Thread: Re: New Rules For An Old Game

nickp — 2008-10-22T10:14:23+00:00

Fascinating! I have been rather mean in my comments on TRC - more because L2 failed to respond to a request to replace a damaged item than because of any shortcomings on the part of the game. Nevertheless, I have never blown particularly hot for TRC. However, recently I have worked through some old copies of The General magazine from the 70s that include detailed tactical overviews of TRC. It has whetted my appetite to give this classic another try. Now you have tipped me over the edge. My local Games shop has a copy of the extension map and I may well try it. I didn't realise there were overlay cards for Valdai and Lwow. Sounds great as does the Baku variant. I'm gonna split those forces in '42 and head towards Stalingrad and to the south at the same time. It's sure to work out...

Thread: New Rules For An Old Game

da pyrate — 2008-10-21T23:54:00+00:00

The Russian Campaign Southern Expansion Kit

]]>
Designed by Art Lupinacci
Published by the L2 Design Group (2004)

The Southern Expansion Kit is a map and an eight page rule-book.

The map is only useable if you already have the L2 4th edition of The Russian Campaign. The 4th edition map is at a different scale to the Avalon Hill and Jedko versions of the game.

There are no counters in the expansion kit as they have already been provided in the L2 edition of TRC.

The rule-book has the official errata to TRC (nothing dramatic or major), 26 possible variants to the game, 3 alternative history options and some graphic aids to the game.

I’ll give you my verdict on the kit at this point and then describe how it works for those who want more details. The kit is interesting and adds a lot of potential variety to the game. If you are quite happy with TRC as it is you don’t need the expansion kit. If you have played it so many times in the last thirty-one years that you think it needs some freshening up or if you are simply interested to see some of the ideas it is worth having, especially as it is not all that expensive.

The twenty-six variants can be used individually or in conjunction with other variants. They will affect play balance and so can be used to even up what you may consider an uneven contest. Some of the variants have only minimal impact while others dramatically alter the game. The variants that I consider more interesting and/or significant will be in ‘red’.

I am quite happy to have purchased the expansion kit. It allows one player to be given advantages should they not be as skilled as their opponent. Alternatively, it allows the players to balance the game should they consider the standard game to be unbalanced. What I like, is that it allows to add interesting elements to the game. I particularly like variant #25. I also think that the alternative history variants give the players interesting options.

IMHO, the expansion kit does add a lot of life to an old game that I have played well over 100 times – but keep in mind, for me to want to play it over 100 times it must be a good game in the first place.

The Map places a large southern area to the map – it includes the Caucuses and has parts of Persia, Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. The importance of the expansion map will depend upon the rule variants being used.

]]>
Variant #1 – Expansion Board Invasion Rule – nothing dramatic, sea movement is more likely to be successful when using the expansion map.

Variant #2 – Volksturm Variant – more low quality troops become available to the German player in September 1944.

Variant #3 – Lebensraum Delayed – the Germany army is augmented by ethnic forces as they capture and control specific Soviet cities.

Variant #4 – German Airborne Corps – German airborne units are added to the Order of Battle.

Variant #5 – Hitler & Stalin Visit the Front Lines – the two leader counters are given a movement allowance and may be used in the front-line to add their defense factor to a combat.

Variant #6 – Expanded German War Economy – German tanks add one to their combat strength on turn one.

Variant #7 – V2 Rockets East – minor reduction in Soviet production.

Variant #8 – Turkey Denied – an Allied Expeditionary Force becomes available for limited Soviet use. This is particularly useful to the Soviet player if using variant #25 (Baku).

Variant #9 – Fog of War – each player is given FoW counters which may be placed on friendly units – these units may not be inspected by the other player, unless combat is about to be resolved.

Variant #10 – Archangel Variable Die Roll – the L2 edition of TRC has a standard replacement rate of ‘3’ for Archangel. This variant allows the rolling of a die, which is how the game was played in the Jedko and Avalon Hill editions.

Variant #11 – Stalingrad, Verdun on the Volga – additional replacement points for the
Soviet player.

