BattleThe Destruction offor the Reich, Germany Dec. 1944–May 1945

DELUXE EDITION

INSTRUCTIONS 1.0 INTRODUCTION CONTENTS Battle for Germany is a game based on the fi nal 1.0 INTRODUCTION 10.0 GARRISONS campaign fought in Germany between December 2.0 COMPONENTS 11.0 VICTORY 1944 and May 1945 in half-month turns. One player assumes the role of the Western Allies; the other, 2.1 Rules 12.0 HISTORICAL SCENARIO the Soviet Union. Each player moves his units (and 2.2 Map 12.1 Set Up certain German units) and attacks enemy units. 2.3 Charts & Tables 12.2 Scenario Special Rules Three and four player scenarios are also provided. 2.4 Scale 12.3 Optional German East 2.5 Counters Front Concentration These rules use the following color system: Blue for examples of play. Green for designer or 2.6 Defi nitions 13.0 EXPANDED HISTORICAL player notes. Red for errata. 3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY SCENARIO 13.1 Scenario Special Rules 4.0 ZONES OF CONTROL 2.0 COMPONENTS 13.2 Optional SS Rule 5.0 MOVEMENT Battle for Germany includes one 22×34 inch 14.0 COLLAPSE IN THE EAST 5.1 Stacking mounted game board, 228 die-cut counters, 1 5.2 German Theater Boundary 15.0 RED STAR/WHITE STAR: (double-sided) player aid card, this rule book, PATTON’S FANTASY 1 six-sided die and storage bags. If anything is 5.2.1 German Units 15.1 Set Up missing or damaged, please contact: 5.2.2 Western Allied & Soviet Units 15.2 Scenario Special Rules Decision Games 5.3 Yugoslavia 16.0 THREE-PLAYER GAME PO Box 21598 Bakersfi eld, CA 93390 5.3.1 Yugoslav Units Inside 16.1 Sequence of Play Yugoslavia 16.2 Set Up Please register this game purchase on-line at: 5.3.2 Soviet Units Outside 16.3 Scenario Special Rules www.decisiongames.com Yugoslavia 17.0 FOUR-PLAYER GAME 6.0 COMBAT 2.1 Rules 17.1 Set Up 6.1 Resolving Combat Each section of the rules is numbered, with 17.2 Sequence of Play 6.2 Results paragraphs within that section indicated by 17.3 Scenario Special Rules. 6.2.1 Retreat a second number, like this: 3.3. Subsections within that paragraph are indicated by a third 6.3 Combat Restrictions 18.0 OPTIONAL RULES number, like this: 3.3.4. When the rules refer to 6.4 Terrain 5.3 Stacking another, related idea, the number indicating that 6.5 Advance After Combat 6.3 Combat 8.0 Courland paragraph will be included parenthetically, like 7.0 REPLACEMENTS this: (3.34). This will assist in fi nding that rule for 12.2 Hitler Mandated West 7.1 Destroyed Units Front Offensive comparison or reference. 7.2 Receiving Replacements 18.1 Offensive Supply Markers 2.2 Map 8.0 COURLAND PG. 9 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The map represents the area in Central Europe 9.0 EXITING THE MAP BACK 1994 SETUP CHART (see where the fi nal battle for Germany was fought. It PAC for 1975 Setup Chart) is divided into hexagons, called “hexes,” which are used to regulate movement much like the squares on a chessboard.

2.3 Charts & Tables The Set-Up Chart at the end of these rules provides the hex number in which each unit begins each scenario. The Combat Results Table (CRT) is used to resolve combat (6.0), the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) describes the effect of map CREDITS features on movement and combat, and the First (SPI) Edition Game Design: James F. Dunnigan Turn Record Track (TRT) is used to keep track of Third (Decision Games) Edition the current game turn and also indicates when Development: Donald B. Johnson replacements (7.0) are available. Map Graphics: Joe Youst © 2020 Decision Games, Inc. Counters: Richard Aguirre All Rights Reserved. Production: Richard Aguirre WWW.DECISIONGAMES.COM

2 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 2.4 Scale Soviet Player: Controls all Soviet and Sovi- Setup Symbol (DG set only): Red and white stars Each hex represents 67.1 Km (41.7 miles) from et-Allied units—all Yugoslav, Polish Communist, ( ) indicate Allied units used in the Red Star/White side to side. Each game turn represents half Romanian, and Bulgarian units—and also all Star scenario. Crosses ( ) indicate Axis units. West German units. a month. Offensive Supply Markers: There Soviet units are Bulgarian units are eight markers included for the 2.5 Counters brown. are bluish-green. optional supply rules (18.1). The counters, called units, represent military Romanian units Yugoslav units formations that participated or could have are yellow. are purple. 3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY participated in the battle. Polish Commu- West German The game is played in a series of turns, called nist units are white. units are black on game turns. Each game turns is composed of light grey in the DG two player turnss. The player whose player turns edition. is in progress is called the phasing player; his In the SPI edition, all Germans are opponent is the non-phasing player. black on medium grey. a) Soviet Player Turn Errata: In the 1994 counter set, 1 LW 1) Soviet Replacement Phase: After turn and 2 LW are West German units 1, the Soviet player may return previously incorrectly shown in East German colors. eliminated Soviet units to play as replacements. 2) Soviet Movement Phase: The Soviet 2.6 Defi nitions There are two sets of counters: the SPI 1975 player may move all Soviet, Polish Communist, set on the left and the DG/MOVES 1994 set Unit Size Symbol Unit Type Symbol Romanian, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav units. on the right. Once punched they can be easily 3) Soviet Combat Phase: Soviet and sorted by the edition dates on the back side of Soviet-Allied units may attack East German the counters. and Hungarian units.

Unit ID 4) West German Replacement Phase:

Setup Symbol After turn 1, the Soviet player may return previously eliminated West German units to Attack Strength Movement Allowance play as replacements. Defense Strength In the DG edition all Western Allied and East 5) West German Movement Phase: The German units are white print while all Soviet and Attack Strength: The strength of a unit Soviet player may move West German units. West German units are black print. In the SPI when attacking. 6) West German Combat Phase: West version, the Germans are not differentiated by Defense Strength: The strength of a unit German units may attack Western Allied units. when defending. print color. b) Western Allied Player Turn Movement Allowance: A unit’s ability to 1) Western Allied Replacement Phase: move, expressed in movement points (MPs). After turn 1, the Western Allied player may Unit ID: The historical designation of a unit. return previously eliminated Western Allied units to play as replacements. Unit Size Symbols: DG 1994 DG 1994 SPI 1975 2) Western Allied Movement Phase: The E. German W. German All German Symbol Unit Size Western Allied player may move all US, British, Western Allied Player: Controls all Western XXX Corps Canadian, French, and Polish Exile units. 3) Western Allied Combat Phase: Allied units—all US, British, Canadian, French, XXXX Army and Polish Exile units. This player also controls Western Allied units may attack West Army Group or Front all East German Army, Waffen SS, Luftwaffe, XXXXX German units. and all Hungarian units. 4) East German Replacement Phase: Unit Type Symbols: After turn 1, the Western Allied player may US units are East German return previously eliminated East German olive green. units are white on Symbol Unit Type dark grey in the DG units to play as replacements. or Infantry British and edition. 5) East German Movement Phase: The Canadian units are Western Allied player may move all East red. Hungarian units Armor are grey-green. German and Hungarian units. Polish Exile Hungarian units are Mechanized Infantry 6) East German Combat Phase: East units are bright red. part of the East German and Hungarian units may attack French units are German units. Cavalry Soviet and Soviet-Allied units. light blue. or Airborne c) Turn Phase: If all turns are completed, evaluate the victory conditions to see who won; Mountain otherwise, advance the game turns marker and start a new turn sequence.

