Copyright © Decision Games 2009.
Drive on Stalingrad (DoS for short) is a two-player, low-to-intermediate complexity, strategic-level simulation of Fall Blau (Operation Blue), the German attempt to conquer the Stalingrad and Caucasus areas of the southwest Soviet Union in 1942. The German player is on the offensive, attempting to win the game by seizing key areas on map. The Soviet player is primarily on the defensive in the first scenario, but he is also given the chance to run a full-blown counter-offensive in the second scenario, 'Operation Uranus'.
Game play of the main scenario encompasses the period that began with the Germans' launching of 'Operation Blue,' their offensive toward Stalingrad and the Caucasus on 28 June 1942. That scenario ends on 15 September, after 11 weekly game turns. The second scenario starts on 19 November 1942, with the launching of the Soviet 'Operation Uranus' counter-offensive, and continues for six weekly turns to the end of December, when historically the German attempt to free their encircled 6th Army at Stalingrad ground to a halt.
Each hexagon on the map represents approximately 16 miles (26 kilometers) from side to opposite side. The units of maneuver for both sides are primarily divisions along with what were actually similarly sized Soviet tank and mechanized 'corps'. Air power is represented abstractly. Each full game turn represents one week.
The general rule concerning the halving of numbers in the game is whenever any such division takes place all remainders are rounded down. Thus, for example, 'half' of three is one and 'half' of two is one, while 'half' of one is zero. One exception: if only a single unit's combat factor is being halved, half of one is one. That is, no single unit's combat factor is ever reduced below one for any reason. If there were two or more units in the same battle and both were to be halved, then all the involved units' combat factors are first added together so only one division and rounding is made.
The compass roses printed on the maps show their relationship to magnetic north. In the rules, whenever a compass direction is referenced. Thre are many references to North and South Maps. North is all hex rows from 1 to 33. South are all hex rows from 34 to 51.
If a rule is said to apply to 'all German-side units' or 'all units of the German side,' it includes German nationality and Axis-satellite units (Italians, Hungarians and Romanians). If a rule is said to apply only to 'Axis-satellite units,' it applies only to the Hungarian, Italian and Romanian units in the game. If a rule is said to apply only to 'German units,' it applies to all German Nationality units and the single Slovakian (Slvk) unit.
The components to a complete game of DoS include these rules, a map sheet and 363 units.
The game map illustrates the militarily significant terrain found in the southwest portion of the Soviet Union in 1942-43 when viewed at these time and space scales. A hexagonal ('hex') grid is printed over the map to regulate the placement and movement of units across it, much like in Chess and Checkers. A unit is considered to be in only one hex at any one time.
Each hex contains natural or manmade terrain 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 and time dilemmas faced by their historic counterparts in the real campaign.
Note also every hex on the maps has a unique, four-digit identification number printed within it. They're provided to help find exact locations more quickly and to allow for the recording of unit positions if a match has to be taken down before it can be completed.
There are 363 units in the game, most of which represent combat formations.
Each combat unit counter displays several pieces of information: nationality (and therefore the 'side' each unit is on), specific historical identification, unit type and size, combat and step strengths, movement allowance, and reinforcement or other special status.
A unit's nationality and sometimes, it's 'mobility category' (see below, 2.9), are shown by its color scheme.
All units are given their specific identification by numbers and/or abbreviations of their historic designations or names to the right of their unit-type boxes. The abbreviations are as follows:
Units' historical organizational sizes are shown by the following symbols: XXX - corps; XX - division. A bracket atop a size symbol means that unit was not necessarily listed in its army's records as being of that size, but was in fact a formation approximating the size shown.
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 and/or tracked vehicles. Non-mechanized units are those whose primary means of locomotion is provided by legs, human and animal. This distinction is important, primarily among German units, for movement and combat considerations.
Attack and defense factors are the measures of a unit's ability to conduct those types of combat operations. Their uses are explained in sections 9.0 and 12.0. On most German units, since the numbers would be the same, the two factors have been combined into a unitary 'combat factor,' which is the same on offense and defense.
This number is a measure of a unit's ability to move across the hex grid printed over the map. Units pay varied movement costs to enter different hexes, depending on the terrain in each, along the hex sides around them, and the moving unit's type (see section 9.0).
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).
When units of these sizes are eliminated in play it doesn't mean every individual within them has been killed. It means enough casualties and equipment losses have been suffered to render them useless for further operations during the period encompassed by the scenario being played.
If a two-step unit suffers a one-step loss, it is changed 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'). For more details, see section 11.0.
German-Side Reinforcement & Starting Units
Units of the German side that enter play after the game has begun, rather than starting play already set up on the map, are called 'reinforcements'.
All two-step units that start play set up on the map do so at their full, two-step strength. All two-step units that enter the map as reinforcements after play has begun also do so at their full, two-step strength.
Soviet Untried & Specialist Units
Note the many white-on-red Soviet divisions and corps in the game each contain only one strength. All such Soviet units begin the game with their untried value showing and neither player knowing exactly their true value. The do not reveal their exact combat strengths, until the first time they enter combat attacking or defending. Once revealed, untried units are never returned to their untried values.
The black on red Soviet 'specialist' units also have only one strength step each; however, they don't have an untried value. Their combat and movement capabilities are known from the start.
Axis Satellite & Luftwaffe Field Division Question Mark (?) Combat Factors
All Hungarian, Italian and Romanian and Luftwaffe Field Divisions in the game have question marks (?) in place of what would otherwise be a regular, numeric defense factor. The Romanian and Hungarian panzer divisions also have a question mark in place of their attack factors.
Whenever any of these units go into combat, the German player rolls a die to determine the actual numeric strength of their question-marked combat factor for that battle (1-6). The two tank units are rolled for on both attack and defense; the others have attack factors of just one and therefore are only rolled for on the defense. When they're out of supply, roll the die as described above, and then halve it according to the strictures of 1.3.
Design Note. So you 'Old Hands' know better what to expect as you continue reading: all Soviet and Axis satellite units are only one-step units; there are no ZOCs and no replacements; no unit has more than two steps; no unit of either side makes more than one appearance per scenario, and once eliminated a unit is out of play for the rest of the game.
Players should first decide which side each will control and which of the two scenarios they'll play. After that they should take their chosen side's units and sort them onto and around the map according to the instructions given below for the scenario they've decided to play, Operation Blue or Operation Uranus.
The German player turn is first in every game turn of this scenario (see section 5.0.)
