Traces of War Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Scale
  • 1.2 Components
  • 1.3 Calculation Conventions
• 2.0 Game Components
  • 2.1 Map
  • 2.2 Combat Units
  • 2.3 Headquarters
  • 2.4 Command Chits
  • 2.5 Markers
  • 2.6 Player Aid Sheets
  • 2.7 Solitaire Track Sheet
• 3.0 Preparation for Play
• 4.0 Sequence of Play
  • 4.1 Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase
  • 4.2 Command Chit Selection Phase
    • 4.2.1 Soviet Chit Selection
    • 4.2.2 Axis Chit Selection
  • 4.3 Action Phase
  • 4.4 Turn End Phase
    • 4.4.1 Victory Determination
    • 4.4.2 Turn Advance
• 5.0 Stacking
• 6.0 Zone Of Control (ZOC)
• 7.0 Luftwaffe Air Support
• 8.0 Supply
  • 8.1 Supply Determination
  • 8.2 Supply Status Effects
• 9.0 Movement
  • 9.1 Normal Movement
  • 9.2 Strategic Movement
  • 9.3 ZOC Effects on Movement
  • 9.4 HQ Voluntary Relocation
• 10.0 Combat
  • 10.1 Combat Procedure
  • 10.2 Combat Ratio Determination
  • 10.3 Combat Results Determination
  • 10.4 Retreat
  • 10.5 Advance After Combat
• 11.0 Reinforcements
  • 11.1 Soviet Reinforcements
  • 11.2 Axis Reinforcements
• 12.0 Special Rules
  • 12.1 Turn 1
  • 12.2 Supreme Command Order
  • 12.3 Crossing Points
• 13.0 Victory Conditions
  • 13.1 Automatic Victory
  • 13.2 Race To The Dnipro (4 Turns)
  • 13.3 Traces of War Campaign (8 Turns)
• 14.0 Optional Rules
  • 14.1 Bid for VP's
  • 14.2 Conversion of Soviet HQs
• 15.0 Historical Notes
  • Ostfront July 1943 to March 1944
  • A word about Erich von Manstein

1.0 Introduction

Traces of War is a two-player game that simulates the intense fighting between Axis and Soviet forces after the battle of Kursk during August 1943 to March 1944. A major Soviet offensive is launched against a German mobile defense. Will the breakthrough be successful?

1.1 Scale

A hex represents roughly 20 kilometers of terrain from side to side. Each turn represents a month. Combat units are divisions for the Axis and corps for the Soviets.

1.2 Components

• Two 20.7"x28" (526x712mm) maps
• 303 – 5/8" (16mm) and 18 – 3/4" (18mm) round counters
• Two player aid sheets
• One solitaire track sheet
• One rulebook
• One 6-sided die

1.3 Calculation Conventions

When halving or quartering, always round fractions down.

EXAMPLES: One half of 3 (1.5) is rounded down to 1. One-quarter of 3 (0.75) is rounded down to 0.

When the combat strengths of stacked units must be halved or quartered, add them up before halving or quartering.

2.0 Game Components

You will need an opaque cup to play this game.

2.1 Map

The map represents the area over which the historical campaign was fought. A grid of hexagons (called hexes) is superimposed upon it to facilitate the positioning and movement of the playing pieces (called counters).

Colored symbols printed on the map show where various Axis and Soviet units must be set up at the start of the game.

The following tracks and boxes are printed on the map:

• The Turn Track is used to record the turn currently in progress and indicates the number of Axis Command Chits per Turn as well as any Game Turn related special rules.
• The VP & CP Track is used to record Soviet Victory Points and Crossing Points under Soviet control.
• The Luftwaffe Box is a holding box for the German Luftwaffe markers.
• The Axis & Soviet Command Chit Pools are used to hold inactive (and already played) Command Chits.

Other symbols and map features:

Breakthrough Hex: The Soviet player receives Victory Points for occupying such a hex with Soviet units.

Supply Source Hex: A hex with a red supply source symbol indicates a supply source for Soviet units; a blue supply source symbol indicates a supply source for Axis units.

Bridge hexsides: A river hexside crossed by a road or railroad is a bridged river hexside. Conversely, a river hexside not crossed by a road or railroad is an unbridged river hexside.

Crossing Point Hex: A hex with a red border indicates a Crossing Point (CP). The number of Soviet controlled CPs influences the outcome from the Luftwaffe Reorganization Table, Negotiation Table, OKH Command Chit Table and the STAVKA Chit Appearance Table.

2.2 Combat Units

The combat units represent the military forces that took part in the historical campaign. They are color-coded by nationality: Soviet, Soviet Guard, Romanian, German, Hungarian.

The numerical ratings and symbols printed on combat units can be read as follows:

Non-Mechanized Units show: Setup Color Indicator, Unit ID, Unit Size, Unit Type, Side Symbol, Combat Strength, Movement Allowance, Reduced Strength Side, Setup Hex, Reduction Strength Indicator.

Mechanized Units show: Setup Color Indicator, Unit ID, Unit Size, Unit Type, Side Symbol, Attack/Defence Strength, Movement Allowance.

Other Indicators: Reinforcement Info, Replacement Unit.

Unit Sizes: XX = Division, XXX = Army Corps.

Non-Mechanized Unit Types: Infantry, Mountain Infantry, Cavalry, Airborne, Security Division.

Mechanized Unit Types: Armor, Mechanized Infantry.

Unit Type: This shows what kind of combat unit it is. All units have NATO symbols, except for armor units for which an additional silhouette option is provided.

Unit ID: This is the historical name of the unit and has no effect on gameplay.

Setup color indicator: This color facilitates setup and has no effect on game play.

Reinforcement Information: A single digit number indicates in which order Soviet units enter play as reinforcements. Axis reinforcements are marked with "AR", "IR" or "PR" to categorize them as Axis Minor, Infantry or Panzer Reinforcements.

Combat Strength: Used to resolve combat. The combat strength of Mechanized units is separated into attack and defense strengths. Non-Mechanized units have a combat strength that is used both in attack and defense.

Movement Allowance: Determines how far the unit can move and is given in Movement Points (MP).