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 3 4.0 ZONES OF CONTROL 5.2 German Theater Boundary 6.1 Resolving Combat The six hexagons surrounding a hex constitute 5.2.1 German Units Total the attack strengths of all the attacking the Zone of Control (ZOC) of any units in that East German units must try to remain units involved in a specifi c attack and compare hex. Units must stop moving when they enter an east of the German Theater Boundary; the total to the total defense strength of enemy ZOC. West German units must try to remain the units in the hex under attack. State the • All units exert a ZOC at all times. The west of the Theater Boundary. German units may comparison as a ratio of the attacker’s strength presence of ZOC’s is never affected by not cross this boundary, unless forced to retreat to the defender’s strength (like this: 2:1). Round other units. in which case, their identity is changed in off the ratio in favor of the defender to conform • There is no additional cost to enter an accordance with their new position on the other to the odds found on the CRT; thus, an attack of enemy ZOC. side of the Boundary, for example, an East 19 against 7 becomes 2:1. The phasing player • Units may leave an enemy ZOC only at German unit forced to retreat across the rolls the die. Read the result on the appropriate the beginning of their Movement Phase. boundary would become a West German unit. line under the odds column. Apply the result A unit may never move directly from one German units may not enter Berlin via move- immediately before resolving any other attacks. enemy ZOC to another. It may, however, ment, retreat, or advance after combat. leave an enemy ZOC at the beginning of the Movement Phase, enter a hex not in an 5.2.2 Western Allied & Soviet Units enemy ZOC, and then enter another hex in an Unless stated otherwise, Western enemy ZOC. Allied and Soviet units may not cross • A ZOC does not extend across blocked the German Theater Boundary, unless hexsides, lake hexsides, or sea hexsides. forced to retreat, in which case, they must recross the boundary by the end of their next Movement Phase or be eliminated. They may attack across the boundary. ZOC 5.3 Yugoslavia ZOC NO ZOC 5.3.1 Yugoslav Units Inside Yugoslavia Example: Three US units (a 7-4-8 unit and two Yugoslav units may never leave 6-6-7 units in 2004, 2104, and 2204) attack two Yugoslavia unless forced to retreat, in German units (both 2-3-4). The German units ZOC ZOC which case, they must reenter are in 2105, a fortifi ed hex in broken terrain, Yugoslavia by the end of the following Soviet the cumulative effect of which is to triple the ZOC Combat Phase or be eliminated. Yugoslav units German units’ defense strengths. The total may attack across the Yugoslav border but may Western Allied attacking strength is 7+6+6=19; not advance across it. the modifi ed defense strength of the German units is 3+3=6, 6×3=18. The ratio of attack 5.3.2 Soviet Units Outside Yugoslavia strength to defense strength is 19:18. This 5.0 MOVEMENT Soviet (including Romanian, Polish simplifi es to 1:1. The phasing player rolls the During the Movement Phase, the phasing Communist, and Bulgarian) units may die. The die roll result is 1; cross-referenced player may move as many or as few of his units never voluntariy enter Yugoslavia. If with the 1:1 column on the CRT, the result is Ex as he wishes, as long as no unit’s movement any of these units are forced to retreat into or Exchange. allowance is exceeded in a single Movement Yugoslavia, they must leave on the following Per the Ex result, the defending German Phase. Each unit moves individually. Unused MPs turn or be eliminated. Soviet and Soviet Allied units are eliminated, and the Western Allies may not be accumulated or transferred. units may attack across the Yugoslav border but must remove attacking units with attack strength • Units are moved one at a time, tracing a may not advance across it. Soviet, Soviet Allied, of six or more. They choose to remove one of the path of contiguous hexes (they may not and Yugoslav units may combine their attack 6-6-7 units. “jump over” hexes). The cost in MPs to factors to attack enemy units. enter various types of terrain, and to cross 6.2 Results 6.0 COMBAT river hexsides are summarized on the TEC. DE: All defending units are eliminated. A unit may never enter a hex containing an During his Combat Phase, the phasing player’s AE: All attacking units are eliminated. enemy unit. units may attack adjacent enemy units. Attacking Ex: Exchange. All defending units are eliminated, is voluntary; units are never required to attack. along with attacking units with a total printed 5.1 Stacking attack strength equal to or greater than the Two friendly units may stack in one hex at the printed defense strength of the defending unit(s). end of their Movement Phase except that a AR: All attacking units must retreat. Soviet front unit (8-20-3) may never stack with DR: All defending units must retreat. another Soviet front unit.

4 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 6.2.1 Retreat benefi t from the fortifi cation. Players may • If a German replacement cannot enter play The owner retreats units individually. Two use blank or inverted markers to keep track because all hexes adjacent to Berlin on its units in a stack that is forced to retreat may be of destroyed fortifi cations. side of the Theater Boundary are occupied required to retreat into separate hexes. by enemy units, the replacement unit 6.5 Advance After Combat • A retreating unit must, if possible, retreat goes to the other German Theater. If those into a vacant hex. If no vacant hex is Should a hex be vacated as a result of combat, hexes are also blocked by enemy units, the available, it may retreat into a hex that is one surviving victorious unit (either attacking or replacement is lost. occupied by a friendly unit. It may not retreat defending) may advance into the vacated hex. • Soviet replacements may be placed in any into a hex containing two friendly units and • For a unit to advance after combat, it must hex along the east edge of the map anywhere Soviet Front units may never stack together. have participated in the combat which north of the Yugoslav border. Western Allied • A retreating unit may not retreat off the cleared the hex of enemy units. units may be placed in any hex on the west map, into a prohibited hex, cross a prohibited • ZOCs and terrain costs do not affect advances. edge of the map on or South of hex 2301. hexside, or enter an enemy ZOC, (even if the • A unit is never required to advance. Western Allied/Italian units may be placed hex is friendly occupied). A unit that must in any hex along the south edge of the map 7.0 REPLACEMENTS retreat but is unable to retreat is eliminated. in Italy. Stacking limits apply when placing When a unit is destroyed in combat, it is replacements. 6.3 Combat Restrictions placed in the appropriate box on the map • Replacements may enter the map in an • Unless stated otherwise, Western Allied and labeled Destroyed Units. There are fi ve boxes: enemy ZOC but may then move no further Soviet units may not attack each other. Western Allies, Allies/Italy, East Germans, West during the upcoming Movement Phase. • East and West German units may not attack Germans, and Soviets. The TRT indicates the each other. number of these units which may return to play • No unit may attack more than once per during the Replacement Phase. Combat Phase. Any number of units 7.1 Destroyed Units may combine their factors to attack an enemy-occupied hex, as long as all attacking • German units are placed either in the East units are adjacent to the hex under attack. A or West German Destroyed Units Box unit may never divide its combat strength to depending on which side of the German participate in more than one attack. A unit is Theater Boundary the unit was destroyed. not required to attack, even if stacked with a • Soviet (and Soviet Allied) units go into the unit which is attacking. Soviet Destroyed Units Box. Yugoslav and • All units in a hex must be attacked as a Hungarian units may never be replaced, Example 1: It is the West German Replacement single defense strength. The defender may Communist Polish and Romanian units may be. Phase of Turn Four. In the West German not withhold a unit in a hex under attack. • Western Allied units in Italy go into the Destroyed Units Box are a 6-5-6, a 5-6-5, a • If a unit or units is adjacent to more than one Western Allied/Italy Destroyed Units Box. 4-6-5, a 2-4-4, and a 2-3-4. The weakest attack enemy-occupied hex it could attack all of them All other Western Allied units go into the strength unit must be taken, either the 2-4-4 or in a single combat, as long as all attacking Western Allied Destroyed Units Box. the 2-3-4. The West German player elects to units are adjacent to all defending units. take the 2-4-4. This unit is placed in one of the 7.2 Receiving Replacements hexes adjacent to Berlin on the west side of the 6.4 Terrain During the Replacement Phase, the phasing German Theater Boundary. It may move double Units defending in certain types of terrain may player consults the TRT to determine how many its printed MPs in the Movement Phase. have their strength multiplied. replacements his side receives. Replacements may • A defender only benefi ts from a river if not be accumulated; if there are no units in the all attacking units are attacking across Destroyed Units Box, no replacements are received. river hexsides. If one attacking unit is not • When Soviet and German (both East and attacking across a river, the defending unit West) units are replaced, the destroyed unit does not obtain any defensive advantage with the lowest attack strength must be from the river hexside. returned to play fi rst; when there are multiple • Terrain effects are cumulative. Add the such units, the owner may select which to Example 2: It is the Western Allied Replace- multiplying factors together and subtract one. replace. Any destroyed Western Allied unit ment Phase of Turn Six. In the Western Allied may be returned to play. Destroyed Units Box are a 7-4-8, a 6-6-7, and Example: a unit in broken terrain attacked across • German replacements appear on the map in a 4-8-6. The Western Allied replacement rate a river would have its defense strength tripled. any hex adjacent to Berlin. During the turn is two units per turn. The Allied player elects • Fortifi cations are destroyed the moment in which a German unit returns to play as to take a 7-4-8 and the 4-8-6. These units are their hex is entered by a Western Allied a replacement, it may move at double its placed on a hex on the west edge of the map unit. The Allied receive no additional benefi t printed movement allowance. and may move in the Movement Phase. from the fortifi ed hex. If German units • German replacements may not enter play in a reoccupy the hex they receive no additional hex occupied by enemy units.

