Rule 1 Introduction

"In the early months of 1943 Hitler's chronic fear of an invasion of Norway, reinforced by recent events in North Africa and by the growing hostility of Sweden, continued unabated. The North African landings appeared to indicate that the Allies were committed to a strategy of attacking on the periphery of Europe, which made Norway a likely next target. Sweden, regarded with lingering suspicion since the summer of 1941 when it refused to join Hitler's 'crusade against Bolshevism,' became a new source of apprehension in 1942 as its policy toward Germany stiffened in direct proportion to the increasing danger of Allied landings in Scandinavia.

The possible Swedish intentions with regard to such an operation were described as 'obscure.' Most disturbing was the knowledge that Sweden might very well be able to decide the issue by passive measures alone.

During the last week of March Generalleutnant Adolf von Schell, Commanding General of the 25th Panzer Division, put the finishing touches on his 'Operational Study, Sweden,' which he submitted to the Army of Norway on 6 April. His first concern was to devise tactics suitable to the terrain of Sweden and capable of execution with relatively weak forces. Deciding that an attack through the mountains of western Sweden would have to follow the roads and valleys, he chose to rely on the shock effect of a swift, almost reckless, advance.

He proposed to echelon his tanks and infantry in such a manner that, by leapfrogging, fresh spearheads could take over at intervals, enabling the advance to continue at high speed day and night. This was in part an adaptation of the tactics developed during the advance north through central Norway in the spring of 1940. The conditions were similar, long narrow valleys with steep slopes, and a lightly armed enemy presumed to have neither modern armor nor heavy antitank weapons. 'it can be expected,' he wrote, 'that the enemy, unaccustomed to battle and, in any case, not credited with a high degree of enthusiasm for combat, will not be able to hold against this method of operation with heavy and armored weapons, particularly where least expected.'

For the operation, Schell was told he could count on having the 25th Panzer Division, one infantry division in the vicinity of Trondheim, another near Oslo, and strong air and airborne support. Hitler also stated an intention to equip the 25th Panzer Division with 'the heaviest assault weapons, ones against which Sweden possesses no means of defense.'"

--Earl F. Ziemke, The German Northern Theater of Operations, 1940-1945, Army Pamphlet No. 20- 271

The preceding passage serves to set the stage for this examination in Europa terms of what might have transpired had Germany justified the political consequences and mustered the resources necessary to initiate offensive operations against Sweden in the summer of 1943.

There were two possible operations under study for the invasion of Sweden, and each is examined as a separate scenario, in addition to the basic scenario which combines the two operations. The ULTRA scenario postulates that Sweden is alerted to the impending German assault in time to undertake at least some counter-measures.

Rule 2-Game Components

Rules:

The rules from the GR/D game, Balkan Front, are used, as amended below.

Maps:

Use Europa Maps 5B (NarviklFitE), 10A (Narvik), 1B (FitE), and 13A (First to Fight). Use only the southern halves of maps 5B and 10A, and only the northern halves of maps 1B and 13A.

Note: It is possible to use earlier map editions, such as Maps 1A and 13, if desired. Also, to have Map 13A match properly with 5B, consider the rail line from 13A:0201 to 5B:5032 to run through 13A:0101.

Counters:

All Swedish forces are contained in Narvik. The name of the title containing each German unit is listed next to the unit's ID in the German order of battle. All British and U.S. units are contained in Western Desert/Torch.

Note: If you don't care to use strict historical designations, you can find the proper mix of German forces in Fire in the East/Scorched Earth. Exception: You'll have to find the two 1-5 Para Ils elsewhere.

Charts:

Use the Unit Identification Chart, the Combat Results Table, and the Terrain Effects Chart from BF. Note: The terrain effects of a dot city should be No AEC. Also use the following parts of the BF Victory Chart: Regimental Equivalents Summary, Air Unit Escape Summary, Patrol Attack Summary, and Supply Line Summary.

Dice:
Two six-sided dice.
One ten-sided die, with numbers 0-9.
One ten-sided die, with numbers 00-90.

Rule 3-Basic Game Concepts

B. Sides.

1. German. The German player controls the forces of Germany.

2. Allied. The Allied player controls the forces of Sweden and the Western Allied intervention force.

E. Geography

Sweden refers to all Swedish territory within the playing area, including the Swedish islands. Mainland Sweden excludes the Swedish islands.

Norway refers to all Norwegian territory within the playing area.

F. Operational Limits

German ground units may only operate in hexes of Norway and Sweden. Allied ground units may operate only in hexes of Sweden.

