Counterstroke Rules
Introduction
Counterstroke is a campaign for Steel Beasts Pro-Personal Edition. Like its predecessor, First Clash, this campaign takes its name from the training manual written by Major Kenneth Macksey (Retired) MC.
Unlike FirstClash, Counterstroke does not follow the narrative of the manual from which it takes its name. In this campaign, the two units which fought in First Clash are presumed either to have been relieved in place or pulled off the line for refit. These two units, 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade and 1st Guards Tank Division, are not therefore the central players in the Counterstroke campaign (though they will both make an appearance at some point in the course of events).
The manual did not specifically focus on fighting between any two combatants or sets thereof, rather it surveyed the action from a much broader scope than did First Clash. Here again the campaign will depart from the Counterstroke manual, and in the same manner as First Clash will put its attentions squarely on the actions of a NATO brigade as it attempts to push east a replacing/reinforcing Soviet Guards Tank Division.
Again paralleling First Clash, the terrain of the area in Germany on which the previous action (the one detailed in First Clash) had been fought is once again the backdrop upon which this action will be fought. Units from each side fight on two separate but linked maps, with teams of players representing NATO and the Soviets controlling their particular sets of forces.
The campaign proceeds through a number of Scenarios. Each scenario consists of at least two missions, which may be played semi-simultaneously. Between scenarios are refitting periods during which each side considers the consequences of the missions fought during the last Scenario, and plans for the Scenario upcoming.
Each Scenario is generally assumed to consume in total six hours of real time; though this time span does not represent only that period where battle is taking place, and abstracts as well pre- and post-battle functions. The interval mentioned should not be taken as a firm limit; commanders of both sides may find a wish to proceed immediately from the last Scenario to the next, depending on circumstances and especially if either/both sides think that they can achieve victory in the Scenario’s missions. There is no predetermined limit on the number of Scenarios to be played, though the Soviet (334thGuards Tank Division) side will find a need to defend well if they want to achieve victory.
Victory in Counterstrokeis determined by how much of both mapsNATO controls at the end of the campaign, and by how far eastNATO has driven the Soviets. Victory in Counterstroke depends likewise on losses incurred by both sides. NATO will find a need to conserve and preserve its forces, while also driving east.
Sudden-death victory conditions apply to both sides as well.
1 The Map
As stated in the Introduction, Counterstroke takes place on a map closely approximating the topography and geography of an actual region in West Germany. This region, the Bühl Plateau, was where the action in First Clash took place. It will also be where Counterstroke is to be fought. This map is approximately 19 km X 27km (for a total area of513sq km) and covers all the terrain of relevance to bothFirst Clash and Counterstroke.
Only part of the map is in use at any given time. That smaller part of the map is termed the Scenario Map. Each Scenario Map is further subdivided into at least two Sectors. At the end of a Scenario the relative positions of enemy and friendly forces are delineated by the drawing of a boundary, which will serve as a line behind which each will start the next Scenario.
1-1 The Scenario Map
The Scenario Map (SM) is that total area of the larger map where fighting is to take place for the next Scenario. At the start of the campaign the Scenario Map measures 19 km east-west by 27 km north-south (approximately; the north-south border actually extends to the relevant map edges). The total SM area may become smaller, but will never become larger. No part of the map not included in the SM is available to either side until it becomes part of the SM.
The SM may be subdivided into two or more Sectors, as deemed necessary by either/both Commanders, in consideration of player availability.
1-2 Sectors
Mindful of player-participation limits inherent for multi-player sessions of Steel Beasts Pro-Personal Edition, effort has been directed at providing for Counterstroke a means to maximize the number of players who can be accommodated at any one time. Most of this effort rests with subdividing the Scenario Map into smaller areas, each of which is then allotted both forces and players from each side.
The SM may be therefore subdivided into a pair ofSectors, each of which is generally considered to be an area of the SM measuring about 7 km east-west by about 8 km north-south. If necessary the SM may be further subdivided, into three sectors measuring 6 km north-south by 9 km east-west.
1-3The Boundary
The SM is dynamic; as fortune good and bad for both sides comes and goes, so also shifts the terrain under contest on the SM. At the end of any Scenario, territory controlled by each side is graphically defined by the drawing of a Boundary. This delineation is used as basis from which either side will determine where it can set up units for the next Scenario.
Territorial control is considered an important factor in determining which side will be victorious in Counterstroke; the Boundary will also be used to determine how much territory either side controls at the end of a given Scenario, and at the end of the Campaign.
Each side (at the end of a Scenario) draws a separate Boundary, possibly using different starting points, ending points, and points intermediate in the determination and representation thereof.
