Nato - Rules
Nato - Rules
Nato - Rules
3 Introduction
How to Startl3 • How to Win /3 • Game Terms / 3
Sequence of Play / 5
7 Components
Reinforcement/ Track Displays/7 • The Game
Map/7 • Playing Pieces/8
12 Supply
Supply Lines and Sources / 12 • When Victory Status Is
Determined / 13 • Restrictions on Unsupplied Units/13
Supply Line Restrictions / 14 • Supply Exceptions / 14
15 Movement
Road Movement / 15 • Transport / 16 • Interception / 18
Flak / 19 • Exiting the Map / 19
20 Combat
Ground Combat120 • Air Power 122 • Tactical
Nuclear Warfare123
26 Victory
Warsaw Pact Victory Points126 • NATO Victory
Points127
27 Scenarios
First Game-Turn Rules127 • Activation / 28
Refugees / 28 • NATO Border Troops / 28
NATO Border Troops128 • Reinforcement Units128
Conditional Reinforcements129 • Reinforcement
Points / 30 • Scenario I: Strategic Surprise / 31
Scenario 2: Tactical Surprise / 32 • Scenario 3:
Extended Build-Up / 33
34 Notes
Designer's Notes134 • Strategic Surprise Scenario
Notes / 35 • Tactical Surprise Scenario Notes / 35
Extended Build-Up Scenario Notes / 36
Introduction
001 NATO: The Next War in Europe is a division level simula-
tion of a Warsaw Pact invasion of West Germany during the late
1980's. The game pits the two great alliances of the continent -
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw
Pact - in an all-out struggle for mastery of Western Europe. The
game map depicts the area from Denmark to the Swiss Alps, and
from France to Poland. Over this area, each player maneuvers
his various ground units, and brings his airpower to bear, in an
effort to break his opponent's forces. The game can be played for
either two or four weeks following the opening airstrikes of the
campaign, and three different scenarios are included to reflect
various degrees of surprise and preparedness on each side.
Special rules cover the more salient features of modern warfare,
such as airborne, airmobile, and amphibious forces, tactical and
operational airpower, and chemical and nuclear warfare.
How to Start
002 To begin, layout the game map and punch out the playing There are three way 10 play A TO, using the three
pieces. Read through the rules slowly, concentrating especially on cenarios. Each scenario i a complete game in itself, with
different stan ing situation . reinforcement schedules. and
the sequence of play, game terms, playing piece descriptions, and conditions for viclOry. Before beginning 10 play any scenari o,
the main body of rules. Examine the counters indicated in the ex- it is recommended that players read the Sccnario ote at the
amples, and play through the examples as you go through the back of this bookie!. The Designer's Notes. aloin this
rules sections. Once you feel you have a grip on the rules, refer to booklet, are also helpful in providing insight. il1lo the
intel1lions of the va rious game mechan ics. and should be read
the back of the Reinforcement/Track Display, which lists the as an aid in under tanding these rules.
units that begin the game already on the map, together with the
identifying numbers of the hexes in which they are set up initially.
Set your track markers on the appropriate tracks in the boxes in-
dicated in the instructions for the scenario you have selected to
play, and begin play with the first Game-Turn. Be sure to follow
the sequence of play strictly, as this sequence is the basis of all
events that occur during the game.
How to Win
003 For the most part, it is the Warsaw Pact player's goal to cap-
ture as many cities as possible; the NATO player's prime objec-
tive is to slow or halt the Warsaw Pact invasion and maintain con-
trol of NATO cities. The capture of enemy cities by either side
earns the capturing player Victory Points, which are totalled at
the end of a scenario; the NATO player's final total is subtracted
from the Warsaw Pact player's, and the difference is compared to
a list of victory levels provided with each scenario to determine Victory: 208.
who has won and by what margin.
Game Terms
004 The following terms are used frequently throughout these
rules, with very specific meanings. Wherever possible, these
definitions - or salient portions of them - are repeated in rele-
vant rules sections; but it is advisable to be reasonably familiar
with the terms before proceeding.
Air Attack Points
005 Air Attack Points represent airpower in the game. There are two
types of these points: Tactical and Operational. Tactical Points
represent, essentially, short-range attack aircraft, while Opera-
tional Points represent air elements capable of deep penetration. During the Air Allack Phase, the Phasi ng player can spend
Tactical and Operational Air Allack Poillls to perform Air
To simulate this distinction, Tactical Air Attack Points are Strike, Suppon Suppression, Road il1lerdiction, and Rai l
somewhat limited in the types of missions they can undertake, il1lerdiction mi ss ion s.
and restricted in the circumstances under which they operate. Air Power: 172.
NA TO RULES, PAGE4
Airspace
006 While handled abstractly, airpower is one of the most important When a unit uses Air Ferry (120) or Sea Ferry (127) , it s
aspects of this game. At times it is necessary to determine whether destination hex must be in friendly airspace. A unit using
Airborne Transport (123) ends its move in enemy airspace. A
a ground unit occupies terrain that is controlled by FRIENDLY or unit using Amphibious Tran sport (130) can end its move in
ENEMY airpower - whether the unit occ'upies friendly or enemy enem y or friendly airspace. Airspace is important in resolving
airspace. A unit is in friendly airspace if, at the instant of deter- interception (138) after t ranspon, in directing Tactical Air
mination, it can trace a path of hexes identical to a SUPPLY LINE Attack Points on airstrike mi ss ions (174) , and in controlling
cities for Victory Point s (198).
to a valid SUPPLY SOURCE. A unit is in enemy airspace if, at the in-
stant of determination, it cannot trace such a path of hexes.
Attack Strength
007 All combat unit counters have an Attack Strength, which quan- A unit's Allack Strength is used only during friendly Ground
tifies their basic capacity to attack enemy units. A unit that suf- Attack Phases (149). A single unit's Allack Strength cannot
be divided among two or more attacks in a single Phase.
fers a step loss (and is not entirely eliminated) has a reduced At-
tack Strength, indicative of combat losses. A Ul1it'S Attack
Strength is a basic strength, used to resolve combat subject to
modification by terrain and other factors relevant to a given com-
bat situation.
Combat Onl y uni ts that actuall y contribute their Allack Strength to a
008 In game terms, a combat is specifically the resolution of an attack co mbat are co nsidered a ttacking unit s in that combat. Thi s is
import a nt in determining eligibilit y for ad vance after combat
by any number of units against all defending units in a given hex. and exploitation (170).
De(ense Strength
009 Each unit has a Defense Strength, which quantifies the unit's All units defending in a hex add their Defense Strengths
basic ability to resist enemy attack. A unit that suffers a step loss together to arrive at a total. No unit can withhold its Defense
Strength. EXCEPTION : HQ units (087) and units that have
(and is not entirely eliminated) has a reduced Defense Strength, retreated during the Game-Turn (166).
indicative of combat losses. A unit's Defense Strength is a basic
strength, used to resolve combat subject to modification by ter- WGIII
xxx
rain and other factors relevant to a given combat situation. !E£J " 25
44 P[lJ
Headquarters units differ from combat units in that they have a !
PROVISIONAL Defense Strength that is used only when an HQ unit Provisional Defense Strength (055)
is attacked when alone in a hex.
