Copyright © 2016, HexWar Games Ltd. & Decision Games.
The Moscow Campaign is a simulation of the historical events of the German offensive in September and November toward Moscow, and the Soviet counter-offensive in December. Also simulated are several of the other possibilities in the German forces that could have occurred had circumstances been different. There are three basic scenarios, based on the September November and December offensives. These have different starting points in time, and may last just that month, or extend beyond it.
The Game Map: The map sheet portrays the area of Central Russia in which the decisive operations of the Moscow Campaign 1941) took place. A hexagonal grid is superimposed upon the map in order to regularize the movement and position of the playing pieces.
Two differently colored sets of playing pieces henceforth known as units) are supplied. They represent the opposing armies in the campaign, that did, or could have, fought the original battles. The playing pieces are distinguished by type, strength, and mobility, as represented by various numbers and symbols printed on their faces.
Combat Strength is the basic offensive and defensive power of a unit, quantified in terms of Strength Points.
Movement Allowance is the basic movement ability of a given unit, quantified in terms of Movement Points. Basically, a unit expends one Movement Point of its total Movement (point) Allowance for each hex it enters in the course of a given Movement Phase.
All units carry historical designations, i.e., the historical 'name' of the Unit that existed in the actual campaign.
For game purposes, when the phrase 'German mechanized' units is used, it refers to German armor and motorized units.
Each Game-Turn represents two days really time. Each hex is equivalent to 9.6 kilometers ( 6 miles) in real distance.
Moscow Campaign is basically a two-player game. Each Player moves his units and executes attacks in turn with the objective being to destroy Enemy units, while minimizing Friendly unit losses. Combat is resolved by comparing the strength-numbers of adjacent opposing units and expressing the comparison as a simplified probability ratio (odds). A die is rolled and the outcome indicated on the Combat Results Table is applied to the units being attacked. (See Combat Results Table for greater detail.)
Moscow Campaign is played in turns. Each Game-Turn is composed of two Player-Turns. Each Player-Turn is composed of a certain number of Phases. A typical Game-Turn would proceed as follows:
1. Initial Movement Phase: German Player may move all of his units in any direction up to their full Movement Allowance, with restrictions as outlined in the Movement rule. Overrun attacks are resolved at the end of this phase.
2. Combat Phase: German Player may attack those Enemy units adjacent to his units, at his option.
3. Mechanized Movement Phase: German Player may move (again) only his mechanized units, up to their full Movement Allowance, in any direction within the restrictions as outlined in the Movement Rule. This movement is in addition to the Initial Movement Phase.
No combat occurs after this Phase.
1. Movement Phase: Russian Player may move all of his units in any direction up to their full Movement Allowance, with restrictions as Outlined in the Movement Rule. Overrun attacks are resolved at the end of this phase.
2. Combat Phase: Russian Player may attack those Enemy units adjacent to his units, at his option.
The Russian Player does not have a Mechanized Movement Phase.
During the Movement Phase of a Player's turn, the Player may move as many or as few of his units as he wishes. Each unit may be moved as many hexes as desired within the limits of its Movement Allowance, the Terrain Effects Chart, and the Zone of Control Rules.
Procedure: Move each unit individually, tracing the path of its movement through the hexagonal grid.
(A) Movement is calculated in terms of hexagons. Basically each unit expends one Movement Point of its total Movement (point) Allowance for each hex entered. To enter some types of hexes, more than one Movement point is expended. See the Movement section of the Terrain Effects Chart for a full list of these different 'entry costs.'
(B) In any give movement Phase of a Player-Turn, the Player may move all, some or none of his units (with the exception that only mechanized units may be moved during the Mechanical Movement Phase). Movement is never required; it is voluntary.
(C) Units are moved individually, in any direction or combination of directions. A unit may be moved as many or as few hexes as the owning-Player desires, as long as its Movement Allowance is not exceeded in a single Movement Phase. Unused Movement points however, may not be accumulated from Phase-to-Phase or transferred from unit-to-unit.
(D) No Enemy movement is permitted during a Player's Movement Phase.
(E) No combat (Enemy or Friendly) may take place during a Movement Phase. (Exception: See Overrun Rule.)
(G) Units may never enter or pass through a hex containing Enemy units. (Exception: see Overrun Rule.)
(H) In a given Movement Phase, once a unit has been moved and the Player's hand withdrawn from the piece it may not be moved again nor may it re-trace and change its move.
(I) Units may move over different types of terrain-hexes in the same Movement Phase as long as they have enough Movement Points to expend as they enter each hex.
