Group of Soviet Forces Germany Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction & Designer's Notes
  • 1.1 Alternative Time Line
  • 1.2 This Game's Lineage
  • 1.3 The Orders of Battle
  • 1.4 Game Scales
  • 1.5 Halving
  • 1.6 North
  • 1.7 Some Terms
  • 1.8 Unit-Counter Errata
  • 1.9 Map Errata
• 2.0 Game Components
  • 2.2 The Game Map
  • 2.3 Counters
  • 2.4 Sample Combat Unit
  • 2.5 Nationality
  • 2.6 Historical Identification & Abbreviations
  • 2.7 Unit Sizes
  • 2.8 Unit Types
  • 2.9 Combat Factors
  • 2.10 Movement Factor
  • 2.11 Step Strength
  • 2.12 Reinforcement & Starting Units
  • 2.13 Other Counters
• 3.0 Set Up & Hex Control
  • 3.2 Set Up
  • 3.3 Hex Control
• 4.0 How to Win
  • 4.2 When to Check for Victory
  • 4.3 Soviet Victory Conditions
  • 4.4 NATO Loss of the Ruhr Industrial Area
  • 4.5 Neutralization of West Germany
  • 4.6 Soviet Bridgehead Across the Rhine
  • 4.7 Soviet Use of Chemical Warfare
  • 4.8 Strategic Nuclear Exchange
• 5.0 The Turn Sequence
  • 5.2 Game Turn Sequence Outline
  • 5.3 Air Superiority Determination
  • 5.4 8th Guards Army
  • 5.5 Soviet Move/Fight or Fight/Move or Fight/Fight
  • 5.6 NATO Move/Fight or Fight/Move
  • 5.7 Other Declaration Strictures
  • 5.8 Soviet Movement Stricture
  • 5.9 Victory Check
  • 5.10 Other Game Turn 1 Special Rules
• 6.0 Air Superiority
  • 6.2 Heavy Bomber Strike
  • 6.3 Aircraft Availability
  • 6.4 NATO Deep Strikes
  • 6.5 NATO Deep Strike Results
  • 6.6 Ground Attack
  • 6.7 Interdiction
  • 6.8 Air Transportable Units
  • 6.9 Aerial Supply
  • 6.10 NATO Air Mobile Units
  • 6.11 Move or Fight
  • 6.12 No Terrain Costs
  • 6.13 No Advance After Combat
• 7.0 Stacking
  • 7.2 Stacking & Movement
  • 7.3 Divisions, Brigades, Regiments & Territorials
  • 7.4 Other Free Stacking Units
  • 7.5 Soviet & East German Stacking
  • 7.6 NATO Multi-National Stacking & Defense
  • 7.7 NATO Multi-National Attacks
  • 7.8 No Fog o' War
• 8.0 Supply
  • 8.2 Supply States
  • 8.3 Soviet Supply Sources
  • 8.4 Tracing Soviet Supply Lines
  • 8.5 Tracing Limitations
  • 8.6 Soviet Regular Overland Supply
  • 8.7 NATO Regular Overland Supply
  • 8.8 NATO National Supply Source Hexes
  • 8.9 Up-And-Running Status
  • 8.10 Water & Terrain
  • 8.11 Effects of OOS & Deliberate OOS
  • 8.12 When to Check Supply
• 9.0 Reinforcements
  • 9.2 Soviet Reinforcement Strictures & Procedures
  • 9.3 Soviet R & Guards Airborne Arrival Schedule
  • 9.4 NATO Reinforcement Strictures & Procedures
  • 9.5 NATO Reinforcement Entry Hexes
  • 9.6 West German & Netherlands Territorial Units
  • 9.7 Air Transportable Reinforcement Entry
  • 9.8 Incomplete US Divisions
• 10.0 Movement
  • 10.2 Limits
  • 10.3 Minimum Movement Ability
  • 10.4 Enemy Ground Units
  • 10.5 Stack Movement
  • 10.6 Splitting Stacks
  • 10.7 Different MFs in Stacks
  • 10.8 Terrain & Movement
  • 10.9 Natural Terrain
  • 10.10 Clear
  • 10.11 Rough
  • 10.12 Mountains
  • 10.13 Heath
• 11.0 Combat
  • 11.2 Multiple Defenders in One Hex
  • 11.3 Multi-Hex Attacks
  • 11.4 Indivisibility of Units
  • 11.5 Attack Sequencing
  • 11.6 Stacks Attacking
  • 11.7 Combat Procedures
  • 11.8 Poor Odds Attacks & Odds Limits
  • 11.9 Combat Modifiers
  • 11.10 Minimum Combat Factors
  • 11.11 Clear & Heath Terrain
  • 11.12 Rough
  • 11.13 Mountains
• 12.0 Charts & Tables
• 13.0 Optional Rules
  • 13.1 Special Forces (SF)
  • 13.2 SF Markers
  • 13.3 SF Supply
  • 13.4 Stacking
  • 13.5 Land Movement of SF markers
  • 13.6 Air Transport of SF Markers
  • 13.7 SF Zones
  • 13.8 Attacking SF Zones
  • 13.9 Other SF Rules
  • 13.10 Counter SF Table
  • 13.11 Electronic Warfare (EW)
  • 13.12 EW Markers

1.0 Introduction & Designer's Notes

1.1 Alternative Time Line

G-SoF-G* If the Soviets Had Invaded Germany (*Group of Soviet Forces Germany) is a two-player alternative history game intended to examine what could've happened during the first month of fighting had the Soviets opted to invade Germany during the Cold War. Specifically, the idea is that the "correlation of forces" (to borrow the Soviet term) for conventional ground warfare in that theater of operations probably most favored the Warsaw Pact in the second half of the 1970s. During that period, Western military doctrine, organization, elan and society in general were in relative disarray as the disappointments and frustrations of the Vietnam and Watergate era had not yet been overcome.

Even though they probably had the upper hand during those times in both the conventional and abstract senses, we reject the notion the Reds' advantages were decisive. Further, the plans that have come to light since the end of the Cold War, supposedly revealing this attack was to have been opened with several hundred tactical nuclear strikes, have also been set aside. There's no doubt such plans were made, but it seems ridiculous to assume they were ever going to be put to use. Soviet top leadership in the Kremlin (and no doubt also in their armed forces) could've had little doubt such a scenario would quickly escalate into a strategic nuclear exchange that, if nothing else, would have moved the conflict to a level in which the Soviets didn't have the advantages they enjoyed at conventional levels of aggression (which probably would've included chemical warfare, but at possibly high cost).

Along the same line, the assumption is also made the invasion would've been begun without lengthy (open) preparation or forewarning. Again, that's simply because the Soviets understood to do otherwise would've thrown away at least some of their advantages by allowing NATO to mobilize. The idea is, one day, as the troops in G-SoF-G are finishing their breakfasts, the go-code is flashed from Moscow and they roll out and into war.

1.2 This Game's Lineage

In a more particular sense, this game is an update and revision of SPI's 1973 release, NATO: Operational Combat in Europe in the 1970s. Its time and space scales have been preserved, but the map has been improved by reflecting a more in depth terrain analysis. The system has been updated and the orders of battle are more fully developed. Air warfare has been added, at least as an abstraction, and tactical nukes have been taken away except as possible game enders.

What this redesign shares in abundance with its progenitor is the great fun of playing it. That is, the original SPI NATO was the first of its genre, and probably remained the easiest and most fun to play within it despite its quick decline into systemic obsolescence. Everyone who was in the hobby in those days can recall how the game was a must-have, and many a pizza was consumed over it in late-night gaming sessions. Sadly, each succeeding generation of NATO games proved more mechanically complex than the one before it, and their creators' notions of balance seemed ever more thoroughly based on the Soviet perspective of the inevitability of communist victory.

There's none of that here. The Soviets are a dangerous and strong opponent in this game, but they can be defeated. The system, though more complex than the original game, still comes in toward the lower end of today's complexity scale.

1.3 The Orders of Battle

The orders of battle for both sides are based on open-source documents that have become available since the parent game was first published. On the NATO side the Danes and Italians are gone, while everyone else's armies are, we feel, more fully and accurately represented.

The Danes have been left out simply because it's hard to believe they'd have sent their two best divisions to defend some German heath country while their own homeland was no doubt undergoing Soviet amphibious and air assault. The Italians are out because a war of this type, with such a surprise start, would've plunged them into a paralyzing political crisis that would have precluded action from Rome during the period being gamed.

Similarly, on the Soviet side most of the Warsaw Pact subject nations' armed forces have been left at home. The Czechoslovakians simply couldn't have been trusted this soon after the 1968 invasion, and the other Pact governments—again, because of the war's surprise start—would've probably looked for ways to remain unengaged, at least until a clear victor could be seen. We can imagine delays in mobilization, some real and others manufactured, due to all available transport being tied up in the Red Army invasion effort, etc. Only the East Germans, then, whose units were in a sense manacled to the Russians of G-SoF-G, are ready to fight.

At the same time, there are no chances of any east European rebellions or pro-NATO Chinese intervention in Asia during the gamed period. Again, all are waiting to see who wins this crucial opening round before committing themselves to any lost cause.

1.4 Game Scales

Each hexagon on the map represents approximately 10 miles (16.2 kilometers) from side to opposite side. The Soviet units of maneuver are divisions, as are most NATO units, along with a few brigades and regiments. Air power is represented abstractly, with counters and rules showing the effects of one side or the other gaining temporary air superiority above the theater of operations. Each full game turn represents two days.

1.5 Halving

The general rule concerning the halving of numbers in the game is, whenever such a division takes place, all remainders are rounded down. For example, "half" of three is one, and "half" of two is one, while "half" of one is zero. There is one exception to that last, however, in that if a combat factor's being halved, half of one is one, provided only one unit is being halved. That is, no single unit's combat factor is ever reduced below one for any reasons. If, there were two or more units in the same battle and both or all were to be halved, then all the involved units' combat factors are first added together and then only one division and rounding is made.

1.6 North

The compass rose printed on the map shows its relationship to magnetic north. For all play purposes, though, whenever a map direction is referenced in these rules, the north side of the map is composed of the hexes 1400 to 4200, inclusive. The east side of the map is composed of the hexes 4200 to 4237, inclusive. The south side is 1039 to 4237, inclusive, and the west is 1400 to 1039, inclusive. The corner hexes are therefore each part of two map sides.

