Totaler Krieg! World War II in Europe
Totaler Krieg! World War II in Europe Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Quick Start Scenario
- Game Components
- Core Game Mechanics
- 0. Victory Conditions
- 1. Seasonal Phase
- 2. Initial Administrative Phase
- 3. Operational Movement Phase
- 4. Combat Phase
- 5. Reserve Movement Phase
- 6. Final Administrative Phase
- 7. Game Turn Interphase
- "Housekeeping" Rules
- 8. Zones of Control
- 9. Stacking Limits
- 10. Supply & Friendly Ports
- 11. Weather
- 12. Countries, Regions, and Factions
- 13. Limited & Total War
- 14. Policy & Truce Markers and Other Restrictions
- Optional Rules
- 15. Optional Rules
- 15.1 Mitigating Bad Luck
- 15.2 Minor Country Replacement & Delay Options
- 15.3 Additional Minor Ally Replacements
- 15.4 Support Unit Options
- 15.5 Axis Puppet States
- 15.6 Desert Mud
- 15.7 Core Mechanics
- 15.8 Elite Units
- 15.9 Cannon Fodder
- 15.10 Option Supplement Cards
- 15.11 US Options
- 15.12 Red Star/White Star
- "Look Up" Rules
- 16. Special Markers
- 16.1 Allied Objective [Western (green side)/Soviet (red side)]
- 16.2 Allied SHAEF Logistics
- 16.3 Anti-Comintern Pact
- 16.4 Armistice
- 16.5 Axis ObK Logistics
- 16.6 Change of Government
- 16.7 Comintern Support
- 16.8 Command/Supply Failure
- 16.9 French War Economy
- 16.10 German-Japanese Pact
- 16.11 Intensive Bombing
- 16.12 Italian War Economy
- 16.13 Jet Fighters
- 16.14 Lend-Lease
- 16.15 Materiel Shortages & "The Bomb Plot"
- 16.16 Military Takeover
- 16.17 Negotiations
- 16.18 Neutrality
- 16.19 No Retreat
- 16.20 Reassess Policy
- 16.21 Reich Annex
- 16.22 Soviet-Japanese Treaty
- 16.23 Soviet Objective
- 16.24 Soviet Stavka Logistics
- 16.25 SS Europa
- 16.26 Surface Raiders
- 16.27 Type XXI U-boat
- 16.28 Ural Bomber
- 16.29 VE-Day
- 17. Political Events
- 18. Conditional Events
- 19. Minor Country Setup
- 20. Component Corrections
Quick Start Scenario
Experienced gamers who want to learn Totaler Krieg! while playing can use this "jump start" procedure. Begin by examining the game component descriptions that follow and then reading the Housekeeping Rules (sections 8 through 14, they're not that long). Afterward, set up the Standard Campaign Scenario according to scenario A.1 (located at the beginning of the Reference Booklet).
Now, rules in hand, begin reading and playing. Follow the Sequence of Play (sections 0 through 7) closely – these rules are presented in the order you will use them in the game. Read a section, then play that Phase or Segment. Don't worry too much about getting something wrong. You'll have fun no matter what rules you don't get right the first time. We're happy to report that this game is indestructible that way.
Select cards in historical (numerical) order. You do not need to learn the Optional, Special Markers, or Special Event rules at this time (sections 15 through 18) – read only the ones that apply as you play. If you need to find something in particular, both the Table of Contents on this page and the Index in the back will help you. You won't play quickly this way, but you'll end up with a firm grasp of the game's mechanics, and you'll have a much better idea of how to plan an effective game strategy by the time you're through.
Continue playing until the end of the July-August 1940 Game Turn and then perform one last Victory Point Check (0.1).
- If the Victory Point Marker reads "Allied Crusade" after this Victory Point Check, then the Allied player has won.
- If the Victory Point Marker reads "Axis Tide," then the Axis player has won.
Game Components
Totaler Krieg! includes this Rules Book, a Reference Booklet, Examples Booklet, two 22 x 34 mapsheets, 560 die-cut playing pieces, three sets of cards, three Force Pool Displays, three Player Aid Sheets, one East Map/Tournament Scenarios Support Display, one Random Campaign Game Rules Booklet, three Random Campaign Game table sheets, and two six-sided dice.
Game Scale: Each hex on the map measures about 60 miles from hexside to hexside. Each complete Game Turn represents from thirty to sixty days of real time.
Units & Markers
Ground combat units portray corps, armies, army group headquarters (HQ units), and fortresses. Important: Ground units always have three numbers printed along their bottoms (front = Full Strength, back = Reduced Strength).
- Attack Factor is a unit's strength when attacking enemy units during a Combat Segment.
- Defense Factor is a unit's strength when defending against an enemy attack during a Combat Segment.
- Movement Allowance is the number of Movement Points a unit can use to move from hex to adjacent hex during Operational and Reserve Movement Phases.
- Reinforcement Number is keyed to the card number printed on the Option cards, and helps you find the pieces to add to the game when the like-numbered card is revealed.
- Step Value indicates the number of steps in a unit. Multi-step units (those with a Step Value greater than one) are formed by combining a number of units equal to the multi-step unit's Step Value.
- Organization Size xxxx-army, xxx-corps. All armies are multi-step units; all corps are one-step units. Armies and corps constitute the bulk of each country's combat forces.
- Historical Designation is a unit's historical identity number (Patton's 3rd Army, in the above example).
On Partisan units, "C" is a Communist Partisan, while "N" stands for Nationalist. On French and Italian units, a white symbol box and "Col" indicates Colonial units. A Minor Country corps unit with an "Ex" (Expeditionary) designation indicates it is capable of cooperative stacking & attacking. Every Minor Country (and, sometimes, the German SS) has one "Res" (Reserve) corps.
Minor Country units have a Nationality identification and some other abbreviations are used on various units as follows: AA-Anglo-Allied, AH-Austria and Austria-Hungary, AK-RVGK-Aviatsionnyy korpus reserva Glavnogo Komandovaniya (Air Corps of the Stavka Reserve), AN-Axis Nationalist, Ar-Armenia, Aus-Australian (Commonwealth), AZ-Azberaijan, BS-Baltic States, Bul-Bulgaria, B-H-Belgium-Holland, Can-Canada (Commonwealth), Cau-Caucasus, CZ-Czechoslovakia, D-N-Denmark-Norway, Finn-Finland, FR-France, FF-Free French, Flsj-Fallschirmjager (Airborne), GE-FN-German-Finnish, GE-IT-German-Italian, Geo-Georgia, Gre-Greece, Hun-Hungary, Ind-Indian (Commonwealth), Ire-Ireland, IT-Italy, NZ-New Zealand (Commonwealth), Pol-Poland, Port-Portugal, PVO-Protivovoydushaya oborona (Air Defense), RAF-Royal Air Force, Rum-Rumania, Sib-Siberia, Swe-Sweden, Turk-Turkey, Uk-Ukraine, USAF-US Air Force, VDV-Vozdushno-desantnyye voiska (Airborne Troops), VMF-Voyenno-morskoy flot (Soviet Navy), Yugo-Yugoslavia and Croatia (Cro).
- Infantry – Units with infantry, cavalry, airborne, mountain, and ski symbols are defined as "infantry-type" units.
- Airdrop mode is a special feature found on the reverse of all airborne infantry-type units.
- Range is the maximum distance Air Support, Bomber, and Airdrop units can trace to their Target Hex during a friendly player turn.
- Armor – Units with armor, mechanized, and cav-mech symbols all are defined as "armor-type" units for all game purposes. Soviet armor is sometimes referred to as "tank," and German armor is sometimes referred to as "panzer." Armor-type units can provide a combat bonus and allow for Exploitation when attacking.
- HQ – All units with the artillery symbol (a dot) are HQ units. HQs provide additional hitting power for attack and a strong backbone for defense. They can contribute their support from up to two hexes away.
- Fortress – All units with an open symbol box are fortress units. Fortress units provide a strong but immobile defense.
- Air Support/Beachhead Markers have an aircraft on one side and a port symbol (anchor) on the other. Air Support units represent both fighter and ground support aircraft in addition to naval vessels (when used at sea). They are the main Support Unit type that will be assisting your armies.
- Bomber unit/Devastation Markers have a heavy bomber on one side with a "down arrow" (indicating that they cannot contest enemy Support Marker placement) and ruins (devastation) on the other. Bombers are basically Air Support units with no fighter or naval capabilities.
- Interceptor units have an interceptor type aircraft symbol on one side with an "up arrow" (indicating that they can only contest enemy Support Marker placement). Interceptors are basically Air Support units with no bombing or naval capabilities.
- Surface Fleet/Beachhead Markers have a ship on one side, and a port symbol (anchor) on the other. Fleets are sea-locked Support units that provide greater beachhead placement range than Air Support units.
- U-boat Fleet units have a submarine on one side with a "down arrow" (indicating that they cannot contest enemy Support Marker placement). U-boats are pain-in-the-neck fleets that the Germans can use against the Allies.
Support and Airdrop units are not considered "ground units" because they do not have three numbers printed along their bottoms. Although they can significantly interact with ground units, they are not, themselves, considered ground units.
Markers include every counter that is not an infantry, armor, HQ, fortress, Air or Fleet unit (including Support and Airdrop units). Some examples are Truce Markers (Nazi-Soviet Pact, Appeasement, Armistice, etc.), Victory Point Track Markers (Axis Tide/Allied Crusade, Festung Europa, SS Europa, etc.), Strategic Warfare Markers (Jet Fighters, Intensive Bombing, etc.), and Map Markers (Supply Convoy/Troop Convoy, Devastation Markers (on the back of the Heavy and Ural Bomber units), Command/Supply Failure, Ceded Border Markers, etc.).
Option Cards
There are three sets of Option cards included with the game – one set each for the Axis, Soviet, and Western Allied factions. Each deck contains a variety of Limited War cards and Total War cards. Cards provide the following information used to play the game (not all cards contain all these elements).
- Card Title – Those cards whose title is in black print are Limited War cards. Cards whose title is in red print are Total War cards.
- Blitz Cards – Those cards featuring lightning bolts on both sides of the card's Title. A player usually gets to attack twice during his turn when his Current Option card is a Blitz card. Important: A card whose title is in red print and surrounded by lightning bolts is called a Total War Blitz card.
- US Commitment Level (USCL) Number – Most Western Allied Total War cards have a US Commitment Level number (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) that tracks the growing strategic clout wielded by the United States in the European Theater. This number is used as a Political and a Delay die roll modifier and adds to the number of Minor Country replacement steps the Western Allied player receives during his Seasonal Reinforcement Segments. US Cards that read "No US Commitment Level" are considered to have a US Commitment Level of 0 (zero) for these purposes. This means that America's energy that Season is focused on achieving that card's special function(s).
- Effects and/or Restrictions – These are listed below a card's title and may prohibit a player from selecting a card unless a specific other card has been played, or may require him to discard another card, among other things (see 1.1.2 for other card play restrictions).
- Force Pool – Indicates additional units that are added to a faction's Force Pool during the Reinforcement Segment of the Seasonal Phase in which the card is revealed (see 1.3.1).
- Delay Box – Indicates additional units and Markers that are placed in the Delay Box during the Reinforcement Segment of the Seasonal Phase in which the card is revealed. These pieces will become available for use upon some future turn, determined by die rolls during the Game Turn Interphase (see 7.1).
- Seasonal Replacements – These are the Major Power armor and infantry steps that are placed on the map as one-step replacement corps units during the Reinforcement Segment of the Seasonal Phase in which the card is revealed (see 1.3). These are listed in a red outlined box on the Option cards (corresponding to the red outlined Seasonal Turns on the Game Turn Record Track) to remind players that they are received only on Seasonal turns.
- Political Event – These are conditions and consequences checked during the Political Event Segment, or events and actions determined by random die roll during the Political Event Segment of the player's Initial Administrative Phases (see 2.1) during each Game Turn while this is his Current Option card. Die rolls for Political Events are subject to the current Political Die Roll modifier (see the Player Aid sheet).
- Conditional Event – These are conditions and consequences checked during the Conditional Event Segment of a player's Final Administrative Phase (see 6.2) during each Game Turn while this is his Current Option card.
Core Game Mechanics
The Turn Sequence
A game of Totaler Krieg! is played in a series of consecutive Game Turns, each of which consists of three Player Turns – Axis, Western Allied, and Soviet Allied, in that order. The player whose Player Turn is currently in progress is referred to as the "phasing player." In a two-player game, the Allied player plays both the Western Allied and the Soviet Allied Player Turns, one after the other.
Each Player Turn is divided into steps called "phases," often further sub-divided into "segments." Players perform actions in accord with the sequence of phases and segments given below, known as the "Sequence of Play." Once the phasing player finishes one phase or segment and moves on to the next, he cannot go back.
Important: The sequence and mechanics of play require that you treat all non-phasing units as "enemy." This means that Western Allied units treat both Axis and Soviet Allied units as enemy units, and that Soviet Allied units treat both Axis and Western Allied units as enemy units. Rule of Thumb – when it's your turn, everything that doesn't belong to your faction is in your way.
Design Note: The Sequence of Play is procedure-oriented. You will need to follow it closely until the order in which things happen begins to make sense. The decisions you make will be based on the text on your Current Option card, or on the position of units and markers on the map or status tracks. The implications of your decisions will not become clear until you have learned the Sequence of Play. Once mastered, the Sequence frees you from the need to think back so that you can focus on developing your ability to plan ahead.
Sequence of Play
A. Seasonal Victory Point Check — A Victory Point Check is performed at the beginning of every Game Turn highlighted with a red box as a Seasonal turn on the Turn Record Track (every March-April, May-June, Aug-Sept, and Nov-Dec Game Turn).
B. Axis Player Turn
- Seasonal Phase — 1.1 Option Card Segment; 1.2 Logistics Marker Placement Segment; 1.3 Seasonal Reinforcement Segment.
- Important Note: Seasonal Phases are not performed every Game Turn. Each player begins his Player Turn with his Seasonal Phase only on those Game Turns highlighted with a red box as Seasonal turns on the Turn Record Track. On all other Game Turns, each player begins his turn with his Initial Administrative Phase (i.e., "below the break line").
- Initial Administrative Phase — 2.1 Political Event Segment; 2.2 Convoy Segment; 2.3 Air & Naval Segment; 2.4 Organization Segment.
- Operational Movement Phase
- Combat Phase — 4.1 Blitz Combat Segment; 4.2 Regular Combat Segment.
- Reserve Movement Phase
- Final Administrative Phase — 6.1 War & Peace Segment; 6.2 Conditional Event Segment.
C. Western Allied Player Turn — The Western Allied Player Turn follows the same sequence as the Axis Player Turn.
D. Soviet Allied Player Turn — The Soviet Allied Player Turn follows the same sequence as the Axis Player Turn.
7. Game Turn Interphase — 7.1 Delay Segment; 7.2 Turn Record Marker Segment.
0. Victory Conditions
Victory is obtained by occupying the enemy's Strategic Hexes and preventing enemy units from occupying your own Strategic Hexes. Trying to keep countries that contain your own Strategic Hexes out of the war can be an effective part of your game strategy.
A Victory Point (VP) Check is performed at the beginning of every Game Turn highlighted with a red box as a Seasonal turn on the Turn Record Track. A Final Victory Point Check is also performed to end the game at the beginning of the turn where the VE-Day Marker (16.29) finally ends up. (The VE-Day Marker might move ahead one turn; see 7.2).
0.1 Seasonal Victory Point Check Procedure
Count the number of all Allied Strategic Hexes in Axis or Conquered Western Allied Minor Countries under "Axis control." An Allied Strategic Hex is considered under Axis control if it is:
- occupied by an Axis ground unit, the ObK Logistics Marker, or an Axis Devastation Marker,
- in an Axis Minor Country or Conquered Western Allied Minor Country and not occupied by an Allied ground unit, an Allied Logistics Marker, or Allied Devastation Marker.
To this count add one if the Surface Raiders Marker is on the VP Track (16.26).
Subtract the number of Axis Strategic Hexes under "Allied control." An Axis Strategic Hex is considered under Allied control if it is:
- occupied by an Allied ground unit or Logistics Marker, or
- occupied by an Allied Devastation Marker, or
- occupied by a Neutrality Marker (but only after a German Collapse; 18.5.4.3), or
- in an active Allied Minor country and not occupied by an Axis ground unit, the ObK Logistics Marker, or an Axis Devastation Marker.
This final result is the Current Strategic Value.
0.1.1 Limited War. Important Exception: If the Nazi-Soviet Pact is in effect, do not count Soviet Strategic Hexes under Axis control, or Axis Strategic Hexes under Soviet control. Likewise, if Appeasement is in effect, do not count Western Allied Strategic Hexes under Axis, or Axis Strategic Hexes under Western Allied control. See 14.1.2 and 14.2.1.
Place the VP Marker on the side indicated (either Axis Tide or Allied Crusade) in the Box on VP Track directly above or below the Current Strategic Value. Do not flip the VP Marker over when the Current Strategic Value is either +1 or +2. Just place the VP Marker in the 0 Box and leave it on whichever side was already face-up. For example, if the VP Marker currently reads "Allied Crusade," it continues to do so if placed in the 0 VP Box.
0.1.2 The Axis No Retreat Marker. When the Axis "No Retreat" Marker is on the Victory Point Track, the VP Marker can never be placed on its Axis Tide side in a VP Box to the right of (i.e., higher than) the one occupied by the No Retreat Marker (see 16.19). The Axis Military Takeover or SS Europa Markers do not have this effect.
0.1.3 Removing Devastation Markers. After the VP Marker adjustment (if any), non-atomic (18.5.5) Devastation Markers are removed from the map and placed, Bomber-side up, in the Delay Box (15.4.2).
0.2 Automatic Total Victory
A player may end the game before the final Game Turn by achieving an Automatic Total Victory.
If the Current Strategic Value is +15 or higher during a VP Check, the VP Marker is placed in the Total Victory Box on the VP Track on its "Axis Tide" side and the Axis player wins an Automatic Total Victory. Remember that the VP Marker cannot be placed on its "Axis Tide" side in a Box to the right of the No Retreat Marker when it is on the VP Track. Thus, while the No Retreat Marker is on the VP Track, it is impossible for the Axis player to win an Automatic Total Victory.
If the Current Strategic Value is -16 or less during a VP Check, the VP Marker is placed in the Total Victory Box on the VP Track on its "Allied Crusade" side and the Allied players win an Automatic Total Victory.
0.3 Determining Historical Victory
If neither side has won an Automatic Total Victory by the time the game ends (see 7.2), the Historical Victory Level is determined by the position and mode of the VP Marker after an immediate and final Victory Point Check.
| VP Marker | Box | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Axis Tide | 4 VP Box | Axis Decisive Victory |
| Axis Tide | 3 VP Box | Axis Substantive Victory |
| Axis Tide | 2 VP Box | Axis Marginal Victory |
| Axis Tide | 1 VP Box | Axis Tactical Victory |
| Either side | 0 VP Box | Draw |
| Allied Crusade | 1 VP Box | Allied Tactical Victory |
| Allied Crusade | 2 VP Box | Allied Marginal Victory |
| Allied Crusade | 3 VP Box | Allied Substantive Victory |
| Allied Crusade | 4 VP Box | Allied Decisive Victory |
0.4 Determining Game Victory
The Historical Victory Level determines which side won the war. Determining who won the game is a different matter. To determine which side won the game, adjust the above Historical result one level in favor of the Axis for each VP in the box occupied by the No Retreat or Military Takeover Marker. This adjustment never alters an Allied Automatic Total Victory.
If, for example, the No Retreat Marker is in the 2 VP Box, an Allied Tactical Historical Victory would be adjusted two levels to an Axis Tactical Game Victory. If the No Retreat Marker is in the 4 VP Box, the Allied players must win an Automatic Total Victory or none at all, since even a Historical Allied Decisive Victory would be adjusted to a Game Draw.
No provision has been made for determining individual Allied player victory levels (unless a Separate Peace Extension occurs). The two Allied players in a three-player game must equally share the credit for an Allied victory and the blame for an Allied defeat. The time spent after the game arguing about who did what is known as the Cold War.
Reference Note: For ease of reference, Rules #1 through 7 are presented in the same numerical order as they are in the Sequence of Play. If, for example, you're playing Step 5 of the Sequence of Play (Reserve Movement), you'll know that Rule 5 in this booklet corresponds directly to it.
1. Seasonal Phase
Seasonal Phases are not performed every Game Turn. Add a Seasonal Phase to the beginning of each Player Turn only on those turns highlighted as Seasonal turns on the Turn Record Track (every March-April, May-June, Aug-Sept, and Nov-Dec Game Turn).
During his Seasonal Phase, the phasing player reveals the Option card he selected during his last Seasonal Phase, selects the Option card he will reveal during his next Seasonal Phase, and may receive and place his faction's reinforcements and Seasonal replacements.
1.1 Option Card Segment
1.1.1 Procedure. First, the phasing player must discard his Current Option card. This is the card he revealed during his last Seasonal Phase. This card is set aside and cannot be played again.
Next, the phasing player must reveal his Pending Option card. This is the card he selected during his last Seasonal Phase. He must turn this card face up on the table in full view of all players – that Option card is now his new Current Option card.
As this card is revealed, any units on its back are placed in or adjacent to any city (free of enemy ground or Air units) in their home countries. You won't have to deal with this very often, if ever – units are placed on the back of Pending Option cards, typically, when Vichy France is created (see 12.3).
Any Immediate Effects or Restrictions listed on the new Current Option card are checked – if the card calls for some other card to be discarded, that card must be discarded now, even if it is not yet in the player's active card hand. If there are other restrictions or preconditions listed below the title of the new Current Option card, the phasing player must verify that he is in compliance. The phasing player must also verify that he was in compliance with the selection restrictions of 1.1.2 below. If found with an illegal Current Option card, he must immediately return that card to his hand and will not have a Current Option card this Season. This returned card is not considered "revealed."
Finally, the phasing player must select from his hand the card he intends to reveal during his next Seasonal Phase. He places this card face down (concealed from the other players), on the table, under his Current Option card – this card is now his Pending Option card.
The phasing player should now have a face up card (his Current Option card) and a face down card (his Pending Option card) on the table, and can proceed to the Reinforcement Segment of his Seasonal Phase.
Players are not allowed to examine another player's cards before they have been revealed. Players may share or withhold information about their own cards with other players at their own discretion (except for their Current Option cards, which are in full view).
Exception: The Western Allied player has two 'Ultra' cards that allow him to examine the Axis Pending Option card while it is still face down on the table. He is not obligated to share the information with the Soviet player.
Each player should designate a small space on the gaming table for his Current and Pending Option cards – it must be absolutely clear to all players at all times which cards are Current cards and which cards are Pending cards. All discarded cards should be set aside together where they cannot accidentally re-enter the game – all players are free to examine all discarded cards at any time.
- If the Axis player makes an illegal Current Option Card play, in addition to returning that illegally played card to his hand, Total War immediately commences (13) if it has not already done so.
1.1.2 Selection Restrictions. The phasing player can select only one Option card each Option Card Segment and it must be selected from among those he currently holds in his hand. A player cannot select a card that has not yet been added to his hand, nor a card that has already been revealed and/or discarded – each card can be played only once.
Card selection is final. Once a player has selected a card, placed it face down as his Pending Option card, and moved on to his Reinforcement Segment, he is bound to reveal that card and make it his Current Option card during his next Option Card Segment no matter how badly he wants to take it back.
Important: Before selecting a particular card, carefully check the restrictions listed on that card. Many cards cannot be selected unless certain pre-conditions have been met. Look, for example, at Axis cards 11 and 14 – these cards cannot be selected unless another specified Axis card has already been revealed at some point in the game (it does not have to be the card revealed most recently). In addition to any restrictions listed on the cards themselves, the restrictions listed below always apply to card selection. A player who finds that he cannot select any card in his hand without violating a restriction must say so. He will not select a Pending Option card and thus will not reveal a new Current Option card during his next Seasonal Phase. Pay close attention to these restrictions and be careful! If you save up Axis or Soviet Total War Blitz cards for the endgame, for example, you may find yourself unable to select a card and will then have to muddle through a Season without a Current Option card.
- Allied players cannot select Western Allied or Soviet Total War cards until the Axis player has triggered Total War. The Axis player may select a Total War card at any time after he has revealed his German Mobilization card (this card adds the Axis Total War cards to the Axis card hand). Once the Axis player has revealed his first Total War card, "Total War" is in effect for the duration of the game – Allied players are free to select Allied Total War cards and all Limited War Effects are permanently lifted (see 13.1). Limited War cards can (and occasionally should) still be played while Total War is raging, but this never alters the fact that Total War is in effect.
- The Axis player cannot reveal Axis Total War Blitz cards in consecutive Seasonal Phases. In other words, if he reveals an Axis Total War Blitz card at the beginning of an Axis Option Card Segment, he cannot then select another Axis Total War Blitz card during that same Option Card Segment – he can never play two Axis Total War Blitz cards in a row. Important: There is no such restriction on Axis Limited War Blitz cards. The Axis player could, for example, select a Total War Blitz card, then a Limited War Blitz, and then another Total War Blitz card over three consecutive Seasons.
- The Soviet Allied player cannot reveal more than one Soviet Total War Blitz card in a single calendar year. If, for example, the Allied player reveals a Soviet Total War Blitz card in November-December 1942, he could select another Soviet Total War Blitz card in the same Soviet Option Card Segment because that card would not be revealed until the following March-April 1943 turn (which is in a different calendar year). If he reveals a Soviet Total War Blitz card during his March-April 1943 turn, he will not be able to select another such card until his November-December 1943 turn at the earliest – the card would be revealed in calendar year 1944. Important: There is no such restriction on Soviet Limited War Blitz cards.
- When selecting a Western Allied card with a US Commitment Level number, the Western Allied player must make his selection from the cards with the lowest US Commitment Level number. The Western Allied player cannot select a US Commitment Level 3 card, for example, if he still holds any US Commitment Level 1 or 2 cards in his hand. He can always select a card without a US Commitment Level number (unless prevented by other selection restrictions).
1.2 Logistics Marker Placement Segment
This Segment is skipped during Limited War.
During his Seasonal Logistics Marker Placement Segment, the phasing player may either place his faction's Logistics Marker on the map or remove it from the map. He may never do both in the same Seasonal Marker Placement Segment.
- If his Logistics Marker is in his Available Box, the phasing player may, if he wishes, place it on the map (see 16.2, 16.5, and 16.24 for placement restrictions).
- If it is already on the map, the phasing player may either leave it there or pick it up and place it in the Delay Box.
In other words, if you wish to move your Logistics Marker, you must first pick it up and run it through the Delay Box. You won't get a chance to place it back on the map until your next Seasonal Logistics Marker Placement Segment at the earliest.
1.3 Seasonal Reinforcement Segment
During his Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the phasing player may add units to his Force Pool and Available Support Units & Markers Box (sometimes by way of the Delay Box), and may introduce a variety of special markers into the game. He will also receive replacement steps to place on the map as one-step corps units. Most reinforcements received in a Seasonal Reinforcement Segment will be listed on the phasing player's Current Option card.
1.3.1 Force Pool Additions & Delayed Entry. The phasing player's Current Option card may list certain units and markers found in a shaded box under the headings Force Pool or Delay Box. Unlike replacements, such units are not placed directly on the map.
The phasing player places any corps, army, fortress, and HQ units listed on his Current Option card under the heading Force Pool in his Force Pool. Any Support units or markers so listed are placed in his Available Support Units & Markers Box (or "Available Box" for short).
The phasing player places any units or markers listed under the heading Delay Box in the Delay Box. These pieces will enter the game on some future turn, determined by a modified die roll during the Game Turn Interphase (see rule 7).
1.3.2 Major Power Seasonal Replacements. German, Soviet, British, and US Seasonal Replacements are found in red boxes under the heading of "Seasonal Replacements" on the Option cards. These cards list the appropriate number and type (infantry or armor) of steps received.
During his Seasonal Reinforcement Segment (only, not each Game Turn!), the phasing player receives the replacement steps listed on his Current Option card. Use the cards' red box as a reminder; it corresponds to the red boxes denoting Seasonal Turns on the Game Turn Record Track.
Important: Conditional Replacements listed under the heading "Conditional Event" on an Option card are not received during the Seasonal Reinforcement Segment – you have to wait for your Conditional Event Segment to get these special replacements. Conditional Event Segments occur every turn, so Conditional Replacements can be received on turns other than Seasonal turns, and can therefore be received more than once!
1.3.3 Additional Seasonal Replacements. In addition to the Major Power Seasonal Replacements listed on their Current Option card, players may receive a variety of additional Seasonal replacement steps for minor countries and so forth. These are fully described in rules 1.3.4-1.3.6 below. Neutral minor countries are never eligible to receive replacements.
1.3.4 Axis Additional Seasonal Replacement Steps
Axis Minor Countries. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Axis player receives one Axis Minor Country replacement step of any type for each VP in the Box currently occupied by the Axis Tide VP Marker. The Axis player may allocate the step(s) thus received to any Axis Minor Country or Countries or to Axis Nationalists units (if available). If the Axis Tide VP Marker is in the 2 VP Box, for example, the Axis player gets two Axis Minor Country replacement steps – total. If there are four Axis minor countries, the Axis player will have to decide who gets these limited resources this Season. The Axis player may even award both of these replacement steps to the same Axis Minor Country. These Axis Minor Country replacement steps are not received if:
- there are no Axis Minor Country or Axis Nationalist ground units in the Axis Force Pool;
- the VP Marker reads "Allied Crusade";
- the SS Europa Marker is on the Victory Point Track.
Axis Nationalists. Important: The Axis Nationalist step is received only if the Anti-Comintern Pact Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This Marker comes into play (with the Axis Nationalist units) when the Axis player reveals his Anti-Comintern Pact Option card – if he never selects this card, he will never receive Axis Nationalist replacement steps. This option represents a serious German effort to organize and equip "Legions" of foreign nationalist troops. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Axis player receives one Axis Nationalist step of any type if the Anti-Comintern Pact Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This Axis Nationalist step is in addition to any received from Axis Minor Country replacement step(s) allocated to Axis Nationalists.
