Czechoslovakia 1938
Czechoslovakia 1938 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 Game Components
- 3.0 Setup and Hex Control
- 4.0 Victory Conditions
- 5.0 The Turn Sequence
- 6.0 Air Power
- 7.0 Supply
- 8.0 Reinforcements, Hungarian Intervention
- 9.0 Stacking
- 10.0 Zones of Control (ZOCs)
- 11.0 Movement
- 12.0 Combat: Prepared Assaults
- 13.0 Terrain Effects on Combat
- 14.0 Fortifications
- 15.0 The Blitzkrieg (Mechanized Assault)
- 16.0 Optional Rules
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Historical Background
Czechoslovakia '38 (C'38) is a two player wargame that simulates what might have been the first campaign of World War II in Europe if the Prague government had rejected the Munich Dictat. In it, players step into the roles of military high command of Germany or Czechoslovakia. To win, the German player must attempt to crush Czechoslovakia by conquering some crucial portion of its national territory before France and England can decide to join the war. The Czechoslovakian player wins by holding out until those two Allied powers intervene. We assume the invasion begins sometime during the first week of October, the exact start date being dependent on the completion of final German logistical preparations and the forecast arrival of at least two days of good flying weather.
1.2 Game Scale
Each game turn represents two days. Each hexagon on the map equals approximately 7.5 miles (12 km.) from side to opposite side. Ground units in the game represent mostly divisions and large brigades (and one Soviet composite-corps) varying in size from about 7,000 17,000 men, and up to 300-400 armored fighting vehicles. There are also some regimental-sized units included for optional use (3,000-6,000 men). The air units are more abstract; each represents sorties flown by 200-300 military aircraft of various types.
A hexagonal (hex) grid is printed over the map to regulate the placement and movement of the units. A unit is considered to be in only one hex at one time. Each hex contains natural and/or artificial terrain features that can affect the movement of units and combat between units.
The terrain and artificial structures pictured on the map had their boundaries altered slightly from their real-world configurations to make them fit neatly within the hex grid. But the relationships between the terrain from hex to hex are accurate to the degree necessary to present players with the same space/time dilemmas that would have faced their historic counterparts had this war actually taken place.
Each hex on the map has a unique, four-digit identification number. These are provided to help you find places more quickly (example: Pilsen is in hex 2014), or to allow you to record unit positions if you have to put the game away before a match is finished.
Design Note: the half-hexes along the map edge are playable hexes for all purposes.
2.0 Game Components
2.1 Contents
The components to a complete game of C'38 include these rules, a 34" x 22" playing map, and 142 die-cut counters (also referred to as "units," or "counters," or "unit counters"). Players must provide one standard (six-sided) die to resolve combat and other variables in play.
2.2 The Game Map
The map represents the militarily significant terrain found in the area where this campaign would have been fought had war erupted between Germany and Czechoslovakia in 1938.
2.3 Counters
There are 142 counters included in the game, most of which represent ground combat units; a few others are provided as informational markers, memory aids, combat aircraft sorties, and industrial infrastructure. After reading through these rules at least one time, carefully punch out the counters. Trimming off the "dog ears" on their corners with a finger-nail clipper greatly facilitates handling and stacking during play (and also enhances their appearance).
Each combat unit counter displays several pieces of information: nationality, historical identification, combat and step strengths, movement allowance, substitute status, and set-up location or method of entry.
Errata: Replacement German aircraft and German 12th infantry with correct setup hex were included with Command Issue #26. There was also a replacement for the Czech 33rd Border Sector unit, which should have been a two-step unit.
2.4 Sample Combat Unit
[Diagram: the counter's labelled parts are Setup Hex, Unit Type, Number of Steps, Unit ID, Attack Factor, Defense Factor and Movement Allowance.]
This unit is the German 3rd Infantry Division. It contains two strength steps (2.11), has an attack factor of 4, a defense factor of 5, and a movement allowance of 5. It starts the game on the board in hex 5105.
2.5 Nationality
A unit's nationality (and therefore its side) is indicated by its color scheme.
2.5.1 German Units
| Type | Color Scheme |
|---|---|
| Mechanized | white on black |
| Non-Mechanized | black on gray-green |
| Strategic Reserve | black on gray |
| Luftwaffe | sky-blue background |
| Freikorps Sudetenland | black on brown |
2.5.2 Czech Units
| Type | Color Scheme |
|---|---|
| Mechanized | blue on white |
| Mechanized (variant) | white on blue |
| Non-Mechanized | red on white |
| Industrial Infrastructure | black on white |
| Aircraft | dark blue background |
| Soviet | red on gold |
Design Note: In general, Soviet units operate like Czech units. The exceptions are noted in 7.33 and 9.2.
2.6 Historical Identification
The ground units of both sides are identified by numbers, or by letter abbreviations of their full historical name.
| Abbreviation | Name |
|---|---|
| ALR/7 | Air Landing Regiment/7th Parachute Div |
| FKS | Freikorps Sudetenland |
| IAC | Independent Army Corps |
| L | Landwehr (home guard) |
| PIL | Defense Group Pilsen |
| PRA | Defense Group Prague |
| R | Reserve |
| SS LAH | SS Regiment Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (his personal bodyguard) |
2.7 Unit Size
Since the majority of ground units in the game are divisions, a symbol indicating that status has been omitted. The ground units in the game that do not fit into that category have their size indicated atop their unit-type box.
| Symbol | Unit Size |
|---|---|
| (symbol) | Soviet Ad Hoc Corps |
| (symbol) | Regiment |
| (symbol) | Ad Hoc Regimental Equivalent |
2.8 Unit Types
A. All ground combat units belong to one of two basic categories: Mechanized/Motorized (Mech), or Non-Mechanized (Non-Mech).
B. Mech units are those whose primary means of locomotion is provided by wheeled or tracked vehicles.
C. Non Mech units are those whose primary means of locomotion is provided by legs, human and animal.
D. This distinction is important for both movement and combat (11.0, 12.0).
2.8.1 Mechanized
| Symbol Type |
|---|
| Panzer |
| Motorized Infantry |
| German Light Division |
| Czech Mobile Division |
| Industrial Infrastructure |
2.8.2 Non-Mechanized
| Symbol Type |
|---|
| Infantry |
| Mountain Infantry |
| Air Landing Infantry |
| Freikorps |
| Border Sector |
| Defense Group |
2.9 Attack and Defense Factors
Together these are called Combat Factors, but work as separate measures of a unit's ability to conduct offensive and defensive combat operations. Their uses are explained in Section 12.0.
2.10 Movement Factor
This number is a measure of a unit's ability to move across the hex grid printed on the map. Units pay varied movement costs to enter different hexes, depending on the terrain in them and along the hexsides around them (11.0).
2.11 Step Strength
A. All ground units contain between one and four steps, an arbitrary term used to express the ability of a unit to absorb combat losses before being eliminated. The circled number to the left of a unit's type box indicates its strength steps. Combat losses are absorbed as steps; if a two-step unit suffers a step loss, it is flipped over to its reduced side (the one with the lesser combat factors). If a one-step unit (or a multi-step unit that has already been reduced to just one step) takes a step loss, it is removed from the map.
B. All but one of the Czech units contain only one step.
C. The only units in the game with more than two steps are the German panzer and motorized infantry divisions, and the Soviet IAC. Those units contain four steps, and are represented in the game by two counters. Only one of each of those units counters may be in play at any one time. The lower-valued ones are substituted for the higher-valued ones as the units take step losses during play.
D. A unit's step strength can never be increased during play. It either remains the same or goes down due to combat-losses. All units start or enter play at their maximum step strength.
Design Note: A counter's status as substitute unit is shown as an asterisk (*) in its upper-left corner.
2.12 Setup and Entry Codes
These are explained in Sections 3.0 and 8.0.
2.13 Other Counters
The other counters in the game are used as reminders of actions taken or to be taken, and each is explained in the indicated rules section:
A. Breach markers (14.1),
B. Game Turn marker (5.1),
C. VP markers (4.1),
D. Air units (6.0), and
E. Interdiction counters (6.7).
3.0 Setup and Hex Control
3.1 Choose Sides and Set Up
A. Players should first decide between themselves which side each will command. The German player commands all units identified in 2.5 as being on the German Side. The Czech player commands those identified as being on the Czech Side. After that decision, both players should take all the units of their side and sort and place them on and near the map according to the following information.
