve lasting results.

11.1 Destroying Bridges

Any engineer unit belonging to either side that moves adjacent (or is currently adjacent) to a Bridge hexside may spend FIVE (+5) additional MPs to eliminate the Bridge. Cover the Bridge symbol with a blank counter or note down the adjacent hex numbers.

11.2 Japanese Bridge Unit

The Japanese may build one bridge over the Halha River. This capability is represented by the Japanese Bridge Counter. This unit is irreplaceable (in fact, it was the only such engineering unit in all of Manchuria). The Bridge counter must always be stacked with a friendly engineer unit until it is placed across a Halha River hexside.

• Placement: To place the Bridge, an unmotorized engineer carrying it must move adjacent (or currently be adjacent) to an unbridged Halha River hexside, and spend FIVE (+5) additional MPs. If the engineer unit carrying the Bridge is considered motorized at the instant of placement, it costs TEN (+10) additional MPs instead of +5.
• Removal: If an engineer unit without a "Fired" or Disruption marker spends the entire friendly Movement segment adjacent to the Bridge counter's hexside, it may "pick up" the counter. (Engineers in reserve must spend the entire enemy Movement segment adjacent to the Bridge counter.) The engineer may then place the Bridge counter somewhere else.
• Exchange: Two engineer units in the same hex may exchange or "swap" the Bridge counter, but only if they do not use any MPs during the friendly Movement segment. If an engineer is in reserve, it must not move during Reserve Movement in the opponent's Movement segment.
• Destruction: The Bridge is destroyed if a Soviet unit of any type moves adjacent to the Bridge counter's hexside. This costs no additional MPs. The Bridge counter is permanently removed from play. The Soviet player may decide to leave the Bridge intact, but if he does so then he may not destroy the Bridge until the next Movement segment in which at least one Soviet unit is able to move adjacent to the Bridge's hexside. If a Soviet unit is already adjacent, the Soviet player must still wait for the next segment in which the unit is permitted to move.

11.3 Movement Restrictions

Units may cross any Bridge (regardless of which side last occupied or passed through it) using the "+2" movement cost listed for Bridges on the Terrain Chart, EXCEPT for Armor Class units crossing:

• the Japanese Bridge counter across the Halha River
• the Old Engineer Bridge across the Holsten River (hexside 3636/3637)

Armor class units must pay the normal cost for crossing a Minor River hexside. They are prohibited from crossing the Halha over the Japanese Bridge counter.

12.0 Air Operations

The series of air battles that took place over the Mongolian desert between May and August 1939 were the largest since the Great War. Despite having an initial advantage of superbly trained crews, the Japanese gradually lost control of the air to the Soviets. Because ground support techniques were relatively primitive in 1939, air operations still had only a limited impact on the outcome. Players may choose to ignore the air rules for the sake of simplicity. Those players who enjoy the added dimension are encouraged to try them.

Each air unit may perform one mission per game turn. All air units are considered to have sufficient range to operate anywhere on the map. An air unit is placed in a particular mission box, and is moved to a target hex when necessary.

12.1 Air Unit Allocation

• Both sides secretly decide which units will perform what types of missions, as described below. Place the units in the various mission boxes on the friendly Air Display.
• Solitaire Play: Roll one die. The side with the highest roll is said to have the initiative for that turn. The other side is termed the Reaction player. If both sides roll the same number, Japan wins the initiative during a July turn (through 2 August). The USSR wins ties thereafter. The Reaction player always places all units first, followed by the Initiative player.
• Both sides reveal their Air Displays simultaneously.
• Each player decides which friendly fighters in the Patrol box will be placed in the "Intercept" sections of the OPPONENT'S mission boxes. All Patrol planes must be assigned to a mission box, but how many and in what box(es) is entirely up to the owning player. A player is NOT forced to place intercepting units in every occupied enemy mission box.

12.2 Air Missions

Certain types of air units located in the "Available" section of the friendly Air Units box may perform particular missions. Once an air unit fires or drops its bombs and absorbs losses, it is placed in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box.

12.21 Ground Attack

Any air unit with a ground attack factor may perform Bombing or Interdiction missions. Only Bomber (B) and Heavy Bomber (HB) units may perform special Rear Area Bombing missions. Place qualified units selected for these missions in the "Attack" section of the friendly mission box bearing the appropriate name.

12.22 Air Attack

Any air unit with the Fighter (F) designation in the top left corner of its counter may perform Escort or Patrol. Place each unit selected for Escort duty in the "Escorts" section of a friendly mission box. Place each unit chosen for Patrol in the friendly Patrol box.

12.23 Unassigned Units

Any unit not assigned a mission is left in the friendly Air Units box. Units in an Air Units box may not attack or be attacked during the current game turn.

12.3 Air Combat

After all units have been placed in mission boxes or remain "grounded" in the Air Units box, Fighter Patrols perform air combat. Then, air combat is resolved by each side's intercepting air units. First one player conducts interception air combat, followed by the other. Since interceptors never fight each other and all fire is simultaneous, it does not matter which side goes first.

12.31 Fighter Patrols

All units in the Patrol boxes may fight each other.

• Roll a die for each Fighter unit on both sides. If the result is GREATER THAN its Proficiency Rating, place the unit in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box. Otherwise, the unit remains in the Patrol box.
• Take the remaining units from both Patrol boxes and place them face-down in a convenient space off the map. Place one Japanese unit on top of one Soviet unit, without looking at their front sides.
• Excess air units are flipped over so that they can be seen. Each excess unit is either placed in a friendly "Intercept" section for later use against enemy aircraft, OR it is placed on top of any enemy Fighter from the Patrol box without looking at the enemy Fighter's front side. (If the second option is chosen, enemy Fighters may be fired on by 2 or more friendly Fighters.)
• After all Fighters from both Patrol boxes are assigned to combat, perform Dogfights (12.33 [sic; Dogfights is printed as 12.34]) between stacked Fighter units. Surviving Fighters on both sides are placed in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box.
• Proceed to Interception air combat.

12.32 Interception Checks

The player currently performing Air Combat selects an enemy mission box and rolls one die for each friendly air unit in the "Intercept" section of the corresponding friendly box. If the result is the SAME OR LESS than the unit's Proficiency rating, interception is successful. Otherwise, place the unit in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box.

