OPERATION TYPHOON ERRATA

updated 031022

OPERATION TYPHOON: Major revision

• [5.27] (change) Any unit may always move at least one hex per friendly movement phase, within the normal restrictions.
• [5.55] (addition) Place a ‘strategic movement’ marker on any unit using strategic movement. This marker is removed at the beginning of the next friendly movement phase that the unit does not use strategic movement. If a unit is attacked prior to removal of this marker, the enemy player receives a one-column shift to the right on the Combat Results Table.
• [5.67] (addition) A ‘rail movement’ marker is removed at the beginning of the next friendly movement phase that the unit does not use rail movement. If a unit is attacked prior to removal of this marker, the German player receives a two-column shift to the right on the Combat Results Table.
• [5.92] (change) Delete this case.
• [7.0] (addition) Exception: The German player may stack four units in the same hex if they comprise all the elements of the same panzer division (two tank battalions and two mechanised infantry regiments).
• [7.14] (addition) A cadre may be treated as a unit of its original size for stacking and divisional integrity (but not hedgehog building) purposes at the owning player’s option. Note: this may result in a cadre stacked with a regiment being ineligible to attack.
• [7.15] (addition) If Soviet battalion- and/or company-sized units are the only units to occupy a hex; an unlimited number of these unit types may occupy that hex.
• [7.16] (addition) German tank battalions must where possible remain stacked with or adjacent to a mechanised infantry regiment (or cadre) of their division.
• [8.46] (addition) Due to the importance of the location of key units, such as those giving a stack combined arms abilities, it is clearly necessary for players to observe closely each others’ counter placement. As this is often neither desirable nor possible, unit types should be placed in stacks in the following order from top to bottom: a) HQs; b) armour; c) anti-tank; d) ski and e) others. Players are allowed to look at the topmost unit under enemy HQs. Each player is allowed to ignore this requirement in any three hexes (one hex in a scenario) in order to maintain uncertainty.
• [9.14] (addition) German units occupying strongpoints or fortifications (see below) are also not obligated to attack adjacent enemy units during the friendly combat phase. (clarification) Attacking units that occupy town and city hexes, Soviet units occupying entrenchment hexes and German units occupying strongpoints or fortifications, must follow the normal rules of combat requiring all adjacent enemy units to be attacked. That is, they may not choose to attack certain adjacent hexes occupied by enemy units exerting a zone of control, and avoid attacking others.
• [9.16] (addition) Prior to announcing any attacks, the phasing player must organise his stacks such that the attacking units are placed on top of any non-attacking units in a given stack. The phasing player may not alter this allocation once combats have commenced.
• [9.63] (clarification) The Soviet player may initiate accelerated assaults on or after game turn 17.
• [10.25] (change) HQs may not retreat before combat. At the owning player’s option, eliminated HQs may reappear at the beginning of the second friendly movement phase after their elimination stacked with any unit in their command. The opposing player gains victory points equal to eliminating two enemy units for each enemy HQ destroyed. These victory points are not affected by the re-entry of the eliminated HQ (and indeed may be awarded again if the replacement HQ is eliminated).
• [12.21] (change) A supply line traced to a parent HQ may not exceed twelve hexes in length, and a supply line to a non-parent HQ may not exceed six hexes in length.
• [12.42] (addition) (c) A unit is tracing a supply line to a parent HQ that is over twelve hexes in length, or to a non-parent HQ that is over 6 hexes in length.
• [12.52] (change) (b) A unit is unable to trace a supply line to of any length to its parent HQ, or to any other friendly HQ within twelve hexes.
• [12.54] (b) (change) Retain fractional combat strengths. No unit may be reduced below one strength point.
• [13.32] (change) Snow may accumulate, resulting in an additional ground condition: ‘deep snow’. If there is snow on the ground and additional snow has fallen, the effects of deep snow are in effect. If deep snow melts due to normal weather, the ground condition becomes snow. If deep snow melts due to warm weather, the ground condition becomes ‘heavy mud’ (see below). Therefore, it would take two turns of normal weather to return deep snow to no snow.
• [13.44] (change) Units with good winterisation may suffer a reduction in movement allowance in snow as set out in the table below, but never suffer a combat strength reduction. When non-winterised units are attacking or defending in snow, retain fractional combat strengths.
• [13.52] (change) On game turns when a ‘warmer’ ground condition is in effect than river freeze, a die roll is required to melt rivers and streams as set out in the following table.

