Copyright © Decision Games 2009.
[HexWar Edition] Some numbered rule sequences may appear to be missing from the rules below but as these rules do not apply to the computer version of the game e.g. how to join up the printed maps, they have been removed.
1.1 Drive on Moscow (DoM for short) is a two-player, low-to-intermediate complexity, strategic-level simulation of the final German attempt to capture the capital city of the Soviet Union late in 1941. The German player is generally on the offensive, attempting to win the game by isolating or capturing the city of Moscow, or by seizing all the other key cities on map. The Soviet player is primarily on the defensive, but the situation sometimes also requires that he prosecute counterattacks.
Game play encompasses the period that began with the Germans launching their offensive on 1 October 1941, and ends on 7 December of the same year. By that time it had become clear the invaders had shot their bolt without achieving their objective. Play may end sooner than the historic termination time if either player concedes defeat prior to the official end of a game.
1.2 Game Scales
Each hexagon on the map represents 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) from side to opposite side. The units of maneuver for both sides are primarily divisions, along with some brigades and one super-elite regiment. The effects of the general air superiority enjoyed by the Germans throughout much of the campaign are built into the game's movement and combat rules. Each game turn represents a week.
2.1 The components to a complete game of DoM include these rules, the mapsheet and 352 'unit counters'.
2.2 The game maps illustrate the militarily significant terrain found around the city of Moscow late in 1941 when viewed at these time and space scales. A hexagonal ('hex') grid is printed over the maps to regulate the placement and movement of units across it, much like in Chess and Checkers. A unit is considered to be in only one hex at any one time.
Each hex contains natural and/or manmade terrain and/or water features that can affect the movement of units and combat between units. The various terrains and water features on the map have had their exact real-world configurations altered slightly in order to make them coincide with the hex-grid, but the relationships among the terrains and water bodies from hex to hex are accurate to the degree necessary to present players with the same space/time dilemmas faced by their historic counterparts during the real campaign. Note also every hex on the map has a unique four-digit identification number shown to the bottom left of the display.
2.4 Counters
There are 352 unit-counters in the game, most of which represent combat formations.
2.5 Sample Combat Unit
Each combat unit-counter displays several pieces of information: nationality (and therefore its 'side'), specific historic identification, unit type and size, combat and step strengths, and reinforcement or other special status.
2.6 Nationality
A unit's nationality and its 'mobility category' (see below, 2.9), is shown by its color scheme.
German Side German Mechanized Units - Grey background German Non-Mechanized Units - Grey background
Soviet Side Guards Mechanized – red background Guards Non-Mechanized Units:biege background Regular (Non-Guards) Mechanized Units: red background Regular (Non-Guards) Non-Mechanized Units: biege background
2.7 Historical Identification
All units are given, to the right of their unit-type boxes, their specific identification through the use of numbers or abbreviations of their historic designations. Those abbreviations are as follows.
2.8 Unit Sizes
Historical organizational sizes are shown by the following symbols: XX – division; X – brigade; III – regiment; KG – Kampfgruppe (battlegroup of a burned out German mechanized-class division).
2.9 Unit Types
All ground units in the game belong to two basic mobility categories: mechanized ('mech') or non-mechanized ('non-mech'). Mechanized units are those whose primary means of moving across the battlefield is by wheeled or tracked vehicles or horses. Non-mechanized units are those whose primary means of locomotion is provided by human legs. That distinction is important for movement and combat considerations. In the list of unit types below, if the explanation for a symbol contains a slash (/), the term in front of the slash is used to describe German units of that type and the term to the right of the slash is used to describe Soviet units of that type.
Mechanized Unit Types
Non-Mechanized Unit Types Infantry/Rifle
2.10 Combat Factors
Attack and defense factors, together called 'combat factors,' are the measures of each unit's ability to conduct offensive and defensive combat operations. Their specific uses are explained in sections 10.0 and 11.0.
2.11 Movement Factors (MF) are the measure of a unit's ability to travel across the hex grid printed over the map. Units pay one MF to enter a hex, while crossing a river hexside costs an extra MF. Note that in this game, unlike in many others, units' movement factors are not printed on the counters. They're presented that way because movement factors vary greatly from turn to turn depending on the ground condition.
All movement factors, based on mobility category (see 2.9 above) are given on the Turn Record Track in a two-number format following the abbreviation 'MF'. The first number is the movement factor that game turn for both sides' mechanized-class units; the second number is the movement factor that game turn for both sides' non-mechanized units. For example, on Game Turn 1 all mechanized-class units of both sides have movement factors of '10,' while all non-mechanized units of both sides have movement factors of '6'. Note, on the Soviet side, Guards and non-Guards units of the same mobility class have the same MF.
2.12 Step Strength
All ground units in the game have one or two 'strength steps,' or simply 'steps'. That's an arbitrary term used to express the ability of a unit to absorb a certain amount of combat losses before ceasing to be an effective formation (a measure of its 'robustness' in current US Army jargon). Those units with combat factors on only one side of their counter are 'one-step' units; those with combat factors on both sides of their counter are 'two-step' units. All two-step units that start play set up on the map do so at their full step strength. All two-step units that enter the map as reinforcements after play has begun do so at their full strength.
If a two-step unit suffers a one-step loss, it cganges to its reduced side (the one with the lower combat factors) shows. If a one-step unit, or a two-stepper that's already been 'reduced,' suffers a step loss, it's removed from the map ('eliminated') and placed into the 'dead pile'. For more details, see section 10.0.
2.14 Soviet Untried Units
All Soviet non-Guards units in the game lack numbers on deployment and entry into the game. Thus neither player will at first know exactly what their strength is, only their mobility class and type. Such units are said to be 'untried,' and do not reveal their exact combat strengths until the first time they enter battle as either attackers or defenders. Once revealed, untried units are permanently converted to 'veteran' status, and are never again return back to their numberless values as long as they remain in play.
3.2 Reinforcement & Starting Units
Units that enter play after the game has begun, rather than starting play already set up on the map, are called 'reinforcements'.
For example, during Game Turn 1, the Soviet player will receive seven rifle divisions, four rifle brigades, two cavalry divisions and a tank brigade as reinforcements, all of them non-Guards and entering play in their untried state.
Also note that if you examine all five untried Soviet motorized rifle divisions in the game, you'll find one of them, when revealed to its veteran side, is actually a tank division. Since there was only one of them in action here historically, to preserve the overall working of the untried unit system, we simply mixed in that one tank division with the motorized rifle divisions.
3.3 Soviet Reserve Front Set Up
[HexWar Edition] The game begins with a suggested deployment for these units. Click any such unit and alternate deployment hexes will be displayed. Click a highlighted alternated hex to redeploy the unit to that hex. Note: Clicking a unit rather than the hex image in an already occupied hex will result in the unit clicked being selected for redeployment.
