Barbarossa Rules

[Darkman]

Hi guys,

i actually making some german Player aids.

One Thing i have issues is is the ruling about Barbarossa & 1st Winter Rules

Barbarossa
The Soviet Chart is saying +1 to Attack for Axis Ground & Air Units and -1 for Russian. while the Rulebook goes into detail and tells a whole different thing. Especially to Air Units modifiers.

27.7.10 Barbarossa
If the Germans attack the Soviet Union before the Soviet Union declares war, the Germans receive a combat modifier for the first round of all land, naval and air combats.  For the first round only all German units have a +1 combat modifier and all Soviet units receive a -1 modifier.  Attacking German air units would apply a -1 modifier to their air-to-air attacks and defending Soviet fighters would apply a +1 modifier to their air-to air rolls.  This is a one combat round modifier only to German attacks (not Axis minor Allies or Italians) and all Soviet defensive values (regardless of attacker nationality).

Winter Rules
- Which territories are actually affected. Rules say. 1939 russian borders.
Autumn 1939 or Winter 1939? Does it include Viiborg, Riga , Eastern Poland and so on) or not ?

[georgemak1]

Barbarossa works like this: on the FIRST round of combat when Germany attacks Russia,  German ONLY( NOT AXIS) units get a plus 1 to their attack combat value( ex. A 3-4 German infantry will hit on a 4 or less). Russian units will get a -1 modifier to their defense combat values even if the attacker has only axis minor units ( ex. a 2-3 Russian infantry will defend on a 2 or less) . Air to air combat, German get a -1 to their dice roll, and Russian a +1. Very important to remember: it's only the first round of combat, not a full turn.

Winter rules apply to all AXIS units inside the 1939 Russian borders except mountain and Finnish units. 1939 borders don't include vyborg, eastern Poland or any of the Baltic states.  I hope that will help you.

[John D.]

I was thinking - maybe if we say "all combat values are increased by one for German units and reduced by 1 for Russian units" that would make it very simple.

[Mark]

Perhaps John's interpretation is most clear - all German ground and air units increase their combat value by 1 for the first round of combat (i.e. a German 3-4 infantry unit would hit on a 4 or less; a German 5 air-to-air ME109 would have a 6 air-to-air value; a German Stuka would have a bombing value of 7, etc.).  All Soviet units would be one less (a 2-3 infantry defends on a 2; a 3 air-to-air fighter would be 2 air-to-air for the first round, etc.)

Winter rules apply to the original 1939 at start Soviet borders - so they do not apply to vyborg, the Baltic states, Eastern Poland, etc.)

[georgemak1]

Xmmm the way the rules are written it says that air units on the air to air combat, apply the +1,-1 modifier to  their dice rolls not their air to air values

[John D.]

This inconsistency seems to confuse folks - what do you do with AA guns - etc.
If we just adjust the combat value number itself - (no die roll modifier) for Barbarrosa (and for the Japanese surprise attack for that matter) - it would go a long way to avoid confusion. The same idea should occur with out of supply and Italian morale penalties.

[Darkman]

i totally agree to John's idea