A funny thing happened on the way to Europa Notes. Bill Stone, the usual columnist, was unable to assemble a column due to the pressures of producing the "Game Designers Census" appearing in this issue and preparing for the onslaught of Origins (Bill is also GDW's business manager). I stepped in and foolishly volunteered to do this issue's column, planning to write about some of my current research for the DN01UNT revision. It concerned a German naval base on the arctic coast of the Soviet Union in 1940, the status of the "free port" of Memel after Lithuania was absorbed by the Soviet Union, and the various Nazi-Soviet negotiations over spheres of influence. However, the story in the end turned out to have no practical application to Europa at this point, so I dropped it. Instead, I reworked the research to produce the following "Unofficial" for DNO.

The Axis-Soviet Demarcation Line, as shown on Europa Map 1 A, was the result of almost 18 months of negotiations between the two states. The illustration at right delineates the major areas over which negotiations took place. For those players who wish to explore the effects of a different Axis-Soviet Demarcation Line, use the following table. (Although the illustration is for those who play DNO using Maps 1 A and 3A, it is fairly easy to convert the boundaries shown for use with Map 1.)

Demarcation Line Table

Roll two dice and consult the chart below to determine the Axis-Soviet Demarcation Line to be used. The results are explained below.

Dice Roll Result
2 Original
3 Revised Original 2
4 Neutral Lithuania
5 Near-Historical
6 Historical
7 Historical
8 Revised Original 1
9 Near-Historical
10 Neutral Lithuania
11 Original
12 Revised Original 2

Original This was the demarcation line derived from the original negotiations of August 1939. Germany receives Lithuania and Areas 2, 3, and 4; the Soviet Union receives Areas 1 and 5.

Revised Original 1 In September of 1939, the Soviet Union proposed a modification to the original division; this proposal was incorporated in subsequent negotiations. Germany receives Lithuania and Areas 3 and 4; the Soviet Union receives Areas 1, 2, and 5.

Revised Original 2 The Soviet Union had recognized Lithuania's claim to the Vilna area in the treaty of August 1939. This area was occupied by the Soviets during the invasion of Eastern Poland, but they might have handed it over to Lithuania even though Lithuania was in the German sphere of influence. In this case, Germany receives Lithuania and Areas 3, 4, and 5; the Soviet Union receives Areas 1 and 2.

Near-Historical There was a major revision to the treaty on 28 September 1939. Germany gave Lithuania to the Soviet sphere of influence in exchange for all of the Lublin Province and part of the Warsaw Province. To simplify the boundary between the two states, the "Lithuanian Strip" (Area 4) was to go to Germany when the Soviet Union undertook "special measures on Lithuanian territory to protect its interests" (i.e., when the Soviet Union annexed Lithuania). Germany receives Areas 1, 3, and 4; the Soviet Union receives Lithuania and Areas 2 and 5.

Historical In 1940, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed Lithuania, setting up a Lithuanian Soviet Republic. The Soviets occupied the "Lithuanian Strip" at this time and proved to be very reluctant to turn over this area to Germany. In January of 1941, negotiations finally gave this area to the U.S.S.R. with the Soviets paying Germany 31.5 million Reichsmarks (1/8 of which in non- ferrous metals and 7/8 of which in gold; actually, the gold payment was deducted from a gold payment Germany was to give the Soviet Union under an earlier economic treaty). Germany receives Areas 1 and 3; the Soviet Union receives Lithuania and Areas 2, 4, and 5.

Neutral Lithuania There is a slight chance that Lithuania would remain neutral; for example, Lithuania could have been included in the German sphere of influence but not occupied by Germany. Germany receives Areas 1 and 3; the Soviet Union receives Areas 2 and 5; and Lithuania, including Area 4, is neutral. Either (or both) sides may invade Lithuania during the course of the game; however, Germany is considered to be at war with the Soviet Union on the first game turn. As a convenient simulation of the strength of the Lithuanian Army, give each city (of any size) in Lithuania a defense strength of 2 (supported).

The players then deploy their units, using the demarcation line as determined above as the boundary between the two states. If Lithuania is German controlled, the German player may deploy up to 30 stacking points of units there without arousing the Soviets' suspicions. If more than 30 stacking points are deployed there, then Rule 28 (German First Turn Surprise) is not used.