WAR IN EUROPE Soviet Limited War

updated 031106

Subject: New Limited War Rules (Draft 1) From: Hank Meyer <hcmeyer@uci.edu>

[Here's the working draft I got from Neil, Joe, and George a long time ago. It's submitted for comment, testing, and suggested changes. Please send any comments, criticisms, or suggestions you may have...Hank]

Draft New Limited War Rules for War in Europe (v1.3, draft 1, Dec 1996) Source: Kansas City Group (Neil K. Hall et al), December 1981

As now written, for the Soviet Union to go to Limited War is paramount to conceding the game. Therefore, Limited War needs to be redefined and re-"ruled".

• A. If the Soviet Union goes to Limited War with Germany or an active [Axis] Minor Ally, the rules as printed apply. This is an initial [deliberate] act of the Soviet player, and not the cases that may occur based on the Axis responses to other Soviet actions against neutral countries. If the Soviet Player goes to Limited War against a neutral country (armed or pro-Axis), the Soviet player does not receive the 60 arms points bonus but may receive limited war production for the cycles during which limited war exists.
• B. If the Soviet Union goes to Limited War with a neutral nation, the Axis may respond in one of three ways:
  • 1. He may choose to stay out of the war, in which case section (C) below applies.
  • 2. He may choose to intervene only in the country(ies) which the Soviet Union has invaded, in which case section (D) below applies.
  • 3. He may choose to declare Limited War along the entire front, in which case section (E) below applies.
• C. If the German player has chosen the first option, the following occur and/or apply:
  • 1. The German player receives 5 political points for each country invaded.
  • 2. Sweden becomes a pro-Axis neutral and is activated when the political point total reaches 75. Once activated, Swedish resource centers function as all other Axis resource centers and are not denied following the fall of Paris (unless inoperative for other reasons).
  • 3. While at Limited War, the Soviet player must grant the German player the use of all 5 Soviet resource centers.
  • 4. On any cycle that the Soviet player either (a) does not make a ground attack or (b) does not advance one hex (or more) toward the capital of the invaded country, then the Soviet Player does not receive limited war production for that cycle, but receives peacetime production instead.
  • If the Soviet player has invaded more than 1 country, an attack against either country's units or an advance closer to either capital is sufficient to gain the Soviet player limited war production. Advance toward (or closer) is defined as the Soviet player having a unit fewer hexes from the capital along a line of contiguous land hexes. For example, following the Winter War, the Soviet player has a unit 7 hexes from Helsinki. He declares Limited War against Finland. In order to receive limited war production on the first (next) cycle, he must either attack a Finnish unit or end the cycle with a unit 6 hexes from Helsinki. After the capital of a country has fallen, the Soviet player must attack units (or invade another country) in order to gain (or stay at) limited war production.
  • 5. The German player may, at his option only, state that Limited War is continuing at the start of any cycle. In such case, the Soviets need not advance or attack to gain limited war production.
  • 6. If the German player has not stated that Limited War is continuing, the Soviet player may, at the start of any Soviet player turn, declare peace, bolshevise conquered territories, and return to peacetime production and support of the German economy.
  • 7. The German player must state his response to a Soviet declaration of limited war on the Axis player turn immediately following the Soviet declaration. If he chooses option (B.1), any subsequent attack or intervention in that country by the German player against the Soviet Union triggers Total War. EXCEPTION: should the Soviet player, at a later date, declare Limited War against another country (or declare peace and then reopen limited war against the same country), he presents all three options to the German player. On the second invasion, the German player may choose to intervene and is allowed to intervene in all Soviet-invaded countries.
  • 8. Should the Soviet player invade a pro-Axis minor neutral and the German player choose option (B.1), and subsequent changes in German political point levels allow for that country to become an active Axis ally, the country may still be activated while on limited war with the Soviet Union without triggering Total War.
• D. If the German player chooses option (B.2), the following occur and/or apply:
  • 1. The German player receives 5 political points bonus if the country is an armed neutral. If the country invaded is a pro-Axis neutral, the German player receives 2 political points.
  • 2. Sweden becomes a pro-Axis neutral as per the case (C.2) above.
  • 3. The Soviet player must continue to grant the German player the use of 1 resource center.
  • 4. Attacks between Soviet and German troops are limited to units within the national boundaries of the country which the Soviets invaded. NOTE: following the Winter War with Finland, the Finnish national boundaries are redefined by the 1941 start line. Following the annexation of Bessarabia, the Rumanian borders are redefined to exclude Bessarabia. Attacks between Soviet units and units of the invaded country are not restricted. If Finland is the country invaded, restrictions as per 72.1 and 54.23 are lifted. Any attacks by German units outside of the country or any movement of German units into Soviet controlled (or promised) territory triggers Total War, EXCEPT as stated in case (D.8) below.
