The Fall Of The Third Reich
The Fall Of The Third Reich Rulebook
Source: official Compass Games rulebook (FotTR_Rules_1.6, 31 Jan 2017; "Rules PDF 3-31-2017"). Sidebar examples are placed where they appear on the page. The Index (24.0) and Credits are omitted.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- [1.0] Introduction
- [2.0] Components
- [3.0] Set Up & Victory
- [4.0] Sequence Of Play
- [5.0] Stacking
- [6.0] Zones Of Control
- [7.0] Reinforcements & Replacements
- [8.0] Strategic Air Phase
- [9.0] Supply
- [10.0] Allied Invasions
- [11.0] Axis & Soviet Command
- [12.0] Movement & Terrain
- [13.0] Combat
- [14.0] Reaction
- [15.0] Attrition
- [16.0] Exploitation
- [17.0] Strategic Transit
- [18.0] Forts
- [19.0] Allied Paratroops
- [20.0] Minor Nations & Minor Allies
- [21.0] Optional Rules
- [22.0] Unit Abbreviations
- [23.0] Extended Example Of Play
- Charts
[1.0] Introduction
[1.1] The Game
The Fall of the Third Reich (hereafter FotTR) covers the period July 1943 to the end of the war at the Corps/Army level. The map covers all of the fighting from Kursk to Brest, Hamburg to Athens. It is playable in a two, three or four player version. Additionally it plays very well solitaire.
[1.2] Equipment
Two different map sections (each 22”x34”) One full sheet and one half sheet of counters Three Player reference cards One rulebook Two six-sided dice One box and lid set
[1.3] Contacting Compass Games
If any game components are missing or damaged you may contact us by email at sales@[email protected] or check our online game page at www.compassgames.com.
[1.4] Help HQ
General help or questions on game play may be posted in the game folder for The Fall of the Third Reich on www.consimworld.com.
[2.0] Components
[2.1] Map
The game map represents the areas of Europe over which the campaign was fought. The map is divided into hexagons (hexes) which are used to regulate movement and unit positioning. Hex terrain is explained on the map’s Terrain key. The map sheets also contain a number of boxes, charts, tables, and tracks used to facilitate play.
- A) Turn Record Track: Use the Turn Record Track (hereafter TRT) to track the current game turn.
- B) England Box: For Allied Units in England and available for deployment.
- C) Med Box: For Allied units in the Mediterranean (Med) and available for deployment.
- D) England Eliminated Box: Allied Units eliminated in Northwest Europe Theater and available for replacement to the England Box.
- E) Med Eliminated Box: Allied Units Eliminated in the Med or Balkan Theaters and available for replacement to the Med Box.
- F) Soviet Eliminated Box
- G) Axis Eliminated Box (including minor allies)
- H) Allied Air Boxes: Used to assign the available Allied Air units in the England or Med Box to Bombing assignments.
- I) Luftwaffe Air Boxes: Used to assign available Luftwaffe Air Units to Home Defense or Ground Support in any Theater.
- J) German Transit Boxes: Used to track available number of German Transit Points (each point equates to moving one Unit by Strategic Transit) per Theater.
- K) Victory Point Track: Used to record the current number of Allied and Soviet Victory Points.
[2.2] Counters
There are four basic types of counters:
- Combat Units and Air Units represent the ground and air forces of the campaign.
- Forts represent various concrete fortifications and other obstacles to an attack.
- Game Markers are used to keep track of various game functions.
A) Combat Units
Combat Units include Infantry, Mechanized, Mountain, and Paratroop. These units have one or two combat steps and may attack or defend in combat. For game purposes, Mountain and Paratroop units are considered Infantry. Armored units are considered Mechanized. All non-divisional units have a Zone of Control. (See 6.0)
B) Air Units
Allied Bomber Command, 8th Air Force, and 15th Air Force, and the three Luftwaffe Units are Air Units. (See 8.0)
C) Forts
Axis Forts or the Soviet Kursk Fortified Zone are used to benefit Axis or Soviet defenders respectively. (See 18.1 and 18.2)
D) Markers
Markers are used to keep track of various game events, functions, and information:
- The Game Turn marker keeps track of the current Game Turn.
- Victory Point Markers keep track of Allied and Soviet Victory Points.
- Axis Transit Markers keep track of the number of Axis Transit Points available.
- OKH, OKW & STAVKA Markers are used to determine Command Ranges
- SHAEF Markers are used to regulate Allied Supply
[2.3] Player Aid Cards
The Player Aid Cards contain: the Terrain Effects Chart; Combat Results Table; Allied Bombing Tables; Allied Invasion Results Table; German Corps Combat Strength Table; Transit Table; Replacement Charts, Sequencce of Play and Unit Description Chart.
[2.4] Rules
These Rules are organized in a case by case format, generally in the order you meet them in the Sequence of Play (See 4.0). Several rules which apply to more than one concept are stated verbatim in two places for clarity and emphasis.
[2.5] Game Scale
Each hex is approximately 30 miles across. Units are usually corps (for the Axis and Allies) and armies (for the Soviets). Exceptions include Axis Panzer Divisions, Allied Paratroop Divisions and Axis-Allied armies. Note Soviet armies were about the size of a non-Soviet corps.
[3.0] Set Up & Victory
[3.1] General
FotTR consists of a single Campaign Scenario, with a Turn 1 Historical Variant. Except for the special Turn 1 rules in the Historical Variant, they are identical. Each turn represents two months.
[3.2] Two Player Campaign
One player takes the Axis, the other the Allies and Soviets.
A) Set Up:
Both sides set up units according to the information listed on the unit counters, onto the map directly or the England and Med Boxes. Place the Game Turn marker on the June I space of the Turn Record Track, the Victory Point (VP) Markers on the 0 space of the Victory Point Track, and the Axis Transit Markers to indicate 4 Axis Transit Points available in each Theater. Also place the OKH, OKW, Stavka and SHAEF markers into their respective boxes on the map. All units start at full-strength on the map or in the England or Med Boxes apart from three German Panzer Corps: 24 Panzer Corps in 72.21, 39 Panzer Corps in hex 65.10 & 76 Panzer Corp in hex 33.22. These start on their weaker 3-8 side as denoted by their set-up notation being underlined.
Note: There are two Soviet units which set up in Leningrad. The hex containing Leningrad itself has no number (as do none of that row). This has no effect on the game other than for the set-up instructions, and is mentioned here only for clarity. These two units are identified with the letter ‘L’.
B) Game Length
1-12 Turns, but Game Play ends immediately if the Allied Player controls all four Factory hexes (Essen, Dortmund, Berlin, the U.S.I.R.). When playing with two Allied players, the player who captured their two factory hexes first in terms of the turn number (assuming he didn’t subsequently lose and retake any, in which case start from that turn) wins. If this occurred on the same turn, it is a draw between the two Allied players. If one player holds three Factory hexes to the other Allied player’s one, the former is the winner.
C) Victory Conditions
If Sudden Death under 3.2B does not apply, the winner of the game is determined in one of several ways:
- If the Allied Player controls Paris and any two Factories in 1943 during the Victory Check Phase, the Allies win.
- If the Allied Player controls Berlin, Rome, and Paris in 1944, the game ends immediately in an Allied win.
- If there are no Allied Mechanized Units on the map outside the England and Med Boxes at any point in 1944 or 1945, the game ends instantly in an Axis victory.
- If there are no supplied Soviet Units outside the USSR in any turn in 1945, the game ends instantly in an Axis victory.
- If none of the above apply, at the end of Turn 12, the Allies win
if they control Berlin and 17 other Victory Hexes or 19 Victory Hexes excluding Berlin. If not, the Axis Player wins.
Note: if, at any time, the Axis Player occupies Kursk, eliminating the Kursk Fortified Zone Marker, he subtracts 1 from the Allied VP Total at the end of the game (or Soviet VP total, depending upon the number of players). There is a reminder on the reverse of the Kursk counter.
D) Hex Control
The Axis Player controls all hexes at the start of the game on or west of the Axis front line in the East (excluding Switzerland, Turkey and the Allied Air Trace in hex 32.43). Hex control changes the instant an opposing unit enters a friendly controlled hex. Hexes can change hands any time during the game.
E) Historical Campaign Variant
In the historical campaign variant the Allies must invade Sicily at Beach Head Invasion sites Lb and Lc. The German Player must choose at least 4 Points for OKW Markers on Turn 1 (See 11.1), and he must attack from hex 69.14 against hex 70.14 and from hex 70.17 against hex 70.16 during his Axis Combat Segment. It is suggested the Historical Campaign Variant only be used with the Two Player Campaign.
[3.3] Three Player Campaign
One Player takes the Axis, one takes the Allies, and one takes the Soviets. The Axis Player wins as in the Two-Player version. If the Axis are defeated, the Allies and Soviets determine who wins: the Player with the most VPs wins, but Berlin counts for 2 VPs, and the Soviet Player loses 1 VP if the Kursk Fortified Zone Marker was eliminated by the Axis. A Soviet/Allied draw is possible. In the Three and Four Player campaign game, all VP hexes count double for the Western Allied player (so Berlin is worth 4 VPs to the Western Allies). If a VP hex is recaptured by the Germans, and then occupied by the other Allied power, the VP award goes to the other Allied power.
[3.4] Four Player Campaign
One Player controls the Axis OKW (Northwest Europe and Med Theaters) and one controls the OKH (East Europe and Balkan Theaters. The OKW Player is in charge of assigning the Luftwaffe Air Units, and determining the placement of Reinforcements. The OKH Player determines the placement of Replacements. Each Player controls Transit within their areas, but the OKW Player must approve of any transfers from OKW Theaters to OKH Theater, and the OKH Player the reverse. Victory conditions are as in the 3 Player game, except if the Axis win, it must be determined whether the OKW or OKH Player won. If the Axis win because of Victory Condition 3.2C number 4 the OKH Player wins. If the Axis Player wins because of Victory Condition 3.2C number 3, the OKW Player wins. If the Axis win because the Allies fail to win, the Axis Player controlling the most number of Factories wins. If the number is equal, the Axis Player controlling the most non-Factory VP hexes wins.
[4.0] Sequence Of Play
- Turn Marker Advance Phase (Not on Turn 1)
- Reinforcement Phase (Not on Turn 1)
- a. Axis Reinforcement Segment
- b. Allied Reinforcement Segment
- c. Soviet Reinforcement Segment
- Strategic Air Phase
- a. Axis Air Assignment
- b. Allied Air Assignment (Not on Turn 1)
- Replacement Phase (Not on Turn 1)
- a. Allied Factory Bombardment Segment
- b. Allied Interdiction Bombardment Segment
- c. Axis Replacement Segment
- d. Allied Replacement Segment
- e. Soviet Replacement Segment
- Allied Invasion Phase
- a. Beach Head Placement Segment
- b. Invasion Resolution Segment
- c. Overwhelming Success Segment
- Axis OKW/OKH Phase
- a. Allied Oil Bombardment Resolution Segment (Not on Turn 1)
- a. Allied Operational Movement Segment
- I SHAEF Placement Step
- II Allied Movement Step
- b. Soviet Operational Movement Segment
- I Stavka Placement Step
- II Soviet Movement Step
- c. Allied Combat Segment
- I Allied Carpet Bombing Step
- II Allied Combat Step
- d. Soviet Combat Segment
- Axis Reaction Phase
- a. OKW Reaction Segment
- I OKW Movement Step
- II OKW Combat Step
- b. OKH Reaction Segment
- I OKH Movement Step
- II OKH Combat Step
- Allied/Soviet Attrition Phase
- a. Allied Attrition Segment
- b. Soviet Attrition Segment
- Allied/Soviet Exploitation Phase
- a. Allied Exploitation Movement Segment
- b. Soviet Exploitation Movement Segment
- Strategic Transit Phase
- a. Allied Transit Bombing Segment
- b. Axis Strategic Transit Segment
- c. Allied Strategic Transit Segment
- d. Soviet Strategic Transit Segment
- Victory Check Phase
- a. Victory Point Segment
- Clean-up Phase
[5.0] Stacking
Stacking is the placement of one or more units in a single hex. A “stack” refers to all Combat units placed in a hex. One or more units in a hex are considered a “stack”.
[5.1] Stacking Limits
A) Combat Units
A player may stack up to three Combat Units in a single hex. In addition, up two Allied Paratroop Divisions may stack for free with other Allied Combat Units and one Axis Division may stack for free with other Axis Combat Units. Important: prior to Turn 6 the stacking limit of Allied Beach Head hexes is two Combat Units. Apart from free Paratroop units, only two Allied Combat Units may stack in a Beach Head hex prior to Turn 6.
B) Allied National Restrictions
Soviet and Allied units may never stack together. Yugoslav units may not stack with Allied or Soviet units. The Soviet Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian units are considered Soviet for all purposes. British Commonwealth and US/French units may never stack together.