1.7 Some Terms

If a rule applies to "Soviet units," that means it applies to all the units of that side, including East German divisions. If a rule applies only to the Soviet side's 8th Guards Army, the East Germans or any other subset of Soviet units, that fact will be specifically stated.

If a rule applies to "NATO units," that means it applies to all the units of that side, regardless of their nationalities or types. If a rule applies only to some national or unit-type subset of NATO units, that fact will be specifically stated.

"East Germany" is used synonymously with "German Democratic Republic," while "West Germany" is used synonymously with "Federal Republic of Germany."

1.8 Unit-Counter Errata

[Errata, 3 Feb 2004] The Soviet 102G Airborne Division is missing the asterisk (*) that should be in its upper-left corner.

1.9 Map Errata

[Errata, 3 Feb 2004] The last three words in the very last line of the "Notes" beneath the TERRAIN EFFECTS CHART should read: "road mode movement," rather than "rode."

In hex 2501, the word "Cana" should be "Canal." In hex 1703, the word "Can" should be "Canal."

2.0 Game Components

2.1 The components to a complete game of G-SoF-G include these rules, the map sheet and 280 die-cut counters, which are also referred to as "units" and "unit counters." Players must provide a standard six-sided die to resolve combat and other probabilistic game events.

2.2 The Game Map

The game map illustrates the militarily significant terrain found in the western portion of Germany and its environs in the late 1970s. A hexagonal ("hex") grid is printed over the map to regulate the placement and movement of units across it, much like in Chess and Checkers. A unit is considered to be in only one hex at any one time.

Every hex on the map has a unique, four-digit identification number printed within it. They're provided to help find exact locations more quickly and to allow for the recording of unit positions if a game has to be taken down before it can be completed. For example, the Dutch city of Groningen is in hex 1702.

2.3 Counters

There are 280 unit counters in the game, most of which represent combat formations. Others are provided as informational markers and memory aids. After reading these rules at least once, carefully punch out the counters.

2.4 Sample Combat Unit

Each combat unit counter displays several pieces of information: nationality, specific historical identification, unit type and size, combat and step strengths, movement allowance and reinforcement or other special status ("set up code").

2.5 Nationality

A unit's nationality, and therefore the side it's on, is shown by its color scheme.

The Soviet Side

• 8th Guards Army – red on white
• East German divisions – black on red
• All other Red Army units – white on red

The NATO Side

• USA — black on olive drab
• France — black on sky blue
• United Kingdom — black on tan
• Canada — red on green
• Netherlands — black on yellow
• Belgium — black on orange
• West Germany — black on gray

2.6 Historical Identification & Abbreviations

All units are identified by the numbers or names used to designate those same formations during this period. Note that US and main-force Soviet units don't carry any nationality abbreviations; they are identified simply by their color schemes.

Soviet Abbreviations

• A through F – set up coordinates when in the upper-left; see 3.2
• Cr – Carpathian
• E – East German
• Kv – Kiev
• G - Guards
• Ln - Leningrad
• R – Reinforcement

NATO Abbreviations

• Al – Alpine
• Be – Belgian
• C – Canadian
• Cv – Cavalry
• F – French
• FL – Foreign Legion
• J – Jäger (light infantry)
• NL – Netherlands
• P – Para-Commando
• T – Territorial
• UK – United Kingdom
• W – West German

2.7 Unit Sizes

Units' organizational sizes, from largest down to smallest, are shown by the following symbols:

XX - division; X – brigade; III – regiment

2.8 Unit Types

The following symbols in each counter's unit-type box, printed in the center of each, distinguish the various combat arms employed here.

2.9 Combat Factors

Attack and defense factors are the measures of each unit's ability to conduct those types of combat operations. Their uses are explained in section 11.0.

2.10 Movement Factor

This number is a measure of a unit's ability to move across the hex grid printed over the map. Units pay varied movement costs to enter different hexes, depending on the terrain in each and the moving unit's type (see section 10.0).

2.11 Step Strength

All ground units in the game have one or two "strength steps," which are also simply called "steps." That's an arbitrary term used to express the ability of a unit to absorb a certain amount of combat losses before ceasing to be an effective formation (a measure of its "robustness" in current US Army jargon). Those units with combat factors printed on only one side of their counters are "one-step" units; those with printing on both sides of their counters are "two-step" units.

If a two-step unit suffers a one-step loss, it's flipped over so its one-step side shows. If a one-step unit, or a two-stepper that's already been "reduced," suffers a step loss, it's removed from the map ("eliminated") and placed into a "dead pile" off to the side.

Note that here, unlike most wargames, units don't lose combat factor strength when they are reduced from two steps to one step. That is to reflect the fact modern-era units never have more than a fraction of their combat-power-generating sub-units in the front line at any one time. Thus they are able to maintain their normal combat strength longer, until a critical point is reached and unit cohesion is lost. One step units can also be identified by the fact their unit organizational symbols are bracketed.

Design Note. When first looking at the counters, many players will be struck by the "cookie cutter" nature of the various unit types on both sides. That's an intentional design feature. We used it, first, because my belief is it would be difficult for divisions to distinguish themselves to a degree beyond what you see here. In this first month of the war there really wouldn't be time for every unit to be fully "shaken out." True elites wouldn't yet distinguish themselves with surety.

And though many of the later NATO and Soviet reinforcements would likely have had less "robustness" than the units beginning the game, those first-in units would no longer have the same heads of steam by the time the later arrivals came into play. In that way, keeping the late comers the same strength as the starters works as a kind of rough handed and automatic step reduction. That is, it's not that the late units are as strong as the starting units were on M+1; it's that those surviving starting units become as weak as the later arrivals.

2.12 Reinforcement & Starting Units

Units that enter play after the game has begun, rather than starting play already set up on the map, are called "reinforcements." NATO reinforcements can be distinguished from that side's starting units by the fact they — the reinforcement units — have only one- or two-digit numbers ("3" or "11," etc.) printed in their upper-left corners. Those numbers refer to their earliest possible game turns of entry into play; see section 9.0. On the Soviet side, all reinforcement units arriving after Game Turn 1 have the letter "R" in their upper-left corners. All other units of the Soviet side start the game in play on the map or enter play during Game Turn 1; see 3.2 and 5.10.

2.13 Other Counters

The uses of the following counters are explained at appropriate points throughout the rest of the rules:

• NATO/Soviet Aerial Supply Markers (see 6.9)
• Aircraft with "WW" = Wild Weasel
• NATO/Soviet Tactical Aircraft Markers (see 6.3 – 6.7)
• Hex Control Markers (see 3.3)
• NATO "No Supply" Markers (see 8.9) (not shown)
• Game Turn Indicator (see 5.0) (not shown)
• Fired 1/2 Move/Moved No Fire (not shown)
• Electronic Warfare Offensive/Defensive (not shown)
• Electronic Warfare Collapsed (not shown)
• Special Forces/Special Forces Suppressed (not shown)

3.0 Set Up & Hex Control

3.1 The players should first decide which of the two sides each will control. After that they each take their own side's units and sort them onto and around the map according to the instructions below. The Soviet player controls all the Red Army (printed white-on-red or red-on-white) units along with all the East German units (printed black-on-red). The NATO player controls all other units.

3.2 Set Up

The NATO player sets up first. He places all his initially available units, which includes all those one- and two-step units that have four-digit placement-hex code numbers in their upper-left corners, on the map directly in the hexes corresponding to the numbers printed on each of them. He should sort his reinforcement units—all those units with one- or two-digit game-turn-of-entry numbers printed in their upper-left corners—directly into the corresponding blocks on the Game Turn Record Track.

The Soviet player begins his set up by placing all his red-on-white 8th Guards Army units in or adjacent to hex E (3221). In addition to their color scheme, 8th Guards Army units can be identified by the "E" printed in their upper-left corners. Note also that for set up purposes (only), one East German division is also included in that category.

He then places his 3rd Shock Army units, which also includes an East German unit, and that have an "F" printed in their upper-left corners, in or adjacent to hex F (3815).

After that the other Soviet starting units, which bear the letters "A," "B," "C" or "D" in their upper-left corners, are placed just off the east board edge directly opposite the hexes labeled with those corresponding letters (A-4202, B-4212, C-4231, D-4221).

Finally, all Soviet reinforcement units entering after Game Turn 1 (those with the letter "R" in their upper-left corners) should be sorted by unit types and placed in easily reached piles off to the side. Also set aside the four special reinforcement divisions of the Guards Airborne Army, each marked with an asterisk in its upper-left corner, in yet another separate pile.

• Counter errata: the 102G Airborne is missing the asterisk that should be in its upper left corner.

Both players must observe normal stacking limits when setting up on the map. Soviet A, B, C and D units, though, don't need to be stacked or unstacked in any particular way until they actually enter play on the board during Game Turn 1 (see 5.10).

3.3 Hex Control

In this game the idea of "hex control" — which side "owns" which hexes at any given instant — is important for purposes of judging victory (see section 4.0) and tracing supply (see section 8.0). At the start of play the Soviet player controls all hexes within East Germany and Czechoslovakia; the NATO player controls all others.

The control status of a hex switches from one side to the other whenever a ground unit from the other side enters it. Control switching is immediate, and may occur and reoccur in the same hexes any number of times during play. Hex control markers are provided for use on the board to help keep track of which hexes are controlled by which side in areas where the deployment of actual units doesn't make that clear.

4.0 How to Win

4.1 The Soviet player is generally on the offensive, striving to win the game by driving west as fast as possible and in such a way as to bring about at least the neutralization of West Germany or the conquest of the Ruhr industrial area, while optimally also setting the stage for a further advance into NATO territory beyond the Rhine. The NATO player wins by preventing the Soviet player from having any victory conditions fulfilled at the conclusion of Game Turn 15.

4.2 When to Check for Victory

Victory is checked at the very end of Game Turn 15. Soviet victory conditions fulfilled prior to that time do not end the game. The earliest the game may be ended is by a successful Soviet victory check at the end of Game Turn 15 (exception: see 4.7).

4.3 Soviet Victory Conditions

The Soviet player is declared to have won the game when, during Game Turn 15's victory check, that player is found to have fulfilled any one or more of the following three victory conditions.

4.4 NATO Loss of the Ruhr Industrial Area

The Ruhr industrial area is considered to have been lost to NATO if five or more of its hexes are Soviet controlled. The supply state of the Soviet controlled Ruhr hexes is irrelevant for this rule.

