MOVES 59 BAOR The Enhancement and Standardization of the Central Front Series by Charles T. Kamps, Jr. In the BAOR issue of S&T we decided to "bite the bullet" and revise and integrate the standard rules so that you'd have one set of system-wide statements without a lot of exceptions and modifying clauses. This article gives you some of the back ground on why and how this came about as well as providing an extra group of rules which also apply to all the games in the system. It is probable that the CF System will continue to evolve (because of its contemporary subject) and we will maintain the system in the pages of MOVES. I hope we get the entire system done before the Soviet economy collapses and they're no longer a believable threat. Or vice-versa! - Redmond The Central Front Series is an evolutionary project. Readers who are familiar with the first two games in the series, Fifth Corps and Hof Gap, will notice improvements in BAOR, which will be retrofitted to the earlier games. Doing modern simulations is more challenging than historical ones for two reasons: first, there is no "historical" outcome and postmortem to guide the designer, and second, information on weapon effects order of battle, and relative capabilities is often hard to come by. The designer must research current military periodicals and accounts of recent conflicts to form a basis of understanding for terrain, units, and mechanics. More important, he must rely on assistance from folks in the military who can provide the "feel" of the current situation, as well as up-to-date facts and a candid view of relative strengths and weaknesses of the potential combatants. In some cases, things just outright change during the course of time. For instance, Fifth Corps and Hof Gap were completed prior to the West German government's final decision on army reorganization. We knew something was coming, and had a good idea of the way things would look according to Bonn's official announcements. The organizational structure finally approved for the West German Army is reflected in BAOR. For those interested, as an economy measure the West Germans will retain their old standard organization in peace, but will cross-attach units in war, and add another battalion to each brigade by forming an ad hoc headquarters and borrowing companies from the original battalions. Thus, the wartime composition of a panzer brigade will be: 1 x arty bn (18 x 155SP), 1 x AT co (12 x SP Hot ATGM), 2 x panzer bns (41 x Leopard each), 1 x panzer bn (28 x Leopard, 11 x Marder IFV, 9 x Milan ATGM), and 1 x panzergrenadier bn (35 x Marder IFV, 27 x Milan ATGM, and 6 X 120min mortars). The panzergrenadier brigade will consist of 1 x arty bn (18 x 155SP), 1 x AT co (12 x Hot SP ATGM), 1 x panzer bn (41 x Leopard), 2 x panzergrenadier bns (24 x Marder IFV, 10 x M113 APC, 27 x Milan ATGM, 6 x 12Omm mortars each), and 1 x panzergrenadier bn (13 x Leopard, 24 x Marder IFV, and 18 x Milan ATGM). Another example of the difficulty in designing a modern game is that we had no firm information on West German battalion garrison locations for the first two games. Knowing that many German battalions were spread out over the countryside, it seemed fair to concentrate them around their brigade headquarters locations, but allow them enough flexibility in placement to avoid preemptive air strike. We now know where the battalions should be placed, and have incorporated this information into BAOR. In some cases it means that the West Germans are more concentrated than in the other games, but accuracy is served. Updated strengths and locations for the West Germans in Fifth Corps and Hof Gap will appear in the next issue of MOVES. Several points concerning the counter mix should be clarified here. Readers will note the absence of the British 1st Armoured Division and supplementary Territorial light infantry battalions from the game. As the 1st is located off the north edge of the BAOR map, and fairly far forward, it will appear in the North German Plain game. This, of course, will not preclude players from moving it wherever they wish when the mapsheets are joined. The extra infantry battalions doctrinally have a two-fold mission: rear area security and augmentation of regular anti-tank units. After reflecting the sections in the combat strengths of the regular BAOR units, and subtracting platoons necessary to guard headquarters, convoys, bridges, etc., there was little point in retaining the "battalions" as they were reduced to nil strength. The Field Forces provide the tactical rear area security. Note that there are no West German HSK units in BAOR. Stationed to the west of the mapsheet, they provide some form of deep rear area security. The strategic parachute option available to the Soviets should highlight the rationale for HSK deployment off the map. In fact, the HSK units in Fifth Corps and Hof Gap should be treated the same way. Recent information indicates that the Soviets have converted most of their Category 1 artillery, at the division level, over to self-propelled M-1973 and M-1974 models, and attached regimental artillery to tank regiments. Soviet pieces in BAOR reflect these changes in strength and capability. The rules for Multiple Rocket Launcher artillery is meant to simulate the area saturation volley fire of these weapons. The rule is simply a late comer which should have been in the earlier games. Hand in hand with the Soviet pre-emptive air strike, is the virtual elimination of initiative determination. When calculated, the pre-emptive strike (as it applied to combat units) represented only part of the Pact's air strike ability. The remainder of the Soviet tactical air force will hit NATO air fields (roll for initial supremacy) and command/control centers. Under such conditions, it is unlikely that NATO will be able to sufficiently recover the initiative during the first five days of combat; so, initiative determination gives NATO a chance that will probably not occur during the span of the game. The