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 5 8.0 COURLAND Hitler Evacuation Restriction: The player exited units may take units of his choice from owning the East German forces may try to the Destroyed Units Box for that front. evacuate one unit (only) on turn 3 or later. 10.0 CAPITAL CITY GARRISONS The East German units in Courland may exit the The four capital cities are Warsaw, Prague, east edge of the map just like other East German Vienna, and Berlin (these are the only East Front units, see Rule 9.0. cities worth more than 1 VP). Once any type of Historical Note: Hitler wanted to maintain the Soviet unit occupies a capital city hex, the Soviet threat of “moving off the east edge of the map.” player must ensure there is a Front unit in the city as a permanent garrison as soon as possible.

Courland Zone 9.0 EXITING THE MAP • Capital city garrison Front units may attack Only German units may voluntarily exit the map. and defend normally but may not move in It costs four MPs to exit the map. If a unit does any way from the rest of the game and they not have enough MPs remaining, it may not exit. ignore retreat results. Capital city garrison They may leave the west map edge between Front units set up in the Red Star/White Star hexes 1601 and 2301, inclusive. They may leave scenario are also restricted in this way. In games using 1994 counters, use the the east map edge between hexes 0926 and following rule: Four East German units begin 3526, inclusive. They may leave the south map 11.0 VICTORY the game cut off in Courland. The four East edge between hexes 0112 and 0117, inclusive. Victory Points (VPs) are gained by controlling or German Courland units set up obeying stacking • Once a German unit has left the map, the player occupying cities. The Soviet player may receive limits in any of the fi ve hexes 3822, 3823, 3824, moving the exited unit may remove the two VPs only for those cities controlled by Soviet or 3923, and 3924. Two Soviet fronts set up next to Allied or Soviet units closest to the hex from Soviet Allied units. The Western Allied player the Courland area as per the set-up chart. which it exited, if multiple units are equally may receive VPs only for those cities controlled During the East German Movement Phase, close then the German player decides which by Western Allied units. Cities are controlled by: one German unit from a coastal hex in Courland to remove. The Allied or Soviet units to be 1) Exerting a ZOC into a city hex not occupied may be evacuated by sea (the hexes with the removed are fl ipped over and are not removed by or in the ZOC of either a German unit or a anchor symbol). An East German unit must be on until the end of the Movement Phase in which unit of the other side, or, a coastal hex at the start of its movement in order the German unit exited. The fl ipped over units 2) Being the last player to have units pass to evacuate by sea. The East German player rolls retain their ZOCs. The German, Allied, and through or next to the city. The Soviet player the die. On a die roll result of 1, the unit falls victim Soviet units thus removed are not placed in the only receives the victory points for a capital to Soviet air and naval forces and is placed in the Destroyed Units Box. Once a unit has left the city when it is occupied by a Front garrison Destroyed Units Box. On any other result, it may be map, it may never return to the game. at the end of the game. VPs are totaled at placed at either Stettin or Rostock (anchor symbols), • If all Soviet and Allied units on any front are the end of the fi nal turn of the scenario being as long as the city has never been entered by eliminated and more German units exit from played. The player with the most VPs wins. enemy units and stacking limits are met. the map on that front, the player moving the

12.0 HISTORICAL SCENARIO

12.1 Set Up • Immediately following the player turns in 12.3 Optional German East Set up units according to the set-up chart column which Berlin falls, all German units are Front Concentration for the historical scenario. removed from the map. Play then proceeds When all players agree, ignore the Hitler Mandated normally, except that units may cross the West Front Offensive, but then all German replace- 12.2 Scenario Special Rules German Theater Boundary. Soviet and ments are received as East Germans. • Hitler Mandated West Front Offensive: Western Allied units may not attack one During Turn One West German units must make another; they may only move to gain VPs. at least two attacks on Western Allied units.

13.0 EXPANDED HISTORICAL SCENARIO

The following modifi cations to the Historical German units are removed from the map. Once units are removed from the map. These come Scenario rules allow the game to continue past German units have been removed the German under the control of the Western Allied player. turn 10 to turn 16. Theater Boundary has no effect. Polish Exile units They defend normally, but attack and move at and Polish Communist units may not attack each half their printed value, rounded up. The Western 13.1 Scenario Special Rules another, but otherwise may operate normally. Allied player receives no VPs for a city occupied Immediately after the player turns on which solely by SS units. Berlin falls, Soviet and Western Allied units are 13.2 Optional SS Rule enemies and may now attack one another. At the At the end of the player turns on which end of the player turns in which Berlin falls, all Berlin falls, all German units except SS

6 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 14.0 COLLAPSE IN THE EAST (SHORT GAME)

West German and Western Allied units are is used. No Western Allied or West German it is eliminated. Each player receives VPs for not used. The Soviet and Western Allied (East replacements are received. Any German unit each city his units occupy at the end of the German) players set up all their remaining units forced to retreat across the German Theater game. Every city begins the game under Garman as for the historical scenario. Only the portion of Boundary must return to the east side of the control. The player with the most VPs at the end the map east of the German Theater Boundary line on the following turn. If unable to do so, of the game on Turn 6 wins.

15.0 RED STAR/WHITE STAR: PATTON’S FANTASY

At the end of the Second World War in Europe, 15.2 Scenario Special Rules • The German Theater Boundary and all two of the largest combat-ready armies ever • Play begins on turn 11 and continues to turn 16. restrictions on attacks against other Allied assembled faced each other in Central Europe. • Before play begins, the Soviet player rolls the units are ignored. No shots were fired, but what if the Soviets and die. On a result of 1, 2, or 3, he has no player • The player with the most VPs at the end of Western Allies decided to fight it out? turns on turn 11. the game wins. • No German units are in play and all East and • Polish Exile units and Polish 15.1 Set Up West German phases are ignored. Communist units may not attack Set up units according to the set-up chart column one another, but otherwise may for the Red Star/White Star scenario. operate normally.