Axis Italians. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Axis player receives one Italian replacement step of any type (exception, Airborne corps – see 1.3.8) if Italy is an Axis Minor Country. This Axis Italian replacement step is in addition to any Axis Minor Country replacement step(s) allocated to Italy. The Axis Italian replacement step is not received if any of the following conditions apply:
- Appeasement Restrictions are in effect;
- Italy has been collapsed, conquered, or liberated at any time during the game;
- an Italian ground unit does not occupy a city outside of Italy (Mussolini must have some sort of an "empire");
- Allied units occupy any city in Italy.
Note: Tripoli and Tobruk are not cities "in Italy" – they are outside of Italy in Libya, which is an Italian Dependent, and so can count as "Mussolini's empire" (see 12.4).
Italian War Economy. Important: The Italian War Economy step is received only if the Italian War Economy Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This Marker comes into play when the Axis player reveals his Mare Nostrum Option card – if he never selects this card, he will never receive Italian War Economy replacements. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Axis player receives an Italian replacement step of any type if Italy is an Axis Minor Country. This Axis Italian War Economy replacement step is in addition to any Axis Italians or Axis Minor Country replacement step(s) allocated to Italy.
German No Retreat OR Military Takeover Replacements. Important: German No Retreat or Military Takeover Replacements are received during Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segments only if either the No Retreat (16.19) or Military Takeover (16.16) Marker is on the Victory Point Track. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Axis player receives one additional German infantry replacement step for each VP in the Box occupied by the VP Marker if it reads "Axis Tide." If he is entitled to more than one such infantry step in a single Reinforcement Segment, he can exchange two such infantry steps and receive one German armor step instead. Only these replacement steps can be exchanged in this way. If, for example, the Axis Tide VP Marker is in the 4 VP Box, the Axis player could take these replacements (only) as either two German armor steps, or one German armor step and two German infantry steps, or four German infantry steps.
German SS Europa Replacements. Important: German SS Europa Replacements are received during Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segments only if the SS Europa Marker is on the Victory Point Track. This Marker enters the game when the Axis player reveals his SS Europa Option card. During each Axis Seasonal Reinforcement Segment where the SS Europa Marker (16.25) is on the Victory Point Track, the Axis player receives no regular Axis Minor Country replacement steps. (He still gets Axis Italians, Italian War Economy, and an Axis Nationalist replacement, if available, however.) Instead, he receives one additional German infantry replacement step for each VP in the Box occupied by the VP Marker if it reads "Axis Tide," plus another for each VP in the Box occupied by the SS Europa Marker. While the Axis Tide might fluctuate, the SS Europa Marker will only move if there is a Military Takeover (16.16 and 17.2.14)!
1.3.5 Western Allied Additional Seasonal Replacement Steps
Western Allied Minor Countries. During each Western Allied Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Western Allied player receives one Western Allied Minor Country replacement step of any type for each VP in the Box currently occupied by the Allied Crusade VP Marker, plus a number of steps equal to the US Commitment Level number (if any) on the Western Allied Current Option card. The Western Allied player may allocate the step(s) thus received to any Western Allied Minor Country or countries, or Partisan units.
- Partisan units are added to the Western Allied Force Pool when the Western Allies reveal their US Entry card (#12).
- Seasonal Minor Country replacement steps cannot be allocated to a Western Allied Minor Country while it is Conquered (see 18.1.1).
Western Allied French. During each Western Allied Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Allied player receives one additional French replacement step of any type if France is a Western Allied Minor Country. This step is in addition to any Western Allied Minor Country step(s) allocated to France. The additional French replacement step is not received if any of the following conditions apply:
- Axis units occupy any city in France or French North Africa;
- Appeasement Restrictions are in effect;
- France has been conquered, collapsed (via Case Yellow 18.4.1), or liberated at any time during the game.
French War Economy. Important: The French War Economy step is received only if the French War Economy Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This Marker comes into play when the Allied player reveals his Pour la Guerre! Option card – if he never selects this card, he will never receive French War Economy replacement steps. During each Western Allied Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Western Allied player receives a French replacement step of any type if France is an active Western Allied Minor Country. This French War Economy replacement step is in addition to any Western Allied French or Western Allied Minor Country replacement step(s) allocated to France.
1.3.6 Soviet Allied Additional Seasonal Replacement Steps
Soviet Allied Minor Countries. During each Soviet Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Soviet player receives one Soviet Allied Minor Country replacement step of any type for each VP in the Box currently occupied by the Allied Crusade VP Marker. The Soviet player may allocate the step(s) thus received to any Soviet Allied Minor Country or countries, and "C" Partisan units after a Separate Peace Extension (18.6). No Soviet Allied Minor Country replacement steps are received at all if the VP Marker is in the 0 VP Box or reads "Axis Tide," or if there are no Soviet Allied minor countries.
Comintern Support Replacements. Important: The Comintern Support step is received only if the Comintern Support Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This Marker comes into play when the Soviet player reveals his Comintern Option card – if he never selects this card, he will never receive Comintern Support replacement steps. During each Soviet Seasonal Reinforcement Segment, the Soviet player receives an additional Soviet Allied Minor Country replacement step of any type.
1.3.7 Minor Country Notes. When receiving a Minor Country replacement step, it may be taken as either an infantry- or armor-type step, if available. When receiving a Minor Country infantry step, only an infantry-type step may be taken.
1.3.8 Airborne Corps Replacements. A player must spend two infantry-type replacement steps to take a one-step airborne corps as a replacement unit. The Western Allied player must use a US and a British infantry replacement step if he wishes to take the Allied airborne corps – this unit may then be placed as either a US or a British replacement unit. For Italy to receive her paratroop unit, it takes two Italian infantry-type replacement steps.
1.4 Placing Replacement Units
Replacement steps are placed directly on the map as one-step corps units – a player cannot place multi-step units as replacements. Only those one-step corps units currently in a player's Force Pool are available to be placed as replacements. The Axis player cannot, for example, take an SS panzer corps as a German panzer replacement step if no SS panzer corps unit is currently available in the Axis Force Pool.
Many one-step corps units are the reduced-strength sides of two-step army units. When in the Force Pool, these corps are available to be taken as replacement corps. You'll get to build them up to their full-strength two-step army sides during your upcoming Organization Segment (2.4).
Infantry replacement steps can only be taken as infantry-type corps (infantry, cavalry, mountain, ski, and airborne – see 1.3.8). Armor/panzer/tank replacement steps can be taken as either armor-type or infantry-type corps. In other words, you can always take an infantry-type corps as an armor replacement, but you can never take an armor-type corps as an infantry replacement.
Players cannot accumulate or save replacement steps. If a player cannot place all scheduled replacement steps because there are not enough legal placement hexes, or because there are insufficient one-step corps units of the type called for in his Force Pool, the unplaced replacement steps are lost forever. A player may voluntarily destroy friendly units on the map to obtain sufficient one-step corps or to make room in the available placement hexes for the corps he wishes to place. Stacking limits are enforced after every Phase and Segment, so don't pile six replacement corps units into the same hex – you'll have to eliminate three of them (9).
Political Events and Conditional Events will sometimes allow players to add replacements during phases or segments other than the Seasonal Reinforcement Segment. These special replacements are placed exactly like replacements received during the Reinforcement Segment of a Seasonal Phase. Exception, see 18.3.1, Soviet Lend-Lease.
1.4.1 Where Replacement Units Can Be Placed. Important: No matter which replacement location is indicated in this section, a replacement corps cannot be placed in a hex that contains an enemy unit (including Air units, even if there are other friendly units in the hex) or an enemy Logistics Marker (i.e. SHAEF, Stavka, and ObK).
Each replacement corps unit is placed on the map in a city hex in the unit's home country. A replacement corps cannot be placed in a city hex that contains an enemy unit (including enemy Air units, even if there are other friendly units in the hex) or a Logistics Marker (i.e., SHAEF, Stavka, and ObK).
Replacement corps can also be placed in any hexes in their home country occupied by a HQ unit of their nationality that can trace a supply line to that country's capital.
Additional Replacement Locations:
- German units may be received on the hex occupied by the ObK Logistics Marker (see 16.5) or a two-step (1-2-0) SS HQ unit, while it is on the map and able to trace an overland supply route to Berlin. These immobile SS headquarters represent the "Administrative Centers" of an aggressively expanding Reich. They are there to attract German "colonists" and, in game terms, replacement steps. Their immobility represents no-retreat fanaticism.
- Every city in the Minor Country whose capital city is occupied by the Reich Annex Marker (see 16.21) is considered a home country city for German units. This affects both replacements and supply (10.1).
- Soviet units may be received on the hex occupied by the Stavka Logistics Marker (see 16.24) while it is on the map and can trace an overland supply route to a Soviet Strategic Hex.
- US units are received in the US/Canada Box.
- Only one British Seasonal Replacement step per Season may be received in each of the Commonwealth and US/Canada Boxes.
- British Commonwealth units are handled differently than regular British units. When received as replacements, Commonwealth corps are placed as follows: AU (Australian) – the Commonwealth Box; CA (Canadian) – the US/Canada Box; IN (Indian) – the Commonwealth Box; NZ (New Zealand) – the Commonwealth Box; SA (South African) – the Commonwealth or South Atlantic Box. Note: The Canadian 1st Army does not require the Canadian infantry corps to be either formed or broken down (see 2.4).
- US, British (including Commonwealth) units may be received on the hex occupied by the SHAEF Logistics Marker (see 16.2), while it is on the map and can trace supply to Britain or the US/Canada Box.
- British (including Commonwealth) units may be received on the hex occupied by the Allied 15th HQ unit, while it is on the map and can trace supply to the US/Canada Box.
1.4.2 French & Italian Colonial Unit Placement Restrictions. Though French North Africa is considered part of France (12.2), French corps lacking a Col(onial) designation can never be placed as replacements in cities in French North Africa or Syria, and French Col(onial) corps can only be placed as replacements in cities in French North Africa or Syria (until and unless Syria becomes its own Minor Country, see 12.3, Creation of Vichy France).
The Italian Col(onial) corps can only be taken as a replacement in an Italian controlled city in French North Africa, Libya, or Egypt.
1.4.3 Axis Nationalists Unit Placement. Axis Nationalist units have no "home country" in game terms. Axis Nationalist replacement corps can be placed in any city that is also a capital and/or a Strategic Hex (Axis, Soviet, or Western Allied). Important: The city must be occupied by an Axis ground unit that can trace supply to Berlin.
1.4.4 Partisan Unit Placement. Partisan replacement corps can be placed only in unoccupied rough or city hexes in any Soviet Allied, Western Allied, or Conquered Western Allied Minor Country or Countries.
- Partisans may also be placed in such hexes in an Axis Minor Country if that country has collapsed via Operation Avalanche (18.5.3).
- Partisans may be placed in such hexes in Great Britain, Greater Germany, and the Soviet Union, but only if that country has collapsed at any time in the game (18.4 and 18.5.4.3).
- The hex must be completely vacant. Exception: If the SS Europa Marker (16.25) is on the Victory Point Track, the hex need not be vacant but cannot contain an enemy ground or air unit.
- Partisan replacement corps can never be placed in an Enemy Zone of Control (8.0), regardless of the presence of other friendly units.
- No more than one Partisan replacement corps can be placed in a given hex during a single Allied Faction's Seasonal Reinforcement Segment.
- There can never be more Partisan units in a country at one time than there are units belonging to that country in the countermix. Thus, there can never be more than one Partisan unit in Ireland at any given time, since there is only one Irish unit in the countermix; up to three Partisan units can be in Portugal at the same time, since there are three Portuguese units in the countermix.
2. Initial Administrative Phase
During his Initial Administrative Phase, the phasing player will resolve any Political Events on his Current Option card, place Convoy Markers, attempt to establish Air and Naval Superiority, and organize his ground forces.
2.1 Political Event Segment
If the phasing player does not have a face up Current Option card with a Political Event on it, skip this Segment.
If the phasing player's Current Option card is face up and has a Political Event on it, he must resolve the Political Event, even if he has already "resolved" the event on an earlier turn. He must resolve the event anew each turn until the card is voluntarily turned face down (Treaty, Comintern, Initiative, and Ultimatum cards only – see 17.1.2) or is discarded normally during a Seasonal Option Card Segment (1.1.1).
Most Political Events are resolved by rolling one die, applying the Political die roll modifiers (which are listed above the Political Event Tables on the Player Aid sheet), and comparing the roll to the Political Event Table on the card. Modified die rolls less than 1 or greater than 6 are treated as '1' and '6' respectively.
Some results on Political Event Tables will direct players to one of the other Political Event Tables printed on the Player Aid Card. Roll the die again, apply the Political die roll modifiers, compare the roll to the appropriate table, and implement the result immediately. It is possible that an additional roll on yet another Political Event Table will be called for. Continue rolling (with Political die roll modifiers) until some final result is obtained – a final result is any result that does not call for another die roll. For details of Political Event results, see 17 – Political Event Results.
Important: Political die roll modifiers are applied only during Political Event Segments, and only when a Political Event Table is in use. Some Political Event Tables are printed directly on Option cards under the heading "Political Event Segment," and there are six other Political Event Tables located on the Player Aid Card. Do not apply Political die roll modifiers to Conditional Events or to any other die rolls (unless specified).
2.2 Convoy Segment
During his Convoy Segment, the phasing player may change the location and mode of his Convoy Markers. Because the Western Allies have no Convoy Markers (and no need for them), the Convoy Segment is always skipped during Western Allied Player Turns.
Important: Axis and Soviet Allied units can use Naval Transport (3.10) to cross a Naval Zone only if it contains a friendly Convoy Marker in Troop Convoy Mode, and can trace supply (10.2) across a Naval Zone only if it contains a friendly Convoy Marker in Supply Convoy Mode. Western Allied units are not dependent on Convoy Markers to use Naval Transport or to trace supply across Naval Zones.
2.2.1 Convoy Marker Placement Procedure. The phasing player must first remove all his Convoy Markers from the map and place them in his Available Box. Exception: The Axis and Vichy "D-Class" Convoy Markers, if currently on the map, are placed in the Delay Box at this time ("D" = Delay).
The phasing player can then place any Convoy Markers in his Available Box on the map, one at a time – simply place the Marker on the map in an appropriate Naval Zone Box.
- Convoy Markers cannot be placed in a Naval Zone Box containing any enemy (i.e. non-phasing) Support unit or units – a Convoy Marker can be placed in a Naval Zone Box that contains enemy Convoy Markers or Beachhead Markers. Clarification: Not only can you place two German Convoy Markers in the Baltic Sea, you can place German Convoy Markers in the Baltic Sea even if there is already a Soviet Convoy Marker in the Baltic Sea – enemy Convoy Markers have absolutely no effect on each other.
- No Convoy Markers can be placed in the Arctic Sea Naval Zone during Snow turns.
- A Convoy Marker must be placed in a Naval Zone that contains a friendly port (10.4) in the Convoy Marker's home country (for the Vichy Convoy Marker, that means all of France). German Convoy Markers may be placed in a chain. That is, if one is placed in the North Sea, the other may be placed in either the North Atlantic or Arctic Sea.
- The special Axis D-Class Convoy Marker represents improvised or temporarily improved shipping situations. It has, therefore, no "home country." It may be placed in a Naval Zone containing an Axis-friendly port (10.4) with an Attack Transport symbol (see the Terrain Key on the map). This Convoy Marker can never be placed in any other Naval Zone. If placed in the North Sea (when London is an Axis friendly port), it cannot be used to extend the "chain" of German Convoy Markers. So, if Malta becomes an Axis-friendly port, the Axis Convoy Marker (when it is available) could be placed in either the Western or Central Med Naval Zones.
2.2.2 Convoy Mode. As he places his Convoy Markers, the phasing player also sets the mode of those Convoy Markers. Each Convoy Marker can be placed on the map in either Troop Convoy mode or Supply Convoy mode, at the phasing player's discretion.
- A Convoy Marker in Troop Convoy mode will allow Naval Transport to be conducted from any port to a friendly port across the Naval Zone in which it is placed (3.10).
- A Convoy Marker in Supply Convoy mode will allow supply to be traced from friendly port to friendly port across the Naval Zone in which it is placed (10.2).
2.3 Air & Naval Segment
Definitions: There are two kinds of "Fleet" unit types in Totaler Krieg!. "U-boat Fleets" comprise the German Type VII and Type XXI U-boat units. All other Fleet units are known collectively as "Surface Fleets." There are also three kinds of "Air" unit types. "Bombers" include the two Western Allied Heavy Bomber units and the German Ural Bomber unit; "Interceptors" include the British Fighter Command, German Night Fighter and Jet Fighter, and the Soviet PVO units; all of the other Air units are regular "Air Support" units. All five unit types together (U-boat Fleets, Surface Fleets, Bombers, Interceptors, and Air Support units) are collectively referred to as "Support units."
Basically, during his Air & Naval Segment, the phasing player places his Support units in Specific Hexes and/or Naval Zone Boxes. Non-phasing players may use their Support units to contest such placement.
Designer's Note: Totaler Krieg! is, primarily, a land warfare game. The large scale employment of ships and aircraft have been neatly abstracted into the various Support units available to each player. It is important to keep in mind that Support units are often interchangeable in their effect. Thus, an "Air Support unit" also represents naval activity when placed in a Naval Zone, just as "Fleets" are conducting Air/Sea operations to contest superiority when intercepting enemy Air Support units at sea.
2.3.1 Air & Sea Superiority Procedure. The phasing player must first remove all his Support units from the map and place them in the Delay Box.
If the phasing player has any non-Interceptor Support units in his Available Box, he can then place these units on the map, one at a time, in any order. Each available phasing fleet unit can be placed in a Naval Zone Box. Each available Bomber unit can be placed in a Specific Hex. Each available phasing Air Support unit can be placed in a Specific Hex or in a Naval Zone Box. As each unit's placement is attempted (that is, before it is placed), non-phasing players have the option to "contest Superiority" (i.e., that unit's placement) if they have the proper Support units in their own Available Boxes.
After the non-phasing players contest, decline to contest, or are unable to contest a placement, the phasing player may then place another Support unit. The non-phasing player must again decide whether or not to contest Superiority there. Continue in this fashion until the phasing player runs out of Available Support Units & Markers or simply announces that he is done placing them.
The phasing player is not required to place all, or even any, of his Available Support Units & Markers. He may wish to save some for his next turn, or for contesting placement during the Air & Naval Segment of his opponents' upcoming Player Turns.
2.3.2 Interceptors. When in play, the Fighter Command, Night Fighter, Jet Fighter, and PVO (Air Defense) Support units can only be used to contest Superiority (2.3.5); hence, the "up arrow." They can never be placed in a Specific Hex (2.3.3) or a Naval Zone (2.3.4), nor can they be converted into Beachheads (3.8).
Interceptors have a three-hex range to contest enemy placement in a Specific hex or require a friendly port to contest enemy placement in a Naval Zone Box (with the same restrictions as listed 2.3.3 and 2.3.4, below).
2.3.3 Placing Air Units in Specific Hexes. Air Units are placed in Specific Hexes to block enemy movement into that hex, block enemy supply lines, provide combat shifts, and to suppress enemy ports.
Phasing Air Support and Bomber units can be placed in "Specific Hexes" (as opposed to Naval Zone Boxes, see 2.3.4) that are within their three-hex range. This range is traced from a supplied HQ unit, or any city or port occupied by a supplied ground unit or supplied Logistics Marker (ObK, SHAEF, or Stavka), i.e., its "Base Hex," to the "Target Hex." (A three-hex range Air Support unit can, therefore, have up to two intervening hexes between its Base Hex and Target Hex). The HQ unit or ground unit must be the same nationality as the phasing Air unit. An HQ unit, city, or port in a hex containing an enemy Air unit cannot be used as a Base Hex.
- The range cannot be traced across neutral territory (including Switzerland), but can be traced across all other terrain types, including All-Sea hexes and hexsides.
- Air units cannot be placed in an impassable land hex or a land hex in a neutral country.
- Air units cannot be placed in all-sea hexes that are not also adjacent to a land hex.
- Air units cannot be placed in or adjacent to a Specific Hex already containing any Air unit, friendly or enemy.
- Air units can be placed in a Specific Hex containing friendly or enemy ground units.
- Beachheads have no effect on the placement of Air units.
- Off-Map Boxes cannot be used as a Base Hex for placing, or contesting placement of, Air units in a Specific Hex.
2.3.4 Placing Support Units in Naval Zone Boxes. Units in a Naval Zone Box represent forces "at large" within that Naval Zone. When units are placed in a Naval Zone, they should always be placed in that Naval Zone's Box. Support Units are placed in Naval Zones to block enemy movement and supply lines through them, to create Beachheads, and to provide Convoy Support Options.
- Phasing Surface Fleet units can be placed in a Naval Zone Box that contains a supplied, friendly port (see 10.4) and that can trace a path from that Naval Zone back to a friendly, home country port. The path traced must be through a continuous chain of adjacent Naval Zones and/or Off-Map Boxes back to a friendly, home country port. Note that the generic Western Allied Fleets are multi-national British and US units (12.6) and can trace back to either Britain or the US Box.
- The path traced cannot cross a restricted waterway (i.e. Copenhagen, Gibraltar, Istanbul, or the Suez Canal) unless that waterway is a friendly port. Important: The Suez Canal consists of both the Alexandria and Suez ports; both must be friendly ports in order to be able to trace a path between the Eastern Mediterranean Naval Zone and the Indian Ocean Naval Zone. Note: Suez is not a port in the Eastern Mediterranean Naval Zone.
- The path cannot be traced through a Naval Zone unless the tracing faction has a friendly port in that Naval Zone (10.4).
- Phasing Surface Fleets may not trace a path through a Naval Zone whose Box contains any enemy (i.e., non-phasing) Surface Fleet or Air Support units (but may trace a path through a Naval Zone whose Box contains only enemy U-boat Fleets, or Convoy Markers).
- Phasing Air Support units can be placed in a Naval Zone containing a friendly port (10.4) occupied by a supplied ground unit of the same nationality as the phasing unit – simply place the phasing Air Support unit in the desired Naval Zone Box. Reminder: a port in a hex containing an enemy Air unit is not considered "Friendly" (see 10.4).
- Phasing U-boat Fleet units can be placed in any Naval Zone (okay, not the Caspian Sea!) – simply place them in the desired Naval Zone Box.
- Bombers and Interceptors may not be placed in Naval Zone Boxes. Interceptors may contest enemy placement in Naval Zone Boxes (2.3.5.2).
- Note the Western Allied player may place friendly, or contest enemy placement of, Support units in the North Atlantic Naval Zone (from the US/Canada and South Atlantic Boxes) and Indian Ocean Naval Zone (from the Commonwealth Box). These Off-Map Boxes are considered friendly occupied ports in their respective Naval Zones (3.10.2).
Caveat to all Naval Zone Box placement: Support units cannot be placed in a Naval Zone Box containing an enemy (i.e. non-phasing) Surface Fleet or Air Support unit. The presence of other friendly Fleets and Air Support units, or enemy U-boats or Convoy Markers, does not prevent friendly Support unit placement in a Naval Zone. Important: You can still contest the placement of enemy Support units in a Naval Zone Box, even if one or more enemy support units are already in it provided you have an eligible "Base" from which to operate (as per above).
Phasing Air Support and Surface Fleet units in Naval Zones may be converted into Beachheads (3.8) or used to provide Convoy Support Options (3.10.3) during your upcoming Movement Phases. Alternately, if you let an Air Support or Surface Fleet just sit there, it blocks any enemy Support unit placement in that Naval Zone Box during the Air & Naval Segments of the upcoming enemy Player Turn, in addition to "interdicting" it.
"Interdiction" of a Naval Zone means that the enemy is prevented from placing Convoy Markers there, using Naval Transport to cross it (3.10), or tracing supply across it (10.2). (This interdiction, by the way, is the entirety of what U-boat Fleets "do" while present in a Naval Zone Box. While they exist in a Naval Zone Box, U-boats just interdict and have no other effect or function.)
2.3.5 Contesting Superiority. As the phasing player attempts to place each Support unit, the non-phasing players have the option to contest Superiority if they have the proper Support unit types in their Available Boxes to do so. The non-phasing players must decide whether or not to contest Superiority as each phasing Support unit's placement is attempted. Such decisions are final – they may not go back later in the same Air & Naval Segment and contest the placement of a Support unit they have already declined to contest.
2.3.5.1 Effects of Contesting Superiority. Contesting and contested Support units are not placed on the map. When Superiority is contested, both the phasing Support unit (the unit that is attempting to be placed on the map) and the non-phasing (contesting) Support unit (that is in the contesting player's Available Support Units & Markers Box) are immediately placed in the Delay Box. This is the only effect of contesting Superiority. The "battles" between these units are fought in the Delay Box with the "winner" being the first one back in play (see 7.1).
2.3.5.2 What Units Can Contest Superiority, Where, and How.
- When a phasing Air unit is placed in a Specific Hex (even an All-Sea hex), the non-phasing player can contest Superiority with his Air Support and Interceptor units if the placement hex is within the three-hex range from a Base Hex, as per rule 2.3.3.
- When a phasing Support unit is placed in a Naval Zone Box (i.e., not a Specific hex), the non-phasing player can contest Superiority with a Surface Fleet, Air Support, or Interceptor unit if it meets the qualifications for placement there as per rule 2.3.4.
- Bombers and U-boat Fleets: Bomber units and the German U-boat Fleets can never contest placement, nor can they be converted into Beachhead Markers (3.8); hence, the "down arrow." Their own placement can be contested by enemy Surface Fleet (versus U-boats), Air Support, and Interceptor units.
2.3.6 Beachhead Markers. Beachheads (3.8) in a given Naval Zone have no effect on either placing support units there, nor contesting their placement.
2.3.7 Summary. Here's a brief summary of where Support units and related Markers are placed and their effects.
| Unit Type | Place | Contest | Interdict? | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Support | Both | Both | Yes | Box |
| Interceptor | Neither | Both | No | Neither |
| Bomber | Hex | Neither | Yes | Neither |
| Airdrop | Hex | Neither | Yes | Hex |
| Surface Fleet | Box | Box | Yes | Box |
| U-boat | Box | Neither | Yes | Neither |
| Convoy | Box | Neither | No | Neither |
| Beachhead | Hex¹ | Neither | No | Neither |
¹ An all-sea hex in the same Naval Zone only, adjacent to a land hex.
- Place is where that unit type can be placed, either a Specific Hex, a Naval Zone Box, Both, or Neither.
- Contest is where that unit type can contest the placement of enemy Support units.
- Interdict? answers the question, if that unit type is placed there, does it "interdict" its location? For a Naval Zone Box, that means the enemy is prevented from placing Convoy Markers there (2.2.1), using Naval Transport to cross it (3.10), or tracing supply across it (10.2). For a Specific Hex, that means enemy land units may not enter that hex (3.3, 4.2.3.3), a supply line cannot be traced into that hex (10.2), and if that hex has a port, it is not considered "friendly" to the other player (10.4).
- Control means it "controls" its location. For a Naval Zone Box, that means the enemy cannot place Support units there (2.3.4). For a Specific Hex, that means an Airdrop unit does control a vacant port if there is one in that hex (10.4).
2.4 Organization Segment
During his Organization Segment, the phasing player can combine steps on the map to form powerful and stacking-efficient multi-step army, fortress, and HQ units. He can also break down multi-step units into an equivalent number of one-step corps-sized units during his Organization Segment. One-step corps units can use Naval Transport and the special Rail Movement rate – they are transportable and fast.
It is also during the Organization Segment where units will convert to and from fortress units (2.4.4.2).
Vitally important: The phasing player must make all the combinations (and conversions into fortresses) he wishes to make during his Organization Segment before he begins breaking units down (including converting units from fortresses). First you "build up," then you "break down." You will not be able to break down a multi-step army unit, for example, and re-combine its steps to form a multi-step HQ unit in a single Organization Segment.
2.4.1 Force Pool Limitations. The units available in a player's Force Pool are an absolute limit on unit combination and breakdown.
2.4.2 Voluntary Unit Destruction. At any time during his Organization Segment, the phasing player can, if he wishes, voluntarily destroy any friendly ground unit or units already on the map and place them directly in his Force Pool. Entire units must be destroyed thus, not just steps. This can be a useful (but costly) way to circumvent the Delay Box when you've just got to have an HQ or fortress unit right now.
2.4.3 Multi-step Units. All ground combat units in the game are composed of a certain number and type of steps. The basic building block for all multi-step army, fortress, and HQ units is the one-step corps unit. All corps units are one-step units, and are either infantry-type (infantry, cavalry, airborne, mountain, and ski) or armor-type (armor, cav-mech, and mechanized).
The number of steps in a unit is indicated by the unit's Step Value (shown as one, two, or three dots printed in the upper-right corner of the counter). Most multi-step units are composed exclusively of infantry-type steps. The Force Pool Displays detail the step-type composition of those multi-step units in the game that are not composed exclusively of infantry-type steps. Refer to these Displays when combining one-step corps units to form multi-step units, when breaking down multi-step units, and when taking step losses.
See the Force Pool Displays for examples:
- A three-step (full-strength) German panzer army is composed of one German infantry step and two German armor (panzer) steps.
- A three-step (full-strength) German panzer army can be formed from, or broken down into, its own two-step (reduced-strength) German panzer army side and one German armor corps.
- A two-step (reduced-strength) German panzer army can be formed from, or broken down into, one German infantry corps and one German armor corps.
- The first two steps of every Western Allied HQ unit (including France/Vichy) must be infantry-type. When the third step is added to or removed from these HQ units, it must always be an armor-type step.
When combining or breaking down units, all involved units must be of the same nationality, with these exceptions:
- The Allied player can mix British, Commonwealth, and/or US corps together in the 15th Allied HQ unit; the British BEF corps and one Western minor ally corps (only) can combine to form the Anglo-Allied (AA) Army. The corps units constituting the 15th Allied HQ unit must be placed in the 15th Allied Army group Holding Box in the Western Allied Force Pool while the minor ally corps used to form the AA Army is similarly placed in the AA Army Holding Box. These corps are unavailable to the Western Allied player until taken when breaking down these respective units (these same corps need not, however, be used to re-form these units). This is solely to prevent crafty Allied players from forming these units with one nationality corps and then breaking it down into corps of a different nationality – you can't use them as Western Allied "Nationality Converters." Note that the 15th Allied HQ is always considered both a British and US HQ unit even if it is only formed of one nationality's corps units.