WATER COURSE MELT TABLE

Climate condition Melt rivers Melt streams

Stream freeze 1 n/a
Ground freeze 1-2 1-2
Normal 1-4 1-3
Warm n/a 1-5

• [13.58] (change) Mud may be especially severe, resulting in an additional ground condition: heavy mud (comparable to the autumnal ‘Rasputitsa’). The normal ground condition results in mud, unless there is precipitation, in which case heavy mud is in effect. Warm ground condition also results in heavy mud, irrespective of precipitation. Heavy mud remains until a freeze ground condition takes effect. Heavy mud results in the reduction in units’ movement allowances set out in the table below.
• [13.59] (change) Movement allowances are reduced in snow and deep snow weather turns, as set out in the table below. Exception: see ski units case 19.24. Note: German and Soviet non-winterised units’ movement allowances are no longer halved in snow.

MOVEMENT ALLOWANCE REDUCTION TABLE

Unit type Ground condition
Heavy mud Snow Deep snow

German mechanised 4 4 7
German other 1 1 2
Soviet mechanised 3 4/1* 7/2*
Soviet other 1 1/-* 2/1*

* non-winterised/winterised.

• [14.12] (change) Entrenchments are permanently destroyed if a German regimental-sized (not cadre) unit occupies the hex for an entire German player-turn.
• [15.23] (change) Soviet reinforcements that are intentionally delayed from their original entry turn must subsequently enter the map in the entry area directly to the east of their original entry area, subject to the normal rules of entry.
• [15.3] (correction) Soviet reinforcement schedule
  • a) Ignore the reference to 185/30 arriving game turn 15;
  • b) add 3Gd/16 that arrives in entry area ‘3’ on game turn 16.
• [17.37] (addition) The German player may also place any one of his three (maximum) permissible air interdiction markers on any hex traversed by a road. All Soviet mechanised units pay one extra movement point to enter this or any adjacent hex when using road or clear terrain movement costs.
• [18.26] (b) (correction) Soviet reinforcements enter at hex 0130 rather than 1030.
• [18.29] (change) At the end of the game, the German units that have exited the map must be determined to be in supply in the hex exited. For Victory Condition Modifier (1) to be effective, the 15-victory point total is net of the ½ point deduction for each German unit lost. This deduction does affect the Soviet reserve commitment die-roll.
• [18.32] (addition) 312/30 starts in hex 0920. This unit derives supply from 43 Army HQ for the purposes of this scenario (does not apply in the campaign game).
• [18.48] (addition) The following additional special rule applies only in the campaign game. It reflects the German Fourth Army’s defensive preparations and von Kluge’s unwillingness to commit his army to the offensive. Up to five hexes containing Fourth Army units may be fortifications and ten hexes may be major strongpoints. All remaining units in the Fourth Army may begin the game in minor strongpoints. Any support die-roll for Fourth Army receives a minimum +2 modification to the die-roll throughout the game. This is not cumulative with any game turn related modifiers.

• [18.49] (change) Commentary
  The original game victory conditions are flawed in their representation of the strategic imperatives facing the protagonists, and consequently in their influence upon player strategy. Under these requirements, the level of casualties incurred by the German player in the attainment of his objectives is an irrelevance. It is a viable approach for the German player to sacrifice the majority of his forces on the altar of the narrowly conceived victory conditions, without concern for the survival of his army over the remainder of the campaign. On the other hand, the Soviet player gains no credit for inflicting losses on his opponent. Moreover, he must restrict his own losses to an unattainable minimum, while retaining control of untenable city hexes. In the extended campaign game, the unrealistic parameters of the victory conditions are exacerbated by the requirement that the Soviet player cross the ‘front-line’ and exit the western edge of the game-map with a number of units. Again, the German player might choose to immolate his entire army in an attempt to prevent this, but in practical terms it is almost unavoidable. Indeed, the German player might succeed in capturing Moscow and destroying all on-map Soviet units by the end of the extended campaign scenario. In this case, any result other than a marginal victory would still be remarkable due to the relative ease with which a careful Soviet player could exit twelve units from the game-map at some point during the game.

  In the actual battle, the Germans were forced to employ a series of hedgehog positions around their major supply depots in the face of the fierce Soviet winter counter-offensive. In consequence, the tide of the Soviet advance swept past these positions. When the Soviets had surrounded the German fortified zones, they attempted to reduce the pockets thus formed by attrition and assault, but achieved only marginal success. The major fighting in December was at the most important German hedgehog at Kaluga, which is off the western edge of the game-map. In total, the Soviets can be assumed to have exited at least twenty divisions, plus supporting formations, in the course of their offensive. In terms of the original game victory conditions, this would qualify as a decisive victory. In reality, the Soviet achievement, while great, fell short of that magnitude of success.

