Back to the Battle of Kasserine Menu

Kasserine

Baptism of Fire, February 1943

Copyright Decision Games LLC and HexWar Games Ltd..

 

Contents

 

[15.0] INTRODUCTION

Kasserine is a simulation of the dramatic Axis offensive in Tunisia during February of 1943.  The target of this carefully timed operation was the U.S. II Corps.

Start of page

[16.0] ROUGH TERRAIN

[16.1] EFFECTS

[16.11] Rough terrain hexes are prohibited to all mechanized unit types (except Mechanized Infantry) at all times.  No mechanized units, except Mechanized Infantry, may ever enter Rough terrain hexes. Non-mechanized units may enter Rough terrain hexes, paying the appropriate costs.

[16.12] All units may enter and exit Rough hexes through Road and Trail hexsides.  All mechanized units forced to retreat into Rough hexes through non-Road/Trail hexsides are eliminated instead.  (HexWar Clarification) Mechanized may retreat from a Rough terrain hex to a non-Rough terrain hex.

[16.13] Zones of Control of all unit types extend into Rough terrain and all unit types may attack into Rough hexes.

[16.14].

Start of page

[17.0] SUPPLY SOURCES

[17.1] RESTRICTIONS

[17.11] An Axis unit is in supply if an unobstructed initial path of four or fewer hexes can be traced from the unit in question to a Trail or Road hex, which is connected by a contiguous, connected line of unobstructed Trail or Road hexes to any Axis Supply Source.  Axis Supply Sources are hexes 0623-1423, 2126-3926, 3926-3916 (inclusive).  An Axis unit which cannot trace such a path is unsupplied.

[17.12] An Allied unit is in Supply if an unobstructed initial path of three or fewer hexes can be traced from the unit in question to a Trail or Road hex, which is connected by a contiguous line of unobstructed Trail or Road hexes to any Allied Supply Source.  Allied Supply Sources are hexes 0107-0101, 0101.0901, 1301-1901, 2401-3001 (inclusive).  An Allied unit which cannot trace such a path is unsupplied.

[17.13] Note that once a Supply Path is traced into a Trail hex, all remaining hexes must be Trail hexes connected by Trail hexsides, and that once the Supply Path is traced into a Road hex, all remaining hexes must be Road hexes connected by Road hexsides.

[17.14] Additionally, each Player may trace his initial hexes directly to a Supply Source.

[17.15] If an Axis unit exits any Allied Supply hex, that hex and all Supply hexes east of that hex may no longer be used as an Allied Supply Source.

Start of page

[18.0] LIMITATIONS ON GROUND SUPPORT AND ARTILLERY

General Rule:

Neither Player may add the Strength Points of more than three Artillery units in a single combat for either Barrage or FPF. In addition, the Axis Player may use no more than four Ground Support Points for either Barrage or FPF in any single combat.  Axis Ground Support Points are listed on the Turn Record Track. The Allies receive no Ground Support Points.

Start of page

[19.0] WITHDRAWAL

GENERAL RULE:
Once (and only once) during the course of the game, each Player may announce and execute a Withdrawal Player.Turn.

PROCEDURE:
Immediately before the Movement Phase, the Phasing Player indicates that he is executing a Withdrawal.  The Phasing Player then executes a Withdrawal within the following Cases. One Withdrawal Marker is included for each Player.

CASES:

[19.1] EFFECT OF WITHDRAWAL ON ENEMY ZONES OF CONTROL

During the Movement Phase of the Player-Turn in which a Withdrawal has been indicated, any and all of the Phasing Player’s units may exit from Enemy Zones of Control.  In all other respects, the effects of Enemy Zones of Control fully apply.

[19.2] EFFECTS OF WITHDRAWAL ON FRIENDLY MOVEMENT


[19.21] All withdrawing units move normally, except that, subsequent to exiting the Enemy-controlled hex, they may not re-enter an Enemy-controlled hex during the Withdrawal Movement Phase.  Units which do not begin the Withdrawal Movement Phase in an Enemy-controlled hex may enter an Enemy-controlled hex that Phase.

[19.22] Not all Friendly units need undertake a withdrawal.  A Player may select which units he wishes to withdraw.

[19.3] SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

Both Players must fulfill certain requirements after announcing a Withdrawal, as follows:

[19.31] ALLIED PLAYER
All units of the U.S. 1st Armored Division still in play during the Withdrawal Movement Phase, must end the Allied Movement Phase within three hexes of El Mae! Aboid (hex 0312) three Game-Turns after the Allied Withdrawal Phase.

[19.32] AXIS PLAYER
Three Game-Turns after the Axis Withdrawal Player-Turn, all Axis units must exit the niip from an Axis Supply Source hex.