Enemy
010 If you are the NATO player, then anything pertaining to the War-
saw Pact player - his units, territory, turns, and so forth - is
considered enemy to you, and the converse is true for the Warsaw
Pact player. Your own units, territory, turns, etc., are FRIENDLY
to you and enemy to your opponent.
Formation
011 The concept of formations is central to many of the game's func-
47GT 13S 10GT 13S 12GT/3S 207l3S
tions, including supply and combat. For NATO, a formation xx xx xx xx
[§] 3112 [§] 3108 [§] 2808 I2'!l 2912
consists of all units of a particular nationality; all West German 654[2J 654[2J 654[2J 645[2J
units, for instance, belong to the same formation, in game terms.
For the Warsaw Pact, a formation consists of all units of a par- C/3S 0/3S 3S
ticular army; the headquarters and all combat units designated III III xxxx
[§] 32 10 [§] 29 10 !E£J 32 12
35 (3rd Shock Army), for instance, belong to the same forma- 251 [1) 251 [1) 34 P[l)
tion. Note that numerous Warsaw Pact units are independent,
belonging to no formation.
Movement Point
012 Each unit has a Movement Point Allowance, which indicates CA 2
how many Movement Points that unit has to spend in each x A
EI
Game-Turn. The only time a unit need spend Movement Points is 1A 1 [1)
during a friendly Movement Phase, when the unit is using tactical Pro vISIonal Movemetll Point Allowance (056)
or strategic road movement. When using road movement, the
unit spends Movement Points to enter hexes - and, in some
cases, to cross hexsides - according to the costs listed on the Ter-
rain Effect Chart. Certain airborne units have provisional Move-
ment Allowances that vary, depending on the unit's supply
status.
Roll Capacity
013 Each side has a specified capacity for moving troops and
materiels by rail. This capacity is quantified in Rail Capacity
NA TOR ULES. PA GE 5
Points, which are allotted to each player: 28 for the NATO A player 's current Rail Capacity, recorded on his Ra il
Capacity Track, can be temporarily reduced by enem y rail
player, and 16 for the Warsaw Pact player. At no time - ever - interdiction missio ns (185) , or permanent ly eliminated by the
can either player have more STEPS of units entrained than he has o utbreak of tacti cal nuclear warfare (187) .
Rail Capacity Points.
Soft Unit
014 Certain units - particularly those that are not armored - are Soft unit Defense Strengths are doubled when defending in
termed SOFT units. Such units receive certain benefits in combat, cenain types of terrain (15 1; Terrain Effects Chan). Hard
unit s can, in cenain si tuation s, exploit after combat (171).
attributable in part to their ability to disperse effectively. HARD Hard and so ft unit s are affected differently by nuclear strikes
units, on the other hand, receive certain benefits in exploiting (189; uclear Strike Result Table).
breakthroughs made during combat, owing to their greater
mobility in advancing.
Step
015 A step represents roughly 5000 troops. A step is, therefore, an in- The more steps in a unit, the more powerful it is likel y to be
crement, in game terms, by which a unit 's size is measured. No in combat, the more influence it is likel y 10 exen over a
geographical area (Zones, 0 19), and the more transpo n assets
more than six steps can ever occupy a single hex at the end of any a re required 10 move it.
Phase. Each TRANSPORT POINT can transport a single step in a
Game-Turn.
Support Range
016 Each headquarters unit has a SUPPORT RANGE indicated on its In some circumstances, a un it must be within the Suppon
counter. This range is the maximum distance, measured in hexes, Range of an HQ 10 be supplied (097). Units m ust be with in
Suppon Range of their HQ 's to benefit from Offensive
that a combat unit can be from the HQ and still draw support and Suppon (156).
supply from that HQ.
Transport Points
017 These points - Airborne, Amphibious, and Helicopter - repre- Ai rborne Transport: 123 .
sent the valuable, specialized transport assets possessed by both Amphibious Transpo rt: 130.
Helicopter Transport: 134.
sides. Each Transport Point is capable of carrying one STEP of
eligible units.
Victory Points
018 The game is won and lost on the basis of each player's success, ViclOry Points are awarded primarily for contro ll ing enemy
relative to his opponent, in meeting certain victory conditions . cities (I98).
The value of meeting these conditions is quantified in the Victory Warsaw Pact Victory Points: 209.
NATO Victory Points: 211.
Points.
Zones
119 Units can exert ZONES OF DELAY or ZONES OF CONTROL in this The effects of bmh types of Zones are su mmarized on each
game. Both types of zone represent the capability of a unit in a player's summary sheet.
particular geographical location to exert influence over adjacent
areas. Zones affect movement, supply, combat, transport, and
nearly everything else in the game.
Sequence of Play
Joint Point Record Phase
020 Each player records new Air Attack Points, Air Transport Point allocatio ns for each player in each t urn are listed on the
Points, Amphibious Transport Points, Helicopter Transport Game-Turn Track, on the map.
Points, and Chemical Warfare Points on his appropriate tracks.
WP Reinforcement/ Activation/Declaration Phase
021 Warsaw Pact (WP) player places his reinforcements due in the Reinforcements: 223 .
current Game-Turn on the map or on the Game-Turn Track, as Activation: 220.
Tactical N uciear Warfare: 187.
specified by the rules for reinforcements . Any units currently on
the map that are scheduled to be activated in the current Game-
Turn are activated during this Phase. WP player can declare Tac-
tical Nuclear Warfare (TNW).
WP Detraining Phase
022 WP player removes Entrained markers from units he wishes to Rail Transport: 115.
detrain and from units no longer eligible to be entrained.
WP Supply Determination Phase
023 WP player determines the Movement Supply status of each of his Supply: 093.
units and indicates units that are unsupplied.
NATO RULES, PAGE6
Components
044 A copy of NATO: The Next War in Europe contains the
following components.
One Rules Booklet
One22"x 32"Map
One 260-Piece Counter Sheet
One 130-Piece Counter Sheet
One Warsaw Pact Reinforcement/Track Display
One NATO Reinforcement/ Track Display
One 6-Sided Die
One Counter Tray
One Game Box and Lid
045 This rules booklet contains an 8-page pull-out section at its Each 4·page pull-out contains the following:
center. The pull-out consists of one 4-page leaflet containing G ro und Combat Result s Tab le
Terrain E ffects Chart
charts, tables, and summaries for the NATO player, and one Air Stri ke Results Tabl e
4-page leaflet of similar material for the Warsaw Pact player. Use Road Interdiction Results Table
of the 6-sided die for resolving combat is covered in that section Rail In terdiction Result s Table
of the rules. The counter tray is recommended for use in sorting Interception Value Chart (diffe rent fo r each pl aye r)
and various summaries.
and storing the counters after play. The nature and use of the
other components are described below.
Reinforcement/Track Displays
046 These displays, one for each player, contain complete lists of P layers can keep their reinforcem ent un it s (223) on this
reinforcements for all scenarios, and provide each player with all display. or shift them to the appropriate boxes provi ded on
the Game-Turn Track.
the tracks necessary to record the various points provided
throughout the game. On the back of each sheet is the ap-
propriate player's initial set-up.
