*...* BOLD TYPE **...** ITALIC TYPE NOTE: COMBINES "CLARIFICATIONS" COLUMNS FROM S&T 154 AND 155 ------------------ *CASE GREEN (S&T 152)* Q: What does the term "ZOC" indicate? A: Treat these the same as "EZ" (Engagement Zone). A few references to "Zone of Control" crept in by mistake. Q: Can a mechanized unit attack into a hex it cannot move into? (5.2) A: Yes. This may seem illogical at first glance, but without this "bonus" for mechanized units, the Czechs tend to set up infantry units **off** the main roads to catch road-bound mech units like flies on fly paper. This is far more unrealistic and disruptive to play than allowing mech units the right to attack. EZs indicate that there is some degree of contact between adjacent units. Where there is such contact, there ought to be the ability to fight. Terrain penalties reflect the uneven terms on which the battle occurs. Bear in mind that EZs are purely a game mechanic that allows the game to be played at the operational level with fewer units cluttering the map. Q: Should EZs extend across Major River hexsides, since movement across them is so restricted? (5.2) A: Yes. Otherwise, players would be forced to cover every hex along a river with a unit, which would put the Czech at a severe and unrealistic disadvantage. Try the following as an optional rule: EZs do not extend across Major River hexsides, but no unit may cross a Major River hexside into a hex containing an enemy EZ. This allows units freedom of movement on their side of the river, while still making it difficult to cross. Q: Can any units enter Poland? (6.2) A: No, but they can enter hexes containing the Polish border. Q: Do non-mechanized units really pay only 1/2 MP per Road hex (6.3) and 1/2MP per imaginary off-map "hex" (6.4) as the rules state? A: No. Non-mech pay 1 MP in both cases, as indicated on the Terrain Effects Chart. Q: Can German units use Off-Map Movement (6.4) to enter Poland and Czechoslovakia along the southern or northern edges of the map? A: No. German units are only allowed to enter and exit the map in Germany, west of Bratislava (4213) and Poland (1701) exclusive. Q: Who takes step losses and makes retreats first in a combat (7.1)? A: The defender. Remember, the attacker can never retreat, and neither side can retreat from a Mobile Assault. Q: How are step losses assigned to special units like tank battalions? (7.2) A: Each eliminated special unit absorbs one step loss just like any unit with only a front side. This is true even a hex contains only special units. Q: If a hex already contains a Panzer Division and there are any tank battalions not belonging to the division in the same hex, can the CRT shift be more than the usual "two" for the Panzer Division? A: No. The only way to have a higher shift would be to have the extra tank battalion(s) in other hexes. For each HEX containing a tank battalion (or a complete Panzer Division) a shift of "one" (or "two") is made. Q: When a stack is halved while attacking across a river, is any remaining fraction rounded up? A: Yes. Q: Can a hex that contains only special units with parenthesized combat strengths cause any combat column shifts? (7.9) A: No. Q: If a retreating unit enters even one vacant hex in an enemy ZOC (8.2), must it take the printed number of step losses from the CRT result? A: Yes. Remember, if the printed number is zerio (0), lose one step per vacant hex entered that contains any enemy ZOCs. Q: Can units trace supply directly to a source without resorting to a "Strategic Path"? (10.2) A: Yes. Q: How should supply be judged during a Mobile Assault (MOBA)? A: Only the defenders check for supply just prior to resolution of a MOBA (9.1). The attacker checks supply just prior to beginning movement (10.1, "Friendly Movement Phase"). Once underway, a moving unit is not checked again for supply during the rest of its movement. Remember, an unsupplied unit may not undertake a MOBA at all, but it can still move and perform normal combat at half value (10.3). Q: Do Czech fortress hexes serve as regular supply sources (10.4) for any units able to trace a normal supply path to them? A: NO. Only a Czech unit actually occupying a fortress hex of any type is considered in supply. No unit may ever trace a supply path to a fortress. Q: Do Czech cities that are not German-occupied always provide supply, even if they were ever passed through by a German unit or are isolated from all other Czech cities by German units and/or EZs? (10.4) A: Yes. Unless the Germans occupied a