Note that all Soviet Guards units of all types have two strength steps, and they are set up with their full, two-step, combat strengths upward and known to both players.
3.4 Soviet Forward Zone Set Up
[HexWar Edition] The game begins with a suggested deployment for these units. Click any such unit and alternate deployment hexes will be displayed. Click a highlighted alternated hex to redeploy the unit to that hex. Note: Clicking a unit rather than the hex image in an already occupied hex will result in the unit clicked being selected for redeployment.
Note that all Soviet Guards units of all types have two strength steps, and they are set up with their full, two-step, combat strengths upward and known to both players.
Soviet Forward Zone units may be set up within normal stacking limits (see section 6.0), but every hex of the front line must have at least one rifle division set up in it. Beyond that stricture, the Soviet player is free to set up his Forward Zone units anywhere inside that area of the map. [HexWar Edition] These units start deployed and cannot be redeployed.
Design Note. Both Soviet front boundaries permanently lose all significance as soon as set up is completed and play actually begins (exception: see 4.5).
3.7 German-Side Set Up
[HexWar Edition] The game begins with a suggested deployment for these units. Click any such unit and alternate deployment hexes will be displayed. Click a highlighted alternated hex to redeploy the unit to that hex. Note: Clicking a unit rather than the hex image in an already occupied hex will result in the unit clicked being selected for redeployment.
3.8 Hex Control
In this game the idea of 'hex control' - which side 'owns' which hexes at any given instant - is important for victory reckoning purposes (see section 4.0). At the start of play, the German player controls all hexes west of the initial front line, while the Soviet player controls all hexes east of that line. The control status of a hex switches from one side to the other whenever a ground unit from the other side enters it. Control switching is immediate and may occur and reoccur in the same hexes any number of times during play. Don't confuse the idea of 'hex control,' presented above, with the idea of 'zones of control,' which is presented in section 7.0. [HexWar Edition] Select control on the menu bar to display the who controls which hexes.
4.1 The German player is generally on the offensive, trying to win the game by driving as fast as possible into the Soviet controlled portion of the map, there to capture Moscow and/or other key cities. If by early December he has managed to go significantly farther than occurred historically, he will be judged the winner of the game. The Soviet player generally wins by preventing his opponent from doing so; though an 'offensive solution' is also available to the Red Army commander (see 4.5 below). No drawn games are possible.
4.2 German Sudden Death Victory Via Moscow Entry Play stops, and the German player is declared to have won the game, the instant either hex of Moscow comes under his side's control. Note that doesn't necessarily mean the Soviet Union would thereby be fully defeated in the war. Victory in the game is awarded to the German player under this circumstance simply because, by actually succeeding in entering the city, he has thereby so out-performed both his opponent and his historic counterparts that he deserves to win in the competitive-comparative sense.
4.3 German Sudden Death Victory Via Isolating Moscow Play stops, and the German player is declared to have won the game, at the end of any phase that a supply line can no longer be traced from both hexes of Moscow to any one or more of the Soviet supply source hexes on the north or east map edges. (Both hexes may use the same or different tracing in order to complete a supply line. For more details on supply line tracing, see section 8.0.) Note this tracing has nothing to do with the fact the Moscow hexes themselves are supply sources for Soviet units inside them (see 8.3). Make the victory-check trace as if the Moscow hexes were themselves units needing supply from a board edge. Also note, by way of clarification, that both Moscow hexes must be cut off – together and simultaneously – in order for this victory condition to apply.
Note this accomplishment wouldn't necessarily mean the Soviet Union would thereby be fully defeated in the war. Victory in the game is awarded to the German player under this circumstance simply because, by isolating the city, he has thereby so out-performed both his opponent and his historic counterparts that he deserves to win in the competitive sense.
4.4 German Victory by Other Means
The German player is declared to have won the game if, at the end of Game Turn 9 (Dec I), he controls all five non-Moscow city hexes on the map: Kalinin, Kursk, Orel, Smolensk and Tula. The supply states of those hexes is not relevant. This rule works to prevent the Soviet player from unrealistically 'hedge-hogging' all his units into the northeast corner of the map.
4.5 Soviet Sudden Death Victory
Play stops, and the Soviet player is declared the winner, the instant any town or city lying to the west of the initial front line comes under his side's control. The supply state of the controlled hex is not relevant. This type of victory is awarded to the Soviet player because it means he's penetrated far enough into the German rear area so as to significantly disrupt his opponent's logistics and communications. The Soviet player is also awarded a sudden death victory if, for any reason, the German player fails to meet his withdrawal requirements (see 9.5).
4.6 Regular Soviet Victory
The Soviet player is declared to have won if, at the end of Game Turn 9 (Dec I), the German player hasn't fulfilled any of that side's victory conditions.
5.1 Each game turn of DoM is divided into two player turns of sequenced steps called 'phases'. Every action taken by a player must be carried out in the appropriate sequence of phases described below. Once a player has finished a particular phase he may not go back to perform some forgotten action or redo a poorly executed one unless his opponent graciously permits it.
5.2 Turn Sequence Outline
The turn sequence is given below in outline. Note the German player turn is the first player turn during each game turn.
5.3 Move or Fight; Fight or Move [Select Sequence Phase]
At the start of every one of your own player turns, you must declare in what order you will carry out your movement and combat phases that turn. That is, you may choose to have your units move (and, if you're the German player, mobile assault) first and then make prepared assaults, or you may chose to fight first and move (and mobile assault) second. The decision is always up to each player. No matter what phase order you choose, all your units are allowed to participate to the limit of their normal capabilities in both phases. Moving, and possibly mobile assaulting, or making a prepared assault in the combat phase, doesn't preclude a unit performing both operations each turn; only the order of execution is variable.
Each player makes only one phase order declaration per player turn, at the start of each of his own player turns, which is then applied to all his units throughout that player turn. You may not choose one phase order for some of your units and the other phase order for others.
Whenever the German player chooses the fight/move sequence, all his combat phase prepared assaults that turn gain a one column rightward (1R) odds shift in addition to any other applicable odds shifters (but also see the second paragraph of rule 12.3).
5.4 Game Turn 1 Special Rules
No matter which phase sequence he chooses, during Game Turn 1 all the German player's MA and PA gain a one-column rightward odds shift. That reflects the tactical momentum achieved by the Germans when they first began their offensive, and is applied in addition to all other applicable combat odds shifters; see sections 10.0 and 11.0 for more details. Note, though, if he chooses the fight/move sequence, his PA don't gain a two-column rightward shift that turn; that bonus remains just one column.