- The Axis player uses German and Italian corps as specified on the Axis Organization Display when forming or breaking down the two German-Italian multi-step units.
- The Axis player uses a Finnish corps and the German mountain corps when forming or breaking down the German-Finnish 20th Army multi-step unit.
2.4.4 Combining Units. Procedure: Units are always placed in and removed from their respective Force Pools at their lowest step-value (i.e., "reduced strength") side only. You should never see in a Force Pool, nor can you ever place on the map from your Force Pool, a unit on its full-strength side.
There are two principal ways to take a one-step infantry-type or armor-type corps unit out of the Force Pool and place it on the map:
- when it is taken as a replacement step (see 1.3), or
- when a multi-step unit on the map takes step losses in combat or breaks down during the Organization Segment (see 2.4.5).
Ground units in the Force Pool that are two or more steps on their reduced side have only one way to be placed on the map: when one-step corps are combined during the Organization Segment (see below).
Important: Only supplied units stacked in the same hex can be combined. Units in a hex containing an enemy Air unit cannot combine.
A multi-step unit from the Force Pool can be formed on its reduced-strength side by combining one-step corps units of the appropriate type. Remove the appropriate number of one-step corps units of the appropriate type from the hex, place them in the Force Pool, and replace them with the desired reduced-strength multi-step unit from the Force Pool.
A reduced-strength unit with a full-strength side can be increased to full-strength only by combining with a one-step corps unit of the appropriate type. Remove a one-step corps of the appropriate type from the hex, place it in the Force Pool, and flip the reduced-strength unit to its full-strength side.
Important: Combination and break down is done one step at a time, but can continue as long as further combinations or break downs are possible (as long as all combinations are completed before any break downs are begun).
Important: A player cannot "switch" multi-step units in the process of combining. The Axis player cannot combine a two-step German infantry army with a one-step infantry corps to form a three-step German HQ unit, even though the number and type of steps involved would be the same in both cases. The Soviet player can combine three one-step infantry-type corps to form a three-step Soviet HQ unit – he cannot combine a two-step infantry army with a one-step infantry-type corps to form a three-step HQ unit. The Western Allied player could not combine a two-step 2-3-3 infantry army with a 2-1-3 tank corps to form the 6-6-3 1st Army.
2.4.4.1 Limited War Restriction. Allied multi-step units can never be built up to three-step strength on the map while Limited War is in effect. They can be built up to two-step strength during Limited War. Once Total War breaks out, Allied players are free to form three-step units for the duration of the game.
Note: The French HQ and fortress units may begin the game at their full, three-step strength after rolling for French Mobilization (19.2.2). If they are reduced below three-step strength, they are subject to this rule.
2.4.4.2 Fortress Conversions. "Building" a fortress is accomplished only by converting another unit into one. To convert corps units (infantry- or armor-type), simply return them to their Force Pool and replace them on the map with fortress units from the Force Pool (exception: Specialized Unit Fortress Conversion, see 2.4.4.2.2).
Fortress units are generally placed as one-step units and must be placed in the hex from which a one-step corps was removed, regardless of the presence of enemy Air units.
Important: Units need not be in supply to be converted into fortresses!
2.4.4.2.1 Standard Fortress Conversion. The following are one-step fortress units on their reduced-strength side: the British Gibraltar fortress; the Finnish Mannerheim Line fortress; the German SS fortress. If available in the Force Pool, these units are formed by converting a one-step corps unit of the appropriate nationality. Any type of corps unit can be converted into a fortress unit.
2.4.4.2.2 Specialized Unit Fortress Conversion ("Port-a-Forts"). The following corps are one-step fortress units on their reverse-side: the British 1-1-2 infantry corps; the German 2-3-3 SS mechanized corps. These units are taken from their Force Pools as regular one-step infantry or panzer corps (respectively). They can only be converted to or from their fortress sides by flipping them over in the hex they occupy. In other words, these "self contained" fortress units are not removed from the map when they convert back and forth. No other one-step units can form these fortress units and their fortress sides cannot break down into any other units.
2.4.4.2.3 Festung Europa and Siegfried Line Fortress Conversion. During each Axis Organization Segment, the Axis player may convert one (and only one) one-step German corps unit into a two-step German fortress unit. Festung Europa fortress unit can be formed if (and only if) the No Retreat Marker is on the VP Track.
To convert a German corps unit, simply return it to the Axis Force Pool and replace it on the map with a German (0-3-0) fortress unit from the Axis Force Pool. This fortress unit is placed as a full-strength, two-step unit, and must be placed in the hex from which the one-step corps was removed. Any type of German corps unit can be converted into a German fortress unit.
This fortress conversion method is the only way for the Axis player to place these fortress units on the map. They can never be converted back into German corps units, and cannot be broken down. They may be voluntarily destroyed, however (see 2.4.2). If reduced to their one-step side in combat, they can be built back up to their two-step side by Combining (2.4.4) with another German step.
2.4.4.2.4 Soviet Line Fortress Conversion. During each Soviet Organization Segment, the Soviet player may convert one pair (and only one pair) of one-step Soviet corps units into a two-step (Line) Fortress unit.
Important: Line Fortress units can only be placed inside the original (1939) borders of the Soviet Union or adjacent to another Soviet Line Fortress; i.e., "in a line" (even if it extends outside the original Soviet border).
To convert a pair of Soviet corps units, they must be stacked together. Simply return them to the Soviet Force Pool and replace them on the map with a two-step Soviet Line Fortress unit (0-3-0). Any type of Soviet corps units can be converted into a Line Fortress unit.
When Soviet Line fortress units are broken down, either voluntarily (2.4.5) or to take combat losses, only Soviet 0-1-2 infantry corps may be taken. If not enough 0-1-2 infantry corps are available in the Soviet Force Pool, those break down steps are lost.
2.4.4.3 "Named Location" Unit Formation Restrictions. Some units with a movement allowance of 0 can be formed only in certain hexes:
- The 0-4-0/0-6-0 Soviet Fortress units can be formed only in respective designated cities – Mos(cow), Len(ingrad), or Sev(astopol).
- The British Gib(raltar) Fortress unit can be formed only in Gibraltar.
- The British Lon(don) HQ unit can be formed only in London.
- The Finnish Man(nerheim Line) Fortress unit can be formed only in Finland or the Finnish Frontier Border Region.
- The French Mag(inot Line) Fortress units can be formed only in hexes w3519, 3420, and 3319.
- The French Paris Fortress unit can be formed only in Paris (duh).
- The German SL (Siegfried Line) Fortress units can only be formed in Greater Germany on hexes bordering either France or Belgium-Holland.
- The German SL (Siegfried Line) HQ unit can only be formed in either Frankfurt (w3521) or hex w3721 (east of the Ruhr).
- The German FB (Führer Bunker) HQ unit can be placed only according to the provisions of Axis card #34. If eliminated, it never returns to play.
2.4.5 Breaking Down Units. After all combinations and conversions into fortress units have been done, one-step corps units can be placed on the map by breaking down multi-step units and converting from fortress units – essentially reversing the processes described in 2.4.4 above. Once the phasing player has begun to break down units, he cannot go back and combine any more units. Stacking limits (9) are enforced after every Segment, so don't break two three-step units down to six one-step units in the same hex – you'll have to eliminate three of them.
Units need not be in supply to break down, and can be broken down in hexes occupied by enemy Air units.
A player cannot switch multi-step units in the process of breaking down. The Axis player cannot, for example, break down a three-step German infantry army into a one-step German infantry corps and a two-step German HQ unit. He must reduce the three-step army to its own two-step side and place a one-step German infantry corps in the hex.
2.4.5.1 "Elite" Units. When placing one-step corps units on the map while breaking down multi-step units, you will have to observe a special "elite" distinction with regard to airborne units. Airborne corps can never be placed as infantry-type steps when a multi-step unit is being broken down or a fortress unit is converted.
This special restriction only applies when breaking down multi-step units or converting a fortress unit. You can always take an airborne corps as an infantry-type replacement step, for example, or use an airborne corps as an infantry-type step when combining to form a multi-step unit. But remember that it costs two infantry replacement steps to take a one-step airborne corps as a replacement unit.
2.4.5.2 Fortress Conversion Break Downs. The procedure converting fortress units back is the exact reverse of that used to build them in the first place (see 2.4.4.2, Fortress Conversions) with one exception: while a fortress can be built up with any type of step of the same nationality, it always converts to infantry-type steps of the same nationality when breaking down.
2.4.5.3 The Delay Box. Important: Whenever any multi-step unit with a Step Value of 3 on its full-strength side, or a Fortress or HQ unit (regardless of its Step Value), is removed from the map as a result of unit break down, the owning player must place that unit in the Delay Box.
In other words, units with a Step Value of 1 on either side are returned directly to the Force Pool unless they are HQ or Fortress units. All other units go into the Delay Box. Remember that you can always voluntarily destroy a unit on the map and place it directly in your Force Pool. This allows you to circumvent the Delay Box, but you lose the steps that were in the unit on the map.
3. Operational Movement Phase
Every ground unit has a Movement Allowance (which may be zero!). A unit's Movement Allowance is the number of Movement Points (MPs) the unit may spend during each Movement Phase. Units expend Movement Points to move across the map from hex to adjacent hex. The exact MP cost to enter a hex depends on the terrain in that hex and along the hexside crossed to enter the hex. These costs are listed on the Terrain Effects Chart printed on the map.
3.1 Moving Units
The phasing player can move all, some, or none of his supplied ground units once each during his Operational Movement Phase.
Important: A unit that cannot trace supply (see 10) cannot move at all during the Operational Movement Phase.
Units move one at a time. A unit moves from hex to adjacent hex, in any direction or combination of directions the moving player wishes, spending MPs from its Movement Allowance as it enters each hex, up to the limit of its Movement Allowance. Moving units are not required to expend all of their available MPs before stopping, but a player must complete the movement of one unit before beginning to move another unit. No unit can move more than once in a given Movement Phase. MPs cannot be accumulated from turn to turn, nor can they be loaned or transferred from one unit to another. Stacking limits are enforced at the end of every Movement Phase, so don't pile three multi-step units into the same hex – you'll have to eliminate one of them.
A supplied phasing ground unit with a Movement Allowance greater than 0 can always move one hex even if it does not possess sufficient MPs to pay all the costs involved in moving one hex. A unit cannot use this guaranteed one-hex movement to enter hexes or cross hexsides prohibited to it during movement (see the Terrain Effects Chart), or to violate Zone of Control effects that prohibit movement (see 8 – Zones of Control).
3.2 Political Restrictions
To reflect the political realities of cooperating with the Axis and Soviet factions, they must observe the following restrictions:
- Only Russian units may be transported by the Soviet Convoy Marker.
- Non-German Axis allied units cannot enter Greater Germany or another Axis allied Minor Country or its Dependents.
- Only German units may be transported (3.10) by German Convoy Markers. Only German and Italian units may be transported by the Italian Convoy Marker. Only German and French units may be transported by the Vichy French Convoy Marker. Any Axis units may be transported by the Axis Convoy Marker.
"Ex" corps units and Axis Nationalist (one- or two-step) units are exempt from all of these restrictions. Non-German Axis units (such as the Med HQ or an Italian 2-2-2 army organized from two Italian 1-1-3 "Ex" infantry corps) can be built up in Greater Germany and in other Axis Minor Countries. Be aware that doing this will cause either that unit's internment (18) or Occupation of an Axis Minor Country (18.1.3).
Note that "Ex" corps cease to be "Ex" corps when they are combined to form multi-step armies and, thus, lose their "Ex" corps privileges. There's no such thing as an "Ex" army in Totaler Krieg!
3.3 Enemy Units and Zones of Control
Ground units can never enter hexes containing enemy units (including enemy Air units, even if there are other friendly units in the hex). Units can freely leave hexes containing enemy Air units. Important reminder: All non-phasing units are considered enemy units (12.1).
A unit must stop moving when it first enters a hex containing an Enemy Zone of Control (see 8) during the Operational Movement Phase unless another friendly unit is present in the hex to negate the Enemy Zone of Control or it is conducting an Overrun (3.7). A unit beginning the Operational Movement Phase in an Enemy Zone of Control (EZOC) can freely leave it and may move directly into another EZOC (where it must immediately stop, unless another friendly unit is present to negate the EZOC).
The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC negates the effects of the EZOC on Operational Movement.
3.4 Terrain
Each hex a unit enters costs it a number of its MPs. Crossing certain types of hexsides requires paying an additional MP cost. All these costs are listed on the Terrain Effects Chart on the map. The cost for crossing hexside terrain is paid in addition to the cost of entering the adjacent hex.
Partisans cannot cross border hexsides. Exception: Partisans may cross a Border Region (see 12.5) hexside within their own country (as defined by its pre-war boundaries). Thus, for example, a "Polish Partisan" (by definition, any Partisan unit raised anywhere within the pre-war borders of Poland) could enter Eastern Poland and the Polish Corridor regardless of their current ownership or status.
3.5 Rail Lines and Roads
Important: For movement purposes, there is no functional difference between a Rail Line and a Road. The difference is purely aesthetic. They are referred to together as Rail/Road hexes.
Rail/Road hex costs differ according to the size of the moving unit:
- Multi-step units pay 1 MP per hex.
- One-step corps units pay only 1/2 MP per hex.
These movement cost benefits are only available to units moving from a Rail/Road hex directly to an adjacent, connected Rail/Road hex. When using these benefits, ignore any terrain costs for the hex being entered or for any terrain along a hexside crossed by the Rail/Road. Units can use this benefit when crossing a Strait that "connects" Rail Lines (see the Terrain Key on the map).
3.6 Weather and Movement
- No unit can ever exit a hex in the Zone of Control of enemy units during the Operational Movement Phase of a Mud turn (11.2), regardless of the presence of other friendly units in the hex.
- A unit must always stop immediately upon entering or exiting a hex in an enemy Zone of Control in a hex affected by Snow (11.3) during the Operational Movement Phase of a Snow turn, regardless of the presence of other friendly units in the hex.
3.7 Overruns
During the Operational Movement Phase (only), a multi-step armor-type unit may, if not otherwise prohibited, enter a Clear Terrain Hex containing a single-step enemy corps unit at no additional MP cost (the normal costs to enter that hex must still be paid). That enemy corps unit is immediately eliminated and returned to its owner's Force Pool upon its hex being entered.
The overrunning unit may ignore the Zone of Control (ZOC, see 8) of an enemy corps it will overrun in the next hex it enters. It may not ignore any other adjacent enemy units' ZOCs (unless already negated by the presence of a friendly unit) nor the presence of enemy Air Support units in that hex.
Important: An Overrun may not be conducted:
- if the target corps would or could receive a defender's "Combat Shift" (see 4.2.2) if a battle were fought there (due to terrain; mud; Air Support; or proximity of a friendly, supplied HQ unit. Note that the same HQ can prevent any number of overruns for the same or different defenders within the same phase);
- during the Reserve Movement Phase (5) or when conducting Exploitation (4.2.4).
Also see Optional rule 15.7.1.
3.8 Beachhead Creation
During his Operational Movement Phase, the phasing player may convert any phasing Air Support and Surface Fleet units he placed in Naval Zone Boxes into Beachhead Markers. To convert, flip the Support unit over to its Beachhead side and place it in an appropriate All-Sea hex in that Naval Zone. Beachheads can be placed in All-Sea hexes only (never in hexes containing a mixture of sea and land), and only in All-Sea hexes adjacent to a hex containing land.
Beachheads created by Surface Fleets may be placed in any All-Sea hex in that Naval Zone. Beachheads created by Air Support units must be placed within their three-hex range of a port that is 1) occupied by a supplied ground unit of the same nationality, and that 2) does not also contain an enemy Air unit.
The non-phasing player cannot contest Beachhead creation – his option to contest came when the phasing Support unit was initially placed in the Naval Zone Box (2.3.5).
Beachheads cannot be placed in hexes containing other Beachheads (friendly or enemy) or in hexes adjacent to Specific Hexes containing enemy Air units.
Important: Support units can never be converted into Beachhead Markers in the Arctic Sea Naval Zone, nor in the North Sea or Baltic Sea Naval Zones during Snow turns (these Naval Zone Boxes contain reminders).
Important: After the phasing player has finished his Operational Movement Phase and converted Support units to Beachhead Markers, all phasing ground units left in All-Sea hexes without friendly Beachhead Markers are eliminated. Ground units stranded thus "at sea" are unable to get ashore during the Operational Movement Phase. Units without a one-step side, and all HQ units (regardless of Step Value) are placed in the Delay Box. All other units are returned to their Force Pool.
3.9 Amphibious Movement
A Strait is considered to exist across each All-Sea hexside separating a Beachhead Marker from any adjacent hexes containing land. Friendly Beachhead Markers (see 3.8) thus function as "bridges" while occupying All-Sea hexes adjacent to coastal hexes. Phasing units can cross All-Sea hexsides when moving from a coastal hex to an adjacent friendly Beachhead, or from a friendly Beachhead to an adjacent coastal hex. (Amphibious Movement between Beachheads is prohibited.) All normal movement rules apply to this type of movement. Important: Amphibious Movement is not Naval Transport (see 3.10), and can be performed by multi-step units!
3.10 Naval Transport
3.10.1 Procedure. Only one-step corps units can ever use Naval Transport. Multi-step units and one-step fortress, HQ, and Partisan units can never use Naval Transport. A unit cannot both move overland and use Naval Transport in the same Movement Phase. The phasing player may use Naval Transport at any time during both of his Movement Phases each turn.
To conduct a single Naval Transport move, a unit must begin the Movement Phase in a port (i.e., a port hex, the US/Canada, South Atlantic, Indian Ocean, or Commonwealth Box, or an All-Sea hex containing a Beachhead unit). Units using Naval Transport must end up in a friendly port in the same Naval Zone as the port in which they began (see 10.4, and note that a friendly Beachhead Marker is, by definition, a friendly port).
- A unit cannot use Naval Transport to enter a port unless it meets the definition of a friendly port (10.4). A unit may freely leave a port whether or not it is friendly (within Zone of Control restrictions, 8.1). A unit can, for example, use Naval Transport to leave a port containing an enemy Air unit but cannot use Naval Transport to enter a port containing an enemy Air unit.
- Phasing Axis and Soviet Allied units cannot use Naval Transport to cross a Naval Zone unless it contains a phasing Convoy Marker in Troop Convoy Mode. The units and Troop Convoy need not be the same nationality – German units can cross a Naval Zone containing an Axis Italian Troop Convoy Marker, for example, but see 3.2.
- Western Allied units are not dependent on Convoy Markers to use Naval Transport across Naval Zones. They can use Naval Transport to cross any Naval Zone in which they have a friendly port destination.
- A unit cannot use Naval Transport to cross a Naval Zone whose Box contains an enemy Support unit. Such Naval Zones are "interdicted." Note that Naval Transport between Off-Map Boxes can never be interdicted.
- Generally, only one unit can cross each Naval Zone in a single Movement Phase. The two exceptions are: 1) the Axis may move one per Troop Convoy Marker in that Naval Zone; and 2) any player using Convoy Support options (see 3.10.3). Note that the South Atlantic, Commonwealth, and US/Canada Boxes are not Naval Zones; any number of US and British/Commonwealth units may transit them during a single Movement Phase.
- A single unit can make more than one Naval Transport move in a single Movement Phase.
Several ports – Narvik, Copenhagen, Brest, Gibraltar, Malta, Tripoli, Khania, Istanbul and Alexandria – are in more than one Naval Zone. This gives these ports great strategic significance. In gaming parlance, these are known as "two-front ports."
3.10.2 Off-Map Naval Boxes. General Rule: One-step British and US ground units can enter/exit these peripheral Boxes using Naval Transport. They cannot continue to use Naval Transport in the same Movement Phase they enter or leave an Off-Map Naval Box. Naval Boxes, unlike Naval Zones, have an unlimited Naval Transport capacity per Movement Phase.
Ground units that enter/exit an Off-Map Box from/to a port hex across a Naval Zone count against that Naval Zone's transport capacity. For example, unless using Convoy Support options (3.10.3), only one unit per Movement Phase can transport from either the US/Canada or South Atlantic Boxes to a friendly port hex in the North Atlantic Naval Zone.
Naval Transport strictly between Off-Map Boxes or between Off-Map Boxes and ports in a Naval Zone is mutually exclusive. Both are allowed in the same phase.
- US/Canada Off-Map Box: Ground units can exit this Box to a friendly port in the North Atlantic Naval Zone or the South Atlantic Box. This Off-Map Box is a British and US supply source (10.1). It is also considered a British and US home country port city occupied by a British and US ground unit.
- South Atlantic Box: May be entered from a port in the North Atlantic Naval Zone, the US/Canada Box, or the Commonwealth Box. Ground units can exit this Box to a friendly port in the North Atlantic Naval Zone or the Commonwealth Box. It is a British and US friendly port (10.4).
- Indian Ocean Naval Zone: The only hexes in the Indian Ocean Naval Zone are the port hexes of Suez and Basra, hex e1628 (east of Basra), and e1527 (the All-Sea hex adjacent to Basra). The Indian Ocean is subject to all the same rules as other Naval Zones. Note that the Commonwealth Box is an occupied friendly port in this Naval Zone, similar to the US/Canada Box in the North Atlantic Naval Zone. An Air unit can only be converted to a Beachhead (3.8) in the Indian Ocean's lone All-Sea hex provided Basra was the "base" hex for placement of that unit. Fleet units do not have this restriction and may be freely converted to a Beachhead in the Indian Ocean.
- Commonwealth Box: May be entered from a port in the Indian Ocean Naval Zone or the South Atlantic Box. Ground units can exit this Box to a friendly port in the Indian Ocean Naval Zone or the South Atlantic Box. This Off-Map Box is a British supply source (10.1). It is also considered a British home country port city occupied by a British ground unit.
3.10.3 Convoy Support Options. At any time during either Movement Phase, the phasing player may use Convoy Support Options in any Naval Zones whose Boxes contain friendly Support units. This represents the allocation of air and/or naval assets for air transport, sea-lane monitoring, and convoy escort missions. U-boat Fleets may not be used to provide Convoy Support Options.
Each Convoy Support Option the phasing player uses in a given Naval Zone allows the phasing player to either:
- Naval Transport an additional unit across that Naval Zone (containing a Troop Convoy Marker if you're Axis or Soviet); or
- change the mode of a phasing Convoy Marker in that Naval Zone.
The phasing player may use either or both Options any number of times in a given Naval Zone, limited only by the number of Support units he has placed in that Naval Zone Box.
For each Convoy Support Option used, a phasing Support unit must be removed from the Naval Zone Box and placed in the Delay Box. The Support unit need not be of the same nationality as the Convoy Marker.
More than one Convoy Support Option may be used in a given Naval Zone in a single Movement Phase – the phasing player could ship an additional unit or units and change the mode of a Convoy Marker in a single phase if he placed enough Support units in the Naval Zone Box during his Air & Naval Segment.
4. Combat Phase
During the Combat Phase, combat can occur between adjacent opposing units at the phasing player's discretion. The player whose Player Turn is in progress is considered the attacker and the other player is the defender, regardless of the overall strategic situation.
4.1 Blitz Combat Segment
If the phasing player's Current Option card is not a Blitz card, or is a Blitz card that has been turned face down (see 17.1.2), he must skip the Blitz Segment.
Whenever the phasing player's Current Option card is a face-up Blitz card, the phasing player will perform both a Blitz Segment and a Regular Combat Segment (even during Mud and Snow turns).
4.1.1 Airdrops. Supplied phasing airborne corps can perform Airdrops during a Blitz Segment (regardless of the weather). To make an Airdrop, the phasing airborne corps must be in a hex containing land and be in supply. Flip the airborne corps unit over to its Airdrop side and place it in a Specific Hex that is within its range. Airdrop ranges are three hexes (two hexes intervening) for German and Western Allied, or two hexes (one hex intervening) for Italian and Soviet corps.
- This range cannot be traced across neutral territory (including Switzerland) but can be traced across all other terrain types, including All-Sea hexes and hexsides.
- Airdrop units cannot be placed in or adjacent to a land hex containing an enemy Air unit.
- Airdrop units cannot be placed in an impassable land hex or a land hex in a neutral country.
- Airdrop units cannot be placed according to certain Truce Restrictions (see 14.3 & 14.4).
- Airdrop units can be placed in a land hex containing enemy ground units.
Like Air units, Airdrop units count as friendly units and can be used to negate enemy Zones of Control. They also render an otherwise unoccupied port "friendly" (see 10.4). You'll use Airdrop units for their combat shift, to temporarily block a retreat path, open an advance path, or to grab unoccupied ports.
4.1.2 Blitz Combat. After phasing Airdrop units have been placed, a Blitz Segment proceeds exactly like a Regular Combat Segment (see 4.2) with these exceptions:
- The attacker receives a one-column shift to the right during step 4 of Blitz Segment Attack Sequences (4.2.2) whenever a supplied armor-type unit is part of the attacking force.
- The attacker may receive a one-column shift to the right during step 4 of Blitz Segment Attack Sequences (4.2.2) if the defender's hex contains a phasing Airdrop unit (4.1.1).
- No units can attack hexes affected by mud during the Blitz Segment of a Mud turn.
- Most units cannot attack hexes affected by snow during the Blitz Segment of a Snow turn. The following units can attack during the Blitz Segment of a Snow turn whether or not Snow affects a defender's hex: German SS units; any German units stacked with or adjacent to German SS units (the SS units do not have to participate); Soviet, Swedish, and Finnish units; Partisan units in Sweden, Finland, Denmark-Norway, or the Soviet Union.
4.1.3 Landings. Landings are special events that can only occur at the end of a Blitz Combat Segment.
4.1.3.1 Unopposed Beachhead Landings. Phasing ground units stacked with a friendly Beachhead Marker can make an unopposed landing into any adjacent coastal hex that contains no enemy units at the end of a Blitz Segment (regardless of the weather) – simply move the unit or units from the Beachhead into the coastal hex.
- Landing units cannot have participated in combat in the Blitz Segment in which they make an unopposed landing.
- Units need not be in supply to make an unopposed landing.
4.1.3.2 Airdrop Landings. After all attacks have been resolved and any unopposed beachhead landings have been performed, the phasing player must remove any and all phasing Airdrop units from the map and place them in the Delay Box.
If an Airdrop unit is in supply and is not stacked with any enemy units when it is removed, the phasing player may replace it on the map with a one-step infantry corps of the same nationality from his Force Pool (the Western Allied Airdrop unit may be replaced with either a US or a British one-step infantry corps). Only basic one-step infantry corps units can be used – you cannot replace an Airdrop unit with a cavalry corps, mountain corps, SS infantry corps, or Soviet Guards or Shock corps.
4.2 Regular Combat Segment
An attack is an attempt by phasing ground units to inflict losses and/or retreats on enemy ground units in adjacent hexes.
4.2.1 Combat Parameters
- Only units with combat factors can attack or be attacked, though Air and Airdrop units can participate in the Attack Sequence.
- The phasing player may resolve his attacks in any order he chooses but must complete an Attack Sequence (4.2.2) for one attack before moving on to another.
- An attack must always have a single defending hex as its target. Defending units stacked in the same hex always combine their defense factors – the defender may not withhold units from combat, nor may the attacker single units out of a defending stack and attack them separately.
- Attacking units in the same hex may attack different hexes. The attacker may attack with some of the units in a hex and withhold others from combat. Units with an attack factor of "0" cannot participate in attacks. Units that do not participate in an attack (whether withheld or because they had an attack factor of "0") are unaffected by its results – they cannot be used to absorb attacker step losses nor do they retreat, advance, or exploit.
- Units in hexes with Air units (enemy or friendly) can attack and can be attacked.
- No phasing unit can participate in combat more than once in a single Combat Segment and no hex can be attacked more than once in a single Combat Segment. A non-phasing unit can be attacked more than once in a single Combat Segment if it ends a retreat in a hex that has not yet been attacked and that is adjacent to phasing units that have not yet participated in an attack.
Nationality. Minor Country (and Partisan) units cannot participate in the same combat with units of another Minor Country (or Partisan faction) – "Ex" corps units and Axis Nationalist units are exempt from this restriction. Soviet Allied and Western Allied units may freely attack each other (even when either or both of these Factions are currently affected by Policy, Truce, or C/S Failure Markers, see 14).
Headquarters Units. A supplied HQ unit has the ability to participate in combat even when not adjacent to (if attacking), or stacked in (if defending), the defender's hex. HQ units have a combat range of two hexes and can apply their combat factors to combats within that range. (This is called "providing ranged support.") The range is traced from the HQ unit to the defender's hex – do not count the hex occupied by the HQ, but do count the defending hex when tracing range (in other words, up to one hex intervening). This range cannot be traced across neutral or impassable hexes or hexsides but cannot otherwise be blocked. It can be traced across All-Sea or Lake hexes or hexsides and across hexes containing enemy or friendly units.
- No more than one HQ unit per side can participate in a single combat. An attacking HQ unit, thus, cannot provide ranged support to an attack that already includes another HQ, and a defending HQ unit cannot provide ranged support to a defending hex that already contains an HQ unit.
- An HQ unit cannot participate in more than one combat per segment. A defending HQ unit that has itself participated in combat cannot support another combat later in the same segment – however, a defending HQ unit that has already provided ranged support to one combat does still contribute its defense factor (and HQ Shift) if an attack is later declared on its own hex.
- An HQ unit cannot provide ranged support to a combat unless at least one other ground unit of the same nationality as the HQ unit is involved in that combat.
- An HQ unit cannot use its attack factor through ranged support to attack a non-adjacent hex by itself.
Beachheads. Strait hexsides are assumed to exist between Beachhead Markers and adjacent coastal hexes. Thus, phasing ground units stacked with a friendly Beachhead Marker in an All-Sea hex can attack an adjacent coastal hex across an All-Sea hexside. Non-phasing ground units stacked with a friendly Beachhead Marker in an All-Sea hex can also be attacked from an adjacent coastal hex across an All-Sea hexside.
Truce Markers. An Allied faction's units affected by an Armistice, Reassess Policy, or Change of Government Truce Marker can neither attack nor be attacked (see 14.3.1).