Swedish air units may only base at airbases in Sweden. Western Allied intervention air units may only base at airbases in the United Kingdom. German air units may base at any friendly owned airbases, including those in Denmark, Finland, Greater Germany, Norway, and Sweden. Air units of both sides may transit any hex in the playing area.

For play purposes, no forces of either side may enter any hexes on or north of the A weather line.

The following Swedish units, located at hex 5B:2509 (off-map), are considered to be neutralized by elements of the German 20th Mountain Army in action not directly represented in this scenario:

1x 2-6 Inf III 19
1x 1-2-6 Art III 8

Rule 7-Transportation Lines

A. Railroads

Treat the dashed line "roads" on the playing area as low-volume rail lines. These low-volume rail lines function the same as per the Balkan Front rules. Delete Rule 7A3 and 8C.

Rule 10-Armor and Antitank Effects

B. Values ATEC. Note that the German assault gun battalion has full ATEC, as per Scorched Earth.

Rule 12-Supply

C. Supply Sources

Each side has its own supply sources, as listed below. A supply source may be used only by its own side and only if that side owns it.

1. Full Supply Sources. Any and all units of a given player may use a full supply source, without restriction. Full supply sources are:

German: Any port in Norway or Sweden.

Allied: Any major, dot, or reference city in Sweden is a full supply source for Allied units, provided the city is connected to another major, dot, or reference city. A city is connected to another if a rail line can be traced from one city to the other entirely through friendly-owned hexes. For example, if Malmo (13A:1212) and Halsingborg (13A:1011) are connected, both are supply sources for Allied units.

2. Restricted Supply Sources. A restricted supply source places limits on the number of units that may use it. Restricted supply sources are:

Allied: Stockholm (5B:5026) is a supply source for up to 5 REs of Allied units. Goteborg (13A:0110) is a supply source for up to 3 REs of Allied units. Umea (5B:3315) is a supply source for up to 3 REs of Allied units. Malmo (13A:1212) is a supply source for up to 3 REs of Allied units.

Rule 14-Special Ground Rules

Delete Rule 14A3, 14E1, and 14F.

Rule 15-Unit Breakdowns

B. Game Charts

This information is contained in each player's order of battle-there are no game charts.

C. Breakdown Combinations

3. Special. The Swedish 2nd Infantry Division HQ may absorb any three infantry regiments in order to form the 6-6 division. The division may be assembled in the Allied movement phase in the same manner as a broken down unit is assembled (see Rule 15).

Rule 19-Patrol Attacks

There is a maximum patrol zone of 8 hexes; the patrol zone of no fighter extends beyond 8 hexes, regardless of its movement rating.

Rule 20-Air Missions

C. Escort.

1. Close Escort.

Air units may form mission forces by flying to an assembly hex and "forming up". Fighter units in a mission force may be designated as flying the "close escort" or the regular escort mission. The mission force may then move together as a stack for as far as desired, or as far as its movement allowances permit. Enemy fighters must first patrol attack each close escort of a mission force before patrolling any other units of the mission force, including fighters flying the regular escort mission. When a close escort fighter unit is patrol attacked, it immediately reverts to regular escort status. It may continue to move with the mission force unless it suffers an adverse patrol result, in which case it immediately returns to base.

F. Bombing.

Delete Rule 20F1, 20F2f, 20F2g, 20F2h, and 20F2i.

Rule 22-Antiaircraft

A. Capabilities.

1. Intrinsic. Each Axis c/m division and headquarters has an intrinsic light AA strength of 1. Note: An Axis c/m cadre does not have an intrinsic AA strength. Each Axis-owned airbase, including permanent airfields, in Denmark, Finland, Greater Germany, and Norway has an intrinsic light AA strength of 3.

Allied-owned cities in Sweden have intrinsic light AA strength as follows: dot city-1, partial hex city-2, full hex city-3. Each Allied permanent airfield has an intrinsic light AA strength of 1.

Delete Rule 22A3 and 22A4.

Rule 24-Special Air Rules

Delete Rule 24C and 24E.

Rule 25-Airborne Operations

C. Planning and Preparation

Each airborne unit in the scenario may drop in Sweden (only) without prior planning. Each airborne unit may drop only once per game.

Delete Rule 25D.

Rule 26-Naval Rules

Note: Delete all naval rules in the Balkan Front rules set, and use the following:

A. Amphibious Landings

The German player lands the two regiments of his amphibious force during his Jul 1 43 movement phase. These units may land in any coastal hexes in Sweden except for the Stockholm, Karlskrona, and Goteborg hexes, which are occupied by Swedish naval forces.