Steps: Indicates how many steps a unit has left. Most combat units have two steps: A full-strength side (front) and a reduced-strength side (back) with decreased combat strength; some only have one step: a full-strength side (their back is blank). When a unit suffers a combat loss, the unit is flipped over to its reduced-strength side or is eliminated if it has no reduced-strength side. Combat units are always set up or enter the game on their full-strength side.

Replacement Indicator: Reserve unit that replaces a (weaker) unit of the same type.

2.3 Headquarters

An HQ unit represents the HQ itself as well as minor combat units under its direct control. HQ units have a Zone of Control (ZOC), move, advance, retreat and conduct combat as normal combat units with a few exceptions:

General:

• Only one HQ unit may stack within normal stacking limitations. An HQ unit may pass over another HQ unit during movement.
• An HQ unit is relocated if it is destroyed in combat or if it cannot trace a line of supply to a friendly supply source.
• An activated HQ can be moved by relocation instead of using normal movement.

Relocation: The new destination hex must meet the following conditions:

• Must be at least five hexes away from the initial hex.
• Must not be in an EZOC.
• The HQ must be able to trace a line of supply to a friendly supply source.

Note: The relocation of an HQ comes at a cost in VPs (2/-2 VP)! Only for the Traces of War Campaign scenario.

The numerical ratings and symbols printed on HQ units are similar to those on combat units, except for the following:

HQ Units show: HQ Type, HQ ID, Command Range.

HQ Types: Soviet Front, German Army, German Panzer Army.

HQ Type: This is only for historical information. Armor HQs operate exactly as other HQs.

Command Range: This rating is used to determine which combat units the HQ can activate. It indicates the Command Range in hexes and does not extend across blocked hexsides. Supply status, enemy units, or enemy ZOCs have no effect on Command Range.

Determine Command Range at the instant an HQ is activated: Activated units may later leave the HQ's Command Range as a result of movement, retreat, or advance after combat.

Soviet HQ ID Abbreviations: Vrnz = Voronezh, SW = South West, Step = Steppe, Sth = South, 1stUKR = 1st Ukrainian Front, 2ndUKR = 2nd Ukrainian Front, 3rdUKR = 3rd Ukrainian Front, 4thUKR = 4th Ukrainian Front.

Axis HQ ID Abbreviations: A = Armee, PzA = Panzer Armee.

Command Range Example: Unit A is outside of Command Range. Units B and C are within Command Range, which is not blocked by EZOCs or units. Unit D is also within Command Range, though the traced route is longer due to a blocked hexside.

2.4 Command Chits

HQ Command Chits are used to activate specific HQs, which in turn allows combat units within their Command Range to move and attack. Each turn, a number of Axis and Soviet Command Chits are placed in a cup, from which they are randomly drawn one by one.

There is at least one corresponding Command Chit for each HQ in the game.

Other Command Chits for special game phases or events are:

• Supply Chit (see 8.0).
• Axis OKH Chit (2x) (see 4.2.2).
• Soviet Reinforcements Chit (see 11.1).
• Soviet Airborne Chit (see 11.1).
• Soviet STAVKA Chit: When drawn, the Soviet player may choose any one of his HQs to get activated.

2.5 Markers

• Game Turn marker: Used on the Turn Track to record the current turn.
• Victory Point marker: Used to mark the current amount of Soviet Victory Points on the VP & CP Track.
• Controlled Crossing Points marker: Used to mark the current amount of Soviet-controlled Crossing Points (CPs) on the VP & CP Track.
• Soviet Control markers: Used on the map to mark major cities and crossing points that are under Soviet control.
• Out of Supply/Isolated marker: Used when a unit is not able to trace a valid supply line to a friendly supply source. Grey and red versions of this marker are provided to be used on Axis and Soviet units, respectively.
• Luftwaffe markers: Luftwaffe markers are only available to the Axis player and abstractly represent the Axis aviation forces that supported the ground war on the Eastern Front.
• Supreme Command Order marker: Marks a major city that the Axis player must hold "at all cost".

2.6 Player Aid Sheets

Several charts and tables are printed on the player aids:

• The Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) provides a map key and shows the effects of the different terrain features on movement and combat.
• The Combat Results Table (CRT) is used to resolve combats.
• The Luftwaffe Reorganization Table indicates the number of Luftwaffe markers available to the Axis player and is based on the number of Soviet controlled Crossing Points (CPs).
• The Negotiation Table indicates the number of Negotiation Points (NPs) available to the Axis player and is based on the number of Soviet controlled Crossing Points (CPs).
• The NP Costs Table indicates the number of NPs the Axis player must spend to cancel a Supreme Command Order or to receive reinforcements.
• The OKH Command Chit Table indicates the number of unit activations available to the Axis player when playing the OKH Chit and is based on the number of Soviet controlled Crossing Points (CPs).
• The STAVKA Chit Appearance Table indicates if the STAVKA Chit is available in the current turn and is based on the number of Soviet controlled Crossing Points (CPs).

2.7 Solitaire Track Sheet

This sheet contains information and tracks as they appear on each player's map side, for ease of use when playing solitaire.

3.0 Preparation for Play

• Both players decide on a side to play and set up their forces according to the setup markings on the map (alternatively using the setup information on the counter backside). Soviet HQs are placed on their weaker "Front" version (not on their "Ukr" version).

Note: There are two sets of counters for Armor units: one with NATO symbols, and one with silhouettes. Use only one of the sets, not both.

• The Game Turn marker is placed on the first turn box on the Turn Track. The Soviet Airborne Chit is placed in the Turn 3 box, the STAVKA Chit is placed in the Turn 5 box and both German OKH Chits are placed in the Turn 2 box.
• All other Soviet Command Chits are placed in the Soviet Command Chit Pool Inactive box.
• All other Axis Command Chits are placed in the Axis Command Chit Pool Inactive box.
• The German Luftwaffe markers get placed in the Luftwaffe holding box.
• Supply: When the game starts, all units on the map are in supply (8.0).
• Supreme Command Order markers are placed on the following cities: Kharkiv (2634), Kyiv (2918), Odesa (0218), Ternopil (2305), Stalino (1338), Dnipropetrovsk (1631).
• The Axis player places the three German Security Divisions in any of his major city hexes (one each).
• All reinforcement units are placed in their respective holding boxes.
• All other markers such as supply, etc. are set aside for later use.

