I know some of you will go into shock when you find the V2.Oi OCS rules in your Black Wednesday game (another group will say "I told ya so..."). Fear not. Let me explain what v2.Oi is and what it isn't.

There is but one actual rules change in this version of the rulebook. The annoying little rule that made all air units become inactive if they had to fly over one of their own air bases is gone. I changed the rule to read the way we were playing it anyway-that air units become inactive at an friendly air base whose hex they enter if that hex happens to be their destination. Over-flights on the way to deeper targets do not reach out and grab the planes like they used to. That's it-the only change and one I think will please most everyone who found their own air bases interfering with their operations.

So, what else is in v2.0i? Known inaccuracies have been corrected (see the v2.0 errata for a complete list), things like the air examples which didn't reflect the v2.0 rules were corrected and that sort of thing. But that is all: anyone playing v2.0 with the errata will not need to buy v2.Oi or read it (provided they know about the air base rule I talked about above) to remain current.

A player might want to get a copy of v2.Oi for the other goodies it has in it, though. This version has a complete (and very well done, I might add) index designed by your editor, Dave Demko, which will help enormously in the hunt for that one odd rule you vaguely remember. This is also the reason for the "i" extender to the series version number-all our series (except for maybe the SCS... will get an index just like this as time goes on.

The last feature of v2.Oi is reprinted in full below and this is the official OCS optional rules package.

That is all there is to say about v2.Oi OCS. Now I'll wait to see what sort of exaggerated statements I'll hear about the "massive changes" in these rules ... with this article and the errata from last Christmas' mailing you now have everything in v2.Oi except the index.

Another Call for Feedback

As Dean mentions, the OCS index is intended to help you find that rule you're sure you read somewhere. My experience, even with games that I know well, is that I can remember (imperfectly) more rules than I can easily locate. With people like me in mind, I compiled the index so that it has perhaps more than the ideal number of references per item. The aim is to make sure you find the rule you're after, even if you do have to check a few references. Giving fewer references entails more risk of you missing the rule you're looking for.

I considered using boldface to mark the "main" references, but quickly discovered that many items did not have clear- cut "main" definitions beyond those that the decimal numbering scheme already makes easy to find.

Finally, I was my own guinea pig for usability testing. I raised some usability concerns with Dean, but he knows the rules even better than I do. The point is that the publication of Black Wednesday is our first chance to try the index out on gamers who are not hard-core OCS players. So if you have any ideas about how to make the index more helpful and easier to use, please let us know. I can put your comments to good use when I compile indexes for other series rulebooks (next up, the TCS?).

Opt.0 OCS Optional Rules

These rules are provided for players to further flavor the OCS system to meet personal tastes-use all, some, or none of them as you like. Each adds some facet to the system which may, or may not, in any one player's mind be worth the extra complication the rule entails. That matter is for you to decide-we play with most of them, others might not want to do so. Enjoy!

Opt.1 Combined Arms

This rule adds a number of further considerations to the Combined Arms model in the OCS.

Opt.1a Negated x2 in the Open. Armor and Mech units are usually x2 in Open Terrain according to Special Modifiers; in the following cases, they are x1 instead:

For these rules, "Armor" is defined as Yellow-coded units or Red-coded units with a Tank Symbol (such as a Soviet Tank Brigade). "Mech" is defined as those Red-coded units which do not have a Tank Symbol (such as Panzergrenadiers). "Other" type units are those which are neither Red- nor Yellow-coded. "Antitank" units are only those with the Antitank symbol on their counter.

1) Attacking Armor is x2 only if the target hex does not contain any Armor or Antitank units.

2) Attacking Mech is x2 only if the target hex does not contain any Armor, Mech, or Antitank units.

Design Note Each of these two rules shows the reduction in the offensive power of mechanized units when confronted by defenses prepared for their threat. As a side benefit, the definitions and units involved in each brings out the "hard-yet-soft" character of most Red- Mech units.

Opt.1b For those who like Math.... The above rules negate a unit which used tobe x2 all the way backto x1. If Opt.1b is used, units negated as per Opt. 1a would be x1.5 instead.