Exception: US Paratroops Divisions may stack with any Allied unit. Any Allied units may stack with the Allied Beach Head Marker, and in the coastal hex that marker targets. The Italian Corps that joins the Allies on Italy’s surrender is treated as an American unit. Such exceptions are treated as one nationality for Combat.
C. Axis National Restrictions
Axis Minor Allies (Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia) may not stack together, but may stack with German units. Romanian units may never enter Hungary and vice versa: if forced to by retreat they are eliminated instead. All stacked Axis units are treated as identical for Combat. The Italian Corps that joins the Axis after Italy’s surrender is treated as a German unit. (See 20.5)
Example:
- Stack A legally stacked. Three Corps units, one free-stacking division and the fort does not count.
- Stack B is also legal.
- Stack C is not legal as US and CW Corps may not stack in the same hex – apart from an invasion launched from the Allied Beach-Head marker.
[5.2] Applying Stacking Limits
Stacking limits are enforced at three times:
- During the placement of Reinforcements and Replacements, and
- At the end of each Movement Segment, and
- After advance after combat. Any number of units may otherwise enter or pass through a hex during a turn.
Play Note: Do NOT place Reinforcements and Replacements in violation of the stacking limits.
[5.3] Over-stacking
If a hex is over-stacked at one of the above times (See 5.2), the owning player immediately eliminates sufficient units of his choice to bring the hex within stacking limits.
[6.0] Zones Of Control
[6.1] General
Most (but not all) units have a Zone of Control (ZOC). Units exert a ZOC into the six hexes adjacent to the hex they occupy. ZOCs may be cancelled or affected in various circumstances (see below). If at least one unit in a hex has a ZOC, the entire stack is assumed to have a ZOC. ZOC only affect enemy units.
[6.2] Units and ZOC
All Corps and Army-sized Combat units have ZOC. Air units, divisional-sized units and Forts have no ZOC.
[6.3] Terrain Effects on ZOC
Allied ZOC do not extend into German Fort hexes (of any type) nor do Axis ZOCs extend into the Kursk Fortified Zone (see 18.2). Axis ZOC do not extend into Allied Beach Head hexes; however, Allied ZOC do extend into the invasion hex from the Beach Head hex No ZOCs extend into or out of Alpine hexes ZOC do not extend across Major River hexsides During a Players’ Exploitation and Reaction Segments Supplied, Mechanized units may ignore enemy non-Mechanized ZOC. (See 16.)
Example:
- The Blue ZOCs are being projected by the 81st Infantry Corps.
- The Black ZOC is being projected by the 82nd Infantry Corps.
- The Orange ZOC is being projected by the 62nd Infantry Corps.
- NO ZOCs exist in the following hexes for the following reasons: a. 25.12 - ZOCs are never projected across impassable hex-sides b. 26.12 & 27.13 - ZOCs are not projected across major river hex-sides c. 26.14, 26.15 & 27.16 - Divisions never project ZOCs –see the white tag behind the unit size as a reminder
[6.4] Negating Enemy ZOC
In the following situations only, an enemy ZOC is negated by the presence of a friendly Combat Unit:
- When tracing Supply Lines or Lines of Communication. (See 9.1 & 9.3)
- When a non-Mechanized unit is exiting an enemy ZOC to move into a hex not in an Enemy ZOC
- During Combat Retreats
[6.5] ZOC Effects on Movement
Units must stop movement upon entering an enemy ZOC and may move no further that Movement Segment. Units may never move from ZOC to ZOC (but remember there are times when Mechanized Units ignore non-Mechanized ZOC – See 16). Units beginning a Movement Segment in an enemy ZOC may exit by entering a hex free of an enemy ZOC, and then may move into another hex in an enemy ZOC, where it must then stop for the remainder of that Movement Segment. Non-Mechanized Units may only exit an enemy ZOC if one of the following applies:
- A friendly unit remains in the hex to negate the enemy ZOC
- The non-Mechanized unit is within Command Range of a STAVKA or OKW/OKH marker (This restriction does not apply to Yugoslavian units.)
- The non-Mechanized unit is Out of Supply. In this case it must attempt to end its move closer to a friendly Supply Source (Ultimate or Intermediate) – all other movement and ZOC rules applying
[6.6] ZOC and Combat
Units in different hexes may combine to attack a single hex ONLY if all other enemy units in the attacking unit’s ZOC will be, or have already been attacked by other friendly units during that Combat. Otherwise, being in a ZOC does not force combat. ZOC do not prevent Advance After Combat, but un-negated ZOC do block Retreat. (See 13.1.B)
[7.0] Reinforcements & Replacements
[7.1] Reinforcements
Reinforcements are new units entering play for the first time. They enter the game on the turn indicated on the unit. Entry of reinforcements may not be delayed. Reinforcements that cannot enter when scheduled are forfeited. (Exception: Conditional reinforcements; See 20.0) Reinforcements operate normally once placed on the map. Note that some Reinforcements are Conditional and thus enter only when certain circumstances occur.
[7.1.1] Reinforcement Placement
All Allied Reinforcements must be placed in the England or Med Box as indicated on the unit. For Example, the US 12 XXX shows ‘3E’, and means it is a Turn 3 reinforcement placed in the England Box. Exception: Newly arriving Allied Reinforcements in England may be placed stacked with any Beach Head (within Allied Beach Head nationality restrictions) currently on the map or any Alliedcontrolled port in Northwest Europe (only), as long as enemy units are not occupying a hex with a matching letter. For example, the port of Antwerp has several letter ‘A’s on the course of the Scheldt to the coast. Newly arriving Allied Reinforcements in the Med may be placed stacked with any Beach Head (within Allied Beach Head nationality restrictions) currently on the map or any Allied controlled port in the Med or the Balkans only. Soviet units are placed on the East Map Edge, or any Soviet controlled Town/City with a LOC to the East Map edge (See 9.3). German units are placed in any Town/City in Germany or Bohemia/ Moravia with a LOC to a supplied German Factory hex. Axis Minor Reinforcements are placed in any Town/City in their home country with an LOC to a supplied German Factory hex. All reinforcements not placed into a Box must be placed within stacking limits (See 5.2). Placement of units on the map costs no Movement Points.
[7.1.2] Unit withdrawal
The HG Panzer Division is removed Turn 7. Simply pick it up, and remove from the map. If currently destroyed, the HG Panzer Corps reinforcement (Turn 8) arrives on its weakened side.
[7.2] Replacements
Replacements are troops used to rebuild previously eliminated units or reduced (flipped to their reverse side) units. Note that all Soviet and most Axis units have only one step, and thus can never be reduced, only eliminated. Replacements are placed during the Axis, Allied, and Soviet Replacement Segments. Eliminated units re-enter the game as if they were Reinforcements. Exception: Allied units in the England Eliminated Box are treated as “E” Reinforcements regardless of their original entry letter. Allied units in the Med Eliminated Box are treated as “M” Reinforcements regardless of their original entry letter. Reduced Units that are in Supply are simply flipped to their full strength side in their current location. Note that there are a few units which may not be replaced; they are identified with a triangle – e.g. the German 3 Luftwaffe Corps. The number of Axis, Allied and Soviet Replacements is determined by the following chart:
Replacements - Number of steps per turn
| Country | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 |
|---|---|---|---|
| US/French | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| British/CW | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Soviet | 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Minor Axis | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Germany (per factory) | 2 | 3 | 2 |
German Replacement Points (only) arrive as a multiple (x2 or x3) of the number of German Factory hexes (Essen, Dortmund, Berlin, the U.S.I.R.) the player currently controls in Supply. This number is potentially then reduced by the number inflicted by Allied Factory Bombing in the immediately preceding Factory Bombing Segment.
For Example: if in May-June 1944 the Axis control all four Factory hexes in Supply, he would get 12 Replacement Points. But if Allied Factory Bombing had scored 6 hits, he would reduce this number to 6 Replacement Points. Once a Factory hex has been occupied by an in-supply Allied/Soviet unit, it permanently loses its replacement function. The number of German Panzer replacement points which can be taken as steps each turn is a % of those available after the effects of Factory Bombing has been determined – 50% in 1943, and 33% in 1944 and 1945 (round down).
The cost in Replacement Points to return eliminated units, or flip reduced units to their front side, is listed below:
| Unit | Replacement Cost |
|---|---|
| US 8th Air Force & 15th Air Force | 1 US RP |
| British Bomber Command | 1 BR/CW or US RP |
| US Paratroop Division | I US RP |
| US Mechanized Step | 1 US RP |
| British Paratroop Division | I BR/CW RP |
| British/CW/Polish Mechanized Step | 1 BR/CW RP |
| French Step | 1 US RP |
| Soviet Step | 1 Soviet RP |
| Axis Minor Step | 1 Axis Minor RP |
| German Luftwaffe Air Unit | 2 German RPs |
| German Step | 1 German RP |
Unused replacement points are lost at the end of each turn.
[8.0] Strategic Air Phase
[8.1] General
The German and Allied Forces include air units which abstractly recreate the effects of strategic airpower in 1943-5. Tactical airpower is built into the strength of the units, and the rules for Invasion. The Soviet Union took little part in the strategic air war and thus has no air units in the game.
[8.2] Allied Air Units
The Allies start the game with one Strategic Air Unit (British Bomber Command); they receive the US 8th Air Force on Turn 4, and the US 15th Air Force on any Turns the Allies control an in-supply Foggia (hex 38.34). The Bomber Command unit and 8th Air Force unit are based in the England Box, while the 15th Air Force is based in the Med Box. Depending on reinforcements, losses and replacements, and the control of Foggia, the Allies will have between 0 and 3 Air units available each turn.
[8.3] German Air Units
The Germans start the game with three generic Luftwaffe air units. These are considered based throughout the Nazi-controlled territories, their area of concentration depending on their placement each turn. If available, one Luftwaffe unit must always be placed in the Home Defense box, representing units devoted to fending off the Allied strategic bombing campaign against the Reich. The other two may be deployed, one per Theater, in Northwest Europe, the East Front, the Balkans, or the Med Front. Thus no more than two Theaters will have Luftwaffe units assigned. These represent the use of Luftwaffe assets for additional concentrated tactical air cover and ground support. Depending on losses and replacements, the German player will have zero to three Luftwaffe units available each turn.
[8.4] Strategic Air Assignment
At the start of the Strategic Air Phase the German Player must place one Luftwaffe unit (if available) in the Home Defense Box on the map. If he has additional Luftwaffe units available he may assign one each to any of the four Theater Boxes marked on the map. After the German Player has assigned his Luftwaffe units, the Allied Player assigns any of his available air units. See Target Boxes on the map.
[8.5] Strategic Air Resolution
Assigned Air units have different effects depending on the Target they are assigned, and these are resolved at different points in the game turn as noted on the Sequence of Play.
- Allied Factory Bombing is resolved at the start of the Replacement Phase.
- Allied Oil Bombing is resolved at the start of the Axis OKW/ OKH Phase.
- Allied Transit Bombing is resolved at the start of the Strategic Transit Phase.
- Allied Carpet Bombing is resolved during the Allied Combat Segment. (See the Sequence of Play Player Aid Card).
Allied units assigned to Interdiction affect all the German Corps Strength die rolls in their assigned Theaters during all Combat Segments of the Turn. Luftwaffe units assigned to Ground Support in a Theater only affect German Corps Strength Die Rolls during one Combat Segment in each Theater.
For Example: A Luftwaffe Unit used in the Axis Combat Segment on the Eastern Front, may not be used in the following Soviet Combat Segment. Flip the marker over as a reminder.
[8.5.1] Factory Bombing
During the Factory Bombardment Resolution Segment of the Replacement Phase, the Allied Player rolls one die for each of his air units assigned a Factory Target (zero to three). If the Luftwaffe has a unit assigned to Home Defense, the Allied player must subtract:
- 4 from each die roll in 1943,
- 3 from each die roll in 1944,
- 2 from each die roll in 1945. If there is no Luftwaffe unit in the Home Defense Box (meaning all Luftwaffe units are currently eliminated) he subtracts:
- 2 from each die roll in 1943 and 1944,
- 1 from each die roll in 1945. The effects of each die roll are judged separately. If the modified die roll is 1 or higher, the Axis Player will subtract that many Replacement Points (RPs) from those available in the immediately following Axis Replacement Segment. If the result of a modified die roll is 0 there is no effect. If the result of the modified die roll is less than zero (a negative number) the Allied Air unit assigned to Factory Bombing is placed in the appropriate (England or Med) Eliminated Box and will have to be Replaced before it can be used again. If any of the Allied modified die rolls were positive, the Luftwaffe unit in the Home Defense Box (if any) is eliminated and placed in the Axis Eliminated Box. It will have to be replaced before it can be used again. If the Home Defense Luftwaffe unit is eliminated, the Axis Player must immediately transfer one Luftwaffe unit from Ground Support (his choice) if available to Home Defense. If the Allies scored a hit with their Factory bombing and there was no Luftwaffe unit in the Home Defense Box, one eliminated Luftwaffe unit is permanently removed from the game. If all Luftwaffe units have already been destroyed, there is no further consequence.
