pictures of commanders · web viewoperation overcast may 1945 american jioa and soviet nkgb teams...

Operation Overcast 1945 Scenario Notes.doc

Operation OvercastMay 1945

American JIOA and Soviet NKGB teams backed by might of both armies

Start time: Any early morning in May 1945. World War Two ended back on May 11th with the guns of war going silent. Now the task of searching Germany for the advanced German weapon system developments, their scientists and technicians, and the actual hardware prototypes begins. At scenario start perform a RPS (see below) hand action to determine side given choice of first turn movement. Side moving first starts the deployment process with their platoon choice, then players alternate platoons placement till all placed.

End time: 18 turns or RPS extended. May seem long but the early searching turns go fast before the arrival of the main army support. On start of turn nineteen perform a RPS action. If tie RPS result, the scenario immediately ends. Scenario also ends if during scenario play, there are no American Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) or Soviet Military Intelligence Special Branch (NKGB) searching team remaining on scenario tabletop. There are no company morale tests for this scenario.

Special scenario rules: All the MRB FOW Ver3.0 rules in play along with the American and Soviet national characteristics rules. The following special rules are in effect for this scenario only:

Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS): For several actions during the scenario, especially for times when one side wishes to “confront or bodily seize” a German scientist or technicians team, seize or solely control a piece of German advance weapon or system hardware, or block the exit or movement of the other side from the table edge, the RPS hand shake and show action performed. Keep it fair and clean players! WR has RPS dice available if needed. Players found, by WR’s sole determination, abusing the RPS system will be looked down upon. Best practices… momentarily look away from the challenging player during the three count handshake motions. Clearly show the chosen hand pattern for Rock-Paper-Scissors.

American JIOA and Soviet NKGB teams: The command teams of these special platoons are the only teams with the ability to search for, perform ex-prisoner interrogation, and can summon up captive German scientist, technician, or ex-prisoner captives with truck transport (from the transport pool). Regular American platoons, Soviet army companies, or any headquarters teams cannot search for German scientist / technicians, control German scientist, technicians or ex-prisoner captives, or perform ex-prisoner interrogation during scenario play.

American OSS and Soviet NKGB Special Spetsnaz platoons: These special platoons, dressed in Soviet (for the OSS) or American (the NKGB) uniforms, using correct

Wargamerabbit 5/18/2023


equipment, will seek to confuse, give false information, mislead, give conflicting orders, will always confront any platoon / company unit of the other side. They will automatically close with the nearest opposite side platoon (non-immume) and follow the “RPS confrontation” rules. Successful confrontation causes the opposite side platoon to remain stationary their next movement phase while they seek instruction from senior command. Treat just like a “pinned” result and requires a success pinned removal morale test roll, including armored units. Credit one victory point each turn for every successful confrontation result which the enemy platoon is stationary seeking orders from senior command (via radio). Once an opposite side platoon / company has been confronted, that platoon or company is immune from future confrontation attempts. Note that they can effect all opposite side platoons or companies, including the regular army units, up till the shooting war commencement. Players should plan their starting tabletop placement with care for maximum potential confusion against the opposite side.

They have no ability to examine German hardware, seek scientists / technicians / Camp Dora rocket technicians like the other JIOA and NKGB platoons. Once the shooting war starts they will seek to immediately exit the tabletop friendly tabletop edge via the quickest route.

Confrontation Action and Shooting: During play, either the American or Soviet players can confront the other side with one of the following three specific objectives or actions, during the “Assault” Phase:

Seize or take control a piece of advanced German technology hardware controlled by the other side. [JIOA or NKGB teams only]

Take German scientist or technician team from control of the other side. [JIOA or NKGB teams only]

Prevent movement past or towards the challenging side’s teams, starting within 6” of any team, of the challenging side on next challenged player’s movement turn. Movement directly away till outside of 6” radius is permitted. [Any team; JIOA, NKGB or regular forces can perform]

American JIOA and Soviet NKGB platoons can perform all three of the above options. Regular American or Soviet army platoons or companies can only prevent movement past or within 6” each team of platoon or company (3rd bullet point above) seeking to block movement, especially when near the table edge.