(J) A unit may, unless otherwise indicated, always move one hex, even without being able to expend sufficient Movement Points, unless it is moving directly from one Enemy Zone of Control to another Enemy Zone of Control.
(K) Soviet units (including arriving reinforcements) may move by rail; see the Rail Movement Rules.
(L) Units may not move through Lake hexsides, nor may they engage in combat through such hexsides. However, units moving by rail may move through Lake hexsides, and EB units may also cross these hexsides. (Note: The trestles crossing these lakes were unsuitable for ordinary ground movement.)
The six hexagons immediately surrounding a given unit (or stack of units) constitute that unit's Zone of Control. These Zones of Control have an inhibiting effect upon Enemy movement, but do not affect Enemy combat. Hexes upon which a unit is exerting its Zone of Control are called controlled hexes.
All units must expend three additional Movement Points (MP), above and beyond the ordinary movement cost, to enter an Enemy controlled hex from another, uncontrolled hex.
(B) It costs two additional Movement Points to leave an Enemy controlled hex, above and beyond the ordinary movement cost.
(C) If you move directly from one controlled hex of an Enemy unit to another controlled hex of the same or any other Enemy unit, it costs five additional Movement Points (three plus two, as outlined in Cases A and B).
(D) If a hex is controlled by more than one unit, it still costs only three additional Movement Points to enter such hex. This is true for all movement costs, e.g., entering a hex with more than one Zone of Control never costs more additional Movement Points than entering a hex with one Zone of Control
(E) For movement purposes Enemy Zones of Control do extend into hexes occupied by Friendly units. For supply purposes Enemy Zones of Control do not extend into hexes occupied by Friendly units. See Supply Rule. For retreat purposes, Enemy Zones of Control do not extend into hexes occupied by Friendly units.
(F) Each hex surrounding a unit is a separate Controlled hex, i.e., the negation of one controlled hex does not interfere with the others being controlled by the same unit.
(G) All effects of movement inhibition are cumulative: in certain situations units may be prevented from moving altogether, due to accumulating penalties. (See Movement, Case J).
(H) German controlled hexes which are not occupied by Soviet units, prohibit Soviet supply lines from being traced through that hex. Russian controlled hexes have no effect on German supply lines. See Supply rules.
(I) The parenthesied units (1)-1 EB and [1]-10 armourhave no Zone of Control.
(more than one unit per hex)
A maximum of three units of any kind may be stacked in one hex. Opposing units in the same hex due to Overrun attacks do not count toward Friendly stacking limitations.
(A) Units that would violate the stacking rule when retreating are eliminated instead.
(C) Stacking rules only apply at the end of a Movement Phase, and all during the Combat Phase.
Units must be in supply to use their full Combat Strength and Movement Allowance; if they are not in supply, They are penalized with respect to Movement and Attack abilities.
Units are determined to be in supply for movement purposes at the beginning of each Movement Phase, even if they should move out of supply during that Phase. Units are determined to be in supply for combat purposes at the instant of combat, i.e., if an attacking unit had been in supply at the beginning of the Combat Phase, but another preceding combat had resulted in the supply line being cut, the unit would not be supplied for its own combat. To be in supply, a unit must be able to trace a supply line to a supply source.
German units must be within twelve hexes of a rebuilt rail line to be in supply. At the beginning of each scenario the rebuilt rail lines are those darker lines originating from the east or south edge of the map to the beginning position designated by date. As the EB unit advances, it immediately clears the rail hexes it enters, opening them up as supply sources. Each rail hex must be connected to east or south edge of the map by other cleared rail hexes. Thus if the Soviet Player cuts the rail line behind the more advanced EB unit, the cleared rail hexes thereby cut off may not be used as supply sources.
See EB unit and Rail line rules for certain definitions and rules.
All Soviet units must trace a path, no more than six hexes in length, to a rail hex; this rail hex must then be connected by an uncut rail-line to the north, south or east map edges. The entire length of this rail-line must be east of the scenario's Front Line, and may not pass through any 'cut' rail-line hexes (see EB units and Rail-lines rules).
All units are either supplied or unsupplied; if a unit is unsupplied, its Combat Strength for both attack and defense, and its Movement Allowance are halved. Supplied units may use their full (printed) Combat Strength and Movement Allowance.
(1) The intervention of an Enemy unit or units;
(2) Russian controlled hexes do not cut German supply lines, only Russian occupied hexes. Enemy controlled hexes do not interfere with supply lines being traced through Friendly units, i.e., the presence of a friendly unit in an Enemy controlled hex negates the effect of cutting supply lines.