[8.5.2] Oil Bombardment Resolution
During the Oil Bombardment Resolution Segment of the Axis OKW/ OKH Phase, the Allied Player rolls one die for each of his air units assigned an Oil Target and applies all relevant modifiers. For example, if any Allied or Soviet unit controls the oil hex of Ploesti (hex 55.29) the Allied Player adds 2 to each die roll; likewise, Allied/Soviet control of Nagykanizsa (hex 42.24) adds 1 to the die roll. All modifiers are cumulative. The effects of each die roll are judged separately.
If the modified die roll is 1 or higher, the Axis Player will subtract that many points from the 7 Command Points available to “purchase” OKW/OKH Command markers from those available in the immediately following Axis OKW/OKH Purchase Segment. If the result of a modified die roll is 0 there is no effect. If the result of the modified die roll is less than zero one Allied Air unit assigned to Oil Facility Bombing is placed in the appropriate (England or Med) Eliminated Box. It will have to be replaced before it can be used again. The loss of Axis Command Markers is limited to 3 per turn as long as at least three Factory and one Oil hex are Axis-controlled. The oil hex must be able to trace supply in the same way as an Axis combat unit (see 9.3.1).
Note: the Luftwaffe never loses a unit defending against Oil attacks, but it is possible that Factory Bombing will have removed the Luftwaffe Home Defense, and the Axis Player will have no unit available to take its place, before Oil Bombing is resolved.
[8.5.3] Transit Bombing Resolution
During the Allied Transit Bombing Segment of the Strategic Transit Phase, the Allied Player rolls one die for each of his air units assigned a Transit Target. See the Player Aid Card for modifiers. Note that only one Air Unit may be assigned to Transit Bombing in each of the two Theaters (Northwest Europe or Med) where Transit Bombing is allowed. If the modified die roll is 1 or higher, the Axis Player will subtract that many points from the Transit allowance for the particular Theater (Northwest or Med) to which that Allied Air unit was assigned, from those available in the immediately following Axis Strategic Transit Segment. If the modified die roll is 5, the Axis Player loses one additional Transit Point from his East Front Transit Points. If the result of a modified die roll is 0 or less there is no effect.
[8.5.4] Carpet Bombing
The Allied Player may assign an Air unit in the Carpet Bombing Box to Carpet Bomb an Axis occupied hex being attacked by Allied ground units during his Combat Segment. Bomber Command and the 8th Air Force units may Carpet Bomb hexes in the Northwest Europe Theater, and the 15th Air Force unit may Carpet Bomb a hex in the Med Theater. The Allied Player must announce which hex is being bombed when he rolls for Combat Resolution. Hexes that are
successfully Carpet Bombed ignore all in-hex terrain effects except for Forts, and the attacker shifts the odds (not differential) column one to the right. (so an attack at ‘+0,1’ or ‘+6<’ differential both shift to ‘2-1’ odds). In the Northwest Theater both Bomber Command and 8th Air Force can be assigned to bomb the same hex, in which case the odds are shifted 2 to the right (so a ‘0,+1’ differential would become a ‘3-1’ odds attack). For a Carpet Bombing mission in 1943, a roll of 4-6 is required; in 1944-5, a roll of 3-6 is required for the mission to go ahead. If the mission does not occur, the Allied Air Unit is still considered used for the turn.
[8.5.5] Interdiction/Ground Support
Luftwaffe units placed in a Theater Box rather than Home Defense are either countering Allied Interdiction, or supporting ground units. If a Luftwaffe unit is in a Theater Box, all Corps Strength die rolls in that Theater this turn have a +1 drm for one Combat Step. When used, flip the unit over to its ‘used’ side as a reminder.
If the Allies place an Air unit in the Interdiction Box for Northwest Europe or the Med, roll a die in the Allied Interdiction Bombardment Segment to determine its impact. There may be no effect, an effect on German units when attacking, or an effect on all German lettered combat strengths die-rolls. Flip the Strategic Air unit to show its effect as a reminder.
[9.0] Supply
Supply for all units is checked the instant it enters the map as a Reinforcement, takes Replacements, the start of any Movement, at the instant of Combat, and during their Attrition Phase. Units may intentionally move or advance into a hex where they will be Out Of Supply (OOS), but if they are OOS in their Attrition Phase they are eliminated. Units are supplied when they can trace a Supply Line (a path of connected hexes) to a friendly Supply Source. The range of Supply Lines is limited, but any number of units can trace Supply to a single Supply Source.
[9.1] Supply Lines
Supply Lines connect units to Supply Sources. Trace Supply Lines from a unit to its Supply Source. The allowed length of a Supply Line depends on the nature of the Supply Source (See 9.3).
[9.2] Blocking Supply Lines
Supply Lines cannot be traced into a hex containing any one or more of the following:
- An enemy unit, or
- An enemy ZOC (unless negated by a friendly unit), or
- Intact enemy forts (for the Allies only), or
- Impassable terrain
[9.3] Supply Sources
There are two kinds of Supply Sources; Ultimate Supply Sources (USS) and Intermediate Supply Sources (ISS). All ISS must ultimately trace a Line of Communication (LOC) to a USS. A Line of Communication is traced exactly as a Line of Supply, except it may be of any length.
[9.3.1] Axis Supply
All German units trace Ultimate Supply to the four Factory hexes in Germany (Essen, Dortmund, Berlin, and the U.S.I.R.), provided the factory traced to can itself trace a Line of Communication to either another Axis-controlled Factory or an Axis-controlled Oil hex. Units may trace a Supply Line 8 hexes long (counting the hex the Factory is in but not the unit) to a USS. Alternatively, they can trace a Line of Supply four hexes long to an Axis-controlled Town or 8 hexes long to an Axis-controlled City that itself has a LOC to a functioning Axis USS. Some Axis Forts have a number on them; this is the number of units (not Steps) in that Fort hex that may draw Supply directly from that Fort for Attrition purposes only. German and Axis units may trace supply 4 hexes to an Axis PortTown or 8 hexes to an Axis Port-City on the Baltic and Black Seas (only) provided he controls at least one other Port on that Sea.
With one exception in the Attrition phase, all Axis units draw supply in the same way. In the Attrition phase only, German units (not other Axis) in Greater Germany can trace a Supply Line to a Factory hex which is not required to trace a Line of Communication to either another Axis-controlled Factory or an Axis-controlled Oil hex. If there are no Axis units in Yugoslavia, or Bulgaria surrenders, all Axis Units in Greece are OOS for Attrition (only).
[9.3.2] Allied Supply
Allied Units have no Intermediate Supply; they trace Supply directly to Ultimate Supply Sources only. They are in Supply in or adjacent to a Beach Head Marker. Only US/French Units may draw supply from a US Beach Head, and only British/Commonwealth Units from a Commonwealth Beach Head. Both may draw Supply from an Allied Beach Head. Exception: All Allied units may draw Supply from a Beach Head that contains the Mulberry Marker. Apart from units in or adjacent to a Beach Head, Allied units trace Supply to SHAEF Markers (Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force), which are the Allies USS. SHAEF Markers may be placed stacked with Beach Head Markers during the Beach Head Placement Segment of the Allied Invasion Phase and/or during the SHAEF Placement Step of the Allied/Soviet Action Phase. They may be placed on Allied Controlled Port Towns, or Port Cities, or Special Port Cities during the SHAEF Placement Step only. Exception: SHAEF Markers may never be placed in the East Theater. Once placed SHAEF Markers remain on the map until the next Beach Head Placement or SHAEF Placement Step, at which point they may be placed on another eligible hex. If the Allied player has no eligible place to put a given SHAEF Marker, he must hold it aside until he can place it in the next SHAEF Placement Step. The Allies have four SHAEF Markers, numbered 1 to 4. This is the base range in hexes of Supply Lines traced to the SHAEF Marker (‘2’ = 2 hexes, ‘4’ = 4 hexes etc.). This range may be multiplied by the hex the SHAEF Marker occupies. These multiples are listed below:
- Beach Head Marker: x2
- Mulberry x3
- Port Town x1
- Port City x2
- Special Port City x the Printed Multiple
For Example: SHAEF Markers placed in a Beach Head multiply their printed Supply Line Range by 2. SHAEF Markers placed in a Beach Head containing a Mulberry Marker multiply their printed Supply Line range by 3. A SHAEF 4 Marker placed in a Beach Head would supply units within 8 hexes, in a Beach Head with a Mulberry within 12 hexes, and in Antwerp, 20 hexes.
Normally only US/French Units may draw Supply from a SHAEF Marker in a US Beach Head and British/Commonwealth Units from one in a British Beach Head, unless the Mulberry Marker is present. Ports, of any type, supply all Allied units in range; e.g. a Port City will supply all units within two hexes. Note the Mulberry Marker once placed may not be reassigned, and if its Beach Head Marker is removed (See 10.3) it is removed from the game. If a SHAEF Marker is in a hex that is occupied by an Axis Unit it is removed from the map, but it is not eliminated and may be placed in an eligible hex in the next Allied Invasion Phase or SHAEF Placement Step.
[9.3.3] Soviet Supply
All Soviet units (including Soviet Polish, Romanian, and Bulgarian Units) trace Ultimate Supply 8 hexes to the East Map edge and the North Map edge to the east of Leningrad (hex 63.00 eastwards). Alternatively, they can trace a Line of Supply four hexes long to a Soviet-controlled Town or 8 hexes long to a Soviet-controlled City that itself has a LOC to the East Map edge. Soviet units may trace supply 4 hexes to a Soviet Port-Town or 8 hexes to a Soviet Port City on the Baltic and Black Seas (only) provided the Soviets control at least one other Port on that Sea.
[9.3.4] Yugoslav Supply
All Yugoslav units are in Supply for all purposes inside or within one hex of Yugoslavia.
[9.4] Always Supplied Units
Forts do not require Supply. Axis units in Supply Forts (up to the printed number of the Fort) are always in Supply for Attrition purposes only.
[9.5] Out of Supply Effects
An Out of Supply (OOS) unit suffers the following effects:
- Its Movement Allowance is reduced to 3.
- Soviet Attack and Defense Factors are halved. (Add all halved factors together and then drop fractions.)
- OOS Allied Units may not attack [Exception: Airborne Assault: see 19] and their Defense Factors are halved as with the Soviets.
- OOS Axis units with a Printed Combat Factor are halved on Attack and Defense.
- OOS Axis Corps with a Combat Strength Letter automatically use the lowest number on the Corps Strength Table: for example, a C would have an automatic strength of 2; this number is not halved.
- Units that are OOS during their Attrition Phase are eliminated and placed in the applicable Eliminated Box.
[10.0] Allied Invasions
[10.1] General
Western-Allied units do not start the game on the European continent; they begin in the England or Med Boxes. To enter Europe they must make use of Invasions. The following rules explain how, when, and where the Allies may invade. Allied units that start the Allied Invasion Phase in the England or Med Boxes (only) may invade. Units in England may invade in the Northwest Europe Theater only. Units in the Med Box may invade in the Med or Balkan Theaters only. Invasions in the Northwest Theater may not take place on Turns 3-5 or 9-11 (November to April) because of bad weather in the English Channel. No such restriction applies to units in the Med Box. Only Allied Corps units may invade, but Paratroop Divisions may be dropped in support of the Invasion. No more than one invasion (total) may take place in a single turn.
[10.2] Invasion Sites
Allied units may only invade at the marked Beach Head locations indicated on the map. These represent the initial mile or two inland of the Coastal hex to which they point. Beach Heads are marked as either US, British/Commonwealth, or Allied. Allied Invasion Beach Heads allow the joint invasion of a single hex. Some US and British Beach Heads are paired allowing the invasion of two different hexes by segregated British and US Corps. Each separate Invasion site has a Letter designation ‘A’ to ‘R’; for example ‘A’ allows the invasion of two hexes in Holland, while ‘R’ allows the invasion of Greece at Salonika. If an Invasion Site consists of both US and British Commonwealth Beach Heads, both must be invaded. Note that Sicily (Invasion ‘L’) is a special case, in that the US Beach Head may be placed at ‘La’ (hex 32.40) or ‘Lb’ (hex 33.43) at the Allied Player’s discretion. Also note that Invasion Site ‘B’, though it involves two Invasion Beach Heads, is assaulting a single hex (hex 22.12, Calais).
[10.3] Beach Head Markers
In order to invade at an Invasion Site, the Allied Player must have the Allied or US and Commonwealth Beach Head Markers available in the appropriate England or Med Box, along with the Corps to be used in the Invasion. Beach Head Markers are a Terrain Type on the Terrain Effects Chart, and Allied units may not occupy a Beach Head hex without the appropriate Beach Head Marker present. Beach Head Markers may only be eliminated as a result of a Failed Invasion and are returned to the appropriate Box (the Med if they were eliminated in the Med or the Balkans, England if in Northwest Europe) two Turns later at the start of the Beach Head Placement Step, where they are immediately available for use. Axis units may never Move or Advance After Combat into a Beach Head.