6.1 'Stacking' is the word used to describe the piling of more than one friendly unit into a single hex at the same time. The general rule is each side may stack up to five units per hex. Note that step and combat strengths have no bearing on defining a 'unit' for stacking purposes. Each unit in the game is considered one unit for stacking purposes.
6.2 Stacking & Movement
Stacking rules are in effect at all times throughout the game turn. Players should therefore pay particular attention to the order they move their units in crowded areas of the map; otherwise, moves made carelessly early in a phase may block your ability to move units later that phase. There are no limits on the number of units that may enter and attack through a given hex over the course of a phase, player turn or game turn, as long as stacking limits are always met on a hex-by-hex and instant-by-instant basis.
7.1 Every German ground unit in the game exerts a 'zone of control' (ZOC) into the six hexes surrounding its location hex. There is no qualitative difference between a hex containing ZOC exerted there by one unit or by several. No Soviet units exert zoc.
7.2 Limits
ZOC don't extend across reservoir hex sides. Otherwise, though, they extend into and out of all other hexes and across all other hex sides, and they are exerted equally by units in both supply states and all step strengths.
7.3 ZOC Effect on Movement
All moving Soviet ground units must stop their movement for that movement phase in the first hex they enter containing a German zone of control (GZOC). Soviet units beginning their side's movement phase already in a hex containing a GZOC may move out of that hex provided the first hex they enter contains no Gzoc. Soviet units in such a situation may then enter another GZOC after moving into that first GZOC-free hex, but they would then be forced to halt their movement for that phase. Soviet units are never allowed to move from one GZOC directly into another Gzoc.
7.4 The strictures above are applied only to Soviet units during Soviet movement phases and during both sides' combat phases (see 11.32). That is, the fact a German unit or stack is projecting a ZOC as it moves next to, and possibly past, a Soviet unit or stack in no way stops or slows that German movement. German ZOC only inhibit Soviet activities.
7.5 GZOC & Supply
In general, Soviet supply lines may not be traced out of, into or through, hexes containing GZOC (but see 8.4 for an important exception). German ground units exert ZOC normally no matter their supply state.
7.6 No Negating GZOC
In general, the presence of a Soviet ground unit in a hex containing a GZOC doesn't negate that GZOC for any purpose. Exceptions: GZOC never work to block Soviet advances-after-combat (see 11.32), and also see rule 8.4.
7.7 GZOC & Hex Control
The mere projection of one or more GZOC into a hex is not, by itself, enough to cause the control status of that hex to switch to the German side (see 3.8). A German ground unit must enter a Soviet controlled hex for such a control status switch to take place there.
8.1 Units of both sides need supply to operate at their full potentials. There are no counters representing the actual materiel consumed; instead, the process of supply consumption is represented by 'supply line tracing' to 'supply source' hexes.
8.2 Supply States
There are two supply states for the units of both sides, and each ground unit always exists in one of them. That is, each unit is always either 'supplied' (also referred to as being 'in supply'), or 'unsupplied' (also referred to as being 'out of supply' or 'OOS').
8.3 Being in Supply
A unit is in supply if it can trace a supply path of contiguous hexes of any length, unblocked by enemy ground units or GZOC, from its location to an appropriate supply source hex. The German supply source hexes are all those along the west map edge. Soviet supply sources are the six hexes marked as such along the assembled maps' north and east edges. Further, Soviet units stacked in city hexes are considered supplied while they remain in those hexes, provided only that city hex was never yet been under German control. Note this rule doesn't allow Soviet units outside such cities to trace supply to them as if they were map-edge supply source hexes. Only Soviet units actually located in city hexes may use this kind of supply.
Units in supply have their full movement and combat capabilities available for use. On the German side, only supplied mechanized-class units may make mobile assaults (see 10.18ff).
8.4 Tracing Supply Lines
A supply line consists of an uninterrupted chain of hexes traced from the unit or stack in question back to a valid supply source. With two exceptions, supply lines may enter and cross all kinds of terrain and water barriers. The first exception is that only Soviet supply lines may be traced across reservoir hexsides. The second exception is that no units may trace supply lines into or through enemy controlled city hexes, even if those city hexes are empty of actual enemy units. Similarly, neither side's supply lines may enter hexes occupied by enemy units. In general, Soviet supply lines may be traced from, but not through or into, GZOC hexes; however it's important to note the presence of one or more Soviet units in a hex otherwise containing a GZOC works to negate that GZOC for purposes of tracing Soviet supply lines into, out of, and through such hexes.
8.5 Gaining & Losing Supply Source Hexes
Map-edge supply source hexes lose their supply providing capacity while enemy controlled. That capacity is regained, though, the instant the supply source hex is brought back under friendly control. That loss/gain process may potentially go on any number of times for each such hex throughout the game. A Soviet city hex, once it becomes German controlled, may never again provide supply to Soviet units that may later reenter it.
8.6 German OOS Effects
German units are never reduced in step-strength or eliminated simply for being OOS; however, their attack and movement factors are reduced to zero. OOS German units continue to have their normal defense factors available to them.
Check the supply status of each German unit or stack at the start of its movement and again at the start of each individual battle (both mobile assault and prepared assault) in which it is involved on offense. German units found to be OOS at the start of their move have their movement factors reduced to zero. German units found to be OOS at the start of any attack in which they would otherwise be participating have their attack factor reduced to zero.
Note that the wording of those last two sentences allows for the possibility of German units OOS at the start of a movement or combat phase to have a supply line opened to them by the action of other German units, and thereby allowing the resupplied German units to participate normally in the activities of that same phase.
German mechanized-class units may not make mobile assaults unless they are in supply in the 'launch hex' of that mobile assault. The 'launch hex' of a mobile assault is the last hex occupied by those attackers prior to their entry into the defenders' hex (see 10.18ff).
8.7 Soviet OOS Effects
Soviet units found to be OOS during any game turn's Soviet Terminal Supply Check Phase (turn sequence step II.E; see 5.2), are fully eliminated and removed to the dead pile at that time (no matter if one-step or two-step units). During all other portions of the game turn, Soviet OOS units operate with all their movement and combat capabilities fully intact and available for normal use no matter what their supply state.
8.8 Deliberate OOS
It's permitted for both players to deliberately move their units into hexes wherein they will or may become OOS.
8.9 Appropriate Supply Sources
The supply source hexes in the game work only for the units of the proper side as described in the rules above. If, for example, the Germans captured a Soviet supply source hex, it wouldn't become a supply source for them.
9.1 Reinforcements are new units that enter the game after play has begun. Reinforcement units of both sides always enter play in supply and with their full movement and combat capabilities immediately available for normal use. Normal stacking restrictions must be observed by both players when entering their reinforcements. Both sides reinforcements are placed on the map during their own player turn's step A (see 5.2).
