The Forgotten Battles: The Battle for Belorussia Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 General Special Rules
  • 1.1 Map & Terrain
  • 1.2 Railroads
  • 1.3 Air Bases
  • 1.4 Army Group North/South Markers
  • 1.5 Pontoon Units
  • 1.6 Special Units
  • 1.7 Reinforcements
  • 1.8 Weather
  • 1.9 Special Events
  • 1.10 The Armies
• 2.0 Axis Special Rules
  • 2.1 Supply and Reinforcements
  • 2.2 Luftwaffe
  • 2.3 Axis HQ Capabilities
  • 2.4 Axis Miscellany
  • 2.5 Axis Allies
• 3.0 Soviet Special Rules
  • 3.1 Supply and Reinforcements
  • 3.2 Red Air Force
  • 3.3 Front HQs
  • 3.4 Artillery Barrage Markers
  • 3.5 RVGK
  • 3.6 Special Truck Extenders
  • 3.7 Partisans
  • 3.8 Red Army Penal Assault Units
  • 3.9 Guard Cavalry Corps
  • 3.11 Emergency STAVKA Reserves
  • 3.10 UR Brigades
• 4.0 Optional Rules
  • 4.1 Combining TFB with The Third Winter
  • 4.2 Jansen Fueling Rule
  • 4.3 Series Optional Rules
  • 4.4 Stay in Trace
  • 4.5 Soviet Intel
• 5.0 Victory Conditions
• Abbreviations
• Special Event Table
• Component Notes

1.0 General Special Rules

1.1 Map & Terrain

There are four maps labeled A through D. Hexes are identified by a map letter and number, e.g., hex B18.18 is the southern city hex of Vitebsk.

1.1a Terrain Effects Chart. The movement and combat effects of the various terrain types are explained in the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC).

1.1b Hedgehogs. Hedgehogs may not be built above Level-2. They are reduced by one level when captured.

1.2 Railroads

Railroad lines are either Soviet gauge (broad gauge) or German gauge (standard gauge). The Axis may only use German gauge lines and the Soviets may only use Soviet gauge. Players change the gauge of these lines using Rail Repair units, per series rule 13.3f. Some map-edge rail hexes automatically convert to Soviet gauge during the game; see 1.4.

During the Soviet Player's Clean Up Phase, any rail hex more than 10 hexes from an in-Trace Axis combat unit and connected to the Soviet rail network is automatically converted to Soviet gauge (ignore units being supplied by a Kessel HQ.)

1.2a Off-Map Rail. Either player can use their Rail Capacity to rail cargo off and back on any of their map-edges. The only hexes that can be used for this purpose are those capable of normal rail movement for that player. Only Soviet units in the AGN or AGS boxes may end the Movement Phase off-map (see 1.4).

1.3 Air Bases

1.3a Air Base Refit. There is NO supply cost to refit Air Bases which are in Trace Supply. Air Bases which are not in Trace or Axis Air Bases which can receive Trace only from a Kessel HQ must pay the normal 1T cost from on-map supply to refit.

1.3b Air Strips. Either player may build and use Air Strips (OCS 15.2) up to the limits of the counter mix.

1.3c HQ Fighter Hosting. Any Combat Mode HQ (except Kessel HQ) has the capacity to base and refit one Fighter. This "hosting" operates as if an Air Strip is present in the hex, except that it has a stacking limit of one Fighter, cannot be used to unload cargo, and cannot be upgraded. Whenever the HQ enters Move Mode the inherent Air Strip ceases to exist. Any air units in the hex at that point roll on the Air Base Capture Table (9.14f). Because no more than one Air Base can ever exist in a single hex, the presence of a regular Air Base cancels this hosting capability.

1.4 Army Group North/South Markers

These markers are used when playing TFB without combining it with The Third Winter or the planned The Hero City. The AGS marker moves along the southern edge of maps C and D per the Axis reinforcement chart to indicate Army Group South's front line. The AGN marker moves along the northern edge of maps A and B per the Axis reinforcement chart to indicate Army Group North's front line. Rail edge hexes on or east of the markers are Soviet supply sources, and those to the west are Axis supply sources. When the markers occupy or move to the west of a rail edge hex, that hex automatically converts to Soviet gauge. The marker positions are listed in the OOA. They move at the start of the indicated Axis Player Turn. Soviet units may exit the northern or southern edge of the map from any road or rail and re-enter the following turn on a hex anywhere on the same map edge to the east of the relevant marker as if they were Reinforcements. Displace any Axis units 1 hex to allow arriving units to be placed on the map. Place units which have exited in this way in the respective off-map box. Units in these boxes do not require supply. They may not remain in the box beyond the next Soviet Reinforcement Phase.

1.5 Pontoon Units

Both sides can use Pontoon units to facilitate river crossings. Pontoon units, whether DG or not, that are oriented to Combat Mode create a "Pontoon Track Bridge" for friendly units across all adjacent Major and Minor River hexsides, as if a "Track" is crossing the river. These Pontoon Track Bridges disappear if the Pontoon unit leaves the hex. This Pontoon Track Bridge connects the hex the Pontoon occupies to all other transportation lines (per OCS 6.2a). Map-printed bridges are unaffected by the presence of a Pontoon Track Bridge. Optional "Pontoons" markers are included in the game as a play aid.

Play Note: The Pontoon Track Bridge that is created makes the cost to enter the hex across the bridged river 1 MP in most weather conditions (see TEC). Note also that OCS 6.1d applies, so if a unit with Track or Truck MA crosses the river into a swamp hex, it will need to use a road, track or rail when exiting that hex.

1.6 Special Units

1.6a German Flak and Soviet AA Units. Both sides deployed substantial anti-aircraft assets during the campaign. To reflect their impact, these units add a Flak Die Roll Modifier (DRM) when in Combat Mode. Only one flak unit per hex may provide this DRM, with a Flak battalion/regiment providing a +1 and an AA division a +2. These DRMs are printed on the counter.

Play Note: Players sometimes overlook the fact that Soviet AA units are multi-step divisions and must use the Single Unit Method for fueling (OCS 12.5c (C)) when in Move Mode.

1.6b Rail Movement Units. The Soviet player has one rail artillery unit, and the Axis player has several rail Flak units. These act normally except for the following:

The units may only move by rail. They may start and end their move in any rail hex of the proper gauge that isn't in an EZOC (the hex does not have to be detrainable). If the unit moves, flip it to its "rr" side. Flip the unit over to its regular side in the player's next Mode Determination & Movement Phase. Rail Movement units forced to retreat after combat are destroyed. Their movement does not require any of a player's Rail Capacity.

1.6c Special Assault Units. Assault Engineer units were used to spearhead attacks on cities (major or minor), forts, hedgehogs, and across rivers. The printed Action Rating is only for attacks into/across a hex or hexside that includes these types of terrain. For any other purpose (attacking a hex without these terrain types, defending, attrition, etc.) the printed Action Rating is reduced by 1.

1.6d Artillery Divisions. The Soviets possess multi-step artillery and Rocket Artillery (Katyusha) divisions. Defense strength is the current RE value, and Barrage Strength should be reduced in proportion to losses. For example, an 84-factor, 3-RE unit with 1 loss has a Defense strength of 2 and a Barrage Strength of 84 x 2/3 = 56. These artillery divisions may fire each RE independently, as if equal units of 1 RE were in the hex. Divide the Barrage Strength by the RE to determine the strength per RE.

1.6e Breakdown Counters. The counter mix is intentionally limited. Soviet Guards (including Airborne) units use Guards Breakdowns. Axis Luftwaffe and SS Mountain units must use Breakdowns of their respective unit type.

1.7 Reinforcements

There are two types of reinforcements—those obtained from each player's Replacements Table and the ones listed on each player's Order of Arrival.

1.7a Replacements. Each player rolls on their Replacements Table during their Reinforcement Phase.

Rebuild Restrictions. Physical Pax and Eq units are not used. Instead, they are regarded as being present a hex with an HQ (German) or in the RVGK Box (Soviet). The handling of each player's ground unit rebuilds is as follows:

• Flexible Axis Rebuilds. Axis Replacements, including Special Replacements (SR) and Breakout returns, are placed with any non-Kessel HQ of the appropriate nationality that is in Trace supply (see 2.1b). The HQ must be in Combat Mode, or else be in DG Mode and oriented toward Combat Mode. Alert units (2.4c) may also arrive at any Kessel HQ. A multi-step unit which has taken step losses follows this process and can do so it is located within 2 hexes of a qualifying HQ.
• Rigid Soviet Rebuilds. All Soviet rebuilds are done in the RVGK-3 Box. See 3.5 RVGK.

