Extending Defiant Russia
by William Sariego
August 2011

Editor’s Note: Defiant Russia is currently out of print, but it’s one of our hottest-selling titles ever so we’re hoping to bring it back in expanded Playbook form next year. Until then, designer William Sariego has a fresh variant for his great little game of Operation Barbarossa.

The Barbarossa Campaign has been the subject of many games over the years and many have ended in March, 1942 after the great Soviet Winter Offensive ground to a halt. I deliberately did not extend Defiant Russia past December, 1941 for a reason. Far too often gamers display what is called the “Battle of the Bulge Syndrome.” When a player has been on the attack all game but is running out of steam and the other guy is about to return the favor, comes the fateful voice, “Well, it seems I’m not going to be able to win so lets call it a day!” I thus ended the game in December, giving a straight-forward situation. The German player is the aggressor and the Soviet player is on the defensive. This would avoid the “Bulge Syndrome” and help keep playing time down.

However, as I designer I cannot leave well enough alone, especially when it comes to my own games! Thus I offer up for fans of the game, an expanded version of Defiant Russia.

The Variant

Toss rules 6.7 and 11.1 out the window. They were written they way they were because of balance issues. Since I want this variant to be free-wheeling they are changed as follows, with each player getting a real benefit. The Axis player (only) gets an Exploitation Phase and Exploitation Combat Phase on Game Turn One. This will help create a more sweeping advance. The Soviet Shock Armies on Turn Seven enter as normal reinforcements. The Soviet player does not have to sacrifice existing units to bring them on.

At the end of Turn Seven count victory points as normal. If the Axis player has eight or more victory points, which MUST include the capture of Moscow, the game ends in an Axis victory. If they have not met this condition play proceeds with turns 8-10 (January-March, 1942). At the conclusion of Turn 10 determine victory as normal.

For these three  additional turns, follow normal replacement rules for both players, except as follows. In the January Organization Phase the Axis player must remove the Guderian leader. Soviet Shock units can never receive replacements.

Weather in January and February is always Snow, even if playing with the Optional Weather Rules. March is Mud unless playing with the optional Weather; in which case roll a die: a result of 1 is Clear, 2 is Light Mud, 3 or 4 is Mud, and 5 or 6 is Snow.

For Air Power on the additional turns use the following (Axis/Soviet): January 0/3, February 0/2, March 2/1

Conclusion

Defiant Russia plays fine as is, and remains a design I am most proud of. Still, the variant makes a nice diversion and should be appreciated by fans. Making Moscow a focal point for German victory certainly will alter play of the game. I’ve tried it twice. The first run through saw the Axis make excellent use of the first turn Exploitation Combat, destroying many weakened units. At the end of turn seven Leningrad was in Soviet hands and Stalin was sulking in his city for a 9-2 Axis win. The second time was a more closely contested affair. It was the Axis holding a slim 6-5 lead at the end of turn seven, so play proceeded. The final was a 7-4 Soviet victory. The Axis held Kiev, Minsk, Sevastopol and had score the casualty VP.