Game Variant
BALKANS 1943-45
- a late-war variant for Balkans 1941 -                                
- by Brian R. Train, with assistance from Terence Co -

1.0    Introduction  (replacement)
                         
One of the great what-ifs of World War 2 in the Mediterranean theatre was the possibility of an Allied invasion of Greece and/or Yugoslavia after clearing the German and Italian armies from North Africa. In history, the logistical and political difficulties were rife and the Allies did nothing of the kind until Operation MANNA, the liberation of Greece in late 1944 after the German garrison had already withdrawn into Yugoslavia.  But to Hitler and the German High Command, it was always a possibility and made them vulnerable to several Allied deception plans, which have been used as the basis for two scenarios in this variant. In response to these plans, the Germans held several critical troop formations in northern Italy and Yugoslavia in readiness for invasions that never came, when they would have been much more useful somewhere else. 

Balkans 1943-45 is a variant  for the game Balkans 1941, designed by Joe Miranda and published in Strategy & Tactics magazine #182, that models these invasions that weren’t in three scenarios (1943, 1944 and 1945).  To play this variant, the rules for the game are altered as described below.

2.0     Game Components
There are 140 new counters in the game that will have to be made up by players. Players will also use about 100 unit counters from the original game, plus all relevant game markers.

2.4 New Unit ID Abbreviations
German:
Kos: Cossack
Commonwealth:
Cdn: Canadian
RMC: Royal Marine Commando
American:
ABTF: Airborne Task Force
SSF: Special Service Force (US/Canadian unit but shown in US colours)
2.61 Geographical Definitions. All international borders in the game are still in effect. Yugoslavia has been divided into three zones for deployment and movement of Axis units in the scenarios:
Croatia: all Yugoslavian hexes within six hexes of Zagreb, three of Sarajevo, and three of Dubrovnik.
Serbia: all Yugoslavian hexes within five hexes of Belgrade and two of Nis.
Macedonia: all Yugoslavian hexes on or south of the 48xx hex row and east of the xx18 hex column.

3.0     Sequence of Play
(major change) The Allied player moves first in each turn. Both players use the Axis player-turn sequence, as described in 3.2 B(1) to (6). The Allied Player turn sequence described in 3.2 C. is not used and the limitation on Allied mechanized units described in 3.13 is lifted.

3.2 Turn Sequence (replacement)
A. Air Warfare Phase
B. Allied Player Turn (use Axis player-turn sequence)
C. Axis Player Turn (use Axis player-turn sequence)
D. Game Turn Indication

6.0 Movement 
Commonwealth and US units may not enter Hungary, Rumania, or Bulgaria. Soviet units may not enter Italy. Bulgarian units may not enter Albania, Croatia or Serbia in the 1943 and 1944 scenarios, and may not enter Greater Germany or Italy in the 1945 scenario. Partisan units cannot enter Greater Germany, Hungary, Rumania, or Bulgaria. Units may be forced to retreat into a country they cannot enter but must leave in their next friendly movement phase, or be eliminated.

6.43 (replacement) The Axis player may use rail movement in any country but runs the risk of losing units in transit (due to Allied air raids and partisan ambushes by units not shown in the game). Every time a unit moves by rail, he must roll one die. The unit is reduced if he rolls a 1 or 2.  The Allied player may not use rail movement at all.

7.0 Combat (change)
7.43 (cancelled) Both Allied and Axis players may use the Mobile Table if they fulfil the conditions of rule 7.42.

9.0 Unit Breakdowns (additions)
Commonwealth armoured divisions (12-8) break down into two armoured (4-8) and one infantry (3-8) brigades. Commonwealth and US infantry or airborne divisions break down into three infantry (3-8) or airborne (2-4) brigades (the US unit 1 ABTF breaks down into one British airborne brigade and two US airborne regiments). Soviet, Bulgarian and Partisan units may not break down.