Replacement Table Results. Replacements are used per OCS 13.5, and the Rebuild Charts included in each Player's Booklet.

• "Air" One air replacement can rebuild a reduced on-map air unit back to full strength or rebuild one air unit at full strength from the dead pile. They cannot be saved for future use.
• "Eq" Receive the number of Eq indicated. There is an Action Rating (AR) value indicated. Rebuild a unit from the dead pile with that AR value or lower. Note: Eq cannot be used to rebuild aircraft or Axis Tiger units. Eq may be used to rebuild Soviet Artillery or Mortar Regiments which are part of a multi-unit formation. Eq cannot be saved for later use.
• "Pax" Receive this number of Pax. Pax may be saved for later use. Axis Pax are considered to be located at any non-Kessel HQ of the appropriate nationality that is in Trace supply.
• "Ally" Pax that can only be used to rebuild Hungarian units. These may be saved for later use.

1.7b Special Replacements. If there is a "Yes" in the Special Repl column of the Replacements Table, the player also rolls on their Special Replacements Table for "free" builds.

• "Alert" (Axis) Place one randomly chosen unit from the indicated Alert pool if available (see 2.4c). There are three separate Alert unit pools, one for "PG or AG" units, one for Flak units, and one for "Infantry" (includes cavalry units).
• "Arty" (Axis & Soviet) Rebuild one Artillery (Arty, Mortar, or Katy/Werfer) step (not an entire division), including Artillery or Mortar Regiments which are part of a multi-unit formation.
• "AT" (Soviet) Rebuild one Anti-Tank Brigade.
• "Assault" (Soviet) Rebuild one Special Assault unit (1.6c).
• "AA" (Soviet) Rebuild one AA Division (1.6a).
• "Hog" (Axis & Soviet) Place a Level-1 Hedgehog or increase a Level-1 to Level-2 Hedgehog in any hex in trace supply. "Hog" results cannot increase a Garrison unit's Hog level (see 2.4a).
• "HQ" (Soviet) Rebuild one HQ unit.
• "Partisan" (Soviet) Place a Partisan Brigade face-down on the map (see 3.7a).
• "Pontoon" (Soviet) Rebuild one pontoon Brigade.
• "Tiger" (Axis) Rebuild one Tiger unit. These may be saved for later use only if a unit is not available in the Dead Pile. A counter is provided to track accumulated Tiger Repls.

Except for Tiger steps, all Special Replacements are "use or lose" on the turn in which they are received. Soviet players note "Special Replacement Priority" procedure description in the Soviet Player Book.

1.7c Arrival Schedules. Each Player Booklet provides a chronological Order of Appearance and Withdrawal (OOA).

Arrivals. Each entry indicates where the units appear.

Withdrawals. When a unit is called on to be "Withdrawn" by the arrival chart, it or a unit with identical factors is immediately removed from play. The exceptions are HQs and components of a multi-unit formation, which require that specific unit to be removed. Make withdrawals regardless of a unit's current situation (even if in the Dead Pile, one step remaining, or surrounded). Fuel is not needed to exit the map (no actual movement is conducted), but internal stocks must be replenished (deducted from the next Supply Table arrival).

1.8 Weather

1.8a Weather. Weather affects air operations, ground conditions and combat as per the weather tables. Weather is determined each turn by rolling first for Ground Conditions (one die) and then Flight Conditions (two dice). Use the row for the current date or Ground Condition and read across to find the result in the column with the number rolled. The full effects of each weather type result are given on the Weather Table.

• Weather on the first turn of a scenario is pre-determined (per the scenario General Information).
• Campaign scenarios may end early. During the Weather Determination Phase if Mud is rolled as the ground condition for three consecutive turns during April 1944, the game ends immediately—at the moment of the third Mud weather roll.

1.8b Deep Freeze. This weather condition, first seen in GBII and Case Blue is included in a simplified format for this game. Deep Freeze simulates Blizzard conditions and operational shut down.

Deep Freeze affects units in several ways:

• A Deep Freeze turn is played as a simulcast turn (OCS 2.4).
• Movement uses Freeze terrain costs, adding +1 MP for every hex entered. Rail Movement happens normally.
• Out of Supply units roll for attrition with a +2 modifier.
• Units may not Breakout.
• Units may not perform Construction (OCS 13.8d).
• Flight conditions are automatically "No Flight." Air Bases refit Air Units at half the normal rate.

1.8c Ice River Condition. It takes 3 consecutive turns of Freeze or Deep Freeze for Rivers and Lakes to freeze and become "Ice" in the game. Use the "Freeze" TEC effects for this terrain until then. Once "Ice" occurs it requires three consecutive Mud or Dry turns for the "Ice" effects to stop. For example, if the Weather roll generates "Freeze" or "Deep Freeze" on 29 Dec, 1 Jan and 5 Jan, the "Ice" condition takes effect at the start of the Jan 8 turn, regardless of what that turn's Weather roll is.

During "Ice" River Conditions, treat Lakes as Open terrain, except that Blocked hexsides remain impassable. Minor Rivers have no effect. Major Rivers have reduced effect.

1.9 Special Events

Special Events are used in all campaign games but not during smaller scenarios. Every third turn (marked with an asterisk on the turn record), roll two dice. A Special Event takes place on a result of 8 or higher. If so, consult the Special Event table on page 27. Some events may occur only once per game, and some have specific preconditions.

1.10 The Armies

Soviet units are:

• Red Army (tan)
• Guards (red-tan)
• Red Air Force (orange-tan)
• Guards Aircraft (red-tan)
• Partisan (brown)

Axis units are:

• Wehrmacht (gray)
• Waffen-SS (black)
• Luftwaffe (light blue)
• Lithuanian (dark gray)
• Hungarian (steel blue)
• Slovak (green)
• Ost (pale yellow)

"German" collectively refers to Wehrmacht, Waffen SS, and Luftwaffe units.

Some units have colored unit type boxes indicating a specific nationality or NKVD. These are for historical interest and have no play effect.

2.0 Axis Special Rules

2.1 Supply and Reinforcements

2.1a Axis Supply Sources. Rail hexes on the west edge of maps A and C are Axis supply sources, as are rail hexes on the south edge of maps C and D which are west of the AGS marker, and rail hexes on the north edge of maps A and B which are west of the AGN marker.

2.1b Axis Unit Arrivals. New or rebuilt air units appear Active at any Air Base in Trace supply. Per the Axis Arrival Chart, new ground units appear at specific Entry Hexes, or at Army or Army Group HQ locations, as long as these HQ locations are detrainable hexes. Exceptions and special handling:

• Replacement Table Rebuilds and Breakout returns are placed per 1.7a. Alert units (2.4c) may also arrive at any Kessel HQ (2.3a).
• SP are placed per the Supply Table notes. Placement requires no Rail Cap expenditure. Increments of 1T or 2T of the amount received may be placed at as many in-Trace Axis controlled Air Bases as desired (note 1.3a, but players may still want SP at some Air Base locations).
• Some Special Events provide a player additional SP to be placed as directed. This is in addition to SP received from the Supply Table.
• Note that reinforcements can entrain in an arrival hex that has a German gauge railroad (per OCS 13.6b).

2.1c Emergency Reinforcements.

• If Vitebsk (both B18.18 and B18.19) is captured by the Soviet player, then the Axis player has the option to deploy several units from Army Group G, per the Order of Arrival. However, exercising this option awards the Soviet player 1 VP.
• If Soviet units move within 5 hexes of Kovel (C14.12), then the Axis player may deploy the units indicated on their Order of Arrival. This does not award any VP to the Soviet player.

2.2 Luftwaffe

2.2a Hip Shoots. The Luftwaffe's Ju.87D and Hs.129 units are the only aircraft in the game allowed to Hip Shoot.

2.2b Luftflotte HQ. Each Axis Army Group on the Eastern Front had an associated Air Fleet. Luftflotte 6 was assigned to Army Group Center. It and its assigned air units are identifiable by the yellow-orange color stripe on the HQ and counters. Note: This rule assumes greater significance when linking TFB with TTW and the forthcoming The Hero City.

A Luftflotte HQ Marker has these characteristics:

• It must be located in a friendly Village, City, or a friendly Air Base, a minimum of 10 hexes from an in-Trace Soviet combat unit.
• A Luftflotte HQ may be moved during the Axis Movement Phase. It must be moved immediately if a Soviet combat unit comes within 10 hexes. Just pick it up and place it in a valid hex per above; there is no MP cost.
• It has no Flak DRM.
• Once per game, each Luftflotte HQ can place SP on the map in any friendly hex within 60 hexes, representing the use of finite airlift capability. Place either 2 SP on an Air Base or 1 SP in a non-air base hex. This is not an air mission and is not affected by enemy air unit presence or EZOC, but cannot be done on a "No Flight" turn. The counter's front side (with the "1") indicates it has not yet done this - after using this ability, flip the counter to its "0" side. This SP is over and above those received from the Supply Table.