During Game Turn 1 of Operation Blue the German player must use the prepared assault/move and mobile assault sequence (see 5.3). Further, only units of that side's 2nd Army and 4th Panzer Army (2A & 4PA) may fight and move during that turn. On Game Turn 2 the units of the 2nd Hungarian Army (2H) and German 6th Army (6A) may also begin to move and fight (or fight and move). Units of 1st Panzer Army (1PA) may join in on Game Turn 3. And all armies of the German side become active at the start of Game Turn 4. Prior to their release for active operations, German side units may move within their respective army areas (only); they may not attack in any way.
The army restrictions given above, all of them, are immediately lifted if any Soviet unit moves or attacks across any hex of the scenario start line prior to the stated release times.
Any unit of the German side entering play as a reinforcement during the first four game turns is considered to belong to the army in which its specific entry hex is located. Such units are liable to the same initial movement and combat strictures as those given for their owning army.
After the start of Game Turn 4, which army each German unit belongs to is no longer significant. Note, though, that nationality distinctions will remain important for stacking purposes; see section 6.0.
Soviet units belonging to the Red armies set up in the front line hexes of the "Operation Blue" scenario (see the first paragraph of rule 12.1) are also frozen in place at the start of play. That is, no unit of any starting Soviet front line army may attack or move prior to the game turn of activation of the army of the German side that's opposite it. If a Soviet front line army is opposite more than one army of the German side, that Soviet army activates during the same game turn as the first of its activating German counterparts.
A still-frozen Soviet front line army is also considered activated, and is thereby free to fight and move normally, starting the same game turn any unit of the German side moves into any hex on the Soviet side of the scenario start line that is within eight or fewer hexes of any component unit of the still-frozen front line Soviet army under consideration. Similarly, a still-frozen Soviet front line army is also activated the same game turn any unit of the German side attacks any of its component units from any direction.
Newly arriving Soviet reinforcement units, and other Soviet units not initially frozen by the strictures of the two paragraphs above, are generally free to fight and move from the first turn of the game or the first turn of their entry into play. If, however, such Soviet units once enter any hex containing one or more component units of a still-frozen front line Soviet army, the new arrivals are then similarly deactivated (can not fight or move farther) in the first such hex they enter, and they remain that way until their new host army is activated by one of the methods described above.
In this game the idea of 'hex control' - which side 'owns' which hexes at any given instant - is important for certain victory point hexes (see section 4.0) as well as towns and cities (see section 7.0). At the start of play of both scenarios, the German player controls all hexes generally to the west of the start line, while the Soviet player controls all those hexes within and generally to the east of the start line. The control status of a hex switches form 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.
In the Operation Blue scenario, the German player is generally on the offensive striving to win the game by driving east and south as fast as possible into the Soviet controlled portion of the maps, to seize key victory hexes. If he manages to do that at a tempo significantly faster than occurred historically, he will be judged the winner of the game. The Soviet player wins by preventing his opponent from doing that. Only the German player gains or loses victory points (VP); the Soviet player doesn't keep track of any VP total of his own.
Each VP hex is worth one VP. That is, each time the German player gains control of a VP hex, his VP total is increased by one. Control of the same VP hex can be traded back and forth between the two sides any number of times during play. Each time a VP hex's control status switches, increase or decrease the German VP total by one. Note that the supply status of VP hexes is irrelevant when considering their VP status in this scenario. Note also there are no functional differences among VP hexes that have their number-values printed in red ink and those with number-values shown in blue ink.
Each time a Soviet unit of any type is destroyed while out of supply ('OOS,' see section 7.0), the German player should take that unit and place it in a separate dead pile away from the general Soviet dead pile. When (if) the German player manages to accumulate 20 units in his OOS Soviet dead pile, he is immediately awarded one VP. That award may be gained any number of times, but only for increments of 20 Soviet units eliminated out of supply. For instance, if the German eliminated 39 Soviet units while they were out of supply during the course of a game, he receives only one VP for having done so.
Soviet units still on the map but in the OOS state at the very end of Game Turn 11 are considered to have been "eliminated" for purposes of this rule.
At the start of the Operation Blue scenario, the German player has zero (0) VP. Use the VP counter provided on the Operation Blue Victory Point Track (12.5) to maintain a constant record of German VP.
Make any and all adjustments to the German VP total as soon as they occur throughout every player-turn and game-turn. At any time the German VP for controlling victory point hexes and/or generating out of supply Soviet unit eliminations reaches six or more, play stops and that player is declared to have won. If the German VP total hasn't reached six or more by the end of Game Turn 11, play stops and the Soviet player is declared the winner.
Any time during play of the Operation Blue scenario that a Soviet unit enters Kursk(0233), Stalino(2230), Lozovaya(2134) or Kharkhov(1134), play stops and that player is declared the winner (for just having completely overturned the logistical underpinning of the entire German campaign).
Design Note. No draws are possible.
Each game turn of DoS is divided into two player turns of sequenced steps called 'phases'. Every action taken by a player must be carried out in the appropriate phase as described below. Once a player has finished a particular phase he may not go back to perform some forgotten action or redo a poorly executed one unless his opponent graciously permits it.
The turn sequence for this scenario is given below in outline. Note the German player turn is the first during each game turn of Operation Blue.
At the start of every one of his player turns, the player who is up must declare in what order he will carry out his movement phase and his prepared assault (PA) phase that player turn. That is, he may choose to have his units move and mobile assault (MA) first and make prepared assaults second, or PA first and move/MA second.
The decision is generally always up to each player, but note the following critical exceptions:
(1) The Soviet phase sequence is always prepared assault/move when playing Operation Blue.
(2) The German phase sequence must be his prepared assault phase followed his movement and MA phase during Game Turn 1 of Operation Blue.
(3) No matter what phase order you choose (or is imposed on you by the restrictions above), 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 doesn't preclude a unit performing both tasks each turn; only the order of execution is variable.
Each player only makes one phase order declaration per player turn, at the start 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.
During any one of his player turns of the Operation Blue scenario, the German player may choose to have two prepared assault phases and no movement phase. On that turn he therefore has no reinforcement entry. Note also that choosing the PA/PA sequence does not earn him the one column-rightward shift for his PAs that a normal PA/Move sequence would earn him (see 5.6).
During any one of his player turns of the Operation Blue scenario, the Soviet player may choose to have two movement phases and no prepared assault phase (move/move).
Neither player is required to make use of these special, one-time phase sequences, but each is available once per game in Operation Blue as described above.
