Interceptors are allocated against escorts. May an escort fire upon an interceptor other than one allocated against it by the non-phasing player? (Rule 21 B)

No.

The rules often refer to the inability of forces to "operate" in certain hexes. What is included under this heading? (For example, Cavalry in the Arctic, Rule 30.)

Restricted forces may not move into such hexes, including rail, naval, or air movement. Such forces may not attack into, retreat into, or fly air missions over such hexes. If forced to retreat into such hexes, the retreat is treated as retreat into prohibited terrain and the retreating unit is eliminated. Note that the ZOCs of restricted units do not extend into the hexes where they may not operate. Thus the ZOC of a cavalry division would not extend into an Arctic hex.

When a country surrenders, is the property or territory not already owned by the victor still owned by the opposing player? For example, can the German still use Finnish forts and rail, or use admin. movement in Finland following the surrender of Finland to the Soviet Union? (Rule 32)

Yes.

Can a "Spring Thaw" occur in fall or winter? When a mud turn follows a turn of frost or snow in zone C, one member of our group protested that "Spring Thaw" could not occur, as we were still in the December 1941 turn. (Rule 39F2)

"Spring Thaw" is a generic term to describe a period of time when flooding is likely, and should not be taken literally. Follow the rule as written, and apply the MP penalties whenever a zone's weather changes from cold to non-cold.

The new rule for upgrading contained in TEN #7 does not indicate that the railroad engineer units need to be in supply to upgrade. Is this correct? (Rule 38C2)

Being in supply was clearly required in the original version of 38C2 for construction units performing upgrades. Likewise, even in "Rails through the Russias" John says, "a railroad engineer must be in supply to regauge a rail hex." (See 14A4) Since the result of upgrading is, in effect, a regauged rail hex, I think this supply requirement is clearly implied, and so add this sentence to 38C2: "A railroad engineer performing an upgrade must be in supply."

A German c/m unit is in a hex adjacent to two Russian divisions. The Russian divisions are in separate hexes, but their ZOCs overlap in the German unit's hex. When the German unit leaves the ZOCs of the two Russian divisions, does it pay a one movement point penalty for leaving one ZOC or a two MP penalty for leaving two overlapping ZOCs?

The unit would pay only 1 MP. In all cases, a unit pays the ZOC cost only as listed on the ZOC Movement Costs table, regardless of the number of ZOCs exerted on it from all adjacent hexes.

Page 20 of the Urals rules, first column (also see SE Jul 11 41 Soviet Order of Battle) lists Replacement Pool: Add: 14x 3-2-8 Tank Xs and 33x 2-1-8 Tank Xs. When are these units available for play? Must they be rebuilt by armor RPs from factories or lend lease, or accrued through disbanding, or do they come on free?

These units immediately go into the replacement pool and may be replaced beginning with the Jul // 41 initial phase. However, they are not free, and must be paid for the same as eliminated units which enter the pool.

ATEC and weather/terrain: Let's try this one again, as I noted my answer in TEM #14 fell short of covering all the points involved. Can ATEC be used when the weather or terrain causes "no AEC" to be in effect? (Rule 9J)

If the attacking force is capable of achieving 1/2 or more AECA against clear terrain in clear weather, then the enemy force MUST use ATEC. Therefore, if a 1/2 or more AEC-capable force were to attack a forest hex containing 1/2 ATEC- capable units, the modifier for the combat would be -4 = -2 for the forest terrain and -2 for 1/2 ATEC. The defender can NOT waive his ATEC modifier for any reason.

Suppose that an exchange result is achieved in the above combat. The defender would have to take required losses in his ATEC-capable units, since 1/2 or more ATEC was used to modify the die roll. The attacking force, however, would not have to take required losses from its AECAcapable units, because the AECA die modifier was not used to modify the combat.

In Scorched Earth, only units which are on the board may be disbanded, right? That is, there is no activity analogous to scrapping, as in "War in the Desert"? (Rule 35F1)

Only units which are in play on the board may be disbanded. Units may be disbanded during the initial phase in which they appear, but of course, the resulting replacement points could not be used until the following turn.

Are river flotillas operating on Lake Ladoga (for example) or along inland rivers subject to airnaval interaction? (38E)

No. Rule 3E clearly states that an air unit flying this mission may only bomb an enemy naval unit that is/moves at sea.