4.2.2 Attack Sequence. The phasing player must complete the following sequence each time he declares an attack.
Step 1 – The attacking player chooses a hex occupied by enemy units and declares which adjacent phasing ground units will attack it. The attacking player can, at his option, commit one supplied HQ unit to provide its attack factor in ranged support if the attacking force does not already include an HQ unit. If the attacker cannot muster at least a 1:3 raw odds ratio at this point, he cannot make the attack.
Step 2 – The defending player can, at his option, commit a supplied HQ unit to provide its defense factor in ranged support if there is not already an HQ in the defending hex.
Step 3 – Add up the attack factors of all attacking units (including any HQ unit providing ranged support) committed in Step 1 above – this is the attacker total. Then, add up the defense factors of all defending units in the Target Hex plus any HQ unit committed in Step 2 above – this is the defender total. Divide the defender total into the attacker total and express the result as one of the ratios found along the top of the Combat Results Table (CRT). Round any fractional results in favor of the defender. At this point in the attack sequence, odds greater than 9:1 or less than 1:3 are treated as 9:1 or 1:3 respectively.
Step 4 – Determine the CRT column shifts available to the attacker and defender. All shifts are cumulative. Note that these are column shifts – a 3:1 attack that receives three column shifts to the right would be resolved on the 9:1 column.
Terrain, Fortress & Weather Shifts
- The defender may receive one or more column shifts to the left based on the terrain in the hex occupied by the defending units and/or along the hexside(s) separating the adjacent attacking units from the defender's hex (refer to the Combat Shift column of the Terrain Effects Chart on the map).
- The defender receives a one-column shift to the left if the defending hex contains a fortress unit.
- The defender receives a one-column shift to the left during Mud turns.
HQ Support Shifts
- The attacker receives a one-column shift to the right if the attacking force includes a supplied HQ unit (either adjacent to the defending hex or providing ranged support).
- The defender receives a one-column shift to the left if the defending force includes a supplied HQ unit (either in the defending hex or providing ranged support). Note that only one shift is possible in both of these cases because only one HQ can participate in a given attack or defense.
Air Support Shifts
- The attacker receives a one-column shift to the right for each phasing Air unit in or adjacent to the defender's hex.
- The defender receives a one-column shift to the left for each non-phasing Air unit in or adjacent to the defender's hex. This is an "Air Support radius" not a Zone of Control (8.0). A single Air unit can provide a shift to any number of combats.
- Air units cannot provide a shift to a combat unless at least one ground unit of the same nationality as the Air unit is involved in that combat.
- Air units in land hexes affected by Snow provide a Support Shift only if they are in the defender's hex (i.e., being adjacent to the defender's hex doesn't cut it in the snow).
Armor Shift (only during Blitz Segment attacks!) – The attacker receives a one-column shift to the right if the attacking force includes at least one supplied armor-type unit. Note that a three-step Western Allied HQ unit is not an armor-type unit, even though an armor corps was used to increase it up to full-strength.
Airborne Assault Shift (only during Blitz Segment attacks!) – If the defender's hex contains a phasing Airdrop unit and the attacker is receiving at least one other Combat Support Shift in this battle (i.e., Armor, HQ, Air Support, or Surprise), the attacker receives an additional one-column shift to the right.
Surprise Attack Shift (Optional Soviet Surprise Attack Option Supplement card only) – The attacker receives a one-column shift to the right as specified on the card.
After determining the final net column shift, apply it to the column determined in step 3. The result is the CRT column on which the combat will be resolved. Final odds greater than 9:1 or less than 1:3 are resolved on the 9:1 or 1:3 columns respectively.
Step 5 – The attacking player rolls one die and cross-indexes the die roll with the final odds column on the CRT determined in Step 4.
Step 6 – Note the italicized combat result, modify it for weather when and where applicable (see 4.2.3.1), and apply it.
Step 7 – Then apply any attrition results, first to the attacking force, then to the defending force. Attrition results are listed below the italicized combat result and are expressed in terms of step losses. The number to the left of the slash is the attacker's step loss, and the number to the right of the slash is the defender's step loss (see 4.2.3.2).
Step 8 – If the defender's hex has been vacated, surviving attacking units may now advance or exploit after combat (see 4.2.4). Defending units may never advance into a hex vacated by the attacker.
4.2.3 Combat Results. There are two kinds of Combat Results – Italicized results (always applied first) and Attrition results.
4.2.3.1 Italicized Combat Results
- Ar1 – The entire attacking force must retreat one hex. When retreat is not possible for the entire attacking force, it must instead take one step loss.
- Ex – The entire attacking force must retreat one hex or take one step loss (attacking player's choice when retreat is possible). If the attacking force takes the step loss, the entire defending force must then retreat one hex or take one step loss (defending player's choice when retreat is possible).
- Dr1, Dr2, Dr3 – The entire defending force must retreat the indicated number of hexes. When retreat is not possible, retreat results are converted into step losses on a one-for-one basis.
Important: When defenders in a city hex are attacked, or when all adjacent attacking units are attacking across strait (all-sea) or mountain hexsides, the defender may, if he wishes, freely convert any or all Dr retreat results into step losses on a one-for-one basis. Units retreating through cities or across strait (All-Sea) or mountain hexsides do not receive this "Retreat Conversion option."
Dr results against hexes affected by Mud or Snow are reduced (see 11.1): Dr3 becomes Dr2; Dr2 becomes Dr1; Dr1 becomes Ex. Ex, Ar1, and Attrition combat results are not affected by weather.
4.2.3.2 Attrition Combat Results. # / # – The number to the left of the slash is the number of step losses taken by the attacking force. The number to the right of the slash is the number of step losses taken by the defending force.
4.2.3.3 Retreats. A player may be called on to satisfy combat results by retreating all of his ground units involved in the combat (but not those that did not participate). Retreats are measured in hexes – units do not expend movement points to retreat.
All retreats are conducted by the owning player. To retreat, move the affected units out of the hex they occupy into an adjacent hex. Units must move one hex further from the hex that was the target of the attack with each hex they retreat.
- Retreats are never affected by Mud or Snow weather (see 11.1).
- Stacked units must retreat together – they cannot be retreated to different hexes.
- Important: All ground units in a hex into which units retreat automatically become part of the retreating force and are considered to have participated in that combat. That means that if a unit retreats into a hex containing an HQ unit, that HQ is considered to have "participated in combat"; thus, it cannot provide Ranged Support to another combat later in that same Combat Segment.
Retreat Restrictions. When a force cannot retreat without all or some of its units violating one or more of the restrictions listed below, that force ceases its retreat and must convert any unfulfilled retreat results into step losses.
- A unit cannot retreat into a hex, or across a hexside, that it could not enter or cross in a Movement Phase (i.e., prohibited terrain and politically restricted areas, see 3.2).
- A unit can never retreat into a hex containing an enemy unit (including Airdrop and Air units, even if other friendly units are already in the hex). Units can freely retreat out of a hex containing an enemy Air or Airdrop unit.
- A unit cannot retreat into a hex in an enemy Zone of Control unless the hex is occupied by a friendly unit (including friendly Airdrop and Air units). Vitally important: if a choice is available, a retreating unit must enter a hex that is not in an enemy Zone of Control at all, as opposed to one in an enemy Zone of Control occupied by a friendly unit.
- A defending force containing a fortress unit cannot retreat.
- A force that includes an HQ unit (including one providing ranged support) cannot retreat.
- Units stacked with a friendly Beachhead Marker cannot retreat.
If defending units retreat into a hex containing a unit unable to retreat (a fortress, HQ, or Beachhead, for example), the defending force cannot continue to retreat. It must convert any remaining retreat results into step losses until it has satisfied the combat result or until it no longer contains a unit unable to retreat. Units thus added to a retreating force are themselves available for taking step losses in the process of satisfying the combat results.
Retreating units may violate Stacking Limits, but such stacks will have to conform to them when that Combat Segment is over (see 9). Be aware that it is entirely possible for defending units that retreat from one combat situation to end up in a hex that is the target of another attack in the same Combat Segment. Such units are included in the defense strength of their new hex.
4.2.3.4 Clarification: Units Prohibited from Combat Retreat Results.
- An attacking or defending force that includes an HQ unit (including one providing ranged support) cannot retreat – it must lose steps until it has satisfied the retreat portion of its combat result or until it no longer includes an HQ unit. At that point, the force may retreat to satisfy any remaining portion of its retreat result.
- An HQ unit is a part of the attacking or defending force only so long as it remains an HQ unit. When a two-step HQ unit takes a step loss and is replaced on the map by a one-step infantry corps, this remnant is obviously no longer an HQ unit.
- Similarly, a retreating force that contains a fortress unit cannot retreat and must take step losses until it has satisfied the retreat portion of its combat result or until it no longer includes a fortress unit.
- Finally, a force containing one Axis minor nationality cannot retreat into Greater Germany or an Axis minor of a different nationality ("Ex" corps are exempted, see 3.2). That force must take step losses until it has satisfied the retreat portion of its combat result or until it no longer includes units of the violating Axis minor nationality.
4.2.3.5 Step Losses. Players satisfy attrition results by taking step losses – that is, by eliminating one-step units and/or removing steps from multi-step units in the attacking or defending force including any units added to the force as a result of retreat.
- Though retreat results may sometimes be converted into step losses, step losses cannot be converted into retreats.
- HQ units providing ranged support are part of an attacking or defending force, and thus are subject to (and available for) taking step losses.
- Vitally important: When an attacking force that includes any armor-type units takes step losses (whether from Italicized or Attrition results), the first step lost must be an armor step. Note that a three-step Western Allied HQ unit is not an armor-type unit, even though an armor corps was used to increase it to full-strength.
- If a unit has a reduced strength on its back, its first step loss must be taken by flipping the unit to its reduced strength side.
- A player cannot switch multi-step units in the process of taking step losses.
- In general, all rules that apply to unit break down (2.4.5) also apply when taking step losses.
4.2.3.6 The Delay Box and Combat Losses. Whenever any multi-step unit with a Step Value of 3 on its full-strength side, or any Fortress (including the British 1-1-2/0-2-0 and German SS 2-3-3/0-3-0 units when eliminated while on their fortress sides) or HQ unit (regardless of Step Value) is removed from the map in the process of satisfying combat results, the owning player must place the unit in the Delay Box. Any other units removed from the map as a result of combat are placed directly in their faction's Force Pool. In other words, units with a Step Value of 1 on either side are returned directly to the Force Pool unless they are HQ or fortress units.
4.2.4 Advance After Combat and Exploitation. After all italicized results and attrition losses have been satisfied by both sides in a given combat, supplied ground units in the attacking force still adjacent to the defender's hex may advance into the defender's hex if that hex has been vacated.
- Defending units can never advance after combat.
- Units must be in supply to advance.
- HQ units, themselves, cannot advance after combat. However, the presence of an HQ unit in an attacking force does not prevent the non-HQ units in that force from advancing.
- Units can never advance into a hex containing an enemy ground unit, Air unit, or Beachhead. A unit can freely advance out of a hex containing an enemy Air unit.
Exploitation. Any or all units that can advance after a combat may, instead, "exploit" if the attacking force included at least one armor-type unit (even if no attacking armor-type units survived the combat).
- Units can never exploit during Mud turns. (Snow has no effect upon Exploitation.)
- Units affected by Negotiations or Command/Supply Failure (see 14.3) cannot exploit.
- Exploiting units can move a number of hexes equal to the number of hexes the defending force retreated plus the number of retreat results and/or attrition losses the defender was unable to satisfy at all.
- Exploiting units do not pay Movement Points to enter hexes or cross hexsides.
- The first hex entered by exploiting units must be the vacated defender's hex.
- An exploiting unit cannot enter a hex containing an enemy ground, Air, or Beachhead Marker. A unit can exploit out of a hex containing an enemy Air unit.
- Exploiting units move one at a time. The phasing player must complete one unit's Exploitation before he can begin to move another. An exploiting unit may stop at any point along its path of exploitation.
- An exploiting unit cannot move a number of hexes greater than its printed Movement Allowance.
- An exploiting unit must stop immediately upon crossing a mountain, strait, or All-Sea hexside (from a Beachhead), or upon entering an enemy ZOC. Friendly units (including Airdrop and Air units) negate enemy ZOC for this purpose, and units exploit one at a time. The first exploiting unit to enter an enemy Zone of Control must stop but then negates that Zone of Control for the next unit, which could then advance into and beyond that hex (even in the Snow, see 11.3).
5. Reserve Movement Phase
Movement during the Reserve Movement Phase is identical to movement during the Operational Movement Phase, with three important exceptions.
- Units cannot enter or exit enemy Zones of Control during the Reserve Movement Phase, regardless of the presence of friendly units. This includes port hexes for units using Naval Transport (see 3.10).
- Units need not be in supply to move during the Reserve Movement Phase.
- Non-Russian one-step corps units cannot use the 1/2 MP Rail/Road benefit in the Soviet Union during Reserve Movement Phases. Russian one-step corps units cannot use the 1/2 MP Rail/Road benefit outside the Soviet Union during Reserve Movement Phases. All these units can use the 1 MP multi-step unit Rail/Road benefit. Note that Soviet minor ally units are not Russian.
The different European and Soviet Rail/Road Lines on the map are a mnemonic device to help you remember which Rail/Road lines this rule affects. Also see rule 12.5.1.
6. Final Administrative Phase
During his Final Administrative Phase, the phasing player may declare war on neutral minor countries and may adjust the status of one Truce Marker. He must also check and resolve all of his Permanent Conditional Events and any Conditional Event on his Current Option card.
6.1 War & Peace Segment
FIRST, the phasing player may declare war on and activate (see 12.2.2) any neutral Minor Country or Countries. A player may declare war against as many neutral Minor Countries as he wishes during his War & Peace Segment.
- The Axis player can declare war during any Axis War & Peace Segment.
- Allied players cannot declare war during Soviet or Western Allied War & Peace Segments until Total War has broken out.
- Restriction: Soviet Allied units may not enter a Minor Country that the Western Allies declared war on during the preceding Western Allied War & Peace Segment. On subsequent turns, this restriction does not apply. In other words, the Western Allied player can't declare war on a country at the end of his Player Turn and have the Soviets drive into it before the Axis player gets a chance to react.
- Also, for the purposes of breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact via the Soviet Balkan Pact card (#33), the Soviets may not consider Bulgaria or Turkey if the Western Allies activated it as an Axis Minor Country.
- Neutral Minor Country Declaring War: After a Separate Peace Extension (18.6) has occurred, the Western Allied player may, during each of his War & Peace Segments, remove one Neutrality Marker and activate that country (12.2.2) as a Western Allied Minor Country.
SECOND, the phasing player may then, if he wishes, adjust one (and only one) Change of Government, Reassess Policy, Armistice, or Negotiations Truce Marker on the War & Peace Status Display (see 14.3 for Truce Restrictions). The Axis player can adjust the status of one of these Truce Markers in either box on the Display. The Western Allied player can only adjust the status of a Truce Marker in the Western Allied box, and the Soviet player can only adjust the status of a Truce Marker in the Soviet Allied box. Truce Marker adjustment allows the phasing player to do any one of the following:
- Remove a Negotiations Marker.
- Flip (reduce) an Armistice Marker to its Negotiations side.
- Exchange (reduce) a Reassess Policy Marker with an Armistice Marker – this can only be done if you have a Current Option card and it is a Limited War card.
- Flip (reduce) a Change of Government Marker to its Reassess Policy side – this can only be done if you have a Current Option card and it is a Limited War card.
6.2 Conditional Event Segment
The phasing player first checks his faction's Permanent Conditional Events to see if any countries have been conquered, liberated, occupied, etc. (see 18.1, 18.2, and 18.3 – Permanent Conditional Events; these have also been listed on the Player Aid Sheets for ease of reference). All of the phasing faction's Permanent Conditional Events must be checked in order, and the results must be implemented. The Axis player cannot, for example, decline to occupy an Axis Minor Country if the conditions for Occupation exist.
- Axis Permanent Conditional Events: 1. Conquest of Western Allied Minor Countries. 2. Liberation of Soviet Allied Minor Countries. 3. Occupation of Axis Minor Countries. 4. Axis Coup.
- Western Allied Permanent Conditional Events: 1. Re-activation of Conquered Western Allied Minor Countries. 2. Free France. 3. Liberation of Axis and Soviet Allied Minor Countries. 4. "Their Finest Hour." 5. Free French Coup.
- Soviet Allied Permanent Conditional Events: 1. Liberation of Axis and Western Allied Minor Countries. 2. Emergency Mobilization.
The phasing player then checks his Current Option card. If the card contains a Conditional Event, he checks to see if he has fulfilled the conditions. If he has fulfilled the conditions, the results must be implemented. Details of Conditional Events and their consequences will be found in sections 18.4 and 18.5 – Option card Conditional Events.
Conditional Replacements can be received during each Conditional Event Segment in which the conditions are fulfilled, for as long as the card is the Current Option card. They are placed in exactly the same manner as Seasonal Replacements, according to rule 1.4 (Placing Replacement Units). Summer (May-June) is a good Season to reveal a card with Conditional Replacements. It will be the Current Option card for three Conditional Event Segments and therefore could provide its Conditional Replacements three times!
7. Game Turn Interphase
During the Game Turn Interphase, players:
- determine how long it will take for all units and Markers in the Delay Box to enter or return to the game;
- move the Turn Record Marker to signal the end of one turn and the beginning of the next;
- place units and Markers on the new turn of the Turn Record Track in their respective Force Pools, Available Boxes, or in the Strategic Warfare Box.
7.1 Delay Segment
During the Delay Segment, every player with units and/or Markers in the Delay Box rolls one die for each of his units and Markers in the Box, applying the appropriate Delay die roll modifiers to each die roll. (Delay die roll modifiers are located next to the Delay Box itself. Remember that subtracting is good for a player while adding is bad. Note that the Western Allies do not get a Delay die roll modifier for an "Allied Crusade," but Soviet Allies do.) Players may want to sort pieces as they enter the Delay Box using the dimmed -5 to +5 die roll modifier boxes within it to help them remember specific units' die roll modifiers.
The modified die roll determines how long it will take the unit or Marker to enter or re-enter the game. Note that all players participate in the Delay Segments together. As each unit or marker is rolled for, that piece is placed on the Turn Record Track a number of turns ahead of the current Game Turn equal to the modified die roll.
Delay Die Roll Modifiers. Modifiers are cumulative. Modified die rolls less than 1 or greater than 6 are treated as '1' and '6' respectively.
Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers
- Subtract the number of VPs in the Box occupied by the VP Marker if it reads "Axis Tide."
- Subtract one (-1) for each Axis War Production Marker in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Subtract one (-1) if the Axis Jet Fighter Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This modifier applies only to rolls made for German Air Support units.
- Add the US Commitment Level Number (if any) on the Current Western Allied Option card.
- Add one (+1) if the Allied Intensive Bombing Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis Material Shortages Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- (Optional) Add one (+1) to all Ural Bomber and Fleet (not U-boat Fleet) Delay Rolls.
Western Allied Delay Die Roll Modifiers
- Subtract the US Commitment Level Number (if any) on the Current Western Allied Option card.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis Type XXI U-boat Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis Jet Fighter Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This modifier applies only to rolls made for Western Allied (and Soviet) Air Support units.
- (Optional) Add one (+1) to all Heavy Bomber and Fleet Delay Rolls.
Soviet Allied Delay Die Roll Modifiers
- Subtract the number of VPs in the Box occupied by the VP Marker if it currently reads "Allied Crusade."
- Subtract one (-1) if the Soviet-Japanese Treaty Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis German-Japanese Pact Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis Jet Fighter Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box. This modifier applies only to rolls made for Soviet (and Western Allied) Air Support units.
- Add one (+1) if the Axis Ural Bomber Marker is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- (Optional) Add one (+1) to all Fleet Delay Rolls.
Every Faction's Delay Die Roll Modifiers — (Optional) Add one (+1) to all Minor Country units and Markers.
Delay die roll modifiers are cumulative within each faction. For example, apply all Soviet Delay die roll modifiers to all rolls for Soviet units but never apply Soviet Delay die roll modifiers to rolls for Western Allied units. Modified die rolls less than 1 or greater than 6 are treated as '1' and '6,' respectively. And see Optional rules 15.2.5 (Minor Country Delays) and 15.4.4 (Big Ticket Items).
7.2 Turn Record Marker Segment
After all units and markers in the Delay Box have been rolled for and placed on the Turn Record Track, the Turn Record Marker is advanced into the next space on the Turn Record Track.
Any units and markers in the turn space entered by the Turn Record Marker are returned to the game at this time. Units returning to the game from the Turn Record Track are placed as follows:
- Ground units (including Airdrop units – flipped back to their airborne corps side) are placed in the appropriate Force Pool;
- Support units, D-Class Convoy Markers, and Luck Markers (see 15.1) are placed in the appropriate player's Available Support Units & Markers Boxes ("Available Boxes").
Special Markers. Most Special Markers (those with Reinforcement Numbers on them) enter the game by first being placed in the Delay Box. These Markers have no effect on play until returned to the game from the Turn Record Track. For placement of these Markers upon return to the game, see 16 – Special Markers.
The VE-Day Marker. When the VE-Day Marker (16.29) or VE-Day Separate Peace Marker (18.6) is removed from the Turn Record Track, the Western Allied player immediately rolls a die to see if the game has ended. If the Axis No Retreat, SS Europa, or the Military Takeover Marker is on the Victory Point Track, and the die roll is less than or equal to the number in the VP Box occupied by that Marker, advance the VE-Day Marker ahead one Game Turn and continue playing (repeating this procedure next Game Turn and as often as necessary). Otherwise, the game ends immediately (see 0.3 and 0.4).
Important: When using the Mitigating Bad Luck Optional rule (15.1), this is the only die roll in the game that cannot be modified before rolling, nor can it be rerolled!
"Housekeeping" Rules
8. Zones of Control
All ground units are able to project a degree of influence into the six hexes adjacent to their location hex. These projections are called "Zones of Control" or "ZOC." Only ground units exert a Zone of Control, not Support or Airdrop units. A unit's ZOC never extends across a mountain hexside, impassable hexside, lake hexside, or All-Sea hexside (even where a strait is present).
Enemy Zones of Control ("EZOC") can inhibit friendly Operational Movement, Reserve Movement, Supply, Retreat, and Advance/Exploitation after Combat. And all non-phasing units are considered enemy units. Western Allied and Soviet Allied units must always observe each other's ZOCs.
In many cases (detailed below), the presence of a friendly unit in a hex negates the effects of EZOC on that hex. Friendly units need not have combat factors to negate EZOC – Airdrop and Air units can also negate EZOC. When friendly units negate the effects of EZOC, they do so immediately. A player can, for example, move a unit into a hex in an EZOC, thereby negating the effects of that EZOC for the next unit entering that hex (it wouldn't have to stop) or perhaps opening a supply line to a unit that has yet to move. This game has "no memory." A unit's or location's circumstances only matter NOW.
8.1 Effects on Movement
A unit must stop moving when it first enters an EZOC during the Operational Movement Phase (exception, see 3.7, Overrun). A unit beginning the Operational Movement Phase in an EZOC can freely leave. Such units may move directly into another EZOC (where they must, of course, immediately stop, unless another friendly unit is present to negate the EZOC).
The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC negates the effects of the EZOC on Operational Movement.
A unit cannot exit an enemy Zone of Control during the Operational Movement Phase of a Mud turn (11.2). A unit must stop immediately upon entering or exiting an EZOC in a hex affected by Snow (11.3) during the Operational Movement Phase of a Snow turn. The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC does not negate these weather effects of the EZOC on Operational Movement.
Units cannot enter or exit EZOC during Reserve Movement Phases. The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC does not negate the effects of the EZOC on Reserve Movement.
8.2 Effects on Supply Lines
A supply line cannot be traced into or out of an EZOC. The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC negates the effects of the EZOC on Supply Lines.
8.3 Effects on Retreats and Advances
A unit cannot retreat into an EZOC. An advancing or exploiting unit must stop in the first EZOC it enters. The presence of a friendly unit in an EZOC negates the effects of the EZOC on Retreats and Advances in all weather.
9. Stacking Limits
Placing more than one friendly ground unit in the same hex is called "stacking." Up to three friendly ground units can be stacked in the same hex, including All-Sea hexes containing friendly Beachhead Markers.
- Only ground combat units count against stacking limits – Airdrop units, Air units, Beachhead Markers, the SHAEF, ObK, and Stavka Markers, Ceded Border Markers, etc. never count against stacking limits nor affect stacking in any way.
- No more than two of the units stacked in a hex can be multi-step units.
- An HQ unit cannot stack with another HQ unit.
- A Fortress unit cannot stack with another Fortress unit.
- A Minor Country, Partisan, or Coup corps ground unit cannot stack with a ground unit of another Minor Country or Partisan faction. Exception: "Ex" corps units and Axis Nationalist units are exempt from this restriction.
Stacking limits are enforced for all ground units, both phasing and non-phasing, at the end of every Phase and Segment. The owning player must eliminate sufficient steps or ground units to bring any stacks found in violation back into compliance with the stacking limits.
You are always free to violate these stacking restrictions during any Phase or Segment, but you will pay the penalty at the end. You may, for example, advance or retreat any number or combination of units into a hex during a Blitz or Regular Combat Segment, but you'll have to figure out how to make those stacks conform to the Stacking Limits at the end of that Segment.
10. Supply & Friendly Ports
Partisan units are always in supply. All other ground units must trace supply lines to supply sources in order to conduct various game functions. Important: Supply lines are traced from units to supply sources.
10.1 Supply Sources
- A unit's supply source is any city in the unit's home country.
- The US/Canada Box is a home country port city for US and British units, plus the Free French Coup corps.
- The Commonwealth Box is a home country port city for British units.
- Axis Nationalist units and the Axis Coup corps trace supply to Berlin.
10.2 Supply Lines
A unit is in supply if it can trace a supply line from itself to a supply source.
- Only the first two hexes (i.e., one intervening hex) of a supply line can be traced across any terrain type traversable by the unit. A supply line can be traced across an All-Sea hexside adjacent to a friendly Beachhead Marker (All-Sea hexsides adjacent to friendly Beachheads are treated as if crossed by straits).
- Once it reaches a Rail/Road hex, a supply line can then be traced any distance along a series of connected Rail/Road hexes to a supply source. Rail Lines connected by a Strait are considered connected.
- A supply line can also be traced across a Naval Zone from friendly port (this includes friendly Beachheads by definition – see 10.4) to friendly port. An Axis or Soviet Allied supply line can be traced across a Naval Zone only if the Naval Zone contains a friendly Convoy Marker in Supply Convoy Mode. (Note that there are no Political Restrictions, as per 3.2, for using another nationality's Convoy Marker for tracing supply.) A supply line cannot be traced across a Naval Zone whose Box contains an enemy Support unit. Such Naval Zones are "interdicted." Note that supply traced between Off-Map Boxes can never be interdicted.
- A supply line traced across a Naval Zone can be considered part of a connected Rail/Road supply line. In other words, a supply line can be traced any distance along a combination of connected Rail Lines, Roads, and friendly port-to-friendly port traces.
- A supply line cannot be traced into or out of a hex containing an enemy Zone of Control unless a friendly unit occupies the hex.
- A supply line cannot be traced into a hex containing enemy units (including Airdrop and Air units) even by friendly units in that hex. The presence of friendly units in that hex does not negate this effect.
- A city or port cannot serve as a supply source while occupied by enemy units, including Air and Airdrop units.
- A supply line can be traced out of a friendly-occupied hex containing an enemy Zone of Control or enemy Air or Airdrop unit. Remember that a supply line is traced out of a unit's hex to a supply source hex.
- A supply line cannot be traced across impassable or lake hexsides or into impassable hexes or hexes in a neutral country.
- Supply can be traced across Naval Zones and/or Off-Map Naval Boxes.
Exception: The Soviet player can treat the Soviet Border Region portion of a neutral Minor Country as part of the Soviet Union while the appropriate Border Dispute card is the current Soviet Option card (see 12.5).
10.3 Supply Effects
Supply is traced for each unit at the moment it begins one of the actions covered below. Thus, a unit judged to be in supply for Operational Movement is free to make a complete move, even if it moves out of supply in the course of its move. It is also possible for the movement of some units to affect other units' supply lines (by negating the effects of EZOC on supply lines, for example) before those other units attempt to trace supply.
- Range for Air unit placement or contesting during the Air & Naval Segment is traced from a supplied unit (2.3.3).
- Units must be in supply (and not stacked with an enemy Air Support unit) to combine (but not to break down or perform fortress conversions) during the Organization Segment (2.4.4).
- Units must be in supply to move during the Operational Movement Phase (3.1). Units need not be in supply to move during the Reserve Movement Phase (5).
- Airborne corps must be in supply to make an Airdrop (4.1.1).
- Attacking armor units must be in supply to provide an Armor Shift during Blitz Segments (4.2.2).
- HQ units must be in supply to provide ranged support or a HQ Support Shift (4.2.1).
- HQ units must be in supply (and in their home country, except for the 1-2-0 SS HQs and the Anglo-Allied 15th HQ) to act as an Additional Replacement Location (1.4.1).
- Units must be in supply to advance or exploit after combat (4.2.4).
- Airdrop units must be in supply to be replaced by infantry corps during Landing Segments (4.1.3.2).
10.4 Friendly Port and City Definition
- A port or city hex currently occupied by friendly units (including Airdrop but excluding Air units) is "friendly."
- A port or city hex in an active friendly home country (that is, any country belonging to your faction, excluding Conquered Western Allied minor countries) is "friendly"; it need not be occupied by friendly units. (And see 16.21, Reich Annex.)
- Exception to both of the above: A port or city hex is not "friendly" while it contains an enemy unit (including enemy Air units, even if a friendly ground unit is present) or a Logistics Marker (SHAEF, Stavka and ObK). (And see 16.21, the Reich Annex Marker.)
- A friendly Beachhead Marker is always a friendly port – it need not be occupied by friendly units to be a friendly port.
- Any port hex occupied by the SHAEF, Stavka, or the ObK Logistics or Reich Annex Marker is "friendly" to the Western Allies, Soviets, or Axis, respectively – it need not be occupied by their ground units to be considered friendly.
