by Jim Zoldak
1. Introduction 2. Game Equipment
3. Sequence of Play
4. Movement 5. Zones of Control
6. Stacking 7. Combat Procedure
8. Combat Results
9. Setup
10. Victory 1. INTRODUCTIONDecember, 1942: To the west of Stalingrad, the Soviet 5th Tank Army attacked across the Chir River, attempting to push the German forces back towards their vital bottleneck at Rostov. Defending the Chir was the 11th Panzer Division and several infantry formations, under command of 48th PanzerKorps. In six days of mobile battle the Germans barely managed to hold the river line, and roughly handled two Soviet corps. But this tactical victory was bought at the price of losses the Germans could not afford: the severe casualties prevented 11th Panzer from joining the relief attack towards Stalingrad. 48th Panzer Korps is a battalion/regiment-level simulation of the battles on the Chir River, December 7-12, 1942. Players control the Soviet 5th Tank Army and and German 48th Panzer Korps. The game emphasizes the special abilities of armor, infantry, and weapons units. The German player must use his small number of powerful mobile units to blunt many Soviet drives deep into his positions, and then counterattack. 2. GAME EQUIPMENTA game of 48th Panzer Korps includes:
If any of the above components are missing or damaged, write to us and we'll happily replace them. If you have any questions concerning the rules for this game, write to us and we'll answer them. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your questions. 2.1 Playing Pieces The die-cut playing pieces, called units, represent the military formations which fought in these battles. A unit's color indicates its nationality. Each unit has two identifying numbers: a formation number and a brigade, regiment, or battalion number. (The diagram illustrates one battalion of the 685th Regiment; its formation is the 336th Infantry Division.) Formation numbers are important for play; each formation consists of several units. Brigade, regiment, and battalion numbers are for historical information only; each brigade, regiment, or battalion may also consist of several units. Strength, target class, and weapon class are used to resolve combat. Unit size is important for stacking. Movement allowance determines a unit's ability to move. Units are classified as either leg or mechanized (see 4). The range is the distance in hexes at which an artillery unit may support combat. Other information is the same as for infantry units. The armor modifier identifies an armor-class target; itisused when enemy units fire at the unit. Other information is the same as for infantry units. Target and Fire Classes Each unit belongs to one target class and one fire class. Target classes are armor, personnel, and weapons. All units having an armor modifier are armor-class; "P" and "W" identify personnel and weapons units. Fire classes are personnel, armor, antitank, and artillery. A letter or symbol in between strength and movement values indicates the fire class. An antitank tactical symbol indicates antitank class, a range indicates artillery class, "A" indicates armor class, and "p" indicates personnel. Strength and Steps Markers Strength is expressed in steps. Each unit begins the game with a number of steps equal to its printed strength. When a unit loses steps in combat, place a numerical marker underneath it to indicate losses. Markers have four numbers, one along each edge. Most markers have the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Ten markers have the numbers 5,6,7, and 8. These are for use with the limited number of larger units in the game. The number which is right-side-up with respect to the unit face is the current strength of the unit. Step losses are cumulative: each time a unit suffers losses, these are added to its previous losses. A unit is eliminated when its losses equal or exceed its printed strength.
I Company II Battalion III Regiment Formation and Unit ID Abbreviations
2.2 Map and Charts The map represents the area where the Chir River battles took place. Each hexagon represents one type of terrain. Rivers run along hexsides instead of through hexes. The Terrain Key on the map explains map symbols. The Terrain Effects Chart lists terrain effects on play. DESIGN NOTE: In general, the actual terrain slopes upward gradually from the low ground near the rivers to the highest ground, noted on the map as hexes surrounded by slope hexsides. These hexes are the highest terrain in the area, not isolated hills. The large expanse of broken terrain is the floodplain of the Don: frozen swamp, creeks, streams, and woods, both an obstacle to movement and excellent defensive terrain. Note that villages and elevation markings do not affect movement or combat. They are included as victory objectives and for orientation. 2.3 Game Scale Each hex represents 1 mile from side to side. Each turn represents 12 hours. Unit counters represent regiments, battalions, or companies. 3. SEQUENCE OF PLAY48th Panzer Korps is played in game turns. Each game turn consists of two player turns. The player whose player turn is in progress is called the phasing player. In each game turn the players conduct the following activities in the order listed. Sequence Outline
A. Prepared Combat Phase B. Movement Phase II, German Player Turn
III. Advance the Game Turn marker one space along the Turn Record Track. The sequence above is repeated each turn. 3.1 Prepared Combat Phase Any units which begin the Prepared Combat Phase adjacent to enemy units may make prepared attacks. No ordinary movement may take place, but units may advance after combat. Units which make prepared attacks are flipped over. They may take only limited action during the Movement Phase. Prepared attacks differ from hasty attacks in the following ways:
3.2 Movement Phase In the Movement Phase the phasing player may move his units and make hasty attacks. A player may move units singly or in stacks. If a player moves a unit, stops moving it, and starts to move another unit, then the first unit's movement is finished; it may not move again or attack in that phase.
