Holdfast: Russia 1941-42
Holdfast: Russia 1941-42 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1. Components
- Game board
- Grey and red blocks
- Label sheet
- Rules
- Dice
2. Game Board
The game board shows a map from German controlled Poland to East of Moscow and Stalingrad. On the game board is a hex grid and terrain features that affect and regulate movement, supply, and combat.
The Russian player controls all cities at the start of the game in Russia (the green land mass covering most of the board). The German player controls the other five cities. Control changes as players move units through cities the other player controls.
The combat effects of terrain is based on the location of the defending unit, except for swamp which is based on the location of the attacking unit. Terrain combat effects are cumulative.
For example, a defender is located in a woods hex behind a river. An armor unit is attacking it across the river. The attacking armor unit would be -1 die for the woods and -1 die for the river. The cumulative effect is -2 dice for the attacking armor.
Terrain movement effects are not cumulative. The terrain cost to enter a hex is the highest cost if more than one condition exists.
For example, to enter an enemy ZOC that is in a forest hex costs 2 MP, not 4.
Terrain and its effects are as follows:
| Terrain Type | Movement Cost in MP | Combat Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | 1 MP | None |
| Woods | 2 MP | -1 die per attacking armor unit |
| Mountain | 2 MP | -1 die per attacking unit |
| Swamp | Must stop on entering, 1 hex per turn | -1 die when attacking from swamp terrain |
| City | 1 MP | +1 die to defending unit |
| Fortified City | 1 MP | +3 die to defending unit |
| River Hex Line | No additional cost to cross | -1 die per unit attacking across river hexside |
| Red Hex Line | Units may not move across | Units may not attack across |
| Enemy ZOC | 2 MP | None |
3. Blocks and Label Sheet
There are two sets of blocks, one red and one grey. The red represent the Russian army, the grey the German army. On the label sheet there are two different colored groups of labels, one grouping in red, and the other grey. Players should place one red label on each red block, and one grey label on each grey block.
Fog of War: During play the blocks are stood upright with the label side facing the controlling player. The only time the opposing player may see the label side of an enemy unit is when both sides reveal the type of unit for combat.
4. The Units
LAND UNITS: Infantry units have an icon of a German Cross or Russian star. German allied infantry have a round national symbol on them. All infantry have 4 movement points (MP hereafter).
Armor units have the same icon with tank tread under the icon. All armor units have 6 MP. Each of the four sides of the land units have a number from 1 to 4. This number is the strength points (SP) of the unit and determines how many hits in combat the unit can take before it is eliminated. The units current SP should be shown as the top SP on the upright unit. At the top of each unit is the unit's historical name.
AIR UNITS: The German player receives 3 air units in the game. They are kept off board and placed during attacks on clear weather turns.
5. Set Up
To start the game, German units set up in the grey and blue hexes. The Russian units set up in the green.
Players set their units on board matching the unit's historical name to the location shown on the game board. Units start at their maximum SP. Start the turn marker in the June 1941 box on the turn track. Place the RP markers for both players in the 16 box on the game track on the game box. The German air units are placed on the side of the board. The weather marker is placed in the Clear box on the weather track of the game board.
Place the reinforcements on the matching turn on the turn track.
- July 1941 - German 2nd
- November 1941 - Russian 1 GD, Russian 2 GD
- March 1942 - Russian 1 GD (armor)
- May 1942 - German 2nd Romanian, Russian 2nd (armor)
- July 1942 - Russian 4th (armor)
- September 1942 - Russian 7GD, 2nd GD (armor)
- November 1942 - Russian 8 GD (armor), 3rd GD (armor)
Alternative Set Up: Using the unit set up locations on the game board, players may rearrange which units are in those locations.
6. Sequence of Play
A full game turn is the sequence below. After the Russian player finishes, the turn marker is advanced one space. After 20 turns the game ends and a victor is determined.
- Determine resource points for each player.
- Roll a die to determine the weather for the turn.
- German player places reinforcements and replacements.
- German player checks supply for movement, and activates units for movement and combat.
- German player checks supply for unit elimination.
- Russian player places reinforcements and replacements.
- Russian player checks supply for movement, and activates units for movement and combat.
- Russian player checks supply for unit elimination.
