I can't speak for everyone, but I think that Enemy at the Gates (and OCS in general) is one of the best divisional games out there. In fact, EatG and Guderian's Blitzkreig are the first games to bring me back to divisional wargaming since my seven year detour into Avalon Hill's Advanced Squad Leader. Having finished playing my fourth EatG game, and second campaign game, I thought that a few variants might be in order. After all, EatG is one of those games that never seems to have enough variants. One day I found myself musing over the plight of the German player. Yes, I was playing the fierce Aryan horde at the time. I noticed at the time that it was the second game in which I got fewer variable panzer reinforcements than occurred in the historical battle. At first I thought that I was incredibly unlucky! A quick look at the odds suggests otherwise. You will see the full story if you look at Table 1 below. It displays the total probability of receiving the exact number of variable panzer reinforcements. My thanks to The Gamers web site for the numbers. A cursory reading might lead to a flippant response: so what? However, consider the fact that in 19.8% of the games played the Germans will receive one or fewer panzer reinforcements. What is worse, the first reinforcement is the 23rd Pz--a formation suited for little more than garrison duty! This situation seems a bit severe given the nightmare handed the German player at the outset. It seems to me that the number of reinforcing divisions should be clustered a little more closely around the historical result. Besides, I'm afraid to show this chart to my opponents for fear of becoming the permanent German player. You may want to look at the next two variants if you are starting to feel like a much-abused German player. Besides, you may want to get your hands on the Soviet hordes for a change. Table 1:Reinforcement Probability Number of Panzer Reinforcements: Total probability 0: -4.5% 1: -15.3% 2: -24.5% 3: -24.5% 4: -31.2% You may be wondering whether these variants only address my nightmares as a German player. Never fear, the remaining ones fit in with the more general "what might have been" category. Enjoy! Variant 1: Historical Panzer Reinforcements from 1st Pz Army VP Cost: None My first thought was, why not use a quasi-historical entry for the variable panzer reinforcements? It is not that I hate the idea of variable entry conditions--I just don't like the extremes built into the existing system. This variant has no VP implications because it simply follows the historical precedent. Besides, historical entry fits within the probability distribution for the existing system anyway. Of course, the catch is that the Germans will have to forgo reinforcement by the 13th Pz Division. The German player only receives the 23rd Pz, Wiking Motorized (Mot), and 3rd Pz divisions. Table 2 below lists the turns when the German player will make rolls for entry of the three panzer divisions. The German player makes a single die roll and compares the result to the value in the table. Release the division from the 1st Pz Army (PzA) if the result is equal to or less than the value listed. For example, on Turn 11 the German player would roll a single die to see if the Wiking Motorized Division will enter the game. If the roll is between 1 and 4, the division enters per 1.6c. Table 2: Historical Entry Pz. Div: Turn: Die Roll 23rd Panzer: 4: less than or equal to 1 23rd Panzer: 5: less than or equal to 4 23rd Panzer: 6: less than or equal to 6 (auto) Wiking: 10: less than or equal to 1 Wiking: 11: less than or equal to 4 Wiking: 12: less than or equal to 6 (auto) 3rd Panzer: 17: less than or equal to 1 3rd Panzer: 18: less than or equal to 4 3rd Panzer: 19: less than or equal to 6 (auto) Variant 2: Committed Panzer Reinforcements from 1st PzA VP Cost: None Another idea for variable entry is to recast the current die roll mechanism into one that would guarantee two panzer reinforcements. My supposition is that Hitler actually committed to a release schedule for the divisions under 1st Pz Army. The German player makes die rolls for variable entry panzer divisions between Turns 4 and 15. One caveat is that no roll is made if a variable entry division is scheduled for entry during a future turn (signified by placement on the turn track). A division will not be scheduled for entry if the sum of the current turn and the die roll is greater than fifteen--Hitler decides to hold on to his precious division! Otherwise, place the appropriate reinforcement division onto the turn track a number of turns in the future corresponding to the result of the die. Enter a division on the turn track during the reinforcement phase. Keep in mind that you still have to follow the restrictions of 1.6c. Consider the following rule set for a summary: 1 The German player makes a die roll during each reinforcement phase on turns three to fifteen (inclusive). 