Russia Besieged
Russia Besieged Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1.0 Introduction
- 2.0 Components
- 3.0 Sequence of Play
- 4.0 Zones of Control
- 5.0 Stacking
- 6.0 Ground Movement
- 7.0 Rail Movement (RR)
- 8.0 Sea Movement
- 9.0 Automatic Victory
- 10.0 Combat
- 11.0 Air Ground Support
- 12.0 Artillery
- 13.0 Supply
- 14.0 Dictators, Field Marshals and Stavka
- 15.0 Russian Air Drops
- 16.0 Partisans
- 17.0 Reinforcements
- 18.0 Withdrawing Units
- 19.0 Replacements
- 20.0 War Economy Counters (WEC)
- 21.0 Oil Wells
- 22.0 Russian Shock Armies
- 23.0 Game Start / Initial Setup
- 24.0 First Turn Special Rules
- 25.0 Special Axis Minor Ally Restrictions
- 26.0 Surrender of Axis Minor Allies
- 27.0 Victory Conditions
- Advanced Game, Optional Rules
- A1.0 Headquarters
- A2.0 Breakout Attempt from Encirclement
- A3.0 Defensive Use of Air
- A4.0 Historical Weather
- A5.0 Frozen Lakes and Rivers
- A6.0 Russian War Economy
- A7.0 Siberian Troops
- A8.0 Vlassov's Army
- A9.0 German Paratroops
- A10.0 Escalated Spanish Involvement
- A11.0 The Battle of the Bulge - East
- A12.0 German North Africa
- A13.0 Aid for the Axis Partners
- A14.0 French Foreign Legion
- A15.0 Increased Russian Aircraft Production
- A16.0 Moderated Soviet Purges
- A17.0 Shock Armies
- A18.0 Operation Barbarossa - The Generals' War
- A19.0 Multiple Impulse Replacements
- A20.0 Berlin Garrison
- A21.0 Vanity Field Marshal and Optional Dictator Counters
- A22.0 Rail Movement
- A23.0 Retreat Confusion
- A24.0 Invasion: River Crossing Rule
- Errata
- Designer's Notes
- Terrain Effects Chart
1.0 Introduction
Russia Besieged is a two-player game based on the epic struggle between Russia and Germany (including its minor allies) spanning the entire Eastern Front theatre from Helsinki to Baku. While World War II spanned the globe, the Eastern Front was arguably the most critical theatre of the war. Russia, with significant economic help from its Western Allies, crushed Germany by mid-1945.
Note: There are no counters in the game for Turkey, Persia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria. No units may enter or retreat into these countries during the course of play. These territories are here for future expansion scenarios.
Also, certain rules refer to the country of "Germany" or "Russia". Germany is defined as all hexes west of the "At Start" set up border with Russia's Baltic, Western, and Kiev Military Districts, and north of Hungary. Russia is all hexes east of the "At Start" western set up boundaries of the Leningrad, Baltic, Western, Kiev and Odessa Military Districts, east of Turkey and north of Persia. The term "Axis" will refer to German, Italian, Rumanian, Hungarian, Finnish, French, and Spanish units.
2.0 Components
- Rules Book
- 28" x 44" one piece map
- 2 full size 9/16" die cut counter sheets
- 2 Order of Battle cards
- 3 Player Aid Cards
- 1 d10 die, 0 on the die is equal to 10
Playing Pieces Symbology and Information
Unit Counters — Each counter shows, front and back (reduced side): unit size (e.g. XXX = Corps, XXXX = Army), unit type, unit designation, turn of entry, and combat factor and movement points/factors. Unit size printed in black denotes a unit at full strength; unit size in yellow denotes the reduced side (a step loss) for a non-Guards unit. For Russian Guards units, a yellow stripe with red numbers denotes a reduced Guards unit, with combat/movement factors in yellow denoting reduced strength and in red denoting full strength. A color box on a counter denotes the unit is an Axis minor ally; blue denotes Finnish troops (marked "F").
Multiple Step Unit Counters (e.g. German SS armor units) use a first and second physical counter to represent more than two steps: the first counter's front/back show full strength and its first reduced step, and the second counter (front only, back blank) shows the unit reduced to its third and final step. A color bar denotes the unit is reduced to its third and final step.
Russian Shock Armies have no At Start Set Up or Entry Turn — they are created by combining other units (see rule 22.0). They show unit size ("SHOCK ARMY"), unit designation (e.g. "1st Shock Army"), and combat/movement factors. Combat factor and movement points in yellow on a field of red denotes the unit is reduced by one step; a cream Shock Army symbol denotes the third (final) step, with combat/movement factors in white on brown denoting the final step.
Oil Production Counters show, for a given oil-well hex, the current oil production value; as production increases, counters are flipped to their new higher value. Captured Oil Field control markers show the controlling nationality (German or Russian) and the current production value in oil points. (Errata note: the printed counter set has an inconsistency in one such counter's face value — see the Errata section — the corrected counter will be published separately.)
3.0 Sequence of Play
Russia Besieged is played in game turns of two months, with two impulses per turn roughly equaling one month each. All game activities must be completed in the following sequence. Items offset with a bullet may be done in any order within the phase (e.g. Move and take replacements or take replacements and then move). Note: † indicates an Optional rule.
I. Weather Determination Phase i. Both players adjust their Aerial counters so that the Air units are available and the Aerial Ground units are not showing their staged side. ii. German player rolls the die once and consults the weather chart to determine the weather results for both impulses.
II. German Player First Impulse i. German Movement Phase - German player moves units via ground, railroad, or sea - German player takes replacements - German player places reinforcements as per the Order of Battle card - German player flies Bomber Missions (attack or stage) - † German player releases reserves - † German player places units into Reserve ii. † Russian Reserve Movement Phase iii. Combat Resolution Phase iv. † Post-Combat Reserve Movement Phase v. Adjust Railhead Counters
III. German Player Second Impulse i. German Movement Phase - German player moves units via ground, railroad or sea. - German player places reinforcements as per the Order of Battle card - German player flies Bomber Missions (attack or stage) - † German player releases reserves - † German player places units into Reserve ii. † Russian Reserve Movement Phase iii. Combat Resolution Phase iv. † Post-Combat Reserve Movement Phase v. Information Marker Adjustment Phase - Adjust Railhead Counters - Determine all German units' Supply status and place or advance German Out of Supply Markers - † Advance all units in the German Unavailable Reserve box to Available status
IV. Russian Player First Impulse i. Russian Player Movement Phase - Russian player moves units via ground, railroad or sea - Russian player takes replacements - Russian player can convert Partisans from Level 1 to 2 - Russian player places reinforcements as per the Order of Battle card - Russian player flies Bomber Missions (attack or stage) - † Russian player releases reserves - † Russian player places units into Reserve ii. † German Reserve Movement Phase iii. Combat Resolution Phase iv. † Post-Combat Reserve Movement Phase v. Adjust Railhead Counters
V. Russian Player Second Impulse i. Russian Movement Phase - Russian player moves units via ground, railroad, or sea - Russian player places reinforcements as per the Order of Battle card - Russian player flies Bomber Missions (attack or stage) - † Russian player releases reserves - † Russian player places units into Reserve ii. † German Reserve Movement Phase iii. Combat Resolution Phase iv. † Post-Combat Reserve Movement Phase v. Information Marker Adjustment Phase - Adjust Railhead Counters - Stage 1 Partisan counters may be removed and/or placed on the map - 2nd Stage Partisans can move - Determine all Russian units' supply status and place or advance Russian Out of Supply Markers - † Advance all units in the Russian Unavailable Reserve box to Available status
VI. End of Turn Advance the marker on the Turn Record Chart to the next turn and repeat the Sequence of Play until the game is completed.
4.0 Zones of Control
Most units have a Zone of Control (ZOC) in the hex they occupy and the six adjacent hexes. Some units do not (See rule 5.05).
4.01 ZOCs that extend into the adjacent 6 hexes are always in effect with two exceptions:
- A ZOC never extends across the black coastline into lakes or seas
- ZOCs do not extend into hex 0713
Note: ZOCs are an integral part of Combat (See rule 10.0); they may be limited by terrain (See rule 6.23) and the type of units (see rule 5.05).
Units with a Normal ZOC (in the occupied hex and all six adjacent hexes) include most combat units. Units with a ZOC in the occupied hex only include: Airfield units, Russian War Economy Counters, Russian Paratrooper units, Hitler & Stalin, Partisan units, the German 1-8 SS Polizei unit, Volkssturm, and Berlin Garrison units. Units with No ZOC include: Air units, Field Marshal units, Army Group Headquarters units, Oil Production, and Stavka.
4.02 Units must stop as soon as they move into an enemy ZOC during their movement phase.
4.03 Units advancing or retreating after combat may be restricted by enemy ZOCs (See rules 10.8 & 10.9).
4.04 Units that begin the First Impulse Movement Phase in an enemy ZOC may exit that ZOC only if the first hex they enter is not in an enemy ZOC.
4.05 Ground Units may not move directly from one enemy ZOC into another enemy ZOC, even one exerted by a different enemy unit.
4.06 Units that begin the Second Impulse Movement Phase in an enemy ZOC may not move with the following exceptions: Exception: the enemy unit exerting the ZOC is eliminated by a second impulse Automatic Victory attack and the friendly unit to be moved did not participate in that attack. Note: The unit may advance after combat normally.
4.07 Units which are marked Out of Supply lose their ZOC (see rule 13.13).
4.1 City Control
Control of cities is important for several rules, including 7.3, 11.1, 11.6, 13.4, 13.7, 17.0, and 27.2.
A player controls:
- All cities on his side of the border at the start of the game.
- A city if he has a ground combat unit in the city. A ground combat unit is any unit with a combat factor.
- A city by exerting an undisputed ZOC on the city hex with an adjacent ground combat unit. The city is considered disputed if the opposing player also has an adjacent ground combat unit exerting a ZOC on the city hex.
- A disputed city if he has a unit in the city of the type that has a ZOC in hex occupied only (See rule 5.05). Exception: Stage 1 partisans. If the disputed city is vacant, or is occupied by only units with no ZOC (See rule 5.05), then neither player controls the city.
If none of these conditions apply, the city is controlled by the player who last satisfied a condition for control. If city control status changes, it takes effect immediately, even during movement or combat.
5.0 Stacking
The term "stacking" refers to the ability of more than one unit to occupy the same hex.
5.01 Army sized units may be stacked 2 per hex; Corps sized units may stack 3 units per hex. Any combinations of Corps and Armies may only stack 2 units per hex.
5.02 Units may temporarily exceed stacking limits during movement but must be within stacking limits at the end of each Movement phase and at the end of each Combat Resolution.
5.03 Units entering the map as reinforcements or replacements may be over-stacked prior to and during movement, but must adhere to stacking limits by the end of their movement of the current impulse.
5.04 At the end of each Movement and Combat phase, players must check for over-stacking. In each hex with over-stacked units, the owning player must eliminate enough units to bring that hex back within stacking limits.
5.05 Certain units have no stacking value and can be freely added to any stack. They also may have special ZOC conditions listed (see rule 4.0 above for the list).
5.06 One Artillery unit and one Russian Paratrooper unit may stack for free per hex. Any additional units, of these types, in a hex are treated as a Corps sized unit.
5.07 Hungarian units may never stack with Rumanian units and vice versa. Either may stack with other Axis units.
6.0 Ground Movement
In the Movement portion of your turn you may move as many of your units as you wish: all, some, or none. The die has nothing to do with movement.
6.01 Units may move in a continuous path of hexes in any direction or combination of directions, depending on their movement factor. The Movement Allowance Chart shows the Movement Points (MP) available to units for their first and second impulses in various kinds of weather, and is differentiated by nationality and unit type. Generally, a unit moving its "full" movement can move a number of Clear terrain hexes equal to its movement factor.
For example: A unit that has a movement allowance of "5" can move 5 hexes in Clear terrain.
6.02 Movement points cannot be transferred from one unit to another, nor can they be accumulated from turn to turn. Any movement points not used in a given impulse are lost.
6.03 Units may also use Rail Movement (see rule 7.0) or Sea Movement instead of ground movement (See rule 8.0).
6.1 Movement Restrictions
6.11 ZOC of enemy units limits movement (See rule 4.0).
6.12 Units may enter any hex, full or partial, as long as the hex has a 4 digit hex number in it. If the hex has no number, units may not enter it at all.
6.13 When entering non-Clear terrain, units must expend more MP. Different types of units will pay different terrain costs (for example, an Armor unit may pay more MP to enter a particular hex than would an Infantry unit). Consult the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) for a complete listing of terrain movement costs.
6.14 Units not specifically using rail movement (see rule 7.0) may NOT utilize rail lines to negate the movement effects of terrain.
6.15 Minimum Move: Regardless of weather or terrain effects, a unit may always move one hex, even if it does not have enough MPs to enter the hex, subject to the following restrictions:
- The unit must be eligible to move in the current impulse.
- The unit does not enter prohibited terrain.
- The unit does not move directly from one enemy ZOC to another.
6.2 Straits of Kerch
6.21 Movement across the black coastline is allowed only by rail or sea movement and across the Straits of Kerch (hexes 3823-3922).
6.22 Crossing the straits constitutes moving from hex 3823 directly to hex 3922 or vice-versa. Units crossing the straits pay 2 MP in total to cross (1 MP to cross the coastal hex and 1 MP to move into hex 3823 or 3922). Units that cross the straits must stop in the first hex after crossing (either 3823 or 3922), regardless of how many MP they have left. Crossing the straits does not constitute sea movement. Units may not stop on the red arrow in hex 3822.
6.23 Zones of Control do not extend across the straits. However, units may conduct combat across them. Treat combat across the straits as combat across a river. An Automatic Victory may be achieved but a Blitzkrieg attack is not allowed across the straits.
6.24 Supply lines can be traced across the straits counting as only 1 hex distance across the straits. Example: An Axis unit in hex 4022 would count 5 hexes to get to a supplied rail hex at 3726 (assuming the rail line leads back to the Axis edge of the board).
6.25 Control of both sides of the straits affects Sea Movement (See rule 8.13) and Sea Invasion (See rule 8.53).
6.26 Units may retreat across the Straits of Kerch as a result of combat, however, any stack (or unit) forced to do so takes a 1 step loss to one combat unit (of the friendly player's choice) in that stack. A retreat across the strait is considered to go from hex 3922 through hex 3823 or vice versa, and counts as 1 hex of a retreating unit's required distance.
6.3 Leningrad Ice Road
The Leningrad Ice Road is denoted on the map by the dotted white hex. This hex is the ice road link to Leningrad (hex 0714) over Lake Ladoga (0713) to land hex 0812. The Leningrad Ice Road has a special effect allowing the movement of a combat unit and re-establishing Soviet supply into Leningrad (See rule 13.62).
The Leningrad Ice Road serves two purposes in the game: a) it allows limited supply to be re-established to Leningrad b) it allows combat units to move across Lake Ladoga
Once the Leningrad Ice Road conditions are in effect for movement, all supply rules apply (See rule 13.62).
6.31 The Russian player may attempt to move 1 unit per impulse to or from Leningrad and hex 0812 via hex 0713. This movement uses up the unit's entire movement allowance for the impulse.
6.32 If any Axis units occupy or exert a ZOC on hex 0813, then the Russian player must roll for his unit to move through hex 0713. In this case, at least one other Russian unit must occupy hex 0812 before the move is attempted.
6.33 When any unit attempts an ice road movement, the Russian Player rolls the die, applying the following modifiers:
- If hex 0813 is NOT OCCUPIED by an Axis unit but is an Axis ZOC: Add +1 to the die roll
- If hex 0813 is OCCUPIED by an Axis unit: Add +2 to the die roll
- If hex 0713 is within 9 hexes of a Stuka airfield: Add +1 to the die roll
On a die roll of 1 - 7, the move is successful. On a die roll of 8 - 10+, the unit is eliminated.
6.4 Northern Swamp Hexes
All swamp hexes on or north of Hex row 16XX are treated as Forest hexes for movement purposes during Snow impulses.
7.0 Rail Movement (RR)
7.01 Axis Rail Capacity: the Axis Rail Capacity Chart (keyed to weather in the 1st and 2nd impulse — Non-Snow/Non-Snow, Non-Snow/Snow, Snow/Snow, Snow/Non-Snow) shows the number of units which can be railed per turn, broken down by impulse. The following modifiers apply to the number of units which can rail:
- -1 during Snow/Snow turns of the First Winter (November/December 1941 and January/February 1942)
- -1 beginning July/August 1944 until game end
- -1 if at the end of the previous turn, Russian 2nd stage Partisans occupied 2+ Rail hexes of the Axis Rail lines (rule 16.51)
When subtracting 1 for a turn, subtract 1 from each number shown. Examples: September/October 1944 (Non-Snow/Non-Snow) would be 5-5-2, and January/February 1942 (Snow/Snow) would be 3-3-1.
7.02 Russian Rail Capacity: the Russian Rail Capacity Chart shows the number of units which can be railed per turn, broken down by impulse, varying across three eras (1941 May/June; July 1941 - June 1943; July 1943 - June 1945).
7.03 A unit may use RR movement only along connected rail hexes which are in friendly control and that lead back to a friendly controlled city or a friendly board edge. Note: The friendly-controlled city hex must be occupied by a friendly unit if it is in an enemy ZOC, and the rail line from the city to the unit cannot pass through any enemy ZOCs or enemy-controlled cities.
7.04 No unit (belonging to either player) may use rail movement along a Converting section of a rail line (See rule 7.2).
7.05 The Axis player uses the Railhead markers to identify the most advanced Axis-controlled rail hexes. All rail hexes from the west edge of the map up to and including the hexes marked with Railhead markers, which are not occupied by Russian units or converting, are considered to be Axis-controlled. All rail hexes beyond the Axis Railhead markers are assumed to be in Russian control.
7.06 Units using RR cannot move into, out of, or through an enemy ZOC including its starting and ending hexes. Friendly units do not negate an enemy ZOC for rail movement.
7.07 A unit traveling by rail must begin and end the movement on the rail line, and may travel an unlimited distance within those restrictions, ignoring the terrain in the hexes. Example: Units using RR can not move directly from hex 1718 to 1818. They must follow a controlled rail line back to a junction which leads back to the other hex.
7.08 Units may use rail movement to exit the board and immediately re-enter it at another valid rail hex on the same board edge. Russian units may only perform this on the east board edge. Axis units may only perform this on the west board edge.
7.09 All replacements and reinforcements placed onto the board or entering from a board edge during an impulse may move by RR in addition to the normal rail allotments. Exception: See rule 17.12. Example: During a Clear 1st impulse, the Axis player may move 6 units by rail plus any and all reinforcements and replacements arriving that impulse.
7.10 Units moving by rail may not move by any other means during that impulse. Even units which can not move during the second impulse can be railed if they begin on a rail line.
7.11 Note that there is no rail connection between hex 3810 and hex 3711. Units moving by rail along this line must end their rail movement immediately upon entering one of those two hexes. They may use normal movement during a subsequent impulse to move between those hexes.
7.12 The rail line connecting hex 3523 and hex 3624 can be used for rail movement and rail supply ONLY. Units may not cross that hexside using any type of non-rail movement nor can they trace a ground supply line across it to reach a friendly rail line.
7.2 Converting Rail Lines
As the Axis player advances forward via movement or advances from combat results, he will want to mark rail lines with Rail Converted markers so his supply line will be extended. The Russian player will wish to shorten the Axis player's supply lines by moving through Axis-controlled rail hexes and therefore cutting them.
