Ukraine '44 Rulebook
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Special Ops Issue #2 Ukraine ’44 2.4 Counter Color Use Soviet Rules of Play Red with red stripe (10 total) - mobile formations 1.0 Introduction (set up in specific hexes). Ukraine ‘44 is a simulation game that focuses on one of the Brown with black stripe (6 total) - infantry forma- pivotal moments of the Soviet Winter Offensive in Ukraine in tions of the 40th Army (set up in the 40th Army 1943 and 1944. Over the course of a week, the Axis 1st Panzer area). Army was cut off and encircled by strong Soviet forces of the Brown with white stripe (9 total) - infantry forma- 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts and like its brothers at Stalingrad tions of the 38th Army (set up in the 38th Army and Korsun, expected to be destroyed. In what would called the area). battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket (or Hube’s Pocket), Brown with red stripe (7 total) - infantry forma- the Germans would fight and claw their way out and finally tions of the 18th Army (set up in the 18th Army escape. Hube’s successful operation to escape encirclement area). is still studied to this day as a model of how to breakout from a Tan with green stripe (10 total) - infantry forma- pocket. tions of the 60th Army (arriving on turn 1 at 2.0 Components reinforcement hex D). These rules Tan with gray stripe (17 total) - infantry forma- 1 map tions of the 1st Guards Army (arriving on turn 1 at reinforcement hex E). 280 counters One die is needed for play but is not provided. Axis Black with white stripe with 1PzA (10 total)- Ger- 2.1 Map man mobile formations of the 1st Panzer Army The map is centered on Ukraine, where the battle took place. (set up in specific hexes). The map is divided into numbered hexes, which will contain Gray with gray stripe with 1PzA (11 total) - Ger- formations and/or markers during the game. Each hex has man infantry formations of the 1st Panzer Army natural and/or artificial terrain which will have an impact on (set up in specific hexes). both combat and movement. A hex with any portion of hill terrain in it counts as a hill for the purposes of combat; it is Gray with gray stripe but no 1PzA (2 total) - Ger- also a hill for movement purposes unless the hex is entered man infantry formations not with the 1st Panzer along a road (the same applies for woods). The map scale is Army (set up in specific hexes). approximately 5 kilometers a hex. White (3 total) - German garrison formations (set up in specific hexes). 2.2 Units Light green (3 total) - Hungarian infantry forma- There are two general types of units in the game – formations tions (set up in specific hexes). and markers. Light blue (3 total) - German infantry formations The formations in the game are color coded for side, type, (arriving as reinforcements on turn 7 at reinforce- parent formation and order of arrival. In addition, they have ment hex A, B or C). the combat abilities of the actual historical formations dis- Dark blue/green (2 total) - German mobile for- played on the back side of the counter. This game uses lim- mations (arrive as reinforcements on turn 11 at ited intelligence and for most of the game, you can only see reinforcement hex A, B or C). the hidden side of your enemy’s forces. You can always look at your own forces. Dark green (2 total)- Hungarian mobile and infan- try formation (arriving as reinforcements on turn 2.3 Formations 11 at reinforcement hex A, B, C or H). Note: the movement allowances of formations are not on the In addition, the Tiger Battalion colored dark blue/green ar- counters but are standardized for four basic types. rives either stacked to an arriving turn 11 reinforcement or is placed in the Tiger Battalion box on turn 11. Formation Formation Type 2.5 Hungarian Formations Hungarian formations are treated just like German formations Stripe Parent unless the rules explicitly state otherwise. Hungarian forma- Army tions are light green (for those that start on the map) and dark green (for those that enter as reinforcements). Attacking Defending Strength Strength 2.6 Formation Abbreviations All Axis mobile formations have a movement allowance of 8. Soviet Formations All Axis infantry formations have a movement allowance of 6. GTC Guards Tanks Corps All Axis garrison formations have a movement allowance of 0 (G)MC (Guards) Mechanized Corps (these formations may not move throughout the game). G Guards All Soviet mobile formations have a movement allowance of 7. 