2.2c Mission Hex Limits. The mission hex for Axis air units conducting Barrage, Fighter Sweep, or Trainbusting missions cannot be further than 60 hexes from a Luftflotte HQ Marker. Note: this rule anticipates combination with other games where several Luftflotte HQs will be in play.

2.2d Air Drop Limits. Only the German Brandenburger parachute unit may be air dropped (2.4k) and it can do so only once. Air Drop missions to deliver Supply Points are unaffected.

2.2e Tank-Busters. The Hs.129 unit is designated as a Tank-Buster, denoted with a red Barrage Strength. Germany developed several aircraft with anti-tank cannons to help counter Soviet armor.

A) Tank-Busters:

• Can only perform Barrage, Hip Shoot or Base Transfer missions.
• May only barrage a hex containing a Yellow or Red symbol unit (see OCS 3.2a). If the target hex turns out not to contain at least one of these units, the mission aborts.
• Require a spotter.
• May have other air units as part of a Barrage mission, but those units cannot add their Barrage Strength (essentially, they are serving as escorts).

B) Perform a Tank-Buster Barrage as follows:

• There is a +1 DRM to the roll on the Barrage Table.
• Treat all [1/2], 1/2, 2 or 3 Barrage Table results as 1 (which includes a DG result for all surviving units).
• The Soviet player must choose the highest Combat Mode combat strength Red or Yellow symbol unit to take any loss.

C) Aside from the above, the roll and effects of the Barrage Table are handled normally.

D) Losses suffered from Flak must be taken from a tank-buster.

2.3 Axis HQ Capabilities

2.3a Kessel HQs. The pair of special Kessel HQs reflect Germany's command and control superiority. Hold them off map until needed. Kessel HQs are placed and removed during the Axis Reinforcement Phase. They are placed with any friendly combat unit anywhere, even in a pocket or EZOC. If destroyed in combat, its time expires, or it is voluntarily removed, a Kessel HQ becomes available three turns later (put it on the appropriate space on the Turn Record Track).

A Kessel HQ:

• Has a defense strength of 2 in Combat Mode and 1 in Move Mode.
• Is not Engineer-Capable.
• Has a 0 Flak DRM.

Alert units are the only Replacements which may be placed at a Kessel HQ's location.

Player Note: Kessel HQ cannot provide Trace Supply indefinitely, as they can in The Third Winter, per the rule below.

Special Abilities:

A) Kessel HQs provide Trace supply to all Axis combat units within Throw range. This capability lasts for three turns, after which the Kessel HQ must be removed in the next Reinforcement Phase. A Kessel HQ can remain for three additional turns if it is in a hex containing a City or Air Base during the Reinforcement Phase (check each turn). During the seventh Reinforcement Phase and thereafter, the Axis player can "buy" an additional turn at the cost of destroying one air step that has a Transport Capacity. It must still be in a City or Air Base. That step must be Active, and in-range of the Kessel HQ. This cannot be done during a "No Flight" turn. No mission is flown, just eliminate the step. It can be repeated as long as eligible air unit steps are available. One Transport Capacity step may only benefit one Kessel HQ. Air Transport or Air Drop of SP and Eating off the Map are used normally. After a Kessel HQ which provided Trace supply to a set of units (usually a pocket) is removed, another cannot be placed in the same pocket.

B) Axis units in Combat or Move Mode using Leg MA pay no MP cost to enter a hex within two hexes of a Kessel HQ with the following restrictions:

• The maximum such move is 4 hexes.
• The free move cannot be combined with regular movement or used for Overrun.
• Units must stop upon entering a hex or crossing a hexside with an MP cost of All.
• Units must stop upon entering an un-negated EZOC (OCS 4.5b).
• A unit can receive this movement advantage from only one Kessel HQ in a turn (no "daisy chaining").
• Units must end their move no further east than they began.

2.3b Army HQs. Army HQs represent a higher command level than is typically shown and have these special characteristics:

A) They can only move by rail (counting as 1 RE against Rail Cap). Follow normal rules for rail movement except the starting/ending hexes do not have to be detrainable.

B) SP received via the Supply Table marked "Army or Army Group HQs" may be placed with an Axis Army HQ in Trace Supply.

C) They have a Throw range and function as any other HQ for supply, Flak DRM and engineer functions.

D) Army HQs participate in combat like normal HQs, except that they are destroyed if forced to retreat.

E) If destroyed, they are rebuilt (at no cost) in the next Axis Reinforcement Phase, returning at any Detrainable hex. The Soviets gain 1 VP for destroying an Axis Army HQ each time it happens.

2.3c Army Group HQs. Special characteristics of Army Group HQs:

A) They can only move by rail (counting as 1 RE against Rail Cap). They must be located in a major or minor city hex.

B) SP received via the Supply Table marked "Army or Army Group HQs" may be placed with the Army Group HQ if it is in Trace Supply.

C) They have a Throw range and function as any other HQ for supply and Flak DRM, but cannot perform engineer functions.

D) Army Group HQs participate in combat like normal HQs, except that they are destroyed if forced to retreat.

E) If destroyed, an Army Group HQ is rebuilt (at no cost) in the next Axis Reinforcement Phase, appearing in any friendly detrainable major or minor city hex. The Soviets gain 2 VP for this each time it happens. In addition, ALL combats in the game from the moment of the HQ's destruction to its replacement incur a -1 DRM to the Combat roll when Axis units are the attacker and a +1 DRM to the Combat roll when Axis units are the defender.

F) Special Supply Capability: An Army Group HQ may carry 1 SP with it as it moves. Once per turn, an Army Group HQ in Combat Mode may place 1 SP which is stacked with the HQ at the start of the Movement Phase in any hex within its Throw range. No Transport Points are required, just place the SP in the new hex (considered "unloading" per 12.2a). Special dumps may not be created this way when the Army Group HQ is in Move Mode (indicated by the 0 on the counter to the left of the unit type icon).

G) Once per game turn, an Army Group HQ may add a +1/-1 die roll DRM to any ground combat (at least one Axis unit involved in the combat must be within the Throw range of the Army Group HQ). This must be announced before the dice are thrown and affects the Combat roll, not the Surprise roll.

2.3d Corps HQ Recovery. Whenever a German Corps HQ is eliminated, roll one die. On a result of 1-3, the HQ is rebuilt at no cost in the next Axis Reinforcement Phase, appearing at any Army or Army Group HQ. On a roll of 4-6 place the HQ in the Dead Pile.

2.3e German HQ Supply. German HQs may supply any Axis unit. Hungarian HQs may supply only Hungarian units.

2.4 Axis Miscellany

2.4a Garrison Units. These named Garrison units are initially inactive (facedown) in their respective City hexes. None of an inactive Garrison unit's values (combat strength, AR, Flak, Hedgehog, RE size) apply until activated. It is a marker only. Axis units may leave the City hex normally.

The Garrison may activate and flip to its Combat Mode side at any point when a Soviet combat unit is within two hexes of any hex of the city (even in the middle of a Soviet movement segment). An active Garrison is a static 1 or 2-step unit which is also a Level-1 Hedgehog (which cannot be further improved, and any existing Hedgehog markers in the hex are removed). It has 1 RE per step. Garrisons have an inherent +2 Flak modifier. This unit can never move or be transported. They are shown as "Attack-Capable" to give them a ZOC when not DG but they are never allowed to attack because they are immobile. The counters only have one orientation, Combat Mode. The Axis player is not required to activate a Garrison, and the inactive Garrison is destroyed should the hex be occupied by a Soviet unit.

All options must be taken as step losses when an active Garrison unit is attacked. The Garrison may provide its AR value to the combat, but it must be the last Axis unit eliminated in the hex.

Unlike Fortress units, most Axis ground units may voluntarily move out of a city with a Garrison. For any combat unit that has Leg MA on its Move Mode side to voluntarily move out of the city after that city's Garrison is active, roll a die when it first attempts to move. On a 1-3 the unit may move away; 4-6 it must remain in the city until eliminated.

For Minsk Garrison units, see 2.4b.