B. Since Czechoslovakia exists on the map as a peninsula surrounded by German Territory, there is no proper seating arrangement for the two players. Ideally, play in a location that allows both players to move around the board as needed to attend to the various sectors of action along its edges.
3.2 On-Board Units
A. Units at start (on board) are all those with a four-digit hex number, indicating their starting positions, printed in their upper-left corners or on their reverse sides. Example: The Czech 1st Infantry Division starts the game in hex 2610.
B. Three German infantry divisions (16L, 30L, and 72L) have 5706-4 printed in their upper-left corners. That means they may start in that hex and/or any other hex(es) in Germany within four hexes of that location.
C. Four other German infantry divisions (5, 25, 35, 69L) have a set up of 1222-8: they set up in Germany within eight hexes of hex 1222.
Commentary: Experienced strategists will notice there is a kind of flat-footed quality to both side's historical set ups. On the Czech side that is due to their national mobilization scheme, their ignorance of specific German invasion plans, and a desire to pretty much defend and hold everything, yielding whatever they were forced to in a west to east direction. On the German side the reasons are not so clear. Doctrinally, their high command agreed this was to have been a blitzkrieg operation, yet their mechanized forces are hardly concentrated for one. One guess is they never really believed this situation would turn into a shooting war, and these final dispositions were taken up because they allowed for the swiftest unopposed advance after Czech capitulation to the Munich Dictat. Also, we are unable to provide exact locations for every German unit simply because, again, historically the crisis ended before all their units were fully deployed.
3.3 Reinforcements
Reinforcements for both sides should be placed off to the side of the map at the start of play (8.0).
3.4 The Turn Record Track
Take the Game Turn Marker provided in the counter-mix and place it atop the Game Turn 1 space on the track (on the map).
3.5 Hex Control
A. Every hex on the map is always controlled by one side or the other never by both at the same time. This distinction is important for judging victory (4.0).
B. At the start of the game, every hex in Germany is controlled by the German side, and every hex in Czechoslovakia is controlled by the Czechs.
C. Czechoslovakia is the sausage-shaped peninsula of territory jutting across the middle of the map inside the thick gray boundary line.
D. Germany is everything outside that area.
E. During play, the control of a hex switches from one side to the other whenever a ground unit from the other side first enters it. Control switches immediate and may occur and reoccur for a given hex any number of times during play.
F. The projection of a ground unit's Zone of Control (10.0) into a hex is not sufficient to change the control status of that hex; actual ground unit entry must take place.
4.0 Victory Conditions
4.1 General Rule
A. The German player is the aggressor and as has the main burden of attack. Victory is reckoned in terms of Victory Points (VP), which are awarded to the Czech player (only) for the control of town, large town, and Prague hexes on the map.
B. The Victory Point track on the map sheet and the two VP markers may be used to keep track of the current VP level. Place the x10 marker in the 4 box and the x1 marker in the 5 box at the start of the game. Adjust the markers as needed throughout the game.
4.2 Victory Points
A. Each hex of Prague (2710, 2711, and 2811) is worth 4 VPs.
B. Pilsen (2014) and Bruno (4621) are each worth 3 VPs.
C. All other towns and large towns in Czechoslovakia are each worth 1 VP.
D. The Czech player has control of a total of 45 VPs at the game's start. If at any instant during play before Anglo-French intervention is declared (4.5), the German player succeeds in driving that Czech VP total below 16, play stops and the German player is declared the winner.
E. If the German player fails to accomplish that by game's end (4.7), the Czech player is the victor.
F. There are no draws in this game.
4.3 Zwickau and Chemnitz
A. Two large towns in Germany appear on the map, Zwickau (1203) and Chemnitz (1601). Usually they will have no direct be ring on play and victory determination.
B. If, however, the Czechs gain control of either during play, they are immediately awarded 2 VPs.
C. They need not maintain control until the game ends to keep those bonus VPs; once awarded, the bonus VP are permanent.
4.4 Czech Industry Evacuation
A. Every Industrial Infrastructure counter moved off the map into Slovakia immediately and permanently yields 2 VPs to the Czech player.
B. Conversely, the destruction of those counters yields nothing directly to the Germans, other than making certain the Czechs cannot use them to earn these VPs. (16.2)
4.5 Anglo-French Intervention
A. Starting at the beginning of Turn 8, and at the start of every turn thereafter, the German player rolls a die to see if the British and French have yet screwed up their courage enough to come to the aid of the Czechs by declaring war on Germany.
B. On a 1-2, intervention occurs, the game ends, and the Czech player wins.
C. On a 3-6, Paris and London remain in an indecisive diplomatic funk for at least another turn. Play continues for another game turn (when another die roll check is made, or until Czech VPs are driven below 16).
Historical/Design Note: Hitler's goal here is to incorporate Czechoslovakia into the Reich without having to start a general European war to do it. Anglo-French intervention does not mean the Wehrmacht immediately pulls back and leaves Czechoslovakia alone. But it does mean Hitler has failed in his goal, and thus provides an easy and direct benchmark for judging victory in the game. (For several reasons, the Soviet intervention which you will shortly find is automatic in the game is not considered sufficient to have overturned Hitler's goal. See the accompanying historical article in the main magazine, page 12.)
It is possible a Czech victory in this war would have led to Hitler's overthrow by an army-led coup which may then have erupted into some kind of civil war fought out between them and the various Nazi Party organs. At least one important scholar of the period (A.J.P. Taylor) thinks such a situation could have brought about a takeover of Germany by what had been its second-most-popular radical movement prior to 1932: the Communists.
4.6 Hungarian Intervention
A. If Hungarian intervention occurs (8.5), the Czechs must immediately and permanently deduct 5 VPs from their total.
B. If any Czech Industrial Infrastructure counters have been evacuated, the Czech player loses those VPs, and may not gain any VPs for future such evacuations.
4.7 Maximum Game Length
If Germany has not won by driving down Czech VPs sufficiently by the end of Turn 10, play stops at that time and the Czech player is declared the winner.
Historical/Design Note: No matter what happened with England and France, in the autumn of 1938, the German army had only enough munitions and supplies stockpiled for less than a month of active operations.
Players Note: As a practical matter, the game will rarely last through the tenth turn.
4.8 German Mech Losses
A. Whenever a German mechanized-class unit is completely eliminated, the Czech player is immediately and permanently awarded 1 VP for that destruction.
B. This also applies to the optional FKS unit, even though it is not mechanized (16.1).
4.9 ALR/7
If optional rule 16.3 is being used, the ALR/7 regiment also yields 1 VP to the Czech at the time of its elimination.
5.0 The Turn Sequence
5.1 General Rule
A. C'38 is divided into a variable number of game turns. Place the Game Turn marker on the first turn box at the start of the game; advance it to the next at the end of each game turn.
B. Each complete Game Turn is divided into two Player Turns. Germany has the first player turn, followed by the Czech player turn. The two together make up one complete Game Turn.
C. Both player turns are further divided into a series of sequenced steps, or phases.
D. Every action taken by a side must be carried out in the appropriate phase of its own player turn.
Exception: Germany can conduct retreats after combat during the Czech player turn (12.12).
E. Once a phase is complete and a new phase begun, a player may not return to an earlier phase to complete a forgotten action or redo a poorly executed action unless the opponent graciously permits it.
5.2 Turn Sequence
A. The rules which follow are organized, as much as possible, to explain things in the order they are encountered as the players progress through each turn.
B. The German player turn is the first one in every game turn.
C. The Turn Sequence is given below in outline form.
- Anglo-French Intervention Check, starting with Turn 8 (4.5)
- Mutual Air Power Phase (6.0).