12.33 Targeting

Intercepting units must first engage enemy units in the "Escorts" section of the corresponding enemy mission box. If the intercepting force has more fighters than the escorts, each excess interceptor may attack one enemy plane in the mission box not serving as an escort. If the escorts are more numerous, each excess unit may either

• be moved to the "Attack" section of the friendly mission box (and later contribute their ground attack strength to the mission); OR
• fire on an intercepting unit (which means that some interceptors will be fired upon by two or more escorts).

The intercepting side selects which unit each interceptor will fire upon. Then the escorting side selects enemy interceptors as targets if there are any escorts not being fired upon by interceptors. Air units firing on each other should be placed together in a single stack.

12.34 Dogfights

Each air unit (enemy and friendly) in a stack fires separately. Fire is considered simultaneous, so losses do not take effect until all units in each stack have fired. Subtract the target unit's Air-to-Air Defense factor from the firing unit's Dogfight factor. Find the column on the Air Combat Results Table located on the Player Aid Sheet that matches this "differential" number. Roll one die, adjust for Proficiency and Bomber fire, cross-index the modified dieroll result row with the differential column, and apply the result.

12.35 Aftermath

Interceptors and Escorts are placed in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box. Surviving units in the "attack" session of a mission box MUST perform the type of mission indicated by their box during the Bombing & Interdiction segment. Again, order of resolution is not important because air units can no longer affect the outcome. Upon completion of the segment, all units are placed in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box.

12.4 Bombing

There are two Bombing and Interdiction segments in each Air Operations Phase, one for each player.

• The side performing the segment totals the ground attack factors of all surviving aircraft located in the "Attack" section of the Bombing mission box.
• Select ONE enemy-occupied target hex anywhere on the map, and subtract the combat factors of all anti-aircraft units in the hex. The total determines the column used on the Bombardment Table (the same table used for artillery fire).
• Roll the die, apply the "spotting" modifiers, and cross-index the modified dieroll with the fire column.
• The result affects one unit in the hex, chosen at random. (Use die rolls, blind pick, or some other method agreeable to both sides.)

12.5 Rear Area Bombing

Air units in the "attack" section of the Rear Area Bombing box may attack the opponent's current Support Point total (representing enemy logistical infrastructure) during the friendly Bombing and Interdiction segment.

• The side currently performing the segment totals the ground attack factors of all surviving aircraft.
• Roll the die, apply all modifiers, and cross-index the modified dieroll with the fire column on the Interdiction Table.
• The result is the number of Support Points the opponent must immediately remove from the Record Track.

12.6 Air Interdiction

Each side performs Interdiction during its friendly Bombing and Interdiction segment of the Air Operations Phase.

• Each air unit in the "Attack" section of the friendly Interdiction box may attempt to interdict any one hex containing a Road, a Bridge hexside, or both. Two or more units that attack a single target hex MUST combine their combat factors. Both air and artillery can interdict the same hex; simply add together the artillery combat factors and the air unit ground attack factors. Air units can attempt to interdict a hex that already contains an enemy Interdiction marker, but not one containing a friendly Interdiction marker.
• Place the air unit(s) directly on the hex. Each enemy unit or stack attempts to enter the hex, total the factors of all interdicting units (air and artillery) against a particular hex, and subtract the combat factors of all anti-aircraft units in the hex. Roll one die and apply the results exactly as in normal interdiction (5.22).

12.7 Air Unit Recovery

Air operations on both sides suffered from a distinct lack of logistical support. Aircraft could stand idle for days before receiving the fuel and munitions needed to perform another mission.

During each Mutual Recovery segment at the end of an Air Operations Phase, every undisrupted air unit located in the "Not Ready" section of the friendly Air Units box may attempt recovery.

• Roll one die for each unit. On a result of 1 or 2, move the unit to the "Available" section of the friendly Air Units box. Otherwise, it remains where it is.
• Disrupted units (i.e. those flipped over to the side lacking an aircraft symbol or values) may NOT attempt recovery. After all recovery attempts are concluded, flip all disrupted units to their normal front sides.

13.0 Scenarios

13.1 Japanese July Attack

This scenario simulates the attempt by the Imperial Army's reinforced 23rd Infantry Division to restore the border claimed by the Japanese along the Halha River. It begins on 2 July 1939 and concludes on the 12th, when the Japanese ceased offensive operations just short of their objective. This was the only real chance the Japanese had to secure a lasting victory.

Japan (first player)

(set up within normal stacking limits)

Yasuoka Task Force (hexes 2614, 2713-14, 2814-15, 2914)

• 3 Tank (4-16) and 4 Tank (5-16) Regiments;
• 64 Infantry Regiment, less 3/64 battalion (2 x 4-10, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 antitank)
• 24 Indep. Engineer Regiment (3-10)
• 1st company, 12 Anti-aircraft Regiment (1-20)
• 2d co., 13 Artillery Regiment (3-6-15)

Kobayashi Task Force (2014-15, 2113-15, 2213-15)

• 71 Inf Regiment (3 x 4-10, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 anti-aircraft)
• 72 Inf Regiment (3 x 4-10, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 anti-aircraft)
• 26 (Motorized) Inf Regiment (3 x 4-10, 1-3-20 artillery, 1-20 antitank)
• 3/64 Inf Battalion (4-10) plus RESERVE marker
• 23 Cavalry/Recon (2-15)
• 23 Engineers (2-10) plus "Bridge" counter
• 25 and 27 Antitank companies (2 x 1-15)
• 1 (3-6-15) and 3 (4-5-15) battalions of 13 Artillery Regiment
• 1 Ind Art Regiment (3-9-20)
• 23 Inf Division HQ

Hsingan Div (Manchukuo):

• 4/H Cavalry (2-15) at 4643
• 5/H Cavalry (2-15) at 4540
• 12/H Cavalry (2-15) at 4538

Air Units (optional)

• 1 F (2-3-0), 10 LB (1-3-1), 11 F (4-4-1), 12 HB (1-3-3), 24 F (2-3-0), 61 HB (2-3-2)

Support Points: 6 Replacement Points: none

Soviet (second player)

8 Mongolian Division:

• 22/8 Cavalry Regiment (3-15) at 1835
• 23/8 Cav Regiment (3-15) at 2948
• 8/8 Light Tank/Recon (2-20) at 2747

11 Tank Brigade

• 2/11 tank (5-18) at 1932
• 4/11 motorized inf (3-20) at 3639.