2.4b Fortress Units. Major or Minor Cities under Axis control which do not have a named Garrison may be declared a Fortress. The Axis player may do so at any point when an enemy combat unit is within two hexes of any hex of the city (even in the middle of a Soviet movement segment). This can only be done if a Fortress unit exists in the "available" pool. When destroyed, Fortress units are placed back in the pool for future use. Fortress status lasts until every hex in the city is Soviet controlled.

The moment a Fortress is declared:

• Place one Fortress unit and one Level-1 Hedgehog in the city.
• No Axis ground units in the city can voluntarily move or retreat into hexes outside of the city, even if this requires taking options as losses. This includes units which subsequently move into these city hexes—even by rail.
• Minsk is a special case. If declared a Fortress, activate the two Garrison units and place two Fortress units in the two non-Garrison City hexes, and one Level-1 Hog in any of the City hexes. The Fortress restrictions apply to all contiguous Minsk city hexes, and from this point forward, no Axis ground unit in Minsk can ever leave the city. Units can still move, advance, and retreat into connected city hexes, but can never do so into non-city hexes.

2.4c Alert Units. Alert units which don't start a scenario on the map are kept in three off-map pools (one for PG/AG units, another for Flak units and a third for Infantry/Cavalry units). They may only appear via a Special Repl result and may be placed at Kessel HQs (2.3a) in addition to the usual placement options. When destroyed, they are placed back in the pool for future selection.

AG/PG Alert Pool:

• 1x 3-4-7 AG Co
• 3x 2-4-7 AG Co
• 2x 2-3-7 AG Co
• 2x 1-4-7 AG Co
• 1x 1-3-7 AG Co
• 1x 2-3-7 LW AG Co
• 2x 2-4-6 PG Bn
• 2x 2-3-6 PG Bn
• 1x 1-4-6 PG Bn
• 1x 1-3-6 PG Bn

Flak Alert Pool:

• 10x (2)-2-3 Flak Bn

Infantry/Cavalry Alert Pool:

• 4x 2-3-3 Mot Inf Bn
• 4x 2-2-5 Cav Bn
• 5x 2-3-2 Inf Bn
• 3x 2-2-2 Inf Bn
• 4x 2-2-1 Inf Bn
• 1x 1-3-2 Inf Bn
• 1x 1-2-2 Inf Bn
• 2x 1-2-2 LW Inf Bn

2.4d Remnants. If a 16-4-3 infantry division (only these!) loses its last step in combat or by Barrage (not by Attrition or Breakout), it creates a remnant battalion two hexes away under these conditions:

• A remnant battalion is available (they are limited by the counter mix).
• The placement hex is further west than the destroyed division's hex, and there is a path free of EZOCs between these hexes (EZOCs can be negated).
• The remnant maintains the "marker & mode" status of its (destroyed) parent division.

In the Axis Reinforcement Phase, a remnant battalion that is stacked with a Corps or Army HQ can be removed in order to rebuild a 16-4-3 (with one step remaining) if a Pax Repl is also spent. Removed or destroyed remnant battalions immediately become available for placement.

2.4e Axis Kampfgruppe Markers. The Axis player has Kampfgruppe markers that can be used to create ad hoc multi-unit formations from scattered German units.

• Only units actually stacked with the Kampfgruppe marker are in the Kampfgruppe.
• Such units must be German and have Truck or Track Move Mode MA (although they don't have to be in that mode).
• A Kampfgruppe may contain a maximum number of RE equal to the number inside the Armor symbol plus one Company. They never count as more than 3 RE for possible density shifts. Use the actual amount, if less than 3 RE.
• To create a Kampfgruppe, place a marker on an eligible unit in the Movement Phase. Units may freely join and leave the Kampfgruppe, but there must always be at least one eligible unit stacked with the marker.
• The Kampfgruppe marker is returned to the pool either voluntarily during any subsequent Axis Movement Phase, or immediately if the last unit in the Kampfgruppe is eliminated.
• Units in a Kampfgruppe are exempt from the restrictions of OCS 12.6f and can hence Draw Trace supply from a different source than other units of their parent formation(s).
• A Kampfgruppe can use the Formation Method of fueling (OCS 12.5c para A).
• Special Reaction Capability: During their Reaction Phase, the Axis player rolls 1 die, halving the result (rounding down). This is the number of Kampfgruppen whose units are in Combat or Move Mode that may operate this Reaction Phase as if they were released Reserves. Such units are considered fueled for this Phase only (per OCS 12.5c, para C). Place 2T with one Kampfgruppe whose units move or overrun during this Reaction phase (this is in addition to SP received from the Supply Table).
• Kampfgruppen may use Reserve Markers normally but gain no special benefits from doing so.

2.4f 216th SturmPanzer Company. These Brumbär vehicles were specifically designed to support combat engineers in built-up areas or fortifications. When attacking a hex containing a Hedgehog, Village or City, there is a 1-column rightward shift on the Combat Table. If an attacker loss is called for, this unit must be used for that loss.

2.4g Static Units. These include:

• Heinrici Defense Bases. These are received on the Axis OoA or by a Special Event. They reflect the combat defenses developed by General Heinrici. These are static combat units that contain a combat factor, intrinsic AR value and Hedgehog level. They are 1 RE in size. They must be deployed adjacent to (not with) any German Infantry division in Trace Supply. These units must apply their AR to their hex when in defense (they have no effect on attack ARs). However, this comes with a cost: all defending options must be taken as losses. The Heinrici Defense Base must be the last step loss taken in the hex. The Hedgehog level cannot be increased.
• Static Panther Battalions. These appear as reinforcements and may be placed in any hex in Trace supply adjacent to a River. They are destroyed if forced to retreat.

2.4h Rear-Area Units. Units identified as Reserve, Training, Security, Police, Replacement, Koruck, Ersatz and Border, as well as Hungarian and Lithuanian units may not voluntarily move adjacent to a Soviet Attack-Capable combat unit. If they find themselves adjacent to one, they are not required to leave. These units may attack, advance after combat or retreat normally, but may not participate in an Overrun.

2.4i 399th River Flotilla. This unit has a deployed (Combat Mode) side and a riverine (Move Mode) side. When in Move Mode, it can only operate along the Major River from C34.20 to D5.02—just move it to any hex on either side of the river. When in Move Mode it cannot move into a Soviet ZOC and it cannot pass a point where two Soviet Combat units occupy both hexes which share a Major River hexside. The first turn of "Ice" River Condition forces it to flip to Combat Mode wherever it is located, and it can no longer enter Move Mode.

2.4j Heavy Todt Construction Unit. This unit is Engineer-Capable (OCS 13.8a) but the cost for it to build a Hedgehog is 2T instead of 2 SP per level.

2.4k Brandenburger Parachute Unit. The Brandenburger Para unit may conduct an Air Drop once per game. If it starts the Axis Movement Phase on an Air Base, during that Phase it may be landed in any Open Terrain hex up to 10 hexes away. Flight conditions must be either Full or Limited. No Air Units are needed, and no Air Mission is conducted, just place the unit and roll one die—it is eliminated on a roll of "6". The unit is in Trace Supply and Combat Supply for this and the following turn.

2.4l Night Fighter. This was a night fighter unit occasionally pressed into daytime service. It cannot perform Fighter Sweeps. Its Air-to-Air Combat value is marked with an asterisk as a reminder.

2.5 Axis Allies

2.5a Lithuanian Army Restrictions. A Lithuanian Border unit may not move from its setup location until a Soviet unit moves within 5 hexes. At this point, the unit is activated and may move per 2.4h. All Lithuanian units are activated if a Soviet unit moves within 5 hexes of Vilnius or by the "Baltic States commit to Germany" Special Event.

2.5b Hungarian Army Restrictions.

• Hungarian ground units may not move or be placed east of the Dnepr River (D11.27 to D7.01), or north of hex row XX.27 on the C and D maps (the Restriction Area). They also may not voluntarily move adjacent to a Soviet combat unit.
• Hungarian air units may not operate outside the Restriction Area, meaning mission hexes or air bases must be inside it. Patrol Zones may extend outside the Restriction Area.
• Hungarian HQs can rebuild and supply only Hungarian units.

3.0 Soviet Special Rules

3.1 Supply and Reinforcements

3.1a Soviet Supply Sources. Rail hexes on the east edge of maps B and D are Soviet supply sources, as well as rail hexes on the south edge of maps C and D which are east of the AGS Marker, and rail hexes on the north edge of maps A and B which are east of the AGN Marker.