Playing Pieces
050 There are two basic types of playing pieces in the game: units Unit s come in various sizes , denoted by the symbology above
and markers. Units represent the divisions, brigades, regiments, th e unit type symbol:
III: Regiment
and headquarters that actually maneuver and engage across the X: Brigade
map. Markers are simply reminders, placed on the map and on XX : Division
the player's tracks, to indicate various temporary game condi- XXX : Corps (HQ 's onl y)
XXXX: Army (HQ 's onl y)
tions and record the accumulation and expenditure of points. Unit size has little effect on play, except when deal in g with
Heli copter Tran sport (134).
UNITS
051 TYPICAL WARSAW PACT HEADQUARTERS (HQ) UNIT
FRONT .--_ _ _ _ _,
A rmy Formation
1GT
Si:.e oj Unit Commanded XXXX
Unit Type [E§] 3609 Deploy ment Deployment refers to the unit 's initial placement at th e
beginning of the game. Some unit s have a four-dig it number
SuPPOrt Range 34P[1) Steps
(such as 3609), which indi cat es the hex in which they are set
up on the map. Other unit s are designated as reinforcements
M ovement Point Allo wance Provisional Defense Strength
of various types:
BACK .--_~ _ _-, Rd: Road reinforcement (225)
RR: Rail reinforcement (226)
1GT Rf: Reforger reinforcement (NATO onl y) (231)
XXXX ~
1..!:!2.1 • •,- Unsupplied A : Airlifted reinforcement (229)
N : a val (sealift) reinforcement (230)
34 P [1)- Steps Rs: Reserve reinforcement (228)
Nationality (Formation
Size oj Unil Commanded
Deployment
Unit Type
SuPPOrt R ange
US V
XXX .
l.E§] ,- Unsupp/ied
34 P[1)
Mountain: Soft lW
X Rd
065 These units are also specialized troops, trained for operations in I:?El 5
mountainous regions and suitably equipped. They are eligible for 141[1J
transport as infantry units.
Game-Turn: Track
075 This marker is placed on the Game-Turn Track and advanced one
space at the conclusion of each Victory Point Stage to indicate ~
the completion of a Game-Turn and the beginning of the next.
Helicopter Transport POint: Track/Map
~
076 Helicopter Transport Points are provided to the players and serve
a function similar to Airborne and Amphibious Transport
markers, when helicopter transport is undertaken. Additionally,
Helicopter Transport markers are used on the map to indicate the
flight path of the transported unit.
EJEJ
Interdiction: Map
077 The markers are used to indicate hexes that have been subjected
to interdiction missions by Air Attack Points. 8GB
NA TO R UL ES, PAGE /I
Overrun: Map
079 Certain hexes on the map - such as Reforger sites - no longer
function once an enemy unit has passed through them. In such an
instance, an Overrun marker is placed on the hex to indicate this
lOVER
RUN I
condition.
Rail Capacity: Track
080 Each player uses his Rail Capacity marker to record the current
level of his Rail Capacity on his Rail Capacity Track.
Unsupplied: Map
081 These markers are placed on units that are judged out of supply
•
OUTOF
in any Supply Determination Phase. Note that HQ units have un-
supplied designations on the backs of their counters. SUPPLY
FORMATIONS
083 Each HQ unit commands a particular formation. An HQ Note that some NATO formations (nationalities) have more
unit and the units subordinate to that HQ share the same color than one HQ . Each HQ can support an y and all combat unit s of
its formation (nationality), regardless of nominal corps
scheme and the same formation designation. Each Warsaw Pact designation. Not e also that Canadian units use US HQ's for
formation represents a particular army, while each NATO for- all pu rposes.
mation represents the entire forces of that nationality. Warsaw
Pact independent units belong to no formation, and can be used
in conjunction with any Warsaw Pact HQ.
084 When units of different formations occupy the same hex,
units of only one formation (selected by the owning player) in
that hex can be used to attack.
085 A unit that must trace through an HQ in order to be supplied
can trace only through an HQ commanding its own formation. A
Warsaw Pact independent unit can trace supply through any
headquarters.
HQ UNIT ATTRIBUTES
086 HQ units are restricted in their movement. HQ units can
move only by tactical road movement or rail transport. When 2GT
XXXX
moved by rail, an HQ counts as four steps for purposes of rail ~ 2607
capacity (it does not count as four steps for purpose of the six- 34P[1]
087
step limit per hex [015] or any other purpose).
HQ units are restricted in their combat capabilities. HQ
units have no Attack Strength and therefore can never attack
•I
Provisional De/ense SIrellglh
enemy units. An HQ unit that is attacked adds nothing to the
defense strength of the hex when it is stacked with other units; if
attacked while alone in a hex, an HQ unit defends with a strength
of I, receiving no terrain benefits. An HQ unit cannot be
eliminated in ground combat unless it is alone in the hex, or all
units with which it is stacked are eliminated first. HQ units can-
not be eliminated by air strikes; they are, however, affected by
nuclear strikes.
088 An HQ unit occupying a hex alone can be forced to retreat A displaced HQ unit is subject to all the restrictions of retreat
by any enemy combat unit entering the HQ's hex by tactical road following combat (164).
movement. This displacement can occur more than once per
enemy Movement Phase, and is conducted as retreat after com-
bat. If an HQ unit is forced to displace and is prohibited by ter-
rain that blocks normal retreat after combat, the HQ unit is
eliminated.
NATORULES, PAGE 12
Supply
093 To function at its full potential, a unit must be supplied. A
unit is supplied if it can trace a supply line from the hex it oc-
cupies to a valid supply source. There are three Phases during a
Game-Turn when a unit must determine whether or not it is sup-
plied, and the requirements for a valid supply source and valid
supply line vary somewhat depending on the Phase in progress.
VALID HQ UNITS
096 When a combat unit is required to trace supply through a Note that Canadian units use US HQ 's for all purposes.
valid HQ unit, that HQ must belong to the same formation and
be supplied itself. A NATO HQ is a valid HQ if it is of the same
nationality as the unit drawing supply (remember, actual corps
designations on NATO units have no effect on play). A WP HQ is
a valid HQ if it is of the same army as the unit drawing supply; an
independent WP unit can draw supply through any supplied WP
HQ.
097 A combat unit must trace its supply line through a valid HQ
under the following conditions:
• The combat unit is in enemy territory.
• The combat unit is a NATO unit that is not in its home country When determining friendly airspace (006), any unit outside its
(even though it may be in friendly territory). This restriction ap- home country must t race supply in this manner.
plies only during the Joint Combat Supply Determination
Phases. Note that, since British, US, Canadian, and Italian units
have no home country, these units must always trace supply
through valid HQ's during Joint Supply Determination Phases.
Supply Exceptions
WARSAW PACT ORGANIC SUPPLY
102 As specified in each scenario description, all Warsaw Pact Airborne, airmobile, and marine units transported to hexes
units (except airborne, airmobile, and marine units; these units from which they cannot trace supply are nonetheless
automatically considered supplied during the first Joint Supply
must always trace supply normally) are automatically supplied Determination Phase following their transport.
during certain Game-Turns . During these specified Game-Turns,
Warsaw Pact units can never be unsupplied. Immediately after
the Victory Point Record Stage of the last Game-Turn of organic
supply indicated in the scenario being played, Warsaw Pact units
must trace supply normally in all Phases.
