1943: A Defiant Russia Variant
By William Sariego
June 2008

There came a point in my life that I thought the book was closed on Defiant Russia, my second game design. I had supported it with variants on the 119694_avalanche web site and even designed a sequel, Red Vengeance. After a long breather and a few more designs, I have decided once more to take a long (and last?) look at a game that will always have a special place in my heart.

Defiant Russia succeeded in what I wanted it to be, a fairly quick-playing, low-complexity game simulating the opening year of The Great Patriotic War. In the back of my mind I had a vague idea that it might deserve a follow up, and the sales and positive response the game received caused 119694_avalanche Press to give me a “green light” on designing one. The sequel, Red Vengeance, covered the last full of the war, beginning with Operation Bagration to the Fall of Berlin. It seemed like a logical bookend at the time and still does. There was never any real intention of linking the two, and slightly different map scale and artwork would prohibit such anyhow.

Briefly (and you can find this among other web content if you want to play detective) I considered a “middle” game using the system to simulate 1942 to 1943. In the end, however, nothing came of that idea and the “design bug” has slowly left me over the last year or so. Still, the map of Defiant Russia is versatile enough and can be used toward that end. I once tinkered with an operational design on the Kursk campaign, and it would be a shame to let idea go to waste.

Defiant Russia: Part Deux

This variant uses all standard rules and the counter mix from Defiant Russia, except as noted below. The game begins with the Axis Combat Phase of July 1943 and play ends upon the conclusion of the December 1943 game turn (the variant is thus six turns long).

Initial Forces – Removals

Yes, reinforcements were received between January 1942 and the end of this scenario. However, in the interest of simplicity and ease of play, the variant simply uses the Defiant Russia counter mix, with a few elite units added for good measure. (What is a variant without new play toys?)

From the Axis counter mix remove both Italian and Spanish units, one Finnish unit, and all Romanian units except two infantry corps. Also, randomly eliminate two German infantry and one German armor corps to represent the Stalingrad fiasco. Heinz Guderian has been sacked, so remove him, also. These units are permanently removed from play.

Then set aside the German Mountain corps, three infantry and two armor corps (determine the INF and ARM randomly). These units constitute the “dead pile” and can return to play via the normal replacement method.

For the Soviets some units are also permanently removed from play to represent the massive losses suffered in 1941. Randomly eliminate eight infantry armies, three armor and a cavalry corps. The Baltic Sea Fleet is also eliminated. Then randomly determine a “dead pile” of one cavalry, three armor corps, along with two shock and six infantry armies.

New Units

The Axis players has a new combat units and leader. The unit is the 2nd SS Armor and the leader is Von Manstein. The SS unit functions as normal German armor unit but has a second, replacement counter to represent its fanatic fighting ability (it is a three-step unit).

Von Manstein is treated identically to Guderian, except slightly better. Manstein adds +2 when defending on a Clear turn, were Guderian added just +1.

The Soviets receive the 1st and 2nd Guards Cavalry, the 1st Guards Armor, and the 5th and 6th Guards infantry. The armor and cavalry are simply stronger units of that type. Guards Infantry are the same as Shock units in the original game. Note that none of the new units, Soviet or German, begin in the eliminated or dead pile.

The Front Line

The following hexes constitute the Soviet front line:

3817-3818-3819-3914-3815-3715-3615-3514-3414-3313-3214-3114-3015-2914-2815-2714-2614-2613-2612-2511-2412-2413-2313-2214-2113-2014-1914-1814-1713.

To begin set up, the Soviet player deploys all his infantry units, then the Axis player does the same. The Soviets then deploy their armor and airborne unit, and the Axis follows with their armor deployment.

Each hex of the front line must have a Soviet unit present. Other than occupying each hex of the front line with a unit, Soviet combat units may be deployed anywhere east of the front. For the Axis, each hex adjacent hex west of the Soviet front line must have either a unit or an Axis Zone of Control (i.e., you can skip hexes if desired).

The following have specific setup hexes. For the Axis: One full-strength Romanian infantry corps in Odessa, and one reduced Infantry corps in Bucharest. The Hungarian infantry corps (reduced) is deployed in Kiev. For the Soviets: Stalin in Moscow and the Black Sea fleet in Novorosisk.

Trenches and Hedgehogs (New Rule)

Soviet units in Front Line hexes and the Axis units adjacent at the start of the game are considered entrenched or prepared positions. They are not forced to attack if adjacent in the regular Combat Phase for as long as they occupy these hexes. Orient the units in a certain manner to indicate this status. Once a unit attacks (either phase) or moves from its front line starting point (even to another Front Line hex) it must obey all rules regarding attacking adjacent units in the Combat Phase.

Hitler’s Folly (Operation Citadel)

On the first turn of the game the Axis player is forced to attack. During the Combat Phase at least four Soviet hexes must be attacked that are adjacent to Kursk (hex 2512). During the Exploitation Combat Phase, at least two attacks must be launched with a two hex radius of 2512. After this mandatory offensive on turn one player’s continue the game normally (except as modified by the Front Line rule) for the rest of the game.

Victory Conditions

Normal Victory Points are altered as follows. Stalin is worth nothing and Moscow is worth one point, rather than two. Add Riga and Odessa as Victory Point Cities. At the beginning of the game the VP total is: Axis 8 (they have the Casualty Point at start) and the Soviet Union 3.

Weather

Turns 1–3 (July to September) are Clear. Turn 4 (September) is Light Mud, Turn 5 (November) is Mud and Turn 6 (December) is Snow.

The Snow turn is far less harsh than in 1941. Axis Exploitation is still limited, but otherwise the only affect is the freezing of the Lakes and Marshes. None of the other rules for Snow in Defiant Russia apply (the Soviet Airborne can drop in any turn).

Reinforcements and Replacements

There are no reinforcements in the scenario. Both sides receive Replacement points beginning on Turn Two. The Axis begin the game on a Total War setting, with 3 RP’s on turns 2 and 3. Starting with turn 4 the RP rate drops to 2 due to Western pressure off map. Unlike in DR, the Romanian units cannot be given RPs in this scenario.

The Soviets Union is beginning to feel the manpower affects of The Great War, The Civil War, and The Purges. The Soviets receive 4 points per turn (down from 5 in DR) starting on Turn 2. However, due to Lend Lease 2 of these may be spent on armor units.

Air Power

A Red Phoenix, having arisen from the ashes, the Soviet Air Force contests the skies over the Rodina much better in 1943 than 1941. Air Power is distributed as follows (Axis/Soviet):

July: 6/2
August: 5/2
September: 4/2
October: 4/3
November: 3/3
December: 2/4

Special Rules

The Soviet player begins making the Partisan roll during the Organization Phase of Turn One. The Soviet Airborne can drop once per game, and it does not depend on weather, unlike the base game.

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