Living Rules The Eastern Front 1941-45 RULE BOOK T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S 1.0 Introduction .................................................................. 2 14.0 Replacements .............................................................. 16 2.0 Components .................................................................. 2 15.0 Weather ....................................................................... 17 3.0 Terminology and Abbreviations ................................... 4 16.0 Special Units ............................................................... 17 4.0 Game Set-up ................................................................. 5 17.0 Oil ............................................................................... 18 5.0 Determining Victory ..................................................... 6 18.0 Banked OPS ................................................................ 18 6.0 Sequence of Play .......................................................... 6 19.0 National Restrictions .................................................. 19 7.0 Strategy Cards .............................................................. 7 20.0 German Mobile Defense ............................................. 19 8.0 Zones of Control (ZOC) ............................................. 10 21.0 Bidding ....................................................................... 19 9.0 Stacking ...................................................................... 10 22.0 Tournament Scenario .................................................. 20 10.0 Movement ................................................................... 11 23.0 Optional Rules ............................................................ 20 11.0 Combat ....................................................................... 12 24.0 Easily Forgotten Rules ................................................ 21 12.0 Exploitation ................................................................ 14 25.0 Unit Set-up .................................................................. 21 13.0 Supply ......................................................................... 15 Index ................................................................................... 22 GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308 www.GMTGames.com© 2010 GMT Games, LLC 2 Stalin’s War Living Rules Manual RULES OF PLAY 1.0 INTRODUCTION 2.0 COMPONENTS Stalin’s War includes the following: Stalin’s War is a two-player game simulating the course of the Sec- ond World War on the eastern front, from the German invasion of • One 22” by 34” map. • One rules booklet the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 to the fall of Berlin in May, 1945. • 88 5/8” die cut counters • One playbook These rules are organized into numbered sections, with some • 280 1/2” die cut counters • 110 Strategy Cards sections further subdivided into subsections (for example, 2.1 • 2 player aid cards • Two 6-sided Dice and 2.2). In a number of places in the rules, you will see refer- ences made to rules sections and subsections that are related to 2.1 THE GAME MAP the one you are reading. The game map consists of a pattern of hexes superimposed on This is the “Living Rules” document for the game. It includes a map of the terrain over which the 1941-45 campaigns were errata and clarifications to the original rules. To aid readability, fought. Individual hexes contain various symbols represent- errata and additional rules are indicated in red text, while clari- ing different types of terrain. These are shown on the Terrain fications are shown in blue text. Key printed on the map; their effects are listed in the Terrain Effects Chart. Credits The game map also contains a number of charts and tracks to Designer: Ted Raicer record various game functions. These include the General Re- Developer: Paul Marjoram cords Track (used to record the accumulation of Replacements Art Director: Rodger MacGowan and Axis Victory Points), Fire Tables (used to resolve combat), Box Art and Design: Rodger MacGowan the Action and Consecutive OPS Tracks, the Eliminated Unit Map & Cards: Charles Kibler Game Manuals & Player Aid Card: Charles Kibler Boxes, and the Turn Record Track. Counters: Mark Simonitch The map also marks two Axis Logistical Zones: the Paulus Playtesters: Don Clarke, Paul Horvath, Stefan Mecay, Zone (Russia, east of the Paulus line), and the Caucasus Zone David Hoskins, Francois Trebosc, Jeff Kinney, David Aud, Jeff Behan, Jesse Escobedo, Jim Lauffenberger, Tim Tow, Michael (Russia, south of the Caucasus line). Note that the Paulus Line Dauer, Nicolas Pei, Thomas Francois Stanislau is considered to extend along the Kerch straits; e.g., a unit in Proofreading: Jonathan Squibb, J. Peter Rich Novorossiysk