An Europa Alternate History Scenario for Fire in the East/Scorched Earth

The greatest land campaign in history started on 6 July 1941, when the Red Army launched "Operation Groza" ("Thunderstorm"), the massive surprise attack on Hitler's Germany.

Say what?

In a book first published in England the ex-Soviet GRU (Army Military Intelligence) officer Viktor Suvorov argues that the above sentence describes what "should" have happened. In Icebreaker: Who Started the Second World War (New York: Viking Penguin Group, 1990, $22.95), Suvorov examines the evidence that Stalin planned from before the war started in 1939 to attack Germany, once it was sufficiently weakened from fighting the Allies. Further, Suvorov contends that Stalin maneuvered Hitler into actions that would make his own attack more certain of success.

Suvorov has the advantage of having served in the archives of the Soviet military intelligence establishment. He has also consulted many of the Soviet articles and memoirs published since the war to bolster his arguments.

Especially interesting is Suvorov's evidence of Soviet military preparations for an attack on Germany in 1941:

1. The destruction of virtually all the prewar fortifications along the borders. Also, the almost complete lack of new defensive construction in the newly occupied territories of Poland and the Baltic States.

2. The detailed prewar planning by the staffs of the frontier military districts (MDs) and armies, which kept them busy literally day and night for months before the war. When the Germans attacked, the frontier armies had no defense plans. What, then, were they planning for?

3. The forming of five parachute corps, which Suvorov points out are "offensive formations" only. He further asserts that the 6th to the 10th Parachute Corps were already starting to form before 22 June 1941 (but gives no reference for this assertion).

4. The training of the 9th Separate Special Rifle Corps in the Crimea in amphibious assault operations before June 1941. Suvorov claims this was for attacks on the Romanian coast, in conjunction with the Danube Flotilla and Black Sea Fleet.

5. The organization of the armies of the western MDs. Suvorov points out that each had at least one Mechanized Corps assigned. This gave every army the number of tanks necessary to be designated a "Shock Army" according to the prewar Soviet doctrinal manuals. He also notes that both the 6th and 10th Armies in the Kiev and Western MDs were "Heavy Shock" armies with a cavalry corps and two mechanized corps each. Both armies were placed in salients: "wedges into German territory".

6. The NKVD border troops were trained in offensive operations. "They trained to seize bridges crossing the border, not defend them." Suvorov implies that all the border guards in the western MDs were in fact more akin to Spetsnaz forces (Special Operations Commandos) than actual border guards.

Suvorov argues an apparently convincing case. Of course, he also exhibits classic Intelligence Officer thinking: one step short of clinical paranoia. Every action MUST be the result of planned malevolence: nothing that is done is the result of sheer accident, stupidity, or incompetence. Thus, when the IL-2 Sturmovik attack plane is built without a rear gunner, to Suvorov that is evidence that Stalin planned to attack the German Luftwaffe on the ground in a surprise attack, wiping out the enemy air force before it could get into the air, and making it unnecessary to defend against German fighters.

In fact, as several Soviet accounts make clear, the original 2-seat IL-2 prototype had "unimpressive takeoff, climb, speed, range, and longitudinal stability" and the second crewman was removed to bring the flight characteristics even marginally up to the standards desired. The official VVS (Soviet Air Force) position was that escort fighters would protect the Sturmoviks--not that all enemy fighters would be destroyed on the ground in one massive strike.

I have many other arguments against Suvorov as well. He identifies 12th Army in the Kiev Special Military District as a "special mountain shock army" to attack through the Carpathians towards Ploesti. But in June 1941 this army did not have a single rifle division within 80% of full strength, and its Mechanized Corps (16th) had only 608 tanks on hand out of 1031. This "special shock army" had no heavy tanks at all, and only 75 out of 420 authorized medium tanks-not exactly prepared for a major offensive!

In fact, in all the military districts facing Germany in June 1941, the average rifle division was only about 8000- 9000 men in strength. This makes them understrength even for the authorized peacetime strength of a Soviet division. Only in the Leningrad MD, facing Finland, were the divisions close to authorized peacetime strength for a "12" type division: 11,985 men. Nowhere does Suvorov say that Stalin intended to refight the Winter War in 1941!

