Hungarian Rhapsody

The Gamers, Inc.

Operational Combat Series Hungarian Rhapsody

Viczián, Zoltán Waag, Johan Wade, Game Design and Research. 1.0 General Special Christian Widmer, Urs Widmer, Forest Stéphane Acquaviva Webb, Mark Woloshen, Joseph Rules Woolshleger, Herman Wu, Randall Series Design. Dean Essig Yeates. 1.1 Map & Terrain Development. Curtis H. Baer Special Assistance. The Mastelleone’s 1.1a Common Terrain Effects Development Assistance. Italian Cold Cut Submarine (with the Chart. The movement and combat works). In keeping with OCS tradition, effects for the terrain types are Chip Saltsman we must recognize explained in the Terrain Effects Chart Research Assistance. Carl Fung, the very important (“TEC”). Roland Leblanc, Hans Mielants, Kamen role played by “the 1.1b Weather. Each turn’s Nevenkin, Martin Staunton, Norbert greatest Italian cold Weather is determined by rolling one Számvéber, Charles Vycichl cut sub in the die for Ground Conditions and another universe,” without which Hungarian Graphics. Dean Essig, Curtis H. Baer die for Flight Conditions. Rhapsody would not have been possible. Vassal Support. Jeff Coyle (No offense intended to any Burritos, including the big ones.) Playtesters, Proofing and General Assistance. Stéphane Acquaviva, Perry Introduction Andrus, David Antonio, Curtis Baer, The Weather Table gives the full effects David Barsness, Enrico Bertocchi, Hungarian Rhapsody (HR) depicts the of each condition for the current date. Tony Birkett, Alessandro Bray, Art Soviet drive into Hungary which led to Do not roll for Weather on the first turn Borchet, Daniel Broh-Kahn, Eric the battle of Debrecen, the siege of of any scenario; the applicable Brosius, Chris Buehler, Thomas Budapest and the German Konrad conditions are listed in each scenario. Buettner, Malcolm Cameron, Pere counter-offensives attempting to relieve Cerdan, Dan Cochrane, Clément Budapest. 1.1c Entry Areas. These are Chaillou, Filippo Chiari, Anthony marked on the map edges. There are Romania’s defection in August 1944 Cooper, Jeff Coyle, Myk Deans, Rick allowed the Soviets to outflank well- Enterline, Dean Essig, Jim Falkus, defended Axis positions in the Marco Ferrari, Alex Folch, Paolo De Carpathian Mountains from the south. Francesco, Brian Frew, Philippe several Entry Areas designated by the In the process, the German 6th Army Germain, Alden Green, Philippe same letter (for example, B39.35 and was almost destroyed, losing most of its Guyot, Norman Harman, Nolan B49.34 (Sibiu) are each Entry Area G). heavy equipment (which explains the Hudgens, Steve Jansen, Michael Junkin, Units designated to arrive at a given relative weakness of the German Dave Jeffery, John Kisner, Philipp Entry Hex Area can enter at any of the artillery at the start of the campaign). Klarmann, Dmitry Klyuykov, Jim corresponding hexes unless otherwise Kuchar, Roy Lane, Clément Lothrim, The game begins on the October 5, indicated. Other Entry Areas are Igor Lukyanov, Gianni Maccioni, John 1944 turn with the 2nd Ukrainian Front marked with a bar going through McDougall, Jim McFetridge, Andrew and the 4th Ukrainian Front launching multiple hexes. McGee, Hans Mielants, Alex Milner, an offensive to isolate the German 8th 1.1d Railroads. Rail movement Scott Moore, Russell Morse, Oriol Army which is still defending an area can use “off-map” connections to Munne, Andrew Notch, Luc Olivier, off-map to the east in the Carpathian depart from the map and then re-enter Alan Murphy, Gerry Palmer, Chip Mountains. It allows players to play th0e at another point where both the exit and Pharr, Chip Saltsman, Antonello two major Soviet offensives and several the entry hexes are controlled by the Salvatucci, Rich Shipley, Barry Setser, smaller scenarios covering the German railing player. Martin Staunton, Bill Stratton, Kevin counter-offensives, concluding on Valerien, Massimo Vecchia, István February 26, 1945.

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody

Point of Interest hexes are considered to Frame units. White Frame units cannot Each player must immediately withdraw be Detrainable. (This is in addition to move south of the White Line between from the map the units of their South the terrain types listed in OCS 13.3c). the 19.XX and 20.XX hex rows on Balaton Garrison (see the OoAs for 1 either map. White Frame units may Dec) when the Soviet Player has a All map-edge Railroad hexes controlled retreat south of the White Line, but combat unit in Trace Supply either in by the Axis player are Detrainable. All must return north of the White Line at map-edge Road hexes are Deroadable for Pécs (A56.13), AND either Entry Hex I the first opportunity. Breakdown the Soviet player (3.1d). Regiments from White Frame units ~OR~ 1.1e Map Printed Hedgehogs. There must also adhere to those White Line west of the Danube on 1 Dec or are Axis defensive fortification lines on restrictions. White Frame units can thereafter. the map shown by Map never rail off edges of the map in order Printed Hedgehogs to re-enter south of the White Line. Each South Balaton Garrison unit, Axis (“MPH”) and some special There are two Dead Pile boxes, one for and Soviet is identified with a Black Dot rules apply: the White Frame units and one for in the upper right corner of its counter. other units. If a White Frame unit is They cannot be improved. rebuilt, it must be placed and remain Design Note. This rule deals with two They only benefit Axis units. north of the White Line. large forces sidelined during the campaign. The Axis forces were positioned to guard They cannot be destroyed. Air units of the Soviet 8th Air Army the Nagykanizsa oil fields, by occupying assigned to the 4th Ukrainian Front are the fortification line from A48.03 to MPHs, with a black background in also White Frame units. Those units A55.03. The Soviets ignored this the oval and black hex border are start in the 8th Air Army Box and can economic objective and focused all their Close terrain for combat only conduct missions north of the efforts on capturing Budapest. The Soviet and barrage. Attacking White Line. forces formed a garrison along the Drava armor is 1x strength even River to oppose Axis troops from the in a hex that is otherwise All other units may operate freely on South-East Command. Stalin wanted to Open terrain (see TEC). either side of the White Line. have at least one Soviet Army near Yugoslavia to influence Tito, but he did 1.1f Hedgehog Markers. A Hedgehog not wish to unduly provoke Churchill, Design Note. Both sides had forces Marker is reduced one level when its who was always wary of a Soviet Army fighting for the passes across the presence in Southern Europe. Rather hex is occupied by an enemy Attack- Carpathian Mountains in Slovakia. than compel players to march these forces Capable unit. This does not apply to Because of difficulties with command, to the southwest corner of the map and just MPHs (1.1e). communications, and control, these sit there, we chose to withdraw them. military forces did not significantly No Hedgehog greater than Level 2 can coordinate with friendly forces to the south. be built in this game. 1st Panzer Army and 1st Hungarian 1.2c The Budapest Zone. The Army were not part of Army Group Budapest Zone consists of all hexes Design Note: The Hungarian South, but rather reported to Army inside the Budapest Zone boundary Fortification Lines benefited from Group A. Likewise two armies from the area marked on the map. (2.1e, 2.4, and constant effort by Axis engineers to 4th Ukrainian Front, the 1st Gd Army 2.5b.) maintain these positions, with their and the 18th Army were not part of the particularly good knowledge of the area 2nd or 3rd Ukrainian Fronts fighting 1.3 General Air Operations south of the Carpathian area of operations. 1.3a Air Boxes. Both players have 1.2 Areas and Area Restrictions boxes containing air bases which are 1.2a Northern Operations. 1.2b South Balaton Restrictions & outside the map area. Garrison Withdrawal. No combat • No combat or barrage is allowed in unit of either side may move into the any Air Box. South Balaton Restriction • Ground units can never move to any Area (see TEC) Air Box. or into • No Fighter sweeps are allowed in an Yugoslavia west of the Danube River. If Air Box. a player must retreat a unit into either area, that unit is eliminated. The Axis • Air Unit Refit is free in an Air Box The forces confined to Northern player (only) can Trace Supply and however; there is NO source of Supply Operations (both Soviet and Axis) have move SPs through the South Balaton Points in any Air Box. Supply from a counters depicted with a White Frame Restriction Area using Roads, Tracks or player’s Supply Table allocation may be border. They are referred to as White Railroads, prior to 1 Dec. placed in an Air Box to be available for

The Gamers, Inc. air transport or air drop from that Air 1.4 The Danube and Pontoons (but CAN bridge Major and Minor Box. River hex sides normally). 1.4a Danube River. The Danube River 1.3b Air Entry Points. Certain Entry can only be bridged by Pontoon Units Starting 8 Nov, Soviet Pontoon Units Hexes also correspond to Air Boxes, (HQ have no bridging capabilities have “Light Capability” for bridging the with a designated range from the Air across the Danube). An unbridged Danube River. Deployed Pontoon Box to the Entry Point. Aircraft Danube River hex side may be crossed Units with Light Capability conducting missions from these Air by units using Leg MA only when the create Pontoon Bridge Boxes start on any hex with their Danube is Frozen. Whenever a Soviet Tracks (1.4b) across respective letter having already moved Ground Unit moves adjacent to a Danube River hex sides, but the number of hexes indicated. Danube River bridge, that bridge is only for the movement of units with Leg MA on their Move Mode side. For example, a Soviet air unit flying out destroyed (bridge capture is not There can be no draw or throw of Trace of the 8th Air Army Air Box would possible). ZOCS do extend across the Supply or Supply Points by Truck enter the map at Entry Hex D having Danube River. It is important that movement across the Danube until 1 already expended 25 hexes of players understand that in the OCS, an Dec. Deployed Soviet Pontoon Units movement. attack can be made only where movement is possible into the hex with Light Capability do not restore 1.3c Soviet 8th Air Army. These units under attack (OCS 9.1f). Accordingly, destroyed rail and road bridges (1.4b). are White Frame Units and based in there are limitations on when units may Player’s Note. The Soviets have one their 8th Air Army Box at attack across the Danube River. (See the HQ (57th Army) with leg movement start. On 29 Oct and TEC.) points available for draw and throw. thereafter, they may base at any air base north of the 1.4b Pontoons: General. A Pontoon Starting 1 Dec, the Light Capability White Line (1.2a). Unit is deployed when in Combat Mode restrictions for these Pontoon Units are or in DG Mode, oriented on its Combat removed. Soviet Pontoon Units now 1.3d Hip Shoots. Only German aircraft side. Deployed Pontoon Units bridge all have “Full Capability” to and Soviet Guard IL-2 aircraft can Hip river hex sides adjacent to the Pontoon, create Pontoon Bridge Shoot (OCS 14.7d). No other aircraft as if a track is crossing the river, a Tracks for units of any have this ability. “Pontoon Bridge Track.” While movement class and to 1.3e Flak Nightmare. Flak use was deployed a Pontoon unit also restores restore all destroyed rail and road extensive during this campaign. To the bridging capability of all previously bridges across the Danube River reflect this: destroyed railroad and road bridges normally per 1.4b. adjacent to the Pontoon. During any Add a +1 Flak die roll modifier Movement Phase (even while in Design Note. The Danube was an (“DRM”) against all Barrage missions. Combat Mode) a Pontoon Unit can immense military obstacle to the Soviets, Exception: don’t apply this DRM move across any river hex side it is similar to the Volga and the Rhine in against Trainbusting Missions. bridging. Pontoon Units cannot be other OCS games. Therefore, some Facility Barrage by Air Units on an captured or used by the enemy. Any constraints are necessary to depict how extremely challenging the Danube River Airbase is NOT allowed. Facility time a Pontoon (Soviet or German) moves adjacent to the Danube River, it crossings were for the Soviet forces Barrage of Air Bases by Artillery is operating far from their logistical base. unchanged. must be placed at the top of the Stack to reveal its position. 1.5 Special Units The Axis player can decide to inactivate any aircraft at any airbases at the start of Player’s Note. A Pontoon Bridge Track 1.5a Engineer Units. HQ units have each friendly Aircraft Refit Phase. bridging a hexside connects to all full engineer capabilities. No other units transportation lines in each hex on both have engineer capabilities, except the Design Note. The level of Flak assets sides of the hexside being bridged. OCS Bridging abilities of Pontoon Units positioned on airbases at this stage of the 6.2a. (1.4). war meant that any air attack on them was essentially suicidal. The Germans Player’s Note. A Pontoon Bridge 1.5b Airborne units. Neither side has had one of their strongest Flak Divisions Track bridging a hexside connects to all any units which can be air dropped. Air and an additional Flak Brigade deployed transportation lines in each hex on both Drop missions to deliver Supply Points in the Budapest area. The Soviet forces sides of the hexside being bridged. OCS are unaffected. included more than 70 anti-aircraft 6.2a. Regiments. Our research found that the Design Note. Airborne designations missions represented by Air Base Barrage 1.4c Pontoons: Soviet Restrictions. are honorific only. virtually never occurred during the At the beginning of the game, Soviet campaign. Pontoons cannot bridge the Danube

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody

1.6 HR Player Booklets Special Wagon Extenders (3.1e) West, South, A, B, C, K, J, and both I’s are Axis Supply Sources and General Record Track HR provides each player with a booklet reinforcement entry areas unless with game specific and player specific Player Aid 2 controlled by the Soviet player. tables and charts and an Order of Arrival (“OoA”), entitled, Axis Tables Dead Piles Rebuilt German units arrive at the Axis West Entry Area. and Order of Arrival and Soviet Tables RVGK Box (3.3b) and Order of Arrival, respectively. Rebuilt Hungarian units arrive at any Corps Markers Display (1.8a) Those booklets provide for village, minor city or major city hex in reinforcements, withdrawals, 1.8a Corps Marker Displays. HR Hungary in Trace Supply (even in substitutions, time sensitive special provides each player with markers to enemy ZOC). rules, etc. They are important for the use for holding combat However, all Axis White Frame units play of HR. units off map on the Soviet arrive at the Axis North Entry Area or and Axis Corps Markers 1.7 Scenarios Booklet – Victory Entry hexes A, B or C. Conditions Displays. Simply pick up the units and place them on 2.1b Supply Points and HR includes a Scenarios booklet the display. Then place the Replacements. These are received providing fifteen scenarios. Each marker on the map each turn in accordance with the Axis scenario states the particular Victory associated with those units. Supply Table and Replacements Tables Conditions of that scenario. Victory is respectively. Note that there are primarily determined by the Soviet Development Note. Use of these separate German and Hungarian player controlling certain geographic markers and these displays will aid in the Replacements Tables; roll for each. objectives. play of the game where counter density is particularly acute, such as Budapest. In The Axis Supply Table is affected by the "Control" is determined by which addition, this will provide some additional control of Komárom (A30.09) and Player has an Attack Capable unit in a fog of war effects because a player’s Kassa (B9.01). See the Axis Supply particular hex (or was the last to have an opponent will not know the size of a stack Table notes. Attack Capable unit there). shown on the map at that marker. Regarding the fog of war aspect, I feel In HR, replacements must be used to There are VP Objective markers players have way too much information rebuild dead units immediately: Pax and provided to track those objectives in regarding their opponent’s forces, which is Eq counters are not used. whatever fashion suits your style of the same with most wargames. So, by 2.1c Rail Capacity. Rail Cap is play. They can be used for all scenarios. using these off-map markers a little more, fog of war is added to the game with good provided in the Axis 1.8 Displays effect. Player’s Booklet. The Soviet Player has no rail HR includes various displays for each 1.8b Reinforcements Tracks. HR capacity in HR. Player to aid the play of the game. provides each player with month 2.1d Danube Shipping Capacity. The Axis: markers to use in organizing Axis player may ship one on map SP reinforcements on the player’s Player Aid: (not units) to any Budapest respective Reinforcements Tracks. hex with a Danube river Unit & Marker Identification Place a marker for the relevant month hex side (Shipping Capacity on the display at the relevant date to Dead Piles = 1SP). Any Soviet indicate for that date and each date Combat unit that has a ZOC occupying Goulash Markers Available (2.1e) above, the month associated with those a hex adjacent to the Danube North and particular dates. A player’s monthly date General Record Track West of Budapest from A29.04 to markers will rotate out and in as time A31.18 or A31.19 entirely blocks the Reinforcements Track (1.8b) progresses in the game. (In practice this use of this shipping capacity. process is much easier than this Breakdown Regiments Display (2.5c) explanation.) 2.1e Goulash. The Axis player has Corps Markers Display (1.8a) seven Goulash markers, which can be 2.0 Axis Special Rules placed in any Budapest city Soviet: hex in any Budapest Player Aid 1: 2.1 Logistics Fortress (2.4) during the Supply Phase. Unit & Marker Identification 2.1a Supply Sources and Reinforce– ment Entry Areas. All rail, road, and Any Axis units in a Budapest Fortress Reinforcements Track (1.8b) track hexes on Axis Entry Areas North, (2.4) that can trace a supply path (OCS

