Stalin's Tanks (ST), Microhistory #3, was published by Metagaming in 1980. It was designed by Roger Damon, who had earlier published Rommel's Panzers (Microhistory #1). In ST the broad subject is the same - tactical armored warfare - but the locale has been shifted to the Eastern Front and the system is, in my opinion, much improved from the earlier crame.

As far as I have been able to tell, no variants etc. for ST have been published, save for some designer's notes and errata in Interplay #2 and #3. This article contains a number of suggestions and additions to the game, along with some new units and scenarios in which to use them. I think these variants add a lot of depth and variety to the game (not that there wasn't lots there before) without making it as complicated and time-consuming as Advanced Squad Leader. Use as many or as few as you want; I'm assuming you are manly men and are used to using the optional rules and playing the Advanced Game.

Suggestions for the Existing Rules

1. AT guns should have a Movement Factor of 0. Even the smallest auns were far too heavy to move at the same pace as dismounted infantry does in the game. Optionally, allow AT guns of 60mm, size or less to be pushed one hex (only) in the First Movement Phase (only).

2. Some German halftracks carried light machine guns. At your option, give them an AP factor of 2 and let them always hit the target, as infantry units do, with no ability to attack armored units.

3. Most streams in the steppes of Russia flow through small gullies (balkas), hence their existing effect on movement but the steep sides should give some cover to infantry and guns. Double their Defense Factor when these units are in these hexes.

4. Where are the tank riders? Let Soviet Inf units start the scenario stacked with tank or SP (Yun units. They may not fire while loaded on the tank (they are too busy hanging on for dear life, and they're loaded on vodka anyway). If the vehicle they are riding on is destroyed, they are destroyed too. Infantry and Machine Gun units may attack the riders separately from the vehicle: they have a Defense Factor of 2 in this case. Tank riders may only dismount, never remount, during the game. This is done at a cost of three Movement Factors (MF) to the carrying vehicle, in the Second Movement Phase. The infantry do not move further in that Phase.

New Units and Rules

26.0 Aircraft
26.1 Air Superiority

Before the game begins, the players determine air superiority as follows: each side rolls one die, with the German player applying the Die Roll Modifier (DRM) determined by the year in which the scenario takes place (1941 scenario: +3; 1942: +1; 1943: 0; 1944: -1; 1945: -3). The high roller has air superiority, and the number of sorties available to him during the scenario is HALF the amount by which he won the roll (round fractions down). A tie results in no sorties for either side.

26.2 Aircraft Movement and Attacks

Only one aircraft sortie can be on the map at any one time. One sortie is made up of up to three "passes" by one aircraft counter over the map, one pass per turn on up to three consecutive turns. During one pass, the aircraft counter will enter on any map-edge in the First Movement Phase, and fly in a straight line along the hex row it entered on until it stops to attack a unit or units in a hex or hexes located in that row with its weapons systems, in the Mobile Fire Phase. Any antiaircraft (AA) fire is resolved in the Defensive Fire Phase, since this fire may affect the attack or drive the aircraft away completely. See the AA Fire rules. Aircraft automatically "see" and may attack any vehicles or infantry in clear hexes on the map. However, to attack enemy infantry in woods, swamp or building hexes, they must be spotted by friendly ground units with a clear line of sight to the hex, a maximum of four hexes away. The aircraft conducts its attacks in the Mobile Fire Phase. It then finishes flying off the map, in the same straight line, in the Second Movement Phase.

26.3 Aircraft Weapon Systems

The player with air superiority may choose the same or different models of aircraft for each sortie he flies. Each aircraft carries machine guns, plus any one weapons system chosen from the other three available.

26.31 Machine Guns

Any aircraft can carry these. These have an AT value of 4 against open-topped vehicles only (i.e., the SU-76, Marder III, trucks, and halftracks), an AP value of 6, and may be used on any pass, in addition to any other weapon system the aircraft carries. The aircraft can fire its machine guns at any one hex ahead of it in the hex row along which it is flying in the Mobile Fire Phase, applying only the +3 DRM for a moving firer and any other DRM from effective AA fire received in the Defensive Fire Phase.

26.32 Auto-Cannon

Only the German player may choose this weapon system, and only in scenarios occurring in or after mid- 1942. (Optionally, allow the Soviet player to choose this system in 1945 scenarios, as they did field a very few such planes.) Aircraft carry a pair of 37mm cannon, with an AT value of 10 and an AP value of 6. Cannon may be used on any pass. The aircraft can fire its cannons at any one hex ahead of it in the hex row along which it is flying in the Mobile Fire Phase, applying only the +3 DRM, for a moving firer and any other DRM from effective AA fire received in the Defensive Fire Phase. The Armor Class of the target vehicle is lowered by two levels (three if it is open-topped), regardless of its actual aspect (since part of the attack is on the top armor).