German infantry divisions (6-4) break down into two infantry regiments (2-4). German jager divisions break down into two jager infantry regiments (2-6). The German 1st mountain division (9-6) breaks down into three mountain infantry regiments, two 3-6 and one 2-6. The 7SS mountain division breaks down into two 3-6 SS mountain infantry regiments. The SS motorized infantry division breaks down into two SS motorized infantry regiments (3-8).

10.0 Air Power (additions)
10.2 Anti-Aircraft (replacement). The Axis anti-aircraft level is 3 in the 1943 scenario, 2 in the 1944 scenario, and 1 in the 1945 scenario. The Allied anti-aircraft level is 3 in all scenarios.
10.3  Range (addition). British TAC aircraft may also conduct their missions within 10 hexes of any coastal hex (assumed that Royal Navy escort carriers are available offshore to provide this support).
10.44 (addition) The US Air Recovery Rate is 40%.

11.0 Air Missions (change)
11.25 (Terror Bombing ground attacks on Allied-occupied cities) Cancelled.
11.3 Close Air Support (change). Commonwealth and US air units may support units of either nationality. German air units may only support German or SS units.  No other nationalities may receive air support.
11.4 Interdiction.  (addition) Commonwealth and US TAC and MRA units may (in fact, are encouraged to) conduct Interdiction missions, with the same effects. Place the units at the end of the Allied player turn and remove them at the end of the Axis player turn.
11.5 Air Transport (addition). Partisan and Soviet units may not be transported by air.

12.0 Sea Movement (change)
12.7  Limits. (change) In all scenarios, the Allied player may move a total of up to four divisional equivalents per turn by sea. Partisan, Soviet and Bulgarian units may not be moved by sea.
12.9 Adriatic Sea (change) The Axis player may not use any form of sea movement to or from Italian, Yugoslavian and Albanian coastal or port hexes. 

13.0 Logistics (addition)
13.35 (addition). Commonwealth and US supply sources: any functioning Allied-occupied port in Greece, Albania, Italy or Yugoslavia.

14.0 Logistics Functions (addition)
Partisan, Croatian and Collaborator units may not have Logistics Points expended on them (they don’t have any HQ units anyway).

16.0 Co-Belligerents
•	In the 1943 scenario the Allied player controls all Commonwealth and Partisan units, while the Axis player controls German, SS, Luftwaffe, Bulgarian, Croatian and Collaborator units.
•	In the 1944 scenario the Allied player controls all Commonwealth, American (US) and Partisan units, while the Axis player controls all German, SS, Luftwaffe, Bulgarian, Croatian and Collaborator units.
•	In the 1945 scenario the Allied player controls all Commonwealth, Bulgarian, Soviet and Partisan units, while the Axis player controls German, SS, and Croatian units (Luftwaffe units are assumed to have been withdrawn, Bulgaria has switched sides, and all the Collaborator units have deserted).

In all scenarios, Partisan and Soviet units may not stack with Commonwealth or US units, nor may they participate in attacks with them. In the 1945 scenario, Partisan, Bulgarian and Soviet units may stack together and may attack jointly.  See 11.3 and 14.0 for other restrictions.

19.0 National Surrender. Cancelled.

20.0 Victory Conditions
20.2 Victory points (change). The Allied player scores victory points only for eliminating German or SS units. The Axis player scores points only for eliminating Commonwealth, US or Soviet units. An eliminated Soviet infantry corps (15-4) is worth 8 victory points.
20.23 Use the existing victory point table values in the 1943 and 1944 scenarios. In the 1945 scenario, only the Axis player scores points for occupying cities and towns at the end of the game.
20.24 Terror Bombing. Cancelled.

Optional Rules
All optional rules should be used. Rule 24.0, Partisans, must be used.