4.5 Neutralization of West Germany

The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) is considered to have been neutralized (effectively removed from the NATO alliance) if 32 or more of its city hexes are Soviet controlled. Again, the supply state of the Soviet controlled city hexes is irrelevant. When counting city hexes for this purpose, count each hex as a separate city hex. That is, don't make just one count for each named multi-hex city; count each hex within each city as one city hex. For purposes of this count, Ruhr and non-Ruhr West German city hexes each count the same, but French and Netherlands city hexes don't count at all, nor are any deductions made for any East German or Czechoslovakian city hexes that might fall under NATO control.

4.6 Soviet Bridgehead Across the Rhine

The Soviet player is considered to have created a successful Rhine River bridgehead — which is possible anywhere between hexes 1009 and 1035, inclusive — when his forces control three or more contiguous west bank hexes in overland supply. For example, Soviet control in overland supply of hexes 1109, 1210 and 1211 would work to fulfill this condition.

4.7 Soviet Use of Chemical Warfare

In each of his overland or aerially supplied (see 6.9 and section 8.0) battles throughout the game, both offensive and defensive, the Soviet player has the option of declaring he'll use chemical warfare (CW). Such declarations are made on a battle by battle basis, in each case as the last step in calculating Soviet strength. Battles involving only Soviet unsupplied units may never use CW.

The positive effect of the use of CW for the Soviet player is to instantly double his involved supplied units' appropriate combat factor in each battle so supported. But there are also potentially disastrous negative effects.

The first time the Soviet player declares the use of CW, all East German units are instantly and permanently removed from play. Further, every time (including the first time) the Soviet player declares the use of CW, the NATO player immediately rolls a die. If that result is a six, the use of CW is considered to have escalated the war into an all-out strategic nuclear exchange (see 4.7 below). Results of one through five mean the Soviet player has gotten away with using CW. In those cases, continue play and resolve the battle.

4.8 Strategic Nuclear Exchange

If Soviet use of CW triggers a strategic nuclear exchange, play stops and the NATO player is declared the winner of the game. In reality, of course, pretty much everyone across the planet is dead, but for record keeping purposes the NATO player has "won."

In playtesting it was found Soviet players who believed they were beginning to lose the game would often start recklessly using CW, feeling as if they had nothing to gain by continuing to be cautious with it. In order, therefore, to at least symbolically simulate the real stakes that would've been involved here, players may agree to the following. At the start of the game the Soviet player places what both players can agree is a meaningful amount of money off to the side of the map. If the Soviet player loses the game due to the war's escalation into nuclear exchange, that money is forfeit to the NATO player. If the game ends in any other result, any kind of conventional NATO or Soviet defeat or victory, the money is returned to the Soviet player.

5.0 The Turn Sequence

5.1 Each game turn of G-SoF-G is divided into two player turns of sequenced steps, which are also called "phases." Every action taken by a player must be carried out in the appropriate phase as described below. Once a player has finished a particular phase, he may not go back to perform some forgotten action or redo a poorly executed one unless his opponent graciously permits it.

5.2 Game Turn Sequence Outline

The turn sequence is given below in outline. Note the Soviet player is the first to take his player turn throughout every game turn.

• I. Air Superiority Determination Phase
• II. Soviet Player Turn
  • A. 8th Guards Army Movement or Combat Phase
  • B. 8th Guards Army Combat or Movement Phase
  • C. Regular Soviet Movement or Combat Phase
  • D. Regular Soviet Combat or Movement Phase
• III. NATO Player Turn
  • A. NATO Movement or Combat Phase
  • B. NATO Combat or Movement Phase
• IV. Victory Check Phase (Game Turn 15 Only)

5.3 Air Superiority Determination

This phase is skipped during Game Turn 1. On that first game turn, the Soviet player automatically enjoys air superiority (see section 6.0).

5.4 8th Guards Army

During Game Turns 1, 2 and 3, what is in effect a mini-player-turn within a player-turn is executed by the Soviet player for the units of 8th Guards Army. That is, in each of those turns, he first runs through a turn sequence for 8th Guards Army, then follows with another turn sequence for the rest of his ground force. It may never be done the other way around. During those three game turns, the units of 8th Guards Army (which does not include the East German division that starts the game stacked with them) also operate with the following special rules.

First, 8th Guards Army units are always automatically in supply.

Second, they may never stack with, nor move into or through, hexes containing non-8th Guards Army units. Note, too, the reciprocal of that rule also applies during the regular, non-8th Guards Army portion of Soviet player turns during Game Turns 1, 2 and 3.

Third, they may not participate in any attacks with non-8th Guards Army units.

Fourth, if the fight/fight sequence is chosen for them (see below 5.5), 8th Guards Army units don't suffer the one column leftward odds shift when making attacks during their second combat phase.

Fifth, 8th Guards Army units aren't affected by the enemy adjacency movement stricture described for other Soviet units in 5.8 below.

At the end of Game Turn 3, all of the special rules above cease to apply from then to the end of play. After that treat 8th Guards Army units like regular Soviet units for all purposes.

Design Note. Soviet 8th Guards Army — formerly 62nd Army, which stopped the Germans at Stalingrad late in 1942 — was always given the cream of the crop of officers and enlisted men, got the most and most modern equipment, and received the most field training. It was the paramount Soviet spearhead formation in Europe.

5.5 Soviet Move/Fight or Fight/Move or Fight/Fight

At the start of every one of his player turns other than the first, the Soviet player must declare in what order he will carry out his movement and combat phases that turn. That is, he may choose to have his units move first and fight second or fight first and move second or fight two times. The decision is always up to him after Game Turn 1 (see 5.10).

During Game Turns 1, 2 and 3 he is not required to use the same sequence for his 8th Guards Army units and his non-8th Guards Army units; he may use the same sequence or choose a different one for each of the two groups. Note, though, the declarations for both groups of units must be made at the same time at the start of the player turn, and neither choice may be altered until the start of the next player turn.

No matter what phase sequence the Soviet player chooses for one of his player turns, all his units are allowed to participate to the limit of their normal capabilities in both phases and within the 8th Guards/non-8th Guards strictures presented above during Game Turns 1, 2 and 3. Moving or fighting doesn't preclude a unit performing both tasks each Soviet player turn; only the order of execution is variable.

Likewise, when the fight/fight sequence is chosen, units that attack in the first combat phase may also attack in the second. But note that when non-8th Guards Army units are using the fight/fight sequence, all those Soviet attacks suffer a one column leftward odds shift, in addition all other regular odds shifters (see section 11.0), during the second combat phase. After Game Turn 3 that also applies to 8th Guards units.

When the Soviet player chooses fight/fight, all his first combat phase attacks must be resolved before any of his second combat phase attacks are begun.

[Errata, 26 May 2004] During turns the Soviet player chooses the fight/fight sequence, he neither picks nor receives reinforcements. Reinforcement is a function of the movement phase. Note, though, on such turns the NATO player may still run deep strike attacks (provided he has air superiority) in order to try to obtain the "-1 on the Next AS Die Roll" result.

5.6 NATO Move/Fight or Fight/Move

During Game Turn 1, the NATO phase sequence is always fight/move. Further, all his units' movement factors are halved during that game turn's movement phase and all his Game Turn 1 attacks suffer a one column leftward odds shift (see section 11.0) in addition to all normally applicable shifters.

Starting with his Game Turn 2 player turn, the NATO player may choose move/fight or fight/move, but he may never choose fight/fight, nor does he enjoy any phase sequence subset within his player turn like that of 8th Guards Army on the other side. Beyond that, his declaration procedures and strictures are the same as the Soviet player's with but one important exception for his air mobile units: see 6.10ff.

5.7 Other Declaration Strictures

Both players make only one phase order declaration per player turn, at the start of each of his own player turns, which is then applied to all his units throughout that turn. Except as given in 5.4 and 5.5 above, neither player may choose one phase order for some of his units and the other phase order for others. And neither player may ever choose a move/move sequence.

5.8 Soviet Movement Stricture

Whenever any Soviet units begin a movement phase of their side adjacent to any NATO ground units, those Soviet units may not move that phase. Soviet units adjacent to NATO units across river, lake or all-sea hex sides are not affected by this rule, nor are 8th Guards Army units affected by it during Game Turns 1, 2 and 3.

5.9 Victory Check

The Victory Check Phase is skipped during Game Turns 1-14. No game can end in either player's victory prior to the end of Game Turn 15 except by concession or by a strategic nuclear exchange (see 4.6 and 4.7). As the last phase of Game Turn 15, both players check to see if the Soviet player has fulfilled any one or more of his victory conditions at that time. If he has, the Soviet player is declared to have won the game. If the Soviet player is not been declared the winner at that time, the NATO player is declared to have won the game. No draws are possible.

5.10 Other Game Turn 1 Special Rules

For his Game Turn 1 phase sequence, the Soviet player must choose move/fight for both his 8th Guards Army and non-8th Guards Army units (also see 5.6 above).

Road Mode movement is available to both sides according to the normal rules for it (see 10.17) and within the strictures given in this section.

All Soviet off-board starting units (all those with the letters "A" through "D" printed in their upper-left corners) must be entered into play during the Soviet main movement phase that turn. They may enter directly through the hex printed with the corresponding entry code and/or through either adjacent hex.

A heavy bomber strike (see 6.2) and the Guards Airborne Army (see 6.8, 9.3 & 9.7) are also available for the Soviet player's use that turn.

All Soviet units must pay one extra movement point (+1MP) to cross a border hex side using regular movement during Game Turn 1, and they must pay two extra movement points to do so if using Road Mode movement (+2 MP, see 10.17). "Extra" means in addition to the normal movement costs for entering the hex being crossed into, and those extra movement points are paid by each Soviet unit, even if crossing through a hex side used previously by another Soviet unit earlier in the phase.

6.0 Air Superiority

6.1 The air war going on in the skies above the theater of operations is depicted abstractly, the way the two sides' ground commanders would view it. Which side gains temporary air superiority, and thereby garners the benefits attendant to that status, is determined on a game turn by game turn basis, starting at the beginning of Game Turn 2. During Game Turn 1, the Soviet player always automatically has air superiority.

Starting with Game Turn 2, at the very start of each Air Superiority Phase, the Soviet player openly rolls a die, then both players consult the Air Superiority Table (12.1), apply the applicable die roll modifier (if any) listed beneath it, and thus determine which side has air superiority throughout the ensuing game turn.