To challenge, move your platoon’s command team or command vehicle to 2” distance of any opposite (enemy) platoon team controlling the objective team or hardware during Movement phase. Once all movement completed, announce the challenge. When challenged, the challenged non-moving side exchanges their platoon command team or vehicle in same position of their team confronting the initial challenging command team or vehicle. Switch the challenged command team position with the position of the actual challenged team. In short, their platoon leader arrives to confront their opposite’s command team.

Perform the RPS hand determination. Winner takes immediate procession of the German scientist, technician, or hardware. The loser leaves the German scientist or technician team alongside with the winners platoon command team or vehicle. Any hardware is left in position but the winner is assumed to control the hardware. If seeking to prevent pass by Wargamerabbit 5/18/2023


movement, a successful win stops any movement within 6” of the challenging side’s teams unless shooting break out from next paragraph’s RPS determination.

If no winner… ie…the result is a tie, perform another RPS hand determination once more. If no winner after the second RPS then open shooting / fighting has broken out. Both sides immediately open fire (ROF 1 no movement adjustment applied) against the now enemy platoon and only that platoon targeted by the challenge platoon. Targeting and to hit determination is based upon their status before the challenge announced. Once the single ROF completed, the challenging player may now conduct a normal Assault phase against the enemy platoon, including any defensive fire by the defending platoon. Winner of this assault combat retains or takes control of the German scientist, technician, or hardware.

After shooting has broken out, any additional challenges, on the current scenario turn, have only one RPS hand determination done. Finish completely the entire current scenario turn for all possible interactions. After the first shooting event, all RPS tie’s automatically become open shooting / fighting actions and follow above paragraph rules. Once the current scenario turn, in which the first shots fired is completed, the RPS system is discarded from the scenario for challenges and normal FOW rules apply. Both sides are now in a shooting war.

Hot War Breaks out: If no shooting has occurred from player / team interactions, by start of turn 10, the possibility of open warfare increases with a forced general RPS preformed at the start of each American AND the Soviet player / team turn. If a “tie” RPS result, then a open “shooting war” is immediately in play on the scenario tabletop and the RPS system is discarded hereon. Otherwise “peace” still reigns on the tabletop till the start of the next player side’s turn or a player / team interaction RPS result leads to a shooting war.

IS-2: These tanks under standard FOW rules have ROF 1. For this scenario their slow tank moving ROF also is one with no modifier. All other IS-2 rules apply. Remember Soviet assault guns have volley fire rules.

Extra transport: Each unit or platoon with trucks, jeeps, or halftracks has their vehicles available to transport their own teams. Captured German scientist, technicians, or ex-prisoner rocket engineer specialists are transported in summoned trucks from the transport pool. There is also a transport truck pool on call for any platoon or company to summon additional trucks (GMC or Zis) if needed. They can be summoned under the normal MRB calling forward transport rules.

Off Board artillery: Both sides have off board field artillery. Measure the bombardment distance or range from their friendly table edge when conducting bombardment missions. The off-board artillery covers pretty much the entire table. Attached artillery observer teams, with transport as needed, are deployed on tabletop at start or walk/driven in if reinforcement.

German interaction or interphase: Between the American and Soviet turns, the German 3rd party teams will have their actions performed on the tabletop following a normal complete turn sequence. In most cases the action are benign in nature, but some could be hostile to either side. Possible German actions, performed in following specific order:



1. Camp Dora ex-prisoners: (Conscript trained with no platoon morale test)a. Independent random movement of every Camp Dora ex-prisoner team. Roll

d6 and double (2x) the score for inches distance and then a direction arrow Warhammer dice. Move the team in indicated direction till stopped by terrain when outside the Camp Dora fence line. While within the Camp Dora, the direction dice just determines generally which gate the ex-prisoner team is heading for to exit or stationary. If no arrow on direction die, hold in position and discard the distance die.

b. Prisoners will move even during active shooting between the Americans and Soviets. They will not however, place themselves by their movement between the shooting parties. If direction dice indicated such movement, reverse and perform in the opposite 180’ direction instead.

c. Only if fired upon by ex-prison guards, the enraged prisoner team will head directly for the nearest enemy prison guard team to attempt assault. Only the distance for movement is determined and no arrow die rolled.

d. If within 4” of any ex-prison guard team, the ex-prisoner team will assault as a trained team. Perform assault phase and defensive fire by ex-prison guards normally.

e. If encounter with hidden objective coin (base contact), review coin, If not a German prison guard coin marker, disregard leaving coin hidden, and remain in place. If revealed as a prison guard team, go to assault phase and perform normal assault rules.

f. Some of the Camp Dora ex-prisoner teams are worth objective points. See below for interrogation questioning method.