Hasty Attacks Any type of unit may make a hasty attack. A unit may make only one hasty attack per Movement Phase, at the end of its movement. Each hasty attack must be resolved before any other units are moved. A unit may not continue moving after making a hasty attack (but it may advance after combat). Hasty attacks differ from prepared attacks in the following ways:
4. MOVEMENTIn his Movement Phase the phasing player may move any or all of his units (except those which retreated or failed morale checks in the Prepared Combat Phase). Every unit has a printed movement allowance, which is the number of movement points (MPs) it may expend per phase. A unit which made a prepared attack may expend only one-half its movement allowance in the same turn. Enemy zones of control may prevent a unit from leaving its starting hex, and halt movement (see 5). Units are moved from hex to adjoining hex, expending MPs for terrain in the hex and for hexsides crossed. A unit can enter a hex only if it can pay the full cost. A unit may never exceed its movement allowance. The Terrain Effects Chart lists MP costs. Leg and Mechanized Units Personnel units having a movement allowance of 7 or less are leg units; all other units are mechanized (mech) units. Each unit pays the terrain costs for its movement class, as listed on the Terrain Effects Chart. Roads and Bridges A unit entering a hex through a road hexside pays only the road movement cost, ignoring the other costs for terrain in the hex or along the hexside. Any hexside where a road crosses a stream is a bridge. River bridges are specially marked on the map. Note that the Terrain Effects Chart lists bridged and unbridged hexsides separately. Stacks A stack may pick up other units as it moves through their hexes. However, only units which began the phase stacked together may participate in the same hasty attack, and they must be stacked together when they attack. Any other units in the stack may not take part, and may not be fired on by the defender. After a hasty attack, only units which participated in the attack may advance after combat. Any other units may continue ordinary movement. (Thus, a player could make a hasty attack with some units in a stack, then continue moving other units and attack a different hex.) Units which begin the phase stacked together may split up, but they must then finish their moves separately and may not combine in the same hasty attack. 5. ZONES OF CONTROLAll stacks totalling 3 or more strength steps exert a zone of control (ZOQ into all six adjacent hexes (exception: see Retreated Units.) A stack with only 1 or 2 strength steps exerts no ZOC. (Note that a stack of three 1-strength units would exert a ZOC, even though each unit in a hex alone would not.) Retreated Units A unit which retreats after combat does not exert or contribute to ZOCs for the remainder of the phase. (For example, a stack of a 2-point retreated unit and a 2-point unretreated unit would not exert a ZOC.) You may flip retreated units over to mark this. Effects of ZOCs
Exiting ZOCs A unit may freely exit an enemy-controlled hex as long as at least one friendly unit remains in the hex. To move a unit or stack out of a hex, leaving it vacant, a player must roll the die.