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12.6) to a Goulash Marker, by direct Design Note. One of the Ju-87G Tank expenditure of Supply. No use of a draw or throw from an HQ during the Buster counters represents Hans-Ulrich Goulash Marker is necessary (it’s free, Supply Phase “eat off the map” (OCS Rudel, the famous ace and his small but only on that first turn). 12.6c) without the expenditure of unit, and accordingly is designated These special rules apply to all Axis Supply. “Rudel.” units inside a Budapest Fortress: If a Goulash marker is used, it is In addition to the rules for Tank Busters Defensive Combat Supply (OCS 12.4) permanently removed from play, unless (2.2a), any loss to the Rudel counter for Axis units defending in a Budapest the Axis player expends 1T from within from Flak converts to an Abort. Also, Fortress is free. that particular Budapest Fortress. If that immediately abort the Rudel counter if 1T is expended, then roll one die: On a ever involved in an air combat (no air Axis artillery units in a Budapest 1-3, the Goulash marker is permanently combat roll.) Fortress may, enter Reserve Mode in, removed; on a 4-6 it remains available 1.) a hedgehog and/or 2.) an EZOC. for use again. 2.3 Nationality Issues Axis artillery units can remain in a hedgehog in a Budapest Fortress. The Axis player is free to use a Goulash 2.3a Restrictions. There are no marker as desired in any Budapest nationality restrictions on the Axis. All Internal Stocks can be used for Attack Fortress, but it is not required. Axis units can operate together freely. purposes, and do not need to be Recovered (OCS 12.10e). 2.2 Air Operations 2.3b Hungarian Collapse. The OoA may require the Axis player to roll for Goulash (2.1e) can be used to “eat off 2.2a Tank Busters. One Hs-129B and Hungarian Collapse. the map” (OCS 12.6c) in the Supply two Ju-87G units are designated as When Hungarian Collapse occurs, Phase it is placed. Tank Busters. These units remove all Hungarian units have their Barrage strength permanently from the game except: Player’s Note. The campaign scenario printed in Red. (5.2) provides for a Sudden Death Win 1st Hun Pz Div. if the Soviet Player controls all seven Apply the following special rules to any Budapest city hexes prior to 12 Feb. Tank Buster Barrage mission: 2nd Hun Pz Div. Conversely, the Axis Player will achieve a Sudden Death Win if Trace Supply is 1) Tank Busters can only perform a All Budapest Garrison units. reestablished to any Axis unit occupying Tank Buster Barrage mission, which All 4-AR Hungarian Infantry and a Budapest city hex in Budapest Fortress. can be conducted as a Barrage mission Cavalry units. or a Hip Shoot. If conducted as a Barrage mission, other aircraft cannot Any 3 Hun HQs, 3 Hun Arty units, and 2.5 Special Units add their barrage factors but are allowed an additional 12 Hungarian steps of the 2.5a 109th Panzer Brigade. This unit to serve as escorts. Axis player’s choice. has two steps and is handled like a 2) If the hex does not contain a Yellow (Note - Hungarian replacements cannot multi-step “mini division” of 2 RE. This or Red symbol unit, the Tank Buster be used to rebuild Hungarian forces will affect its stacking, fueling and unit immediately aborts. above this level.) combat-supply costs. Note that a “division” is never independent (OCS 3) If the hex contains a Yellow or Red 2.4 Budapest Fortresses 3.2f), so this brigade cannot get “free symbol unit, then perform a Tank fuel” from a HQ with a fuel marker, The Axis player can declare a “Budapest Buster Barrage as follows: rather it must pay 1T to fuel. Fortress” using any Budapest city hex • A spotter is required. or a group of contiguous hexes 2.5b Budapest Garrison. Axis units • Treat all [1/2], 1/2, 2 or 3 Barrage containing one or more Budapest city with a Hungarian flag in their upper Table results as 1. hexes, all of which are inside the right corner are Budapest Budapest Zone (1.2c). There can be Garrison units. They may • The Soviet player must choose a multiple Budapest Fortresses. not move outside the Yellow or Red symbol unit with the Budapest Zone (1.2c). A Budapest Fortress can be declared in highest Combat Mode combat strength Should they retreat outside of it, they the Axis Reinforcement Phase if one or to take any loss. must return as soon as possible. more Axis units are cut off from Trace Aside from the above, the roll and Supply and within a hex, or hexes 2.5c Breakdown Regiments. Axis effects of the Barrage Table are handled eligible to be declared a Budapest Breakdown Regiments are limited to normally. Fortress. Axis units in a Budapest the counters provided. Use the Axis 2.2b Rudel Ju 87G Group. Fortress in the Axis Supply Phase that a Breakdown Regiment Display to Budapest Fortress is declared “eat off control the use of those breakdowns. the map” (OCS 12.6c) without the

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody 3.0 Soviet Special Rules • SPs listed under the East column must (3.3b) being held for rebuild by that arrive in the East Entry Area or in Sibiu Front on the map within five hexes of 3.1 Logistics (B49.34). that Front Marker. • SPs listed under the South column 4) Specific Restrictions. The 2nd Development Note. The Soviet must arrive in the South Entry Area. Ukrainian Front Marker may not move offensive into Romania and Hungary prior to the 29 Oct turn. The 4th moved so quickly that they were unable to 3.1c Soviet Front Markers. The Soviet Ukrainian Front Marker may not move convert the railways to keep up. As a Player has three Front Markers (2nd south of the 16.xx hex row on Map B, result, all supply had to be transported by Ukrainian, 3rd Ukrainian, and may not move south of the 9.xx hex truck and wagon from the Dniester River. and 4th Ukrainian) to The Soviet forces are at the very limit of row on Map A. The 3rd Ukrainian represent the administrative their logistical capabilities on 5 October Front Marker may not move north of and logistical capabilities 1944, a situation that slowly improves the 40.xx hex row. throughout the campaign, but then again and restrictions faced by their historical hits a limit west of Budapest. The advance counterparts. 3.1d Truck Cap. The rail net is into Hungary was a secondary operation completely inactive for the Soviet player A Front Marker is NOT a HQ Unit and during October and November 1944, during the game. Therefore, does not have any HQ Special and supply went to other Fronts. In the Soviets have no Rail Cap Functions, as listed in OCS 13.1b. December 1944, STAVKA provided and there are no Detrainable top priority in resources to Hungary. It The following pertain to each Soviet hexes which function as was designated as the only active theater. STAVKA also had the objective of Front Marker: Soviet Trace Supply Sources. The only sources of Trace Supply for the Soviets drawing Axis mobile divisions from the 1) Supply. Each Front Marker is a are Active Entry Areas, Sibiu and Soviet defense of Berlin, as actually happened. Soviet Trace Supply Source if it can Supply in Hungary decreases back to Front Markers. “normal” 1 January 1945 when the trace a path of contiguous Road hexes Vistula-Oder Winter Offensive begins. (only) back to a map edge Supply The Soviet Player receives “Truck Cap” Therefore, the Soviet player must contend Source or Sibiu, free of Axis units and each turn in accordance with the with multiple logistical issues. unnegated enemy zones of control “Soviet Truck Cap Table.” Truck Cap (OCS 4.5b). A Front Marker has no can only be used to move SP in the 3.1a Supply Sources. At start, all rail, Throw Range; however, HQs and other Movement Phase. Truck Cap cannot road, and track hexes in the Soviet units, may Draw from its hex normally. move combat units. Truck Cap cannot be saved for use in another Movement North Entry Area, plus Entry Areas F 2) Placement and Movement. A Front Phase (use it or lose it). and G only, are Supply Sources and Marker may only be placed on a Road Reinforcement Entry Areas. hex and may only move once during a Truck Cap may move SP(s) any distance The Soviet OoA indicates when all rail, Soviet Movement Phase. Each Front along contiguous Road hexes (not road, and track hexes of other Entry Marker costs 1 SP to fuel for Railroad or Track), and those SP(s) Areas become available as Supply movement. It may only enter hexes must be delivered to a hex containing a Sources and Reinforcement Entry along a Road (not Tracks or Railroads) Soviet Front Marker or to a Areas. and may travel any number of hexes. A “Deroadable” hex. A Deroadable hex is Front Marker can carry all SPs with a Road hex under Soviet control that Soviet Front Markers are also Supply which it is stacked prior to moving. contains a Major City, Minor City, Sources (3.1c). Front markers may not pick up or drop Village, Point of Interest or Engineer- 3.1b Supply Points and Replace– off SPs while moving. A Front Marker Capable HQ and has a path of ments. These are received each turn in may not move west of the Yellow Line contiguous Road hexes free of enemy accordance with the Soviet Supply (3.1f). ZOC back to a supply source. Table and Replacements Table 3) Enemy Units. A Front Marker One point of Truck Cap moves two SPs respectively. cannot move within 5 hexes of an Axis if those SPs are delivered to a Front The Soviet Player has special rules for Combat Unit that exerts a ZOC (OCS Marker and moves one SP if delivered the replacement of infantry (3.3a). 4.5). A Front Marker cannot be to a Deroadable hex. Truck Cap cannot destroyed. If the Axis Player moves a move SPs into a hex containing enemy The Soviet Supply Table has three Combat Unit that exerts a ZOC within units or an enemy ZOC (this ZOC columns: 5 hexes of a Front Marker, the Front cannot be negated) (OCS 4.5b). Marker is immediately displaced by the • SPs listed under the North column Truck Cap is unaffected by Soviet player to a “legal” hex, along with must arrive in the North Entry Area. Trainbusting. any SP with which it was stacked. The Soviet player may then immediately place any or all units in the RVGK Box

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3.1g Arty Ammo. Arty Ammo Development Note. The Soviets did 3.3 Special Rebuilds Markers. These Ammo Markers are not convert railroads to Russian gauge received from the Variable 3.3a Infantry Division Rebuilds. The during this campaign. Truck Cap Soviet player does not receive Soviet represents primarily the available trucks Reinforcements Table and Infantry Replacements and the Soviet specifically assigned to the operational placed in the Sibiu Box movement of supply to the Fronts involved until used. No more than Rebuild Table is not used for Soviet during this campaign. Think of Truck two can be stockpiled at Infantry. Cap as the Soviet version of the American any one time (ignore additional Arty Instead, the first 10 Soviet Infantry Red Ball Express. Ammo marker results if the Sibiu Box Divisions or UR Bdes destroyed in the already contains two markers). game are automatically 3.1e Special Wagon Extenders. HR The Soviet player may use an Arty rebuilt and must return in does not make normal use of truck or the Soviet Reinforcement wagon Extenders under the Ammo Marker during any Barrage Segment of any Combat Phase. When Phase of the next game series rules for the Soviet turn, but with only 1 Step remaining. Player (OCS 12.7). The using the marker, the maximum SP cost of any barrage is 4T. This applies to all There is a Soviet “Infantry Rebuilds” Soviet Player may not create Marker provided to keep track of these truck extenders. Soviet artillery barrages that phase. Remove the marker at the end of that rebuilds. The Soviet Player has available two phase. Each Soviet Infantry Division or UR Special Wagon Extenders (“SWE”). There is no additional effect for using Bdes destroyed, after the first 10 When deployed on the map, each SWE both markers in the same phase. rebuilds, is also rebuilt and will return in functions as a wagon Extender for the a future Reinforcement Phase but with extension of Trace Supply range in 3.2 Air Operations only 1 Step remaining. Roll one die and add two for each. The unit then returns accordance with OCS 12.7. 3.2a Limited Air Unit Refit. From 12 in the Soviet Reinforcement Phase that Oct through 29 Oct (inclusive) and However, a SWE cannot flip to convert many turns in the future. into wagon transport points. from 1 Jan through the end of the game (inclusive), only Soviet Infantry includes all variations of The only method to move the position 10 Soviet aircraft can be Infantry unit types, to include of a SWE is to first take it off the map Active at the end of each “airborne”, motorized, “UR,” and during the Movement Phase and place Soviet Air Unit Refit Phase. Guards. it in the “Moving” section of the Special Wagon Extenders Holding Box. During Rumanian Air Units, Soviet Air Units Soviet infantry rebuilds are placed on or the Soviet Clean Up Phase, move each with a White Frame and Soviet Air within two hexes of any Soviet Front SWE from the Moving section to the Units of the LRAF (Yellow Frames) do Marker, except White Frame units, Ready section. During the Soviet not count against this limitation. which are placed on or within two hexes of the 4th Ukrainian Front Marker. Movement Phase, a SWE in the Ready 3.2b Long Range Air Force (LRAF). These rebuilt infantry units may also section may be deployed on the map The LRAF is distinguished by a Yellow enter at the Soviet East Entry Area, wherever the Soviet Player desires. If an Frame on each aircraft Sibiu, or South Entry Area, except for Axis combat unit moves into a hex counter. These aircraft must Soviet White Frame units which may containing a SWE, immediately place be based in the LRAF Box. the SWE into the Moving section of the enter at the Soviet North Entry Area or SWE Holding Box. LRAF missions are restricted to the Entry Area A, B or C (when Soviet Soviet Movement Phase only. controlled). 3.1f The Yellow Line. Supply expenditure by any Soviet unit west of When the Refit Capability below is 3.3b The RVGK: Multi-Unit the “Yellow Line” (see used, all aircraft in the LRAF Box can Formation Rebuilding. TEC) at the moment of use refit at once. Development Note. Soviet practice is multiplied by FOUR (x4). Refit of those aircraft is limited to two with their mobile formations was to keep This applies to any type of turns each month. Use the LRAF Refit supply expenditure by Soviet units west them in combat until they were “used up,” Capability Track marker to then to withdraw the formation for a of the line AND by Soviet units indicate the remaining refit complete refitting. They were returned to conducting ground attacks or barrages capability of the LRAF for front-line combat only after they had been at targets which are west the line. each month. Return the brought back to full strength. The Front marker to the “2” box during the HQ units also represent STAVKA Design Note. This line represents the Aircraft Refit Phase, the first Soviet Reserves, unit assembly areas and very “outer limits” of Soviet logistical associated transportation and support Player Turn of each month. capabilities during this campaign. spread over a large area.