In both scenarios, whenever the German player chooses the PA phase/move and MA phase sequence, all his prepared assaults that turn gain a one column rightward (1R) odds shift in addition to any other applicable odds shifters.
'Stacking' is the word used to describe the piling of more than one unit into a single hex at the same time. The general rule is each side may stack up to eight units per hex. Note that step strength, unit type, etc., have no bearing on defining 'a unit' for stacking purposes. In general, each unit in the game is considered one unit for stacking purposes. Exceptions, further details, and other strictures are given below.
Stacking rules are in effect at all times throughout the game turn. Players should therefore pay particular attention to the order they move their units in crowded areas of the board; otherwise moves made carelessly early in the phase may block your ability to move units later in the phase. There are no limits, however, on the number of units that may enter and pass through a given hex over the course of a phase, player turn or game turn as long as the stacking limits are met on a hex-by-hex, instant-by-instant basis.
If any hex containing stacked units of either side is found to be 'over stacked' (exceed the stacking limits given below) at the start or end of any phase, the opposing player is immediately allowed to remove to the dead pile his choice of the minimum number of involved enemy units necessary to bring the violating stacks back into limits.
Design Note. The idea in the paragraph above is that most stacking violations should be noted and stopped before they're allowed to go on, during each phase as the game progresses. If, however, some violation is not seen until a phase ends, or is discovered when a phase has just begun, the transgressing player then suffers the penalty of elimination rather than just chastisement.
German and Axis-satellite units may generally not stack with any units other than those of their own specific nationality. That is, in general, Hungarian units may only stack with other Hungarian units; Italian units may only stack with other Italian units; Romanian units may only stack with other Romanian units, and German units may only stack with other German units. Thus, with just two exceptions, there may never be units of more than one nationality of the German side in any hex at any one time.
The first important exception is that units of the German side that are out of supply or that are drawing aerial supply (see section 7.0) may stack together up to the general stacking limit (eight units per hex) without regard to nationality. That's not eight units per nationality per hex, but eight units, total, per hex.
The second exception is that Axis satellite panzer (tank) units may always stack with German mechanized units without regard to nationality; however, this still doesn't allow Axis satellite tank units to stack with each other or to make MAs. For instance, the Romanian panzer division could stack with a force of German mechanized units, but it couldn't stack with Hungarian panzer division even if there were also German mechanized units in the same hex. And, again, the overall eight unit per hex limit must still be observed.
If a multi-national stack of out of supply or aerially supplied German-side units suddenly comes back into regular overland supply, that player is given until the end of his current turn's movement phase to again sort out his stack by nationality, or until the end of his next movement phase if the supply change occurs at a time other than during one of his movement phases. Also see 11.39.
Soviet artillery and heavy cannon divisions don't count toward that side's normal per hex stacking limit. That is, the Soviet player may have up to three artillery units in a hex along with up to eight of his non-artillery units.
Design Note. The artillery and non-artillery stacking combination described above will, in maximally stacked hexes, recreate the 2.5:1 ratio of non-artillery to artillery units that the Soviet general staff considered optimum during this period of the war.
Units of both sides need supply to operate at their full, printed movement and combat potentials. There are no counters representing the actual materiel consumed; instead, that process is represented by 'supply line tracing' to 'intermediate supply source hexes' and finally to 'ultimate supply source hexes'.
There are four supply states for units of the German side, and each ground unit of that side always exists in one of them: 1) regular overland supply, which is also called 'regular supply;' 2) coastal supply; 3) aerial supply and 4) out of supply, which is also referred to as being 'OOS' and 'unsupplied'.
A unit of the German side is in regular overland supply if it can trace a path no longer than seven contiguous hexes, unblocked by enemy ground units, from its location hex to an appropriate intermediate supply source hex, and from that intermediate supply source hex, in supply line lengths to other intermediate supply point hexes (each also no longer than seven hexes), back to an ultimate supply source hex.
German ultimate supply source hexes are the two towns and one city located along the north map's west edge (Kursk[0233], Kharkhov[1134] and Lozovaya[2134]), as well as the Taman peninsula ultimate supply source hex in 1233 once that hex becomes activated (see below, 7.4).
German intermediate supply source hexes are any cities or towns that have been made part of that side's supply network. At the start of both scenarios all cities and towns on the north map west of the appropriate scenario start line are considered to be part of the German supply network.
Units of the German side within seven hexes of an ultimate supply source hex need not trace their supply line through any intermediate supply source hexes; they may trace directly to the ultimate supply source hex.
Units of the German side with regular supply have their full, printed movement and combat factors available for use. Only German mechanized units with regular overland supply may make mobile assaults.
The city of Rostov (2725) was at first the major supply junction for all German operations to the south of there. Accordingly, until such time as the Taman peninsula supply source hex is activated, all German-side units on the south map must trace their supply line through that city; otherwise they are OOS even if they have what appears to be a supply line running elsewhere than through Rostov. Exception: units drawing coastal or aerial supply are excused from this stricture; see below.
The Taman peninsula supply source hex (1233) becomes an active part of the German supply network the instant any unit of that side first enters that hex. That activation also triggers the arrival of two special reinforcement units (see 8.2). If the Taman ultimate supply source hex is deactivated by again coming under Soviet control, the rule above about Rostov and south map German supply again comes into effect.
All units of the German side located in coastal hexes of the Sea of Azov or Black Sea hexes are thereby considered to be in supply for defensive purposes only; their movement and attack factors are halved as if OOS. German mechanized units drawing coastal supply may not make mobile assaults.
The German aerial supply marker can provide such supply to any German-side units in its hex of placement and in the six surrounding hexes. Units receiving aerial supply are in supply only for defensive purposes; they are considered OOS for attack and movement. German mechanized units drawing aerial supply may not make mobile assaults.
The aerial supply marker may be committed to aid OOS units anywhere on the board, but it may not move with the units beneath it. The marker may be committed to the board any time during the game turn and it's supply effects are immediate, but it may never be committed to more than one hex per game turn.
There are two supply states for Soviet units, and each ground unit of that side always exists in one of them: 1) regular overland supply; and 2) out of supply.
A Soviet unit is in regular overland supply on the north map if it can trace a supply path no longer than seven contiguous hexes, unblocked by enemy ground units, from its location hex to an appropriate north map intermediate supply source hex, and from that intermediate supply source hex, in supply line lengths also no longer than seven hexes each to other intermediate supply source hexes, back to an ultimate north map supply source hex.