16.0 THREE-PLAYER GAME

One player controls the Soviet (and Soviet 3) German Combat Phase: German units 16.3 Scenario Special Rules Allied) units, a second controls the Western may attack enemy units. • If neither Western Allied nor Soviet forces Allied units, and a third controls all German and c) Western Allied Player Turn. occupy Berlin at the end of the game, the Hungarian units. 1) Western Allied Replacement Phase: Germans win. Otherwise, the player with the most VPs at the end of the game wins. 16.1 Sequence of Play The Western Allied player may return previously eliminated Western Allied units to • In any German Movement Phase, the German The Sequence of Play is altered as follows: play as replacements. player may triple the movement allowance of a) Soviet Player Turn. 2) Western Allied Movement Phase: The one German unit that is not in an enemy ZOC. 1) Soviet Replacement Phase: The Soviet Western Allied player may move all US, British, This unit may not end its Movement Phase in player may return previously eliminated Canadian, French, and Polish Exile units. an enemy ZOC. Soviet units to play as replacements. 3) Western Allied Combat Phase: Western • All German Theater Boundary restrictions 2) Soviet Movement Phase: The Soviet Allied units may attack German units. are ignored. All restrictions on German player may move all Soviet, Polish Communist, units entering Berlin are ignored. German d) Turn Advance. Romanian, Bulgarian, and Yugoslav units. replacements (combined East and West) may If this is the last turn, check the victory 3) Soviet Combat Phase: Soviet (and be used to replace any German units on any conditions to see who won; otherwise, advance Soviet-Allied) units may attack German units. hexes adjacent to Berlin, although a unit with the game turns marker one space and resume the lowest attack factor from the combined b) German Player Turn. the turn sequence. West German and East German dead pile 1) German Replacement Phase: The Ger- must still be the first replaced. man player may return previously eliminated 16.2 Set Up German units to play as replacements. Set up units according to the set-up chart for the 2) German Movement Phase: The German historical scenario. player may move all German units.

17.0 FOUR-PLAYER GAME

One player controls the Soviet (and Soviet Allied) 17.2 Sequence of Play • The East German player wins if a Soviet unit units, a second controls the East German (and The Sequence of Play is altered as follows: fails to enter Berlin by Turn 10. The West Hungarian) units, a third controls the West German player wins if a Western Allied unit fails German units, and a fourth controls the Western a) Soviet Player Turn. to enter Berlin by Turn 10. The Western Allied Allied units. b) East German Player Turn. player wins if he enters Berlin before the Soviets c) West German Player Turn. and does so by Turn 10. The Soviet player wins 17.1 Set Up d) Western Allied Player Turn. if he enters Berlin before the Western Allies and Set up units according to the set-up chart for the does so by Turn 10. Note that either: 17.3 Scenario Special Rules historical scenario. 1) One German or, • All German Theater Boundary restrictions apply. 2) Both one German and one Non-German player can win the same game.

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 7 18.0 OPTIONAL RULES

The following optional rules are for those extended game replenishes any used to again Any unit of the selected forces within the players who want a more historical or detailed have 7 markers on turn 11. The Soviet may 3 hex range may use either or both of the game. Any or all of these rules may be added place any number from zero to two Offensive special abilities this turn with the same by player agreement. Supply markers during his Replacement Phase. restrictions on the next turn if either or both An Offensive Supply marker is placed under a abilities are used. The Offensive Supply 5.3 Stacking chosen Soviet Front unit. That Soviet Front unit marker may be used each turn. 1) British, Canadian, and Polish Exile units may may move and attack normally that turn, while freely stack together; these are collectively the Offensive Supply marker remains in the hex called the Commonwealth forces. in which it was placed. 2) U.S. and French units may freely stack together. After the Soviet Combat Phase is complete, 3) On each of the two Western Fronts there any Soviet units (but not Soviet Allied units) may be at most one stack that has units from within 3 hexes of an Offensive Supply marker both groups. may (if they wish) fi rst attack in a Second Com- bat Phase (with potential advance after combat 6.3 Combat with each combat resolution) and then after that The attacker may choose to attack: is complete, Soviet units may (if they wish) be 1) Only one unit in a defending stack or, moved in a Second Movement Phase using up 2) May make different attacks using different to half (round down) of their normal movement units on each defending unit in a stack or, allowance. Any units that participate in either 3) May attack both units in the stack using or both ways are tilted in their hex after their their combined defense strength. movement to show that they have participated in an Offensive. On the very next turn, such units If a unit in a stack is not attacked, it just remains may only move half (round up) of their normal in the hex after combat. Example: The Soviets place a supply unit movement allowance and may not attack. on 3723. They attack the 2-4-4 in 3823 using 8.0 COURLAND Developer’s Note: In effect, they have the 2 units in 3723 and 1 unit in 3724 so it is No Hitler Evacuation Restriction: The player already partially moved and have already 21:4 or 5:1. They roll a 3 for a DE, the German owning the East German forces may try to attacked for that upcoming turn. loses his 2-4-4 and the Soviets advance into evacuate all 4 units at any time, at most one unit 3823 with their 6-4-6. The other 3 Soviet units After the Soviet turn is complete, any per turn. attack a 3-5-4 at 21:5 or 4:1 and roll a 3 for an OffensiveSupply markers used that turn are EX, the German loses a 3-5-4 and the Soviets placed aside and cannot be used again (unless 12.2 Hitler Mandated lose a 6-4-6. replenished when playing the extended game) West Front Offensive The Soviets elect to attack again by using the even if no unit used either special ability, the The 2 required attacks must be at 1:1 odds or better. capabilities provided by the supply marker. The marker has been used. Soviets attack the 7-5-8 with their 3 adjacent 18.1 Offensive Supply Markers Historical Note: The Soviets would build up units at 21:5 or 4:1 rolling a 6 for a DR, but the There are eight Offensive Supply supply to launch large offensive operations, German unit has no hex to retreat into so it markers in the advanced game. In but then would advance so far that they is eliminated. The Soviets attack the 3-5-4 in order to use this rule, the players must needed to wait for their supply to catch up. 3824 at 15:5 or 3:1 and roll a 4 for a DR, but the align all their units in their hexes so that the top German unit cannot retreat so it is eliminated. The Western Allied player during each of all units are all facing the same hexside With the clearing of the Courland Penisula, the Replacement Phase may place one Offensive position (direction) in each unit’s hex and then Soviets move their 5 units towards their main Supply marker under any chosen Western Allied after moving them align them to a different front to the West with half their movement unit. The unit it was placed under may move hexside to show that they have been moved, points, rounded down, tilting them to show they and attack normally that turn, the Offensive including aligning any units he may choose not can only move half rounded up next turn and Supply marker just stays in the hex placed. The to move that turn. (This method is a good cannot attack. Offensive Supply marker special abilities may be practice that allows a player to easily see which used either by: units might yet move that turn, so they do not 1) Commonwealth forces (only) or, accidently move a unit twice.) 2) US forces (only, not including French). The Soviet player starts with 7 Offensive Supply markers on turn 1 and if playing the

8 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES German Panzer V Panther on the Eastern Front, 1944. Waidelich, German Federal Archives

Historical Background

n December, 1944, the Second civilian population was less active in their two divergent pieces of terrain. Th e World War in Europe paused and opposition. Hitler was aware that he need- north German plain promised much I took a deep breath. Th e Soviet ed to resume the off ensive for several rea- easier going. In the south was the Black summer off ensive in Poland had run sons. First, he needed something to restore Forest and other mountainous areas out of steam on the east bank of the morale. Second, he needed to revitalize which had to be crossed before getting Vistula. In the south it slowly ground to his own prestige. It did not sit will with into the relatively fl at Bavarian areas. a halt in front of Budapest, after clear- his self-proclaimed image as the Greatest In the east, the Soviets had diff erent ing Romania and Bulgaria. Th e charge Field Marshal in history, who moved with terrain problems. Th eir main force, led across France following D-Day had the “assurance of a sleepwalker” to be by Zhukov, was poised on the east side outrun supplies in September, edging constantly on the retreat. Th erefore, Hitler of the Vistula, opposite Warsaw. Once forward slowly during the next two sought a place to strike a blow to rock across the Vistula only the Oder-Neisse months. None among the allies had any his enemies back on their heels. Finally, system posed any barrier. Hitler refused doubt that the war was won. Th e only Hitler knew that the Allies were resupply- to fortify positions across Poland beyond questions remaining were how long, and ing in preparation for the fi nal push into a perfunctory preparation. He reasoned how many casualties, it would take. Germany. Th is was the context within that if the troops knew they had a defen- So, for almost two months, Germany which he prepared his Ardennes off ensive. sive position behind them, they would be had a respite of sorts. Hitler took advan- Physically, the western Allies had too willing to fall back into those posi- tage of this to plan his Ardennes off ensive. the harder terrain to cross. Th ey had tions giving up ground without a fi ght. Germany had not conducted a major halted more or less against the West In the south they had already crossed off ensive since the abortive off ensive Wall, Hitler’s answer to the Maginot the Transylvanian Alps of Romania and at Kursk in July, 1943. Th e initiative had Line. Th ey also had to cross the largest were in the central European plain, before all been on the part of the Allies since river in northern Europe, the Rhine. Budapest. Th e Carpathian Mountain Chain, then. As a consequence, a portion of East Th e Rhine itself could be a formidable which arcs along the northern boundary Prussia and the area around Aachen in the defensive barrier. Th e Rhineland, that of Czechoslovakia, was an eff ective barrier west were in Axis hands. Th e loss of faith portion of Germany west of the Rhine, between the two main Soviet drives. In in Hitler’s ability was openly manifested was mountainous and therefore also a general, the Soviets had the easier terrain. on 20 July 1944, with the assassination good area to defend. Once across the On the other hand, the majority of the attempt. Th e Gestapo ensured that the Rhine, however, the western Allies faced German army was deployed in the east.