Design Note: Several playtesters of these optional rules felt that the complete negation shown in Opt. ]a is too strong and would prefer a x1.5 effect instead. Their reasons hinged an the concentrated offensive power of armor which could pick a point to overwhelm the defender due to the great mobility and firepower of armor. I concur fully as this was the basis of the original rules anyway (the strength of a tank is on the attack, period, and that is how armor is best used), but feel the calculation of a 1.5 multiplier to be a drain on playability for what amounts to a minor effect, It is presented here for those who want it.

0pt.1c Antitank Unit Effects.

1) In addition to Opt. 1a, when an AT unit (singly or as part of any stack, each AT unit in the stack is affected in the same way) is attacked exclusively by Yellow-coded units, it has its defense strength doubled in addition to any other applicable modifications.

The operative word here is "attacked": merely having an attacking Yellow-coded unit stacked with non-attacking, non-Yellow- coded units does not negate this doubling.

2) If, however, the AT unit's hex is attacked exclusively by "Other" units, then the AT unit's defense strength is x 1/2 in addition to any other applicable modifiers. Note that having units in the AT unit's hex which are other than its own type (or having more than one AT unit in the hex) does not affect the halving of the AT unit's strength.

Design Note: These two rules show the limitations of AT units which are very specialized in their functions-number 1 when the force confronting them is unsupported armor, and number2 when they find that they brought an AT Gun to an infantry fight.

Opt.2 Hard Targets, Exposed Targets, and Barrage Attacks

When a stack must take losses due to the Barrage Table (from artillery or air attacks), use the following rules:

Opt.2a Losses from the Barrage Table must come from Other type targets first, then Mech and lastly Armor (with each term as defined in Opt. 1a). No unit in a later category can take a loss until there are no steps remaining in any earlier category.

Opt.2b Should there be no units in the hex except Armor, apply the Barrage Table's Bracket results. In other words, automatically convert "[1/21" to a simple DG result.

Opt.2c Tank Busters. Some aircraft are dedicated Tank Busters, while others are better equipped than most for the job (but weren't specifically built for the task). These aircraft are divided into "Heavy" and "Light" Tank Busters for purposes of this rule. Heavy Tank Busters include the IL-2, HS-129, Ju-87g and Typhoon. Light Tank Busters include the P-39 (when flown by Russians), Hurricane IL P-47d, and all other models of Ju-87. This list does not limit the aircraft which might be assigned these qualities in future titles.

When these aircraft (either type) make a barrage attack against a hex containing Armor units, ignore Opt.2a & Opt.2b, and reverse the order of loss (Armor, then Mech, lastly Other). In the case of exclusively Heavy Tank Busters, the firing player can demand that all losses come from Armor units before any are taken from Mech. When the attack contains a mix of Light and Heavy Tank Busters (or exclusively Light Tank Busters), then only the very first loss need come from the Armor units in the target stack.

Apply Opt.2c only if all the attacking air units qualify as Tank Busters (either version)-if the attack is a mix of Tank Busters and non-Tank Busters, use Opt.2a and Opt.2b instead.

Opt.2d Move Mode Shift. If a hex contains any units in Move Mode (do not count units in Reserve Mode even if in Move Mode under the marker), shift Barrage attack made against them right one additional column if that Barrage attack is conducted exclusively by Air Units.

Design Note: The first two rules here make the hard targets the last on the list to take Barrage Table losses, and further reduce the losses real armor units must take from artillery. The third one gives specialized Tank Busters their due. The last one leaves those who are exposed (i.e. in Move Mode) to the full wrath of Barrage Table air attacks.

Opt.3 Recon Screens

If a hex contains exclusively Recon units (that is, Recon, Armored Recon, Cavalry, or Motorcycle units), the owning player can apply the following should he desire:

Opt.3a Screening Overruns. When a hex (as defined above) has an overrun declared against it, the defending player can declare that he is screening. He can do this even if the Recon hex is DG. Displace the Recon unit one hex opposite the direction of the announced overrun. The overrunning player need not expend the SPs for his attack (he must expend the MP cost) and the movement of his units can continue normally. This rule cannot be applied if the hex the Recon unit must withdraw into contains enemy units or prohibitive terrain. This screen withdrawal never generates a "retreat inflicted DG," can occur any number of times in a single phase, and does not affect the future movement of the Recon unit.

Opt.3b Withdrawal Before Combat. When a regular attack is announced against a Recon hex, the withdrawal as in Opt.3a can also take place-but ONLY if the attack is launched from only one hex; if units in multiple hexes attack, no withdrawal is permitted. Again, the attacking player need not pay the SPs for his attack, but he is allowed to occupy the Recon unit's former hex with any of the announced attacking units. No unit is Exploit Marked as a result.

