Battle for Germany
Battle for Germany Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 2.0 Components
- 3.0 Sequence of Play
- 4.0 Zones of Control
- 5.0 Movement
- 6.0 Combat
- 7.0 Replacements
- 8.0 Courland
- 9.0 Exiting the Map
- 10.0 Capital City Garrisons
- 11.0 Victory
- 12.0 Historical Scenario
- 13.0 Expanded Historical Scenario
- 14.0 Collapse in the East (Short Game)
- 15.0 Red Star/White Star: Patton's Fantasy
- 16.0 Three-Player Game
- 17.0 Four-Player Game
- 18.0 Optional Rules
- Historical Background
- 1994 Setup Chart
2.0 Components
Battle for Germany includes one 22×34 inch mounted game board, 228 die-cut counters, 1 (double-sided) player aid card, this rule book, 1 six-sided die and storage bags. If anything is missing or damaged, please contact:
Decision Games PO Box 21598 Bakersfield, CA 93390
Please register this game purchase on-line at: www.decisiongames.com
2.1 Rules
Each section of the rules is numbered, with paragraphs within that section indicated by a second number, like this: 3.3. Subsections within that paragraph are indicated by a third number, like this: 3.3.4. When the rules refer to another, related idea, the number indicating that paragraph will be included parenthetically, like this: (3.34). This will assist in finding that rule for comparison or reference.
2.2 Map
The map represents the area in Central Europe where the final battle for Germany was fought. It is divided into hexagons, called "hexes," which are used to regulate movement much like the squares on a chessboard.
2.3 Charts & Tables
The Set-Up Chart at the end of these rules provides the hex number in which each unit begins each scenario. The Combat Results Table (CRT) is used to resolve combat (6.0), the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) describes the effect of map features on movement and combat, and the Turn Record Track (TRT) is used to keep track of the current game turn and also indicates when replacements (7.0) are available.
2.4 Scale
Each hex represents 67.1 Km (41.7 miles) from side to side. Each game turn represents half a month.
2.5 Counters
The counters, called units, represent military formations that participated or could have participated in the battle.
There are two sets of counters: the SPI 1975 set on the left and the DG/MOVES 1994 set on the right. Once punched they can be easily sorted by the edition dates on the back side of the counters.
In the DG edition all Western Allied and East German units are white print while all Soviet and West German units are black print. In the SPI version, the Germans are not differentiated by print color.
Western Allied Player: Controls all Western Allied units — all US, British, Canadian, French, and Polish Exile units. This player also controls all East German Army, Waffen SS, Luftwaffe, and all Hungarian units.
- US units are olive green.
- British and Canadian units are red.
- Polish Exile units are bright red.
- French units are light blue.
- East German units are white on dark grey in the DG edition.
- Hungarian units are grey-green. Hungarian units are part of the East German units.
Soviet Player: Controls all Soviet and Soviet-Allied units — all Yugoslav, Polish Communist, Romanian, and Bulgarian units — and also all West German units.
- Soviet units are brown.
- Romanian units are yellow.
- Polish Communist units are white.
- Bulgarian units are bluish-green.
- Yugoslav units are purple.
- West German units are black on light grey in the DG edition.
In the SPI edition, all Germans are black on medium grey.
Errata: In the 1994 counter set, 1 LW and 2 LW are West German units incorrectly shown in East German colors.
2.6 Definitions
- Unit ID: The historical designation of a unit.
- Attack Strength: The strength of a unit when attacking.
- Defense Strength: The strength of a unit when defending.
- Movement Allowance: A unit's ability to move, expressed in movement points (MPs).
Unit Size Symbols:
| Symbol | Unit Size |
|---|---|
| XXX | Corps |
| XXXX | Army |
| XXXXX | Army Group or Front |
Unit Type Symbols: Infantry, Armor, Mechanized Infantry, Cavalry, Airborne, Mountain.
Setup Symbol (DG set only): Red and white stars indicate Allied units used in the Red Star/White Star scenario. Crosses indicate Axis units.
Offensive Supply Markers: There are eight markers included for the optional supply rules (18.1).
3.0 Sequence of Play
The game is played in a series of turns, called game turns. Each game turn is composed of two player turns. The player whose player turn is in progress is called the phasing player; his opponent is the non-phasing player.
a) Soviet Player Turn
- Soviet Replacement Phase: After turn 1, the Soviet player may return previously eliminated Soviet units to play as replacements.
- Soviet Movement Phase: The Soviet player may move all Soviet, Polish Communist, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav units.
- Soviet Combat Phase: Soviet and Soviet-Allied units may attack East German and Hungarian units.
- West German Replacement Phase: After turn 1, the Soviet player may return previously eliminated West German units to play as replacements.
- West German Movement Phase: The Soviet player may move West German units.
- West German Combat Phase: West German units may attack Western Allied units.
b) Western Allied Player Turn
- Western Allied Replacement Phase: After turn 1, the Western Allied player may return previously eliminated Western Allied units to play as replacements.
- Western Allied Movement Phase: The Western Allied player may move all US, British, Canadian, French, and Polish Exile units.
- Western Allied Combat Phase: Western Allied units may attack West German units.
- East German Replacement Phase: After turn 1, the Western Allied player may return previously eliminated East German units to play as replacements.
- East German Movement Phase: The Western Allied player may move all East German and Hungarian units.
- East German Combat Phase: East German and Hungarian units may attack Soviet and Soviet-Allied units.
c) Turn Phase: If all turns are completed, evaluate the victory conditions to see who won; otherwise, advance the game turn marker and start a new turn sequence.