However, that is not the point of this scenario: Icebreaker is still a good read, whether you agree that a Soviet offensive was either likely or possible. Suvorov makes a case that Stalin and the Soviet High Command could have believed, based on their preparations, that such an offensive was possible. This implies that such a Soviet attack might have been launched.

This historical "might-have-been" begs for experimentation in an Europa setting!

Here then is an alternate start of the greatest land campaign of the Second World War: "Groza", the Soviet code name for the attack on Nazi Germany in July 1941. ("Groza" means Thunderstorm-which at least sounds more martial than "Red Beard" or "Uranus".)

Scenario Credits

Scenario Design: Charles C. Sharp
Europa System Design: John M. Astell
Scenario Development: Rick Gayler, Jason Long
Soviet Order of Battle: Charles C. Sharp
German Order of Battle: Jason Long
Romanian and Hungarian Orders of Battle: A.E. Goodwin, Michael K. Parker
Italian Order of Battle: Michael K. Parker
Slovakian Order of Battle: John M. Astell
New Unit Counter Graphics: Winston Hamilton
Playtest, Advice, and Assistance: Flavio Carrillo, Paul Dunigan, Michael Faletti, Victor Hauser, Deen Wood, Bruce Wright
"Operation Groza" uses counters, rules, and maps from the GR/D games Fire in the East, Scorched Earth, Balkan Front, and First to Fight as its primary components.
Copyright 1992, Game Research/Design

Table of Contents

New Unit Counters for Operation Groza Front
Rule 1-Introduction Page 1
Rule 2-Components Page 2
Rule 3-SE Rules Deletions Page 2
Rule 4-Preparing for Play Page 3
Rule 5-Initial Conditions Page 4
Rule 6-Soviet Surprise Attack Page 4
Rule 7-Scenario Special Rules Page 5
Rule 8-Axis Allies Page 6
Rule 9-Victory Page 6
Axis OB and Reinforcement Chart Page 7
Soviet Reinforcement Chart Page 8
Soviet Other Forces and Air Chart Page 9
Designer's Notes Page 10
Developer's Notes Page 11
From the Editor Page12
Groza Play Aid Chart Back

Rule 2-Components

"Operation Groza" is played using the components from several of the existing Europa games published by GR/D. Most of the components are provided in Fire in the East/Scorched Earth (FitE/SE), but some components from Balkan Front (BF) and First to Fight (FtF) are also used. Substitute items from other Europa games if necessary. For example, if you do not own BF, you may use counters from other Europa games for those Axis units called for from the BF counter mix. Or you may substitute map 13 from Case White in place of FtF map 13A, and so on.

Maps

Use maps 1 B and 3B from FitE/SE, map 14A from BF, and map 13A from FtF.

Note: Although we recommend that you use the latest maps in playing "Operation Groza" you will notice some problems when matching up the transportation lines and such between maps 13A and 1B, and maps 14A and 3B. Map 14A has major problems aligning with 3B, especially in the north, since 313 compressed things by a hex row to match 14 which was itself compressed. A fair dose of common sense is required to make the rail grids work out.

For the ultimate use of the new maps, overlay FtF map 37 at the proper angle (it will cover portions of all four maps). Note: This layout was used by Jason Long and Flavio Carrillo in their playtest game. If map 37 is used, note that German units may not deploy past the western map edge of Map 1B (just extend the edge of 3B northwards).

Overlaying map 37 onto 1B and 3B can be tricky. It is recommended that the joint between 1B and 3B be rather loose so that 37 integrates well with the underlying maps. You will also have to trim the right edge of map 37 slightly.

