SCENARIO RULES

Initiative

The Soviet player moves first during each game turn throughout the scenario. Example: The Nov I 43 game turn consists of a Soviet player turn followed by a German player turn.

Rail Movement

Neither side may use rail movement of any kind.

Soviet Command Control and Tank Army HQs

By this point of the war, the Soviets possessed abundant numbers of powerful mobile units. However, their ability to mass these units was limited due to a shortage of specialists who could handle large groups of armor. Accordingly, the Soviets, for purposes of this scenario, may not stack more than one c/m corps per hex unless the hex contains a Tank Army HQ. The Soviet player receives only two Tank Army HQs during the course of the scenario.

A Tank Army HQ does not have a unit size and does not possess any combat capabilities; its sole function is to allow the Soviet player to stack more than one c/m corps in its hex. Soviet c/m units stacked with a Tank Army HQ use the regular FitE/SE stacking limit. Tank Army HQs have a movement allowance of 8 MPs and are combat motorized. They are subject to all combat results, and are destroyed if forced to retreat through an enemy ZOC. They do not count against stacking. If lost, they may be replaced at the cost of 5 armor RPs. If isolated when lost, a Tank Army HQ is permanently eliminated for purposes of the scenario.

Cavalry

All cavalry units on both sides may move up to their full movement allowance during the exploitation phase. Note: Soviet cavalry may stack normally and is not subject to the command and control problems of c/m units.

Soviet Artillery Divisions

In addition to the regular rules regarding Soviet artillery divisions (e.g., attack factors halved when they move), artillery divisions may not advance after combat. Exception: The 3rd Guards Rocket Artillery Division may advance after combat, due to the mobile nature of this unit. Also, all artillery divisions attack at 1.5 times their face value during the combat phase of the Soviet Nov I 43 turn only.

Regular Supply Sources

Axis. Any friendly-owned hex on the west, north, or south edge of the playing area.

Soviet. Any friendly-owned hex on the east edge of the playing area (only).

Rail hexes east of Kiev are broad gauge; rail hexes west of Kiev are standard gauge. Neither side may convert rail hexes during the scenario.

Special Weather Effects

The scenario uses the historical weather, which was frost on Nov I 43 through Dec I 43, and snow on Dec II 43. Note: Due to the mild winter of 1943, rivers and swamps do not freeze during this scenario.

Rebuilding German Cadres

For this scenario, a German cadre may be rebuilt in any hex, even if in an enemy ZOC, so long as it is in regular supply.

Scenario Length

The scenario runs from Nov I 43 to Dec II 43.

Playing Area and Restrictions

The scenario uses a portion of the northeast quarter of map 3B from hex row 1100 (inclusive) to hex row 0100 (inclusive). Units forced to retreat off a map edge may reenter during the owning player's next player turn in any friendly owned hex along the map edge from which they retreated.

Other Rules and Charts

Use the rules and charts from Scorched Earth, except as modified by these scenario rules.

Korpsabteilungen. (Optional, favors Germans)

Use the Korpsabteilungen Rule 39D12 on page 20 of this magazine. The German player may substitute 1x 5-7-6 Inf KAbtC for the 3x 2-3-6 Inf Cadres in hex 3B:0207 during his initial set-up if desired. Note: No inf RPs are gained by this substitution.

Victory

At the end of the Dec II 43 game turn both sides total their victory points (VPs) to determine a winner. VPs are awarded for ownership of cities and hexes, and elimination of enemy units as outlined below:

German Awards:
Ownership of Cities.
Kiev: 30 points.
Korosten, Zhitomir, and Berdichev: 5 points each.
Eliminated Units.
Soviet Tank Army HQ: 5 points each.
Soviet c/m corps: 3 points each (Note: This includes any Soviet corps, even if it starts as a cadre.)
Soviet artillery division: 3 points each
Every multiple of three Soviet infantry or cavalry divisions: 1 point.

Soviet Awards:
Ownership of Cities and Hexes.
Kiev: 20 points.
Korosten, Zhitomir, and Berdichev: 15 points each.
Vinnitsa: 20 points.
Control of 3B:1011 or any hex west of it on hexrow 3B: 1000: 10 points.
Control of 3B:0113 or any hex west of it on hexrow 3B:0100: 5 points.
Eliminated Units.
German non-c/m divisional unit: 2 points each (including those beginning the scenario as cadres).
German c/m division: 5 points each (including those beginning the scenario as cadres).

Note that VPs are awarded only for eliminated units that are actually in the replacement pool at the end of the game. Exception: Withdrawn German units are counted if eliminated before withdrawn.

Subtract the German total from the Soviet total and compare to the Victory Level results below:

Victory Level

65 or more: Crushing Soviet Victory. AGS will be encircled and destroyed. Von Manstein is executed for treason, while Vatutin will later spearhead the Soviet assault into Berlin in late 1944.

55-64: Decisive Soviet Victory. 4th Panzer Army has been operationally routed, and AGS will be unable to retain the Ukraine past the spring of 1944.

31-54: Tactical Soviet Victory. 1st Ukrainian Front has established a solid bridgehead and inflicted substantial losses on 4th Panzer Army. (This is the historical result, although on the high end of tactical, say, around 50 points).

15-30: Draw. 1st Ukrainian Front has only a tentative hold on Kiev and will require large reinforcements in order to continue its offensive.

1-15: Tactical German victory. 4th Panzer Army has completely stymied Ist Ukrainian Front and possesses a not inconsiderable chance to restore its initial positions.

0 or less: Decisive German victory. 1st Ukrainian Front, despite large reinforcements, is unable to dislodge 4th Panzer Army, and the Germans will retain their grip on the Ukraine well into 1944. Von Manstein, armed with this victory, successfully persuades Hitler to give him command of the Eastern Front and is hailed as "the German Belisarius." Vatutin, for his part, is given a training command in Siberia under the watchful eye of the NKVD.

Credits

Designer: Flavio Carrillo
Developer: Jason Long
Soviet Order of Battle: Charles Sharp
Playtesting, Assistance, and Advice: Greg Bartels, Rick Gayler, Victor Hauser, Jason Long, Jack Radey.

Biography: Flavio Carrillo is a 25 year old law student at the University of Chicago. He began playing wargames (mostly Avalon Hill) around the age of 14 after wasting a couple of years on RPGs (the D&D kind, not the Soviet.) He was introduced to Europa as a junior at UCLA when his then-girlfriend made the grievous error of buying him Fire in the East for his birthday, a mistake she has since lived to regret.

The Battle for Kiev, 1943 For Stalin and the Motherland!

Europa Rules
Axis Order of Battle
Soviet Order of Battle
Designer's Notes
Large Map (slow: 101K)
Jumbo Map (extremely slow: 381K)

The Battle for Kiev, 1943: Errata, Modifications, and Questions and Answers