4.0 Zones of Control
The six hexagons surrounding a hex constitute the Zone of Control (ZOC) of any units in that hex. Units must stop moving when they enter an enemy ZOC.
- All units exert a ZOC at all times. The presence of ZOC's is never affected by other units.
- There is no additional cost to enter an enemy ZOC.
- Units may leave an enemy ZOC only at the beginning of their Movement Phase. A unit may never move directly from one enemy ZOC to another. It may, however, leave an enemy ZOC at the beginning of the Movement Phase, enter a hex not in an enemy ZOC, and then enter another hex in an enemy ZOC.
- A ZOC does not extend across blocked hexsides, lake hexsides, or sea hexsides.
5.0 Movement
During the Movement Phase, the phasing player may move as many or as few of his units as he wishes, as long as no unit's movement allowance is exceeded in a single Movement Phase. Each unit moves individually. Unused MPs may not be accumulated or transferred.
- Units are moved one at a time, tracing a path of contiguous hexes (they may not "jump over" hexes). The cost in MPs to enter various types of terrain, and to cross river hexsides are summarized on the TEC. A unit may never enter a hex containing an enemy unit.
5.1 Stacking
Two friendly units may stack in one hex at the end of their Movement Phase except that a Soviet front unit (8-20-3) may never stack with another Soviet front unit.
5.2 German Theater Boundary
5.2.1 German Units
East German units must try to remain east of the German Theater Boundary; West German units must try to remain west of the Theater Boundary. German units may not cross this boundary, unless forced to retreat in which case, their identity is changed in accordance with their new position on the other side of the Boundary, for example, an East German unit forced to retreat across the boundary would become a West German unit. German units may not enter Berlin via movement, retreat, or advance after combat.
5.2.2 Western Allied & Soviet Units
Unless stated otherwise, Western Allied and Soviet units may not cross the German Theater Boundary, unless forced to retreat, in which case, they must recross the boundary by the end of their next Movement Phase or be eliminated. They may attack across the boundary.
5.3 Yugoslavia
5.3.1 Yugoslav Units Inside Yugoslavia
Yugoslav units may never leave Yugoslavia unless forced to retreat, in which case, they must reenter Yugoslavia by the end of the following Soviet Combat Phase or be eliminated. Yugoslav units may attack across the Yugoslav border but may not advance across it.
5.3.2 Soviet Units Outside Yugoslavia
Soviet (including Romanian, Polish Communist, and Bulgarian) units may never voluntarily enter Yugoslavia. If any of these units are forced to retreat into Yugoslavia, they must leave on the following turn or be eliminated. Soviet and Soviet Allied units may attack across the Yugoslav border but may not advance across it. Soviet, Soviet Allied, and Yugoslav units may combine their attack factors to attack enemy units.
6.0 Combat
During his Combat Phase, the phasing player's units may attack adjacent enemy units. Attacking is voluntary; units are never required to attack.
6.1 Resolving Combat
Total the attack strengths of all the attacking units involved in a specific attack and compare the total to the total defense strength of the units in the hex under attack. State the comparison as a ratio of the attacker's strength to the defender's strength (like this: 2:1). Round off the ratio in favor of the defender to conform to the odds found on the CRT; thus, an attack of 19 against 7 becomes 2:1. The phasing player rolls the die. Read the result on the appropriate line under the odds column. Apply the result immediately before resolving any other attacks.
Example: Three US units (a 7-4-8 unit and two 6-6-7 units in 2004, 2104, and 2204) attack two German units (both 2-3-4). The German units are in 2105, a fortified hex in broken terrain, the cumulative effect of which is to triple the German units' defense strengths. The total Western Allied attacking strength is 7+6+6=19; the modified defense strength of the German units is 3+3=6, 6×3=18. The ratio of attack strength to defense strength is 19:18. This simplifies to 1:1. The phasing player rolls the die. The die roll result is 1; cross-referenced with the 1:1 column on the CRT, the result is Ex or Exchange.
Per the Ex result, the defending German units are eliminated, and the Western Allies must remove attacking units with attack strength of six or more. They choose to remove one of the 6-6-7 units.
6.2 Results
- DE: All defending units are eliminated.
- AE: All attacking units are eliminated.
- Ex: Exchange. All defending units are eliminated, along with attacking units with a total printed attack strength equal to or greater than the printed defense strength of the defending unit(s).
- AR: All attacking units must retreat.
- DR: All defending units must retreat.
6.2.1 Retreat
The owner retreats units individually. Two units in a stack that is forced to retreat may be required to retreat into separate hexes.
- A retreating unit must, if possible, retreat into a vacant hex. If no vacant hex is available, it may retreat into a hex that is occupied by a friendly unit. It may not retreat into a hex containing two friendly units and Soviet Front units may never stack together.
- A retreating unit may not retreat off the map, into a prohibited hex, cross a prohibited hexside, or enter an enemy ZOC, (even if the hex is friendly occupied). A unit that must retreat but is unable to retreat is eliminated.
6.3 Combat Restrictions
- Unless stated otherwise, Western Allied and Soviet units may not attack each other.
- East and West German units may not attack each other.
- No unit may attack more than once per Combat Phase. Any number of units may combine their factors to attack an enemy-occupied hex, as long as all attacking units are adjacent to the hex under attack. A unit may never divide its combat strength to participate in more than one attack. A unit is not required to attack, even if stacked with a unit which is attacking.
- All units in a hex must be attacked as a single defense strength. The defender may not withhold a unit in a hex under attack.