7.21 Combat units (units which exert a ZOC into adjacent hexes plus paratroopers and the SS Polizei unit) may place Rail Converted markers by simply moving or advancing through hexes along a rail line.
7.22 When an Axis unit moves into a rail line hex which connects back to a Railhead marker and the rail line from that hex back to the Railhead marker does not contain a Russian unit, ZOC, controlled city, or controlled rail junction along that route, then place a Rail Converted marker in that hex.
7.23 If a Russian unit places a Rail Converted marker that will shorten an Axis-controlled section of rail line, then the hex containing the Rail Converted marker is still considered to be Axis-controlled, but the hex containing the existing Railhead marker is considered to be Converting. Note that when a Railhead marker is shortening an Axis-controlled rail line, it should be placed one hex beyond the Russian advance so that it denotes the farthest Axis-controlled hex on that rail line.
7.24 A player does NOT have to physically move a unit through each non-Rail junction hex to take control of it.
7.25 A player gains control of a rail junction hex if at any point during his turn, one of his units exerts an undisputed ZOC (see rule 4.1) into the hex.
7.26 A rail junction that is not a city hex also converts if every rail line leading out of the junction leads to one of the following: a friendly-controlled city, a friendly board edge, or a RR converting marker — without any enemy units, their ZOCs or enemy-controlled cities in the intervening connected rail hexes.
7.27 When a Rail Converted marker is placed on one side of a Railhead marker, immediately remove any Rail Converted marker that may be on the other side of the current Railhead marker along that same line.
7.28 The section of rail line between the Railhead marker and the Rail Converted marker is considered to be "Converting" on the same turn that a player takes control of it.
7.29 Sections of rail lines that are Converting will become player-controlled at the end of the current player's impulse. Any Rail Converted markers are flipped to their Railhead sides, and any existing Railhead markers replaced by them are removed from the map.
7.30 City or rail junction hexes are the only exception to the rule of converting rail hexes by passing through them. If a player places a major city, minor city, or rail junction hex in his ZOC and it is not enemy occupied or in an enemy ZOC, a Rail Converted marker may be placed in the hex. The player need not have a unit in the city hex. At the end of the friendly player's impulse, the city or rail junction is captured by the friendly player exerting an undisputed ZOC on it (See rule 4.1), and converts the Rail Converted marker to a Railhead if the connecting rail line leads back to the player's board edge.
Note (Hex 3433): This port represents the Rumanian port of Constanta. The Axis also used the Danube River to move small submarines and E-boats into the Black Sea. Constanta functions as a full port hex even though no city exists in the hex.
8.0 Sea Movement
Sea movement of units is an area movement process over contiguous bodies of water. Hexes and movement points are ignored for the purpose of Sea movement.
8.01 Sea movement is not automatic; units attempting to use Sea movement must roll on the Sea Movement Table. (Exception: rule 8.74)
8.02 A unit that moves by sea may not use any other form of movement during that impulse.
8.03 A unit, with an impulse MP allowance of "0" or in an enemy ZOC may not use Sea Movement (Exception: Evacuation rule 8.62).
8.04 There are three separate types of sea movement: Transport, Invasion, and Evacuation. A unit may only use one of these types in an impulse.
8.05 The Caspian Sea, Black Sea/Sea of Azov and Baltic Sea are three separate sea areas and therefore no unit may move directly from one of them to another in the same impulse using Sea movement. A player who wishes to have a unit go from a port in one sea zone to a port in another via Sea Movement must have the unit first exit the map board (In Transit) off board on the initial impulse of its Sea Movement, and then return the next movement impulse in the Sea zone containing the destination port. Sea Movement Resolution must occur in each impulse.
Example: An Axis unit is evacuated successfully from the port of Rostov on the first impulse. Its final destination is the port of Danzig (on the Baltic Sea coast). It is held off map until the second impulse when it may attempt to complete a sea transport move to Danzig. The other option the player has with this unit is to bring it back onto the board in the next impulse as a reinforcement.
Note: Each sea area may have rules that are specific to that area only, the Caspian Sea being one such example.
8.1 Sea Movement Restrictions
Sea movement on any body of water requires friendly control of at least one port. Once a side loses all ports in a sea area, no further sea movement is permitted by that side in that sea area for the remainder of the game.
8.11 Only one unit may use Sea Movement (Transport, Invasion or Evacuation) in each sea area per impulse.
8.12 To have Rostov (if friendly-controlled) count as a friendly port for purposes of gaining a Sea Port modifier on the Sea Movement Table in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov, the active player attempting the sea move must control both sides of the Kerch Strait.
8.13 No sea movement may pass through the Kerch Straits unless the player controls both hexes 3922 and 3823. Control of these hexes is determined the same way as city hexes (rule 4.1). Control is determined at the moment of sea movement.
8.14 All off-board units sea move must be resolved first before any on-board unit sea movement is performed.
8.15 No Sea Movement of any kind is permitted in the Sea of Azov during the January/February turn of each year. Rostov is not considered as a friendly port for resolution of sea movement during this turn. (The sea is substantially covered in thick ice, not allowing sea movement).
8.2 Resolving Sea Movement
Any unit using sea movement must roll for survival on the Sea Movement Table, which is found on the Play Aid card. The die roll result is adjusted according to the modifiers list on the Play Aid Card. All die roll modifiers are cumulative.
Note: Port modifiers apply only to the sea area that a unit is attempting to move through. For example, ports controlled in the Caspian Sea area have no impact on sea movement in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov area.
8.21 A unit eliminated by the roll on the Sea Movement Table is placed in its Replacement Pool.
8.22 A unit eliminated or aborted by the Sea Movement Table counts toward the limit of Sea Moves that impulse, and it counts as an invasion if it tried to Invade. (See 8.4)
8.23 A unit which is aborted will return to where it began its sea movement. If it begins in:
- a port, then it returns back to that port
- "In Transit" off board, then it goes back to being off board "In Transit"
- the player's OB card, then it goes back to the OB card.
- a coastal hex, then it returns to the hex from which it was trying to evacuate.
The unit(s) will be available to move (if eligible) again during the next player's impulse.
8.3 Sea Transport
Each player may Transport one unit per turn (during either impulse, but not both) in the Baltic Sea area, and one unit per turn in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov (area north of red dotted line) area.
8.31 The Russian Player (only) may also use sea Transport in the Caspian Sea (see 8.7).
8.32 Sea Transport can be used in one of the following ways: a) A unit in a friendly port (marked with an anchor symbol) and not in an enemy ZOC may attempt sea transport to another friendly-controlled port in the same sea area or to the off-board "In Transit" box. b) A new reinforcement or replacement unit may attempt sea transport directly to a friendly-controlled port during the impulse in which it arrives.
8.4 Sea Invasion
Sea Invasions may only be made in the Baltic Sea or the Black Sea/Sea of Azov areas, never in the Caspian Sea area.
8.41 Only 1 invasion per player per sea area is allowed per turn.
8.42 The only units that can invade are as follows:
- German: Any Infantry or Mountain unit
- Rumanian: No units may sea invade
- Italian: Any Unit
- Hungarian: No units may sea invade
- Finnish: No units may sea invade
- Russian: All non-Guard Infantry units
8.43 Each Invasion may include only one of the following: a new replacement; a reinforcement unit; a unit currently In Transit, but not evacuated last impulse; a unit from a friendly port in the same sea area.
8.44 Each player may attempt a limited number of Invasions over the course of the game: a) The Russian player may attempt 2 Invasions in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov and 1 invasion in the Baltic Sea b) The German player may attempt 1 Invasion in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov and 1 Invasion in the Baltic Sea
8.45 Invading an enemy's port hex does not negate the port's effect of imparting a +1 enemy-controlled port DRM to the Sea Movement Table die roll.
8.46 Russian units may not invade Germany in 1941-1942.
8.47 An invading unit may land anywhere on the coastline of the target sea area except hexes 3423 and 3424.
8.48 A unit which was evacuated during the prior impulse may not perform an invasion.
8.49 An invading unit cannot move during the same impulse that it invades, but it may have combat after invading.
8.50 If a unit is forced to retreat during combat in the same impulse it invades, it is eliminated instead. (Note: a unit cannot invade and be evacuated in the same turn).
8.51 The invading unit is in General and Combat Supply on the invasion turn only (the unit will not be eliminated at the end of the player's turn if a regular supply path to the board edge can not be traced). If this is a Snow Impulse of the first winter, then the Axis unit would still receive a -1 combat DRM (See rule 13.74). If at the end of the following turn, the invading unit is unable to trace a General Supply line to its friendly board edge, it must be eliminated. This elimination applies even if it is located in, or can trace a supply path to, a "Limited" supply source Major city.
Example: A German infantry unit successfully invades Rostov in the September/October turn of 1941. If the German is unable to trace a supply line from Rostov to the West board edge by the end of the November/December turn of 1941, the German Infantry unit will be eliminated (even though Rostov could be a "Limited" Supply source for the unit).
8.52 The invading unit may move normally in the next impulse after invading.
8.53 Axis variant units listed in Advanced Optional rules may never perform an invasion.
8.6 Sea Evacuation
Each player may evacuate one unit per sea area per turn from any coastal hex/port to a friendly port in the same sea area or off the map.
8.61 Units evacuated off the map are considered In Transit and can be returned to play during the next impulse via either regular or rail movement from the player's friendly board edge (which counts against the Rail Capacity for that impulse), or they may use Sea Transport to return to a friendly port in a different Sea Area.
8.62 A unit may evacuate even if it is in an enemy ZOC or has a movement allowance of zero for the impulse.
8.63 Units cannot be evacuated by Sea to satisfy a retreat result.
8.7 Caspian Sea
8.71 Only the Russian Player may use Sea movement in the Caspian Sea area.
8.72 He may Transport one unit per impulse between Astrakhan and Baku, in either direction.
8.73 Units may be sea transported between the Caspian Sea ports and off board, like the other sea zones.
8.74 This move is automatically successful and does not require a die roll on the Sea Movement Table.
8.75 No Evacuations or Invasions are allowed in the Caspian Sea area.
Sea Movement Examples:
Example 1: An Axis unit is evacuated successfully from coastal hex 4122 during the first impulse. It is held off map In Transit until the second impulse, at which time it returns and may either attempt a sea Transport move to any Axis-controlled port not in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov area, or enter the map as a normal reinforcement would.
Example 2: The Russian Player is attempting to Transport a 7-4 Infantry Army in the Black Sea/Sea of Azov sea area from the port city of Sevastopol to the port city of Rostov. Odessa and Constanta are ports controlled by the Axis. There is an Axis airfield counter in hex 3122. The Infantry Army receives a -1 modifier for each friendly-controlled port in that area (Sevastopol, Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Batumi and Rostov) for a total of -5. The unit also suffers a +1 modifier because the destination hex is within 9 hexes of an enemy airfield. The total modifier to the die roll is -5+1=-4. The Russian Player rolls a 7, modified by -4 for a final result of 3 which, when referenced to the Sea Movement Table, results in a step loss for the moving unit. The Infantry Army takes one step loss and ends the move in Rostov.
Example 3: A Rumanian Infantry unit is evacuated from the Black Sea coast. During the next impulse it can enter from the west board edge via rail or regular movement, if allowed.
Example 4: A German unit evacuates on the second impulse. It arrives on the first impulse of the next turn on the west board edge via regular movement or rail movement (counting against the Rail Capacity for the Turn/Impulse), or it enters the board via Sea Transport.
9.0 Automatic Victory
Automatic Victory (AV) is a form of combat that occurs during the Movement Phase instead of the Combat Resolution Phase.
9.1 Achieving an Automatic Victory
When a moving unit, stack of units or multiple stacks of units achieve a 10 to 1 odds or greater against the defending unit, stack of units, or multiple stacks of units; this is considered overwhelming odds and eliminates all defending units.
9.11 All normal combat and stacking rules apply unless superseded by rules in this section. Note: The player can move up one stack of units and then move up additional units or stacks of units to achieve the 10-1+ odds.
9.12 Units already adjacent to the defending hex may combine with the currently-moving units or stacks to conduct the AV.
9.13 The attacker must declare which units will participate in the AV. These units will be marked with an AV marker.
9.14 Air Support (See rule 11.5) may be used in an AV attack to increase the odds ratio.
9.2 Resolving an Automatic Victory
Defending units surrender (See rule 10.78) and are immediately removed from the game permanently.
9.21 Any of the attacker's units participating in the AV may advance into the vacated defender's hex adhering to normal stacking limits.
9.3 Automatic Victory Restrictions
9.31 Each side is limited as to when it may use Automatic Victory as follows: a) Axis: i) From the beginning of the game through to the July/August 1943 turn, the Axis Player may conduct as many AVs as he wishes. ii) After the July/August 1943 turn, the Axis Player may not conduct any AVs. b) Russians: i) Prior to the July/August 1943 turn, the Russian Player may not conduct any AVs. ii) From the beginning of the July/August 1943 turn through to the November/December 1943 turn, the Russian player may conduct AV attacks only when at least one Russian Air Unit or one Russian Artillery unit participates in the attack. iii) From the beginning of the January/February 1944 turn through to the end of the game, the Russian Player may conduct as many AVs as he wishes, regardless of whether or not he uses Air Units or Artillery units.
9.32 No unit may participate in two AV attacks in the same game turn.
9.4 After the Automatic Victory
Attacking units that took part in the AV cannot move any farther or attack any other enemy units for the remainder of that impulse. After the AV attack, units which did not participate in the AV attack can ignore the fact that the defending units were in the hex for the rest of that same impulse. They may move normally into and through the hex where the defender(s) used to be, even if they started the impulse in the ZOC of the AV-eliminated units.
9.41 Participating ground units may move normally and attack in a subsequent impulse. (Exception: See rule 9.32).
9.5 Automatic Victory and Other Units
Units declaring an AV may be next to enemy units not being attacked by the AV. Since those units must be attacked during the subsequent Combat Phase for the AV to be declared, friendly units must be moved adjacent to those non-AV'd units, observing all stacking and legal attack conditions prior to the instant that the AV is to be performed.
9.51 It may be found that the attacker made an illegal move and units that made an AV are the only friendly units adjacent to an enemy unit that must be attacked. If a redo of the move is not feasible then these friendly units surrender (See rule 10.78).
10.0 Combat
Combat occurs after all movement for that impulse is finished (Reminder: Automatic Victory is a function of movement). The attacker (moving player) will make as many different attacks as he is required and/or decides to against the defender (non-moving player), based on the rules which follow. They are resolved, one at a time, in any order the attacker chooses.
10.1 Combat Requirements
When a unit ends its movement in an enemy ZOC, the enemy units exerting that ZOC must be attacked. Exceptions:
- Friendly units are not required to attack enemy units across a river hex side and may choose to only attack one adjacent enemy occupied hex across the river.
- Friendly units in a major city do not have to attack any adjacent units but if they do attack, all adjacent enemy units which are not across a river hexside or not being attacked by other friendly units must be attacked by them.
- Friendly units do not have to attack any adjacent units which are marked OOS (Out of Supply).
10.11 When several attacking units are adjacent to several defending units, the attacker has the choice of how to divide combat provided:
- All friendly units in an enemy ZOC must attack one or more enemy units or stacks,
- All enemy units triggering friendly attacks are themselves attacked, and
- Each attacking unit is adjacent to the specific defending unit it is attacking.
10.12 In any attack, the factors of all attacking units are added up into one combined attack factor.
10.13 Units stacked in the same hex may attack different hexes; they do not all have to attack the same hex.
10.14 Attacking units in a single stack may choose to attack enemy units stacked in more than one adjacent hex as one combined attack. Exception: Blitzkrieg Attack (See rule 10.6).
10.15 The factors of all defending units are added up into one combined defense factor. The attacker may not divide combat against defending units stacked in the same hex, but must attack them as one combined defense factor.
10.16 Every attacking unit can only fight one battle in any one impulse. Every defending unit can only be attacked once in any one impulse. Units which are in a defending hex after they have retreated do not add their combat value to the defense but will suffer the combat results like the original defenders and are the last to be assigned any step losses.
10.17 The combat factor of an individual unit may never be split so that the unit participates in more than one attack or defense.
10.18 The attacker may deliberately attack with one or more units, at unfavorable odds in order to gain more favorable odds over other defending units. This game tactic is called "soaking off" and cannot be done at odds lower than 1-5.
10.19 If an attacking unit is in a position where it cannot attack at minimum legal odds (1-5 or better), the unit surrenders and is permanently removed from the board before any other combat is resolved. Note: This is usually the result of an unfavorable first impulse attack and the attacker cannot bring up enough (or any) additional units to make a legal attack in the second impulse.
10.2 Combat Resolution
Combat between adjacent units is resolved via a die roll on the Combat Results Table (CRT). The CRT is based on the strength ratio or "odds" of the battle. Note: the Blitzkrieg Attack Table (BAT) is also a CRT (See rule 10.6).
10.21 Combat Resolution Procedure: a) Determine a raw odds ratio by dividing the total attack factor by the total defense factor, taking into account any possible terrain effects (See rule 10.3 & the TEC). Round any fractions down in favor of the defender and express the result as an odds ratio. An attack may always be made at a lower odds ratio than actually calculated, at the option of the attacking player. (For example, 11 divided by 4 produces 2.75:1, which rounds down to a 2-1 ratio. An attack of 4 combat factors against 11 would produce 1-3 combat odds (1:2.75).) b) Apply any applicable ratio shifts for use of Air Units or Artillery (See rules 10.4, 11.0 & 12.04) to achieve a final odds ratio. Attacks at a final odds ratio of less than 1-5 are not allowed (See rule 10.18). c) Determine if any Die Roll Modifiers (DRMs) apply per the TEC (See rule 10.3), Armor (See rule 10.5), and Field Marshals (rule 14.2), and calculate a cumulative DRM. The maximum cumulative DRM for a combat resolution, not including Field Marshals, is a +/- 2 DRM. d) Reference this final odds ratio with a column heading on the CRT or BAT, and then the attacker rolls one die. e) Apply the cumulative DRM to the die roll, cross referencing the adjusted die roll under the appropriate column and apply the result listed.
10.22 Odds of 8-1 or 9-1 are resolved as 7-1.
10.3 Terrain Effects on Combat
Terrain will affect the combat values of the defender as well as causing DRMs to combat resolution.
10.31 As indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC), units defending in mountains, major cities, or behind rivers have their combat factors doubled when defending.
10.32 A defending unit's combat strength can never be more than doubled, regardless of the number of terrain types. Note: Units behind rivers are not doubled if one or more of the attacking units are attacking them through a non-river hex side. Also see Turn 1 Special rules for Russians defending in various terrain types (See rule 24.0).
10.33 When attacking or defending units are in a Major City and the combat result requires a retreat, they have the option of taking an additional one step loss instead of retreating. This additional step loss is one step in total, not one step per unit. If the step loss option is declined, the attacker conducts the retreat normally. A combat result of DR (when defending in a major city) or AR (if attacking from a major city) is treated as a BR. In a multi-hex attack where units may occupy more than one terrain type, only those units would have to retreat that are not exempted by the TEC.
10.34 Units attacking or defending in Forest hexes do not retreat. A DR (if defending in a forest) or AR result (if attacking from the forest) is treated as a BR. Any surviving units in Forests do not retreat after a D#, A#, or X2 result. In a multi-hex attack where units may occupy other terrain, those units would have to retreat, if called for on the Terrain Effects chart.
10.35 All Swamp hexes on or north of Hex row 16XX are treated as Forest hexes during SNOW impulses but they do not negate the retreat requirement. All other swamp hexes are treated as Clear hexes during Snow impulses. Note: Frozen swamp hexes that are considered to be Forests during Snow impulses do NOT function as Forest hexes for purposes of rule 10.34.