7. Resource Points (RP)
At the start of each turn the German player receives 16 RP. The Russian player receives 16 RP on all turns in 1941 and 18 RP on all turns 1942. Players should place their RP marker on the game track on the game box. If the German player controls a fortified city at the start of a turn the Russian player loses RP. The Russian player loses 1 RP a turn if the German player controls Sevestapol, 2 RP for Leningrad, 3 RP for Stalingrad, and 4 RP for Moscow. The effect of this is cumulative. Weather can also have an effect on RP.
Resource points are used by each player to add replacement steps to units or to add eliminated units to their armies. Resource Points are used to activate units for movement and combat. As each player spends their resource points they move their marker down the track to reflect their lower resource point total. Once a player has spent all of his resource points or wants to perform no other activations/replacements then their turn is over.
No player may spend more RP than they receive in a turn. RP may not be saved for future turns.
Resource point costs are given below:
| Resource Point Use | Resource Point Cost |
|---|---|
| Replace one infantry SP | 1 RP |
| Replace one armor SP | 2 RP |
| Replace one eliminated infantry unit at 1 SP | 2 RP |
| Replace one eliminated armor unit at 1 SP | 3 RP |
| Activate a unit for movement | 1 RP |
| Activate a unit for rail movement | 2 RP |
| Activate units for combat | 1 RP per hex attacked |
8. Weather
On the turn track of the game board are the weather possibilities for the current turn. If the turn shows only Clear Weather, no weather die roll is made. If more than one possibility is shown, the German player rolls a die and compares the die roll to the weather effects shown for that turn. Place a marker in the correct weather box for the turn on the Weather track located on the game board. The weather can be one of three conditions; clear, mud, or snow.
CLEAR WEATHER: Players receive full RP, full movement for units, and all German air units are available.
MUD WEATHER: The German player rolls 2 dice and the Russian player rolls 1 die, and each player subtracts the total of their die roll from their RP for that turn. All units receive half MP. German air units are not available.
SNOW WEATHER: The German player rolls 1 die and subtracts the total of the roll from his RP total for that turn. All units subtract one from their MP for the turn. German air units are not available.
For example, it is a mud turn. The German player, because of the mud weather must roll two dice. He rolls the dice and gets a 3 and 5 showing on the dice. This totals 8, which he subtracts from his 16 RP, leaving him with 8 RP for the turn. The Russian player must roll one die. He rolls the die and gets a 1 showing on the die. The 1 he subtracts from his 16 RP leaving him with 15 RP for the turn. No German air units are available for the turn and all MP is halved.
8.1 Special Weather Rules
On the first snow turn of the game the Russian player receives 10 extra RP for that turn.
"Fall Blau" On the first clear weather turn of 1942 the German player receives 10 extra RP for that turn.
9. Reinforcements and Replacements
The active player should check the turn track to determine if he receives reinforcements. German reinforcements are placed in Konigsberg, Bucharest, Warsaw, or any western board edge. Russian reinforcements are placed in Moscow, Stalingrad, Leningrad, or any Eastern board edge hex.
The active player may spend RP to bring back previously eliminated units as 1 SP replacement units. It costs 2 RP to bring back an eliminated infantry unit, and 3 RP to bring back an eliminated armor unit. German replacement units are placed on board at the same locations as German reinforcements. Russian replacement units are placed on board at the same locations as Russian reinforcements and may also be placed in any in supply Russian city.
The active player may add replacement steps to units on board that are not at full strength. It costs 1 RP for each infantry SP, and 2 RP for each armor SP added. Replacement steps may also be added to replacement units just placed during the current turn. Units in enemy ZOC may only add 1 SP per turn. A unit not in enemy ZOC may add as many steps as a player wants as long as they do not exceed their maximum SP. The player's RP marker is adjusted on the track as they spend RP for replacements.
Reinforcements and replacements may be brought in at a location that is in enemy ZOC. Reinforcement and replacement locations must be in supply and controlled for units to be placed there.
For example, to start the turn the German player receives 16 RP. The weather check shows clear weather so he receives all 16RP.