6.2 Heavy Bomber Strike

The player with air superiority makes a heavy (strategic) bomber strike as soon as he is awarded superiority status for the game turn.

When the Soviet player has air superiority, he makes his heavy bomber strike by selecting any single NATO unit or stack on the map and rolling a die. If the die roll result is even, he reduces any one unit (his choice) in the struck hex by one step. If the die roll result is odd, there is no effect on the targeted NATO unit(s).

When the NATO player has air superiority, he makes his heavy bomber strike by selecting any single Soviet unit or stack on the map and rolling a die. He determines his result by dividing that result in half, dropping any fraction, thereby obtaining a final result of zero, one, two or three. That final result equals the total number of steps he may immediately remove from the unit(s) within the targeted hex (his choice).

6.3 Aircraft Availability

As soon as the player determined to have air superiority for the game turn has resolved his heavy bomber strike as described above, he should roll a die to determine the number of in-theater support aircraft counters he'll have for use that game turn. That number is equal to the die roll plus one. Thus the player with air superiority will get two to seven aircraft support counters with which to conduct other missions throughout that game turn.

Note that the aircraft support counters are reverse-printed with NATO colors on one side and Soviet colors on the other. That works because there is never a time when both players have those counters available during the same game turn.

Support aircraft units may never be eliminated or given up in any way to satisfy combat losses, etc. Each support aircraft counter can perform only one mission per game turn.

6.4 NATO Deep Strikes

When the NATO player has air superiority, immediately after determining the number of support aircraft counters he has available as described above, he must declare how many he will immediately send on "Deep Strike" raids off the map. He may send any number from none up to his total allotment of available support aircraft counters.

After announcing the number of deep strike plane counters he's sending, he consults the NATO Deep Strike Table (12.2), rolls one die, applies the appropriate modifier based on the number of counters sent (as explained in the notes below the table), and determines what advantages his deep strike strategy has won for him that game turn. The Soviet player is never able to launch deep strike missions.

6.5 NATO Deep Strike Results

There are four possible Deep Strike results. The first, "No Effect," means simply that: nothing has been accomplished; the planes sent on the deep strike mission have been wasted for the game turn.

The "-1 on the Next AS Die Roll" result means when the next game turn's air superiority die roll is made as described in 6.1, one is subtracted from that result (along with any other applicable modifier, see the notes below table 12.1).

The "Reinforcements Crippled" result means the Soviet player's reinforcement units entering that game turn do so in their reduced (one step) state. (see section 9.0). The Soviet player must pick his exact reinforcement units for the turn before the NATO player rolls on the Deep Strike Table.

The "OOS" result means during any one of the ensuing game turns' Soviet Combat Phases, the NATO player may announce any one Soviet attack of the NATO player's choice to be out of supply (see section 8.0). The NATO announcement is made as soon as the Soviet player starts the resolution of the attack the NATO player has decided is the one he will make OOS. (Thus the use of the OOS award may abort a Soviet desire to use CW in a given battle, see 4.6.) The OOS award may not be saved beyond the end of that game turn's Soviet Combat Phases; any one not used within that time is forfeit.

Note that on results of five or six, the NATO player may achieve and apply multiple deep strike results during the same turn. In such cases the same strictures given above continue to apply.

6.6 Ground Attack

After the NATO player has declared and resolved his deep strike raid, any support aircraft left unused are immediately sent on ground attack missions. Similarly, since the Soviet player has no deep strike capability, but does have ground attack capability, on turns when that player has air superiority he makes this declaration immediately after resolving his heavy bomber strike.

Ground attack missions may take place against enemy ground units anywhere on the map. The player making them on a given turn must first indicate all the hexes he'll strike. Each support counter devoted to this kind of mission can strike just one enemy occupied hex. Indicate the chosen hexes by placing atop the enemy units the number of aircraft counters being sent to attack them. Then consult the Ground Attack Table (12.3), roll one die for each ground attack, apply the appropriate modifier for each based on the number of aircraft counters involved in each case and whether the target is a city hex (see the notes below the table), and immediately remove a step from the targeted hex if a hit is achieved. In hexes occupied by more than one enemy unit, the player making the air attack chooses which unit in the hex suffers the step loss.

6.7 Interdiction

Support aircraft counters not used in any of the missions described above are available to either player for interdiction missions. To use his aircraft counters in this way, the owning player, as the last step of the Air Superiority Phase, simply places them out, no more than one per hex, in any hexes across them map. Such hexes may be empty or occupied by friendly or enemy units. Once placed, interdicting air units remain in those hexes until the end of the game turn, at which time they should be removed from the board pending the new turn's air superiority resolution.

Interdiction markers have no effect on the movement or combat of friendly units, but any enemy unit moving into or directly adjacent to a hex containing an enemy air superiority marker must pay double the normal in-hex and hex side movement costs (see section 10.0). If a hex being moved into is adjacent to more than one enemy interdiction marker, the movement costs are still only doubled.

6.8 Air Transportable Units

The side with air superiority may use aerial transport to move its air transportable units potentially any distance across the map. To be eligible for air transport, such units must, first, not be adjacent to any enemy units (water hex sides don't negate here) at the start of the movement phase. Second, they must be in regular overland supply at the start of their move. Third, they must be located in clear terrain or city hexes at the start of the movement phase in which they are to be aerially transported.

If those strictures are met, an air transportable unit can be instantly flown anywhere across the board without having to trace a hex path. They may be landed in any friendly controlled city hexes not adjacent to any enemy units (again, water hex sides don't negate), or in any clear terrain hexes that aren't adjacent to any enemy units. Note that hex control status, as described in 3.3, has no bearing on such clear terrain landings.

Units may be landed in hexes wherein they'll be immediately OOS (see section 8.0), or they may have aerial supply provided to them (see 6.9 below), if still available and the owning player makes that declaration. Units may not move any farther during the same phase once landed, and they are also prohibited from attacking that player turn.

With all the above taken into account, the player enjoying air superiority may potentially move all his air transportable units that way during the same phase, from and to as many different take off and landing hexes as desired. No aerial transport of your units is allowed during game turns of enemy air superiority.

Air transportable units entering play as reinforcements may use this kind of movement to come onto the map, and they are considered to be automatically fully supplied throughout their player turn of arrival. Thus the "special reinforcement" Soviet Guards Airborne Army may be entered this way during Game Turn 1's main Soviet Movement Phase or on subsequent turns of Soviet air superiority (see 3.2). Once an air transportable unit is on the map, however, it may not again be flown off it, only to various hexes on it.

6.9 Aerial Supply

The player enjoying air superiority has aerial supply available to him that game turn. To use it, he may at any instant simply declare it to be going into effect anywhere on the map. He indicates the center of the operation by placing his aerial supply marker in any hex empty of enemy units. The effect of the marker is, for the rest of that game turn, all his units in that hex and any, some or all of the hexes adjacent to it are considered fully supplied. Units that start their movement phase within the aerially supplied hex cluster could move out of the supplied area, keeping their in-supply status until the end of that phase (see section 8.0).

Retrieve any aerial supply marker on the map at the end of the game turn. No marker may be deployed more than once per game turn. Your side's marker is never available for use during game turns of enemy air superiority.

6.10 NATO Air Mobile Units

The US 101st Air Mobile Division and the US 6th Air Mobile Brigade are unique, in that: 1) they are the only units in the game that aren't allowed to both move and fight during the same player turn; 2) they never advance after combat; 3) they are always automatically supplied during game turns of NATO air superiority; 4) they can attack enemy units up to eight hexes away from their location hexes during turns of NATO air superiority; 5) when any of them attacks in concert with any one or more NATO units during turns of NATO air superiority, that attack is thereby automatically considered enveloping, see 11.15; and 6) they can give defensive support to other NATO units being attacked up to eight hexes away from their location hexes during turns of NATO air superiority.

6.11 Move or Fight

Air mobile units are the only ones in the game that can't both move and fight (or fight and move) during a single player turn (see 5.6). They can do one or the other, but never both during the same player turn. The NATO player may choose on a phase-by-phase and unit-by-unit basis.

6.12 No Terrain Costs

When an air mobile unit is moved, its counter (called the "base element") is understood to be "rebasing," by flying in its organic air transport, to its new location hex. During such moves air mobile units may enter all hexes at the cost of only one MP per hex, and they also ignore water hex sides. While rebasing they may fly over all terrain, water and even over enemy units, but they may never end their moves in city, heath or mountain hexes, nor may they end a move in any hex containing enemy units.

6.13 No Advance After Combat

An air mobile unit never advances after combat, even if the enemy force it attacked was in a hex immediately adjacent to its location hex.

6.14 Auto Supply

Air mobile units are always considered to be fully supplied during game turns of NATO air superiority, with no supply line tracing involved.

6.15 Combat

Air mobile units defend their own hexes normally. When attacking during turns of NATO air superiority, they are unique in that they may project their attack factor against enemy units in hexes up to eight hexes away from their base element's location hex. (Count from the base element to the enemy occupied hex; don't count the base element's hex; do count the enemy occupied hex.) When tracing that attack range, you may go over all terrain types, water and enemy occupied hexes.

When air mobile units attack, all terrain effects are still taken into account, except their attack factors are never affected by river hex sides during turns of NATO air superiority. Air mobile units suffer combat losses in the same way as normally attacking units, and in both ranged and adjacent attacks.

Whenever an air mobile unit attacks an enemy occupied hex with any one or more other NATO units during turns of NATO air superiority, that attack is automatically considered to be an enveloping attack.

Air mobile units may attack into cities, heaths and mountains even though their base elements may not be brought to rest in such hexes.

6.16 Defensive Support

During turns of NATO air superiority, provided an air mobile unit neither moved nor attacked during the previous NATO player turn, and provided no enemy units are located in any hexes adjacent to its base element at that instant, the NATO player may commit it (or them) to provide defensive support to any other defending NATO unit within its eight hex range. To do so, the NATO player simply announces the defensive commitment of the air mobile unit(s) immediately after the Soviet player has declared an attack and then adds in the committed air mobile unit(s) attack factor(s) when calculating the defense strength of the hex being attacked.

6.17 No Air Mobile Retreats

NATO air mobile base elements may not retreat after combat. If forced to retreat, they are eliminated in place instead. Further, during game turns of Soviet air superiority, their base elements may not move at all. Similarly, they may not enter the board as reinforcements during Soviet air superiority game turns. In such a situation they must simply be held off board until a turn begins with a changed air superiority situation, thereby allowing their entry.