Soviet ultimate supply source hexes on the north map are all the towns and cities located along both banks of the Volga River as well as Astrakhan in 3401.
Soviet north map intermediate supply source hexes are any cities or towns on the north map that have been made part of that side's north map supply network. At the start of both scenarios, all cities and towns on the north map east of the appropriate scenario start line are considered to be part of the Soviet supply network.
Units of the Soviet side within seven hexes of an ultimate supply source hex need not trace their supply line through any intermediate supply source hexes; they may trace directly to the ultimate supply source hex.
Soviet units with regular supply have their full, printed movement and combat factors available for use.
Soviet units in hexes east of the Volga River on the north map are always fully supplied and need not trace any kind of supply line to maintain that status while there. For all purposes the Volga River is considered to end at the point where the hexes 3201, 3301 and 3302 come together.
Soviet south map supply works the same way as north map supply, but with different ultimate source hexes. That is, the Soviet ultimate supply sources on the south map are the two towns on its south edge (Ordzhonikidze in 5112 and Makhach-Kala in 5102), along with the three Black Sea port towns (Norossisk in 3933, Tuapse in 4329 and Sochi in 4626), and Astrakhan 3301).
Astrakhan(3301) is simultaneously a north and a south map Soviet ultimate supply source hex when playing the Operation Blue scenario, but it is only a south map reinforcement entry point (see 8.3 and 8.10).
An overland (or regular) supply line (or path) consists of an uninterrupted chain of hexes, no longer than seven hexes, traced from the unit or stack in question back to a valid supply source. Such paths may enter and cross all kinds of playable terrain. In addition, Soviet units may trace their supply lines across all-lake (including reservoir) hexes in all kinds of weather. Neither side may trace supply lines across blocked mountain hex sides.
Supply lines may not enter hexes occupied by enemy ground units, nor may they cross all-sea hexes except as described in 7.5 and 7.10. German-side units may not trace their supply lines into or through intact Don-Volga defense line hexes (see 11.23), nor across Volga River hex sides (see 9.17).
When a unit's supply line reaches its first intermediate supply source hex, it doesn't automatically mean it's thereby in supply. That initial hook up into the supply network must in turn be connected, via more supply lines (each no longer than seven hexes) from that first intermediate supply source hex to another intermediate supply source hex, etc., until an ultimate supply source hex is reached. Of course, units of the either side within seven hexes of an appropriate ultimate supply source hex need not trace their supply line through any intermediate supply source hexes; they may trace directly to the ultimate supply source hex.
When counting seven hexes, don't count the hex of the unit or intermediate supply point from which you're starting, but do count the hex of the intermediate or ultimate supply point to which you're counting. For example, Rostov, in 2725, is 'within seven hexes of' (or is 'seven hexes away from') Tsimlyanskiy in 2618. A German unit tracing to that latter place could then from there connect its supply line to Rostov. (A supply line need not have more than one intermediate supply source hex; it all just depends on the overall distance from a tracing unit to its ultimate supply source.)
The supply lines of both sides' units are further restricted in that units on the north map may only trace their supply lines into and through north map hexes to north map supply sources. Similarly, Soviet units on the south map may only trace their supply lines into and through south map hexes to south map ultimate supply source hexes.
Units of the German side on the south map may trace to north map supply source hexes, but only if that supply line goes through Rostov (N3635). The fact the Taman peninsula ultimate supply source hex is brought into the supply network of the German side does not require all south map units of that side to use it for that purpose; the Rostov option is always available.
Gaining & Losing Supply Source Hexes
For both sides, a supply source hex, intermediate or ultimate, loses its supply providing capacity while it's enemy controlled. That capacity is regained, though, when the supply source hex is brought back into the friendly supply network. That loss/gain process may potentially go any number of times for each such hex throughout both scenarios (but see 4.6 and 4.9).
Each player has the ability to add one intermediate supply source hex to his supply network at the very start of each of his player turns in both scenarios. To qualify to be added to your supply network, a town or city hex must be in friendly control and there is a path of contiguous hexes, free of enemy units, no longer than seven hexes and not running through prohibited terrain or across prohibited hex sides, to an appropriate ultimate supply source hex or to another intermediate supply source hex that in turn connects with the same kind of supply path to an ultimate supply source hex or to another such intermediate supply source hex, etc.
The 'chaining' of intermediate supply sources may potentially be infinite, as long as each length of that supply chain meets all the requirements for functionality (taking into account north/south map restrictions, terrain, enemy units, etc.).
To mark a town or city's addition to your supply net, mark it with a supply marker of your side's color. Again remember, however, neither player may place more than one such marker per player turn, no matter how many potential new supply network additions there are at those times. That's one marker, total, per player turn, not one marker on the north map and one on the south map.
A given town or city hex need not be added to a supply network during the turn immediately after the one in which it was first brought under friendly control. Within the one per turn limit, an otherwise eligible intermediate supply source hex may be added to your supply network at the start of any of your player turns after its capture.
Units are never reduced in step-strength or eliminated or simply for being OOS; units may exist indefinitely in the OOS or any other supply state. OOS units have their movement and combat factors halved. OOS German mechanized units may not make mobile assaults.
Check the supply status of each of your units or stacks at the start of its movement and again at the start of each individual battle (mobile assault and prepared assault, see 9.23 and section 11.0) in which you have forces involved on offense or defense. Units found to be OOS at the start of their movement have their movement factors halved for that phase.
Units found to be OOS at the start of any prepared assault in which they're participating, either on offense or defense, have their corresponding combat factor halved.
Soviet units defending against a German mobile assault and that are found to be OOS at the instant of that assault have their defense factor halved. German mechanized units may not make mobile assaults unless they are in regular overland 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.
In the Operation Blue scenario, it's permitted for both players to deliberately move their units into hexes wherein they will or may become OOS.
The supply source hexes in the game only work for the units of the proper side as described in the rules above. If, for example, the Germans captured a Soviet ultimate supply source hex, it wouldn't become an ultimate supply source for them, though they might plug it into their side's network as an intermediate supply source hex.
For both players in both scenarios, all the town and city hexes on their own side of that scenario's start line are part of their own side's supply net at the beginning of play. If the enemy player sends forces across the start line of the scenario being played, and there captures one or more intermediate or ultimate supply points on your side of that line, and you then recapture one, some or all of them, those hexes instantly come back into your supply net. It isn't necessary in such cases to use up a turn or a supply marker; recaptured supply points on your side of the scenario start line instantly and automatically come back into logistical operation for you when recaptured by your forces (any number of times per game).