- German Player Turn a. Movement and Mobile Assault Phase b. Prepared Assault Phase
- Czech Player Turn a. Movement Phase b. Prepared Assault Phase
6.0 Air Power
6.1 General Rule
A. Each air unit represents between 200-300 combat sorties flown over two days by planes of various types. These units can be used to support ground combat, inhibit enemy movement, and gain superiority to prevent enemy aircraft from carrying out their missions.
B. Air units are never lost in combat though their potential effects may be canceled by the actions of enemy planes.
C. Air units are always in supply.
D. Each air unit may fly one mission per game.
E. Air units that go unused in a game turn are simply considered not to have flown in that turn. They are available for potential commitment during the next game turn (as well as are those air units which did fly).
6.2 Weather
6.2.1 General Rule
A. Beginning on Turn 2, Germany rolls one die at the start of each Air Power Phase.
B. On a 6, the sky over central Europe is too overcast to allow for effective large-scale air operations that turn.
C. In that case, skip the Air Power Phase for that turn and make a new die roll check at the start of the next.
D. A roll of 1-5 means the weather permits flying.
6.2.2 Historical Weather (Optional Rule)
Czech meteorological records for October 1938 indicate it was an essentially clear month. Only one game turn in the middle of the month would have been a no-fly turn. (The game designer did not specify, so roll one die. On a 1-3, Turn 5 is bad weather. On a 4-6, Turn 6 is bad weather.
6.3 Air Unit Availability
A. Germany plays the entire game with seven air units.
B. The Czechs begin with three air units, then receive one Red Air Force (Soviet) reinforcement each on Turn 3 and on Turn 4.
C. If all Prague hexes have fallen to Germany, remove two of the Czech air units from play.
6.4 Soviet Air Units
Soviet air units operate in all ways as if they were regular Czech aircraft. When they arrive as reinforcements on Turns 3 and 4, they become instantly available for Czech use on those turns and thereafter.
6.5 Air Missions
A. Each player's Air Power Allocation Chart contains three boxes, one for each air mission in the game:
- Air Superiority,
- Interdiction, and
- Ground Support.
B. Both sides' air units may be committed to missions in any combination. There are no -limits the use of counters for any of the missions.
C. Each air unit may only be committed to one mission per turn.
D. Both players should allocate their own aircraft to missions out of sight of their opponent. Once both players have completed their mission allocations for the turn, reveal them to each other and resolve them as described below.
6.6 Mission: Air Superiority
6.6.1 Procedure
A. These units are targeted to neutralize the enemy's air effort. Each friendly unit in the Air Superiority box cancels out one enemy unit in the enemy Air Superiority box.
B. Only one side may have excess Air Superiority units attack enemy Ground Support and Interdiction planes.
C. Each remaining unit in the Air Superiority box must be targeted against either the enemy Interdiction or Ground Support box. All targeting must be done before any die rolls are made.
D. For each air unit in the Air Superiority box, roll one die.
- On a 1-4 for Germany, or 1-3 for the Czechs, the unit cancels one enemy aircraft unit in the targeted box.
- No damage is done to it, but it may not carry out its mission for that game turn.
Design Note: If one were able to actually enter the air space where these "neutralizations" were taking place, there would be many individual planes from both sides being shot from the skies. But players need not concern themselves with tracking such aircraft losses. We are assuming both sides' air forces are putting up a maximum effort each turn. The Germans are committed to such an approach because they need to use everything they have (by way of aircraft and crew replacements) to win this war before the British and French intervene. The Czechs, of course, are fighting for their very survival and are therefore not holding anything back either. We assume whatever losses that are occurring are being suffered proportionately, and that neither air force has the power to completely crush or neutralize its opponent's organization within the space of one month of active operations.
6.6.2 Air Superiority Example
A. On Turn 5, and during the Mutual Air Power Allocation Phase the German player secretly put two air units in their Air Superiority box, one in the Ground Support box, and the other four in the Interdiction box.
B. The Czechs secretly put all five of their available air units (three Czech and two Soviet) in their Air Superiority box.
C. When the allocations are revealed, the two Germans flying air superiority are neutralized for the turn, along with two Czech/Soviet air units from that side's Air Superiority box. The four air units are out of play until the next Mutual Air Power Allocation Phase.
D. The Czechs are left with three aircraft in their Air Superiority box and allocate one against the German unit flying Ground Support and the remaining two against the German units flying Interdiction.
E. The Czechs roll a 5 for the unit against the German unit in the Ground Support box, which is no effect.
F. The Czechs roll a 2 and a 4 for the units against the German units in the Interdiction Box. One German unit is canceled for that turn, the others may interdict normally.
G. If it had been the German player attacking, both of the Czech planes would have been nullified because Germany succeeds on a 1-4.
H. The German player now has one Ground Support and three Interdiction missions to place on the map.
6.7 Mission: Interdiction
6.7.1 Procedure
A. The purpose of Interdiction missions is to slow the movement of enemy ground units. Each side sets out its Interdiction missions at the end of its own Prepared Assault Phase.
B. To place an Interdiction mission, take the air unit(s) from the Interdiction box of the Air Power Allocation Chart and place it (them) on hex(es) on the map, one per hex.
C. The presence of enemy or friendly ground units in the hex does not prevent the placement of an interdicting air unit in that same hex.
D. There are no range limits to Interdiction; both sides may fly them anywhere on the map.
E. The Czechs place Interdiction missions on the map just before the start of the German player turn, removing them at the end of the German Movement and Mobile Assault Phase in the same turn.
F. Germany places its Interdiction missions on the map at the end of its player turn, and removes them at the end of the Czech Movement Phase in the same turn.
6.7.2 Interdiction Effects
A. The MP cost for enemy movement into interdicted hexes and all hexes adjacent to interdicted hexes is doubled.
B. Doubling also applies to hexside crossing costs and to the MP cost to conduct MAs.
C. Interdiction missions never affect ground units of the side that placed the Interdiction.
D. Interdiction missions have no effects other than these movement penalties. They do not affect supply line tracing, advances after combat, or retreats after combat.
E. No matter how many Interdiction missions are being flown adjacent to a given hex, movement costs are never more than doubled.
6.8 Mission: Ground Support
6.8.1 Procedure
A. Air units committed to Ground Support are used to aid friendly ground combat units in offensive or defensive battles (both MA and PA for Germany), and they should be set aside until a particular battle occurs where the owning player wants to use it.
B. Each Ground Support air unit may aid one ground combat per game turn.
C. There are no range limitations on Ground Support missions; both sides can give support anywhere on the map.
D. Air units commit to a ground battle as the last step before the combat resolution die is rolled.
E. No more than one air unit may be committed by each side to support a given ground combat.
F. In each ground battle, the attacker always announces his its commitment first, if any, then the defender.
6.8.2 Ground Support Effects
Ground Support causes a shift in a combat's odds one column in the air unit's favor. If both sides commit an air unit to a single combat, the opposing air efforts cancel each other.
6.8.3 Ground Support Limits
A. German air units may not be committed to support attacks into intact Czech fortifications or heavy fortification hexes.
B. Ground attacks into Improved Position hexes can be supported from the air.
C. Czech and Soviet air units may not be used to help defend against German MAs (15.0).
7.0 Supply
7.1 General Rule
A. The ground units of both sides require supply to operate at their full movement and combat strength. There are no counters representing the supplies consumed; instead, that is abstracted through the process of supply line tracing.
B. There are two supply states, and every ground combat unit always exists in one of them.
C. A unit is in supply if it can trace a supply line to a supply source or is directly located in a supply source hex.
D. If a unit cannot trace a supply path to a source, it is out of supply (OOS).
E. Aircraft units of both sides and the Czech Industrial Infrastructure units are always in supply.
7.2 Supply Lines
A. A supply line (or path) consists of an uninterrupted path of hexes traced from the unit back to a valid supply source.
B. The path may be of any length and may enter and pass through all kinds of natural and artificial terrain except flooded hexes.
C. German supply lines may not be traced through intact Czech fortifications and heavy fortifications. Intact Czech IP hexes do not by themselves block German supply line tracing.
D. Supply lines are not blocked by air Interdiction.
E. Supply lines may not enter or pass through hexes occupied by enemy ground units; however, they may be traced into and through hexes containing only enemy zones of control. Within these limits, both sides may also trace their supply lines into and through the national territory of the other side.