Each side begins its respective Boundary on the north edge of the northern-most Sector in play. The Boundary is drawn from that edge, and is drawn in a southerly direction to the unit of that side which is closest both to the north map edge and to an enemy unit. This unit is termed the North Anchor. The Boundary continues through the North Anchor and is drawn through intermediate units as a contiguous series of Boundary segments. The process continues until the Boundary reaches a friendly unit which is closest both to the south edge of the southern-most Sector in play, and to an enemy unit. That unit is termed the South Anchor. The Boundary is then drawn through the South Anchor, to the south edge of the southern-most Sector in play.
Boundary segments in every case are drawn in a southerly direction, and are drawn through units which in each case are closest to an enemy unit. Boundary segments are never drawn through enemy units.
If a Scenario ends with combatants of only one side in that Sector, and/or on the whole of the SM, the Boundary is considered to extend all the way to west edge of the Sector and/or SM (if the Soviets are the only combatants in that Sector and/or SM), or all the way to the east edge of the Sector and/or SM (if NATO forces are the only combatants in that Sector and/or SM). North- and South-Anchors are presumed to exist at the north and south edges of the Sector and/or SM in this case, regardless of actual unit positions.
The Boundary also determines indirectly how the SM is drawn for the next Scenario. The east-west dimension for the SM is measured from the east-most point (or points) on the Boundary, and extends 9 km west from that point (or points). If the Boundary should find any part of itself coinciding with either the enemy map edge or the friendly map edge, the SM is shifted west or east such that the east-west dimension of the map is either 9 km along that direction, or is the largest value of that dimension which is also < 9 km.
1-3-1Drawing the Boundary
The Boundary is drawn as a series of line-segments of the shortest possible length; the first such extending from the north edge of the northern-most Sector to intersect with the North Anchor. The next Boundary segment is drawn from the North Anchor, to the first Boundary-Eligible Unit (BEU). A unit is considered Boundary-Eligible if is south of both the North Anchor and the last unit determined to be Boundary-eligible, and:
A)it is closer to an enemy unit than a friendly unit, or;
B)it is closer to the enemy map edge than the nearest friendly unit, or;
C)it meets either of the criteria given in A and B, and/or is closer to a friendly unit which also meets the criteria given in A and B.
This process continues until the last eligible unit connects with the South Anchor.
Infantry units are not eligible for consideration when determining which units are BEU.
Once BEUs have been determined, the Boundary is drawn. The Campaign Manager is responsible for drawing the Boundary, and for submitting the Boundary to both Force Commanders for verification.
1-3-2No Man’s Land
The Boundary of one side need not necessarily be drawn either parallel or conformal to that of the other, so long as Boundary-drawing parameters as aforementioned are followed. As a consequence this may create situations where neither Boundary touches, and in fact may sharply diverge with respect to the other. Where this occurs, the resulting interstice(s) between the respective Boundaries are termed No Man’s Land (NML).
No units of either side may remain in a NML from the previous Scenario, nor set up in for the one proceeding. Units determined to be in NML at the conclusion of a given Scenario are removed to within their respective Boundaries, regardless of their proximity to the enemy Boundary.
1-3-3Behind Enemy Lines
Neither combatant’s Boundary will be created such that any part of it, anywhere, may overlap. If,while drawing either Boundary, one or more BEU should form a Boundary segment which intersects any part of the other, that unit is termed Behind Enemy Lines (BEL). Units BEL are no longer considered BEU.
In this case the Boundary is redrawn, this time exempting the units BEL and selecting subsequent southern units which meet the criteria as given in 1-3-1 andwhich are not also determined as BEL.
No precedent is given to either side in this determination. The drawing of either Boundary is considered to occur simultaneously, and the identification/removal of consideration from Boundary delineation is likewise considered to occur simultaneously.
A unit BEL may, if a tank or an APC, attempt to Hide, Escape, or Fight. Other units may only attempt either to Hide or Escape. A unit BEL may attempt only one course of action, per Scenario.
1-3-4Hiding
If a unit wishes to Hide, it starts the next Scenario where it ended the last and is placed on the Scenario Map under a ‘Spawn if…’ condition, the specifics of which are determined by the commander owning the unit. Hiding units are subject to Detection (1-3-6). A Hiding unit which is Detected is destroyed, and is not Spawned beforehand.
1-3-5Escaping
A unit seeking to Escape must attempt reentry of friendly territory, and if successful is returned to the force pool of that side in time to participate (if so desired by the relevant Commander) in the next Scenario. Units attempting Escape are placed on the map, inside the confines of the friendly Boundary, under a ‘Spawn if…’ condition, that condition spawning the unit in question only if it meets the criteria as outlined below. Units attemptingto Escape are not under the control of the owning Commander unless the Escape attempt is successful. Escaping units are assumed to be moving in the appropriate direction (i.e. toward a friendly Boundary) for the whole of the time they make their respective attempts.