103 While in effect, Warsaw Pact organic supply does not auto-
matically qualify a WP unit to direct Tactical Air Points (WP
units must trace a normal supply line to perform this function).
SOVIET MARINE HQ
104 The Soviet Marine HQ unit is automatically supplied during
Mar
the Warsaw Pact Supply Determination Phase when it occupies xxx N
[§]
any coastal hex between the eastern mapedge and hex 0215 (in- 20P(1]
clusive). The Soviet Marine HQ can provide supply for any WP
marine, airborne, or airmobile unit within its Support Range, Note thallhe Soviet Marine HQ unit is not automatically
provided the HQ itself is supplied. supplied during a Joint Supply Determination Phase .
NA TORULES, PAGE 15
Movement
105 A unit can move only during a friendly Movement Phase.
There are 8 ways in which a unit can move:
Tactical Road Movement
Strategic Road Movement
Rail Transport
Air Ferry
Airborne Transport
Sea Ferry
Amphibious Transport
Helicopter Transport
106 A unit can move by only one method in a given Movement A unit moving by tactical road move ment , fo r instance,
Phase, and a unit must meet all eligiblity requirements in order to cannot u e strategic road movement or a ny form of transport
in the sa me Phase.
move by a particular method.
Road Movement
107 The most common form of movement in the game - and
the type of movement for which most units are eligible - is road
movement. There are two types of road movement: tactical and
strategic. Both types of road movement require a unit to move EXCEPTION: Despite terrai n costs, a unit can always move a
from hex to adjacent hex, paying Movement Points from its single hex , as long as it does not enter or cross terrain that is
strictly prohibited. A unit that cannot move except directl y
Movement Point Allowance according to the costs and restric- from o ne enemy Zone of Control hex to another (normally
tions listed on the Terrain Effects Chart. prohibited; see Terrain Effects Chart) can still move,
provided this move reduce the number of Zone hexes (of
TACTICAL ROAD MOVEMENT either type) astride it suppl y line (094) .
108 ELIGIBILITY:
• Unit has no Entrained marker on it.
109 Any unit on the map that has no Entrained marker on it can There are several cases in which a unit can move only by
use Tactical .Road Movement. A unit that is supplied during a tactical road movement: from or into an interdicted hex
(182), into an enemy-controlled ci ty during the fricndly
friendly Movement Phase can use its entire Movement Point Movement Phase (198), into a hex occupied sole ly by an
Allowance. A unit that is un supplied during a fr iendly Movement enemy HQ during the friendly Movement Phase (088).
Phase can use only half (rounded down) of its Movement Point
Allowance.
110 PROCEDURE: To move by Tactical Road Movement, a unit moves
from hex to adjacent hex, spending Movement Points from its
Movement Point Allowance according to the Terrain Effects
Chart for each hex entered and each hexside crossed, until it has
reached the hex to which the player wishes to move it, or its
Movement Point Allowance is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
Transport
114 Transport differs most significantly from road movement in Each Transporl Poi III of any kind i, capab le of tran spo rling a
that a transported unit pays no Movement Point costs; a single step . Pla yers are free to combine twO or three
Tran sport Point s in o rd er to tra nsport a t\\'o- or three-step
transported unit is, in effect, carried to its destination, by one uni t.
means or another, by transport assets. Each player is limited in
the amount of transport assets he has available at any given time.
RAIL TRANSPORT
115 ELIGIBILITY:
AIR FERRY
120 ElIGIP.llITY:
• Unit is an airborne or airmobile unit.
• Unit has no Entrained marker on it.
• Unit has no Unsupplied marker on it.
• Unit does not occupy an enemy Zone hex.
• Unit does not occupy a mountain hex.
• Unit occupies a hex in friendly territory.
121 An eligible unit can use Air Ferry to move to any land hex in
friendly airspace, except a mountain or enemy Zone hex.
122 PROCEDURE: To move by Air Ferry, a unit does not trace a path of There is no limit to the number of units that ca n use Air
adjacent hexes. Instead, the unit is simply placed in its destina- Ferry (although there are restr iction s o n the type). It is
assumed that both sides have sufficient air assets to meet all
tion hex, regardless of the distance. Once the unit has move, the ge neral airlift requirement s. For this reason , there are 110 Air
enemy player resolves interception, using the Friendly Airspace Ferry Point s assigned to players, as is the case with Airborne
portion of the Interception Value Chart. Transport (123), which requires a more specialized asset.
NA TO R ULES, PA GE 17
AIRBORNE TRANSPORT
123 ELIGIBILITY:
•
Unit is an airborne unit.
•
Unit has no Unsupplied marker on it.
•
Unit has no Entrained marker on it.
•
Unit does not occupy an enemy Zone hex.
•
Unit does not occupy a mountain hex.
124 An eligible unit can use Airborne Transport to move to any
hex that is in enemy airspace, except a rough or mountain hex.
125 PROCEDURE: To move by Airborne Transport, a unit does not trace
a path of adjacent hexes. Instead, the unit is simply placed in its
hex, regardless of the distance. Once the unit has moved, the
enemy player resolves interception using the Enemy Airspace
portion of the Interception Value Chart.
126 The number of units that can be transported by Airborne
Transport is limited by the number of Airborne Transport Points
available to the owning player and recorded on his Transport
Assets Track. Each available Airborne Transport Point is
capable of transporting one step of airborne unit. Once an Air-
borne Transport Point has been used, it is moved to the Used por-
tion of the Transport Assets Track, and it cannot be used again in
the current Game-Turn.
SEA FERRY
127 ELIGIBILITY:
AMPHIBIOUS TRANSPORT
130
EJEJ
ELIGIBILITY:
• Unit is a marine, armored marine, or marine HQ unit.
• Unit has no Entrained marker on it.
• Unit occupies a coastal hex.
131 An eligible unit can use Amphibious Transport to move to
any other coastal hex.
132 PROCEDURE: To move by Amphibious Transport, a unit does not
trace a path of adjacent hexes. Instead , the unit is simply placed
in its destination coastal hex, regardless of the distance. Once the
unit has moved, the enemy resolves interception. He uses the
Friendly Airspace portion of the Interception Value chart if the
transported unit both began and ended its amphibious movement
in a friendly airspace hex; if either hex is in enemy airspace, in-
terception is resolved on the Enemy Airspace portion of the In-
terception Value Chart.
133 The number of units that can be transported by Amphibious
Transport is limited by the number of Amphibious Transport
Points available to the owning player and recorded on his
NA TO RULES, PAGE I!-
Transport Assets Track. Each available Amphib Point is capable
of transporting one step of marines . Once an Amphibious
Transport Point has been used, it is moved to the Used portion of
the Transport Assets Track, and it cannot be used again in the
current Game-Turn.
HELICOPTER TRANSPORT
134 ELIGIBILITY:
Interception
138 During the friendly Movement Phase, the enemy player
resolves interception attempts against all friendly units that have
used Air Ferry, Sea Ferry, Amphibious Transport, and Airborne
Transport during the current Phase.