is considered to be east of the Paulus Line. Production Coordination: Tony Curtis Producers: Tony Curtis, Rodger MacGowan, Andy Lewis, Gene Billingsley and Mark Simonitch © 2010 GMT Games, LLC Stalin’s War Living Rules Manual 3 2.2 THE PLAYING PIECES 2.2.3 Counter Abbreviations 2.2.1 Combat Units GE: Germany IT: Italy RO: Romania SU: Soviet Union HU: Hungary Combat units come in two different sizes. The 5/8” counters are Large Combat Units (LCUs) and the 1/2” counters are Small 2.3 THE STRATEGY CARDS Combat Units (SCUs). LCUs represent Armies and SCUs rep- 2.3.1 Each player has his own deck of 55 Strategy Cards, resent Corps, except for the Soviet Union where LCUs represent subdivided into 2 groups: 25 cards labeled Blitzkrieg Cards and Fronts and SCUs represent Armies or Corps. SCUs depict forces 30 cards labeled Total War Cards. Each player begins the game of between 20,000 and 60,000 men. LCUs represent large bod- using only his Blitzkrieg Cards. ies of troops (up to 300,000 men) supported by heavy artillery, air units etc. 2.3.2 All Strategy Cards may be played as an Operations (OPS) card or a Replacement Point (RP) card. Strategy/Event Full Reduced Unit Single Strength Strength Size Step No ZOC Cards may also be played as an Event Card. Strategy/Combat Cards may also be played as Combat cards during combat. 4 2.3.3 Strategy Cards that have an asterisk (*) following their Event Name must be removed from the game immediately fol- lowing their play as an Event or Combat card. RP Values Combat Movement Attack Movement Unit OPS GE GE Axis Card No Rebuild Defense ID Type Value Infantry Armor Minor ID # The numbers printed across the bottom of a Combat Unit are its Combat Strength and Movement Allowance. Some Combat Units Card have two numbers across the bottom of the counter, while some Type have three numbers. If there are three numbers the first two are the Combat Strength subdivided into Attack and Defense Combat Strengths (the left-most and center numbers respectively), used depending on whether the unit is attacking or defending. • Combat Strength is a measure of a unit’s ability to inflict Event damage in Combat. Name • Movement Allowance (MA) is a measure of a unit’s ability to Combat move. Card Note that an SCU may be weaker in Combat than an LCU with a lower Combat Strength because LCUs perform their Offensive Asterisk or Defensive Fire on a better Combat Fire Table than SCUs. (remove from game when Most LCUs and SCUs are printed on both sides of the counter. played as an Event) The two sides are called steps. Most Combat Units have two steps, although some weak units have only a single step. Single Event step units have a light ‘half-stripe’ over their ID number to en- Text able players to identify them as single-step without having to turn them over. For two-step units the front side of the counter represents the unit at full strength and the reverse side represents the unit at reduced strength. Exception: Partisan counters consist 2.4 DAMAGED/MISSING of Inactive (front) and Active (back) sides. Note: Many German COMPONENTS OR QUESTIONS? LCUs have four steps, represented on two different counters. If there are any damaged or missing components, please contact When the first two steps are eliminated, the unit is replaced on us at: the map by its second counter. GMT Games Some Combat Units are marked with an asterisk on the left side P.O. Box 1308 of the counter. This indicates that this step of the unit may not Hanford, CA 93232-1308 be rebuilt. A unit with an asterisk on all its steps is permanently removed from the game when it is eliminated. If you have any questions about the rules, we’ll be glad to answer them if you send them to the address above with a self-addressed, 2.2.2 Game Markers stamped envelope. For faster response, we’re on the Internet at There are several types of Game Markers included in the game. www.gmtgames.com, or at www.consimworld.com (where Their use is described in the rules. you will find discussion forums for both GMT andStalin’s War). © 2010 GMT Games, LLC 4 Stalin’s War Living Rules Manual General Government: German-annexed Poland Germany: Germany is defined as the area marked “Greater Germany”, including “General Government”, as well as the hex containing Konigsberg. (This is important for placement of German units.) Guard: Any Soviet unit with a G in its unit ID. Hex Control: Players should keep track of who controls the following: Towns, Cities, Ports, Fortresses, Oil, and Victory Point Hexes. Control of such hexes changes over to the enemy at the instant an enemy unit enters it, as well as during the Attri- tion Phase under particular circumstances (see 13.3.9). Control markers are provided to be used where needed. Logistical Lines: The map is divided by two Logistical Lines: 3.0 TERMINOLOGY