Introduction

The following is a set of campaign rules designed to allow a wargames club / group a framework to fight a series of small battles  with some end goal . We happened to favour ‘Rapid Fire’ as the game set , but any other ; Command decision , Spearhead etc could be used .

Mechanisms

Blitzkrieg applies for German and Soviet players until they are stalled (i.e. beaten) in a battle .

Blitzkrieg means they are attacking with the forces ratio's are 10 to 6 in the attackers favour.

Players fight battles for pins, the Polish are fighting to prevent a pin being placed by the attacking German/Soviets. But German and Soviet Players may prevent each others pins being placed also (i.e. a victorious German commander can choose to negate a victorious Soviet commander in the same campaign bound)

Battle proceeds with German and Soviet attacks until player  (s) are beaten (individually). That player must then fight their next battle as a meeting engagement (equal points), and if beaten again the following battle as a defender. Thus the Polish may inflict reversals on the Germans and Soviets) German and Soviet commanders may also wish to play Polish commands as by being victorious they deny the "real" enemy the pins they need to occupy territory.

German/Soviet spear heads start on the border at any nominated town. Polish force concentrations/pins start at the major cities such as Kracow, Warsaw, Lodz etc.

From their Jump -off points the German/Soviets choose the next closest town to their jump off's to occupy, then a battle if fought for that town, if they win they select another town and so on until the Polish can seize back the initiative.

Once stopped in any battle a German or Soviet player reverts to a "meeting engagement" of equal points, if this is also lost the next Polish player to face him may elect to launch a counter attack (reversing the odds) .

There are no limits to the number of players, since both German and Russian players are encouraged to fight as Polish against their nemesis

Forces and Restrictions

Forces are made up to the agreed total or less for each player, with the following restrictions.

Only C-4 class armour (or less may be deployed) initially
Only class 3 (or less) guns may be deployed
Only German players may use paratroopers
Only German/soviet players may use aircraft initially.

Each force must have a battle group Head Quarters, on field (worth 100 points to the enemy if it is knocked out in the game)

No other "special" units (assault engineers) or elites can be purchased initially.

Nationality Restrictions

German

German commanders may elect to field Panzer or Infantry battle groups but not both in the same command in the same turn.

Infantry battle groups:

Up to 25% artillery support
Up to 25% non-armoured recon (i.e. cavalry, or m/c battalions)
Up to 75% non-mobile infantry units
Up to 25% regimental support companies (I.G gun company, light Flak company etc)

Armoured battle groups

75% Panzers and armoured recon btns
25% Regimental assts e.g. AT Company (SP) etc
50% "motor" Rifle Btn (N.B. not Armoured at this period)
25% Machinegun Btn (Reconnaissance units)
1- Dive bomber

Polish

Polish commanders may elect to use either Infantry, Cavalry or mechanised (1-off) -battle groups.

Infantry Battle groups

Up to 75% Infantry
Up to 30 % Light artillery (75/100mm field guns)
Up to 15% Heavy Artillery (105/155mm)
Up to 25% Regimental Assets (includes recon coy, Heavy weapons coy, AT coy)

Note: Divisional assets include: engineer btn; AA battery: HMG coy; Cav Squadron: bicycle coy and Tankette company

Cavalry Brigade Battle group

25-80% Cavalry (1-4 regiments)
10% AT
20% rifle battalion (foot)
25% horse artillery (75mm)
10% AA (Bofors)
20% armoured (armoured cars and/or tankettes)
25% Regimental assets

Armoured-motorised brigade (The "Warsaw" bde)

40% motorised cavalry
30% Tanks
20% Armoured Recon
20% motorised artillery
25% Antitank

Armoured Bde

Up to 70% tanks and armoured Recon
Up to 30% motorised cavalry
Up to 20% Artillery
Up to 25% Regimental support assets

Soviet

May employ either Infantry, Cavalry or tank battle groups in any single engagement but not combinations

Tank Battle groups

Up to 80% tanks
Up to 20% motorised infantry (1 btn only)
Up to 15% recon (armoured cars)
Up to 10% Regimental Assets

Cavalry Battle groups

25-75% Cavalry (horse mounted)
Up to 30% motor infantry
Up to 15% light tank
Up to 15% Artillery
Up to 25% Regimental Assets

Typically 3 or 4 Cavalry Regiments together with 2 motor infantry btns, a light tank btn and an artillery btn formed these "Divisions"

Infantry (Rifle) Battlegroups

50-80% Rifle btns
25% Reconnaissance (small cavalry recon btn)
15% Artillery
20% Regimental assets (including gun platoon, heavy mortar coy, ATR companies)

Note Antitank guns came at Divisional level for the soviet Rifle units not the regimental level.