(E) Units may remain out of supply indefinitely, i.e., units are never lost through lack of supply alone.
(F) Any number of Friendly units may be supplied through the same path of hexes. Any number of paths may be traced to supply units in different locations. Supply lines may be traced through any type of terrain and through any number of Friendly units.
Combat occurs between adjacent opposing units at the discretion of the Player whose Combat Phase it is. The Player whose Combat Phase it is, is considered to be the Attacker; the other Player is considered to be the Defender.
Total-up the Combat Strengths of all the attacking units involved in a specific attack and compare it to the total Combat Strengths of the unit(s) in the hex under attack. State the comparison as a probability ratio: Attacker's Strength-to-Defenders Strength. Round-off the ratio downward to conform to the simplified odds found on the Combat Results Table; roll the die and read the result on the appropriate line under the odds. Apply the result immediately, before going on to resolve any other attacks being made during the Combat Phase.
(A) During the Combat Phase of his turn, a Player may only attack those Enemy units to which Friendly units are adjacent. Only those Friendly units directly adjacent to a given Enemy unit may participate in the attack upon the Enemy unit.
(B) Units adjacent to Enemy units are not compelled to attack, nor does the attacking Player have to utilize every adjacent unit if he does decide to attack. Attacking is completely voluntary.
(C) No unit may attack more than once per Combat Phase. No Enemy unit may be attacked more than once per Combat Phase.
(D) An Enemy-occupied hex may be attacked by as many attacking units as can be brought to bear. Conceivably, as many as six stacks of units could be brought to bear against an Enemy-held hex.
(E) Not every unit in an attacking stack must participate in the attack.
(F) Combat odds are rounded-off in favor of the Defender. For example: An attack of 26 Strength points against 9 Strength points would round-off to a 'Two-to-One' odds situation.
(G) Whenever a German Mechanized unit with a Combat Strength of 'four' or more suffers a Combat result of 'eliminated' it becomes a Kampfgruppe (KG) unit instead. If a combat result of 'retreat' is suffered by a German Mechanized unit which has no avenue of retreat, and it would thereby be eliminated, reduce it to a Kampfgruppe unit instead; the unit does not retreat. Kampfgruppen are the ''2-8' German mechanized units marked with a 'KG'.
(H) If, as a result of an attack, a hex is completely cleared of defending units (unless because of result 'Br') then the attacking units responsible may advance into that hex during the Combat Phase. Such an advance may not take place if the eliminated defending unit is replaced by a Kampfgruppe unit (German Mechanized units only). This one hex advance does not expend Movement Points. Such an advance must be executed immediately after the hex is cleared, before any other attacks are resolved.
(I) Defending units that force attacking units to retreat or to be eliminated may not advance as a result of such combat.
(J) When unit-strengths are 'halved', the fractions are NOT rounded off.
(K) For the Combat results of 'Ex' and '1/2 Ex' the Soviet Player must, if German Motorized units are attacked, lose units that are equal to or greater than the full, original Combat Strength of such units, i.e., not the units' Combat Strength minus its Kampfgruppe replacement's Combat Strength.
(L) The Attacker has the option to decrease his attacking strength by stating what he is reducing it to before rolling for combat. All units involved follow the results of the Combat Results Table, at the reduced odds.
(M) The Attacker also has the option to ignore 'Defender Retreat' combat results on the Combat Results Table. If 'Defender Retreat' is indicated by the Combat Results Table, the result is ignored and the die is rolled again, until a different result is obtained. The Attacker must announce that he is ignoring 'Dr' results before rolling for the combat.
(N) More than one Enemy-occupied hex may be attacked by a given attacking unit (or group of attacking units); that is to say, different defending units on different hexes may be treated as the objects of attacks which might be made by a one-hex group of attacking units if the attacking unit happens to be adjacent to two or more Enemy-occupied hexes and provided that all attacking units are adjacent to all defending units.
(O) The effects of terrain on combat are not cumulative, i.e., the attacker can never be forced to subtract more than 'two' from the die roll.
(P) Under no circumstances may the units on any one hex be divided and attacked separately, nor may one unit's Combat Strength be divided and attacked individually, nor may only some of the units on any one hex be attacked, and the others on such a hex be ignored.
(Q) A unit that retreats as a result of Combat, may retreat again (or be eliminated) if the unit or units stacked with it are subsequently attacked and are also forced to retreat (or suffer elimination). A unit or units that as a result of Combat have retreated, and that are not with other Friendly units that have not been attacked, may not be attacked again in the same Phase.