The German player checks the turn track and receives no reinforcements this turn. He has one eliminated German armor unit, and four infantry units that have been reduced to 2 SP each. He replaces the eliminated German armor at 1 SP and places it in Warsaw. That cost him 3 of his 16 RP leaving him 13 RP. He then spends 6 RP (2 RP for each SP) to raise the armor to its full 4 SP value. After deducting his 6 RP from his 13 RP, he now has 7 RP. He spends another 2 RP adding 1 SP to two of his reduced infantry raising them to 3 SP each. After deducting his 2 RP for that he has 5 RP remaining.
10. Activating Units for Movement and Combat
Check supply for an activated unit at the time of activation. If the unit is in supply then each RP allows 1 unit to move up to its full movement allowance. If the unit is out of supply, each RP allows the unit to move with -1 MP and this modifier is applied after weather effects.
For example, an out of supply armor unit would receive 2 MP in a mud turn. Its normal MP is 6. Halved for mud weather is 3 MP and -1 MP for being out of supply, leaving 2 MP.
A unit may be activated to move and attack, or attack and move in the same turn. Once a unit has been activated for movement, it may not be activated again in the same turn to move. Once a unit has been activated to attack, it may not be activated again in the same turn to attack.
1 RP allows all adjacent units to attack 1 hex with a defender located in it.
Note: Several units may move and then all attack together.
10.1 Movement
An activated unit spends its weather adjusted MP to move. Movement is from hex to adjacent hex. Units may not skip hexes when moving. Units may not cross the red hex lines. Units may not spend more MP than they have in a turn. MP may not be saved or transferred between units. The cost of the terrain in each hex is deducted from the unit's available MP until it does not have enough MP to move any further, or the player does not want to move the unit further.
No hex may have more than 1 unit located in it. Units may move through hexes with friendly units located in them, but may not stop. Units may not enter a hex that contains an enemy unit.
UNIT ZONE OF CONTROL: Each land unit has a Zone of Control (ZOC) which extends into all 6 hexes around the hex the unit is located in. The ZOC does not extend across red hex lines. The ZOC affects movement cost and supply. It cost 2 MP to enter an enemy ZOC and for each hex moved through an enemy ZOC.
RAIL MOVEMENT: Each turn the German player may move 2 in supply units and the Russian player 3 in supply units by rail. For a unit to use rail movement it must not start, move through, or end in an enemy ZOC, or cross a red hex line. The player spends 2 RP to activate the unit. The German player may move the unit from its current location to any city, or hex adjacent to a city that is under the control of the German player. The Russian player may move a unit to any in supply hex location. Players may not train move a unit to an out of supply location. The player traces a line of hexes from the unit's starting location to the desired ending location.
The rail move can be any distance and the unit's MP does not matter. The unit may not be activated again that turn.
For example, the German player has received reinforcement in Warsaw. The German player has 9 RP available. The German player spends 2 RP to activate the reinforcement in Warsaw for rail movement. He picks the unit up and traces a line to Smolensk that does not go through enemy ZOC, and was last occupied by German unit. He places the unit in Smolensk. That unit may not be activated again until the next turn.
10.2 Combat
Each type of land unit has three capabilities on the unit chart; the Dice Rolled in Combat is the number of dice the unit rolls when attacking or defending in combat; Target Hit Numbers is the number or higher that needs to be rolled on a die when the unit is attacked to score a hit on that unit.
Unit Chart:
| Unit | Dice Rolled in Combat | Target Hit Numbers | Available MP |
|---|---|---|---|
| German Infantry | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| German Allied infantry | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| German Armor | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Air unit | 2 | - | - |
| Russian Infantry | Roll number of die equal to units maximum SP | 5 | 4 |
| Russian Armor | 4 | 6 | 6 |
Russian infantry roll a number of die equal to its maximum, not current SP.
For example a Russian infantry with a maximum SP of 4 has been reduced to a current SP of 2. The unit would roll 4 dice in combat.