26.33 Bombs

Any aircraft can carry these. They may be dropped only once in a sortie. The aircraft can drop its bombs on its own or any adjacent hex in the N(lobile Fire Phase. There is no roll to hit but bombs may scatter as artillery does, and the chance of this is increased by effective AA fire in the Defensive Fire Phase. The effect of aircraft bombs on unarmored units is equal to a light artillery barrage. Bombs will also automatically disrupt (see 14.3) any armored units in the zone of effect of the bombs, and will destroy them on a roll of 4 or less. 26.34 Rockets. Only the Russian player may choose this weapons system. and only in scenarios occurring in 1943 or later. Rockets may be fired only once in a sortie.

The aircraft can fire its rockets at any one hex ahead of it in the hex row along which it is flying in the Mobile Fire Phase, applying only the +3 DRM for a moving firer and any other DRM from effective AA fire received in the Defensive Fire Phase. Rockets have the same effect against unarmored units as a light artillery barrage, but they do not scatter. Rockets can also be fired at an armored unit. The aircraft rolls to hit as above, and if successful attacks with an AT Factor of 25. The Armor Class of the target vehicle is lowered by two levels (three if it is open-topped), regardless of its actual aspect (since part of the attack is on the top armor).

26.4 Anti-Aircraft (AA) Fire

This takes place in the Defensive Fire Phase. Only the following units may conduct this fire: Machine Gun Sections; 20mm, 20mm Quad, and 37mm AA; and 88mm Flak (not Pak). All units automatically have a LOS to the aircraft, with no DRM except Weapons Accuracy for any units that have it. Each unit rolls to hit the aircraft as if it were an armored target (the 20mm Quad can roll to hit twice). Each hit means that the aircraft suffers a +1 DRM in the Mobile Fire Phase (so 2 hits = +2 DRM, etc.) if it is trying to attack with MG, cannon, or rockets, or a -I DRM for scatter if it is dropping bombs. A total of two cumulative hits will drive the aircraft away and end the sortie after its current attack, and three cumulative hits will destroy it before it can resolve the attack.

27.0 New Units 27.1 New Guns

These new guns are introduced for different situations and earlywar scenarios. The AA guns would probably not be met outside of a rear-area, static defense situation. 20 and 20Q: German 20mm and 20mm quadruple-mount AA guns. 37: Russian 37mm AA gun. 45: Russian 45mm antitank gun. Used throughout the war but more common in the early years. 50: 50mm anti-tank gun the Get-mans used until 1942,'3. 27.2 New Vehicles. Armored cars: besides being modestly armed and armored, these units may travel up to twice their movement factor on roads. They all have turrets. All models provided here were used throughout the war as reconnaissance and command vehicles. The Soviet BA-32 has a 37mm gun. The German 234/1 and 234/2 cars have a 20mm and 50mm gun respectively. Marder III (Mdr III): this German tank destroyer was a marriage of a light tank chassis with a captured Russian 76.2mm gun. Over 2,800 various models were built during the war, beginning in the spring of 1942, Treat as an open-topped SP gun.

27.3 Trucks (TRK)

The counters supplied are generic ones that can be used by either side. Trucks can transport infantry, MG sections, and anti-tank guns as in 17.0. Trucks travel twice their MF on roads. However, it costs them two MF to enter a clear hex and four MF to enter a hill, and they may not enter woods, swamp, stream (except at the bridge) or building hexes.

27.4 Machine Gun (MG) Sections

This unit represents a section of two heavy machine guns - normally there would not be more than one of these per infantry company (i.e., per 9 Inf counters), unless defending a fortified area. These units are a class of infantry unit, except that they may not close assault. They may also fire at one hex with an AP factor of 6, or two adjacent hexes with an AP factor of 3 in each hex. Their AP factor is doubled at five hexes or less.

27.5 Cavalry (Cav)

These units are like ordinary Soviet infantry units, except that they are faster (they pay the same terrain costs as infantry) and may not make ranged attacks on armored units. They may make close assaults.

27.6 Entrenchments (ET)

These counters may be placed only at the beginning of a scenario, in any hex that is not a building. Any Inf unit, MG Section, or antitank gun occupying a hex with an ET counter doubles its Defense Factor if it is a clear hex, or triples it if the hex is woods or hill. The unit also gets a +1 DRM benefit when rolling to survive artillery barrages or bomb/rocket attacks.

28.0 New Scenarios
28.1 Airfield Raid (1944).

Part of a Russian cavalry-mechanized group has broken through the front and is heading for a small airfield, defended by a scratch force of mechanics and gunners.

Forces:

German: 1(20), 1(20Q), 1(88FIak), 6(Inf), 2(MG), 6(Mined hexes)

Soviet: 2(BA32), 2(T34b), 6(T34c), 6 (Inf), 3(Cav)

Set-up: The German player sets up within five hexes of 1617 (the airfield main han gar), but the mines can be placed any where. Use the Air Units rules and give the Germans Air Superiority and two sor ties automatically, to reflect that the planes based at the airfield have been able to scramble.