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Units belonging to a Soviet Multi-Unit hexes of the Front Marker which rebuilt these units is the current RE value and Formation (“MUF”) may only be that MUF. Barrage strength is reduced in rebuilt when each component unit of proportion to losses. For instance, a 90- At his discretion the Soviet player may the MUF is in the Soviet dead pile or factor, 3-RE division with 1 step loss rebuild the support battalions and/or has been withdrawn from the map and would have a Defense strength of 2 and regiments of an MUF using this placed in the RVGK Box (See Soviet a Barrage strength of 90 x 2/3 = 60. procedure. (This is the only way to Player Aid). rebuild these units.) 3.5c Slovakian and Czech Partisans. During any Soviet Reinforcement The Slovakian Partisan and Czech 2nd An MUF may not be placed into the Phase (after rolling for replacements), Airborne units draw Trace Supply from RVGK Box for rebuild and then the Soviet Player may pick up all the Slovak Partisan Supply returned to the map in the same units of a MUF remaining on the map hexes only (see TEC). These Reinforcement Phase. (that are in Trace Supply) and place units can attack or defend them in the RVGK Box (no fueling Rebuilt MUFs are NOT fueled when for free without SPs. They required). This action constitutes returned to the map at the Front cannot spot for any air units. placing the MUF in RVGK Box for Marker. Slovakian Partisan units only have a rebuild. Any units of a MUF being This RVGK rebuild process does not Combat Mode and cannot stack with rebuilt in the RVGK Box that have apply to the Rumanian 9th Cavalry any other units including other regained Trace Supply must be Division or to “non-divisional” units. partisans. removed from the map and Placed the RVGK Box during the Reinforcement 3.4 Nationality Issues 3.5d Rumanian Mountain Group Phase. If all units of an MUF are in the “Partisans”. These units only have a dead pile, that MUF may be designated 3.4a Cooperation. Soviet units cannot Combat Mode and cannot stack with by the Soviet Player during the use Rumanian, or Yugoslav HQs. any other units including Reinforcement Phase, as rebuilding in Rumanian or Yugoslav units cannot use other partisans. They are the RVGK Box. Soviet HQs. Czech units CAN use always in Trace Supply. Soviet HQs. They can defend for free By default, these MUFs will be rebuilt and can spot for Rumanian Air units. by, and arrive at the 2nd Ukrainian Soviet Front Markers can be a source of Front Marker. However, two MUFs Trace Supply for all Soviet, Rumanian, They can NEVER leave Rough or may be marked for rebuild and arrival at Yugoslav and Czech units (see 3.1c) Heavy Woods Terrain. Destroy them if the 3rd Ukrainian Front Marker. There Rumanian, Czech, Yugoslav and Soviet they do so. are two markers included in HR to units can stack, barrage and attack During any Soviet Reinforcement indicate those 3rd Ukrainian Front together. Phase, the Soviet Player can replace the rebuilds, which must be marked when four Rumanian Mountain Group units placed into the RVGK Box. No MUFs However, only Soviet units can spot for (even if some—or all—of them are may be rebuilt for arrival at the 4th Soviet Air and Arty units and only destroyed) with the 8-2-2 Rum Mtn Div Ukrainian Front. These markers can be Rumanian units can spot for Rumanian (2). Just remove all the Rumanian used multiple times, but only two Air and Arty units. Mountain Group units and place the MUF’s can be rebuilt by the 3rd 3.4b Rumanians. Rumanian Ground Rumanian 2nd Mountain Division on a Ukrainian Front at any given time. Units cannot move west or south of the Soviet HQ. Only an MUF which has been Placed in Danube River. Rumanian air units the RVGK Box may have its cannot be rebuilt. component units rebuilt by 3.4c Yugoslavians. Yugoslavian units Design Note. Technically, those Replacements. cannot move north of the A47.xx hex troops were not partisans, but they operated as such early in the campaign. Place rebuilt units in the RVGK Box row. with the rest of the units of that MUF. 3.5 Special Units & Unit When all divisions of a Cavalry Corps or Requirements 3.5e Soviet Breakdown Units. The all brigades of a Tank or Mech Corps Soviet Player has no breakdown units in are available in the RVGK Box, the 3.5a Artillery Rigidity. Soviet Artillery Hungarian Rhapsody. MUF may be returned to play during units must stack in the same hex to the Soviet Reinforcement Phase. combine barrages strengths to fire a 3.5f No Soviet Consolidation. Soviet Barrage on a particular target hex. or Rumanian Infantry Divisions may To return an MUF to play, remove all not use Unit Consolidation (OCS 13.9). component units of the MUF from the 3.5b Artillery Divisions. Soviet RVGK Box and place them within two Artillery Divisions are represented by multi-step units. Defense Strength of

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On 15 Oct the roll becomes: On a 1-4 Design Note. This special Design Note. Soviet infantry quality the speech takes place this turn, on a roll Kampfgruppe is commanded by was decreasing by this point in the war. of 5-6 it does not. Günther Pape. Lack of flexibility was a characteristic of the late war Soviet Division. Many were The speech happens automatically on 4.0f Jansen Fueling Rule. A Multi only regimental size in 1945 as 19 Oct if it has not occurred before Unit Formation (“MUF”, such as a replacements were hard to find. These then. Soviet Mech corps or German Pz Divisions relied more on their intrinsic division) can fuel and move in a player’s Design Note. Admiral Horthy was heavy artillery and heavy weapons than Movement Phase (not the Reaction or attempting to arrange a surrender of on infantry flexibility. Exploitation Phases), for the supply Hungary to the Soviet forces and cost of only 1T, with the following negotiations were taking place during restrictions: 4.0 Optional Rules the October fighting. Immediately after the speech, the Germans carried out a The units to be moved cannot start, 4.0a Series Optionals. Given the coup led by famous commando Otto move or end next to an enemy combat exhausted state of both Armies, we Skorzeny, which installed the fascist unit. (Note that enemy ZOCS are not an strongly recommend players do not use Arrow Cross party in power. issue here.) OCS 21.2 Proportional Loss. While this rule is popular among many players, 4.0c Hungarian-Rumanian The units can only be in Combat Mode. “attack capability” was more limited in Antagonism. Every time Rumanian No road movement bonus can be used this theatre by the end of 1944. units attack any Major or Minor City (i.e. moving on a road at 1/2 is hex of Budapest, the Rumanian units prohibited). Road movement costs at OCS rules 21.4 Long Range Air effects, have their step losses multiplied by two. least 1MP (weather effects must be 21.5 Re-Basing Limits and 13.7b Fog of followed). A Road still functions to Design Note. The Hungarians fought War are the only Series optional rules negate other terrain in the hex for ferociously when they had to face what we recommend for use in this game. movement purposes. they regarded as their “old” enemy. At 4.0b Horthy Speech. On 15 one point, Malinovsky had to withdraw All units of the MUF are not required to October 1944, Hungarian leader the 7 Rumanian Corps from the battle use Jansen Fueling. Any unit or units Admiral Horthy made a speech by radio of Budapest for this reason. can move normally at the cost of 1T requesting an armistice with the Soviets, each, if desired. causing some confusion among 4.0d Plijev & Gorskov HQs. These two HQs were created to control a Hungarian troops. On that turn, roll Development Note. Steve Jansen is mixed group of cavalry and one die for each time any Hungarian the leader of the Baltimore NEBO unit wishes to move, change Mode, armored units for fast- Grognards, our war gaming club. He barrage, and/or attack (do not roll for moving exploitation. They developed this house rule during our recent air units): can only throw Trace play of Beyond the Rhine. Our club Supply or Combat Supply to has been using this rule with great results Make one die roll per unit counter Cavalry, Mechanized or since April 2016. Give it a try; I think (Exceptions: 1 Hung Pz and 2 Hung Pz Armored units (including you will find it works very well. (Highly Divs make one roll per Division). Cavalry, Tank, and/or Mechanized recommended.) On a roll of 1-3, the unit Fails. Corps) and an unlimited number of independent units (Artillery Divisions 4.0g Barrage Table—Player On a roll of 4-6, the unit functions included). They cannot throw Trace Choice. For any barrage, a player may normally. Supply or Combat Supply to Infantry choose the barrage table column on the Barrage Table limited only by the If the unit Fails, it cannot move, attack, Divisions, including the three barrage strength available for that barrage or change Mode at all this turn. Motorized Divisions (68 Gd Inf, 99 Inf barrage. For example, if the Soviet Rotate the counter of the units that Fail and 316 Inf Div). player has an artillery division with 144 to mark them as such. 4.0e KG Pape. This formation barrage strength, he does not have to This event happens only during one marker can be used to place any Axis resolve the barrage on the 117+ column turn and only once in the game. Track and/or Truck MA of the Barrage Table, paying 10T. He units (independent or may choose to use a lower strength Optional. If both players agree to add belonging to other column: for instance, the 41-68 column, surprise, the Axis rolls one die starting divisions) in the same hex, paying 6T. (Saving 4T, 10T – 6T = 4T). on the 12 Oct turn: into an area off the map. These units (Highly recommended.) On a 1-2 the speech takes place this then function as a multi-unit formation 4.0h Mountain Unit Capabilities. turn; on a roll of 3-6 it does not and the per OCS 13.7. It has the same properties A mountain unit attacking into or Axis player rolls again next turn. as a Pz or PG multi-unit division marker. defending in a mountain terrain hex

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody adds +1 to its action rating. (Highly Feb 1945, when most of the troops The awards used in this determination recommended.) were transferred further north. were Red Banner, Suvarov, Kutuzof, Lenin, and Bogdan Khmelnitskyi. Designer’s Notes • The 2nd Ukrainian Front (commanded by Malinovsky) attacked The best Soviet infantry divisions By Stéphane Acquaviva from the east and could have potentially included small independent units of SU- outflanked the Carpathian Mountains 76 and SU-85 assault guns serving as Hungarian Rhapsody depicts the five- to the south by seizing Budapest and support. These were then integrated month campaign which took the Soviet advancing towards Vienna. It was the into the infantry divisions with Army from Romania to the capture of strongest Front in the theater. additional small artillery and/or AT Budapest. units. • The 3rd Ukrainian Front (commanded The Map by Tolbukhin) arrived at the start of The Soviets have large numbers of The battlefield covers the Carpathian November 1944 from Yugoslavia and artillery units ranging in size from Basin in southern Slovakia, western fought in Hungary and Austria beside regiment to division level. These are Romania and most of Hungary. We the 2nd Ukrainian Front through the difficult to utilize when the front is chose to show the borders and town end of the war. moving but are formidable when the lines stabilize. and city names as they were in October The Soviet offensive backbone was 1944. three Tank Corps, five Mechanized The Soviet Air Forces Corps and three Cavalry Corps. Russian There are three Axis defensive The Soviet air forces contained three Cavalry Corps now had one Tank fortification lines printed on the map. Air Armies. These were greatly limited Regiment, one SU Battalion and one at the beginning of the campaign (due The Árpád Line (which is non- Katyusha, so they could better stand up to logistical constraints) and faced a contiguous in the northern part of the to armored attacks. In late 1944, each relatively strong German air presence, map). Soviet Cavalry Corps had three Tank but the balance shifted steadily to the regiments attached but in Hungary, the The Margit Line southwest of Soviet’s favor. Budapest, and 4 Gd, 5 Gd and 6 Gd Cav Corps had never enough T-34/76 or Lend-lease I would like to share something I found The Budapest/Attila fortifications Tanks. That’s why the three Tank during my research for Hungarian (north and east of, and inside Budapest). Regiments are amalgamated to form Rhapsody concerning the use of the The oil refinery at Komárom (A30.09), one Tank Regiment by Cavalry Corps Soviet air forces (VVS). I had been and the oil fields at Nagykanizsa (Labelled 4, 5 and 6). surprised to find that the Axis did not suffer at all from Soviet air attacks on (A52.01) and Zisterdorf (a few hexes These hard-hitting units were airbases. west of the map edge approximately at supported by 89 Soviet, 17 Rumanian, the 19.XX hexrow) were the last and 3 Yugoslavian Infantry Divisions I assumed this was because of heavy remaining such facilities to the Axis together with some small Czech units Flak concentrations (3 or 4 times early powers. Their loss was viewed as and Slovak Partisans. While the Allied war standards), but I continued to dig catastrophic by the German high divisions were generally of low quality, and found two excellent books and command. In addition, the area around the three Soviet Fronts have 24 Infantry finally a quite interesting answer. These Budapest contained the largest Axis divisions that are 3-AR and 15 Infantry were James Sterrett’s Soviet Air Force sources of bauxite and manganese. divisions that are 4-AR, so nearly half of Theory 1918-1945, 2007 and Ivan Stalin and Stavka, on the other hand, the Soviet infantry is of good quality. Timokhovich’s The Operational Art of the Soviet Air Force during the Great paid these resources little attention. The For those ratings, we used the Sharp Patriotic War, 1977. Soviets fixated on geographic objectives documentation text and it was assumed and the activity of major Axis mobile that Guard units were of higher quality. Both authors agree that the VVS was forces, ignoring economic targets. not capable of launching efficient For Soviet infantry divisions, we applied strikes on air bases. They tried to do so The Soviet Ground Forces a basic 1-AR if the unit had no awards. on rare occasions (such as when A 2-AR a unit had 1 or 2 awards, 3-AR Three different Fronts participated in German airbases were near the front for 3 awards, and 4-AR for 4 awards or this campaign: and during the Battle of Kursk), but more. • The 4th Ukrainian Front (commanded even these had very poor results. With Guard units, 2-AR was the base by Petrov) had the difficult mission to Here are the figures from the Soviet where there were no awards, 3-AR for 1 attack from the north through archives, showing the percentage of air or 2 awards, and 4-AR for 3 or more mountain passes. This Front was active missions which were attacks on enemy awards. in Hungary from 6 Oct 1944 through 12 airbases:

