Blues for the Red Army

War Without Mercy 1942 Scenario

Initial Placement and Special Rules

by Robert J. Beyma

33.5 INITIAL PLACEMENT

The initial forces are deployed according to the following sequence.

1. The Axis player places his forts and airfields within three hexes of the front. One ground unit is placed in each front line hex. The remaining ground units and leaders are laid aside to be deployed later. Air units are placed within three hexes of the front. One air unit from AGN, two from AGC, and three from AGS may be laid aside to be deployed later.

2. The Soviet player places his front line forces within three hexes of the front. The following forces may be (but do not have to be) laid aside to be deployed later. At least one ground unit must be placed in each front line hex.

Location GROUNDAIR
FINLAND1-
NORTH21
CENTER33
SOUTH2*2*
*EXCEPTION: South front forces may not be placed in the front line.

3. The Axis player deploys his remaining forces within four hexes of the front.

EXCEPTION: The reserve infantry corps is deployed in East Prussia or in Poland west of the Axis-Soviet border.

4. The Soviet player deploys his remaining front line forces within four hexes of the front.

5. Place the reserve forces as follows; (2) TK XXX and (2) GD XXX are placed within two hexes of Moscow (1) TK XXX is placed in Stalingrad.

The remaining six reserve units are deployed one per each of the following cities: Gorki, Kubishev, Saratov, Voronezh, Krasnodar, and Tiflis.

33.51 Placement Restrictions

Units are deployed according to the following restrictions.

1. Front line forces must deploy within their sector. The specified distance from the front must be traced over land hexes.

2. The setup restrictions are relaxed for the Finnish front north and east of Lake Ladoga. Players are only required to exert a zone of control on each front line hex south of hex row 1400, inclusive.

NOTE: The Axis player may break down one German or Finnish corps on the Finnish front. This is the only corps that may break down during setup.

3. German panzer and motorized corps have the following additional setup requirements:

    Within 2 hexes of Smolensk: (2) PZ XXX (one of which must be full strength) and (1) MOT XXX

    Within 2 hexes of Orel: (2) PZ XXX (one of which must be full strength) and (1) MOT XXX.

    Within 2 hexes of Kursk: (2) PZ XXX and (1) MOT XXX.

    Within 2 hexes of Stalino: (2) PZ XXX and (1) MOT XXX

The remaining panzer and motorized units can be deployed anywhere within their sectors.

4. Partisans are deployed as specified in Scenario Rule 31.55.

NOTE: Partisans are deployed when the Soviets reserve forces are deployed.

33.52 Soviet Deployment

The deployment sectors by front are defined as follows:

    FIN - 1029 - 2025 and 2625 - 2628
    LEN - 2630, 2631, 2730, and 2731
    NOR - 2728 - 3431
    CEN - 3531 - 1122
    SOU - 1223 - 2220
    CAU - 2723
    RES - reserve forces

Loc.TK MOTGDINF CAVMTN
FIN-- -7- -
LEN-- -7- -
NOR2(2) -2(1)18 1-
CEN62 5 (2)27 3-
SOU41 2(1)12 32
CAU-- -3- 2
RES3- 242 -

Loc.Ftrs AttkBmbrsFort Airfields
FIN1 --1 1
LEN1- -3-
NOR2- -6 2
CEN42 116* 3
SOU23 16 2
CAU11 ---
RES-

Any 6 of the above units may be Siberian.

*4 of these forts must be placed within 2 hexes of Moscow.

Note: The number inside the parentheses indicates the number of these corps that begin the scenario at their reduced strength.

EXAMPLE: Two of the five Guard units in the CEN sector begin at their reduced strength.

Caucasus Front: The Soviet player must maintain at least 3 (three) corps within 3 hexes of Turkey at all times. At least 2 (two) of these corps must be mountain type units. The Soviet player must maintain at least 1 (one) corps within 3 hexes of Iran at all times. These units are released when an Axis ground unit moves to within 5 hexes of them.