Reinforcements are new units that enter the game after play has begun.
Either player may choose to delay some or all of his reinforcements' arrivals, but neither player has the ability to accelerate those arrivals. Delayed reinforcements of both sides are simply held off the map by the owning players until a friendly movement phase begins during which he chooses to enter them.
Both side's reinforcement units may be entered any time during the receiving side's movement phase during a game turn; however, no single placement hex may receive more than one full stack's worth (see section 6.0) of units per movement phase.
German reinforcement units are always entered into play at their full step-strength and they have their full movement and capabilities available to them from their instant of placement.
If reinforcements are entered into play via hexes other than their own side's board edge ultimate supply source hexes, the selected town or city hexes may only be intermediate supply points (see section 7.0) for the receiving side. Arriving reinforcements of both sides immediately have their normal movement and combat abilities available to them, with but one exception (see below, second paragraph 8.2).
The German player's regular reinforcements may enter play via friendly controlled and functioning ultimate and/or intermediate supply source hexes on the north board using regular movement. Their hex of entry counts against each entering unit's movement allowance for that phase. Arriving reinforcement units may be entered at any times throughout the German movement phase.
Only two units of the German side - the German 46th Infantry Division and the Romanian 3R Mountain Infantry Division, may enter via the south map. They do so via the Taman peninsula ultimate supply source hex (S1343) the instant that hex is made part of the German supply network. Note, though, unlike north map reinforcements these two units are not allowed to move or attack during their game turn of entry via the Taman hex. (They defend normally.) The Taman hex is the only method of entry for these two units.
Soviet north map reinforcements in Operation Blue may enter play via any of their side's friendly controlled ultimate and/or intermediate supply source hexes on that map sheet, excluding only Astrakhan(3301). Their hex of placement counts against each entering unit's movement allowances for that phase. Arriving reinforcement units may be entered through one or several supply hexes at any times throughout each Soviet movement phase.
Note that for reinforcement arrival purposes, Astrakhan is considered only a south map entry point in Operation Blue (see 7.11 and 8.10).
Within his Operation Blue north map set up forces the Soviet player will find four groups of forces that begin play designated as 'Reserve Armies'. They are: 5th Reserve Army in 1215; 6th Reserve Army in 0917; 7th Reserve Army in 2112 and 8th Reserve Army in 0606.
The units making up those armies (see 12.1) are frozen in place, not allowed to move or attack, until such time as a Soviet player turn begins wherein at least one unit of the German side is within eight hexes or less of their location hex. This is judged on an army by army and turn by turn basis; enemy proximity to one army only frees that one army, not all the Reserve Armies; though it certainly is possible for more than one Reserve Army to be freed per turn due to multiple enemy advances.
When counting the distance between the nearest enemy unit and a frozen Reserve Army, count from the enemy unit to the Reserve Army location hex. Don't count the hex in which the enemy unit is located; do count the Reserve Army location hex. For example, an enemy unit in hex 2319 would be within eight hexes of 7th Reserve Army's location hex at 2112.
In addition to the method above, the Soviet player may also try to free Reserve Armies by petitioning Moscow to have each one's status changed. This supplemental petitioning process begins at the start of the Soviet player turn in Game Turn 2. At that time that player rolls a die for each still-frozen Reserve Army. On a result of one (1), the just rolled for army is freed. Any other result means that Reserve Army remains in place until the enemy approaches within eight hexes or another appeal to Moscow succeeds in freeing it on a subsequent turn. Make one die roll per frozen Reserve Army per Soviet player turn beginning on Game Turn 2.
Design Note. A 'Reserve Not Activated' marker is provided in the counter mix to keep atop every such army as a memory aid until each is freed.
During play of the Operation Blue scenario, the Soviet player may introduce a total of 10 rifle division reinforcements via friendly controlled south map intermediate and/or ultimate supply source hexes, but at a rate of no more than two rifle divisions per game turn. Such south map reinforcements are not taken from the north map totals, but instead are drawn separately (and still also randomly, see 2.14) from the general pool of uncommitted units of that type. Further, no Southern Soviet reinforcement may begin entering on that map until a Soviet player turn begins with the German side controlling Rostov (2725).
Within the above strictures, Soviet south map reinforcements use the same entry procedures there, have their combat and movement factors instantly available, etc., as their counterparts arriving via the north map.
Design Note. The rules above govern the number and type of units the Soviet player may enter as reinforcements via the south map in Operation Blue; they do not govern the number of units he may move overland from the north map to the south or vice versa.
If one or more units of the German side move or attack to the east side of the line formed by the Voronezh/Don Rivers and the Don-Volga fortifications, all Soviet North Map reinforcements are brought forward one turn. South map reinforcement rules continue normally.
The forward-move is a one time event, no matter how many turns the German may remain (and/or be attacking) to the east of the trigger line. Further, though, at the first German-side violation of the line, all Soviet Reserve Armies that are still frozen at that time are permanently released into play.
At the very start of his player turn on Game Turn 6 of the Operation Blue scenario (only), the German player must permanently remove from play any two German panzer divisions, any one German infantry division, and the Gross Deutschland motorized infantry division. The selected units are simply picked up from the map and set aside for the rest of the game.
The German player may choose any overland supplied panzer and infantry divisions anywhere on the map, at either full or reduced strength, for the withdrawal. If the Gross Deutschland (GD) unit is unavailable for withdrawal, either because it's in the dead pile or is OOS or drawing coastal or aerial supply, the German must substitute any two other available German motorized infantry divisions for it.
The non-mechanized infantry division chosen for withdrawal must have a combat factor of at least seven (7) printed on either side of its counter.
If an enemy unit is adjacent to a town or city hex that's part of your supply network (see section 7.0), that hex's supply-providing capacity remains unaltered, but no reinforcements may enter play through the hex until the adjacent enemy unit(s) is/are removed.
Every ground combat unit in the game has a 'movement factor' printed in its bottom-right corner. That factor is the number of 'movement points' (also called 'movement factors,' and 'MFs' and 'MPs') available to the unit to use to move across the hex grid during its side's movement phase each player turn couplet.
Units move from hex to adjacent hex - no 'skipping' of hexes is allowed - paying varied costs to do so depending on the type of unit moving and the terrain in and along the hexes being entered.
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 operations segment. (Exception: see 11.33, retreat-after-combat.)
