Rule 1: Introduction

The game Balkan Front is a simulation of the Axis campaigns of conquest in the Balkans from autumn 1940 to summer 1941, including the assault on Crete.

These supplemental rules, along with the Boot Camp basic rules, are used to play the Balkan Front "Balkan Campaign" scenario. Balkan Front is played in turns representing two weeks elapsed time.

Rule 2: Components

Rules.

Use the Boot Camp rules. (Geography is detailed in Rule 3E of the standard rule booklet.)

Orders of Battle (OBs), Counters, and Maps.

Use the "Balkan Campaign" OBs in the standard rules, and the counters and maps from Balkan Front.

Charts.

Use the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) and Turn Record/Map Legend Chart from the standard game. The other charts and tables used in the Boot Camp game appear on the inside cover of this magazine and in this rule book. Note: Ignore the ZOC, rail, and overrun movement costs at the bottom of the TEC; instead use those listed in the Boot Camp rules.

Rule 7A: Transportation Lines (Addition)

The Axis may move up to 10 units per turn by rail

Starting with the turn Germany enters the war, the Axis may move up to 24 units per turn by rail.

The Allies may move up to 5 units per turn by rail.

Rule 11: Support (Clarification)

Note: In Balkan Front, cadres were not printed with the supported symbol; however, all cadres in the game have supporting arms.

Rule 12C: Supply Sources (Addition)

1. Full Supply Sources

Any and all units of a player may use his full supply sources without restriction. Full supply sources are:

a. Allied: Any port (i.e., a city with a port symbol) in Greece, including the ports on Greek islands.

Note: Yugoslav units (only) may also use any unisolated major, dot, or reference city in Yugoslavia (i.e., one that can trace a line of friendly-owned rail hexes to another friendly-owned Yugoslav major, dot, or reference city) as a full supply source.

b. Axis: Any rail hex on the edge of the map, except in Greece. Also, any port in Italy or Albania.

Notes: Bulgarian units (only) may also use Sofiya as a full supply source. Hungarian units (only) may also use Budapest as a full supply source.

2. Restricted Supply Sources

Only a limited number of units may use a restricted supply source, as listed below.

a. Axis: Each port not in Italy or Albania may supply up to four non-divisional units or one divisional unit, provided these units can trace a supply line to the port.

Rule 19: Special Rules

A. Neutrals.

Some nations are neutral at the start of play, as specified in Rule 23. Units of the nations at war may not enter any hex of a neutral nation. Units of a neutral nation may not move while neutral.

B. Fortifications.

All units (except engineers and artillery) attacking across a fortified hexside are halved. There is no AEC bonus for c/m divisions attacking a fort or across a fortified hexside.

C. Construction.

Once a nation is at war, its construction units may begin construction of forts, airfields, or a combination thereof at these rates:

Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Britain: 1 per turn.
Germany. 3 per turn.

This ability may not be accumulated from turn to turn. A nation's construction capability is lost when it surrenders.

D. Naval Movement.

Units starting a turn in a friendly port may use naval movement during the movement phase to move from that friendly port to another friendly port, or to a friendly-owned clear or rough coastal hex. The unit may not use any other type of movement (i.e., air, land, or exploitation) when using this capability.

1. Axis Shipping Capability

a. The Axis player may move up to three non-divisional units or one divisional unit per turn anywhere outside of the Adriatic Sea zone. Each unit so moved must roll one die to determine possible Allied interception. If a 5 or 6 is rolled, the unit is completely eliminated and removed from play. If a 4 is rolled, the unit must return to its port of origin. On all other rolls it completes its movement as desired.

b. The Axis may also move up to 5 units per turn within the Adriatic Sea zone. These units are not required to roll for Allied interception.

Note: The Adriatic Sea zone consists of all sea and coastal hexes on Map 14A west of Yugoslavia, Albania, and Greece.

2. Allied Shipping Capability

The Allied player may move up to 8 units per turn by sea. Allied units may not move by sea into any hex of the Adriatic Sea zone.

If Athens is captured by the Axis, each Allied unit which subsequently uses naval movement must roll to determine possible Axis interception. If a 6 is rolled, the unit is eliminated and removed from play.

E. Air Drops.

During any Axis player turn following the Axis capture of Athens, Germany may initiate airborne operations. Up to six unsupported, nondivisional parachute, air landing, or mountain units may be dropped per turn. The units must start the turn in an airbase and may be dropped only into clear or rough hexes within 20 hexes of this airbase. Units are dropped during the Axis movement phase.

Airborne unit(s) dropped into an enemy-occupied hex must attack all enemy units in the hex. Failure to capture the hex during the combat phase results in the elimination of all units dropped into the hex. Units dropped into an empty hex may attack adjacent enemy units normally.