Remaining Soviet units:
Leningrad: (1) 2-4-2 INIF XXX
Kronstadt: Major fort, Baltic Fleet
Moscow: (1) 2-4-2 INF XXX (1) 2-2-3 ABN XX, ZHUKOV, (1) F, (1) B, (1) T
Sevastopol: (1) 4-6-3 INIF XXX, Major Fort Novorossiysk: Black Sea Fleet minus (1) TT (-) F 61 H S
Batum: (1) TT (-) F 6 1 H S (Under repair). This TT(-) is an previously eliminated TT being rebuilt per Rule 27 ' 25 ' The TT(-) is placed on the board at the end of the Soviet JUN 2. 1942 turn.

33.53 Axis Deployment

The deployment sectors by front are defined as follows.

FIN - 1030 - 2026, 2525 - 2527, and 2530 - 2632
AGN - 2832 - 3632
AGC - 3731 - 4623
AGS - 4722 - 2320
CRI - within 2 hexes of Sevastopol or within 1 hex of Kerch RES - rear area forces

Type FinAGNAGC AGSCri Res
XXX PZ- 1 (1)5(3)5* --
XXX SS MOT - -11 --
XXX MOT- 1 (1)1(1)2 --
XXX MTN1 (1) --1 --
XXX INF1 12(3)18(6)11(1) 3(1)1
XXX ART- ---2 -
FINNS6(1) ---- -
ITALN.- --1- -
RUMN.- -- (1) INF, (1) CAV(1) INF, (1) MTN -
HUGN- --2- -
SPANH.- 1--- -
LDRS- --2 --
FTRS1 FIN1 23+ RUM1-
ATTK-- -11 -
BMBRS1 222+ RUM + HNG2-
TRANS.-1 --- -
FORTS28 104- -
AIRFLD1 2232 -

*One of these is the 20-20-6 upgraded PZ XXX NOTE: The number inside the parentheses indicates the number of these corps that begin the scenario at their reduced strength.

EXAMPLE: Three of the five Panzer units in the AGC sector begin at their reduced strength.

Remaining Axis units: Kiev: (1) 4-6-3 INF XXX (RUM) Odessa: (1) 2-4-3 INF XXX (SLOV) Bucharest: (1) 4-6-3 INF XXX (RUM) Helsinki: Finnish fleet Konigsberg: German fleet Constanta: Rumanian fleet

33.6 SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES

It is intended for players to use optional rules 28.01 through 28.10 in this scenario. If they choose not to, the Soviets will have a bigger edge. Also use the following special rules in this scenario:

33.61 Rail Capacity

Rail capacities for each side are: Axis (Main front): 5 corps Axis (Finnish front): 1 corps Soviet: 12 corps The Soviet rail capacity is reduced by one corps for each Soviet replacement city controlled by the Axis player.

NOTE: The Axis player controls two Soviet replacement cities at the start of the 1942 scenario; therefore, the Soviet player begins with a rail capacity of 10.

33.62 Fort and Airfield Construction

Each player may start a maximum of three construction activities, a maximum of two of which may be regular forts, per turn.

33.63 Naval Operations

Baltic Naval Operations: The following rules govern naval operations in the Baltic.

1) The Soviet Baltic fleet may only move to any hex within three hexes of a Soviet controlled port.

2) Whenever a German naval transport performs a mission within eight hexes of a Soviet controlled Baltic port, the Soviet player rolls a die. On a '6' roll, the transport is damaged.

3) Amphibious Operations: The number of corps that can conduct amphibious assaults are limited by the supply of amphibious points. Each corps that amphibiously assaults requires the expenditure of one amphibious point. The Axis player receives one amphibious point JUL 1, 1942. The Soviet player receives one amphibious point OCT 1, 1942. Amphibious operations (or airborne drops) may not be planned until the JUN 2, 1942 Reinforcement Phase.

33.64 Weather:

Use the Campaign Game Weather Table for this scenario.

33.65 German Minor Ally Employment Restrictions

German minor allies may only be employed in the following areas:

    a. Finland - Finland and in the Soviet Union within 5 hexes of their 1939 border.

    b. Rumania - Rumania, and in the Soviet Union south of Orel, inclusive.

    c. Hungary - Hungary, Poland, and in the Soviet Union south of Vitebsk, inclusive.

    d. Slovakia - Slovakia, Poland, and in the Soviet Union south of Vitebsk, inclusive.

    e. The Italian units and the Spanish Blue division may be employed anywhere except Finland.