3.1b Soviet Unit Arrivals. Newly arriving or rebuilt air units appear active at any Air Base that is in Trace supply. Ground unit reinforcements appear at Front HQ locations per the Soviet Arrival Chart unless specifically noted otherwise. Exceptions and special handling:

• Breakout returns (OCS 12.8e) are placed at any Soviet Engineer-Capable (OCS 13.8a) HQ in Trace supply.
• Rebuilds arrive at either RVGK Box (see 3.5).
• 1 SP must be placed at each Front HQ location. Remaining SP are placed in any distribution the player wishes at Front HQ locations. Increments of 1T or 2T of the amount received may be placed at as many in-Trace Soviet controlled Air Bases as desired (though note 1.3a).
• Some Special Events award a player additional SP to be placed as directed. These are in addition to amounts from the supply table.

Soviet reinforcements may entrain in an arrival hex that has a Soviet gauge railroad (per OCS 13.6b).

3.2 Red Air Force

3.2a No Hip Shoots. Soviet air units cannot conduct Hip Shoot missions.

3.2b Frontal Air Armies. Some of the Soviet air units are allocated to specific Air Armies, each of which are assigned to a specific Front HQ (see 3.3). Colored stripes are used to identify these counters, matching the color stripe on the Front HQ.

Each Frontal Air Army has an Air Army HQ Marker, which has these qualities/limitations:

• It must be located in a land hex within its Front Boundary (3.3b), a minimum of 5 hexes from an in-Trace Axis combat unit (ignore units being supplied by a Kessel HQ).
• An Air Army HQ may be moved during the Movement Phase. It must be moved if an Axis combat unit comes within 5 hexes. Just pick it up and place it in a valid hex per above; there is no MP cost.
• It has no Flak DRM.

3.2c Mission Hex Limits. Apply the following range restrictions to Fighter Sweeps, Trainbusting and any type of Barrage missions:

• The mission hex for an independent air unit (no stripe) must be within 15 hexes of any Front HQ or Air Army HQ Marker.
• An Air unit with Frontal Air Army stripes (3.2b) may only count this distance from their own Front HQ/Air Army HQ Markers.

3.2d Air Operations. Air units from different Air Armies may not combine in the same mission. Independent air units may combine with any air units.

Air units assigned to a Front which is in Regrouping Posture (3.3d) may not perform Fighter Sweeps or missions which are resolved on the Barrage Table. Missions which are resolved on the Barrage vs. Facility Table are unaffected. Fighters project Patrol Zones and may Intercept normally.

3.2e Air Drop Limits. No Soviet combat unit may be air dropped. Air Drop missions to deliver Supply Points are unaffected.

3.3 Front HQs

Four Front HQs are used to simulate the Red Army's command structure in this period. Front boundaries and a Front HQ's "Posture" (Offensive or Regrouping, per 3.3c and 3.3d) are very important. Scenario setups will indicate each starting Front Posture.

3.3a Front HQ Characteristics. Regardless of Posture, a Front HQ has these characteristics:

A) A Front HQ may only occupy a rail hex with an unbroken line of Soviet gauge rails back to a Soviet supply source.

B) The hex a Front HQ occupies becomes a Detrainable Hex.

C) A Front HQ Flak DRM is +2 (printed on the counter).

D) A Front HQ cannot be destroyed. It is unaffected by DG or Trainbusting/Interdiction. Should an enemy combat unit enter the hex containing a Front HQ, or should it no longer have a rail connection to a Soviet supply source, simply displace it five hexes or more to another hex it can occupy (per 3.3d below). Any supply in its hex is moved along with the Front HQ.

E) Each Front HQ has a "Command Radius" which:

• Extends 10 hexes in all directions.
• Does not extend into hexes with enemy combat units, un-negated EZOC or hexes which a Truck MA unit could not enter during current weather conditions. Note that this Command Radius functions differently than a "Throw Range." The intent is that a Command Radius extends 10 hexes in all directions until it encounters the front line or impassible terrain.
• Allows an Army HQ Assigned (see 3.3b) to a Front and within the Command Radius of its Front HQ to Draw (OCS 12.3a) from the Front HQ hex (Trace included). Only HQ units can do this (though the detrainable hex created by the Front HQ functions normally).
• There is no penalty for an Army HQ assigned to a Front being outside the Command Radius of its Front HQ other than not being able to Draw from the Front HQ's hex.

3.3b Front Boundaries.

A) Boundaries between Fronts must be clearly delineated. During Setup, place a Front boundary marker on the rightmost and left-most units belonging to each Front AND closest to contact with Axis units (i.e., on the front lines). During a Soviet player turn, the marker can be repositioned as units move, but the front-line boundary between any two Fronts should be clear to both sides. This is important for determining units that gain Regrouping Front attributes (see 3.3d).

B) During the Reinforcement Phase, each Army HQ on the map must be Assigned to a specific Front. Any number of Army HQs may be re-assigned at this point, but the Assignment is fixed until the next Reinforcement Phase. It is not necessary for the HQ to be within the Front boundary to which it is assigned, if the intent is that it will move there later in the Turn.

C) A minimum of three Army HQs must always be assigned to and within the boundary of each Soviet Front. Each Front must also have two artillery or Katy divisions within its boundary and within Throw range of an Assigned Army HQ located within the Front's Command Radius. There is no maximum limit.

D) Units are free to move across a Front boundary as long as the above minimums are maintained.

E) Any supply which is located within the Command Radius of a Soviet Front HQ Marker may not be transported (by rail or transport point) outside the Front boundary. (Exception: A loaded Organic Truck can carry up to 1 SP if traveling with its formation.) Assigned HQs may not Draw or Throw supply across their Front Boundary marker. The mechanics of a unit "making its Trace" during the Supply Phase are unaffected and can be traced across Front Boundaries.

3.3c Offensive Posture. An eligible (see 3.3e) Front HQ may be changed to Offensive Posture (flip the counter) at the start of a Soviet Reinforcement Phase. A Front HQ in Offensive Posture has these characteristics:

A) It cannot move.

B) It may use its Artillery Barrage Marker (3.4).

3.3d Regrouping Posture. An eligible (see 3.3e) Front HQ can be changed into Regrouping Posture (flip the counter) at the end of a Soviet Reinforcement Phase. A Front HQ in Regrouping Posture has these characteristics:

A) It may move.

• It may only move by rail and must end movement in an eligible hex (per 3.3a). The cost is 5 RE of Rail Cap (adjust normally for multi-track lines and Trainbusting). Any supply in the hex may be transported along with the Front HQ at no additional cost.
• It cannot end its movement within 15 hexes of another Front HQ or within 5 hexes of an in-Trace Axis Combat Unit (except those Drawing Trace Supply from Kessel HQs).

B) Units which both are within a Front's Boundary and able to receive Trace supply from an assigned Army HQ located within the Front boundary, regardless of whether that HQ is within the Front Command Radius, have these attributes/limitations:

• They add 1 to the lead unit's printed AR when defending.
• They do not have to pay for defensive combat supply.
• They may not conduct Artillery Barrages. Should the Axis player attack units which meet these conditions, then conduct a barrage on each attacking stack using the 12-16 column on the Barrage Table with no shifts prior to combat. There is no supply cost for these barrages, nor do any artillery units need to be in range. This applies to overruns and to combat. This barrage takes place after step 2 of the Combat Sequence (OCS 9.2).
• They subtract 2 from the lead unit's printed AR if they conduct an attack.
• There is a 2 SP limit on attack supply per turn per Front HQ.
• Units which do not meet the conditions listed in B above do not receive these benefits/penalties.

C) It cannot use an Artillery Barrage Marker.

D) Air units assigned to the Front may not perform Fighter Sweeps or any mission resolved on the Barrage table (see 3.2d).

Play Note: Front Posture will effectively define where the Soviets are allowed to attack. Furthermore, the effects given to units defending in Regrouping Posture will severely limit Axis attack possibilities in these areas. However, "Regrouping" does not mean "Inert," as these units are capable of limited operations and considerable movement.

3.3e Change Limits. Use the Soviet Off Map Display provided to keep a record of the turn a Front HQ changes to Offensive Posture, as each must adhere to the following:

• A maximum of two Front HQs may be in Offensive Posture at any time, and either one or two that are eligible may be designated so during a Reinforcement Phase. (Note: starting 1 Mar 1944, only ONE Soviet Front may be in Offensive Posture at a time.)
• A Front HQ must remain in Offensive Posture for a minimum of three turns. It may switch to Regrouping Posture after three turns and must do so after nine turns.
• A Front HQ must remain in Regrouping Posture for a minimum of three turns with no maximum. After three turns, a change to Offensive Posture can be made per 3.3c.
• Special Events may change these limits in some cases.
• Soviet Front status is not hidden from the Axis player.