Game Length: Six turns.

First Move: The Soviet player moves first, entering all his units on turn 1 anywhere on the east map edge.

Victory: The Soviet player gets 1 point for each tank he exits off the west map edge, 1 point for each gun he destroys, and 5 points for occupying 1617 with an infantry unit at any time during the game. The German player gets 1 point for each tank he destroys, and 1/2 point for each armored car or infantry unit.

28.2 Route Patrol (1942)

A German vehicle patrol on the route between two occupied villages "bumps" some light Russian forces trying to infiltrate the front.

Forces:

German: 1(234/1), 1(234/2), 2(Pzlla), 1 (PzIII), 3(HT), 3(Inf)

Soviet: 2(BA32), 2(BT7), 3(Inf) or 6 (Cav)

Set-up/First Move: The German player moves first. On Turn 1, the two armored cars enter at 0309 in the First Movement Phase and follow the road south for at least eight hexes. In the Second Movement Phase, either the three tanks or the halftracks (with infantry aboard) enter at 0309 and move south along the road. The last group of units will enter at 0309 on the First Movement Phase of Turn 2. The Soviet player may either take 3 infantry and set them up using Hidden Initial Placement in any non-clear hexes anywhere on the board (represents a group of partisans waiting in ambush: treat them as ordinary infantry except that they may not make ranged attacks on armored vehicles) or enter 6 cavalry with his vehicles. In either case, the Soviet vehicles enter anywhere on the east edge on Turn 1.

Game Length: Six turns.

Victory: Each side scores 1 point for each armored car or halftrack destroyed, 2 points for each tank destroyed, and I point for each unit exited off the south (for the German) or west (for the Soviet) map edge.

28.3 Hedgehog Defense (1942)

A Russian combat group descends on a company-minus strength position defending a river ford.

Forces:

German: 1(50), 1(75), 2(MG), 6(Inf), 10 (ET), 6(Mined hexes)

Soviet: 4(T-34b), 2(T-34a), 2(KV-Ia), 8 (Inf)

Set-up: The German sets up all his forces within five hexes of 1617. The Soviet player will enter from one of the four sides of the board (roll on the scatter diagram to see which one).

First Move: The Soviet player moves first. German reinforcements: The German player rolls two dice before each of his First Movement Phases for random reinforcements:

2,3 = 1 (Stug-B) or 1 (Marder III), German player's choice
4 = one light artillery barrage, to be used that turn
5,6,7,8,9 = nothing
10 = one heavy artillery barrage, to be used that turn
11, 12 = 3(Inf), 3(HT), 1(88 Flak), 1 (Truck)

The unit or units (if any) enter at 0309 (or 3124, if the Soviet player entered from the north map edge). Artillery: Use the Air Unit rules and roll for Air Superiority. The German player also gets random artillery support, as above.

Game Length: Eight turns.

Victory: The Soviet player wins by either eliminating all the German player's original units (i.e., the ones he had at set-up) or by having a unit in 1719 on the last turn of the game. The German player wins if the Soviet player fails to win.

Next Month: Stafin's Tanks Plus Two introduces a points value system and suggestions for Design-Your-Own scenarios, as well as rules for morale and command control. And the month after that, Stalins Yanks: yet more rules and notes for Lend-Lease vehicles on the Eastern Front. as well as some wee Soviet tankettes and light vehicles, Sssssssomehody stop me!!)

previously published in Vindicator magazine

New Units Characteristics (italics = Weapon Accuracy)
Unit	Armament	AT	Arm	Mvt	A P	No. Avail
German
Armored Car 234/1	20mm	4	1	8	6	1
Armored Car 234/2 (Puma)	50mm	14	1	1	10	1
Marder III tank destroyer	76mm	22	H	6	18	1
20mm Flak gun	20mm	4	6	0	6	1
20mm quad Flak gun	4 x 20mm	10	6	0	20	1
50mm anti-tank gun	50mm	14	6	0	10	1
HMG Section	2 x heavy MG	4	6	2	6	2
Russian
BA-32 armored car	37mm	10	1	8	8	2
45mm anti-tank gun	45mm	12	6	0	10	2
Cavalry	small arms	0	5	4	4	6
HMG Section	2 x heavy MG	4	6	2	6	2
37mm AA gun	37mm	4	6	0	8	1
Generic
Truck	none	0	K	8	0	3
Entrenchment	hole in the ground	-	-	-	-	12
Airplane (1 for each side)	varies	-	-	-	-	2
Barrage markers	light n' heavy	-	-	-	-	2

Counters

(Below are the counters for use with the Stalin's Tanks variants described in this issue and the July issue. Copy, clip and mount on cardboard. A better version of the counters can be downloaded from www.islandnet.com/~citizenx/Stksctrs.GIF)