NOTE: Air units may fly mission outside of these national area boundaries provided they are based within their area.

33.66 Lend Lease Interdiction

The Axis player can sever the northern Lend Lease route by capturing hex 1027 and Archangel. Note: The Northern Norway and Murmansk boxes are not used in this scenario. The southern Lend Lease route can be severed by capturing Baku and Tiflis. If the Axis player severs both the northern and southern routes, the Soviet player loses all Lend Lease RPs. If the Axis player severs one route, the Soviet Lend Lease armor and air RPs are each halved (round up). Additionally, Soviet Lend Lease RPs can be reduced by German strategic warfare forces (abstractly represented). During the Soviet Reinforcement Phase on the first turn of each month from July 1942 through December 1942, the Axis player rolls a die. On a '5' or '6' roll, the Soviet player loses one Lend Lease armor RP.

NOTE.- If the Axis player has already severed the northern route, the "Ll-boat roll" is not made.

33.67 Partisans

The Soviet player has 4 (four) partisan units available each turn in 1942. Partisans are placed in Axis controlled hexes in the Soviet Union during each Soviet Administrative Phase. They are first placed during the Soviet initial deployment. Half of them are placed south of Gomel, and half of them are placed north of Gomel, inclusive.

A maximum of one of the partisans in each sector may be placed between the AxisSoviet border and the 1939 Soviet border. They may not be placed in a hex containing an Axis unit or zone of control nor adjacent to another partisan unit.

Each partisan unit functions exactly as two bombing factors flying the air interdiction mission (see Standard Rule 16.15). Partisans do not move but they may be repositioned during each Soviet Administrative Phase. They must be repositioned if their hex is occupied by an Axis unit or is in an Axis ZOC.

33.68 Leningrad Pocket

Soviet units in the four hexes of the Leningrad pocket project only a limited zone of control (see Rule 28.01) into the adjacent hexes. Similarly, Axis units in hexes adjacent to the Leningrad pocket project only a limited zone of control into those hexes. Soviet units lost in the Leningrad pocket add their special replacements to the Leningrad City replacement total.

33.69 Soviet Armor:

Soviet tank corps do not receive armor bonuses until JUL 1, 1942

33.7 VICTORY CONDITIONS

The Axis player receives victory points (VPs) for controlled or unsupplied Soviet cities. Six VPs are received for Moscow, four VPs each for Leningrad, Stalingrad, and Baku, two VPs each for Kiev, Kharkov, Rostov, Gorki, Grozny, and Sevastopol, and one VP for each other city. The Axis player receives half the VPs for Soviet controlled cities that are unable to trace a supply path (see Rule 23.12).

The Axis player receives half of the VPs for Axis controlled cities that are unable to trace a supply path. For pur-poses of this calculation, all cities east of the AxisSoviet border are considered Soviet. The Axis player loses one VP for each city west of the Axis- Soviet border controlled by the Soviet player.

The winner and the level of victory are determined by the number of Axis VPs (drop fractions) at the end of the DEC 2, 1942 game turn.

Type of VictoryScore
Axis Decisive Victory47+ VPs
Axis Marginal Victory39 - 46 VPs
Soviet Marginal Victory31 - 38 VPs
Soviet Decisive Victory30 or less VPs

Note: The Axis player begins the scenario with 28 1/2 VPs. This includes 2 VPs for Leningrad, 1 VP for Sevastopol, and 1/2 VP for Taganrog.

33.8 Tournament Scenario

Players may perceive that one side or another has an edge in the scenario. To provide an equal opportunity for a player to play the side of his choice, players can bid VPs for sides. The highest bid gets to play the Axis. In case of a tie bid, roll the die for sides. The Axis player wins if he equals or exceeds his bid in VPs. Otherwise, the Soviet player wins.

NOTE: This bidding procedure can also be used when playing the War Without Mercy Barbarossa and Kursk scenarios.

More Blues for the Red Army War Without Mercy 1942 Scenario


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