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1941: 2.8% instructions, it was obvious that this turnover. This was the result of the would be quite an unorthodox situation on other Fronts. 1942: 3% operation. For the first time since In total, the Germans had 13 panzer, 3 1943: 2% Operation Barbarossa, two years panzergrenadier, 2 cavalry divisions and previously, the Wehrmacht would 1944: 1.5% 2 cavalry brigades present in this theater launch a major offensive without any at different times from Oct 1944 to Feb 1945: 1.4% preceding aerial onslaught against 1945. The total seems large, but the supply routes, rail, installations, In game terms, there are no Air actual presence at any one time was headquarters, airfields, etc. in the Russia Barrages against Air Bases. Fighter much smaller. rear area. That there would be no Sweeps are allowed as they deal with a attacks against Russian airfields was Examining the counters, there was also very different operational activity. particularly unusual.” (p.37, Kursk, the a qualitative decline—the Panzerwaffe The Luftwaffe did not bomb airbases Air Battle: July 43). was not the force it used to be. during this campaign as well. This was I have confirmed that after 5 July 1943, The Wehrmacht suffered massive late war doctrine. Most OCS games the Germans virtually never struck infantry losses during the summer of model warfare in the early period of the Soviet rear areas or airfields. Therefore, 1944 and could spare only 26 infantry war where striking enemy air bases was under the circumstances cited, I believe divisions of all types in the theater standard procedure in the east. The that after 5 July 1943, there should be (Infantry, Jager, Mountain, and Ski). rules work very well for that period and no air base barrage missions allowed on This was insufficient to face the Soviet also for the Western Front until the end the Eastern Front. advance. A wise German player will of the war. Modelling the late air war in need to carefully conserve infantry the east, however, is another story. One unique exception to this policy was steps. the German attack on the US Air Force Soviet flak assets were formidable. shuttle-bombing base which had been The Germans also fielded good quality Bombing behind Soviet lines became a created at Poltava. German He-111s supporting AT, Panzer, StuG and King nightmare for the Germans after May and Ju-88s destroyed over 50 Allied Tiger units. 1943. The German high command aircraft and did extensive damage to the decided to stop bombing the Soviet By this time of the war, some StuG airfield on June 22 1944. However, this airbases at that time. By the time of units were quite elite and had much was a night operation carried out by Kursk, doctrine had completely better effectiveness than any other tank those charged with defense of Germany changed, and no air base strikes were or AG units. This had to be reflected in from the Allied strategic bombing allowed. The Luftwaffe tried airbase the game in view of the large number of campaign, completely separate from bombing missions again in May and Soviet tanks these units destroyed. operational-level activity. June in the Kursk area during The German StuG units are divided Operation Carmen. They did their best The German Army into three levels. using 95 bombers, 64 fighter-bombers, The campaign started in October with 299 fighters from Luftflotte 6 and 138 • The 4-5-6 AG Battalions represent the three principal German Armies: bombers from VIII Fliegerkorps, but most famous units with many high these missions were unsuccessful. • The 1st Panzer Army facing the 4th scoring aces. Ukrainian Front to the north. Most of Christer Bergström researched the • The 4-4-6 AG Bn represent the the 1st Panzer Army departed to go failure of these airbase missions, saying, standard StuG units. They are of north in mid-February 1945. It was “These two major setbacks over Kursk normal competence. “Panzer” in name only and contained contributed to the OKL’s decision to only infantry divisions. • The 4-3-6 AG Bn represents a unit of REFRAIN from carrying out any air poorer quality and no StuG aces. operations in daylight against the Soviet • The 6th Army in southern Hungary rear area....”, (p. 21, Christer Bergström, and the 8th Army to the east facing the Three battalions of King Tigers fought Kursk, the Air Battle: July 43, Ian Allan 2nd Ukrainian Front. in Hungary (501, 503 and 509 Publishing 2007) (emphasis added). s.Pz.Abt.). At this point of the war, Axis • The 6th SS Panzer Army arrived later doctrine was to NEVER group these He concludes, “…it was clear that the in the campaign, during February 1945, three units together because of Soviet intended strikes against the Soviet after their unsuccessful battles in the artillery and air superiority. The units airfields simply could not be carried out Ardennes Offensive on the Western were always dispatched to separate with any success...the Soviet air defense Front. locations. It was therefore decided to at these airfields had proved to be too Many panzer divisions took part in the represent them as companies (3-5-4 Pz strong to permit the kind of massive campaign at various times. Unlike the Co). Our sources show that each attack which the German plan Soviet OB which is quite stable, battalion was never concentrated to envisaged. When the crews received the German units experienced considerable

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody fight in one location, let alone work with • The 2nd Hungarian Army fought with could never imagine a better the other battalions. the 8th Army to the east. development team. Thank you, guys! The (1)-5-6 PJ represents the small • The 3rd Hungarian Army fought in Finally, I would like to thank Dean number of Nashorn tank destroyers the south with the 6th Army. Essig without whom Hungarian available. This unit is too small to have Rhapsody would have never existed. He Hungarian forces, while not a match for any attack capacity but was formidable made us understand what was needed the Soviets, could delay the Red Army. in defense. and what was not. We all learned a lot Without German units present, they from him. Thank you Dean! Another significant asset was the 15th would melt away fairly easily. The Flak Division with its numerous 88mm exceptions are their two small armored Now, I let you discover the Beast and guns deployed in their anti-tank role. divisions, the 1st Hussar (1st cavalry wish to all of you ”Bon Jeu!” (Good Given the lack of infantry, the division Division) and the Szent-László game!) fought in the front lines and provided Divisions. Those were veteran or elite excellent AT support. divisions with a rating of at least 3. Developer’s Notes There are two German Training The Hungarian air force, although By Curtis H. Baer Divisions (153 and 154 Tng Div) in the small, was considered of outstanding area. I decided to not include those as quality and fought very well until the Stéphane Aquaviva was kind enough to such because they were too precious to end of the war. The Hungarians locally playtest Reluctant Enemies (“RE”) for engage in battles and formed the core of produced German aircraft designs me back in 2011 and 2012. He and his the Wehrmacht training system. On under license for their forces. friend Martin Staunton did a very good certain occasions, those divisions sent job of this. They provided detailed Acknowledgments Regiments or Kampfgruppe into battle reports often accompanied by great when the situation deteriorated too When I started this project, I could action photos. It was the next best thing much. However, entire divisions were never have imagined the amount of to being there. So, when Stéphane never deployed. I showed those work actually needed to complete it. It mentioned that he was designing a game Regiments or Kampfgruppen as 3-3-2 simply exceeded all the estimates I had on the operations by the Soviets to instead. in mind. capture Budapest in 1944-45, I just couldn’t refuse his request to return the The Luftwaffe I would like to thank all the people who favor. helped me to give life to Hungarian The Luftwaffe was quite strong in the Rhapsody. The playtesters who I began playtesting HR in June 2014, theater given the presence of the patiently played and replayed so many primarily with Chip Saltsman. We got prestigious Jägdgeschwader 52 as well scenarios (my friend Martin Staunton in some other local OCS enthusiasts as numerous elite pilots, such as Rudel. particular, his role was crucial). This was involved and quickly became absorbed One of those elite units, II /JG 52, was real team effort, thank you all. with the game. I found myself the best fighter unit in the entire questioning Stéphane more and more I would like to thank Kamen Nevenkin Luftwaffe. It contained aces such as about the game specific rules, each time and Számvéber Norbert both of whom Erich Hartmann, Gerhard Barkhorn getting detailed answers which educated I had the pleasure to meet. Their and Helmut Lipfert. Those pilots had me regarding this campaign. I started knowledge of the theater of operation between 200 and 300 victories (or reading many of the books on this was priceless. I strongly recommend more). The unit is represented by the 6- campaign. Some of those were located their books for those interested in the 1-53 rated Me-109G. conveniently on the bar counter of the Hungarian Campaign and most are first floor game room in my house. As However, the Luftwaffe began to field translated into English. our involvement increased this room in more and more inexperienced pilots. A special thanks to Carl Fung; he is my house became the “War Room” for German aircraft of a given type (except really one of the finest specialists of development of HR. Ju-52s) have two different quality OOB on earth. ratings based on their pilot experience John Kisner in May 2015 asked if I levels. would develop HR. I was hesitant about this because I was aware of the work The Hungarian Army This OCS game would never have required by the development process arrived on your tables without two Three Hungarian Armies were available from my experience with RE. After individuals: Curtis Baer (the developer) to fight in this theater. consultation with Chip Saltsman, and and Chip Saltsman. It was their OCS realizing our full commitment to HR, I • The 1st Hungarian Army fought with experience and extreme patience that accepted this development assignment the 1st Panzer Army in the north. made HR what it is now. Their input as the right thing to do and something I and innovative ideas were crucial. I

The Gamers, Inc. could do, but only with Chip’s Truck Cap (3.1d) is the representation Second, regardless of the ostensible assistance. of the literal movement of supply by effectiveness of the “Soviet Red Ball trucks without the tedious physical Express,” the research made clear that Little did I know that developing HR work of moving the OCS counters. The the Soviets had a pretty hard geographic would be (well, to keep it civil), “such a Truck Cap Table was developed to limit on their supply net. The further challenge.” allow for the “statistically expected” west they had to truck supplies, the My experience at development is amount of supply to be received in a more wear and tear it put on the system. limited to RE. For those who don’t given month to arrive at Soviet Front Stéphane established early on that this know, RE is a very small OCS game HQs (3.1c) directly. This was the way outside limit was ten hexes east of the (one map, one-half countersheet) Soviet resources were actually west map edge. The Yellow Line (3.1f) designed, devised and published as an distributed, from Stavka to the fronts. can be crossed by Soviet forces, but at a OCS beginner’s, learning type game. Accordingly, on-map truck and wagon great cost in OCS terms. Any use of While the research and design of RE counters were greatly reduced as most supply by the Soviets is quadrupled was not insubstantial, it was nowhere of these transportation assets were across the Yellow Line. Simple and near the scope and size of the Soviet’s accounted for moving supply via Truck effective, but not entirely satisfactory operations to capture Budapest in HR. Cap. In like regard, the forward point of (it’s another damn line on the map). There were some significant Trace Supply became the three Soviet South Balaton Garrison development challenges presented by Fronts. There is some help in the form HR. of two “Special Wagon Extenders” The South Balaton restriction Area (3.1e) which function only as extenders (1.2b) came about as a practical Soviet Logistical Limitations of Trace Supply (they cannot be flipped mechanism to ease the burden of game By far the most difficult development to regular wagon points.) So beware, as play for this area of operations. Hitler issue was the severe logistical limitations in most OCS games, but even more so was very much focused on the last of his faced by the Soviets in this campaign. In for the Soviet Player in HR, the proper oil wells at Nagykanizsa (A52.01). He OCS terms the most significant was: the positioning of the Fronts and their had a substantial force committed to Soviets had no functioning rail net on respective army HQs becomes very their defense. Stavka was not as focused the map, and they did not convert rails important for the establishment of an on those oil wells. Stalin was concerned to Soviet broad gauge at all during the effective supply net. In addition, I primarily with the capture of Budapest, campaign. They did however make strongly advise that you not let the in time to brag about it at the upcoming some very limited use of the European enemy cut off your line of Yalta conference. Playtesting revealed gauge rails and local rolling stock. communications from a map edge what happened in reality: there was a supply source to a Front Marker. standoff in this area. Thanks to Forest Stéphane’s design first addressed those Webb for finally recognizing what now limitations by having no Soviet rail net There were two other primary Soviet appears obvious. He called for the prior to Dec 1944 and by providing logistics concerns that had to be withdrawal of the troops involved in numerous trucks and wagons to move addressed. this stand off as not worthy of an supply points forward from the east First, there was a nearly complete lack interesting gaming situation. map edge. Then in Dec 1944 a full of coordination of operations between blown rail net, with 10 Soviet rail cap Tank Busters Petrov’s 4th Ukrainian Front located in instantly materialized. I know, looking the north along the Carpathian There is a new type of Aircraft in the back on that, it never seemed right from Mountains and Malinovsky’s huge 2nd OCS, the Tank Buster (2.2a). We the beginning. We went through many Ukrainian Front fighting just south decided to include those mission- iterations of supply net mechanics, through the Hungarian plains to focused, specially-equipped air groups including the monkey drill of moving Budapest. The solution to this issue in after much discussion on this issue by back and forth masses of truck markers HR is a prohibition on movement by many knowledgeable OCS guys, to move supply forward in an OCS the 4th Ukrainian Front units south of sometimes heated discussion. literal way (which was in fact what the the “White Line” (1.2a), which runs Soviets were doing.) It was the Soviet The purpose of the rule is simple: to east/west the length of the map, twenty equivalent of the American “Red Ball provide for the apparent effect at an hexes below the north map edge. These Express.” operational level for the specialized 4th Ukrainian Front units have all been missions flown by those units. Those I wanted to avoid this tedious process given a White Frame on the counter for groups literally existed to find and for the sake of the player’s sanity (I’m a easy identification. The same holds true destroy enemy AFVs. The record player too). After conferring with my for the Axis. The German 1st Panzer shows they were quite effective. local Baltimore game club leader (and Army and the Hungarian 1st Army OCS mentor) Steve Jansen on this (again all White Frame units are I feel the rule in its final iteration is no subject, the solution which is now the restricted to movement north of the more than what was originally intended: rule in HR came into focus. Soviet White Line, only). a little bit of chrome to show the effects

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody of these specialized air units later in the Third Winter (“TTW”). This game will command and control in the OCS. The war. This rule can have a small but depict the battles from late September almost tactical use of corps level HQs noticeable effect on the game. 1943 through the spring mud of 1944 to show engineering functions, along the Dnieper River, from about 50 contrasted with the all-important army All the rounds of agonizing over this miles north of Kiev, south to the Black (or higher) level function of providing rule were apparently nothing more than Sea. This was the period when the first resources to your fighting formations a tempest in a tea pot (or a storm in a truly heavy tanks for each antagonist (SPs, Trace Supply and replacements) teacup for my British friends). began to come into operational use. The by the same corps level HQs struck me Soviet Infantry Support and AT AFVs rule added another level of “tank as odd. It seems to me we need to heaviness” to the armor effects table, address this higher-level HQ function The configuration of the Soviet SP making the heavy tanks 2x combat much more comprehensively in the Infantry Support and AT units is based strength in clear against “regular” tanks. OCS, as well as provide for engineering on much research and robust discussion I playtested TTW using this rule the functions without a corps HQ about how these units were employed past few years and found it intuitive and physically present. However, I’m during the war. The Soviet units easy to accommodate in play. You really digressing into an OCS Honcho role resemble German Assault Gun had to beware of open terrain, whether here that will be left for another time. (Sturmgeschuetz) units but were not planning as the attacker with the heavies tactically employed the same way. They I have explained above the importance or preparing a defense against the same. were always self-propelled artillery, and of Soviet Fronts in HR regarding It was another level of OCS play that I not designed for an assault role as a tank supply. The Fronts also play a vital role thought added to that particular game. I substitute. Part of the confusion comes as the focal point to the massive Soviet wrote a rule to include it here in HR. from comparison with German higher-level, “backfield” replacement practice, which commonly used assault However, when dealing with an and rebuild function for primarily tank guns to replace tanks. We handled evolving military technology such as and mechanized corps. The RVGK these units differently depending on more effective tanks, it presents a (3.3b) (an acronym for Reserve of the how they actually functioned: problem for the game designer. In OCS Supreme High Command) was terms, what we envisioned was another provided by Stavka to prepare the • Su-76 – These can best be described level of armor and AT Effects as in Fronts for major operations. To show as infantry support vehicles. They had TTW. We found another way to deal this process in OCS terms in HR, only very limited anti-tank capabilities, with this issue is to have small but surviving units of a Soviet multi unit so they are not given AT effects effective units (5-AR Company-sized formation must first be withdrawn from (coloring their unit type box red would formations) which reflect the way these the map to allow its dead component given them a multiple when attacking super tanks were often employed. As a units to rebuild from the dead pile. that isn’t warranted). They are instead developer, it is a really tricky balance to When the major units of that MUF “SP Artillery” type. decide whether something unique to a (Tank and Mech brigades primarily) • Su-85 – Intended as a tank destroyer, given campaign is important enough to have all been rebuilt, then the entire but its gun was not particularly effective warrant a special rule. formation may return to play within two against later-war German tanks. We hexes of the rebuilding Front. This After much discussion (again have denoted these “Anti Tank” but simulates the actual method employed sometimes heated) we decided to not colored the unit type box. by Stavka to rebuild these corps, abandon the Heavy Tanks rule as especially later in the war. It seems • Su-100 – This was very effective tank unnecessary at this time. Instead we cumbersome at first, and may take destroyer and employed as such by included the heavy’s as company sized getting used to, but with experience it Soviet forces (some are still in service units. As John Kisner pointed out, you simply becomes another aspect of OCS around the world). These have Anti- could make a case for an extra level of play. tank symbols with a yellow box. heavy tanks (or two or three) at almost any point in the war. So, where would it I encourage you to embrace these • JSU 122/152 – Referred to as “Beast end? We may revisit this rule in the higher-level HQ functions. As I stated Killers” by the Soviets, these were used future, with the purpose of showing above I intend to address OCS as an AT platform (albeit up front and where the end should be in fact. treatment of higher-level HQs in the personal), Assault Gun, and SP Arty. future. These have been designated AG with a Soviet Fronts and RVGK yellow box. Acknowledgements Again, from my playtesting of TTW, I Heavy Tanks have borrowed from Tony Birkett – Stéphane Aquaviva has done a superb Soviet Fronts and the RVGK. job researching this topic. This We had contemplated using a Heavy necessary grunt work is expected for Tanks rule being playtested in Tony I have always thought there was a any wargame and Stéphane’s effort here Birkett’s upcoming OCS design, The missing element of operational