4.0 Sequence of Play

The following sequence of phases constitute a game turn and is repeated until the last turn has been played or until the specific scenario or victory conditions have been met (13.0).

The Action Phase is repeated until all selected Command Chits have been played.

1. Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase
2. Command Chit Selection Phase
3. Action Phase
4. Turn End Phase

Sequence of Play summary:

1. Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase
2. Command Chit Selection Phase
3. Action Phase
   • HQ Command Chit
     1. Action Mode
     2. Action
   • Supply
   • Soviet Reinforcement
   • Soviet Airborne
   • STAVKA
   • OKH
     • OKH Order
     • Interrupting Order
4. Turn End Phase
   1. Victory Determination
   2. Turn Advance

4.1 Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase

The Axis player (only) determines if any Luftwaffe markers are available for the current turn by referencing the Luftwaffe Reorganization Table.

4.2 Command Chit Selection Phase

Both players secretly select a given number of their available Command Chits and put them into the same cup. The Axis player can put any number of his selected Chits into the cup, and hold the others in his hand: those in hand may be added to the cup at any point during the Action Phase, and in the case of OKH Chits, they may also be played from hand as an Interrupting Order (4.2.2). The Soviet player must enter all selected Chits into the cup (Exception: Special combat activation in Turn 1, see 12.1).

The Supply Chit is common to both players and must be added to the cup each turn (8.0). The remaining Command Chits are placed face down in the player's Inactive Command Chit holding boxes and are not used this turn.

Note: Players may never check the Command Chits in the cup or the opponent's Inactive Command Chit pool.

4.2.1 Soviet Chit Selection

Soviet Chit Pool Composition: 4 Front Chits (x2 each, one for each Front: Voronezh, Steppe, South West, South), 1 Soviet Reinforcements Chit (x1), 1 Soviet Airborne Chit (x1, from GT3 onwards), 1 STAVKA Chit (x1, from GT5 onwards).

The Soviet player selects six of his available Chits every turn. Four of them must be Soviet Front Chits, one for each Front. If the STAVKA Chit is available, it may be selected instead of one of those Soviet Front Chits. The other two chits may be any other chits (Front, Reinforcement, Airborne, STAVKA).

The Soviet Airborne Chit (11.1) can only be selected once during the game and only from Turn 3 onwards.

The STAVKA Chit is available depending on the current turn and the current number of Soviet-controlled CPs. To find out if the STAVKA Chit is available, reference the STAVKA Chit Appearance Table.

Examples: In Turn 5, the STAVKA Chit is available only if the Soviet player controls no CPs at all. If the player controls one CP, then the 6 Soviets chits must be: 1x Voronezh (1st Ukranian), 1x Steppe (2nd Ukr), 1x SWest (3rd Ukr), 1x South (4th Ukr), and any other 2 chits.

In Turn 6 the STAVKA Chit is available only if the Soviet player controls up to one CP. If the player controls one CP, then STAVKA is available, and the 6 Soviets chits may be 3 different Front Chits (for example 1x Voronezh, 1x SWest, 1x South), STAVKA, and any other 2 chits.

STAVKA effectively allows you to skip one front for one turn to concentrate on the others.

4.2.2 Axis Chit Selection

Axis Chit Pool Composition: HQ Command Chits (x1 each), Axis OKH Chits (x2, from GT2 onwards).

The Axis player selects the number of Chits as indicated on the Turn Track for the current turn. This number varies from three to five.

The OKH Chits become available in Turn 2. They can be played in one of the following two ways:

• If the Chit is drawn from the cup, all options of the OKH Chit are available (see below).
• If the Chit has not been placed in the cup yet, it can be played as an Interrupting Order directly from the Axis player's hand. This cancels and places the just drawn Chit back into the cup and allows the Axis player to immediately activate any one HQ of his choice or to conduct an OKH Command.

OKH Chit Options (drawn / played from):

• HQ Activation: available from Cup, and from Hand (as Interrupting Order).
• OKH Command: available from Cup, and from Hand (as Interrupting Order).
• Sup. Command Negotiation: available from Cup only, not available from Hand.

Whenever the OKH Chit gets drawn, the Axis player can choose between the following options (considering the restrictions above):

1. HQ Activation: Any one HQ of the Axis player's choice can now be activated.
2. OKH Command: The Axis player may activate a number of his units as given in the OKH Command Table, depending on the number of CPs currently under Soviet control. Those units can be freely chosen at will, independently from any Command Range restrictions.
3. Supreme Command Negotiation: The Axis player receives a number of Negotiation Points as given in the Negotiation Table and depending on the number of CPs currently under Soviet control. These NPs can now be spent to bring in reinforcements (11.2) or to lift a Supreme Command Order (12.2). The costs to do so are given in the NP Costs Table.

4.3 Action Phase

A Command Chit is drawn randomly from the cup. The player to whom the Chit belongs becomes the active player.

Exception: The Supply Chit belongs to both players.

Here is an overview of the different possible actions depending on the just drawn Chit:

1. HQ Command Chit

Activates the respective HQ. When an HQ is activated, all combat units within its Command Range are activated. An Axis HQ (only) can activate another HQ within its Command Range (although this HQ cannot then activate other units).

The activation procedure goes as follows:

1.1 Action Mode Selection

The active player now selects an Action Mode (Movement-Combat or Combat-Movement).

1.2 Actions

The active player conducts movement and combat with all activated units according to the selected Action Mode. See Movement (9.0) and Combat (10.0).

2. Supply Check

Both players must check if their units can trace a line of supply to a friendly supply source (8.1).

3. Soviet Reinforcements

The Soviet player receives reinforcements (11.1).

4. Soviet Airborne Chit

The Soviet player receives airborne reinforcements through an airborne operation (11.1).

5. STAVKA Chit

The Soviet player can choose any one of his HQs to be activated (as in HQ Command Chit above).