139 To resolve interception against a friendly unit that uses
PROCEDURE: Note that one US HQ unit is flown into the game as a
Air or Sea Ferry, the enemy player refers to the friendly Airspace Re fo rger reinforcement. Thi s unit can be eliminated by
imercept ion, just as any combat unit , despite the restrictio ns
column of his Interception Value Chart and rolls the die once for on eliminating headquarters unit s (08 7).
each step in the transported unit, comparing the die roll with the
Interception Value listed next to the appropriate Game-Turn line
of the chart. If the die roll is equal to or less than the number
listed, the friendly step is eliminated.
140 To resolve interception against a friendly unit that uses Air- Th e " Enem y" col umn of the Warsaw Pact pla ye r's
borne Transport, the enemy player refers to the Enemy Airspace Intercepti o n Value C ha rt is the co lumn headed "NATO Un it
in Warsaw Pact Airspace" (signifying that the ATO unit is
column of his Interception Value Chart and rolls the die once for in enemy airspace). The " Friendl y" column of the Warsaw
each step in the transported unit, comparing the die roll with the Pact player's Interception Value Chart is the co lumn headed
Interception Value number listed next to the appropriate Game- "NATO Un it in NATO Airspace" (signifyin g that the NATO
Turn line of the chart. If the die roll is equal to or less than the unit is in it s own friendl y airspace). The converse is true for
th e NATO Interception Va lue C harI. See Airspace , 006 .
number listed, the friendl y step and the Transport Point carrying
141 the step are permanently eliminated.
To resolve interception against a friendly unit that uses Am-
phibious Transport, use the Friendly Airspace column of the In-
terception Value Chart if the friendly unit both begins and ends
the transport in a friendly airspace hex. If either hex is in enemy
airspace, use the Enemy Airspace column. Whichever column is
used, if the die roll is equal to or less than the number listed, the
friendly step and the Transport Point carrying the step are per-
142 manentlyeliminated .
If a friendly transported unit begins or ends its transport in
an enemy Zone hex, the Interception Value on the enemy player's
Interception Value Chart is increased by one. If a friendly
transported unit begins and ends its transport in an enemy Zone
hex, the enemy Interception Value is increased by two .
Comilll/ed 011 page 19.
NA TO R ULES, PAGE /9
COIII;lIlIedjrolll PUIW 18.
Flak
143 During the friendly Movement Phase, the enemy player
resolves flak attempts against all friendly units using Helicopter
Transport each time the unit passes directly from one enemy
Zone hex to another.
144 PROCEDURE: To resolve flak against a friendly unit that uses
Helicopter Transport, the enem y rolls one die. If he rolls aI, the
transported unit and the Helicopter Transport Point are
eliminated.
Combat
147 Ground combat, air power, and tactical nuclear warfare
share as their common aims the disruption of enemy functions
and the destruction of enemy units. Each of these three means of
inflicting damage occurs during a different Phase of each Game-
Turn, and each is covered in the detailed sections following.
Ground Combat
148 During the friendly Attack Phase, the Phasing player can at-
tack enemy units that are adjacent to friendly units. No unit can
attack more than once per Game-Turn; no unit can be attacked
more than once per Game-Turn, although more than one friendly
unit can participate in a single attack against an enemy unit.
149 To resolve an attack, the Phasing player adds together
PROCEDURE: It is important that players make all applicab le mod ifica tions
in resolving a combat. Remember that each individua l
the Attack Strengths of all friendly units adjacent to the defend-
a ttacking unit may be subject to increased or decreased
ing units and participating in the attack, and the non-Phasing A tt ack Strength prior to aggregating the entire attacking
player adds together the Defense Strengths of all defending units. strength. For in stance , one unit may be un supplied (halving
The total Attack Strength is compared with the total Defense it s Attack Strength), one unit may be eligible for Offensive
Suppo rt (doublin g it s Attack Strength) , and a third unit may
Strerrgth and simplified to one of the ratios listed across the top be eli gible for Offen sive Support a s well, but be attacking
of the Combat Resolution Table. across a Maj o r Ri ver hexs ide (doubling , then hal ving it s
150 Combat resolution can be affected by terrain, supply status, at tac k strength, for a net result o f no chan ge in the unit's
print ed Att a ck Strength). Once all attac kin g unit s' s trength s
Zones of Control, offensive support, and chemicals. a re mo dified and to talled, determine wh ether any defending
151 Terrain Effects. The Terrain Effects Chart indicates three types unit s benefit fr o m so ft unit Defen se Stren gth doubling (some
unit s in a hex may benefit , while others may not). When the
of modification that can be applied to a combat because of ter- die is ro lled fo r resolution, it may be modified by applicable
rain. The column listed Double Soft Unit Defense indicates the Attac k Di e Roll Penalti es , redu cing the die result. Finall y, if
types of terrain in which soft unit types have their Defense th e a ttack er is Wa rsaw Pact, anctthey are usin g chemicals,
Strength doubled when attacked. The column headed Combat th e column of the Gro und C o mbat Result s Table used to
determine the res ult will be shifted (162).
Die Roll Modification indicates the number that is subtracted
from the combat resolution die roll when the hex occupied by the Once the modified Attack Strength of the entire attacking force
is determined, round any fraction s down .
defending unit is of the type specified. The notes regarding major
river hexsides indicate that the Attack Strength of any unit at-
tacking through a major river hexside is halved.
152 Supply Effects. A unit that is un supplied has its Attack Strength
halved. An unsupplied unit's Defense Strength is unaffected.
153 Zone of Control Effects. When a defending unit that is not ad-
jacent to a friendly unit is completely surrounded by adjacent
enemy Zone of Control hexes and/ or impassable hexsides, all
units attacking that defending unit have their Attack Strengths
doubled.
154 Offensive Support Effects. When a supplied HQ has an un-
suppressed Offensive Support marker on it, all supplied units of
that HQ's formation, and any independent units, within the
HQ's Support Range have their Attack Strengths doubled.
155 Chemical Warfare Effects. When a NATO unit is subjected to
Chemical Warfare, the combat is resolved on a different column
of the Combat Results Table, reflecting a benefit to attacking
Warsaw Pact units.
OFFENSIVE SUPPORT
156 During the friendly Offensive Support Phase, the friendly NATO
WP2
player can place an available Offensive Support marker on any OFFNSVE OFFNSVE
SUPPORT SUPPORT
supplied HQ unit. During the friendly Attack Phase, all combat
units belonging to the formation of the HQ with an Offensive
An Offen sive Support ma rker that is available should be kept
Support marker that are within Support Range of the HQ have in the current turn space of the Game-Turn Track until it is
their Attack Strength doubled. placed o n an HQ on the map.
NA TO RULES, PAGE2l
157 During the friendly Offensive Support Phase, the friendly An Offensive Support marker cannot be tran sferred directly
player can remove an Offensive Support marker from any HQ from one HQ to another in the same Game-Turn. Instead, the
marker must first be removed from an HQ during a friendly
and place it on the Game-Turn Track, in the Reinforcement Box Offensive Support Phase and placed on the Game-Turn Track.
corresponding to the following Game-Turn. Then, during the next friendly Offensive Support Phase, the
158 If, during any Supply Determination Phase, an HQ bearing marker can be returned to play atop any eligible HQ.
an Offensive Support marker is judged unsupplied, the Offensive
Support marker is immediately inverted to its Suppressed side. If,
at any time, an HQ bearing an Offensive Support marker is
eliminated, the Offensive Support marker is immediately remov-
ed from the map and placed on the Reinforcement Box cor-
responding to the following Game-Turn.