- If a unit or units is adjacent to more than one enemy-occupied hex it could attack all of them in a single combat, as long as all attacking units are adjacent to all defending units.
6.4 Terrain
Units defending in certain types of terrain may have their strength multiplied.
- A defender only benefits from a river if all attacking units are attacking across river hexsides. If one attacking unit is not attacking across a river, the defending unit does not obtain any defensive advantage from the river hexside.
- Terrain effects are cumulative. Add the multiplying factors together and subtract one.
Example: a unit in broken terrain attacked across a river would have its defense strength tripled.
- Fortifications are destroyed the moment their hex is entered by a Western Allied unit. The Allied receive no additional benefit from the fortified hex. If German units reoccupy the hex they receive no additional benefit from the fortification. Players may use blank or inverted markers to keep track of destroyed fortifications.
6.5 Advance After Combat
Should a hex be vacated as a result of combat, one surviving victorious unit (either attacking or defending) may advance into the vacated hex.
- For a unit to advance after combat, it must have participated in the combat which cleared the hex of enemy units.
- ZOCs and terrain costs do not affect advances.
- A unit is never required to advance.
7.0 Replacements
When a unit is destroyed in combat, it is placed in the appropriate box on the map labeled Destroyed Units. There are five boxes: Western Allies, Allies/Italy, East Germans, West Germans, and Soviets. The TRT indicates the number of these units which may return to play during the Replacement Phase.
7.1 Destroyed Units
- German units are placed either in the East or West German Destroyed Units Box depending on which side of the German Theater Boundary the unit was destroyed.
- Soviet (and Soviet Allied) units go into the Soviet Destroyed Units Box. Yugoslav and Hungarian units may never be replaced, Communist Polish and Romanian units may be.
- Western Allied units in Italy go into the Western Allied/Italy Destroyed Units Box. All other Western Allied units go into the Western Allied Destroyed Units Box.
7.2 Receiving Replacements
During the Replacement Phase, the phasing player consults the TRT to determine how many replacements his side receives. Replacements may not be accumulated; if there are no units in the Destroyed Units Box, no replacements are received.
- When Soviet and German (both East and West) units are replaced, the destroyed unit with the lowest attack strength must be returned to play first; when there are multiple such units, the owner may select which to replace. Any destroyed Western Allied unit may be returned to play.
- German replacements appear on the map in any hex adjacent to Berlin. During the turn in which a German unit returns to play as a replacement, it may move at double its printed movement allowance.
- German replacements may not enter play in a hex occupied by enemy units.
- If a German replacement cannot enter play because all hexes adjacent to Berlin on its side of the Theater Boundary are occupied by enemy units, the replacement unit goes to the other German Theater. If those hexes are also blocked by enemy units, the replacement is lost.
- Soviet replacements may be placed in any hex along the east edge of the map anywhere north of the Yugoslav border. Western Allied units may be placed in any hex on the west edge of the map on or South of hex 2301. Western Allied/Italian units may be placed in any hex along the south edge of the map in Italy. Stacking limits apply when placing replacements.
- Replacements may enter the map in an enemy ZOC but may then move no further during the upcoming Movement Phase.
Example 1: It is the West German Replacement Phase of Turn Four. In the West German Destroyed Units Box are a 6-5-6, a 5-6-5, a 4-6-5, a 2-4-4, and a 2-3-4. The weakest attack strength unit must be taken, either the 2-4-4 or the 2-3-4. The West German player elects to take the 2-4-4. This unit is placed in one of the hexes adjacent to Berlin on the west side of the German Theater Boundary. It may move double its printed MPs in the Movement Phase.
Example 2: It is the Western Allied Replacement Phase of Turn Six. In the Western Allied Destroyed Units Box are a 7-4-8, a 6-6-7, and a 4-8-6. The Western Allied replacement rate is two units per turn. The Allied player elects to take a 7-4-8 and the 4-8-6. These units are placed on a hex on the west edge of the map and may move in the Movement Phase.
8.0 Courland
In games using 1994 counters, use the following rule: Four East German units begin the game cut off in Courland. The four East German Courland units set up obeying stacking limits in any of the five hexes 3822, 3823, 3824, 3923, and 3924. Two Soviet fronts set up next to the Courland area as per the set-up chart.
During the East German Movement Phase, one German unit from a coastal hex in Courland may be evacuated by sea (the hexes with the anchor symbol). An East German unit must be on a coastal hex at the start of its movement in order to evacuate by sea. The East German player rolls the die. On a die roll result of 1, the unit falls victim to Soviet air and naval forces and is placed in the Destroyed Units Box. On any other result, it may be placed at either Stettin or Rostock (anchor symbols), as long as the city has never been entered by enemy units and stacking limits are met.
Hitler Evacuation Restriction: The player owning the East German forces may try to evacuate one unit (only) on turn 3 or later.
The East German units in Courland may exit the east edge of the map just like other East German units, see Rule 9.0.
Historical Note: Hitler wanted to maintain the threat of "moving off the east edge of the map."
9.0 Exiting the Map
Only German units may voluntarily exit the map. It costs four MPs to exit the map. If a unit does not have enough MPs remaining, it may not exit. They may leave the west map edge between hexes 1601 and 2301, inclusive. They may leave the east map edge between hexes 0926 and 3526, inclusive. They may leave the south map edge between hexes 0112 and 0117, inclusive.
