The Third Winter

GAME SPECIFIC RULES The Third Winter ©2021 Multi-Man Publishing, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Updated 12 August 2021 late September 1943. By the campaign’s converted to Soviet gauge (ignore units Game Design: Antony Birkett end in late April 1944, four Axis armies being supplied by a Kessel HQ.) Development: Chip Saltsman will have faced four Soviet fronts in a titanic struggle. Several scenarios Design Note: By this point in the Series Design: Dean Essig supplement the main campaign, as the war, the Soviets had immense logistical Research Help: Stéphane Acquaviva, German army fights its “Third Winter” in activities that are not represented by units. Carl Fung, Hans Kishel, Roland LeBlanc Russia. 1.2a Off-Map Rail. Either player can use Mapping Research & Playtest their Rail Capacity to rail cargo off and Graphics: Hans Kishel back on any of their map-edges (as long as Graphics: Curtis Baer, Dean Essig the cargo does not cross the Black Sea). 1.0 General Special The only hexes that can be used for this Playtesting Honcho: Marcus Randall Rules purpose are those capable of normal rail Playtesting and Proofreading: Perry movement for that player. No ground unit Andrus, Stéphane Acquaviva, Curtis Baer, can ever end its movement off map. Daniel Broh-Kahn, Dave Barsness, Allen 1.1 Map & Terrain 1.2b Extra Detrainable Hexes. Point of Beach, John Bowen, Art Brochet, Eric Interest hexes on the map are detrainable. Brosius, Thomas Buettner, Malcolm There are four maps labeled A through D. Cameron, Stephen Campbell, Jeff Coyle, Hexes are identified by a map letter and Houndog Cross, Paolo De Francesco, number, e.g., hex B60.10 is a Kharkov city 1.3 Rumania Air Box Myk Deans, Mark Fazakarley, Mark hex. The Axis player has an off-map air base in Fisher, Brian Frew, Jim Hambacher, 1.1a Terrain Effects Chart. The Rumania. It may be used to base up to Norman Harman, Ben Hitz, Todd movement/combat effects are explained four Axis air units at any given time. No Jahnke, Steve Jansen, Dave Jeffery, Todd in the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC). combat or barrage is ever allowed in this Jennings, Troy Kenily, Daniel King, John box. Aircraft based here: Kisner, Jim Kuchar, Roy Lane, John 1.1b Hedgehogs. Hedgehogs may not be built larger than Level-2 and are reduced Madison, Mark Mazer, John McDougall, • Refit for free. Andrew McGee, Dave Mignerey, Kris by one level when captured. • May only fly missions within the Miller, Gerry Palmer, Chip Pharr, Marcus 1.1c Ports. Neither side has a Shipping borders of Rumania (see 2.5a). Randall, Chip Saltsman, Antonello Allowance (Sea Cap), the ports being Salvatucci, Chuck Soukup, Bill Stratton, intended for use in later games. • Must return to the Rumania Air Box Kevin Valerian, Mark Veerman, Forest after any mission (so “going to Webb, Will Willow, Herman Wu, Randy Rumania” is permanent). Yeates, Tony Zbaraschuk 1.2 Railroads The Rumania Air Box is 10 hexes from Railroad lines are either Soviet gauge any hex along the west edge of Map C. (broad gauge) or German gauge (standard gauge) depending on which side has converted them. The Axis may only use 1.4 The Dnepr River Introduction German gauge lines and the Soviets may The Dnepr is one of Europe's major only use Soviet gauge. Players change the The Third Winter depicts the Russo- rivers and is delineated into two River gauge of these lines using Rail Repair German war from the Race to the Dnepr types—Major and “Volga Class”. units, per series rule 13.3f. in 1943 until the advance to the Standard OCS rules apply for the Major Carpathians in 1944. The game area During the Soviet Player’s Clean-Up River section (hex D31.34 and north), covers parts of Southern Russia, much of Phase, any rail hex more than 20 hexes with the rules below applying only to the Ukraine, southeastern Poland, and eastern from an Axis combat unit and connected Volga-Class River portion between hexes Romania. The game begins with the to the Soviet rail network is automatically D32.33 and D11.02 inclusive. Germans in full retreat to the Dnepr in The Gamers, Inc. Once “Ice,” it requires three RE or less. They must start the consecutive Mud/Thaw/Dry turns to Movement Phase in one hex of the Rail make the River “normal” again. Thus, if Ferry and end movement upon the Weather rolls generate “Freeze” on 29 crossing. This crossing does not require Nov, 1 Dec and 5 Dec, the “Ice” condition Rail Cap. takes effect at the start of the Dec 8 turn, • The Kherson Rail Ferry connects the regardless of that turn’s Weather. rail hexes on both banks for the • HQ units and Engineer units