German Army Frontages on map 37:
18th Army 2204-2406
4th Panzer Group 2507-2607
16th Army 2708-2809
3rd Panzer Group 2910-3010
9th Army 2614-3111
4th Army 2615-3018
2nd Panzer Group 3119-3321
6th Army 3322-3423
1st Panzer Group 3524-3425
17th Army 3327-3031

Soviet Army Frontages on map 37:
8th Army 2101-2606
11th Army 2707-3210
3rd Army 3211-2813
10th Army 2814-3017
4th Army 3118-3420
5th Army 3421-3624
6th Army 3625-3328
26th Army 3329-3231
12th Army 3332-4933

Corresponding hexes for Map 37:
3B:0714 = 37:5126
3B:0222 = 37:4026
3B:1419 = 37:5034
1B:4926 = 37:3526
1B:4824 = 37:3624
1B:3515 = 37:3910
1B:3816 = 37:3913

Counters

Most of the counters required by this scenario are contained in FitE/SE and FTF. However, there are a number of new counters appearing in this scenario which must be created by photocopying the front page of this magazine, cutting the counter blocks carefully, and assembling them on blank counters. (Eimer's glue works well for this.)

In addition, some Axis counters are contained in the BF counter mix. These units are italicized in the Axis Order of Battle.

Rules Use the rules booklet from Scorched Earth, as modified by this scenario rules set (see below).

Charts Use the Combat Results Tables, Terrain Effects Chart, Unit Identification Chart, and Turn Record Chart from Scorched Earth. A Play Aid Chart for "Operation Groza' is provided on the back cover.

Orders of Battle: Use the Orders of Battle provided in this scenario rule book. Note: The OBs and rules will often refer you to the Scorched Earth Orders of Battle, so you must have them handy, also.

Rule 3-Scorched Earth Rules Deletions

"Operation Groza" uses most of the rules from Scorched Earth (SE). Some of the rules to that game are not necessary to play this scenario, however, or are replaced by revised rules contained in this rule booklet. Therefore, disregard the following SE rules when playing "Operation Groza":
Rule 1-Introduction.
Rule 2-Game Components.
Rule 7D-Rail Construction.
Rule 101-Infantry Antitank Weapons.
Rule 14G-NKVD Political Troops.
Rule 27F3-Luftwaffe Transfers.
Rule 27F4-Soviet Guards.
Rule 29D-Special Weather Rules.
Rule 30-The Arctic.
Rule 31A2-Kerch Straits.
Rule 31A4- Kronshtadt.
Rule 31 D-Factories.
Rule 31E-The Soviet Government.
Rule 31F-Surprise Attack.
Rule 31G-Soviet Unpreparedness.
Rule 31H-Soviet Garrisons.
Rule 31K-Exiting the Map.
Rule 32-Axis Allies.
Rule 34F6-Disarming.
Rule 34F7- Assemblies.
Rule 35- Lend Lease.
Rule 36-Preparing for Play.
Rule 37-Victory.
Rule 38Fl-NKVD Political Troops Modification.
Rule 38G-Luftwaffe Schools.
Rule 38H-Eastern Troop Withdrawal.
Rule 39C-Finnish War Effort.
Rule 39D11-Guards Cavalry.
Rule 303-Winterization.
Rule 39D4-Axis Nationals in Soviet Service.
Rule 39D7-High Mountain Units.
Rule 39139-80cm Artillery.
Rule 39D11-Soviet Ski Brigades.
Rule 39E-Special Terrain Effects.
Rule 39G2-Hans-Ulrich Rudel.
Rule 39J-German Replacement Army.
Rule 39K-Luftwaffe Manpower.
Rule 40-Partisans.
Rule 41-Scenarios.

In general, disregard any references to the Arctic and other geographical areas not appearing on the scenario playing area.

Rule 4-Preparing for Play

This rule provides step-by-step instructions for starting up a game of Operation Groza. Conduct these activities in the sequence presented.

Step One: Lay out the maps as shown on the diagram on page 2 of these rules. Use map 37 as described if you so desire.

Step Two: The German player sets up first. The deployment of the Axis forces comprises the German player turns of Jun II 41 and Jul I 41. The Axis units are deployed as listed in the Scorched Earth Order of Battle (OB), except as modified by the Axis OB on page 6 of these rules and the following:

Remove all Axis units listed under "Finland" in the SE OB, including the units of Army Norway. These units are not used in this scenario.