7 Armored Brigade

• 1/7 (4-20) and 2/7 (5-20) light tank at 1330
• 3/7 mot inf (3-20) at 1431

149 Motorized Inf Regiment

• 3 x 3-20 battalions at 3733, 3928, 3628
• Artillery co. (2-6-20) at 3432

175 Artillery Regiment

• 2 x 3-6-20 at 3033, 3235

36 Mot Inf Division

• 36/36 Tank (3-16) at 2734
• 36/36 Engineer (2-20) at 2535

9 Armor Brigade

• 1/9 (4-20) and 2/9 (5-20) light tank at 3124, 2824
• 3/9 (3-20) mot inf at 2523

185 Artillery Regiment

• 1/185 (5-21-20) at 2037
• 2/185 (5-8-20) at 2234
• 3/185 (4-9-20) at 2337

1st Army Group (1AG) HQ (1-24) at 2237

Air Units (optional)

• 22 F (4-3-1), 56 F (3-2-1), 70 F (3-2-1), 32 B (2-3-4)

Support Points: 10 Replacement Points: none

Special Rules

1. On 2 July, no Soviet units west of the Halha River may move normally. Soviet artillery units may conduct regular fire missions regardless of their location.
2. The "Old Engineer Bridge" across the Holsten River between hexes 3636 and 3637 is considered to exist at the beginning of the 9 July game turn. The "New Engineer Bridge" across hexside 3336/3337 and the unnamed bridge at 2019/1919 do not exist in this scenario.

Victory Conditions

Victory points are awarded according to the following schedule at the end of the scenario:

Japanese

• 1 point for each supplied company-sized unit west of the Halha River
• 2 points for each supplied unit larger than a company west of the Halha River.
• 1 point for each enemy unit currently in the Replacements box or permanently eliminated from play. (Units destroyed and replaced during the course of the game are not counted.)

Soviet

• 3 points for each Japanese tank regiment destroyed.
• 1 point if the Japanese bridge is captured or destroyed.
• 1 point for each supplied unit east of the Halha.
• 1 point for each enemy unit currently in the Replacements box or permanently eliminated from play. (Units destroyed and replaced during the course of the game are not counted.)

Either side

The last unit that occupies or passes through the indicated hex gains a number of victory points:

• 5 points for hex 2535
• 3 points for hex 2330
• 1 point each for 2538, 2643, 3349, and 3949.

Subtract the Soviet point total from the Japanese total, and compare the result to the victory levels provided below:

• 17+: Japanese Decisive victory
• 10-16: Japanese Significant Victory
• 6-9: Japanese Marginal Victory
• 0-5: Draw
• -1 to -5: Soviet Marginal Victory
• -6 to -11: Soviet Significant Victory
• -12 or less: Soviet Decisive Victory

13.2 Zhukov's Masterpiece

This scenario simulates General Zhukov's crushing blow against the Japanese in August. Utilizing a double envelopment, Zhukov's forces quickly surrounded and annihilated the 23rd Infantry Division. Given the faulty disposition of Japanese forces and the Soviet preponderance in armor and artillery, this scenario is heavily weighted in favor of the Soviet Player and is therefore best played solitaire. Players desiring a more balance August Scenario are invited to try Scenario 13.3.

Japan (second player)

Set up first, but designated as the Second Player. The 24 Engineers (3-10) begins in hex 3337. All other units start in the indicated assembly areas, within stacking restrictions. Each assembly area is marked on the map with a particular letter of the alphabet, as indicated below.

• A. 8 Manchukuoan Cavalry Regiment (1-15)
• B. Ioki Force: 23 Cavalry/Recon (2-15), 23 Engineers (2-10), 27 Artillery (1-3-15), 25 Antitank (1-15)
• C. 1 (1-15) and 2 (2-15) Manchukuoan Cavalry
• D. 23 Division HQ (1-24), 10 Anti-Aircraft Regt (5-15), 1/12 Antiaircraft (1-20)
• E. 2/26 (4-20) and 3/26 (2-10, reduced)
• F. 2/13 (3-6-15) and 3/13th (4-5-15) Artillery
• G. 1/26 (5-12), 26 Antitank (1-20) and 26 Artillery (1-3-20)
• H. 64 Inf Regt (2 x 4-10, 1 x 2-10 reduced, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 antitank)
• J. Artillery Corps: 1Hvy (2 x 4-8-20) and 7Hvy (2 x 4-14-20) Artillery Regiments; 1 Ind (3-9-20) artillery, M (Muleng) artillery (4-16-20).
• K. 72 Inf Regt (2 x 4-10, 1 x 2-10 reduced, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 antitank)
• L. Hasebe Detachment: 8 Border Guard (B) Regiment (1/8 1-10 reduced, 2/8 3-10, 8 antitank 1-15 reduced, 8 artillery 1-3-15); 28 inf (5-12), 28 antitank (1-15), 28 artillery (1-3-15)
• M. 1/13th artillery (3-6-15)
• N. 71 Inf Regt (2 x 4-10, 1 x 2-10 reduced, 1-3-15 artillery, 1-15 antitank)
• O. Manchukuo Hsingan (H) Cavalry Division: 3 x 1-15 reduced

Air Units (optional)

• 1 F (2-3-0), 10 LB (1-3-1), 11 F (4-4-1), 16 LB (1-3-2), 24 F (2-3-0), 61 HB (2-3-2), 64 F (2-3-0)

Support Points: 13 Replacement Points: 3

USSR (first player)

Units are set up in any or all the listed hexes, within stacking limits:

Northern Group

• Mongol 6 Cav Div (2 x 3-15 cavalry, 2-20 light tank)—1809-10, 1908-09
• 7 Armored Bde (3-20, 4-20, 5-20)—1711, 1811-1812
• 2/11 and 3/11 (2 x 5-18 tank)—1816-1817, 1916
• 601/82 Inf Regt (8-0) and 82/82 artillery (8-8-15)—1613-14, 1712-14, 1813-1814, 1913-1914
• 87 antitank (4-20)—in any hex listed for the Northern Group

Central Group

• 82 Division: 602/82 and 603/82 infantry regiments (2 x 8-10), 82 Cavalry/Recon (2-15), 795/82 artillery (7-6-15)—3039, 3139, 3141, 3240-3242, 3340-3341, 3442-3443
• 5 Machinegun (Motorized infantry) Brigade: 1/5, 2/5 (2 x 3-20), 3/5 (1-20 reduced), 1/5 artillery (4-6-20), 2/5 artillery (5-9-20)—2636-2637, 2736-2727, 2836-2837, 2935-2937, 3037
• 149 Mot Inf Regt: 1/149, 2/149 (2 x 3-20), 3/149 (1-20 reduced), 149 artillery (2-6-20)—2635, 2734-2735, 2835
• 24 Mot Inf Regt: 1/24, 2/24 (2 x 3-20), 3/24 (1-20 reduced), plus 57 Tank Battalion (3-16)—2433-2434, 2532-2533, 2634
• 36 Mot Inf Division: 36/36 tank (5-20), 36/36 Engineers—2535
• 175 Art Regt (2 x 3-6-20)—2233-2235, 2335
• Central Force Artillery Group: 1/185 (5-21-20), 2/185 (5-8-20), 1/126 (5-16-20), 1/297 (2-16-20)—2339-2341, 2440-2442