do not purposes of trace supply only. Thus, at provide any bridging effects across campaign start, hex D25.04 is an Axis Volga-Class River hexsides. detrainable hex from which units may obtain trace supply even if its 1.4c Combat Across Volga-Class. connection with Melitopol were cut. 1.4a Volga-Class Bridge Destruction. Attacks across the Volga-Class River A “Volga Class Bridge” exists where a portion of the Dnepr have the following • The Kherson Rail Ferry functions for road or railroad crosses a Volga-Class limitations: both players. It cannot be destroyed. River hexside. The Axis player has the • A Volga-Class River hexside without a Design Note: The Kherson Rail option to destroy a Volga Class Bridge the Ferry marker or bridge: only Leg MA Ferry was essentially a barge with rail instant the first Soviet combat unit moves units may attack and only when the into a hex on either side of the bridge. tracks that could transport heavy river is “Ice”. equipment. Success is automatic. If not done immediately, that particular Volga Class • Intact (or repaired) bridges: any units Bridge can never be destroyed. Bridge may attack across at a reduced strength Destroyed markers are provided to (see TEC). 1.5 Pontoon Units indicate the destroyed status of a Volga • A Blown Bridge, Ferry or Kherson Rail Both sides can use Pontoon units to Class Bridge. Bridges across other types of Ferry (see 1.4a, 1.5a or 1.4d): only Leg facilitate river crossings. Pontoon units, rivers cannot be destroyed. MA units may attack across. whether DG or not, that are oriented to Combat • Advance after Combat: No more than Design Note: The Dnepr River is the Mode have special major obstacle the Red Army must cross 3 RE can ever advance across a Volga- bridging capabilities as to reconquer the western Ukraine and Class hexside in any Phase. threaten the Balkans. The “Race to the follows. • Retreat: Any unit may retreat across an Dnepr” was exactly that. The southern Major & Minor Rivers. A Pontoon unit intact or repaired bridge. Leg units may section of the river has only a few major creates a “Pontoon Track Bridge” for crossings (as the players will quickly retreat across a Volga-Class hexside friendly units across all adjacent Major discover). The Dnepr River is an only when the river is “Ice.” No units and Minor River hexsides excellent defensive barrier if the Axis can may retreat via a Ferry marker or the (as if a “track” is crossing man it in time. The game starts with the Kherson Rail Ferry. Soviet player trying to secure vital the river). These Pontoon bridgeheads. The Axis player must also 1.4d Kherson Rail Ferry. Kherson Track Bridges disappear if be wary to ensure all their troops are (D14.03) is connected across the Dnepr the Pontoon unit leaves across before destroying the last bridges! to an east bank hex via a Permanent Rail the hex. This Pontoon Track Bridge Ferry Crossing: connects the hex the Pontoon occupies to 1.4b Volga-Class River Hexsides. all other transportation lines in the bridged hexes (per OCS 6.2a). Map- Without a Volga Class Bridge, only Leg printed bridges are unaffected by the MA units can cross a Volga-Class River by presence of a Pontoon Track Bridge. An using a blown Volga Class Bridge, a Ferry optional marker is included in the game as marker (see 1.5a), during “Ice” conditions a play aid. or with the “Soviet Dnepr Bridgehead Enthusiasm” Optional Rule (see 4.3). Play Note: The Pontoon Track Bridge Units with any MA may use the Kherson that is created makes the cost to enter the Rail Ferry (see 1.4d). hex across the bridged river 1 MP in • A Volga-Class River freezes and • This hexside allows 3 RE per turn to normal weather (and more during mud, unfreezes slowly. It takes three cross the river when it is not “Ice” and etc., per the TEC). Note also that OCS 6.1d applies, so if a Track or Truck consecutive turns with “Freeze” neither hex is in an Enemy Zone of Control (EZOC). Units in Move Mode MA unit crosses the river into a swamp weather conditions to make the Volga- hex, it will need to use a road, track or with any MA and/or SPs may move in Class River “Ice.” Use the “Dry” TEC rail when exiting that hex. effects for the Dnepr River until then. either direction, as long as the total is 3 Multi-Man Publishing, LLC. 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 Page 2 © 2021 Multi-Man Publishing, LLC. all rights Reserved. The Third Winter Volga-Class Rivers. Pontoon units are • Multiple Pontoon units do not speed Design Note: The 3 RE limit is particularly valuable when dealing with the repair process.

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