2. German Refugee column: (Conscript Reluctant with no platoon morale test)a. Refugee road bound column movement remains always on the roadway or

just at the side (in the ditch). Roll d6 and triple (3x) the score for column movement distance in inches. Move the refugee cart model and infantry team column, by the calculated die roll in inches, along the roadway till they exit the across the table road exit. Once completed, wait one complete turn then a new column (same models) enters the tabletop at randomly rolled entrance (road entrances) to cross the table length or width again.

b. Being “unarmed”… they will stop in place and immediately drop for cover (GTG) if any small arms or machine gun firing done nearby within eight inches (8”) for one German interphase turn. Once firing stops, on the next German interphase, continue forward movement along the roadway.

c. American and Soviet military vehicle units can force the German refugee column beside the road (into the side ditch) when moving road movement rate along the actual roadway at risk. Perform a single RPS hand action. If the American or Soviet player lose the RPS result, one refugee team automatically within range has panzerfaust (4” range, side exposed) to immediate ambush fire upon the nearest vehicle to that team, forcing the refugee column off the road. Otherwise no effect and the Germans stand off the roadway. Dice which random team and perform attack by the opposite player side. After ambush, remove the German refugee panzerfaust team from play (killed) and the American or Soviet player completes their movements and turn along the roadway.

d. American or Soviet unit x-country movement bisecting the refugee column has no panzerfaust hot trigger.



e. Players deliberately cannot fire upon any German refugee team during game. Only the Soviets can fire across (i.e. over their heads if GTG) the refugee column infantry teams but 25% of the hits scored against the target enemy platoon are transferred to the refugee teams. If refugee team killed (failed save roll), loss one objective victory point per killed team at scenario victory determination summary.

3. German ex-Prisoner Guard teams: (Reluctant Trained with no platoon morale test, rifle armed)

a. Till uncovered by American JIOA or Soviet NKGB platoon command teams or encounter with Camp Dora ex-prisoner team random movement, these teams remain stationary and GTG.

b. Once “active” or uncovered, they move up to 6” distance directly towards nearest known ex-prisoner teams seeking to engage by rifle fire. If none in sight, head towards nearest Camp Dora gates. If in terrain along the path of movement, they will use to their benefit. They will not place themselves between active shooting between Americans and Soviet. If restricted by shooting, they will remain stationary and GTG. After general movement, they may use the storm-trooper rule movement capability (passed skill test), especially to put distance between them and American or Soviet forces.

c. Once in rifle range (16”), they will fire upon the ex-prisoner teams till assaults by the prisoners. If all prisoners killed, continue to move about seeking other prisoners.

d. They will not target any German scientist, technician, refugee teams, or any American or Soviet team. Only ex-prisoner teams are valid targets.

e. Only if cornered will they assault and defend themselves to the last bullet. I will leave it up to the players to determine what is a “cornered” situation.

4. Gestapo teams: (Fearless Veteran with no platoon morale test, SMG armed)a. Till uncovered by American JIOA or Soviet NKGB platoon command teams or

encounter with Camp Dora ex-prisoner team random movement, these teams remain stationary and GTG.

b. Once “active” or uncovered, they move up to 6” distance directly towards nearest on-table captured German scientist or technician team within 24”, seeking to engage by Assault rifle, or SMG fire. If none on-table within 24”, they follow the rules for Camp Dora ex-prisoner team movement. If in terrain along the path of movement, they will use to their benefit. They will place themselves between active shooting between Americans and Soviet if German scientists or technician controlled by either side. After general movement, they may use the storm-trooper rule movement (passed skill test) capability, especially after shooting at their traitorous Germans citizens, to get away and place terrain in their path of retreat.