Southern Group

• 57 Inf Division: 1-3/80 (2 x 3-10, 1-10 reduced), 1-3/127 (2 x 3-10, 1-10 reduced), 1-3/293 (3 x 3-10), 57 cavalry (2-15), 57 tank (3-16), 57 antitank (2-15), 1-2/57 artillery (2 x 5-8-15), 1-3/105 artillery (2 x 3-6-15, 4-9-15)—3445, 3544-3545, 3644-3646, 3743-3746, 3844-3847, 3944-3947, 4045-4047, 4144-4146, 4244-4246
• 8 Armored Brigade (4-20, 5-20 light tank; 3-20 mot inf)—4347, 4447-4448, 4547
• 6 Tank Brigade (3 x 5-18, 3-20)—3850-3851, 3949-3951 (may not set up stacked together)
• 1/11 Tank Brigade (5-18) and 11 artillery (4-6-20)—3647, 3747, 3848
• 2/185 artillery (5-8-20)—2847
• Mongol 8 Cavalry Division (2 x 3-15 cavalry, 2-20 light tank)—4648, 4747-4748, 4848-4849
• Flamethrower Tank, 37 antitank—set up in any hex listed for Southern Group
• Reserves (set up with RESERVE markers in 2044-2045, 2144-2145, 2245-2246):
  • 9 Armor Bde (3-20, 4-20, 5-20)
  • 212 Airborne Bde (9-12)
  • 4/6 tank (5-18)
  • 4/11 mot inf (3-20)
  • Border Guard (B) (2-20)

Independent Units

• 1AG HQ (1-24)—2237
• 85 Anti-aircraft Regiment (4 x 2-20 anti-aircraft)—set up in any hex(es) west of the Halha River. The units need not be adjacent or within any particular distance of one another.

Air Units (optional)

• All nine Soviet units are available: 19 F (4-3-1), 22 F (4-3-1), 23 F (4-3-1), 56 F (3-2-1), 70 F (3-2-1), 32 B (2-3-4), 38 B (2-3-4), 150 B (2-3-4), 21 HB (2-5-3).

Support Points: 38 Replacement Points: 7 Leg, 2 Armor Game Length: 20-31 August 1939 (12 turns)

Special Rules

1. This scenario is best played solitaire. Given superior Soviet battlefield intelligence, the Japanese side always performs any "secret" activities first when there is just one player. Ignore the instructions for solitaire play in the rules.
2. The Japanese were slow to respond to the unexpected Soviet attack and were unsure of its focus. Accordingly, only one Japanese formation among all the units assigned to a single set-up area may move outside the area from the beginning of the game through the end of the 24 August game turn. (Use Formation ID numbers to determine which units belong to the selected formation; record the formation ID for an area the instant the first unit exits the area.) Units may freely move within their starting areas. Units may only violate this restriction during retreat, and only if the unit cannot retreat in such a way as to remain inside its assigned area. Once a unit retreats outside its set-up area, it may move freely thereafter.
3. Beginning with the 25 August turn, the Japanese Player may ignore special rule #2 for the remainder of the game. In addition, Japanese units may voluntarily exit the map through a supply source hex. Exiting a certain number of units will affect the level of victory achieved (see below).
4. A Japanese unit in its starting area receives a one column shift LEFT when fired upon (either while attacking or defending). This bonus is for being entrenched.
5. A Japanese unit can retreat off the map as a result of combat, but it is considered permanently destroyed and may not reenter play. Ignore "Map Edge" section of rule (6.72).
6. Japanese reinforcements and replacements may not enter the map in an enemy ZOC. Simply enter them in the nearest available supply source hex. If the Japanese depots in the Uzuru Pond area (hex 3823) are occupied by the Soviet Player before 25 August, the Japanese Player immediately removes one half of his remaining support points (round down).
7. Air Operations Initiative Determination: add one to the Soviet roll every time Initiative is determined.

Design Note: These restrictions convey the extent of Japanese confusion in responding to the Soviet attack. They prevent the Japanese Player from withdrawing his entire force immediately off the map. In reality, the Japanese never considered giving up the battlefield.

Victory Conditions

Given the Japanese dispositions and the force imbalance, the outcome of the battle should be a forgone conclusion. Accordingly, victory is determined by how long the Soviet Player takes to completely clear the "Disputed Area" of Japanese forces. The Disputed Area is bounded by the Halha River on the west, the Soviet Border Claim line on the east, and various portions of the map board edges. For the Disputed Zone to be considered "cleared," all surviving Japanese units (except the Bridge unit) must be north and east of the Soviet Border Claim line.

Level of Victory	Clear Disputed area by the end of...
Soviet Decisive	26 August
Soviet Substanital [sic]	28 August
Soviet Marginal	31 August (the historical result)
Japanese	Any Japanese or Manchukuoan unit remains in the Disputed Area

The level of victory achieved is reduced by one (e.g. a marginal Soviet victory becomes a Japanese victory) if the Japanese Player is able to withdraw at least 60 combat factors worth of units off the eastern edge of the map by the end of the game. Units received as Reinforcements do NOT count the number of factors needed.

13.3 The Japanese Dream Scenario

The purpose of this scenario is to transform the historical situation into a better two player game. The following changes are made to the Historical August Scenario:

Revised Japanese Setup—The Japanese Player may now freely set up on or to the east of the "front line." Use the Japanese set-up from the July scenario as a guide. Japanese units still get the CRT shift for entrenchment, but only until the unit exits its original setup hex. The Japanese 7th Division forces which enter as reinforcements in the historical scenario now start the game on the map.

Japanese Movement Restrictions are cancelled, but no unit may voluntarily leave the map until the beginning of the 26 August turn.