159 A Suppressed Offensive Support marker does not double the A suppre ed O ffen sive Support mark er can be rem oved from
Attack Strength of any unit. the map during the friendl y O ffe nsive SuPPOrt Phase and
placed on the rein fo rcement trac k ( 15 7). It is un suppressed
dur ing the l oi nt Suppre sio n Removal Phase (042).
CHEMICAL WARFARE
160 During the Warsaw Pact RI AID Phase, the Warsaw Pact
player can declare Chemical Warfare on any Game-Turn, beginn- ~ CHEM
FIRST
~
ing with Game-Turn 2. At the instant that Chemical Warfare is USE
declared, the WP player places the First Chemical Use marker on
the Game-Turn Track in the space corresponding to the current
Game-Turn, where this marker remains until the end of the game.
Also, immediately upon the declaration of Chemical Warfare,
the number of NATO Operational and Tactical Attack Air Points
are each halved, rounding up. NATO allotments of Attack Air
Points are halved each turn for the remainder of the game.
161 The Warsaw Pact player begins the game with a number of
Chemical Warfare Points, and throughout the game he gains new
CW Points as reinforcements. Each time the WP player places a
CW marker on the map, he spends one CW Point, adjusting his
CW Points marker on the Chemical Warfare Track to reflect the
expenditure.
162 Once Chemical Warfare has been declared, the Warsaw Pact
player can place each available Chemical Warfare marker -
prior to resolving any ground combat - on a hex occupied by
NATO units during each Warsaw Pact Combat Phase. Anyat-
tacks against a NATO-occupied hex containing a Chemical War-
fare marker are resolved on a different column of the Ground
Combat Results Table, according to the following schedule:
On Game-Turn CW is declared: 4 columns to the right.
On the Game-Turn following: 3 columns to the right.
On the second Game-Turn following and all subsequent
Game-Turns: 2 columns to the right.
163 In order for these column shifts to apply, at least one attack-
ing WP unit must be supplied.
RETREATS
164 The Ground Combat Results Table often calls for defending
units to retreat. The owning player always has the option of not
retreating, in which case he must remove one step - in addition
to any step loses called for by the Table - from among the defen-
ding units in the hex (not one step from each unit in the hex) .
When the defending player does elect to retreat, he must retreat If a unit elects to retreat, but cannot retreat the full distance
each unit in the hex, one at a time, the full number of hexes re- required, he must remove one step , as described here.
quired by the Table. Each unit can retreat into a different hex, as
long as each ends its retreat as many hexes away from its original
defending hex as the combat result calls for. A retreating unit
must meet the following conditions, in the order listed, as nearly
as possible:
• Not into an enemy Zone hex.
• Toward a friendly supply source.
• As far as possible from all attacking units.
N A TO RULES, PAGE22
172
Air Power
During the friendly Air Attack Phase, the Phasing player
can spend Tactical and Operational Air Attack Points to perform
[1]00
Airstrike, Support Suppression, Road Interdiction, and Rail In-
terdiction missions. No more than one mission of each type can
be launched against a given hex in a single Air Attack Phase.
[}][!J
TACTICAL AND OPERATIONAL AIR ATTACK POINTS
173 Operational Air Attack Points can be used to perform any Air Attack Points that are not used in the Game-Turn in which
of the following missions. Tactical Air Attack Points are more they are recei ved are permanently lost.
limited in their use. They can be used only to perform Airstrike
Missions and Road Interdiction Missions. Additionally, a Tac-
tical Air Point can be used only against a hex that is either in
friendly territory, or that is within three hexes of a friendly com-
bat unit that is both supplied and in friendly airspace.
AIRSTRIKE MISSION
174 The purpose of this mission is to eliminate or weaken enemy
combat units. Either 1 or 2 Tactical and/ or Operational Air At-
tack Points can be assigned to an airstrike mission .
175 PROCEDURE: Announce an airstrike mission and indicate the target
hex . Reduce the number of Air Attack Points on the Air Attack
Point Track by 1 or 2, as appropriate. Roll one die, and subtract
any applicable Combat Die Roll penalties; refer to the Airstrike
Results Table and apply the result.
176 When launching an airstrike against a hex occupied by both
entrained and non-entrained units, either the entrained or non-
entrained units must be specified as the target, and any result
achieved can be applied only to the specified units.
NA TO RULES, PAGE23
SUPPORT SUPPRESSION
179 This mission type is designed to suppress enemy Offensive ~r::l
~~
Support. Either 1 or 2 Operational Air Attack Points can be
assigned to a Support Suppression mission.
180 PROCEDURE: Announce a support suppression mission and indicate
the target Offensive Support marker. Reduce the number of Air
Attack Points on the Air Attack Point Track by 1 or 2, as ap-
propriate. Roll one die; refer to the Airstrike Results Table and
apply the result.
181 HQ's are never affected by support suppression missions,
although the Offensive Support marker they bear may be. An Of-
fensive Support marker that is already suppressed suffers no fur-
ther effect from additional suppression.
ROAD INTERDICTION
182 This mission is intended to disrupt movement through a hex.
Either 1 or 2 Tactical and/or Operational Air Attack Points can
be assigned to a Road Interdiction mission.
183 PROCEDURE: Announce a Road Interdiction mission and indicate
the target hex. Reduce the number of Air Attack Points on the
Air Attack Point Track by 1 or 2, as appropriate. Roll one die;
refer to the Road Interdiction Results Table and apply the result.
184 A road interdiction mission has no effect on any marker or Although a unit in an interdicted hex is not affected directl y
unit in the hex attacked. (by taking losses), it must pay the extra Movement Point cost
to leave the hex wh ile the Interdiction marker is in place
(unless the unit leaves the hex by a permissible mean s of
RAIL INTERDICTION transport; 114).
185 A rail interdiction mission is designed to reduce enemy rail
capacity. From 1 to 3 Operational Air Attack Points can be
assigned to a rail interdiction mission. Only one Rail Interdiction
mission can be undertaken per Air Attack Phase.
186 PROCEDURE: Announce a rail interdiction mission. Reduce the
number of Air Attack Points on the Air Attack Point Track by 1
to 3, as appropriate . Roll one die; refer to the Rail Interdiction
Results Table and apply the result.
Cities
197 There are three types of cities represented in the game, dif-
ferentiated generally by size and strategic importance. The
primary distinction among the three - Key, Major, and Minor
cities - is the number of Victory Points each type is worth. In ad-
dition, Major cities (which include Key cities for all purposes
other than Victory Point awards) exert Zones of Control, as
detailed below.
CITY CONTROL
198 At the beginning of the game, each player controls all the
cities within his territory. Whenever an enemy unit enters an Passing through a city hc.x by He li coptcr Tran,port ha~ 11 0
friendly city hex, an enemy Control marker is placed on that city effect 011 city control.
hex. Should a unit belonging to the friendly player at any time re-
enter the city, the enemy Control marker is removed. For Victory
Point purposes, a player must have a friendly Control marker on
an enemy city, and that friendly Control marker must meet the
stipulations of friendly airspace.