Along the Greater German and Romanian borders with the Soviet Union every hex in Greater Germany and Romania adjacent to a border hexside must be occupied by, or in the ZOC of, an Axis unit.

Deploy the Axis air units listed as initial forces in the SE Air Order of Battle Chart. German air units must deploy in any airbases in Greater Germany or Romania on maps 1B or 3B. Romanian air units must deploy in any airbases in Romania on map 3B. Hungarian air units must deploy in any airbases in Hungary. Finnish forces are not used in this scenario.

Place all Axis air units listed in the Jul I 41 column of the Axis Air Order of Battle Chart in the Available Box. Increase Axis Group Allowances as shown.

Note that the Axis reinforcements scheduled for appearance on the Jun II 41 and Jul I 41 turns are included in the opening set up, and as with other Axis units, their deployment simulates their entire movement during the Axis Jun II 41 and Jul I 41 player turns.

The Axis player may plan no special operations prior to his Jul II 41 initial phase.

Step Three: The Soviet player deploys his initial forces of the Border MDs as listed in the SE Soviet OB and modified by the following instructions:

• Leningrad Military District (MD): Place the seven units listed under the "Reserves" heading (an example of one of these units is the 3rd Tank XX) in the Interior MDs Holding Box. The other units of this IVID are not used in this scenario.
• Baltic Special MD: Deploy as listed. ù Western Special MD: Deploy as listed. All units must be placed on map 113, with the exception of the 3 REs which must be placed in Smolensk. These 3 REs are placed in the Interior IVIDs Holding Box.
• Kiev Special MD. Deploy as listed.
• Odessa MD: Deploy as listed with the following modifications: Place the 7th Rifle Corps in the Interior IVIDs Holding Box; all other units must be placed on map 3B.
• Transcaucasus MD: Place all units in the Interior IVIDs Holding Box. Ignore the forts listed.
• Other Border Forces: Deploy as listed.

Step Four

Deploy all remaining Soviet forces, including air units as listed in the SE Soviet OB and modified by the following instructions:

• Strategic Reserve Forces, 16th Army., Deploy the 57th (w) It Tank Cadre and 109th Mech XX as listed. Place other units in the Interior MDs Holding Box.
• 19th Army: Deploy as listed.
• 20th Army. Place all units in the Interior MDs Holding Box.
• 21st Army: Deploy as listed.
• 22nd Army. Deploy as listed, with this one modification: all units must be placed on map 1B.
• 41st Rifle Corps: Deploy as listed.
• Interior MDs, Arkhangelsk MD only. These units are not used in this scenario.
• Interior MDs (all other units): Place these units in the Interior MDs Holding Box.
• Miscellaneous: The capital, factories, and railheads are not used in this scenario. Place the 25 Resource Points as listed. As many RPs as desired may be placed in the Interior MDs Holding Box.
• Soviet Air Force and Air Defenses: Place any 3 permanent airfields anywhere in the Soviet Union as instructed, the rest are not used in this scenario. Place position AA units on maps 1B and 3B as listed; you may also place an additional 10 points of Pos AA at any airbases in the Soviet Union on these two maps. The rest of the Pos AA points listed in the initial forces are not used in this scenario.

  Activate any 100 Soviet air units listed on the Soviet Air Order of Battle Chart on page 9 of this rules set. Place these air units at any airbases in the Soviet Union on maps 1B and 3B. Place the remainder of the Soviet air units in the Available Box.

• Soviet Navy: Place the Danube-1 river flotilla and Black Sea Fleet on map 3B as listed. Place 3 points of Hv Naval Pos AA in Sevastopol. The rest of the Soviet naval forces are not used in this scenario.

Step Five

The Soviets commence further mobilization. Flip any 4 combat/motorized cadres to their full-strength sides, and flip all 3-6 rifle divisions on the map and in the Interior MDs Holding Box to their 4-6 sides.

Step Six

Place the Soviet Jun II 41 reinforcement.

Step Seven

Plan any Soviet special operations for the Jul I 41 turn. The Soviet player may preplan up to 2 amphibious and 3 airborne operations at this time. Note: Due to Kriegsmarine and coastal defenses not represented in the game, the Soviets may not conduct any amphibious landings in the Baltic against Axis-owned hexes.