The Gamers, Inc. is impressive of itself. But it’s his on this project. I know from experience some of them for their Engineering genuine, unbridled enthusiasm for all what hard work this is, and I truly capabilities, particularly Bridging. They aspects of this campaign which will truly appreciate the effort. In fact, each of can make Minor River hex sides vanish impress you when you have the chance you should please remind me to buy you and open a path over the Tisza River. to speak to him about it. He was a an adult beverage of your choice when • And you have pontoons! Three to wonderful guy to work with. In I next see you. Thank you, gentlemen. start with, six over time. Before they are addition, he notably kept his cool when used for the Danube, you want to think things got a little crazy. Thanks Soviet Players’ Notes hard about where these vital units go. A Stéphane for HR, another nail biter pontoon when deployed in combat OCS game. Now, maybe I’ve repaid my By Chip Saltsman mode creates a track across all adjacent debt for your dedicated playtesting my Campaign Game as the Soviets major and minor rivers. One might go RE. Playing the Soviets in Hungarian north to assist your forces in seizing This game would not have been Rhapsody is like being a ferocious dog Csap (B12.10) and cutting off the retreat produced without all the dedicated and that charges at Budapest, only to jerk up of the German 8th Army. One might go persistent hard work of Chip Saltsman, short when it reaches the end of its south of Szeged (A50.31) to facilitate a the Assistant Developer. I have worked chain. southern hook. One might go to any of successfully with Chip on OCS projects several spots along the Tisza River for the past 6 years now. Back then he The Germans dance maddeningly out north of Szeged up to the White Line was the “OCS Newbie” who wrote the of reach of your slavering snout. Every hex row so you can rush the center. OCS Starter Guide that came with RE. so often, the chain gets longer and you They only need to be on the top of a And now he is the Assistant Honcho can surge forward again. It’s a fun stack when they are adjacent to the for the OCS. This is all well deserved. challenge. Danube River, so employ lots of Thanks Chip, for this body of work on Here are some tips: Maskirovka. HR. Your support means a great deal • The Axis player has a Pontoon too. It indeed. • The Red Star Rule: Every unit you kill in the open is one you don’t need to kill has a habit of materializing most Forest Webb provided dedicated in Budapest! inconveniently. And their Headquarters service as a lead play tester. In addition, have the same Bridging tricks yours do he challenged our assumptions on the • Needless to say, you never have all the (they also have more HQ units than game-specific rules which thankfully supply you would like, so you need to they need to deal with supply). Effective resulted in a more thoroughly be sparing. What don’t you absolutely German players are always looking to developed HR. Thanks, Forest, for all need to fuel this turn? You have strike a backhand blow in a sensitive your help making this game better. mounds of artillery you don’t want to area. You have been warned! fire unless your Red Air Force fails to Steve Jansen, as I mentioned above, DG a vital target. Save artillery ammo • During the first 8 game turns (5 Oct played a significant role in the for the scrum and shoving near to 29 Oct), your goal is to create more development of this game. I must tell Budapest unless its expenditure is vital. problems than the Axis can react to. you he plays another important role – Bust into Szeged (A50.31) to force him “The Idea Guy.” He actually sits quietly • Not only don’t you have the Supply to react with his mobile units and tie and really thinks carefully about these Points you need, you don’t yet have the them down, before popping over the matters I ask him to consider. And with supply net you need. You cannot make Tisza River elsewhere. Drive violently great effect. For this I’m grateful. He’s a Truck Extenders, but in time you will north, so that your opponent must dear friend, my OCS mentor, and an have two Special Wagon Extenders garrison every Tisza River bridge important member of the OCS Kitchen (3.1e.) Plan very carefully where you will crossing, and either trap the German Cabinet. Thanks Steve, for all your help put those and the Headquarters that 8th Army or ensure it departs as fast as on HR. draw Trace Supply from them, so that possible (hinder them by Trainbusting you maximize your reach. One extender choke points along their escape path). Special thanks are due to Alan Murphy, might go somewhere between Surround the 1st Panzer and 23rd Alden Greene and Martin Staunton. Nagyvárad (B34.11) and Debrecen Panzer divisions in their starting These gentlemen were early play testers (B27.08) to support your forces positions and force them to spend their for Stéphane and without their help in operating to the north or on the direct energies saving themselves instead of this regard, we wouldn’t have HR as route to Budapest. The other might be hurting you. The historical battle of another OCS game for our positioned to support a drive west Debrecen happened in part because the consideration. across the Danube River through Germans and Hungarian forces weren’t My thanks also go out to every play Szeged (A50.31). pressed hard enough elsewhere. Did I tester, proofreader and utility infielder- • You have more Headquarters than mention that every unit you can kill now type guy who answered the call to help you need to create your supply net. Use in the open is one you don’t have to pry

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody out of Budapest later? Just as you will opponent will suffer the Hungarian supply, you can make holiday find yourself lacking in Infantry steps, Collapse. Suddenly your forces that mincemeat of them—need I remind so will your opponent. A German 4-AR were gasping for supply have more than you that every unit you can kill in the Division that starves attempting to they seemingly could ever use. It’s a open need not be killed in Budapest? garrison Debrecen (B27.08) or wonderful holiday gift from Santa You might even leave something that Nyíregyháza (B20.07) is one you won’t Stalin, but he wants results! looks tempting to lure them out (like a face later. Pontoon! They come back with an Eq, • Should you have been lucky enough to so losing one isn’t fatal). • When you break through in a vital obtain Artillery Ammunition markers, area, swarm the field with units. The this is the moment you have been Tendency #3: Axis can play Whack-A-Mole against a waiting for. All that artillery, silent until Budapest is too Weak. one (or two) hex bridgehead, so make now, can thunder into life. Use it as your exploitation too big for them to “Breakthrough Artillery” to DG entire When the Soviet jaws snap shut around deal with. Decent Axis players can cut sectors you plan to steamroll, or to get the city, the Axis player must defend through a light cordon! I have seen your forces adjacent to Budapest. with what’s there. It ought to be 6-9 them create Wagon Extenders to get steps per hex, but it’s so easy for those • Don’t forget that you need to around the loss of Csap (B12.10) and steps to be somewhere else that seemed surround Budapest from the North as escape what I presumed to be a fatal vital a few turns earlier. Any unit the well as the South (and possibly get a encirclement. Soviets can lure out of Budapest doesn’t Pontoon up there to increase the Axis need to be blasted out. The Soviets • Like any OCS game, you need to map player’s pain), if you declared “Surround might even capture a few hexes with a out your anticipated supply net a few Budapest” as your Objective. When you breakthrough, particularly as you come turns in advance, and then work to surround the city, it needs to be a around west of the city. create it. Same with the places where massive, decisive, overwhelming kind you want your key units and major of encirclement, since letting the Axis Tendency #4: forces. Ask yourself at the start of every restore Trace Supply is A Very Bad Believing in the Margit Line. turn: “What is The Key Thing to do?” Thing. Then focus on that Key Thing This is the line of “hogs” between Axis Tendencies to Take Advantage relentlessly and exclusively. There is so Budapest and Lake Balaton. It’s a lovely of… much you can do in OCS that defensive line, but the Soviets can inexperienced players often get There are some tendencies of power through it more easily than the distracted with Mission Creep, or they inexperienced Axis players which can Axis player would expect! A few hexes spend SPs and units on secondary throw the game out of balance in your back are Heavy Woods and other, matters. Go sit down on your favor. MUCH better locations for defensive opponent’s side of the table and ask works. The Axis player may not have Tendency #1: yourself how you would deal with the sufficient supply to Hog the whole situation confronting them. Stretched Too Thin. thing but putting Hogs on the transportation lines will give them a few • Prior to 1 December, pontoons over Defending north of the White Line more turns to escape encirclement. The the Danube River do not function at full (19.xx hex row) too far forward so their Soviets can pulverize the Margit Line effectiveness. As a consequence, no forces are too stretched out. All that with massive artillery during December major operations across the Danube defensible terrain looks just too good to and choose their spot to pierce it. River are realistic until then. You can get give up! infantry forces west of the Danube Countering Konrad Welcome this. You can stretch them River before then, but they are out, push along all the transportation By January, the Soviets are quite likely vulnerable. This is a use of resources lines, and ooze around them. The north to have encircled Budapest. Now they that must be seriously evaluated. Think can become a real sinkhole for Axis must reduce the city while hard on this point. units. The mountain battles are like the simultaneously holding off the frantic • You get GREAT Variable chess match you see between Axis efforts to break through the Soviet Reinforcements, particularly opponents in OCS Burma. lines. To make things even more Equipment, aircraft and difficult, the other Fronts in the Great Tendency #2: Cavalry/Motorized units. Let them take Patriotic War are again active. Supplies the casualties, as they can come back. Sticking One’s Head into the Lion’s for your Front return to stingy levels. Mouth. • December will be a magical time for •The Danube River is a shield the Axis the Soviets in 1944. Hungary is the only Launching late November/early can’t cross without their Pontoon. But active front, and Stalin favors you with December spoiling attacks with Axis they have one, so the Soviets should not showers of SP. At some point, your mobile units. With the massive Soviet

The Gamers, Inc. fail to line the river with units if facing a •Overrun it again with a Cavalry Corps count on 2-3 Eq per turn, 2-3 creative player. in Exploit Movement. Cav/Motorized per turn, and often a Rumanian. Let those units do most of •North of Budapest the Danube River •Attack with Exploit stacks. the dying—once you burn out your 5- is not a barrier for German forces so •Keep a 90-Barrage Strength Artillery AR Assault Engineers, anything with a make sure they can’t easily come that unit in range and in Reserve, to pound 4-AR becomes your lead unit, and the way. the hex during the Axis turn—you Cavalry or Armor units are most easily •The most likely routes of the Axis might kill another step. replaced. counterattacks are the river road Hit Budapest City hexes every single You might find an opponent who gives (A31.11 to A29.15), through the center turn, maybe even focusing on two hexes up Pest and stacks units 10-high in Buda (A33.11 to A34.15) or sweeping at a time. The Soviet player will take (Budapest was originally two cities, through the open terrain back towards losses. They will get AL2’s. They will Buda west of the Danube, and Pest to the Margit Line. Of these, the Margit suffer AL1o1’s while the Axis forces get the east). Thank him. It actually gives Line route plays to Axis strengths— measly Do1’s. It’s OK. Keep plugging the Soviets more freedom of movement they would LOVE to engage the away at this (historically, Budapest was once they own the road network in the Soviets in the open with all their 5-AR surrounded on 26 December and finally eastern city hexes. units. Oh, and when they re-occupy the fell on 12 February, so it took the Margit Line, remember that those Hogs Soviets about 14 turns to capture these German Players’ Notes magically become active again. 7 hexes). •Budapest is a transportation nexus, but By Chip Saltsman Caution—at some point the Axis will it doesn’t have a “beltway.” Shifting realize that Budapest is a big nest of When I was a kid, I loved riding roller- units around the encircled city is spotters and commence bombing coasters. They often started slowly, with difficult. Soviet players will find it adjacent stacks of assaulting forces. The a long climb up to the highest point helpful to bring up some Pontoons to Luftwaffe is only so big and it can’t be before the fast descent and exciting part provide as many water crossings as everywhere. happened. There is a class of newer possible. amusement park rides: roller-coasters The Axis cannot be allowed to re- •The Soviet player doesn’t have to beat that launch the cars with a steam establish Trace Supply to a Budapest the German counterattacks as much as catapult, going from zero to high speed hex controlled by the Soviets, so the block them. Plus, Soviets may have in seconds. That instantaneous “zero to Soviet player might focus on the more sufficient supply to only choose sixty” experience is what you get as the western side of the city first (A32.17 and between reducing the city and Axis player in Hungarian Rhapsody. A34.17). The Level 2 Hog in hex bludgeoning the German Panzers. A33.18 (Gellert Hill or Castle Hill) may October. It will start as you watch the •Budapest is a tough nut. Once the be the one to save for the end since it is Soviet blob engulf your front-line forces Soviets take all the outer defensive a particularly tough nut to crack. on the 5 October turn. Don’t panic. A works, they are faced with seven city few things to consider in this first If your German opponent takes the hexes that have printed Hogs. Two of month of the campaign: southern route, you don’t have to fight those city hexes are Major City him in the open. Jump behind the Váli As you do your setup, we encourage (Extremely Close terrain), and one of Creek (it flows between A33.13 to you to setup the 13th Panzer in 40.25, those has a Level 2 Hog. Taking these A37.17) and set up in the terrain there. in Reserve Mode on their Move Mode hexes, particularly if filled with Axis The Soviet player might even build a side. There objective is to help Szeged forces, can require several turns of few Hogs of his own. Place Mech Corps hold out. (If the Soviets read this, they layered attacks. and Tank Corps ready to jump in where may try to Trainbust the path these The Soviet menu of options includes: needed—they may need to stay in units would take.) You might even put reserve around hex A34.16 to avoid the units in 50.30 in Reserve to jump •DG the target hex before anything overcrowding in the terrain just west of into Szeged as well. Place Fighters in else, hopefully with a Hip Shoot. Budapest. 54.27. •Overrun it with adjacent stacks of When facing an Axis double-turn, the The Axis forces cannot go toe-to-toe Infantry or bring in a Cavalry Corps. Soviet player should DG every Axis with the Soviets in the Hungarian Plain. •Barrage it with the monster Soviet 144- unit in reach to reduce their You can try, but you will get swarmed. Strength Katyusha division (which can effectiveness. A well-placed You CAN execute very effective often kill a step outright). Trainbusting marker can also seriously limited-goal counterattacks (the mess with their evil little plans. historical Battle of Debrecen was one of •Attack it during the Combat Phase. these) but be very careful not to over- Look at that Soviet replacement schedule! Yum yum! The Soviets can