24.0 Partisans (changes)
Partisan divisions are treated as regular combat units. Partisan divisions may not voluntarily break down into Partisan markers. Partisan units are no longer created by dice roll: when a Partisan division on its weaker side (2-3) is eliminated or reduced by having to retreat, it is replaced (in the same hex) by a Partisan marker (where it could be attacked on the Anti-Partisan Operations Table by other Axis units that have not yet attacked).
24.5 (addition) All SS units, of whatever type, qualify for the +2 die roll modifier when using the Anti-Partisan Operations Table (which, to clarify again, is only used against Partisan markers, not Partisan divisions)

SCENARIO SETUP GUIDE

In all scenarios, units may set up broken down into components if the player wishes. Any logistics points held at the beginning of the game by the Axis player may be expended during setup to place Entrenchment markers (22.0).

AXIS PLAYER DEPLOYMENT
	1943	1944	1945	
German, SS	CRO	SRB	ALB	MAC	GR	CRO	SRB	ALB	MAC	GR	all CRO	
non-mech HQ	2	1	1	-	1	2	1	1	1	1	4	
armor XX	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	
mech inf XX	-	-	-	-	1ss	-	-	-	-	1ss	-	
infantry XX	3	4	1	-	4dk	5	4	2	1d	3dk	8dddd	
mtn inf XX	-	1ss	-	1	-	1ss	1	-	-	-	1d, 1ss	
jager XX	2	-	1	-	2	1	1	-	-	2	3	
cavalry XX	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	
cdo II	2	-	-	-	1	2	1	1	-	-	-	
mech inf III	1	2, 1ss	-	-	-	-	1, 1ss	-	-	-	1ss	
mtn inf III	1ss	1, 1ss	-	-	1ss	1	1ss	-	1ss	1ss	2ss	
static X	-	-	-	-	4k	-	-	1	-	4k	6	
TAC aircraft	5					5					-	
MRA aircraft	3					3					-	
TPT aircraft	2					2					-	
Croatian												
inf XX	5	-	-	-	-	6	-	-	-	-	8	
mtn inf X	4	-	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	4	
Bulgarian											Soviet ally	
XXXX HQ	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	1		
inf XX	-	-	-	3	-	-	-	-	3	-		
mtn inf XX	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	2		
Collaborators												
border III	3	6	1	-	1	4	4	1	-	1	4	
d = indicated number of “d” units must set up depleted (set up on weaker side)
k= one unit must be deployed anywhere on Crete

ALLIED UNIT DEPLOYMENT
	1943	1944  (+ US)	1945 (+ Cdn)	Notes	
British + US/ Canadian				All scenarios: start in the Middle East box. They may be broken down into component brigades at start.	
mech XXX HQ	3	3+1	1+1		
armor XX	3	1+0	1+1		
infantry XX	4	6+3	2+1		
para XX	2	2+1	--		
mot inf X (2-8)	1	1	--	Greek brigade: treat as British unit, use Polish Kar brigade.	
commando X	2	2+1	1		
TAC aircraft	5	8+2	7		
MRA aircraft	3	5+2	4		
TPT aircraft	5	8+2	7		
Partisans					
infantry XX	9	20	25	Partisan divisions may set up only in Yugoslavia.	
partisan marker	15	20	25	May set up anywhere in Yugoslavia, Albania, or Greece	
Soviets					
all units	--	--	5	HQ unit in 6410; other units set up on or adjacent, east of the river.	
Bulgarians					
all units	--	--	10	HQ units in 5816 and 5911; units set up on or adjacent	

1943 Scenario: Operation BOARDMAN
In summer 1943, the British 8th Army is sent to liberate Greece and Crete. This was a deception to cover Operations HUSKY and AVALANCHE, the historical invasions of Sicily and Salerno.  

Game Length: July I to August IV.  Axis sets up first. Allies move first.
	At Start	During Scenario	
Allied Replacements	--	Commonwealth: may replace one division or three regiments/ brigades (mech or non-mech) each turn. Place on any functioning Allied supply source or the Middle East box.
Partisan: may replace one battlegroup-status division per turn. Place in any city or town not occupied by Axis units. May replace up to three partisan markers per turn. Place in any hex in Yugoslavia, Albania or Greece not occupied by Axis units	
Allied Logistics Points	10 mech	4 mech per turn, per functioning Allied supply source (13.35)	
Axis Replacements	--	German: may replace one non-mech division or three regiments/ brigades each turn. May replace one battlegroup-status mechanized division (or one regiment) each even-numbered turn. Place on any German HQ unit.	
Axis Logistics Points	4 mech, 8 non-mech	1 mech and 3 non-mech per turn	

Notes: Bulgarian units may not enter Albania, Croatia or Serbia. The Axis AA level is 3. 