Victory

Level of Victory	Clear Disputed area by the end of...
Soviet Decisive	27 August
Soviet Substantial	29 August
Soviet Marginal	31 August
Japanese	Any Japanese or Manchukuoan unit remains in the Disputed Area

The level of victory achieved is reduced by one (e.g. a marginal Soviet victory becomes a Japanese victory) if the Japanese Player is able to withdraw at least 75 combat factors worth of units off the eastern edge of the map by the end of the game. Units received as Reinforcements do NOT count the number of factors needed.

13.4 Campaign Game

Set Up: see July Scenario.

Special Rules:

1. All July scenario special rules in effect. Ignore all special rules for the August scenarios.
2. Soviet Reinforcements: The arrival of reinforcements and replacements is still dictated by the Turn Track through the 12 July game turn. All Soviet units not received by that time are assumed to be in a "force pool." The Soviets may draw as many units from the pool as are indicated by the number following the word "Pool" on the Turn Track. Note that a Soviet infantry regiment or airborne brigade is worth THREE (3) regular units, and that each pool point can bring in up to THREE (3) company-sized units at one time. Pool points may be saved and used in future turns, not just the one on which they are received (keep a written record). The Soviet Player may pick any type of unit from the force pool, but after that ALL of the units bearing the same formation ID number must be taken out of the pool before any other units can be drawn. The following formations make up the Soviet force pool:

• 6th Tank Brigade (6 units)
• 8th Armored Brigade (3 units)
• 57th Infantry Division (17 units)
• 82nd Infantry Division (4 units)
• 85th Antiaircraft Brigade (4 units)
• 212th Airborne Brigade (1 unit)
• 37th and 87th Antitank Battalion (2 units)
• 1st Battalion, 126th Artillery Regiment (1 unit)
• Motorized Border Guard Battalion (1 unit)
• 2 independent companies (treated as a single formation in this case)

Game Length: 2 July - 31 August 1939 (33 turns)

Victory Conditions

• Japanese Decisive Victory: Clear all Soviet units from Disputed Area by game's end.
• Japanese Significant Victory: Possess twice as many ground combat factors of all types than the USSR does in the Disputed Area by game's end.
• Japanese Marginal Victory: Possess more points in the Disputed Area than the USSR at game's end.
• Soviet Marginal Victory: Have more combat factors in the Disputed Area than the Japanese Player at game's end.
• Soviet Significant Victory: Have twice as many combat factors as the enemy in the Disputed Area.
• Soviet Decisive Victory: Clear the disputed area of Japanese units.

Japanese Player counts DOUBLE the combat factors of each friendly supplied unit on the west side of the Halha. Unsupplied units do not count at all for either side.

Note: The "Disputed Area" is defined in Scenario (13.2).

14.0 Design & Play Notes

While truly one of the 20th Century's forgotten battles, this is not the first wargame to cover the battles along the Khalkhin Gol River. The first game on the subject was published in 1973 in Conflict magazine, but it only dealt with the July battle. This game was enjoyable but featured an inaccurate order of battle and map, and had an overly simplistic game system.

Red Sun/Red Star was a fun game to design. For such an obscure battle, much information is available in English. Foremost is Alvin Coox's book Nomonhan. This work is an incredibly detailed account by an author who has spent a lifetime studying the Japanese Kwantung Army. Useful for the Soviet perspective was an account published in 1954 by a Soviet army officer and subsequently translated by the U. S. Army.

RS/RS is an attempt to simulate a battle which featured two very different opponents. There are obvious and not so obvious differences between the two combatants. Each player will have to discover how to capitalize on the strengths of his force while working to exploit the weaknesses of his opponent. On the one hand is the Japanese Imperial Army, with its backbone of fanatical and well-trained infantry driven by its reliance on fighting spirit instead of firepower. This is reflected in the game by the superior proficiency rating of individual Japanese units and the special Night Combat rules. Facing the Japanese is a Soviet force built around armor and lavishly supported by artillery. While perhaps not the equal of the Japanese in close combat, the Soviets taught their adversaries a painful lesson regarding the nature of modern war. On the Mongolian plains, the Soviet way of war, due in no small part to more flexible and imaginative leadership (which manifested itself here more than anywhere else along the borders of the Soviet Union), proved far superior to that of the Japanese.

Players should adhere to some very basic principles of war in the game. The sequence of combat before movement forces players to choose a center of gravity. Attacks must be carefully planned; once units are committed, it is difficult and time consuming to withdraw them for combat elsewhere. The inclusion of support point levels induces players to allocate resources carefully, instead of attacking everywhere across the front in the hope that some small tactical advantage will reveal itself. The importance of reserves cannot be overemphasized. They are crucial to the exploitation of any prepared attack, and turn a well planned prepared attack into a game winning breakthrough. The proper coordination of all combat arms is also essential for success. Artillery is a potentially decisive weapon. It can break up enemy attacks and disrupt enemy reserves.

The low density and nature of the terrain combine to make a fluid battle. Both players must watch their flanks because encircled units die quickly and are not replaced. Unfortunately neither player has enough units to guard his flanks and press home his attacks to a decisive conclusion. This is especially true in the July Scenario.

The key to victory in the July Scenario is controlling the bridges over the Halha River. The Japanese Player has the option of attempting to cut off the Soviet force by crossing over to the western bank of the Halha and taking the Soviet bridges from the rear. This is a risky strategy, but at the very least it serves to tie down Soviet units on the western bank where they do not gather victory points. Unfortunately, the Japanese run the serious risk of getting encircled and destroyed by Soviet armor. A safer strategy for the Japanese player is grind his way down along the eastern side of the Halha with his entire force. The use of Night Attacks at every opportunity is absolutely critical to achieving success.

The Soviets for their part must establish a defensible bridgehead across the Halha and hold it at all costs. The battle for the bridgehead will probably be decided by Soviet artillery. If the Japanese mount an attack across the Halha, every effort must be made to crush the Japanese foothold quickly. An especially lucrative target is the Japanese pontoon bridge, which if captured can lead to the total destruction of the Japanese force.

The August Scenario challenges the Soviet Player to transform his many advantages into a quick annihilation of the defending Japanese. In this race against the clock, the Soviet Player must press his attacks through the weak Japanese flanks and cut off their escape. Once the encirclement is complete, the Soviet air and artillery advantage is instrumental in breaking up Japanese counterattacks.