Play Example: On 1 October 1943, the 2nd Belorussian Front is changed to Regrouping Posture (leaving 1st Belorussian Front as the only one in Offensive Posture). On 5 October, with three Fronts in Regrouping Posture, the Soviet player would be able to switch 3rd Belorussian or 1st Baltic into Offensive Posture (but not 2nd Belorussian, because it is not allowed to go back on Offensive Posture until 12 October at the earliest).

3.4 Artillery Barrage Markers

Each Soviet Front HQ has a corresponding Artillery Barrage Marker.

3.4a Ready. An Artillery Barrage Marker may be spent in the Air/Naval Barrage Segment if the Front HQ is in Offensive Posture and the Marker is Ready. The process and restrictions are:

• Place the Marker in a target hex, which must be adjacent to a Soviet combat unit that is within the Throw range of an HQ Assigned to and within the Command Radius of the corresponding Front.
• During the Air/Naval Barrage Segment, Soviet artillery units which are a) in Combat Mode, and b) in the same or contiguous hexes, may barrage the target hex and any two adjacent hexes. There is no supply cost for these barrages. Each artillery or Katy unit may only barrage one hex (though per 1.6d artillery divisions may fire each RE independently). All normal Barrage modifiers apply.
• The units involved can Barrage again in the Combat Phase, paying normal supply costs.

3.4b Not Ready. After conducting the free barrages (above) use the track on the Player Aid Card or put it 9 turns ahead on the Turn track. The marker is "Ready" in the Soviet Reinforcement Phase of that turn (some Special Events may shift the marker's position).

3.5 RVGK

The RVGK is used for rebuilding shattered formations and to realistically simulate the Red Army's management of strategic reserves. The RVGK Box is further divided into a Rebuilding section for divisions and corps that are not fully rebuilt and a Ready section for units that are full strength and thus ready for deployment.

3.5a RVGK 3 Marker. This marker is used to show the approximate on-map location of units that are currently in the associated RVGK 3 Box. Note that RVGK 1 & RVGK 2 are in The Third Winter. The RVGK 3 marker:

A) May only move by rail and must end movement in a detrainable hex. This costs 5 RE of Rail Cap (adjust normally for multi-track lines). RVGK movement is not affected by Trainbusting Markers.

B) Cannot be railed into or through a hex that is within 10 hexes of an Axis in-Trace combat unit. (Exception: Ignore units being supplied by a Kessel HQ.)

C) Has no combat value.

D) The contents of the RVGK Box are hidden from the Axis player by fog of war.

3.5b RVGK Box Minimum. The RVGK 3 box must contain the following minimum units (but see 3.5d below):

• Tank and/or Mech corps: 1
• Cavalry corps: 1
• Artillery and/or Katy divisions (not brigades): 1
• Infantry divisions: 2

For a multi-unit formation to count towards the minimum, at least one unit must be in the RVGK 3 box (even if just the Organic Truck). All its remaining units must be in either the RVGK 3 box or the Dead Pile. None may be deployed on the map. Should the formations in the RVGK 3 box fall below the minimum due to withdrawals or deployments, formations sufficient to restore the minimum must enter the RVGK at the first available opportunity. There is no maximum limit on additional corps, divisions and/or independent units (all types) that may be in the RVGK 3 Box.

3.5c Entering the RVGK. Units rebuilt from the Dead Pile are placed in the RVGK 3 Box in the Soviet Reinforcement Phase. Also, during the Soviet Reinforcement Phase, on-map units within 20 hexes of the RVGK 3 Marker and which they could reach using Strat Mode (OCS 5.8) may enter the RVGK 3 Box. Simply remove the units from the map and place them in the box. This requires no fuel expenditure. Consolidation (OCS 13.9) is not allowed in the RVGK.

• Units in the RVGK 3 Box are automatically in trace supply.
• All on-map units of a multi-unit formation must enter the box together – no units of a formation can never remain on the map.
• Organic Trucks automatically become "Full" when entering the RVGK 3 Box. Upon entering the RVGK, "Low" and "Exhausted" Markers are removed.

3.5d Exiting the RVGK. Units only exit the RVGK 3 Box under two circumstances:

A) The instant an Axis combat unit moves within 5 hexes of the RVGK 3 Marker, every unit in the RVGK 3 Box is put on the map within 3 hexes of the Marker. (Exception: Ignore units being supplied by a Kessel HQ.) The RVGK minimum must be restored at the first available opportunity after dealing with the enemy threat. Note: "Dealing with the enemy threat" depends on the specific situation. The intent is that as soon as an Axis incursion has been defeated or contained and the Soviet rear area is no longer threatened then units must return to the RVGK 3 Box.

B) At the start of the Soviet Movement Phase, units in the RVGK 3 Box may be released as long as they adhere to the following:

• Released units are placed anywhere within 5 hexes of the RVGK 3 Marker.
• The RVGK minimum must be maintained.
• Corps and multi-step units must be full-strength (with no missing steps or dead units).
• Independent units (OCS 3.2f) are only released in conjunction with an HQ that is also exiting the box. Up to 3 RE may be released along with this HQ. Note: Players will find it helpful to cycle HQs in and out of the RVGK to release Independent units.
• All Truck and Track MA units are fueled for free per the Single Unit Method (OCS 12.5c para C) in the phase in which they are released.
• Units may not enter and exit the RVGK on the same turn.

Released units are free to move as desired.

3.6 Special Truck Extenders

The Soviet player may not make normal use of Truck Extenders under the series rules (OCS 12.7). Instead, they have available two Special Truck Extenders (STE). When deployed on the map, each STE functions as a truck Extender for the extension of Trace Supply range in accordance with OCS 12.7. The only method to move an STE is to take it off the map during the Movement Phase and place it in the Moving section of the Special Truck Extenders Holding Box. During the Soviet Clean Up Phase, move each STE from the Moving section to the Ready section. During the Soviet Movement Phase, an STE in the Ready section may be deployed on the map in a hex which can be reached by Truck MA from a Front HQ in the current turn 15 hexes or 22.5 Truck MP (whichever is less). If an Axis combat unit moves into a hex containing an STE, immediately place the STE into the Moving section of the STE Holding Box. An STE cannot convert into Truck Transport Points. STE cannot "daisy chain" from one another.

3.7 Partisans

3.7a Partisan Deployment. Partisan units are received by the Reinforcement Chart or Special Event. For each received, select a Partisan unit at random and place it, face down on the map. It may only be placed in a Light or Heavy Woods hex or Swamp that does not contain a road/rail line, an Axis unit or EZOC. Until activated, face-down Partisan units may not move and have no game effect. If no Partisan units are available, none are received. Should an Axis unit attempt to enter a hex with an inactive Partisan, the Soviet player immediately displaces it 2 hexes away.

3.7b Partisan Activation. Partisan units are activated by the Reinforcement Chart or Special Event. For each activation, flip over one Partisan unit to its Combat Mode side. Units placed this turn are eligible. Active Partisans may move but may not enter Open terrain or benefit from Roads (they may use Trails). They may not enter EZOCs but are not required to leave an EZOC if they start the turn in one.

3.7c Partisan Activities. Active Partisan units have these capabilities:

• They are always in Trace and Combat Supply. Front Posture rules do not apply to Partisans. They may only ever be in Combat or DG Mode.
• They exert a "disruptive ZOC" in any of the six surrounding hexes which contain Hills, Woods (Major or Minor) or Swamp terrain. This "disruptive ZOC" is negated by the presence of Village, City or Road terrain (not Tracks) or the presence of an Axis unit/EZOC. A disruptive ZOC blocks supply Trace and costs +1 MP for Axis units to enter.
• When a Partisan unit occupies a rail hex, roll 1 die. A 1-3 has no effect; 4-6 places an Interdiction marker in the hex.
• Should a Partisan unit be adjacent to an Axis Air Base, immediately roll 1 die. A 1-4 has no effect, 5-6 destroys an air step (select randomly from the steps, not units, on the Air Base).
• When a Partisan is adjacent to an Axis supply dump, immediately roll 1 die. A 1-4 has no effect, 5-6 destroys 25% of the SP (rounded down).
• A specific rail hex, Air Base or supply dump may only be affected by Partisan units once per Movement Phase, and a specific Partisan unit may only affect one hex during its movement. These actions can take place before, during, or after the Partisan unit moves and is considered part of its movement. The presence of an Axis unit does not prevent these Partisan activities, unless it projects an EZOC (which the Partisan cannot enter).
• An Active Partisan may place a "Partisan Track" marker in its starting hex or any hex it moves into during the Movement Phase. Orient the marker so that it is clear which hexside it affects. Treat the hex as if it had a Track extending across this one hexside. Major River and Blocked hexsides are not affected. The Partisan Track marker remains until the Soviet player voluntarily removes it. Several markers can be strung together to effectively create a multi-hex Track. Partisan Track markers are limited by the counter mix. Only Soviet units may benefit from Partisan Tracks.
• During any Movement Segment a Partisan unit may be removed from the map (and placed in the pool) to rebuild one step of an adjacent Soviet Infantry Division. The absorbing division cannot move during this Movement Segment.