10.36 In a combat where defending units are in more than one hex and one (or more) of those hexes contains defensive terrain which benefits the defender, each hex must be considered individually to determine the defender's combined defense total, and if the terrain doubles the defender, only double the units which are in that hex. If the terrain provides a DRM (each terrain type DRM counted only once per combat), apply that DRM to the combat. Additionally, the armor bonus is negated if any defender's hex has terrain which negates it.
Example: The German player has an opportunity to eliminate 2 units with one combat and is attacking 2 adjacent hexes with one stack of 24 factors, a single Stuka, and a Field Marshal in support during the August impulse of 1941. The first defender's hex is a Major city with a 2-3 (reduced 4-4 Russian Infantry). The second hex is clear terrain with another 2-3 Infantry in it. The Russian first looks at the Major city hex: it doubles the combat factor of the 2-3 to 4 and also provides a -1 DRM. The clear hex provides no benefit. Therefore the combined defense total is 6 combat factors. This would be a base 4:1 attack shifted up to a 5:1 attack from the Stuka support. The combat would have a DRM of -1 because the German would not benefit from his Armor +1 because he is attacking the Major city. The Field Marshal provides a +1 DRM. The combat is therefore resolved as a 5:1 attack with no DRM.
10.4 Air Support (Ground Attack)
Up to four (4) Stuka units or two (2) Shturmovik units may be used in an attack to shift the final combat odds. Each Stuka unit shifts the odds one ratio higher in an Axis attack. Each Shturmovik unit shifts a Russian Attack two ratios higher. The defending side may not allocate Air Units to a combat unless using Optional rule A3.0.
10.41 The maximum number of Stukas/Shturmoviks that may be added per attack is illustrated in the chart above (4 Stukas for the Axis, 2 Shturmoviks for the Russians).
10.5 Armor, Panzergrenadiers, Shock or Mechanized Units
Armor type units (armor, shock, panzergrenadier, mechanized) impart a special combat DRM on the attack and defense in any weather. The following conditions apply to receive this benefit:
- Defending units must be in a clear terrain hex, with or without a minor city.
- +1 DRM if only non-armored type units are defending and the attacking forces include armor type units.
- -1 DRM if only non-armored type units are attacking and the defending forces include armor type units. Note: The SS Polizei unit can not be used for the above benefits.
10.6 Blitzkrieg Attack Combat
The Blitzkrieg Attack Table (BAT) is used for combat resolution where the attacker's primary focus is to penetrate the defense and gain territory instead of killing the units they are attacking.
10.61 The BAT is used in lieu of the CRT at the attacking player's option.
10.62 All rules for combat using the BAT are the same as the rules for combat using the CRT except as noted below.
10.63 Blitzkrieg attacks may only be made under the following conditions: a) The weather is clear or light mud b) The defending units occupy only one hex c) The defender's hex is clear or clear with a minor city d) It is an Axis attack on or before August 1943 e) It is a Russian attack on or after March 1944 f) The attack is not across the Kerch Straits g) At least one armor type unit is attacking Note: The SS Polizei unit cannot be used to enable a Blitzkrieg Attack. However, it may advance like an armor type unit after one.
10.64 If the BAT combat result eliminates more steps than the defender has or is a DE result, place a Blitzkrieg marker in the defender's hex. Any and all units that attacked may advance into the defender's hex at no cost, even if this causes a temporary over-stacking situation in the hex. Any advances will follow the guidelines of rule 10.67.
10.65 If the defenders are eliminated or retreated, but do not lose more steps than were involved in the combat, any and all attacking armor type units (only) may advance, but this counts as the first hex of the advance listed on the BAT. Mark the defender's hex with a Blitzkrieg counter.
10.66 If the result is "BR", no advance occurs even if the defending unit is eliminated.
10.67 After attacking units are placed in a hex with a blitzkrieg marker, they may continue to advance subject to the following rules: a) Non-armor type units may not advance farther than the defender's hex. b) Armor units may advance as many hexes as called for on the BAT in any direction or combination of directions, together or separately. Note that if the BAT result was neither a DE or did not call upon the defender to take more losses than he could, one hex of the advance is taken to occupy the defender's hex. c) Advancing armor units may ignore the ZOC of non-armor units, but must stop if they enter the ZOC of an armor unit. If the defender's hex is in the ZOC of enemy armor, no further advance is possible. d) Advancing units must stop in forest, swamp, or mountain hexes, and may not cross the Kerch straits. e) A unit may not advance more hexes than its second impulse movement allowance for the current weather, including occupying the defender's hex. For example, a unit that may only move 2 hexes in the second impulse may not advance 3 hexes should that result be rolled on the BAT.
10.68 A combat result that does not eliminate the enemy units as described in rule 10.64 is resolved as follows:
- apply the step losses to the enemy units
- retreat the surviving enemy units the number of hexes called for by the results of the BAT die roll and guided by the Retreat rules (See rule 10.8)
- advancing attacking units must count the vacated hex as the first hex of the advance called for by the BAT result
Example: The Axis makes a 6:1 attack on a 4-step stack of Russian units in a clear weather turn in 1941. He chooses to use the Blitzkrieg Attack Table to conduct the attack. The attacker rolls a modified 7. The result is D3-Adv2. The defender loses 3 steps and the surviving unit is retreated 2 hexes by the attacker. The attacker chooses to advance the armor units that participated in the attack 1 hex into the vacated hex. He then moves his armor type units 1 more hex and can advance no further. Had the attacker rolled a 10 and received a DE-Adv 3 result, all enemy units in the hex would have been eliminated. The attacker would advance into the hex at no advance hex cost and then could voluntarily advance his armor type units 3 hexes as called for by the BAT result. Any Axis Minor armor type units during Clear (or Light Mud) would only be able to advance 2 hexes from a BAT attack because their 2nd impulse movement is 2.
10.7 Combat Results
- AE* — All attacking units are eliminated. All attacking units that were surrounded are surrendered immediately (See rule 10.78).
- AE — All attacking units are eliminated.
- A# — Attacker suffers # step losses and any surviving units must retreat 2 hexes.
- AR — Attacker retreats all attacking units 1 or 2 hexes.
- BR — Battle Rages: Each side takes one step loss. No retreat or advance occurs.
- X2 — Exchange: Each side takes two step losses. Any surviving defending units retreat 1 or 2 hexes. If either player has only 1 step to lose, then the opponent only loses 1 step.
- DR — All defending units are retreated 2 hexes.
- D# — Defender suffers # step losses. Any surviving units must retreat 2 hexes.
- DE — All defending units in the hex are eliminated.
- DE* — All defending units in the hex are eliminated. All defending units that were surrounded are surrendered immediately (see 10.78).
Note: A DR result, when any of the defending units are in a Major City or Forest, and an AR result, when any of the attacking units are in a Forest or Major City, are treated as a BR. In a multi-hex attack where units may occupy more than one terrain type, only those units would have to retreat that are not exempted by the TEC. (See rules 10.33 & 10.34).
Air Support Examples: Axis units may attack units in two hexes as one combined attack, or as separate attacks, depending on adjacency. In one worked example, a Stuka III stages from a captured city to support a follow-up attack; because it is beyond half its maximum flight range from base, the mission is legal only if the Stuka can land in a friendly-controlled city closer to the battle after the mission. A Stuka can shift a 2:1 attack to 3:1 (one Stuka) or a 5:1 attack to 7:1 (two Stukas); combined with an Armor DRM and a Field Marshal DRM, cumulative combat DRMs of up to +2 can result. When a Stuka and its Airbase "stage" (move) to a new city, the Airbase is flipped to its staged side with the Air unit placed unflipped underneath, and both become available for a mission the following impulse; a Stuka that flies an actual combat mission is flipped to its "NA" (Not Available) side afterward and cannot fly again until the following turn.
10.8 Retreats
All retreat results, whether attacker (AR or A#) or defender (DR, D# or X2) are performed by the attacker.
10.81 Units are retreated individually with the Defender always choosing the order in which his units will be retreated.
10.82 A unit may never be retreated: a) into an enemy-occupied hex (Enemy unit must have ZOC) b) into a vacant hex in an enemy ZOC c) across the black coastline d) into a sea or lake (including into the ice road during snow impulses) e) off the map board f) Russian units into Hungary on the May 1941 impulse g) into Turkey, Persia, Iraq, Lebanon, or Syria
10.83 A retreating unit is eliminated if it ends its retreat in violation of stacking limits or if all retreat routes are blocked.
10.84 The attacker may not specify a retreat route that eliminates the defender if a legal retreat route is available.
10.85 Terrain does not affect retreats unless explicitly specified.
10.86 Units retreat according to the following priorities:
- Priority 1: Retreat into a hex free of enemy ZOC.
- Priority 2: Rumanian and Hungarian units do not end a retreat in the other's country. (see rule 25.0)
- Priority 3: End the retreat in a hex that is a legal supply source such as:
- a rail hex with a path of friendly-controlled rail hexes free of enemy ZOC to a friendly board edge.
- a friendly-controlled major city that is not already providing limited supply to its maximum number of units.
- Priority 4: End the retreat as close as possible to a legal supply source.
- Priority 5: Axis units retreat west, northwest, southwest, or a combination of these. Russian units retreat east, northeast, southeast, or a combination of these.
- Priority 6: Units directed to retreat 2 hexes must end the retreat 2 hexes away from the hex where they fought the battle if possible. They may only end a 2 hex retreat adjacent to the hex they fought from if it is not possible to end the retreat 2 hexes away. If the attacker can elect a one hex retreat for defending units, then this priority is ignored.
- Priority 7: Retreat into a friendly-occupied hex in an enemy ZOC. If there are several of these, go back to priority 2, etc. to decide among them.
Example 1: A Russian unit in hex 1717 is attacked from hex 1718. On a DR result it may retreat to hex 1615, 1516, or 1815. It may not retreat to hex 1715 or 1916 since these hexes violate priority 3. It may not retreat to 1917 or 1517 since these hexes violate priority 5. It may not retreat to hex 1816 since this violates priority 6.
Example 2: A Russian unit in hex 2615 is attacked from hex 2716 and a DR result is rolled. The unit must retreat to hex 2714, 2414, or 2613. It may not retreat to 2814, even if hex 2715 is Russian-occupied, since this violates priority 1.
Example 3: A Russian army size unit in hex 4109 is attacked from hex 4009. It must retreat to hex 4007 to be as close as possible to a supply source rail hex. However, if Axis units occupy Saratov and there are only none or one unit near Astrakhan, Astrakhan is the closest supply source and the unit would have to retreat to hex 4308 instead.
Note: The spirit of the retreat rule is to reflect friendly units retreating rearward, towards their friendly lines of communications to stay in supply, not forward and conquering new ground.
10.87 Units that began combat stacked together and are forced to retreat into or through an enemy ZOC hex occupied by a friendly combat unit take an additional 1 step loss (in total for all that were stacked together) over and above any loss called for by the CRT. Apply this condition for each hex of a 2 hex retreat.
10.88 Units may be retreated through an enemy ZOC hex occupied by a friendly combat unit to get into or stay in supply if the only alternative is to retreat to a hex that would leave them out of supply (owning player's choice).
10.9 Advance After Combat
10.91 For the rules for advance after combat when using the BAT, see rule 10.6.
10.92 For attacks using the CRT, the attacker may advance into the defender's hex(es) if either of these following conditions are true:
- If the combat result was DE or DE*
- If the combat result was a D# or a X2 that required more step losses than the defender has
The advance ends in the defender's hex(es).
Example: A single step unit is attacked. On a DE*, DE, D3, D2, or X2 result, the attacker may advance. On a D1, BR or DR result, he may not.
10.93 Units may advance even if both the hex they attack from and the defender's hex are in enemy ZOC.
10.94 A unit may advance even if it has no movement capability that impulse.
10.95 The only effect that Terrain has on advance after combat is that units cannot advance into hexes or across hexsides which they normally could not move into or cross.
11.0 Air Ground Support
Air support in Russia Besieged is represented by nine German Stuka counters and two Russian Shturmovik counters with their associated airbase counters. The primary function of the Stuka and Shturmovik Ground Support Air groups (hereafter referred to as "Air") is to provide air support for ground attacks. This is known as a ground support mission.
Note: The terms "air support", "ground support", "bomber", and Stuka / Shturmovik are used interchangeably for Air units. The terms "airfield", "airbase", and "base" are also used interchangeably.
11.1 Airbases
11.11 To fly a ground support mission, an Air unit must be stacked with its corresponding airbase. Note that the airbases and Air units are color coded in addition to having the same number.
11.12 Airbases must be located in controlled cities.
11.13 A major city can hold up to 4 Stukas and 4 German Air bases or 2 Shturmoviks and 2 Russian Air bases. A minor city can hold up to 2 Stukas and 2 German Air bases or 1 Shturmovik and 1 Russian Air base.
11.14 An Airbase can move to (Stage) to another controlled city during its Movement Phase. Simply pick up the airbase counter and place it in another friendly city that is within 18 hexes and was controlled at the start of the impulse (Exception: rule 11.15). If its Air unit is stacked with the airbase, it stages with the airbase to the new city and is placed under the airbase counter to denote it can not fly a mission this impulse. Flip the airbase counter over to its "Staged" side. Airbases may stage once each impulse. Airbases can not stage if their air unit flies a ground support mission. If the airbase begins the impulse without its air unit, it may stage to the city its air unit is located in. Place the air unit under the Staged airbase.
11.15 During Clear and Light Mud impulses in 1941, the Axis player may stage airfields to any city currently controlled by the Axis player. Note: Axis Engineers and ground crews displayed great energy in quickly making captured airfields operational during the summer and fall of 1941.
11.16 All Air units must stage immediately 9 hexes if an enemy combat unit (including stage 2 partisans) enters their hex. All airbases and air units that solely occupy a city without a friendly combat unit adjacent to that city while an opposing combat unit ends its movement adjacent to the city (exerting its ZOC into the city) must immediately stage as above. If unable to (over-stacking or too far away), remove the units. They are held off for one full friendly player turn and then the following player turn can be placed onto any friendly, controlled in supply city observing stacking restrictions.
Example: The Axis eliminate a Shturmovik during their July/August 1944 turn. The Shturmovik unit returns at the start of the Russian September/October turn. The Russians eliminate a Stuka during their March/April 1942 turn. The Stuka unit returns at the start of the Axis July/August turn.
Note: Stage 1 Partisan units do not affect airbases. Airbases may even stage to a city hex occupied by a Stage 1 Partisan. An Air unit, however, cannot land in a hex containing a Stage 1 Partisan unless the hex also contains a friendly airbase counter. (See rule 16.0).
11.2 Air Eligibility
An Air unit is eligible to fly a ground support mission if ALL of the following requirements are satisfied:
- It has not already flown a ground support mission this Turn. Note: Air units are flipped to their not available (N/A) side when returning from a ground support mission.
- It is stacked with its airbase counter and the airbase has not staged this Impulse.
- The weather is Clear, Lt Mud, or Mud.
11.3 Air Availability
The number of Air units that can fly ground support missions during each Impulse of a Turn is dependent on the Year and the Weather. These limits are contained on the Bomber Availability Chart. Note that there is a separate column for each combination of weather that is possible that turn.
11.31 In the May to December chart, the first column represents the maximum number of Air units that may fly a ground support mission in the first impulse, and for the entire turn. The second column represents the maximum number of Air that may fly a ground support mission in the second impulse. Exception: Lt Mud / Clear. See Bomber Availability Chart.
11.32 The January to April chart works in a similar way. The second column is used to determine the maximum number of Air units that can fly a ground support mission in the second impulse, and for the entire turn. The first column represents the maximum number of Air that may fly a ground support mission in the first impulse.
Example #1: September/October 1941 turn: A CLEAR - MUD combination results in 9 Stukas available for the entire turn. All 9 may fly in the first impulse. If 8 Stukas were used in the first impulse, only 1 would be available in the second. If 6 Stukas flew ground support missions in the first impulse, only 2 Stukas would be able to fly in the second impulse as MUD is rated for 2 Stukas. The other Stuka not flown in the first impulse cannot fly a ground support mission for the remainder of the turn.
Example #2: November/December 1941 turn: A Lt Mud - Mud combination results in 5 Stukas available for the entire turn. All 5 may fly in the first impulse. You can save 2 Stukas for the second impulse. However, even if you don't use any Stukas in the first impulse, you can still only fly 2 in the second impulse.
Example #3: March/April 1942 turn: A MUD - Lt MUD combination results in 3 Stukas available for the turn, determined by the better weather second impulse. Assume only 1 Stuka flies in the first impulse. If the 1 Stuka flies in the first impulse, a total of 2 Stukas could fly in the second impulse. A SNOW - MUD turn would yield a total of 2 Stukas available in the second impulse only. SNOW would prevent any Stuka from flying in the first impulse. See the Bomber Availability Chart for more examples.
11.4 Allocating Air Missions
Air units may be allocated to support AVs during the Movement Phase and at any time, up to the moment of combat, during the Combat Resolution Phase to support attacks.
11.41 Air units may fly up to 18 hexes total when conducting a ground support mission. Normally, they fly up to 9 hexes to the hex being attacked and then back to their airbase. Alternately, Air units may fly more than 9 hexes to the target hex and then land at another city provided the total number of hexes flown does not exceed 18. (See rule 11.6).
11.42 When air units are allocated there must be one or more friendly-controlled cities to land at that are in range and have room to receive all the air units being allocated.
11.43 Air units may only be allocated to hexes being attacked by friendly ground units. Air units cannot attack by themselves. If an attack is being made against more than one hex, the Air unit must be able to reach all defending unit's hexes of the combat it is allocated to.
11.5 Air Combat Effects
11.51 Each Stuka increases the combat odds by one and each Shturmovik increases the combat odds by two.
11.52 A maximum of 4 Stukas or 2 Shturmoviks may support a single attack dependent on weather (See rule 10.41).
Examples: A 3-1 attack plus two Stukas is resolved on the 5-1 column. A 6-1 attack plus three Stukas is 9-1 and is resolved on the 7-1 column. A 6-1 attack plus four Stukas is 10-1 and is an AV. A 1-6 attack plus one Stuka is resolved on the 1-5 column. A 4-1 attack plus one Shturmovik is resolved on the 6-1 column.
11.6 Landing Air Missions
Air units are landed immediately after their combat is resolved. Upon landing, they are flipped to their used (N/A) side.
11.61 Air units may land in any friendly-controlled city within range as long as the total number of hexes flown does not exceed 18, and the city was not just captured in this combat. They do not necessarily have to land at the city containing their airbase.
11.62 Up to 2 Stukas can land in a major city that does not have their airbases. Up to 1 Stuka may land in a minor city that does not have its airbase. Up to 1 Shturmovik may land in a city that does not have its airbase. These landings can not cause the city to exceed its air unit capacity (See rule 11.13).
11.7 Air and Automatic Victory
Air units may support AV attacks. Example: A 10-1 AV could be obtained with a 7-1 attack plus three Stukas.
11.71 The Air units land as soon as the AV attack is resolved.
11.72 From July to December of 1943, a Shturmovik is one of the possible requirements in order for the Russian player to conduct an AV attack (See rule 9.31 b.).
11.8 Terrain and Enemy Units
Terrain does not affect staging or flying ground support missions. Air units and airbases may fly over water as if a hex grid were superimposed on the map. For example, it is two air hexes from Tallinn to Helsinki.
11.81 Enemy units and their ZOCs do not affect aerial movement (Exception: see rule 11.16).
11.9 Readying Airgroups
At the beginning of the Weather determination phase of the game turn, both players will flip their Airbases so that they are not marked staged. Air units are flipped to their available sides.