Variant #12 – Russian Mobilization – four additional Soviet units are available from April ’42.

Variant #13 – Spanish Involvement Escalated – additional Spanish unit is available to the Axis player.

Variant #14 – Free Set-up for Operation Barbarossa – both sides have more flexibility about the placement and use of troops during the first turn of Barbarossa.

Variant #15 – Weather Rolls Every Impulse – decreases the predictability of the weather.

Variant #16 – Streets of Stalingrad, Moscow, Berlin, etc. – units in major cities are never forced to retreat.

Variant #17 – Play With Variant #10 & #11 – an additional Soviet unit is placed in Baku.

Variant #18 – Russian Air Power – Soviet airpower becomes more powerful as the war progresses.

Variant #19 – Combat Supply Increased for Special Forces – elite German forces do not have their defence strength reduced during winter nor are they ever out of supply during winter.

Variant #20 – Armor Superiority – die roll modifier for armor units attacking infantry in a clear hex.

Variant #21 – Limited Invasions in the Black Sea – only the Soviet player may launch naval invasions in the Black Sea.

Variant #22 – Alternate Victory Conditions – minor changes to the standard victory conditions.

Variant #23 – Lvow Hills (historically accurate terrain) – there is an overlay to convert the Lvow Hills to clear terrain. This is most significant, particularly if the Axis player wishes to adopt a southern strategy from the start of the war.

]]>
Variant #24 – Valdai Hills (historically accurate terrain) – there is an overlay to convert the Valdai Hills to forest.

Variant #25 – Baku (Captured or Isolated) – Baku was the source of 80% of Soviet crude oil during the war. Capturing or isolating Baku will dramatically reduce the Soviet capability to replace destroyed units. This brings the Southern map extension right into play and makes it worthwhile for the Axis to send a significant force to this region.

Variant #26 – Fortifications – 6 Soviet and 3 German forts can be built to aid in defense. Soviet forts are built with replacement points and Axis forts are built with movement points.

Alternative History #1 – Wacht am Osten – D-day was a fiasco. The German player receives significant reinforcement in the September/October ’44 turn but must capture and hold a major Russian city by the end of the November/December ’44 turn or immediately lose the game.

Alternative History #2 – Axis Mediterranean Sweep – Rommel is triumphant in Africa. The English fleet is driven away and Turkey allows access to Axis troops. This one gives significant advantages to the German player.

Alternative History #3 – England Negotiates Peace – Hitler has listened to his generals and conducted a brilliant war of attrition against Britain. The invasion of Russia starts in 1942.

"Dead Men Tell No Tales!"

Image

tarheel — 2008-04-29T02:17:51+00:00

A portion of the Baku region of the Southern Expansion for TRC 2

Thread: AEF variant

MrUrb — 2008-04-06T23:24:58+00:00

When using the "Turkey Denied" variant, can AEF units lost in battle be replaced from the Russian replacement pool, or are they lost (presumably recalled back to the US)? The rules do not say, anyone have a best guess?

Thread: Variant Rule #6

MrUrb — 2007-12-30T23:07:26+00:00

In Variant #6 (Expanded German War Economy)the rules state "add one to every attack a German armor units participates in for the entire turn." My question is: Add one to what? The combat factor, the die roll, or the odds? The rules do not make this clear.

Image

ermd — 2006-07-23T00:12:40+00:00

Designer Notes for expansion kit

Image

ermd — 2006-07-22T23:51:31+00:00

example of small portion of Southern expansion map

Image

ermd — 2006-07-22T23:39:11+00:00

variants from Southern exp. kit

Image

ermd — 2006-07-22T23:39:06+00:00

samples of counters in Southern expansion kit

Image

Darksan — 2004-07-01T10:39:48+00:00

TRC4 Expansion Cover

Game: Russian Campaign, The: Southern Expansion Kit

Thread: Re: New Rules For An Old Game

Thread: New Rules For An Old Game

Image

Thread: AEF variant

Thread: Variant Rule #6

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image