[19.33] Meeting the Special Considerations: Points are added and subtracted to the Victory Point total for units which fail to meet the special consider­ations (see the Victory Point Schedule).

Start of page

[20.0] WEATHER

GENERAL RULE:
There are three types of weather: Good, Fair and Poor.  Each Game-Turn is assigned a Weather Condition.

CASES:

[20.1] EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON AXIS GROUND SUPPORT POINTS

On Good Weather Game-Turns:
Axis Player receives nine Ground Support Points.

On Fair Weather Game-Turns:
Axis Player receives four Ground Support Points.

On Poor Weather Game-Turns:
Axis Player receives no Ground Support Points.

[20.2] EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON TERRAIN

On Good and Fair Weather Game-Turns:
All terrain effects are normal.

On Poor Weather Game-Turns:
No units may move or attack across unbridged Stream hexsides at any time.  Zones of Control do not extend across unbridged Stream hexsides during any Phase of Poor Weather Game-Turns.

[20.3] EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON MOVEMENT ALLOWANCES

On Good and Fair Weather Game-Turns:
All Movement Allowances are normal.

On Poor Weather Game-Turns:
The Movement Allowances of all units with unmodified Movement Allowances of eight or more are reduced by five Movement Points.  The Movement Allowances of all units with unmodified Movement Allowance of seven or less are reduced by two Movement Points.  Thus, a 2-3-11 during a Poor Weather Game-Turn becomes a 2-3-6; a 1-2-3/1-7 becomes a 1-2-3/1 -5.

[20.4] TABLE

Turns One through Four are Good Weather Game-Turns.
Turn five is a Fair Weather Game-Turn.
Turns Six and Seven are Poor Weather Game-Turns.
Turns Eight and Nine are Fair Weather Game-Turns.
Turns Ten through Twelve are Good Weather Game-Turns.

Start of page

[21.0] OPTIONAL RULES (Not currently in use in the HexWar edition)

[21.1] ALLIED DESPERATE DEFENSE

In all Combat Phases following the completion of the Allied Withdrawal Player-Turn, all Combat Results affecting Allied units must be modified as follows: Al, Br and Dl become No effect; D2 and A2 become Dl and Al, respectively; D3 becomes D2.  However, all D4 and Ae results against Allied units result in the elimination of all Allied units in the combat, and Axis forces involved in that specific combat may advance four hexes as per the Advance After Combat Rules.

[21.2] RELEASE OF THE 10TH PANZER DIVISION

No unit of the 10th Panzer Division may move west of the 2000 hexrow (inclusive) until released. Units of the 10th Panzer are released individually by a die roll at the beginning of each Axis Player-Turn following an Allied Withdrawal.  A die is rolled for each unit individually, and if the die roll is greater than or equal to the unit’s Attack Strength, it may move freely for the remainder of the game. Each unreleased unit may be rolled for only once per Axis Player-Turn. Unreleased units may operate freely east of the 2000 hexrow.

Start of page

[22.0] VICTORY CONDITIONS

GENERAL RULE:
Victory is judged at the end of the game on the basis of Victory Points.  Victory Points are added to the Victory Point total for destroyed Allied units and for Axis-seized territorial objectives, as well as Axis units exited from the map.  Victory Points are subtracted from the Victory Point Total for Axis units destroyed, as well as for Axis units which are unsupplied at the end of the game.  The Victory Point Total is further adjusted by the post-Withdrawal Considerations.

CASES:

[22.1] VALUE OF UNITS IN VICTORY POINTS

[22.11] Each unit has a numerical Victory Point value equivalent to its total Combat strengths (Attack plus Defense Strengths for non-Artillery units; Barrage, FPF and Defense Strengths for Artillery units). Thus, a 5-3-12 armored battalion is worth 8 Victory Points.

[22.12] Victory Points are added to the Victory Point Total when Allied units are eliminated. Victory Points are subtracted from the Victory Point Total when Axis units are eliminated. Thus, if the Axis Player loses a 5-3-12 armored battalion; eight Victory Points are subtracted from the Victory Point Total.

[22.2] SPECIAL WITHDRAWALCONSIDERATIONS EFFECT ON VICTORY POINT TOTAL

[22.21] For each Allied unit which does not meet the Allied Special Considerations (listed in Case 19.3), double Point value for that unit is added to the Victory Point Total.

[22.22] For each Axis unit which does not meet the Axis Special Considerations (Case 19.3), full Point value for that unit is subtracted from the Victory Point Total.

[22.23] Note that these units are not eliminated. If any of the above units are eliminated subsequent to Friendly Withdrawal, adjustment to the Victory Point Total is again made.