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 9 Also in the east were the Yugoslavs, On 16 December 1944, the US began ten days. However, the crisis was not over well on their way toward self-liberation an off ensive on the north side of the until January 2, 1945, because the Germans and, at the same time, tying down German Ardennes using the US 2ⁿd Infantry had turned their attention to reducing troops in the Balkans which could have Division in an attack which was to be a Bastogne. For six days they attacked. But been used much better elsewhere. prelude to taking the Roer River dam. Th ey on December 26 the fi rst relief got into the Finally, there was the Italian theater. attacked on schedule. So did the Germans. pocket in the form of CCR of the US 4th Th e Germans had withdrawn north of the Th e eff orts to contain the crush the Armored Division (led by Col. Creighton Gothic Line, the last defensive line hinged bulge created by the German off ensive Abrams). Relieving the pocket was not the on the Apennines, but the allied forces had upset the Anglo-American timetable as same as driving the Germans off . Th e battle their own supply problems and didn’t have fi rst Montgomery, then Patton, had to be raged, culminating in massive air raids the strength to push the Germans onto the diverted to deal with the problem. Th e on January 1. By January 3, Eisenhower wider front needed to control the Po Valley. main German off ensive ran its course in was ready to start reducing the pocket.

January On 3 January, Montgomery attacked bank of the Rhine before attempting any most important Soviet commanders, the north fl ank of the German salient crossing, since he felt it would be best to Zhukov, Koniev, and Rokassovssky, and Patton the south. By 8 January destroy as much of the German army west were all involved in Poland. During this things had reached the stage where of the Rhine as Hitler would allow. Further, drive the 1st Ukrianian Front came upon Hitler permitted 6th Panzer Army once the Rhine was secured, he could thin the complex of Birkenau-Auschwitz to pull back, and by 16 January the out certain sectors more easily in order to and another Polish town was engraved Bulge was considered eliminated. beef up the forces to make the crossing. on the world’s memory. Th is drive ran In the meantime, US Seventh Army in In the east, on 12 January, the Soviets out of supplies on 3 February, but not Lorraine was attacked in the Nordwind began their long-feared attack in Poland, before it left Zhukov 50 km from Berlin. off ensive. Th is off ensive was stopped on taking Warsaw on the 17th. On 20 January, January was also the month that the 21 January. Th e Americans had already they entered Silesia and were thus Soviets tightened their grip on Budapest. begun their counterattack the day inside the Reich proper. By the start of On 4 January the Germans tried to before, so that by 9 February, the Colmar February they had occupied almost all break out but were unsuccessful; the Pocket had been eliminated and the of East Prussia and were on the Oder in Soviets had encircled the city and were southern Allied wing was on the Rhine. Silesia, in front of Ratisbor, Breslau and slowly widening the belt between the On 17 January, Eisenhower resumed Goigau. More seriously, they were in the city and the main German lines. Th e his main off ensive. His fi rst goal was to lower Oder area in front of Kustrin and sort of German strength that broke into clear the Rhineland north of the Mosel. Frankfurt am Oder. In doing this they Stalingrad was no longer available. Th e Montgomery’s Twenty-fi rst Army Group had sliced through fi ve hastily thrown units trapped in Budapest were left to attacked in the Roermond area while up defensive lines like the proverbial hot play out their hands to the bitter end. Bradley’s Twelfth Army Group seized the knife through butter. Th is force employed Th e Yugoslavs advanced slowly upper reaches of the Roer River. Ultimately the cream of the Red Army and great during this period and in Italy the Eisenhower wanted to clear the entire west things were expected of them. Th e three Allies planned for clear weather.

American M36 tank destroyers of the 703  tank division near Werbomont, Belgium, 1944.

10 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES February Budapest fell on 13 February. Tolbuchin, Zhukov laid plans to accomplish this and attacked—the Germans did not think the Soviet commander in that sector, as soon as his supply level permitted. he could move that fast after the flood- was now free to turn his attention toward By and large, February was a month ing—and caught the Germans off guard. Vienna. But German resistance to the for the Red Army to resupply. Not so in the Further south, First US Army west of Budapest was not broken and west. Eisenhower planned three oper- had Operation Lumberjack, a two- Tolbuchin learned of a planned offen- ations to clear the Rhineland. First was pronged operation. One wing was to sive in that area. Rather than start his Veritable. This was Montgomery’s show link up with Grenade and the other attack, he held up to devote his strength and was to turn the left flank of the West with Patton’s push up the Mosel. to containing any such offensive. Wall and move down behind it. Meanwhile, The fourth operation, Undertone, was In the north, Guderian’s offen- Simpson’s Ninth US Army was to conduct to await the completion of the first three. sive, begun on 16 February, soon a subordinate attack. Operation Grenade, Veritable had tough going at first, but by spent itself. It did cause the Soviets to to cross the Roer River, reach the Rhine 11 February, the Canadians were in Cleves re-evaluate their plans. Rather than at Dusseldorf and swing north to meet and by the 28th Grenade had broken out to drive on Berlin on a narrow front, they Veritable. As a prelude to this, the Roer link up with the Canadians on 3 March. felt they had to clear the east bank of River dams had to be taken. This was done Meanwhile, First and Third Armies the Oder-Neisse system to preclude a by 9 February, but not before the Germans worked their way through the West flank attack from that area either north had opened them, flooding the land below Wall. Patton had a mission of active or south, which could force them to and forcing Grenade to wait until the floods defense but, typically, he chose to divert troops from their main effort. went down. Simpson waited two weeks emphasize the “active” part.

March By 5 March, Veritable was over and the hands. More important, in fighting west On the eastern front, the Soviets were Rhine was clear north of Dusseldorf. A of the Rhine, Germany had lost more busy reducing East Prussia, Silesia and general advance now began in the west. than 300,000 men, a costly mistake. Pomerania so that, with a few exceptions By 7 March, elements of Third Army were The next step was crossing the Rhine. (notably Breslau and Konigsburg), all of on the Rhine, Cologne had fallen and, The Germans had held the Remagen Germany east of the Oder-Neisse line more importantly, the task force of the bridgehead fairly well, but if the Allies was in Soviet hands on 1 April, 1945. Ninth US Armored Division’s CCB had crossed at several points, Eisenhower Further south, the Red Army had to found the Ludendorf railroad bridge believed the German line would collapse. deal with the German offensive around over the Rhine at Remagen intact. They The plan called for Montgomery to cross Lake Balaton. This offensive was planned crossed on 7 March and established a near Wesel on the night of 23–24 March as a two-phase operation, with the first toe-hold on the east bank. By the time the while Patton resumed the defensive. phase to protect the Lake Balaton oil bridge finally collapsed, the Americans Needless to say, Patton was not about to fields and the second to retake Budapest. had a lodgment nine miles deep. let Montgomery steal a march on him. He But by 17 March, the offensive had been By 10 March, the Rhine was in Allied put troops across at Mainz on 22 March. contained by Tolbuchin and he prompt- hands north of the Mosel and Undertone Montgomery crossed on schedule, using ly regained, in 24 hours, all that the was now launched. Originally Undertone major airborne elements in the last big Germans had taken in the whole offen- involved nothing more than Seventh drop of the war, so that by the night of the sive, and then headed west into Austria. Army slugging through the West Wall. 24th, the Allies were across in three places. March was again a quiet month (rela- But with Patton on the Rhine north of the They now attacked out of these bridge- tively) in Italy. Time was running out on Mosel, a new option was exercised: Patton heads, Montgomery heading east and north the “soft underbelly” approach. In part this moved south along the Rhine, behind the with Ninth US Army on his right. First US was because the eastern and western fronts German resistance. He made 100 miles in Army heading east to link up with Patton were moving so much faster than anticipat- ten days, clearing the west bank down to at Giessen and, more significantly, sending ed. It was also due to the slow movement up Mannheim, while Patch’s Seventh Army a wing north and east to meet Simpson Italy during the previous year followed by advanced 25 miles along its entire front. at Lippstadt, thereby encircling the entire the bad weather which accompanies Italian By 22 March, the Rhine was fully in Allied Army Group B in the Ruhr on 1 April, 1945. winter, turning the ground into a quagmire.