Units are never required to attack. Only units in an enemy ZOC are eligible to attack. To attack an enemy unit a player spends 1 RP. The attacker announces which adjacent units will be attacking, and if air support will be added. The German player may add 1 air unit to an attack. Each air unit may only be used once a turn. This costs zero RP, but adds 2 attack dice to the attack. Each air unit may only be used once a turn. Not all adjacent units in the defenders ZOC have to attack. Each player reveals the attacking and defending units by laying them down, with their labels facing up (care should be taken so the SP is not accidentally changed in this process). Air units are not affected by terrain. Combat is simultaneous so both players roll for attack and defense at the same time. The attacker totals the number of dice to roll for the attacking units, and modifies that total by any terrain. The defender then adds any terrain modifiers to his defending units dice. The players roll their attack and defense dice. A hit is scored on opposing units for each number that is rolled that corresponds to an opposing units hit number. Hits are applied simultaneously; no hits are applied until both players have rolled. Any 6's rolled are always applied to armor, unless none are present, in which case they are applied to any infantry.
For example, The Russian player has this turn moved two 3 SP infantry units into a German units ZOC spending 2 RP. A Russian armor unit started the turn in the Germans ZOC but has not moved yet. The Russian player spends 1 RP to announce an attack. The Russian player announces he is attacking with the two infantry units. He wants to save the armor unit for movement and attack in case he breaks through the German unit. The Russian infantry receive 3 dice for each unit giving a total of 6 attacking dice. There is no terrain modifier. The German player reveals his unit is a 2 SP armor unit. The German armor receives 4 dice, with no terrain modifier.
Each player rolls their dice. The Russian player rolls and the dice are 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, and 6. Because he is attacking German armor only the 6's score hits. He has scored two hits on the armor unit. The German player dice results are 2, 2, 5, and a 6. He has scored two hits on the infantry units as results of 5 and 6 are hits on infantry.
The German reduces his 2 SP armor by 2 SP and it is eliminated and placed in the replacement pool on the side of the board. The Russian player simultaneously reduces each of his infantry units by 1 SP leaving him with 2 SP on each infantry unit. The two infantry units are done moving and attacking for the turn.
If the Russian player has RP remaining he could then activate the Russian armor and move with it and even attack for another RP if he can get adjacent with the armor unit to a German unit.
During combat, each time a unit receives a hit, it should be rotated to the next lower SP. When a unit is reduced below 1 SP it is removed from the board and placed in the replacement pool.
11. Supply
For a German unit to be in supply it must be able to trace a supply chain from the unit 5 hexes to a German controlled city, or the west edge of the board or Helsinki. Controlled cities must be able to trace a continuous chain of controlled cities, within 5 hexes of each other, to the west board edge or Helsinki.
A German cross equals a German controlled city. The black lines show German supply lines. The red lines show Russian supply lines. The black circle shows the unit has no supply line.
For a Russian unit to be in supply it must be able to trace a supply chain from the unit 5 hexes to a Russian controlled city or the east edge of the board. Controlled cities must be able to trace a continuous chain of controlled cities, within 5 hexes of each other, to the east board edge. For Russian units, fortress cities are always in supply.
Supply chains may not be traced through enemy zones of control or across red hex lines. Friendly units negate enemy zone of control in hexes they occupy, but friendly zone of control does not negate enemy zone of control.
When a unit is activated it checks supply for movement effect. If it is out of supply it receives -1 MP. At the end of each of their respective turns each side checks their supply. A unit that is out of supply at the end of its turn is eliminated and removed from the board.
12. Victory
Victory is determined at the end of the game. The player controlling two or more of the following cities wins the game; Moscow, Stalingrad, and Leningrad.
The German player wins an instant victory if at any time they control all 3 cities simultaneously.
The Russian player wins an instant victory if at any time they control Bucharest and Warsaw simultaneously.
13. Designer Notes
We wanted to design a fast playing, low unit density game on the Eastern Front that was playable in one sitting. Here is why we did what we did.
We decided early on that to do that we would only portray the first two years of fighting on the Eastern Front. Realistically after 1942 the handwriting was on the wall, the Germans were not going to win. The first two years gave each side a chance to attack and defend with swings in momentum, strength, position, and a realistic shot at a German victory. In the actual campaign the Germans never captured any of the cities required for victory in the game, but they were objectives at different time as set forth by Hitler in 41-42. The Russian government probably would not have collapsed with the loss of any one of the cities, but the loss of 2 or more may have led, if not to a surrender, then at least to a collapse of moral will of the people to fight on.