- Once a German unit has left the map, the player moving the exited unit may remove the two Allied or Soviet units closest to the hex from which it exited, if multiple units are equally close then the German player decides which to remove. The Allied or Soviet units to be removed are flipped over and are not removed until the end of the Movement Phase in which the German unit exited. The flipped over units retain their ZOCs. The German, Allied, and Soviet units thus removed are not placed in the Destroyed Units Box. Once a unit has left the map, it may never return to the game.
- If all Soviet and Allied units on any front are eliminated and more German units exit from the map on that front, the player moving the exited units may take units of his choice from the Destroyed Units Box for that front.
10.0 Capital City Garrisons
The four capital cities are Warsaw, Prague, Vienna, and Berlin (these are the only East Front cities worth more than 1 VP). Once any type of Soviet unit occupies a capital city hex, the Soviet player must ensure there is a Front unit in the city as a permanent garrison as soon as possible.
- Capital city garrison Front units may attack and defend normally but may not move in any way from the rest of the game and they ignore retreat results. Capital city garrison Front units set up in the Red Star/White Star scenario are also restricted in this way.
11.0 Victory
Victory Points (VPs) are gained by controlling or occupying cities. The Soviet player may receive VPs only for those cities controlled by Soviet or Soviet Allied units. The Western Allied player may receive VPs only for those cities controlled by Western Allied units. Cities are controlled by:
- Exerting a ZOC into a city hex not occupied by or in the ZOC of either a German unit or a unit of the other side, or,
- Being the last player to have units pass through or next to the city.
The Soviet player only receives the victory points for a capital city when it is occupied by a Front garrison at the end of the game. VPs are totaled at the end of the final turn of the scenario being played. The player with the most VPs wins.
12.0 Historical Scenario
12.1 Set Up
Set up units according to the set-up chart column for the historical scenario.
12.2 Scenario Special Rules
- Hitler Mandated West Front Offensive: During Turn One West German units must make at least two attacks on Western Allied units.
12.3 Optional German East Front Concentration
When all players agree, ignore the Hitler Mandated West Front Offensive, but then all German replacements are received as East Germans.
13.0 Expanded Historical Scenario
The following modifications to the Historical Scenario rules allow the game to continue past turn 10 to turn 16.
13.1 Scenario Special Rules
Immediately after the player turns on which Berlin falls, Soviet and Western Allied units are enemies and may now attack one another. At the end of the player turns in which Berlin falls, all German units are removed from the map. Once German units have been removed the German Theater Boundary has no effect. Polish Exile units and Polish Communist units may not attack each another, but otherwise may operate normally.
- Immediately following the player turns in which Berlin falls, all German units are removed from the map. Play then proceeds normally, except that units may cross the German Theater Boundary. Soviet and Western Allied units may not attack one another; they may only move to gain VPs.
13.2 Optional SS Rule
At the end of the player turns on which Berlin falls, all German units except SS units are removed from the map. These come under the control of the Western Allied player. They defend normally, but attack and move at half their printed value, rounded up. The Western Allied player receives no VPs for a city occupied solely by SS units.
14.0 Collapse in the East (Short Game)
West German and Western Allied units are not used. The Soviet and Western Allied (East German) players set up all their remaining units as for the historical scenario. Only the portion of the map east of the German Theater Boundary is used. No Western Allied or West German replacements are received. Any German unit forced to retreat across the German Theater Boundary must return to the east side of the line on the following turn. If unable to do so, it is eliminated. Each player receives VPs for each city his units occupy at the end of the game. Every city begins the game under German control. The player with the most VPs at the end of the game on Turn 6 wins.
15.0 Red Star/White Star: Patton's Fantasy
At the end of the Second World War in Europe, two of the largest combat-ready armies ever assembled faced each other in Central Europe. No shots were fired, but what if the Soviets and Western Allies decided to fight it out?
15.1 Set Up
Set up units according to the set-up chart column for the Red Star/White Star scenario.
15.2 Scenario Special Rules
- Play begins on turn 11 and continues to turn 16.
- Before play begins, the Soviet player rolls the die. On a result of 1, 2, or 3, he has no player turns on turn 11.
- No German units are in play and all East and West German phases are ignored.
- The German Theater Boundary and all restrictions on attacks against other Allied units are ignored.
- The player with the most VPs at the end of the game wins.
- Polish Exile units and Polish Communist units may not attack one another, but otherwise may operate normally.
16.0 Three-Player Game
One player controls the Soviet (and Soviet Allied) units, a second controls the Western Allied units, and a third controls all German and Hungarian units.
16.1 Sequence of Play
The Sequence of Play is altered as follows:
a) Soviet Player Turn.
- Soviet Replacement Phase: The Soviet player may return previously eliminated Soviet units to play as replacements.
- Soviet Movement Phase: The Soviet player may move all Soviet, Polish Communist, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav units.
- Soviet Combat Phase: Soviet (and Soviet-Allied) units may attack German units.
b) German Player Turn.
- German Replacement Phase: The German player may return previously eliminated German units to play as replacements.
- German Movement Phase: The German player may move all German units.
- German Combat Phase: German units may attack enemy units.
c) Western Allied Player Turn.
- Western Allied Replacement Phase: The Western Allied player may return previously eliminated Western Allied units to play as replacements.
- Western Allied Movement Phase: The Western Allied player may move all US, British, Canadian, French, and Polish Exile units.
- Western Allied Combat Phase: Western Allied units may attack German units.
d) Turn Advance. If this is the last turn, check the victory conditions to see who won; otherwise, advance the game turns marker one space and resume the turn sequence.
16.2 Set Up
Set up units according to the set-up chart for the historical scenario.