Examples of using Airbases and Air Units: It is the May/June 1941 turn. The Germans start 2 Stukas (1,2) in Konigsberg, 4 Stukas (3,4,5,6) in Warsaw, and 3 Stukas (7,8,9) in Bucharest. All airbases are with their corresponding Stukas.
- Stuka 1 and its airbase stage to Helsinki. Stuka 1 cannot fly a mission during the first Impulse since its airbase has staged.
- The German player can fly ground support missions with all 9 Stukas this turn but only 5 on the second Impulse. Therefore, the German player plans to fly 5 Stukas during the first Impulse and save 4 Stukas to support second Impulse attacks.
- The German player flies Stukas 2,3,4,7, & 8 to support first Impulse ground attacks. Stukas 2,3 support one attack and 7 & 8 support another attack but all defender's hexes are within 9 hexes of their airbase. Stukas 2,7, & 8 fly back to their airbases. Stuka 3 lands in Brest after its combat at another location because Brest was captured earlier in the combat phase by ground troops only (sequencing of attacks is important). Stuka 4 supports an attack on 2431 (11 hexes from its base) and then flies 7 more hexes (for a total of 18) to land at Bucharest.
- During the second impulse, Stuka 2 with its Airbase and Airbase 3 stage to Brest, which was captured by the German player during the first impulse. Airbase 4 stages to Bucharest to join its AIR unit. Stuka 1 flies a ground support mission from its new airbase location in Helsinki. Stukas 5,6, & 9 also fly ground support missions.
12.0 Artillery
Artillery units represent a high concentration of artillery groups (ARKO) in a specific area capable of bringing a large amount of firepower to a specific target.
12.01 Artillery type units are treated as infantry for movement and ZOC purposes.
12.02 One Artillery unit per hex may stack for free. Each additional Artillery unit in the same hex stacks like a corps sized unit.
12.03 Artillery units, alone in a hex, attack and defend and act like any other combat unit.
12.04 An Artillery unit has its combat factor shown in brackets to indicate that it shifts the attack one odds ratio upwards every time it is used in an attack in conjunction with other units, in addition to adding its combat factor. When attacking on their own, they do not receive this odds shift benefit.
12.05 Artillery units may be used in conjunction with Air as long as other combat units are used in the attack.
12.06 Russian Artillery affects the ability for Russian's to AV (See rule 9.31).
12.07 Artillery units do not impart an odds ratio shift on defense nor do they negate the attacking artillery shift.
13.0 Supply
13.1 General Supply
13.11 There are two kinds of supply: General Supply and Combat Supply. A unit can be in General Supply only, Combat Supply only, both, or neither. General and Combat supply are completely independent.
13.12 Units not in General Supply operate normally except units which have an OOS marker on them which are individually halved (rounded up) when attacking and they lose their ZOC.
13.13 A unit not in General Supply at the end of its player's turn is removed from the board and placed in the Replacement Pool (Exceptions: Partisans (See rule 16.0), units that invaded that turn (See rule 8.51), 1st Guard Cavalry (See rule 13.61), and paratroopers that air drop that turn (See rule 15.07).
13.14 Opposing units can move adjacent to units which are marked OOS and do not have to attack them.
13.2 General Supply Path
General Supply is obtained by tracing a path to an unlimited supply source or a limited supply source. A General Supply path consists of two parts:
- A path of 8 or fewer hexes to a friendly-controlled rail hex, and
- A path of unlimited length along a continuous controlled rail line to the unlimited supply source.
13.21 Part 2 of the supply path is not necessary if the 8 hex path leads directly to the unlimited or limited supply source.
13.22 A rail hex usable for the part 2 supply path is termed a "supply source".
13.23 The part 1 supply path is limited to 4 hexes if the impulse weather is snow. Exception: rule 13.64.
13.24 If hex 0111 is the unlimited supply source, the part 1 supply path is limited to 6 hexes, 4 hexes if the impulse weather is snow.
13.3 Unlimited Supply Sources
13.31 Rail hexes on the West edge (except hex 3839) are unlimited supply sources for all Axis units.
13.32 Rail hexes on the East edge are unlimited supply sources for Russian units.
13.33 Hexes 0120 and 0111 are unlimited supply sources for Finnish and German units only.
13.34 Finnish, Hungarian, and Rumanian units may use their capital cities (Helsinki, Budapest, and Bucharest respectively) as unlimited supply sources by rail only.
13.4 Limited Supply Sources: Major Cities
Friendly Major Cities unable to trace a supply line by rail to a friendly board edge may be used as a limited supply source by friendly units who also can not trace a supply line but are in range of the city.
13.41 A Major City may provide limited General Supply via a non-rail supply path to two army sized units or three corps-sized units. In addition, a WEC, Dictator, Stavka, HQ, one artillery, one Russian paratrooper and any 2 units of the SS Polizei, Volkssturm, other WECs and HQs may be supplied. All units in excess of the above limits are eliminated at the end of the owning player's second impulse. The owning player chooses which units to eliminate.
13.42 Units drawing General Supply from a Major City can hold out for one turn (Russian Units only: four turns in Leningrad, Baku and Sevastopol, and 2 turns for units in Moscow or Stalingrad). This is denoted as follows:
- Units drawing General Supply from a major city are marked with an OOS-1 counter at the end of their second impulse.
- If the unit has an OOS-1 counter already and is not a Russian unit drawing supply from Baku, Leningrad, Moscow, Sevastopol, or Stalingrad, it surrenders and may never re-enter the game. Units drawing supply from the above cities have the OOS-1 counter flipped to its OOS-2 side.
- If the unit has an OOS-2 counter already and is not a Russian unit drawing supply from Baku, Leningrad, or Sevastopol, the unit surrenders and may never reenter the game. Units drawing supply from the above listed cities have the OOS-2 counter replaced with an OOS-3 counter.
- If the unit has an OOS-3 counter already, it is flipped to its OOS-4 side.
- If the unit has an OOS-4 counter already, the unit surrenders and may never reenter the game.
13.43 If a unit with an OOS counter is able to trace General Supply to an unlimited supply source at the end of its second impulse, the unit survives and the OOS counter is removed.
Example: It is the end of the German July/August 1941 turn. The Russian player has two armies in Minsk and two armies adjacent to Minsk, surrounded by German units. During the Russian player turn, the surrounded units fail to open a supply line out of the pocket. At the end of the Russian July/August 1941 turn, remove two armies from the pocket and place them in the Replacement Pool. Then place a OOS-1 counter on the remaining 2 units. At the end of the September/October turn, if the Russian units are still surrounded, they surrender and are permanently removed from the board.
13.44 If a major city is unable to trace General Supply to an unlimited supply source, reinforcement units entering the board from the Order of Battle (OB) card or replacements entering the board from the Replacement Pool may not be placed there. The Russian player may however, rebuild units depleted in battle that remain in the city with a WEC unit by using replacement points.
13.45 A player can not eliminate an OOS unit at the end of the turn if it can trace a limited supply line to a OOS Major city. Only units in excess of the supply capability of a Major city can be eliminated. Note: This rule is to prevent players from eliminating units to prevent them possibly surrendering later if they are not able to get back into regular supply.
13.5 Supply Path Restrictions
13.51 No part of a supply path can be traced into or through an enemy ZOC unless the hex is occupied by a friendly Infantry (not Artillery, Russian Paratrooper, or 2nd Stage Partisans), Cavalry, Armor, Mechanized, Mountain, or Shock Army unit.
13.52 A supply path may not cross a black coastline (Exceptions: Leningrad Ice Road (see 6.3 and 13.62), Straits of Kerch (see 6.2), and the rail supply path from between hexes 3624 to 3523.
13.6 Special Supply Cases
13.61 The Russian Guards 1st Cavalry Army has special supply abilities. It can operate behind enemy lines without tracing supply for 3 complete game turns before it is eliminated. Mark the counter with a numbered Out of Supply counter (1, 2 or 3) at the end of every Russian turn it cannot trace supply. It is surrendered at the end of the 4th consecutive Russian turn if it is out of supply and permanently removed from play.
13.62 The Leningrad Ice Road is a limited supply line to an isolated Leningrad during any weather. Mark Leningrad with an OOS-1 counter, which does not increase while the Ice Road remains open. If the Axis cut the Ice Road by occupying hex 0812 and the Russians recapture this hex while Leningrad is at a higher than OOS-1 level, lower the Leningrad OOS to Level 1 at the end of the Russian player's turn.
13.63 Partisans are always in supply.
13.64 Units in Sevastopol are in supply during snow impulses if they can trace a supply path of 5 hexes across the Kerch straits to Novorossiysk, and then along the rail to the east edge. The supply status of units outside of Sevastopol that are tracing limited supply to Sevastopol is determined as per rule 13.4.
13.65 Hex 0107 is a limited supply source like a Major City for the Russian player provided that Archangel can trace a supply path by rail to the east edge.
13.7 Combat Supply
All units are in Combat Supply during non-snow impulses.
13.71 Finnish, SS, Luftwaffe ground units, Axis Mountain Troops, and Russian units are always in combat supply.
13.72 During snow impulses of the first two winters, other Axis units are out of Combat Supply unless near a friendly-controlled major or minor city as follows:
- During the snow impulses of the first winter, Axis units in Russia have combat supply only if they are in a city or adjacent to a friendly-controlled city.
- During snow impulses of the second winter, Axis units are in combat supply if they are in a city, adjacent to a friendly-controlled city, or two hexes from a friendly-controlled city and the intervening hex is friendly-occupied or not in an enemy ZOC.
13.73 Axis units not in combat supply have their combat factors halved rounding up, for both attack and defense. Each unit is determined individually (i.e. a 2.5 rounding to a 3). Normal terrain effects apply after this rounded reduction.
13.74 During the Axis snow impulses of the first winter, Axis units that are in combat supply suffer a -1 combat DRM on their attacks. Note: In an attack where some of the Axis units involved are out of combat supply and some are in combat supply, the units out of combat supply are halved and the -1 DRM applies to the combat.
13.75 The combat supply condition is determined at the moment of combat, and therefore can change during an impulse due to results of earlier attacks.
13.8 Caucasus Mountain Region Supply
Russian units south of the Terek River, from hex 3922 through to hex 4811, remain in general and combat supply in the following manner:
- using the standard supply rules as described in rule 13.0, or
- tracing an 8 hex supply line to a rail line leading to the city of BAKU (hex 5710)
13.81 Baku can be used as a base of general supply for an unlimited number of Russian units provided Astrakhan (hex 4509) can trace a general supply path by rail only, to the east edge of the board.
13.82 If Astrakhan cannot trace a general supply path by Rail, Baku may function as a limited supply source for Russian units in the same manner as Leningrad or Sevastopol.
13.83 Tbilisi may also function as a limited supply source (see rule 13.4), in the same manner as Leningrad or Sevastopol, provided that a rail path, free of Axis ZOCs, can be traced from Tbilisi to Tabriz.
14.0 Dictators, Field Marshals and Stavka
14.1 Dictators
The Hitler and Stalin pieces represent the respective Dictators themselves, their governments and the military organizations of their respective countries. The combat values printed on a Dictator's counter can only be used for defense, never in an attack.
14.11 Dictator counters have two sides:
- The combat factor on the Front side of the counters represents the defense value of the Dictator, his military command, full body guard contingent, and all the appropriate defenses accorded the Dictator while he is located in his Capital City (Hitler in Berlin, Stalin in Moscow).
- The combat factor on the Back side of the counter represents the defense value of the Dictator when outside the Capital City. When a Dictator leaves his Capital City, flip over his counter to its back side, which shows a reduced defensive combat factor. Once returned to the Capital City, the Dictator counter is flipped back to its front side with the higher defensive combat factor.
14.12 The Hitler and Stalin pieces are not considered HQ's as per Optional rule A1.0.
14.13 These two counters may use rail movement for free, or sea movement from a port (either impulse), but cannot move otherwise. Stalin may never move out of Russia.
14.14 These full strength units can absorb two step losses if in their Capital; one step otherwise. If reduced by combat, they cannot be rebuilt to full strength.
14.15 Loss of the Dictator
A dictator counter can not retreat and is eliminated if left alone in a hex when friendly forces retreat or are eliminated by combat. a) Loss of a Dictator can cause the end of the game. See Victory Conditions (See rule 27.0). b) Loss of a Dictator, when not ending the game, has serious consequences: i) If the Dictator is lost due to combat results while the forces he is stacked with are the attacker and outside of his capital city, all friendly combat stops immediately and no further friendly combat is allowed for the remainder of the turn. ii) If the friendly Dictator is lost during the enemy player turn: - All the lost dictator's forces cannot attack in the first friendly impulse following the loss of the Dictator. - During the first movement impulse after the loss, all friendly units that are adjacent to enemy units must be retreated ONE hex out of enemy ZOC. Units that cannot retreat SURRENDER immediately. - Friendly units may only move into a friendly-occupied hex, not farther from a supply source, nor farther from the board edge (west for Axis, east for Russian). This applies for each hex of movement. They may not enter enemy ZOCs, conduct sea invasions, or participate in attacks. - All the above restrictions are lifted beginning the second impulse after the Dictator is lost. iii) If the Dictator is lost while inside his capital city, there are no additional effects (except for the Victory Conditions check, if triggered).
14.16 Dictator Evacuation
During the course of play, a dictator may become surrounded (all adjacent hexes are enemy occupied and/or vacant with an enemy ZOC influencing them) while outside of his Capital City. If, at the end of the turn, the Dictator is surrounded (but not eliminated) the owning player rolls the die:
- On a roll of 2-10, the Dictator successfully evacuates the pocket by air. Stalin may fly to any city in Russia. Hitler may fly to any city in Germany.
- On a roll of 1, the dictator is eliminated. See and apply rule 14.15 immediately.
Note: An evacuation must occur should the Dictator not be able to move by any other means, including being frozen in place by an enemy ZOC. Exception: A Dictator is never required to evacuate his Capital.
14.17 If Hitler is outside of Germany and he cannot trace a line of supply to Berlin due to being cut off by Russian combat forces (Infantry, Cavalry and Armor), even when not surrounded, he must during the next German impulse, return to any city in Germany.
14.18 The following rules are in effect for a Dictator that has been evacuated:
- Once evacuated, the Dictator counter is flipped to its back side and remains this way until the game is over.
- Hitler must now remain in Germany until the game is over.
14.2 Field Marshals
Field Marshal counters are denoted by the standing figure of a general. They represent the more skilled Generals of both sides.
14.21 Field Marshal counters may be used ONCE per YEAR. Used Field Marshals are placed in the Spent side of their respective Leader Boxes.
14.22 They may be placed on any attack and impart a +1 or -1 on the combat die roll.
14.23 A Field Marshal may be placed in either impulse, in either player's turn, for attack or defense at the owning player's discretion.
14.24 The attacking player must declare use of his Field Marshal first and each player may only use one Field Marshal per attack.
14.25 The Zhukov unit is a Russian reinforcement in the July/August 1941 turn. It may only be used defensively until the start of the Russian November/December 1941 turn, when it can be used as any other Field Marshal.
14.26 Aside from rule 14.25, a Field Marshal is available for use immediately on the impulse he enters.
14.27 Field Marshals which are required to withdraw (per OB card), are removed at the beginning of the turn and may not be used that turn.
14.28 Three additional leaders are available for the Axis at start: Generals Hoth, Model and Marshal Mannerheim. Marshal Mannerheim can only be used in a combat which involves at least one Finnish unit. The new withdrawal schedule is as follows:
January 42: Mannerheim and Guderian. Then at the beginning of each January impulse each following year: Any two Axis Field Marshals. Note: Use three "Lupinacci" units (they are all +1/-1 modifiers) or any method agreeable to both players.
Also, the arrival of Russian General Rokossovsky has been moved up to 2nd Impulse of the September/October 1942 turn. Note: These Leader counters will be available in the Scenario Pak 1 expansion.
14.3 Stavka
Stavka represents the Soviet Union's military high command.
14.31 In either Impulse, if Stavka begins the impulse on a rail line, the Russian player can use one available rail movement to move it. In the second impulse of the turn, Stavka can choose to instead move by ground and uses terrain costs as if it were an Infantry unit. Stavka can be sea moved during either impulse.
14.32 The Stavka counter is used to facilitate Russian airdrops. If the Russian player wishes to perform airdrops (rule 15.0) with his paratroops, these airdrops must be performed before the Russian player moves Stavka in that turn (See rule 15.03).
14.33 Stavka can only enter an enemy unit's ZOC if a friendly Infantry, Cavalry, Shock, Armor or Mechanized unit is already located there, or if a friendly Infantry, Cavalry, Shock, Armor or Mechanized unit (not from in its reserve) accompanies Stavka. If Stavka starts the 2nd impulse in an enemy's ZOC, it may move out of that enemy ZOC but not from one enemy ZOC to another enemy ZOC.
14.34 If eliminated, return Stavka in Moscow at the cost of 1 infantry RP at the start of the Russian turn at least 2 turns after it was eliminated (i.e. if eliminated on January/February, it may be returned on or after May/June of the same year). If Moscow is Axis-controlled, the Russian player may place Stavka in any friendly Russian Major city that is in supply. If no major cities are available, then place Stavka in any friendly Russian Minor city that is in supply. If no city is available, Stavka remains off board.
14.35 The number(s) printed on the front and back of the Stavka unit are its movement allowances.
14.36 Stavka has no steps and can not be used to meet the requirement of a step loss. If an enemy unit moves into Stavka's hex (since it has no ZOC), Stavka is eliminated and removed from the board.
14.37 Stavka cannot control or take control of any hexes.
14.38 Stavka is also considered a HQ unit when using the advanced Headquarters rule (Optional rule A1.0).
15.0 Russian Air Drops
The Russians have three paratrooper units that may be air dropped during the game.
15.01 Unless stated otherwise in the rules, paratroopers move and function as infantry.
15.02 On the Impulse that paratroop units are scheduled to arrive as reinforcements, they are placed in the Parachute Ready Box on the board.
15.03 Parachute units in the ready box may be dropped:
- Any Snow Impulse from Nov 41 - Mar 43.
- Any Impulse from Sep 43 - Jun 45. They must be dropped before Stavka moves at all in a turn.
15.04 The paratroop units may be dropped within eight hexes of the STAVKA unit during the Russian player's movement phase. If the STAVKA unit is eliminated, no airdrops are allowed until STAVKA is back on the map.
15.05 Paratrooper units cannot be dropped into enemy ZOC, forest, major cities, or mountains. They may be dropped into swamp hexes. Exception: Swamp hexes north of 16XX (see rule 6.4).
15.06 They cannot move on the impulse they are dropped.
15.07 Paratrooper units do not need to trace general supply the turn they are dropped. If at the end of the following turn, the paratrooper units are unable to trace a General Supply line to their friendly board edge, they must be eliminated. This elimination applies even if it is located in or can trace to a "Limited" supply source Major city. (You may mark OOS paratroopers with OOS counters as you would units drawing limited supply from a major city to keep track.)
15.08 They may be brought into play as normal reinforcements either on the scheduled impulse of arrival or a subsequent impulse. However, once brought into play as normal reinforcements, paratroop units cannot be placed in the Parachute Ready Box.
15.09 Paratroops may not be air dropped a second time nor brought back as replacements.
16.0 Partisans
The Russian player has 3 partisan counters that are used to cut railways and inhibit Axis movement and supply. They never need to trace supply.
16.01 Partisan counters are two stage counters. The first stage has no combat factor and costs nothing to deploy onto the map (See rules 16.4 and 16.5 for the second stage effects).