Beach Head Markers are placed on the map in the chosen appropriate Invasion Site Beach Head hexes during the Beach Head Placement Step of the Allied Invasion Phase. Apart from elimination in a Failed Invasion, they may be removed from the map during the Allied Strategic Transit Segment and placed back in the Box of their current Theater (England or Med). They may not be removed if occupied by Allied units or if they are the only source of Supply for Allied units. Exception: they may be removed if occupied (but not a Supply Source for other units) if the Allied Player chooses to announce during his Strategic Transit Segment he considers this a Failed Invasion. Immediately inflict a Failed Invasion Result on the units and Beach Head involved. In this case a CW and US Beach Head are considered separately.
Design Note: Why would the Allies do this? If he thinks that Invasion force is stuck and wants to free up the Beach Head Markers for later use elsewhere.
[10.4] Invasion Procedure
During the Allied Invasion Phase the Allied Player first decides if he will invade this turn; if not the rest of the Phase is skipped. Having decided to invade by choosing an Invasion Site, he places his Beach Head Marker or Markers on the chosen hex or hexes, and if available (at his discretion) his Mulberry Marker on one Beach Head Marker. He then places his invading units, according to the Nationality restrictions of the Beach Head Markers. Prior to Turn 6 he may only place two Corps per Beach Head Marker; from Turn 6 and beyond, he may place three Corps per Marker. The Allied Player now decides if he will use Paratroop Divisions to support his Invasion. Each Division used (up to the maximum allowed of two) lands on its reverse side, indicating each unit will add a +1 drm to the Invasion Resolution Die Roll. Note that the Allied Invasion Beach must be in range of Allied Air for Paratroops to be dropped (See 10.6).
[10.5] Invasion Resolution
The Allied Player rolls separately to resolve invasions for each Beach Head Marker placed (to a maximum of two). The Player determines all the applicable drms to that particular resolution die roll. First he subtracts any modifiers for Terrain in the Coastal Hex the Beach Head is invading: these are cumulative. For example, an Invasion against hex 26.11 would suffer a -1 drm for the Swamp, and a second -1drm for the City Port. Next he takes into account the presence (if any) of Axis units occupying the target Coastal hex, applying a modifier of 0,-1, or -2 as applicable. Only a single drm (the most advantageous to the Axis) applies, no matter how many Axis units are in the hex.
For Example: a Panzer Division and an Infantry Corps at Rotterdam would subtract -2 for the Division, not -3 for the two units combined.
The Allied Player adds +2 for being within Allied Air Range (See 10.6) and the drms for any supporting Paratroops. The modified Die Roll is then used on the Invasion Results Table to determine the results of that Invasion.
Example: US units invading at Rotterdam in 1944 are outside air range, and so get no Paratroop Support, or a +2 drm for being within Allied Air Range. They would subtract 2 from the die for Terrain (Swamp and City) and 2 for the presence of an Axis Mechanized unit, for a total of -4 drm. A roll of 6 minus 4 would equal 2, By Their Fingernails. A roll of 5 or less, minus 4, would equal 1 (the lowest number possible) and would result in a ‘Failed Invasion’. In 1945, ALL Beach Heads are considered in range of Allied Air, so the US could cancel out the -4 drm with 2 Paratroop Divisions and being in Air Range.
[10.5.1] Pas de Calais
Calais can be invaded from two Beach-heads; treat each invasion die-roll as a separate attack and apply those die-rolls which apply at the moment of attack. Remember to obey stacking limits and nationality restrictions at the end of the Invasion Segment.
[10.6] Air Range/Allied Air Trace
To use Paratroops in support of an Invasion and to get the +2 drm for Allied Airpower, an Invasion Beach Head Marker (NOT the target Coastal Hex) must be within 4 hexes of an Allied Controlled Town or City. Since initially the Allies control no Towns or Cities, they may also trace Air Range 4 hexes to the three Air Trace hexes marked on the map: hexes 20.10, 32.43, and 27.32. The first two hexes listed are always available. The third (in Corsica) is available starting the Allied Invasion Phase of Turn 3, IF the Allies control any Town or City in Sicily or Italy.
[10.7] Paratroops
Allied Paratroops used to support an Invasion are flipped to their +1 drm side. If the Invasion results in a ‘Failed Invasion’ or ‘By Their Fingernails’ Result, the supporting Paratroops are eliminated and placed in the appropriate (Med or England) Eliminated Box. If the result is Success or Overwhelming Success, flip the Paratroops to their Combat Strength sides and place them in the Coastal Hex with any advancing units following Allied nationality stacking restrictions, or leave them in the Beach Head Marker Hex as desired.
[10.8] Invasion Results
Invasion Die-Roll Modifiers
| Modifier | Die-roll modifier |
|---|---|
| Terrain (cumulative) | -? |
| Axis Defender (non-cumulative) | -1 Unoccupied Fort; -1 non-Mechanized; -2 Mechanized |
| Allied Paratroop Division | +1 each (max. +2) |
| Within Allied Air Range (1943-44); Automatic 1945 | +2; +2 |
Allied Invasion Results Table
| Die Roll | Invasion Results |
|---|---|
| 1 | Failed Invasion: reduce all invading units and return them to Theater box; eliminate all supporting Paratroop Divisions; place Beach Head Marker on Turn Record Track two turns from current turn |
| 2-3 | By Their Fingernails: reduce one invading unit, eliminate any dropped paratroop units, defender retreats 1 hex; attackers can advance |
| 4-5 | Success: reduce one invading unit, eliminate 1 defending unit, surviving defenders retreat 1 hex; attackers can advance |
| 6 | Overwhelming Success: eliminate defending units, advancing invaders (minus dropped paratroop units) may immediately attack adjacent enemy hex; if no enemy units adjacent may advance an additional hex. |
[10.9] Overwhelming Success Segment
If the Allies gain an overwhelming success and there is an adjacent Axis unit which requires a die-roll to determine its strength, any Luftwaffe unit deployed in that theater may not add its die-roll modifier to that strength check.
Example: The Allies are launching Operation Avalanche in September 1943. The US 2nd and CW 5th Mechanised Corps are storming ashore, supported by an airdrop of the 82nd Airborne Division. Modifiers for the invasion would be as follows: -1 for the rough terrain -2 for the presence of the German 14th Panzer Corps +1 for the presence of the 82nd Paratroop Division +2 for being within Allied Air Range (in this case, Messina, off-map) A die-roll of 4 would result in one invading unit being reduced (the Allied player chooses the US unit as they have more replacement points), the German unit is eliminated and the British 5th Corps is advanced into hex 36.36. A die-roll of 6 would have resulted in an advance and the possibility of attacking the HG Panzer Division in Naples.
[10.10] FUSAG Markers
The four FUSAG Markers become available on Turn 6. They stand for First US Army Group, the phantom army group supposedly under Patton used to tie down German forces at the Pas de Calais. If the Allies invade at Beaches C, D or E when the FUSAG Markers are available, the Allied Player may immediately place one on any German infantry units (only) in the North-Western Theater not within 2 hexes of a target invasion hex e.g. hex 18.14 (not the lettered Beach Head hex) used in the invasion. Such units may not move until an Allied unit moves within 2 hexes of the unit or move west of hex row 24.xx. The FUSAG Markers may only be used once, and any not placed at the instant of the invasion are lost.
[11.0] Axis & Soviet Command
In addition to tracing Supply, Axis and Soviet Units must trace a Command Range in order to Attack, take part in Exploitation Movement, or in some cases, move in the Operational Movement Segment. Command Range is traced in a similar fashion to LOC except it is never blocked by enemy units or ZOC (it may be blocked by Impassible terrain or Theater Boundaries.). The Range (in hexes) of the Command Markers equals the number printed on the Marker. This range may be multiplied depending on the hex the Marker occupies.
[11.1] Axis Command Markers
The Axis Player has two different types of Command Markers. OKW Command Markers may only be placed in and only affect units in the Northwest Europe and Med Theaters. OKH Command Markers may only be placed in and affect units in the East Front and Balkan Theaters. The Axis Player has four OKW and four OKH Command Markers, each set numbered ‘1’ to ‘4’; not all are available every turn. Instead during the OKW/OKH Purchase Segment of the Axis OKW/OKH Phase he may take any combination of OKW and OKW Markers that total 7.
For example: if he takes an OKW Marker with a printed 4, he could take an additional OKW or OKH Marker with a value of 3, or an OKW Marker with a value of 1 and an OKH Marker with a value of 2, etc. The number of points available to purchase Axis Command Markers may be reduced by Allied Oil Bombing in the immediately preceding Allied Oil Bombing Resolution Segment (See 8.5.2). OKW Markers are placed in any Axis-controlled Town or City in the Northwest Europe or Med Theaters. OKH Markers are placed in any Axis-controlled Town or City in the East or Balkan Theaters. Such Town/Cities must be able to function as an ISS or Port Supply Source. (See 9.3) The printed numbers on the Command Markers are their Command Ranges. These numbers are doubled if the Marker is placed in a City rather than a Town. Place either on its Town or City side as a reminder. Once placed, the Markers remain either until the next Clean-up Phase, or until an enemy unit enters their hex. They are removed, not eliminated, and are available for use during the next OKW/ OKH Phase. Only Axis Units that begin the Axis Combat Segment in Range of a Marker (OKW for Northwest Europe and Med, OKH for East Front and Balkans) may attack during the Axis Combat Segment. Note that a unit can be in Command but OOS, or Out of Command but in Supply. Only Axis Mechanized Units that begin the Axis Exploitation Movement Phase within range of the appropriate OKW or OKH Marker may move in the Axis Exploitation Segment; they may cross
Theater boundaries, including between OKW and OKH Theaters, in so doing, but may only be ‘activated’ by one Axis Command marker. Infantry units in Range of the appropriate OKW or OKH Command Marker may freely leave enemy ZOC during the Axis Operational Movement Segment. (See 6.5)
[11.2] Soviet Command Markers
The Soviet Player has four Stavka Command Markers, numbered 1 to 4. These are used identically to Axis Command Markers above (substituting Soviet for Axis in all cases) with the following exceptions:
- All four Stavka Markers are available for placement each Stavka placement Step.
- Stavka Markers may not be placed in the Med or Northwest Europe Theaters, nor may they be placed on towns/cities captured from the Axis by Yugoslavian units until a Soviet unit has moved through the hex.
[11.3] Allied SHAEF Markers
Allied SHAEF Markers are used for Supply. They have no Command Range or Effect.
[12.0] Movement & Terrain
Each Turn contains ten Movement Segments, three Allied, three Soviet, and four Axis. For each these are the Operational Movement Step, the Exploitation Movement Step, and the Reaction Segment (divided into two, one OKW and one OKH, for the Axis). Strategic Transit is a special form of Movement, with its own rules. Retreat and Advance After Combat are not considered Movement.
[12.1] Movement Segments
Perform each Movement Segment according to the following procedure. Specific rules which apply during selected Movement Segments are noted in each of the following sections.
A) Operational Movement Segment
The moving player moves none, some, or all friendly units. In-Supply units which are at no point adjacent to an enemy unit or Fort may move double their printed Movement Allowance. Use the Terrain Costs in the Operational column in the Terrain Effects Chart.
B) Exploitation Movement Segment
Only In-Supply (and for the Axis and Soviets, In Command) Mechanized Units may move during Exploitation Movement. Use the Terrain Costs in the Exploitation/Reaction Column on the Terrain Effects Chart. (These costs are generally higher.)
C) Reaction Movement Segment
Units eligible for Reaction Movement (See 14) move normally, paying the Exploitation/Reaction Movement Costs on the Terrain Effects Chart.
[12.2] Movement Procedure
Move units individually or in stacks from hex to adjacent hex, paying varying Movement Point costs to do so depending upon the terrain in the hex being entered and/or hex side crossed. These costs are detailed on the Terrain Effects Chart. No extra MPs are expended by reason of moving out of or into a hex with other units present. Remember the effects of ZOC (See 6.5).
A) Movement Restrictions
Movement is restricted by the following:
- Units do not accumulate Movement Points from Movement Segment to Movement Segment, nor lend them from one unit to another
- Moving units need not expend all available Movement Points before stopping
- Complete the movement of each unit or stack before beginning that of another
- A unit may not move more than once per Movement Segment
- Out of Supply units have their Movement Allowance reduced to 3
- Only Mountain Units can enter Alpine hexes except through Alpine Pass hexsides
Play Note: There is no one-hex movement in FotTR. A unit which lacks the MPs to enter a hex may not enter it.