16.3 Scenario Special Rules
- If neither Western Allied nor Soviet forces occupy Berlin at the end of the game, the Germans win. Otherwise, the player with the most VPs at the end of the game wins.
- In any German Movement Phase, the German player may triple the movement allowance of one German unit that is not in an enemy ZOC. This unit may not end its Movement Phase in an enemy ZOC.
- All German Theater Boundary restrictions are ignored. All restrictions on German units entering Berlin are ignored. German replacements (combined East and West) may be used to replace any German units on any hexes adjacent to Berlin, although a unit with the lowest attack factor from the combined West German and East German dead pile must still be the first replaced.
17.0 Four-Player Game
One player controls the Soviet (and Soviet Allied) units, a second controls the East German (and Hungarian) units, a third controls the West German units, and a fourth controls the Western Allied units.
17.1 Set Up
Set up units according to the set-up chart for the historical scenario.
17.2 Sequence of Play
The Sequence of Play is altered as follows:
a) Soviet Player Turn. b) East German Player Turn. c) West German Player Turn. d) Western Allied Player Turn.
17.3 Scenario Special Rules
- All German Theater Boundary restrictions apply.
- The East German player wins if a Soviet unit fails to enter Berlin by Turn 10. The West German player wins if a Western Allied unit fails to enter Berlin by Turn 10. The Western Allied player wins if he enters Berlin before the Soviets and does so by Turn 10. The Soviet player wins if he enters Berlin before the Western Allies and does so by Turn 10. Note that either:
- One German or,
- Both one German and one Non-German player can win the same game.
18.0 Optional Rules
The following optional rules are for those players who want a more historical or detailed game. Any or all of these rules may be added by player agreement.
5.3 Stacking (Optional)
- British, Canadian, and Polish Exile units may freely stack together; these are collectively called the Commonwealth forces.
- U.S. and French units may freely stack together.
- On each of the two Western Fronts there may be at most one stack that has units from both groups.
6.3 Combat (Optional)
The attacker may choose to attack:
- Only one unit in a defending stack or,
- May make different attacks using different units on each defending unit in a stack or,
- May attack both units in the stack using their combined defense strength.
If a unit in a stack is not attacked, it just remains in the hex after combat.
8.0 Courland (Optional)
No Hitler Evacuation Restriction: The player owning the East German forces may try to evacuate all 4 units at any time, at most one unit per turn.
12.2 Hitler Mandated West Front Offensive (Optional)
The 2 required attacks must be at 1:1 odds or better.
18.1 Offensive Supply Markers
There are eight Offensive Supply markers in the advanced game. In order to use this rule, the players must align all their units in their hexes so that the top of all units are all facing the same hexside position (direction) in each unit's hex and then after moving them align them to a different hexside to show that they have been moved, including aligning any units he may choose not to move that turn. (This method is a good practice that allows a player to easily see which units might yet move that turn, so they do not accidently move a unit twice.)
The Soviet player starts with 7 Offensive Supply markers on turn 1 and if playing the extended game replenishes any used to again have 7 markers on turn 11. The Soviet may place any number from zero to two Offensive Supply markers during his Replacement Phase. An Offensive Supply marker is placed under a chosen Soviet Front unit. That Soviet Front unit may move and attack normally that turn, while the Offensive Supply marker remains in the hex in which it was placed.
After the Soviet Combat Phase is complete, any Soviet units (but not Soviet Allied units) within 3 hexes of an Offensive Supply marker may (if they wish) first attack in a Second Combat Phase (with potential advance after combat with each combat resolution) and then after that is complete, Soviet units may (if they wish) be moved in a Second Movement Phase using up to half (round down) of their normal movement allowance. Any units that participate in either or both ways are tilted in their hex after their movement to show that they have participated in an Offensive. On the very next turn, such units may only move half (round up) of their normal movement allowance and may not attack.
Developer's Note: In effect, they have already partially moved and have already attacked for that upcoming turn.
After the Soviet turn is complete, any Offensive Supply markers used that turn are placed aside and cannot be used again (unless replenished when playing the extended game) even if no unit used either special ability, the marker has been used.
Historical Note: The Soviets would build up supply to launch large offensive operations, but then would advance so far that they needed to wait for their supply to catch up.
The Western Allied player during each Replacement Phase may place one Offensive Supply marker under any chosen Western Allied unit. The unit it was placed under may move and attack normally that turn, the Offensive Supply marker just stays in the hex placed. The Offensive Supply marker special abilities may be used either by:
- Commonwealth forces (only) or,
- US forces (only, not including French).
Any unit of the selected forces within the 3 hex range may use either or both of the special abilities this turn with the same restrictions on the next turn if either or both abilities are used. The Offensive Supply marker may be used each turn.
Example: The Soviets place a supply unit on 3723. They attack the 2-4-4 in 3823 using the 2 units in 3723 and 1 unit in 3724 so it is 21:4 or 5:1. They roll a 3 for a DE, the German loses his 2-4-4 and the Soviets advance into 3823 with their 6-4-6. The other 3 Soviet units attack a 3-5-4 at 21:5 or 4:1 and roll a 3 for an EX, the German loses a 3-5-4 and the Soviets lose a 6-4-6.
The Soviets elect to attack again by using the capabilities provided by the supply marker. The Soviets attack the 7-5-8 with their 3 adjacent units at 21:5 or 4:1 rolling a 6 for a DR, but the German unit has no hex to retreat into so it is eliminated. The Soviets attack the 3-5-4 in 3824 at 15:5 or 3:1 and roll a 4 for a DR, but the German unit cannot retreat so it is eliminated. With the clearing of the Courland Peninsula, the Soviets move their 5 units towards their main front to the West with half their movement points, rounded down, tilting them to show they can only move half rounded up next turn and cannot attack.