MPs may not be accumulated from turn to turn or phase to phase, nor may they be loaned or given from one unit to another. A player may 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 MPs before stopping. The movement of each unit or stack must be completed before that of another is begun. A player may only change the position of an already moved unit or stack if his opponent agrees to allow it.
Each ground combat unit is generally guaranteed the ability to move at least one hex during a friendly movement phase by expending all its MF to do so. But this guarantee doesn't allow units to enter hexes or cross hex sides that are otherwise impassable to them, nor does it guarantee German mechanized units the ability to launch a mobile assault.
Ground combat units may normally never enter hexes containing enemy ground combat units, but see 9.23.
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.
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 behind in the original (or 'parent') stack may then resume their own movement, even splitting off other units if desired. But 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 earlier stack without your opponent's permission.
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 MFs, you may drop them off and continue with the faster ones.
All terrain features on the map are classified into two broad categories: natural and manmade. Both of those categories are further divided into several 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.
There are various types of natural terrain and hydrographic features on the map: clear, forest, hills, mountains, marsh, desert steppe, blocked mountain hex sides, non-Volga river hex sides, Volga river hex sides and all-lake/reservoir/sea hex sides (including the 'Manych Deep' reservoir). The effects these various features have on the movement of ground units are described below and are also summarized on the Terrain Effects Chart (or 'TEC,' see 12.6) for quick reference during play.
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. All city hexes are considered to have a base of clear terrain, but that's not necessarily true for towns.
Forest hexes represent areas where the primary ground cover is trees. Each forest hex costs mechanized units two MP to enter, while non-mechanized units pay one MP.
Hills are areas dominated by broken or rough terrain. All mechanized units pay four MP per hex entered; mountain infantry pay one MP, while all other non-mechanized units pay two MP.
Mountain hexes cost mountain infantry two MP to enter, while other non-mechanized units must pay four MP per hex. Mechanized units may not move into or through mountain hexes, and no units of either side or any kind may move across blocked mountain hex sides.
Marsh hexes cost non-mechanized units two MP per hex entered.
Desert steppe hexes cost all units one MP each to enter.
Rivers run between hexes, along hex sides, rather than existing in-hex. Every river hex side, other than those belonging to the Volga River, may be crossed by all non-mechanized units of both sides by paying one extra MP for the crossing, and by mechanized units of both sides by paying two extra MP for the crossing. 'Extra' means in addition to whatever movement cost is involved for the hex being moved into.
No unit of the German side may ever move, attack or trace supply across any hex of the Volga River in either scenario. Soviet units may always move across such hex sides without having to pay any extra costs in both scenarios.
The Volga River is an entirely north map feature.
When playing the Operation Blue scenario, the Soviet player may move one, two or three non-mechanized units by sea, from friendly controlled port town to friendly controlled port town, during each of his movement phases. The exact number of units he may so move each turn is governed by the number of port towns under his control: one port town controlled means one unit may move by sea, two controlled means two units, etc.
To move by sea a Soviet unit must be an arriving south map reinforcement or, if already in play on the map, must start the movement phase already located in a port town. An arriving reinforcement may move to a port, paying normal MP costs to land in the port town hex, then move on from there according to regular movement strictures. A unit that begins a Soviet movement phase already in a port town may move from there to any other port town, land by paying appropriate hex entry costs, then move on from there according to normal movement strictures. (Landing Soviet units aren't forced to move out of the port; they may stay where they land if that's desired by that player.)
Sea movement may not be used by the Soviet player to withdraw units from the map, nor does this rule given that player any kind of amphibious invasion capability against German controlled ports.
At the start of any game turn of the Operation Blue scenario, the German player may announce he's using both his aircraft ground support counters to block Soviet sea movement. The effect is just that: there is no Soviet sea movement allowed that turn. Of course, there will also be no further air counter participation on the German side that game turn.
All-lake/reservoir/sea hexes and hex sides may only be entered or crossed according to the rule above.
Design Note. All the terrain costs and strictures given above describe movement during normal weather. For the effect of freezing weather on these costs, see section 10.0. Also note the Sea of Azov is not the Black Sea, nor is there is German sea movement of any kind.
Manmade terrain exists in four types: cities, towns, the Don-Volga defense line fortifications and the Stalingrad O-Ring defense line. Manmade terrains have no effects by themselves on movement. The movement cost for entering hexes is determined by the natural terrain in them.
The total movement cost for entering any hex is always the sum of all the applicable terrain and water costs involved. For example, a mechanized unit crossing a non-Volga river hex side into a hill hex would pay a total of six MP to do so. That is, four MP to enter the hill hex and two 'extra' MP to cross the river hex side.
No unit once in play on the map may be moved, advanced- or retreated-after-combat off it, except as described in 8.7.
All German mechanized units may conduct a special form of attack during that side's movement phases in both scenarios. This is called 'mobile assault' (or simply 'MA'). All types of German mechanized units may potentially participate in MAs, but for FLAK and/or motorized infantry to be able to do so, at least one panzer division must be involved in the same MA. Motorized infantry and/or FLAK, alone or in combination with each other, but without at least one panzer division, may not make MAs.
To conduct an MA, an eligible moving German mechanized unit or stack enters the enemy occupied hex chosen to be attacked, paying double the normal movement costs to do so. No German mechanized unit or stack may conduct more than one MA per German movement phase, but any given defender hex may potentially be mobile assaulted any number of times during any one German movement phase, as long as each new MA is conducted by fresh units and the German player observes stacking limits in the launch hex(es). The stacking limits for the two sides' involved units within the assaulted hex itself are mutually exclusive.
Design Note. An MA's 'launch hex' is the last hex occupied by the assaulting German force just prior to entering the defender's hex.
No MA may ever be launched into forest, hill, mountain, marsh, city or Don-Volga defense line hexes; nor may MAs ever be launched across any kind of all-water hex side.
The guaranteed ability of units to move at least one hex per friendly movement phase by expending all their MPs to do so (see 9.3), doesn't work to guarantee German mechanized units the ability to launch an MA; the assaulting unit or stack must have sufficient MP available to pay for the MA or it may not be made.
The concentric assault odds shift bonus (see 11.28) is never available for MAs.
The supply state of both sides' involved units in an MA is determined at the instant of battle and at the location of battle. That is, no German mechanized unit or stack may conduct an MA if it can be seen to be without regular overland supply in the launch hex for that MA.