16.1 Placing Partisan Units
16.11 Partisan counters must be placed and remain in Russia, either in an Axis-controlled city or on an Axis-controlled rail hex.
16.12 To put a 1st Stage Partisan unit in play, the Russian player picks a railway line or city eligible to receive the partisan and simply places it on the board at the end of the Russian turn when all movement and combat are over.
16.13 Partisan units may not be placed in an Axis ZOC except if being placed into a city only occupied by German Airbases/Air units and not in another Axis unit's ZOC. A Partisan may never be placed within 5 hexes of the German SS Polizei unit.
16.14 At the end of the Russian player's turn all 1st Stage Partisan units may be re-positioned at the Russian player's discretion. All partisans previously removed from the map may be placed back on the map.
16.15 Partisans may no longer be placed on the map or built to 2nd stage Partisans when there are no Axis units left in Russia. When this situation exists and second stage partisans remain on the board, they are removed and 1 infantry replacement point is added to the Russian Replacement Pool for each 2nd Stage Partisan removed for that turn only.
16.2 Partisan Effects
16.21 A 1st Stage Partisan's ZOC functions as a normal ZOC in all respects except as noted below:
- 1st Stage Partisan cannot control a city.
- A city with a Stage 1 partisan unit occupying it cannot act as a supply source until the partisan counter is removed, whereby supply is immediately re-established.
16.22 All Axis rail movement that impulse must be completed before a partisan unit can be eliminated.
16.23 Once eliminated, the partisan is removed from the board and all regular game functions are restored to the hex immediately except the ability to rail move through the hex, which is restored in the next impulse.
16.24 1st Stage Partisans do not block airbases from staging nor Air units from landing in a city occupied by an Axis airbase. These units may co-exist in the hex. A partisan still blocks rail movement and supply if in a city hex with a German airbase.
16.3 Eliminating Partisans
16.31 A 1st Stage Partisan is removed from the board if an Axis unit's ZOC influences the hex a Partisan occupies at the end of the Axis movement phase, the end of either player's combat phase, OR if the German SS Polizei unit ends its movement within 5 hexes.
16.32 Partisans cannot be permanently eliminated. They return to the Russian Player's force pool for immediate use in the Russian player's next turn.
16.4 2nd Stage Partisan Units
Beginning in January 1943, 1st Stage Partisan units that were not removed from the board during the German player turn, may be converted to 2nd Stage Partisan units.
16.41 During the Russian's first movement impulse, he can flip each 1st Stage Partisan to its 2nd Stage 1-2 side at a cost of one infantry replacement point per unit.
16.42 A 2nd Stage Partisan counter acts as a one step non-Guards infantry combat unit except it cannot stack with any other unit and it only has a ZOC in its own hex.
16.43 2nd Stage Partisans may only attack units in Russia.
16.44 The Russian player does not have to create a 2nd Stage Partisan. The Russian player may choose to redeploy these 1st Stage Partisans to another hex.
16.45 2nd Stage Partisans can not control a hex or city.
16.46 A 2nd Stage Partisan unit may only be removed from the board if eliminated by combat, if it is stacked with another Russian unit or as per rule 16.15. It may not be lifted off the board like a 1st Stage Partisan (Exception: See rule 16.15).
16.47 Stage 2 Partisans can move 2 hexes of ground movement, regardless of weather and terrain, observing all enemy ZOC, during the Information Marker Adjustment phase of the Russian player's turn (they can not rail or sea move).
16.48 If the 1st Guards cavalry unit is unable to trace a line of general supply, the Russian player may place/redeploy one of his 3 Partisan units at its 2nd Stage level in any empty hex within 5 hexes that produces a valid supply line (maximum 5 hexes length) to the 1st Guards cavalry unit. Creation of this partisan does not require the expenditure of a replacement.
16.5 2nd Stage Partisan Benefits
Once per Impulse, the Russian player may modify ONE combat in Russia by a +1 or -1 DRM if a 2nd Stage Partisan is three or fewer hexes from all the defending units in the combat and is behind German lines (would not be able to trace a general supply line). This may be applied to ONE combat only per impulse in total, regardless of how many 2nd Stage Partisans meet this condition.
Example: All three 2nd Stage Partisan units are on the board. During the German's turn, ONE of the 3 partisans uses its -1 DRM to influence a German attack because it is within 3 hexes of all of the Russian defenders. Then during the Russian player's turn, friendly forces attack a German unit that is within 3 hexes of a 2nd Stage Partisan and the Russian Player takes advantage of a +1 DRM to the combat.
16.51 If 2nd Stage Partisans occupy two or more Axis-controlled rail hexes at the end of the Axis player's turn, then the number of Axis units that may move by rail within Russia is reduced by one on the next German player turn.
17.0 Reinforcements
At the beginning of their turn players check the Turn Record Chart (TRC) on the map to determine whether reinforcements or special instructions are received this turn. If their TRC box for that turn contains a reference number, they check their OB Card at the appropriate referenced number to see what reinforcements are available to arrive.
17.01 The 2 months of a turn equate basically to the first and second impulses of a turn and therefore units shown as arriving during the second month may not be used until the second impulse. Example: July/August 1941 the German player receives 7 units in the first impulse (July). He must wait until the second impulse (August) to receive the Rumanian 5th infantry, 3rd Italian Infantry and 27th German Infantry.
17.02 Reinforcements may be placed on the board any time during the movement portion of their impulse (month) of arrival.
17.03 Arriving units are placed on the specified hex or map edge as listed on the OB Card.
17.04 Units arriving during either impulse may use normal movement (see rule 6.0), rail movement (see rule 7.0), or Sea Movement (see rule 8.0).
17.05 The initial placement hex does not count against the movement allowance of the entering unit.
17.06 Reinforcements may be voluntarily delayed (or forgotten), in which case they may show up the next impulse on their friendly board edge.
17.07 Units that are delayed arriving, may be brought on by rail movement in the next impulse. If done so, they count against the player's rail capacity limits for that turn (See rule 7.01 and 7.02).
17.1 Russian Reinforcements
If the Russian unit's listed entry city is Axis-controlled, it may enter from the east board edge instead.
17.11 A Russian unit must enter from the east board edge if both of the following conditions apply:
- Its listed entry city is surrounded and in an Axis ZOC so that it is unable to leave the city, and
- Its placement violates stacking limits.
17.12 All arriving 1st impulse reinforcements, regardless of whether they arrive in cities or on the east edge get free rail. Only reinforcements on the 2nd Impulse, which enter normally from the "East", may use free rail. During the 2nd impulse, units scheduled to arrive in cities (even if they come on the east edge due to 17.11) do not get free rail. Normal rail movement rules (rule 7.0) apply. Russian Air units are placed in any Russian-controlled city in General Supply in Russia at the start of the impulse.
17.13 Release of the Trans-Caucasus garrison units
- The 44th and 47th Infantry armies are released if the German player attacks either Rostov or Sevastopol.
- The 44th, 45th, 46th, and 47th Infantry armies are released if the German player:
- Enters hex row 38xx between 3801 and 3818
- Crosses the Kerch straits to hex 3922
- Invades any coastal hex between Rostov and Batumi inclusive
- All units not already released are free to move on the Russian June 1942 Impulse. Note: This is a change from what is printed on the Russian OB card and supersedes the OB text.
17.2 Axis Reinforcements
17.21 Rumanian reinforcements start at Bucharest.
17.22 Hungarian reinforcements start at Budapest.
17.23 Finnish reinforcements start at Helsinki.
17.24 Germans and Italians enter anywhere along the west edge.
17.3 Special Reinforcements
17.31 Northern Finland
- If the Russians capture Helsinki, the Russian 14th Army arrives as a reinforcement in hex 0107 the turn after Finland surrenders (See Russian OB Card).
- If the Axis capture Archangel, the 19th, 36th and Finnish 3rd infantry enter the game anywhere between hexes 0107 and 0111 inclusive. (See German OB Card)
17.32 These units (German or Russian) appear during the next friendly player's movement phase.
17.33 Bucharest Garrison: If Russian units cross into Rumania any time after December 1941, the garrison units stationed in the region become available and appear in Bucharest.
17.34 These units are placed on the map during the German player's movement phase immediately following the end of the Russian turn.
17.35 These units may over stack when they enter in Bucharest but if they cannot move so as to legally stack by the end of the impulse, enter what can legally be placed and the balance will enter as reinforcements at the west board edge.
17.36 The 15th Mountain is available any time starting in January 1942. The 91st and 97th Mountain are available any time starting in January 1943.
17.37 Each of these units may appear as a reinforcement only once (See German OB card).
17.4 Warsaw Garrison
Unless already in play, if the Russians come within 2 hexes of Warsaw after December 1943, the German 4th SS and Hermann Goering Panzer corps enter in Warsaw as reinforcements on the next German first impulse.
17.41 These two units may over stack when they enter, but if they cannot move so as to legally stack by the end of the impulse or if Warsaw is Russian-controlled, enter what can legally be placed and the balance will enter as reinforcements at the west board edge. Note: The entry of these garrisons in Warsaw and Bucharest is similar to the entry of Russian reinforcements in cities, as explained in rule 17.11.
17.5 German Panzergrenadier Upgrade
The German OB Card indicates that certain German infantry units can be upgraded into Panzergrenadier units in July and November 1943.
17.51 An on board infantry unit is exchanged, in place, for the indicated available Panzergrenadier unit from the OB Card.
17.52 If possible, the infantry unit removed must have the same unit designation as the panzergrenadier unit.
17.53 If the Infantry unit is reduced, it must be built up to full strength with infantry RPs before it is upgraded to Panzergrenadier.
17.54 If the designated units cannot be built up to full strength or have been eliminated, the German player may choose any other on-map German infantry unit of equal combat value for the exchange.
17.55 This exchange cannot be performed with a unit in an enemy ZOC nor with a unit that cannot trace a general supply path.
18.0 Withdrawing Units
Withdrawals of units are also mandated on the OB Card. Players will need to check the OB Card for these withdrawals.
18.1 Air Units
At the beginning of the January impulse of 1942, the Axis player must withdraw 3 Air units and their Airbases permanently from the game. At the beginning of the January impulse of 1943, the Axis player must withdraw 2 Air units and their bases similarly. The Axis player must withdraw 1 air unit with its base at the beginning of the following impulses: September 1943, January 1944, July 1944, and January 1945. The Air unit(s) that are removed are the Axis player's Choice. Historical Note: German air departed the Eastern Front after Kursk for Italy, and then to the West after D-Day.
18.2 Ground Units Withdrawal
18.21 In May 1944, the Axis player must withdraw two panzer corps from play.
18.22 Similarly, the Axis player must withdraw one German Army corps (any type) in March 1945, and another in May 1945.
18.23 To withdraw the units, simply pick them up and remove them from the board placing them on the OB card.
18.24 Units withdrawn must be at their highest possible full strength level.
18.25 Ground units must be in general supply to be withdrawn.
18.26 Units which can not move due to enemy ZOCs can not be withdrawn.
18.27 The withdrawal occurs at the very start of the indicated impulse and therefore the units can not move or attack that impulse.
18.3 SS Panzer Corps Special Withdrawal
18.31 The two panzer corps withdrawn in May 1944 must be SS panzer corps if they are in play.
18.32 SS units withdrawn must be the units on the board with the highest combat factors.
18.33 If SS units are not available, panzer units with the highest combat factors on the board must be withdrawn in their place.
18.34 The Axis player must spend accumulated Replacement Points and/or reduce on board armor units the necessary number of steps to rebuild the withdrawing SS units (or any other armor units chosen) to their full strength.
18.35 Any number of units may be chosen and reduced one step or more to meet this obligation.
Example: If the 1SS Armor Corps has its 6-8 counter on the board due to losses and it could be the 12-9 counter on the board, the German must rebuild it to the 12-9 level (spending 6 armor replacement points, reducing other on-board Armor units by that amount to rebuild the 6 points, or a combination of replacement points and on board unit reduction.
19.0 Replacements
During play, both sides receive replacement points at the beginning of their First Impulse. These are "spent" during the first friendly Movement impulse of the player's turn to rebuild on-map units and/or to recover units from the Replacement Pool.
19.01 Each replacement point equals one strength factor.
19.02 There are two types of replacement points:
- Infantry: used to build/replace infantry, cavalry, and mountain infantry and HQ units
- Armor: used to build/replace armor, Shock Army, mechanized infantry, panzergrenadier, and artillery units.
19.03 To rebuild a unit from the Replacement Pool, a player expends a number of replacement points equal to the unit's full combat factor strength.
19.04 Units from the Replacement Pool may not be rebuilt at reduced strength. (Exception: Guards Armor units per rule 19.29)
19.05 Units which are on the map can be rebuilt in place. They must be in General Supply and not in an enemy ZOC (Exception: OOS reduced unit in a Major city hex with a WEC). The player simply states he is rebuilding the designated unit by expending the number of replacement points equal to the difference in combat strength between the full and reduced strength of the unit.
19.06 A reduced unit on the board, if being rebuilt, must be rebuilt before or after it moves (not in the middle of movement). Also, these units do not get the free rail movement that units being replaced get.
19.1 Axis Replacements
The Axis receive their Replacement Points starting November 1941 as noted in the Replacement Points Schedules found on the Player Aid Charts.
19.11 Axis replacement points may be used on the turn of their arrival, or saved for use later in the game.
19.12 Accumulated replacement points are lost if their respective capitals (Berlin, Bucharest, Budapest, Helsinki) are occupied by the Russians.
19.13 The Axis player keeps track of his infantry and armor replacement factors on the Accumulated Replacement Point Track on the map.
19.14 The only limit on the number of replacement points that may be spent each turn is the total number of accumulated points available.
19.15 On the January 1945 turn, all accumulated Axis replacement points are lost and no further replacement builds can occur.
19.16 Units rebuilt from the Replacement Pool enter from their respective capitals or the western map edge:
- German units in Berlin.
- Finns in Helsinki,
- Rumanians in Bucharest,
- Hungarians in Budapest,
- Italians on the west map edge.
19.17 The German SS Cavalry Corps can never be rebuilt if eliminated. It may, however, be rebuilt from reduced strength to full strength on-map.
19.18 At all times, if the Axis player decides to rebuild units, SS units must be rebuilt to full strength first before any regular army units of the same type (infantry or armor) can be rebuilt. If SS unit losses are higher than available SS replacement points, the German player must spend non-SS replacement points to build SS units up to full strength first before any other German units of the same type (armor or infantry) are rebuilt. The SS Polizei unit does not require an Armor replacement point to be rebuilt, just an infantry point.
19.19 If the Axis player chooses, each turn in which he receives replacement points, he may transfer up to 1 German non-SS replacement point to an allied nation's pool at an exchange rate of 1 Allied Nation's Replacement points for 1 German Replacement point transferred. The restriction of 19.18 must be observed first before this can be done. Note: This represents the transfer of "captured" and "obsolete" equipment that the Germans gave to their allies.
19.2 Russian Replacements
Russian Replacement Points are received at the start of each Russian player turn by three methods: War Economy Counters [WEC] (See rule 20.0), Lend Lease (See rule 20.4) and Oil Production (See rule 21.0) each of which has its own special rules. Unlike the Axis player, who can accumulate replacement points turn to turn, unspent Russian points are lost at the end of the turn.
19.21 A Russian unit rebuilt from the Replacement Pool may enter the game in one of four ways: a) It will move onto the map during the movement phase with any east edge hex being its first hex of movement. b) It may be placed in a city containing a WEC unit (provided that the WEC unit can trace General Supply) and be moved from there. Only one unit may appear per city in the same turn. c) It may use Rail or Sea Movement.
19.22 Replacements using rail movement do not count against the number of units moving by rail but must conform to all other rail movement rules.
19.23 Replacements using sea movement count against the number of units that can move by sea that impulse.
19.24 Reduced strength on-board Russian units can be rebuilt (see rule 19.05).
19.25 One reduced strength Russian unit, tracing General Supply to an OOS Major City, may be rebuilt to its full strength side if the city contains a WEC. This one unit can even be an armor unit, even though it is unable to trace a supply line to be able to access Oil Points and even if the WEC does not provide enough points by itself to pay for the upgrade.
19.26 The sum of all Russian War Economy Counters on the game map, plus the URALS WEC, plus the evacuated factories that are generating replacement points again, plus Lend-Lease Aid equals the Russian Infantry Combat Factor replacement capacity for that turn.
19.27 The sum of all Russian-controlled oil wells on the map is the number of Russian armor replacement points available to rebuild Armor, Mechanized, and artillery units that turn.
19.28 The Russian player may replace or build up units whose combined combat factors do not exceed these totals. There are no restrictions on the type or quantity of units that can be built, provided enough Infantry and Armor replacement points are available.
19.29 Guards Tank Armies enter the game in a reduced status and may not be built to full strength until the January 1943 impulse. They may be built up to full strength through the expenditure of Oil points. Note: Guard Tank Armies may be rebuilt at reduced strength from July/August 1942 through November/December 1942.
20.0 War Economy Counters (WEC)
Numbers on the Russian War Economy Counters refer to their combat (white number on black hex) and replacement values (yellow number on red circle). The replacement value on the WEC counter is the number of Infantry replacement points that the Russian player receives for that counter.
20.1 WEC Placement
New Russian War Economy Counters enter the game on Turns 4, 5, 7, 8, and 13 (per the Russian Order of Battle card).
20.11 New Russian War Economy Counters will enter the game per the Russian Order of Battle card and may be placed in any friendly-controlled major or minor city in Russia that can trace General Supply to the east board edge with the following restrictions:
- No WEC may ever be placed in the following cities: Wilno, Riga, Brest, Lvov, and Tallinn.
- No city may have two WECs until all friendly Russian cities have one.
- If Voronezh is not Russian-controlled when its WEC comes onto the board, it may be placed in another friendly city of the Russian player's choice.
- The WEC that arrives on turn 4 cannot be placed in Voronezh.
20.12 WEC have no stacking value and thus can be added to any stack.
20.13 WEC cannot be moved once placed. Exception: Evacuation (see rule 20.5).
20.14 New WECs become operational immediately and replacements may be generated from them during the turn of placement.
20.2 WEC and Combat
WECs can not attack. WECs can be chosen as casualties just like other units (note: the Moscow WEC has 2 steps). If a WEC is forced to retreat, due to results called for by the CRT, they are eliminated. WEC's defense value is doubled in a Major city.
20.3 WEC Lost
An eliminated WEC cannot be replaced and its replacement points are permanently lost. Reduce the Russian War Economy Track immediately with every loss of a WEC due to combat.
20.31 Urals WEC
In May of 1943, the Russian Urals economy comes into full swing and the Urals WEC comes onto the board. Do not place this counter in a city. Place it in the Urals box on the Russian War Economy Track on the side of the map and add its production totals to the Russian War Economy Track. These replacements are available to the Russian player immediately.
20.4 Lend-Lease WEC
Starting January 1942, the Russian player begins receiving additional Infantry replacement points representing the Allied Lend-Lease arms shipments.
20.41 Lend-Lease is received through three separate locations as shown on the Lend-Lease Russian Aid (LLRA) table.
20.42 All LLRA replacements stop permanently beginning January 1945.
20.43 The number of Lend-Lease points varies from turn to turn. At the beginning of each eligible turn, roll one die and consult the Lend-Lease Russian Aid (LLRA) table.
20.44 To receive the full benefits of Lend-Lease, the Russian player must be in control of (be able to trace movement along) certain rail lines leading off the east edge of the map. The important rail junctions are denoted with a red star on the map.