Historical Background
The rulebook's back matter includes a multi-page illustrated essay on the historical campaign, laid out across the printed booklet in a multi-column format alongside a "Four Counteroffensives" sidebar essay and a map. This transcription reproduces the essay's main chronological narrative column faithfully; the parallel column of supplementary operational detail that runs alongside it in the original layout, and the map graphic, are not separately reproduced here.
In December, 1944, the Second World War in Europe paused and took a deep breath. The Soviet summer offensive in Poland had run out of steam on the east bank of the Vistula. In the south it slowly ground to a halt in front of Budapest, after clearing Romania and Bulgaria. The charge across France following D-Day had outrun supplies in September, edging forward slowly during the next two months. None among the allies had any doubt that the war was won. The only questions remaining were how long, and how many casualties, it would take.
So, for almost two months, Germany had a respite of sorts. Hitler took advantage of this to plan his Ardennes offensive. Germany had not conducted a major offensive since the abortive offensive at Kursk in July, 1943. The initiative had all been on the part of the Allies since then. As a consequence, a portion of East Prussia and the area around Aachen in the west were in Axis hands. The loss of faith in Hitler's ability was openly manifested on 20 July 1944, with the assassination attempt. The Gestapo ensured that the civilian population was less active in their opposition. Hitler was aware that he needed to resume the offensive for several reasons. First, he needed something to restore morale. Second, he needed to revitalize his own prestige. It did not sit well with his self-proclaimed image as the Greatest Field Marshal in history, who moved with the "assurance of a sleepwalker" to be constantly on the retreat. Therefore, Hitler sought a place to strike a blow to rock his enemies back on their heels. Finally, Hitler knew that the Allies were resupplying in preparation for the final push into Germany. This was the context within which he prepared his Ardennes offensive.
Physically, the western Allies had the harder terrain to cross. They had halted more or less against the West Wall, Hitler's answer to the Maginot Line. They also had to cross the largest river in northern Europe, the Rhine. The Rhine itself could be a formidable defensive barrier. The Rhineland, that portion of Germany west of the Rhine, was mountainous and therefore also a good area to defend. Once across the Rhine, however, the western Allies faced two divergent pieces of terrain. The north German plain promised much easier going. In the south was the Black Forest and other mountainous areas which had to be crossed before getting into the relatively flat Bavarian areas.
In the east, the Soviets had different terrain problems. Their main force, led by Zhukov, was poised on the east side of the Vistula, opposite Warsaw. Once across the Vistula only the Oder-Neisse system posed any barrier. Hitler refused to fortify positions across Poland beyond a perfunctory preparation. He reasoned that if the troops knew they had a defensive position behind them, they would be too willing to fall back into those positions giving up ground without a fight. In the south they had already crossed the Transylvanian Alps of Romania and were in the central European plain, before Budapest. The Carpathian Mountain Chain, which arcs along the northern boundary of Czechoslovakia, was an effective barrier between the two main Soviet drives. In general, the Soviets had the easier terrain. On the other hand, the majority of the German army was deployed in the east.
Also in the east were the Yugoslavs, well on their way toward self-liberation and, at the same time, tying down German troops in the Balkans which could have been used much better elsewhere. Finally, there was the Italian theater. The Germans had withdrawn north of the Gothic Line, the last defensive line hinged on the Apennines, but the allied forces had their own supply problems and didn't have the strength to push the Germans onto the wider front needed to control the Po Valley.
January
On 3 January, Montgomery attacked the north flank of the German salient and Patton the south. By 8 January things had reached the stage where Hitler permitted 6th Panzer Army to pull back, and by 16 January the Bulge was considered eliminated. In the meantime, US Seventh Army in Lorraine was attacked in the Nordwind offensive. This offensive was stopped on 21 January. The Americans had already begun their counterattack the day before, so that by 9 February, the Colmar Pocket had been eliminated and the southern Allied wing was on the Rhine.
On 17 January, Eisenhower resumed his main offensive. His first goal was to clear the Rhineland north of the Mosel. Montgomery's Twenty-first Army Group attacked in the Roermond area while Bradley's Twelfth Army Group seized the upper reaches of the Roer River. Ultimately Eisenhower wanted to clear the entire west bank of the Rhine before attempting any crossing, since he felt it would be best to destroy as much of the German army west of the Rhine as Hitler would allow. Further, once the Rhine was secured, he could thin out certain sectors more easily in order to beef up the forces to make the crossing.
February
Budapest fell on 13 February. Tolbuchin, the Soviet commander in that sector, was now free to turn his attention toward Vienna. But German resistance to the west of Budapest was not broken and Tolbuchin learned of a planned offensive in that area. Rather than start his attack, he held up to devote his strength to containing any such offensive.
In the north, Guderian's offensive, begun on 16 February, soon spent itself. It did cause the Soviets to re-evaluate their plans. Rather than drive on Berlin on a narrow front, they felt they had to clear the east bank of the Oder-Neisse system to preclude a flank attack from that area either north or south, which could force them to divert troops from their main effort.
March
By 5 March, Veritable was over and the Rhine was clear north of Dusseldorf. A general advance now began in the west. By 7 March, elements of Third Army were on the Rhine, Cologne had fallen and, more importantly, the task force of the Ninth US Armored Division's CCB had found the Ludendorf railroad bridge over the Rhine at Remagen intact. They crossed on 7 March and established a toe-hold on the east bank. By the time the bridge finally collapsed, the Americans had a lodgment nine miles deep.