city in this lightning campaign, it would continue to function. The Czechs stockpiled essential materials all over the country in anticipation of being cut off, so the current rule makes sense. Also, in a game focused on maneuver and combat rather than logistics, it was essential to keep supply simple. Q: What is the picture on the back of most (but not all) of the air markers supposed to mean? A: Only air units that qualify to perform Interdiction have the picture on the back. When an Interdicting air marker is placed in a hex (rule 11.4), flip it over to its back side. Be sure to remove all Interdiction markers from the map no later than the end of each player turn. Q: Can Replacement Points be saved from turn to turn? (14.1) A: NO. You either use them each turn or lose them. Q: What if no friendly units of the same color as a replacement unit are in play; where does the unit set up? (14.2) A: Any replacement unit in this situation MUST appear in a friendly city (not a town). If all originally friendly cities are enemy-occupied, no replacements can be received this turn. Also, consider the following-- *Optional Replacement Rule* (replaces 14.2): Each army has an HQ unit matching the unit type box color of units belonging to it. When a non-HQ ground unit belonging to a particular army returns to the map from the Dead Pile, it must be placed on or adjacent to its parent HQ unit. The selected hex must not be in an enemy EZ, and the unit must immediately be able to trace supply. Otherwise, the unit may not reenter play. Independent units may be placed with any friendly HQ unit. An HQ unit returning from the Dead Pile must be placed in any city in its home country not occupied by an enemy unit. The returned HQ may immediately be used to bring on other replacement units. Army HQs are considered mechanized units for all game purposes, including replacements. Q: Does every type of unit in the Dead Pile count equally toward victory point awards each turn? (15.1) A: Yes. Q: When you pick a Random Event marker (16.0) that requires a roll of one or two dice, do you put the marker back in the container if nothing actually happens? A: NO. Each marker gets only one die or dice roll. No matter what happens, remove it from play. It cannot be picked again, but if another identical type of marker is picked (e.g. "Foul Weather") then check for the indicated event again. Q: What can the "Partisan" and "5th Column" units do? (16.0) A: Treat them like a special unit (7.9), plus they cannot move and exert no EZs. The hex the unit occupies may not be entered by enemy units, and negates enemy supply lines (10.2). Q: What do the different names for the Random events chits mean? A: "Benes" (pronounced BE-nish) was the Czech leader who presumably rallies support for the cause when the chit is pulled. Fifth column and Nazi refer to the activities of the Sudeten Nazi party. The rest are self-explanatory. Q: Can eliminated German parachute units be rebuilt? A: Yes, but rebuilt units may never perform Airdrops (17.0). Q: In an Airborne Assault (17.2), do you really roll once PER UNIT on the "?" CRT line? Can an Airborne Assault ever be declared intensive? A: The answer is NO in both cases. Roll on the "?" line once for the airborne attacker. If any defenders survive, roll once for them. Trade dice rolls until the instant one side is completely eliminated. Q: When playing the "short game" option (18.0), shifting the German victory one level upward does not quite capture the likely course of the war after game turn five. Is there a better way of estimating the situation? A: Retain the shift as explained in the rules, but only those cities which change hands have their victory points count. A Victory Point city under the control of its original owner at the end of the short game is worth zero VPs. Q: I am having trouble with play balance. The game always seems to end in some kind of a German victory. Any suggestions? (15.0) A: The classic approach is for players to switch sides and see who wins the biggest German victory. Beyond that, here are a couple of optional rules that will tend to make the going tougher for the German, while actually improving realism a bit. Use either or both as you wish: 1) *Movement into Fortified hexes*: German units (only) must always pay additional MPs, **including** all normal terrain costs, to enter a Czech fortified hex. Roads do NOT negate these extra costs. Extra costs -- Light = +1 MP, Medium = +2 MPs, Heavy = +3 MPs. 2) *Variable Fortification Effects*: Every time "doubles" is rolled on the Combat Results Table for an attack against Czech units in any type of Fortification, roll again on the "?" column. Q: Then again, it seems like the Czechs can stop anything the Germans throw at them. Is there any other way to balance the game? A: Players have also said that the game is hopeless for the Czechs! The two different responses suggest that this one is a real challenge. Much depends on the capabilities of the players, which is as it should be. See above for tilting the balance in favor of the Czechs. As for the Germans, try coming up with a better offensive plan or use the old trick of having players switch sides and compare overall performance. Q: In the Free Setup Scenario (18.2), can the German Reserve Divisions and the paratroop units start anywhere on the map? A: NO. They should be set up exactly as in the Historical Scenario (18.1). No other units except these may be placed in the Reserve Box. *Counters* Q: Do the four 8-6 German Motorized Infantry divisions lose their motorized status when flipped over to their reduced sides? A: No, the missing "wheels" on the backs of the 2, 13, 20, and 29 Mot. Inf. divisions should be added. A dab of liquid "white-out" with a circle drawn around it in black ink makes for a nice fix. The wheels were definitely on the proof sheets. The staff is hard at work tracking down the gremlin responsible for stealing those particular hubcaps! Q: What does the black triangle in the top left corner of the five German infantry divisions mean? A: It indicates those units that form the German Reserve (rule 13.0) at the beginning of the Historical Scenario (18.1). Q: Is the 3rd Czech Mountain unit actually a division, as marked? A: No, all three of the 3-6 Mountain units are brigades, and exert no Engagement Zone. Q: Help! I am partially color-blind and cannot figure out which units belong in which armies! A: Here is a list to help you out. We suggest marking the army number in top left corner; leave the independent units unmarked. German -- 2nd Army (red) = 2,3,12,13,24,25,28,30,31 inf; 3 Light; 3 PZ -- 8th Army (green) = 4,14,15,29 inf -- 10th Army (orange) = 5,10,17 inf; 2,13,20 Mot. Inf.; 1,2 Light; 1 PZ -- 12th Army (blue) = 6,7,8,9,19,20,27 inf; 1 Mtn; SS LAH regiment -- 14th Army (yellow) = 44,45 inf; 2,3 Mtn; 29 Mot. Inf.; 4 Light; 2 PZ -- Independent (white) = 16,18,21,22,23 inf (reserve); 16, 1LW parachute; 1,2,3,4,"V" Border (B) units Czech -- 1st Army (blue) = 1,3,4,6,7,8,11,13,15,17,20,21,24,27 inf -- 2nd Army (yellow) = 2,5,10,14,22,23 inf -- 4th Army (green) = 6,9,12,16,18,19,25,26,28 inf -- Independent (black) = 8 x tank battalions -- Independent (white) = 1,2,3 Mtn brigades; 1 Mot. Inf. division; 1,2 Cav brigades; all Fortress (F) regiments; all Border (BDR) regiments; all Garrison (G) divisions Also, the Czech 7-6 infantry unit with ID number "9" on the front should actually be 19. The 7-6 unit marked "10" on the front should actually be 20. The back sides have the proper ID numbers. *Charts & Tables* Victory Point Chart (p.33): Mark each Victory Point city listed on the chart with its proper hex(es): Praha (Prague)** (2029,2030); Vienna** (4018, 4118); Pilsen** (2235, 2304); Glatz (1417); Brno (2816). Add the following footnote: ** Both city hexes must be physically occupied by the same side to receive any VPs. *Examples of Play (p.33):* Off-Map Movement map: move the letters E, F, G, and H 1/4 inch higher to indicate the proper off-map "hexes" used for movement purposes. Supply: Mark with an "A" the rough hex in the picture with the road running through it that is adjaacent to the German 4-8 unit. *"Lessons of History" (p. 38):* A last minute change in fortress strengths on the map requires some important changes in the Lesson. In the Combat Phase, the 8 Czech combat factors should be doubled to 16 by the presence of a MEDIUM fort. That, plus the two-column shift for a Medium Fort, gives three net shifts to the defender and reduces the odds from 2-to-1 to 1-to-3. The dice roll of 7 produces the result as currently shown. In the Exploitation phase, the 4 Czech CFs are doubled to 8 by the Medium fort, which brings about a basic odds ratio of 3-to-1. Total shifts are 2 in favor of the defender, so the final CRT column is 1-to-1. A dice roll of 6 gives a 1/1 result, meaning that both sides lose one step, not just the Czechs. The German eliminates a tank battalion from 1st Panzer Division and places it in the Dead Pile. The rest of the "Lesson" is accurate. EOF