9.2 German Reinforcement
The German player may delay his side's reinforcement arrival, decided by him on a turn by turn basis, until a game turn later than called for by the historic entry date shown in the reinforcement display('R' on the menu bar).
The German reinforcement enters the map via any friendly controlled town or city hex that's in supply and has no Soviet unit or stack immediately adjacent to it at that time. Alternatively, it may enter via any west map edge hex that's empty of actual Soviet units at the time of its entry. In both cases, the hex of placement doesn't count against the movement factor of the entering unit.
9.3 Soviet Reinforcements
The Soviet player may not delay the arrival of any of his reinforcements. Any reinforcements not entered for any reason during the turns indicated on the Turn Record Track are permanently eliminated from play. The Soviet player may enter his non-Guards reinforcements, decided by him on a unit by unit, turn by turn, and hex by hex basis, via any of his side's map edge supply source hexes that are under his control at that time. Additionally, and/or alternatively, and also decided by him on a unit by unit, turn by turn, and hex by hex basis, he may choose to enter his reinforcements via any town or city hexes that are at that moment under his side's control, have no German units in any hexes immediately adjacent to them, and have never yet, even just temporarily, been under German control. Further, to be used as a Soviet reinforcement entry hex during any given game turn, a town or city hex must have been in supply to a map edge supply source hex at the very start of that Soviet player turn.
All Soviet non-Guards reinforcements enter play in their untried state and are drawn randomly by that player from among the pool of all units of their type, with the exact number of each type to be entered shown in the boxes of the Turn Record Track. No type-substitutions may ever be made.
9.4 Replacements
The only German replacements in the game are entered in connection with that side's November offensive; see section 12.0 for details. There are no Soviet replacements.
9.5 German Withdrawals
Only the German player is required to withdraw units from the map during the course of a game. The German player may not decline to make any withdrawal; to do so would forfeit the game to the Soviet player (see 4.5). To be eligible for withdrawal, a selected unit need only be in supply. Simply pick up units to be withdrawn and set them permanently aside; they will not come back into play during the course of that game.
The German player must withdraw one 4-8/2-4 infantry division during Game Turns 5 and 6 and 7 (for a total of three infantry divisions withdrawn). He must also withdraw his single cavalry division during Game Turn 7. Withdrawn divisions may be in their reduced or full-step strength when withdrawn. If no 4-8/2-4 infantry division is available for withdrawal at a time one is to be made, a 3-7/1-3 division, full strength or reduced, may be substituted for it. If the cavalry division isn't available to be withdrawn when called for, any other mechanized-class division, reduced or full strength, may be substituted for it. (KG may not be substituted.)
9.6 Soviet Guards Conversions
On Game Turns 1 through 8, a new Soviet Guards unit may enter play via 'conversion'. Guards units are all two-steppers, and enter play via the conversion of non-Guards units already in play on the map. When the appropriate phase arrives, the Soviet player may enter a Guards unit into play on the map by first removing from it a non-Guards unit of the matching type, and then simply substituting in place the new Guards arrival. The new Guards units have their normal movement and combat capabilities available for regular use starting that game turn.
The only stricture is a removed non-Guards unit must be in map-edge supply at the time of the conversion, and it must also be of the exact same type as the Guards unit into which it's being converted. (It need not share the same historic I.D. number.) Soviet non-Guards units removed to carry out Guards conversions are not eligible for reentry into play on later turns. Guards units themselves may likewise never receive step-replenishment, nor may they be reclaimed from the dead pile in any way once there. Within the strictures above, non-Guards units selected for conversion may be either in their untried or veteran states.
When a Guards unit is used to convert an untried unit, the Soviet player may view the veteran side of that untried unit; however, he may not change his mind about that conversion once he's viewed the unit's combat factors. The German player doesn't have any right to view the veteran sides of such Guards-converted untried units.
Guards conversions may never be delayed. If they can't be carried out during the game turns indicated, judged on a unit by unit and turn by basis, the un-entered Guards unit is eliminated.
The Guards unit is to enter play each turn is selected randomly by the system.
Design Note. The Soviet player will more fully come to understand the criticality of Guards units to his armies' overall performance once he's read rule 11.30.
10.1 Every ground unit in the game has a 'movement factor' awarded to it every game turn, based on its mobility class (see 2.9) and listed on the Turn Record Track. That factor is the number of 'movement points' (also called 'movement factors' and 'MF' and 'MP') available to the unit to use to move across the hex grid during its side's Movement phase in each player turn. Units move from hex to adjacent hex - no 'skipping' of hexes is allowed - paying one MP per hex to do so. The movement of each player's ground units takes place only during his own player turn's Movement phase; no enemy movement takes place during your own player turn (exception: see 11.26ff, retreat-after-combat).
10.2 Limits
MP may not be accumulated from turn to turn or phase to phase, nor may they be loaned or given from one unit to another. A player may potentially move all, some, or none of his units in each of his Movement phases throughout the game. Units that move are not required to expend all their MP before stopping. The movement of each unit or stack must be completed before that of another is begun. A player may change the position of an already moved unit or stack only if his opponent agrees to allow it.
10.3 No Minimum Movement Ability
No unit is guaranteed the ability to move during a friendly Movement phase. To enter a hex (or cross a river hexside), a unit must have sufficient MP remaining to it to pay for the costs involved in that move. Also note OOS German units may not be moved at all while in that state (see 8.6).
10.4 Enemy Units
Your side's ground units may normally never enter hexes containing enemy ground units, but see 10.18ff for an important exception.
10.5 Stack Movement
To move together as a stack, units must begin their side's Movement phase already stacked together in the same hex. Units are not, however, required to move together simply because they started a Movement phase in the same hex; such units might be moved together, individually, or in smaller sub-stacks.
10.6 Splitting Stacks
When moving a stack, you may halt it temporarily to allow a unit or sub-stack to split off and move away on a separate course. The units left in the original (or 'parent') stack may then resume their own movement, even splitting off other units if desired. Once you begin moving an entirely different parent stack, or an individual unit that began in a different hex than the currently moving parent stack, you may no longer resume the movement of the previous stack without your opponent's permission.
10.7 Different MF in Stacks
If units with different movement factors are traveling together in a stack, the stack must use the movement factor of the slowest unit within it. Of course, as the slower units exhaust their MF, you may drop them off and continue moving with the faster ones.
10.8 Terrain & Movement
All terrain features on the map are classified into two broad categories, natural and manmade. Both of those categories are further divided into different types (see below). There is never more than one type of natural terrain in any one hex, but one or more types of manmade terrain may exist in one hex along with the natural stuff.