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody extend. Hit them, hurt them, and hustle enough force gathered in several places Any encirclement of Budapest requires away! (it’s instructive to look at the setup for a northern pincer, and sometimes this is later campaign starts to see where the the weakest Soviet thrust. The Soviets mechanized blob can go Axis forces are positioned): north, east or center in a big phalanx, Historically, Budapest was surrounded but not all at once. The seemingly West of the Danube. “Winter is on the 26 Dec turn. irresistible blob has a very limited Coming” is the refrain in the popular January. Your Soviet opponent has his logistical tail. Use river lines as blocking video series “Game of Thrones”, and in most difficult challenge during this positions, especially at the bridges, as your case this means the twin terrors are month. He must reduce the Budapest you backpedal. Get your Panzer mountains of Soviet SP and full Fortress and hold off your Konrad Divisions reassembled and out of the bridging capability over the Danube. counteroffensive. Not an easy task. line where they can function as Reserves You need troops to confront this. Make it harder for him! This is your best or a counterattack force. I said “line” Budapest. The Budapest garrison is chance to win the game via Sudden but it is really a series of staged retreat insufficient on its own to hold the city. Death. Look carefully at your routes blocking positions. Nagyvárad and By December 1 you need units holding into Budapest, and don’t forget you Debrecen are places where a force with every hex in case of a sudden have a Pontoon unit to employ as well. some SP might hold out for a few turns breakthrough. Don’t get caught short Then bash away! and they dominate the local road net. here. Hex A35.18 needs some Trainbusting key choke-point hexes Your Soviet opponent starts the Hedgehog construction. helps as well. Konrad Campaign scenario with North of Budapest. The area between diminished forces, he has a lot of units You have to get as many of your east- Budapest/Vac and Salgótarján (A22.23) in the dead pile including many of his edge units back as possible. For the first will get pushed on from the vicinity of tank and mechanized brigades. You do few turns, this is the sole occupation of Hatvan (A29.24) and Gyöngyös have a considerable force to work with, your Rail Cap. If the Soviets get north (A27.25). which includes the most panzer of the Tisza in the vicinity of Csap or divisions at any one point in the game. Beregszász before these forces can Slovakia. There are only a few avenues In addition you will receive a full panzer escape, it is real trouble. These units, of advance in this area, and Rough division on January 5 (the 20th) particularly the infantry, are needed all Terrain the whole way. But you don’t however, it’s use it or lose because it will along your front. need Soviet forces bursting through withdraw on January 19th (along with undermanned lines here. We have seen the Partisan force hold the 8th panzer.) out past 29 October, but that’s unusual. And all this will lead to... It’s tempting to try the northern route Forcing the Axis to tie down units and December. The Soviet player will come to Budapest along the roads just west of expend SP is their primary function. whooping towards Székesfehérvár Komarom (A30.29) and south of the Unfortunately, they have to be dealt (A39.13) in the south. The line of map- Danube because your forces are close to with rapidly. Try to kill a unit each turn printed Hedgehogs isn’t going to ward your objective. However, the terrain is and keep pressing them. them off. Consider having more in- mostly very close, heavy woods. November. You will be helped this depth fortifications waiting around Consequently, trying to get into month by the inability of the Soviets to Bicske (A34.14), Mór (A36.10), Budapest by this route will be a slow get across the Danube with anything Pétfürdö (A39.10) and Veszprém grind and very costly in supply and but Leg MA units. If your campaign is (A41.09). They probably can’t push past units. Playtesting has revealed that the following the historical pattern, the the Yellow Line, but make sure they southern route into Budapest may offer Soviets will be pressing your forces back decide not to try. You also need to the Axis player his best chance for a to the defensive lines around Budapest. guard against a “backdoor” seizure of Sudden Death Win by reestablishing This is easiest for them coming up via the Budapest hexes west of the Danube. Trace Supply to Budapest. Kecskemét, but they also need to get Should the Soviets surround the city, The terrain is much better in the south, around to the north and usually aim at you might be able to re-open Trace but there is a narrow corridor available, Vác (A28.18). You have much better Supply to the city for a sudden death allowing the Soviet player to pack his defensive terrain here and can stage a win against an unwary opponent (who defense. There no secret formula here, fight for every hex.At the same time, assumed they were safe before your the Axis player must use simply use you will be holding off the White Frame Konrad forces arrive). good OCS play technique to give units in their march across the top of The Soviets may go straight at himself his best chance. Having the the map. Great defensive terrain, but Budapest. Have at least six steps per hex initiative to allow the possibility of a don’t let that lull you into under- ready for it. double turn is critical in this regard (as it defending the area. As this is going on, is for any important operation in the you will need to ensure you have OCS). Also, consider launching the

The Gamers, Inc. decisive offensive in the Exploitation (Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, Stalingrad The plan was simple. From the north, Phase thereby avoiding the barrages of and Moscow), the Soviets lost almost as the 4th Ukrainian Front was to cut the the Soviet Reaction Phase. This is best many men and more material as were railroad line from Sátoraljaújhely done where there is full flight; however lost by the British and US armies lost in (B14.05) to Beregszász (B15.15) and that’s only a one in six chance in the whole of the Second World War in from the east and south, the 2nd January. Planning is required here. So, the ETO. Ukrainian Front was to occupy while you’re waiting for full flight, a Debrecen (B27.08) and Nyíregyháza Battle for Budapest, Krisztian diversionary attack along the Northern (B20.07). Ungvary route may draw Soviet forces to that The Germans at this time were action and away from your southern By early October 1944, only one Axis concentrating mobile units to launch operation. During playtesting I’ve seen allied country remained in the war: their own “Operation Gypsy Baron” just one Axis player (a seasoned OCS Hungary. The Soviet steamroller eyed which aimed at the destruction of the player) come close to the relief of Budapest to the west across the 2nd Ukrainian Front. This was Budapest, missing by just one hex. Hungarian Plain. Beyond Budapest was forestalled when the Soviets attacked However, it appears to be possible. Vienna, and for Stalin the opportunity first. Good luck. to seize as much ground as possible before the end of hostilities. Stalin also The Soviet advance bogged down February. The 1st SS panzer corps viewed Hungary’s capital city as a key immediately in the north. The 1st arrives February 15 consisting primarily political prize. He considered the swift Panzer Army was able to stop the 4th of the SS-AH and SS-HJ divisions to seizure of Budapest and Vienna would Ukrainian Front’s strong attacks and the make one last attempt to breakthrough position the Soviet Union well for the mountain passes provided the Axis to Budapest. This will again be a hard post-war world. good defensive positions. It was soon grind for the Axis player and the notes apparent that only the 2nd Ukrainian above all pertain. Be advised the Soviet Stalin ordered Marshal Rodion Front had the potential to reach its player gets six free hedgehogs each turn Malinovsky, a future Soviet minister of objectives. It had the forces on hand but in February to stiffen his defense. So, defense, to seize Budapest “in the was contending with extremely difficult the sooner the Axis player gets his shortest possible time—in days even.” logistics. It proved impossible to ensure offensive moving the better. For Adolf Hitler, Budapest was vital. It normal levels of supply. Spare parts for Historical Notes & Play was the capital of Germany's last aircraft, materials, and new tanks were remaining ally in Europe and the not available during October as Commentary gateway to Vienna and southern everything had to be transported across Germany. In addition, the last available the Dniester River. Malinovsky had to By Stéphane Acquaviva crude oil plants were in Hungary do the job with what he had and could Nearly 30% of the military operations (Nagykanizsa and Komárom). Hitler not count on any consistent logistical of the Second World War were battles believed that strong counteroffensives support. in Hungary coupled with a stout for built-up areas. A sizeable proportion The dates when the Soviets occupied defense in Poland would keep the of these took the form of city sieges, various cities were: Nagyvárad (B34.11) Soviets off-balance and prevent them which proved the bloodiest of all. On (14 Oct), Debrecen (B27.08) (20 Oct), from massing their forces against the Italian front the average number of Nyíregyháza (B20.07) (21 Oct), Ungvár Berlin. German casualties between 1943 and (B9.11) and Munkács (B11.15) (28 Oct). 1945 was 400 per week, and even on the The stage was set for the Battle of However, the Soviets could not western front it did not exceed 1000 in Budapest, a brutal campaign featuring maintain their position in Nyíregyháza the same period. On the other hand, the the very last German offensive of the for long as the Germans suppression of the Warsaw uprising war. alone cost the German command 1250 counterattacked strongly and retook the troops a week. In Budapest the number The Battle of Debrecen city by 22 Oct, surrounding Plijev’s three corps—most of these conducted of German defenders fell from 45,000 5 - 26 Oct 1944 to 24,000 in seven weeks: in other what OCS calls a Breakout and returned words, every week almost 3000 German The main initial objective for the to the Soviet lines, with the loss of much troops were lost, three times as many as Soviets was to isolate the 8th Army and equipment. the 2nd Hungarian Army far away to on the western front, and that in Nyíregyháza was finally occupied by the the east in the Carpathians. Reaching addition to the Hungarian casualties. Russians for good on 30 Oct, but this the Danube was the second objective as For the Soviets, the siege of Budapest was too late. All the Axis troops the part of gaining the approaches to also proved to be one of the costliest Soviets had wished to isolate had Budapest, intended as the task of the operations of the Second World War. In withdrawn northwards into Slovakia. the battles for the five largest cities 46th Army. Axis Play

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody

In Slovakia, the Axis must deal with the as possible to delay the Soviets. The Axis troops withdraw, you should use Slovak partisans. They are not a great Germans counterattacked locally to buy any opportunity to attack the retreating threat but can block all railroads and time. units. The task of the 4th Ukrainian supply roads to the north, which can Front was a difficult one as they were In a second phase, the 4th SS Pol PG become a problem if Malinovsky facing Heinrici, a defensive specialist. Division was sent to the north at succeeds in his offensive. It is advised to By way of illustration, Csap (B12.10) Szolnok (A36.28) and counterattacked attack one partisan each turn in order to and Michalovce (B8.07) were captured on 16 Oct alongside the weak 24th Pz conserve precious supply. by the Soviets on 26 Nov 1944. Division and the 503rd Tiger Bn. They Regarding the 2nd Ukrainian Front did not get very far and were stopped Regarding the handling of the 2nd offensive, first of all: Don't Panic! The around Mezőtúr (A37.34), but the Ukrainian Front, the key issue will be situation is not as bad as it seems. The attack forced the Soviets to divert planning. Axis position consists of a weak troops and weakened their offensive First of all, you will have to DG the 1st Hungarian first line with five good towards Debrecen and Nyíregyháza. Pz Div and the 23rd Pz Div. You mobile formations in its second line. The Axis player has the option to cannot afford to leave them free to The first turns will be hard, but the launch the same kind of counterattack attack you. The Soviet player should Soviets will suffer losses as their supply but must prepare it carefully. attack directly in the north towards situation deteriorates. Moreover, you Debrecen (as Malinovsky did) without Finally, Germans launched a strong will receive reinforcements from both delay. attack around Nyíregyháza and the 8th Army and 2nd Hungarian Army surrounded the Plijev group while at the This front will have the main job and plus Tigers, the 24th Pz Division, and same time, all Axis troops to the East you should carefully choose your first some good PJ units. The balance will (8th Army and 2nd Hungarian Army) objectives and the routes you wish to shift your way slowly. You’ll have to escaped from the trap, passing north use. show the same talent as Gotthard into Slovakia. Heinrici who was able to withdraw his Rodion Malinovsky sent the 46th Army 1st Panzer and the 1st Hungarian By 29 Oct, both armies were exhausted. against Szeged (A50.31) and Óbecse Armies skillfully. For example, the 6th One Soviet objective had been taken (A60.31) in order to obtain a good Hungarian Corps started to withdraw (Debrecen), but no Axis units had been bridgehead around the city. Two from the passes on 15 Oct 44. By 29 trapped. However, German mobile pontoons were used, one in A58.33 and Oct, Heinrici’s lines were at B7.10, forces were now in poor condition, a second in A52.31, allowing easy B8.10, B9.10, B10.10, B11.11, and while the Russians could count on only crossing of the Tisza River there. 53rd B12.10 with Level 2 Hedgehogs in each two new strong formations (2nd Gd Army and 1st Rumanian Army were hex. The withdrawal should be done and 4th Gd Mech Corps) to sent between Csongrád (A43.30) and gradually and carefully with 8th Army immediately launch operations on Szolnok (A36.28) in order to protect the and the 2nd Hungarian Army. Otto Budapest. The Germans had to wait flank of his main attack. Wöhler, the commander of the 8th until mid-December to receive The 7th Gd Army, the 6th Gd Tank Army, had been Manstein’s talented significant additional mobile Army, Plijev, and Gorskov were Chief of Staff and further demonstrated formations. allocated to take Debrecen and his skills here. Soviet Play Nyíregyháza. In the east, the 27th Army During this time, you should delay the joined the attack and arrived at Do not expect miracles with the Slovak 2nd Ukrainian Front with all the Nagyvárad (B34.11) after the partisans. Despite high motivation, they Hungarian, AT, and Flak units you withdrawal of the 8th Army, while the were poorly armed and organized. The have. Stall so you can regroup the 4th Rumanian Army and the 40th Army Czech Paratroopers will give useful Panzer Divisions for a counterattack at conducted the pursuit in the north assistance, but their main objective is to the right moment. Yes, you should also through Szatmárnémeti (B20.18) and divert use of German SPs and to occupy be an expert in elastic defense like Nagykároly (B23.15). The plan had to important railroads as long as possible. Johannes Friessner (Army Group be modified when the Germans South) and Maximilian Fretter-Pico (6th The 4th Ukrainian Front (Ivan Petrov) counterattacked from Szolnok (A36.28) Army). has enough assets to represent a strong and the 7th Gd Army had to turn back force, but its obstacles are terrain and and abandon its push to Debrecen. What happened historically? The 46th Axis fortifications. Against a competent Infantry division was quickly sent by rail Malinovsky tried his best by sending the German opponent, it will be hard to from the 8th Army to the 6th Army in Plijev Group far behind the Axis lines, force the passes. You will not be able to order to hold the area behind but this was probably too risky to obtain attack every turn and will have to Nagyvárad (B34.11). This city was quite a decisive result. The Soviet player prepare two or three attacks and important and had to be held for as long should plan well and always keep the calculate the Supply needed. Once the