c. If during random movement, they encounter an objective coin by their movement path, they will execute immediately any found German scientist or technician team. All others they will leave undisturbed in place.

d. They generally will not fire upon American JIOA or Soviet NKGB teams, or either regular army teams, except when firing on their controlled and captured German scientist or technician captives, either outside of truck transport or walking. At that point the first hits are applied to the captives, or their truck transport if within, then the controlling American or Soviet teams.



e. If uncovered by American JIOA or Soviet NKGB team searching, they will ambush their searchers with firepower then storm-trooper (skill test) away out of assault range during the German interphase.

f. Only if cornered will they assault and defend themselves to the last bullet. I will leave it up to the players to determine what is a “cornered” situation.

5. SS Platoon and General Kammler: (Fearless Veteran with no platoon morale test, assault rifle armed with panzerfaust)

a. These teams will follow the rules for Gestapo teams above in general.b. Their movement once discovered is to engage American or Soviet armed

forces, either by ambush or assault rifle firepower. Assault is normally not used by the SS teams or General Kammler team unless cornered in terrain.

c. Once discovered, if outside assault rifle firepower range (8”), roll a d6. If a 3+ rolled they move towards nearest enemy teams, in cover if possible. Otherwise they retire away from nearest enemy teams unless already in bulletproof terrain.

d. Being an assault rifle armed with panzerfaust platoon, their armor ambush ability is something for the players to be wary of.

e. They will not execute found or objective coin encountered German scientist or technician teams when found walking. But they will force them to march with them till they find and meet up with any Gestapo team. At that point the Gestapo team will carry out their orders from General Gestapo Kammler.

f. They will engage any American or Soviet team within range of the their weapons, including any trucks carrying captives, as they assume they also carry or could transport American or Soviet soldiers. They can target trucks over other vehicles if they wish, especially if occupied. Once firing completed, they will storm-trooper away (passed skill test) to increase the distance between them and the former allies.

g. Only if cornered will they assault and defend themselves to the last bullet. I will leave it up to the players to determine what is a “cornered” situation.

American or Soviet units cannot fire upon die-hard SS teams or ex-prisoner guards unless they have seen them firing upon any other team or themselves during the current or previous turn. The die-hard SS and ex-prisoner guards have weapon stashes everywhere on the tabletop so they don’t visibly carry weapons every moment.

Control of German Scientist, Technicians, and Hardware: Control is determined and given once a team comes to 2” of the team or objective coin marker or touches the actual the hardware model. Control can be transferred by the challenge methods outlined above.

Objectives: There are many German scientist, technicians, or advanced weapon hardware objectives across the entire tabletop. The objective coin code number and letter identified below. Each team counts as an objective and has victory points attached:

List of Scientist and Technicians objective teams below:

Rocket / Missile Research Group (R):

1. Wernher von Braun (R1) marked as R1 on objective coin (special placement rules)Wargamerabbit 5/18/2023


2. Senior Rocket designers (R2) marked as R2 on objective coin and so on.3. Senior Rocket technicians (R3)4. A4 / V2 (R4)5. A4b EMW (R5)6. A9 EMW (R6)7. Ba-349a “Natter” (R7)8. Fi-103 “Reichenberg IV” (R8)9. V-1 “Flying bomb” (R9)10.Wasserfall C2 EMW (R10)

Missile Research Group (M):

1. Senior Missile designers (M1) marked as M1 on objective coin and so on.2. Senior Missile technicians (M2)3. Bv L-10 (M3)4. Bv-246 “Hagelhorn” (M4)5. Hs-293 (M5)6. Kramer X-1 “Fritz X” (M6)7. Me “Enzian” (M7)

Panzer Research Group (P):

1. Senior Panzer designers (P1) marked as P1 on objective coin and so on.2. Senior Panzer technicians (P2)3. E-100 (P3)4. E-100 StuG gun (P4)5. E-25 (P5)6. Maus (P6)7. P-245-010 “Jaguarundi” (P7)8. Rheintochter 1 (P8)

Aircraft Research Group (A):