20.45 LLRA through Murmansk is available if a continuous rail line running from hex 0107 to the eastern map edge is Russian-controlled. If any part of this rail line connection is blocked by an Axis unit or its ZOC onto an unoccupied hex of this line, the "Aid Through Murmansk" value is subtracted from the LLRA table result (Exception: rule 20.6 Murmansk Emergency Rail Line).
20.46 A Russian unit in hex 0812 negates an Axis ZOC on that hex for the purpose of tracing a rail line back to Murmansk for Lend Lease.
20.47 LLRA through Archangel is available if a continuous rail line running from hex 0302 to the Eastern map edge is Russian-controlled. If any part of this connection is blocked by an Axis unit or its ZOC onto an unoccupied hex of this line, the "Aid Through Archangel" value is subtracted from the LLRA table result.
20.48 The full amount of LLRA through Persia is available if either of these conditions is satisfied, from the January/February turn of 1942 onward: a. The Russian player controls a continuous path of rail hexes free of Axis ZOC from Tabriz to the East edge b. The Russian player controls a continuous path of rail hexes free of Axis ZOC from Tabriz to Baku, and a continuous path of rail hexes free of Axis ZOC from Astrakhan to the East edge.
If the Axis player blocks both of the paths described above, but the Russian player still controls a rail line from Tabriz to Baku, the Russian player can still receive 1/2 (rounded up) of the Persian LLRA RPs. If the Axis player blocks all the paths of rails described above, the Russian player only receives 1/2 (rounded down) of the Persian LLRA RPs.
20.49 The Lend Lease DR is modified by a -2 DRM each turn in 1942. Note: The Lend Lease DR can never go less than 1.
Example: Assume 0812 is Axis occupied. The Russian player rolls an 8. The result yields 5 Lend-Lease points from Persia, 1 from Murmansk and 2 from Archangel for a total of 8. The 1 from Murmansk is blocked, so the total is reduced to 7. In 1942, you would subtract 2 from the DR which results in a 6 and therefore (using the above conditions) 5 RPs total of Lend-Lease points to spend.
20.5 War Economy Counter Evacuation
Beginning with the July/August 1941 turn, the Russian Player may choose to evacuate WECs to the Urals.
20.51 Only the following cities may evacuate their WEC counter: Rostov, Kiev, Stalino, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk.
20.52 The Russian player, at the beginning of his turn, announces he will evacuate a WEC counter and allocates one rail move to successfully move it off the board (adhering to the rules of rail movement).
20.53 There is no limit to the number of WECs that may evacuate per turn provided one rail movement per WEC counter is available.
20.54 A WEC's replacement points do count towards the turn's total and a replacement unit can be built there before the WEC is evacuated.
20.55 They return to the Urals Box the same month of the following year, i.e. removed July 1941, it is returned July 1942.
20.56 Once evacuated, they do not count towards the Russian War Economy totals until they return. They contribute normally the turn they are returned to the game. Player Note: Put the removed WEC counter on the turn record track on the month it is to return, in the following year.
20.6 Murmansk Emergency Rail Line Construction
This rule can come into effect when the conditions are met, from the January/February turn of 1942 onward.
20.61 The turn AFTER the Axis has cut off the Murmansk rail line (that runs from hex 0107 to 0810), the Russian player may build a special rail line on the following hexes: 0107, 0206, 0306, 0405, 0404, 0403, 0402, and 0302. To build the rail line, the following restrictions must be met:
- The Russian player must control hex 0107
- No Axis unit or its ZOC can be on any of the listed hexes at the start of the Soviet Turn. Note: If hex 0107 is not Russian controlled this rail line may not be built.
20.62 It takes one turn to build (placed at the end of the Russian player's turn) and once built, this rail line is permanent and can not be destroyed.
20.63 As long as this rail line is built and is not blocked, no replacement points are lost from Murmansk due to rule 20.45.
20.64 If both routes are blocked, then the LLRA point(s) from Murmansk is(are) lost.
Example: The Axis cut the rail line (at hex 0710) from Murmansk in their March/April 1942 turn. The Russian player will have to wait until May/June 1942 to build the Emergency Rail line. At the end of the Russian player's May/June 1942 turn, if all the conditions of 20.61 are met, the rail line is operational. Place the rail line in the hexes listed at the start of the July/August 1942 Russian turn.
21.0 Oil Wells
Russian Oil Wells generate replacement combat factors for Russian Armor, Mechanized, and Artillery units only.
21.01 The sum of the numbers on all the on board oil well counters is the maximum total of strength points of artillery, armor, and/or mechanized units that can be rebuilt from the Replacement Pool and/or rebuilding of on board reduced units.
21.02 Oil replacement points can be used to build Russian Shock Armies (See rule 22.0).
Example: In January/February 1943, the Russian player has 12 oil points to spend. He chooses to build three armor units: Two 4-6s and one 3-6 for a total oil point expenditure of 11 points. He has 1 point left over. He chooses to take an infantry unit and the 3-6 armor unit, plus spending the 1 left over oil point to build a Shock Army. He places onto the board the two 4-6 armor and one 6-6 Shock army. The Infantry and the 3-6 mechanized units used to build the Shock Army are placed onto the correct Shock Army box on the Russian OB Card.
21.03 Unlike WEC, Oil wells cannot be destroyed by combat or by being out of supply.
21.04 They have no ZOC and cannot be used to absorb a step loss.
21.05 If an Oil Well is unable to trace a General Supply line to an unlimited supply source, its oil points are reduced.
- If an oil well cannot trace a rail supply path to the east edge nor a friendly-controlled Baku, the oil points are not available.
- If an Oil well can trace a rail supply path to Baku, but not a rail link from Astrakhan to the east edge, a reduced amount of oil points will be available. Total up all the Oil Wells in this situation. Then make a die roll and consult the table below. Modify the base amount by the listed modifier.
- The resulting amount can never be more than 2/3rds (rounding up) of the total Oil Well factors using Baku this way.
- Each turn, after the turn the initial base amount was determined, add +1 to the prior turn's modified value until it reaches a maximum of 2/3rds of the total Oil Well points using Baku.
- If the Germans capture one or more of the Oil Wells which are already using this procedure, do not determine a new base amount. Just determine what the new 2/3rds maximum amount is and adjust the modified total to that amount if it is above. Otherwise just add +1 to the previous turn's total.
Example: The Germans cut the rail supply line from Astrakhan to the east edge on their July/August turn. The Russians currently have 8 oil points cut off from the unlimited supply source, but can trace to Baku. 1/3rd (rounded up) of this total is 3 oil points. The Russian player rolls a 6 and consults the table, which modifies the base of 3 by +1 to 4. This will be the amount of oil points that he will receive in July/August. In September/October he would modify the prior turn's total of 4 by +1 to 5. In November/December, if the situation still existed, he would modify the prior turn's total of 5 by +1 to 6. In January/February, he would not be able to modify the amount any further because 6 is the maximum that could be received (2/3rds of 8 rounded up). If the German player were to capture a 2 capacity oil well in November/December, the Russian player would receive only 4 oil points that turn because 4 would be the maximum he could receive.
21.06 If the General Supply path to the east edge is regained, the oil points are returned to normal on the following turn. Any increases in output while the oil wells were not in general supply are permanently lost and further increases start from the level it was when cut off at.
21.07 A WEC in a Major city that is surrounded and out of supply may use Oil Points to rebuild one depleted armor unit that can trace limited supply to that city, back to full strength per turn.
21.1 Baku Capture
If Baku is captured by the Axis, no Russian oil points are available.
21.11 If Baku is OOS treat it like a limited supply source. (see rules 13.4 & 13.8).
21.12 Once Baku is recaptured by the Russian player and can trace a rail line back to the east board edge at the start of a turn, the Russian player receives normal oil points.
21.13 If an oil well hex is occupied by an enemy unit, the oil well is captured and no longer benefits its original owner.
21.2 Capture of Russian Oil Wells
Upon the capture of a Russian Oil Well by the German player, the total production for that oil well is applied to one of the four turns the German player receives armor replacement points; March, May, July or September. Once used, rotate the Oil counter 180 degrees to indicate it has been used. When the new year begins, return it to its un-rotated position.
21.21 A captured Oil Well's points are not available until the second turn after the oil field was captured.
21.22 Russian oil wells under Axis control never increase in output. They remain at the level of output they were captured at.
Example: The German player captures the oil well at 5711 in the January/February 1942 turn. The oil well output is 1 armor replacement factor at the time of capture. The output is not available to the German player until the May/June turn. On the May/June turn of 1942, increase the German armor replacement factors from 9 to 10.
21.23 Russian re-captured oil wells receive their future increases, but start those from the pre-Axis capture level. All increases scheduled while in Axis control are lost.
21.3 Ploesti Oil Fields
All Axis armor replacement points stop when the Russian player captures Ploesti.
21.31 The Axis player may spend points he has remaining on his Axis Accumulated Replacement Points track freely.
21.32 Should the Axis player recapture Ploesti, he may receive armor replacement points on the next available turn where armor points are allocated.
21.33 If the Russians capture Ploesti, 2 factors of oil output are added to the Russian turn total on the second turn after the oil field was captured and every turn thereafter.
Example: The Ploesti Oil field is captured in a July/August 1944 turn. Two (2) oil points for the oil field will become available in the Russian November/December 1944 turn.
21.4 Special Russian Armor Consolidation
This rule only comes into effect when the Russian Oil capacity is reduced below 12 points per turn, beginning on the January/February 1943 turn.
21.41 The Russian player may at any time remove armor type units on the board and return them to the Replacement Pool, taking their combat factors and adding them to the total oil points they have available for the turn. They may then take the increased oil points and build a larger unit with the available totals.
Example: The Russian player has 8 Oil points due to loss of oil fields. He wishes to build the 3rd Guards tank army that has been destroyed but does not have enough oil production points. He can remove a 4-6 mechanized unit from the board, by rail or by moving the 4-6 mechanized off the east edge of the board and spend 8 Oil points to create the 12-7 3rd Guards tank army. This army may then use free rail onto the board as per the replacement rules or start from a WEC.
22.0 Russian Shock Armies
The Russian player may build Shock Armies when they become available. See the Soviet OB card.
22.01 In order to build a Shock Army, the Russian player may do one of the following: a) During the first impulse, rebuild any infantry unit and any armor or mechanized unit of any size from the Replacement Pool. Spend the additional Oil points required as listed on the bottom of the Russian's OB card and choose the correct strength level Shock Army (both oil expenditure and Shock Army's strength level is based on the year of game). This Shock Army can then be placed on board as any other replacement would be. This Shock Army may move normally this impulse. b) During the first impulse, remove any full strength infantry unit and any full strength mechanized unit once they are in the same hex. Spend the additional Oil points required as listed on the bottom of the Russian's OB card and choose the correct strength level Shock Army (both oil expenditure and Shock Army's strength level is based on the year of game). Then place the Shock Army unit in that hex. If either component of this build method moved, the Shock Army may not move this impulse.
A Shock Army which becomes available during the 2nd Impulse of a turn (December) can be built during the 2nd impulse only by the conditions of method "b" above, but all the oil point expenditures must be spent during the 1st Impulse. These Oil points are lost if the Shock Army is not built for any reason.
22.02 The component parts that were used to build the Shock Army unit should be placed in the components portions of the Shock Army section on the Russian OB card.
22.03 If a shock army is eliminated, return the Shock army unit to the OB card and eliminate the component parts.
22.04 A Shock Army unit is never surrendered due to combat. It is returned to the OB card and the component units that made up the Shock Army are surrendered to the German player.
22.05 The Russian player must use Oil Points when rebuilding reduced strength on-board Shock Armies.
22.06 Once built, Russian Shock Armies can not be disbanded.
23.0 Game Start / Initial Setup
23.01 Unfold the map board and place it between the players. The Axis player positions himself at the west edge of the map and the Russian player at the east edge.
23.02 If not done already, punch out the unit counters. Place the counters on the appropriate sections of their respective Order of Battle (OB) Charts utilizing the set up letter, hex numbers/city, or reinforcement turn on each counter as an easy reference.
23.03 The Russian player is first to set up referencing his OB chart to place all of the units that are designated for specific cities or hexes on the board first. Then he sets up the units for the Military Districts (MDs) anywhere within their respective MDs observing stacking restrictions.
23.04 Next, the Axis player places his "At Start" units on the mapboard observing stacking restrictions. The Axis player must place his units west of the border and cannot place his units closer than one hex away from the Russian border. This means that there must be at least one vacant hex between the Axis units and the border. Some restrictions apply to the Axis setup:
- Rumanian forces, and the three German infantry corps (marked with a small "R" in the upper left corner), must start in Rumania between hex rows 26XX to 34XX inclusive.
- Finnish units must start in Finland.
- Stukas may be placed in any major or minor city controlled by the Axis player (except in Finland).
- No Axis unit may set up in Hungary.
All other Axis at start units are deployed within the additional following north/south setup boundaries:
- Army Group North (small "N" in the upper left corner) units must set up inclusive of hex rows 08XX to 10XX.
- Army Group Center (small "C" in the upper left corner) must set up inclusive of hex rows 11XX to 17XX.
- Army Group South (small "S" in the upper left corner) must set up inclusive of hex rows 17XX to 26XX.
Once set up, the Axis player may begin his May/June 1941 turn.
24.0 First Turn Special Rules
24.1 Axis First Impulse Restrictions
During the First Impulse of the May/June 1941 turn the Axis player attacks are limited as follows:
- Army Group North may only attack Russian units in the Baltic Military District (Russian units marked "B") and/or Riga.
- Army Group Center may only attack Russian units in the Western Military District (Russian units marked "W") and/or Minsk.
- Army Group South may only attack units in the Kiev Military District (Russian units marked with a "K") and/or Kiev.
- Axis units starting in Rumania can attack any enemy units in reach.
- No Axis unit can rail into or out of Rumania on the first impulse.
Note: Units in any Army Group may move through any Military District provided they do not participate in combat against units from military districts they are not allowed to attack in the First Impulse. They must, however, set up within the specified areas at the start of the game. Units from one army group may end up adjacent to enemy units they are not allowed to attack only if that enemy unit is being legally attacked by units of the appropriate army group, or there is a river hexside between the units.
24.2 Hungary
In the First Impulse of the May/June 1941 turn, Hungarian hexes have certain restrictions:
- No units of either side may move by ground or rail into or through Hungary.
- No German air unit may fly or stage through Hungarian air space.
- No Russian unit may retreat into Hungary nor trace General Supply through Hungary.
- Axis units may only retreat into Hungary if no other legal retreat is available.
Otherwise Hungarian hexes are treated normally. On the Second Impulse all these restrictions are lifted.
24.3 Finland
In the First Impulse of the May/June 1941 turn, Finnish units may not move across the Russian border nor attack Russian units. They may move adjacent to Russian units without having to attack. During the Second Impulse, Finnish units may cross the border and attack Russian units in the Leningrad MD. Note: A German ground unit may be sea transported to Helsinki and Stukas may be staged to Helsinki during the First Impulse.
Russian ZOCs do not extend across the Russo-Finnish border during the first impulse unless a German ground/air unit will be sea transported/staged to Finland on the first impulse.
24.4 Shock of War
The Russians were unprepared for the start of war. This means that special conditions are in effect for the May/June 1941 turn.
24.41 During the First Impulse of the May/June 1941 turn, rivers do not double the defense of Russian units. Rivers impart normal doubling starting with the second impulse of the May/June 1941 turn. Exception: Russian units are not doubled on defense behind rivers when attacked by Finnish units during the second impulse of May/June 1941, unless the Germans transported/staged a ground unit/airbase to Finland on the 1st Impulse (Surprise was lost).
24.42 All Axis attacks in both impulses of the May/June 1941 turn receive a +1 DRM. Exception: If a German ground unit/airbase was transported/staged to Finland during the first impulse, any Axis attacks during the second impulse versus Soviet units in the Leningrad Military District do not receive the +1 DRM.
24.43 The Axis player may ignore retreat Priorities 3, 4, and 5 when retreating Russian units during the Axis May/June 1941 player turn.
24.44 The Russian Rail capacity is reduced to 3 units during the May/June 1941 turn.
24.5 First Turn Sea Invasions
Neither player may conduct a sea invasion during the May/June 1941 turn.
24.6 First Turn Weather
Opening weather for the first turn of the game is CLEAR/CLEAR.
24.7 First Turn River Costs
The Axis do not have to pay the +1 MP to cross any rivers they move across during the first turn.
24.8 First Turn Terrain Benefits
The Russian Player receives no terrain DRM benefits versus any Axis attacks during the first turn. Also, Russian retreats (whether attacking or defending) are not negated by Forest or Major City hexes during the first turn. Russian AR (when attacking) or DR (when defending) results are not converted to a BR result.
25.0 Special Axis Minor Ally Restrictions
The following restrictions apply during the game:
25.1 Hungarian and Rumanian Units
- They may not voluntarily stack together. If Hungarian and Rumanian units are forced to stack, they must un-stack during their next impulse.
- Hungarian units may not be voluntarily moved into Rumania nor attack Rumanian hexes.
- Rumanian units may not be voluntarily moved into Hungary nor attack Hungarian hexes.
If either of their units are forced into any of these situations, they must immediately move out of the country during their next impulse.
25.2 Finnish Units
- They may not voluntarily be moved south of hex row 08xx. If Finnish units are forced south of hex row 08xx, they must immediately move back to hex row 08xx during their next impulse. If Leningrad is captured by the Germans, the hex row becomes the 10XX hex row for the above.
- Finnish units may not use sea movement.
- Finnish units may not attack a Russian city defended by a Russian armor, mechanized, shock, infantry, or cavalry corps or army size unit, flipped or not. If Finnish units find themselves in a position where they are required to attack a Russian city defended as above, they must immediately retreat one hex.
25.3 Rumanian, Hungarian, and Italian units may not be voluntarily moved into Finland nor attack Finnish hexes. If any of their units are forced into Finland, they must immediately move out of Finland during their next impulse.
25.4 Rumanian, Hungarian, and Finnish units always have the option to retreat back towards their capital or into their home country, as long as it is not through an un-occupied hex in an enemy ZOC. This rule supersedes the retreat priorities of rule 10.86.
26.0 Surrender of Axis Minor Allies
26.1 Finland
26.11 Finland surrenders if a Russian unit that is not adjacent to any Finnish unit occupies Helsinki at the end of the Russian turn. All Finnish units are permanently removed from the play.
26.12 Should any Finnish units be adjacent to a Russian-occupied Helsinki at the end of the Russian turn, the end of the turn is delayed. An immediate Axis attack must be made against the capital. Resolve the combat regularly. If this attack fails to dislodge the occupying Russian unit(s), all Finnish units are immediately removed from the board and Finland exits the war.
26.13 If the Axis player does not control Leningrad at the beginning of the September/October 1944 turn, Finland immediately surrenders.
26.14 If Leningrad is Axis-controlled at the beginning of the September/October 1944 turn, Finland remains in the war until the Russians recapture Leningrad.
26.15 Following the recapture of Leningrad, permanently remove all Finnish units from the game at the end of the Russian turn.
26.16 When Finland surrenders and there are other Axis units in Finland, immediately remove those units from the board. Next turn, these units can be deployed on any friendly-controlled port hex on the Baltic Sea (roll for sea movement) or enter the game as regular reinforcement.
26.2 Hungary
26.21 Hungary immediately surrenders at the end of the Russian player turn when a Russian unit occupies Budapest.
26.22 All Hungarian units, not stacked with German units and within 15 hexes of Budapest, are immediately picked off the map and placed anywhere in Hungary by the Russian player. These units are treated as Russian minor Allies and move as if they were Russian Units. These units may no longer leave Hungary and remain Russian allies until the game is over. Hungarian units may be used to attack German units only within Hungary.