6. OKH Chit

The Axis player can choose to either activate any one of his HQs (as in HQ Command Chit above), activate units directly via OKH Command (according to the OKH Command Table) or perform a Supreme Command Negotiation to receive reinforcements and/or lift a Supreme Command Order (see 12.2).

7. Interrupting Order

If the Axis player still holds an OKH Chit in his hand, he can cancel any drawn non-Supply Command Chit and place the just drawn Chit back into the cup. Then he chooses to either activate any one of his HQs (as in HQ Command Chit above) or activate units directly via OKH Command (according to the OKH Command Table).

At the end of the Action Phase (after all Chits have been drawn from the cup and no more are held in the Axis Player's hand), all unused Luftwaffe markers get placed back into the Luftwaffe box.

4.4 Turn End Phase

4.4.1 Victory Determination

Each scenario has its own victory conditions as given in the scenario details:

• Race To The Dnipro (13.2).
• Traces Of War Campaign (13.3).

4.4.2 Turn Advance

If the last game turn has not been played yet, advance the Game Turn marker to the next box on the Turn Track and start the next game turn.

5.0 Stacking

Having two or more friendly units in the same hex is called stacking.

The stacking limit is checked at the moment reinforcement units are placed on the map, and whenever a unit finishes its movement, retreat or advance after combat. Stacking limits do not apply during movement.

• A maximum of two combat units (full- or reduced-strength) and one HQ can occupy a single hex.
• Axis allies can be stacked in any combination.
• An HQ cannot be stacked with another HQ. An HQ is relocated if it ends up with another HQ at the end of movement or combat (2.3).
• Soviet and Axis units can never share the same hex.
• Important: The Soviet Airborne marker has no effect on stacking.

6.0 Zone Of Control (ZOC)

All combat units exert a ZOC into their six surrounding hexes. HQs also exert a ZOC.

A ZOC extends across all major river hexsides. The only exceptions are that ZOCs do not extend across blocked hexsides. Two or more ZOCs overlapping in one hex have the same effect as a single ZOC. ZOCs affect supply lines, movement, retreat, and reinforcement placement as noted in the respective rules sections. Command Range is not impacted by ZOCs at all.

7.0 Luftwaffe Air Support

The Luftwaffe may provide air support in combat and is only available to the Axis player. The number of available Luftwaffe markers (randomly drawn from the Luftwaffe Pool) is determined by the current number of Soviet controlled CPs.

In the Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase, the Axis player randomly selects the specified number of markers from the four available in the Luftwaffe box. The drawn markers can only be checked by the Axis player, and he can choose to use them before any combat die roll is performed.

When a marker has been used, it is returned to the Luftwaffe Pool. At the end of the Action Phase, any remaining unused markers are returned to the Luftwaffe box.

The Offensive Air Support (AS) marker allows a two-column shift to the right on the CRT. Example: 2-1 is modified to 4-1.

The Defensive AS marker allows a minus two Die Roll Modifier (DRM) to the combat die roll on the CRT.

Example: A roll of 4 is reduced to 2. A modified die roll less than one is treated as one.

8.0 Supply

If the Supply Chit is drawn, both players must now check the supply status of all their units.

8.1 Supply Determination

Supply Lines: A supply line is a series of adjacent hexes going from a unit to a friendly supply source and is used for the judgment of the supply state and placement of reinforcements. There is no limit to the number of hexes a supply line can pass through. However, it cannot pass through an enemy occupied hex, an enemy ZOC (which however can be negated by the presence of a friendly combat unit or HQ), an unbridged major river hexside, a blocked hexside or an enemy-controlled city hex.

At the start of the game, all cities are Axis controlled. Control of a city hex is considered changed as soon as an enemy unit enters the hex.

A unit is in supply if it can trace a supply line to a friendly supply source, if not, it is marked with an Out of Supply marker. A unit that already has an Out of Supply marker is considered Isolated and the marker gets flipped to its Isolated side. If a unit already has an Isolated marker, it keeps it and suffers no additional penalties.

In supply, out of supply, and isolation status is in effect until the next game turn when the Supply Chit is drawn and the supply status is checked again.

If a unit marked with an Out of Supply or Isolated marker can trace a supply line when the supply status is checked, the marker is removed.

All HQs found to be out of supply must be relocated (2.3).

When the game starts, all units on the map are considered to be in supply.

Supply Line Example: Unit A's (Axis 17Pz) supply line is blocked by 9M's ZOC and blocked hexsides. Unit B (Axis 15) is able to trace a supply line through 46 and 223. Unit C's (Soviet 73) supply line is blocked at hex 0620 by 161 and 15's ZOC. Unit D's (Soviet 66) is able to trace a supply line through units 23Tk and 9M, which allow the line to be traced through the bridged major river hexside.

8.2 Supply Status Effects

In Supply:

• All units in supply operate normally.

Out of Supply:

• Attack strength is reduced by 2 (cannot be negative). Movement allowance is not affected.

Isolated:

• Combat strength (Attack strength and Defense strength) is reduced by 2 (cannot be negative) and Movement allowance is halved.

9.0 Movement

The active player can move an activated HQ and all activated combat units.

Units are moved one at a time. A unit cannot start moving until the previous unit has completed its move. A unit can't finish its movement in a hex where the stacking limit is exceeded. Units are moved by either Normal Movement or Strategic Movement.

A unit may not move off-map, or across a blocked hexside.

9.1 Normal Movement

In the Movement Segment, each activated unit may use all, some, or none of its Movement Points (MPs). Unused MPs are lost.

To enter an adjacent hex, a unit must spend the MP cost of the hex as indicated by the TEC, adding any hexside costs, if applicable. A unit cannot enter a hex if it has insufficient remaining MPs.

Rivers: To cross an unbridged minor river, a unit must spend one MP in addition to the normal MP cost to enter the hex. To cross an unbridged major river, a unit must start its movement adjacent to the river and spend all its MPs to enter the hex.

Road or railroad: A unit spends one MP per hex when moving from one road/railroad hex to another, regardless of terrain. A river hexside crossed by a road or railroad is considered to be a bridged river hexside and the MP costs for crossing the river are negated.