Even more, during Soviet air superiority game turns, NATO air mobile units may only attack into hexes immediately adjacent to their base elements, and they do so as regular infantry without any of the combat bonuses described in the rules above. Note also that air mobile units are not air transportable as described in rule 6.8.

7.0 Stacking

7.1 "Stacking" is the word used to describe the piling of more than one unit in a single hex at the same time. The general rule is that both sides may stack up to two divisions in a hex. However, the Soviet player may never have more than one artillery unit in any one hex at any time. On the NATO side, multi-national stacking is not prohibited but has its potential costs (see below in 7.7 and 12.4). Note, too, that stacking rules apply fully to air mobile and air transportable units.

7.2 Stacking & Movement

Stacking rules are in effect at all times throughout the game turn. Players should therefore pay particular attention to the order they move their units in crowded areas of the board; otherwise, moves made carelessly early in a movement phase may block their ability to move other units later. There are no limits, however, on the number of units that may enter and pass through a given hex over the course of a phase, player turn or game turn as long as the stacking limits are met on a hex-by-hex, instant-by-instant basis.

If any hex containing stacked units of either side is found to be "over stacked" — that is, exceeds the stacking limits given below — at the start or end of any phase (see also 11.17ff, retreat after combat), the opposing player is immediately allowed to remove to the dead pile his choice of the minimum number of involved enemy units necessary to bring the violating stack back into limits.

7.3 Divisions, Brigades, Regiments & Territorials

Each division is equal to one division for stacking purposes, no matter what its step strength. Each brigade or regiment is equal to one half a division. The one exception is West German and Netherlands Territorial brigades. Those units have no stacking value, and other friendly units may enter and stack in their hexes as if the Territorials simply weren't there (see 9.6).

7.4 Other Free Stacking Units

None of the markers pictured in rule 2.13 have any stacking value. That is, they may be added freely to any stack according to the particular rules for their use.

7.5 Soviet & East German Stacking

During the first three game turns, the Soviet army suffers an organizational stacking limit between its 8th Guards Army units and all its other units. There is never any kind of penalty, though, for stacking non-8th Guards Soviet units with East German units. After the end of Game Turn 3, East German units may also stack with 8th Guards Army units. Of course, the overall two-division per hex limit must still be observed in all those combinations.

Further, no two East German units are ever allowed to be together in the same hex. If any East German unit is attacked while alone in a hex, its defense factor is considered to be only one (which then might still have other normal combat modifiers applied to it). Likewise, if any East German unit takes part in an attack while alone in a hex, its attack factor is considered to be only one.

7.6 NATO Multi-National Stacking & Defense

Within the normal two-division-per-hex limit, the NATO player is allowed to stack and move together his units no matter what nationality combinations are involved. If, however, NATO units of different nationalities begin one of their side's movement phases stacked together, all those involved units lose one movement point that phase. Further, if NATO units of more than one nationality are defending in the same hex, they suffer a one-rightward (1R) column shift (in favor of the Soviet attackers) during that battle's combat resolution.

7.7 NATO Multi-National Attacks

When any NATO attack contains involved units of more than one NATO nationality, that player must consult the Multi-National Attack Table (12.4) as part of that combat's resolution process. Make this check as the last step of the odds determination process (see 11.7ff), apply any applicable modifiers (look at the notes below the table) and make the appropriate odds shift.

7.8 No Fog o' War

Both players are always free to examine the composition of enemy stacks.

8.0 Supply

8.1 The units of both sides need supply in order to operate at their full movement and combat potentials. There are no counters representing the actual materiel consumed; instead, that process is represented by "supply line tracing" to "supply source hexes."

Note that NATO air mobile units are automatically in supply during game turns that side has air superiority (see section 6.0). In addition, Soviet units in hexes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia are also always automatically in supply, as are 8th Guards Army units anywhere on the map during the first three game turns.

8.2 Supply States

There are three supply states for units needing to trace supply, and each ground unit always exists in one of them: 1) overland supply, which is also called "regular supply"; 2) aerial supply, which is explained in rule 6.9 above; and 3) out of supply, which is also referred to as "OOS" and "unsupplied."

8.3 Soviet Supply Sources

The ultimate sources of Soviet supply are the board edge hexes in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. A Soviet supply source hex loses its supply providing capabilities when occupied by a NATO ground unit. Supply capacity is fully restored; however, the instant NATO occupation is ended. That process may occur any number of times during the game in any given hexes.

8.4 Tracing Soviet Supply Lines

Each Soviet unit's supply line has two portions: a cross-country portion and a post-city portion. The cross-country portion extends from the unit's location hex a maximum of six hexes to a friendly controlled city hex east of the Rhine River line. The Soviet player may never use city hexes located west of the Rhine River as the termination point for any of his cross-country supply line portions.

From a terminating city hex, the supply line is traced along any contiguous path of non-enemy occupied hexes, over a distance of no more than 30 hexes, to a Soviet supply source hex. That post-city portion of a supply line might or might not also contain friendly city hexes; it just must begin in a friendly controlled city hex.

Soviet units located in city hexes east of the Rhine are not required to make use of a cross-country supply line portion; they may simply trace directly back to a supply source hex. Similarly, units within six hexes (or eight hexes — see below) of an appropriate supply source hex need not make use of a cross-country supply line portion; they may simply trace directly to the supply source hex.

8.5 Tracing Limitations

When counting the six hex (or eight hex — see below) cross-country portion of a supply line, count from the unit to the friendly controlled supply source hex being used. Don't count the hex the unit is in; do count the hex to which the line is being traced.

No portion of any supply line of either side may ever be traced into or through hexes containing enemy ground units, nor may they be traced into or through enemy controlled city hexes even if those hexes are empty of actual enemy units. Further, neither player may trace a post-city portion of any supply line farther than 30 hexes (hexes, not movement points).

8.6 Soviet Regular Overland Supply

A Soviet unit is in regular overland supply if it can trace a supply path consisting of contiguous hexes, no longer than six hexes, unblocked by the presence of NATO ground units, from its location hex to an appropriate supply source hex or to a Soviet-controlled city hex east of the Rhine from which a further line of hexes can be traced to a board edge Soviet supply source hex. Soviet units with regular supply have their full, printed movement and combat factors available for use.

8.7 NATO Regular Overland Supply

NATO regular overland supply works much like Soviet supply in that, when tracing the cross-country portion of their supply lines, NATO units may trace eight (rather than six) hexes to any friendly controlled city hexes (east and/or west of the Rhine). When tracing the post-city portions of their supply lines, however, NATO units are restricted in that they may trace only to a friendly controlled city hex that is also an appropriate supply source hex for their own particular nationality.

8.8 NATO National Supply Source Hexes

• US and Canadian units may trace their post-city supply line portions only to friendly controlled and up-and-running Frankfurt (2024).
• UK units may trace their post-city supply line portions to any friendly controlled and up-and-running Ruhr hex (1613, etc.).
• French units may only trace their post-city supply line portions to friendly controlled and up-and-running Strasbourg (1233).
• Netherlands units may only trace their post-city supply line portions to friendly controlled and up-and-running Apeldorn (1208).
• Belgian units may trace their post-city supply line portions to any friendly controlled and up-and-running Cologne hex (1316, 1416, 1417, 1515, 1516).
• West German units may trace their post-city supply line portions to any friendly controlled and up-and-running supply city hexes labeled on the map for their use: Frankfurt (2024); Stuttgart (2034, 2133); Kassel (2521); Munich (2939, etc.) Hanover (3011, 3111); Nürnberg (3031); Hamburg (3302, etc.) and the Ruhr cities (1414, etc.).

National Supply Source cities are indicated by a supply symbol next to their name. Note that the supply source is the city hex(es) of the named city, not the hex in which the symbol may be placed.

8.9 Up-And-Running Status

At the start of play all the NATO supply source cities are "up-and-running." That is, they're fully functional in terms of their supply capacities. The instant a Soviet ground unit enters a supply source city hex, however, that hex's supply-source capacity is lost until such time as it is again up-and-running. In multi-hex cities, supply capacity is only lost one hex at a time, not all at once upon initial Soviet entry of one or a few hexes.

To bring a supply source city hex back to up-and-running status, the NATO player must first regain control of it. At that time he rolls a die. The result is the number of game turns until that city hex again provides supply. For example, if the NATO player recaptured a supply source city hex from the Soviet player on Game Turn 5, then got a supply recovery die roll result of four, that city hex would regain its supply capability at the start of Game Turn 9.

A given supply source city hex may go through this process any number of times per game. The "No Supply" markers are provided to indicate those supply source city hexes that have temporarily lost their logistical capacity.

Note that any city hex used simply as a terminus of a cross-country supply line portion, rather than as an ultimate supply source hex, need only be friendly controlled to function that way. They needn't go through the supply recovery process described above to fulfill that roll.

8.10 Water & Terrain

Both portions of any NATO supply line may freely cross all-water hexes and hex sides of any types. Soviet supply lines may freely cross river hex sides, but may never cross any other kind of all-water hex side or hex. Beyond that, both portions of both sides' supply lines may enter and cross any kind of terrain.

8.11 Effects of OOS & Deliberate OOS

Units are never reduced in step-strength or eliminated simply for being OOS. Units may exist indefinitely in the OOS or any other supply state, but OOS units have their movement and combat factors halved. The one exception here is that OOS artillery units may not attack at all (also see 6.10-6.17). Players may deliberately move their units into hexes wherein they will or may become OOS.

8.12 When to Check Supply

Each player should check the supply status of each of his units at the start of its movement and again at the start of each individual battle in which he has forces involved on offense or defense. Units found to be OOS at the start of their movement have their movement factors halved for that phase. Units found to be OOS at the start of any battle in which they're participating, either on offense or defense, have their corresponding combat factor halved.

Design Note. The supply rules above are written to reflect the fact almost all the hexes on the map are traversed by several all-weather roads or highways. It is the cities, though, which serve as the crossroads, and therefore are also the choke points, of those transport lines.

9.0 Reinforcements

9.1 Reinforcements are new units that enter the game after play has begun. On the NATO side they are identifiable by the one- and two-digit numbers printed in their upper-left corners, which correspond to the number of the earliest possible game turn of their entries into play on the map. On the Soviet side they are identifiable by having the letters A, B, C, D or R printed in their upper left corners. The A, B, C and D reinforcements must enter play during Game Turn 1 (see 5.10), while the R units enter during Game Turn 2 and after.