10.9 Natural Terrain & Hydrography.
There are five types of natural terrain and hydrographic features on the map: clear, forest, marsh, river hexsides and reservoir hexsides. The effects those various features have on the movement of ground units are described below and are also summarized on the Terrain Effects Chart (or 'TEC,' see 13.1) for quick reference during play.
10.10 Clear Terrain is the 'base' terrain of the game; it's devoid of any natural features that would enhance defense or slow movement at this level of operations. Each clear hex costs all ground units one MP to enter. For a hex to be considered clear, it must be entirely devoid of all other natural terrains. All city hexes and town hexes are considered to have a base of clear terrain.
10.11 Forest hexes represent areas of tree cover or broken terrain. Each forest hex costs units one MP to enter. If a hex contains any amount of forest terrain, that entire hex is considered fully forested for all movement and combat purposes.
10.12 Marsh hexes may not be entered by mechanized units other than cavalry. Non-mechanized units and cavalry units pay one MP per marsh hex entered. Note that both sides' cavalry are considered mechanized-class units for all purposes except for this one characteristic. If a hex contains any amount of marsh terrain, that entire hex is considered fully marsh for all movement and combat purposes.
10.13 River Hexsides
Rivers run between hexes, along hexsides, rather than existing in-hex. Every river hexside may be crossed by all units of both sides by paying one extra MP for the crossing. 'Extra' means in addition to the movement cost for the hex being moved into.
10.14 Reservoir Hexsides
No movement or combat is allowed across reservoir hexsides for either side, but see 8.4 for a Soviet logistical exception.
10.15 Manmade Terrain & Movement
Manmade terrain exists in three types: cities, towns and Soviet fortifications. The movement cost for entering hexes is determined by the natural terrain in them and any hydrographic features along their hex sides. Each hex is identified by only one type of natural terrain; manmade terrain, however, may exist in hexes along with natural terrain.
10.16 Cumulative Costs
The total movement cost for entering any hex is always the sum of the terrain and any river-crossing costs involved. For example, a unit entering a clear hex by crossing a river hexside into it would pay a total of two MP to do so. That is, one MP to enter the new hex and an 'extra' MP to cross the river hexside.
10.17 Off Map Movement
No unit once in play on the map may be voluntarily moved, advanced- or retreated-after-combat, off it except as given in 9.5.
Design Note. If this is your first time reading these rules, it's probably best for you to skip over for now rules 10.18 through 10.26, and resume reading at the start of section 11.0. Return to this place after you've finished reading sections 10.0.
10.18 German Mobile Assaults
All German mechanized-class units, including cavalry, may conduct a special form of attack during their side's Movement phases called 'mobile assault' (MA). All types of German mechanized-class units may potentially participate in MA, but for panzer grenadier or cavalry units to be able to do so at least one panzer division or panzer KG must be involved in the same MA. Panzer grenadiers or cavalry alone, or in combination with each other but without at least one panzer unit also participating, may not make MA. Within normal stacking limits, one panzer unit enables any number of panzer grenadier or cavalry units to participate in the same MA with it.
10.19 MA Procedure
To conduct an MA, an eligible German mechanized unit or stack enters the Soviet occupied hex chosen to be attacked, paying two additional MP to do so. A given German mechanized unit or stack may not conduct more than one MA per German Movement Phase, but any given Soviet occupied hex may potentially be mobile assaulted any number of times during the same German Movement Phase, as long as each new MA is conducted by new units with sufficient MF to pay for each new effort. Further, the German player must observe stacking limits at all times in MA launch hexes. An MA 'launch hex' is the last hex occupied by the assaulting German force just prior to entering the defender's hex. The stacking limits for the two sides' involved units within the assaulted hex itself are mutually exclusive.
10.20 MA General Limits
MA may be launched into any kind of hexes other than marsh terrain. Clear terrain hexes that contain cites or towns or fortifications may be the targets of MA. MA may never be launched across reservoir hexsides. MA may be launched across river hexsides, but they suffer a one column leftward odds shift for it (in addition to any in-hex odds shifter).
10.21 MA & Supply
The supply state of otherwise eligible German units in an MA is determined at the instant of battle and at the location of battle. That is, no German mechanized-class unit or stack may take part in an MA if it is OOS in the launch hex for that MA at the instant the MA is begun.
10.22 MA Stack Eligibility
To be able to MA together during a given Movement phase, German mechanized-class units must have begun that phase already stacked together.
10.23 Unfavorable Combat Result
If an MA achieves any result that fails to entirely clear the attacked hex of Soviet units, the involved German force suffers whatever losses are dictated by that result (if any), and the survivors are placed back in their launch hex, where they must remain for the rest of the phase. Such stalled units could still potentially attack (PA) in the following German Combat Phase, provided the sequence chosen for that turn had been move/fight.
10.24 Favorable Combat Result
If an MA completely clears the target hex of Soviet units, the assaulting German units may continue their movement from that hex with the MF remaining to them. They may not, however, launch another MA that same phase, though they might yet PA if the sequence chosen that turn was move/fight. Note there is never any automatic advance-after-combat in victorious MA as there is with victorious PA (see 11.32). All post-MA movement is governed by the MF left to the moving units.
10.25 MA & Phase Sequence
The ability of German mechanized-class units to MA is not effected by the phase sequence chosen by that player. With the fight/move sequence, otherwise eligible units might participate in a Combat phase prepared assault and then, during the following Movement phase, also launch an MA. The same is true when the move/fight sequence is chosen; units that launched an MA during the Movement phase might also participate in a prepared assault during the Combat phase later that same German player turn.
10.26 Retreating-After-Combat & Subsequent MA
If defending Soviet units in one MA retreat-after-combat into a hex that's either empty or already contains other Soviet units, and that new location hex comes under subsequent MA attack that same German Movement Phase, the Soviet units that retreated into the new hex do contribute to their new location's defense against the MA being waged there, just as if they had been in the new hex from the start of that Movement phase. That process may go on any number of times each Movement phase for any given Soviet unit(s) in any number of hexes.
When conducting a mobile assault, the GZOC of the mobile-assaulting force doesn't work to prevent the retreat of the Soviet unit/stack being mobile assaulted. That is, mobile-assaulting does NOT turn the "DR" combat result into a 'Death Ray' result – mobile-assaulted Soviet units can retreat out from under the GZOC of the force assaulting them. Of course, though, any GZOC from German forces positioned in hexes nearby the mobile-assaulted hex remain in force and do work to block retreats.