3.7d Anti-Partisan Operations. Axis Security and Police units that attack Partisan units gain a +3 die roll modifier to both the Surprise and Combat roll. These units expend NO SP to attack Partisans. As long as they are more than 5 hexes from a Soviet Combat unit (non-Partisan) and in the Axis rear area, Security and Police units are always in Trace supply. They must be fueled normally. These units are marked with a circled "P" to help identify them.

3.8 Red Army Penal Assault Units

When a Front moves to Offensive Posture, the Front receives two Penal assault units as Reinforcements, if available. These may be placed with any combat unit of that Front. They must be used on the turn they arrive, during either Combat Segment of the Soviet player turn, by stacking with a unit which participates in an attack. Their use negates the effects of one level of Hedgehog in the defender's hex for that combat (a Level-2 Hog is treated as Level-1 and a Level-1 Hog is treated as if it is not in the hex). The Penal assault unit does not require Combat Supply. There is no additional effect gained for using two Penal assault units in one combat. Once used, they are removed from the map. They can be reissued to Fronts any number of times during the game. Removal is in addition to any attacker losses and cannot be used to satisfy those. Penal assault unit availability is limited by the counter mix.

3.9 Guard Cavalry Corps

When moving as a stack with a cavalry division of their Corps, Track and Truck MA Corps units pay Leg MA costs to enter each hex. They may retreat from combat into prohibited terrain if so stacked. This costs no fuel; simply treat the unit as if its MA were Leg as long as it is moving as described.

3.11 Emergency STAVKA Reserves

Beginning 1 Nov 43, the Soviet player may appeal to STAVKA for Emergency Reserves. They may appeal once per turn, for a cost of 1 VP. See the Soviet Order of Arrival. These units are withdrawn on the 1 Mar 44 turn regardless of when they arrive.

3.10 UR Brigades

Any turn in which a UR Brigade is within a Regrouping Front boundary, does not move, and can receive Trace Supply from an HQ assigned to that Regrouping Front, its associated MG Brigade and Field Engineer Brigade may be placed in the same hex. The Field Engineer unit is also a Level-1 Hedgehog. These two units are returned to the holding box if the UR Brigade either moves for any reason (including retreat), or if it is within an Offensive Front boundary. Units attacking such a UR Brigade stack suffer the Regrouping Front benefits plus the fortification benefits. A UR Brigade stack can benefit from Hedgehogs in its hex, but the combined effect of the Hog and Field Engineer Brigade cannot be greater than Level-2. A UR Brigade eliminated in combat must be rebuilt normally, but its associated MG and Field Engineer units are always available with no rebuild cost during the next Soviet turn in which the UR Brigade is eligible for this placement.

4.0 Optional Rules

4.1 Combining TFB with The Third Winter

These two games can easily be combined for a large campaign. Place the TTW maps over the TFB maps. You will find the campaign dynamics along the seam affect both games in interesting ways. You can use either the 26 Sept 1943 or 26 Jan 1944 setup. There is also Gomel-Kiev Offensive scenario which uses components from both games. When playing the combined game:

• Do not play with the AGS Marker.
• These units must stay on their respective map sets: Front, Army and Army Group HQs, Luftflotte and Air Army Markers, Todt Heavy Construction Battalions, Special Truck Extenders, Breakdown units, Axis Ally units, Kampfgruppe markers and RVGK Markers.
• The mission hex for Independent Luftwaffe units must be within 60 hexes of any Luftflotte HQ. The mission hex for air units assigned to a specific Luftflotte must be within 60 hexes of their own Luftflotte HQ.
• Repls and SP must be placed in their respective map sets.
• Except as prohibited above, units may rail into the other game area, using the Rail Cap of the destination map set.
• The Soviet player may use a strategic rail network to move units from the Ready box of one RVGK box to the Ready box of another. This requires no Rail Cap; just move them from one to another. Units which move in this fashion may not be deployed in the current turn.
• The Axis player has a strategic rail network linking these cities: Minsk, Vinnitsa, Uman, Ternopol, Odessa, and Nikolaev. Up to 10 RE of units which start within 1 hex of one of these cities may be transferred to within 1 hex of another during the Reinforcement Phase. This requires no Rail Cap or fuel; just move them from one to another. Units may then move normally in the Movement Phase, but not by Rail. Capture of each of these cities reduces the 10 RE capacity by 1, and Minsk counts for two. A Panzer division costs 5 RE to move regardless of its actual RE size.
• Roll for Weather and Flight conditions normally. Treat each map set as a separate weather zone. Air missions are affected by weather in BOTH their Air Base and mission hexes.
• Front boundary markers and a Front's Command Radius extend across the map set boundaries, and Front boundary markers may be placed on the other side. Front HQs may not enter the other map set. There is no minimum distance a Front HQ on one map set needs to be from a Front HQ on the other.
• We recommend you apply 1.2 Railroads (the 10-hex automatic rail conversion distance), 1.3c Fighter Hosting and 2.3a, Special Ability A (the time limits on Kessel HQ) to both map sets.
• Evaluate victory for each game separately. It is possible for a player to win or draw one game but lose the other (as happened historically).

Rules covering the combination of The Hero City with these games will be forthcoming once it is completed.

Players familiar with The Third Winter should note these differences when playing TFB:

• 1.2 Railroads automatically convert at 10 hex range, not 20.
• 1.3a no cost for Air Base Refit and 1.3c HQ Fighter Hosting are new.
• 1.4 Army Group North/South markers are new.
• 1.8b Deep Freeze instead of Thaw and 1.8c "Ice" River condition.
• 2.3a, A) Axis Kessel HQ are removed after stated turns depending on their terrain and Axis Air Transport.
• 2.4a Axis Garrison units are new.
• 2.4e Axis Kampfgruppe units have RE capacity limits.
• Special Axis units listed in 2.4f to 2.4l, particularly note rear-area unit restrictions.
• 2.5 Axis Allies list Lithuanian and Hungarian movement restrictions.
• 3.3d Soviet Regrouping Fronts cannot be moved to within 15 (not 20) hexes of another Front. Regrouping Front defensive benefits extend to any HQ assigned to and within Front boundary (not just within the Front's Command Radius). Front minimums are smaller than in The Third Winter.
• 3.6 Special Truck Extenders are limited to placement 15 hexes or 22.5 Truck MP (whichever is less) from a Soviet Front and cannot "daisy chain."
• Rules 3.7 (Soviet Partisans) through 3.11 (Emergency STAVKA Reserves) are all new.
• Read the "Special Replacement Priority" on the Soviet Repl Chart notes.

4.2 Jansen Fueling Rule

A multi-unit formation ("MUF", such as a Soviet Mech corps or German Panzer division) can fuel and move in a player's Movement Phase (not the Reaction or Exploitation Phases), for the supply cost of only 1T, with the following restrictions:

• The units to be moved cannot start, move, or end next to an enemy unit of any kind (including air bases, supply dumps, transport points, etc.).
• These units can only be in Combat Mode. Road movement costs at least 1MP per hex (weather effects must be followed). A Road still functions to negate other terrain in the hex for movement purposes.
• Not all the units of the MUF must use Jansen Fueling. Any unit requiring fuel can use the Single Unit Method described in 12.5c, if desired.

4.3 Series Optional Rules

We strongly recommend the use of OCS 21.2 Proportional Loss, OCS 21.9 Reactive Artillery and OCS HR-7 Artillery Factors with The Forgotten Battles. Supply Caches (OCS 21.10) are not used in this game.

4.4 Stay in Trace

Neither side's units may voluntarily move out of Trace supply (i.e. to a hex where they could not receive Trace). If they become cut off due to enemy action, they are not required to move to be in Trace.

4.5 Soviet Intel

The Soviets placed great emphasis on determining the location of formation boundaries and divisions, especially Panzer Divisions. They were very effective at it. If needed as a play balance mechanism, apply these restrictions to the Axis player: MUF markers cannot be used to hold units, and all available units of a MUF must be on the map. In any hex, one of the largest sized units (division, then brigade, then regiment, then battalion) must be on top of the stack, Combat Mode taking priority.