- The US/Canada and South Atlantic Off-Map Boxes are always Western Allied friendly ports in the North Atlantic Naval Zone. The Commonwealth Box is always a British friendly port in the Indian Ocean Naval Zone. Naval Transport cannot be used to enter the US/Canada Box. British and US one-step corps units can only be placed in this Box as Replacements (see 1.4.1).
Many unoccupied ports will not be friendly to any faction. Except for those ports in your own active home countries, you must actually occupy a port for it to be friendly. Note, for example, that Malta is not automatically friendly to the British (Malta is a British Dependent). It must be occupied to be considered friendly. This is also true of any unoccupied port in a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country.
11. Weather
Weather turns are marked on the Turn Record Track. Every November-December and January-February turn is a Snow turn; every April-May and September-October turn is a Mud turn.
11.1 Weather Effects on Combat
Dr Combat Results against hexes affected by Mud or Snow are reduced: Dr3 becomes Dr2; Dr2 becomes Dr1; Dr1 becomes Ex. Ex, Ar1, and attrition combat results are not affected by weather.
11.2 Mud
During Mud turns, most land hexes on the map are affected by Mud.
- Mud weather never affects land hexes in Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, or Iraq. Exception: see Optional Rule 15.6, Desert Mud.
- Air Support units can only be placed in Naval Zone Boxes or Specific Hexes in or adjacent to the desert during Mud turns.
- Air units in land hexes affected by Mud (i.e., Allied holdovers from the previous turn) provide no support shift in a combat (even if an adjacent hex is not affected by Mud).
- A unit in a hex affected by Mud cannot exit an enemy Zone of Control during the Operational Movement Phase of a Mud turn, regardless of the presence of other friendly units. A unit, thus, cannot move from one enemy Zone of Control to another during Mud turns nor even disengage from an Enemy Zone of Control (except through combat).
- No units can attack hexes affected by Mud during the Blitz Segment of a Mud turn.
- When attacked in a hex affected by Mud, the defender receives a one-column shift to the left.
- Units can advance after combat into, but cannot exploit from, a defending hex that was affected by Mud.
- Mud never affects Retreats (4.2.3.3) nor Reserve Movement (5).
11.3 Snow
During Snow turns, most land hexes on the map are affected by Snow.
- Snow weather never affects land hexes in Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, or Iraq (a.k.a. "the desert").
- Support units cannot be converted into Beachhead Markers in the North Sea or Baltic Seas during Snow turns (and they can never be converted in the Arctic Sea) – this effect is noted in their Boxes as a reminder.
- Convoy Markers cannot be placed in, nor can the Western Allies use Naval Transport or trace Supply through, the Arctic Sea Naval Zone Box during Snow turns.
- A unit must stop immediately upon entering or exiting an enemy Zone of Control in a hex affected by Snow during Operational Movement Phases, regardless of the presence of other friendly units in the hex. Snow does not affect Retreats (4.2.3.3), Exploitation (4.2.4), or Reserve Movement (5).
- Air units in land hexes affected by Snow (11.3) or all-sea hexes adjacent to a land hex affected by Snow provide a Support Shift only if they are in the defender's hex.
- Most units cannot attack hexes affected by Snow during the Blitz Segment of a Snow turn. Phasing German SS units; any German units stacked with or adjacent to phasing German SS units; all phasing Soviet, Swedish, and Finnish units; and Partisan units in Sweden, Finland, Denmark-Norway, or the Soviet Union can attack during the Blitz Segment of a Snow turn whether or not the defender's hex is affected by Snow.
12. Countries, Regions, and Factions
12.1 Major Powers and Factions
Definition of Terms: The Axis, the Western Allies, and the Soviet Allies are "factions." Each faction has its own Player Turn and its units are always considered enemy units to both other factions at all times and for all game purposes. The Western Allied and Soviet Allied factions may sometimes be referred to collectively as "Allied," with no qualifier.
- Greater Germany includes East Prussia and possibly the Polish Corridor, Alsace-Lorraine, and/or the Reich Annex (see 16.21). The term Axis includes Greater Germany and all Axis minor countries (including Axis Nationalists).
- Great Britain includes Belfast (N. Ireland).
- The United States is represented on the map by the US/Canada Box. The term Western Allied includes Great Britain, the United States, and all Western Allied minor countries (including "N" Partisans).
- The Soviet Union includes any Soviet Border Regions whose Ceded Border Markers are in the Ceded Border Marker Holding Box on the map. The term Soviet Allied includes the Soviet Union itself and all Soviet Allied minor countries (including "C" Partisans). Units belonging to the Soviet Union (but not Soviet Allied Minor Countries) are sometimes referred to as "Russian." Russian units include the two-tone units marked "Uk", "Sib" and "Cau" (except when the Ukraine, Siberia or Caucasus is an independent country in the Random Campaign Game).
12.2 Minor Countries
Minor countries have units and, generally, a capital. They will always be either neutral, Axis, Western Allied (including Conquered Western Allied), or Soviet Allied in orientation. Minor countries are listed below:
Armenia (Random Campaign Game); Austria (Random Campaign Game); Austria-Hungary* (Random Campaign Game; Austria-Hungary incorporates various minor countries); The Baltic States*; Belgium-Holland*; Bulgaria; Caucasus* (Random Campaign Game); Croatia (Random Campaign Game); Czechoslovakia (Random Campaign Game); Denmark-Norway*; France (includes Alsace-Lorraine, Corsica, and French North Africa); Finland (includes Finnish Frontier); Greece (includes Crete); Hungary; Iraq (Random Campaign Game); Ireland; Italy (includes Sardinia and Sicily); Persia; Poland (includes Eastern Poland and Polish Corridor); Portugal; Rumania (includes Bessarabia); Serbia (Random Campaign Game replacing Yugoslavia); Siberia (Random Campaign Game); Spain (includes Majorca and Spanish Morocco); Sweden; Syria (after France is conquered or collapses); Turkey (includes Turkish Frontier); Ukraine (Random Campaign Game); Yugoslavia.
* These artificially combined countries are each considered a single Minor Country for all game purposes.
Switzerland is indicated on the map for geographic reference only. It is never considered a country for game purposes.
In addition, the neutral Minor Country Vichy will be created if France collapses (see 12.3). Axis Nationalists units are considered their own separate Minor Country nationality. The Axis Coup/Free French Coup corps is considered the only unit of its own Minor Country nationality (see 18.1.4 and 18.2.6). "N" and "C" Partisan units are each treated as their own, separate Minor Country nationalities, with "N" Partisan units belonging to the Western Allied faction and "C" Partisan units on the map belonging to the Soviet Allied faction (see 12.7).
12.2.1 Neutral Minor Countries. At the beginning of the Scenario, minor countries will be listed as oriented (setting up with) one faction or another, or as neutral.
No units may enter hexes in a neutral country. Supply lines cannot be traced into or through a hex in a neutral country, nor may range of any type be traced into or through a hex in a neutral country. Exception: The Soviet player may treat the Soviet Border Region of specified neutrals as part of the Soviet Union while its Border Dispute is the Current Soviet Option card (see 12.5.1).
Activation of a neutral Minor Country changes that country's orientation from neutral to Axis, Western Allied, or Soviet Allied and causes that country's units to be set up on the map (see 19 – Minor Country Setup). Certain Event results can change the orientation of a country that is already active (see, for example, Liberation of a Soviet Minor Country under Axis Permanent Conditional Events, 18.1.2).
Important: Once activated, all three factions are immediately and permanently free to enter the entirety of that Minor Country (including its Border Regions, if it has any, see 12.5) for the rest of the game, subject only to normal movement limitations, the special Soviet War & Peace restriction (6.1), and the effects of Policy and Truce Markers (see 14).
12.2.2 Activation of Neutral Minor Countries. A neutral Minor Country can be activated in two ways:
- A declaration of war involving a neutral Minor Country during a player's War & Peace Segment (6.1). When an Allied player declares war on a neutral Minor Country, it is activated as an Axis Minor Country. When the Axis player declares war on a neutral Minor Country, it is activated as an Allied Minor Country (see 12.2.3);
- A Political or Conditional Event calls for a neutral Minor Country to be activated as an Axis or Allied Minor Country.
A Minor Country's units are set up by the controlling player the instant it becomes an active Minor Country (see 19 – Minor Country Setup). In most cases, the Normal Setup procedure will be used (19.2). In some cases, the Event that calls for a neutral country to be activated will specifically call for Limited Setup (19.1).
12.2.3 Allied Minor Countries. Allied players must keep track of which Allied minor countries are Soviet Allied and which are Western Allied. It won't be hard to keep track since each active Minor Country will often have at least one unit in the Force Pool of its controlling faction.
There may be a limited choice in deciding whether a neutral Minor Country will be activated as a Western Allied or a Soviet Allied Minor Country.
- Any Minor Country can be activated as a Western Allied Minor Country.
- A Minor Country must share a land border with the Soviet Union or with another Soviet Allied Minor Country to be activated as a Soviet Allied Minor Country. Exception: Soviet Option card #27, Balkan Pact, can net the Soviets Bulgaria as a minor ally, even if it doesn't share a land border with a Soviet Allied Minor Country.
- When a choice is available, the Western Allied player decides whether the Minor Country will be Western Allied or Soviet Allied. (But note the Special First Turn Rules of the Standard Campaign Game, see A.1.)
12.2.4 Minor Country Restrictions. Here is a summary of the movement, stacking, and combat restrictions for minors:
- A Minor, Partisan, or Coup corps unit cannot remain stacked with a unit of another Minor Country or Partisan faction. Western Allied French units could not stack with Western Allied Belgium-Holland units, for example.
- Minor, Partisan, and Coup corps units cannot participate in an attack with units of another Minor or Partisan faction. For example, Axis Rumanian and Axis Hungarian units could not participate in an attack together.
- Non-German Axis units cannot enter a hex in Greater Germany or another Axis Minor Country. For example, Axis Yugoslavian units could not enter Axis Rumania, ever – even as a result of retreat during an enemy Combat Phase (4.2.3.3).
- Exception: "Ex" corps units and Axis Nationalist (one- or two-step) units are exempt from all of the above.
Note that "Ex" corps cease to be "Ex" corps when they are combined to form multi-step armies and, thus, lose their "Ex" corps privileges.
12.3 Vichy France
Vichy is only created when France collapses due to the Case Yellow Option card (18.4.1), not if it is conquered (18.1.1), or if it collapses due to the Operation Avalanche card (18.5.3). Once Vichy France has been created, it is considered both "Vichy" and "France" as far as the rules are concerned, for the remainder of the game, regardless of subsequent events.
12.3.1 Vichy Territory. While neutral, Vichy territory consists of French North Africa, Corsica, and that part of continental France bounded by the Vichy Border and containing the cities of Lyon, Marseilles and Toulouse.
Occupied France: While Vichy France is neutral, the part of France north of the Vichy Border ("Occupied France") is considered a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country. It cannot be collapsed, conquered, or liberated separately from the rest of Vichy. So even if the Western Allies occupy all of its cities, the territory remains a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country while Vichy is neutral. (Though the fact that there is no longer an Axis unit in Paris does allow Vichy to activate as a Western Allied Minor Country. See 18.2.2.)
When Vichy is created, Syria becomes a neutral Minor Country (see 12.4), and Alsace-Lorraine becomes a permanent part of Greater Germany.
The "capital" of Neutral Vichy France is hex w3217 (Vichy). If Vichy is ever activated, France becomes one whole country again with Paris as its capital.
If neutral Vichy is ever activated, all original French territory except for Syria and Alsace-Lorraine (12.5.2) is considered part of Vichy (the Vichy Border printed on the map can be ignored for the rest of the game). Syria and Alsace-Lorraine cannot become part of France again once Vichy has been created. Be sure to watch out for Occupation of Axis Minors (see 18.1.3) if Vichy activates as an Axis minor ally!
12.3.2 Disposition of French Forces. Remove all French units from the map, Force Pools, Delay Box, and Game Turn Record Track when Vichy is created.
- Place the Axis Coup corps in the Axis Force Pool. This is an Axis unit representing an unspecified pro-Axis Minor Country, not a neutral Vichy unit.
- Place the following French units (denoted with a "V") in the neutral Force Pool: one 3-4-2 army (1st); one 1-2-3 corps (7th Army); one 1-2-3 mech corps; one 0-1-2 Res(erve) corps; all Col(onial) units; one Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker (12.3.3); one Vichy Fleet (12.3.3).
- All other (non-"V") French units and Markers are permanently removed from play.
12.3.3 The Vichy Navy. The Vichy Fleet and/or Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker can be used by the Axis player as a result of a Hitler Pressures Neutrals event (see 17.2.11). Thus, it is possible for the Vichy Navy to be in use by the Axis player even while Vichy is neutral. The Vichy "Navy" (that is, both the Fleet and Convoy Marker together) can be used by the Axis player when Vichy is activated as an Axis Minor Country. In either case, every Axis friendly port (10.4) in Continental France or French North Africa is considered a home country port for the Vichy Fleet.
The Vichy Fleet and/or Convoy Marker is removed from the game by a Churchill Pressures Neutrals event (see 17.2.5). The Vichy Navy (both pieces) is removed from the game when Vichy is activated as an Allied Minor Country, including when the Western Allies liberate France (see 18.5.2).
12.3.4 Internment and Repatriation. When Vichy France is created it is a Neutral Minor Country, so apply rule 18 regarding Internment and Repatriation.
12.3.5 Vichy Setup (When Activated). See rule 19.2.1, "Vichy."
12.3.6 Other Effects of Vichy France
- The Western Allied additional French replacement step ceases if Vichy is created.
- While Vichy is neutral, partisan units may be placed in "Occupied France" (12.3.1), but not in neutral Vichy territory. If Vichy is ever activated, partisan placement in any part of France is handled by rule 1.4.4.
- If an Axis ally, Vichy is "occupied" if even one German multi-step unit occupies any hex or hexes anywhere in France or French North Africa during an Axis Conditional Event Segment (see 18.1.3).
- If the Free French Coup corps unit is eliminated, it is placed in the Force Pool to which the other Vichy units belong and is treated like any other French Colonial corps for the rest of the game.
12.4 Dependent Countries
- Iraq, Egypt, Cyprus, Palestine, Malta, and Gibraltar are British Dependents.
- Albania, Libya, and Rhodes are Italian Dependents.
- Syria is a French Dependent. If France is either conquered (18.1.1) or collapses (18.4.1), Syria becomes a neutral Minor Country.
Dependent countries have no capital cities, no units, and no political "orientation" – they are never part of any faction. Cities and ports in Dependent countries are never considered "home country" cities or ports. Units cannot enter the Dependents of a neutral minor country until it becomes an active Minor Country (i.e. allied to a faction).
12.5 Border Regions
12.5.1 Soviet Border Regions. The Finnish Frontier, Eastern Poland, Bessarabia, and the Turkish Frontier are known as "Soviet Border Regions" – the names of these four regions are printed in red on the map. Each Soviet Border Region is a part of a neutral Minor Country at the beginning of the Standard Campaign Game (A.1) and remains a part of their associated Minor Country until and unless that country's Ceded Border Marker is placed in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box.
An on-map Border Region is "ceded" when its associated Ceded Border Marker is placed on the map in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box. A border region whose Ceded Border Marker is in the Ceded Border Marker Holding Box is considered a part of the Soviet Union for all purposes including its Rail Lines during Reserve Movement (5).
Placement of Ceded Border Markers in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box occurs as a result of Soviet Border Dispute Option card Conditional Events or when the Soviets liberate an Axis or conquered Western Allied Minor Country (see 18.3.2). This is an "all-or-nothing" deal – if Finland cedes its Border Region, for example, all hexes in both parts of the Finnish Border Region become a part of the Soviet Union.
Soviet Border Dispute cards also allow the Soviet player (only) to temporarily treat specific Soviet Border Regions as part of the Soviet Union for Support unit placement, movement, and supply line purposes, but only when its Ceded Border Marker is on the Soviet Force Pool Display and only while that Border Dispute card is the Soviet Current Option card. That is, you cannot use any cities there as Soviet supply sources nor to place Soviet replacements. This gives the Soviet player a chance to fulfill the card's Conditional Event allowing him to place the appropriate Ceded Border Marker in the Ceded Border Marker Holding Box even if its associated Minor Country is still neutral. (See the Soviet Border War Table on the map for details how this occurs.)
Soviet Border Disputes have nothing to do with the orientation of the country against which they are directed. The Soviet player can resolve Border Wars against neutral, Axis, Western Allied, Conquered Western Allied, and Soviet Allied minor countries.
12.5.1.1 Internment and Repatriation. If the Soviet player fails to place his Current Option card's Ceded Border Marker by the time his next Option card is revealed and that Border Region is part of a neutral Minor Country, immediately apply Rule 18 regarding Internment and Repatriation.
12.5.1.2 German Seizure of Soviet Border Regions. If a German ground unit enters a Soviet Border Region and the Nazi-Soviet Pact remains in place (see 14.1.5), remove that Border Region's Ceded Border Marker from the Soviet Force Pool Display and place it near its associated Minor Country's capital. A Border Region whose Ceded Border Marker is so placed still belongs to its associated Minor Country.
12.5.1.3 When is a Ceded Border Marker "On the Map?" A Ceded Border Marker placed in either the Ceded Border Marker Holding Box or near its associated Minor Country's capital (12.5.1.2) is considered "on the map." This is a vital definition for certain Option card Political and Conditional Events.
12.5.1.4 Removing Ceded Border Markers. Soviet Ceded Border Markers can be removed from the map by the Axis Barbarossa Option card's Conditional Event (18.4.2) or by the collapse of the Soviet Union (18.4.3.3).
12.5.2 German Border Regions. The three hexes of the Polish Corridor are a part of neutral Poland at the beginning of the game. They become a permanent part of Greater Germany the instant Allied Poland is conquered or liberated by the Axis player.
Alsace-Lorraine is part of France at the beginning of the game. These two hexes become a permanent part of Greater Germany the instant France is conquered, liberated, or collapses.
12.6 Multi-National Units
There are ten multi-national units in the game. Their joint nationalities are:
- Anglo-Allied Army – British and Western minor ally (excluding Partisan units).
- 15th Allied Army Group HQ unit – British and US. Even if it is composed entirely of corps from one nationality or the other, it is always considered to be both a British and US HQ unit.
- Allied airborne corps – British and US.
- Afrika Panzer Army unit – German and Italian.
- Mediterranean Army Group HQ unit – German and Italian.
- 20th Army – German and Finnish.
- Two Western Allied Surface Fleets – either British or US.
- Two Western Allied Heavy Bombers – either British or US.
The ground units listed above are formed as described in 2.4.3. When in play, all of these ground units are considered to belong to both nationalities. Thus, for example, both German and Italian Air units can be placed within range of, and contribute Air Superiority Shifts to, a combat involving the Mediterranean HQ unit. This same unit must trace supply to both German and Italian home country cities to be in supply. The Med HQ unit could support and contribute a shift to a combat involving German and/or Italian units but not Axis Rumanian units. Also, it could not stack with a Rumanian unit, because Axis Italian units cannot stack with, or participate in an attack with, units of another Axis Minor Country.
When the steps of one nationality must be suddenly removed (due to its Conquest, Collapse, etc.), perform an "emergency breakdown." Place the surviving nationality's breakdown corps units on the map.
12.7 Partisans
On Partisan units, "C" indicates a Communist Partisan while "N" stands for Nationalist. These are distinct, rival partisan factions.
"N" Partisan units are considered Western Allied Minor Country units (so they're enemies to both the Axis and Soviet factions!). "C" Partisan units are considered Soviet Allied Minor Country units (making them enemies to both the Axis and Western Allied factions). Both "N" and "C" Partisan units are added to the Western Allied Force Pool when the Western Allies reveal their US Entry card (#12).
Although "C" Partisan units are considered Soviet Allied Minor Country units, they are brought onto the map from the Western Allied Force Pool with Western Allied replacement steps (1.3.5) and return to the Western Allied Force Pool when removed from the map or Game Turn Record Track.
If a Separate Peace Extension occurs (18.6), "C" Partisan units in the Western Allied Force Pool are moved to and permanently operate from the Soviet Force Pool. They are placed on the map via Soviet replacement steps (1.3.6) for the rest of the game.
Partisan unit placement is detailed in rule 1.4.4.
- Partisans cannot move, nor advance or retreat after combat across border hexsides except to cross a Border Region (see 12.5) hexside within their own country, as defined by its pre-war boundaries (see 3.4). Note that Partisan units may attack across, and their ZOCs do extend across border hexsides.
- Partisan units can never use Naval Transport.
- Partisan units cannot participate in an attack with units of another Minor Country – "Ex" corps are exempt from this restriction.
- Partisan units cannot stack with a unit of another Minor Country or Partisan faction – again, "Ex" corps units are exempt from this restriction.
- Partisan units are always in supply.
- Partisan units are not subject to, nor do they subject enemy units to, the effects of Truce Markers (14.3) upon their faction. Partisans are subject to Command/Supply Failures (14.4). Exception: they can neither attack from, nor be attacked in, a hex containing non-partisan units from their faction when their faction is subject to the effects of an Armistice, Reassess Policy, or Change of Government Truce (see 14.3.1).
- When a country is Re-activated (18.2.1) or Liberated (18.2.3) by the Western Allies, any N(ationalist) Partisan units in the country may be immediately removed and replaced with that country's own units on a step-for-step basis.
- When a country is Liberated (18.3.2) by the Soviets, any C(ommunist) Partisan units in the country may be immediately removed and replaced with that country's own units on a step-for-step basis.
12.8 Axis Nationalists
Axis Nationalist units enter the game when the Axis player reveals his Anti-Comintern Pact card (#33). This option represents a serious German effort to organize and equip foreign Nationalists – everyone from Ukrainian Separatists, to Vlasov's "Free Russian" army, to various German and SS "Foreign Legions."
- Additional Axis Seasonal Replacements (see 1.3.4) for Axis Nationalists are received only if the Anti-Comintern Pact Marker (16.3) is in the Strategic Warfare Box.
- Axis Nationalist replacement corps can be placed in any city that is also a capital and/or a Strategic Hex (see 1.4.3).
- Axis Nationalist units have no "home country" and trace supply to Berlin.
Reminder: Axis Nationalists can do the following (that other Minor Country units, except "Ex" corps, cannot): participate in the same combat with units of another Minor Country (4.2.1); stack with a ground unit of another Minor Country (9); enter Greater Germany and use the German, Italian, and Vichy Convoy Markers (3.2); not trigger occupation of an Axis Minor Country (18.1.3).
13. Limited & Total War
Limited War is in effect at the beginning of the game and remains in effect until Total War breaks out. Total War breaks out the instant the Axis player reveals a Total War card and remains in effect for the duration of the game. There is no going back.
13.1 Limited War Effects
The following restrictions remain in effect until Total War breaks out or, if Limited War is still in effect, if the Axis Lebensraum Option card (#8 alternate) is revealed after Appeasement has ended (14.2).
13.1.1 Allied 2-Step Building Limit. After setup, Soviet and Western Allied multi-step units cannot be increased to a Step Value of three while Limited War is in effect. They can be built up to two-step strength during Limited War. Exception: The French Maginot fortress units and HQ unit may begin the game at their full three-step strength due to Mobilization (19.2.2). If reduced below three steps they become subject to this rule.
13.1.2 Limited Lend-Lease. Soviet Lend-Lease die rolls have a minus one (-1) die roll modifier during Limited War.
13.1.3 Allied "Nice Guys". Allied players cannot declare war during Soviet or Western Allied War & Peace Segments (6.1) while Limited War is in effect. Once Total War has broken out, Allied players are free to declare war during their War & Peace Segments.
13.2 Total War Effects
Besides removing all of the aforementioned restrictions from Limited War (for example, once Total War breaks out, Allied players are free to form three-step Soviet and Western Allied multi-step units for the duration of the game), the following important matters are also tended to when Total War commences:
13.2.1 The New Deal. All Soviet Total War cards and all Western Allied, non-US Total War cards are added to the Allied players' card hands the instant Total War breaks out.
13.2.2 US Entry. The US cards are added to the Western Allied card hand at the beginning of the March-April Game Turn of the year following the year in which Total War breaks out.
When Total War breaks out, place the US Entry Marker on the appropriate Spring Game Turn on the Turn Record Track as a reminder to add the US cards to the Western Allied card hand at that time. The US cards are the Western Allied cards with "US" next to their card numbers. These US cards can be selected during the Western Allied Option Card Segment of the March-April Game Turn that they arrive.
13.2.3 Determine VE-Day. Place the VE-Day Marker (16.29) three years and one Season ahead of the US Entry Marker on the Game Turn Record Track. (This will always be the May-June Game Turn four years after Total War breaks out.) The end of the game is checked during that Summer Seasonal Turn (0.3).
Example: If Total War begins during any Season of 1941, the US Entry Marker would be placed on the March-April 1942 Game Turn and the US cards would be added to the Western Allied player's hand at the beginning of Spring '42. The VE-Day Marker would be placed on the May-June 1945 box on the Game Turn Record Track.
14. Policy & Truce Markers and Other Restrictions
Nazi-Soviet Pact and Appeasement Policy Restrictions are in effect at the beginning of the game and remain in effect until these policies are ended. Certain Political and Conditional Events call for Policy and Truce Markers to be placed in their respective (Western/Soviet Allied) boxes on the War & Peace Status Display. Players may adjust Truce Markers during their respective War & Peace Segments (6.1).
Very Important: When Nazi-Soviet Pact and Appeasement Restrictions mention "German units," that means only German units – not Axis minor ally units!
14.1 Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy
If the Nazi-Soviet Pact is in effect, the Axis do not need to occupy any cities located within a country's Soviet Border Region in order to conquer or liberate it.
While the Nazi-Soviet Pact Marker is in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display, the following Policy Restrictions are in effect:
14.1.1 The Soviet "Forward Policy". Soviet units in Soviet Border Regions (12.5.1) cannot leave the Border Region they are in during either the Soviet Operational or Reserve Movement Phases except to enter the Border Region's associated Minor Country or an Axis Minor Country unless the Region borders only Soviet Allied or Neutral minor countries. Such units can still be organized as desired (2.4). This rule only applies to Soviet Border Regions that have been ceded during play and are currently part of the Soviet Union (i.e., their Ceded Border Marker has been placed in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box on the map).
14.1.2 Economic Cooperation. Soviet Strategic Hexes under Axis control (see 0.1) and Axis Strategic Hexes under Soviet control are not counted during Seasonal Victory Point Checks.
14.1.3 Allied Non-cooperation. Western Allied units cannot enter Soviet Allied countries (including the Soviet Union). Soviet Allied units cannot enter Great Britain or a British Dependent.
14.1.4 The Soviet "German Policy". Soviet Allied units cannot attack German units nor enter Greater Germany. This means that they are free, for example, to attack Axis minor ally units and enter hexes in activated minor countries within the limits of Allied Non-cooperation, above.
- Soviet Support units cannot be placed in, nor contest Superiority in, a land hex in Greater Germany, a land hex occupied by or adjacent to a German ground unit, or a Naval Zone Box containing a port in Greater Germany.
- Soviet Allied units cannot enter the Zones of Control of German units during Soviet Operational Movement Phases, regardless of the presence of other Soviet Allied units.
- The Zones of Control of German units do not extend into hexes in the Soviet Union (and remember, a border region whose Ceded Border Marker is in the Ceded Border Marker Holding Box is considered a part of the Soviet Union for all purposes), Soviet Allied minor countries, or Soviet Border Regions (but only if that Border Region's Ceded Border Marker is not on the map near its associated Minor Country's capital as per 12.5.1.2).
14.1.5 Breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact. Nazi-Soviet Pact Restrictions are permanently lifted the instant any one of the following events occur (remove the Nazi-Soviet Pact Marker from the Soviet Allied Box of the War & Peace Status Display so that it reads "War!"):
- A Soviet Allied unit is attacked from a hex containing a German unit (whether or not the German unit participates in the attack – you can't use German units to shield other attacking Axis units from counterattack).
- A German unit enters the Soviet Union, a Soviet Allied Minor Country, or a Soviet Border Region (but only if that Border Region's Ceded Border Marker is in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box or its associated Soviet Border Dispute card is currently in play, face-up). Note that non-German Axis units can march on Moscow, if they like, without breaking the Pact.
- A German Support or Airdrop unit is placed in, or contests Superiority in, a land hex in the Soviet Union, a Soviet Allied Minor Country, a Soviet Border Region (but only if that Border Region's Ceded Border Marker is in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box or its associated Soviet Border Dispute card is currently in play, face-up), or a Naval Zone Box containing a Soviet Allied friendly port, or in any land hex containing a Soviet Allied ground unit.
- A card or Event result lifts Nazi-Soviet Pact Restrictions (possibly replacing it with a Truce Marker, see 14.3).
- An Axis Total War card is revealed.
- A German Airdrop is placed in a land hex in the Soviet Union, a Soviet Allied Minor Country, or a Soviet Border Region.
14.2 Appeasement Policy
While the Appeasement Marker is in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display, the following Policy Restrictions are in effect:
14.2.1 Economic Cooperation. Western Allied Strategic Hexes under Axis control and Axis Strategic Hexes under Western Allied control are not counted during Seasonal Victory Point Checks.
14.2.2 French & Italian Replacements. The special Western Allied French and Axis Italian Seasonal Replacements are not available (1.3.4 and 1.3.5). Their War Economy replacements are.
14.2.3 Allied Non-Cooperation. Soviet Allied units cannot enter Western Allied countries (including Great Britain and British Dependents) but may enter Conquered Western Allied minor countries. Western Allied units cannot enter the Soviet Union.
14.2.4 The West's "German Policy". Western Allied units cannot attack German units nor enter Greater Germany. This means that they are free, for example, to attack Axis minor ally units and enter hexes in activated minor countries within the limits of Allied Non-cooperation, above.
- Western Allied Support units cannot be placed in, nor contest Superiority in, a land hex in Greater Germany, a land hex occupied by or adjacent to a German ground unit, or a Naval Zone Box containing a port in Greater Germany.
- Western Allied units cannot enter the Zones of Control of German units during Western Allied Operational Movement Phases, regardless of the presence of other Western Allied units.
- The Zones of Control of German units do not extend into hexes in Great Britain, Western Allied minor countries, or British Dependents.