7.3 Supply Sources
A. Any number of units can trace supply to any of their side's supply sources.
B. A captured supply source does not provide supply to the capturing side.
7.3.1 German Supply Sources
A. German supply sources are all map edge hexes (and half hexes) in Germany.
Example: 2528 is a German supply source hex, but 2628 is not.
B. German supply sources lose their supply status only while actually occupied by enemy ground units. They regain their supply status the instant they are recaptured or left unoccupied.
7.3.2 Czech Supply Sources
A. Czech supply sources are hexes are Prague (2710, 2711, 2811), Pilsen (2014), Bruno (4621), and Ostrava (6014).
B. Czech supply sources permanently lose their supply status immediately upon coming under German control.
C. Their supply status can never be regained even if the Czechs retake them.
D. Czech units in any of those hexes are always in supply, provide they have not been German-controlled.
7.3.3 Soviet Supply Sources
A. Soviet supply sources are all east and south map edge hexes in Czechoslovakia (from 4927 to 6012, inclusive) that are not occupied by German ground units at the instant of tracing Soviet supply.
B. Soviet supply sources lose their supply status only while actually occupied by enemy ground units. They regain their supply status the instant they are recaptured or left unoccupied.
7.4 OOS Effects
A. A unit may exist indefinitely in the OOS state. It is not reduced or eliminated due to being OOS.
B. An OOS unit's movement and combat factors are halved. Round up any fractions.
Example: Half of 5 is 3.
7.5 Checking Supply
7.5.1 Movement Phase
A. Check the supply status of each ground unit at the start of its movement phase.
B. A unit OOS at the start of its movement phase has its movement factor halved.
7.5.2 Combat Phase
A. Check the supply status for each unit in combat (offensive and defensive).
B. Halve the combat factor of a unit OOS at the start of a battle in which it is participating.
C. When making pre-combat supply checks, check the supply status of the participating units on both sides, not just those of the attacker.
D. When more than one unit is OOS, add up all the combat factors for those units, then halve them.
7.6 Willful OOS
It is permissible for both sides to willfully move their units into hexes where they will be OOS.
8.0 Reinforcements, Hungarian Intervention
A. Reinforcements are units that do not start the game on the map, but enter play later.
B. All reinforcement ground units of all nationalities must enter play using regular movement, and they are considered to be automatically in supply during their player turn of entry.
C. Once on board, reinforcements may not leave the map (Exception: German Strategic Transfer, 11.9.1).
8.1 German Reinforcements
A. The only possible German reinforcements are the eight divisions of their high command's strategic reserve (34L, 37L, 52R, 53L, 56R, 62R, 73R, 74R). These are all marked Reserve on their reverse sides.
B. They become available only if one or more Czech ground units enters any hex in Germany.
C. In that event, all eight divisions become available for entry in the next German Movement and Assault Phase.
D. Once available, they units need not all enter during the same turn.
E. Units of the reserve enter play via any map edge hex in Germany. They do not need to enter through the same hex.
F. They may enter through hexes containing enemy ZOCs, but not into hexes containing actual enemy ground units.
G. They enter with all their normal movement and combat factors fully and immediately available, and they begin paying all normal terrain costs from the very first hex entered.
H. They may enter stacked up to normal limits.
I. On their turn of entry, they may only use regular movement, not operational or strategic transfer.
8.2 Soviet Reinforcements
A. The Soviet IAC unit enters play during the Czech Movement Phase of Turn 7, via any Soviet supply source hex (7.3.3), and under the same general conditions, and using the same general methods, as German entry.
B. The IAC's entry may not be delayed beyond Turn 7. If it does not enter by the end of Turn 7, it may not enter at all.
C. The IAC will not enter play if Hungarian intervention (8.3) was triggered before the start of the Czech Turn 7 player turn.
8.3 Czech Reinforcements
A. Czechoslovakia receives seven units with Slovakia printed on their reverse sides (10th and 11th Infantry, 39th, 40th, 41st, and 42nd Border Sectors, and 3rd Mobile Division).
B. Those units start play off the map, garrisoning the eastern part of Czechoslovakia (the province of Slovakia) against a possible Hungarian incursion.
C. The Czech player may (but is not required to) bring into play some or all of those units during any Czech Movement Phase.
D. Every turn one or more of these units enters, there is a chance that Hungary will take the opportunity to invade Slovakia.
E. To enter units from the Slovak garrison, the Czech player announces during any Czech Movement Phase, selects the particular unit to enter, and rolls one die.
- On a 6, Hungary intervenes (8.4).
- On a 1-5, the unit enters as a reinforcement, using the same hexes and under the same conditions as the Soviet IAC.
F. The Czechs may select any number of reinforcements to enter in any turn, including bringing in all of them during the same game turn, but roll for Hungarian Intervention separately for each unit.
8.4 Hungarian Intervention
Upon Hungarian Intervention, the following occur immediately:
A. Permanently reduce the Czech VP total by 5 VP.
B. The reinforcement unit that triggered the Hungarian intervention enters play, but no further reinforcements may be drawn from Slovakia for the remainder of the game.
C. If the Soviet IAC has not yet entered, it may no longer do so.
D. Soviet air units are not affected.
E. Any VPs the Czechs have received for evacuating Industrial Infrastructure units are lost, and no VPs may be gained for future evacuations.
8.5 What if the Czechs Learned Blitzkrieg? (Variant)
This variant allows one to explore the possibility that Czechoslovakian mechanized forces had leaders and men as flexible and adept as those in the Czech Legion had proved to be earlier in Russia.
A. At the start of every Czech player turn, roll one die for each Czech mech unit except the 3rd.
- On a 1, that unit has learned and converted to German-style blitzkrieg tactics. Replace it with the appropriate substitute unit. Henceforth all the rules in section 15.0 apply to it.
- On a 2-6, the unit remains unchanged for the turn.
B. Roll once per unit each turn until it has converted or the game ends.
9.0 Stacking
9.1 General Rule
A. Placing more than one unit into the same hex at the same time is called stacking.
B. The general rule is both sides may stack up to three ground units per hex.
9.2 Soviet
The IAC may never stack with any other ground unit.
9.3 German Regiments
Each (optional) German regiment counts as one-third of a full unit for stacking purposes.
9.4 Industrial Infrastructure
II units each counts as one full unit for stacking.
9.5 Air Units
Air units have no stacking value. They may be added freely to any stack according the rules for their uses given in section 6.0.
9.6 Breach Markers
Breach markers serve only as memory aids and therefore have no real existence in the game and may be added freely to any stack as needed (14.1).
9.7 Stacking and Movement
A. Stacking limits are in effect at all times throughout the game turn. Players must pay attention to the sequence in which they move their units, or they risk having carelessly made early moves block units they want to move toward the end of their movement phase.
B. As long as the appropriate stacking limits are observed, there is no restriction on the number of units that may enter and pass through a given hex over the course of a movement phase.
C. See 11.5 and 12.6 for more about stacking effects on movement and combat, and see 15.11 for stacking effects on Mobile Assaults.
9.8 Overstacking
If any hex is found to be overstacked at any time, the opposing player may immediately select and remove the minimum number of units necessary to bring that hex back into limits.
10.0 Zones of Control (ZOCs)
10.1 General Rule
A. A ground combat unit exerts a Zone of Control (ZOC) into the six hexes surrounding its location at all times. There is no qualitative difference between a hex containing a ZOC exerted by one unit and a hex containing ZOCs exerted by multiple units.
B. ZOCs of both sides can be exerted simultaneously into the same hex.
10.2 ZOC Limits
A. ZOCs do not extend into or out of intact Czech fortification and heavy fortification hexes (14.0).
B. No other kind of terrain has any inhibiting or negating effects on ZOCs.
10.3 Enemy ZOCs
A. During the movement phase of both player turns, all units must stop in the first hex they enter containing an enemy ZOC, and may not move farther during that movement phase.
B. A unit starting its movement in an enemy ZOC may move out of that hex, provided the first hex it enters is not in an enemy ZOC.