Opt.3c Recon Requires Skill. Subtract one from the Recon success die roll when exclusively Recon units conduct a Recon attempt.

Design Note: These rules allow Recon-type units to do their specific jobs. Feel free to embellish these effects with die rolls against the Action Ratings of the units involved-I think that might be going too far, but if you disagree...

Opt.4 Destroying Hedgehogs

To destroy a Hedgehog, a unit must begin the Movement Phase in the Hedgehog's hex and the unit can destroy only one level per turn (engineer-capable units can destroy two levels per turn).

Design Note There are those who feel Hedgehogs are too easy to eliminate. This rule is for them.

Opt.5 "But, I was going to attack that hex ..."

The Barraging Player can downgrade his Barrage result as he desires so as to leave one step (which would then be DG) in the target hex. The targeted player chooses the step which remains in the hex (applying Opt.2 of course).

Design Note: This is one I won't use myself, but there are some players who want something like this. Frequently, I hear from players who find they can't make a desired attack because they creamed the defenders with a barrage. This one's for them.

Opt.6 The Optional Air Rules

This is the most elaborate section of the Optional Rules package. It changes the air system quite a bit to suit players who are looking for a more explicit (and not implicit) air model. I think these rules are for the good and use them myself. Give them a try. They are, however, an integrated package--you should take all of them, or none of them. I will not try to imagine the bizarre results you might get by picking or choosing among them.

When counting air units for these rules, count all air units (full strength or reduced) as one.

Opt.6a Put Up or Shut Up. Do not use the Put Up or Shut Up rule when applying this package.

Opt.6b Air Unit Stacking. Only four Active air units can be stacked in a single hex at the end of any phase. Ignore Inactive air units for stacking purposes-any number of them can be in a hex in addition to the maximum allowed number of Active air units' Exception: Excess stacking of one Active air unit per level is allowed at friendly air bases (therefore a Level 3 air base would have a maximum allowed stacking of seven Active air units). Should a hex found to be overstacked beyond the allowance given here, make the excess air units Inactive (owning player's choice of air units).

Opt.6c Air Unit Movement. Instead of 2 air units, 3 air units can move together. Also, if a stack of air units contains any F-type air units, it must have an F-type air unit on top.

Opt.6d Air-to-air Combat Table. Revise the Air- to-air Combat Table as follows:

Mod. Dice	Result
3 or less	Attacker Abort and loses one step
4-5	Attacker Abort
6-8	Both Attacker and Defender Abort
9-10	Defender Abort
11 or more	Defender Abort and loses one step

Opt.6e 'W" Air Units. Air units can become DG. Air units become DG when either of the following occurs:

A) The air unit flies half or more of its range from the base at which it last refitted, OR

B) The air unit executes a GS attack, goes on Station, or becomes Active (i.e. Refits) within the interception zone of enemy air units. Mark DG air units with the same DG markers as used on Ground units.

1) Effects of DG on Air Units. A DG air unit has its A) air-to-air rating modified by -1 (a zero would become -1), and B) GS rating is x 1/2. There is no additional effect of multiple DG results on air units.

2) Removal of DG. Remove DG from air units the instant they become Inactive.

Opt.6f Interception Limitations. Only one air unit can intercept a moving enemy air stack at any one time. Furthermore, once the single interception attack is made against the moving air stack, that stack cannot be intercepted again by any other potential interceptors which are at or within 10 hexes of the hex the from which first interception was launched.

Opt.6g Air Base Attacks. Unlike regular hexes containing Active air units, if enemy air units enter a hex containing a friendly air base, before air-to-air combat ensues, apply the following: All but a maximum of three Active air units at the base must become inactive at that base. If any of these air units abort during air- to-air combat, then they must become inactive at that base. The moving player is the attacker if he has F type air units, the non- moving player is the attacker if he does not. Also, in changes from the usual rules, enemy air units which do not have an F-type traveling with them are able to enter an enemy air base hex containing active enemy air units and air units are prohibited from entering station on an enemy air base hex- they can do so only to participate in a later Barrage Segment, but any still atop an enemy air base at the end of the Exploitation Phase must return to base and become inactive.