(R) Kampfgruppen replacing German Motorized units after an attack may advance after Combat.
(S) The parenthesied units (EB units) have a Combat Strength for the Defense only, even when alone.
(T) The Russian (1)-10 armour units must be stacked with a non-bracketed unit in order to attack or defend. If alone in a hex they can be attacked normally and are automatically destroyed with no risk of loss to the German player.
De - Defender Eliminated: The defender is eliminated. Any attacking units may advance into the vacated defenders hex(es).
DeAd - Defender Eliminated, Attacker Disrupted: The defender is eliminated. Attacking units equal or exceeding the defenders combat factors are disrupted. They may not advance after combat and may not move or attack for one complete game turn (phase end to phase end).
Dr - Defender Retreat: All defending units must retreat one hex away from all attacking units. Any attacking units may advance into the vacated defenders hex(es).
Br - Both Retreat: All defending units must retreat one hex away from all attacking units. Then all attacking units must retreat one hex away from all hexes previously occupied by defending units.
Ex - Exchange: The defender is eliminated. The attacker must lose an equal or greater number of unmodified attack strength points (unmodified for supply or terrain effects) as the defenders unmodified defense strength. Any surviving attacking units may advance into the vacated defenders hex(es).
½ Ex - Exchange: The defender is eliminated. The attacker must lose an equal or greater number of unmodified attack strength points as half of the defenders unmodified defense strength. Any surviving attacking units may advance into the vacated defenders hex(es).
Ar - Attacker Retreat: All attacking units must retreat one hex away from all defending units. The defender may not advance after combat.
Ae - Attacker Eliminated: All attacking units are eliminated. The defender may not advance after combat.
1. If a German Kampfgruppen remains in a defending hex then the attacker may not advance after combat.
2. An attacker may retreat defending units into hexes that may be attacked again. The units that have already been attacked do add to the defence of the target hex.
3. Units may not retreat from one enemy ZOC to another UNLESS the target retreat hex contains friends not participating in the attack.
During any Movement Phase of a Player-Turn, a Player may overrun Enemy units. This is not considered combat, and the overrunning units may participate in combat during the Combat Phase of that Player-Turn.
Move units, whose total Combat Strength is at least eleven times that of the defending unit(s) Combat Strength (ten times for the Axis player on turns 1 through four), into a single stack, adjacent to the defending unit(s). The overrunning units may move no further in that Movement Phase and must attack immediately.
Roll the die and consult the '11-1' column on the proper Combat Results Table. Apply the results as in normal combat. All overrunning units must advance after combat if able to.
(A) Units must advance one hex after completing an overrun attack if not disrupted.
(B) Terrain and other effects on Combat Strength and die rolls must be considered when resolving Overrun combat.
(C) Other units may join in the overrun even after the necessary '11-1' odds have been obtained.
(D) If a defending Russian unit or units are worth zero on defence i.e. a Russian (1)-10 armour then the overrun is not combat. The German player just moves one of their units on to the Russian unit and it is removed from play and no combat takes place.
During the game, several changes occur in the weather and in the strategic position of the campaign. These have a varying effect on each Player.
As noted in the Time Record and Reinforcement Chart, the weather changes at several points throughout the game. The Weather Effects Chart shows the restrictions placed on units because of the weather.
Game Turn 5 - RAINS - Movement Allowance cut in half; Combat Strength cut in half when attacking (do not round off resulting strength fractions).
Game Turns 6 through 15 - MUD - Movement Allowance reduced to one hex per Movement Phase (regardless of normal terrain/movement cost). Combat Strength cut in half (Do not round off resulting strength fractions).
Game Turns 23 through 31 - WINTER - Mechanized units (only): Movement Allowance cut in half and Combat Strength cut in half when attacking (don't round off resulting strength fractions).
Game Turns 6 through 15 - MUD - Movement Allowance cut in half.
Game Turns 16 through 31 - FREEZE - All lakes arid rivers are frozen and no longer affect combat or movement.
Fortified Line hexsides aid the units behind them in the defense. They also inhibit Enemy movement through them the first time.
(A) Only Russian units receive any benefit from the Fortified Lines. Russian units are not affected by movement through Fortified hexsides. Only German combat and movement are affected by the Fortified Lines.
(B) German attacks conducted solely through the fronts of Fortified hexsides must subtract 'two' from the die roll before reading the combat resolution.