When determining the direction of a Soviet retreat from an MA, precedence must be given to the hex directly opposite the hexside through which the mobile-assaulting German force entered the defended hex. If that hex is blocked for any reason, the Soviet player must then give precedence to retreating via either of the hexsides adjacent to that blocked hexside (his choice), and so on around the perimeter of the defended hex until the hexside from which the Germans launched their MA is reached. Soviet units retreating from an MA may never retreat into the hex from which that MA was launched against them
10.27 Summary
Within the limits and exceptions given above, MA are generally resolved the same way as PA (see section 11.0). Note that unlike many other games using MA-type rules, here there are no inherent combat penalties or odds shifts involved simply because an attack is an MA.
11.1 Prepared Assault (PA) combat takes place between adjacent opposing units during the Combat phase in every player-turn. Attacking is always voluntary for both players; the mere fact of enemy units' adjacency doesn't necessitate your units launching PA or MA against them. Within the strictures of sections 10.0 and 11.0, both players are free to attack or not, as each chooses, during each of their own player turns' Combat phases throughout the game. The player whose player turn it is, is considered the 'attacker', and the other player is considered the 'defender,' no matter the overall situation across the map.
[HexWar Design Note] Only one enemy hex can ever be attacked by one or more attacking hexes. Click on an enemy hex to initiate a combat and all hexes that can attack it will automatically join that attack Click on a friendly hex first and all enemy hexes it can attack will be highlighted as defending. If more than one enemy hex is highlighted click enemy hexes until only the only you wish to attack in highlighted. In all cases you can modify which friendly units in attacking hexes join a combat by clicking their image in the right hand combat display.
11.2 Multiple Defenders in One Hex
If there are two or more enemy units in a hex being attacked by your units (MA or PA), you may only attack that stack as if it were one combined defending unit.
11.3 Multi-Hex Attacks
An enemy occupied hex may be prepared assaulted in one battle by as many of your units as you can bring to bear from one, some, or all the surrounding hexes, but no more than one hex may ever be the object of any one PA, which is also true for MA. See 11.6 below for more details.
11.4 Indivisibility of Units
No single attacking unit may have its attack factor divided and applied to more than one battle. Likewise, no defending unit may have part of its defense factor attacked by one or a few attackers while another part is attacked by others. No attacking unit may attack more than once per Combat phase, and no defending unit may be attacked more than once per Combat phase. (That last isn't true for MA; see 10.18ff.)
11.5 Attack Sequencing
There is no artificial limit on the number of PA each player may resolve during his Combat phases, which is also true for MA during the German player's Movement Phases. The attacker need not declare all his attacks beforehand, and he may resolve them in any order he wishes as long as the resolution of one is completed before that of the next is begun.
11.6 Stacks in Prepared Assaults
It's not necessary for all the units you have stacked in a given hex to participate in the same PA. Some of the units in a stack might attack into one hex while others attacked into another or simply didn't attack at all. Note, though, each attack made into a different defended hex would have to be resolved as a separate battle. No defending unit may ever refuse combat. Exception: A mobile assault stack, once
formed must complete all its movement together.
11.7 Fog of War
Neither player may ever look beneath the top unit of enemy stacks until the time comes in the combat resolution process for odds computation. Once such an examination has been made, the attacker may no longer call off that attack. Neither may the German player examine his opponent's reinforcement units piled off to the side of the Turn Record Track.
11.8 Combat Procedure
Normally the attacking player should strive to have several times more attack factors involved in a battle than the defender has defense factors. Such battles are called 'high odds' attacks. To resolve such fights, the attacking player begins by calculating his 'odds'. Do that by adding together the attack factors of all the attacking units involved in the battle; then add up the defense factors of the enemy units defending in the battle. Divide the defender-total into the attacker-total and round down any remainder.
For example, if 26 attack factors attack 7 defense factors, the situation yields an odds ratio of 3:1 ('three to one'). That is, 27÷7=3.71, which rounds down to 3. To turn that '3' into a ratio, you set a '1' next to it on the right. Thus '3' becomes '3:1,' which corresponds to a column-heading on the Combat Results Table (CRT, see 13.2).
11.9 Poor Odds Attacks
Battles in which the attacking force has fewer combat factors than the defender are called 'poor odds attacks'. Procedures in such situations are modified from what's described above in that here you divide the defender's total by the attacker's, round up all remainders, and set the '1' on the left side of that result. For example, if a force with 5 attack factors is attacking a force with 11 defense factors, it's a poor odds attack. In that case, divide 11 by 5 (11÷5=2.2), and round up (2.2 becomes 3); then set a '1' on the left of that '3,' yielding odds of 1:3 ('one to three').
11.10 Odds Limits
Note the column headings on the CRT range from 1:3 to 5:1. Final odds greater than 5:1 are resolved without a die roll; their results are always 'DE'. Final odds less than 1:3 are also resolved without a die roll; their results are always 'A1'. When determining combat odds, always apply all applicable odds shifters to obtain a final odds ratio prior to referring to the crt.
[HexWar Clarification] Attacks of 6:1 or more are always DE, attacks of less the 1:3 'A1'.
11.11 Combat Modifiers
The odds obtained in the calculations described above may be modified ('shifted') by the terrain in the defender's hex and any river around its sides, as well as other factors described below. All applicable combat modifiers are cumulative in their effect. That is, in every battle all applicable modifiers are determined and their effects taken into account before the 'final odds' are determined and the die is rolled to get a combat result.
[HexWar Clarification] Odds modifiers are on the basic odds. So an attacker with 19 factors versus 2 factors would be 9:1. With three odds shifts in favor of the defender will still be a 6:1 and an automatic DE result.
11.12 Clear Terrain
Units defending in clear hexes devoid of all other terrain features derive no benefit to their defense because of that terrain.
11.13 Forest
Soviet units defending in forest hexes against German MA receive a one column leftward odds shift (1L). There is no combat odds shift due to the presence of forest terrain for either side's units when defending there against Combat phase prepared assaults.
11.14 Marsh
Mechanized-class units other than cavalry may never move or attack into marsh hexes in any way. Note, too, the German cavalry division may not MA into any marsh hex because it would, of necessity, lack the panzer unit needed to lead such an effort. When cavalry and/or non-mechanized units PA against defenders in marsh hexes, neither side gains or suffers any column shift because of that terrain.
11.15 River Hexsides
If all attacking units in an MA or PA are coming across a river hexside, the defending side in that combat benefits from a one column leftward odds shift.
11.16 Reservoir Hexsides
It's not allowed for units of either side to MA or PA across reservoir hex sides.
11.17 Towns themselves never generate any kind of combat odds shifter or modifier in this game, but fortifications in town hexes do make themselves felt as usual for all combat purposes (see 11.19 below).
