Kursk Campaign

{Under Construction}

This is a modified version of this campaign.
http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx?tabid=111&art_id=308

Not to take anything away from what Craig Courtis did.  I've always loved this campaign.  But there were always some lingering questions in my mind.  I'm going to try and take what he did and expand it.

This is an Axis of Attack campaign meant for 6 armies, using the Eastern Front book.



Turns
A turn will represent 1 day (give or take) and consist of 1 battle along each axis of attack.
Attacker and defender is determined with normal axis of attack rules.

The Germans will always attack the first day.  If they loose the first battle, they will attack again.  If they loose again, the soviets will go on the offensive.  At this point the Soviets can change their army.   See soviet section below.  Playing fighting withdrawal, with the Germans as the defenders.  If the Germans loose again, that axis of attack has collapsed, and ALL soviet armies can upgrade.

If 2 Axis of Attack fall, the Germans have lost.

Winning
You could realistically play this until 2 axis of attacks fall.  Its not like any of us have anything better to do then to play FoW.

The way Craig limited the number of games never worked.  There was something wrong with the math.
And the final game was pointless, since the Germans would have already lost.  It was almost like a mercy game to see if the Germans could save face.  They still loose, but lets play to see if we can boost your confidence.

In a campaign there should be no pointless games.  Otherwise you might as well just play a game and not bother with the campaign.

I'll try to fix that.


Forces
Both armies can change units per the normal axis of attack rules, with the following exceptions.


Soviets
Until the Germans are past the 2nd Defensive line, all 3 Soviet armies must be 1500pt Strelkovy. But not Guards. Once the Germans are past the 2nd defensive line the soviets can reorganize into any 2000pt army.  This will be their army for the rest of the campaign.

Once all 3 Soviet armies have been upgraded, they can now begin playing on any axis they wish.  But only 1 army can fight on a single axis per day.

Germans
1st Axis Army - Any Mechanized company, 2000pts (non SS)
2nd Axis Army - Any Armoured company, 2000pts (non SS)
3rd Axis Army -  Any SS company, 2000pts


Air Support
Neither side may include air support in their armies.  Air support will be determined for each side prior to each game.
First 1 roll will be made for weather each day.  This will determine weather for all battles that day.
Soviet player rolls 2d6

Roll Weather
2 Storms
3 Overcast
4 Partial Cloud
5 Clear
6 Clear
7 Clear
8 Clear
9 Partial Cloud
10 Overcast
11 Storms
12 Play God
Clear
Normal Air Support

Partial Cloud
Roll 2 aircraft dice and take lowest result.

Overcast
Lower Air Support dice by 2
Roll 3 aircraft dice and take lowest result

Storms
No Air Support
Optional - All terrain becomes 1 level more difficult
(road = cross country, cross country = difficult, difficult = very difficult, very difficult = impassable. )

Play God
Side with more attacking armies that day, chooses weather.

Next each German Player rolls 2d6 for Air Support in their battle.

Roll German Soviet
2 None Limited
3 None Sporadic
4 Limited Limited
5 Limited Limited
6 Limited Limited
7 Priority Limited
8 Priority Limited
9 Limited Sporadic
10 Priority Sporadic
11 Limited None
12 Priority None

Day1:
Weather - Clear
German Air Support - Priority
Soviet Air Support - None

Roll every Day after.
By the end of Kursk the Soviets dominated the skies.  For ever 3 days of of the campaign -1 from the Germans air support roll.
The Germans can spend 5 Victory points to add +1 to the die roll, permanently.

Hopefully its obvious you can't go below 2 or above 12.  

The Battle Plan
Unless otherwise noted here, use the Eastern European Terrain Chart (main rulebook p 245) for terrain tables.
 
Axis 1 - Lots of towns, river crossing mission
Cherkasskoye:
Terrain Features - 3-6 buildings in middle of table.
Day 1 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using the Big Push Mission
Day 2 - If Germans loose day 1, repeat attack using the Big Push Mission
Day 3 - If the Germans loose for a 3rd time here, play Breakout and the Germans Defend.  Remember the Soviets can upgrade before this battle.

On any other day

Syrtsevo:
Terrain Features -  3-6 buildings in middle of table.
Day 2 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using Trench Fight Mission
Use Trench Fight Mission until the Germans defeat the Soviets here.

Verkhopenye:
Terrain Features -  3-6 buildings, river with bridge in town.
Always play river crossing here no matter who attacks or defends. 

Berezovka Heights:
Terrain Features - 2 or 3 very large hills.  River running from attacker table edge to defender table edge.
Random Mission?

The first time the Germans win here, play a 2nd battle on the exact same table.  Use the Cauldron mission with the Germans being the defenders.

Oboyan:
Terrain Features - 6-12 buildings on the soviet edge of the table.


If both Axis 1 & Axis 2 reach here at the same time, play a 2 vs 2 battle.
If you don't have a table big enough reduce the armies to 1000pts.

If the Germans win this battle they have captured the 1st Axis of attack.

Axis 2 - no buildings, roadblock mission.
Dubrova:
Terrain Features - no buildings.
Day 1 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using the Big Push Mission
Day 2 - If Germans loose day 1, repeat attack using the Big Push Mission
Day 3 - If the Germans loose for a 3rd time here, play Breakout and the Germans Defend.  Remember the Soviets can upgrade before this battle.

Breaching the Line:
Terrain Features - no buildings, creak
Day 2 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using Trench Fight Mission
Use Trench Fight Mission until the Germans defeat the Soviets here.

Random Mission?

Belgorad-Kursk Road:
Terrain Features -  Road winding through large hills.
Play Roadblock mission

Hill 244:
Terrain Features - Large hill in center of map.
Random Mission?

The first time the Germans win here, play a 2nd battle on the exact same table.  Use the Cauldron mission with the Germans being the defenders.

Oboyan:
Terrain Features - 6-12 buildings on the soviet edge of the table.

If both Axis 1 & Axis 2 reach here at the same time, play a 2 vs 2 battle.
If you don't have a table big enough reduce the armies to 1000pts.

If the Germans win this battle they have captured the 2nd Axis of attack.

Axis 3 - River Crossing Mission
Shopino:
Terrain Features - no buildings

Day 1 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using the Big Push Mission
Day 2 - If Germans loose day 1, repeat attack using the Big Push Mission
Day 3 - If the Germans loose for a 3rd time here, play Breakout and the Germans Defend.  Remember the Soviets can upgrade before this battle.

Yakarlevo:
Terrain Features - 3-6 buildings middle of table
Day 2 - Germans attack, Soviets Defend using Trench Fight Mission
Use Trench Fight Mission until the Germans defeat the Soviets here.

Random Mission?

Luchki
Terrain Features - random
Random

Crossing the Psel:
Terrain Features - impassable river with fords.  2-4 buildings soviet side of table. 
Always play River Crossing Mission here no matter who attacks or defends.

The first time the Germans win here, play a 2nd battle on the exact same table.
Use the River Crossing mission again, except that this time the Germans Defend. 

Prokhorovka:
Terrain Features - 3-6 buildings on Soviet side of table.  River running from attacker edge to defender edge.

If the Germans win this battle they have captured the 2nd Axis of attack.