2 Perform a die roll provided the turn track does not currently hold a variable entry division on a future turn. 3 If the sum of the die roll and turn is greater than 15, ignore the roll and play on. 4 If the sum of die roll and turn is less than or equal to 15, place the division on the turn track as a reinforcement. Remember that the placement turn is equal to the sum of the current turn and die roll. For example, it is Turn 12 and the German player currently has the Wiking division scheduled for entry. Of course, Hitler has already provided him with the 23rd Pz Division. The German is allowed a roll because there are no divisions scheduled for entry in future turns. He rolls a two. The sum of the die roll and turn is fourteen; therefore, he places the 3rd Pz Division onto the turn track on Turn 14. When his reinforcement phase arrives during Turn 14, he can place the division on the map. Of course, all this assumes the Soviet hordes have not taken Rostov yet. Panzer reinforcements entry follows the existing rules for 1st PzA reinforcements. I believe that this variant preserves the spirit of the existing entry conditions. Average rolls will yield three panzer reinforcements while preserving significantly lower probabilities that the German player will receive either four or two panzer reinforcements. Variant 3: Hitler Vetoes Luftwaffe Ground Forces VP Cost: 1 VP One of Hitler's decisions that particularly galled the Wehrmacht was the establishment of a plethora of competing ground forces. During the dark days of 1942 the army was to receive a significant number of replacements that were combed out of the Luftwaffe. Much to the horror of the OKH, Hitler allowed Goring to establish the Luftwaffe Field Divisions with these men. This proved to be an awful decision. The Luftwaffe lacked a pool of adequately trained NCOs and officers for ground forces. Most of the new divisions were destroyed within a few weeks of fighting. What if Hitler told Goring to stick to planes? Enter one Eq and three Pax replacements in the place of each Luftwaffe Field Division that is scheduled for entry as a reinforcement. Thus, the German player receives replacements on Turns 4, 6 and 8 in place of the 15th, 7th, and 8th Luftwaffe Field Divisions. The German player may use these replacements like any other replacements. Variant 4: Reduced Kuban Bridgehead VP Cost: 3 VP Hitler continually vacillated about the ultimate disposition of units in Army Group A and 1st PzA. In fact, some of the units that ended up in the Kuban bridgehead were initially earmarked for AG Don. Why not assume that Hitler decided to follow through with earlier promises to provide an additional corps group for AG Don? Of course, this will result in a smaller Kuban bridgehead--not that the bridgehead ever tied down significant Soviet forces anyway! Remove the 13th Pz Division from the variable panzer reinforcements when the German selects this variant. Instead, the German player receives the following reinforcements from AG A on Turn 20: 44th and 50th Infantry Divisions, 4th Mountain (Gebirgsjoger) Division, and 13th Pz Division. Note that reinforcements enter the map subject to 1.6c and subject to the restriction that the infantry divisions must enter map B. Should Rostov become captured or isolated by the Soviets, the German player may choose to enter the divisions through hex B01.01. In the latter case, apply a random delay of one to three turns to each division individually. This delay represents the time needed to reroute the formations through the Crimea. For example, on Turn 19 the Soviets capture Rostov. On Turn 20 the German player makes a die roll for each division. The 44th ID enters on Turn 22, and the 50th ID, 4th Geb and 13th Pz enter on Turn 21. You will need to make additional counters for this variant. You can use the sample counters in Diagram 1. Variable Entry Divisions 44th Inf: 1.6c (B) or B01.01: 20-4-3/10-4-5, 4 steps 50th Inf: 1.6c (B) or B01.01: 20-4-3/10-4-5, 4 steps 4th Mtn: 1.6c (B) or B01.01: 17-5-3/5-5-5, 3 steps 