C. The presence of friendly units or their ZOCs in a hex containing an enemy ZOC, do not negate the enemy ZOCs in any way.
D. Mechanized units conducting mobile assaults, may move directly from one enemy ZOC to another (15.0).
10.4 ZOCs and Retreats
The presence of an enemy ZOC in a hex does not prohibit German units from retreating after combat into such hexes (12.12).
10.5 ZOCs and Supply
The presence of an enemy ZOC in a hex does not prohibit supply lines being traced into and through such hexes, and does not nullify the capacity of any supply source. It takes actual enemy control of supply source hexes to accomplish that (3.5, 7.3).
Design Note: Many of you may be wondering how it is that a small Sturmband of Sudeten Nazis exert the same ZOC as a full panzer division. This is a quick but workable way to get at fog of war in general, and the conditions of this campaign in particular. In general, with game turns equaling only two days, at tactical levels on cannot count on forward elements being able to rapidly identify; newly contacted enemy elements. Hence, the general reaction is to stop and "clarify and develop" each new situation. In particular, had this campaign actually been fought, everyone involved would have been green. This is not 1942, but 1938.
10.6 Units Not Exerting ZOCs
Aircraft and Czech Industrial Infrastructure units do not exert a ZOC.
11.0 Movement
11.1 General Rule
A. Every ground unit in the game has a Movement Factor printed in its bottom-right corner, representing the number of Movement Points (MPs) available to the unit to use to move across the hex grid of the map during its side's movement phase each game turn.
B. Units move from hex to adjacent hex (no skipping of hexes is allowed), paying varied costs to do so, depending on the type of unit moving, and the terrain in and along the hex being entered.
C. Each side's ground units may move only during their own player turn's movement phase. Enemy units may not move during a friendly player turn. (Exception: retreat after combat, 12.12).
11.2 Limits
A. MPs may not be accumulated from turn to turn, nor may they be loaned or given from one unit to another.
B. During a side's player-turn, it may move all, some, or none of its units, as desired, in each movement phase.
C. Units that move are not required to expend all their MPs before stopping.
D. The movement of each individual unit or stack must be completed before that of another is begun. A player may only adjust the position of an already moved unit or stack if the other side allows it.
11.3 Minimum Movement Ability
A. All ground units are guaranteed the ability to move at least one hex during their movement phase by expending all their available MPs.
B. This guarantee does not, however, allow units to enter hexes or cross hexsides that are otherwise impassable to them, nor does it allow units to move directly from one enemy ZOC to another.
11.4 Hexes Containing Enemy Units
Ground units may never enter hexes containing enemy ground units, unless conducting mobile assault (15.0).
11.5 Stack Movement
To move together as a stack, units must begin their side's movement phase already stacked together. Units are not required to move together simply because they started the movement phase in the same hex. Such units might be moved together, individually, or in smaller sub-stacks.
11.6 Splitting Stacks
A. A moving stack may halt temporarily to allow a unit or sub-stack to split off and move away on a separate course. The units left behind in the original (or parent) stack may then resume their movement, even splitting off other units again, if desired.
B. The parent stack may not resume movement once an entirely different parent stack (or individual unit that began in a different hex) begins movement without the opponent's permission.
11.7 Stack with Units of Different Movement Factors
If units with differing movement factors are traveling together in a stack, the stack must use the movement factor of the slowest unit. Of course, as the slower units exhaust their movement factors, the faster ones may leave them behind and continue moving.
11.8 Terrain and Movement
A. All terrain features on the map are classified into two broad categories: Natural, and Artificial. Both categories are divided into several different types.
B. Each hex is considered to contain only one type of natural terrain.
- Hexes containing both Mountain and Rough terrain are considered Mountain.
- Hexes containing both Forest and Rough terrain are considered Rough.
- Hexes containing both Forest and Mountain terrain are considered Mountain.
C. The total movement cost for entering a hex is always the sum of all the applicable terrain types involved.
Example: A mechanized unit crossing a major river hexside into a rough hex would pay a total of 4 MPs, 2 MPs to enter the rough hex, and 2 extra MPs to cross the major river hexside.
11.8.1 Natural Terrain
There are eight types of natural terrain on the map: Clear, Forest, Rough, Mountains, Wetlands, Flooded, Rivers, and Major Rivers. Their effects on the movement of ground units are described below, and summarized on the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) for quick reference.
11.8.1.1 Clear
Clear hexes are the base terrain, devoid of natural features that enhance defense or slow movement at this level of operations. Ground units expend 1 MP to enter a Clear hex.
11.8.1.2 Forest
Forest hexes represent areas where the primary ground cover is trees. Mechanized units expend 2 MPs to enter while non-mechanized units expend 1 MP.
11.8.1.3 Rough
Rough hexes represent areas dominated by hilly or broken terrain. Mechanized units expend 3 MPs to enter a Rough hex, mountain infantry expend 1 MP, and all other ground units expend 2 MPs.
11.8.1.4 Mountain
Mountain infantry expend 2 MPs to enter a Mountain hex, all other non-mechanized units expend 3 MPs, and mechanized units expend 4 MPs.
11.8.1.5 Wetland
Non-mechanized units expend 2 MPs to enter a Wetland hex. Mechanized units may not enter them.
11.8.1.6 Flooded
All ground units are prohibited from entering Flooded hexes.
11.8.1.7 Minor Rivers
A. All rivers run between hexes, along the hexsides, rather than existing in a hex like the terrains above.
B. All units expend one extra MP to cross Minor River hexsides by (shown on the TEC as +1). The cost to cross is in addition to the terrain cost to enter the hex on the other side of the river.
C. Normally eligible units may retreat and advance after-combat across rivers (12.12, 12.16).
11.8.1.8 Major Rivers
Major Rivers are identical to Minor Rivers except that mechanized units expend 2 MPs extra to cross them.
11.8.2 Artificial Terrain
There are seven types of artificial terrain: the International Border, Towns, Large Towns, Prague, Fortifications, Heavy Fortifications, and Improved Positions.
11.8.2.1 The International Border
A. The border is a line between Germany and Czechoslovakia and has no effect on movement or combat.
B. ZOCs always extend across it.
11.8.2.2 Towns, Large Towns, Prague, and Improved Positions
A. These have no additional effect on movement.
B. The movement cost to enter such hexes is determined by the natural terrain in them.
11.8.2.3 Intact Fortifications and Heavy Fortifications
A. German ground units may not enter these hexes when intact (14.0).
B. Czech units move through them paying only the costs for the natural terrain involved.
11.9 Special Movement
11.9.1 German Strategic Transfer
A. During German movement phases, except Turn 1, the German player may move up to four steps of ground combat units by strategic transfer (rail movement).
B. To be eligible for this kind of movement, a unit must start the German movement phase in supply inside Germany, not beneath or next to an enemy air interdiction mission, and not next to an enemy ground combat unit.
C. Remove the desired units from the map. They reenter at the start of the next German movement phase as if they were a reinforcement (8.1) using regular movement.
D. The four steps per turn limit may be used to move one unit containing four steps, or several smaller units with fewer steps.
E. It is not necessary for multiple unit strategic transfers to start or end in the same hexes.
F. German units withdrawn from the map in this way need not reenter during the next turn. They may be held off the map indefinitely as a kind of strategic reserve.
G. There is no Czech strategic transfer.
11.9.2 Operational Transfer
A. Both sides may make use of a special kind of (faster) movement called operational transfer. This movement can occur in any movement phase after Turn 1.
B. Any unit beginning its movement phase in supply, not beneath or next to enemy air interdiction missions, and not next to any enemy ground combat units, is eligible for operational transfer that turn.
C. Any number of eligible Czech, Soviet, and German units may be so moved.
D. Such units pay all normal movement costs, but they move with up to twice their printed movement factor.
E. Units making operational transfers may not move adjacent to enemy ground units or interdiction missions during or at the end of their transfer move.
F. German units making operational transfers must treat intact Czech fortification and heavy fortification hexes as if they were enemy ground units for purposes of this rule.
11.9.3 Movement Order
A. Each Movement Phase is divided into segments that occur in order: Strategic Transfer (German only), Operational Transfers (both sides), and Regular Movement.