By 10 March, the Rhine was in Allied hands north of the Mosel and Undertone was now launched. Originally Undertone involved nothing more than Seventh Army slugging through the West Wall. But with Patton on the Rhine north of the Mosel, a new option was exercised: Patton moved south along the Rhine, behind the German resistance. He made 100 miles in ten days, clearing the west bank down to Mannheim, while Patch's Seventh Army advanced 25 miles along its entire front. By 22 March, the Rhine was fully in Allied hands.
April
On 9 April, the Allies began their offensive in Italy. By 20 April they were advancing on the Po River and the following day Bologna fell. At this point Germany could no longer anchor its defensive line on the sea. Lacking sufficient troops to do that, the line began to crack and the tempo picked up. Verona and Parma fell on 26 April. Finally, on 29 April, the German commander, Von Vietinghoff, announced that all German forces in Italy would surrender 2 May. At the same time, the British took Venice and raced toward Trieste, a race they lost to the Yugoslavs on 1 May.
In the west, Eisenhower had to choose whether or not to go for Berlin. He was aware of the planned zones of occupation. He was also aware of the rumors of a National Redoubt in the Alps. This certainly smacked of the type of thing Hitler would do. He knew that Hitler and the high command were in Berlin. Weighing all these factors, he felt it better to drive into the south, to cut Berlin off and hopefully crush any Alpine Fortress before it was manned.
Meanwhile, British troops pushed slowly forward in Holland, while they were able to take advantage of the flat lands to race toward Hamburg. By 19 April the British were on the Elbe. Further south the Americans had pocketed Army Group B and they proceeded to drive inward on it. On 14 April the pocket was split in two and four days later all resistance ceased. Meanwhile, Patton was in his element pursuing the broken German forces. These were the very operations for which Eisenhower thought Patton so suited that he refused to get rid of him after some of Patton's more notorious activities in Italy. In the process of Patton's charge across Germany, he overran Buchenwald, the first concentration camp to fall into western hands. They reached the Elbe on 11 April. At the same time, Seventh Army also drove east.
May
May was anti-climactic. Germany was finished once Hitler was dead. The Allies were busy consolidating their respective positions. In Austria and Czechoslovakia, little was done prior to the surrender. In Germany proper, the Red Army accepted the formal surrender of Berlin on 2 May, and completed its move to the Elbe. The British pressed on the Baltic, taking Hamburg and Lubeck in the process.
Patton continued his drive eastward, moving across the occupation line into Czechoslovakia and taking Pilsen before being halted by Eisenhower on 6 May. The Czechs in Prague, believing that American liberation was at hand, rebelled against the Germans on 4 May and took control of the city. But Patton never came because, as he put it, "I wasn't ordered to." The Soviets, unhappy with US presence in what they regarded as their sphere of activity, put the pressure on to halt Patton and it was done.
In Bavaria, the US Seventh Army moved south and east into Austria, linking up with the US forces coming from Italy and the Brenner Pass and taking Linz.
1994 Setup Chart
Unit stats are printed as Attack-Defense-Movement. "Historical hex" is the starting hex for the Historical Scenario (12.0) — also used, per those rules, for the Collapse in the East, Three-Player, and Four-Player scenarios. "Red Star/White Star hex" is the starting hex for that scenario (15.0); West and East German units have no entry there because German units are not used in the Red Star/White Star scenario (15.2). A dash means the unit does not set up in that scenario. This chart covers the 1994 (DG/MOVES) counter set; the original 1975 SPI counter set uses the Set-Up Chart on the separate player aid card.
Soviet Union
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Balt | 8-20-3 | 3524 | — |
| 2 Balt | 8-20-3 | 3723 | 3322 |
| 3 Balt | 8-20-3 | 3725 | — |
| 1 BR | 8-20-3 | 2624 | 2613 |