14.2.5 Ending Appeasement. Appeasement Restrictions are permanently lifted the instant any one of the following events occur (remove the Appeasement Marker from the Western Allied Box of the War & Peace Display so that it reads "War!"):
- A Western Allied unit is attacked from a hex containing a German unit (whether or not the German unit participates in the attack).
- A German unit enters Great Britain, a British Dependent, or a Western Allied Minor Country (which includes Conquered Western Allied Minor Countries, see 12.2) or Dependent. Note that non-German Axis units can invade England, if such a feat can be managed, without ending Appeasement.
- A German Support or Airdrop unit is placed in, or contests Superiority in, a land hex in Great Britain, a British Dependent, a Western Allied Minor Country (which includes Conquered Western Allied Minor Countries, see 12.2) or Dependent, or a Naval Zone Box containing a Western Allied friendly port, or in any hex containing a Western Allied ground unit.
- A card or Event result lifts Appeasement Restrictions (possibly replacing it with a Truce Marker, see 14.3).
- An Axis Total War card is revealed.
14.3 Change of Government, Reassess Policy, Armistice, and Negotiations Truce Markers
Although similar in nature, each of these four Truce Markers' effects are slightly different in effect and/or duration (see 6.1).
The box on the War & Peace Status Display in which a Truce Marker is located determines which Allied faction's units are affected by its Restrictions. It is thus possible for some Truce Restrictions to apply between the Axis and one Allied faction while no Truce Restrictions apply between the Axis and the other Allied faction.
- When a Truce Marker is in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display, Western Allied units are affected.
- When a Truce Marker is in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display, Soviet Allied units are affected.
- Truce restrictions do not apply between Western Allied and Axis factions within the Soviet Union, or between the Soviet and Axis factions within Great Britain.
Partisan units are not subject to, nor do they subject enemy units to, the effects of Truce Markers upon their faction. Partisans are still subject to Command/Supply Failures (14.4). Exception: Partisans can neither attack from, nor be attacked in, a hex containing non-partisan units from their faction when their faction is subject to the effects of an Armistice, Reassess Policy, or Change of Government Truce.
14.3.1 Change of Government, Reassess Policy, & Armistice. The Affected Allied Faction ("AAF") is restricted as follows:
- It cannot attack Axis units during the Blitz and Regular Combat Phases.
- Its ground units cannot ever enter the Zones of Control of Axis units, regardless of the presence of other AAF units.
- Its Support units cannot be placed in a Naval Zone Box containing an Axis friendly port.
- It may contest any attempted placement of the non-Affected Allied Faction's Support units.
- Its Support units cannot be placed in, and no Airdrops are allowed to originate from or end in, any Specific hex (including adjacent All-Sea hexes) of an Axis Country, or any Country or Dependent containing an Axis ground unit. Exception: AAF Support units can be placed in, and its Airdrops may end in, Specific hexes containing or adjacent to the non-Affected Allied Faction's ground units.
The Axis faction is also under the above restrictions in relation to the Affected Allied Faction. That is, they cannot attack AAF units, cannot enter AAF units' ZOCs, etc.
14.3.2 Negotiation. The Affected Allied Faction ("AAF") is restricted as follows:
- Its ground units cannot enter the Zones of Control of Axis units during the Operational Movement Phase, regardless of the presence of other AAF units.
- Its ground units cannot perform Exploitation (4.2.4) if the defenders were Axis units.
- Its Support units cannot be converted into Beachhead Markers and placed in All-Sea hexes adjacent to an Axis Country, or a Country or Dependent containing an Axis ground unit.
- No Airdrops are allowed to originate or end in any Specific hex (including adjacent All-Sea hexes) of an Axis Country, or any Country or Dependent containing an Axis ground unit. Exception: Beachheads may be placed, and Airdrops may end in, Specific hexes containing or adjacent to the non-Affected Allied Faction's ground units.
The Axis faction is also under the above restrictions in relation to the Affected Allied Faction.
14.4 Command/Supply Failure
When a faction receives a Command/Supply (C/S) Failure, the C/S Failure Marker is placed on the map with that faction's side up by his opponent. (If there are two Allied players when the Axis receive a C/S Failure, the Axis player chooses which one places this Marker.) This Marker may be placed on any land or sea hex on the map.
14.4.1 Zone of Control Restrictions. Ground units of the affected faction are restricted from entering and/or leaving the Zones of Control of all enemy ground units that are located within a five-hex radius of this Marker (i.e., the hex the marker is located and five hexes out in every direction) except for advance or retreat after combat, regardless of the presence of other units belonging to the affected faction. These specific effects of a Command/Supply Failure are:
- Allied ground units may not enter Enemy Zones of Control.
- If Limited War is in effect or the Military Takeover Marker is on the VP Track, Axis ground units may not enter Enemy Zones of Control.
- If the No Retreat or SS Europa Marker is on the VP Track, Axis ground units may not exit Enemy Zones of Control.
- In all other cases, Axis ground units can neither enter nor exit Enemy Zones of Control.
14.4.2 Other Restrictions. Other effects of a C/S Failure include:
- No Airdrops (4.1.1) are allowed to originate or end within the five-hex radius of the C/S Failure Marker.
- No Beachheads may be created (3.8) within the five-hex radius of the C/S Failure Marker.
- Units of the affected faction cannot exploit after combat (4.2.4) if the defender's hex was within the five-hex radius of the C/S Failure Marker.
14.4.3 Removing the C/S Failure Marker. The affected player always removes the C/S Failure Marker at the end of his Regular Combat Phase. Exception: if the German FB (Führer Bunker) HQ unit and the Axis C/S Failure Marker are stacked together, this Marker is never removed until the German FB HQ is eliminated (see 18.4.4). When this is the case, ignore results that call for the placement of this Marker until it becomes available again after the FB HQ's demise.
Note that the C/S Failure Marker is neither a Truce Marker nor Policy Marker. In other words, a C/S Failure is akin to a limited duration/range Negotiations.
Optional Rules
15. Optional Rules
The following rules are strictly optional. They will add to the time and effort it takes to play the game (but not too much), but they also add to the play value.
15.1 Mitigating Bad Luck
The Luck Markers set up as indicated in the Scenarios. There are two ways Luck Markers can be employed by players: either to modify a roll before it is made, or to re-roll the die after it is cast (Exception: VE-Day, see 7.2). Players may agree to use either or both of these methods during the game.
15.1.1 General Rules
- When its Luck Marker is in a side's Available Box, it may be used. When used, that Luck Marker is placed in the Delay Box.
- Luck Markers never receive a modified Delay die roll. The number of turns ahead they're placed on the Game Turn is always equal to their unmodified Delay die roll.
- Note that the Allied Luck Marker is always placed in the Western Allied Available Box. However, either Allied faction may use the Allied Luck Marker whenever it's available, circumventing the wishes of the other faction. This is permissible and encouraged.
- When the Allies are fighting each other (Separate Peace (18.6), Red Star/White Star (15.12), and Götterdämmerung Scenarios), immediately remove all Luck Markers from the game.
15.1.2 The Die Roll Modifier Option. A Luck Marker may be used to modify any die roll by one before it is rolled. First the rolling faction and then the enemy faction have the option to interrupt play prior to a die roll and commit their Luck Marker. When committed, they must indicate whether they are adding one or subtracting one from the die roll. As always, modified die rolls less than 1 or greater than 6 are treated as '1' and '6' respectively.
15.1.3 The Re-roll Option. A Luck Marker may be used to re-roll any die after it is cast and the result is known. The player who made the original die roll also makes the re-roll. Note that the other Luck Marker can be used to re-roll the re-roll. If a Luck Marker was used to modify the original die roll, it also modifies its re-roll. The (final) re-roll determines the outcome, for better or worse. When used for re-rolling a Delay Die Roll, the Luck Marker's Delay Die Roll is made during that same Delay Segment.
15.2 Minor Country Replacement & Delay Options
15.2.1 Spring Reserve Mobilization. During Spring Seasonal Reinforcement Segments (only), each Reserve corps in the phasing faction's Force Pool is automatically mobilized (i.e., it is received as a free replacement step). These Reserve corps units are placed in their respective capital cities (or Berlin for Axis Nationalists). A country whose Reserve corps unit is already on the map or whose capital city is occupied by enemy units cannot perform this annual "calling up" of its reserves. Spring Mobilization is in addition to the usual Minor Country replacements received that Season.
15.2.2 Axis Italian and Allied French War Economies. France and Italy no longer receive their intrinsic additional replacement step each Season (see 1.3.4 and 1.3.5). They only receive their respective War Economy Markers' replacements. The French and Italian War Economy Markers are received when the Western Allied Pour la Guerre! and the Axis Mare Nostrum Option cards, respectively, are played.
15.2.3 Kos' Choice. Kos recommends that you use 15.2.2 as written, plus the Spring Mobilization rule, but only for the Allied French and Axis Italians.
15.2.4 Alan's Choice. Alan prefers using the Spring Mobilization rule as written and ignoring rule 15.2.2 altogether.
15.2.5 Minor Country Delays. To simulate their relative economic and organizational capabilities compared to the major powers:
- Minor Country armor-type corps go into the Delay Box when removed from the map.
- Add one (+1) to the Delay die rolls for all Minor Country units and Markers (including the Axis D-class Convoy Marker and the German-Italian multi-national units). This die roll modifier is cumulative with Big Ticket Items (15.4.4). Remember, die rolls greater than '6' are treated as '6.'
15.3 Additional Minor Ally Replacements
During his Seasonal Reinforcement Segments, the phasing player may freely convert any number of his faction's Major Power replacement steps into Minor Country replacement steps of the same type (excluding Partisans, but including Axis Nationalists, if in play). There is a limit of one such replacement per minor ally per Season.
Note that Major Power infantry-type steps may not be converted into Minor Country armor-type steps. A player may not convert Minor Country replacements into Major Power replacements by this rule (but see 1.3.4, German SS Europa Replacements).
15.4 Support Unit Options
15.4.1 Bomber Range. Double the range (2.3.3) of Bomber units from three hexes to six hexes.
15.4.2 Strategic Bombing. Immediately after its uncontested placement, the phasing player must make the decision whether or not to conduct Strategic Bombing with a Heavy/Ural Bomber unit on a land hex. Strategic Bombing is performed by flipping that bomber over to its "Devastation" side. Bombers need not conduct Strategic Bombing. When they don't, they function like normal Air Support units in Specific Hexes (i.e., providing a combat shift, blocking retreat routes, etc.).
The effects of Devastation are simple. While a Devastation Marker is present, that hex is considered to be rough terrain only, with no other terrain features in it. Any Rail Line, Road, City, or Port facilities in a hex under a Devastation Marker are ignored for all purposes.
If the devastated hex is also a Strategic Hex, it affects the Seasonal Victory Point Check (see 0.1) as if it were occupied by a ground unit of the faction that devastated that hex for Victory purposes only. Note that a Devastation Marker is not an Air unit; an Air Support marker may be placed on or adjacent to a devastated hex.
Important: Devastation Markers remain on that hex until the conclusion of the next Seasonal Victory Point Check, at which time they are removed from the map and placed, Bomber-side up, in the Delay Box. (This is an exception to 2.3.1.)
15.4.3 Shore Bombardment. To simulate shore bombardment, when ground units attack from beachheads created by Surface Fleet units, the defender receives only one column shift to the left instead of the usual two.
15.4.4 Big Ticket Items. Because Fleets and Bombers represent a huge investment in time and resources, add one (+1) to all of their Delay Die Rolls. This does not affect Axis U-boat fleets. This die roll modifier is cumulative with Minor Country Delays (15.2.5). Remember, die rolls greater than '6' are treated as '6.'
15.4.5 One Use and Out. To simulate their historically brief appearance on our game's stage, during a Standard Campaign game (only, see A.1), the French Air Support and German Kriegsmarine Fleet units are placed in the Delay Box during setup. When Italy is activated, its Air Support unit, too, is placed in the Delay Box. (If you want to go wild, you can also include any of the Ural and second Western Allied Heavy Bomber units, and/or the VMF Fleet in the Delay Box during setup, too.) Once used and removed from the map, they are set aside for the rest of the game until called back into play via normal (card) play.
If one of these pieces has not yet been used when called to enter play via its card, it remains in place and does not go through the Delay Box again when its card is revealed. It will go through the Delay Box normally after it is used.
15.5 Axis Puppet States
The Axis player may declare a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country as the Target Country of a Treaty Attempt. Instead of the usual Treaty target condition, a Puppet State Treaty Attempt may be made if a supplied German unit occupies the capital city of the Conquered Western Allied Minor Country and it contains no other Axis Minor ally units ("Ex" corps and Axis Nationalists are exempt from this restriction). If successful, the new Axis Minor Country uses Limited Setup. Treat a Diplomatic Incident result as an automatic "No Result."
15.6 Desert Mud
On Mud weather turns (only), land hexes in Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Iraq (the country names in brown print on the map) are now slightly affected as follows:
- A unit must stop immediately upon entering or exiting an enemy Zone of Control in these hexes during Operational Movement Phases, regardless of the presence of other friendly units in the hex. This does not affect Retreats (4.2.3.3), Exploitation (4.2.4), or Reserve Movement (5).
- No units can attack these hexes during the Blitz Segment.
- Air units may still be placed in these land hexes, but they only provide a Support Shift for the hex they are in, not adjacent to.
15.7 Core Mechanics
15.7.1 Additional Overrun Rules
- A unit may not conduct an overrun (3.7) unless it could muster at least 2:1 raw odds against the target unit. Thus, a Soviet 2-step cav-mech army could not overrun a German infantry corps (the raw odds would be insufficient at only 3-2).
- After each overrun is conducted (3.7), the attacker rolls a die. If the result is a dreaded '5,' the overrunning unit immediately suffers an armor step loss.
15.7.2 Limited Supply Lines. A "minor port" is any port in a hex that does not also include a city or capital. All other ports are "major ports" (including Beachheads).
- Three-step units cannot trace supply (10.2) across a Naval Zone through minor ports.
- After tracing the first two hexes of a supply line (see 10.2), three-step units cannot trace supply along roads (i.e. across hexsides traversed by roads).
15.8 Elite Units
SS Restrictions: At least one SS infantry-type step must be used when the SS multi-step HQs (C, F, and G) are formed or the one-step side of the SS Fortress unit is converted (2.4.4.2.1). The other step(s) can be regular German infantry steps. Only one SS infantry corps may be retrieved when breaking these SS units down (see 2.4.5), and that must be the unit's last step (i.e., when that multi-step unit is sent to the Delay Box).
Only SS panzer-type corps (armor or mechanized) can be used to form, or increase to full strength, the 6th SS Panzer Army. Only SS panzer-type corps can be used to increase to full strength the 3SS and 4SS mechanized armies. You can take any corps when breaking these SS units down (see 2.4.5).
Replacement steps generated by the SS Europa Marker's location in the VP Box must be taken as SS corps whenever there are any available in the Axis Force Pool. The Axis player may exchange two SS Europa generated infantry steps for one panzer step instead, but only of the same political branch (i.e., SS infantry for SS panzers, or regular Wehrmacht – German Army – infantry for regular Wehrmacht panzers).
Other Elite Unit Restrictions: When placing one-step corps units on the map while breaking down multi-step units, converting fortress units, or landing paratroops, observe these special "elite" distinctions with regard to unit-type: cavalry corps, mountain corps, the Finnish Ski corps, the British BEF and Garrison corps, and Soviet Shock ("S") and Guards ("G") corps can only be placed when the two-step unit on their reverse is the unit being broken down.
These special restrictions only apply when breaking down multi-step units – you can always take a cavalry corps as an infantry-type step replacement, for example, or use a cavalry corps as an infantry-type step when combining to form a multi-step unit.
15.9 Cannon Fodder
The first step lost for each side in an attack must, if possible, be from the nationality with the most steps involved for that side (including HQ ranged support steps). British and Commonwealth units are considered to be of the same nationality for this purpose. One exception might occur: when a mandatory armor step loss must be fulfilled (since it might be that only the nationality with the least steps involved includes any armor).
If a side has two or more nationalities with an equal number of steps involved, the owning player may choose which of them will take the first step loss. Note that each side's second and subsequent step losses in an attack can be taken from any units involved in that attack, regardless of nationality.
15.10 Option Supplement Cards
Option Supplement cards are added to each player's hands like other Limited and Total War Option cards are. During his Seasonal Option Card Segment, a player may select one Option Supplement card in addition to his Pending Option card. During his next Option Card Segment, that Option Supplement card is revealed. Once revealed, it remains in effect, face-up, along with his new Current Option card for the entirety of that Season only. If a Crisis (18.4.3 or 18.5.4) causes a player's pending Option card to be returned to his hand, any pending Option Supplement card is also returned. Note that an "Ultra" card play does allow the Western Allied player to look at any pending Axis Option supplement card as well.
Timing: Option Supplement card activities are the very last things that take place during the Phase or Segment that they occur. For example, an Option Supplement card's Conditional Event would be performed after that player's Permanent Conditional Events and any Option card Conditional Events.
When setting up scenarios, Option Supplement cards may begin face-down along with each player's initial Pending Option card. Be sure to remove all Option Supplement cards that have occurred historically prior to the start of that scenario from each player's hand!
15.11 US Options
15.11.1 US Strategic Impact. If the Current Western Allied Option card has a US Commitment Level number on it and there is not a supplied Western Allied ground unit in a city or port in Britain or Continental France, reduce the value of that US Commitment Level number by one. This will affect Axis and Western Allied delay die roll modifiers, the political die roll modifier, and Western Allied Minor Country replacements.
15.11.2 Faster US Mobilization. During each Western Allied Option Card Segment, the Western Allied player may set aside, face-up in a separate pile for all to see, any number of his Option cards with a US Entry Level number on it (except for card #12, American Entry). For each such card set aside, move the VE-Day Marker back one Game Turn per USCL number on that card. (This option may not be exercised if this would move the VE-Day Marker back to or before the current Game Turn.)
The Western Allied player may return any or all these set aside cards, of his choice, to his hand (this causing no further movement of the VE-Day Marker) but only if a Separate Peace Extension begins (18.6). If he does so, Option card selection restrictions concerning US Entry Level numbers still apply (1.1.2).
15.12 Red Star/White Star
This option is only available in a two-player game.
When playing with this rule, the Axis player may declare a Red Star/White Star Campaign whenever a Separate Peace Extension occurs. He may not, however, declare Red Star/White Star if either the No Retreat Marker or the SS Europa Marker is on the VP Track. He has the option to make this declaration each time a Separate Peace Extension result occurs; he must make the declaration immediately or the opportunity is lost. A Red Star/White Star Campaign can be declared only once per game.
A Red Star/White Star Campaign is a Separate Peace variant. Thus, the Separate Peace Extension rules apply.
- All Truce Markers, Luck Markers, German SS units, the German FB HQ unit, Axis Support units, Convoy Markers, Strategic Warfare Markers, and all Axis Option cards are immediately and permanently removed from the game the instant the Axis player declares a Red Star/White Star Campaign. Any Axis Minor Country units on the map are also eliminated. (These countries can be liberated by either Allied faction.)
- Germany becomes an Allied Minor Country aligned with the Allied faction that occupies fewer Axis Strategic Hexes. The Axis player takes over as the Allied player controlling that Allied faction. The Axis Player Turn is no longer a part of the Sequence of Play.
- German units cannot participate in any way in its new faction's first Player Turn following the declaration of a Red Star/White Star Campaign. (This means no German replacements if it happens to be a Seasonal turn.)
- In addition to the usual Western or Soviet Allied Minor Country replacement step(s) it might receive, Germany also rolls on the Red Star/White Star German Replacements Table during each of its Allied faction's Reinforcement Segments (see the Axis Force Pool Display). Subtract one from the die roll for each complete pair of Axis Strategic Hexes that are currently devastated or occupied by enemy land units. Die rolls less than 1 are treated as '1.'
- No minor countries can become Axis minor countries during a Red Star/White Star Campaign. If the Soviet player declares war on a neutral Minor Country, or causes one to be activated in any way as "Axis," the country becomes a Western Allied Minor Country. Similarly, any neutrals activated as "Axis" by the Western Allied player become Soviet Allied minor countries.
- The effects of the Western Allied Intensive Bombing Marker (16.11), if in play, are transferred from the Axis' to the Soviets' Delay Die Roll Modifier.
"Look Up" Rules
16. Special Markers
The Strategic Warfare Box has an unlimited capacity to hold Strategic Warfare Markers. A reference for use and placement of these and other Markers is provided below.
16.1 Allied Objective [Western (green side)/Soviet (red side)]
This Marker is placed by the Axis player immediately when received. It may be placed on any city that has an enemy, non-Partisan ground unit closer to it than the closest Axis ground unit (presumably, one the Axis hope to capture soon), or on any city in a neutral Minor Country. It may not be placed on the same city as the Soviet Objective Marker (16.23) and must be placed on the same faction's side as the nearest Allied Strategic Hex (i.e., if placed in Russia, it will be a Soviet Objective; in Yugoslavia it will be a Western Allied Objective). Once placed, the Objective Marker may never be flipped, moved, or removed for any reason.
Effect: That city now counts as a Strategic Hex for the faction indicated when the Marker was placed there for the rest of the game. If placed on a Strategic Hex, this will result in that hex counting as two Strategic Hexes (either counting as a double-value Strategic Hex for the same faction, or as one Strategic Hex for each of the two Factions indicated by the hex and this Marker).
16.2 Allied SHAEF Logistics
This Marker goes in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, the Allied SHAEF Logistics Marker is placed in the Western Allied Available Box. During a Western Allied Logistic Marker Placement Segment (1.2), it may be removed from the Available Box and placed in any capital city hex that is occupied by a supplied US ground unit. Alternately, it may be removed from the map and placed in the Delay Box. If it is ever alone in a hex entered by an enemy ground unit, it is placed in the Delay Box.
Effect: While present on the map and able to trace supply to the US Box, this Marker functions as a US and British replacement location (see 1.4.1).
16.3 Anti-Comintern Pact
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box and goes in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to play.
Effect: The Axis player receives one additional Axis Nationalist Seasonal replacement step of any type (see 1.3.4).
16.4 Armistice
This Marker is placed in the appropriate box on the War & Peace Status Display after either a British or Soviet Collapse (18.4.3), a Political Option "Peace Talks" Event (17.2.17), or when a Reassess Policy Marker is reduced during a player's War & Peace Segment (6.1). This Marker can be reduced to a Negotiations Marker during a War & Peace Segment.
Effect: See 14.3.1.
16.5 Axis ObK Logistics
This Marker goes in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, it is placed in the Axis Available Box. During an Axis Logistics Marker Placement Segment (1.2), it may be removed from the Available Box and placed in any city hex occupied by a German ground unit that can trace an overland supply route to Berlin via Rail/Road hexes only. Alternately, it may be removed from the map and placed in the Delay Box during an Axis Logistics Marker Placement Segment. If it is ever alone in a hex entered by an enemy ground unit, it is placed in the Delay Box.
Effect: While present on the map and able to trace an overland supply route to Berlin, the ObK Logistics Marker functions as a German replacement location (see 1.4.1).
16.6 Change of Government
This Marker is placed in the appropriate box on the War & Peace Status Display from a Churchill Pressures Neutrals event (17.2.5) or after either a second (or third) British or Soviet Collapse (18.4.3) result. This Marker can be reduced to a Reassess Policy Marker during a War & Peace Segment providing the player reducing it has a Limited War card for his Current Option card (6.1).
Effect: See 14.3.1.
16.7 Comintern Support
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box, and is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game.
Effect: The Soviet Union sends military aid to her minor allies that generates one additional Soviet Allied Minor Country Seasonal replacement step of any type (see 1.3.6).
16.8 Command/Supply Failure
This Marker is placed on the map due to failed British or Soviet Ultimatums (Axis cards #31 and 32), Separate Peace, German Ultimatum die rolls, an Allied Big Three Conference result, when Stalin Unsuccessfully Challenges Germany (17.2.26), as the result of an Uprising or "General Winter" (Option Supplement cards), during an Assassination Attempt, or when the Axis National Redoubt card (#34) is played.
Effect: See 14.4.
16.9 French War Economy
This marker is played in the Delay Box and is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game.
Effect: The French military is expanded, and they receive one additional Seasonal replacement step of any type (see 1.3.5).
16.10 German-Japanese Pact
If this Marker is already in the Strategic Warfare Box or Turn Record Track reading "Soviet-Japanese Treaty" when due to be placed in the Delay Box, it is permanently removed from the game. Otherwise, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game from the Turn Record Track.
Effect: See Soviet Delay Die Roll Modifiers (7.1).
16.11 Intensive Bombing
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box and is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game. Alternately, the Allied player can permanently remove this Marker from the game when it returns and permanently remove one German War Production Marker or the Italian War Economy Marker. This "exchange" can be inflicted only against Axis markers that have actually entered the game (even if they are on the Turn Record Track or in the Delay Box).
Effect: See Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers (7.1).
16.12 Italian War Economy
This marker is played in the Delay Box, and is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game.
Effect: The Italian military is expanded and they receive one additional Seasonal replacement step of any type (except airborne) (see 1.3.4).
16.13 Jet Fighters
The Axis Player must place this Marker in the Delay Box as a Jet Fighter Marker unless the Speer Appointed Minister card has been revealed. If so, the Axis player may, instead, place this Marker in the Delay Box as a War Production Marker. Once made, this decision is irreversible. When the Marker returns to play from the Turn Record Track, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box.
Effect: See Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers for War Production or all Delay Die Roll Modifiers for Jet Fighter Production (7.1).
16.14 Lend-Lease
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box. (It is a Western Allied Marker and subject to Western Allied delay die roll modifiers.) When it comes off the Turn Record Track, place it on the Soviet Force Pool Display in the Lend-Lease Marker Holding Box and the Reminder card in the Soviet Union. The Western Allied player can permanently remove the Lend-Lease Marker from the game at any time.
Effect: A Soviet Permanent Conditional Event (18.3.1) permits a die roll on the Soviet Lend-Lease Table each Game Turn once this Marker is on the Soviet Force Pool Display.
16.15 Materiel Shortages & "The Bomb Plot"
This Marker goes in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, it is placed on the current Axis Option card. During the very next Axis Political Events Segment, after any other Political Events have been determined, the Axis player must roll a die and consult the Assassination Table (applying all the usual Political die roll modifiers). After this special Political Event die roll ("The Bomb Plot"), the Materiel Shortages Marker is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box.
Effect: The Bomb Plot (see above). Also see Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers (7.1).
16.16 Military Takeover
This Marker is placed directly on the VP Track when called for by a "Military Takeover" result from either the ObK Conspiracy card (#24) or the Assassination Attempt Table (which is reached via the Materiel Shortages card) according to rule 17.2.14. If already on the VP Track, flip the No Retreat or SS Europa Marker to its Military Takeover side. The Axis player places the Military Takeover Marker on the Victory Point Track in the VP Box occupied by the Axis Tide VP Marker. If the VP Marker reads "Allied Crusade," place it in the 0 VP Box.
Important: Each time this Event occurs, the Axis player chooses a Political Option (see 17.2.17).
Effect: The Military Takeover Marker: A) protects the final Axis Game Victory Level (0.4); B) provides additional Seasonal Replacement Steps (1.3.4); C) allows a Political Option to be taken by the Axis player (17.2.17); D) alters the effects of an Axis Command/Supply Failure (see 14.4.1); E) prevents the Axis from ever being able to play either the Führer/SS Offensive (#22) or National Redoubt (#34) Option cards, but allows the play of the ObK Offensive card (#25); and F) makes a Red Star/White Star Campaign possible (see Optional rule 15.12).
16.17 Negotiations
This Marker is placed in the appropriate box on the War & Peace Status Display after either a second (or third) British or Soviet (18.4.3), or German (18.5.4) Crisis result, from the Baltic Settlement or Balkan Pact Option cards, due to "German overreaction" (17.2.24), or when an Armistice Marker is reduced during a player's War & Peace Segment (6.1). This Marker may be removed during a player's War & Peace Segment.
Effect: See 14.3.2.
16.18 Neutrality
These Markers are found on the back of Minor Country's Reserve corps. They are placed via Diplomatic Incidents, Western Allied "League" and "Big Three Conference" cards, an Allied "Pressures Neutrals" result (17.2.5 and 17.2.21), or a Peace Option (17.2.17).
They are removed when that Minor Country is activated, through a Hitler Pressures Neutrals event (17.2.11), a Peace Option (17.2.17), from a Target Country Joins Axis result (17.2.23), following an Allied country's collapse (18.4), or as a Barbarossa card Conditional Event (18.4.1).
Effect: See 17.2.15.
16.19 No Retreat
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, the Axis player places it on the Victory Point Track in the VP Box occupied by the Axis Tide VP Marker. If the VP Marker reads "Allied Crusade," the No Retreat Marker is placed in the 0 VP Box. If the Military Takeover Marker is already on the Victory Point Track when the No Retreat Marker is to be placed in the Delay Box, the Axis player must remove it and flip it to read No Retreat before placing it in the Delay Box.
Effect: The No Retreat Marker: A) "caps" the Axis Tide (0.1.2); B) protects the final Axis Game Victory Level (0.4); C) provides additional Seasonal Replacement Steps (1.3.4); D) allows Festung Europa Fortress conversions (2.4.4.2.3); E) alters the effects of an Axis Command/Supply Failure (see 14.4.1); F) allows the Axis to play their Führer Offensive (#22) and National Redoubt (#34) Option cards, but prohibits play of the ObK Offensive card (#25); and G) makes a Red Star/White Star Campaign impossible (see Optional rule 15.12).
16.20 Reassess Policy
This Marker is placed in the appropriate box on the War & Peace Status Display after either a second (or third) British or Soviet Collapse (18.4.3) result, at the beginning of a Separate Peace Extension (18.6), from a Stalin Pressures Neutrals (17.2.21) or Political Option (17.2.17), or when a Change of Government Marker is reduced during a War & Peace Segment providing the player reducing it has a Limited War card for his Current Option card (6.1). This Marker can be reduced to an Armistice Marker during a War & Peace Segment providing the player reducing it has a Limited War card for his Current Option card (6.1).
Effect: See 14.3.1.
16.21 Reich Annex
This Marker goes in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, the Axis Player places the Reich Annex Marker in the capital of a Minor Country that shares a land border with Greater Germany – but only if that country is a conquered Western Allied Minor Country. Note that France and Italy may not be annexed by the Reich in this manner!