  • 5. The German player must send ground combat unit(s) to the invaded country within 12 game turns. Such units may be transported or moved through pro-Axis neutral countries without penalty. Failure to do so (due to German or Soviet actions) reverts the German intervention option to option (B.1). For example, on 1/1/40 the Soviet Player declares Limited War on Finland. On 2/1/40, Germany announces response (B.2). By the end of the German player turn 2/4/40, there must have been a German ground combat unit in Finland. On ANY game turn following the twelfth turn or the arrival of the first German unit (whichever is first) that ends with NO German units in the invaded country, the conditions and rules revert to those that would exist under option (B.1.) above.
  • 6. There is no Soviet attack or advance requirement. So long as Limited War exists, the Soviet player gains limited war production.
  • 7. At the start of any Soviet player turn following German declaration of option (B.2), the Soviet player may call off Limited War and declare peace. In this case the Soviet player must withdraw all units to his side of the border. There is no movement here. The Soviet player simply declares peace, picks up his units and goes home (including unsupplied and/or "trapped" units). NOTE: following the Winter War, the Soviet border is defined by the 1941 start line, etc...
  • 8. IF the Soviet player has not invoked case (D7) above, on any subsequent turn, at the start of the corresponding player turn, either player may escalate to section (E) below. If a player escalates to option (B3) [i.e. case (E)], he must declare on his turn but may not attack into or move into other areas until his next turn. Basically, he declares his intentions and lets the other guy have the first punch.
• E. If the German player chooses option (B.3) or either player escalates to section (E) as per case (D.8), the following occur and/or apply:
  • 1. If the Soviets have invaded an armed neutral, Germany receives 2 political points. If the Soviets have invaded a pro-Axis neutral, no political points are awarded. If the German player has escalated from (D) to (E), he must pay a cost of 2 political points. If the Soviet player has escalated from (D) to (E), Germany receives an additional 5 political points.
  • 2. Sweden becomes a pro-Axis neutral as per the case (C.2) above.
  • 3. Rumania, Hungary, and Bulgaria become activated.
  • 4. Units attacking or being attacked must be in one of the following countries or territories: nation invaded by the Soviets, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Bessarabia or Lithuania. Any other attacks by Axis units triggers Total War. And other attacks by Soviet units triggers Limited War as currently defined (in the rules).
  • 5. The Soviets receive the 60 arms points bonus and limited war production. There is no Soviet attack or advance requirement.
  • 6. The Germans receive the use of NO Soviet resource centers.
  • 7. At the end of any game turn, if any of the following occur, the Soviet player may declare peace, bolshevise the corresponding area, withdraw from other areas, and revert to peacetime production and rules:
    • a) no supplied Axis units in invaded country - bolshevise annexed country
    • b) " " " " " Poland - " Poland
    • c) " " " " " Rumania - " Rumania
    • d) " " " " " Hungary - " Hungary e) " " " " " Bulgaria - " Bulgaria
    • UNSUPPLIED Axis units in affected areas are eliminated. German units which have advanced in other areas must be withdrawn.
  • 8. At the end of any game turn, if any of the following occur, the German player may declare peace, annex the corresponding area, withdraw from other areas, and revert to peacetime production and rules:
    • a) no supplied Soviet units in invaded country - annex invaded country
    • b) " " " " " Poland - " Poland
    • c) " " " " " Bessarabia - " Bessarabia*
    • d) " " " " " Lithuania - " Lithuania*
    • UNSUPPLIED Soviet units in affected areas are eliminated. Soviet units which have advanced into other areas must withdraw to the Soviet side of the 1941 start line. (*) Conditions for Bessarabia do not apply until after the fall of Paris. If the Soviets have not previously occupied Lithuania, Germany must pay political point cost for invasion of neutral and gain bonus for occupation.
  • 9. At the start of any German player turn, the German player may declare peace, forfeit 5 political points and cede to the Soviet player:
    • a) All conquered Soviet territories within the Soviet boundary of the 1941 start line.
    • b) Rumania, if there are Soviet units (supplied or unsupplied) within Rumania, but outside of Bessarabia.
    • c) Hungary, if there are Soviet units in Hungary.
    • d) Poland, if there are Soviet units in Poland (either half at the time of surrender).
    • e) Bulgaria, if there are Soviet units within Bulgaria.
    • f) Soviet invaded country, if there are Soviet units in invaded country.
  • 10. On any game turn the Soviet player may declare peace and cede to the German player all conquests outside of the 1941 start line, plus Bessarabia, Lithuania, and the Soviet half of Poland. In this case, the German player would receive a 5 political point bonus.
• F. Modifications to Victory Conditions: If, while at Limited War, the Soviet player conquers a country listed in case 75.91(5), delete that country from German victory requirements.
• G. If sections (C) or (D) are in effect, the Soviet player may continue to fortify one unit per turn in Poland, Bessarabia, the Baltic States, or the Soviet Union. If section (E) is in effect, the Soviets may freely fortify units.
• H. If section (E) is in effect, the Soviet player may build corps. [This relates to a restriction on building corps in the KC v1.4 1982 errata]
• I. If either section (D) or (E) is in effect, either player may convert railroads on any game turn.