Examples of Play

Artillery Fire (4.0)

The Japanese Player decides to conduct a Bombardment mission during the Artillery segment of the Japanese Player Turn. He expends a total of 4 Support Points (2 per unit) to fire the 2/13 (3-6-15) and 3/13 (4-5-15) battalions at a hex containing one infantry and two armor units. If an armor unit is selected as the target, the Weapons Effectiveness Chart indicates that the artillery combat factors would be halved to from 7 to 4 (rounding fractions up). The artillery fires on the "3" column on the Bombardment Table, the column closest in value to the actual artillery strength. If the infantry unit is selected, the factors are normal and the "5" column would be used. The Japanese player decides to target an armored unit, rolls a five on the "3" column and misses. Both artillery pieces are marked with a "Fired" marker.

Prepared Combat (6.0)

The Japanese Player is conducting his Prepared Combat segment. The Japanese 64th Infantry Regiment (three full strength 4-10 infantry battalions and a 1-15 antitank company) are stacked in hex 2733. The Soviet 3-20 motorized rifle battalion and 3-16 tank battalion in hex 2634. The Japanese defender secretly selects an infantry unit for his Lead Unit, while the Soviet attacker decides to use a tank unit in that role. During the first defensive firefight the lead Soviet tank unit must be among the units firing at the Japanese lead infantry unit. The Japanese attacker must use his lead infantry unit (if it survives) to target the Soviet lead tank unit during the first offensive firefight.

In accordance with Target priority, the Soviet player must attack the Lead Unit during the first defensive firefight. He would then be free to attack one of the other two leg units in a second segment. (Since they are equal in size, he could choose either one.) The other leg and weapons units cannot be attacked because there are only two Soviet units committed to the attack. The Soviet Player could decide to fire his tank and infantry units together at the lead Japanese unit; have each unit fire separately at the lead unit; or fire each unit separately at a different target. He chooses to fire the lead tank unit at the enemy lead infantry unit, and then fire the motorized infantry unit at one of the enemy infantry battalions.

The Soviet defender now performs his two firefights. In the first, the tank unit fires on one Japanese infantry battalion. The Combat Effectiveness Chart indicates that the tank unit's printed combat factors are doubled from 3 to 6. The Soviet player spends one Support Point and adds Defensive Support from a 3-6-15 artillery battalion within range, for a total or 9 factors. The "8" column on the CRT will be used, subject to column shifts. There is a 1-column shift LEFT for the tank unit firing up a slope. The "-1" difference between Soviet (4) and Japanese (5) Proficiency becomes another column shift LEFT, for a total of two. The final CRT combat factor column is moved from "8" to "3." The die is rolled; a result of "5" is a miss (no effect).

The second Soviet firefight has the 3-20 motorized infantry firing at a different Japanese 4-10 infantry unit. Again the Soviets spend 1 Support Point and declare Defensive Support by a 5-8-15 artillery battalion. This time, however, the Japanese spend 2 Support Points of their own and announce Counterbattery fire against the 5-8-15 by two 4-14-20 motorized artillery battalions located in different hexes. The Soviet player in turn spends a Support Point and announces Counterbattery fire against one of the 4-14-20 units with two 5-8-15 artillery units. The last Counterbattery mission declared is always resolved first. The friendly Soviet unit nearest the 4-14-20 is 8 hexes away; this adds +1 to the Counterbattery Table die roll on the "10" column. The die roll of 3, modified to 4, produces a Suppression (s) result. The Japanese 4-14-20 receives a "Fired" marker, may not fire, and wastes the Support Point spent on it. Next, the remaining Japanese 4-14-20 performs its Counterbattery Fire against the Soviet 5-8-15 on the "3" column with no die roll modifiers; the result is a miss.

Finally, the Soviet player completes his second firefight by firing the 3-20 infantry unit with support from the 5-8-15 artillery, for a total of 8 combat factors. Since this total exceeds the 6 printed factors used in the previous firefight, the value must be reduced to 6 before determining Weapons Effectiveness, which in this case is normal for both the Soviet infantry and artillery. This is resolved on the "5" column, with no shifts for terrain or unit proficiency. The result is "-/1"; the Japanese infantry target takes no step losses, but receives a Morale Result of 1. The Japanese player decides to make a Morale Check. He rolls a 6, which is more than the 4-10 infantry unit's rating of 5. The unit takes a step loss; flip the unit to its reduced 2-10 side and add a Replacement Point to the current Japanese total. Since the Japanese side is the attacker, the failed morale check requires that the 2-10 also receive a "2" Disruption marker. This completes Soviet defensive fire for the combat.

The Japanese Player as the attacker now conducts firefights. He decides to have all his units join the surviving 2-10 lead infantry unit in firing on the Soviet 3-16 lead tank unit. Due to Weapons Effectiveness, the 10 printed Japanese leg combat factors are halved to 5 because of Japanese infantry firing on an armor class target during July; the antitank factors are doubled from 1 to 2. The total adjusted strength is 7. There are no CRT column shifts, except for one shift right for superior Japanese unit proficiency (average of 5 vs. Soviet tank's 4). The attack is resolved on the "5" column; a die roll of 4 yields a "-/1." The Soviet player chooses to make a Morale Check to "stand fast" in the hex. A die roll of three is less than the tank unit's proficiency of 4, so it passes the morale check. The tank is flipped over to its reduced 1-16 side and an Armor Replacement Point is added to the Soviet total, but no defending units retreat. (If the die roll had been 5 or 6, the tank unit would have failed the check; in addition to the step loss, ALL of the units in the hex would have had to retreat one hex to fulfill the Morale Result, and any or all Japanese attackers would have been allowed to advance one hex and thus enter the vacated hex.) The Prepared combat is now complete, and the Japanese player may announce the next Prepared combat involving different attacking units. The same Soviet-occupied hex or a different one can be selected, as the Japanese side wishes.

Night Combat (6.9)

The Japanese player announces another Prepared combat, but this time declares it a "Night Combat." The stack in hex 2433, composed of a 5-12 infantry battalion, a 1-15 antitank company, and a 1-3-15 regimental artillery company, will attack two Soviet 3-20 motorized rifle battalions in hex 2533. Only the leg battalion may attack, because weapons cannot fire at night. The Soviet side chooses one of the 3-20s as its Lead Unit. Since the single attacking Japanese unit has a Proficiency rating of 6, it automatically passes the Night Combat participation check. The Soviet Player fires 6 combat factors at the enemy lead unit, using the "5" column on the CRT. There are no applicable terrain shifts, but there is a shift of 3 columns LEFT for proficiency adjusted for night fighting (6 Japanese minus 3 Soviet). Fire is resolved on the "1" column, which produces no results. Even if a result had occurred, it would not have been applied until after all Japanese units had completed and applied their fire.