Step Eight

The Soviet player conducts a special Jun II 41 player turn, consisting of only a movement and exploitation phase. During this player turn, Soviet units may move only in hexes of the Soviet Union. They may use only regular, admin, and/or rail movement during the movement phase. Proper units may move normally during the exploitation phase.

The Soviet player may spend resource points as usual during this turn to increase his rail capacity. Soviet units in the Interior MDs Holding Box may rail onto the playing area using strategic rail movement.

Note that since the Axis and the Soviet Union are not yet at war, Soviet units may move adjacent to Axis units along the border using admin and/or strategic rail movement.

Step Nine

The Soviet player designates any one NKVD border unit in each of the Border MDs (Baltic, Western, Kiev, and Odessa) to be a Spetsnaz (special commando) unit.

Step Ten

After the completion of the special Soviet Jun II 41 turn, play moves to the Soviet Jul I 41 player turn. Note again that the Axis deployment simulates the German Jun II and Jul I player turns.

General Note: When deploying the above units, use the general rules for deployment contained in SE Rule 36. For example, the stacking limit may not be violated when units are deployed, and no unit of an army may be deployed in any hex north or south of its army's deployment range.

Rule 5-Initial Conditions

The weather is clear in all weather zones.

At the start of the game, the Axis player owns Albania, Denmark, Greater Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, and Yugoslavia. The Soviet player owns the USSR. Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary, Turkey, and Sweden are neutral.

Axis rail capacity is 60 REs per turn outside the Soviet Union, and 30 REs per turn inside. Axis units which move by rail both inside and outside the Soviet Union during the same movement phase count against both capacities. Soviet rail capacity is 120 REs per turn.

At the start of play the Axis have accumulated replacements equal to their Jul I 41 allotment.

Rule 6-Soviet Surprise Attack

The Soviet player receives several special benefits during his Jul II 41 player turn (only) as follows:

1. Soviet units may ignore river hexsides along the Greater German, Slovakian, Hungarian and Romanian borders (only) for purposes of combat and overrun-odds calculation.

2. The attack strengths of all Soviet artillery units are increased by 50% during the combat phase. For example, a Soviet 3-2-8 artillery regiment would attack with a strength of 4.5 attack strength points during the Soviet Jul I 41 combat phase.

3. Soviet c/m divisions (only) receive a limited increase in exploitation ability. Soviet c/m divisions which are full strength at the start of the Jul I 41 Soviet exploitation phase are not restricted by the Soviet mobility limits of SE Rule 31C. Note that c/m cadres do not have this ability.

The Soviet mobility limits outlined in Rule 31C remain in effect at all other times. (Prewar planning should have some effect, but the Soviet junior commanders and the staffs of the tank forces remain woefully inept!)

4. All Axis units which have ZOCs have reduced ZOCs during the Jul I 41 Soviet player turn only.

5. Soviet Spetsnaz units (the four 0-1-5 NKVD border regiments designated in Rule 4, Step 9) have all the characteristics of commando units per Rule 14H, but only during the Soviet Jul I 41 player turn. For purposes of Rule 14H2 only, they are considered to have an attack factor of "'I". They may not attack alone, but may attempt to gain the "surprise attack" bonus when attacking in conjunction with other units. There are no modifiers to any success rolls.

Rule 7-Scenario Special Rules

A. Soviet Special Rules

1. Reinforcements and Replacements.

The conversion of the four c/rn divisions in Rule 4, Step 5 uses all of the Jul I 41 Soviet armor RPs. Soviet armor RPs begin Jul II 41. (Tank production in June-July was 500+ per month, and there were about 500+ T-34 and KV tanks on hand but not yet delivered).

Soviet Artillery RPs begin Aug I 41.

The provisions on Soviet fragile divisions per Rule 34E remain in effect.

