Welcome to the 4^th Edition of The Russian Campaign (TRC)!  While the game plays much like the prior versions">

Welcome to the 4th Edition of The Russian Campaign (TRC)!  While the game plays much like the prior versions, there are many subtle changes.  Each of these changes is intended to enhance gameplay in terms of authenticity, play balance, and simplicity.  To ease the transition into this new version of the game, here is a summary of the changes between the 3rd and 4th editions of TRC.   TRC4 Victory Conditions:  No more ties!  A player wins by achieving either a “Campaign” victory or a “Sudden Death” victory.  A game must end by the May/June 1945 turn but a “Sudden Death” victory may shorten the game. Campaign Victory:  The Axis player wins IMMEDIATELY by (1) controlling Moscow AND eliminating Stalin OR (2) controlling Berlin at the end of the May/June 1945 turn.  The Russian Player wins IMMEDIATELY by controlling Berlin at any point. Sudden Death Victory Conditions:  The game ends IMMEDIATELY as soon as either player achieves a “Sudden Death” victory. A “Sudden Death” victory occurs if a player achieves ALL objectives associated with that year. An objective is the capture of a specific oil well or city hex OR an event such as the surrender of an Axis minor Ally.  A player ‘achieves’ an objective by controlling that specific oil well or city hex at the time the check for “Sudden Death” victory is done OR if the specified event has occurred. At the end of the Jan/Feb turn of each year, both players simultaneously check for a “Sudden Death” victory.  If neither player has achieved all the objectives, the game continues. In 1942, the objectives are:  Kiev, Kalinin, Leningrad, Rostov, Kharkov, and Stalino. In 1943, the objectives are:  Maikop Oil Fields, Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, Leningrad, and Rostov. In 1944, the objectives are:  Leningrad, Smolensk, Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Sevastopol, and Kharkov. In 1945, the Russian objectives are:  Surrender of Finland, Rumania, and Hungary, control of at least one city in Germany and control of all oil wells. In 1945, the German objectives are:  Prevent the surrender of Rumania and Hungary, control of all cities in Germany and control of at least one oil well.  TRC4 Weather Chart The new weather chart helps eliminate the extreme results while providing sufficient variability to ensure that every game retains a strong flavor of unpredictability. Die Roll   Jan/Feb   Mar/Apr   May/Jun   Jul/Aug   Sep/Oct   Nov/Dec 0 SNOW   CLEAR +3 CLEAR CLEAR  CLEAR  +1 Lt MUD +4 1 SNOW Lt MUD +2 CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR  +1 Lt MUD +4 2 SNOW   Lt MUD +2 CLEAR CLEAR  CLEAR  +1   Lt MUD +4 3 SNOW   Lt MUD +2 CLEAR CLEAR  CLEAR  +1      MUD   -2 4 SNOW   Lt MUD +2 CLEAR CLEAR   Lt MUD  0    SNOW  -3 5 SNOW MUD   -3 CLEAR CLEAR   Lt MUD  0    SNOW  -3 6 SNOW MUD   -3 CLEAR CLEAR   Lt MUD  0    SNOW  -3 7 SNOW     SNOW  -6 CLEAR CLEAR MUD   -3    SNOW  -3  Weather Die Rolls of  < 0 = 0                Weather Die Rolls of  > 7 = 7 (1)  At the beginning of each turn, one 6-sided die is rolled to determine the weather for that game turn.  A “Die Roll Modifier” (DRM) mechanism is used to ensure that the weather is relatively balanced.  This DRM is added to each turn’s weather roll and carries over from turn to turn.  The + or - DRM counter is used to track the modifier by placing it on the appropriate turn.  Example:  If the + DRM counter is placed on turn number ‘2’ on the turn chart (Jul/Aug 41), it would indicate that the current DRM is +2. (2)   The number rolled is added to the current DRM and then referenced against the TRC Weather Chart to derive the current turn’s weather and a modifier.  At the beginning of the game, unless otherwise specified by the scenario instructions, the DRM is set to zero.  Note that in Jan/Feb, May/Jun and Jul/Aug it is not necessary to roll a die as the weather for these turns is 'fixed'.  The DRM will carry over from the prior turns.  (3)   The modifier is added to the current DRM to yield a new DRM to be used in the next turn.  Example:  A ‘3’ is rolled in Sep/Oct which yields CLEAR weather.  The modifier, as indicated on the Weather Chart, is now '+1' which produces a DRM of +1.  (The prior DRM was ‘0’). A '3' is then rolled in Nov/Dec.  The current DRM (+1) is added to the die roll, making it a '4', which means that the weather for Nov/Dec is Snow.  Snow in Nov/Dec carries with it a –3 modifier which means that the new DRM is now –2.  (+1 –3 = -2).  This –2 DRM will then modify the weather roll in the subsequent Mar/Apr turn. Movement of HQs into ZOC: HQs are not allowed to move into enemy ZOCs unless there is already a friendly unit in that ZOC. Leader units: Hitler and Stalin only have a ZOC in the hex they occupy.  