The Kriegsmarine was confident that it could keep the Swedish naval forces pinned in their ports by laying mines during the night before the attack. Furthermore, it vowed that U-boats and the Baltic Training Fleet would sink any ship which made it to open sea. Nonetheless, there is a chance that at least some of Swedish ships might escape and interfere with the German landings. To determine whether this occurs, the Allied player rolls two dice at the start of the German Jul I 43 turn. On a roll of 9 or greater, elements of the Swedish navy break out into the Baltic Sea. If this occurs, the Allied player makes a subsequent roll for each German regiment of the amphibious force as it is placed in a Swedish coastal hex. On a roll of 6, the unit is eliminated.

Rule 27-Weather

The weather is clear throughout the scenario.

Rule 28-Nations

A. Germany

There is no German surprise attack turn.

The German player is not required to garrison captured Swedish cities. It is recommended for play purposes that German control markers (contained in FitE/SE) be placed in captured Swedish cities to signify that they may not be used as start hexes for Swedish reinforcements, or as Swedish supply sources.

B. Sweden

1. Swedish Resolve. An unanswered question of World War II is how steadfastly the Swedes would have defended their country from Axis aggression, given their isolated position and modern tradition of peaceful coexistence within the European community. The German planners pinned a large part of their hopes on the belief that the Swedes did not possess "a high degree of enthusiasm for combat." Indeed, it is unclear just how much punishment the Swedish government would have been willing to see inflicted upon its cities and citizens.

To simulate this uncertainty, the Swedish player is required to make "surrender rolls" under certain circumstances:

Each time the German player announces an attack against Stockholm at odds of 1.51 or greater, the Swedish player must roll one die immediately prior the German combat roll. On a roll of 1, Sweden * surrenders. (Note that the German player, having announced an attack, must follow through and attack Stockholm if Sweden does not surrender!)

If the German player captures Stockholm, the Swedish player must immediately roll one die. On a roll of 3 through 6, Sweden surrenders. If Sweden does not surrender at this time, no further surrender rolls are made for the rest of the scenario.

Upon Swedish surrender, all Allied forces are removed from play and the scenario ends. (British forces are assumed to flee the country or disperse, posing no further viable opposition.)

Rule 29-Reinforcements and Replacements

A. Reinforcements

Note that Swedish reinforcements unable to appear on the turn and at the location indicated are eliminated instead.

B. Replacements

The German player starts the scenario with 4 infantry replacement REs. These may be used to replace eliminated units. Replacement costs are 1/2 RE for a battalion, 1 RE for a regiment, and 3 REs for a division. Infantry replacement REs may be used for all units except armored, assault gun, and parachute units. An infantry division cadre may be rebuilt to full strength at a cost of 2 REs. The cadre must be in supply and not in an enemy ZOC. If it meets these conditions, it may be rebuilt to full strength in the initial phase and may operate as usual thereafter.

Replaced German units may appear in any city hexes in Norway or in hex 513:2630.

The Allied player receives no ground replacement REs during the game. (The emergency mobilization generating the reinforcements consumes Sweden's training and war- related civilian personnel.)

Air replacement capabilities and instructions for implementation appear in each player's OB.

Delete Rule 29C.

E. Mobilization

Swedish divisions may mobilize during the scenario, as specified in the Allied order of battle. Any Swedish infantry regiment in play may be mobilized by replacing the regiment with the specified division. The regiment may be out of supply or in an enemy ZOC.

F. Assemblies

The Allied order of battle lists a number of Swedish divisions as available for assembly. These divisions may be assembled any time on or after the turn specified. These divisions are assembled from any three Swedish infantry regiments in play. An infantry division is assembled in the Allied movement phase in the same manner as a broken down division is assembled (see Rule 15).

Rule 30-Preparing for Play

Lay out the maps as explained in Rule 2. Place map 13A on top of the adjoining maps 5B and 10A.

The Allied player deploys first per his order of battle for the scenario being played. The German player deploys second per his order of battle for the scenario being played. The players may not violate the stacking limits when deploying units. Units may be deployed broken down.

After the players deploy their forces, the scenario begins with the German player turn of the Jul I 43 turn. Exception: The Allied player moves first in the ULTRA scenario.