Pact's southern entry option in the Thin Red Line scenario gives the Soviets the opportunity to do some serious outflanking. The one Game-Turn penalty imposed on units for using the south edge simulates the traffic control difficulties those units would encounter by crossing paths with the units entering the Fifth Corps map, also through the Harz. NATO special rules have been expanded slightly. Corps artillery is allowed to support any nationality as, in reality, it would be answering calls for fire from other artillery headquarters, and not the supported front line unit. The surprise attack bonus has been extended to attack helicopters because they are maneuver units capable of taking advantage of flanks and terrain. The air interdiction rule expands the scope of air point allocation without involving a lot of additional dirt. The original air rules were very limited in application. With air interdiction, your A-10 (or MiG-27) jocks can cause the enemy real anxiety. When units leave their air defense umbrella and hit the road in column, they open themselves up to the attack planes - something not previously simulated in the series. Several other features were modified as well. NATO may now target towns (but not cities) for nuclear strikes. Air defense fire against air mobile units is not quite as effective as before. German tactical doctrine has been added as an option that is highly recommended, as it illustrates the basic doctrinal inconsistancies between the NATO allies. Victory conditions, for the Thin Red Line scenario, were approached with an aim toward the stated objectives of both sides. The Soviets must achieve a cetain rate of advance with their spearhead elements to accomplish their ends, while NATO must hold on th as many urban areas as possible. To an extent, the conditions were modified for play balance. The "pure" ones are addressed in the optional rules included in this issue. As part of its ongoing "shell game," the British Ministry of Defence has announced its second major unit reorganization in five years. In game terms this will mean virtually nothing, as all combat battalions and garrison locations will be unaffected. The changes will have an impact on higher headquarters, and reduce the administrative overhead in BAOR by a couple of thousand men. For the benefit of readers of the BAOR article in S&T 88, the new British organization is outlined below. During 1982-1983, 2nd Armoured Division HQ will redeploy to the United Kingdom and take up residence with North East District HQ. It will redesignate as HQ 2nd Infantry Division, and command two newly formed Territorial brigades in Britain, as well as the 5th Field Force. The UK-based brigades will be the 15th (HQ: Topcliffe, Yorks) and the 49th (HQ: Chilwell, Notts). The 5th Field Force will be redesignated 24th Infantry Brigade. Brigade titles have not been publicized for the 6th and 7th Field Forces. A new formation, known as 2nd Infantry Brigade will also form, with a headquarters located at Shorncliffe, Kent. In BAOR, the absence of 2nd Division HQ will mean that two of the remaining divisions will command three brigades each, while the odd division will have two brigades in Germany and (as planned) a third brigade in Britain which will reinforce it in wartime. The first steps toward a "new" organization (i.e., terminology) were taken during 1981, when the term brigade was chosen to replace taskforce to represent the intermediate headquarters between division and battalion. These changes are presented below. BAOR lntermediate HQ Redesigations: 1981 TASKFORCE BRIGADE HQLOC DIV (old) (new) 1st Armd Alfa 7th Armd Soltau Bravo 22nd Armd Hohne 2nd Armd Charlie 4th Armd Munster Delta 12th Armd Osnabruck 3rd Armd Echo 33rd Armd Paderborn Foxtrot 6th Armd Soest 4th Armd Golf 11th Armd Minden Hotel 20th Armd Detmold The following lists give the unit titles which are represented by abbreviations on the playing counters: British: AAC: Army Air Corps; Ang: Royal Anglian Regt; BW: Black Watch; DER: Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regt; GG: Grenadier Guards; Glo: Gloucestershire Regt; Hvy: Heavy Regt; K's: The King's Regt; KSB: King's Own Scottish Borderers; LG: Life Guards; Ll: Light Infantry; Para: The Parachute Regt; Q.Hus: Queen's Own Hussars; Qns: The Queen's Regi, QRM: Queen's Royal Irish Hussars; O.Yeo: Queen's Own Yeomanry; RA: Royal Artillery; RE: Royal Engineers; RGJ: Royal Green Jackets; RHF: Royal Highland Fusiliers; RHA: Royal Horse Artillery; RRF: Royal Reg of Fusiliers; RSDG: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards; RWF: Royal Welch Fusiliers; R. Yeo; Royal Yeomanry; WFR: Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters; 5 RIDG: 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards; 9/12L: 9th/12th Royal Lancers; 13/18: 13th/18th Royal Hussars; 15/19: 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars; 17/21: 17th/21st Lancers; RTR: Royal Tank Reg Belgian: A: Artillerie; Bev: Bevrijding; CA: Chasseurs Ardennais; CaC: Chasseurs a Cheval; Cy: Cyclistes; Gd: Guides; Gr: Grenadiers; JtP: Jagers te Paard; Kar: Karabiniers; Lg: Ligne; Ln: Lanciers; WR: Wielrijders Warsaw Pact: A: Artillery; BE: Belorussian; DAG: Division Artillery Group; G: Guards; GA: Guards Army; GT: Guards Tank; GTA: Guards Tank Army; Hvy: Heavy; LR: Long Range; RAG: Regimental Artillery Group; SA:Shock Army; Spec: Special; T: Tank; TA: Tank Army Notes: British unit designations represent the composition of BAOR as of early 1981. Individual units are transferred constantly - in the case of infantry battalions, every two or three years. Warsaw Pact artillery units carry a brigade size symbol as they represent collections of battalions - even though the units with numerical designations are called divisional artillery "regiments" by the Soviets. NB submitted by John Kula (kula@telus.net) on behalf of the Strategy Gaming Society (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/~sgs), originally collected by Andrew Webber (gbm@wwwebbers.com)