The Gamers, Inc. balance between being too cautious Malinovsky tried his best but was was north of the capital. The 6th Gd (because of logistical issues) and being proven right; it was impossible to enter Tank Army (5th Gd Tank Corps and too audacious (because of objectives). the city quickly and it required a long 9th Gd Mechanized Corps), Plijev (4th The lack of SPs will be frustrating, so siege. That is why the Stavka (Soviet & 6th Gd Cav Corps and the 4th Gd you will have to maneuver and try to High Command) decided to isolate the Mechanized Corps) and 7th Gd Army isolate poor quality Hungarian units city before attempting its capture. kicked off from Hatvan (A29.24), while your mobile troops attack crossed the Ipoly River to the The Soviets launched eight different “serious” objectives. Be careful with northwest, took Léva (A22.12) and offensives over two months before German counterattacks and always isolated Budapest from the north by finally succeeding in surrounding keep in mind that you have no occupying A28.14. This operation was Budapest. In order to achieve this, they reinforcements at all from the successful, but costly. used what they called Maskirovka; they Replacement Table until 29 Oct. Prior would mask and hide unit The southern part of this same Soviet to 29 Oct, you receive only 2 Eq and the concentrations and always attacked with offensive started at Csepel Island to the 2 Cav from the OoA. surprise at a weak point. south of Budapest (A35.18, A36.18). Timeline… 2nd Gd Mechanized Corps, 23rd Rifle • 29-31 Oct 1944: The first offensive Corps, and 37th Gd Rifle Corps were • 12 Oct: Soviets occupy Nagyvárad started prematurely with only 2nd Gd tasked to cross the Margit fortifications (B34.11). Mechanized Corps against Kecskemét and occupy Esztergom (A29.15). The (A41.25) and was quickly stopped by • 15 Oct: 6th Hungarian Corps starts to attack failed and was stopped in front of the presence of the 23rd and 24th Pz withdraw from the Eastern Pass. the Margit Line. Divisions. • 16 Oct: German counterattack starts • 20-29 Dec 44: This last offensive to • 1-5 Nov 1944: The second offensive with the 24th Pz Div, Polizei PG Div, surround Budapest was launched by targeted the area between the Danube and Tiger support. Gorskov (5th Gd Cav Corps and 7th and Kecskemét (A41.25). The attack by Mechanized Corps) from the area • 20 Oct: Soviets occupy Debrecen 2nd & 4th Gd Mechanized Corps with between Lake Velence (A37.15) and (B27.08). the 23rd Rifle Corps (motorized) Lake Balaton (A41.11), while the 18th enabled the Soviets to at least reach the • 21 Oct: Soviets occupy Nyíregyháza Tank Corps and 2nd Gd Mechanized suburbs of Budapest before grinding to (B20.07). Corps attacked from north of Lake a halt due to stiff resistance. Velence. This last push collapsed this • 22 Oct: Germans retake Nyíregyháza • 8-26 Nov 1944: The third offensive part of the Axis front and on 26 Dec (B20.07) with 1st Pz Div and 23rd Pz was launched by the 57th Army and 1944, the 18th Tank Corps entered Divisions. allowed the Soviets to obtain Esztergom (A29.15). • 28 Oct: Soviets occupy Ungvár bridgeheads on the western banks of Budapest was totally isolated. (B9.11) and Munkács (B11.15). the Danube (between A51.20 and A57.20). This was difficult, but Axis Play “Operation Budapest” eventually successful. The Soviets will play numbers against 29 Oct - 26 Dec 1944 • 10-26 Nov 1944: This fourth offensive you for sure. In the north, the situation By the end of Oct 1944, the Battle of was conducted by 2nd & 4th Gd can stay under control for a while Debrecen was ending. Stalin was not Mechanized Corps and Plijev (4th & 6th thanks to the terrain, but it is more satisfied with the progress, being more Gd Cav Corps and the 23rd Tank difficult to stop them in the south. A interested in political issues than Corps) with the help of 7th Gd Army good Axis player will anticipate Soviet military ones. He wanted Budapest between Cegléd (A36.25) and Szolnok movements and attacks while keeping captured as soon as possible. The fall of (A36.28) towards the direction of some mobile divisions in reserve. this big capital would have a significant Hatvan (A29.24). The advance was The main problem will occur after the impact on troop morale, allow the slow, but the objective was finally arrival of the 4th Gd Soviet Army on 19 installation of a Hungarian Communist reached. Nov 1944 when it will join the 57th regime, and would advance the Soviet • 26 Nov-10 Dec 1944: In the south, the Army to expand the Danube Union’s influence in Central Europe. 4th Gd Army joined the 57th Army to bridgeheads. At this point, most of your We have a record of an interesting continue to push from the bridgeheads mobile troops must be sent there. But discussion between Malinovsky and on the Danube River’s west bank. be careful! Stalin about this. Malinovsky wanted to These two armies reached the Margit wait 5 to 7 days in order to have more When the front stops, the Soviets are Line before being halted there. tanks and reorganize his armies, but able to line up their Artillery Divisions even this was refused by Stalin who • 5-20 Dec 1944: This was the largest and the effect can be terrible. Do not desired to take Budapest immediately. Soviet offensive in Hungary to date and hesitate to withdraw (if you can) as soon

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody as you feel that the Soviets are ready for • Send the SS Corps south in order to Kampfgruppe Pape (6th Pz and these barrages. Try to use the good rescue Budapest from that direction as element of 8th Pz Divisions with the terrain in defense, use the Luftwaffe at the open terrain there was easier for 239th StuG Bn) continued to push maximum and pray that “Gott mit uns” armor. The problem? This would give around Bicske (A34.14) while a strong isn’t just a slogan! the Soviets the time to react and attack was done north of prepare. Székesfehérvár (A39.13). Soviet Play • The second idea was to attack directly Pilisszentkereszt (A30.16) was taken on You receive lots of SPs in December, so toward Budapest, south of the Danube. 11 Jan 1945, but Hitler had already spend November getting ready for Here there is terrible terrain, but the decided to send the 4th SS Pz Corps them. Study the historical Soviet advantage of confronting unprepared south to try an offensive in the open offensives profiled above and plan your Soviet troops. terrain there. This came as a terrible campaign. You may face an opponent disillusionment for the soldiers of the who tries to hold the line of the Tisza The second option was selected. This Totenkopf (3rd SS Pz Div) and Wiking River for too long, and you can slip up developed into a race between the relief (5th SS Pz Div) divisions who were from the south to seize Hatvan attempt and the Soviet effort to crush convinced they could break through to (A29.24) before they can withdraw. the Budapest garrison. The drama was Budapest and hated to withdraw when even more personal to many soldiers of Focus on positioning yourself for the they were so close. In the meantime, the the 4th SS Pz Corps who had close ties influx of supply, which will greatly 20th Pz Division was able to stop and with the garrison and were powerfully accelerate your efforts. push back the 6th Gd Tank Army, motivated. A successful rescue would which saved Komárom for the time The Germans have some good mobile give the SS a “romantic” storyline that being. formations, but they can’t be would have been used in Nazi everywhere at once. Unless you break propaganda... even after the war. “Konrad III” through their lines, you need to prepare The Soviets decided to mount an attack 19 Jan - 12 Feb 1945 for three slogs: 1) around the north of across the Garam River with the 6th Gd Budapest to seize A28.14, 2) around the The third time is the charm, hoped the Tank Army in order to divert the south to pierce the Margit Line then Germans, and they maximized the maximum number of German troops advancing to Esztergom (A29.15) and chances for this offensive by adding from the relief attempt. Their objective Székesfehérvár (A39.13), and then 3) Tiger IIs and Assault Engineers. The was Komárom (A30.09), if possible, but straight ahead to capture the Attila attack came from the south with the any Axis forces they could distract from Hedgehogs. You have the numbers to objectives of Dunapentele (A41.18) and other areas would help the Soviet forces swarm them, though you will find it Dunaföldvár (A43.18). there as well. better to take losses in more-easily- The attack started out very promisingly replaced Cavalry/Eq units. Konrad I (1-7 Jan 1945): This attack was with the two cities occupied quickly, quite successful in the beginning. It When the Germans present you with a and even Székesfehérvár (A39.13) was came as a complete surprise to the line, you have plenty of air force (LRAF captured. Soviets because they failed to detect the included) and massive amounts of 4th SS Pz Corps. Curiously, throughout While Soviet logistics were thrown into artillery to DG it. the war, the Soviets were usually able to turmoil, the Germans did not have If you are using this setup as the detect Wehrmacht troop deployments, enough infantry to hold the terrain and campaign start, we have found that less but they always had problems they were unable to cross the Váli experienced German players often identifying SS units. The main objective (A36.15) south of Budapest. Under under-garrison Budapest, making it was Bicske (A34.14) and the road south pressure and continuous attack against more easily captured than historically. of the Danube River leading directly to their flanks, they were forced to They also tend to counterattack a little Budapest. During this same time, the withdraw at the end of January. too aggressively, opening up their 6th Gd Tank Army approached to The Budapest garrison was doomed mobile units to destruction. within 15 km of the oil refinery of from this point on. During all the Komárom (7 Jan 1945) and it became “Konrad I” & “Konrad II” Konrad operations, the 4th SS Pz Corps clear to the Soviets that the German fought bravely, usually outnumbered, 1 - 12 Jan 1945 attack’s direction would have to shift. and inflicted extremely high losses on After the disastrous encirclement of • Konrad II (8-12 Jan 1945): Two routes Soviet tanks. It was, however, not Budapest, the German high command were possible: One through Esztergom enough. The Soviet high command reacted as rapidly as possible. The 4th (A29.15), just south of the Danube, reacted professionally and never lost SS Pz Corps had just disembarked at River and another directly through the their nerve. Győr (A32.04) close to the front, so the hills via Pilisszentkereszt (A30.16). The Germans had two possible solutions: latter was chosen. Meanwhile,

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The Red Army had become a tough The entire plan was a complete fantasy The weather cooperated with the opponent. and a remake of Kursk coming from an Soviets, drying the ground to the point even weaker position. At this point of where mud was no longer an issue. In Budapest, things deteriorated rapidly. the war, the SS units had significantly The Axis supply situation in the pocket The end came quickly: deteriorated in ability. Following their became critical. As it was evident that losses at the Battle of the Bulge, the SS • The Soviets tried to surround the SS no help was forthcoming, the survivors divisions were manned with some forces between Lake Velence and Lake decided to break out on 11 Jan 1945. Of inexperienced and very young men Balaton. Despite all their efforts, they the remaining 28,000 Hungarians and from the Kriegsmarine and the couldn’t close the bag and many German soldiers, only 700 were able to Luftwaffe. They were up against German troops escaped via a very small reach Axis lines. All the others were qualitatively ever-improving Soviet pass under constant Soviet artillery fire. killed or captured. units, especially AT forces. The latter • On both sides of the Danube River, On 13 Jan 1945, Budapest was taken. only accepted experienced gunners and the German front collapsed. By the end were considered elite units at this point “Operation Südwind” of March 1945, Soviet forces were in in the war. Austria. The main breakthrough area 15 - 22 Feb 1945 The weather was terrible and the terrain was just south of the Danube River. After the fall of Budapest, Hitler a sea of mud, not ideal for Panzer Without supply, ammunition, or fuel, prepared for a new offensive in oprations. the German remnants retreated under Hungary in order to secure the oil fields Worse, the Soviets anticipated exactly pressure, but still miraculously avoided of Nagykanizsa (A52.01). when and where to expect the offensive encirclement. The 1st SS Pz Corps arrived in mid and were more than prepared to receive Vienna fell on 13 April 1945 after a February 1945 and (as usual) wasn't it. They prepared massive defensive week of bitter fighting. German forces detected by Soviet intelligence. The works on a Kursk-like scale, up to 25- were disintegrating everywhere by this Germans wanted to use those troops 30 km deep. point, as the war entered its final weeks. immediately to destroy the Soviet The SS units battered their way forward bridgehead over the Garam River in 1-3 hexes in 10 days. To the south of Hungarian Rhapsody preparation to launch an offensive to Lake Balaton, the 91st Corps and 2nd the east, north of the Danube River. Personalities Pz Army did not have the strength to do The attack was a surprise for the much of anything. By 14 Mar 1945, the By Chip Saltsman Soviets. At this time, the 6th Gd Tank last offensive had petered out. Finally, The battles in Hungary during late 1944 Army was refitting, and Stalin was on 16 Mar 45, the Soviets and early 1945 featured an interesting preoccupied with offensives to take counterattacked with “Operation cast of characters, some for their infamy East Prussia and Silesia. The attack was Vienna.” and some for the mark they would make a success and the Soviets were pushed The Germans had used up virtually all on the world stage in the years after the behind the Garam River with heavy their oil and ammunition reserves war. losses. without achieving a breakthrough. Leonid Brezhnev (December 19, 1906 On the other hand, the Soviets had now Moreover, the last oil refinery complex - November 10, 1982) Major General located the 1st SS Pz Corps. in Army Group South’s sector was Leonid Brezhnev became leader of the totally destroyed in a raid by the US Air “Spring Awakening” to “Operation Soviet Union from 1964 until his death Force on 14 Mar 1945. Vienna” Considering the already terrible 5 - 29 Mar 1945 ammunition supply conditions, the lack While not part of Hungarian Rhapsody, of oil had a disastrous effect on the the Axis’ last gasp took place in March. German mobile units. One after the The Axis objectives of “Spring other, the Panzers had to be abandoned Awakening” were to push to the and destroyed by their own crews. Danube River around Dunaföldvár The Soviets launched the new 9th Gd (A43.18) and occupy the terrain north Army, the 6th Gd Tank Army, and all of Lake Velence (A37.14 & A37.15). At troops already present towards Tata the same time, there was a double attack (A31.11), Tatabánya (A33.12) and Mór from south of Lake Balaton with the (A36.10). At the same time, the Plijev 2nd Pz Army, and from the Drava River Group and all troops east of the Garam with the 91st Corps to occupy Pécs River attacked towards Komárom (A56.13) and Dombóvár (A52.12). (A30.09) and Érsekújvár (A26.08).

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody in 1982. Helped in his rise by political SS in 1931 and in 1934 he joined the SS to command Army Group Vistula, patron Nikita Khrushchev, Brezhnev combat support forces. As the facing 1.5 million Soviet soldiers was the Political Officer of the 18th commander of a battalion in an SS-V advancing on Berlin in the final months Army in the Caucasus, particularly regiment, Gille participated in the of the war. Dismissed during the chaos supporting their landings at invasion of Poland and in the western of the fall of Berlin, he surrendered to Novorossiysk (about which he wrote a campaign. In 1940 he was appointed a the British forces and spent three years book named “The Little Land”). regimental commander in the SS in captivity. Heinrici was featured During the Hungarian Rhapsody Division Wiking, eventually becoming prominently in Cornelius Ryan’s book Campaign, Brezhnev was the Chief of its commander. Early in 1944, Gille The Last Battle. Married to a half- the Political Directorate of the 4th participated in the breakout of the Jewish (Mischling) himself, Heinrici Ukrainian Front (the white frame units Group Stemmermann from the supported many Nazi policies including in the northern part of the map). Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket. In January the Lebensraum concept. As a military 1945 Gille, as leader of the IV SS Panzer commander, historians described him Maximilian Fretter-Pico (6 February Corps, led the failed attempt to relieve as the premiere defensive expert of the 1892 – 4 April 1984) commanded 6 the encircled German and Hungarian Wehrmacht and a genius admired by his Armee during the Hungarian Rhapsody troops in the Battle of Budapest. He peers, although little-known today campaign. Fretter-Pico followed a path surrendered to the U.S forces in Austria. because he was, in the words of one After the war, Gille became active in historian, "as charismatic as a 20-pound HIAG, a lobby group and a revisionist sack of fertilizer". However, he was veteran's organization founded by revered by his officers and men who former high-ranking Waffen-SS nicknamed him Unswer Giftzwerg personnel in West Germany in 1951. (literally “our poison dwarf” but Gille died in 1966. meaning “our tough little bastard”) in recognition of his character and lack of Gotthard Heinrici (25 December physical stature. 1886 – 10 December 1971) came from a family of soldiers reaching back to the Rodion Malinovsky (23 November 12th Century. He was a World War I 1898 – 31 March 1967) was Commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front and most of the Soviet forces present in the game. Malinovsky was similar to many German senior officers: a decorated World War I junior officer who stayed with the military between the wars. He was the German Military Attaché to Turkey in 1938. At the start of Operation Barbarossa, he commanded the 97th Jaeger Division in Army Group South. He was promoted to lead XXX Corps at the end of 1941 and participated in the Battle of Sevastopol. In mid-1944 he was given veteran, who fought on both the command of 6 Armee until the end of Eastern and Western fronts as a junior the year. After being relieved for failure officer. He commanded the XII Corps to halt the Soviet advance, he was during the Battle for France in World placed in command of IX Corps, an War II and succeeded in breaking under-strength reserve unit. He through the Maginot Line. He turned out of his house by a stepfather surrendered to the Americans and was commanded the 4th Army during the at age 13 and survived by working as a interned until 1947. first two years of Barbarossa, honing his farmhand. Despite being underage, he Herbert Otto Gille (8 March 1897 – 26 defensive skills during the winter battles enlisted in the Russian Army during December 1966) Gille was a recipient of in front of Moscow. In the summer of World War I and was promoted for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1944, he was placed in command of the courage under fire. He was part of the with Oak Leaves, Swords and First Panzer Army and First Hungarian Western Front Russian Expeditionary Diamonds, making him the most highly Army and skillfully managed to retreat Force and fought in the west, even decorated Waffen-SS member of the into Slovakia in the face of determined earning the Croix de Guerre from the war. Gille joined the Nazi Party and the Soviet attacks. Heinrici was appointed French government. Malinovsky fought