11.18 Cities
Soviet units defending against an MA or PA in a city hex never suffer the concentric attack bonus (see below, 11.21), no matter what the positions of the attackers around the defended city hex. In addition, all units of both sides defending in city hexes gain a two-column leftward (2L) odds shift for doing so.
Whenever Soviet units attack into city hexes, both AS and DR combat results must be converted to A1. In German PA into cities, DR combat results must be converted into either AS or 'Bloodbath' results. The German player is generally free to choose which result to convert to; see 11.29 for details. Further, German panzer units must use their defense factors as their attack factor when attacking into cities, both MA and PA.
Neither player may retreat-after-combat (see below, 11.31) any of his units into or through a hex containing an enemy controlled city, even if that hex is empty of actual enemy units at the time, nor may either player trace his supply lines into or through such hexes.
11.19 Soviet Fortifications
All fortifications on the map belong to the Soviet side; there are no German fortifications. All fortifications are always considered to be intact and operative. If a fortification hex is taken control of by the German side only to be retaken later by the Soviet side, the fortifications in that hex again generate their combat bonus for any Soviet units defending in them. Whenever Soviet units defend in a fortification hex, the combat effect of those fortifications is to shift the odds one column leftward, in addition to any other applicable odds shifters, in both MA and PA. There is never any fortification odds shift for German units that may be defending in such hexes. In addition, whenever German panzer units attack into a Soviet fortification hex, they must use their defense factor as their attack factor.
11.20 Ground Combat Support Aircraft
At various times both players are awarded ground support aircraft counters. Note both players never have aircraft available during the same game turns; it's always just one or the other. Aircraft may not be in any way accumulated or saved from game turn to game turn.
The player with aircraft available may commit them to support any one or two battles, either offensively or defensively, MA or PA, anywhere on the map. Aircraft have no stacking or combat value of their own, nor may they be given up to satisfy combat result requirements. They are, in effect, indestructible in game terms. The effect of an aircraft is to generate a one column odds shift in favor of the owning side. Each aircraft counter awarded to a player may be used once per game turn, up until the time of its removal at the start of the subsequent game turn. More than one aircraft may be committed to the same MA or PA. The player with aircraft must announce the commitment of the counter(s) prior to the revealing of the exact compositions of any involved stacks and/or untried Soviet units, and generally before any odds calculations have begun for the battle being resolved.
German aircraft don't exert Gzoc. At the same time, though, their inclusion in a battle in no way negates or inhibits the GZOC of the involved German ground units.
11.21 Concentric Prepared Assault
If a unit or stack is defending against a PA originating from two directly opposite hexes, or by units attacking from three hexes with one hex between each hex and the next, or by units attacking from more than three hexes, that PA gains a one column rightward (1R) odds shift. That bonus is available to both Soviet and German units making PA, but it's never available to German units making MA. Similarly, it's never available to German units attacking into a city hex.
11.22 Final Combat Resolution
After all applicable odds shifters have been applied, and the final odds column determined, the attacker rolls a die and consults the CRT to get a 'combat result'. For example, a roll of '5' at odds of 1:1 yields a combat result of 'AS' on the crt.
Apply all applicable modifiers before going to the CRT to find each battle's final odds column. For example, if you're attacking at 20:1 (twenty to one) and there are modifiers operating that give a 2L shift, you're then actually attacking at 18:1. That means you'd resolve that battle without a die roll, obtaining an automatic 'DE' result in accordance with the note printed beneath the crt. You don't convert the original 20:1 to a 6:1, the highest odds column shown on the CRT, and then shift 2L; you apply all modifiers first, then go to the CRT to find your column.
11.23 Combat Results in General
In each battle the defender must always completely apply his combat result before the attacker applies his. There is never any carry over of a combat result from one battle to another or from one phase or turn to another.
11.24 [AS] Attack Stalled
When this result is achieved in a prepared assault nothing happens; both sides remain in place an neither side suffers any losses. When this result is achieved in a mobile assault, the Soviet defenders remain in place and the German attackers are put back into their launch hex, from where they may not move that same phase.
11.25 [A1] Attacker Lose One Step
When this result is achieved in a PA or MA, the attacking player must remove any one strength step (total) from among his involved units. Both sides otherwise remain in place and the defender suffers no loss. When this result is achieved in an MA, the German force suffers its one step loss; the Soviet defenders remain in place, and the surviving German attackers (if any) are put back into their launch hex, from where they may not move that same phase. The attacker is always completely free to absorb his step loss from among any of his involved units.
[HexWar Edition]: The computer logic automatically removes the 'lowest ranked' step first. The HexWar system assigns values to each unit and the least valuable unit would normally be the one to take an automatic step loss. This avoids of lot of extra mouse clicking during the combat phase.
11.26 [DR] Defender Retreat-After-Combat
In PA or MA, the defeated defending unit or stack must be retreated into an adjacent hex empty of enemy units. Neither player may retreat his units into hexes containing enemy controlled cities, even if that city is empty of actual enemy units at the time of the retreat. If there is more than one eligible hex available to receive a retreating stack or unit, the owning player must retreat his units in the direction that takes them closer to their nearest source of supply. If more than one route fulfills that requirement, it's his choice.
11.27 Retreat-After-Combat Movement
Retreat-after-combat doesn't use movement points, and it has nothing to do with the costs involved with Movement phase movement. Retreating units, however, must still observe normal movement prohibitions. For example, no unit may ever retreat across a reservoir hexside. Stacking limits must also be observed during retreats. If the only retreat path open would result in over-stacking in that hex, the defending units must all stand their ground and instead take a DE result (see 11.30 below). A retreating stack may only be broken up to allow its component units to retreat individually or in sub-stacks into different hexes if stacking restrictions require it. Retreating is always an all-or-none proposition; either the whole defending force retreats or the whole defending force stays and instead suffers a DE result, based on the strictures given above. Soviet units may not retreat into hexes containing GZOC (and see 7.6).
11.28 Retreating-After-Combat Into Subsequent PA
If defending units in one prepared assault retreat-after-combat into a hex containing other friendly units, and that hex comes under attack that same Combat phase, the units that retreated into the new hex in no way contribute to their new location's defense against the attack being waged there. Further, if the original defenders in the new hex receive any combat result other than AS or A1, the newly retreated-in units are automatically and fully eliminated, and their elimination doesn't serve to satisfy any of the current PA's defender result. (That's different than the process described for mobile assaults; see 10.26.)
11.29 DR Conversions
Whenever the German player attacks into a city, MA or PA, and gets a DR result, he must convert it to an 'AS' or 'Bloodbath' result. In a bloodbath (a result not otherwise on the CRT), all involved Soviet defenders suffer a DE result (see below, 11.30), then the German player must eliminate from among his involved units the number of steps equal to the number of steps just lost by the Soviet player. (That's steps, not combat factors.)