40A 40th Army All Soviet infantry formations have a movement allowance of 5. 38A 39th Army This is displayed on the map for easy reference. 18A 18th Army 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville, MD 21108 U44 1 Special Ops Issue #2 60A 60th Army 3.3 Reinforcements 1GA 1st Guards Army All other formations in the game arrive via the reinforcements Axis Formations rule (see 9.0). Pz Panzer or Tank 3.4 Game Turn Marker ss Waffen SS Place the Game Turn Marker on turn one. J Jaeger (light) Infantry 4.0 Victory Conditions PG Panzer Grenadier 4.1 How to Win 1PzA 1st Panzer Army The winner of the game is determined by one of the conditions 2.7 Formation Size below. While the size of a formation has no impact on play, all Soviet (1) Sudden Death (Soviet victory) mobile formations are corps, all of the remainder are divi- (2) Victory points at the end of the game (Axis or Soviet vic- sions. tory) 2.8 Formation Types 4.2 Soviet Sudden-Death Victory A formation is either mobile, infantry or garrison. At any time during the game, the Soviet player immediately Mobile: and wins the game if he controls at least three of the following cit- Infantry: ies simultaneously: Garrison: Berezhany (31.16) Stanislavov (18.03) 2.9 Markers Chernovtsy (04.18) Ternopol (33.15) *Each above city has a star and is hereafter referred to as a victory city. Game Turn Out of Supply Isolated 4.3 Victory Conditions at the end of the game If by the end of the last turn there has not been a sudden- death victory, each player calculates his victory points, and the player with the most victory points wins. Axis Victory Points German Air Supply German Tiger Battalions Soviet Losses Each step of Soviet formations eliminated: 1 Victory Point. Step Loss markers of various strengths (note; use these to represent the number of steps lost from a Escape of 1st Panzer Army formation; not the number remaining in the formation. Each mobile formation step belonging to the 1st Panzer There are four “0 Step Loss” markers. Each side may Army that is both north of the Dnestr River and can trace use 2 of these to serve as decoys during the game in a ground supply line to either supply source A, B, C or H any manner they choose. at the end of the game: 1 Victory Point. The use of these markers will be explained in the Soviet Victory Points following sections. Axis losses 3.0 Starting the Game Each mobile step eliminated: 2 Victory Points. 3.1 Axis initial set-up Each infantry step eliminated: 1 Victory Point. The Axis player sets up first and places formations on the cor- Each Tiger Battalion eliminated: 3 Victory Points. rect hex that is marked on the map. Thus the 1ssPz formation Each garrison step eliminated: 1 Victory Point. is placed in hex 23.24. Two Tiger Battalions are available to For the purposes of victory points, all Axis formations that the Axis at the start of play and, at the Axis player’s choice, cannot trace supply to any source at the end of the game may either be attached to a German formation or be detached (be that to A, B, C or H; air supply or limited city supply) are and placed in the German Tiger Battalion box. Place the Axis considered eliminated for Soviet victory conditions. Tiger Bat- Air Supply marker in the Air Supply box. talions do not count as eliminated when out of supply at the end of the game. 3.2 Soviet initial set-up Elimination of German Air Supply marker: 10 Victory Soviet formations are placed after the Axis formations. Forma- Points (see 8.17). tions of the 18th, 38th, and 40th army are placed in any hex within their area. They may be placed adjacent to German Victory City Control formations. Additionally, the Soviet mobile formations, like the Soviet control of each victory city with supply line to a Axis, have specific hexes they must be placed on at the start Soviet supply source: 10 Victory Points. of the game. Thus the 6GTC must be setup in hex 30.24. Only victory cities (the cities with the red stars) matter for con- trol. A victory city is controlled by the last player to enter that hex. All victory cities start the game under Axis control. U44 2 © 2012 Multi–Man Publishing, Inc. Special Ops Issue #2 5.0 Sequence of Play look at the rear side of his counter at any time during play. *Tiger Battalions are always displayed and their locations 5.1 Sequence of Play are always known to the Soviet player. Step loss markers are 1. Supply Check Phase always placed under a formation and may not be inspected A. Check supply of Soviet formations by the enemy player except during combat.