April On 9 April, the Allies began their offensive up. Verona and Parma fell on 26 April. In the west, Eisenhower had to choose in Italy. By 20 April they were advancing Finally, on 29 April, the German com- whether or not to go for Berlin. He was on the Po River and the following day mander, Von Vietinghoff, announced that aware of the planned zones of occupation. Bologna fell. At this point Germany could all German forces in Italy would surrender He was also aware of the rumors of a no longer anchor its defensive line on the 2 May. At the same time, the British took National Redoubt in the Alps. This certainly sea. Lacking sufficient troops to do that, Venice and raced toward Trieste, a race smacked of the type of thing Hitler would the line began to crack and the tempo pick they lost to the Yugoslavs on 1 May. do. He knew that Hitler and the high com-

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 11 mand were in Berlin. Weighing all these at the gates of Nurnberg. The French man who looked old enough to carry a rifle factors, he felt it better to drive into the First Army, in the south, moved on and couldn’t give a good account of why south, to cut Berlin off and hopefully crush Stuttgart, taking it on 26 April. he wasn’t carrying one or, if he was, where any Alpine Fortress before it was manned. Psychologically, the most important his unit was. The Soviets moved slowly Meanwhile, British troops pushed moment since D-Day occurred on 25 into Berlin but by 30 April the Red Flag slowly forward in Holland, while they April, when the two fronts met at Torgau was flying over the Reichstag, little more were able to take advantage of the flat on the Elbe. The Third Reich was divided. than a stone’s throw from the Cancellery. lands to race toward Hamburg. By 19 On 16 April, the other shoe dropped on Further south, the Red Army moved April the British were on the Elbe. Hitler. The Soviets came across the Oder into Austria and Slovakia. On 7 April, Further south the Americans had north of Frankfurt am Oder and south of they entered Vienna. At the same time, pocketed Army Group B and they Furst. On 25 April, they completed the they pressed on to Linz and Graz. proceeded to drive inward on it. On 14 circle around Berlin and were on the Elbe Vienna held out for six days. Since 6th April the pocket was split in two and at Torgau. They had also crossed just south Panzer Army was the principal force four days later all resistance ceased. of Stettin. By the end of the month they defending it, Hitler declared that they Meanwhile, Patton was in his element were driving westward on a broad front. As had disgraced themselves by failing. pursuing the broken German forces. the western Allies had halted on the Elbs, From then on, the 6th Panzer Army was These were the very operations for which it was simply a matter of time before the primarily interested in getting west. Eisenhower thought Patton so suited that Soviets crushed what few troops remained April was the month that Germany he refused to get rid of him after some of between them and the western front. literally fell apart. Accordingly, the Patton’s more notorious activities in Italy. In Berlin, were Hitler, and all of his tempo of advance picked up more and In the process of Patton’s charge across important aides except Goring. As a more as German units were overrun Germany, he overran Buchenwald, the first result, the Red Army had to fight as hard and crushed. The end of the month concentration camp to fall into western for Berlin as they had for any city in the found Adolf Hitler dead, the capital hands. They reached the Elbe on 11 April. past year. There were no real defensive transferred to Flensburg, the Fuhrer At the same time, Seventh Army positions, but Hitler and declared Berlin to now a navy man named DÖnitz, and also drove east. By 17 April, they were be the front. The SS was out hanging every troops surrendering in droves.

May May was anti-climactic. Germany was By the time of the armistice, the All of that done, the Allies then turned finished once Hitler was dead. The Allies center section of Austria, the northwest to the German government. DÖnitz was were busy consolidating their respective of Yugoslavia and most of Bohemia and an embarrassment. He had only a tenu- positions. In Austria and Czechoslovakia, Moravia were all that remained in German ous claim to authority and no real ability little was done prior to the surrender. In hands outside of Scandanavia (which to exercise it. Moreover, he was slated for Germany proper, the Red Army accepted had remained untouched by the Allied trial as a war criminal, as were several of the formal surrender of Berlin on 2 May, advance and, wisely, the German troops his staff. It would not look good to deal and completed its move to the Elbe. there kept out of the main show). For with this government for a prolonged The British pressed on the Baltic, taking the next two weeks, the Allies dealt with period and then arrest its head. Yet, there Hamburg and Lubeck in the process. DÖnitz, located in Flensburg, as the legal was no viable means for appointing a suc- Patton continued his drive eastward, head of government. But DÖnitz’ writ cessor government and there was a need moving across the occupation line into didn’t run very well outside of naval cir- for certain nation-wide services, such Czechoslovakia and taking Pilsen before cles. He lacked Hitler’s authority for obvi- as rail and telephone, which could best being halted by Eisenhower on 6 May. The ous reasons and many Germans consid- be controlled by a central government. Czechs in Prague, believing that American ered him and his government as the tail- In retrospect, they had little choice. liberation was at hand, rebelled against the end of a bad nightmare, soon to be over. Yet the elimination of a central govern- Germans on 4 May and took control of the The Red Army spent the first week ment made it that much easier to set city. But Patton never came because, as of peace reducing the German pockets up the two opposing governments in he put it, “I wasn’t ordered to.” The Soviets, in Czechoslovakia. Tito, for his part, post WWII East and West Germany. unhappy with US presence in what they completed the defeat of German troops in On 23 May, 1945, the Allies found regarded as their sphere of activity, put the Yugoslavia, which actually involved some themselves running a once-mighty country, pressure on to halt Patton and it was done. fighting since the Germans were pretty now incapable of even feeding itself, much In Bavaria, the US Seventh Army sure what sort of treatment they would less tending to its own most basic gov- moved south and east into Austria, linking get at Tito’s hands. There were a number ernmental needs. The story of the recon- up with the US forces coming from Italy of pockets left to be mopped up, such as struction of Germany is, in many ways, as and the Brenner Pass and taking Linz. the Channel Islands, which had never astounding as the destruction of Germany been cleared of Germans after D-Day. which culminated on that May day. ◆

12 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES Four Counteroffensives

ne of the few controversies surrounding the last six months of the war in Europe was the value of the counter-offensives launched during the three months between 16 December, 1944 and 6 March, 1945. Since the war was effectively lost O before December, none of the attacks could have saved Germany. The debate is over the questionable results which might have been achieved versus the effect of prolonging the war, which might have occurred had the German strength been husbanded for defense.