If choosing a bloodbath would leave the German player without at least one surviving step among his involved force, he must choose AS; otherwise, he's free to choose either conversion result. Whenever the Soviet player attacks into a city and gets a DR result, it's automatically converted into an A1.
[HexWar Edition] In a bloodbath the computer logic deducts one step from each unit in combat starting with the 'lowest' ranked unit attacking until the step loss requirement has been reached. No unit will take two step losses until all attacking units have taken one. The HexWar system assigns values to each unit and the least valuable unit would normally be the one to take an automatic step loss.
[HexWar Edition] This rules is currently not included as part of the game system and will be part of a future upgrade. When German units are defending in a hex other than a city, and they receive a combat result of DR from a Soviet attack, the German player may choose to execute that DR retreat result normally or he may decide to convert it into a 'Defender Lose 1' result (a result not otherwise on the CRT). To do that he simply eliminates any one step from among any one of his involved units, thereby allowing all to hold their place. He may not choose to convert a DR to a Defender Lose 1, however, if in doing so he would thereby be eliminating his entire involved force.
11.30 [DE] Defender Eliminated
When this result is achieved in a PA or MA, the defender must first eliminate (remove to the dead pile) all his involved one-step units. Immediately after that he must reduce all his involved two-step units (if any) to one-step strength. The attacker suffers no losses. In a prepared assault the attacker may make an advance-after-combat into the defender hex if the DE result has left it empty of enemy units.
11.32 PA Advance-After-Combat
At the end of every PA (not MA), whenever the defender's hex is left vacant of defending units, either due to elimination or retreat, the victorious attacking units may advance-after-combat into that hex. Stacking limitations must be observed. Such advances aren't part of normal movement, and they don't cost any MP, but advancing units must still observe normal terrain prohibitions. GZOC don't serve to block the ability of victorious Soviet attackers to advance-after-combat.
Advancing-after-combat is an option; it's never mandatory (exception: see 12.2). The decision to advance must be made immediately after the battle is resolved and before that of another is begun. It's not necessary for advancing attackers to stack-full the newly won hex; the victorious player may send just one or a few units (exception; see 12.2). There is never any defender advance-after-combat; victorious defenders simply hold their place.
12.1 The German player may openly declare a 'November Offensive' at the very start of Game Turn 4 or 5 or 6 or 7 (Oct IV or Nov I or Nov II or Nov III). He is not required to declare any such offensive, and he may never declare more than one per game. There is an unavoidable one game turn delay between the declaration and execution of a November offensive.
12.2 Game Turn of Declaration
During the German player turn that immediately follows the German declaration of a November offensive, no German attacks, MA or PA, may take place. Further, all German mechanized-class units have their MF reduced by two, and all German non-mechanized units have their MF reduced by one. That is, for example, if the German decided to make his November offensive declaration at the start of Game Turn 5 (Nov I), his supplied mechanized-class units would have MF of one that turn, while his supplied non-mechanized units would have MF of two. That's a '2' and a '1,' respectively, subtracted from the MF that would otherwise be awarded for the two classes of units on the Turn Record Track that turn.
During the Soviet player turn of the game turn of the German offensive's declaration, Stalin reacts to the lull (and the obvious new offensive it portends) by ordering the Soviet player to launch spoiling attacks. To determine the exact magnitude of the required Soviet attacks, that player should roll a die at the start of his player turn that game turn and multiply that result by three. That will yield a number between three and 18, which represents the minimum number of units he must launch into PA that turn against German units.
Beyond the simple requirement to attack with a certain number of units, the Soviet player is generally free to resolve his Stalin-mandated spoiling attacks normally. The exception is, whenever it's possible to do so, the Soviet player must advance-after-combat as many of his victorious units as possible into vacated German-defended hexes. Note, too, every Soviet unit, no matter its organizational size or step strength, counts as 'one unit' for purposes of satisfying Stalin's order.
If, by some unusual set of circumstances, the Soviet player is unable to attack with the minimum number of units mandated by Stalin, no matter how he moves his units or sequences his phases, then whatever turns out to be the maximum number he can engage is considered sufficient to satisfy the great leader (even if that number is zero). In relation to choosing his phase sequence, if one sequence allows him to meet Stalin's minimum-attack-size demand and the other doesn't, the Soviet player must choose the sequence that best allows him to comply with those orders. [HexWar Note] In game turns a failure to complete the required number of Russian attacks, for what ever reason, will result the HexWar game points score for a victory being reduced from 9 to 8. A penalty for failing to play like a good Russian.
12.3 Game Turn of Execution
The German November offensive is actually launched and executed during that side's player turn in the game turn following its declaration. For instance, if the German player declared his offensive at the start of Game Turn 6, it would actually be run during Game Turn 7.
During the game turn of execution, all German mechanized-class MF are increased by two, and all German non-mechanized MF are increased by one. So, for instance, in the example cited above, during a November Offensive executed during Game Turn 7 (Nov III), German supplied mechanized-class units would have MF of eight, and German supplied non-mechanized units would have MF five. Further, all German PA launched that turn receive a one-column rightward odds shift. In general, those shifts are in addition to all other normal odds shifters; however, there is one exception: if the German chooses the fight/move sequence, his PA the turn of the November offensive only gain a one column rightward shift, not a cumulative two (see the last paragraph of 5.3). Still further, the German player's normal ground combat support aircraft allocation is also increased by one beyond what's shown on the Turn Record Track for that turn.
More, the German player also receives three steps of mechanized-class replacements and three steps of non-mechanized class replacements. Each of the three mechanized replacement steps may be used to replenish a reduced panzer or panzer grenadier division to its full two-step strength. Each of the three non-mechanized replacement steps may be used to replenish a reduced infantry division back to its full two-step strength. Divisions of both categories must be in supply to receive a replacement. No KG may be replenished back into divisional form, nor may the L Brigade or GD Regiment receive replacements. The replacement steps may not be accumulated for use in later turns, nor may any step be used to replenish a unit from outside its own mobility class. Units that receive replacements may operate normally that turn and thereafter.
12.4 No November Offensive
If the German player hasn't declared a November Offensive by the start of Game Turn 7 (Nov III), he thereby permanently forfeits the ability to do so. In that case, play continues uninterrupted except for the following effects: 1) for the remainder of the game, due to increasing German logistical and replacement shortfalls, all German MA and PA suffer a one-column leftward odds reduction; and 2) for the same reasons, all Soviet attacks gain a one-column rightward odds shift bonus. (All those shifts are in addition to the continued application of all other normally applicable shifters.)