| 2 BR | 8-20-3 | 2925 | — |
| 3 BR | 8-20-3 | 3225 | 2723 |
| 1 Ukr | 8-20-3 | 2224 | 2418 |
| 2 Ukr | 8-20-3 | 1422 | 1617 |
| 3 Ukr | 8-20-3 | 1220 | 1522 |
| 4 Ukr | 8-20-3 | 1724 | 1918 |
| 1 Gds | 7-7-4 | 1926 | 2912 |
| 2 Gds | 7-7-4 | 3125 | 2315 |
| 3 Gds | 7-7-4 | 2425 | 2216 |
| 4 Gds | 7-7-4 | 1221 | 1520 |
| 5 Gds | 7-7-4 | 2425 | 1318 |
| 6 Gds | 7-7-4 | 3325 | 2513 |
| 7 Gds | 7-7-4 | 1523 | 1719 |
| 8 Gds | 7-7-4 | 2526 | 2314 |
| 10 Gds | 7-7-4 | 3025 | 2712 |
| 11 Gds | 7-7-4 | 3325 | 3322 |
| 1 Gds | 6-4-6 | 2526 | 2314 |
| 3 Gds | 6-4-6 | 2325 | 1918 |
| 5 Gds | 6-4-6 | 2824 | 1617 |
| 6 Gds | 6-4-6 | 1523 | — |
| 2 Tk | 6-4-6 | 2624 | 2912 |
| 4 Tk | 6-4-6 | 2325 | 2712 |
Communist Poland
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Pol C | 3-4-4 | 2724 | 2718 |
| 2 Pol C | 3-4-4 | 2724 | 2718 |
Bulgaria
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bul | 2-5-4 | 1524 | 1318 |
Yugoslavia
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 YS | 5-6-4 | 0824 | 1018 |
| 2 YS | 5-6-4 | 0325 | 0917 |
| 3 YS | 5-6-4 | 0525 | 0817 |
| 4 YS | 5-6-4 | 0224 | — |
Romania
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Rom | 3-5-4 | 1123 | — |
| 4 Rom | 3-5-4 | 1322 | — |
United States
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 US | 4-8-6 | 0510 | 1115 |
| 6 US | 4-8-6 | 1605 | 1714 |
| 8 US | 4-8-6 | 1904 | 2012 |
| 13 US | 4-8-6 | 2204 | 2512 |
| 15 US | 4-8-6 | 1706 | 1413 |
| 2 US | 6-6-7 | 0511 | 1115 |
| 7 US | 6-6-7 | 2104 | 2313 |
| 12 US | 6-6-7 | 1705 | 1516 |
| 19 US | 6-6-7 | 2204 | 2512 |
| 5 US | 7-4-8 | 2104 | 2313 |
| 20 US | 7-4-8 | 1705 | 1516 |
Britain
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Br | 4-8-6 | 2401 | 2911 |
| 5 Br | 4-8-6 | 0612 | 1211 |
| 12 Br | 4-8-6 | 2203 | 2711 |
| 13 Br | 4-8-6 | 0512 | 0811 |
| 8 Br | 6-6-7 | 2303 | 2810 |
| 30 Br | 7-4-8 | 2303 | 2407 |
Canada
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Cn | 4-8-6 | 0612 | 1211 |
| 2 Cn | 7-4-8 | 2401 | 2911 |
France
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Fr | 4-8-6 | 1405 | 1312 |
| 1 Fr | 6-6-7 | 1505 | 1413 |
Polish Exiles
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Pol E | 4-8-6 | 0512 | 1113 |
West German
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 LW* | 4-9-4 | 0610 | — |
| 2 LW* | 5-11-4 | 2502 | — |
| 13 SS | 6-7-6 | 1806 | — |
| 1 SS | 8-6-8 | 2005 | — |
| 2 SS | 8-6-8 | 2005 | — |
| 12 SS | 8-5-8 | 2304 | — |
| 63 | 2-3-4 | 1506 | — |
| 64 | 2-3-4 | 1606 | — |
| 65 | 4-5-5 | 1906 | — |
| 67 | 3-5-4 | 2105 | — |
| 73 | 1-3-4 | 0712 | — |
| 74 | 5-6-5 | 2205 | — |
| 75 | 2-4-4 | 0609 | — |
| 80 | 4-5-5 | 1805 | — |
| 81 | 4-5-5 | 2205 | — |
| 82 | 4-5-5 | 1806 | — |
| 85 | 2-4-4 | 1805 | — |
| 90 | 2-3-4 | 1606 | — |
| 76 | 3-5-5 | 0712 | — |
| 14 | 4-6-5 | 0611 | — |
| 47 | 6-5-6 | 1905 | — |
| 58 | 5-3-6 | 1905 | — |
East German
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| HG | 6-4-5 | 3223 | — |
| 9 SS | 3-6-4 | 1522 | — |
| 11 SS | 3-4-4 | 1823 | — |
| 4 SS | 4-3-8 | 2722 | — |
| 3 SS | 7-5-8 | Courland** | — |
| 15 SS | 2-3-6 | 0923 | — |
| 21 | 2-4-4 | 0524 | — |
| 49 | 3-7-5 | 2024 | — |
| 2 | 3-5-4 | Courland** | — |
| 6 | 3-5-4 | 3024 | — |
| 8 | 2-3-4 | 2525 | — |
| 9 | 4-5-5 | 3423 | — |
| 10 | 2-4-4 | Courland** | — |
| 16 | 3-5-4 | Courland** | — |
| 17 | 1-2-4 | 1622 | — |
| 20 | 2-3-4 | 2623 | — |
| 23 | 3-4-4 | 2623 | — |
| 26 | 4-6-4 | 3224 | — |
| 27 | 2-3-4 | 3024 | — |
| 29 | 3-4-5 | 1622 | — |
| 34 | 3-4-4 | 0324 | — |
| 42 | 3-4-4 | 2223 | — |
| 55 | 3-4-4 | 2823 | — |
| 59 | 2-4-4 | 1824 | — |
| 68 | 4-5-5 | 0823 | — |
| 72 | 3-3-4 | 1021 | — |
| 4 | 3-2-7 | 1320 | — |
| 3 | 4-3-6 | 1019 | — |
| 24 | 7-5-8 | 1823 | — |
| 39 | 7-5-8 | 3224 | — |
| 40 | 5-4-6 | 3423 | — |
| 56 | 4-3-5 | 2424 | — |
| 41 | 5-5-5 | 2823 | — |
| 46 | 4-3-5 | 2424 | — |
| 48 | 4-3-5 | 2223 | — |
| 57 | 5-3-7 | 1421 | — |
| GD | 7-5-8 | 3223 | — |
| 1 | 3-5-6 | 1421 | — |
Hungary
| Unit ID | Stats | Historical hex | Red Star/White Star hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Hun | 3-5-4 | 1722 | — |
| 3 Hun | 3-5-4 | 1219 | — |
* LW: These 2 units are incorrectly shown in East German colors in the 1994 counter set.
**Courland: See 8.0.