Units
Army/Front scale for the units worked perfectly for a limited number of units and the hex size we wanted the game to be. Monthly turns and movement rates were then figured. The units were rated on what we felt were their historic strengths and weaknesses. Not all historical armies are actually portrayed in the game by a unit, however, they are reflected by the adding of replacement units, or steps to units damaged in combat. We used the designators of actual armies from the campaign early, but particularly the Russians added more armies than we could put on a board at this scale and still have the game playable. Instead we combined them into some units.
The unit ratings are not meant as a slight to any particular country or armies fighting abilities. There were heroic battles and soldiers in all of the armies in this game. What is reflected in the ratings was the German and Russian command structure. The German army in 1941 was probably the best army in the world, not at the individual soldier level, but in leadership learned from the campaigns in Poland, Belgium, France, the Balkans, and numerous other battlefields across Europe. The German weaponry was the standard the rest of the world was trying to stand up to. The German allies portrayed were just as brave as the Germans and Russians, however, the best supplies and equipment and leadership went to the German units first and then the allies. That is why they are rated on a level with or below the Russians.
The Russian army had been decimated by Stalin's pre-war purge of commanders. The men were brave, but not well led, or supplied. The Russians had more equipment numerically than the Germans but much of it was inferior to the German weapons. Despite the Russians not having any armor units to start the game the Russians did have numerous tanks on the front. They integrated their inferior armor into their infantry formations. In 1941 alone the Russians would lose over 20,000 tanks. The Russians would learn quickly and by 1943 they were every bit the equal to the Germans, but it would be from hard lessons learned in their soldiers' blood.
Resource Points and Supply
The resource points obviously represent the supply for each army. Throughout history supply has been an issue for generals, particularly when you throw in the variables such as partisans, weather, transportation of supplies, and length of supply lines. For the German armies invading Russia these variables were highlighted in this campaign. The German army in 1941 still had to depend largely on the horse for supply transportation. Hitler was not prepared (much like Napoleon before him) for a winter campaign in Russia. The length of the supply line was a huge issue for the German army, and Russian rail lines were at a different gauge than the Germans further exasperating the problem. As soon as mud weather arrived the supply situation grew dire. The snow and freezing weather were an issue, but at least allowed the ground to freeze hard allowing some motorized movement.
The Russians had supply problems as well but more due to incompetence and mismanagement than the issues the Germans faced.
You will find in the game it will be hard (as it was in the war) for the Germans to move and mount offensives in all areas. The Russians, early on will be spending their RP backing units up and adding replacements to units that have taken losses, trading ground for time, and slowly beating up German units on the attack. It costs RP to attack, but not defend, and you can still inflict losses on the defense. The advantage to the attack is you can pick the point of attack, but at the price of the RP spent.
Surrounded armies surrendered frequently in the fighting as supplies were so critical. You will lose armies in the game due to supply issues, particularly the Russian player as the German army is poised to attack. Later, the deeper the Germans get into Russia it will be easier to surround German armies.
Combat
Combat was easier to portray than other aspects of the war once we had the unit ratings down. We knew the defender had to be able to inflict casualties on the attacker. The war in Russia was a meat grinder with incredible losses on both sides. We abstractly handle air units. While it was important it was never a deciding factor.
Terrain played an important part in the battles. River lines, forests, and the cities were fought back and forth over. Again, the attack and defense die of each of the sides, as well as their SP were based on what we felt were the historical strengths and weaknesses of each side at this point in the war. These strengths and weaknesses would change for each side as time went on.
What is interesting about research for the game was that despite the beating the Russian army took early on in the war, numbers wise it did not take long for them to regroup. On June 22 they had roughly 190 divisions in the field. After taking horrendous losses in casualties and troops captured by the beginning of August they had around 210 divisions, many understrength, but building steadily. This is reflected in the replacements.
Overall
We hope you enjoy HOLDFAST 1941-1942. We had a great time designing, play testing, and debating the campaign. It was surprising how closely the game would reflect the historical situation during play.
The campaign has definitely fascinated gamers and historians since it occurred. It was as much a test of wills between Stalin and Hitler as it was between the actual countries. It would look like one side or the other was about to crumble when one of them would issue a "hold fast" or "to the last man" order and somehow their army would manage to hang on. In the end Hitler had undertaken more than he could handle, the Russian numbers and will to fight he greatly underestimated.
