Mtzensk 22 - 25 October 1941.

4 Panzer Division:

C Ops and FUP

35 Panzer Regiment

1 HQ Stand

1 Abteilung, with:

12 Infantry Regiment

1 HQ Stand
1 PAK 35 (Light Gun)

2 Abteilung, each with:

33 Infantry Regiment

1 HQ Stand
1 PAK 35 (Light Gun)

2 Abteilung, each with

11 Flak Abteilung

79 Pioneer Abteilung

49 Panzerjaeger Abteilung

Infantry Regiment Gross Deutschland (attached)

1 HQ Stand
1 Stug III D (Medium Gun)
1 PAK 38 (Medium Gun)

3 Abteilung, each with

3 Panzer Division:

C Ops and FUP

6 Panzer Regiment

1 HQ Stand

3 Abteilung, with:

18 Panzer Regiment

1 HQ Stand

3 Abteilung, with:

3 Infantry Regiment

1 HQ Stand
1 PAK 35 (Light Gun)

2 Abteilung, each with:

394 Infantry Regiment

1 HQ Stand
1 PAK 35 (Light Gun)

2 Abteilung, each with

314 Flak Abteilung

39 Pioneer Abteilung

521 Panzerjaeger Abteilung

23 October

The remainder of 4^th Panzer Division except the IR GD is available.

The IR 3 of the 3^rd Panzer Division (plus attachments) is available.

24 October

The IR GD is available.

The remainder of the 3^rd Panzer Division is available.

6 Guards Infantry Division:

C Ops and FUP

4 Guards Infantry Regiment

10 Guards Infantry Regiment

25 Guards Infantry Regiment

11 Independent Tank Brigade:

201 Independent Parachute Brigade:

4 Independent Tank Brigade:

1 - 2

3 - 7

8 - 9

10

Or less

or more

Clear

overcast

drizzle

Fog or Storm

Air support

yes

no

no

no

Go to ground

+10 %

+20 %

Visibility

12"

12"

6"

3"

Modify next weather roll

-1

+1

+1

1

The Zusha River is uncrossable except at the bridgehead at Mtzensk or for troops using assault boats or a pontoon bridge as described below.

2

Streams can be forded anywhere by infantry. Vehicles can only ford streams where a road or track crosses the stream. This is a special action and requires an action point

3

The 4^th Panzer Division cannot build pontoon bridges, but has enough assault boats to enable a single battalion to cross the Zusha once during the game. Its non vehicle attachments may also cross. The river may be crossed anywhere during its length on or adjacent to Table 2. The boats become available for use on the dawn turn of 23 October, but can be used later if desired. The day turn on which the crossing is to occur must be written down in the previous night turn. All of the battalion's actions for that turn are used to cross the river. If the battalion does not open up a land link to its C Ops it may be isolated during the following night phase. The Zusha may instead be crossed just to the south of Table 2. If this option is used place the battalions stands in Assault formation within 6" of where the road marked G2 enters Table 2. They are positioned 2 turns after the battalion crosses the river and arriving on the table uses all of the battalion's actions for that turn.

4

The 3^rd Panzer Division has been assigned all of the corps bridging assets and may build two pontoon bridges across the Zusha on Table 1. One of these bridges will be ready for use on the dawn turn of 23 October and the other for the dawn turn of 24 October. The location of both bridges must be written down before beginning the game. German stands may cross these bridges in column formation and treat the bridges as their entry point to the table. Hence the bridges act as if they were a road joining a friendly table edge. Troops must cross the bridge in column. The first combat stand that crosses is temporarily treated specially. It moves as if in bad going and may not initiate any combat. The ground over which it passes is subsequently treated as a friendly track for all movement, supply and command purposes. This special behaviour lasts until the stand reaches an existing road or track. In this way the pontoon bridge entry points are connected with the existing transportation network. The C Ops and FUP may advance over these new tracks etc. One bridge may be built across the river on that part of it which is just West of Table 1. If so, 2 turns after the bridge is completed, troops deployed across it appear within 6" of the Table 1 entry point for the road marked G1. The usual rules governing troop deployment from a table edge then apply and this part of the table edge is considered friendly.

5

The railway embankment is treated as a crest line for troops immediately behind it.

6

Eight German artillery templates are assigned to each division. A divisional template can only be assigned (called etc) to stands of its division. Furthermore, only 4 templates are available to each division on the first day its troops are deployed on the table when it receives 8 artillery rounds. On the following day add the remaining 4 templates and 12 artillery rounds. Thereafter each division receives 4 replacement artillery rounds per day.

7

German battalions in reserve may be formed into ad-hoc Kampfgruppen during the night phase. The kampfgruppe must include a Regimental Headquarters stand. Battalions assigned to Kampfgruppe's can be returned to the reserve individually during the night phase, but can only be added to other Kampfgruppe's or returned to its regiment if those battalions are also in reserve. A Kampfgruppe is counted as a Battlegroup for the purposes of command and activation.

8

The Soviet field defenses as shown on the map is a belt of wire and minefields about 1" wide. The effect of these defenses is as follows. No German unit may both enter and exit an uncleared section of defenses in a single action. For each action expended by a stand which is even partly in the defensive belt each stand must roll a d10, and on a result of 1-6 it becomes disordered. An additional disorder has no effect. This is done for all types of action. A Soviet stand which is touching the edge of the defensive belt is considered to be entrenched. It therefore benefits from the soft cover modifiers for artillery barrages, morale checks and close combat. Engineer stands may expend an additional action point per movement action while crossing the defenses. This has the effect of clearing the minefield effect of the defenses from the ground crossed by that stand. Any stand crossing the defenses where they have been cleared does not have to dice to see whether it becomes disordered. It may also enter and exit the defenses in the same action. The defensive bonus for defending Soviet stands is unaffected. Engineer stands paying the extra action point also do not check for suppression while moving through the defenses, but cannot cross them in one action.

9

The Soviets have been entrenched along the Zusha for several weeks. Consequently they have had plenty of time to prepare an artillery defensive fire plan. Soviet artillery may fire the full range of missions including pre-registered barrages.

10

The 4^th Panzer Division did not commence its attack on the first day until after noon. To play this option, only allow 7 game turns for the first day but all of those turns use the 12" sighting range.

11

On any day except the first, the German player may begin under the cover of night. If this option is used the number of game turns for that day is still 9, but the first three turns of the day have the 3" sighting restriction, the 4^th turn 6" and the 5^th turn 12". Bridges and assault boats are still not available until first light which now occurs on turn 3.

12

The IR394 belonging to the 3^rd Panzer Division is off table to the north occupying the attention of the Soviet 41^st Cavalry Division. Strictly speaking, the II/IR33 should be off table to the south engaging the Soviet 10^th Paratroop Brigade. If you wish to play this alternative, remove that battalion from the German order of battle and do not allow the 4^th Panzer Division to use the assault boats.

13

As an option, allow the Soviets to only deploy their front line troops (10^th Infantry, 201^st Paratroops and 25^th Infantry). Place all other formations into reserve and have them deploy from reserve according to the usual procedure.

14

The Soviet artillery may be fielded as direct fire weapons if desired. By removing two templates from the stockpile, the Soviet player may deploy one 76mm medium gun stand as a direct fire weapon. Each shot still removes one round of ammunition from the Soviet supplies. Stands so deployed are cannot be exchanged for artillery templates, reflecting the inflexibility of the Soviet command structure.