At the start of the game the German player owns Denmark, Finland, Greater Germany, and Norway. The Allied player owns Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Rule 31-Victory

A. Game Length

The game starts with the Jul I 43 turn and ends when Sweden is conquered or at the end of the Sep II 43 game turn, whichever occurs first. For play purposes, Sweden is considered conquered if it has surrendered, or if all cities in mainland Sweden in weather zones B, C, and D are German owned. (Swedish surrender is explained in Rule 28B1.) This yields a maximum scenario length of six game turns. B. Victory Determination.

At the end of the scenario, the players determine victory. Victory is awarded as follows, depending on the scenario being played:

• Objective: Sweden and ULTRA scenarios: The German player wins if Sweden has been conquered. The Allied player wins if Sweden is not conquered.
• Operation I scenario: The German player wins a major victory if Sweden is conquered. If Sweden is not conquered, then victory is determined at the end of the Sep II 43 game turn based on the number of German-owned Swedish cities in weather zone B:
  German Major Victory. 4 Cities.
  German Marginal Victory. 3 Cities.
  Draw: 2 Cities.
  Allied Marginal Victory. 1 City.
  Allied Major Victory. No Cities.
• Operation II scenario: The German player wins if he owns Stockholm at the end of the Sep II 43 game turn, or if Sweden has been conquered. The Allied player wins if he holds Stockholm at the end of the Sep II 43 game turn.

Rule 32-Optional Rules

Modify Rule 32A3 to include forest hexes. Delete Rule 32A5, 32A6, 3213, 32C, 32D, 32E, and 32F. Add the following:

B. Additional Terrain Types.

There are two terrain types in Sweden that do not appear on the Balkan Front Terrain Effects Chart:

1. Forest: Movement Effects: Mot/Art-6, Other-3, Exceptions: Cav-2. Combat Effects: -2; No AEC; Mot attacker (except artillery) halved.

2. Intermittent Lake: Movement Effects: Mot/Art-2, Other-1. Combat Effects: Attacker (except artillery) halved.

Rule 33-Scenarios

The rules describe the Objective: Sweden scenario, which covers the most likely hypothetical evolution of the campaign. Following are brief explanations of the other scenarios, including special rules for them.

A. ULTRA Scenario

The Western Allies detect German preparations for the invasion of Sweden and warn the Swedes of the impending attack.

1. Increased Swedish Naval Threat. Modify Rule 26A: Swedish naval elements break out on a roll of 6 or greater. If the Swedish navy breaks out, a German amphibious regiment is eliminated on a roll of 5 or 6.

B. Operation I Scenario.

The German objective of this scenario is to secure the iron ore fields in northern Sweden.

1. Additional German Entry Hex. Replaced German units may appear at hex 513:3015 if it is German owned during the initial phase.

C. Operation II Scenario.

This scenario postulates a hasty invasion with little more than the resources already in Norway. The German objective in this scenario is Stockholm.

Rule 34-Designer's Choice Rules

A. Incremental Odds

1. Odds of 2:1 or greater. After calculating the combat odds ratio for a combat, if the ratio is greater than 2:1, retain any fraction in the form of a decimal rounded down to two decimal places. For example, 27:11 would become 2.45:1. Roll two ten-sided dice before resolving the combat to determine the final combat odds ratio. If the number rolled on the ten-sided dice is equal to or less than the decimal remainder retained in the original ratio, the final combat odds ratio would be raised to the next higher odds level. If the number rolled on the ten-sided dice is greater than the decimal remainder retained in the original ratio, the final combat odds would be rounded down per Rule 9A. Example: The original odds ratio is 2.45:1. A result of 34 rolled with the ten-sided dice would raise the final combat odds ratio to 3:1. A result of 74 would result in the odds being rounded down to 2:1 as per Rule 9A. Note: A result of "0" on the ten-sided dice always results in the odds being rounded down per Rule 9A.

2. Odds of 1.51:1 to 1.99:1. If the odds fall between 1.51:1 and 1.91:1, follow this procedure: Subtract 1.5 from odds calculated, and multiply the result by two to determine the increment needed. Example: The odds are calculated to be 1.78:1. Subtract 1.5 from 1.78. Multiply this result (.28) by two, yielding an increment of .56. On a roll of 56 or less, round the odds up to 2:1; on a roll of 57 or higher, the odds remain 1.51

3. Odds of less than 11.51. Do not use incremental odds; follow Rule 9A as written.

Objective Sweden The Hypothetical Invasion of Sweden by Germany: July 1943

Europa Rules
Allied Order of Battle
German Order of Battle
Designer's Notes