The Japanese Player now conducts his firefight. He fires his 5-12 infantry at the surviving Soviet 3-20, with a 3 column shift for proficiency (7 Japanese minus 4 Soviet), but this time to the RIGHT. The attack is resolved on the "12" column. A roll of 3 yields a "-/2" result. The Soviet Player makes a Morale Check, but his lead unit's Proficiency rating is reduced from 4 to 3 due to night combat. A roll of five means the 3-20 has failed the check. It takes 2 step losses, which means it is flipped to its reduced 1-20 side (no Replacement Points are added because the unit absorbed all the step losses). In addition, both the 1-20 and the other 3-20 unit in the hex must retreat 2 hexes, either singly or together as the Soviet player wishes. The Japanese 5-12 unit may advance into the defender's original hex but not farther, due to night attack restrictions. The other Japanese weapons units that did not participate may NOT advance. Place a Japanese 5-12 beneath a "2" marker. This completes the Prepared combat. The Japanese player may announce the next Prepared combat involving different attacking units.

Hasty Attack (6.0 & 7.5)

It is now the Japanese Movement segment. The Japanese Player now attempts to attack the defenders in hex 2634 (a 3-20 motorized infantry and a reduced 1-16 tank) who survived an earlier Prepared Combat (see above). A full-strength 5-16 tank regiment moves into hex 2633 adjacent to the Soviet stack and announces a Hasty Attack. The combat is resolved exactly like a Prepared combat, except that artillery on both sides may not fire.

The Soviet player declares Armor Protection, makes his infantry unit the Lead Unit, and combines both his units into a single total for the firefight. (The lone Japanese unit must of course serve as the lead unit.) The reduced Soviet tank battalion fires with a strength of 1 and the full strength rifle battalion fires with a strength of 2 (halved against armor, with 1.5 rounded up to 2), for a total of 3 combat factors. The attack is rolled on the "3" column of the CRT, and no shifts apply. A die roll of six produces no effect.

The Japanese infantry unit now performs its firefight. Target Priority requires that the Soviet lead infantry unit be attacked, instead of the Soviet tank unit. The attack is initially set for the "5" column of the CRT, but is shifted one column to the right for Proficiency (5 Japanese minus 4 Soviet). A roll of 1 produces a "1/2" result. The Soviet 3-20 infantry unit takes a step loss, and the Soviet player must make further step losses or retreat to satisfy the "2" morale result. Since the unit only has 2 factors left and would be destroyed if it made a Morale Check, the Soviet player opts for retreat. The 3-20 is flipped to its reduced 1-20 side, and the extra factor not actually lost is added to the Soviet Replacement Point total. The 1-20 and the Soviet 1-16 tank unit in the same hex are retreated two hexes. The Soviet player decides to retreat them separately to different hexes. The Japanese 5-16 can advance into the vacated hex, and then move an additional hex in any direction if the owning player so chooses even though the first hex entered is in an enemy ZOC. It must stop in the second hex because this is the number of hexes designated by the morale result of "2."

Player Aid Charts

The following charts are printed on the magazine's pages 39 to 42. The Combat Effectiveness Chart, Combat Results Table, Terrain Effects Chart, and Turn Record are printed on the map sheet (page 30 of the scan) and are not reproduced here.

Morale Option Table

Morale result	Affected unit belongs to ATTACKING PLAYER	Affected unit belongs to DEFENDING PLAYER
No Morale Check Made	Retreat target unit # of Morale Result; place "2" Disruption marker on units	Retreat ALL units in hex # of hexes equal to Morale Result
Pass Morale Check	Unit loses # of factors equal to Morale Result(+); may fire and move normally	Target unit loses # of factors equal to Morale Result(+); no units in the hex retreat
Fail Morale Check	Unit loses # of factors equal to Morale Result(+); place "2" Disruption marker on units	Target unit loses # of factors equal to Morale Result(+); retreat ALL surviving units in hex # of hexes equal to Morale Result

(+) If target unit eliminated, left-over Morale Result not yet covered is applied to another unit, according to Target Priority (6.2). If strength points exceeds the Morale Result, add the difference to the friendly Replacement Points total (6.61).

Formation Chart

Artillery Unit-Type Box Color	Artillery ID Number Color	Support Restricted to...
Japanese: Red	Black	Any Japanese or Manchukuoan unit
Purple	Black	Any unit w/ Purple box
Blue	Black	Any unit w/ Blue box
Yellow	Black	Any unit w/ Yellow box
Any	Red	Only units with identical red-colored ID number
Soviet: White	Black	Any Soviet or Mongolian unit
Green	Black	Any unit w/ Green box
Red	Black

Counter Anatomy

• Artillery ground unit: Unit Size (top); Unit Type box; Unit ID (left of box); Proficiency Rating (upper right); Formation ID (right of box); Combat Factors (lower left); Range (hexes, middle bottom); Movement Allowance (lower right).
• Non-artillery ground unit: Unit Size; Unit Type box; Unit ID; Proficiency Rating; Formation ID; Combat Factors (lower left); Movement Allowance (lower right).
• Air unit: Unit ID (top); Unit Type; Unit Symbol; Proficiency Rating (upper right); Dogfight Factors (lower left); Air-to-Air Factor (middle); Ground Attack Factor (lower right).

Counterbattery Table

Select the column value that is closest to (but does not exceed) the number of factors firing. Example: 7 factors uses the "5" column, not the "8" column.

"Spotting" die roll modifiers (5.53): +1 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 8-14 hexes away; +2 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 15 or more hexes away.

Results: s = suppressed; place FIRED marker on target unit. X = flip full-strength target unit to reduced side OR eliminate reduced-strength target unit. - = miss; no effect.

The table grid (die roll 1 to 6+, columns 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25) is printed on page 42 of the magazine.

Interdiction Table

Roll for each unit or stack that enters a hex with INTERDICTED marker. Players must keep track of the number of factors aimed at a target hex.

# = Movement Points each unit must expend to ENTER the hex. If a unit lacks the MPs, it MUST stop in the last hex it entered and move no further.

Die Roll Modifiers: -1 Target hex adjacent to Bridge hexside; +1 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 8-14 hexes away; +2 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 15 or more hexes away.

The table grid (die roll 1 to 6+, columns 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or more) is printed on page 42 of the magazine.

Bombardment Table

Select the column value that is closest to (but does not exceed) the number of factors firing. Example: 7 factors uses the "5" column, not the "8" column.