[12.3] Terrain and Movement
Most hexes cost 1 Movement Point to enter. Some terrain has additional costs or restrictions (see the Terrain Effects Chart for specifics). Note that Movement costs may vary depending not on the type of unit moving, but the Movement Segment in which it moves. Some hexes are unplayable – as denoted by their ‘washed out’ color. They are included for geographical accuracy and aesthetics.
[12.4] Terrain and Combat
Terrain Effects on combat are cumulative (see the Terrain Effects Chart for specifics). If a hex contains a Fort which is Carpet-bombed, the two effects cancel each other out. Note that, where applicable, unit strengths are multiplied before any combat-strength additions are included. Units defending in a Fort hex shift the combat one odd-column to the left. (Thus an attack at 2.5:1 would shift to the 2:1 column. An attack in the 2:1 column would be reduced to the ‘+0,1’ differential column.)
[12.5] Movement by sea
Units can enter a port/beach head as newly arrived reinforcements, as replacements, or during the Transit Segment (or for an invasion beach head, by Invasion).
[13.0] Combat
[13.1] General
Combat occurs during each Player’s Combat Segment, and possibly in the Reaction Segment as well. The active player is “the attacker,” and the other player is “the defender,” no matter what the overall situation on the map. Each combat consists of the attacking player’s units in one or more hexes attacking all units in one defending hex. Attacks may be conducted from multiple hexes per 13.1.B. Attacks must always target one defending hex. During your Combat Segment, your units may attack adjacent enemy units across non-prohibited hex sides. All eligible friendly combat units may engage in Combat. Attacking is voluntary, except as noted in 13.1.B. During your Reaction Segment, only units that moved (even if back into their original hex) may attack. Designate and resolve each individual combat one at a time. The attacker need not declare all combats beforehand, but see 6.6; he may designate and resolve them in any order he wishes. The resolution of one must be completed before the next begins. Aside from the restrictions noted below, no limit is placed on the number of attacks a player may initiate during a friendly Combat Segment.
A) Specific Rules
The following rules apply to all Combats:
- Units with an attack strength of zero may participate in an attack only if stacked with at least one unit with an attack strength of one or higher.
- A unit may attack only once per Combat Segment.
- You may not divide a unit’s attack or defense strength to attack or defend (respectively) in more than one combat.
- Attacking units in the same hex do not have to attack together; some units in a hex may attack a different hex, or may choose not to attack at all.
- A unit/hex may only be attacked once per Combat Segment (exception: invasion of Calais, hex 22.12. See 10.5.1).
- All units in a hex must defend together.
B) ZOCs and Mandatory Multiple-Hex Combat
Units in different hexes may combine to attack a single hex only if all other enemy units in the attackers’ ZOCs will be, or have already been, attacked by other friendly units during that Combat Segment.
C) ZOCs and Single-hex Combat
If an attack is launched from a single hex, then 13.1.B does not apply. Not all units in the attacking units’ ZOCs need be attacked during the combat step.
[13.2] Combat Procedure
Each combat uses the following procedure:
A) Determine Attacking Units and Defending hex
B) Determine German Lettered Combat Strengths
If the German Player has any units with a Letter (A, B or C) rather than a Combat Strength involved in attacking or defending, he rolls a single die (no matter how many such units are involved) on the Corps Strength Table to determine the Combat Strength of those units. This die roll may be modified by the year, or by the presence of Luftwaffe or Allied Air Units (See 8.5.5). If any Axis Corps are OOS (including in all forts) they automatically use the lowest Corps Strength possible. Die-roll Modifiers:
| Condition | Modifier |
|---|---|
| All rolls in 1944 | -1 |
| All rolls in 1945 | -2 |
| Allied Air Interdiction | -1 |
| Luftwaffe Ground Support | +1 |
German Corps Combat Strength Table
| Die Roll | Corps Letter A | Corps Letter B | Corps Letter C |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 2-3 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| 4-6 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
C) Determine Combat Odds or Differential
Add all Attacking and Defending Strengths, taking into account Terrain and Supply effects to determine the Combat Odds or Differential. All Terrain effects are cumulative. Round off odds in favor of the Defender (for example 33 Attacking Factors to 10 Defending Factors would be 3-1 odds).
Exception: if the Odds are between 1-1 (inclusive) and 2-1 (exclusive) use the difference between the attacking and defending strengths rather than rounding off.
For example: if you have 7 Attacking Factors vs. 7 Defending Factors, resolve the Combat on the ‘0,+1’ Differential column of the Combat Results Table (CRT). If the numbers were 15 attacking 9, you would use the ‘+6<’ Differential column on the CRT. But if 12 were attacking 6, you would use the 2-1 Odds column. In all cases where the rules call for a Column shift (such as Fort effects) this refers to an Odds not Differential Shift: move directly from 1-2 to 2-1 or vice versa, ignoring all the Differential columns between. Any attacks which do not generate at least a 1:2 ratio are automatically treated as AE.
D) Determine Results Roll a single die on the CRT to get the Combat Results for that attack, applying all die-roll modifiers. Apply the results immediately (including Retreats and Advances) before resolving the next combat. Losses are always applied by the player controlling those units.
E) Retreats
Certain Combat Results (and Invasion Results) will call for the Defender to vacate the hex. Such units must retreat the distance indicated, subject to ZOC, Stacking, Alpine Terrain, and Impassible Hexside rules. Units unable to Retreat are eliminated, including those which retreat into a port hex as their first hex; they cannot transport out of the hex for their second retreat hex but are eliminated instead. Previously retreated units which are in a hex subsequently attacked in the same Combat Step add nothing to the defense of that hex, but do suffer all combat results. Units must Retreat in the direction of that Theater’s Retreat Compass if at all possible, but may retreat in other directions if not. They must move as far away from their original hex as possible and must retreat the full amount of hexes called for. Stacked units do not have to retreat to the same hex subject to the above. Allied units retreating the first hex of a retreat onto an Invasion Hex Beach-head marker can ignore the second hex, but must obey stacking restrictions as normal.
F) Conduct Advances
If Retreat or Elimination removes all Defending units from a hex, surviving Infantry and Mechanized Units may advance after combat, occupying the Defenders vacated hex (only) subject to Stacking restrictions but ignoring enemy ZOC. But the Attacker may never advance on any A Combat result (AE, Ae, Aex, AA). If the Attacker advances into a hex containing an Axis Fort (or the Kursk Fortified Zone marker), it is destroyed.
G) Repeat
Return to 13.2.A for another Combat until all desired Combats are resolved.
[13.3] Combat Results
| Result | Meaning |
|---|---|
| AE | Attacker Eliminated: all attacking steps eliminated |
| Ae | Attacker eliminated: all attacking steps but 1 eliminated; No Advance |
| Aex | Attacker exchange: all attacking steps but 1 eliminated, defender loses 1 step provided attacker took a step loss; No Advance |
| AA | Attacker Attrition: attacker chooses equal number of steps to eliminate from both sides but may not eliminate every attacking step; No Advance |
| dr | defender retreats: defender retreats 2 hexes; Advance possible |
| DR | Defender Retreats: defender retreats 2 hexes; if more than 1 defending step, loses 1 step; Advance possible |
| Dex | Defender Exchange: defender eliminates all steps but 1, surviving defending step suffers dr result; attacker loses steps equal to eliminated defending steps; Advance possible |
Example: Operation Zitadelle (part 1) Attack A: 41st, 46th & 47th Panzer Corps attack the Soviet 13th & 70th Armies. Assuming a German die-roll of 4 on the German Strength Table, combat strengths are (4+4+6) for the Germans v (3+3) x2 for the Kursk Fortified Zone; using the combat differential column of ‘+2, +3’ a roll of 4 gives a generates an ‘AA’ result - Attacker Attrition: the attacker chooses an equal number of steps to eliminate from both sides but may not eliminate every attacking step. No Advance is generated. Attack B: The 20th & 13th Infantry Corps attack the Soviet 60th & 65th Armies. The two German units can combine because all other Soviet units which project a ZOC into their hexes are being attacked. Attack C: The 7th Infantry Corps must attack the Soviet 38th Army to satisfy the Mandatory Multi-hex Combat rules. Attack D: The 48th Panzer Corps, supported by the 1st, 2nd & 3rd SS Panzer Divisions attacks the 6th Guard Mechanized Army. Assuming a German die-roll of 5 on the German Strength Table, combat strengths are (8+4+4+4) for the Germans v 5 (x2 for the Kursk Fortified Zone); using the combat odds column of ‘2:1’ a roll of 6 generates a result of ‘EX’
- Exchange: all defending steps eliminated; attacker loses equal number of steps: Surviving attacking units can advance.
Example: Operation Zitadelle (part 2) Attack A: Attacker Attrition: the attacker chooses an equal number of steps to eliminate from both sides but may not eliminate every attacking step. No Advance is generated. The Germans choose to inflict one step on each side, eliminating the 46th Panzer Corps. The Soviet player eliminates the 70th Army. Both units go to their respective Eliminated Boxes. Attack B: Another result of ‘AA’ generates another step loss from each side. The German player considered eliminating two steps and thus clearing the Soviet hex, but exercised caution instead. The 20th Corps was flipped to its weaker side, the Soviet 65th Army was eliminated and is placed in the Eliminated Box. Attack C: A result of ‘Aex’ on the ‘0, +1’ Combat differential column resulted in the 7th Infantry Corps being flipped and the Soviet 38th Army being eliminated. Attack D: The 48th Panzer Corps, advances one hex, accompanied by one Panzer Division. The reduced 1st SS Panzer Division and final Panzer Division remain in the original hex to maintain a line of supply.
[14.0] Reaction
[14.1] Reaction Markers
Each Player has Reaction Markers which allow Limited Movement and Combat between enemy Combat Segments and their own Attrition Phase. This will most often be used to plug newly created gaps in your line, or launch a precise counter-attack. The Allies and Soviets each get one Reaction Marker. The Allied Marker may be used in any Theater but the East. The Soviet Marker may be used in the East or Balkan Theaters. The Axis get two Reaction Markers: OKW which may be used in the Northwest Europe or Med Theaters after Allied Combat, and OKH which may be used in the East and Balkan Theaters after Soviet Combat.
### [14.2] Reaction Marker Placement In the appropriate Reaction Segment, place your Reaction Marker in their allowed Theater, either in any hex containing friendly units, or any unoccupied hex. Supply and Command are irrelevant.
[14.3] Reaction Movement
After placing your Marker, you may either move all units in that hex subject to all Movement, ZOC, Stacking and Supply rules, and using the Exploitation/Reaction costs of the Terrain Effects Chart, or you may move all units that are able (subject to all the above) to reach the hex where the Reaction Marker has been placed. Units that cannot reach the hex may not move.
[14.4] Reaction Combat
All units that just used Reaction Movement (only) may now attack if the Player wishes, subject to all Combat rules.
Example: A Soviet attack, spearheaded by the 3rd Shock and 20th Armies threatens to break through the weak defenses of Army Group North and seize Riga.
In the Axis Reaction Phase, the OKH marker is placed in hex 56.05, activating any units within movement range of that hex.
Thus 46th Panzer Corps can reach it spending 5MPs in total [1+1+2+1]. The 4 SS Panzer Corps can reach it also spending 5MPs [4(2+2)+1]. The 10th Infantry Corps also move to the hex, spending 1MP.
The 2 Luftwaffe Corps could theoretically have moved there if it had first moved out of the Soviet ZOC, but would have to replace one of the other German units to avoid over-stacking.
[15.0] Attrition
During the Attrition Phases, the named side checks for supply per the Supply rules (see 9.0). After checking for Supply, all Out of Supply units are eliminated subject to the following exception:
- German units stacked with Supply Forts take no Attrition losses up to the limit of the Fort (1 or 2). Units eliminated as a result of Attrition are placed in their applicable Eliminated Box.
[16.0] Exploitation
During a player’s Exploitation Movement Phase he may move any Mechanized Units (only), subject to all standard movement rules, except that Supplied Mechanized Units (only) may ignore enemy non-Mechanized ZOC for Movement purposes (only). In addition, German and Soviet Mechanized units must start in Command Range of OKW/OKH markers or Stavka markers respectively to take part in Exploitation Movement. Exploitation Movement uses the Exploitation/Reaction movement costs on the Terrain Effects Chart. In 1944 and 1945, ‘C-strength Axis Mechanized Units are treated as non-Mechanized for the purpose of projecting ZOCs in this Phase.