B. The Czechs can combine their movement segments if both players agree.
C. For the Germans, it is important to keep the movement modes separate as an Mobile Assault could open up an operational transfer route which would not have been open at the beginning of the movement phase.
11.10 Off Map Movement
Except within the provisions of German Strategic Transfer (11.9.1) and Czech Industrial Evacuation (16.2), no unit on the map may be moved, advanced, or retreated off it.
12.0 Combat: Prepared Assaults
Battles during the Combat Phase are referred to as Prepared Assaults. Battles during the Movement Phase are Mobile Assaults (Blitzkrieg).
12.1 General Rule
A. Combat takes place between adjacent opposing units during the combat phases of each player turn.
B. Attacking is always voluntary; the mere fact of opposing units' adjacency does not necessitate combat.
C. The player whose player turn it is, is the attacker, and the other is considered the defender, no matter what the overall situation across the map.
12.2 Multiple Defenders
A stack containing two or more enemy units must be attacked if it were one large, combined, defending unit.
12.3 Multi-Hex Attacks
A. An enemy occupied hex may be attacked in a single battle by as many friendly units can be brought to bear from one, some, or all of the surrounding hexes.
B. No more than one hex may ever be the object of a single attack.
Example: A unit in 5507 may not attack into both 5407 and 5506 during the same combat phase.
12.4 Indivisibility of Units
A. A single attacking unit may not divide its attack factor to apply it to more than one battle.
B. A defending unit may not have part of its defense factor attacked by one or more attackers while another part is attacked by others.
C. An attacking unit may not attack more than once per combat phase.
D. A defending unit may not be attacked more than once per combat phase.
12.5 Attack Sequencing
There is no set limit on the number of attacks each player may resolve during a combat phase. The attacker need not declare all attacks beforehand, and may resolve them in any desired order as long as each is resolved before beginning the next.
12.6 Stacks on the Attack
A. It is not necessary for all the units stacked in a given hex to participate in the same attack. Some units can attack one hex, while other units attack different hexes, or even not attack at all.
B. No defending unit may refuse combat.
12.7 Fog of War
A. Neither player may look beneath the top unit of enemy stacks until the time comes in the combat resolution process for odds computation.
B. An attacker may not call off an attack after examining the defender's stack.
12.8 Combat Procedure
12.8.1 Combat Odds Calculation
A. Sum the attack factors of all attacking units involved in a battle; then sum the defense factors of the defending units.
B. Divide the attack factors by the defense factors, then round any remainder in the defender's favor to get a ratio.
C. Each side's strength must take the supply situation into account (7.5.2).
Commentary: Normally the attacker should strive to have more attack factors involved in a given battle than the defender has defense factors.
High Odds Example: 26 attack factors against 7 defense factors yields an odds ratio of 3:1. 26 ÷ 7 = 3.71, which rounds down to 3, making the odds ratio 3:1, corresponding to a column heading on the Combat Results Table (CRT).
Poor Odds Example: 5 attack factors against 11 defense factors yields a ratio of 1:3. 11 ÷ 5 = 2.2; round this up (2.2 becomes 3), yielding odds of 1:3.
12.8.2 Odds Limits
A. The column headings on the CRT range from 1:4 to 7:1.
B. Odds greater than 7:1 are resolved without a die roll. The result is always 0/E.
C. Odds less than 1:4 are also resolved without a die roll. The result is always E/0.
12.9 Combat Modifiers
The odds obtained in the odds calculation process (12.8.1) may be modified (shifted) by the terrain in the defender's hex and/or around its perimeter (13.0). All applicable combat modifiers are cumulative in their effects. That is, in every battle all applicable modifiers are determined and their effects taken into account before the final odds ratio is determined and the die is rolled to get a combat result.
12.9.1 Minimum Combat Factors
A. No unit may ever have its combat factors reduced below 1.
B. When combat factor reductions occur, total the combat factors for all of the unit subject to a common reduction (or set of reductions), and then reduce that total, rounding up any remainder, but just one rounding per combat.
12.9.2 Ground Support
A. Apply a column shift if one side is using Ground Support (6.8).
B. German ground support is never available for use against intact fortifications or heavy fortifications.
C. Neither side may ever have more than one ground support mission per PA.
12.9.3 Concentric Assaults
A. The attacker receives a rightward column shift when:
- The a defending hex is attacked by units in opposite hexes (Figure A),
- Attacking units in three hexes with one hex between each surround the defender (Figure B), or
- Units in more than three hexes attack (Figure C).
B. A concentric assault odds shift is available when attacking intact fortifications and heavy fortifications.
Design Note: A good part of the odds shift obtained by the attacker when conducting a concentric assault is due to the disruption it has on the defender's logistical situation and support apparatus.
[Figures A, B and C (concentric assault diagrams) are not reproduced in this text.]
12.10 Final Combat Resolution
After all applicable modifiers have been applied and a final CRT odds column determined, the attacker rolls one die and consults the chart to get a combat result.
Example: A roll of 5 at 7:1 odds yields a result of 0/3.
Design Note: Got that about the odds shifters? Apply all the applicable modifiers first, then go to the CRT and find the odds column.
Example: If the attack is at 20:1 odds and there are modifiers operating that give a 2L shift, the actual attack is 18:1, and so is resolved without a die roll as an automatic 0/E result. Do not immediately convert that 20:1 to a 7:1 (the highest column on the chart) then shift 2L from there.
12.11 Combat Results
A. The number to the left of the slash is the attacker's loss.
B. The number to the right is the defender's loss.
C. Losses may be absorbed by:
- Step loss,
- Defender retreat, or
- Defender retreat with step loss.
D. The defender retreat option is available only to German defending units.
E. The defender must apply its losses before the attacker applies its losses.
12.12 Retreats
A. Germany may choose to retreat its defending units one hex (never more) to satisfy one increment of its combat result.
B. If a defending stack retreats, it must remain intact.
C. Retreating units may retreat into any adjacent hex empty of Czech units, intact forts, and heavy forts.
D. Units may not retreat into prohibited hexes (such as Flooded terrain).
E. Units may retreat into enemy ZOCs.
F. If there is more than one such hex available, the retreat must be in the direction that takes them closer to the nearest supply source. If more than one hex fulfills that requirement, the German player chooses the hex.
G. Retreats do not expend MPs.
H. All defending units must retreat when the retreat option is selected.
I. Retreats must observe stacking limits. If all retreat options would cause stacking limits to be violated, the defender may not retreat.
J. Retreats consist of only a single hex and satisfy only the first loss. A loss greater than 1 will require step losses.
K. If defenders retreat into a hex that is subsequently attacked that turn, they do not contribute to the defense of the new hex. If the other defenders in that hex then suffer any losses, the defenders that retreated into that hex are eliminated, and their elimination does not satisfy any of the loss for that hex.
12.13 Step Losses
A. Every strength step lost from involved units satisfies one increment of combat result.
Example: Flipping a two-step unit to its reverse side satisfies one increment of a combat result of 2; eliminating the unit would satisfy the result entirely.
B. In general, step losses may be apportioned by a player among as desired, but no involved unit may be eliminated before all involved units have been reduced to a single step.
C. When a defending German force will both retreat and take a step loss, it should absorb the step loss first in the original hex, then perform the retreat.
12.14 Zero Results
A (zero) combat result means the units of that side are not affected: no step losses or retreats.
12.15 Elimination (E) Results
All involved units of that side are eliminated. They are removed from the map to the dead pile.
12.16 Advance After Combat
A. Whenever the defender's hex in a PA is left vacant, whether by elimination or retreat, the victorious attacking units may advance after combat into that hex.
B. Stacking limits must be observed.
C. Advances are not considered part of normal movement, and they do not cost any MPs, but advancers must still observe normal terrain prohibitions.
Example: Victorious mechanized attackers could not advance into a Wetland hex.
D. Advancing is an option. It is never mandatory but the decision whether to advance must be made immediately after the battle is resolved and before the next battle (or the next phase if there are no more battles).