[22.3] TERRITORIAL OBJECTIVES

[22.31] Certain hexes are listed by hex number and their Point Value to the Axis Player. These Points are awarded to the Axis Player (i.e., added to the Victory Point Total) the instant the first Axis unit enters (occupies) the listed hex.

[22.32] These hexes are listed as having conditional Victory Point value (e.g., 20 Points are added to the Victory Point Total the instant an Axis unit enters hex 2714, but only on or before Game-Turn Three).

[22.4] VICTORY POINT SCHEDULE

The Axis Player keeps a running total of all the Victory Points. Points maybe added and subtracted from the Victory Point Total according to the following schedule.

[22.41] Points Awarded During the Course of Play:
1. Thirty Victory Points (VP) the instant the first Axis unit enters Sbeitla (hex 2714), if on or before Game-Turn Three.
2. Thirty VP the instant the first Axis unit enters Thelepte (hex 1319), if on or before Game-Turn Three.
3. Five VP the instant the first Axis unit enters Sbeitla, if on Game-Turn Four through Six.
4. Five VP the instant the first Axis unit enters Thelepte, if on Game-Turn Four through Six.
5. Full Point Value for each Allied unit eliminated.
6. Double full Point Value for each U.S. unit of the 1st Armored Division which fails to fulfill its post-Withdrawal Conditions as listed in Case 19.3. 7. Sixty-Five VP at the instant the first Axis unit enters Tebessa (hex 0306) on any Game-Turn preceeding the Axis Withdrawal.

[22.42] Points Subtracted During Play
1. Full Point Value for every Axis unit eliminated.
2. Full Point Value for every Axis unit which fails to fulfill the post-Withdrawal Conditions as listed in
Case 19.3.
3.          Seven Victory Points (VP) are subtracted at the completion of every Game-Turn following Game-Turn Eight if the Axis Withdrawal has not yet occurred.  Example: If the Axis Player does not declare a Withdrawal on Game-Turn Nine, seven Victory Points are subtracted from the Victory Point Total at the end of the Game-Turn.

[22.43] Points Awarded at the end of Play
Victory Points are added if the Axis Player fulfills one (not both) of the following objectives:

1. Triple Point Value for each Axis unit exited from any Allied Supply Source hex preceding an Axis Withdrawal is added, if it can trace a line of connected Road or Trail hexes from the Allied Supply Source hex to any Axis Supply Source hex (inclusive) unblocked by Allied units at the end of the game.
2. Full Point Value for each Axis Armor (only) Attack Strength Point exited from Axis Supply Source hexes before the end of the game is added if the Axis Player has declared a Withdrawal.

Victory is determined by finding the final Victory Point Total on the schedule below, and comparing it to the Victory Levels.

[22.5] LEVELS OF VICTORY

Victory Point Total       Victory Level
Less than 45                  Allied Decisive
From 45 to 59                Allied Substantive
From 60 to 79                Allied Marginal
From 80to 109               Draw
From 110 to 129            Axis Marginal
From 130 to 150            Axis Substantive
More than 150               Axis Decisive

Start of page

[23.0] INITIAL DEPLOYMENT AND REINFORCEMENTS

GENERAL RULE:
Hex numbers are shown in bold, followed by the unit’s Strength and Movement values; unit desig­nations (important for play of the game) are shown in parentheses. Units must be set-up strictly according to unit designation.

[23.1] AXIS INITIAL DEPLOYMENT

No Axis units begin the game on the map.

[23.2] ALLIED INITIAL DEPLOYMENT

Place the following units in the hex listed for each.
3718     1-3-7 (2/168)
3922     1-2-7 (3/168)
3722     1-2-7 (-/168)
3721     1-2-3/2-10 (91)
3821     2-2-4/1-7 (2/17)
3819     3-2-12 (3/1)

Place the following units in or adjacent to the hex listed for each group. Units may not be stacked.
2714     2-1-14 (1/13), 2-3-11 (1/6), 1-2-3/2-10 (68)
3911     3-2-12 (3/13), 2-1-11 (701), 2-3-11 (3/6)
1703     1-2-7 (1/26), 1-3-7 (19)
0312     2-3-11 (2/6)
0914     2-1-14(1/1)

Place the following units on or within two hexes of the hex listed for each group. Units may not be stacked
0306     2-1-11 (894 and 805), 1-2-3/1-7 (7), 2-2-4/1-7 (33)
1220     1-2-7 (1/168).

[23.3] AXIS REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE

Enter Reinforcing units on the hex listed, or on any map edge hex (inclusive) between the hexes listed for each group. Reinforcements enter in column (see Section 13.0).  Further Reinforcements are listed under Conditional Reinforcements.