1944 Scenario: Operation ZEPPELIN
In summer 1944, the notional British 12th Army attacks Greece and Albania while the US 7th Army attacks in Dalmatia, in concert with Soviet amphibious operations against the coast of Rumania and Bulgaria. This plan was part of Operation BODYGUARD, the overall deception plan to disguise Operations OVERLORD and ANVIL (the invasions of northern and southern France). 

Game Length: June I to July IV.  Axis sets up first. Allies move first.
	At Start	During Scenario	
Allied Replacements	--	Commonwealth/US: may replace one division or three regiments/ brigades (mech or non-mech) each turn. Place on any functioning Allied supply source or the Middle East box.
Partisan: may replace two battlegroup-status divisions per turn. Place in any city or town not occupied by Axis units. May replace up to four partisan markers per turn. Place in any hex in Yugoslavia, Albania or Greece not occupied by Axis units	
Allied Logistics Points	10 mech	4 mech per turn, per functioning Allied supply source (13.35)	
Axis Replacements	--	German: may replace one non-mech division or three regiments/ brigades each turn. May replace one battlegroup-status mechanized division (or one regiment) each even-numbered turn. Place on any German HQ unit.	
Axis Logistics Points	6 non-mech	3 non-mech per turn.	

Notes: Bulgarian units may not enter Albania, Croatia or Serbia. The Axis AA level is 2. The US Air Recovery Rate is 40%.

1945 Scenario: Operation GELIGNITE
Actual plans were drawn up to send the British 8th Army across the Adriatic in late 1944 or early 1945 to cut off the final retreat of German Army Group F and forestall any further Soviet advances towards northern Italy. The plan was shelved due to shortages of troops and landing craft. The 8th Army would not contact Balkan ground forces until the 2nd New Zealand Division met Tito’s partisans at Trieste off the western edge of the game map) on May 2, 1945. 

Game Length: November I to December IV.  Allies set up first. Allies move first.
	At Start	During Scenario	
Allied Replacements	--	Commonwealth/Canadian: May replace one division or three regiments/ brigades (mech or non-mech) each turn. Place on any functioning Allied supply source or the Middle East box.
Partisan: may replace three battlegroup-status divisions per turn. Place in any city or town not occupied by Axis units. 
Soviet: May replace one battlegroup-status unit (mech or non-mech) each turn. Place on Soviet HQ unit.	
Allied Logistics Points	10 mech	Commonwealth: 2 mech per turn, per functioning Allied supply source (13.35)	
Axis Replacements	--	German: may replace one non-mech division or three regiments/ brigades each even-numbered turn. Place on any German HQ unit.	
Axis Logistics Points	4 non-mech	2 non-mech per turn.	

Notes: Bulgaria has switched sides: it units are now under the control of the Allied player. Partisan, Bulgarian and Soviet units may stack together and may attack jointly. The Axis AA level is 1. Only the Axis player scores points for occupying cities and towns at the end of the game.

Special Rule: Poor Weather
Beginning with the December I turn, the Allied player must check for Poor Weather at the beginning of the Air Warfare Phase.  He rolls 1d6, and gets Poor Weather if he rolls a 6, plus one for each succeeding turn (hence he would get it on a 5-6 in the December II turn, a 4-6 in December III, etc.).  Once Poor Weather occurs, it stays in effect for the rest of the scenario. The effect of Poor Weather is to reduce the Support Radius of headquarters units and the Movement Factor of all units by one.  Also, all attacks on the Ground Attack Table have a -1 die roll modifier in addition to any other modifiers. Partisan units are not affected by Poor Weather.