Note that a player could move one unit into a hex and then move all other units in the hex out - leaving the first unit behind - without having to roll. EXAMPLE: Units A and B are stacked together in an enemycontrolled hex. The player could move unit A out of the hex first without rolling the die, he would have to roll for B. Note that he must then complete A's movement and hasty combat separately from B's. If he wished to move the two together - perhaps so that he could combine them for a hasty attack - he would roll the die. On a roll of 4,5, or 6, neither unit could move. If the enemy ZOC on a hex is removed through hasty combat, units which have not yet attempted to move may exit the hex freely. Any unit which had attempted to move while that ZOC was in effect and failed still may not move in that phase. 6. STACKINGStacking limits must be satisfied at the end of each unit's movement (prior to hasty combat), and after each retreat and/or advance. For combination and splitting up of stacks during movement, see 4. German Stacking Limits The German player may stack in a hex:
For stacking purposes, three companies equal one battalion. Soviet Stacking Limits The Soviet player may stack in a hex:
DESIGN NOTE: Certain Soviet units which officially were regiment size have battalion size symbols in the game, because for stacking purposes it was more realistic to have them function as battalions. These include tank and reconnaissance regiments. 7. COMBATThe procedure for hasty and prepared combat is the same. Units exchange fire (defender first), inflicting step losses and retreats. A unit's fire value is equal to its current strength, modified for weapons effectiveness (see 7.4). Targets for fire must be selected according to target priority rules. There are no special modifiers for hasty attacks (but only one attacking stack may participate). Which Units May Participate Non-artillery-class units may attack only adjacent enemy units. Artillery-class units may support at a distance (see 7.6). Every attack must involve at least one unit adjacent to the defender. Each attack must be directed against a single defending hex. Units stacked together may attack different hexes. Attacking is always voluntary. 7.1 Combat Sequence Each combat is resolved by the following sequence: A. The attacker indicates the defending hex and states which adjacent units are attacking and which artillery units will support the attack. B. Defending units may fire at adjacent attackers. The defender announces each fire individually and resolves it before announcing the next. He announces any supporting artillery as he conducts each fire. Targets within each attacking stack must be selected in priority order (see 7.3). Results are applied immediately to the affected attacking units. C. Remaining attacking units may fire. The attacker announces each fire - including which supporting units will participate - one at a time, and resolves it before announcing the next fire. Targets must be selected in priority order. Results are applied immediately to the affected units. D. If all defending units were destroyed or retreated, attacking units may advance. Defensive Fire Non-phasing units may fire each time their hex is attacked. They fire once per attack, not once per attacking unit, and must follow priority order (see 7.1.B and 7.3). 7.2 Fire In each combat, each attacking unit fires once, at a single enemy unit. Multi-Unit Combat Two or more units may combine fire against the same target. Each unit may be fired at only once per combat (but in any number of different combats per turn). If more than one enemy unit is present, a player may fire at different targets - even different targets in the same stack with different units. A single unit may not split its strength against more than one target. If a player wishes to fire at more than one unit, he must obey target priority. Fire Sequence 1. The firing player announces a single target unit and all firing units (including supporting artillery; see 7.6). 2. The firing player computes each unit's fire value, multiplying its current strength by the proper weapons effectiveness modifier. 3. The firing player adds the modified fire values. 4. The firing player locates the proper column of the Combat Results Table (the highest-numbered column which does not exceed the fire value total). He shifts columns as necessary (see 75). 5. The firing player rolls the die to determine the result. 6. Target units suffer any mandatory step losses, and the non-firing player decides whether to take a morale check (see 8.1). Results are applied immediately. The sequence above is repeated for each fire. 7.3 Target Priority Type Priority Units stacked together must be fired on in priority order according to target type. The priority order is:
2. Personnel 3. Weapons If a stack contains more than one unit of the same type, the firing player may choose which to fire at first. Priorities must be satisfied only within each stack. Example: An armor and infantry unit stacked together, plus another infantry unit in a different hex, are attacking. If the defender fires at the stack he must fire at the armor first. But he could fire at the infantry unit in the other hex, ignoring the armor in the first stack. Strongest Unit First Within each type category, a player must fire at the strongest enemy units available. If he fires at only one unit, he must choose the single strongest; if he fires at two he must choose the two strongest, and so on. Example: The enemy stack contains a 2-point armor, a 5-point armor, and a 3-point infantry. If the firing player fires at only one unit, he must fire at the 5-point armor (the stronger of the two); if he fires at a second unit, he must fire at the 2-point armor (since armor has priority over infantry). Multiple Targets A player can fire at more than one target in the same hex. However, he must fire at the first unit with at least as many strength steps as the second, and at the second with at least as many strength steps as the third, and so on. This limit refers to unmodified strength steps, ignoring weapons effectiveness. Like type priority, this rule must be satisfied only within each stack. Example: Continuing the example under Type Priority, if the defender fired at the armor unit with a one step unit, a four step unit could then fire at the infantry unit stacked with the armor, but only with a strength of one. The four step unit could fire at the unit not stacked with the armor at full strength. 7.4 Weapons Effectiveness DESIGN NOTE: Some weapons are more effective against certain targets than others. The weapons effectiveness chart simulates this. A unit's fire value is equal to its current number of strength steps times a weapons effectiveness modifier. The modifier is obtained from the weapons effectiveness chart as follows:
2. Cross-reference the column with the row corresponding to the firing unit's fire class. If more than one unit of the same class is firing at the same target, add their strengths together and then modify the total. Round fractions to the nearest whole number; round 1/2 down. (Thus, a modified value of 1/2 or less has no effect.) 7.5 Column Shifts After the firing player has located the Combat Results Table column corresponding to his fire value, he shifts one or more columns to the left or right for the following factors. If shifts carry past the right most column, use that column. If they carry past the left most column, the fire has no effect.