Each unit performing an air drop must roll to determine possible Allied interception. If a 6 is rolled, the unit is eliminated. If a 4 or 5 is rolled, the unit must return to its airbase of origin.

All airborne units are considered supported and in supply during the entire game turn that they drop.

Rule 20: Breakdowns

Some German divisional units may be broken down into unsupported regiments once per game. Once broken down, they may not reassemble. Breakdown occurs during the Axis initial phase, prior to movement, as follows:

7-6 Parachute XX 3x 2-5 Para III
8-6 Air Landing XX 1x 3-5 Air Lndg III, 2x 2- 5 Air Lndg III
7-8 Mountain XX 2x 3-8 Mtn III

Notes: Only 2 mountain divisions may break down.

Rule 21: Weather

In the Boot Camp rules the entire playing area is considered to lie within weather zone D. (Note: Ignore the weather lines on the maps.)

The Weather Table on the Turn Record/Map Legend Chart is used to determine the weather for each game turn. At the start of each turn, the Axis player rolls one die to determine the weather. Cross index the die roll with the "D" column to determine the weather for that turn. Weather results are:

C: Clear. The weather is clear. Use the clear weather portion of the Terrain Effects Chart for the weather's effects on movement and combat.

P: Poor. The weather is poor. Use the poor weather portion of the Terrain Effects Chart for the weather's effects on movement and combat, including the non- parenthetical costs for mountain terrain.

W: Poor (Winter). Same as Poor weather except that in winter c/m and artillery units may not move into or out of mountain hexes, or attack them.

N: No Change. The weather result is the same as that of the previous turn.

Example 1: On the Nov II 41 turn, the Axis player rolls a "3" for weather. The result listed in the "ID" column is "P"; so the weather for the turn is poor.

Example 2: If the weather for Jan I 41 was poor and the weather result for Jan II 41 is no change, then the weather for Jan II 41 is poor.

Weather affects the movement and combat effects of terrain, as shown on the Terrain Effects Chart. Note there is an overall combat modification of -1 for poor weather, in addition to individual terrain effects for poor weather. Some weather effects, such as the effect on bomber points, are covered in other rules.

Rule 22: Reinforcements

A. Reinforcements. Each side receives new units during the course of the game. Reinforcements are placed on the map during the initial phase of the owning player's turn, in accordance with the instructions on his order of battle (OB). They may move and operate normally on the turn that they are placed.

B. Conversion. The OBs specifies when a player may convert units, changing them from one type, size, or strength to another. A player may convert the indicated unit(s) in any of his initial phases on or after the turn the conversion is specified on the OB He may convert a unit if it is in supply and not in an enemy ZOC. In cases where two or more units are required for the conversion, the units must also be stacked in the same hex. A converted unit may move and attack normally in the turn that it is converted.

C. Mobilization. Certain Allied units mobilize during the game. (Suggestion: Ignore specific unit identifications for conversions/mobilizations.) Flip any friendly cadre of the specified strength to its full strength side when the division mobilizes. Unlike converting units, a mobilizing division may be out of supply or in an enemy ZOC. A mobilized division may move and attack normally in the turn that it is mobilized.

D. Replacements. Each side receives replacement points during the game. A replacement point may be used to get back one eliminated non-divisional unit of that nation. Three replacement points may be used to get back one eliminated divisional unit of that nation. Replaced units are placed in any friendly-owned city during the player's initial phase. Two replacement points of a nation may be used to rebuild a division of that nation that has been reduced to cadre, allowing you to flip it over to its full strength side. The cadre must be in a friendly-owned city, in supply, and not in an enemy ZOC.

C/m units may only be rebuilt using "Arm" replacement points. Non-c/m units may be rebuilt using any type of replacement points.

Ignore any air replacements listed on the OB.

E. Air Forces and Reinforcements. A schedule of the bomber and fighter points available to each nation appears on the Game Aid Chart. The amount of available points is stated on a per-turn basis, and may increase or decrease during the game, reflecting the impact of air reinforcements, replacements, and withdrawals on the campaign. When a nation surrenders, its points are no longer available.

The number of points available on turns that don't appear on the chart are the same as for the last turn listed. For example, the number of points available on the Feb II 41 turn are the same as those listed for the Jan II 41 turn.

Rule 23: Preparing for Play

Lay out the two map sheets to form a complete game map. Overlap the southernmost hexrow of Map 14A over the northernmost hexrow of Map 15B.

Sort the counters by nationality, type, size, and strength. Ignore unit designations, as they are for historical reference only.

Use the Balkan Campaign OBs printed in the standard rule booklet. These OBs specify the initial deployment for both sides. Each player deploys his initial units as indicated on his OB. The Allied player also deploys the Yugoslav neutrality watch units as indicated on the Yugoslav OB. Players may not violate the stacking limits when deploying units.