E. The attacker may advance with as many or few units as desired, as long as stacking limits are observed.
F. The defender never advances after combat.
13.0 Terrain Effects on Combat
13.1 Clear and Forest
Units defending in Clear and Forest hexes derive no defensive benefit.
13.2 Rough
Units defending in rough hexes receive a one column leftward (1L) odds shift.
Example: A 3:1 attack would become a 2:1 attack.
13.3 Mountains
A. Units defending in Mountain hexes receive a one column (1L) leftward odds shift.
B. When attacking into Mountain hexes, all German Panzer, Light, Soviet IAC, and Czech Mobile units have their attack factors reduced to 1 per unit, regardless of the printed strength.
C. Mountain infantry defending in Mountains use their attack factor as their defense factor.
13.4 Wetlands
A. Units defending in Wetlands hexes receive a one column (1L) leftward odds shift.
B. When attacking into Wetlands hexes, all German Panzer, Light, Soviet IAC, and Czech Mobile units have their attack factors reduced to 1 per unit, regardless of the printed strength.
13.5 Flooded
Flooded hexes are prohibited to all ground units. No combat is permitted into a Flooded hex.
13.6 Minor Rivers
A. If all units attack across Minor River hexsides, the defender receives a one column leftward (1L) odds shift.
B. An attacking unit on the same side of the river as the defender(s) negates the odds shift.
13.7 Major River
A. If all units attack across Major River hexsides, the defenders receive a two column leftward (2L) odds shift.
B. If all attackers are across a combination of Major and Minor Rivers, the 2L odds shift applies.
C. An attacking unit on the same side of the river as the defender(s) negates the odds shift.
13.8 Towns
Towns by themselves do not generate an odds shift.
13.9 Large Towns
Defenders in a hex with a Large Town receive a one column leftward (1L) odds shift.
13.10 Prague
A. Units defending in Prague receive a two column leftward (2L) odds shift.
B. German Panzer and Light units attacking into Prague have their attack factors halved.
C. Defenders receive the odds shift against Mechanized Assaults.
14.0 Fortifications
14.1 Czech Fortifications (Forts)
14.1.1 General Rule
A. Forts always exist in one of two states: intact or destroyed.
B. At the start of the game all Czech fortifications are intact. German ground units may not enter intact Forts or intact Heavy Forts.
C. A Fort is destroyed when one or more German units launch a Prepared Assault into the hex, eliminate all Czech units defending there, and occupy the hex in an advance after combat (12.16).
D. Destruction of a Fort is permanent. After that, only the natural terrain in the hex will affect movement and combat there.
E. German Ground Support is not allowed in attacks against Forts or Heavy Forts.
F. Mechanized Assaults are not allowed against forts or heavy forts.
Design Note: There are no German fortifications. Breach markers are included in the counter mix for use in designating destroyed Czech Forts, Heavy Forts, and IPs. In situations where a string of such hexes have been destroyed, place one marker at each end of that section.
14.1.2 Intrinsic Defense of Fortifications
A. Every intact Czech Fort hex has an intrinsic defense strength of 1, even when no Czech army unit is in it. The intrinsic defense strength operates as immobile (and invisible, since it is not represented by an actual unit) infantry unit. It may never attack, and when defending alone, combat result of 1 or more against it destroys it.
B. When Czech army units occupy an intact Fort, the intrinsic defense factor is added to their defense factor, but the Fort's intrinsic defense factor must be the last step given up by the Czechs to satisfy any losses (12.13).
C. The intrinsic defense defending by itself receives a one column leftward (1L) odds shift.
14.1.3 German Panzer and Light Units
When these units attack a fort hex, their attack factor is reduced to 1, regardless of the printed strength.
14.1.4 Soviet IAC and Forts
The Soviet IAC unit may not enter a hex with an intact fortification.
14.2 Heavy Fortifications
A. Heavy Forts operate the same as regular Forts except defenders receive a two column leftward (2L) shift.
B. Heavy Forts also have an intrinsic defense of 1.
14.3 Improved Positions (IPs)
A. Czech units defending in hexes containing intact IPs, and attacked by German units only through IP hexsides receive a one column leftward (1L) odds shift.
B. IPs do not have an intrinsic defense.
C. IPs do not affect ZOCs by either side.
D. Germany may fly ground support and interdiction over IPs.
E. Mechanized Assaults are allowed against IPs without any reduction in the strength of the mechanized units.
15.0 The Blitzkrieg (Mechanized Assault)
Commentary: In general, the rules to this point have been concerned with mapping a system to simulate the kind of warfare continental armies had been forced to fight due to technological limitations, unit density, and tactics, since the second half of the 19th century. Here rules are introduced to incorporate the effects mechanization had once that potential was grasped by a military force desperate to avoid attritional warfare. The result was christened Blitzkrieg (lightning war). In the broadest sense, it differed from the warfare preceding it in that its proponents sought victory not through attritional destruction of the enemy's armed forces, but by decisive offensive maneuver.
The Germans, due to a combination of historical happenstance, astute junior and middle-rank officers, radical political leadership willing to support them, and a national industrial base sufficient to produce the material wherewithal, became the first to utilize these new potentials. Hence, whereas the other nations' mechanized formations in the game remain just so many faster infantry units, these rules transform their German counterparts into the true arbiters of modern warfare.
Commentary: Some of you will probably bridle at a few of the restrictions placed on mobile assault forces in this section. You should keep in mind, though, these rules are crafted to simulate MAs in 1938, when all this was still theory and new to everyone.
15.1 Applicability
The rules in this section apply only to German mechanized-class units. Though mech units of the Czechs and Soviets pay mechanized movement costs and suffer mechanized-unit combat reductions when launching PAs into certain kinds of terrain, they never receive the benefits detailed in this section.
15.2 Mechanized ZOC Movement
A. German mechanized units (all units that are white on black) are able to move directly from one enemy ZOC to another during the same movement phase by paying two extra MPs per ZOC hex exited. Nothing extra is paid to enter; the +2 is paid to leave.
Example: A Czech unit is in 5706. A German mechanized unit starting in 5907 could move to 5807 for 1MP, then move to 5707 for 3 MPs (one to enter the hex and two extra for leaving the ZOC in 5807), and then to 5607 for another 3 MPs.
B. The same +2 MP cost is paid no matter how many enemy units are projecting ZOCs into the hex being left.
C. This movement ability is available to German mech units that start their movement phase already in an enemy ZOC as well as those that begin outside of enemy ZOCs.
D. OOS Germany mechanized units still have this ability.
15.3 Mechanized Assault
A. German mechanized units can conduct a special form of attack during the movement phase called mechanized (or mobile) assault (MA).
B. All three types of mechanized units can participate, but for the motorized infantry to be able to do so, at least on panzer or light unit must be involved in that same MA. Motorized infantry alone cannot conduct MAs.
15.4 MA Procedures
A. To conduct a MA, an eligible moving unit or stack enters an enemy-occupied hex, paying triple the normal terrain movement costs to do as well as +2 MP for just having left an enemy ZOC.
B. A moving unit or stack may conduct more than one MA per movement phase if it has sufficient MPs available to do so.
Example: A Czech unit is in 5114. A German panzer division in 5014 moves into the defender's hex at a total cost of 8 MPs (3 MPs to cross the river, triple the normal +1 cost to cross a river hexside, plus 3 MPs to enter a clear hex, triple the normal terrain cost to enter such a hex, and +2 for leaving an enemy ZOC). Only triple the terrain costs when conducting MAs. Do not triple the cost to exit a ZOC.
15.5 MA Limitations
A. MAs may never be launched into Mountain hexes, Wetland hexes, intact forts, or intact heavy forts. They may be launched into IPs.
B. Units that launch one or more MAs in a given player turn may not conduct a prepared assault during the combat phase of that same player turn, but their defensive abilities are unaffected.
C. MA attackers must absorb combat results entirely as step losses.
D. The guaranteed ability of units to move at least one hex by expending all their MPs to do so (11.3) does not guarantee German mech units the ability to launch an MA. The assaulting unit or stack must have sufficient MPs available to pay for an MA or it cannot be made.