7.6 Artillery Support Any artillery-class unit may fire support against a nonadjacent enemy unit. The artillery unit's fire value (modified for weapons effectiveness) is added to the fire value of a friendly unit adjacent to the enemy. Non-adjacent enemy units may be fired on only in support of an attack by an adjacent friendly unit. Support Declaration The defender declares support at the instant he conducts each defensive fire. The attacker, at the time he announces his attack, declares which units will fire support during that attack. He announces individual targets for each support as he announces each fire. Each supporting unit's value must be added to that of a specific firing unit. Example: The attacker announces that units A and B will attack units X and Y, and artillery unit C will support. The defender announces that artillery unit Z will support X. X and Z fire at unit A, and Y fires against B. The defender could not fire with X and Y against A and Z against B. The attacker then fires with A and C against X and with B against Y. Support Restrictions
8. COMBAT RESULTSEach combat result is a pair of numbers, for example: "2-1".
In all cases, the target unit is eliminated when its losses equal or exceed its printed strength. Excess losses are ignored. 8.1 Options A player suffering a morale result must decide whether to make a morale check for the affected unit. The possible consequences are slightly different for attacker and defender. The Morale Options Chart summarizes the choices and the results of morale checks. Attacker Options
Defender Options
Restrictions A player may elect a morale check only if the affected unit has sufficient steps remaining to absorb both the morale result and the step loss result. If the total of the two results exceeds the unit's current number of steps, the player must elect to retreat. If the total is exactly equal to or less than the unit's current number of steps, the player may elect a morale check. Example: The Soviet player attacks a stack of three 3-5 units, directing all his fire against one. The result is "2-1 ".The target loses I step immediately. The German player chooses to attempt a morale check and fails, The target unit must now suffer the two additional losses; i.e., it is eliminated. The surviving units must retreat because the target unit failed the check. Had that unit passed, it would have been eliminated but the others could have remained in place. Had the result been "3-1 ", the German player could not have attempted the check. 8.2 Morale Checks Each formation has a morale value, listed on the Morale Values Chart. To make a morale check, the player reads the morale value for the unit's formation from the chart and rolls the die. If the die roll is less than or equal to the morale value, the unit has passed; if the die roll exceeds the morale value, the unit has failed. (See 8.1 for consequences.) Morale values remain fixed throughout the game and are not affected by step losses. 8.3 Retreat A player retreats his own units the required number of hexes. Units do not pay terrain movement costs in retreat. A player may retreat his units on any path he wishes subject to the following rules in priority order: 1. Units stacked together must retreat as a stack. 2. The units must avoid enemy-controlled hexes if possible. 3. The units must retreat as far from adjacent firing units as possible. 4. A unit retreating into an enemy-controlled hex must choose the hex closest to a friendly unit. (But see also ZOC Effects.) General Restrictions A unit may never retreat across an unbridged river or lake hexside. A unit which has no legal retreat path is eliminated. ZOC Effects Weapons units may never retreat into an enemy-controlled hex. A player may choose the retreat option for a stack containing weapons units, but those units are eliminated. A non-weapons unit may retreat into an enemy-controlled hex, but only if no other path is available. A unit may not end its retreat in an enemy-controlled hex. It must continue retreating until it reaches a noncontrolled hex. Each unit in a stack loses 1 step for each enemy-controlled hex entered during retreat. Exception: Each personnel unit loses 2 steps for each hex controlled by an enemy armor unit. 0 Friendly units do not negate enemy ZOCs for retreat purposes. Example: Continuing the example of 8.1, suppose the first hex the units retreat into is enemy-controlled and the second is not. Each unit loses one step in the enemy-controlled hex (two if an armor unit exerts the ZOC. Stacking Stacking limits must be satisfied at the end of each retreat. If forced to retreat into an overstacked situation, a unit may continue to retreat additional hexes until it reaches a hex in which it can legally stack. If the unit cannot reach such a hex, the owning player must eliminate retreating units of his choice to relieve the overstacking. Map-Edge Units may retreat off the map-edge, but only if they would be eliminated otherwise. They re-enter the map via the same hex retreated from, during the owning player's next Movement Phase, paying movement costs in the same way as reinforcements. If the hex retreated from is enemy-occupied, the units may enter at the nearest unoccupied, uncontrolled hex. 8.4 Advance If all defenders retreat or are eliminated, all non-weapon units which fired on them may advance after combat. Length of Advance If the defenders retreated, the length of advance is equal to the distance the defenders were required to retreat (regardless of how far they actually retreated). If the defenders were eliminated, the length of advance is equal to the largest morale result achieved in the attack. Units do not pay terrain movement costs during advance, but they may not advance across unbridged major rivers or lakes. Restrictions and Options Advances may be in any direction. Advancing units need not follow the path of retreat or even enter the defender's vacated hex. Advancing units may ignore enemy ZOCs when following the exact path along which defending units retreated. Otherwise, advancing units must stop when they enter an enemy-controlled hex. This applies only for immediate advance after combat. Non-phasing units and weapon units may never advance. 