Leaders may not use sea movement.  To simulate the operational impact of losing a country’s leadership, the following penalty is imposed if Hitler or Stalin is eliminated:  Units belonging to the country that lost their leader are considered to have a movement factor of ZERO during their next impulse.  (Rail and sea move capabilities are not impacted.  Axis minor allies are not affected by this rule.)  Example:  Hitler is eliminated during the second impulse of the Russian March/April 1944 turn.  During the first impulse of May/June 1944, all German units have a movement factor of zero. Rail Conversion (Junctions) No more zany forward conversions!  A rail junction is a non-city rail hex that contains rail lines that intersect.  A player controls a rail junction if he occupies it OR was the last to have it in his uncontested ZOC.   A player may also gain control of a junction if all rail lines exiting the junction lead to (1) a friendly controlled city or board edge with no enemy ZOC on any intervening rail hex and/or (2) a hex passed through by a friendly unit provided that there was no enemy ZOC on any intervening rail hex at the time the friendly passed through. Rail junction control can change during movement or combat resolution in either impulse of either player’s turn.  A rail junction is controlled by neither side if it is vacant but in both players’ ZOC, regardless of who controlled it earlier.  Junction control impacts rail conversion but not the tracing of supply lines.  If either player controls two cities and there are no enemy units, enemy ZOCs, or enemy controlled rail junctions on a rail line between them, the entire rail line becomes friendly controlled.  A friendly controlled city may not support rail conversion if it is an enemy ZOC and the rail in the city hex is not friendly controlled. Off-board Rail The ‘Off Board Rail’ optional rule in TRC3 is now part of the TRC4 core rules.  Off-board rail movement between the hexes at which rail lines exit the West, East, and South board edges is permitted, provided that the exit and reentry hexes belong to the same board edge, are free of partisans and enemy ZOC, and have been possessed prior to the turn of their use Kerch Straits Units may now cross the straits into an enemy ZOC.  ZOCs do not extend across the straits.  The defender is doubled if all attacking units are on the other side of the straits.  Units may retreat across the straits. Baltic Sea Movement This has been completely redone.  A die roll of ‘2’ is needed for success with a –1 to the die roll for control of Helsinki, Tallin, Riga, and Leningrad.  Evacuations have a +1 DRM.  The Russians can now perform sea transfers and evacuations if they control Leningrad. Sea Transfers A unit that performs a sea transfer is no longer allowed to retreat.  (This restriction used to only apply to units performing invasions.) Sea Evacuations: Units that are performing evacuations have a +1 DRM, in either sea area.  They may reenter the game as reinforcements, not replacements.  (Soviet evacuees may no longer ‘pop-up’ second impulse in cities!) Soviet Automatic Victory Starting in the January/February 1943 turn, the Russians may conduct Automatic Victory (10-1) attacks Partisan Placement Partisans may now be placed between a city and a railhead. Motorized Substitutions for Armor The Germans may replace a motorized unit (formerly ‘PzG’ units) should an armor unit not be available for replacement. Archangel Not Variable Archangel replacements are no longer rolled for.   The Russians will automatically get three extra replacements starting in Jan/Feb 1942 and ending after the Nov/Dec 44 turn. Replacement designation. Replacements are designated at the beginning of movement.  (The Soviets may no longer await the outcome of sea movement before choosing which units they will replace!) German Replacements German replacements arrive on the first impulse of May/June in 1942, 1943, and 1944. STAVKA Now Replaceable STAVKA may be replaced once per year during the Jan/Feb turn at a cost of one replacement factor. 1943 German Mobilization When substituting motorized units for infantry units in 1943, the German player is no longer restricted to specifically identified infantry units.  In other words, any 4-4 may be chosen, not just the 11th Infantry Corps. Unit Withdrawal Units that must withdraw are simply picked up off the map. Timing of surrender of Minor Allies Minor Allies surrender at the end of the Russian player turn, no more suicidal attacks to trigger their surrender!  Finland surrenders at any time after Sep/Oct ’44 once Leningrad is Russian controlled.

Feel free to send email to Tom with comments about TRC-Online! Last modified: 10/27/07