Wacht am Rhein The first, both in time and force, was the Division, and some of its best generals, the region. Now he proposed to fight the Ardennes Offensive, Wacht am Rhein, such as Manteuffel. Hitler sought to strike crucial battles in the forests and moun- begun 16 December, 1944. Its goal was through the Ardennes and achieve the tains of the Ardennes. The attack was well to take Antwerp and cut off the entire same surprise achieved in 1940. However, planned in that it hit the weakest point 21st Army Group under Montgomery. To in 1940 the Germans had moved virtually in the Allied line, the thinly held First this attack Germany committed some unopposed through the Ardennes and US Army lines. But it set an impossible of its best forces, such as the 1st Panzer fought the main battles to the west of timetable. Actually, in order to succeed,

Memel Dv Map ey in 1 Baltic Closing in on the Reich a Baltic Sea 1 March 1945 Frontline Tilsit Niemen Dec 1944–March 1945 Stolpmunde Konigsberg 1 FebKiel 1945 Frontline 3 Danzig Goldap 1 Jan 1945Lubek Frontline Rostock Koslin Emden Hamburg16 Dec 1944 Frontline Elbing Lotzen Groningeh E Neustettin 33 Belo Belo Bremerhaven lbe Schwerin Allenstein Stettin Final German western 4 r Stargard e Neth front counteroffensives d Neustrelitz O Amsterdam Bromberg Schneidemuhle Mlawa Osnabruck Hanover Thorn 23 Belo Belo 25 Arnhem 1F 2 Kustrin Poznan Modlin Rozan R Berlin Wloclawck V h istu in Madgeburg la e 5 1 2 Lippstadt Guben POLAND E Duisburg Dessau lb e Leszno Kalicz Warsaw GREA TER Cottbus 1 Belorussian Brussels 9 Essen Glogau 15 Kassel Leipzig Aachen B 9 Cologne Gorlitz Center 1 use Bonn 21 Me Radom Dresden Od Erfurt Liegnitz e Wacht am Rhein r Wacht am Rhein Lublin Koblenz GERMANY Kielce Frankfurt Bastogne 7 Breslau Schweinfurt Karlsbad Katowice 4 Sandomierz Mainz Oppeln tula G Wurzburg Prague Vis 12 Krakow 3 Saarbrucken e 1 Ukr n i Mannheim Nuremberg Pilzen Tarnow 1 h CZECHSLOV AKIA Ostrava R 17 FRANCE Danube Novy Sacz Stuttgart Regensburg Tabor Nancy Strasbourg Brun Zakopane A Ulm Passau 7 Nordwind Stockerau Colmar Munich 1 19 Bratislava Miskolc Memmingen Linz 1 Salzburg Debrecen 6 Vienna 1 Basel Berchtesgaden 8 4 Ukr AUSTRIA Komaron Unit ey Zurich Innsbruck HUNGARY

Front/Army Group SWITZERLAND Budapest Klagenfurt 6 Army 2 Ukr Bolzano Belluno Nagykaniska German Panzer army Szeged 3 Treviso Udine Pecs Mohacs German army Milan SW ROMANIA German FJ army Venice Verona Zagreb Piacenza Timosoara Po Trieste 2 Hungarian16 Dec army 44 3 Ukr Modena F US army 10 Genova Bologna 14 British army Belgrade Da BULGARIA nu 1 Mar 45 Ravenna be Canadian army 16 Dec 44 Florence 8 Adriatic Sea Free French army Pisa 5 YUGOSLA VIA Soviet army I T A L Y 300Mi

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 13 that timetable was necessary due to the account and John Eisenhower’s The Bitter and was forced, on that tenth day, to ability of the Allies to reinforce. It was an Woods is the best account available. pull back his spearheads. The result insoluble problem. The road system of In essence, the Germans attacked was a major loss for the Germans. the Ardennes simply could not support in the First Army area with the cream Although it upset the western timetable a Blitzkrieg. Few phases of the war have of the German tank forces in the west. by a month, it expended badly needed been as extensively written about as this Hitler expected to reach the Meuse in tanks and materiel for an attack which offensive.S&T 37 contains a more detailed two days. He didn’t reach it in ten days didn’t really change things that much.

Nordwind First Army was not the only thinly held mission of taking Strassburg and forcing Line (remember that?) near Hagenau, area. South of Patton’s Third Army were the Allies to redivert Patton away from with an initial goal of Saverne, west of US Seventh Army and French First Army, the Bulge. As it turned out, by the time Strassburg. Eisenhower, seeing how holding the Alsace-Lorraine area. When Nordwind got going, the Bulge was well in thinly held the American positions Patton pulled out to take care of the Bulge, hand and the need to divert never arose. were, wanted to pull back to the Vosges Seventh Army had to extend even further The main attack was begun on 1 Mountains. This would have let the north. Hitler decided to take advantage of January, 1945, on the left wing of Seventh Germans have Strassburg, a loss which this by a secondary attack with the dual Army, breaking through the Maginot would have hurt DeGaulle’s position

D Memel vi 1 Baltic Last Months of the Reich na Baltic Sea Niemen March–May 1945 Tilsit Kiel Stolpmunde Konigsberg Danzig Goldap Lubek Rostock Koslin Lotzen Elbing Emden Hamburg Groningeh E 3 Neustettin Bremerhaven lbe Schwerin Allenstein Sonnenwende 3 Belo Stettin Sonnenwende 3 Belo r e Neth Neustrelitz d Stargard Map ey O Amsterdam 23 Belo Belo 1F 9 Schneidemuhle Thorn MlawaFinal pockets Osnabruck Hanover 25 Arnhem Berlin Kustrin Poznan AlpineRozan redoubt R Wloclawck V Modlin h istu in Madgeburg 13 Belo Belo la e 5 1 2 Lippstadt Guben 1 March 1945 Frontline E POLAND Duisburg Dessau lb Leszno GREA TER e Cottbus Warsaw1 Apr 1945 Frontline Brussels 9 Glogau Essen B Kassel Kalicz 15 Leipzig Vistula 1 May 1945 Frontline Aachen Gorlitz 1 Ukr Cologne euse 21 M 1 Dresden 4 O Radom7 May 1945 Frontline Bonn Erfurt Liegnitz de r Koblenz 7 Lublin Bastogne GERMANY KielceFinal German eastern Frankfurt 17 Breslau front counteroffensives 3 Schweinfurt Mainz Katowice a Sandomierz Karlsbad Prague Oppeln istul 1 G Wurzburg V 12 Center Krakow Saarbrucken Nuremberg Pilzen Tarnow Mannheim Ostrava 4 Ukr 7 CZECHSLOV AKIA 1 Danube Novy Sacz e Stuttgart FRANCE in h Regensburg Tabor Nancy R Strasbourg Brun Zakopane Ulm 1 19 Passau Stockerau Munich Colmar Bratislava Miskolc Memmingen Linz Salzburg 8 Debrecen Basel Austria 6 Vienna Berchtesgaden Komaron HUNGARY Zurich Innsbruck Budapest Unit ey AUSTRIA Fruhlungserwachen SWITZERLAND Front/Army Group Klagenfurt 6 2 Ukr Army

Bolzano Belluno Nagykaniska Szeged German Panzer army Udine Pecs Mohacs SW 10 Treviso GermanROMANIA army Milan Venice Verona Zagreb 3 Ukr German FJ army Po Timosoara Piacenza Trieste 2 Hungarian army F 14 Modena US army Genova Bologna Belgrade BULGARIA Da British army nu Ravenna be 8 Canadian army 5 Adriatic Florence Sea Pisa Free French army YUGOSLA VIA I T A L Y 300Mi Soviet army

14 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES badly. After several days of argument, At the same time, Himmler, by now push toward the south. Th e Germans got during which it was apparent that the commander of Army Group Oberrhein, within a few miles of Strassburg, but the main German drive was being held better attacked out of the Colmar pocket, a bulge American lines held until, on 20 January, than anticipated, Eisenhower relented across the Rhine around the Colmar, with the Allies were able to counterattack, end- and agreed to try to hold Strassburg. the objective of meeting the main German ing the last German off ensive in the west.

