The Gamers, Inc. Operational Combat Series: Beyond the Rhine (1.03) ©2015. Multi-Man Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Game Design: Roland LeBlanc 1.1b Two-Step Units. All Series Design: Dean Essig 1.0 General Rules brigades and regiments with a Combat Mode strength of Developer: John Kisner 1.1 The Armies at least ‘10’ have two steps. Research: Roland LeBlanc, Perry Andrus, This is shown by a yellow band behind The Axis player controls the Wehrmacht the size designation instead of the usual David J. S. Hughes, Hans Kishel, and (field gray), Waffen-SS (black), Luftwaffe Tom Peters ‘2’ in a yellow circle, but they are handled (light blue), Kriegsmarine (dark blue), and like multi-step “mini divisions” of 2 RE. Playtesting and Proofreading: Perry An- Ost units (yellow). Collectively, these are This will affect their stacking, as well as drus, Allen Beach, John Bowen, Daniel called “German units.” combat-supply costs. Note that a “divi- Brown, Thomas Buettner, Steve Campbell, The Allied player controls the American sion” is never independent (OCS 3.2f) so Carl Fung, Lee Hanna, Ben Hitz, Scott (green), French (blue), British (brown), the multi-step panzer brigades cannot get Johnstone, Michael Junkin, John Leggat, Canadian (dark brown), Polish (red), “free fuel” from a marked HQ. John Madison, Carl Martz, Dave Mignerey, Belgian (green), and Dutch (orange). Air Jim Reasoner, Marty Sample, Angela Sut- 1.1c Breakdowns. This game has many and airborne units are different shades. nationalities and service branches. In ton, Marv Tierney, Shawn Tierney, Mark Note the pack mules and M-29 Weasels Veerman, and Tony Zbaraschuk addition to the regular restrictions (OCS in the Allied mix: they are somewhat ex- 20.0), use of breakdown units is further otic forms of transportation points (OCS limited as follows: Dedicated to the memory of 3.3) that are functionally very similar to • Axis breakdowns can only be created our good friend Jim Reasoner. wagons. Collectively, these are called “Allied units.” and absorbed by divisions of the same service branch (e.g., SS, Wehrmacht). Each side’s reserve markers are available Note this is especially important for in several colors, but the colors need not Luftwaffe units, which have a higher match the units placed in Reserve Mode. It combat strength than the others. Introduction is also allowed to freely swap one “color” for another. The Allied player’s trucks and • Allied breakdowns can only be cre- Beyond the Rhine depicts the campaign mules also come in several colors, but in ated and absorbed by divisions of the for Northwest Europe from September their case nationality does make a differ- same faction: United States, Com- 1944 to April 1945. It begins with the ence: a US truck cannot be exchanged for monwealth, and France. German Army reeling from a string of a Commonwealth truck, etc. near-fatal defeats, in full retreat to the • For added (optional) flavor, treat in- fantry and mountain types as distinct, safety of the West Wall where it hopes Play Note: Because of the limited number to make a stand. The Allies, flush with and also differentiate between British of counters, it is suggested that both sides and Canadian breakdowns. victory, believe one more push will bring be given some latitude for consolidating them home for Christmas. trucks, wagons, and mules before bringing 1.1d Engineer Capabilities. HQs have Scale is 3.5 miles per hex with two turns in new arrivals or taking losses. engineer capabilities per OCS 13.8a, with per week. one exception: port repair is handled via 1.1a Allied Factions. There are three fac- 1.11e instead of the normal rule. Both Design Note: The ground scale was chosen tions (see 3.5) in the Allied command: sides also have Pontoon brigades that can due to the density of combat in the West; at American (abbreviated “US”), French perform the special bridging tasks noted in the usual 5 miles per hex the stacks were (abbreviated “FR”), and Commonwealth 1.10, but are otherwise lacking engineer too tall. The time scale did not undergo (abbreviated “CW”). Note that for game capabilities (so cannot build airfields, etc). a corresponding change from the norm, purposes the “Commonwealth” is defined 1.1e Nominal HQs. All major city hexes in however, due to the relatively slow pace as all British, Canadian, Polish, Belgian, Germany have nominal German HQs for of operations (which can be blamed on a and Dutch units. These three factions are rebuilding units. The England Box and combination of factors, such as mines and (mostly) kept separate when it comes to Allied “arrival cities” (see 3.1) similarly chronic fuel shortages). combat, supplies, and replacements. Multi-Man Publishing, Inc. 