Effect: While the Reich Annex Marker is in place, that Minor Country's territory, including cities and ports, are considered part of Greater Germany. (That minor is, therefore, not subject to reactivating, see 18.2.1). The Reich Annex Marker is removed from the game if the Minor Country in which it is located becomes liberated by an Allied player (see 18.2.3 and 18.3.2) or if Germany collapses (18.5.4.3).
16.22 Soviet-Japanese Treaty
If this Marker is already in the Strategic Warfare Box or Turn Record Track reading "German-Japanese Pact" when it is due to be placed in the Delay Box, it is permanently removed from the game. Otherwise, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box when it returns to the game from the Turn Track.
Effect: See Soviet Delay Die Roll Modifiers (7.1).
16.23 Soviet Objective
This Marker, located on the back of the Nazi-Soviet Pact Marker, is placed as a Conditional Event of the Axis Lebensraum Option card (#8 alternate). It is placed in Kharkov (e3613) only if Appeasement is still in effect. Once placed, this Marker may never be moved or removed for any reason.
Effect: Kharkov becomes a Soviet Strategic Hex for the rest of the game.
16.24 Soviet Stavka Logistics
Stavka-Shtab glavnogo / verkhovnogo komandovaniya (Headquarters Supreme High Command). This Marker goes in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, the Soviet Stavka Logistics Marker is placed in the Soviet Available Box. During a Soviet Logistics Marker Placement Segment (1.2), it may be removed from the Available Box and placed in any Rail/Road hex that is not occupied by an enemy unit and is adjacent to a Soviet HQ unit that can trace an overland supply route to a Soviet Strategic Hex via Rail/Road hexes only. Alternately, it may be removed from the map and placed in the Delay Box. If it is ever alone in a hex entered by an enemy ground unit, it is placed in the Delay Box.
Effect: While present on the map and able to trace an overland supply route to a Soviet Strategic Hex, this Marker functions as a Soviet replacement location (see 1.4.1).
16.25 SS Europa
This Marker is placed in the Delay Box. When it returns to play, the Axis player places it on the Victory Point Track in the VP Box occupied by the Axis Tide VP Marker. If the VP Marker reads "Allied Crusade," place it in the 0 VP Box. If the Military Takeover Marker is already on the VP Track when the SS Europa Marker is to be placed in the Delay Box, the Axis player must remove it before placing the SS Europa Marker in the Delay Box.
Effect: The SS Europa Marker: A) doesn't protect the final Axis Game Victory Level (0.4); B) provides SS Europa Seasonal Replacement Steps (1.3.4); C) allows Partisans to be placed in hexes that are not completely vacant (1.4.4); D) alters the effects of an Axis Command/Supply Failure (see 14.4.1); E) allows the Axis to play their SS Offensive (#22 alternate) and National Redoubt (#34) Option cards, but prohibits play of the ObK Offensive card (#25); and F) makes a Red Star/White Star Campaign impossible (Optional rule 15.12).
16.26 Surface Raiders
The Axis Player must place this Marker in the Delay Box as a Surface Raiders Marker unless the Speer Appointed Minister card has been revealed. If so, the Axis player may, instead, place this Marker in the Delay Box as a War Production Marker. Once made, this decision is irreversible. When the War Production Marker returns to play from the Turn Record Track, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box. Each time the Surface Raiders Marker returns to play from the Turn Record Track, it is placed on the Victory Point (VP) Track.
Surface Raiders Effect: During every Victory Point Check (0.1) that the Surface Raiders Marker is on the VP Track, one is added (+1) to the number of Western Allied Strategic Hexes occupied by Axis ground units, after which the Surface Raiders Marker is placed in the Delay Box.
War Production Effect: See the Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers.
16.27 Type XXI U-boat
The Axis Player must place this Marker in the Delay Box as a Type XXI U-boat Marker unless the Speer Appointed Minister card has been revealed. If so, the Axis player may, instead, place this Marker in the Delay Box as a War Production Marker. Once made, this decision is irreversible. When the Marker returns to play from the Turn Record Track, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box.
Effect: See Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers for War Production, or Western Allied Delay Die Roll Modifiers (7.1) and Lend Lease Table Die Roll Modifiers for the Type XXI U-boat Marker (Soviet Force Pool Display).
16.28 Ural Bomber
The Axis Player must place this Marker in the Delay Box as a Ural Bomber Marker unless the Speer Appointed Minister card has been revealed. If so, the Axis player may, instead, place this Marker in the Delay Box as a War Production Marker. Once made, this decision is irreversible. When the Marker returns to play from the Turn Record Track, it is placed in the Strategic Warfare Box.
Effect: See Axis Delay Die Roll Modifiers for War Production, or Soviet Delay Die Roll Modifiers for the Ural Bombers Production Marker (7.1).
16.29 VE-Day
This Marker is placed in the May-June Game Turn box on Turn Record Track four years from the year in which Total War breaks out (13.2.3).
Effect: When the Game Turn Marker reaches the VE-Day Marker, the game may end (see 7.2 for the exact procedure).
17. Political Events
In general, a player must perform actions as directed by Political Events (they portray events beyond the player's power to control). Do not change the orientation of minor countries that are already active unless specifically directed to do so.
Important: Treat any Event Result that is impossible to fulfill given current conditions as a "No Result."
17.1 Target Country Selection
Some Political Events (Treaty, Ultimatum, etc.) require that player to select a Target Country before making the die roll. That player is not obligated to select the same Target Country he selected during a previous turn, even if his Current Option card is the same one he used during that previous turn.
17.1.1 Selecting a Neutral Country. Neutral minor countries are selected as Target Countries. A player could never select Germany, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, the United States, a Dependent country, or an Axis, Soviet Allied, Western Allied, or conquered Western Allied Minor Country as a Target Country. Exception, see Optional Rule 15.5.
- A neutral Minor Country can be selected as the target of an Axis Treaty attempt only if it shares a land border with Greater Germany or an Axis Minor Country; sharing a land border with an Axis Dependent is not sufficient.
- A neutral Minor Country can be selected as the target of a Comintern or Russian Diplomacy attempt only if it shares a land border with the Soviet Union or a Soviet Allied Minor Country.
- A neutral Minor Country can be selected as the target of an Axis Ultimatum attempt if it shares a land border with any country or Dependent containing an Axis ground unit.
- A neutral Minor Country can be selected as the target of a Stalin's Ultimatum attempt if it shares a land border with any country containing a Soviet ground unit.
17.1.2 Not Selecting a Target Country. If that player does not wish to select a Target Country, or cannot select any Target Country because of the restrictions above, he must turn that Option card face down and skip this Political Event Segment. Once turned face down, a card cannot be turned face up again – it has, essentially, been discarded early.
17.2 Political Event Results
17.2.1 Aggression Table Results. A die roll on the Aggression Table will yield one of the following "trouble" countries: Greater Germany, Poland, Yugoslavia, Greece, Spain, or Italy.
- If the "trouble" country is an Axis country during Limited War or an Axis, Western Allied, or Conquered Western Allied country during Total War, a neighbor is affected. Immediately activate any one neutral Minor Country, even one with Neutrality, (Axis player's choice) that shares a land border with the "trouble" country (or with one of its Dependents) as an Allied Minor Country.
- If the "trouble" country is a Soviet Allied country, immediately activate any one neutral Minor Country (Soviet player's choice) that shares a land border with the "trouble" country (or with one of its Dependents) as an Axis Minor Country.
- No activation occurs if there is no such neutral Minor Country. When checking land borders, note that Spanish Morocco is part of Spain and that Libya and Albania are the two Italian Dependents with land borders.
- If the "trouble" country is neutral (even with Neutrality, see 17.2.15), the Axis player may, if he wishes, declare that country a Target Country and immediately roll on the Diplomatic Incident Table (applying the Political die roll modifiers, as usual). He may choose this option even if he cannot meet the usual conditions for choosing the "trouble" country as a Target Country (17.1.1).
- If the Axis player declines this Diplomatic Incident Option when the "trouble" country is neutral, the outcome is considered to be "No Result."
17.2.2 Allies Support Nationalists. The Allied player may either place one Partisan infantry step as a replacement, if any are available in the Western Allied Force Pool (see 1.4.4); or inflict one Axis Minor Country step loss anywhere on the map, if any are available. (This includes Axis Nationalists, the Axis Coup corps and the Minor Country step of an Axis multinational unit, requiring an "emergency breakdown" of that unit.)
17.2.3 Axis Command/Supply Failure. The Axis suffer a Command/Supply Failure (see 14.4).
17.2.4 Border War. Activate the Target Country as an Axis Minor Country. Also, if any neutral Minor Country shares a land border with the Target Country or its Dependents, activate one such neutral Minor Country (Axis player's choice) as an Allied Minor Country (see 12.2.3).
17.2.5 Churchill Pressures Neutrals. One of the following:
- If the Appeasement Policy Marker is still in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display and the Axis Lebensraum card (#8) has been played and discarded (see 1.1.1, first sentence), the Western Allied player can replace Appeasement with a Change of Government Truce Marker and lift Appeasement restrictions (14.2); or
- If Vichy exists and is currently a neutral country, the Allied player can permanently remove either the Vichy Fleet or Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker from the game; or
- The Western Allied player may roll on the Aggression Table, applying the Political die roll modifiers; or
- The Western Allied player may cause a neutral Minor Country to "receive Neutrality." Procedure: The Western Allied player designates any neutral Minor Country. The Axis player must either place its Neutrality Marker (see 17.2.15) in its capital or place the Neutrality Marker of a neutral Minor Country that shares a land border with the designated minor (or one of its dependents) in its Capital.
17.2.6 Command/Supply Failure. Place the Command/Supply Failure Marker according to rule 14.4.
17.2.7 Coup D'etat. Activate the Target Country as an Allied Minor Country. No Mobilization steps are received (19.2.2).
17.2.8 Declare War on Target Country. Activate the Target Country as an Allied Minor Country.
17.2.9 Free Passage. Activate the Target Country as an Axis Minor Country – use Limited Setup (19.1).
17.2.10 Hitler Orders Attack. The Axis player may (during Limited War) or must (during Total War), if possible, immediately make one attack somewhere on the map involving at least one German unit. Though this attack occurs during the Political Event Segment, it must follow the Attack Sequence (4.2.2) and adhere to all Combat rules. It is considered a Blitz attack under the proper circumstances (i.e., when the Axis player's current Option card is a Blitz card and weather permits).
17.2.11 Hitler Pressures Neutrals. One of the following:
- The Axis player may remove one neutral Minor Country's Neutrality Marker; or
- If Vichy exists and is currently a neutral country, the Axis player may bring either the Vichy Fleet or Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker into the game by placing it in the Delay Box (unless it has already been removed from the game by a Churchill Pressures Neutrals event) and begin using it when it returns from the Turn Record Track; or
- The Axis player must roll on the Aggression Table, applying the Political die roll modifiers. This is the default result if neither of the other two choices occur.
17.2.12 Hitler Supports Nationalists. The Axis player may inflict one Allied Partisan step loss anywhere on the map or place one Axis Minor Country or Axis Nationalist infantry step as a replacement (if the Axis player has any such units in his Force Pool).
17.2.13 Military Aid. The Allied player may receive one replacement step of any type that can be assigned to any Western or Soviet Allied Minor Country as a replacement (not as Partisans); or he may place either the BEF or British Gar(rison) infantry corps (if they are in play – either in a hex, an off-map Naval Box, or in the Western Allied Force Pool – and are currently serving as infantry corps, not as an army or fortress) in a friendly port (10.4) in a Western Allied Minor Country that can trace a line of supply (10.2) to London. If the desired (BEF or Gar) corps is currently on the map, he may replace it with a regular British 1-1-3 or 1-2-2 infantry corps from Western Allied Force Pool (if one is available there) before placing it in the Minor Country's port.
Conquered Western Allied minor countries are not able to receive Military Aid. If there are no Allied Minor Countries to thus aid, or the Allies have minor allies but none of them have steps currently available in the Western Allied or Soviet Force Pools, they may take either a British or Soviet step. If the only minor ally step available would have to be placed in an overstacked situation – too bad. Place it and then decide how to deal with the overstacking problem.
17.2.14 Military Takeover. Place one of the Military Takeover Markers (located on the backs of the No Retreat and SS Europa Markers) on the Victory Point Track in the VP Box occupied by the Axis Tide VP Marker. If the VP Marker reads "Allied Crusade," the Military Takeover Marker is placed in the 0 VP Box. Important: The Axis player then chooses a Political Option (see 17.2.17).
17.2.15 Neutrality (Coup D'etat Option). Important: When this result occurs via the Diplomatic Incident Table, the Axis player has a Coup D'etat Option. That is, he may immediately change this "Neutrality" result to a "Coup D'etat" result instead (see 17.2.7). If he elects not to exercise this Coup D'etat Option, or if Neutrality occurs by some other means:
Place the Target Country's Res(erve) corps unit face down (on its "Neutrality" side) in the country's capital city (as a reminder). This country is making special political efforts to remain unaligned to the Axis. Specifically:
- All future Political Event die rolls affecting that Minor Country as a Target Country (see 17.1) are modified by the number on its Neutrality Marker.
- The fate of a country with Neutrality is not rolled for on the Diplomatic Incident Table (exception: 17.2.1; the Axis Diplomatic Incident Option is still available). Any such result is considered to be No Effect. Note that a neighboring country can drag a country with Neutrality into play as the result of a Border War.
- A country with Neutrality is not activated as an Axis minor ally when selected by the Axis player due to an Allied country's collapse (18.4), when removing Ceded Border Markers via the Axis Barbarossa card Conditional Event (18.4), or when a Target Country Joins Axis result occurs (17.2.23). Instead, when these events occur to a country with Neutrality, simply remove that country's Neutrality Marker.
- If "Neutrality" occurs to a country that already has its Neutrality Marker in place, including via placement from a Western Allied Big Three Conference card, the "Neutrality" outcome is then treated as No Result. Note that the Axis player still has the option to perform a "Coup D'etat."
17.2.16 Pacific Commitment. The Western Allied player must immediately place one (if Limited War is still in effect) or two (if Total War has broken out) currently available US and/or British Support units of his choice in the Delay Box or remove the Indian, Australian, or New Zealand corps from the map (i.e., costing him a step) and place it in the Delay Box. (It is placed in the Western Allied Force Pool after it comes off the Turn Record Track.)
If there are not enough Support units in the Western Allied Available Box and/or these Commonwealth units on the map, the Allied player must use Support units on the Turn Record Track (if available) – take the unit or units closest to returning to play and place them in the Delay Box.
17.2.17 Political Option. The player representing the indicated faction has brokered an important Political Event; he may choose any one of the following results:
- Hitler and Stalin Begin "War of Words": If the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker is in the Soviet Allied box on the War & Peace Status Display, replace it with a Reassess Policy Truce Marker and lift Nazi-Soviet Pact restrictions (14.1).
- Appeasement Recognized as a Failed Policy: If the Appeasement Policy Marker is in the Western Allied box on the War & Peace Status Display, replace it with a Reassess Policy Truce Marker and lift Appeasement restrictions (14.2).
- Peace Talks!: If it does not already contain a Truce Marker, place an Armistice Marker in either box on the War & Peace Status Display. If it already contains a Negotiations Marker, flip it over to its Armistice side.
- Neutrals Consider Options: Play politics and either place or remove a neutral Minor Country's Neutrality Marker (see 17.2.15).
- Stalled Talks Stall War: Cause another faction to suffer a Command/Supply Failure (see 14.4).
- Pot Stirred in Europe: Roll on the Aggression Table.
- War Resolve: If the VE-Day Marker is on the Turn Track, you may adjust it forward or backward by one Game Turn. It cannot be moved back to the current Game Turn, however.
17.2.18 Production Success – X. The Axis player places the Support unit of this card's Production Directive type (Jet Fighters, U-boat Fleet, Kriegsmarine Fleet, or Ural Bomber) in the Delay Box. On a subsequent Production Success with this card, the Axis player receives its Strategic Warfare Marker (on either side; providing Speer has been appointed Minister, see Axis Option card #11; this is an irreversible decision) in the Delay Box. A third Production Success (possible only during a Summer season) has no effect.
Unclaimed Support units and Strategic Warfare Markers from revealed Axis Production Directive cards can be acquired by a Special Weapons Success result (17.2.20). See that unit type's Special Marker rule for details: Jet Fighters (16.13); Kriegsmarine Z-Plan (16.26); Type XXI U-boats (16.27); Ural Bombers (16.28).
17.2.19 Special Weapons Failure. The Axis player must place an available German Support unit or War Production Marker (from the Strategic Warfare Box) in the Delay Box or take one German armor step loss anywhere on the map.
17.2.20 Special Weapons Success. The Axis player may immediately do one of the following:
- Place one Soviet or Western Allied Support unit, Beachhead Marker, the Intensive Bombing, or Allied Luck Marker (15.1) in the Delay Box. The Axis player may choose the Support unit from among those in the Allied Available Boxes or may choose one actually in play on the map. Any Allied ground units stacked with a Beachhead Marker so removed are eliminated (see 3.8).
- Place one unclaimed Support unit or Strategic Warfare Marker (which must be received in the proper order, see 17.2.18) from a previously revealed Axis Production Directive card into the Delay Box.
- Select two hexes, one each containing Soviet and Western Allied ground units that are adjacent to supplied German ground units. The respective Allied players must each eliminate one step (of the owning player's choice) from those hexes.
17.2.21 Stalin Pressures Neutrals. One of the following:
- If the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker is still in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display, the Soviet Allied player may replace it with a Reassess Policy Truce Marker (thus breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact). Place the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker in the Delay Box. Soviet Emergency Mobilization (18.3.3) will be triggered on the turn it comes off the Game Turn Record Track during the Soviet Conditional Events Segment; or
- The Soviet Allied player may roll on the Aggression Table, applying the Political die roll modifiers; or
- The Soviet Allied player may cause a neutral Minor Country to "receive Neutrality." Procedure: The Soviet Allied player designates any neutral Minor Country that shares a land border with a Soviet Allied country. The Axis player must either place its Neutrality Marker (see 17.2.15) in its capital or place the Neutrality Marker of a neutral Minor Country that shares a land border with the designated minor (or one of its dependents) in its Capital.
17.2.22 Successful Challenge. The Soviet player may choose to:
- Remove the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker if it is in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display (thus lifting Nazi-Soviet Pact Restrictions) and place it in the Delay Box. Soviet Emergency Mobilization (18.3.3) will be triggered on the turn it comes off the Game Turn Record Track during the Soviet Conditional Events Segment; or
- Activate any neutral Minor Country that shares a land border with a Soviet Allied country as an Axis country; or
- Declare this a Soviet Blitz turn. That is, you receive a Blitz Combat Segment this turn.
17.2.23 Target Country Joins Axis. Activate the Target Country as an Axis Minor Country. If the country's Neutrality Marker is in its capital, remove it instead (17.2.15).
17.2.24 Tensions Escalate. Note: if the outcome is "Tensions Escalate then Roll Again," apply the proper result below and then roll again on the same Table, repeating this process as often as it occurs.
The first time this event occurs, the Axis player selects an option from the list below and hands the Tensions Escalate Option Chit to the Western Allied player. If/when this Event occurs again, the player holding this Chit selects an option from the list below and passes it back to the player he received it from. When the Colonial Disputes card is no longer the Western Allies' Current Option card, remove this Chit from the game.
Escalating Tensions Options List
- Diplomatic Solutions Sought in Mediterranean Conflict: No effect. Simply pass the Chit to your opponent.
- Mussolini Declares War: If neutral, activate Italy as an Axis Minor Country.
- Franco Claims Gibraltar: If neutral, activate Spain as an Axis Minor Country.
- Mussolini Declares War on Greece: If neutral, activate Greece as a Western Allied Minor Country – only allowed if Italy is an Axis Minor Country.
- British-Portuguese Alliance Announced: If neutral, activate Portugal as a Western Allied Minor Country – only allowed if Spain is an Axis Minor Country.
- French Cabinet Announces Sweeping Military Reforms: Add the Pour la Guerre card (#32) to the Western Allied hand. It is considered a Limited War card for the rest of the game – only allowed if Italy or Spain is an Axis Minor Country.
- Italians Rally Behind War Effort: Remove the Mare Nostrum card (#38) from the game and immediately place all the Italian pieces associated with it in the Delay Box. (German or Italian replacements are not received, nor is a War Production card discarded.) – only allowed if Italy is an Axis Minor Country.
- German "Overreaction" Denounced: If there are any German ground units currently in Italy or an Italian Dependent, you may remove the Appeasement Marker from the War & Peace Status Display and replace it with a Negotiations Marker (lifting Appeasement restrictions).
- Mobilization: Receive one replacement step of any type for a minor ally in your faction, if available.
- A Blow for Democracy: Declare this a Western Allied Blitz turn. That is, the Western Allied player receives a Blitz Combat Segment this turn – only allowed if Spain or Italy is an Axis Minor Country.
17.2.25 Treaty – [Country Name]. If the named Minor Country is neutral, place its Neutrality Marker in its capital. If it is already there, the Western Allied player may activate it as a Western Allied Minor Country. If the named Minor Country is not a neutral minor, roll on the Allied Guarantee Table.
17.2.26 Unsuccessful Challenge. The Axis player may choose to:
- Inflict a Command/Supply Failure upon the Soviet Allied faction; or
- If there is no Marker in the Soviet Box of the War & Peace Status Display, the Axis player may, if he wishes, demand a "settlement" from the Soviet player. If the Soviet player accepts, he must place any one of the four Truce Markers in the Soviet Box on the War & Peace Display. If the Soviet player refuses, the Soviets suffer a Command/Supply Failure and must return his Pending Option card to his hand (thus, doing without an Option card for one Season); or
- Select a neutral Minor Country whose Ceded Border Marker is on the map in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box and either remove its Neutrality Marker (if it is on the map) or activate it as an Axis country (if its Neutrality Marker is not on the map).
17.2.27 Volksturm. The Axis player must place an available German Support unit or War Production Marker (from the Strategic Warfare Box) in the Delay Box, or take one German armor step loss from anywhere on the map. In exchange, he may immediately place up to two German 0-2-2 infantry corps as replacements, if any are available in the Axis Force Pool.
18. Conditional Events
In general, you will want to perform your Conditional Events (they are usually the principal reason for playing cards that have them). Do not change the orientation of minor countries that are already active unless specifically directed to do so.
Important: Treat any Event Result that is impossible to fulfill given current conditions as a "No Result."
Internment and Repatriation
Immediately check the following to see if units that should not be in that territory become "interned":
- If there are non-German Axis units in Greater Germany (except "Ex" corps and Axis Nationalists units), or
- When territory changes ownership or status between factions during the Conditional Events Segment (as might occur during a Soviet Border Dispute, when Vichy France is created, etc.).
Allied units that suddenly find themselves in territory that they could not normally enter because of Appeasement (14.2.3) or Nazi-Soviet Pact (14.1.3) restrictions, or because that territory belongs to a neutral Minor Country (12.2.1), are immediately "interned." That is, immediately placed on the back of their controlling factions' Pending Option card. These units will return to the map (i.e., be "repatriated") when the Pending Option card becomes the Current Option card (see 1.1.1).
Axis units that suddenly find themselves in territory that they could not normally enter because it belongs to a neutral Minor Country or Greater Germany (3.2, 12.1) are immediately interned. For Axis units that find themselves in Axis Minor Countries they could not normally enter because of Political Restrictions (3.2), the Axis player may voluntarily intern those units, or he must apply the effects of Occupation of Axis Minor Countries (18.1.3) during step 3 of his Conditional Event Segment. German units (only) that find themselves in territory that they could not enter without breaking the Nazi-Soviet Pact (14.1) or ending Appeasement (14.2) while in effect may be voluntarily "interned" without disrupting that Policy.
18.1 Axis Permanent Conditional Events
During every Axis Conditional Event Segment, the Axis player checks to see if he has fulfilled the conditions for any of his Permanent Conditional Events. Check Events in the order listed below.
18.1.1 Conquest of Western Allied Minor Countries. A Western Allied Minor Country is conquered if, during any Axis Conditional Event Segment, all of its cities are occupied by Axis ground units. Exception: If the Nazi-Soviet Pact is in effect, the Axis do not need to occupy any cities located within a country's Soviet Border Region in order to conquer it.
All of the Minor Country's units are removed from the map and from the Active section of the Western Allied Force Pool the instant it is conquered and placed in the Conquered Country section of the Western Allied Force Pool.
Axis Conquest of France or Italy. Remember, French North Africa is considered part of France (it is not a French Dependent). Short of a French Collapse (see 18.4), Axis ground units will have to occupy every city in mainland France and French North Africa in order to conquer France!
- If France is conquered, Syria becomes a neutral Minor Country (12.4) and Alsace-Lorraine becomes a permanent part of Greater Germany (12.5.2).
- If France is conquered, the Western Allied Pour la Guerre! Option card (#32) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the French Fleet and Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker (regardless of whether Vichy has yet been created) from the game.
- If Italy is conquered, the Axis Mare Nostrum Option card (#37) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the Italian Fleet unit, Convoy Marker, Mech corps, and Airborne corps from the game.
18.1.2 Liberation of Soviet Allied Minor Countries. A Soviet Allied Minor Country is liberated (and becomes an Axis Minor Country) if, during any Axis Conditional Event Segment, all of its cities are occupied by Axis ground units. Exception: If the Nazi-Soviet Pact is in effect, the Axis do not need to occupy any cities located within a country's Soviet Border Region in order to liberate it.
All of the Liberated Minor Country's units are removed from the map and the Soviet Allied Force Pool the instant it is liberated and placed in the Axis Force Pool (exception: its HQ and fortress units go in the Delay Box).
Liberation of France or Italy. If France is liberated, the Western Allied Pour la Guerre! Option card (#32) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the French Fleet and Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker from the game. If Italy is liberated, the Axis Mare Nostrum Option card (#37) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the Italian Fleet unit, Convoy Marker, Mech corps, and Airborne corps from the game.
18.1.3 Occupation of Axis Minor Countries. An Axis Minor Country is occupied if, during an Axis Conditional Event Segment, a ground unit of any other Axis Minor Country occupies any hex or hexes in that country or its Dependents. Because of rule 3.2, Political Restrictions, this can occur only in newly liberated Soviet Allied minor countries.
- An Axis Minor Country is also occupied if more than one German multi-step unit occupies any hex or hexes in that country during an Axis Conditional Event Segment. France, Finland, and Axis Italy are occupied if even one German multi-step unit occupies any hex or hexes in that country or its Dependents!
- German one-step units, Axis Air units, Axis "Ex" units, and Axis Nationalist units never trigger occupation – the Axis player can have any number of these units in any Axis Minor Country without penalty.
- Neither the German-Italian Afrika Army nor the Mediterranean HQ units trigger occupation of Axis Italy – the Axis player may have one or both German-Italian multi-step units in Italy or its Dependents without penalty.
- The German-Finnish 20th Army unit never triggers occupation of Axis Finland.
When found to be occupied during an Axis Conditional Event Segment, all of the Axis Minor Country's ground units are removed from the map and placed in the Axis Force Pool. Its Markers, HQ, and fortress unit(s), if any, are placed in the Delay Box. Occupation can be triggered any number of times to any Axis Minor Country.
Each time this Conditional Event is met, the Axis player has the option to change his Occupied Minor Country's status to that of a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country. In this case, its units in the Axis Force Pool are moved to the appropriate section of the Western Allied Force Pool. Otherwise, that country remains an Axis Minor Country.
18.1.4 Axis Coup. If the Axis Coup corps unit is in the Axis Force Pool, the Axis player may place this unit in any unoccupied or Axis occupied city in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Persia, or Vichy territory. The Axis Coup corps can only be placed in such a manner once per game.
- This unit traces supply to Berlin.
- If eliminated, or if Vichy is activated while this unit is still in the Axis Force Pool, the unit is flipped to its Free French side and placed in the Western Allied Force Pool.
- Placing the Axis Coup corps unit constitutes an immediate declaration of war if it is placed in a city in a neutral Minor Country (such as Vichy, Persia, or Syria). This is intended and allowed.
18.2 Western Allied Permanent Conditional Events
During every Western Allied Conditional Event Segment, the Western Allied player checks to see if he has fulfilled the conditions for any of the permanent Western Allied Conditional Events.
18.2.1 Re-activation of Conquered Western Allied Minor Countries. The Western Allied player may re-activate a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country if, during any Western Allied Conditional Event Segment, its capital city is not occupied by an Axis or Soviet Allied ground unit or Logistics Marker (ObK or Stavka).
All of the Minor Country's units are moved back into the Active section of the Western Allied Force Pool when it is re-activated. Its Reserve corps unit is placed in the country's capital and the country becomes an active Western Allied Minor Country. Any "N" Partisan units in the country can be immediately replaced with that country's own infantry-type units on a step-for-step basis.
18.2.2 Free France. This event can occur only once per game. While Vichy is neutral, it can be activated as a Western Allied Minor Country during any Western Allied Conditional Event Segment in which Paris is not occupied by an Axis ground unit.
18.2.3 Liberation of Axis and Soviet Allied Minor Countries. An Axis or Soviet Allied Minor Country is liberated if, during any Western Allied Conditional Event Segment, all of its cities are occupied by Western Allied ground units.
All of the Minor Country's units are removed from the map and the Axis or Soviet Allied Force Pool the instant it is liberated and placed in the Western Allied Force Pool. Its fortresses, HQs, and Marker(s) (if any) are placed in the Delay Box. The Axis player must perform an emergency breakdown of any affected multi-national units to remove the liberated Minor Country's steps.
The country becomes an active Western Allied Minor Country. Any N(ationalist) Partisan units in the country can be immediately replaced with that country's own units on a step-for-step basis.
If Appeasement is in effect, any non-Western Allied units in this newly liberated Minor Country are immediately placed on the back of their controlling factions' Pending Option cards ("interned") – these will return to the map ("repatriated") when the Pending Option card becomes the Current Option card (see 1.1.1).
Liberation of France or Italy. If France is liberated, the Western Allied Pour la Guerre! Option card (#32) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the French Fleet and Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker from the game. If Italy is liberated, the Axis Mare Nostrum Option card (#37) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the Italian Fleet unit, Convoy Marker, Mech corps, and Airborne corps from the game.