Escape attempts are generally taken to be successfulwith a 50% basic rate of success; this success rate is modified negatively by 10% for every kilometer1 (and fractions thereof) the Escaping unit is BEL. Escaping units <1 km from any part of a friendly Boundary and closer to a friendly unit than to an enemy unit enjoy a 10% modifier to any applicable Escape attempt. Units attempting Escape are subject to Detection (1-3-6). Escaping units are assumed to advance one kilometer in the applicable direction for every Scenario in which they did not Escape, but were also not Detected.
1-3-6Fighting
A unit which wishes to Fight is left in its position BEL, unhidden. A unit BEL wishing to Fight starts the next Scenario with half of its ammunition depleted (fractions rounded up) for all ammunition types used by that vehicle. A Fighting unit likewise starts the next Scenario inflicted with Random Light damage.
A Fighting unit which survives the next Scenario, and remains BEL, starts the one after that with one-quarter (again, fractions rounded up) of its original ammunition load, and is inflicted with Random Heavy damage.
A Fighting unit BEL at the start of a third and all subsequent Scenarios is not penalized further.
1-3-7Detection
Units BEL which are attempting either to Hide or Escape are subject to Detection, depending on how far behind the lines they may be and how large the unit is.
Hiding platoons will be Detected 50% of the time if they are tank- or IFV-equipped units, 40% of the time if they are APC-equipped, or are truck-type units, and 30% of the time if they are infantry (to include troops which were dismounted from APCs).
Hiding sections (two tanks, APCs, or other vehicles, or a squad of infantry) will be Detected 40% of the time if they are tanks or IFVs, 30% of the time if APCs/trucks, and 20% of the time if infantry.
Individual vehicles in Hiding are discovered 30% of the time if tanks or IFVs, and 20% if APCs/trucks. Individual infantrymen are not allowed to either Hide or Escape and are automatically destroyed at the end of a Scenario if BEL.
The further from a friendly Boundary a Hiding unit is, the more likely it is that the unit will be Detected. For every kilometer (or part thereof) >1 km that a unit is BEL, 10% is added to the likelihood that the unit in question may be detected. This increase in Detection likelihood is not applicable to units within one kilometer of their respective Boundaries.
Units BEL attempting to Escape are subject to the same probabilities of detection, likewise adjusted for distance and unit size.
Detected units are destroyed.
1-3-8Optional Usage
As an alternative to using the rules for Fighting or Escaping,and upon mutual agreement by both Commanders, units which are either Escaping or Fighting may, instead of using the rules given, opt to conduct either action as a separate Mission.
If this option is selected, units BEL is placed in the position it occupied at the end of the just-completed Scenario.
The other side is free to commit what forces are deemed necessary, but any forces so-committed will not be available to that commander for the next Scenario.
Losses sustained by either side in Missions of this type are deducted the relevant Commander’s force pool.
Exercise of this option assumes that at least one player from either side will make oneself available to play the action under consideration. Exercise of this option does not impact in any way the prosecution of any Mission, Mission-Set, or Scenario. If employed, optional usage is considered a subset of the Mission just-played, and is assumed to be taking place concurrent with that Mission.
2 The Forces
US Army, German Bundeswehr, Canadian Army, and Danish Army forces face off against the Soviet Union. US, German, and Danish units fall under the collective term ‘NATO forces’.
Individually, NATO will field a cavalry squadron from 11ACR (2nd Squadron, ‘Rough Riders’), a panzergrenadier batallion (511. PzGr), and a Danish mechanized infantry battalion (1st Bataljon, from Den Kongelige Livgarde). In reserve are a tank company from the Canadian Army, and another from the US Army.
The Soviets field a single unit, the 334th Guards Tank Division (334th GTD).
A variety of ancillary/support units are also available to each side.
Both sets of combatants draw forces for the first and subsequent Scenarios from their respective Orders of Battle (OB).Each side may draw as it sees fit-within restrictions-from its OB; each such draw of forces is deducted from the total forces remaining for the combatant in question. Neither side may draw more units from their respective OBs than were (or become) available at the start of campaign.
Forces are allocated to Sectors and players at the discretion of the Force Commander. Surviving units from previous Scenarios are included (and are considered against applicable restrictions) in the next Scenario.
2-1 Orders of Battle
NATO fields roughly a brigade of tanks, plus about two battalions of mechanized infantry. In addition NATO has access to other assets, such as artillery, helicopters, etc. A detailed description of the forces available to the Canadians is provided to the NATO Force Commander.