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2015 All Rights Reserved. Page 1 Beyond the Rhine, OCS #14 contain nominal HQs for rebuilding units. tention to weather effects on air operations, Nominal HQs are otherwise insignificant: ground movement, and supply table rolls. 1.5 Fortifications they are not combat units, cannot throw Weather is determined each turn by rolling The map’s printed fortification are perma- supply, cannot absorb losses, etc. separately for Ground Conditions (one die) nent and cannot be destroyed. 1.1f Wagon/Mule/Weasel Capture. The Ger- and Flight Conditions (two dice). Use the 1.5a The West Wall. Each West Wall hex mans have no mules and weasels (see 3.4) line appropriate to the current date. Read contains a permanent German hedgehog in their mix; the Allies have no wagons. across the table to find the column with that can never be reduced below Level-1. When captured, such transport points are the range containing the result. The full Only place hedgehog markers in West Wall destroyed instead. effects of each weather type result are hexes that have been improved above this given on the Weather Table. minimum level. Weather on the first turn of scenarios is There is a German Repl Table result that 1.2 Reinforcements pre-determined (per General Information). improves a single West Wall hex by one The Allied and German arrival charts detail level (the hex must be in trace supply, but the comings and goings of units during no other construction requirements or costs the campaign. A few unusual things to 1.4 Terrain Notes apply). Note these “free” improvements keep in mind: to the West Wall can be to a maximum of 1.4a Switzerland. Some hexes on Map D Level-2. The Germans can also use the 1.2a Breakdowns. If there is no available are part of neutral Switzerland and are normal construction rules to improve the breakdown regiment when an arrival is off-limits to both players. West Wall and/or build beyond Level-2. called for, the player can alternately add 1.4b Railroads. All railroads in this game The West Wall is close terrain (per TEC), a step to an appropriate reduced division are standard gauge and single-track. Con- in trace supply. but in combat the defender can choose version of captured rails is not required. some other terrain in the hex (OCS 9.4c) 1.2b Removals. Some units are called on and still benefit from the special West Wall Design Note: Rails shown are actually to be “Removed” by the arrival charts. effects below. Such units are literally removed from play, multi-track and the single-track lines on regardless of whatever situation they might this battlefield aren’t shown at all. Cap West Wall hexes differ from regular be in (on-map, holding box, destroyed) values have been adjusted to reflect this hedgehogs in several ways: and placed back in the counter-tray (see simplification. Filtering out the single- A) Exploit results are ignored when the also 2.9a). No supply is expended for units track lines doesn’t create a technically Allies attack these hexes. that would normally need fuel to move. exact representation of the rail system in Western Europe at this time, but works B) Only German units receive defensive Consolidation 1.2c . Players can substitute best for game play. benefit from the hedgehogs. Allied an exact unit (per OCS 13.9) for any sched- units in these hexes function as if uled exchange or removal. IMPORTANT: 1.4c Obscured Hexes. Hexes that are cov- there is no hedgehog present (but do This can be a unit in the Dead Pile. ered by objects such as the Normandy Box still benefit from the Close terrain 1.2d Exchanges. Numerous unit exchanges on Map A are out of play, but if a half-hex in these hexes). occur for organizational, equipment, or is showing the hex is okay to use. C) The Allies cannot build hedgehogs even simple nomenclature changes. What- 1.4d Dense Ruhr Zones. In the Ruhr east in a West Wall hex, but can reduce ever the reason, such exchanges are always of the Rhine there are clusters of con- an “improved” hex per OCS 16.0c handled the same way: simply pull out nected city hexes where roads and railroads (but of course not below Level-1). the old unit (from whatever its situation) “disappear” upon entering. In these zones D) Allied supply path movement (OCS from the game and replace it with the new players are asked to assume all of the one. The new unit acquires the same traits 12.3d) cannot be traced into or out adjacent city hexes are connected to one of a West Wall hex that is adjacent as the old unit: out of supply, exhausted another by railroads. (Exception: for hexes internals, in strat mode, etc.