[17.0] Strategic Transit
During a player’s Strategic Transit Segment of the Strategic Transit Phase he may move units long distances by sea or land. In addition the Allies may move units into, out of, and between his England and Med Boxes. Axis Transit Capability may be affected by Allied Transit Bombing, which is resolved at the start of the Strategic Transit Phase. (See 8.5.3.) In general, Supplied units may move any distance from friendly controlled Towns, Cities, Ports to any other friendly controlled Town, City, or Port with the following restrictions. a.) Stacking limits must be obeyed in the destination hex b.) The unit at no time enters a hex where it would be OOS c.) The unit may start or end in an enemy ZOC only if the hex already contains a friendly unit. They may not move through an enemy ZOC (whether occupied by a friendly unit or not). d.) If the unit moves by sea it may only move to a friendly-controlled Port in the same Theater or from the Med Box to the England Box (or vice versa). e.) Units moving by sea may use Transit by Land to get to a Port, but may not use Transit by land after moving by sea.
[17.1] Axis Strategic Transit
The Axis Play may move 4 units (not Steps) by Strategic Movement within each Theater. Axis units may only move between Ports on the Baltic or Black Seas (but not between the Baltic and Black Seas). Any unit that moves through more than one Theater costs one of the four allowed Transit Units for each Theater moved through. The total number of Axis Transit units allowed to move may be lowered in a particular Theater by Allied Transit Bombing. (See 8.5.3.)
[17.2] Allied Strategic Transit
The Allies may move 6 Units by Strategic Transit per Turn in 1943, 8 in 1944, and 8 in 1945. This is the total number that may move by Strategic Transit in all Theaters. It is reduced in 1943 and 1944 on any turn that the Allies launch an invasion. See the Transit Chart on the Player Aid Card. Allied units may not move by Land or Sea between Theaters except by first moving to the Med and England Boxes. Exception: Allied units may move between friendlycontrolled Ports in the Med and Balkan Theaters. Allied units may never use Strategic Transit in the East Theater. Allied Strategic Transit always takes place in the following order: a.) Units moving on Land or between Ports. b.) Units moving from the Med to the England Box. Units never move from the England to the Med Box. c.) Units moving to the Med or England Box from a Port or Beach Head Marker in the appropriate Theater (Northwest Europe for England, the Med or the Balkans for the Med Box). d.) Beach Head Markers removed from the map placed back in the Box of their current Theater (England or Med). These may
not be removed if occupied by Allied units or if the only source of Supply for Allied units. Exception: they may be removed if occupied (but not a Supply Source for other units) if the Allied Player chooses to announce during his Strategic Transit Segment he considers this a Failed Invasion. Immediately inflict a Failed Invasion Result on the units and Beach Head involved. In this case a CW and US Beach Head are considered separately. Beach Heads count against the Allied Transit limit for the turn.
Design Note: It is important the Allied Player understand the implications of these rules. Units sent to England from the Med Box will never return to the Med, and that is true of Beach Head Markers as well. And it takes time to move a unit from the Med or Balkan Theater to the Northwest Europe Theater. If the Allied Player wishes to Invade Northwest Europe in 1943 with his US and British Beach Head Markers, he will have to do it, because of the weather, on Turn 2. To do this he will have to leave them in the Med Box on Turn 1, so he can transfer them to England during the Turn 1 Strategic Transit Phase.
[17.3] Soviet Strategic Transit
The Soviet Player may move six Units by Strategic Transit per turn, but only three of these may make any part of the journey outside of the Soviet Union.
[18.0] Forts
[18.1] Axis Forts
The Axis Player has two types of Forts:
-
Forts
-
Supply Forts
All forts are identical except that Supply Forts (only) provide supply for the units occupying them up to the number printed on the Fort for Attrition Supply only. The effects of Forts on Combat and Invasion are found on the Terrain Effects Chart. Forts may never move, attack, or be rebuilt. Forts don’t count for stacking. Forts are eliminated if they are occupied, through Movement or Advance After Combat, by enemy units. Forts never need Supply.
Design Note: Why are the Fortified Lines constructed in Italy after the game begins already on the map? There were good reasons why the Germans chose to fortify where they did, and allowing the Germans to construct Forts anywhere would require a heavy rules load to prevent their a-historical use. Too heavy to justify given the intended complexity level of the game.
[18.2] Soviet Kursk Fortified Zone
The marker placed in Kursk (hex 70.15) at the start of the game represents the elaborate system of defenses the Soviets created around Kursk in May and June 1943. The Fortified Zone includes Kursk and every hex within two hexes of Kursk (one intervening hex) east of the Axis front line. The Fortified Zone costs Axis units 2 Movement Points per hex, and doubles the Defense Factor of Soviet Units defending in a Fortified Hex. (If the units are OOS, double then halve them - so use their printed strength.) If the Axis occupy Kursk, the Fortified Zone ceases to have an effect and the Axis subtract one VP from the Soviet (and combined Allied) total at the end of the game.
[19.0] Allied Paratroops
U.S. and British Paratroop Divisions are all one step units. The reverse side shows a die-roll-modifier used when supporting an Invasion. Apart from Invasions, Paratroop units in the England or Med Box may drop during the Allied Operational Movement Segment onto any hex on the map within 4 hexes of a Supplied Allied Unit. They may not drop into Forest, Mountain, Alpine, Cities, or hexes containing enemy Forts. They may drop onto enemy units. During the Allied Combat Segment after an air drop, they must attack those units, alone or in combination with other attacking Allied units. Normal Stacking rules apply. If the attacker suffers any “A” result on the CRT the Paratroop units are eliminated even if they would otherwise survive the result. If attacking in combination with non-paratroop units after an airdrop, they provide a 1-column shift to the Right for that combat.
[20.0] Minor Nations & Minor Allies
[20.1] Yugoslavia
Yugoslav Units are controlled by the Soviet Player, but may never stack with, or attack with, Soviet Units. No more than four Soviet units may operate in Yugoslavia if there are any Yugoslav Units on the Map. Yugoslav Units are always in Supply in Yugoslavia and in any adjacent hex, but are OOS in any other hexes. The three Yugoslav Reinforcing Armies enter on the turn of Italian Surrender, or when any Soviet Unit enters Yugoslavia, whichever takes place first. They enter immediately in any Mountain hexes in Yugoslavia at least two hexes from the nearest Axis Unit. If they cannot enter because no such space exists, hold them off map until the next Soviet Reinforcement Segment when they can enter, (an exception to normal reinforcement rules). They may never be replaced. Yugoslavian units can leave an enemy ZOC as if they were in command (See 6.5).
[20.2] Bulgaria
Bulgarian Units are controlled by the Axis Player (or the OKH Player in the Four Player Campaign). They may only operate in the Balkan Theater. They may be replaced using Axis Minor Replacements. Bulgaria switches sides when Romania surrenders. At that point, remove all Bulgarian units and add the Soviet Bulgarian Armies. They are treated as Soviet units and are placed on any unoccupied town or city in Bulgaria. If none exist, they are placed the turn after such a hex is liberated (an exception to normal reinforcement rules). From this point on all Towns and Cities in Bulgaria are considered Soviet-controlled unless occupied by an Axis or Allied unit. Bulgaria also surrenders if an Allied unit occupies Sofia. In this case permanently remove all Bulgarian units; the Soviet Bulgarian units never enter play. Note that Bulgaria may only surrender once, to the Soviets or the Allies.
[20.3] Hungary
Hungarian Units are controlled by the Axis Player (or the OKH Player in the Four Player Campaign). They may not operate in the Northwest Europe or Med Theaters. They may be replaced using Axis Minor Replacements. They may not stack or attack with Romanian Units, or enter Romania. If forced to retreat into Romania they are eliminated. Hungary never surrenders.
[20.4] Greece
There are no Greek units in the game. Soviet units may never enter Greece. Axis Units in Greece are OOS for Attrition (only) if Bulgaria surrenders or if Yugoslavia contains no Axis units.
[20.5] Italy
Italian Units are controlled by the Axis Player (or the OKW Player in the Four Player Campaign, even in the East or Balkan Theaters). They may not operate in Northwest Europe. They may be replaced using Axis Minor Replacements. Italy surrenders at any time during the Allied Invasion Phase that the Allies control:
- Rome
- two or more Italian Cities
- one Italian City and two or more Towns When Italian Surrender is triggered remove all Italian Units from the game. The turn after Italian Surrender, the Axis Player receives the two Axis-Puppet Italian units in the Axis Reinforcement Segment; these must be placed in any towns or cities in Italy under Axis control. They are treated as replaceable Axis units for all purposes for the rest of the game but they must remain in Italy at all times.
The turn after Italy surrenders the Allies receive the one pro-Allied Italian unit in the Allied Reinforcement Segment. It must be placed in any hex in any Allied controlled Town or City in Italy. It is considered a replaceable US unit for the rest of the game but must remain in Italy at all times.
[20.6] Romania
Romanian Units are controlled by the Axis Player (or the OKH Player in the Four Player Campaign). They may not operate in the Northwest Europe or Med Theaters. They may be replaced using Axis Minor Replacements. They may not stack or attack with Hungarian Units, or enter Hungary. If forced to retreat into Hungary they are eliminated. Romania Surrenders at the start of any Soviet Reinforcement Segment that four or more Soviet units are in Supply in Romania. Remove all Axis Romanian units from play, and enter the Soviet Romanian Reinforcement Armies. They are treated as Soviet units and are placed on any unoccupied town or city in Romania. If none exist, they are placed the turn after such a hex is liberated (an exceptioin to normal reinforcement rules). From this point on all Towns and Cities in Romania are considered Soviet-controlled unless occupied by an Axis or Allied unit. Romanian Surrender immediately triggers Bulgarian surrender. (See 20.2) Romania also surrenders if an Allied unit occupies Bucharest. In this case permanently remove all Romanian units; the Soviet Romanian units do not enter play. Note Romania may only surrender once, to the Soviets or the Allies.
[20.7] Croatia
The Croatian Unit is controlled by the Axis Player (or the OKH Player in the Four Player Campaign). It may not operate in the Northwest Europe or Med Theaters. It cannot be replaced. It may stack or attack with all other Axis units, irrespective of nationality. The Croatian unit never surrenders.
[20.8] France
The two French Mountain Mechanised units arrive as reinforcements in the Med Box. They are treated as US units in every regard, including replacement points.
[20.9] Poland
The Polish unit which starts in the Med Box is treated as a British/CW unit in every regard, including for replacement points.
[20.10] Canada
The Canadian units are treated as British units in every regard, including for replacement points.
[21.0] Optional Rules
Although each of these optional rules has been tested, they obviously have play-balance implications when it comes to the Victory Conditions. Gamers should come up with an agreeable means of modifying the Victory Conditions in the light of the optional rules selected. Enjoy!
[21.1] More Flexible Allied Deployment
If gamers believe the limitation in 17.2b on Allied deployment of troops from the England Box to the Med Box to be too restrictive, replace with the following: Allied troops may be shifted from the England Box to the Med Box as per the Transit/replacement and reinforcement rules, but Beach-Head markers (CW, US, Allied) and the Mulberry marker may not be moved from the England Box to the Med Box.
[21.2] Weather
21.2a Weather: Winter For gamers who believe that there should be more recognition of the impact of Winter on the pace of military operations, use the following rule: all OKH, OKW and Stavka markers are deployed on the ‘Town’ side, irrespective of where they are actually placed. Thus small offensive operations will still be permissible, similar to a ‘Watch on the Rhine’. All other rules regarding purchase and placement apply. The turns affected are: Turns 4, 5, 10 & 11. SHAEF ranges are not affected, nor are normal Supply paths.
21.2b Weather: Invasions For gamers who believe that there should be more uncertainty as to the timing of any Allied invasion in the North-West Theater, replace the ban on attacks in March-April 1944 with a die-roll at the start of the turn. On a 1-4, the weather is still too inclement, and no invasion is allowed. On a 5-6, the invasion is allowed, but remember that only two units per Beach-Head are allowed, and that the Mulberry counter is not available until Turn 6.
[21.3] German Panzer Divisions
For gamers who believe that the German Panzer divisions (XX) are too powerful and give the Axis too much flexibility, or who want to balance out a game between two players of different experience, use the following rule: remove 1SS, 2SS & 3SS Panzer XX from 70.17 at game’s start and replace with the single counter A-8/4-8 1SS Pz XXX, placed in the same hex. Remove 9SS, 10SS & 12SS Panzer XX from the game in the Axis Reinforcement Segment of Turn 6, and replace with single B-8/3-8 2SS Panzer XXX in one of their hexes. In the latter case, if the three Panzer XX have suffered 3 or 4 step losses between them, the replacement unit is flipped. If the three Panzer XX have suffered 5 or 6 losses between them, the replacement unit is placed in the Axis Eliminated Box. Normal placement rules apply.
[21.4] Fog of war
Players are not allowed to look under the top unit of an enemy stack. Units are only revealed after a combat has been declared although a player may ask his opponent regarding the presence of a Mechanised
unit in a hex with regards to its projecting a ZOC in the Exploitation Phase. (See 6.5 & 16) The Allies can freely examine stacks containing German units in the Northwest and Med Fronts outside of Germany. (Ultra was based on wireless intercepts, and inside the Reich they would use landlines.)