1. Senior Aircraft designers (A1) marked as A1 on objective coin and so on.2. Senior Aircraft technicians (A2)3. Ar (E) 555 (A3)4. Ar-234 C-3 / C4 “Lighting” (A4)5. FW Ta-183 “Huckebein” (A5)6. Lippisch P.13a (A6)7. Me-328 V1 / V2 (A7)8. Me P-1111 (A8)

Other Weapons Group (W):

1. Senior Weapon designers (W1) marked as W1 on objective coin and so on.2. Luftfaust system (W2)3. Stg-44 AR (W3)

Camp Dora Ex-prisoner rocket engineer specialist-technician teams:



Hidden among the twenty-four (24) former Camp Dora prisoner teams are nine (9) rocket engineer specialist teams. These prisoners are basically engineer technicians with first hand skilled / knowledge on rocket construction. Each is worth one objective victory point if interviewed and transported from tabletop. GM so marks these nine teams with identifying marker or sticker hidden underneath team base.

To locate these specialists, any JIOA / NVGB command team moves to contact any prisoner team. At end of Movement phase, the interviewing player asks if that ex-prisoner team knows of any specialist technicians. Any specialist technicians located within six inches (6”) or the interviewed team are immediately pointed out and become controlled / attached to the interviewing platoon.

Each objective German scientist or technician team is found by “contact” with an objective team marker (numbered coin placed face down) placed within the four major tabletop sectors. Contact is stopping your platoon / company commander team at 2” from the objective coin. When found, the actual German scientist, or technician is now controlled by the searching command team (platoon). If die-hard enemy team found instead, place within 4” of objective coin, but not team base stacked, upon conclusion of the Movement Phase. Push aside teams to fit the objective team bases as needed. The SS platoon, Gestapo, Gen Kammler, or the ex-prison guards will react during their upcoming German interphase, by movement away or by ambush on the searchers.

The four major sectors are: 1) Mittelwerk 2) Camp Dora 3) Filegerhorst Kaufbeuren, and 4) Kummersdorf II.

The objective coins are placed before scenario start in various buildings, near advanced hardware models, nearby woods, or in the Mittelwerk Mountain. Avoid placing objective coin marker within 12” of the table edge. Place the objective coins evenly spread throughout the sector complex, not in crumpled groups, with coin coded white side face down. As can be seen, the nearby team may not be the actual scientist or technician team to that hardware. The labeled objective coins had the hidden reverse side coding:

Code R-2/R-10 (Rocket) Place in the Mittelwerk sector of table but outside Camp Dora.Code M (Missile) Place in Filegerhorst Kaufbeuren sector.Code P (Panzer) Place in Kummersdorf II sector.Code A (Aircraft) Place in Filegerhorst Kaufbeuren sector.Code W (Weapon) Place in Kummersdorf II sector.Code PG (Guards) Place in any buildings or either woods outside of Camp Dora.

Mix the following six (6) special coin markers together to randomize their hidden placement. Place two objective coin markers in each major sector (omit Camp Dora) near the table midpoint. Midpoint is defined as within 12” of the actual table centerline invisibility drawn along the long table length.

Code R1 (Wernher von Braum)Code G (Gestapo 3x teams)Code K (Gen K)Code SS (Platoon)



Advance Hardware (model) examination: Examination of any advanced hardware weapon system gives two (2) objective victory points per model. For players to receive objective hardware examination victory points, a platoon unit commander team must spend one stationary turn adjacent to the hardware model (stationary without entrenching or firing). During this stationary turn period, the unit commander is measuring, writing basic notes, locating design notes, technical plans or blueprints, or taking photographs. This data can be dropped off by visiting the friendly table edge, or retained by the actual surviving JIOA or NKGB command platoon team for scenario end objective points. After examination completed, destruction of German Advance hardware can be done preventing examination.

Destruction of German Advance hardware model: During tabletop play, once active warfare has been declared across the tabletop, any side can target any advanced hardware model if enemy teams seen within 10” of targeted model. The model is destroyed with successful 4+ FP weapon skill test hit. Otherwise the player is required to “assault the hardware model” and secure one hit to destroy. Mark destroyed models with a burning vehicle marker and follow the burning vehicle rules for smoke concealment and visibility. No objective victory points given for examining a destroyed hardware model.