9.2 Soviet Reinforcement Strictures & Procedures

The Soviet player may not choose to delay his reinforcements' arrivals, and neither does he have the ability to accelerate reinforcement arrivals. Soviet R reinforcements may be entered at any time during a Soviet main-Movement Phase; however, no single entry hex may receive more than two divisions (see section 7.0) of units per movement phase. Soviet R reinforcement units are always entered into play at their full step-strength (exception; see 6.5). They have their full movement and combat capabilities available to them from their instant of placement and are considered to be in regular overland supply throughout their player turn of arrival. Their hex of placement counts against each entering unit's movement allowance for that phase, and road mode movement is available to them within the regular strictures for it (see 10.17).

9.3 Soviet R & Guards Airborne Arrival Schedule

During Game Turn 2 the Soviet player may enter two of his R reinforcement units; on Game Turn 3, he may enter three, etc., up to Game Turn 6, from which time on he may enter six per turn until they're all on board. Note, though, the entry of those units may be pushed back by NATO deep strike raids (see 6.5). Further, the Soviet player may never enter more than one artillery division per game turn, though any other combinations of units are permitted. The entry of the Guards Airborne Army doesn't count toward the Soviet on-the-ground R reinforcement limits (see 9.7 below).

[Errata, 12 Feb 2004] The Game Turn 1 (non-airborne) Soviet reinforcements MUST enter via the appropriately designated hex for their particular army affiliation (see 3.2 and 5.10). On Game Turn 2 and after, the "R" class Soviet reinforcements may enter via any eastern map edge hexes in East Germany and/or Czechoslovakia, but no more than two per any single hex per turn.

9.4 NATO Reinforcement Strictures & Procedures

The NATO player may choose to delay his reinforcements' arrival, on a unit-by-unit and turn-by-turn basis, but he may never accelerate arrivals.

NATO reinforcements, other than West German Territorials (see 9.6), may be entered at any time during a NATO movement phase; however, no single entry hex may receive more than two divisions (see section 7.0) of units per movement phase. NATO reinforcement units are always entered into play at their full step-strength. They have their full movement and combat capabilities available to them from their instant of placement and are always considered to be in regular supply throughout their player turn of entry.

9.5 NATO Reinforcement Entry Hexes

• US and Canadian units may enter play through friendly controlled and up-and-running Frankfurt (2024). If Frankfurt is not up-and-running, US/Canadian units may enter anywhere along the map's west board edge, but they are delayed one game turn.
• UK and Netherlands units may enter play through any board edge hex in the Netherlands not occupied by enemy units.
• French units may enter play through friendly controlled and up-and-running Strasbourg (1233) or any board edge hex in France not occupied by enemy units (no game turn delay necessary).
• Belgian units may enter play via any friendly controlled and up-and-running Cologne hex (1316, 1416, 1417, 1515, 1516) or any board edge hex in Germany north of the Mosselle River (again, no delay necessary).
• West German non-Territorial units may enter play through any friendly controlled and up-and-running supply city hexes labeled on the map for their use: Frankfurt (2024); Stuttgart (2034, 2133); Kassel (2521); Munich (2939, etc.) Hanover (3011, 3111); Nürnberg (3031); Hamburg (3302, etc.) and the Ruhr cities (1414, etc.). If all those city hexes are found to be not-up-and running at the same time, all West German reinforcements that haven't yet been entered into play at that time are forfeit for the rest of the game.

9.6 West German & Netherlands Territorial Units

West German Territorial units begin entering play as reinforcements at the very start of the NATO player's Game Turn 1 movement phase. At that time he must place all of them, no more than one per hex, in any friendly controlled city hexes in West Germany and/or in any hexes adjacent to friendly controlled city hexes in West Germany. He must first place all of them, and then roll a die for each one to see if its "call out" has been successful.

A Territorial unit has been successfully called out if the roll made for it is even; the call out for it has failed if the result is odd. Successfully called out Territorial units remain in their hex of placement for the rest of the game or until eliminated in combat; they never move once called out.

A Territorial unit that fails its call out die roll is removed from the map, but it is not eliminated. Instead, any failed Territorials are again placed as described above (but not necessarily in the same hexes as originally) at the very start of Game Turn 2's NATO movement phase. The same procedure is worked through again, and on subsequent game turns, until such time as all those units have been successfully called out.

The only other country with a Territorial unit is the Netherlands. It begins play already on the map in Arnhem (1309). It also never moves and also doesn't count for stacking.

9.7 Air Transportable Reinforcement Entry

The air transportable units of both sides have the option, again decided in general by the owning player on a unit-by-unit and turn-by-turn basis, to enter play using aerial transport when their side has air superiority (see 6.0). Note, though, the units of the Soviet Guards Airborne Army may enter play only in this way, while NATO air transportable units may be entered by air or regularly as described above. Air transportable units of both sides are considered to be automatically supplied throughout their player turn of arrival when entered using that kind of movement.

9.8 Incomplete US Divisions

At the start of the game, three US divisions are incomplete on the board, each represented by only one of their component brigades (all of them 1-2-8s). The 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Armored Division begins in hex 2806. The 3rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division begins in hex 2235. The 4th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Division begins in hex 1824.

The other brigades of each of those three divisions become available as reinforcements, as a single-unit-counter formation for each division, on Game Turns 7, 6 and 12, respectively. Those two-brigade, one-step, units are entered as any other US reinforcements (see 9.4 and 9.5 above), but once in play they have a special ability to link up with their own division's other brigade and thereby form the entire division. To do so, the NATO player simply brings the two units together at any time during any one of his movement phases (stacking rules must be followed in the juncture hex). Immediately remove the two counters and substitute the asterisked full-division replacement counter in place. The division may not move farther that turn (it might possibly attack, depending on enemy adjacency, etc.)

The NATO player is not required to form the full divisions at his earliest opportunity, though it will usually be in his best interest to do so. Once a division is formed it may not be divided again. If one of the component formations is eliminated before a juncture is accomplished, that division can never be formed. Each division formation may take place using only two counters from the same division. No inter-division forming is allowed.

10.0 Movement

10.1 Every ground combat unit in the game has a "movement factor" printed in its bottom-right corner. That factor is the number of "movement points" (also called "movement factors," "MFs" and "MPs") available to the unit to use to move across the hex grid during its side's movement phases throughout the game. 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 the hexes being entered. The movement of each player's ground units takes place only during his own player turns; no enemy movement takes place during the other player's turns (exception: see 11.17ff, retreat- and advance-after-combat).

10.2 Limits

MPs may not be accumulated from turn to turn or phase to phase, nor may they be loaned or given from one unit to another. A player may move all, some, or none of his otherwise eligible units in each of his movement phases throughout the game. Units that move are not required to expend all their MPs before stopping. The movement of each unit or stack must be completed before that of another is begun. A player may change the position of an already moved unit or stack only if his opponent agrees to allow it.

10.3 Minimum Movement Ability

Each unit is generally guaranteed the ability to move at least one hex during a friendly movement phase by expending all its MF to do so. But that guarantee doesn't allow units to enter hexes otherwise impassable to them, nor does it allow units to move that are otherwise prohibited from moving at all (such as Territorials, 8th Guards Army units during the main Soviet phase sequence, etc.).

10.4 Enemy Ground Units

Units may never enter hexes containing enemy ground units (though air mobile units might fly above them when rebasing, etc., see 6.10ff).

10.5 Stack Movement

To move together as a stack, units must begin their side's movement phase already stacked together in the same hex. Units are not, however, required to move together simply because they started a movement phase in the same hex; such units might be moved together or individually.

10.6 Splitting Stacks

When moving a stack, you may halt it temporarily to allow a unit to split off and move away on a separate course. The units left behind in the split-off hex may then resume their own movement, but once you begin moving a different stack, or an individual unit that began in a different hex than the currently moving stack, you may no longer resume the movement of the first stack or unit without your opponent's permission.

10.7 Different MFs in Stacks

If units with different movement factors are traveling together in a stack, the stack must use the movement factor of the slowest unit within it. Of course, as the slowest unit exhausts its MF, you may drop it off and continue with the faster units.

10.8 Terrain & Movement

All terrain features on the map are classified into two broad categories: natural and man-made. Natural terrain is further divided into several different types (see below). There is never more than one type of natural terrain in any one hex; man-made terrain may exist in a hex along with natural terrain.

10.9 Natural Terrain

There are four types of natural terrain on the map: clear, rough, heath and mountains The effects those various features have on the movement of units are described below and are also summarized on the Terrain Effects Chart (or "TEC," see 12.5) for quick reference during play.

10.10 Clear

As is usual in wargames, clear terrain is the "base" terrain, devoid of natural features that would enhance defense or slow movement. For a hex to be considered clear terrain, clear terrain must be the only kind of natural terrain in the hex. Each clear terrain hex costs all units one MP to enter.

10.11 Rough

All units other than mountain infantry pay two MP to enter each rough hex. Mountain infantry units pay one MP per rough hex. A hex containing any portion of rough terrain is considered to be rough terrain.

10.12 Mountains

Mountain infantry units pay two MP per mountain hex entered, while all other units pay three MP per mountain hex entered. A hex containing any amount of mountains is considered to be all mountain. If a hex contains both rough and mountains, that hex is mountain.

10.13 Heath

All units pay three MP to enter each heath hex. A hex containing any amount of heath is considered to be all heath.

10.14 Water Hex Sides & Hexes

All units pay an extra movement point to cross river hex sides. "Extra" means in addition to the cost involved for the terrain in the hex being entered.

All units are prohibited from crossing all-lake or all-sea hex sides.

Units using air transport and NATO air mobile units (1) do not pay the extra movement point to cross river hexsides; (2) may cross all-lake and all-sea hexsides as if they were clear terrain. This applies only on turns in which their side has Air Superiority.

10.15 International Boundaries

International boundaries have no effect on the movement or combat of any units. But see 5.10.

10.16 City Hexes

Man-made terrain exists in only one type: city hexes. All units may enter city hexes at the cost of two MP per hex.

10.17 Road Mode Movement

To be eligible to use this kind of movement, a unit must start its movement in regular overland supply and not adjacent to any enemy ground units. If that is the case, such units (potentially any number per movement phase) may move with up to double their printed MF. During the course of road mode moves, though, they may never move adjacent to any enemy units, nor may they end road mode moves adjacent to enemy units. (Water hex sides don't negate.)