9. SET UPUnits which start the game on the map are listed below. Personnel units must be placed directly on hexes adjacent to the dotted white Starting Front. Other unit types may be set up anywhere within three hexes of the appropriate set up area, on the friendly side of the Starting Front line. Exception: All Soviet units in the 26 T group must set up directly in hexes assigned. Weapons units may not set up in enemy ZOCs. There is no requirement that every front line hex be occupied or controlled. (But the German player will find it a mistake to leave gaps in his line west of the Don.) The German player sets up first, south and west of the Starting Front line. The Soviet player sets up second, north and east of the line. German Set Up Formation Set Up Area
7th Luftwaffe Field Division Units of the 7th Luftwaffe Field Division must be placed in any of hexes 2226, 3522, and 4925. The units need not all be placed in the same hex. Units of the 7th Luftwaffe Field Division may not move or attack until released. They are released on turn 7or whenever a Soviet unit moves within two hexes, whichever occurs first. If any unit of the division is released, all are released. The Turn Record Track is marked to remind the German player of the release. Soviet Set Up Formation Set VE Area
9.1 Reinforcements Both sides receive reinforcements during the game. Reinforcements enter at map-edge entry areas (in one case, at specific hexes on the map). Areas are identified by letter. Entry Units enter play during the Movement Phase. Units which are to use an entry area may enter anywhere along its length, paying the normal movement cost for the first hex entered. (Units entering at a road hex pay road movement cost.) There is no additional movement cost for more than one unit using the same hex in the same phase. Non-weapon units may enter at enemy-controlled hexes. A unit which cannot legally be placed on the map may be delayed until the next turn. Soviet Reinforcements The Soviet player plans the entry of his reinforcements before the start of the game. For each formation, he writes down a turn and area of entry. The Soviet Reinforcement Schedule lists the earliest turn on which each reinforcing formation may enter play at each area. A reinforcement need not be planned for the earliest possible turn at the chosen area. Units belonging to the same formation must enter at the same area. Formations may be planned only for areas listed on the schedule. After planning his reinforcements, the Soviet player announces the turn on which each formation will enter play. He reveals the area only on the turn for which entry is planned. As many units of the formation as possible must enter play that turn. German Reinforcements The German player receives one reinforcing formation, the 11th Panzer Division. The division enters on turn 2 at area G. The Turn Record Track is marked to remind the German player of this reinforcement. 10. VICTORYVictory is determined by victory points. At the end of the game each player totals his points. If one player has scored at least 5 points more than the other, he wins. The Levels of Victory indicate the scale of victory or defeat. Enemy Losses Each player receives victory points for enemy losses as follows:
1 point per step lost from each enemy unit eliminated. Towns, Cities, and Bridges Each player receives points for controlling the following cities at villages at the end of the game. The German player controls all these at start. Thereafter, a player controls a hex if one of his units most recently entered the hex or exerted a ZOC on it when it was neither enemy-occupied nor in an enemy ZOC.
5 Surovikino (3508) 5 Novomaksimovskiy (5217) 5 Sovkhoz 79 (2623) 10 Verkhne Aksenovskiy (2226) 10 Verkhne Solonovskiy (3425) 10 Nizhne Chirskaya (4925) 10 Each bridge over the Don river. A player receives points only if he controls both hexes spanned by the bridge. Map Exit The Soviet player scores points for units exited from road hexes on the south map edge. He scores 1 point per step of strength at the time the unit exits. Points are scored only if at the end of the game the Soviet player can trace a continuous path of roads from the exit hex to some Soviet reinforcement area. The path may not pass through German- occupied or German-controlled hexes. Units pay 1/2 MP to exit and may not return. Levels of Victory
Soviet Reinforcement ScheduleFormation and Earliest Possible Arrival 4th Mechanized Corps
6th Gds Cavalry Division
321st Rifle Division
5th Mechanized Corps
German Reinforcement ScheduleTurn Reinforcement
48th PanzerKorps Battles on the River Chir Back to Table of Contents: CounterAttack # 3 To CounterAttack List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1991 by Pacific Rim Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com |