These ratios may vary due to the acquisition of "awards" which may be used as well. (i.e. a T28 award is in addition to the normal 20% armour restriction placed on a Soviet player)

Achieving a Victory

A. Victory is achieved by ;

1) In a defence/attack battle ; it is the number of points of whole destroyed battalions combined with the quarters of the battle table held ( 50 points per quarter ) . Attacker/defender games fought on 3x2 tiles, with defenders"quarters" worth 50 pts

2) In a meeting engagement battle it is the number of points of whole battalions destroyed combined with the amount of table squares ( 2 ft square tiles ) that each side controls . Encounter battles fought on tables 3x3 tiles, with all tiles being worth 50 points each.

Victory schedule ;

If  by up to 50 points then a winning draw (no  roll on the table)
If  between 51-150 then a victory worth 1 roll on awards table
If  greater than 151 then an outstanding victory worth 2 rolls on the award table

Victory Awards

01-05 Assault unit: May include 1 company infantry with flamethrowers (I.E ; assault engineers, next game only)

06-15 Elite upgrade: May upgrade 1 inf  btn or 1 tank coy to elite

16-25 Artillery Support: on call 3-off -big guns) 12 point weapons (off board). This includes an additional on table FOO at no cost. Next game only.

26-35 Tank Support: Infantry tank support made available (1 of T28, STUG 3 ausf A)

36-40 Air Support: 90 points of air cover (next game only)

41-50 Plus 50 pts: Permanent

51-55 Plus 75 points: Permanent

56-60 Pioneer/Sapper: may include 100 pts of earthworks and defences in your next game.

61-65 Bridging Company: Pontoon bridge and sappers available (Permanent)

66-75 Intelligence: Local recon available if battle group includes 1 recon company, roll d6 score 1 = enemy must tell you how many infantry btns he has, 2 = number of artillery pieces, 3= number of tanks, 4 = any two of these three, 5 = all of the above, 6 answer any question you put to him (honestly)

76-80 Espionage: See separate table for 5th column/resistance

81-85 Division Assets! Your battle group has received the notice of the C in C.  Your efforts are rewarded by the temporary loan of a "Divisional Asset" Unit - this will be available to you until you lose a battle or the battalion losses a morale check.

86-90 Fighter cover - no enemy air attacks may be made in any one game due to the unusual concentration of fighters in the area.

91-95 Manstein/Zhukov has arrived.  These luminaries are represented as a small mobile group (scout car, plus armoured car) whilst on table all units gain +2 to morale checks - if the mobile unit is destroyed or driven off then all friendly units take a morale test - at normal levels.

96-100. Ammunition dump: Tanks and other AFV's do not suffer the usual 5-rounds ammunition restrictions for your next game.

Espionage-5th column/resistance

Before your next battle roll a d6 and apply the result to the enemy battle group before play begins.

1.    Signs and maps mix up: Confusion over direction means your enemy has gone the wrong way, change 1 of the enemy pins they win this round to one of your choosing (must next to a pin they already have)

2.    Rail Sabotage. Enemy looses 100 points from there order of battle this game

3.    Fuel spiked: Sugar and Sand in the supplies means many vehicles grind to a halt. Throw 1D6 per vehicle on the first move the enemy makes, throw of 6 and the vehicle breaks down and is abandoned.

4.    Ammunition mix up: somebody has changed the labels on the ammo boxes causing chaos. Any guns and tanks roll d6 first time they fire, score of 1 means they have not got the right ammo to hand, no shot this turn, may fire as normal following turn.

5.    Airfield strike: A massive explosion on a vital forward airfield leaves your enemies aircraft grounded for the game

6.    Bridges blown: Sympathisers have destroyed a vital bridge the enemy is using to bring up their troops to this battle. 1 whole unit (i.e. Inf btn/Cav regiment, tank coy/gun bt) is delayed by up to d6 turns