Soviet defenders against MAs normally receive a two column leftward odds shift (2L) in addition to other applicable shifters (see section 11.0). If, however, at the very start of any of his player turns in the Operation Blue scenario, the German declares he is 'using his Luftwaffe formations to form Schwerpunkte with the panzers,' (Gen. von Richtoffen's phrase) that otherwise normal MA defense bonus is nullified for all MAs that player turn, but the two German air units are likewise no longer available for any other function throughout any such game turn.
To be able to MA together during a given movement phase, German mechanized units must begin that phase already stacked together.
If the German MA achieves any result that fails to entirely clear the defender hex of all enemy units, the involved German force suffers whatever losses are dictated by that result and the survivors are placed back in their MA's launch hex, where they must remain for the rest of the phase. Such units could potentially PA in the following German PA phase provided the sequence chosen for that turn was move and MA/prepared assault.
If a German MA completely clears the defender hex of Soviet units, the assaulting German units may continue their movement from that hex with the MP 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 and MA/prepared assault). Note there is never any automatic advance-after-combat in victorious MAs as there is in victorious PAs (see 11.38); all post-MA movement is governed by the MP left to the moving units.
The ability of German mechanized units to MA is not effected by the phase sequence chosen by that player. In PA/move and MA sequences, otherwise eligible units might participate in a PA, then during the following movement phase also launch an MA. The same is true when the move and MA/PA sequence is chosen: units that launched an MA during the movement phase might also participate in combat during the PA phase later that same German player turn.
Design Note. Within the limits and exceptions given above, MAs are generally resolved the same way as PAs (see section 11.0).
At the very start of any Operation Blue game turn wherein he still controls hex 3217 or 3317, the Soviet player may announce he's flooding the Manych River. This is a one-time per game event, the effect of which is to make the entire course of the Manych River, from those two hexes to 2821/2822, inclusive, impassable for movement and combat for that one game turn. Even after the flooding, the Manych Deep still remains a lake/reservoir.
Prepared Assault (PA) combat takes place between adjacent opposing units during the prepared assault phase in every player-turn. Attacking is always voluntary; the mere fact of opposing units' adjacency doesn't necessitate combat. 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.
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 large, combined defending unit.
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 of the surrounding hexes, but no more than one hex may ever be the object of any one PA, which is also true for MAs. See 11.6 below for more details.
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 prepared assault phase, and no defending unit may be attacked more than once per prepared assault phase. (That last isn't true for MAs; see 9.23.)
There is no artificial limit on the number of PAs each player may resolve during his prepared assault phase, which is also true for MAs during the German player's movement phases. The attacker need not declare all his attacks before hand, 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.
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 defender hex while others attacked into some others or simply didn't attack at all. No defending unit, though, may ever refuse combat.
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 player may examine the other's stacked reinforcement units on the Turn Record Tracks. The German VP total in Operation Blue is always known to both players.
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 must set a '1' next to it on the right. Thus '3' becomes '3:1,' which corresponds to a column-heading on the Combat Results Table (CRT, see 14.7). And don't forget to take both sides' immediate supply situation into account; see section 7.0.
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').
Note the column headings on the CRT range from 1:3 to 6:1. Final odds greater than 6:1 are resolved without a die roll; their results are always 'DE'. Odds less than 1:3 are also resolved without a die roll; their results are always 'AL1'.
The odds obtained in the calculations described above may be modified ('shifted') by the terrain in the defender's hex and around its perimeter, 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.
No lone unit or stack in the game with a printed combat factor greater than zero ever has that combat factor reduced below '1' for any reason(s). Whenever stacked or multi-unit or multi-hex situations arise in which combat factor reductions are to be made, total all the units' factors subject to a common reduction, then make just one grand reduction, rounding down any remainder (but also see 1.3).
Units with printed attack factors of zero are never allowed to attack, nor may they 'ride along' with other units that happen to be attacking from their hex. They may not participate in attacks in any way.
Units defending in clear terrain hexes that are devoid of other terrain features derive no benefit to their defense against PAs because of that terrain. The same is not necessarily true, though, when defending against MAs in clear terrain, see 9.23.
Units defending against PAs in forest hexes during enemy player turns in which they prepared assault/move and MA sequence is chosen receive no terrain benefit from the trees; however, when the sequence is move and MA/PA, defenders in forest hexes receive a one-column leftward (1L) odds shift. MAs may never be launched against defenders in forest hexes.
Units defending in hill hexes against PAs always receive a one-column leftward (1L) odds shift. For example, a 3:1 attack would become a 2:1 attack. MAs may never be launched against defenders in hill hexes.
Units defending in mountain hexes against PAs always receive a two-column leftward (1L) odds shift. For example, a 3:1 attack would become a 1:1 attack. MAs may never be launched against defenders in mountain hexes.
No kind of attack may ever be launched across blocked mountain hex sides.
Both sides' mechanized units are prohibited from attacking into marsh hexes in any way. When non-mechanized units PA against defenders in unfrozen marsh terrain, they gain a one column rightward (1R) odds shift for doing so, due to lack of cover for the defenders.
When units attack (MA or PA) defenders located in desert steppe terrain, they gain a one column rightward (1R) odds shift for doing so, due to lack of cover for the defenders.
Every non-artillery unit PA attacking across a river hex side has its attack factor halved. Soviet artillery units on the attack are always unaffected by rivers.
No MAs may be launched across unfrozen non-Volga River hex sides. No German-side attack of any kind may ever be launched across Volga River hex sides.
It's normally impossible for units of either side to attack across these hex sides in any way; however, Soviet artillery units may do so in support of other attacking units coming in through other hex sides.
Towns themselves never generate any kind of combat odds shifter or modifier in this game, but other terrain in town hexes does continue to make itself felt as usual for all combat purposes.
Units defending against a PA in a city hex never suffer the concentric attack bonus, no matter what the positions of the attackers around the hex. In addition, units defending in city hexes gain a two-column leftward (2L) odds shift bonus for doing so. Further, both AS and DR combat results are converted to AL1 when achieved against defenders in cities with regular overland or aerial supply. Finally, MAs may never be launched into cities, and German and Axis satellite panzer divisions are halved when making PAs into city hexes.
These fortifications are printed directly on the map and are considered already in place at the start of play of both scenarios. Soviet units receive a two-column leftward (2L) odds shift when defending in these hexes against enemy PAs. German units may never MA into this defense line.