  The revised weather rules mitigate the variability, although not the effect, of this important influence. Weather will be a vital determining factor in the outcome, but careful play on both sides, combined with historical weather, can result in a close approximation of the actual battle. It should be noted that a lacklustre German offensive in the early stages of the game would fail to inflict sufficient attrition, and will quickly enable the Soviets to mount an offensive in strength from forward positions. The consequences of this failure will be exacerbated in the extended campaign game, which may, in particular, see the German front fragmented, if not shattered.

  The expanded German entrenchment rule is necessary to simulate the desperate defensive measures adopted by the Germans in the face of the Soviet offensive. In the absence of this rule the German army in the game lacks the incredible staying power of its historical counterparts. If prepared defensive positions are not constructed on a timely basis, the German forces may largely be overrun. This represents the early destruction of Army Group Centre, which was a fate very narrowly avoided by the Germans in the actual battle. In this regard, the game clearly demonstrates the vulnerability of withdrawing German forces in the face of an aggressive Soviet pursuit during atrocious weather.

  In conclusion, the German player is faced with the appalling prospect of having to commit himself fully to an offensive with little prospect of success, while at the same time preparing for a devastating counter-blow. A failure in either regard will lead inevitably to defeat. On the other hand, the Soviet player will find the majority of the game amendments to be working very much against him, and the game being much more challenging as a result.

  The German player is required to choose randomly a chit determining his victory plan. There are four chits available, two for the ‘Historical’ Plan, one ‘Strategic Encirclement’ plan, and one ‘Broad Front’ Plan. The victory conditions for the German player are amended as follows: all German objectives and victory point requirements remain as stated (but see ‘Draw’ result below), with the exception that the omitted Broad Front decisive victory is reinstated. This requires the achievement of the Broad Front substantive victory in addition to a decisive victory as defined under either of the other two plans. However, under all plans the German player now loses ½ victory point per German unit eliminated, including eliminated HQs.

  The elimination of a German HQ results in the loss of ½ victory point for the German player. In addition, if the German player wishes to replace the eliminated HQ per case 10.25,a further ½ victory point is lost. Similarly, the German player gains one victory point for each Soviet HQ eliminated and each Soviet HQ replaced. A HQ may be eliminated and replaced any number of times, with the Germans losing or gaining ½ or one victory point as appropriate for each occasion.

  The Soviet player no longer gains victory level shifts for crossing the front-line or exiting the western edge of the game-map. Rather, the German player loses victory points as follows for each Soviet unit that exits the western edge of the game-map:

VICTORY POINT REDUCTION FOR EXITED SOVIET UNITS TABLE

The victory levels are modified to the following: VICTORY LEVEL CHART

(clarification) All references in the non-historical victory plans to ‘50’ victory points should be taken to mean ‘the minimum net requirement for a historical marginal victory’.

The game victory levels represent an attempt to assess player performance in terms of historical requirements. In reality, if it is clear that one side has substantially out-performed the other, it should be equally clear where the ‘victory’ lies. The victory point levels are in any case subjective, and individual players may well have their own views on what constitutes success.

As a game balancing mechanism, and as a means of player input into the victory determination process, prior to the start of the game each player secretly notes a victory point supplement/reduction for taking the German side. The player setting himself the more difficult task commands the Germans. For example, one player notes down ‘+5’, and his opponent notes ‘-10’. When revealed, the first player, having made the higher bid, will play the Germans, but must achieve an additional five victory points to qualify for each and every victory level, or to mitigate each level of defeat.