Weather: Cloudy and overcast. Maximum visibility at scenario start is 24” for all weapons. No aircraft available for either side, including AOP planes, as the weather is poor and neither side ready for, or order aggressive combat escalation, especially ETO senior theater level American and Soviet commanders. Starting with turn 10, the visibility distance increases 6” per turn with weather slowly clearing.

Line of communications (LOC): Not applicable for FOW games. Each side will have a determined “friendly table side” defined by rule below:

Once the first shot is fired between American and Soviet forces, the game is paused to determine the American and Soviet “friendly table edge”. This is important for the arrival of the respective reinforcement platoons and units, and the measure edge point for the off-board artillery batteries. Each player side team writes down their preferred side. If no conflict the friendly long table edge side is determined as written. If both pick the same long table edge, then a Rock-Paper-Scissor (RPG) hand off is performed. The assigned long table edge is now the friendly entrance and exit point edge for duration of scenario.

Exiting the tabletop edge: Till the final determination of “friendly edge” per the LOC rules above, players can exit any table edge freely or touch the edge to send off their captured German scientist, technician, or prisoner engineer specialist teams. Once the “friendly edge” has been determined, the American and Soviet platoons are then restricted to exit via their friendly edge or either side table short edge.

Terrain notes: Follow normal Flames of War terrain rules for visibility and targeting. Low stone walls and hedges conceal all vehicles but allow direct fire across to engage vehicle targets, otherwise they block infantry ground level weapon engagement unless one side adjacent to wall / hedge terrain. Woods terrain provides concealment and has 6” visibility limitation in effect. Buildings, if larger than 3 team surface area, are assumed to be two building internal zones for targeting and firepower effect (BBG). Chain link fence is similar to barb wire for effect on movement and removal. Other terrain to mention:



1. Mettelwerk mountain: Can only be entered by tunnel. Inside is bulletproof cover and difficult going. Teams can travel from one end and exit the other (interior 5” wide).

2. V-1 Ramp: Concrete floor and blast walls. No foxholes on concrete pad.3. V-2 launching pad prevents concealment and entrenching upon.4. Bunker faces nearby guard post gate. Abandoned MG42 with ammo inside.5. Aerodrome tarmac, taxi-ways and aircraft stands prevents concealment or

entrenching.6. Fuel tanks contain fuel. If fired upon, a successful skill test (Fp4+) causes the

building to catch fire and burn for remainder of scenario. Causes black smoke and firepower concealment if within 12” of burning fuel tank.

7. Building “X”. If entered advise the GM. Special rules apply.8. Electrical transmission towers are just open terrain. Electrical sub-station provides

concealment if within chain fence perimeter.

Battle Map picture (w/o counters):

Map scale: Each map square is 12”. Total table size is 16’ x 6’ dimension.

Order of battles (OOB):American complete OOB [6155 points]. All Americans are “Confident Veteran” rated unless noted:

Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) Unit (Recon or Recee and rated “Fearless Veteran”):

4x JIOA platoons (Cmd SMG, 6x rifle teams, M2 60mm mortar, 2x M3a1 H/T, and 2 jeeps). One attached universal Artillery observer team w/jeep with one JIOA platoon.

OSS platoon (Cmd SMG, 2x SMG teams, 3x Soviet jeeps). Note: Dressed as Soviet officers.

Senior RCT Commander: HQ (Regt. CinC and Regt. 2iC riding in jeeps). Acts as commander for all regular American platoons on tabletop.

9th US Armored Division, 2nd Tank Battalion Company: CO HQ (CinC and 2iC in M4a3 late (76mm) and attached M26 Super Pershing) 3x M26 Pershing platoons (5x M26 Pershing each) Armored mortar platoon (Cmd, 3x M4 81mm MMC H/T, M3a1 w/50cal H/T) Sherman M4a3 (late) 76mm platoon (3x Sherman M4a3 76mm)



9th US Armored Division Armored Rifle Company: Co HQ (Cmd and 2iC carbine, Bazooka, M3a1 w/50cal H/T and jeep) 3x AR platoons (Cmd, 5x rifle teams, 5x Bazooka, M2 60mm mortar, 2x M1919

LMG, 4x M3a1 H/T, M3a1 w/50cal H/T)