Units of the German side may not trace their supply lines into or through intact Don-Volga defense line fortifications, but whenever an German-side unit occupies one of these fortification hexes those fortifications are considered destroyed for the rest of the game.
In Operation Blue, whenever all the attacking units involved in a German-side MA or PA are launching their attack across an intact hex side of this fortification ring, the Soviet defenders gain a one-column-leftward (1L) odds shift in addition to any other applicable modifiers. As soon as any German-side unit(s) occupies any hex within the O-Ring perimeter, however, the entire fortification structure ceases to exist for all purposes.
Design Note. The O-Ring was hastily constructed under the supervision of Stalingrad's civilian authorities as the Germans first approached. Its positions were therefore poorly placed, and the whole thing quickly ceased to be of any value once the Germans got inside it.
The German player has two ground support aircraft units available for use during Operation Blue. There is never any game turn during which both sides have them available simultaneously. Either player may commit an aircraft counter to support any one PA battle, either offensive or defensive, anywhere on either map. The German player may use them both to support a whole player turn's worth of MAs, see 9.23, or he may commit both of them to support any one PA, either offensive or defensive.
Neither side's planes have any stacking or combat values of their own, nor may they be given up to satisfy combat step losses. They effect of each aircraft counter is to generate a one column odds shift in favor of the owning side.
Each plane unit may be used once per game turn, when available, as described in the paragraphs above.
This German mechanized unit functions in all ways like a normal (non-panzer division) mechanized-class unit of that side as long as it's stacked with at least one other German-side unit of either mobility class. If, however, it's ever caught alone in a hex and is attacked by the Soviet player while in that state, its defense factor is reduced to one. Similarly, if it ever PAs without at least one other German-side unit participating in the same attack from the same hex, its attack factor is then reduced to just one.
Design Note. Though there were other German FLAK divisions in this theater of operations, only the 9th is included in the order of battle. That's because it was the only fully motorized FLAK division, and its commander was an astute tactician who saw to it his men trained to participate in ground actions.
If a Soviet unit or stack is defending against a German PA from opposite hexes, or by units from three hexes with one hex between each and the next, or by units from more than three hexes, that German PA gains a two column rightward (2R) odds shift. This bonus is also available to PA attacking Axis-satellite and Soviet units, but when they gain it they only achieve a one-column rightward (1R) odds shift. If a mixed German/Axis satellite force gains concentric positioning for a PA, the bonus is likewise only 1R. This bonus is never available to units PA attacking into any city hex.
After all applicable modifiers have been applied and final CRT odds column determined, the attacker rolls a die and consults that table (12.7) to get a 'combat result'. For example, a roll of '5' at odds of 6:1 yields a combat result of 'DE'.
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 7:1, the highest odds column on the CRT, and then shift 2L; you apply all modifiers first, then go to the CRT to find your column.
In each battle, the defender must always completely absorb his combat result before the attacker absorbs his. There is never any carry over of a combat result from one battle into any other battle.
When this result is achieved in a PA, nothing happens: both sides remain in place an neither side suffers any losses.
When this result is achieved in an MA, the Soviet defenders remain in place and the German attackers are placed back into their launch hex, from where they may not move that same phase.
When this result is achieved in a PA, 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 losses.
In a PA, the attacker is always completely free to absorb his step loss from among any of his involved units. When a German MA gets this result, however, the step loss must come from an involved panzer division.
In PAs or MAs, the defeated defending unit or stack must retreat into any adjacent hex empty of enemy units. Empty but intact Soviet Don-Volga fortifications hexes may not be retreated into by German or Axis satellite units
If there is more than one eligible hex available, 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.
Retreat-after-combat doesn't use up MP, and it has nothing to do with the costs involved with movement phase movement. Retreating units, however, must still observe normal movement prohibitions. For example, units retreating after combat may not retreat across all-sea hex sides.
Stacking limits must be observed in retreat movement. 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 below, 11.36). 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 both require it and allow for it.
If defending units from one battle, MA or PA, retreat into a hex containing other friendly units, and that hex comes under attack that same phase, the units that retreated into the new hex in no way contribute to their new location's defense. Further, if the original defenders in the new hex receive any combat result other than AS or AL1, the just-retreated-in units are automatically eliminated, and their elimination doesn't serve to satisfy any of the current combat's defender result.
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, and in a PA may make an advance-after-combat into the defender hex if the DE result has left it completely empty of enemy units.
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. That done, the attacker must then remove the number of steps from among his involved attackers equal to the number of steps just lost by the defender. In a PA, if the EX result has left the defender hex vacant of enemy units, the victorious attacker may advance-after-combat with his surviving attacking units.
Whenever the defender's hex is left vacant of defenders, either by step loss and/or retreat, the victorious PA 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 MPs, but advancing units must still observe normal terrain prohibitions.
Advancing-after-combat is an option; it is never mandatory. 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 an advancing attackers to stack-full the newly won hex; the victorious player may send just one or a few units.
There is never any defender advance-after-combat; victorious defenders simply hold their place. Soviet artillery and heavy cannon units never advance-after-combat.
It is permitted for German units to PA together with any one nationality of Axis satellite units, but no more than one nationality of Axis satellites may ever be involved in any one German-side PA. If a mixed German/Axis for PAs with concentric assault, the bonus is only 1R. For purposes of MAs, remember only German mechanized units may launch them, but also remember the Slovakian motorized infantry division is considered fully German for all rules purposes.
How many units he places in each front line hex is up to him, except that each front line hex must have at least one Soviet unit in it when the set up is completed and normal stacking rules must be observed.
German & Axis Satellite Set Up Specifics
All German and Axis satellite unit set ups for this scenario take place on the north map. Down the west side of the north map there are six German and Axis Satellite Army abbreviations: 2A = (German) 2nd Army; 4PA = (German) 4th Panzer Army; 2H = 2nd Hungarian Army; 6A = (German) 6th Army; 1PA = (German) 1st Panzer Army; 17A = (German) 17th Army, St = in Stalino (N3140), and K = in Kharkhov (N2044).
The German must observe normal stacking limits within each army set up area, but has no restrictions or strictures beyond that. He may set up his units adjacent to Soviet units. AllGerman units start at their full step strength.
Somes units of the German-side are Operation Blue starting units set up by that player, decided on a unit-by-unit and hex-by-hex basis, in any friendly controlled hexes to the west of the scenario start line. Once such units are set up, for purposes of rule 3.2 they are considered to become part of the army corresponding to the areas in which their set up hexes are located. No more than one may be set up in any given hex.