Normal Movement Example: The Axis infantry unit has 5 MPs. Hex A: 1 MP for moving to a clear hex and +2 MPs for leaving an EZOC and another +2 MPs for entering an EZOC (using all its MPs). Hex B and C cannot be entered due to EZOC movement restrictions on marsh and major rivers.

9.2 Strategic Movement

A unit using a road to enter an adjacent hex along this particular road expends only 0.5 MPs instead of the normal MP cost of the terrain if the following conditions are met:

• The unit must start its movement in a hex containing a road and keep moving along a road during its entire movement.
• The unit must neither start its movement in an EZOC nor enter an EZOC during its entire movement.

9.3 ZOC Effects on Movement

Enemy ZOCs (EZOCs) affect movement in the following ways: Entering or leaving a hex in an enemy ZOC costs a unit two additional MPs. These extra costs are cumulative.

Crossing a major river hexside is not allowed if the hexes on each side of the river (the hex in which the unit starts and the one it wants to enter) are in enemy ZOCs, even if the river hexside is a bridged hexside, and even if there are friendly units in the enemy ZOCs.

A move into a swamp hex is subject to some special restrictions. A unit must start its movement adjacent to the swamp hex and must end its movement as soon as it enters it. This move is not allowed if both hexes are EZOC hexes. These special restrictions are not applied when entering a swamp hex along a road hexside.

ZOC Effects on Movement Example: An Axis infantry unit with a movement allowance of 5 moves to hex A using 3.5 MPs if using strategic movement. If hex B is occupied by an enemy unit, the Axis unit cannot enter hex C if using strategic movement, nor using normal movement (that would cost 6 MPs: 3 to reach hex 3020, 1 to enter C and 2 to enter EZOC).

9.4 HQ Voluntary Relocation

An activated HQ may move by Normal Movement and by Strategic Movement. However, the HQ may also be voluntarily relocated with the destination hex meeting the restrictions of 2.3 (and the loss of VPs in the Campaign Scenario).

10.0 Combat

In combat, the active player is termed the Attacker and the other player is termed the Defender. The active player can attack adjacent enemy units.

A single activated unit can participate in only one combat in the same activation.

Two units stacked in the same hex may attack two different hexes separately.

Non-activated units cannot participate in attacks, even if adjacent to a defending hex.

Combat is voluntary; activated units are not forced to attack enemy units.

Each hex can only be attacked once in each activation. Units in two or more hexes adjacent to the same hex can make a combined attack; their attack strengths are added together, and only one combat is resolved.

If several enemy units are stacked in the attacked hex, the Attacker must attack all of them. Their defense strengths are added together.

A unit cannot attack across a blocked hexside.

10.1 Combat Procedure

Combats are resolved one by one, in the order of the Attacker's choice and according to the following procedure.

1. Declare which hex is attacked by which units.
2. Determine the total attack and defense strengths and calculate the combat ratio.
3. The Axis player may declare any use of Luftwaffe air support (7.0).
4. Modify the combat ratio with any column shift modifiers.
5. Roll one die on the CRT and modify it with any DRMs.
6. Apply the combat result.

10.2 Combat Ratio Determination

Attack and Defense Strengths: To resolve combat, first combine the attack strengths of the Attacker's participating units.

Then combine the defense strengths of the Defender's participating units.

Several factors can affect attack and defense strengths:

• Units attacking across a river hexside (bridged or unbridged) halve their attack strength. If combat involves units that attack across a river hexside and units that do not, only those attacking across the river hexside halve their attack strength.
• Each unit that is Out of Supply reduces its attack strength by 2 (not below 0).
• Each Isolated unit has its attack or defense strength reduced by 2 (not below 0).

Terrain effects are cumulative with supply effects. When two units are stacked in a hex and their combat strengths must be halved, first add them up before halving (or quartering) and then round them down.

Combat Ratio: The total attack strength divided by total defense strength gives the Combat Ratio. When calculating ratios, fractions are rounded down to either the nearest column on the CRT or (when above 10-1) the nearest whole ratio.

Examples: 15:5 gives a 3–1 Combat Ratio. 26:9 gives a 2–1 Combat Ratio. 12:7 gives a 1.5–1 Combat Ratio. 18:13 gives a 1–1 Combat Ratio. 25:2 gives a 10–1 Combat Ratio.

Ratio Shifts: When occupied by the Defender's units, some terrain types provide favorable ratio shifts (see TEC).

When the Offensive AS marker is used, the Axis player gets a favorable ratio shift of two columns to the right (for example, 2-1 is modified to 4-1).

A combat ratio above 10–1 is reduced to the 10-1+ column. Any ratio shifts are cumulative.

Examples: A rough hex with a town provides two ratio shifts down in favor of the Defender, and thus a 3–1 attack would be reduced to 1.5–1 (first shift to 2–1, second shift to 1.5–1), 12–1 would be reduced to 8–1.

If the final Combat Ratio is less than 1–1 after any shifts from terrain are applied (do not apply the Offensive AS yet), the attack is not possible. If it is greater than 10–1, the combat is resolved on the 10–1+ column of the CRT.

If the total defense strength in a hex is reduced to 0 by rounding down or due to any Out of Supply / Isolation effects, the combat is automatically resolved on the 10–1+ column of the CRT, regardless of any possible terrain ratio shifts.

10.3 Combat Results Determination

Once the final Combat Ratio has been computed, the Attacker rolls one die and reads the result on the corresponding line in the appropriate column of the CRT.

When the Defensive AS marker is used, the die roll result is reduced by two. A modified die roll of less than one is treated as one.

Step Losses: Remove one step by flipping a full-strength unit to its reduced-strength side or by eliminating a reduced-strength unit or a unit with no reduced-strength side. The owning player allocates step losses. Eliminated combat units are removed from the game. Eliminated HQs are relocated.

Example: If two full-strength (2-step) units in the same hex suffer a 2-step loss, the owning player can eliminate one unit, or flip both units to their reduced-strength side.

10.4 Retreat

Units affected by 'R' or 'RR' results must retreat one or two hexes after combat.