Opt.6h Protected Air Units. Up to one Inactive air unit per air base level can be considered "Protected" at each friendly air base. Protected air units are treated like any other Inactive air unit except that they can ignore any potential of loss from an air or artillery attack against their hex (handle ground attacks normally). Identify the Protected air units at each base on the Air Base Card. Air units can become Protected at the instant they become Inactive at the base (they can displace previously Protected air units, if the base's Protected air unit limit has been filled, by simply replacing the other air unit, which will no longer be Protected). Protected status is lost the instant the air unit becomes Active, and no Active air unit can ever be Protected.

Opt.6i Air Unit Replacements. When the player rolls for Variable Reinforcements, he can choose to use any number of the Eq RepIs he garners as Air Unit Replacements. If he chooses to do so, do notbring the Eq Repl in question into play, but instead either flip one reduced air unit (any type) to its full strength side, OR bring one air unit back from the Dead Pile as a reduced strength reinforcement. This can be done regardless of actual flight conditions. The decision to use Eq Repls as Air Unit Replacements must be done at the instant of the roll and the choice cannot be changed later.

Opt.6j Serious Interdiction (SI). In addition to the current interdiction rule (14.15), add the following: For both 14.15 and the following, the additional MP costs for movement have no effect on the NIP costs associated with supply draw, throw, and tracing.

SI occurs whenever there are Air Units with a modified (don't forget the effects of Opt. 6e) total GS rating of 3 or more in a hex. The terrain cost of such a hex has an additional +3 MP cost for units entering the hex that do not belong to the same side as the Air Units. There is no effect on hexes adjacent to either regular interdiction or S1 hexes.

Units that retreat into such an SI stack are automatically DG at that moment in addition to all other effects.

SI and regular interdiction cannot be used to make hexes inumme to Overrun attacks, only terrain can impose the restriction of 7. Ia.

Serious Interdiction has no additional effect on Rail interdiction (which remains as explained in 14.15b).

Design Note: These elaborate air optional rules provide for a few features of air warfare the regular system glosses over for the sake of simplicity. Many of the above rules change the previously solid nature of CAP positions into something more permeable--bringing out the fishnet-like character of protective air cover, which allows attack into covered zones albeit at a loss of performance. The protected air units rule encourages dispersal and represents the difficulty enemy air units have in hunting down and killing enemy aircraft which refuse to come out to fight. Air Replacements mitigate against some of the "slippery slope" effect and allows players to (slowly) rebuild a credible airforce after taking losses. The new Air-to- air Table allows quality-challenged, but numerically superior, air units the ability to wear down enemy CAP by taking advantage of the "Both Abort" result. Also, the raw expected losses to air units from the table has been lessened to encourage more air-to-air combat by making the risks not as great. Put Up or Shut Up is not used as the stacking rule here eliminates its purpose (the ability to build big takedown stacks) and because the rule had an unrealistic side effect of generating massive, apocalyptic, air battles.

Opt.7 Internal Stocks Replenishment

Change the Internal Stocks replenishment costs from "2T per RE" to "2T per unit or RE, whichever is more."

Design Note: This little rule keeps battalions from expending internal stocks for the same cost (when replenished) in attacks as when they pay normally. I can take or leave this one. It is here because it drives Rod Miller nuts to see the battalions "get off easy...

Opt.8 Anti-Ship Barrage

Use the regular Barrage Table on ships with either air, artillery, or other ship attacks. Each ship will have a set of Hit Boxes to check off; each hit from the Barrage Table marks off one such box (ignore DG results applied to ships). Apply the damage effects as they occur from the listing with the Hit Boxes. When a ship runs out of boxes, it sinks.

Design Note: This one adds an item left out of the original rules. Thanks to Dave Demko for bringing it up.

Opt.9 Initiative Modifiers

Before play begins give each player a number of Initiative Points equal to the number of turns in the scenario being played divided by 2 (round normally). Just prior to each initiative dice roll, each player can commit to using any number of his available Initiative Points to affect his dice roll by marking the number secretly on scratch paper. After the rolls are made, each player announces the number of points used and adds them to the roll he made. Determine the winner as before. Initiative Points can only be used once and the amount given before play begins is the player's entire available supply of them.

Design Note This rule allows players to influence the Initiative Dice roll at the beginning of the turn in order to vary the chance of getting initiative when it is really important.