E. The concentric assault 1R column shift is not available for MAs.
15.6 MA Supply State
A. The supply state of the defenders in an MA is determined at the instant of battle, just as for prepared assault combat.
B. The supply state of the attacking units in an MA is what it was determined to be at the start of their movement.
15.7 Offensive Ground Support
A. German Ground Support for MAs is permitted.
B. In multi-round MAs, a given aircraft unit may only support one round before it is expended and removed for the turn.
C. If other Ground Support aircraft are available, another can be assigned to support each new round.
15.8 Defensive Ground Support
Czech and Soviet air units may not give defensive support in MAs.
Historical Note: Czech and Soviet air forces did not have the kind of ground-to-air liaison and communications setup necessary to summon aircraft to such mobile situations in a timely way.
15.9 Interdiction
A. Provided the German mech units involved have the MPs to do it, they may move to MA underneath a Czech/Soviet interdiction mission.
B. All terrain movement costs are doubled twice, but not the +2 cost for leaving an enemy ZOC.
15.10 Multi-Round MAs
A. If a MA does not succeed in clearing the defending hex of all defenders, the Germans may either:
- Conduct another round of MA with the same attacking unit or stack (after recalculating combat odds), if they have enough MPs remaining to pay the same MA tripled terrain movement costs again (but not the costs to leave an enemy ZOC or cross a river as they are already inside the defender's hex at this point); or
- Return the assaulting force to the hex it just left before entering the enemy hex, ending its movement there.
B. Unlike the prepared assaults resolved during the combat phase, defenders in MAs may be assaulted more than once per movement phase, by the same and/or different attacking forces.
15.11 Stacking and MAs
A. As stacking limits are in effect at all times throughout the game turn, German units must meet stacking limits in the hex from which the MA is being launched at the instant it is launched. (The launch hex is the one the MA force was in just before entering the defender's hex.)
B. Stacking limits for the units of the two opposing sides are mutually exclusive within the assaulted hex itself.
15.12 Stack Eligibility
A. To MA together during a given movement phase, eligible German mech units must begin that phase already stacked together.
B. This does not require all German mech units starting a movement phase stacked together to move and MA together. Some could be left behind or go off on separate courses.
15.13 German Loss Precedence
A. The first increment of attacker step loss in a MA combat result must always be absorbed by a panzer or light unit.
B. In multi-round MAs, this requirement applies to every round.
C. After that first step is taken from a panzer or light unit, the German player is free to allocate the remainder of the result among participating units (including the just-reduced panzer or light unit) as desired within the strictures of rule 12.13.
D. In situations where there are both panzer and light units present, Germany may choose freely between them when allocating that first step loss.
E. The first-increment requirement remains in force even in situations where the attacker combat result is only 1.
Design Note: Because of the loss-precedence requirement given above, it is possible for a mixed-type MA force to suddenly find itself reduced to a purely motorized infantry force. Such stacks are, of course, done with MAs for that turn.
15.14 No Automatic Advance
A. Unlike regular combat, there is never an automatic advance after combat available to victorious MA forces. Their movement is entirely dependent on their ability to pay appropriate movement costs.
B. Because MA is considered to take place within the defender's hex, victorious MA units will already be where an advance after combat would take them in prepared assault combat.
15.15 MAs and Rivers
Defenders do get the Minor River and Major River combat bonus when receiving an MA from a German force that entered their hex by crossing a river hexside, but only during the first round in multi-hex MAs.
15.16. Defender Bonus
Defenders in MAs always receive a two column leftward (2L) odds shift.
15.17 MA Resolution
Within the limits and exceptions given above, MAs are resolved in the same way as PAs.
Historical/Design Note: The German 9th Motorized Infantry Division was only given its trucks (and not a full complement of them at that) a few days before the end of September. Since they would have had little or no time to train themselves in the new blitzkrieg doctrine, we have given that unit only a two-step configuration, and movement factors less than those of their full blown motorized comrades. Within those structured limitations, however, the 9th operates as a mech-class unit for all purposes.
16.0 Optional Rules
These rules add considerably to the historical realism at some cost to playability.
16.1 SS LAH and FKS
Historically, for its own political reasons, the German army high command had no desire to commit either of these units to battle if it came to war against the Czechs. They were both available, though, and it is doubtful Hitler (for reasons of personal and party prestige) could have resisted putting them into the thick of it.
A. Add them to any German stack during initial placement. (The A in their upper-left corners stands for Anywhere.)
B. See also 4.8 and 9.3.
Design Note: Neither the SS LAH nor the FKS have any special movement or combat capabilities beyond those of their unit-types. Treat the FKS as regular infantry.
16.2 Czech Industrial Evacuation
A. Add the five Industrial Infrastructure (IndInf) counters to the Czech's starting setup.
B. These units are considered mechanized for movement purposes, but exert no ZOCs, and have no step or combat values.
C. They stack normally with each other and/or with Czech ground combat units.
D. If caught unguarded in a hex (no Czech ground combat units with them), Germany may destroy them by simply entering their hex. Both German mech and non-mech units can accomplish this, and no extra movement costs are paid to do it.
E. If attacked while guarded, the IndInf units share the fate of the last step of Czech combat units in their hex.
F. The IndInf units are subject to German air interdiction costs, and they may never use operational transfer movement.
G. The IndInf units are the only units that may move off the map board (at a cost of 1 MP paid to leave the map edge hex), via any Czech map edge hex between 1927 and 6012, inclusive. The Czech player receives victory points for IndInf units evacuated (4.4, 4.6).
16.3 Operation Fraudenthal
Though their paratroop arm was still at an embryonic stage of development, the Germans drew up a plan to use it if it came to war with the Czechs. The idea was to drop the one jump-ready battalion into an area behind the Czech forts during the first couple days of the invasion, seize an airstrip (or convert a stretch of road to that use) and help guide in the rest of the combat-ready air landing regiment. Historically, the mission was to have been codenamed Case Fraudenthal, and was planned for hex 5112, known then as the village of Bruntal.
16.3.1 Procedures
A. Before starting play on Turn 1, the German player should examine the map and write down the hex number of a Clear or Forest hex (excluding Prague, forts, and heavy forts) in Czechoslovakia into which to launch Operation Fraudenthal.
B. That hex number is kept secret from the Czech player until the very end of Turn 1. At that time the hex is revealed and the ALR/7 unit is placed there.
C. If the hex is occupied by one or more Czech ground combat units, the paratroopers are instantly eliminated. (Unguarded Czech IndInf units would not kill the paratroopers. In such a case, eliminate the IndInf units.)
D. If the hex is empty, place the ALR/7, roll one die, and consult the Air Landing Chart.
16.3.2 Bluffing
A. The Germans need not run Fraudenthal even if both players agreed to use the optional rule. Bluffing is permitted by writing "no drop" instead of a hex number, then revealing that to the Czech player at the end of Turn 1.
B. In that case, the ALR/7 never enters play.
C. If, however, a drop hex was selected by the German, the drop cannot be canceled.
16.3.3 ALR/7 Characteristics
A. Once on the ground, the ALR/7 unit is automatically supplied throughout Turn 2.
B. After that it must trace supply normally.
C. Treat it as regular non-mech infantry for ground movement and combat purposes. (Also see 4.9.)
16.4 The Moravian Gate and Ostrava
The three fortified clear terrain hexes in the northeast portion of Moravia (5812, 5912, and 6012) served as the classic invasion route into that area from the north - a place known as the Moravian Gate. The Czechoslovakian high command was well aware of the danger there, and so packed those forts with the best defensive equipment and manpower.
The town of Ostrava, though it cannot properly be shown on a hex map of this scale, was partially integrated into the border fortification belt. The town itself was ringed by other defensive works dating back to the nineteenth century. These fortifications, though they were not given their own defense group in the Czechoslovakian order of battle, would probably have been manned by the constabulary and local militia units. While less formidable than the regular army, such units could have caused any invading German army some delay.
A. Increase the intrinsic defense strength of Hexes 5812, 5912, and 6012 to 3 instead of the normal 1.
B. Add the Ost border sector unit to the Czech starting OB. It may never move or attack, but does count as a division for stacking purposes.