A retreat is not considered normal movement; retreating units do not expend MPs. Units in a stack that is forced to retreat can split up and retreat into different hexes.

Retreat Restrictions:

A retreating unit always retreats in such a way as to enter the fewest hexes in enemy ZOCs (and thus to suffer the fewest step losses). Every unit forced to retreat into an enemy ZOC (even if this ZOC contains friendly units) must lose one additional step.

Should step losses be equal using various retreat paths, a retreating unit must satisfy as many as possible of the following conditions:

1. Each hex entered is closer to anyone friendly supply source.
2. The stacking limit is not exceeded in the last hex of the retreat. The previous condition takes precedence over this if both cannot be satisfied.

Stacking Limits: If a unit exceeds the stacking limit in the last hex of a retreat, it must retreat one additional hex, within the above restrictions. If it exceeds the stacking limit in this new hex, it must retreat into another hex, etc.

Terrain: Minor river hexsides have no effect on retreats.

Major river hexsides have the following effects on retreats:

• Retreating across an unbridged major river hexside is allowed only if the unit starts its retreat adjacent to the hexside.
• Retreating across a major river hexside is not allowed if the hexes on each side of the river (the hex in which the unit starts and the one it enters) are in enemy ZOCs, even if the river hexside is a bridged hexside, and even if there are friendly units in the enemy ZOCs.

Units forced to retreat off-map, into enemy occupied hexes, or across blocked hexsides are eliminated.

Combat Example: The Soviet player decides to attack hex 1731 (which is adjacent to several of his units), and declares his intent to the Axis player. Hex 1731 contains Unit A.

He chooses to do a combined attack with units B, C, D, and E which are stacked in hexes 1732 and 1833.

He proceeds to calculate the attack and defense strengths of the involved units: units B, C, D, and E total 20 attack points, against unit A's 3 defense points.

The attacker has 20 attack points in total, while the defender has 3 defense points, making the combat ratio 6.67 to 1, rounded down to 6-1 (before applying column shifts).

The Axis player could choose now to use defensive air support (which provides a DRM of -2) but he has no markers available to deploy in this combat.

Hex 1731 is a Town hex, which gives a column shift in favor of the defenders. The column to be used is now the 5-1 ratio one.

The Soviet player now rolls on the CRT to determine the combat result. He rolls a 5 which gives a result of 1RR when referencing the correct column and row in the CRT. The result means Unit A loses a step (it's flipped to its reduced side), and in addition, it must retreat 2 hexes, avoiding EZOCs while doing so.

Unit A retreats 2 hexes, to 1630. The retreat path does not put it closer to a friendly supply source, but it is the only one that allows it to avoid any EZOC. Hex 1731 is left vacant, and the Soviet player is allowed an advance after combat into it, moving units B and C into it. Unit C is mechanized, making it able to advance 2 hexes, but remains with Unit B. Units E and D are also allowed to advance, but the Soviet player decides to keep them in hex 1732. (Unit D can't enter because stacking limits, and units E could enter and then advance to 1632, but decides not to).

10.5 Advance After Combat

If an attacked hex becomes empty as a result of combat (all defending units either retreated or were eliminated), the attacking units may advance one or two hexes:

• Non-mechanized combat units may advance one hex.
• Mechanized combat units may advance one or two hexes (even if the Defender only retreated one hex).
• HQs may advance with any combat units they are stacked with.

Advance after combat is optional; the Attacker may advance all, some, or none of the attacking units.

Advance after combat is not considered normal movement. Advancing units do not expend MPs and enemy ZOCs are ignored.

The first hex of an advance must be the attacked hex. There is no limitation as to the second hex of the advance, except that units cannot advance across blocked hexsides, or off-map.

Mechanized units that participated in the same combat can end their advance in different hexes.

Major River hexsides: A mechanized unit that crossed an unbridged major river hexside on its first hex of its advance after combat must stop and cannot advance a second hex. A mechanized unit cannot cross an unbridged major river hexside on its second hex of advance after combat.

It is prohibited to advance:

• outside of the map.
• across a blocked hexside.
• across a major river hexside without a bridge in its second advance hex.
• if the stacking limit is exceeded in the last advance after combat hex.

11.0 Reinforcements

Both sides receive their reinforcements in different ways.

The Soviet player receives reinforcements when the Soviet Reinforcement Chit or the Airborne Command Chit is drawn from the cup. The Axis player receives reinforcements when playing the OKH Chit for a Supreme Command Negotiation.

Combat units and HQs received as reinforcements are placed on any railroad hex that can trace a continuous railroad route, unblocked by enemy ZOCs or enemy units (including HQs) or an enemy-controlled major city hex to a friendly supply source.

A unit can't be placed in a hex where the stacking limit would be exceeded. They can be placed in hexes out of the Command Range of friendly HQs. Friendly units do not negate EZOCs for the purpose of placement.

11.1 Soviet Reinforcements

Regular Reinforcements Chit:

Reinforcements arrive in a specific order. The order of arrival is indicated by a black single digit number in a white box in the upper left corner of a unit.

Note: This number does not represent a specific game turn!

Example: A unit marked "1" is available when the reinforcement chit is drawn the 1st time; place per reinforcement rules. A unit marked "6" is available when the reinforcement chit is drawn the 6th time; place per reinforcement rules.

Replacement:

Reinforcements with a reinforcement number in a black box in the upper left and a black corner in the upper left enter the game according to the indicated arrival number but as a replacement unit. This means that any unit of the same type can be replaced (anywhere on the map but not Out of Supply or Isolated). Remove the replaced unit from the game.

Example: A unit marked "4" (replacement) is available when the reinforcement chit is drawn the 4th time. Replaces a unit on the map of the same type.

Reinforcement by Airborne Chit:

When the Soviet Airborne Command Chit is drawn, the Soviet player receives the reinforcements that are next in order of arrival, as if a Regular Reinforcement Chit had been drawn. Then, the Chit becomes a marker (Airborne Bridgehead marker), and the Soviet player places it in any hex on the map, within eight hexes from a Soviet unit that is in supply, together with the Soviet paratrooper unit (18G).