5.0 Victory Conditions

In the campaign game, the Soviet player accrues Victory Points (VP) and the total is used to determine who wins.

• Soviets Win with a VP score of 6 or more.
• Axis Win if the VP score is 3 or less.

(Historical result: the Soviets captured Gorodok and Gomel for 2 VP, and neither side deployed emergency reinforcements.)

• Any other result is a Draw.

5.0a Victory Points. Specific cities and map locations may have Victory Point values. The last side to move a combat unit through a VP hex "controls" it for victory determination. Points are awarded for achieving historical goals, and the schedule below will drive both players to match history without necessarily following its precise path. Unless otherwise noted, no point can be awarded multiple times.

• +3 VP for controlling Minsk at game end (all 4 hexes, vicinity A51.07).
• +2 VP each for controlling Vilnius (A35.22) or Vitebsk (both B18.18 and B18.19) at game end.
• +1 VP each for controlling Orsha (B18.09), Gomel (D16.15), Mogilev (B15.02), Pinsk (C31.21), Polotsk (B7.26), Borisov (A62.09), Gorodok (C41.17, not the Village in B18.23), or Bobruysk (D2.27).
• +1 VP per Axis Army HQ eliminated. (Can be awarded multiple times.)
• +2 VP if the Soviet player destroys the Army Group Center HQ unit. (Can be awarded multiple times.)
• +1 VP for the exit of a Mech, Tank or Cavalry Corps off the western map edge (must contain at least 4 RE).
• Add or subtract VP for Emergency Reinforcements or STAVKA Reserve appeals.

5.0b Alternate VP Scheme. The game's victory conditions are based on capturing specific victory locations. This reflects STAVKA's over-ambitious expectations for the campaign. Operationally, the Soviet campaign was a series of sometimes-coordinated "Offensives" by their Fronts, tasked with achieving specific goals and provided with whatever resources were felt adequate. This alternate scheme focuses attention on Front activities:

• Ignore the Soviet Supply Table. Instead, each Front HQ always receives 1 SP per turn, which can be distributed to any hex in its Command Range in any way the player sees fit. The first turn a Front is moved into Offensive Posture, 20 SP are placed at the Front HQ location (in addition to the 1 SP above), and mark one HQ and one MUF fueled for no SP cost. The Front gets no additional SP to conduct the Offensive until the fourth and subsequent turns it is in Offensive Posture. During each of turns 4-9 of an Offensive, 5 SP are placed at the Front HQ location. This is the entirety of the Soviet supply (it approximates the amount received from conventional Supply Table rolls).
• During the Reinforcement Phase when a Front is placed in Offensive Posture, the Soviet player must secretly designate one Strategic and one Operational Objective hex for that Front's Offensive.
  • The Strategic Objective must be a City hex in the intended direction of advance for the Front. Capturing a Strategic Objective while the Front is in Offensive Posture is worth 3 VP. Gorodok (C41.17) also counts as a Strategic Objective worth 3 VP.
  • The Operational Objective must be either a Village where 3 or more rail/road/trails intersect, a hex with a rail intersection, or a "bridgehead" (hex on the far side of a Major/Minor River which has a road/trail/rail river crossing). The Operational Objective must be at least three hexes behind the Axis front lines when it is designated. Capturing the Operational Objective while the Front is in Offensive Posture is worth 1 VP.
  • Strategic and Operational Objectives may not be the same hex, nor may a hex be an Objective for more than one Front simultaneously.
  • The Soviet player is free to "game" this scheme as much as they like—conducting fewer, shorter Offensives or continuing the attack if capturing an Objective hex is just within reach is up to them. Objectives are not revealed to the Axis player until the Front changes to Regrouping Posture and any VP are then awarded.
  • Points are awarded for deployment of each special or Emergency Reinforcement pool brought on by either player.
• Soviets Win with a VP score of 21 or more.
• Axis Win if the VP score is 15 or less.

(Historical result: the Soviets conducted 19 3+ turn Offensives, achieved 10 Operational Objectives and 3 Strategic Objectives in capturing Gomel, Mozyr, and Gorodok for a total of 19 points.)

• Any other result is a Draw.

Abbreviations

• AA – Anti-Aircraft
• Abn — Airborne
• AG — Assault Gun or Sturmgeschütz
• AGC — Army Group Center
• AGN — Army Group North
• AGS — Army Group South
• Arm — Armor
• Arty — Artillery
• AT — Antitank
• Aufk — Armored Reconnaissance (Aufklärung)
• Bde — Brigade
• Bdr — Border
• Bn — Battalion
• Boer — Major Boer, panzer commander
• Brand — Brandenburg commando unit
• Breid — Oberst Breid, 20th Pz Div
• Brkdwn — Breakdown
• Buck — Oberstleutnant Buck, commander of 2nd Pz Div PG Regiment
• Cav — Cavalry
• Co — Company
• Cos — Cossack
• Div — Division
• Erz — Ersatz
• Est — Estonian
• Eugen — Unit named in honor of Prince Eugene of Savoy
• FHH — Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshals' Hall) in Munich, site of the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch battle.
• FJ — Fallschirmjäger (Parachute Infantry)
• Fl — Flotilla

Special Event Table

During each turn which is marked with a star on the turn record chart, roll 2 dice immediately after the Weather roll. On a die roll of 8+, roll two differently colored dice again. One die counts as units of 10, the other as single digits e.g., 31 or 45. Then consult the results below. Should the event be a "One-Time Event" which has already occurred or was treated as "No Event" earlier, and for both players:

• Soviet: Advance the Soviet artillery barrage markers one additional space on the availability chart and receive one Hero marker (see Event 34).
• German: The German player receives an extra Pax replacement point this turn and one Hero marker (see Event 34, but read "German" for "Soviet").

Events:

• 11-12 Soviet Air Campaign. STAVKA increases the Soviet air strength to secure air supremacy in Belorussia. The Soviet player receives 5 "Air" replacements this turn in addition to the Replacement Table roll. One-Time Event.
• 13-14 Night Bombing Campaign. The German player receives the He 177 "NB" unit as a reinforcement this turn. It functions as a Strategic Bomber except that 1) it flies air missions as a single unit only, and 2) it cannot be intercepted. All other air mission rules apply. Use the normal barrage tables and apply a "Left 1" column shift for night bombing. The unit is withdrawn after 5 turns. May occur more than once; if the unit is currently in play reset the 5 turn duration to begin again this turn.
• 15-16 Invasion Alert. The Baltic states are placed on "Invasion Alert." During their Replacement Phase, the Axis player places 7 level 1 hedgehogs in any hexes adjacent to the river which runs from Dauvagpils (A51.35) through Drissa (B1.31) to Polotsk (B7.26) inclusive. One-Time Event.
• 21-22 Hitler Festung Order (1944 only). The March 1944 OKH "Festung Order #11" is implemented. Immediately activate all Garrison units (2.4a). Any undeployed Heinrici defense bases (2.4g) are received as reinforcements. Declare non-Garrison cities closest to Soviet combat units to be fortresses (2.4b) until all Fortress units have been deployed. This turn only, any non-fortress units may exit the fortress hexes during the German player turn. Units which do not exit must remain until eliminated. If rolled in 1943, treat as "No event," in 1944 it is a One-Time Event.
• 23-24 Peace Negotiations. The Baltic states secretly begin to sue for peace. The Soviet player receives 6 Pax this turn in addition to their Replacement Table roll. One-Time Event.
• 25-26 Initiative. This turn's first player automatically wins the Initiative roll on the next game turn. May occur more than once.
• 31-32 Belorussian Partisan Offensive! The Soviet player receives 6 additional Partisan units in addition to their Replacement Roll. After placement, they may activate up to 6 Partisan units. During their Movement Phase, select any 6 Partisans which may use 3 infantry MPs regardless of their MA. May occur more than once.

Component Notes

Interdiction Markers. A number of players have questioned the phrase "Trainbusting" for activities that more often are used to impede an opponent's road movement. A set of Interdiction Markers are provided for players to use. These are functionally identical to Trainbusting markers in accordance with OCS Rule 14.8. In each instance just substitute Interdiction for every mention of Trainbusting in rule 14.8 and you'll be good to go.

Fog of War – Zero "Strength" Step Loss Markers. As far as we know there is no use for a four-strength step loss marker, which is the back side of a three-step marker. There are no five step units in the OCS. So, instead of this four-step loss side, we created these zero-step markers to aid the fog of war. Simply place a zero-step marker under a full-strength four-step unit and you have created some uncertainty in the mind of your opponent. In addition, you could use one of these markers to place under a single step brigade, regiment, or battalion with the same fog of war effect.