The Gamers, Inc. in the Russian Civil war and in the group consisting of 4th Guards Cavalry his book Stuka Pilot. Rudel was a Spanish Civil War (as a volunteer on the Corps and 4th Mechanized Corps committed and unrepentant National Republican side). During the early part during the Bereznegovataia-Snigirevka Socialist. After the war, he founded a of Operation Barbarossa, Malinovsky Operation along the Black Sea coast, as relief organization for Nazi war distinguished himself as one of the few part of the 3rd Ukrainian Front under criminals, and aided fugitives to escape competent Soviet generals. His Army General Rodion Malinovsky. In to Latin America or the Middle East, command of the Second Guards Army the fall of 1944, he commanded a including helping to hide Joseph against Hoth near Kotelnikovo during cavalry-mechanized group consisting of Mengele. He became a military advisor the battle of Stalingrad was the first time two corps during the Battle of and arms dealer in South America, the Wehrmacht lost a large-scale clash Debrecen. He ended the war in supporting the Peron government in of armor. Malinovsky was a key figure command of the Soviet-Mongolian Argentina, the Pinochet regime in Chile in the battles against Army Group Cavalry-Mechanized Group of the and the Stroessner government in South all the way into Hungary. Transbaikal front in Manchuria, fighting Paraguay. Several of his business Following the Battle of Budapest, his against the Japanese Kwantung Army. dealings were with former Nazi’s, forces liberated Vienna and Brno. He Pliyev reappeared on the historical stage including Otto Skorzeny and Klaus took part in the Soviet invasion of during the Cuban Missile Crisis, as the Barbie. Despite missing a leg, he was an Manchuria at the end of World War II. commander of Soviet forces secretly avid sportsman and mountaineer, Following the war, Malinovsky deployed to Cuba as part of Operation succeeding in climbing Aconcagua, the continued to rise, eventually becoming Anadyr. highest peak in the Americas. Rudel was Minister of Defense from 1957 until his married three times, coincidentally to Hans-Ulrich Rudel (2 July 1916 – 18 death in 1967. He commented about his three women named Ursula. December 1982) was the most career: “Service is service, wherever it decorated German serviceman of Gerhard Schmidhuber (9 April 1894 – occurred. The defense of the fatherland World War II. He is best known for 11 February 1945) Schmidhuber was is no small thing.” commanding officer of the 13th Panzer Issa Alexandrovich Pliyev (25 Division during World War II. When November 1903 – 2 February 1979) was the Germans occupied Hungary in the commander of Group Pliyev. He was born in the Caucasus region (what

flying a Stuka armed with twin 37mm anti-tank cannons mounted under the wings and inventing the anti-tank 1944, Schmidhuber was supreme aircraft. He is credited with the commander of German army forces in destruction of 519 tanks, as well as that country. In that capacity, he had several ships, including heavily is now North Ossetia) and spend his extensive dealings with the Swedish damaging the Soviet battleship Marat. military career in the cavalry. The diplomat Raoul Wallenberg and after He flew 2,530 ground-attack missions military historian David Glantz being threatened that he would on the Eastern Front and another 430 described Pliyev as a “great practitioner subsequently be treated as a war missions flying the Fw-190. Rudel was of cavalry operations in adverse criminal, prevented the liquidation of severely wounded on 8 February 1945, terrain”. At the start of the invasion of the Jewish ghetto. The massacre was requiring the amputation of his lower the Soviet Union, Pliyev commanded stopped at the last minute thanks to the right leg. Undaunted, he was flying in the 50th Cavalry Division (renamed 3rd courage and daring action of combat again on 25 March, finally Guards Cavalry Division). His unit Wallenberg, but many believe – and surrendering to the Americans on 8 participated in the Battle of Moscow some survival reports support the idea May 1945 at the Kitzigen airfield. His and the Battle of Stalingrad. Pliyev – that Schmidhuber did not do so to wartime career was described in detail in commanded a cavalry-mechanized save himself but as an act of humanity.

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Schmidhuber was killed in action in the Raoul Wallenberg (4 August 1912 – Soviet Battle of Budapest, during the chaos of 1947-1952?) was a Swedish architect, the survivors attempting to break businessman, diplomat and • 2-2-8 SP Arty Bn: SU-76 through the encircling Soviet forces. He humanitarian. He is widely celebrated • 3-2-8 AT Bn: SU-85 was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. • 3-3-8 AT Bn (yellow): SU-100 Fyodor Ivanovich Tolbukhin (June • 3-4-8 AT Bn (yellow): Gd SU-100 16, 1894 – October 17, 1949) was the • 6-2-8 SP Arty Bde: Gd SU-76 commander of the 3rd Ukrainian Front during the events in Hungarian • 3-4-6 AG Bn (yellow): Gd JSU-122 or Gd JSU-152 • 9-3-8 AT Bde (yellow): SU-100 • 4-4-6 Tank Bn (yellow): Gd JS-II for saving tens of thousands of Jews in • 4-2-8 Tank Rgt (yellow): Mixed T- Nazi-occupied Hungary during the 34/76 & Lend-Lease Tanks Holocaust from German Nazis and Hungarian Fascists during the later • 9-3-8 Tank Bde (red): Gd T-34/76 stages of World War II. While serving • 9-3-8 Tank Bde (red): T-34/85 as Sweden's special envoy in Budapest Rhapsody. He volunteered for the between July and December 1944, • 9-4-8 Tank Bde (red): Gd T-34/85 Imperial Army in 1914 at the outbreak Wallenberg issued protective passports • 9-4-6 Tank Bde (red): M4 Sherman of World War I. and was steadily and sheltered Jews in buildings (Lend-Lease) promoted, advancing from private to designated as Swedish territory. On 17 captain by 1916. He was commander of January 1945, during the Siege of Rumanian the 58th Army during the Battle of Budapest by the Red Army, Wallenberg • 3-4-6 Tank Bn (yellow): PzIV Stalingrad, and impressed Yeremenko was summoned to General sufficiently to be given command of a Malinovsky's headquarters in Debrecen • 3-3-6 Tank Rgt (yellow): T-34/85 Front. During the Summer Campaign, to answer allegations that he was German from June to October 1944, Tolbukhin engaged in espionage. Wallenberg's last and Malinovsky launched their invasion recorded words were, "I'm going to • (1)-5-6 AT Comp (yellow): Nashorn of the Balkans and were able to conquer Malinovsky's ... whether as a guest or • 1-5-7 AT Co (yellow): JgdPzV most of Romania. On September 12, prisoner I do not know yet." He was 1944, two days after Malinovsky was detained by SMERSH on suspicion of • 5-4-6 AT Bn (yellow): JgdPzIV promoted to Marshal of the Soviet espionage and subsequently • 4-4-5 AT Bn (yellow): Hetzer Union, Tolbukhin was promoted to the disappeared. He was later reported to same rank. While Malinovsky moved have died on 17 July 1947 while • 4-3-6 AT Bn (yellow): MarderIII northwest, towards Hungary and imprisoned by the KGB secret police in • 4-3-6 AG Bn (yellow): StuGIII (Poor) Yugoslavia, Tolbukhin occupied the Lubyanka, the KGB headquarters Bulgaria. Starting in the Winter and affiliated prison in Moscow. Other • 4-4-6 AG Bn (yellow): StuGIII Campaign, Tolbukhin shifted his army reports have him surviving until 1952. • 4-5-6 AG Bn (yellow): StuGIII (Elite) to the northwest axis, thereby liberating The motives behind Wallenberg's arrest much of Yugoslavia and invading and imprisonment by the Soviet • 2-2-5 AG Co (yellow): Mixed Italian southern Hungary (these are the forces government, along with questions Tanks that enter the map on the southern edge surrounding the circumstances of his • 6-4-5 SP Arty Bn: Brummbar midway through the events in death and his possible ties to US Hungarian Rhapsody). Tolbukhin is intelligence, remain mysterious and are • 2-5-5 Pz Co (yellow): Tiger I generally regarded as one of the finest the subject of continued speculation. Soviet generals of World War II. • 3-5-4 Pz Co (yellow): Tiger II For an expanded version of this article Meticulous, careful, and not overly • 3-3-6 Pz Bn (yellow): PzIII ambitious like some Soviet and other Hungarian Rhapsody related information visitww.ocsdepot.com. commanders, Tolbukhin was well • 5-4-6 Pz Bn (yellow): PzIV respected by fellow commanders and by • 6-5-6 Pz Bn (yellow): PzIV (Elite) his men, especially since he had a Composition of Selected • 6-5-7 Pz Bn (yellow): PzV dedication to keeping casualty rates low. Units • 7-5-7 Pz Bn (yellow): PzV (Elite)

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• 10-4-6 Pz Bde (red): PzV & PG FHH Feldherrnhalle Repl Replacement Hungarian Flm Flamethrower Res Reserve • 4-4-5 AT Bn (yellow): Hetzer Fus Füsilier Rgt Regiment • 4-4-6 AG Bn (yellow): StuGIII Gal Galizien Ros Rosiori • 5-3-6 Pz Bn (yellow): Mixed Turan & Gld Glider RR Railroad PzIV Gd Guards Rum Rumanian Modern Place Names Gre Grenadier RVGK Reserve of the Supreme Kolozsvár (B34.27) is now “Cluj.” Grp Group High Command Nagyvárad (B34.10) is now “Oradea.” HD Hoch und Deutschmeister S Slovakian Szatmárnémeti (B20.18) is now “Satu Hdsr Handschar SP Self-Propelled Mare.” HJ Hitlerjugend Sec Security Abbreviations HQ Headquarters SS Schutzstaffel A Army Hung Hungarian Stu Student AG Assault Gun HW Horst Wessel SU Samokhodnaya Ustanovka AGS Army Group South Jg Jager Süd South AH Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler Katy Katyusha SzLz Szent-László AT Anti-tank KG Kampfgruppe T Totenkopf Arty Artillery Kom Komárom Tatra Tatra Panzer BC Budapest Csendőr Kor Korück (Rear-area units) Tk Tank (Gendarmerie) LRAF Long Range Airforce Tgr Tiger Bdbg Brandenburg Lt Light Tng Training Bde Brigade LW Luftwaffe UF Ukrainian Front Bdpst Budapest M Mechanized UR Fortified Area Bdr Border Mech Mechanized Ukr Ukrainian BG Border Guard MC Motorcycle VG Volks-Grenadier Bill Billnitzer MT Maria Theresia W Wiking Bn Battalion Mtn Mountain Werfer Nebelwerfer BP Budapest Mtrd Motorized Bibliography: OoA Order of Arrival Brkdwn Breakdown Erickson, John, The Road to Berlin, Cal Calarasi P Partisan Weidenfield and Nicolson 1983. Cav Cavalry PG Panzer Grenadier Glantz, David M. and House, Jonathan, When Titans Clashed, Birlinn 2000. Co Company PJ Panzerjager Glantz, David M., Art of War PO Polizei Comp Composite symposium, From the Vistula to the Det Detachment Pol Police Oder: Soviet Offensive Operations - October 1944 - March 1945, Pz Panzer Div Division glantzbooks.com 1986 (self published). PzA Panzer Army Dlwgr Dirlewanger Gosztony, Péter, Endkampf and der Fest Festung Reco Reconnaissance Donau 1944/1945, Verlag Fritz Molden 1969. FG Florian Geyer RE Regimental Equivalent

The Gamers, Inc. Hungarian Rhapsody

Hinze, Rolf, With the Courage of Countersheet 4 Inderdiction Markers. Desperation, Germany's defense of the Errata Counters. I’m very happy to have the opportunity southern sector of the Eastern Front to prepare for the use of all OCS players 1944-45, Helion 2013. Smolensk: these traditional Interdiction Markers. I Isaev, Aleksei and Kolomiets, Maksim, Two German infantry divisions have believe that the change to TB Markers Tomb of the Panzerwaffe, the Defeat the wrong Move Mode values. The 35th some years ago was a mistake. (I can’t of the Sixth SS Panzer Army in Hungary should be a 10-4-5, the 78th a 10-5-6. utter the actual words). I do see double 1945, Helion 2013. rails being interdicted, but I most often Korea II: see players placing interdiction markers Landwehr, Richard, Budapest The to impede an opponent’s road Stalingrad of the Waffen-SS, Siegrunen The Move Mode values of four of the movement. So, the real role of the 1998. UN counters have been corrected. marker is for interdiction, both rails and Maier, Georg Drama between Budapest The Blitzkrieg Legend: roads. and Vienna, J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing th The Dutch 5 cavalry battalion had an So freely use these markers as originally 2004. incorrect AR in Move Mode. intended in the OCS, to interdict the Nevenkin, Kamen, Take Budapest, The Sicily II: movement of enemy forces in History Press 2012. accordance with OCS rule 14.8. In each The missing MC.202 is now provided. instance just substitute Interdiction for Nevenkin, Kamen, Bécs még várhat, Beyond the Rhine: every mention of the dreaded TB in rule PeKo Publishing, 2014. 14.8 and you’ll be good to go. The British 157 Bde of the 52.AL Pencz, Rudolf, For the Homeland, division now has a leg movement factor Fog of War – Zero “Strength” Stackpole Books 2010. of 3 in Combat Mode. The Move Mode Step Loss Markers. Pierik, Perry, Hungary 1944-1945 The side remains unchanged (truck MA -16). As far as I know there is no use for a Forgotten Tragedy, Aspekt 1998. four strength step loss marker, which is Punk, György, Hungarian Aces of the back side of a three step marker. Supplemental Counters. World War 2, Osprey 2002. There are no five step units known to

me. Romsics Ignác, Magyarország a Beyond the Rhine: So, instead of this four step loss side, második világháborúban, Kossuth Roland LeBlanc has revised the I’ve created these zero step markers to 2011. Commonwealth order of battle by aid the fog of war. (My thanks to Mark providing six anti-tank battalions. Four Sharp, Charles C., Soviet Order of Mazer for this idea). Simply place a zero British and two Canadian have been Battle, World War II, George F. step marker under a full strength four added. Place each unit with the Nafziger, 1995. step unit and you have created some associated Corps HQ in the OOA as uncertainty in the mind of your Számvéber, Norbert, Az Alföldi below. The 63rd is independent and opponent. In addition, you could use páncéloscsata, Puedlo 2002. arrives October 8. one of these markers to place under a Számvéber, Norbert, Kard a pajzs September 5 Map A, west edge, south single step brigade, regiment or mögött, Puedlo 2007. of 25.xx - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (73) battalion with the same fog of war effect. Számvéber, Norbert, Páncélos- September 8 Map A, west edge, south Hadviselés a Budapesti Csatában, of 25.xx - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (86) Give it try and let me know what you Puedlo 2011. think September 19 Map A, west edge, south Thomas, Nigel and László Pál Szábó, of 25.xx - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (91) The Royal Hungarian Army in World War II, Osprey 2008. September 29 Map A, west edge - (4)- 4-3 AT Bde (62) Ungváry, Krisztián, The Siege of Budapest, Yale University Press 2005. October 5 Map A, west edge - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (6 Canadian) Veress, D. Csaba, A Dunántúl hadi krónikája 1944-1945, Zrínyi 1984. October 8 Map A, west edge - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (63) Ziemke, Earl F., Stalingrad to Berlin, Dorset 1968. March 1 Map A, west edge - (4)-4-3 AT Bde (7 Canadian)