The Pomeranian Offensive After the Soviet attack in January had car- prong. Hitler refused to accept that as he whole aff air. Th e attack jumped off on ried their front line to the Oder, Guderian, had other plans for Sixth Panzer Army. So schedule on 16 February, 1945, but that then Chief of the General Staff , persuaded Guderian had to make do with plans for night Wenck was injured in an automo- Hitler to make a counterattack with the a one-pronged “pincer”. Th e attack was bile accident and his successor, Krebs, hope of cutting off Zhukov’s spearheads. solely in the hands of Th ird Panzer Army. lacked Wenck’s imagination. Th e attack He wanted a two-pronged attack, from Guderian had managed to get General foundered. It did achieve one goal. To Pomerania and Silesia. Th e Sixth Panzer Wenck in as chief of staff for Himmler prevent a repetition, the Soviets held off Army, by then pulled out of the line in (by this time commander of Army Group their drive on Berlin to clear the Oder the Ardennes, was to be the southern Vistula) and Wenck was managing the from the Baltic to the Sudeten Mountains.

Fruhlungserwachen Budapest had been encircled and cut off Soviet drive on Berlin, he sent them to Dubafoldvor and destroy the main Soviet early in the year. By the end of February Hungary to protect the oil regions there. force. Once these phases were accom- the oil fi elds around the Nagy-Kanioza Th e plan called for three prongs to plished, Budapest was to be retaken. area near Lake Balaton, were threat- drive into the positions of the Th ird Th e attack began on 6 March. Six days ened. Th ese were the last natural oil Ukrainian Front, pin it against the later, Sixth Panzer Army had gone only 30 fi elds in German hands and with the Danube and destroy it. One wing, the km and was still 25 km from the Danube. Saar on the verge of being taken by the 91st Corps, with three-odd divisions, was Tolbuchin, the Soviet Commander, had Soviets, the sources of even ersatz oil to attack over the Orave toward Mohacz. anticipated the attack, given ground were in danger. Without oil, Germany’s Th e second wing, Second Panzer Army, grudgingly, and was prepared to coun- days were distinctly numbered. with fi ve or six infantry divisions, was to terattack. Th e Soviets struck on 19 March Hitler called on Sixth Panzer Army, go between the Drave and Lake Balaton. and in 24 hours regained all of the ground commanded by his stalwart, Sepp Dietrich. Th e main attack, by Sixth Panzer Army, lost, thereby ending the last German Rather than sending them against the main was to go north of Lake Balaton toward off ensive on an ignominious note.

Conclusion Certainly these four attacks bled off ble to some extent and in that regard were Germans from having the initiative what remained of the German reserves. of some value. Germany may have bought again. After the Lake Balaton attack, Not spending the reserves in these as much as a month by these attacks. Lake the SS units in Sixth SS Panzer Army attacks would have prolonged the war, Balaton was even more essential due to could no longer be used in their old though it is impossible to say how the necessity of keeping the oil fi elds as “fi re brigade” role, being shuttled from much longer it could have gone on. Th e long as possible. Th e only attack which critical point to critical point. All they Germans could not have fallen back was of no real value was Nordwind. could do was fall back toward Vienna. indefi nitely. Psychologically, some No matter what the possible gains All that was left when these off ensives form of counterattack was necessary from these attacks and the actual delays were done was for the German forc- to keep the Allies off German soil. they imposed on the Allies, the most es to try to avoid suff ering too many Th e attacks in the Ardennes and in important result was to remove the deaths and, for those in the east, to get Pomerania did throw off the Allied timeta- last German reserves and prevent the to the West as fast as possible. ◆

Counterattack of Soviet infantry and tanks near Lake Balaton, 1945.

BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES 15 1994 SETUP CHART Unit ID Stats Historic / Unit ID Stats Historic / Unit ID Stats Historic / Soviet Union 15 US 4-8-6 1706 1413 East German 1 Balt 8-20-3 3524 — 2 US 6-6-7 0511 1115 HG 6-4-5 3223 2 Balt 8-20-3 3723 3322 7 US 6-6-7 2104 2313 9 SS 3-6-4 1522 3 Balt 8-20-3 3725 — 12 US 6-6-7 1705 1516 11 SS 3-4-4 1823 1 BR 8-20-3 2624 2613 19 US 6-6-7 2204 2512 4 SS 4-3-8 2722 2 BR 8-20-3 2925 — 5 US 7-4-8 2104 2313 3 SS 7-5-8 Courland** 3 BR 8-20-3 3225 2723 20 US 7-4-8 1705 1516 15 SS 2-3-6 0923 1 Ukr 8-20-3 2224 2418 Britain 21 2-4-4 0524 2 Ukr 8-20-3 1422 1617 1 Br 4-8-6 2401 2911 49 3-7-5 2024 3 Ukr 8-20-3 1220 1522 5 Br 4-8-6 0612 1211 2 3-5-4 Courland** 4 Ukr 8-20-3 1724 1918 12 Br 4-8-6 2203 2711 6 3-5-4 3024 1 Gds 7-7-4 1926 2912 13 Br 4-8-6 0512 0811 8 2-3-4 2525 2 Gds 7-7-4 3125 2315 8 Br 6-6-7 2303 2810 9 4-5-5 3423 3 Gds 7-7-4 2425 2216 30 Br 7-4-8 2303 2407 10 2-4-4 Courland** 4 Gds 7-7-4 1221 1520 Canada 16 3-5-4 Courland** 5 Gds 7-7-4 2425 1318 1 Cn 4-8-6 0612 1211 17 1-2-4 1622 6 Gds 7-7-4 3325 2513 2 Cn 7-4-8 2401 2911 20 2-3-4 2623 7 Gds 7-7-4 1523 1719 France 23 3-4-4 2623 8 Gds 7-7-4 2526 2314 2 Fr 4-8-6 1405 1312 26 4-6-4 3224 10 Gds 7-7-4 3025 2712 1 Fr 6-6-7 1505 1413 27 2-3-4 3024 11 Gds 7-7-4 3325 3322 Polish Exiles 29 3-4-5 1622 1 Gds 6-4-6 2526 2314 2 Pol E 4-8-6 0512 1113 34 3-4-4 0324 3 Gds 6-4-6 2325 1918 West German 42 3-4-4 2223 5 Gds 6-4-6 2824 1617 1 LW* 4-9-4 0610 55 3-4-4 2823 6 Gds 6-4-6 1523 — 2 LW* 5-11-4 2502 59 2-4-4 1824 2 Tk 6-4-6 2624 2912 13 SS 6-7-6 1806 68 4-5-5 0823 4 Tk 6-4-6 2325 2712 1 SS 8-6-8 2005 72 3-3-4 1021 Communist Poland 2 SS 8-6-8 2005 4 3-2-7 1320 1 Pol C 3-4-4 2724 2718 12 SS 8-5-8 2304 3 4-3-6 1019 2 Pol C 3-4-4 2724 2718 63 2-3-4 1506 24 7-5-8 1823 Bulgaria 64 2-3-4 1606 39 7-5-8 3224 1 Bul 2-5-4 1524 1318 65 4-5-5 1906 40 5-4-6 3423 Yugoslavia 67 3-5-4 2105 56 4-3-5 2424 1 YS 5-6-4 0824 1018 73 1-3-4 0712 41 5-5-5 2823 2 YS 5-6-4 0325 0917 74 5-6-5 2205 46 4-3-5 2424 3 YS 5-6-4 0525 0817 75 2-4-4 0609 48 4-3-5 2223 4 YS 5-6-4 0224 — 80 4-5-5 1805 57 5-3-7 1421 Romania 81 4-5-5 2205 GD 7-5-8 3223 1 Rom 3-5-4 1123 — 82 4-5-5 1806 1 3-5-6 1421 4 Rom 3-5-4 1322 — 85 2-4-4 1805 Hungary United States 90 2-3-4 1606 1 Hun 3-5-4 1722 4 US 4-8-6 0510 1115 76 3-5-5 0712 3 Hun 3-5-4 1219 6 US 4-8-6 1605 1714 14 4-6-5 0611 8 US 4-8-6 1904 2012 47 6-5-6 1905 13 US 4-8-6 2204 2512 58 5-3-6 1905

* LW: These 2 units are incorrectly shown in East German colors in the 1994 counter set **Courland: See 8.0.

16 BATTLE FOR GERMANY RULES