The Airborne Bridgehead marker:

• has no effect on stacking limits.
• is treated as a Soviet supply source (except for placing reinforcements).
• is destroyed if an Axis combat unit enters the hex.
• cannot be moved.
• counts as a Soviet controlled Crossing Point (CP), even if it's destroyed.

11.2 Axis Reinforcements

The Axis player receives reinforcements when playing the OKH Chit for a Supreme Command Negotiation and spending Negotiation Points as indicated on the NP Costs Table.

Negotiation Point Costs Table:

• Lift Supreme Command Order: 3 Pts
• Receive a Panzer Reinforcement: 2 Pts
• Receive an Infantry Reinforcement: 1 Pt
• Receive an Axis Minors Reinforcement: 0.5 Pt

12.0 Special Rules

12.1 Turn 1

Just after the Luftwaffe Reorganization Phase, and before the Command Chit Selection Phase of the first turn (only), the Soviet player chooses 1 of his HQ and their units in range. All activated units can initiate combat (only, not movement). After this special combat phase, proceed to the Command Chit Selection Phase.

At the start of the game, all units on the map are in supply.

12.2 Supreme Command Order

Units in a major city under a Supreme Command Order will ignore retreat combat results as follows:

• R: Is converted to 1 step loss.
• RR: Is converted to 2 step losses.

When the OKH Chit is drawn from the cup and played as a Supreme Command Negotiation, a Supreme Command Order on a major city can be lifted by spending 3 Negotiation Points (the Supreme Command Order marker is removed from play).

If a major city hex under unlifted Supreme Command Order is ever under Soviet control, the Soviet player declares an automatic victory and the game ends immediately.

12.3 Crossing Points

There are six locations along the Dnipro river that are considered to be Crossing Points (CPs).

The number of CPs that are under control by the Soviet player is used to determine:

• Luftwaffe Reorganization
• Supreme Command Negotiation
• OKH Command
• STAVKA Chit Appearance

Note: there is a 7th Crossing Point, the Airborne Chit, that once placed on the map it counts as a Crossing Point controlled by the Soviet player for the rest of the game, even if it's destroyed.

All Crossing Point hexes are controlled by the Axis player when the game starts. A Crossing Point hex is controlled by the Soviet player when one of the following conditions is fulfilled:

• A Soviet unit enters the Crossing Point hex.
• A Soviet unit is within 2 hexes from an unoccupied, Axis controlled, Crossing Point hex.

Exception: The Crossing Points at hex 1826 and 1827 are assumed to be controlled by the Soviet player only when there is a Soviet unit in Kremenchuck (1926) and the Crossing Point hexes are unoccupied by Axis units or when they are entered by a Soviet unit.

Once a Crossing Point becomes controlled by the Soviet player it remains so until the end of the game, even when left vacant by Soviet units or re-occupied by an Axis unit. This is also true even in the case of the Airborne Bridgehead marker being destroyed by Axis combat units, it still counts as a controlled CP for the rest of the game (although it's not on map after that).

During Turns 7 and 8, all Crossing Points are assumed to be controlled by the Soviet player if the Crossing Point hexes are unoccupied by Axis units, no matter the presence of any Soviet units.

13.0 Victory Conditions

13.1 Automatic Victory

If a major city hex under Supreme Command Order gets Soviet controlled, the Soviet player declares an automatic victory and the game ends immediately.

13.2 Race To The Dnipro (4 Turns)

At the end of Turn 4, the following conditions will be used to determine victory. In this scenario only the Soviet player acquires VPs.

Soviet victory: 50 VPs or more.

Axis victory: less than 50 VPs.

The Soviet player receives VPs as follows:

• Each CP under Soviet control (not the Airborne marker!): 5 VPs
• Each mechanized unit west of the Dnipro able to trace a line of supply: 1 VP
• Each non-mechanized unit west of the Dnipro able to trace a line of supply: ½ VP
• Each mechanized unit west of the Dnipro unable to trace a line of supply: ½ VP
• Each non-mechanized unit west of the Dnipro unable to trace a line of supply: ¼ VP

13.3 Traces of War Campaign (8 Turns)

The Soviet player wins with 65 or more Victory Points at the end of any turn.

The Axis player wins if the above condition has not been met at the end of turn 8.

The Soviet player receives VPs as follows:

• Controlling a major city: 8 VPs
• For each destroyed German Panzer unit: 2 VP
• For each destroyed German non-Panzer unit: 1 VP
• For each destroyed Axis Minor unit: 0 VP
• For each German HQ relocation: 2 VP
• For each Soviet HQ relocation: -2 VPs
• For each Soviet unit occupying a Breakthrough hex: 5 VPs

If a unit cannot trace a line of supply at the end of the game, it is treated as destroyed.

14.0 Optional Rules

14.1 Bid for VP's

Both players declare the amount of Victory Points which the Soviet player needs to win.

The player with the highest bid becomes the Soviets player and the highest bid is the amount of Victory Points he needs to win. Anything less, the Axis player wins.

14.2 Conversion of Soviet HQs

At the beginning of Turn 4 the Soviet Front HQ units are replaced by their "Ukrainian Military Front" version and become HQs with higher combat strengths and higher movement allowances.

15.0 Historical Notes

Ostfront July 1943 to March 1944

Immediately following the Battle of Kursk, the Soviet Southwest and Southern Fronts began an offensive against German Army Group South on 17 July 1943 on the Donets near Isjum and on the Mius. After the Wehrmacht was forced to move a strong force from the east to the south due to the Allied landing on Sicily in late July, the major offensive expanded to cover almost the entire Eastern Front between the Sea of Azov and the upper Dnipro. The superior Soviet armament potential, with 8,400 Soviet tanks to 2,300 German tanks, and the reservoir of reserves were of decisive importance. Moreover, the fighting strength of the German infantry divisions had been reduced by about half due to killed and wounded.

With the help of an immense artillery effort, the Soviets broke through the German positions on all sections of the front. At the end of August, the Wehrmacht had to abandon Kharkov. In a few weeks, the Red Army recaptured the economically important Donets Basin and the particularly embattled Kuban bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula. In a rush, the Soviets threw the Germans back some 250 kilometers to the west in the southern section of the Eastern Front by November. On November 6, they liberated Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, which had been occupied by German troops since September 1941. Between Gomel and Saproshye, Soviet units stood on the western bank of the Dnipro River after crossing it.