The following units appear on Game-Turn One.
3918-3920         5-3-12 (2/7), 3-4-11 (2/69 and 2/86), 2-2-9(3/90 and 1/90), 2-1-2/1-9(lt/90), 2-1-3/2-11 (1/90), 6-5-10(501)
3726     5-3-12 (1/5), 2-2-9 (609), 3-1-3/1-7(1/155)
3225     5-3-12 (2/5), 3-4-11 (1/104 and 2/104), 2-2-9(Trupn), 3-1-3/1-7(2/155)

The following unit appears on Game-Turn Two.
2526     3-2-16(580).

The following units appear on Game-Turn Four.
3920     2-2-11 (10), 1-2-9 (Lang)
0623-1423 and/or 2126-2926      3-2-16 (33), 4-3-12 (1/8), 4-4-11 (1/Afr and 2/Afr), 2-2-9 (Afr), 3-1-3/1-7 (1/190 and 1/Air), 4-3-9 (LW).

The following units appear on Game-Turn Four if there is an Allied unit within seven hexes of hex 1023; otherwise, they appear on Game-Turn Five.
0623-1423 and/or 2126-2926      5-1-2/1-7 (171), 3-2-11    (31), 3-3-11 (5 Bers), 2-1-7 (1/1 and 2/1), 1-1-2/2-10 (553), 1-1-2/1-7 (75/27), 2-1-3/1-7 (105/28)

[23.4] AXIS CONDITIONAL REINFORCEMENTS

These Reinforcements appear only when the event described takes place.  The following Axis units appear during the Game-Turn after both an Axis 5-3-12 and an Axis 6-5-10 have exited the map at either 3911 or 3909.  The exited units also return at the same time that these Reinforcements appear.

3911 or 3910     3-4-11 (1/47 and 2/47).

[23.5] ALLIED REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULE

Enter Reinforcement units on the hex listed. Reinforcements enter in column (see Section 13.0). Further Reinforcements are listed under Condi­tional Reinforcements.

If Axis units exit the map from any hex, Allied units scheduled to enter that hex or any hex east of that hex are no longer available to the Allied Player.  These units are not destroyed; they are simply not available as Reinforcements.

The following units appear on Game-Turn One:
1023     1-3-7(3/26), 2-2-9(1), 1-2-3/1-7 (175), 2-1-16 (1 DY). 3911: 3-3-12(2/1)

The following units appear on Game-Turn Two:
3911     1-2-3/2-10 (27), 2-1-11 (601)
2701     3-2-12 (2/13)
1601     1-4-6 (Welvrt), 1-1-2/2-5 (1/67 and 2/67)
0105     1-2-7(3/39)

[23.6] ALLIED CONDITIONAL REINFORCEMENTS

These Reinforcements appear only when the event described takes place. The events need not take place in the order in which they are listed.

The following units appear during the Movement Phase of the Allied Withdrawal.
3909     1-2-7 (1/133), 2-3-7 (135), 2-2-4/1-7 (185), 1-2-3/1-7 (125 and 151), 1-1-6 (Guinet), 2-1-10 (FLA)
2701     2-5-7 (18), 2-3-7 (1 Gd), 3-2-4/1-7 (152),. 2-2-3/1-7 (12), 1-1-7 (72 and 93)

The following units appear during the third Game Turn after Allied Withdrawal.
0105     1-2-7(2/16)

The following unit appears during the fourth Game-Turn after Allied Withdrawal.
0105     2-3-7 (16)

The following units appear during the fifth Game-Turn after Allied Withdrawal.
0105     1-1-2/1-7 (47 and 60), 1-2-3/1-7 (60 and 84), 2-2-4/1-7 (34)

The following units appear during the first Allied Movement Phase after any Axis unit has moved within nine hexes of Thala (1704) or Tebessa (0306), even if that Axis unit no longer occupied the hex.
1601 or 2701     2-2-12 (16/5), 2-1-12 (17/21 and 2 Lth), 2-2-11 (10/R), 1-2-7 (2/5L)

The following unit appears during the first Allied Movement Phase after any Axis unit has moved within one hex of Sbiba (2706), Thala or Tebessa.
0104     3-2-12 (Shrmn).

[23.7] PLAYER SEQUENCE

[23.71] The Axis Player is the First Player; his Player-Turn is first in each Game-Turn.

[23.72] Allied Movement Restrictions
On the First Game-Turn, only, Allied units listed in the Initial Deployment (except units within ten hexes of any Axis unit) may not be moved. After the First Game-Turn, all Allied units may be moved normally.

 

Start of page

 

 

NOTES
Each of the Allied Fortified Boxes should he considered to be surrounded by Allied Minefields. Allied units in these hexes receive the Fortified Box benefits as described in Case 10.3 of the Standard Rules.

 

Start of page

 

 

Copyright © Decision Games