2. Soviet Occupation.

Soviet-owned dot and major Axis cities must be garrisoned by Soviet units. The garrison of a dot city must be 1 RE in size; the garrison of a major city must be 3 REs in size. The garrisoning unit(s) may not be position AA. The Soviet player must garrison a city starting with the game turn following the turn of its capture. For example, if Lublin is captured in the Jul II 41 turn, then the city must be garrisoned in the Aug I 41 turn. However, a city does not have to be garrisoned if there are supplied Axis units within 5 hexes of the city or if a supply line cannot be traced from the city to a Soviet regular source of supply.

Soviet garrisons are checked at the start of the initial phase of each Axis player turn. For each Soviet-owned Axis city lacking its garrison at this time (either entirely or in part), the Axis player is awarded one victory point.

3. Soviet Interior MDs Holding Box.

The Soviet Interior MDs Holding Box represents the massive interior area of the Soviet Union. A large number of Soviet units start the scenario in the Holding Box, and additional reinforcements arrive in the Holding Box during the course of the scenario.

Soviet units may leave the Holding Box and enter the playing area only by using strategic rail movement during the movement phase. Such units count against the Soviet rail capacity for the turn.

In general, any number of Soviet units may leave the Holding Box and enter play during a Soviet movement phase, limited only by the amount of rail capacity allotted for the purpose and the restrictions of the Holding Box garrison requirements.

The Soviet player is required to maintain a garrison in the Holding Box of 75 REs, of which at least 9 REs must be mountain units. Soviet units may not leave the Holding Box and enter play if doing so would reduce the Holding Box garrison below this limit.

4. Soviet Rail Capacity Increases.

The Soviet player may expend resource points to increase his rail capacity per SE Rule 7A4, except that the resource points are expended during the movement phase rather than the initial phase.

5. Soviet Movement Limitations.

Soviet units may not exit the west edge of the playing area. This represents the presence of Axis emergency forces (West Front and Home Guard units) not directly represented in the game.

B. Axis Special Rules

1. Rail Capacity Increases.

The German player may increase the rail capacity on either (or both) of his rail nets (that is, his rail net inside and his rail net outside the Soviet Union) by expending resource points for this purpose during his movement phase. A resource point expended for this purpose must be in any unisolated rail hex on the net. Each resource point expended in this manner increases the capacity of the appropriate rail net by 10 REs. The German player may not expend more than 3 resource points (total) for this purpose during a movement phase.

2. Axis Movement Limitations.

Axis units may not exit the east edge of the playing area. This represents the presence of Soviet emergency forces (Militia, NKVD, naval, and school units) not directly represented in the game.

3. Axis Reserves.

German reserves are released if a Soviet ground unit enters any hex of Greater Germany.

Slovakian reserves are released if a Soviet ground unit enters any hex of Slovakia.

4. Axis Order of Battle.

Use the SE Axis Order of Battle, but modify it by the changes listed on page 7 of this scenario. Ignore all withdrawals and conversions of Hungarian, Slovakian, and Romanian units.

All Romanian units are available from the start of the scenario (i.e., no Romanian units are considered to be "in reserve".)

"German" reinforcements are placed in any cities in Greater Germany from which a supply line may be traced to a regular source of supply.

Treat all "Arctic" reinforcements as "German" reinforcements.

C. River Flotillas

Use the river flotilla rules from SE as modified:

The number on the counter is the unit's combat and AA rating for those units that have it printed on the counter (i.e., those from Balkan Front).

A river flotilla controls one river hexside of the hex it occupies. Use the top of the counter to point to the controlled hexside. As a river flotilla moves, trace the path of river hexsides along which it moves. A river flotilla may not enter a river hexside controlled by an enemy river flotilla. (You'll need this rule to keep the Soviet Danube Flotilla from sailing past the Romanian Dunarea Flotilla, or so forth.).

D. Limited Cavalry Exploitation Capability

All cavalry units possess a limited capability to move during a friendly exploitation phase. The movement rating of a cavalry unit is reduced to 4 MPs during this phase.