• [19.11] (change) Delete ‘…but in doing so the unit in question forfeits its zone of control’.
• [19.13] (change) If attacked, any German unit in hedgehog formation may have the final combat ratio column shifted one to the left. A die is rolled: 1 - 4 = one column shift; 5 – 6 = no effect. A unit in hedgehog does have a zone of control.
• [19.15] (change) Delete ‘No unit in such a hex may ever exert a zone of control.’ (addition) Any unit that enters a hex with units in a hedgehog, strongpoint or fortification is considered to adopt immediately the relevant marker. Any or all units already in the hex that have not yet moved in the current movement phase may then exit the hex without affecting the status of the hedgehog, strongpoint or fortification marker.
• [19.17] (addition)
  • a) A unit eligible to build a hedgehog may improve a hedgehog to a minor strongpoint. A minor strongpoint represents prepared defensive positions, with cleared fields of fire, barbed wire entanglements and with some hastily laid minefields. The unit must remain in the hedgehog hex for two entire German movement phases. At the beginning of a German movement phase, a strongpoint-building marker is placed on the unit. At the end of the next German movement phase, a minor strongpoint marker replaces the strongpoint building marker and the hedgehog. The hedgehog remains in effect during the improvement process.
  • b) An eligible unit may improve a minor strongpoint. A major strongpoint represents defensive positions, including wooden bunkers with cleared fields of fire, extensive barbed wire entanglements and with some minefields. The unit must remain in the strongpoint hex for two entire German movement phases. At the beginning of a German movement phase, a strongpoint-building marker is placed on the unit. At the beginning of the next German movement phase, a major strongpoint marker replaces the strongpoint building marker and the minor strongpoint marker. The minor strongpoint remains in effect during the improvement process.
  • c) An eligible unit may improve a major strongpoint. A fortification represents extensive defensive positions, including wooden and some concrete bunkers, hardened artillery emplacements, extensive barbed wire entanglements and minefields. Such positions would take engineers one to two weeks to prepare, depending on material available and weather conditions. The unit must remain in the strongpoint hex for a minimum of two entire German movement phases. At the beginning of the first German movement phase, a fortification-building marker is placed on the unit. At the end of the second German movement phase, a die is rolled: 1 fortification complete (fortification marker replaces the fortification building marker and the major strongpoint marker); 2-6 construction in progress (no effect). The German unit can continue to remain stationary, and the procedure may be repeated in subsequent turns. The major strongpoint remains in effect during the improvement process. The unit must remain in supply throughout the building process. At the instant the unit becomes out of supply or isolated, the fortification-building marker is removed. Fortification building may be abandoned voluntarily by removing the building marker at the end of any German movement phase.
  • d) If a unit building a strongpoint or fortification attacks or is attacked, remove the strongpoint or fortification building marker.
    e) The German player has a limited capability to build strongpoints and fortifications, and may not initiate strongpoint or fortification building markers in excess of the following per turn. Availability is dependent upon ground condition, and unused building capability may not be saved for future game-turns. One third of this capability may be used in each scenario.

STRONGPOINT AND FORTIFICATION CONSTRUCTION AVAILABILITY CHART

• [19.18] (addition)
  • a) A unit in a strongpoint or fortification does not lose its zone of control, but Soviet units are not obliged to attack units in strongpoints or fortifications. In this instance, a Soviet unit may not attack an enemy unit(s) not in a strongpoint or fortification, and decline to attack an enemy unit(s) in a strongpoint or fortification. If the Soviet unit attacks any unit, all adjacent units, including those in a strongpoint(s) and fortification(s), must be attacked in accordance with the normal rules of combat.
  • b) A minor strongpoint confers a one-column shift to the left on the combat results table. In addition, a retreat combat result against units in a minor strongpoint is reduced by one level. Example: a D2(1) becomes a D1(1).
  • c) A major strongpoint doubles the defence strength of defending units. In addition, a combat result against units in a major strongpoint is reduced by one level. The German player may reduce either the retreat or loss element of the result at his discretion.
  • d) A fortification triples the defence strength of defending units. In addition, a combat result against units in a fortification is reduced by one level. The German player may reduce either the retreat or loss element of the result at his discretion.
• [19.19] (addition)
  • a) A unit in a strongpoint or fortification is not obliged to attack adjacent enemy units during the friendly combat phase, but if they do all normal combat rules apply. That is, these units may not attack selected enemy-occupied hexes.
  • b) A unit is forced to leave a strongpoint or fortification the instant it attacks. Replace the strongpoint or fortification marker with a hedgehog marker if desired. If any unit in a strongpoint or fortification hex attacks, the strongpoint or fortification marker is removed from all units in the hex. It is not possible for units in the same hex to be in different levels of (or no) hedgehog, strongpoint or fortification.
• [19.24] (addition) The movement allowance of ski units is reduced by two in any game turn with a no snow (snow or heavy snow) ground condition. Ski units do not suffer a movement allowance reduction per the Movement Allowance Reduction Table in snow (or heavy snow) ground condition game turns. The effects of heavy mud apply to ski units as normal. Example: On a game turn with a heavy mud ground condition, a ski unit has a movement allowance of six, calculated as follows: basic movement allowance of nine, less two for no snow less one due to heavy mud.

NEW COMPONENTS REQUIRED

1. 1. 50 hedgehog/strategic movement markers
2. 25 minor strongpoint/construction markers
3. 25 major strongpoint/construction markers
4. 10 fortification/construction markers
   1. The above are not counter-mix design limits.
5. 4 plan chits

Explanation

TRA-90219/26/final