Transport pool of trucks available for use by any American company, including tank platoons, to move captive teams or regular army teams:

Transport pool (16x GMC trucks)

Attached off table artillery batteries on call: 2x Field artillery battery (Cmd, 4x M2a1 105mm cannon, Staff, observer / jeep drives

on table when battery on line)

Soviet complete OOB [6180 points]. All Russians are rated “Fearless trained” unless noted:

NKGB Special Branch Unit (Recon or Recee and rated “Fearless Veteran”): NKGB Hero Spetsnaz platoon (Cmd SMG, 4x SMG, 3x captured German Sd Kfz

251/1 H/T, universal Artillery observer team attached) 3x NKGB Hero Razvedki platoons (Cmd rifle/mg, 5x rifle/mg, 3x M3a1 AC) NKGB Special Spetsnaz platoon (Cmd SMG, 2x SMG, 3x American jeeps). Note

dressed as American officers.

Senior Soviet Commander: HQ (Brigade CinC and Brigade 2iC riding in jeeps). Acts as commander for all regular Soviet companies on tabletop.

Red Banner Guard Division: Hero Motostrelkovy battalion HQ (Cmd and 2iC rifle, Commissar) 3x Hero Motostrelkovy companies (Cmd SMG, 9x SMG, 3x SMG/panzerfaust, 2x

HMG teams) Hero Mortar company (Cmd rifle, observer, 6x 82-BM-41 mortars, 6x trucks)

Red Banner Guard Tank Division: Hero Guard Heavy Tank battalion HQ (Cmd IS-2 obr 1943 with attached IS-3

prototype model) 4x Hero Guard Heavy Tank companies (3x IS-2 obr 1943) Hero Guard Assault gun company (3x ISU-122) Hero Guard Assault gun company (3x ISU-152)

Hero Tankovy Battalion: Hero Tankovy HQ (Cmd T34/85 obr 1944) 3x Hero Tankovy companies (4x T34/85 obr 1944)

Transport pool of trucks available for use by any Soviet platoon or company, including tank platoons, to move captive teams or regular army teams:

Transport pool (16x Zis trucks)

Attached off table artillery batteries on call:Wargamerabbit 5/18/2023


2x Hero Artillery battalions (Cmd, Staff, 8x 76mm Zis-2 guns, 4x 122mm obr 1938, observer w/jeep drives on table when battery on line)

German complete OOB [not pointed]. All German die-hard SS teams are rated “Fearless Veteran.” Former prison guards teams are “Reluctant Trained” rated.

General Hans Kammler (Obergruppenfuhrer CMD SMG) SS Platoon (Cmd Assault rifle / panzerfaust, 4x assault rifle / panzerfaust) 3x Gestapo team (Gestapo team SMG armed) 4x Prisoner guards (Cmd rifle, 3x rifle teams)

Stationary inactive German models of: Ar (E) 555 “New York bomber”, Me P-1111, Ar 234C-3/C-4 “Lighting”, Fi 103 “Reichenberg IV”, Me-328 V1/V2, Lippisch P.13a, and Fw Ta-183 “Huckebein” plus a selection of German missile systems.

Stationary inactive panzer models of: E-50 with Rheintochter 1 missile, E-100 StuG gun (128mm), Maus, E-100. P-245-010 “Jaguarundi”, Geschutzwagen 638/18 SF Ardelt “Waffentrager”, and Panzer E-25.

All ex-prisoner teams are “trained” for any combative actions. German scientist and technician teams assume the same morale or skill rating as their controlling American or Soviet platoon or company so they don’t increase targeting visibility.

German refugee column has eight (8) bike / walking teams and three (3) wagon teams. Normally other teams never target them. They move as one unit in long congo-like column, of random order without spacing, always along the roadway. Roll d6 x 3 for movement rate distance each turn.

Starting positions: First placement of German hardware models in their respective tabletop area sectors. Next the German scientist and technician team marker placement, then Camp Dora prisoner teams, followed by the reminder of the German markers… SS platoon, General Kammler, Gestapo, Prisoner guards etc.