Rule 8--Axis Allies

A. Bulgarian Neutrality

The Axis player may trace supply through Bulgaria, but German ground units (only) may not enter Bulgaria (except by rail movement) or attack out of Bulgaria. German air units may not base or stage in Bulgaria, but may overfly Bulgarian territory. Romanian ground units may not enter Bulgaria at all, but air units may overfly Bulgaria. ZOCs do not extend into or out of Bulgaria. If any ground unit moves into Bulgaria, including a German unit using non-rail movement, it is immediately interned. Interned units are immediately placed in the replacement pool and special replacements for them are received, unless they are Romanian.

Soviet units may not enter Bulgaria under any circumstances. If an unit is required to do so, it is eliminated (interned) and no special replacements are received.

B. Hungarian Neutrality

The Soviets need not attack Hungary. Hungary will remain neutral until a Soviet ground unit enters its territory or the Soviets attack a unit inside Hungary (this includes Soviet air missions against targets in Hungary.) The Soviets must maintain a unit or a ZOC in every hex bordering Hungary while it is neutral.

No German units may be deployed in Hungary until it is invaded by the Soviets.

The Axis player may trace supply through Hungary, but German ground units (only) may not enter Hungary (except by rail movement) or attack out of Hungary. German air units may not base or stage in Hungary, but may overfly Hungarian territory. Slovakian or Romanian ground units may not enter Hungary at all, but their air units may overfly Hungary. ZOCs do not extend into or out of Hungary. If any ground unit moves into neutral Hungary, including a German unit using non-rail movement, it is immediately interned. Interned units are immediately placed in the replacement pool and special replacements are received for them, unless they are Slovakian or Romanian.

Soviet units may not retreat into neutral Hungary. If a Soviet unit is required to do so, it is eliminated (interned) and no special replacements are received.

If the Soviet player no longer has any units adjacent to the Hungarian border at the beginning of an Axis player turn, Hungary will immediately join the Axis using Hungarian forces currently in play.

The invasion of Hungary by the Soviets negates all of the above conditions. In this case, Hungary joins the Axis and begins mobilization (see the Groza Play Aid Chart for Hungarian Mobilization information).

C. Finnish Neutrality

Finland remains neutral for the duration of the scenario. Ignore all reference to Finland and Finnish forces.

D. Axis-Allied Special Rules

1. Axis-Allied Replacements.

Add one Inf RP per month to all Axis allies. For example, Italy and Slovakia receives one Inf RP on the "I" turn of each month, and Romania receives three Inf RPs. Hungary does not receive any RPs while neutral.

2. Axis-Allied Cooperation Limits

If Hungary joins the Axis, Slovakian or Romanian ground units may not enter Hungarian territory, or trace supply other than the rail element of the supply line, through Hungarian territory. Any such units that enter Hungarian territory are immediately eliminated (interned) without receiving any special replacements. Slovakian and Romanian air units may overfly Hungarian territory, but may not base on or stage out of airbases on Hungarian territory.

The Hungarians are subject to the same limitations on Slovakian or Romanian territory.

Note that the restrictions on Hungariain, and Romanian air units operating inside the Soviet Union remain in force.

Rule 9-Victory

The game ends at the end of the Oct II 41 turn. At that time, each player totals up his victory points as listed on the Victory Point Tables on the Groza Play Aid Chart. Subtract the Soviet player's point total from the German player's point total. Consult the Victory Level Table to determine the scenario winner and his level of victory.

The Soviet player receives victory points for each panzer division eliminated at the end of the scenario (only). For each panzer division in the German replacement pool at the end of play, the Soviet player receives 2 victory points.

Ploesti: The Soviets considered Ploesti Germany's economic "Achilles Heel" and placed enormous emphasis on its capture or destruction to cripple the German war economy. To reflect this, the Soviet player is awarded 15 VPs immediately if he owns Ploesti in supply during any Soviet initial phase. (It is deemed that this would allow the Soviets enough time to severely damage the facility.)

The Soviet player gains an additional 15 VPs if he owns Ploesti at the end of the scenario.

Operation Groza Stalin's Thunderstorm

Introduction and Rules
Axis Order of Battle
Soviet Order of Battle
Designer's Notes
Developer's Notes
A Few Disclaimers More
From the Editor