Units may not move in road mode for part of a movement phase, then switch to regular movement for the remainder of the phase or vice versa. Further, when using the fight/move sequence, units that attack in the combat phase may not use road mode movement in the following movement phase, even if a successful attack succeeds in clearing all adjacent hexes of enemy units. Soviet artillery units may never fire and use road mode movement during the same player turn, no matter what phase sequence is chosen. Similarly, air transportable units may not use road mode or any other kind of movement during any player turn in which they use aerial transport to move.

10.18 Soviet Artillery Movement

When using the fight/move sequence, any Soviet artillery units that attack during the Soviet Player Turn's Combat Phase have only half their MF available for use during the subsequent movement phase. When using the move/fight sequence, any Soviet artillery units that use more than half their MF during the Soviet Player Turn's Movement Phase lose the ability to attack during the subsequent Combat Phase. Markers are provided to place atop each Soviet artillery unit to help players keep track of their status in this regard (see 2.12).

10.19 Off Map Movement

No unit once in play on the map may be moved, advanced- or retreated-after-combat off it.

11.0 Combat

11.1 Combat takes place between adjacent opposing units during the combat phases in every player-turn. Attacking is always voluntary; the mere fact of opposing units' adjacency doesn't necessitate combat. The player whose turn it is, is considered the "attacker," and the other player is considered the "defender," no matter the overall situation across the map.

11.2 Multiple Defenders in One Hex

If there are two enemy units in a hex being attacked they must be attacked as one large, combined defending unit.

11.3 Multi-Hex Attacks

An enemy occupied hex may be attacked in one battle by as many of units as can bear from one, some or all of the surrounding hexes, but no more than one hex may ever be the object of any one attack.

11.4 Indivisibility of Units

No single attacking unit may have its attack factor divided and applied to more than one battle. Likewise, no defending unit may have part of its defense factor attacked by one or a few attackers while another part is attacked by others. No attacking unit may attack more than once per combat phase, and no defending unit may be attacked more than once per combat phase.

11.5 Attack Sequencing

There is no artificial limit on the number of attacks each player may resolve during his combat phases. The attacker need not declare all his attacks beforehand, and he may resolve them in any order he wishes as long as the resolution of one is completed before that of the next is begun.

11.6 Stacks Attacking

Units stacked in a given hex need not participate in the same attack. Some of the units in a stack might attack into one defender hex while others attacked into some other hex or simply didn't attack at all. No defending unit may ever refuse combat.

11.7 Combat Procedures

Normally the attacking player should strive to have several times more attack factors involved in a battle than the defender has defense factors. Such battles are called "high odds" attacks. To resolve such fights, the attacking player begins by calculating his "odds." Do that by adding together the attack factors of all the attacking units involved in the battle; then add up the defense factors of the enemy units defending in the battle. Divide the defender-total into the attacker-total and round down any remainder.

Fore example, if 26 attack factors attack 7 defense factors, the situation yields an odds ratio of 3:1 ("three to one"). That is, 27÷7=3.71, which rounds down to 3. To turn that "3" into a ratio, you must set a "1" next to it on the right. Thus "3" becomes "3:1," which corresponds to a column-heading on the Combat Results Table (CRT, see 12.6). And don't forget to take both sides' involved units' supply situation into account; see section 8.0.

11.8 Poor Odds Attacks & Odds Limits

Note the column headings on the CRT range from 1:1 to 10:1. Battles in which the attacking force has fewer combat factors than the defender are called "poor odds attacks." The results of such combats in this game are always "AS" (see below, 11.20). Final odds greater than 10:1 are resolved as if they were 10:1.

11.9 Combat Modifiers

The odds obtained in the calculations described above may be modified ("shifted") by the terrain in the defender's hex, as well as by other factors. All applicable combat modifiers are cumulative in their effect. That is, in every battle all applicable modifiers are determined and their effects taken into account before the "final odds" are determined and the die is rolled to get a combat result.

11.10 Minimum Combat Factors

No lone unit or stack in the game ever has its combat factor reduced below "1" for any reasons. Whenever stacked or multi-unit or multi-hex situations arise in which combat factor reductions are to be made, total all the units' factors subject to a common reduction, then make just one grand reduction, rounding down any remainder (but also see rule 1.5).

11.11 Clear & Heath Terrain

Units defending in clear or heath hexes receive no terrain benefit for doing so.

11.12 Rough

Units defending in rough hexes always receive a one-column leftward (1L) odds shift. For example, a 3:1 attack would become a 2:1 attack against units in rough hexes.

11.13 Mountains

Units defending in mountain hexes always receive a two-column leftward (2L) odds shift. For example, a 3:1 attack would become a 1:1 attack against units defending in a mountain hex.

11.14 City Hexes & Jäger Divisions

All units of both sides defending in city hexes generally gain a two-column leftward (2L) odds shift for doing so. If, however, one or more West German Jäger units are part of a city hex's defense, a 3L odds shift is generated there. Further, if one or more West German Jäger units are involved in an attack against a Soviet held city hex, only a 1L odds shift is generated for those defenders. In both those situations, one involved Jäger unit must suffer the first step loss resulting for its side in the battle.

Another effect of defending in a city is that "DR" results (see 11.17) are converted to a "1+1" ("one and one") result. That is, both sides stay in place but one combat step (owning player's choice except for the Jäger situations described above) is taken from them. That's one step per involved force, not one step from each unit within each force.

11.15 Enveloping Attacks

If a defending Soviet unit is attacked by NATO units from opposite hexes, or by units from three hexes with one hex between each and the next, or by units from more than three hexes, that NATO attack gains a two column rightward (2R) odds shift. This bonus is also available to attacking Soviet units, but when they gain it they only achieve a one-column rightward (1R) odds shift. Also see 6.10ff in regard to this rule.

11.16 Final Combat Resolution

After all applicable modifiers have been applied and a final CRT odds column determined, the attacker rolls a die and consults that table (12.6) to get a "combat result." For example, a roll of "5" at odds of 6:1 yields a combat result of "EX." Apply all modifiers before going to the CRT to find each battle's final odds column.

11.17 Defender Retreat Combat Result (DR)

Whenever an attack achieves a "Defender Retreat" (DR) result, the winning player, immediately retreats all the defending units into any one adjacent hex of his choice (with some limits). Stacking must be observed in the hex retreated into, and units may not retreat into an over-stacked hex as long as one or more hexes is available where that wouldn't be the case. A retreating stack may be broken up to allow its component units to retreat individually into different hexes only if stacking restrictions both require it and allow for it. Further, retreating units must be moved into a hex entirely empty of other units of their side if one or more such empty hexes are adjacent.

Retreat-after-combat doesn't use MP and it has nothing to do with the costs involved with movement phase movement. Retreating units, however, must still observe normal movement prohibitions. For example, units may not be retreated across all-lake or all sea hex sides. And again, you're not allowed to pick such auto-elimination retreat hexes unless no other routes are open.

Note also that NATO territorial units are never allowed to retreat. When that result is scored against their hex, any non-territorials that may be stacked with them make a retreat as described above while the territorial unit is eliminated in place.

Important: when the defenders are in a city hex, the DR result is changed into another result; see 11.14 above.

If meeting stacking requirements after a retreat would cause one or some of a retreating force to be eliminated, the player owning the units makes the choice of which units from the retreating force (not the force in the hex being retreated into) are eliminated.

11.18 No Retreat Into Battle

If defending units from one battle must be retreated into a hex containing other friendly units, and that hex comes under attack that same combat phase, the units that retreated into the new hex in no way contribute to their new location's defense. Further, if the defenders in the new hex receive a DR, DE or EX result in their battle, the just-retreated-in units are automatically eliminated.

11.19 Advance-After-Combat

Whenever the defender's hex is left vacant of defenders, either by step loss or retreat, at least one victorious attacking unit must advance-after-combat into that hex. Stacking limitations must be observed if more than one attacker advances. Such advances aren't part of normal movement, and they don't cost any MPs, but advancing units must still observe normal terrain prohibitions just as described above for retreats.

Advancing-after-combat is not an option; it is mandatory with at least one unit whenever the defender's hex is cleared. It's not necessary for advancing attackers to fully stack the newly won hex; the victorious player may send just one or a few units.

There is never any defender advance-after-combat; victorious defenders simply hold their place.

11.20 Attack Stalled Combat Result (AS)

When attackers receive this result it means "no effect" or "nothing happens." That is, no units are moved nor are any steps or units eliminated; both sides remain in place for the rest of the phase.

11.21 Exchange Combat Result (EX)

When an attacker achieves an EX result, all one-step units in the defending force (if any) are eliminated and placed in the dead pile, then all two step units in the defending force (if any) are reduced to one-step. As that's being done, count up the total number of defender steps eliminated. When that total is determined, the attacker must remove the same number of steps from among his involved attacking units. If the defending hex is cleared of enemy units there is a mandatory advance-after-combat (see 11.19 above).

Bother players may generally choose freely when assigning step losses and eliminations to their involved units. But the NATO player must pay attention to the Jäger rule in 11.14, and the Soviet player never removes any steps from artillery that attacked from two hexes away (see 11.23 below).

11.22 Defender Eliminated Combat Result (DE)

When an attacker achieves a DE result, all units in the defending force are eliminated at no cost to him. Since the defending hex is cleared of enemy units, there is a mandatory advance-after-combat (see 11.19 above).

11.23 Soviet Artillery Attacking

Soviet artillery units defend normally as described above; however, supplied artillery units may project their attack factors against enemy units one or two hexes away from their location hex. No kind of terrain can block their fire, but OOS artillery units may not attack at all. Artillery units may never attack alone; they may attack only with one or more attacking non-artillery units. Further, there may never be more artillery attack factors in a Soviet attack than there are non-artillery attack factors; any excess is simply wasted. For more particulars on artillery, see 7.1, 8.11, 9.3, 10.17 and 10.18.

[Errata, 26 May 2004] The attack factors of Soviet artillery units are never affected in any way when firing over water hexsides of any kind(s). That is true at both one-hex and two-hex ranges.

12.0 Charts & Tables

Located on the map and at the end of these rules.

13.0 Optional Rules

Design Note. The following rules are optional. They are presented in three main sections: one for special forces (13.1–13.10), a second for electronic warfare (13.11-13.17), and a third for wild weasels (13.18-13.21). Players should decide between themselves at the start of each match which, if any, optional rules sections they'll use.