199 Any city in friendly territory that has no enemy Control
marker on it is friendly-controlled . Any city in enemy territory
that has a friendly Control marker on it is friendly-controlled.
Any city that meets neither of these requirements is enemy-
controlled.
Countries
203 Certain countries designated on the map are considered
neutral, and certain other are liable to surrender automatically in
certain circumstances.
NEUTRAL COUNTRIES
204 Switzerland is considered neutral throughout the game. No
unit can ever enter Switzerland using any type of movement.
Helicopter Transport can never be traced through any hex of
NA TO R ULES, PA GE 26
SURRENDER
206 Denmark and Belgium automatically surrender to the War-
saw Pact if one key or major city, or two minor cities, in either
country are Warsaw Pact-controlled and in WP-friendly airspace
during a Victory Point Record Stage. The Netherlands
To save Co ntrol marJs ers, the Warsaw Pact player ca n simply
automatically surrenders if one key city, two major, one major
place a Control marker in the boxes provided at the no rth ern
and two minor, or three minor cities become WP-controlled end of the ma p to indica te that a co un t ry has surrendered ,
simultaneously during a Victory Point Record Stage. At the ins- rather than place a Contro l marker in each cit y not occupied
tant a country surrenders, all units of that nationality are remov- by a NATO unit.
ed from the map permanently, and all cities not occupied by
NATO units become WP-controlled. The NATO player can
regain control of these cities normally. Once surrendered, a coun-
try is enemy territory to both players for the remainder of the
game for purposes of supply and movement.
207 At the instant the second of these three countries surrenders ,
the NATO allotment of Tactical Air Attack Points for all future
turns is reduced by one per turn . This reduction does not affect
NATO's current Air Attack Points, and the surrender of the
third country has no further effect.
Victory
208 Victory in NATO is based on the accumulation of Victory
Points, which are awarded to each player for capturing enemy
cities, and to the NATO player for meeting various other condi-
tions. During the Victory Point Record Stage of the last Game-
Turn, both players total their Victory Points for controlling
cities; the NATO player adds his points for city control to any
other points he may have accumulated during the game. The
NATO player's total is then subtracted from the Warsaw Pact
player's total. The difference is compared with the appropriate
column of the Victory Conditions Chart for the scenario played,
and victory is determined according to the result.
WEST BERLIN
213 The NATO player receives one Victory Point for each Berlin Berlin Berlin
x x x
Game-Turn, beginning with Game-Turn 2, that a NATO unit re- 1:8]3007 1:8] 3007 1:8] 3007
mains in West Berlin (3007) during the Victory Points Record 111 [1) 111(1) 111 [1)
Stage.
CHEMICAL WARFARE
214 The NATO player receives either 1 or 2 Victory Points on the
Game-Turn the Warsaw Pact first uses chemical warfare, and 1
or 2 Victory Points on every Game-Turn thereafter. These points
are awarded during the Victory Points Record Stage of each
Game-Turn, and are specified under the Variable Rules of each
scenario.
Scenarjos
217 Each of the three scenarios in NATO - Strategic Surprise,
Tactical Surprise, and Extended Build-Up - features its own
reinforcement schedules, initial point allocations, variable rules ,
and victory conditions. Each scenario can be played as an 8-turn
game, or as a I5-turn game, at the players' discretion. Note that
the victory conditions for each scenario vary according to the
length of the game played.
218 Certain special rules apply to each scenario . The special rules
common to all scenarios are detailed below. Other rules that vary
in their conditions from scenario to scenario are listed in the
scenario descriptions under the heading Variable Rules.
Activation
220 No unit that starts the game on the map can be moved, used
to attack, or - in the case of HQ's - used for support of any
kind until it has been activated. A unit is activated according to
the schedule in the Variable Rules section of each scenario
description. A unit that is not activated can defend itself normal-
ly, but cannot retreat. Once activated, a unit can perform all nor-
mal functions. Note that any unit entering as a reinforcement is
automatically activated when it enters play.
Refugees
If history is any guide, the opening days of a Warsaw Pact invasion of
Western Europe will be characterized by a tremendous flow of refugees
heading west. This flow will clog road systems and greatly hamper the
movement of NA TO units. Thefollowing rule reflects this likelihood.
221 No NATO unit can use strategic road movement during Game-
Turns 2,3, and 4 if any part of the unit's movement occurs within
West Germany or Denmark.
Reinforcement Units
223 In each scenario, each player receives reinforcement units
during certain Game-Turns. During the friendly Activa-
tion/Reinforcement Phase, the Phasing player places all rein-
forcements due in the current Game-Turn in the Reinforcement
Box of the Game-Turn Track for the current turn, or directly on
the map, as specified below. Reinforcements can be delayed from
Game-Turn to Game-Turn by moving them along the Reinforce-
ment Box track for the next Game- Turn.
224 The codes on each reinforcement unit distinguish among six
types: road, rail, reserve, airlifted, sealifted, and Reforger rein-
forcements.
ROAD REINFORCEMENTS
225 These units are placed directly in a mapedge hex correspon- Road reinforcements are designated by the abbreviation
ding to the Reinforcement Sector specified on the counter. A "Rd" and a single digit on their coun ter. The single digit
refers 10 the Reinforcement Sector in which the unit must
road reinforcement unit can be placed in an enemy Zone hex. appear (see map).
Delayed road reinforcements can enter only as road rein-
forcements.
NATO RUL£S, PAG£29
RAIL REINFORCEMENTS
226 Rail reinforcements are placed directly in a mapedge hex of Rail reinforcem ents are designated by the abbreviation " RR "
any friendly Reinforcement Sector, already entrained, provided on t heir counter.
they do not exceed the player's Rail Capacity. A rail reinforce-
ment unit cannot be placed in an enemy Zone hex. Delayed rail
reinforcements can enter as rail reinforcements. Warsaw Pact rail
reinforcements can enter as road reinforcements, but they must
delay for three Game-Turns to do so.
227 WP rail reinforcements entering as road reinforcements
must enter the map in specific sectors. 11 G Army units must enter
Sector 8; 5GT Army units must enter Sector 7; 7GT Army units
must enter Sector 7; 13 Army units must enter Sector 6. When
one of these units is placed on the map as a road reinforcement
during a WP Activation/ Reinforcement Phase, the WP player
must roll the die once for each step placed. On a die roll of 1, the
step is eliminated.
RESERVE REINFORCEMENTS
228 These units are placed directly in the hex specified on the Reserve reinfo rcement s are des ignated by the abbreviation
counter and cannot be delayed. A reserve reinforcement unit can "Rs" and a four-digit number o n their cou nt er. The four-
digit number specifies the hex (corresponding to a Reserve
be placed in an enemy Zone hex. If the hex in which they are Site; see Terrain Key) in which the unit must appear, unless
scheduled to appear is enemy-controlled or overrun, the unit the hex is overrun.
never appears.
AIRLIFTED REINFORCEMENTS
229 Airlifted reinforcements are placed in the current turn rein- Airlifted reinforcements are desig nated by the abbreviation
forcement box during the friendly Activation/ Reinforcement "A" o n their co unter.
Phase and enter the map during the friendly Movement Phase.
Airlifted reinforcements enter according to all rules for Air Ferry
or Airborne Transport, whichever method they use to enter.