South of Velikiye Luki at the junction of German Army Groups North and Center, the Red Army cut a deep gap in the German front, which it was able to use for decisive advances to the west in the winter offensive of 1943/44.

In November 1943, posters commemorating the 20th anniversary of the defeat of the Hitler putsch still proclaimed the final victory of the German Reich to the German population with slogans of perseverance. However, with a massive attack near Kiev in the direction of Shitomir, the Soviet winter offensive against Army Group South under Erich von Manstein began on December 24, 1943, pushing the Soviets far to the west. Over the next few days, the offensive extended across the entire southern section of the Eastern Front. Against the Red Army advancing with strong tank formations, the German troops succeeded in defending their positions only for a short time.

In early January 1944, the Soviets crossed the old Polish interwar border in Volhynia to Kowel and Luzk. On February 11, they captured the transportation hub of Shepetovka west of Kiev. South of the Pripjet Marshes, they thus drove a wedge over 300 kilometers long between German Army Groups South and Center. By an encircling movement southward toward Vinnitsa and Uman, the Red Army on January 28, 1943, trapped two German army corps standing near Cherkassy. What followed was arguably the largest breakout operation of World War II, a "wandering pocket." Similar to Stalingrad, some 220,000 men were trapped. But Manstein, through a surprising maneuver, managed to rescue almost all of them from the encirclement and break out to the west. Although Nazi propaganda celebrated the breakout of the only lightly armed and completely exhausted troops as a heroic deed and proof of an unbroken German fighting spirit, it had been undertaken against Adolf Hitler's explicit orders. With the motto "Hold or die," Hitler strictly rejected any retreat even in completely hopeless situations. With the Fuehrer's order No. 11, for the formation of the so-called "firm squares", the disintegration of the "rigid" defense followed. Behind the order, however, lay an almost adventurous two-front strategy. In the summer of 1944 - while keeping the Eastern Front static - all available troops were first to crush the invasion of the Western powers on the Atlantic. Subsequently, the Ukraine was to be recaptured with the divisions that became available. But by depriving the formations on the Eastern Front of their mobility, the dictator conjured up a huge disaster.

After Manstein's tactical withdrawal of German units on the lower Dnipro front arc, which were also threatened with encirclement, there were once again heated arguments with Hitler over operational strategy.

On March 30, 1944, while the Soviet spring offensive was still underway, Adolf Hitler dismissed the popular German army commander Erich von Manstein, for "lack of staying power." The Field Marshal General was awarded a special medal, the "Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz" (Oak Cross of the Knight's Cross), then he was transferred to the "Führer Reserve" and was not given a new command until the end of the war.

Also, in the extreme north of the Eastern Front, the course of the front shifted 200 kilometers to the west during the winter offensive, after remaining virtually unchanged for two years. The Soviet offensive against Army Group North under Field Marshal Georg von Küchler began on January 14, 1944, and after capturing Novgorod on January 20, the Soviets a week later relieved Leningrad, which had been besieged by the German 16th Army since September 1941.

However, by the time of the Soviet summer offensive of 1944, known as "Operation Bagration," the Germans were able to stabilize the front once again on the Narva-Pleskau-Vitebsk line as far as the lower Berezina River.

It should also be noted that German casualties on the Eastern Front increased exorbitantly from July 1943 and maintained this high level until the end of the war.

A word about Erich von Manstein

To this day, he is considered the brilliant army commander and at the same time a symbol of the construct that the Wehrmacht, with its 18 million members, was not involved in the ideologically motivated war crimes.

With his armored units, he advanced through the Baltic states to Leningrad. At this point, one must address the responsibility of the army commander for war crimes. Because contrary to his claims in his memoirs "Verlorene Siege", "that he had rejected the "Kommissar Befehl" and that his troops did not carry it out", already in the first weeks after the beginning of Unternehmen Barbarossa, there were "shootings of Commissars as well as anti-Jewish actions in Manstein's area of command".

In October 1941, Manstein received the "Reichenau Order," which called on Wehrmacht soldiers to commit crimes against the Soviet - especially Jewish - population and legitimized them. Building on this, Manstein, as commander-in-chief of the 11th Army, issued an almost identical order on November 20, 1941. In it, he demanded of his soldiers: "The Jewish-Bolshevik system must be eradicated once and for all. Never again may it encroach upon our European living space. The German soldier's task is therefore not simply to smash the military might of this system. He also acts as an avenger for all the atrocities inflicted on him and on the German people. For the necessity of the hard atonement on Jewry, the spiritual carrier of the Bolshevik terror, the soldier must have understanding. It is also necessary in order to nip in the bud all uprisings, most of which are instigated by Jews."

On the basis of this independently formulated order, there can be no question of a rejection of the "Reichenau Order." The approximately 600 members of SS Einsatzgruppe D shot at least 33,000 Jews in the Simferopol massacre and in other mass murders during the period when Manstein led AOK 11. Based on the sources, it is considered proven that Manstein knew about, approved of, and supported these actions.

After the war, Manstein worked on the myth of the clean Wehrmacht, first in the Allied war crimes trials, then primarily in his war memoirs, which appeared in 1955 under the telling title "Verlorene Siege." In it, he painted the self-image of an apolitical professional who had known nothing of the crimes and had merely done his self-evident soldierly duty. The fiction of a strict separation of the military from the political allowed the focus to be on the battles against the Red Army. Manstein directed the memory to the military achievements, to the victories that had been ultimately lost in the necessary war against the Soviet arch-enemy only because of the constant interference and the contradictory orders of the military dilettante Hitler.

Manstein was certainly a brilliant strategist, but he blanked out his own role in war crimes and the Holocaust and stylized himself as a "mere soldier".

---

© 2023 Traces of War is manufactured and distributed by VUCA Simulations, a brand of Bruncken & Gebhardt GmbH. All Rights Reserved. You can find additional information about our games, and helpful materials on: vucasims.com