13.1 Special Forces (SF)

Players have markers representing various types of special forces (SF). These represent unconventional warfare units used to delay enemy movement and interdict supplies. SF markers are not units per se; rather, they represent the presence of special forces activities and related local partisan warfare by creating Special Forces Zones (SF Zones). SF markers are printed in two colors: NATO and Warsaw Pact. There are no individual national SF formations, as the markers represent overall mission activities and not individual units.

13.2 SF Markers

SF markers have two sides: the front is their active side; the reverse is their suppressed side. Active SF markers have an SF Zone (see below) and perform all SF functions described below. Suppressed SF lose their SF zones and don't affect enemy forces. Suppressed SF markers may not move or participate in attacks and are eliminated if suppressed again. A suppressed SF marker remains on its reverse side until the instant there are no enemy units in the same hex, at which point it is restored to active status.

13.3 SF Supply

SF markers are always in supply.

13.4 Stacking

A player may never have more than one SF marker in a single hex. SF markers do not count against stacking limits for non-SF units. A player may place a friendly SF marker in a hex containing an enemy SF marker. Units may enter hexes containing enemy SF markers (but the reverse is not true).

13.5 Land Movement of SF markers

SF markers have a movement of two hexes. They may move two hexes in any direction, regardless of the presence of terrain, sea, and enemy units/markers and SF Zones. They may not enter hexes containing enemy units. They may enter hexes containing enemy SF markers. An SF marker that begins its movement in a hex containing an enemy unit may stay in place or move to an unoccupied adjacent hex (and still be able to move one more hex).

13.6 Air Transport of SF Markers

If a player has air superiority during a turn, all of his SF markers may move as if they were air transportable units. When using air transport movement, SF markers may not take off or land in hexes containing or adjacent to enemy units. Since SF markers are always in supply, the provision they must trace overland supply for air transport does not apply to them.

[Errata, 15 Feb 2004] 13.5 & 13.6 Clarification. SF markers may never be co-located in hexes with friendly line (non-SF) units at the end of either player's movement or combat phases. To correct such situations, have the enemy player 'displace' them the minimum number of hexes necessary to correct the stacking situation (enemy player's choice if multiple and equal-length paths are open).

13.7 SF Zones

Special Forces markers project an "SF zone," consisting of the hex they occupy and the six adjacent hexes. The SF zone projects into all adjacent land hexes, and across all sea hexsides onto adjacent land hexes. SF zones are not negated by the presence of enemy units or SF markers.

1. Effects on movement. Any land unit that enters an enemy SF zone must pay one additional (+1) movement point. They must pay this extra cost even if other friendly units occupy the hex to be entered. Enemy units may enter a hex containing an enemy SF marker itself by paying the +1 movement cost. There is no additional movement effect if there is more than one SF zone in a hex.

2. Effects on supply. A player may not trace overland supply into, through or out of a hex containing an enemy SF marker or enemy SF zone.

3. The above affects on movement and supply do NOT apply to air transport movement, airmobile movement, or airmobile unit supply.

4. Effects on combat. SF zones have no effect on combat involving units. They are not affected by combat results inflicted on other units in their SF Zones.

13.8 Attacking SF Zones

A player may attack an SF zone marker during the friendly combat phase. Attacks on SF markers are executed as follows: 1) the attacking unit must be in (not adjacent to) a hex containing an enemy SF marker; 2) consult the Counter SF Table; and 3) roll one die, make any called for die roll modifications, and apply the result immediately.

A player may have a maximum of one unit per hex make an attack against an SF marker. Additionally, if the attacked hex is in a friendly SF zone, then the player receives a +1 die roll modifier (SF markers may not attack enemy SF markers on their own). No SF marker may be attacked more than once per player turn. Supply status does not affect the resolution of this combat.

13.9 Other SF Rules

SF markers and SF Zones do not affect any other game functions. They do not penalize enemy retreat, advance, etc. Air units may never attack SF markers, and SF markers are not affected by interdiction aircraft. (See 13.2.)

13.10 Counter SF Table

Attacker must have at least one friendly unit in a hex containing an enemy SF marker.

Die roll	Result
1	No Effect
2	No Effect
3	No Effect
4	No Effect
5	Suppression
6	Suppression
7+	Elimination

Die roll modifier: Add +1 to the die roll if one or more friendly SF markers are in or adjacent to the targeted hex.

Results:

• Elimination: Remove the targeted SF marker permanently from the game.
• Suppression: Flip the SF marker over to its reverse side (if already suppressed, eliminate it).

13.11 Electronic Warfare (EW)

Players have markers representing their electronic warfare (EW) capabilities. EW markers represent forces with the equipment to jam enemy transmissions, conduct deception and electronic intelligence, and counter enemy EW. EW markers are not units. They are simply used to indicate hexes that have been designated for EW combat.

13.12 EW Markers

EW markers have two sides: the front is the offensive side and the reverse is the defensive side. At the start of his player turn, the player must flip all of his EW markers to either their offensive or defensive sides (some may be offensive and some defensive). The player does that secretly, and need not reveal which sides his EW markers are on until they are actually used. Offensive markers may be used only in a player's own turn; defensive markers may be used only in the immediately following enemy turn.

Note that given the turn structure, NATO EW markers will be used in the bottom half of one player turn (NATO), and the top half of the following (Warsaw Pact) player turn. On turn one the NATO player will not be able to place defensive EW owing to that game turn structure. That's intentional and represents the surprise effect of an initial Soviet attack.

13.13 EW Procedures

EW markers are held off map by the players. They are placed on the map only when executing EW combat. They may be reused at the beginning of the player's following turn (committed to either offensive or defensive roles). While on the map, EW markers do not count as units; that is, they don't count for stacking, etc.

EW combat occurs at the start of any friendly "fight" phase. All EW combat is resolved before any other type of combat is resolved. Procedure is as follows.

1. The attacker places any/all EW markers he wishes to use on the map. There is no range limitation on placement.
2. The defender places any/all EW markers on any hexes containing attacker EW markers.
3. Resolve each combat on the EW table, in the order determined by the attacker.
4. Upon completion of each EW combat, the EW markers involved are removed from the map. They become available again at the beginning of the next friendly player turn.

13.14 EW Limits

The NATO player may place a maximum of three EW markers in an individual hex at one time. The Warsaw Pact player may place a maximum of two EW markers in an individual hex at one time. Friendly EW markers do not count against enemy capacity.

13.15 Degraded/Collapsed Markers

Certain EW Table results cause EW "degradation" or "collapse." That's indicated by placing the appropriate marker on the targeted units. The marker remains with the units until the beginning of the following friendly player turn, at which time it is removed. If a stack of units with a degraded or collapsed marker splits up, place extra markers appropriately. A degraded or collapsed marker never affects a unit that wasn't affected by the original result, even if in the same hex as other units affected by EW.

13.16 EW Reinforcements

EW markers received as reinforcements are simply placed off-map the player turn of arrival. They may be committed to EW combat that turn.

13.17 EW Combat Table

Die roll	Result
0	Countermeasures: Roll one die and remove from play one attacking EW marker for a number of turns equal to the die roll.
1	No Effect
2	No Effect
3	No Effect
4	No Effect
5-6	Degraded: Targeted units may conduct only movement or combat on their next player turn (owning player's choice). Additionally, the units may never advance after combat, even to fulfill a mandatory advance. They perform all other game functions normally. Soviet artillery may not attack at all.
7+	Collapsed: Targeted units lose all move/fight phases for their next player turn. They perform all other game functions normally. Additionally, roll one die and remove from play one defending EW marker (if any defensive EW were used) for a number of turns equal to the die roll.

Die roll modifiers:

• Add one (+1) to the die roll for every attacking EW marker after the first.
• Subtract one (-1) from the die roll for every defending EW marker.

Note: EW markers removed as a result of EW combat are taken back during the reinforcement phase of the turn indicated by the die roll.

13.18 Wild Weasels

The NATO player has air units marked "WW" ("Wild Weasel"). They are US Air Force fighters specially modified to suppress enemy air defenses using electronic countermeasures and anti-radar missiles. The NATO player may substitute two available WW aircraft counters for one regular aircraft when he has aircraft available via air superiority. Maximum available WW are as follows: turns 2-4, two total; turns 5 through the end of the game, four total. That is, the NATO player may replace one aircraft with two WW on Game Turns 2 through 4, and up to two aircraft with four WW on Game Turns 5 through 15.

13.19 Air Defense Suppression

At the start of any NATO combat phase, that player may place WW aircraft on any hexes of the map. Any other aircraft conducting ground attack missions in the same hex or adjacent to a WW aircraft gains a +1 die roll modifier for that ground attack resolution. There is no limit to the number of ground attack missions that may gain a +1 benefit as long as they are all in or adjacent to a WW unit. A player may never modify a given ground attack by more than +1 for WW, even if more than one WW unit is in or adjacent to the hex in which the mission is being executed. WW may not make ground attacks by themselves. All WW missions are removed from the map at the conclusion of the friendly combat phase. WW units may be reused each turn.

13.20 WW Interdiction

The NATO player may stack one WW unit with another aircraft conducting interdiction. That causes the effects of interdiction to count in all hexes out to two hexes from the targeted hex.

13.21 WW Limits

WW may not be used in any other air missions.

13.22 Optional Rules Order of Battle Additions

NATO

• Add to initial deployment: 2 x SF markers (place anywhere in West Germany); 4 x EW markers (off map). See Wild Weasel rule for WW availability.
• Add to turn 3 reinforcements: 1 x SF marker (received on any NATO reinforcement hex)
• Add to turn 5 reinforcements: 1 x SF marker (received on any NATO reinforcement hex)
• Add to turn 8 reinforcements: 1 x EW marker (off map)

Soviet

• Add to initial deployment: 3 x SF markers (place anywhere to the east of the start line); 5 x EW markers (off map)
• Add to turn 8 reinforcements: 1 x EW marker (off map)

Note: the charts and tables referenced in these rules (Air Superiority Table 12.1, NATO Deep Strike Table 12.2, Ground Attack Table 12.3, Multi-National Attack Table 12.4, Terrain Effects Chart 12.5, Combat Results Table 12.6) are printed on the map and at the end of the original magazine rules; they are not part of the publisher's downloadable rules file and therefore are not transcribed here.