Perform RPS determination for 1st turn movement choice. Side moving first then starts the deployment process with their 1st platoon choice, Players alternate platoons placement till all placed. American and Soviet platoon deployment starts with determining table edge entrance point for the American JIOA and Soviet NKGB Special Branch platoons. Finnish deployment with placement of American OSS or Soviet NKGB Special platoons anywhere directly on tabletop (on any stretch of open roadway). Note: By placing the German “hidden” team location markers and the German hardware first, the American and Soviet player teams can determine an optimum route to maximize their potential search.

No American or Soviet platoons / companies actually start on the tabletop except for the American OSS and Soviet NKGB Special Spetsnaz platoons mentioned above. These platoons can be placed anywhere on the tabletop on any open roadway terrain after determining the entrance points for all the American JIOA and Soviet NKGB platoons discussed below.

Arriving American and Soviet units are the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) units for the Americans and the NKGB Special Branch unit platoons, which enter the



tabletop on turn one using double movement that turn. American and Soviet players can select any tabletop edge, road or not, to enter the tabletop as long as the edge is not covered in woods at chosen point. Once the active shooting starts, any new platoon or company unit arrivals are restricted to the “friendly edge” determination and the woods are viable entrance points.

German scientist and technician teams, the advanced project (prototype) hardware models, all the ex-prisoners from Camp Dora, and the hidden (in ambush) SS platoon, the Gestapo, General Kammler, and the prison guard teams, are placed per rules outlined above. Special objective coin markers pending the actual team placement on the tabletop mark all these above teams.

Camp Dora ex-prisoner teams are place in Camp Dora, six teams placed in the actual Mittelwerk Mountain tunnel, and three teams just outside each of the Camp Dora gates.

German refugee column, on turn two, randomly enters the tabletop from a road entrance and continues across the length or width of the tabletop till exiting. See German refugee movement rules above. Dice for the random entrance point.

Off map reinforcements:All the other American and Soviet regular army platoons and companies arrival is determined by the reinforcement table roll, once the shooting begins or starts automatically on turn five. Roll a d6 and consult the following lists. If already chosen completely, re-roll the d6 for another result. When arriving, the American and Soviet players can bring the reinforcement units anywhere within their “friendly table” edge, including the wooded table edge.

American Reinforcements (roll d6):1. No reinforcement platoon arrives this turn except Senior RCT HQ 2. Artillery battery on line and ready to bombard3. Pick any armored infantry, optionally with their HQ group, or armored

mortar platoon4. Pick any tank platoon, optionally with their HQ group5. Player choice of platoon to arrive6. Two platoons arrive with player choice

Soviet Reinforcements (roll d6):1. No reinforcement company arrives this turn except Brigade HQ2. Artillery battery on line and ready to bombard3. Pick any Motostrelkovy company, optionally with their HQ group. or mortar

company4. Pick any Tankovy company, optionally with their HQ group, or Assault gun

company5. Player choice of company to arrive6. Two companies arrive with player choice

Victory conditions: Determined by the number of objective German scientist and technician team points collected (in control of), and advanced German hardware examined, noted taken, and photographed. Not required to exit the tabletop with the actual German



team for victory points, just need control. Side with the most objective points wins based upon the following schedule:

Wernher von Braun is worth 15 objective pointsSenior designers are worth 5 objective pointsSenior technicians are worth 3 objective pointsAll other scientist, technician, or rocket specialist teams worth 1 objective pointExamination of hardware successfully done is worth 2 objective points

There are 139 objective victory points available on the entire tabletop before possible bonus points earned:

If the German military hardware is examined and the specific scientist or technician team for that hardware is also captured, double the victory points for team and hardware examintation. Now worth six (6) victory points instead of the one plus two points for the individual components.

Successful confrontation by American OSS or Soviet NKGB Special Spetsnaz platoon causing command / orders confusion. Each turn the unit is forced stationary awaiting new orders is worth 1 victory point.

Notes:The background FOW supplement books used for this scenario are: Soviets “Desperate Measures” and “Berlin 1945”, and the Americans used “Battle for Remagen”.

Hero rules from Desperate Measures supplement for Soviet players review:



The data for the single IS-3 tank in the scenario taken from the Fate of a Nation supplement:


pictures of commanders · web viewoperation overcast may 1945 american jioa and soviet nkgb teams...

Documents