[22.0] Unit Abbreviations
FHH – Feldernhalle G – Guard GD – Gross Deutschland GT – Guard Tank HG – Herman Goering LW – Luftwaffe SS – Schutzstaffel Tk – Tank
[23.0] Extended Example Of Play
In two ‘average’ turns, the general situation is as follows: the Western Allies have successfully captured Sicily [Turn 1], and invaded south of Naples [Turn 2]. That invasion succeeded, just, with the support of advancing Commonwealth units and with losses, not least the US 82nd Paratroop Division. (A ‘2’ on the Allied Invasion Table, with all modifiers cancelling each other out, generated a ‘By their Fingernails’ result.) German reinforcements have been rushed to occupy the Cassino line. The removal of Italian units following surrender sent German Mountain and Infantry Corps in to garrison the Balkans. Further precious forces are covering other possible invasion sites.
On the East Front, the attempted German break-through at Kursk failed, and a Soviet counter-offensive has begun to the north of the salient. Orel was captured on Turn 2, and will serve as a vital launchpad for the next offensive trying to drive a wedge between Army Group North and Army Group Center, being fundamental for the placement of STAVKA markers.
South of Kursk, Kharkov has been recaptured by the Soviets, and the German troops have been pushed back with losses. German, Romanian and Hungarian reinforcements have been sent to Army Group South, but the line remains fragile. Next targets for the Soviets? Kiev, crossing the Dnepr River in force and onward into Ukraine.
In the far north, forces from Leningrad have loosened the stranglehold of the German forces, and pushed on towards Narva.
The following is not intended as an example of optimum play… far from it! Hopefully it shows the range of options open to each side, and the trade-offs to be constantly weighed and evaluated.
1. Turn Marker Advance Phase
The Turn marker is moved into the Turn 3 box.
2. Reinforcement Phase
a. Axis Reinforcement Segment
Three German Corps are available; the Axis player decides to deploy the 2nd FJ Corps to Lvov, with a view to moving towards the Dnepr. The 72nd Corps arrives at Essen to strengthen the forces behind the Atlantic Wall in France. The 75th Corps arrives at Innsbruck, with options to move into Italy or to reinforce the Balkans.
Two Italian Axis-Allied units become available and are placed on town/city hexes in Italy, garrisoning invasion hexes.
b. Allied Reinforcement Segment
Two US Mechanized Corps arrive in the England Box whilst the 2nd Free French Mountain Corps arrives in the Med Box. The single pro-Allied Italian Corps is placed in an Allied-controlled town or city in Italy obeying stacking rules. The unit can only stack with US/French units, so the nearest possible location to the front line is Reggio!
c. Soviet Reinforcement Segment
There are no Soviet reinforcements this turn.
3. Strategic Air Phase
a. Axis Air Assignment Segment
Having suffered no losses last turn, the three Luftwaffe Air units are deployed as follows:
b. Allied Air Assignment Segment
With Foggia still in Axis hands, the Western Allies only have the Bomber Command unit to deploy, and thus the only worthwhile choice at this stage is for Factory Bombardment.
4. Replacement Phase
a. Allied Factory Bombardment Segment
The Western Allies roll a ‘1’ on the Target Factory Chart, inflicting no losses on the Germans and losing Bomber Command (and moved to the England Eliminated Box).
b. Allied Interdiction Bombardment Segment
No roll is made as no Allied units were available.
c. Axis Replacement Segment
The Germans have 8 Replacement Points available (2 Replacement Points multiplied by the 4 Factory hexes), as well as 2 RPs only usable for Minor Allies. A maximum of 4 RPs can be spent on Mechanized units this turn. 4 RPs are spent on bringing units back from the Eliminated Box and they are placed on the map obeying Stacking limits. The 3rd LW Corps cannot be replaced. The Germans spend the remaining 4 RPs on strengthening on-map units (as long as a maximum of 3 more RPs are spent on Mechanized units).
d. Allied Replacement Segment
There are 4 RPs for the Commonwealth. The reduced on-map 13th Mechanized Corps is strengthened; the Bomber Command unit is replaced (a US Replacement point could have been utilised instead) but the remaining points are forfeit because there are no other Commonwealth units available to be strengthened or rebuilt. The US brings back the 82nd Paratroop Division to the Med Box, and flips the reduced 6th Mechanized Corps, forfeiting their remaining Replacement Points as well.
e. Soviet Replacement Segment
All Soviet units have one-step so there are never on-map units to strengthen. All RPs (10 this turn) will be spent on bringing on units from the Eliminated Box. There are currently eight units there so all can be brought on and placed according to stacking limits. Two armies are sent to Leningrad whilst the 6th Gd Mechanized Army and three other armies are sent to the Kharkov area.
5. Allied Invasion Phase
a. Beach Head Placement Segment
There can be no invasion in Northwest Europe this turn (plus there are no available Beach-Head markers in the England Box). There are enough forces and Beach-Head markers in the Med Box to launch an invasion, but the Western Allied player believes leaving them as a threat-in-being, rather than showing his hand, will put more pressure on German forces who will have to cover multiple invasion hexes. Time will tell.
b. Invasion Resolution Segment
No invasions this turn.
c. Overwhelming Success Segment
Not applicable.
6. Axis OKW/OKH Phase
a. Allied Oil Bombardment Resolution Segment
No units are deployed/available to this, so the Axis will keep all 7 points to spend on OKH/OKW markers.
b. OKW/OKH Purchase Segment
The German player decides he needs a ‘2’ OKW marker, leaving 5 points to be spent in the Balkans and on the East Front. The ‘1’ and the ‘4’ OKH markers are selected.
c. OKW/OKH Placement Segment
The ‘2’ OKW marker is placed in Pescara (36.33) on its ‘Town’ side to allow for the withdrawal of units in Italy. The ‘1’ OKH marker is placed in the Balkans on Belgrade (46.29) on its ‘City’ side for a range of two hexes to launch a limited offensive against nearby Yugoslav Partisans. Finally the ‘4’ marker is placed in Dnepropetrovsk (69.23) on its ‘City’ side giving a range of 8 hexes – the retreat of Army Group South has become the most urgent priority in the East after the Soviet breakthrough on Turn 2.
7. Axis Action Phase
a. Axis Operational Movement Segment
Checking across the whole map, the Axis player notes that all units are in supply, so no penalties will be suffered this Segment. Foggia is abandoned; annoying as it will mean the arrival of the US 15th Air Force next turn, but it could not be held against the Allied forces now present in Italy. The German player also withdrew the 14th Panzer Corps to Rome – hoping that it will be available for transfer to the East Front during the Transit Segment. The 5th SS Mountain Corps was withdrawn to garrison 34.29 – the Allied strategy to create uncertainty has worked to a certain extent with this deployment. The remaining units in the Axis front line all occupy Fort hexes.
In the Balkans, the German player activates forces close to Belgrade to close in on the Yugoslavian Mountain Army. Three Corps will spearhead the partisan sweep. The Hungarian 3rd Army, although adjacent, will not be able to attack as it is not within the 2-hex range of the OKH marker. However, its presence and ZOC will prevent the Yugoslav unit from being able to withdraw after combat.
On the East Front, the fighting withdrawal of Army Group South takes priority with minor corrections of the front line elsewhere. Enemy ZOCs are very effective in pinning infantry units to the front line, so the German player decides to launch two local counter-attacks to straighten the front line and manage the withdrawal of important units.
Elsewhere reinforcing units are brought to the front, but there is still a noticeable lack of reserves. Redirecting and activating forces to launch that offensive in the Balkans has been a tough call. The Axis player will start with an attack by the 40th and 24th Panzer Corps against the 3rd Gd Army. Next the 1st SS Panzer Division and 3rd Panzer Corps in 69.18 will attempt to at least push back the 5th Gd Tank Army, leaving Soviet forces in 69.19 out of supply and unable to retreat.
That will allow the 57th Panzer & 42nd Infantry Corps to attack the 52nd and 1st Gd Mechanised Armies and hopefully destroy them. Further north, the German player would have been delighted to co-ordinate a fighting withdrawal around Orel but a lack of OKH points and the proximity of a city hex meant that it could not be managed with available logistic support and staff work. The German player hopes that the withdrawal can be conducted during the Axis Reaction Segment once the necessary planning is completed and, crucially, when Soviet attacks elsewhere have been deflected.
b. Axis Combat Segment
Starting in the Balkans, the Germans roll a ‘3’ for Corps strength and so the three C grade corps total 9 against 6 (the Yugoslavian Mountain Army adds two to its strength for the mountain hex), so the attack is therefore resolved on the ‘+2, +3’ column. A die-roll of ‘6’ results in a ‘DR’ result – the Yugoslavian unit cannot retreat without going through an un-negated EZOC and so is eliminated. Advance is possible but the German player declines the option.
On the East Front, the 40th and 24th Panzer Corps roll a ‘5’ for combat strength – there is a +1 modifier as the German player is using the Luftwaffe unit based in the East – it will be marked as used at the end of the Combat Phase by flipping it to its ‘used’ side. Thus the Germans gain an attack of 2:1 odds and roll a ‘3’ – ‘DR’ pushing back the 3rd Gd Mechanised Army two hexes and allowing an advance, which the German player declines.
Next, the 1st SS Panzer Division and 3rd Panzer Corps attack; a strength die-roll of ‘3’, plus one for the Luftwaffe generates an attack of 12 verses 5 – just missing the 2.5:1 column. The die-roll of ‘1’ results in a ‘AA’ – the German player elects to destroy one step, flipping the 1st SS Panzer Division, and causing the destruction of the 5th Gd Tank Army. No advance is possible, so the Soviet units in hex 69.19 remain in supply.
The final attack sees the 57th Panzer and 42nd Infantry Corps combine. A German strength roll of ‘2’, plus one for the Luftwaffe, results in odds of ‘>1:2’. The die-roll of ‘4’ gives a ‘Aex’ result. All German units are eliminated bar one (as only two contributed then only the 42nd Infantry Corps goes to the Eliminated Box); the defender must lose one step if the attacker did, so the 57th Army also goes to the Soviet Eliminated Box. With no advance or retreat being possible, the 1st SS Panzer Division and 3rd Panzer Corps remain in dire trouble.
8. Allied/Soviet Reaction Phase
a. Allied Reaction Segment
I Movement Step
The Allies place their Reaction marker in hex 37.34; with both the US 2nd and 6th Mechanised Corps within range (even when using the Reaction column of the TEC) and in supply. They will enter 37.34 to attack the eastern end of the Cassino Line. Foggia (hex 38.34) is now Allied-friendly, so the US 15th Air Force will be available next turn. It is placed on the TRT as a reminder.
II Combat Step
The German 64th Infantry Corps (under the OKW marker) rolls a ‘3’, modified by a +1 for the Luftwaffe unit in the Med Air Box for an overall strength of ‘4’; to this are added ‘2’ for the Mountain terrain, and a column shift for the presence of the Fort. So, 10 verses 6 (initially the ‘+4, +5’column) becomes ‘>1:2’. A die-roll of ‘6’ brings a result of ‘AA’; the Allied player chooses to eliminate one step from the US 6th Corps, eliminating the German 64th Infantry, but not generating an advance – the Fort remains. The Luftwaffe unit in the Mediterranean Air Box is flipped to its ‘used’ side.
b. Soviet Reaction Segment
I Movement Step
The Stavka marker is placed on hex 71.19, activating the 33rd, 69th and 6th Gd Mechanised Armies. They all advance to hex 69.20 to attack the 57th Panzer Corps.
II Combat Step
With the Luftwaffe Air unit used, an unmodified strength die-roll of ‘3’ results in a strength of ‘3’ for the Panzers. The town of Poltava provides no bonus. Odds are 9:3, or 3:1. A die-roll of ‘5’ gives a ‘De’ result: all defending steps are eliminated and one attacking step – the 69th Army is sent to the Eliminated Box. The attackers can advance, and the 6th Gd Mechanised Army moves into Poltava while the 33rd Army remains in hex 69.20.
9. Axis Attrition Phase
Through some fortunate die-rolling and questionable Soviet Reaction marker placement, all Axis units remain in Supply, and so units are lost to Attrition.
10. Axis Exploitation Movement Phase
Axis Mechanized units within range of an OKW/OKH marker can now move again, using the Exploitation column of the Terrain Effects Chart. All units are found to be in supply, but the 1st SS Panzer Division and 3rd Panzer Corps remain in a tenuous position.
In Italy, the lack of an Allied advance means that the 2 OKW marker remained in place (had the Allies been able to advance, the marker and the Fort would have been removed – resulting in no Exploitation capability in Italy, forcing the front wide open). As it is, the HG Panzer Division can just make it to hex 36.33 (+1 for the river, 3 MPs for the Mountain, 3MPs for the second Mountain hex – 7MPs in total).
In the East, the 2nd and 3rd SS Panzer Divisions are transferred south to secure the line, whilst the 24th Panzer Corps moves north to plug the gap.