26.23 Hungarian units stacked with German units at the time of the fall of Budapest surrender and are permanently eliminated from the game.
26.24 Hungarian units that don't fall into the situations listed in 26.22 or 26.23 are removed from the board and placed in the Russian Replacement Pool on the map available to be rebuilt using Russian WEC or Oil points, if they so choose.
26.3 Italy
26.31 Italy surrenders at the beginning of the September 1943 impulse. All Italian units are removed from the map and are permanently eliminated from the game.
26.4 Rumania
26.41 Rumania immediately surrenders at the end of the Russian turn when a Russian unit occupies Bucharest.
26.42 All Rumanian units not stacked with German units are immediately returned to Rumania by the Russian player and become Russian allies.
26.43 Rumanian units stacked with German units at the time of the fall of Bucharest surrender and are permanently eliminated from the game.
26.44 Rumanian units may not leave Rumania and are treated as Russian allies until the game is over. These Rumanian units may be used to attack German units only within Rumania.
26.5 Axis Recapture of Former Minor Ally Capital
Should any capital city of a surrendered former Axis minor ally be recaptured by the Axis, immediately remove all the units of that minor ally from the board. They are permanently eliminated.
27.0 Victory Conditions
Only one side can win the Campaign Game - there are no draws. When any one condition listed below is met, the game is over.
27.1 German Victory Conditions
The German Player wins if one of the following conditions is met:
- Capture Moscow while Stalin has been eliminated.
- Capture Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad, and hold them for one additional complete turn.
- Capture Baku, Astrakhan, Stalingrad, and Voronezh, and hold them for one additional complete turn.
- The German player can win by not losing to the Russian player. Games concluded by the end of the Russian May/June 1945 turn without a Russian victory are considered a German victory.
27.2 Russian Victory Conditions
The Russian Player wins if one of the following conditions is met:
- Capture Berlin while Hitler has been eliminated by the end of the May/June 1945 turn.
- If Hitler is out of Germany and is eliminated any time during a 1944 or 1945 turn, the Germans sue for peace and the game is over.
- The game ends IMMEDIATELY if the Russian player prevents the German player from controlling the following minimum number of Major Cities at the end of the Russian player turn (Immediate Russian Victory Chart, checked at the end of each November/December turn):
- End of 1942: German player requires 16 Major Cities
- End of 1943: German player requires 9 Major Cities
- End of 1944: German player requires 4 Major Cities
If the German player controls fewer than the listed number of Major Cities at the relevant check, the Russian player wins immediately.
Advanced Game, Optional Rules
A1.0 Headquarters
Axis Army Group Headquarters (North, Center, South, and A) and Russian Stavka or Front Headquarters (HQ) units may hold Reserves.
A1.01 HQ units can be rail moved (see rule 7.0), during either impulse, at a cost of one available rail move. If they have Reserves, an additional cost of 1 available rail move per unit must be paid. HQs without reserves can be sea transported or evacuated during either impulse for free (port to port with no die roll). The only time that HQ units can use ground movement is during the second movement impulse of the player's turn.
A1.02 HQ units without reserves move as infantry for terrain movement costs using the higher MP allowance printed on the front of the counter.
A1.03 HQ units that have units in reserve are flipped to their back side using a reduced MP allowance. They must pay the highest individual unit's terrain movement point cost of the units in their reserve, to enter a hex.
A1.04 HQ units (without reserves) can only enter an enemy unit's ZOC if a friendly Infantry, Mountain, Cavalry, Shock, Armor, or Mechanized unit is already located there. HQ units (with Reserves) can not move into an enemy unit's ZOC. If a HQ unit starts the 2nd impulse in an enemy's ZOC, it may move out of that ZOC (but not from one enemy ZOC to another enemy ZOC). A HQ with reserves may move a 2nd Impulse even if it contains reserve units with no 2nd impulse movement capability.
A1.05 HQ units that are not stacked with any unit and have no reserves are automatically eliminated if an opposing unit moves into their hex. (They have no units to attack or defend with.)
A1.06 Eliminated HQs may return at the beginning (before any movement) of the first impulse of the next friendly player turn at a cost of 1 infantry replacement point. They can be placed into any friendly in supply Major or Minor city. If there are any friendly units located in that hex, and not in an enemy ZOC, they can immediately be placed into reserve in the "Available" box of that HQ. Once placed, these HQ's (without reserves) can be railed for free.
A1.1 Entering Reserve
To enter Reserve, a unit must end its movement impulse in the same hex as the HQ unit. Then place the unit in the UNAVAILABLE section of their HQ's respective off map holding box. (Reminder: Flip the HQ counter over to the backside to denote it includes reserves). The contents of an HQ's Available and unavailable boxes plus any units in the HQ's hex must be able to legally stack in one hex.
A1.11 Units in the off map boxes may be examined by the enemy player.
A1.2 Release of Reserves
A1.21 If a HQ unit with reserves has an enemy unit (with a normal ZOC) move or advance adjacent to it, all its reserve units from the holding box must immediately be released and placed on the board within the following guidelines: a) If the HQ is stacked with other units:
- The remaining units must be placed within 3 hexes of its Reserve HQ, not in an enemy ZOC and within stacking limits.
- They may not be placed forward of the HQ but must adhere to the integrity of the front line and be placed on the friendly side.
- They may be placed by the owning player in a hex(es) as if retreating from the HQ's hex, observing the restrictions of rule 10.82 and 10.88 and also retreat priorities 1, 2, 5, and 7 (see rule 10.86). b) If the HQ is not stacked with other friendly units, the released reserves MUST be immediately placed on the map in the hex with their HQ unit.
A1.22 Both AVAILABLE and UNAVAILABLE units may be released from Reserve status at the owning player's discretion in any of the following instances:
- During any part of the friendly movement phase.
- During the friendly post-combat reserve movement phase.
- During the opposing player's turn during the Friendly Reserve Movement Phase (See rule 3.0: Sequence of Play).
A1.3 Reserve Unit's Status
A1.31 AVAILABLE units released from Reserve status at the owning player's discretion may do the following: a) Reserves released during the friendly movement phase, prior to the HQ unit moving, may move and attack normally with the following restriction:
- Units released from reserve status must observe the movement allowance for that impulse with the following maximum movement points:
- Axis: Armor 4 (1st impulse) / 2 (2nd impulse); Other 3 (1st impulse) / 1 (2nd impulse)
- Russian: Armor 3 (1st impulse) / 1 (2nd impulse); Other 2 (1st impulse) / 1 (2nd impulse) For example: if mud is in effect for the first impulse, an Axis armor unit released from Reserve may only move 2 hexes, not 4.
- Units that have zero (0) movement allowance for any impulse may be released from reserve status but cannot move. They are simply placed on the board in the same hex as the HQ, adhering to stacking limits. b) A HQ can release reserves at any point during its move in an impulse, provided that they are not released in an enemy ZOC. If a HQ's unit is holding more than one reserve unit, it may release these units in different hexes during its move. After release, units cannot move this impulse. c) Reserves released during the friendly post-combat reserve movement phase may only move if the HQ did not move and may release these units in different hexes during its move. After release, units cannot move this impulse. d) Reserves released during the Friendly Reserve Movement Phase during the opposing player's turn may enter enemy ZOCs. Note: Reserves entering a vacant hex in an enemy ZOC force the enemy units to attack them in the forthcoming combat phase. Reserves may also reinforce (up to stacking limits) a friendly occupied hex in an enemy ZOC, thereby lowering the odds on the forthcoming attack. Note: Units released during the friendly player's Reserve Movement Phase of the opposing Player's Turn (e.g. German Player turn, Russian player Reserve Movement Phase), release from Reserve Status and move as per the 1st Impulse Movement Allowances listed above. e) Units in reserve in any port city may be released and conduct any form of sea movement per the Sea Movement rules (see rule 8.0).
A1.32 UNAVAILABLE units may not move or attack. They may release and stack in the same hex as their reserve HQ providing stacking restrictions are met.
A1.33 At the end of the friendly player turn, advance all Unavailable units to Available status.
A1.4 HQ & Reserve Special Rules
A1.41 Axis minor allies are treated as German units for this rule.
A1.42 Reserve units adjacent to enemy units after movement or placement must attack if required to by the combat rules.
A1.43 HQ units may never be retreated in such a way as to separate them from a friendly unit they were stacked with. The units in the HQ's hex can be retreated into different hexes, but the HQ must go with one of them.
A1.44 Remove all Axis HQ units at the start of the January/February 1945 turn. Place all Axis units that were in Reserve in these HQs onto the board as per rule A1.21.
A1.45 Only German units may begin in Reserve with a HQ at the start of the game.
A2.0 Breakout Attempt from Encirclement
During the Russian player's turn, he may land paratroopers or move 2nd Stage Partisans to surround and attack Axis units. Normally, when a combat result of DR, D# or X2 is rolled on the CRT, surrounded units are lost since they do not have a legal retreat route. With this rule, if the attacked hex contains at least one German armor type unit and is forced to retreat, it may attempt what is called a BREAKOUT attack after applying the step losses called for on the CRT. In order to succeed, an opening free of enemy units and ZOCs has to be created in the Russian encirclement that will allow general supply to reach the units attempting the Breakout.
A2.01 At least one German armor type unit must be in the hex attempting the Breakout.
A2.02 Infantry stacked with the armor type unit may be used in the attempt.
A2.1 Breakout Procedure
- Apply all combat losses called for by the CRT from the Russian attack. Ignore retreat results (DR, D# or X2).
- Select any surrounding Russian paratrooper or 2nd Stage Partisan which, if eliminated, will clear the targeted hex of all Russian units and Russian ZOCs. In other words, the potential breakout hex may not have overlapping ZOCs from other Russian units.
- If not already, move the stack adjacent to the Russian unit. If this movement is into another Russian ZOC hex, apply an additional single step loss to the stack.
- Only the Armor unit attacks the Russian unit at half Attack Factor (Fractions rounded up). The accompanying infantry does not contribute to this attack.
- Note: If the Axis Breakout attack fails, all units attempting the Breakout are eliminated.
The removal of these enemy units from this hex must open a hole. If the hex is cleared and a path free of enemy ZOCs is opened, the Breakout succeeds. The Axis player now retreats the armor unit as if it were not surrounded. If the attack fails to clear the paratrooper's hex, all surrounded units are immediately eliminated and removed from the board.
If the armor attack is successful, the infantry units (left behind to perform a rear guard action) roll on the CRT at fixed 1:3 odds. After the attack results are applied, any surviving infantry units are also retreated by the Russian player through the hole created by the armor unit.
Example: A stack of Axis units consisting of two 5-4 infantry units and one German 9-8 armor unit is surrounded and attacked following a paratrooper drop. The CRT calls for a D1 result. If the stack consisted only of infantry, they would all be eliminated. But since the stack contains an armor unit, a Breakout attempt may be made. The units ignore the normal retreat procedure and announce a Breakout attempt.
A3.0 Defensive Use of Air
Both Stuka and Shturmovik Air units may be used defensively in a turn.
A3.01 Players may hold Air units in reserve to be used defensively during an enemy player's turn attacks. For every 2 Stukas or 1 Shturmovik air unit flown to provide defensive air support, shift the odds column of the attack 1 left on the CRT. Defensive air support is declared after all attacking air support has been declared for a battle.
A3.02 At the end of his player turn, each player must announce any unused Air units that will be held over for the defense. For the Axis player, these units carry over to the Russian player portion of the turn. For the Russian player, they carry over to the next turn.
Example: The German player attacks a stack of Russian units at 3:1 odds. Before rolling the die, the Russian player announces that he will use a Shturmovik carried over from the previous turn for defensive ground support, thereby reducing the combat odds to 2:1.
A3.03 Regardless of having a carry over from the previous turn, the Russian may use his full complement of Shturmoviks available at the start of the friendly portion of the current turn. Using a carry over ground support unit for the Russian player does not reduce the number of ground support he has available normally. Carry overs not used during the opposing player's impulse are lost at the beginning of the next friendly player's impulse.
A3.04 In order for the bomber to carry over, it must have been available for use in the turn and not used. In Clear weather, 1941, all 9 units are available. If 6 are used and 3 are not, the 3 could be carried over for defense during the Russian Player turn. In a Lt Mud weather situation, it is the reduced amount of bombers that make up the Stukas that can be used and carried over. The units that could not fly due to weather restrictions do not count and cannot be carried over. If the Impulse's weather is snow, all carryovers are lost.
A4.0 Historical Weather
A4.01 Players may elect to use historical weather instead of rolling for variable weather each turn.
A4.02 The following chart outlines the fixed weather to be used for each month in lieu of rolling the die. All May/June (except 1944) and July/August turns are Clear/Clear. All January/February turns are Snow/Snow.
A5.0 Frozen Lakes and Rivers
A5.01 On any impulse that has a Snow weather result, lakes and rivers north of hex row 0521 to 1914 to 1901 are considered frozen.
A5.02 Frozen lakes are treated as clear terrain. Units on a frozen lake may attack and be attacked. Stacking on a frozen lake is limited to two unit counters.
A5.03 At the beginning of a German impulse in which units are on a full frozen lake hex when the weather changes to a non-snow impulse; each such unit will lose one step and must perform a retreat of up to 2 hexes by the owning player. If the retreat path enters an opposing units ZOC, the unit is eliminated. Axis player performs this first.
A5.04 Rivers are treated as clear terrain. No additional MP cost is imparted to cross this terrain feature. Defense benefits remain unchanged.
A6.0 Russian War Economy
Improved Russian Training Methods: The Russians take their time with training and send units to the front when they are ready instead of throwing green units into the fray where their inexperience gets them killed.
A6.01 The Russian player, as a result of this better preparedness, may save up to 5 WEC and 4 Oil points from one turn to the next.
A7.0 Siberian Troops
During the Battle of Moscow, Zhukov unleashed fresh troops from Siberia when he felt the German attack had run its course. The subsequent battles almost spelled the end of Army Group Center and the Eastern Campaign as the well-equipped Siberian troops, accustomed to harsh winter conditions, pushed the Germans back from the Soviet capital.
A7.01 To simulate the impact of the Siberian troop's arrival, allow the Russian player to choose any 3 attacks per turn that are within 5 hexes of Moscow to use a +1 DRM (when attacking) or a -1 DRM (when defending).
A7.02 Apply these modifiers during the November/December 1941 and January/February 1942 turns, regardless of weather.
A8.0 Vlassov's Army
Prior to his capture by the Germans in 1942, Vlassov was one of Stalin's favorite Generals. Ambitious and intelligent, his star was on the rise in the Red Army hierarchy. Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union for his defense of Moscow in 1941 while in command of the 20th Army, it was inconceivable at this time that Vlassov would turn against his former master.
During the fateful summer campaign of 1942, Vlassov was in command of the 2nd Shock Army on the Volkhov front, pitted in a bitter contest against the 16th Army. Surrounded and disenchanted with the mismanagement of his army and with his superiors, Vlassov went into German captivity. Impressed with the treatment given him by his captor, General Lindemann, Vlassov soon lent his name to anti-Soviet propaganda.
Starting with the May/June 1942 turn, treatment of Russian prisoners of war, as well as public mistreatment of civilians, is altered. The Germans begin actively recruiting Russians into the new volunteer army lead by Vlassov.
A8.01 There are 4 RLA counters available in the game which are marked with a red star in the center of their unit type symbol and noted with unit ID numbers ranging from 1 to 4. No more than 4 RLA counters may ever be in play using this option.
A8.02 Beginning on the May/June 1942 turn, the Axis player should keep track of all the surrendered Russian units from that turn onwards. For every 25 factors of surrendered Russian units, the Axis player may bring onto the board one Russian Liberation Army (RLA) unit any time after the July/Aug 1942 turn. Surrendered WEC units do not count towards this total. The 25 factors of surrendered Russian units may only be used once in a game for creating 1 RLA unit. Once used, they are put aside and cannot be counted again.
A8.03 RLA units enter the game in the same manner as Axis reinforcements.
A8.04 With the start of the January/February 1945 turn, the German player may not build any more RLA units. Units on the board remain in play until they are eliminated.
A8.05 RLA units destroyed in combat can be rebuilt (even if surrendered), but other uncounted surrendered Russian units must be used. As long as there are new surrendered units that add up to 25 factors, the RLA units may be rebuilt and used in play.
A9.0 German Paratroops
German Paratroops losses sustained during the assault on Crete do not deter Hitler from rebuilding the Fallschirmjager Corps. Surviving veterans create the nucleus of a newly rebuilt paratrooper corps deployed to the Eastern Front.
A9.01 At the start of the Axis September/October 1941 turn, the 11th Paratrooper Corps is available for deployment. It may be brought onto the board as a regular reinforcement and used as a normal infantry unit, or it may remain off board to be used in an airdrop.
A9.02 German paratroopers may be dropped within 9 hexes of a friendly airfield counter in either impulse and not directly into a swamp, forest, major city, mountain hex, or an enemy ZOC.
A9.03 German paratrooper units may drop only during a Clear weather impulse.
A9.04 Each German paratrooper unit may only be air dropped once per game between September/October 1941 through March/April 1943. Only one paradrop is allowed per turn, and only during a clear weather impulse.
A9.05 If eliminated, they are permanently removed from the game.
A9.06 Treat German paratroopers as regular German Infantry corps for all other purposes including stacking with the following exception: German Paratroopers only have a ZOC in the hex they occupy on the impulse that they land. The following impulse, they have a normal ZOC.
A9.07 In May 1942, before any Axis movement, the 2nd Paratroop Corps may be brought into play by removing a German 4-5 infantry corps from the board (this could be a just rebuilt unit). The 2nd Paratrooper unit may enter as a normal reinforcement or be held off-board to be available for air-drop later in the game.
A9.08 If rule A2.0 is in use, Russian Guards armor armies and Shock armies may attempt a breakout attack to allow a retreat through a hex occupied by a German paratrooper.
A10.0 Escalated Spanish Involvement
Franco, a limited ally of Germany, pledges more support for the fight against Communism. Spain steps up propaganda and increases the number of men sent to the Eastern Front to a full infantry corps.
A10.01 The Spanish unit enters as a reinforcement on the first impulse of the May/June 1942 turn.
A10.02 If eliminated, the unit can never be rebuilt.
A11.0 The Battle of the Bulge - East
For months during 1944 OKW has been secretly building up new forces that they hope will deliver a knockout punch to one of the major Allied powers. Initially planned to strike the Western allies, Hitler looks East with his new secret force.
A11.01 These units come onto the board on the 1st Impulse of the September/October 1944 turn as reinforcements.
A11.02 Also add two Stuka air units with their airfields and place them on any Axis-controlled city on the map, one per city. Once placed, the Stukas are immediately available to participate in combat. From September 1944 to March 1945, these two Stuka units are above and beyond what is rolled for on the Bomber Availability Table and each can be used once a turn. One of these can be used during a Snow Impulse. In April 1945, they come under the normal Bomber Availability rules.
A11.03 When using this option, the Immediate Russian Victory Chart (See rule 27.2) has the Axis player's victory city count requirement for 1944 increased by one.
A12.0 German North Africa
The North African campaign was more successful than historically. Suez was captured, and rather than continuing on to the Middle East, the victorious Axis armies are transferred to Russia.
A12.01 These African Units will enter as reinforcements on the first impulse of the September/October 1942 turn.
A12.02 When using this optional rule, increase all Immediate Russian Victory Chart (See rule 27.2) Axis Victory City objectives by 1 for the rest of the game.
A12.03 The African Italian units may never be rebuilt once eliminated from play.