Optional Rule: Partisan Historical Deployment
Players may set up the following Partisan units as follows, to mimic the approximate historical deployment near the end of 1944.
Partisan divisions: groups of FIVE divisions each, on or adjacent to hexes 4816, 5317, 5418, 5717, 5816.
Partisan markers: groups of FOUR markers each, on or adjacent to hexes 5211, 5514, 5708, 5805, 6014, 6206. (The odd marker can go anywhere.)

COUNTER MANIFEST

UK+US+Canadian	old	new	notes	
XXX HQ (2)-6	1	2+1+1	UK 14, 16; US 6; Cdn 1 	
arm XX, 12-8/8-6	-	2+0+1	UK 8, 15; Cdn 5	
mot inf XX, 9-8/6-6	-	5+3+1	UK 23, 33, 40, 42, 57; US 3, 36, 45; Cdn 1	
para XX, 8-4/4-3	-	2+1+0	UK 4, 5; US 1 ABTF	
arm X, 4-8/2-6	-	6+0+1	UK 4, 7, 25, 35, 83, 87	
mot inf X 3-8/2-6	-	6+3+5	UK 97, 98, 109, 119, 120 121; US A, B, C; Cdn 1, 2, 3, 11, 12	
mot inf X 2-8/1-6	1	-	Greek Brigade: treat as British unit, use Polish Kar brigade counter	
para X 2-4/1-3	-	6+2+0	UK 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9; US 519, 550 para III	
commando X 2-6/1-5	1	2+1+0	UK 2 Cdo, 40 RMC; US 1 SSF	
TAC air	2	6+2+0		
MRA air	2	3+2+0		
TPT air	-	4+2+0		
Partisans			Use Italian 3-4/2-3 divisions, on 3-4 side	
inf XX 3-4/2-3	25	-		
partisan group	11	15	b/w Target Destroyed marker	
Soviets				
XXXX HQ (2)-3	-	1	57	
inf XXX, 15-4/10-3	-	3	64, 68, 75	
mech inf XX 8-8/6-6	-	1	5 Gds Independent	
			90 new counters	
German	old	new	notes	
XXX HQ (2)-3	6	-		
arm XX	1	-		
mtn inf XX 9-6/5-5	-	1	1. Breakdown: use 2 x 3-6 and 1 x 2-6 mtn inf III	
mtn inf III 3-6/2-5	-	2	A/1, B/1	
mtn inf III 2-6/1-5	1	-		
inf XX	12	-	breakdown: 2 x 2-4 inf III	
inf III 2-4/1-3	-	14		
jager XX	2	3	104, 117, 118 breakdown: 2 x2-6 jager III	
jager III 2-6/1-4	2	8		
cavalry XX 5-6/2-5	-	1	1 Cossack	
commando II 1-8/--	1	3	2, 3, 4 Brandenburg	
mech inf III	3	-		
static X 2-3/1-2	-	7	963, 965, 966, 967, 968, 1017, Crete	
SS				
mot inf XX 8-8/6-6	1	-	breakdown: 2 x3-8  mot inf III	
mot inf III 3-8/2-6	-	3	A/4SS Pol, B/4SS Pol, 5SS Pol	
mtn inf XX 8-6/5-5	-	1	7SS, breakdown: 2 x 3-6 mtn inf III	
mtn inf III 3-6/2-5	-	7	13SS, 14SS, 18SS Pol, 21SS, 23SS, A/7SS, B/7SS	
Bulgarian			use Greek units	
XXXX HQ (2)-3	2	-		
inf XX	3	-		
mtn inf XX	3	-		
mot inf X	1	-		
cavalry XX	1	-		
Croatian			use Yugoslav units, flipped to weaker side	
inf XX (2-3)	5	-		
mtn inf III (1-4)	2	-		
Collaborators			use Yugoslav 1-3 units	
border III	11	-		
			50 new counters	

30 June 05
(edited and renamed 19 March 2013)