As you play you too will think about how close you are to Moscow as the German player when suddenly mud weather hits and your supply is decimated, or when the first snow of the year brings the Siberians west.
As the Russian player you must hang on against the initial German onslaught, fighting back in the winter, only to have to face the onslaught again as Hitler throws in everything against you during the first clear spring offensive in 1942.
The decisions are yours to make. Can you HOLDFAST?
German Player Strategy
Victory is determined by obtaining control of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad. Remembering this is the key to victory. Gaining ground, not killing units is the objective. The first several turns for the German are important and planning a good initial attack and move is imperative. During playtest the German player would typically eliminate between 4 to 6 Russian units with his initial attack. Players were able to move as far east as 1 hex beyond Minsk.
The southern front has a longer distance to Stalingrad so should be ignored initially. Eliminated Russian units there will normally appear in front of your main drive as replacements. Force the Russian player to spend the RP to move those units.
With the initial main drive coming to the north the German player must decide early whether to go for Leningrad or Moscow. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Despite the swamp surrounding Leningrad, with some armor and an air unit, plus the Finnish infantry, the German player stands a good chance of taking Leningrad early. The advantage here is that it is easier to take than Moscow and secures the German north flank thus making it easier for a south to north drive towards Moscow. Leningrad is only worth a loss of 2 RP to the Russian, so it is not as painful as the loss of Moscow. The delay in the drive on Moscow can also mean that the weather affects the German before he can take Moscow.
Attacking Moscow first can be daunting. The woods and rivers give the Russian player some excellent defensive positions to wear away at the German army on its approach. If the Russian can hold on until the Russian infantry arrives in November then it gets much harder for the German player. However, if the German does succeed it eliminates 4 RP from the Russian player early. A major disadvantage is that after taking Moscow you either have to go south or north, which means it will take twice as long to switch directions if you are successful in an attack on Leningrad or Stalingrad.
Once the Russian armor starts to appear it gets even more difficult for the German player as the strengths of the armies even out and the Russian end up stronger.
If the German player does not have 2 of the 3 cities by September of 1942 then it will be difficult to win.
Finally, the German player needs to carefully watch and guard his supply. Running a line of infantry units behind an armor to secure the line is critical at times, at least until the entire Russian army is east of the main attack points. Getting supply cut to your armor spearheads is crippling as RP must be spent to keep the armor unit alive, and in worst case having to double back to attack its way out of the situation.
Russian Player Strategy
The Russian player can be the more difficult side to play in the game. Russian units will die quickly only to be rebuilt and eliminated again. It is an early balancing act between replacing eliminated units and keeping units in front of the Germans as they rapidly race eastward. When possible keep a unit or two on the German flank threatening the supply lines of the armor spearheads.
You cannot worry about losing units; don't waste them as they are more expensive to bring back than add steps to, but losing 4 to 5 units in a turn is not huge. What is huge is limiting the territorial gains to a minimum for the German army.
It is important not to give up more than one victory city prior to November of 1941 when the first of the Russian reinforcements appear. If the Germans have not taken a victory city then you are in good shape. If they have taken a city then you must place these units in a position to defend the Germans next objective city.
Limit counterattacks early as they can hurt you more than help. Keep your defenders in the best terrain possible, behind rivers, in the cities, and woods. If units get cut out of supply consider letting them die as they can come back as replacements in a more important location.
The German spring offensive of 1942 will hit you hard. You must keep the fight going for the second victory city until September when your armor really starts to make itself felt. If the German player has driven north or south don't hesitate to bring in reinforcements on the east edge behind the German lines to go after a victory city if the German is thin. Remember the Russian supply lines can trace off the east or south edge and is much shorter normally.
Counter attack when you can get good odds or surround a unit. If the German armor pushes too far ahead try to damage them. Armor costs double the RP of infantry to replace so bleed 'em if you can.
Be patient, because by the last 4 turns of the game you outnumber the German in strength and can counterattack with proper unit placement and good defense.
Credits
DESIGNED BY: Grant Wylie, Mike Wylie
PLAYTEST: Grant Wylie, Mike Wylie, Mark Wylie, Ryan Burchfield, Matt Burchfield
GAME ART AND LAYOUT: Sean Cooke
© Worthington Publishing 2014