The Allied player deploys first, placing all of his initial units and the Yugoslav neutrality watch forces. The Axis player deploys second, placing all of his initial units. The game then begins with the Axis player turn of the Nov 1 40 game turn. During the game, use the Balkan Campaign OBs to determine reinforcements and replacements.

At the start of the game the Axis player owns all hexes of Italy and Albania. The Allied player owns all hexes of Greece. All other nations are neutral.

Note these modifications to the OBs:

• Ignore references to the placement of air units; use instead the Boot Camp air point system. Ignore all position AA units. Ignore all Corps and Army HQs.
• Ignore references to German assistance to Italy, to British conditional and optional reinforcements, and to the standard Balkan Front rules.
• Do not deploy the Rhodes garrison listed on the Axis OB. It is not used in the Boot Camp game.
• Remove the Greek 5th and 13th Division HQs from play and flip the six unsupported regiments of these two divisions to their supported sides.
• The Allied player may allocate his one bomber point as DAS during his initial set up.

Rule 24: Nations

A. Greece

Greece starts the game at war with Italy. Greece surrenders when Athens is captured. When this occurs all Greek units are eliminated, except for those on islands.

Greece is required to garrison every hex of the Metaxas Line. (The Metaxas Line is the line of fortifications in northern Greece.) This garrison must include at least 4 divisional units. The Axis player is awarded 5 victory points per occurrence that the line is not properly garrisoned at the end of an Allied player turn. The garrison is released on the turn Germany enters the war, and is no longer required thereafter.

1. Eastern Greece.

The easternmost portion of Greece and some Greek islands are off map. For game purposes Eastern Greece is:

• One hex due east of hex 14A:4701.
• A port.
• An airbase

Place units in Eastern Greece on the Eastern Greece Holding Box. The Allied player must maintain a garrison in Eastern Greece of at least 3 units. This garrison is released and may move onto the map when Germany enters the war.

B. Britain.

Britain starts the game at war with Italy. British units are placed in the Middle East Holding Box, which for game purposes is a port. British units move into and out of this box using naval movement.

C. Yugoslavia.

Yugoslavia joins the Allies the turn Germany enters the war. Follow the mobilization instructions given under "Mobilization Forces" in the OB, with this modification: In the Boot Camp game all Yugoslav forces are friendly to the Allied player.

Yugoslavia surrenders when Beograd is captured by the Axis player.

D. Italy.

Italy starts the game at war with Greece. Note: The Italian 2nd Army enters play per the Axis OB on the turn that Yugoslavia joins the Allies.

E. Germany.

Germany joins the Axis on the first clear weather turn of 1941. In the Axis player turn that Germany enters the war, German units (only) receive a special surprise sub-turn. This sub-turn consists of a movement phase, air phase, and combat phase. The Axis player then conducts a normal player turn, using all Axis units (including those German units which participated in the special surprise sub-turn). Upon entering the war Germany receives all units listed for the "German Intervention in the Balkans" (i.e., 1st Panzer Group, 12th and 2nd Armies, etc.) German units listed under "Other German Forces" are not available in the Boot Camp game.

At the start of the Axis May I 41 turn, Germany must remove from the map all but 30 regimental equivalents (REs) of its army. One divisional unit is equal to 3 REs. A non- divisional unit is equal to 1 RE. Note: All c/rn units must be withdrawn.

F. Hungary.

Hungary joins the Axis the turn that Germany enters the war. Hungarian units are placed on the map at the start of this turn. They may only enter or attack hexes of Hungary or Yugoslavia. Hungary surrenders if Allied units capture Budapest.

G. Bulgaria.

Bulgaria joins the Axis the turn that Germany enters the war. Bulgarian units are placed on the map at the start of this turn, but may not move or attack until the following Axis player turn. Bulgarian units may only enter or attack hexes of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Bulgaria surrenders if Allied units capture Sofiya.

H. Romania and Slovakia.

Romania and Slovakia join the Axis the turn that Germany enters the war. They have no units of their own, but other Axis units may enter hexes of their nations, and their airbases may be used by the Axis. Due to defense forces not directly represented in the game, Allied units may not enter or attack any hex of Romania or Slovakia.

Rule 25: Victory

A. Game Length.

The game starts with the Axis player moving the Italian units (i.e., the Axis player turn of Nov I 40). The game ends when one of the following conditions is met:

1. When one side concedes defeat (automatic decisive victory for the side that doesn't concede).

2. When Italy captures Athens, if prior to German entry (automatic Axis decisive victory).

3. The turn the Axis player declares he is ceasing operations. The Axis player may choose to cease operations at the end of any game turn if both Greece and Yugoslavia have surrendered.

4. At the end of the Aug II 41 game turn, if neither player has won a decisive victory, then the victor is determined by counting victory points at the end of play. The victory point schedule and levels of victory appear on the Game Aid Chart.