Results: d = Disruption Level ONE (place "1" marker); D = Disruption Level TWO (place "2" marker); X = flip full-strength target unit to reduced side OR eliminate reduced-strength target unit; - = miss; no effect.

"Spotting" die roll modifiers (5.53): +1 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 8-14 hexes away; +2 friendly unit closest to enemy target is 15 or more hexes away.

The table grid (die roll 1 to 6+, columns 1, 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30+) is printed on page 42 of the magazine.

Marker Effects Summary

• Fired: 1/2 printed MA*
• Disruption Level 1: 1/2 printed MA*; may not enter enemy ZOC; may not attack or conduct fire missions; normal combat factor when firing in defense.
• Disruption Level 2: 0 MA; unit loses ZOC; may not attack or conduct fire missions; 1/2 printed combat factor when firing in defense*.

* 1) Round fractions UP (e.g. half of 7 is 4; 1/4 of 1 is still 1). 2) If a unit has both a "Fired" & "1" marker, it may not move at all.

Artillery Support Point Costs

• Bombardment: 2
• Interdiction: 1 (TWO units can perform per point spent)
• Counterbattery: 1
• Offensive Support: 1
• Defensive Support: 1

Hasty Attack Movement Costs

• Motorized unit: 4 MPs
• Non-motorized unit: 2 MPs

Ground Combat Support Cost

1 point per attacking HEX (exclude hexes containing only artillery).

Air Combat Results Table (Optional)

Die roll	Differential -2 or less	-1	0	1	2 or more
3 or less	No effect	No effect	No effect	No effect	No effect
4	-	-	-	-	AD
5	-	-	A	AD	AD
6	A	A	AD	AD	AD
7+

Die roll modifiers (cumulative): +1 Proficiency (Interceptor minus Defender) = 1; +1 Proficiency (Interceptor minus Defender) = 2 or more; -1 Bomber (B, LB, HB) attacking Fighter (F).

Results: A = target unit aborts mission; place in "Not Ready" section of friendly Air Units box. D = Disruption; same as "A" but flip air unit over. May not attempt recovery in the current Air Operations Phase.

Soviet and Mongolian Reinforcements (Player Aid)

Replacements box (USSR / Mongolia): blank box on the magazine's page 40.

• 3 July: 2 x 3-15 cavalry, 2-20 recon (6th Mongolian Division); 3 x 3-20 motorized infantry, 2-6-20 motorized artillery (24th Mot. Inf. Regiment); 3 x 5-18 armor (11th Tank Brigade)
• 8 July: 3 x 3-20 mot. inf., 4-6-20 and 5-9-20 mot. artillery (5th Machine Gun Brigade)
• 11 July: 8-10 Inf. (603/82 Infantry Regiment)
• 12 July: 8-10 Inf. (602/82 Infantry Regiment)
• 13-16 July: 2-3-4 B (38th Bomber Regiment)
• 17-20 July: 2-3-4 B (150th Bomber Regiment)
• 25-28 July: 4-3-1 F (23rd Fighter Regiment)
• 29 July - 1 August: 4-3-1 F (19th Fighter Regiment)
• 2-5 August: 2-5-3 HB (21st Bomber Regiment)
• 25 August: 8-10 (480/152 Infantry Regiment)

Japan / Manchukuo Reinforcements and Withdrawals (Player Aid)

Replacements box (Japan/Manchukuo): blank box on the magazine's page 41.

• 3 July: 3 x 1-15 (1, 7, and 8 Manchukuo Cavalry)
• 11 July: 4-16-20 "M" (Muleng) Motorized Artillery
• 13-16 July: 1-3-2 LB (16th Air Group)
• WITHDRAW 1-3-3 HB (12th Air Group)
• 17-20 July: 2 x 4-8-20 (1st Hvy Motorized Field Artillery); 2 x 4-14-20 (7th Hvy Mot. Field Artillery)
• WITHDRAW 4-16 and 5-16 (3 and 4 Armored Regiments)
• 6-9 August: 2 x 3-10 "B," 1-3-15 artillery, 2-15 antitank all with Formation ID number "8" (8th Border Guards Regiment)
• 14-16 August: 5-15 antiaircraft (10th AA Regiment); 2-15 (2nd Manchukuo Cavalry); 2-3-0 F (64th Air Group)
• 21 August: 2-10 "G" (6th Indep. Guard)
• 23 August: 2 x 5-12 "28" (two battalions of 28th Infantry Regiment); 3-8-15 "2/7" (2nd btn of 7th Artillery Regiment); 3-10 "B" (ITO Border Guards)
• 25 August: 1-3-2 LB (31st Air Group)
• 26 August: 3 x 5-12 infantry, 1-3-15 artillery, all marked "25" (25th Infantry Regiment); 2-10 Engineer, 2-15 Recon, 1-24 HQ (7th Division assets); 2-2-0 F (33rd Fighter Group)
• 27 August: 3 x 5-12 infantry, 1-3-15 artillery, all marked "27" (27th Infantry Regiment); 3-8-15, 4-14-15 (3rd and 4th battalions of 7th Artillery Regiment) 4-20 mot. antitank (3rd Antitank Battalion); 2-2-15 artillery "Mtr" (2nd Mortar Battalion)
• 28 August: 3-10 "G" (3/29 Independent Guard Battalion); 4-20 mot. antitank (4th Antitank Battalion)

Japanese Reserve Release

• 2 July - 1 August: Roll for each Reserve unit seeking to move until Release occurs; thereafter Release is automatic for the rest of the current segment.
• 2-31 August: Roll for each Reserve unit that wishes to move.

# Soviet Units or Stacks Moved	Die Roll Range for Release
1	6
2	5-6
3	4-6
4 or more	2-6

If Release occurs, the unit may use Reserve Movement; if not, the unit may not move at all that segment.

Errata

The following errata were printed in the magazine insert titled "Red Sun/Red Star (S&T 158)" and apply to the rules above.

• Combat Effectiveness Chart (on map): In the "Armor" column, the "Weapons Direct Fire" box should read: x1/2 (normal if adjacent). In the "HQ" column, the cells for Leg, Weapons Direct Fire, and Weapons Indirect Fire should read: x2. All other information on the chart is correct. The changes supersede any conflicts with the original rules or earlier errata.
• 5.2 and 5.3: Use the Combat Effectiveness Chart to determine the strength of a unit providing Direct or Indirect Fire.
• 5.3: Any artillery unit in the target hex being fired upon may perform Defensive Support "for free," without expending a Support Point. All other units firing Defensive Support, including those adjacent to the target hex, must expend a Support Point.