11. Clean-up Phase
The Axis player removes all OKH/OKW markers on the map. The Allied player removes his SHAEF Reaction marker. The Soviet player his STAVKA Reaction marker.
12. Allied/Soviet Action Phase
a. Allied Operational Movement Segment
I SHAEF Placement Step
The Western Allies have no major supply concerns at the moment. The ‘4’-range SHAEF marker goes from Sicily to the Beach-Head at Salerno, easily projecting supply to the Allied units based in Italy. This turn will see the Allied capture of Naples with its ‘x4’ range multiplier. Thus the larger SHAEF markers can be withdrawn for Operation Overlord, a beachhead in the Balkans, or some other such escapade. The ‘3’ SHAEF marker is moved back to the SHAEF box.
II Allied Movement Step
The British/CW forces close up on the Western side of Italy, occupying Naples and preparing to attack the 76th Panzer Corps. In the East, the weakened US forces bide their time – reinforcements will be needed before they can launch a serious assault; the pro-Allied Italian Corps moves up from the toe of Italy to garrison Foggia.
b. Soviet Operational Movement Segment
I Stavka Placement Step
All four STAVKA markers are placed on cities for maximum range. The ‘4’ marker on Orel (doubled to ‘8’ – with the marker flipped as a reminder); the ‘3’ on Kharkov; the ‘2’ on Leningrad (each flipped to their ‘city side’). Finally the flipped ‘1’ marker goes on Novorossiysk on the off-chance that the Soviets want to attack across the Kerch Straits.
II Soviet Movement Step
Soviet forces mass in the Leningrad area to finally lift the siege (and ideally gain a VP hex). The ‘8’ range STAVKA marker at Orel allows for local attacks near Smolensk as well as a more widespread offensive in the Orel region itself. Ideally these attacks will force the Axis player to commit piece-meal reserves and be unable to concentrate opposite Army Group South. The Soviets reposition Mechanised forces in the Kharkov region for maximum strength, hoping to destroy and/or cut off significant Axis forces in the region and be prepared for the crossing of the Dnepr next turn.
In the Balkans two Yugoslav Mountain Armies combine south of Belgrade to attack the 9th SS Mountain Corps.
c. Allied Combat Segment
I Allied Carpet Bombing Step
No Allied Air unit has been designated for Carpet Bombing, so nothing happens in this Step.
II Allied Combat Step
The one Western Allied attack is launched by Commonwealth forces against the 76th Panzer Corps. It is far from ideal, and will be a tough battle, but Replacements are available, and a lucky die-roll may make all the difference. Thus the 5th, 10th and 13th Mechanised Corps (attack strength of 15) combine to attack; the Germans who roll a ‘6’ on the Corps Combat Strength Table; to this is added ‘+1’ for the rough terrain, and ‘+1’ for the attack being launched across a minor river hex-side. 15 to 8 starts in the ‘+6<’ column, but is shifted one odds column to the left for the presence of the Fort. The final column used will be the ‘>1:2’ column. The die-roll of ‘4’ generates a result of ‘Aex’ – the Commonwealth remove 5 steps and contact Churchill with trepidation. The Germans remove one, breathe a sigh of relief, and there is no Advance. Waiting for the US 15th Air Force, and using it for Carpet Bombing might have been a better idea.
d. Soviet Combat Segment
Hoping to compensate for the costly Allied attack in Italy, the Soviets go all-out in the East. The first attack is adjacent to Leningrad. The Germans rolled a ‘5’ for their Corps Combat Strength, adding ‘+1’ for the Forest, totalling ‘9’. Against the Soviet units in Leningrad and hex 63.00 combine for ‘15’. The attack goes ahead on the ‘+6<’ column and a die-roll of ‘4’ gives a result of ‘DR’. German forces retreat two hexes, and can do so because of the presence of the 4th SS Panzer Corps in hex 61.01 through which the retreating unit can travel. They end up in hex 60.00 with the 50th Infantry Corps.
The attack close to Smolensk sees the 4th Shock and 10th Gd Mechanised Armies attack the 11th Infantry Corps in forest terrain. The German strength roll results in a defence of ‘3’ to which ‘1’ is added for terrain. The attack goes in at ‘2.5:1’ and a roll of ‘5’ gains an ‘EX’. The 11th Infantry is sent to the Eliminated Box, as is the Soviet 4th Shock Army. The 10th Gd Mechanised Army advances.
The 5th, 20th and 31st Armies combine to attack the 27th Corps; 6 v 4 (after a Strength die-roll of ‘6’); the combat takes place on the ‘+2,+3’ column. A roll of ‘6’ gives a result of ‘DR’ and the Axis unit retreats via 64.10 (as the Retreat Compass is over-ruled if an EZOC is projected into the preferred hex). The Soviets advance into the hex.
North of Orel, considerable Soviet forces (four Infantry Armies and a Tank Army) attempt to destroy the lone 55th Infantry Corps. A result of ‘5’ on the 4:1 column generates a ‘DE’ result and the Soviets advance.
Then the 4th Tank and 11th Gd Mechanised Armies attack the German 7th Infantry Corps. After all die-rolls, a result of ‘5’ on the 2.5:1 gives an ‘EX’ result. The German unit is destroyed, as are both of the Soviet Armies and all are sent to their respective Eliminated Boxes.
North-East of Kharkov, the 1st Gd Tank, 3rd and 5th Mechanised Armies attack the 47th Panzer Corps. The CRT gives a result of ‘Dex’; the Panzer Corps takes a step loss and retreats one hex. The Soviets take a loss and advance with the 5th Gd Mechanised Army.
In the final action on the East Front, the 1st and 8th Gd Mechanised Armies combined with the 33rd Army to attack the 40th Panzer Corps in 68.20. A ‘4:1’ attack and a die-roll of ‘5’ gives a ‘DE’ result. Two of the Soviet armies advance into the hex.
Meanwhile in the Balkans, the 1st and 2nd Yugoslavian Mountain Armies attack with a strength of ‘8’. The Germans rolled a ‘1’ on the Corps Combat Strength Table, giving a strength of ‘2’. Added to this is the benefit of defending in a mountain hex, giving a total of 4. At 2:1 odds, the Soviets roll a ‘5’ – ‘Dex’. The SS Mountain Corps, being a one-step unit, retreats one hex. With no step losses for the Axis, the Yugoslavian forces suffer no losses but can and do advance.
13. Axis Reaction Phase
a. OKW Reaction Segment
I OKW Movement Step
Back in Italy, a reasonably calm German player considers his options. Attacking Naples is tempting, but actually serves no purpose other than to appease Hitler as Allied Supply would still be sent via the Beach-Head. Consolidating the front line, and organising to create the least favourable situation for expected Allied attacks is the order of the day. Tempting though it is to use the 14th Panzer Corps for a counter-attack, it is needed more desperately for the East Front and so is kept in Rome to travel in the Transit Phase. This analysis sees the OKW marker placed in hex 34.34. The depleted 76th Panzer Corps pulls back one hex, abandoning the Fort for a more secure position.
II OKW Combat Step
No combats
b. OKH Reaction Segment
I OKH Movement Step
Wow – quite a lot to take in and so many deserving options for the OKH. After some deliberation, the Axis player decides to attempt the recapture of Orel placing the marker in 68.13. The Soviet 60th and 65th Infantry Armies in 69.15 do not project a ZOC into hex 69.14 during this Segment. Both 41st and 46th Panzer Corps can withdraw from their current position and move to 68.13, joining the 3rd SS Panzer Corps coming from 66.12. The Axis player decides to keep the 39th Panzer Corps in place, thereby retaining a decent front line, in case the counter-attack goes horribly wrong.
II OKH Combat Step
After rolling on the Corps Combat Strength Table, the three Panzer Corps have a combined strength of 12, against a Soviet strength of 6 (5 for the 3rd Gd Tank Army, and +1 for the city); odds of 2:1 bring a result of ‘DR’ – the Soviets retreat 2 hexes and the 3rd SS Panzer Corps advances into Orel. The ‘8’ STAVKA marker is returned to its Box – creating a serious problem for Soviet movement in the Exploitation Phase.
14. Allied/Soviet Attrition Phase
a. Allied Attrition Segment
The cautious Allied advance up the Italian peninsula leaves no units out of supply, so none fall victim to attrition.
b. Soviet Attrition Segment
Nearly all Soviet units can trace supply to the East map edge directly, or via a Line of Supply. The remaining few units in the far North trace to the North Map edge instead to the East of Leningrad. Thus, there are no losses to attrition.
15. Allied/Soviet Exploitation Phase
a. Allied Exploitation Movement Segment
The depleted British 13th Mechanised Corps advances into hex 35.35 and dismantles the Fort marker.
b. Soviet Exploitation Movement Segment
The Soviets can only achieve a limited redeployment of local forces. Unit losses and the Axis recapture of Orel limit their options considerably. Stalin fumes and ‘requests’ a meeting at your earliest convenience.
16. Strategic Transit Phase
a. Allied Transit Bombing Segment
No Allied Air unit has been designated for Transit Bombing, so Axis Transit allowances remain unaffected.
b. Axis Strategic Transit Segment
With 4 Transit points in each theatre, the Axis player can move around a substantial number of units, plugging gaps and trying to amass concentrations of units capable of counter-attacking. In this Segment, the 14th Panzer Corps transits from Rome to Dnepropetrovsk (and counts as one Transit Point against each Theater); the 2nd FJ Corps moves from Lvov to Cherkassy (one East Transit point expended); the 23rd Infantry Corps is moved from Dvinsk to Bryansk and the final East Transit Point is spent moving the 1st Hungarian Army from Chernivtsi to Kiev. Elsewhere the 75th Infantry Corps is transferred from Innsbruck to Rome to garrison.
Finally, the two Infantry Corps refitting at Essen are moved into France to reinforce the Atlantic Wall – one to the Fort in Cherbourg, the other to Le Havre.
c. Allied Strategic Transit Segment
For the Western Allies, the assault on France is only a couple of turns away. Having all Beach-heads, Paratroop Units and substantial ground forces in the correct Box will be essential. Two Beach-head markers are sent to England with the British 1st and US 82nd Paratroop Divisions. The last of their six Transit Points takes the British 30th and Polish 2nd Mechanised Corps to Naples to replace heavy Commonwealth losses taken during the turn.
d. Soviet Strategic Transit Segment
For the Soviets, keeping some powerful units out of the front line but based on towns or cities allows them to deploy these units to the front line at this point in the turn, exploiting and reinforcing any successes, or shifting the focus to a hitherto quiet part of the front, potentially influencing Axis deployments next turn. The Soviet player redeploys the 5th Shock Army from Stalino to Kursk, joining the 3rd and 46th Armies from Belgorod. Finally, the 53rd Army remains in Moscow to keep Stalin safe.
17. Victory Check Phase
a. Victory Point Segment
The Western Allies have occupied no VP hexes yet. The Soviets have 2VPs; hex 62.00 captured this turn and Kharkov. Thus the Western Allies/Soviet combined total is 2 – there’s a long way to go to achieve victory, and only 9 turns in which to do it.
18. Clean-up Phase
STAVKA markers are returned to the STAVKA Box; the Axis OKH and OKW Reaction markers are returned to their respective Boxes as well.
Looking ahead…
Both sides are squaring up for more titanic battles on the East Front – for the Axis they have to damage the Soviets enough to allow a proper build-up of forces in France to counter the expected Allied invasion. For the Soviets it is about exploiting their strength and cutting off Axis forces.
Despite the set-back last turn, the Western Allies are in a reasonable position – the arrival of their Strategic Air units can make a profound difference on the whole Axis war machine.
Charts
Units Description Chart
Unit counter layout: unit size (xxxx Army, xxx Corps, xx Division) at top; set-up notation/reinforcement turn; unit identification (for historical purposes only); Attack Strength - Defense strength (if different from attack strength) - Movement Potential. Some units have a symbol (a downward triangle) showing it cannot be replaced. Many German units have a letter instead of an Attack/Defence Strength; see 13.2B for details on how this works in the game.
Combat Unit Symbols
- Infantry, Mountain, Shock, Paratroop: treated as Infantry
- Tank/Panzer, Mechanised, Mechanised Mountain: treated as Mechanised for Exploitation Movement purposes, see 12.1B
Unit Size
- xxxx – Army
- xxx – Corps
- xxx(-) – reduced strength Corps
- xx – Division
- xx(-) – reduced strength Division
Victory Points Hexes Chart
| City | Hex |
|---|---|
| Paris | 21.17 |
| Marseille | 22.28 |
| Amsterdam | 27.11 |
| Strasbourg | 28.18 |
| Essen | 29.13 |
| Milan | 29.25 |
| Dortmund | 30.13 |
| Rome | 33.33 |
| Hamburg | 34.09 |
| Munich | 34.20 |
| Trieste | 36.26 |
| Berlin | 38.12 |