(C) The first time that a German unit moves through a particular Fortified hexside, that unit must pay an additional movement penalty of two Movement Points. Any other units moving through that hexside thereafter, even in the same Movement Phase, need not pay that movement penalty. The hexside is considered destroyed (see Case E).
(D) The fortified hexsides are directional, with a general orientation to the west. German movement and combat directed from the inside of the Fortified Lines are unaffected by the usual penalties.
(E) Fortified line hexsides may be destroyed as in Case B above. Once a particular hexside is destroyed, there are no movement or combat penalties applied.
(F) There are five Fortified Lines on the map composed of contiguous Fortified hexsides. In any one of these lines, once five of the fortified hexsides are destroyed, the entire line is considered to be destroyed, with the effects as detailed in Case E.
(G) Destroyed Fortified hexsides are denoted by placing a 'Destroyed' marker in one of the adjacent hexes, with the arrow pointing toward the affected hexside.
Soviet units may move by rail and thereby increase the extent of their movement. Only Soviet units may move by rail, and they may only move along rail hexes which are in a normal condition see EB units and Rail Lines rules). The Soviet Player may not have more than nine units entrained during a particular Movement Phase.
There are three steps to moving by rail: First the unit must be on a rail hex, whether by starting the Movement Phase there, or having moved there. Then it must expend one-half (50%) of its Movement Allowance to entrain; place an Entrained marker on the unit to denote this. Second, entrained unit may move up to thirty hexes along the rail line for each Movement Point expended. Third, it must expend one-fourth (25%) of its Movement Points to detrain; ( remove the entrained marker ).
Round off all fractions of Movement Points up to the next highest whole number, e.g., an entrained unit moving thirty-three hexes along a rail line would expend two Movement Points (rounded up from 1.1). Units may only detrain if They have sufficient Movement Points to do so.
Example: a Soviet [1]-10 reinforcing unit enters the map entrained, and is moved thirty-three hexes to the point of detraining, expending two Movement Points. Then it is detrained, expending a further three Movement Points. The unit may still be moved for another five additional Movement Points by normal ground movement.
(A) All Soviet reinforcing units enter entrained onto the map, and these count against the maximum of nine units that may be entrained in a given Movement Phase. (Clarification: The number of on map units already entrained at the start of the turn does not prevent any and all reinforcements entering the map entrained in excess of the nine unit limit.)
(B) All rail movement takes place in the Initial Movement Phase of the Soviet Player.
(C) Units may end their rail movement entrained. If they are entrained and attacked, they defend at one-half their normal Combat Strength.
(D) A unit moving on a rail-line is defined as one which is moving from one rail hex to another across rail hexsides connected by the rail line itself. Units may not move by rail directly from one rail hex to another which are not connected.
(E) Units may not move by rail, entrain or detrain n hexes occupied or adjacent to Enemy units.
(F) Soviet units may only be moved by rail on rail hexes which are in a normal condition. They may not move by rail on repaired or destroyed rail hexes (see EB units and Rail lines rules for definitions).
(G) German units have no rail movement privileges at all.
Rail lines may be in three conditions: normal, repaired or destroyed. All rail-line hexes to the west of a particular scenario's Start Line are considered to be 'destroyed', except those heavier lines from which the German units draw supply (see Supply rules), which are considered to be 'repaired.' All rail lines east of a scenario's Start Line are considered in a 'normal' condition.
Rail line hexes are reduced from a normal or repaired condition to a destroyed condition by the act of Enemy units moving into that hex. Destroyed rail line hexes are repaired by Friendly EB units moving into them.
(A) Normal and repaired rail lines may be used to furnish a 'supply head,'' from which supply may be traced to Friendly units. Normal rail line hexes may be used by the Soviet Player to move his units by rail. Destroyed rail line hexes may not be used for any purpose.
(B) The German Player receives three EB units at the beginning of each scenario, and the Soviet Player receives twelve EB units. The Players EB Units function somewhat differently, although both may repair destroyed rail lines and open supply routes in prescribed manner. The German EB units move and engage in combat in a similar manner to other units, within the limits of its Movement Allowance and Combat Strength. Soviet EB units may be moved by rail in the same fashion as other Soviet units but an unlimited amount with zero cost to entrain or to detrain, but may not then repair a rail line that game turn.
(C) If an Enemy unit moves onto a Friendly normal or repaired rail hex, it destroys that rail line hex. Units may not move by rail or trace supply by rail through a destroyed rail hex. Rail lines are repaired when a friendly EB unit moves into that hex.
(D) EB units may only move or retreat along rail lines.