A12.03 [sic — printed as a second A12.03 in the source] The DAK is permanently withdrawn from play at the beginning of the 2nd Impulse of the May/June 1944 turn.
A13.0 Aid for the Axis Partners
At the end of 1941, Hitler and OKW view the results of the war against Russia. In a gesture of good will to his minor allies, and with an eye for propaganda gains with potential new allies, Hitler supplies tanks captured from the Russians to his minor allied partners.
A13.01 Both units enter the game on the first impulse of the May/June 1942 turn.
A13.02 When destroyed, these units may be rebuilt using German armor replacement points.
A13.03 These units which are still in play at the end of the September/October 1944 turn are permanently removed from the game unless the Axis still controls 6 or more Victory cities. At the beginning of any future turn, if the number of controlled cities falls below 6, the units are removed permanently.
A14.0 French Foreign Legion
The Germans behave benevolently during their two years of occupation of France. A moderately improving French economy coupled with heavy German propaganda wins many sympathizers to the German cause. As a result, when the call is made for volunteers to fight communism and defend France and Europe from the Bolshevik hordes, a new French infantry corps is raised.
A14.01 The FFL unit enters play as a reinforcement on the first impulse of the May/June 1942 turn.
A14.02 If the FFL unit is eliminated, it may be rebuilt by using German infantry replacement points.
A14.03 The FFL unit remains in play and may be rebuilt normally until May/June 1944 turn. If eliminated on or after this turn, it is permanently removed from play.
A15.0 Increased Russian Aircraft Production
Stalin listens to his advisors and begins stepping up aircraft production as insurance against possible Nazi aggression. More fighters and bomber factories are built and increased production numbers are felt at the beginning of the Russian September/October 1943 turn.
A15.01 Increase the odds column shift to 3 for each IL-2 counter until the end of the game.
A15.02 If using this rule, only one Shturmovik may be added to an attack during clear weather.
A16.0 Moderated Soviet Purges
Stalin is more conservative with his great purges of Soviet military leaders. As a result, Soviet military organization, training, doctrine and morale are much improved. The impact on the Russian war machine is as follows:
A16.01 All Russian Guards Tank Armies arrive at full combat strength and have no restrictions placed on how or when they may be rebuilt after suffering combat losses.
A17.0 Shock Armies
Historically, Shock Armies were paper tigers early in the war, having more punch to their name than warranted by their performance on the battlefield. To better reflect the true nature and intention of a Shock Army, more control over their composition is given to the Russian player during the early course of play. The following changes apply:
A17.01 The Russian player ignores the time restrictions on the Russian OB card and may build Shock Armies up to 8 combat factors size in 1941 and 1942. The Oil point build cost for these units in 1941 and 1942 is 2 points.
A17.02 In 1943, the Russian player is free to build any size Shock Army he sees fit. The Oil point build cost for these units beginning in 1943 through to the end of the game is 3 points.
A18.0 Operation Barbarossa - The Generals' War
Both Hitler and Stalin rely heavily on the advice of their military advisors. Both players are free to alter their setups to reflect their own strategies and objectives for the war. The impact on the start of the campaign game is as follows:
A18.01 The Russian player is free to set up all his units as he sees fit as long as the restrictions listed below are met. All the military districts must have units in them. The units placed in the Military Districts are all from the At Start units listed on their OB card. Russian Player:
- WEC units set up as per the Russian OB card.
The players must follow the following procedure for hidden setup:
- The Russian player allocates his Military District forces as guided by rule A18.01, keeping his units hidden from the Axis player by covering them with an AV or Blitz counter to hide their identity in the districts they are assigned to. Russian setup ranges by Military District: Leningrad 2-3 units; Baltic 2-6 units; Western 4-11 units; Kiev 5-11 units; Odessa 3-5 units. Minimum City Garrisons: Moscow (Stalin, Stavka + 1 unit of any kind), Leningrad (1 unit of any kind), Kiev (1 unit of any type), Riga (1 unit of any type), Odessa (1 unit of any type), Minsk (1 unit of any type). All other combat units are free to deploy anywhere in Russia at the Russian player's discretion as long as the minimum requirements for setup above have been met.
A18.02 The Axis player is free to mix and match his units any way he sees fit to form his 3 Army Groups and German units assigned to garrison Rumania, with the following restrictions:
- Finnish units: set up as per the German OB card.
- Rumanian Units: set up as per the German OB card.
- Army Group North: 6-10 units. Must attack the Baltic Military District.
- Army Group Center: 10-20 units. Must attack the Western Military District.
- Army Group South: 7-15 units. Must attack the Kiev Military District.
- German units stationed in Rumania: 2-6 units. German and Rumanian units must attack the Odessa Military District and/or the Kiev Military District. No Armor units can be deployed to Rumania.
A18.03 Setup Procedure: Prior to beginning the game, both players secretly allocate their forces. The players must follow the following procedure:
- The Russian player allocates his Military District forces as guided by rule A18.01, keeping his units hidden from the Axis player by covering them with an AV or Blitz counter to hide their identity in the districts they are assigned to.
- The Axis player designates a number of stacks of units as guided by the list below (Leningrad Military District: no more than 2; Baltic Military District: no more than 2; Western Military District: no more than 5; Kiev Military District: no more than 5; Odessa Military District: no more than 3). The Russian player reveals these units and must place them within the military district they were allocated such that the German player can attack them on the first impulse. All units that are revealed by the Russian player to the Axis player must be set up in their designated Military District front line such that the Axis player may, at his discretion, attack these units in the first impulse of his first turn in the game.
- Once the revealed units have been deployed, the Russian player places the balance of the un-revealed units into their allocated Military District, keeping in mind the restriction of point 2 above. These units are kept unrevealed.
- The Axis player places his units (organized into Army Groups) in piles opposite the Russian player's military districts. The Russian player may not examine the Axis unit values, but may count how many units are in each Army Group.
- The Russian player then completes his setup by placing his remaining units on the map, but does not yet reveal any unit that is still covered by a blank counter and not located in a military district or city garrison. All units in Russian Military Districts are now revealed.
- The Axis player reveals his units in a careful fashion. It is strongly suggested he reveal his units one army group at a time and complete his movement against the military district they are required to attack (See rule 24.1) before proceeding to the next army group. Once moved, their move may not be changed.
A18.04 At the end of the first Axis turn, all Russian units are revealed and play proceeds normally. In the event that an unrevealed unit comes into contact with an Axis unit, it is immediately revealed. Note: Military District Attack Restrictions apply. (see rule 24.1)
A19.0 Multiple Impulse Replacements
Players are free to save replacement point expenditures in the First Impulse, to be used at the start of the second impulse to build up depleted or eliminated units. Regular restrictions apply to how these points are applied. Eliminated units that are brought back into play receive free rail to come back onto the board.
A20.0 Berlin Garrison
Beginning with the January 1943 impulse, Berlin has an intrinsic garrison that is placed on the board the instant a Soviet counter moves to within 4 hexes of the city.
A20.01 The Axis player simply asks the Soviet player to hold his movement momentarily while he places the Berlin Garrison unit in the city.
A20.02 The Berlin Garrison counter has a ZOC only in the hex it occupies.
A20.03 Once placed on the board, it may remain on the board until eliminated. If eliminated, it can not be rebuilt. The Axis player can at any time after May/June 1944 remove the Berlin Garrison unit from on the board and increase his Infantry replacement points by the current strength of the Garrison.
A20.04 The garrison counter stacks for free in Berlin. If moved outside of Berlin, treat the unit as a Corps sized unit.
A20.05 The Berlin Garrison counter is not available to be brought onto the board after the Sept/Oct 1944 turn.
A21.0 Vanity Field Marshal and Optional Dictator Counters
A21.01 You may use the Lupinacci +1 Field Marshal counter (or any other Vanity Counter, for that matter) in place of any one of the other Leaders.
A21.02 You may also use the Lupinacci counter as a balance aid by adding it freely into your opponent's counter mix. The German Lupinacci counter enters at the start of the game. The Russian Lupinacci counter enters at the start of the July/August 1941 turn and is available for Russian defensive use during the Axis player's turn.
A21.03 The +2 Lupinacci can be used as a play balance counter. It may be added similar to the +1 counter but only use one or the other. Mutually agree on how it is to be used and when it enters play.
A21.04 An additional pair of Dictator counters was included with National flags. They may be substituted for the standard Dictator counters at the owning player's discretion. Mutual agreement is not necessary for friendly player, non-tournament use.
A22.0 Rail Movement
A22.1 Rail Movement into a ZOC
Players can rail move a unit into an enemy ZOC if the following conditions apply:
- There is a friendly unit in the destination hex that projects a ZOC into adjacent hexes.
- This friendly unit may not move at all that impulse and may not participate in an AV attack.
The friendly unit in the hex is covering the front and screening the unit which is arriving by rail.
A22.2 Immediate Rail Movement
The Axis player can immediately use rail movement through the hex that was occupied by a Partisan unit after it is removed from the board. The unit removing the Partisan may not be moving by rail.
A23.0 Retreat Confusion
Apply an additional +1 DRM to a combat if a friendly hex, which is being attacked, has had friendly units retreat through or into it during this combat impulse.
A24.0 Invasion: River Crossing Rule
Axis preparedness in the opening stages of the invasion allow the Axis player to cross rivers at no additional movement cost for the first two turns of the game: May/June 1941 through July/August 1941. All river combat effects remain the same including the Special First Turn rules.
A25.0 River Defense
The -1 DRM for all units attacking across a river hexside is negated if a friendly unit has advanced adjacent to the defending stack on its side of the river. (The defenders having to divert resources to the flank).
A26.0 Historical German Air Deployment
A26.1 Set Up
The German Luftflotten were assigned to support specific Army Groups in June 1941.
- Stukas 1 and 2 set up in the AGN sector (Konigsberg) and may only support attacks versus the Baltic MD during the First Impulse.
- Stukas 3, 4, 5, and 6 set up in the AGC sector (Warsaw) and may only support attacks versus the Western MD during the First Impulse.
- Stukas 7 and 8 set up in the AGS sector (use Lodz since the map has no cities in the AGS setup zone) and may only support attacks versus the Kiev MD during the 1st impulse.
- Stuka 9 sets up in Rumania (Bucharest) and may only support an attack versus the Kiev MD or the Odessa MD during the 1st impulse.
Stukas saved for the 2nd impulse may support attacks anywhere. Only AGN Stukas may stage to Finland on the 1st impulse. Only AGS Stukas may stage into Rumania on the 1st impulse.
A27.0 Weather Die Roll Modifiers
Weather rolls have a major impact on Russia Besieged games. This optional rule is presented to minimize the likelihood of weather rolls going heavily one way or the other the first two years. The first three weather rolls are especially important.
Players keep track of a cumulative weather DRM. The weather DRM begins the game at 0. The result of each weather roll will result in a DRM being applied to future weather rolls. For example, if the Axis get good weather in September/October, then there is an increased chance of poor weather in November/December.
Examples:
- If the weather in September/October was Clear/Clear, the November/December weather roll would be modified by +1.
- If the September/October weather was Clear/Clear and the November/December weather was Snow/Snow, then the March/April weather roll would be modified by -1.
The chart of modifiers by prior-turn weather result includes, among others: September/October Clear/Clear give a +1 modifier to November/December, Clear/Lt Mud gives 0, Clear/Mud gives -1; for November/December, Lt Mud/Mud gives +2, Mud/Mud gives +1, Lt Mud/Snow gives 0, Mud/Snow gives -1, Snow/Snow gives -2; for March/April, Lt Mud/Clear gives +2, Lt Mud/Lt Mud gives +1, Mud/Lt Mud gives 0, Mud/Mud gives 0, Snow/Lt Mud gives -1, Snow/Mud gives -2; for May/June, Clear/Clear gives 0, Lt Mud/Clear gives -1 (chart continues on the Player Aid card).
A27.01 At the beginning of the July/August 1943 turn, reset the weather DRM to 0.
Note: If players like, they can also apply the weather DRM to the Russian WEC RP total. Example: If the current weather DRM is +1, the Russian player receives one extra infantry RP.
A28.0 Volkssturm
By the beginning of March 1945, Nazi Germany was a bankrupt state by every account. The outcome of the war had been decided long before, but through fear and sense of duty, the average German fought on to the bitter end, regardless of age or circumstance. In Berlin, as the curtain was about to fall, the Leaders of the Third Reich, out of touch with reality and grasping at straws to hang on to power for no other reason than to stay in command one more day, scraped the bottom of the barrel and sent to the front lines formations made up of the old and the young, The Volkssturm. Underarmed, untrained and issued no uniforms, many of these formations simply melted away in the night. In many cases however, they gave as much as they received.
A28.01 Beginning with the Axis March 1945 impulse, the Volkssturm unit is placed in Berlin or in any other German major city that has Hitler in it. If Hitler is not in Berlin and not in a major German city, the unit does not come into play.
A28.02 Once placed it acts like any other infantry unit except for the following special restrictions:
- it has no stacking value
- it is worth only one step
- it cannot retreat, when called for by the CRT
- it is the first step loss taken, if called for by the CRT
- the Volkssturm unit may not move.
A29.0 2nd Impulse Movement
Friendly units which begin the Second Impulse in the ZOC of an enemy unit may move during the Second Impulse if all of the enemy's ZOCs affecting the friendly unit are exerted across a river hexside.
The friendly unit may not move directly from one ZOC into another. It may however, end its movement in an enemy ZOC.
Errata
Counter Errata: The Italian 4th Corps should be a mountain unit. Players can add the small triangle to their unit symbol to indicate this.
Designer's Notes
Russia Besieged, as a game, had been developing in the designer's head for over 25 years. The design and graphics work went into three years in the making.
In the initial design stages, one of the more interesting challenges was how to adequately reflect the impact of the Russian economy on the game. Oil was the single biggest Achilles heel of the Russian War economy. Well over 75% of Russian oil came from one region, very vulnerable to attack and destruction. Russian manufacturing was split into two parts: Oil production and "everything else." Oil primarily fuels armor manufacturing in the game; without oil you cannot drive the tanks you build. The most powerful offensive formations in the game are the tank armies, and with the loss of the oil fields, the Russian player has a limited amount of time and resources to gain back the Caucasus region or suffer a slow and steady defeat by attrition.
The factory units in the game reflect a number of aspects of the Russian economy including manufacturing and civilian populations. Reducing the number of factories reduces the ability to rebuild depleted units. Although the German juggernaut is very powerful at the start and it can wreak havoc at will, it is not without its limitations and vulnerabilities and is quite fragile in the first winter of the war.
As the German player penetrates into Russia, the density of German units to space decreases as space increases. When the German gets beyond Rostov, the actual front line and the area the invading forces have to cover more than doubles by the time they reach Baku. This means the effectiveness of German units to attack across the entire front is virtually taken away — a simple enough design feature that required no rules and yet provides a heavy historical feel to the game.
Wargames do not typically reflect the inability of armies to attack everywhere and all the time. In Russia Besieged, depending on the strategy employed, there can and will be static fronts which remain quiet, while both players simply focus on the critical regions elsewhere. Unfortunately for the German player, time is not his friend, by any stretch of the imagination, in this game.
The Russian player starts off poorly and sees his army disintegrate before his eyes, but is not a push over. With reinforcements, the Russian player very quickly recovers. The German player, from the start, is under the gun to not only eliminate as many Russian units as possible, but to also focus on deep penetrations into Russia without delay. The combat system reflects two objectives in making an attack. The first, reflected by the Combat Results Table, depicts attacks which focus on destroying units and taking the objective head on. The second is the Blitzkrieg Attack Table, designed to allow an attacking player to hit the enemy and inflict losses, but more importantly, focused on obtaining results which produced advances enabling penetrations behind the enemy lines and thus cutting them off while gaining new territory.
This was coupled with a much more flexible airpower system that can be used in both impulses of the turn. The net result is a much more dangerous attack and threat of encirclement opportunity in the hands of masterful players.
One challenge was how to handle airpower without adding layers of complicated rules — a corps level game does not need that level of sophistication. Fighter combat was eliminated, as the war on the eastern front almost followed a well written script: air superiority starts off with the Germans, giving them the ability to almost strike at will across the map; as time progresses this ability is eroded as the Russian player brings in better trained pilots, better planes and in greater quantities. This was reflected by reducing bomber power on one side and increasing it on the other over time.
A layer of complexity was added to the use of bombers by adding a matching air base counter, reflecting not just physical airfields but ground crews, fuel, repair facilities and runway maintenance equipment. Players can fly long range missions and land in city hexes but cannot fly again on the next impulse until their air base's crew stages to the new location — the planes can't fly without bombs and fuel. Bombers can also perform a mission in either impulse of the game, but not both — a low complexity system with lots of flexibility and flavor.
One key feature was step reduction due to combat: most combat units in the game take two step losses to be eliminated. When stacked together with other units, the defender gains a little staying power, and the game indirectly simulates the wearing down of armies much like real combat. The longer an army attacks, the greater the chance that it becomes a more brittle army consisting of units with only one step left and not enough replacement points remaining to rebuild them.
The overall design of Russia Besieged loosely models the game on "The Russian Campaign," designed by John Edwards, whose elegant design features simply could not be ignored.
The 2nd Edition rewrite brought a number of changes, most notably rule changes for the opening turn of the war, allowing players to experience the total unpreparedness of the Russian Army and the complete surprise of the Nazi attack, and the return of the capability to rail in each impulse.
Terrain Effects Chart
| Terrain | Effect on Movement | Effect on Combat |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | Costs each unit 1 movement point to enter. | No Effect. |
| Forest | Costs Infantry, Paratroopers and Mountain units 1 movement point to enter. All other units pay 2 movement points to enter. | -1 to the Die Roll. Units do not retreat out due to Combat results (See 10.34). |
| Rail Line | See Rail Movement Rule 7.0 | No Effect. |
| Coast or Lake Border | Movement across a full black coast line is prohibited. The only exceptions are the Kerch Straits and the Leningrad Ice Road. See Rules 6.2, 6.3 and 8.0 | Combat not allowed. ZOC does not extend across a black coast line. |
| National Border | No effect other than you cannot move into some countries (e.g. Turkey or Persia). See rules 24.2, 24.3 and 25.0. | (none) |
| Russian Military Districts | Denotes boundaries for Russian unit set up at the start of the game. | Attack restriction applies to Axis units on the May/June 1941 turn. See Rules 23.0 and 24.0. |
| Port | Units may use Sea Transport to enter or exit any port hex. See Rule 8.0. | Apply modifiers as per other terrain in the hex. |
| Kerch Straits | Dotted line denotes special movement across sea hex. All units pay 1 additional movement point to cross; units stop on first hex entered. See Rule 6.2 | ZOC does not extend across. Combat is allowed across the straits. Treat as a River. |
| Major City (name in caps) | Costs are the same as clear terrain. 1 Movement point to enter by all units. Negates the cost of crossing adjacent rivers. | -1 to the Die Roll. Defender doubled on defense. No forced retreat; surviving units may remain at a cost of 1 step. Not forced to attack adjacent units. |
| Minor City (name in lower case) | Treated as the terrain in the hex it occupies. Exception: may contain airbases and/or bomber units. | Apply modifiers only according to the other terrain the city is in. On clear terrain, no effect. |
| Swamp | Costs 2 Movement Points to enter with these exceptions: costs Cavalry 3 movement points to enter; costs Armor type units 4 movement points to enter. Treat as clear terrain during SNOW turns. | -1 to the Die Roll. See Rule 10.35 for Special Winter Rule on northern swamps. |
| Mountain | Costs 2 Movement Points to enter with these exceptions: costs Armor & Cavalry Units 3 movement points to enter; costs Mountain Units 1 movement point to enter. |