18.2.4 Paris Fortress. This Event can occur only once per game. During the first Western Allied Conditional Event Segment that Belgium-Holland has been activated (no matter on whose side) or a French city is occupied by an enemy unit, place the Paris Fortress unit in the Delay Box.
18.2.5 "Their Finest Hour". This Event can occur only once per game. During the first Western Allied Conditional Event Segment that either Paris is Axis controlled (0.1), that an enemy ground unit occupies a hex in Great Britain, or the Western Allies have their Colonial Disputes (#31) Option card as their Current Option card, place the British BEF HQ, and Fighter Command in the Delay Box.
18.2.6 Free French Coup. If the Axis Coup unit is eliminated, or if Vichy is activated while the Axis Coup unit is still in the Axis Force Pool, it is flipped to its Free French side and placed in the Western Allied Force Pool.
- If in the Western Allied Force Pool, the Allied player may place the Free French Coup corps unit in any unoccupied or Western Allied occupied city in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Persia, or Vichy territory. The Free French Coup corps can only be placed in such a manner once per game.
- The Free French Coup corps unit traces supply to the US/Canada Box.
- Placing the Free French Coup corps unit constitutes an immediate declaration of war if it is placed in a city in a neutral Minor Country (such as Vichy, Persia, or Syria). This is intended and allowed.
- If this unit is eliminated, it is placed in the Force Pool to which the other Vichy units belong and is treated like a French Colonial corps for the rest of the game.
18.3 Soviet Permanent Conditional Events
During every Soviet Conditional Event Segment, the Soviet Allied player checks to see if he has fulfilled the conditions for any of the permanent Soviet Allied Conditional Events.
18.3.1 Soviet Lend-Lease. Each Game Turn that the Soviet Lend-Lease Marker is on the Soviet Force Pool Display (supported by the Lend-Lease Reminder card on the map in the Soviet Union), the Soviet player may roll on the Soviet Lend-Lease Table (see the Soviet Force Pool Display). Soviet Lend-Lease replacements may not be taken if there is a Truce Marker of any type in the Soviet box of the War & Peace Status Display.
- Soviet Lend-Lease replacements can only be taken from Soviet 0-1-2 infantry and 1-1-3 tank corps, if available in the Soviet Force Pool, and an infantry step may be substituted for an armor step.
- Soviet Lend-Lease replacements are placed normally (1.4.1), with one additional restriction: they must be placed at least three hexes away (two intervening hexes) from the nearest Axis ground unit.
18.3.2 Liberation of Axis and Western Allied Minor Countries. An Axis, Western Allied, or Conquered Western Allied Minor Country is liberated if, during any Soviet Conditional Event Segment, all of its cities are occupied by Soviet Allied ground units.
All of the Minor Country's units are removed from the map and the appropriate Force Pool the instant it is liberated and placed in the Soviet Force Pool. Its Markers, HQ, and fortress unit(s), if any, are placed in the Delay Box. The Axis player must perform an emergency breakdown of any affected multi-national units to remove the liberated Minor Country's steps. Its Ceded Border Marker (if it has one) is also placed in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box on the map at this time (see 12.5).
The country becomes an active Soviet Allied Minor Country. Any "C" Partisan units in the country can be immediately replaced with that country's own infantry-type units on a step-for-step basis.
If the Nazi-Soviet Pact is in effect, any non-Soviet Allied units in this newly liberated Minor Country are immediately placed on the back of their controlling factions' Pending Option cards ("interned") – these will return to the map ("repatriated") when the Pending Option card becomes the Current Option card (see 1.1.1).
Liberation of France or Italy. If France is liberated, the Western Allied Pour la Guerre! Option card (#32) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the French Fleet and Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker from the game. If Italy is liberated, the Axis Mare Nostrum Option card (#37) is permanently removed from the game along with all units and Markers attached to it. Also remove the Italian Fleet unit, Convoy Marker, Mech corps, and Airborne corps from the game.
18.3.3 Emergency Mobilization. This Event can occur only once per game. During the first Soviet Conditional Event Segment after the Nazi-Soviet Pact is broken or, if the Soviets break the Pact through a Successful Challenge (17.2.22) or Stalin Pressures Neutrals (17.2.21) result, after the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker returns from the Game Turn Record Track:
- The Soviet player places two Soviet one-step infantry-type corps units in each Soviet Strategic Hex not containing an Axis unit (ground or Air Support). These units must be 0-1-2 infantry corps if any are available in the Soviet Force Pool (if not, any Soviet infantry step will do). If not enough infantry-type steps are available, each Soviet Strategic hex receives one step before any may receive two and any steps "owed" (because there are insufficient steps available in the Soviet Force Pool) are lost.
- The Soviet player places the Moscow and Leningrad fortress units, and the PVO (Air Defense) Interceptor unit, in the Delay Box.
18.4 Axis Option Card Conditional Events
18.4.1 Case Yellow. This Event can occur only once per game. When an Allied Minor Country collapses, all of the following occurs unless it was Western Allied France that collapsed:
- All its fortress, HQ, and Support units are immediately removed and placed in the Delay Box. All its other ground units are immediately removed from the map and placed in the appropriate Allied Force Pool. The Allied player must perform an emergency breakdown of any affected multi-national units to remove the collapsed Minor Country's steps.
- It remains an Allied Minor Country aligned to its current Faction.
- The Axis player may immediately activate as an Axis Minor Country any one neutral Minor Country without Neutrality (17.2.15) sharing a land border with the collapsed Allied Minor Country or its dependents, or remove a Neutrality Marker from any one neutral Minor Country sharing a land border with the collapsed Allied Minor Country or its Dependents.
Italian Collapse. If Italy collapses due to this event, it has the following additional effects: its Fleet unit and its Convoy Marker are permanently removed from the game; the Allied player must remove from the game all units and Markers attached to the Mare Nostrum Option card.
French Collapse. If the Western Allies fulfill a Liberation of France! Conditional Event (#14 Operation Torch or #21 Crusade in Europe; 18.5.2), then France is no longer subject to Collapse via the Case Yellow (Axis #4) Option card. If France collapses due to this event, it has the following effects:
- Vichy is created (see 12.3). The Allied player must perform an emergency breakdown of any affected multinational units to remove French steps. Vichy territory consists of French North Africa, Corsica, and that part of continental France bounded by the Vichy border and containing the cities of Lyon, Toulouse, and Marseilles.
- The Western Allied player must remove from the game all units and Markers attached to his Pour la Guerre! Option card.
- The Axis player may immediately activate as an Axis Minor Country one of the following minor countries if it is still neutral without Neutrality (17.2.15) or remove its Neutrality Marker: Belgium-Holland, Spain, or Italy (not Vichy France!).
- Partisan units can be placed in France (but not in neutral Vichy territory) once it has collapsed.
18.4.2 Barbarossa & Removing Soviet Ceded Border Markers. While the Axis Barbarossa card is the Current Axis Option card, its Conditional Event allows the Axis player to remove one Ceded Border Marker from the map if a German ground unit occupies any hex in the Soviet Union. (And the Soviet Union includes all the hexes of a Border Region whose Ceded Border Marker is in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box on the map!)
- If the Minor Country associated with the removed Ceded Border Marker has its Neutrality Marker (17.2.15) on its capital, remove it and leave its Ceded Border Marker in the Ceded Border Markers Holding Box.
- If the Minor Country associated with the removed Ceded Border Marker is still neutral (without Neutrality) it must be activated as an Axis Minor Country. Its forces may not set up in their Ceded Border region.
18.4.3 Soviet or British Crisis. Note that if Britain or the Soviet Union collapse, they're not knocked out of the war! These countries can never be "conquered." The effects of a Crisis differ depending on the results of a second ("severity") die roll and whether or not an Axis ground unit occupies the country's capital.
18.4.3.1 Crisis Severity. If a Crisis occurs as a result of the Conditional Event from the Soviet or British Ultimatum, a second die roll determines its severity.
- For a Soviet Crisis during Limited War, use the net count (again) from the Soviet Ultimatum card and roll another die. If it is (again) lower than the net count, the Crisis is "severe." If the die roll is greater than or equal to the net count, the Soviet government has "managed" the Crisis.
- For a Soviet Crisis during Total War, count the number of Soviet Strategic Hexes not occupied by Axis ground units and roll another die. If that die roll is greater than this count, the Crisis is "severe." If the die roll is less than or equal to this count, the Soviet government has "managed" the Crisis.
- For a British Crisis, if the US Option cards have been added to the Western Allied hand, the Crisis is automatically "managed." Otherwise, count the number of city hexes in Great Britain not occupied by Axis ground units then roll another die. If that die roll is greater than this count, the Crisis is "severe." If the die roll is less than or equal to this count, the British government has "managed" the Crisis.
18.4.3.2 Crisis Effect. If there is not an Axis ground unit in its capital (i.e., Moscow or London, respectively) when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "managed," perform the following:
- (a) That Allied faction suffers a Command/Supply Failure (14.4) but only if its current Option card is not a Total War Blitz card.
If there is not an Axis ground unit in its capital when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "severe," perform the following:
- (a) as above;
- (b) The Axis player rolls a die and may remove up to that number of the faction's minor allied steps (only, if any are available) from the map (Axis player's choice) that are within three hexes (i.e., two intervening hexes) of a German ground unit. Note that the Anglo-Allied Army may have to perform an "emergency breakdown."
If there is an Axis ground unit in its capital (i.e., Moscow or London*, respectively) when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "managed," perform the following:
- That Allied faction suffers a Command/Supply Failure (14.4);
- (b) as above;
- (c) That faction may not reveal an Option Card next Season (i.e. the one following when the Crisis/Collapse occurred). If it has not been selected yet, that faction's Pending Option card for next Season may not be placed during its upcoming Option Card Segment. If it has already been selected, it is returned to that faction's card hand. That faction will have to make do without a card next Season. *Exception: If the US Option Cards have been added to the Western Allied player's hand, this penalty is no longer suffered by the Western Allied faction.
- (d) The Axis player may remove one neutral Minor Country's Neutrality Marker.
If there is an Axis ground unit in its capital when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "severe," that Allied faction collapses (see either 18.4.3.3 or 18.4.3.4).
18.4.3.3 Soviet Collapse. The first time this event occurs, perform all of the following:
- If there is not a Truce Marker there, place an Armistice Marker in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
- Apply Crisis effects "b" and "c" as per 18.4.3.2, above.
- Remove all Ceded Border Markers from the map and, if the Minor Country associated with a now removed Ceded Border Marker has its Neutrality Marker on its capital, remove its Neutrality Marker from the map as well. These Border Regions' control reverts back to their original Minor Countries.
- The Axis player may immediately activate as an Axis Minor Country any one neutral Minor Country without Neutrality (17.2.15) or remove a Neutrality Marker from any one neutral Minor Country.
- All Soviet ground units are immediately removed from the map and placed in the Soviet Force Pool. The Soviet Convoy Marker, Soviet HQ units, Support units, fortresses, or the airborne corps, if in play (either on the Turn Record Track, the map, a Force Pool Display, etc.), are all placed in the Delay Box.
- The Soviet player then takes a number of infantry-type corps from his Force Pool equal to one (during Limited War) or four (during Total War) times the number of Soviet Strategic Hexes not occupied by enemy ground units. He may place them, within stacking limits, in any unoccupied cities in the Soviet Union. (That is, these Soviet corps cannot be set up in any Soviet cities occupied by Axis or Western Allied units.) The Soviet player still controls Soviet forces.
- Partisan units can be placed in the Soviet Union once it has collapsed.
If this event occurs a subsequent time, this is all that happens: the Axis player may apply either Crisis effect "b" or "d" as per 18.4.3.2, above; and the Axis player must place his choice of either the Change of Government, Reassess Policy, Armistice, or Negotiation Marker in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
18.4.3.4 British Collapse. The first time this event occurs, perform all of the following:
- If there is not a Truce Marker there, place an Armistice Marker in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
- Apply Crisis effects "b" and "c" as per 18.4.3.2, above (including the Exception after the US Option cards have been added to the Western Allied Player's hand).
- The Axis player may immediately activate as an Axis Minor Country any one neutral Minor Country without Neutrality (17.2.15) anywhere on the map, or remove a Neutrality Marker from any one Neutral Minor Country.
- All British and Commonwealth ground units are immediately removed from the map and placed in the Western Allied Force Pool. Note the Western Allied player may have to perform an "emergency breakdown" of any affected multi-national units. All British HQ, Support units and fortresses (including the Garrison unit if currently on its fortress side) in play are placed in the Delay Box.
- The Allied player then sets up three British infantry corps: one in the US/Canada Box, one in the Commonwealth Box, and one in any unoccupied or Western-Allied occupied port in Great Britain, a Western Allied Minor Country, or a British Dependent. The Western Allied player still controls British forces. Remember that British replacement corps can be placed in the US/Canada and Commonwealth Boxes (1.4.1).
- Partisan units can be placed in Great Britain once it has collapsed.
If this event occurs a subsequent time, this is all that happens: the Axis player may apply either Crisis effect "b" or "d" as per 18.4.3.2, above; and the Axis player must place his choice of either the Change of Government, Reassess Policy, Armistice, or Negotiation Marker in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
18.4.4 National Redoubt. The Führer Bunker HQ unit must be placed, and is placed for free – the Axis player need not convert a corps unit to form it. The Axis Command/Supply Failure Marker (14.4) cannot be removed from the map while stacked with the FB HQ. The FB HQ unit can never be broken down or voluntarily destroyed (2.4.2) and must be the last step lost in any combat. If eliminated, this unit is permanently removed from the game.
18.5 Allied Option Card Conditional Events
18.5.1 Commonwealth Mobilization. If France has been conquered, collapsed, or is a non-Western Allied Minor Country (possible in a Random Campaign Game), the Western Allied player receives a Commonwealth (that is, Australian, Indian, South African, or Canadian – not British) infantry step.
18.5.2 Liberation of France! Operation Torch & Crusade in Europe. This Event can occur only once per game. If France is an enemy Minor Country when this event occurs, do the following:
- Remove all French units from the map, the enemy Force Pool, and the Game Turn Record Track.
- Remove the French Navy from the game. It is scuttled before it can defect.
- Place all the 0-1-2 units in the Western Allied Force Pool. Place all other Vichy ("V") French ground units in the Delay Box. Remove all other (non-"V") French units and Markers from the game.
Regardless of France's status at the time this Conditional Event was fulfilled, it is no longer subject to Collapse via the Axis Case Yellow Option card (18.4.1).
18.5.3 Operation Avalanche. This Event can occur only once per game. For the Axis minor ally that collapses due to this event:
- All its fortress, HQ, and Support units are immediately removed and placed in the Delay Box. All its ground units are immediately removed from the map and placed in the Axis Force Pool. The Axis player must perform an emergency breakdown of any affected multi-national units to remove the collapsed Minor Country's steps.
- It remains an Axis Minor Country.
- It is no longer subject to Axis Occupation (see 18.1.3).
- Partisan units can be placed in it once it has collapsed.
If Italy or France collapse due to this event, it has the following additional effects: its Navy (Fleet unit and Convoy Marker) is permanently removed from the game; the Axis player must remove from the game all units and Markers attached to its Mare Nostrum or Pour la Guerre Option card.
18.5.4 German Crisis. The effects of a Crisis differ depending on the results of a second ("severity") die roll and whether or not an Allied ground unit occupies an Axis Strategic Hex in Greater Germany when the result occurs.
18.5.4.1 Crisis Severity. If a Crisis occurs as a result of the Conditional Event from a German Ultimatum, a second die roll determines its severity. For a German Crisis, count the number of cities in Greater Germany not occupied by Allied (i.e. Western and Soviet) ground units and roll another die. If that die roll is greater than this count, the Crisis is "severe." If the die roll is less than or equal to this count, the German government has "managed" the Crisis.
18.5.4.2 Crisis Effect. If there is not an Allied ground unit in an Axis Strategic Hex in Greater Germany when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "managed," perform the following:
- (a) The Axis suffer a Command/Supply Failure (14.4).
If there is not an Allied ground unit in an Axis Strategic Hex in Greater Germany when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "severe," perform the following:
- (a) as above;
- (b) The appropriate Allied player rolls a die and may remove up to that number of Axis minor allied steps (only, if any are available) from the map (that Allied player's choice) that are within three hexes (i.e., two intervening hexes) of a ground unit belonging to that Allied faction. Note that the German-Italian and German-Finnish units may have to perform an "emergency breakdown" (see 12.6).
If there is an Allied ground unit in an Axis Strategic Hex in Greater Germany when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "managed," perform the following:
- (a) as above;
- (b) as above;
- (c) The Axis Pending Option card is returned to its card hand (if it has not been returned already). It will not be revealed during the next Seasonal Phase. The Axis will have to make do without a card next Season.
If there is an Allied ground unit in an Axis Strategic Hex in Greater Germany when a Crisis occurs, and that Crisis is "severe," Germany collapses (see 18.5.4.3).
18.5.4.3 German Collapse. The first time this event occurs, perform all of the following:
- Apply Crisis effects "a," "b," and "c" as per 18.5.4.2, above. Note that no Truce Marker is placed at this time (this is an Allied "unconditional surrender" demand).
- The Western Allied player may immediately activate as an Allied Minor Country (12.2.3) any one neutral Minor Country (even one with Neutrality).
- All German ground units are immediately removed from the map and placed in the Axis Force Pool. Note the Axis player may have to perform an "emergency breakdown" of any affected multi-national units. All German Convoy Markers, HQ units, Support units, fortresses (including the SS mech units if currently on their fortress sides), or the airborne corps, if in play, are placed in the Delay Box.
- The Axis player then sets up one German infantry corps in each unoccupied city in Greater Germany. (These corps cannot be set up in any cities occupied by Soviet or Western Allied units.) The Axis player still controls German forces.
- The Reich Annex Marker (16.21) is removed from the game. The Minor Country from which the Marker was removed is now considered a Conquered Western Allied Minor Country. Alsace-Lorraine and the Polish Corridor (12.5.2), however, will always remain a part of Greater Germany.
- Partisan units can be placed in Greater Germany once it has collapsed.
Important: For the rest of the game, any Axis Strategic Hex containing a Neutrality Marker is considered occupied by a Western Allied ground unit for Victory purposes only (see 0.1).
If this event occurs a subsequent time, this is all that happens: the appropriate Allied player may apply either Crisis effect "a" or "b" as per 18.4.3.2, above, or may place his choice of either the Change of Government, Reassess Policy, Armistice, or Negotiations Marker in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
18.5.5 A-bomb Attacks. A-bomb Markers are placed during Western Allied Conditional Events Segments when the A-bomb Attacks (#28) is the Western Allied Current Option card. A-bombs are placed with their "attack" (Mushroom Cloud) side face-up in land hexes where a Western Allied Heavy Bomber unit could be placed (see 2.3.3 and 15.4.1 – you really should give A-bombs a six-hex range). A-bombs, however, can never be intercepted or stopped in any way.
- When an A-bomb is placed in a land hex, eliminate all units in that hex. Those without a one-step side, plus all HQ, fortress, and Support units are placed in the Delay Box. All others are returned to their Force Pool.
- While a hex is occupied by the "attack" side of an A-bomb Marker, it is treated as Prohibited Terrain (i.e., no units can enter it for any reason).
- During the next Western Allied Conditional Events segment, flip the A-bomb Marker from its "attack" side to its "Atomic Devastation" side. From that point on, it is treated identically to Heavy Bomber Devastation (see 15.4.2), except that it is never removed. Atomic Devastation remains in that hex, with the full effect of Devastation, for the duration of the game.
18.6 Separate Peace Extension
A Separate Peace Extension (an "SPE") lengthens the game by moving the VE-Day Marker ahead on the Game Turn Record Track and flipping it over to its Separate Peace side (as a reminder that an SPE has occurred). An SPE can occur only once. If you've started one, ignore all further results calling for another one to begin. Also see Optional Rule 15.12 – Red Star/White Star Campaign.
- When an SPE occurs, move the VE-Day Marker ahead exactly one more year and flip it over to its Separate Peace side.
- When an SPE occurs, the Western Allied player may return any or all of the US Option cards to his hand that he had previously set aside while using Optional Rule 15.11.2, Faster US Mobilization.
- When an SPE occurs, move the "C" Partisan units in the Western Allied Force Pool to the Soviet Force Pool where they operate from for the remainder of the game. These units are placed on the map via Soviet Allied replacement steps (1.3.6) for the remainder of the game.
- When an SPE occurs, remove both Luck Markers from the game, if in play.
- Whenever an SPE begins in a Western Allied Conditional Event Segment, place a Reassess Policy Marker in the Western Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
- Whenever an SPE begins in a Soviet Conditional Event Segment, place a Reassess Policy Marker in the Soviet Allied box of the War & Peace Status Display.
- Whenever an SPE begins in an Axis Conditional Event Segment, place a Reassess Policy Marker on the War & Peace Status Display in the box of the Allied faction occupying fewer Axis Strategic Hexes than the other.
- If there is already a Truce Marker in the indicated box of the War & Peace Status Display when an SPE begins, replace it with a Reassess Policy Marker.
Important: After an SPE occurs, the Western Allied player may, during each of his War & Peace Segments, remove one Neutrality Marker and activate that country (12.2.2) as a Western Allied Minor Country.
The usual Victory Point Checks are performed during a Separate Peace Scenario (see 0), but the Victory Points on the VP Track will not be used to determine final Victory (they are still used as die roll modifiers, to determine replacements, etc.). There is no "historical" versus "game" victory in an SPE, and there are no Automatic Total Victories. Consider the Automatic Total Victory Box to contain 4 VPs when calculating die roll modifiers, replacements, etc.
Victory is determined solely by the result of a final Victory Point Count. The Western Allied faction scores one VP for each Strategic Hex not occupied by an enemy ground unit or Devastation Marker (including those in neutral Minor Countries) and for each Strategic Hex currently devastated by the Western Allies (via Heavy Bombers or A-bomb attacks). The Axis and Soviet factions score one VP for each non-devastated Strategic Hex occupied by their ground units and for each Strategic Hex currently devastated by their Devastation Markers.
At least seven of a faction's total VP count must come from its own color Strategic Hexes (for the Axis, these Strategic Hexes must also be within five hexes of Berlin) or that faction automatically loses.
Note that there are 9 Soviet, 9 Western Allied, and 18 Axis Strategic Hexes on the map (10 of which are within five hexes of Berlin), for a total of 36.
A faction wins a Decisive Victory if it has fifteen Victory Points. If two factions have fifteen Victory Points, or if no faction has fifteen Victory Points, everybody loses and a new phrase is coined by the press – "Atomic Winter."
19. Minor Country Setup
Most minor countries begin the game neutral. Minor Country units are not set up on the map until their country is activated.
Important: When and if Belgium-Holland is activated, the Paris fortress unit is added to the Delay Box (see 18.2.4).
19.1 Limited Setup
In some cases, the Event Result that calls for activation of a Minor Country will specify Limited Setup.
The country's Reserve corps is placed in the country's capital and the remainder of its units are placed in the controlling faction's Force Pool. This is the full extent of setup allowed – ignore all Normal Setup procedures. Note that Vichy will not be able to set up its Reserve corps if Paris is occupied by enemy units.
When Italy or Vichy France is activated with a Limited Setup, the German-Italian multi-national units (in the case of Italy), and their Naval pieces (if available, in the case of Vichy France, see 12.3.3) are placed in the Delay Box. Italy does receive her four 0-1-2 corps units in Tripoli, Tirana, Tobruk, and Rhodes, but no mobilization die roll for them.
19.2 Normal Setup
Unless specifically mandated to use Limited Setup, a neutral Minor Country always uses Normal Setup when activated.
19.2.1 Procedure. When activated, place the Minor Country's Reserve corps and HQ unit (if any) in the controlling Faction's Force Pool and set up all its remaining ground units within the country's borders, in or adjacent to any city or port in the home country. Note that Austria, Ireland, Denmark-Norway, the Baltic States, Persia, Syria, and Iraq have only Reserve corps units – thus, they have no units to set up on the map when activated with Normal Setup.
- Any units with reduced-strength sides must be placed at reduced strength.
- No stacking is allowed during Minor Country setup.
- Czechoslovakia (Random Campaign Game only) may deploy its mech corps, unstacked, on any hex in Czechoslovakia.
Italy has limits on the setup of certain of its units, as detailed below. These units are placed before the remainder of Italy's units are set up normally (in Italy).
- Four 0-1-2 corps – one each in Tripoli, Tirana, Tobruk, and Rhodes (5th, 9th, 10th, and A(egean) armies, all reduced).
- Convoy Marker – Western or Central Mediterranean, either mode.
- Delay Box: two infantry Ex corps (1st and 8th armies); one mechanized Ex corps; one airborne Ex corps; one Regia Marina Fleet unit; the German-Italian PanzerArmee Afrika; the German-Italian Mediterranean HQ.
Note: the German-Italian units will go into the Axis Force Pool (where they may not ever have a chance to be employed) even if Italy is activated as an Allied Minor Country.
Vichy has specific limits on the setup of its units, detailed below.
- No Mobilization roll (19.2.2) is made for Vichy – the only units that set up on the map are the three 0-1-2 Colonial corps, none of which has a two-step side. These units are set up in any city hexes within the borders of neutral Vichy territory (not in Brest, Bordeaux, or Paris), no more than one per hex (yes, this is an exception to rule 1.4.2).
- The French Reserve corps is placed in the controlling faction's Force Pool.
- If the Axis Coup corps unit is still in the Axis Force Pool, it is flipped to its Free French side and moved to the Western Allied Force Pool when Vichy is activated.
- The following French units are placed in the Delay Box immediately upon Vichy activation: one 3-4-2 army (1st); one 1-2-3 corps (7th Army); one 1-2-3 mech corps; one 1-1-3 Col(onial) corps; (the Free French Coup Corps, but only if it is currently eliminated after Western Allied use;) one Vichy D-Class Convoy Marker*; one Vichy Fleet*.
* Only if Vichy is activated as an Axis Minor Country and that Vichy Naval piece has not already entered the game or been eliminated (by a "Pressures Neutrals" event). If Vichy is activated as an Allied Minor Country, the Vichy Navy is completely and immediately scuttled (removed from the game).
19.2.2 Mobilization Steps. After setting up a Minor Country's units, the controlling player then rolls one die for that country's Mobilization. The die roll result is the number of reduced-strength units that may be flipped to their full-strength sides by the controlling player.
- If more Mobilization steps are called for than can be absorbed by flipping these units to full strength, the excess steps are lost – no additional units (including the country's Reserve corps) can be placed on the map as a result of a Mobilization die roll.
- No Mobilization roll is made for Allied minor countries activated by a Coup D'etat result from the Diplomatic Incident Table.
- No Mobilization roll is made for Vichy.
20. Component Corrections
Some corrections and changes affect various game components. They are listed here.
20.1 Map
- How to trim the map: 1. Set aside the East Map. You don't trim it. 2. Grab the WEST Map and trim it along its long right (east) edge. Cut a straight line a half a hexrow in such that you cut Stockholm and Budapest in half (the long way). This trim will work properly for both sides of the map. 3. That's it!
- Soviet Border War Table Modifiers: [Clarification] It is +1 for each Soviet armor, HQ, or Air Support unit in the Border Region.
- Syria: On the east map, Standard side, Damascus should be a minor capital.
- Cyprus: On the East Map, both sides: the hexes e1713 and e1914 are considered All-Sea hexes. Ignore the little slivers of land in them.
20.2 Counters
- The star symbol on some pieces' upper-left corners denote that they are only used in the Random Campaign Game. The Iraqi Reserve corps should have a star symbol on it.
- The back side of the South Africa corps should read "South Atlantic Box or Commonwealth."
- The "Turkistan" Ceded Border Marker is the "Central Asia Ceded Border Marker" referred to on Soviet Option card #32 (Alternate).
20.3 Force Pool Displays
On the Western Allied Force Pool Display, the fourth organization row mistakenly has its name copied from the second row: "Western Allied HQ (Excluding French & Italian HQs)." In fact, the last organization row should read "French 3rd Republic Mech Army."
20.4 Option Cards
- Printing errors: On some Axis cards, the lightning bolts are solid black instead of red with a black outline. (They're still Blitz cards.)
- German Mobilization: [Change] The Conditional Event should read: If either War & Peace Status Display Box does not contain either a Truce or Policy Marker and a German unit occupies any city outside Greater Germany, place the following...
- Lebensraum: [Change] Add this second sentence to the second case at the top of the Axis Lebensraum card (#8 alternate): If Appeasement has ended, ignore Rule 13.1 (Limited War Effects) for the rest of the game. Also, the Conditional Event should read: If either War & Peace Status Display Box does not contain either a Truce or Policy Marker and a German unit occupies any city outside Greater Germany, place the following...
- Speer Appointed Minister (VITAL): The selection restriction text at the top of the card, below its title, was inadvertently left off. You'll have to add the following extremely important text to this card: "Cannot be selected unless Mobilization Limits has been revealed."
- SS Europa: [Correction] Under the "Delay Box" section of the reinforcements, add "the SS Europa and Reich Annex Markers." Also, there should be a red box around the Seasonal Replacements.
- Axis Surprise Attack: The date at the bottom should be Summer 1941, not 1942.
- Operation Jupiter: [Change] The text at the top of the card should read: 1) Cannot be selected if both Appeasement and the Nazi-Soviet Pact are in effect. 2) Must discard the US Lend-Lease Bill Passed card upon revealing this card. 3) If available, activate as an Axis Minor Country one neutral Minor Country that shares a land border with Greater Germany or any country or Dependent that contains an Axis ground unit.
- Operation Torch & Crusade in Europe: [Change] Replace the word "Vichy" with the word "France." This Conditional Event can occur even if France has never collapsed.
- Pour la Guerre!: [Revision] The first case at the top of the card should read: 1) France is a Western Allied Minor Country that has never been collapsed, conquered, or liberated, or
- Balkan Pact: [Change] The Political Event text should read: If Bulgaria or Turkey is an Axis or Conquered Western Allied Minor Country (but see 6.1), and if the Nazi-Soviet Pact Policy Marker is on the War & Peace Status Display, remove it and replace it with a Negotiation Truce Marker.