13th Pz: 1.6c or B01.01: per scenario 1 I find the notion of shutting down the Kuban bridgehead and shifting the forces to AG Don rather tempting. However, the research involved for such a big variant (and the associated playtesting) is a bit grisly. If you want to do the work, be my guest--I'd love to see such a variant too. Variant 5: Stalin Releases the 28th Army VP Cost: 1 VP Historically, the 28th Army was unavailable for operations until the Germans pulled the 16th Motorized Division away from Elista. This variant proposes that STAVKA concludes that the 16th Mot poses little threat to Soviet operations during the Uranus offensive. Therefore, STAVKA reinforces and releases the 28th Army for other duties. Allow the Soviet player to enter the 28th Army on any turn after Turn 6. Add six Pax and five SPs to the 28th Army as STAVKA reinforcements. Apply the Soviet VP penalty at the time of release. This variant does not end the 16th Mot division's garrison requirements; at best, the Germans will be able to release the 16th at no net cost. Variant 6: Soviet Air Transport and Airborne VP Cost: 3 VP In November the Soviets were reorganizing a large percentage of the Airborne Corps in the area around Moscow. These concentrations represented a substantial reserve of elite troops. What if the Soviets scraped together several air transport divisions and released three airborne corps for employment in the great offensive? One could imagine that paratroops and transports could be handy. STAVKA releases both transports and Soviet Paratroop Corps for operations in this variant. Add the forces detailed in Table 4 to the Soviet force pool as a reinforcement on Turn 1. The G-2 transports may start on any Soviet air base. The airborne divisions enter in Move Mode at either the standard entry hexes or in a Soviet air base hex that is linked by rail to the map edge. Kalach air base is an example of the latter entry condition. The Soviet air force became very adept at using transports to carry out night operations. For example, Soviet transports provided extensive night supply to partisan units throughout 1942. Permit the Soviets to conduct night transport missions. Night air drops are subject to the following rules. First, all German intercept attempts are subject to a die roll. On a 1-2 on a six sided die, a German fighter may intercept the Soviet transports. Interception is automatic in any hex where air units are on station. Second, Soviet drops (airborne and supply) at night receive a +1 die roll modifier on the air drop table. Of course, the Soviet player will have to make counters to use this variant. When you make your counters you should provide a divisional marker for each airborne corps. You may use the sample counters shown in Diagram 1. As a historical note, you may notice that the unit designations listed below predate the conversion of the airborne corps into Guards airborne divisions. The reason for my selection is twofold. First, the new Guards airborne divisions followed the standard Guards rifle division organization. These divisions were not generally air-drop capable as a result of their large amount of heavy equipment. Second, the conversion of the reserve airborne corps into Guards units began in mid December for most airborne units. As a final note, I have chosen to denote the airborne brigades as three combat value regiments to reflect their true size and large numbers of semi-automatic weapons (as partial compensation for the lack of heavy weapons). I am indebted to C. Sharp's Soviet Order of Battle: World War II for information on the Soviet Airborne units. Soviet Airborne Corps 4xG2: any airbase: Tpt (118), (0)-(0), 2T 1 Airborne Corps: per 1.6a or airbase: 3xAirborne Regts. 1 Airborne Regt: 3-4-2/1-4-4 204 Airborne Regt: 3-4-2/1-4-4 211 Airborne Regt: 3-4-2/1-4-4 4 Airborne Corps: per 1.6a or airbase: 3xAirborne Regts. 8 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 9 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 214 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 6 Airborne Corps: per 1.6a or airbase: 3xAirborne Regts. 11 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 12 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 13 Airborne Regt: 3-3-2/1-3-4 Back to Table of Contents -- Operations #27 Back to Operations List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master List of Magazines © Copyright 1997 by The Gamers. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com