Delayed airlifted reinforcements can enter as airlifted rein-
forcements; airlifted reinforcements other than U.S. and Cana-
dian units can be delayed and enter as rail reinforcements.
SEALIFTED REINFORCEMENTS
230 Sealifted reinforcements are placed in the current turn rein- Sealifted (nava l) reinforcement s are designated by the
forcement box during the friendly Activation/ Reinforcement abbrev iation" "on their counter.
Phase and enter the map during the friendly Movement Phase.
Sealifted reinforcements enter according to all rules for Sea Ferry
or Amphibious Transport, whichever method they use to enter.
Delayed sealif,led reinforcements can enter as sealifted rein-
forcements; sealifted reinforcements other than U.S. units can be
delayed and enter as rail reinforcements.
REFORGER REINFORCEMENTS
231 Reforger reinforcement units enter as airlifted rein- Reforger rei nforcements are de ignated by the abbreviation
forcements, but they must enter in the hex designated on the "Rf" and a four -di git number on their counter. The four-
digit number spec ifies the hex (corresponding to a Reforger
counter, they can never use Airborne Transport, and they never Site; see Terrain Key) in which the unit must appear, unless
appear at all if their designated hex is overrun or enemy- the hex is overr un . Note that certain units entering as
controlled. Reforger reinforcements are not normally eligible for Air
Ferry or Airborne Transport. These unit s do enter by air, but
ca n never use these forms of transport again once they have
TERRITORIAL REINFORCEMENTS landed . The troops represented by these counters are
232 Reinforcements bearing a T in their designation are ter- co nsidered to have picked up their heavy equipment upo n
ritorial units. These units are treated exactly like normal combat landing, rendering t hem ineligible for Air Transport.
units, except they can never leave their home country, even if
forced to retreat.
Conditional Reinforcements
233 Both sides have certain reinforcements units indicated on
their Reinforcement/Track Displays that are labelled as condi-
tional. These reinforcements become available only under certain
circumstances, as specified in the following rules.
NATORUL£S, PA G£30
ITALIAN REINFORCEMENTS
234 The Italian units listed on the NATO Display enter play only
if the Warsaw Pact violates Austrian neutrality. At the moment
the violation occurs, the NATO player should place the following
Italian units in the specified Reinforcement Boxes on the Game-
Turn Track ("V" indicates the turn of violation; "+" indicates
the number of Game-Turns following the turn of violation).
Crel il l
xx Rd
§ J
V+2 445(3J
Cenlill
xx Rd
V+3 (Q]
5 4 5 (3J
J
445 (3J
Reinforcement Points
237 Throughout the game, each player recei ves new Air Attack
Points and Transport Points, and the Warsaw Pact player
receives additional Chemical Warfare Points. These points are
indicated on the Game-Turn Track for p.ach scenario. Players add
new points to their tracks during the Point Record Stage.
NATORULES, PA GE 31
VICTORY CONDITIONS
VICTORY LEVEL 8 GAME·TURNS 15 GAME·TURNS
Scenario 2: Tactical Surprise the front-line armies of the entire Warsaw Pact. Further-
The Tactical Surprise scenario examines the most likely more, NATO is just beginning to mobilize, while the
form that a war in Central Europe could take. In this Pact's reserve Category II units are almost ready to be
form, fighting erupts when the political preconditions for committed. Only the steady arrival of us airpower offers
war are obvious to both alliances, but when an actual any margin for error. The defense of West Germany pro-
resort to arms is not immediately expected by NA TO. mises to be a very close-run affair.
Relations between the two blocs have been steadily WARSAW PACT SCENARIO SPECIFICATIONS
deteriorating. Economic decline in the East and stagna- Initial Point Allocations
tion in the West have produced widespread popular 4 Airborne Transport Points; 2 Helicopter Transport
unrest, and governments on both sides of the Iron Curtain Points; 4 Amphibious Transport Points; 6 Fixed Nuclear
are looking for issues to fasten on as diversions. Competi- Delivery Points; 8 Mobile Nuclear Delivery Points; 10
tion for world resources becomes increasingly keen, and Chemical Warfare Points; 16 Rail Capacity Points; and 3
brushfire wars erupt with growing frequency. Both blocs Chemical Warfare markers and 3 Offensive Support
fan the flames vigorously. Russian intervention is par- markers (1 more CW and OS marker on GT 10).
ticularly noticeable in the Middle East, as Russian oil Variable Rules
reserves begin to dwindle. When as assassination attempt ORGANIC SUPPLY: Warsaw Pact Organic Supply rules are in
on the king of Saudi Arabia is traced directly to the KGB, effect for Game-Turns 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Europe reacts to the accumulated pressure by finally
agreeing to the trade embargo of the Soviet bloc which the ACTIVATION: Initial: All Warsaw Pact units.
United States has long sought. FIRST GAME·TURN SEQUENCE: There are no WP Phases in Game-
The East responds with threats and blandishments, Turn 1 except the WP Movement Phase (when WP rein-
but expects the embargo to be shortlived. Nonetheless, forcements can arrive) with these restrictions:
Soviet diplomacy in the Third World continues to produce
fresh affronts to the West, and the embargo continues • No unit can be transported by sea ferry, amphibious
month after month. The Pact begins to feel the pinch. transport, helicopter transport, or airborne transport.
Severe shortages develop and popular unrest increases NATO SCENARIO SPECIFICATIONS
dramatically. The Party leadership in each bloc country
gradually realizes the absolute necessity of breaking the Initial Point Allocations
embargo. A negotiated settlement is attempted, but final- 3 Airborne Transport Points; 1 Helicopter Transport
ly breaks down as Western governments, under intense Point; 4 Fixed Nuclear Delivery Points; 12 Mobile
pressure from their own presses, impose conditions that Nuclear Delivery Points; 28 Rail Capacity Points. All
are too interventionist for the Pact to accept. The Pact other NATO point levels begin the scenario at zero .
proceeds to issue an escalating series of threats, each serv- Variable Rules
ing only to draw the NATO alliance closer together. Final-
ly, in desperation, the collective Pact leadership decides to ACTIVATION: Initial: All units in West Germany, except
take by force what cannot be achieved by diplomacy. French units; West Berlin garrison. Game-Turn 2: All
Careful preparations for war are laid. The forces of units in Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands; French
the entire Warsaw Pact are involvedfrom the start. A plan units in West Germany; Austrian 4W. Game-Turn 5: All
is developed to deploy troops all along the West German French units in France.
border under cover of a massive multi-national maneuver FIRST GAME·TURN SEQUENCE: There are no NATO Phases in
exercise. Key NATO officers from each service in each Game-Turn 1 except for the NATO Movement Phase,
NATO country are carefully identified and then invited to with the following restrictions:
the maneuvers as observers. Tremendously detailed plans
are drawn up for air and sea offensives. Vast stockpiles • No unit can use strategic road movement.
and dumps are built under cover of night. Finally, two • No unit can entrain.
weeks before D-Day, the Soviets secretly start to mobilize • No unit can be transported by sea ferry, amphibious
their Category II divisions. transport, or airborne transport.
NATO's intelligence agencies are not caught nap-
ping. Indications of the build-up are abundant, and VICTORY POINTS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE: The NATO player
Western governments are kept constantly abreast of the receives 1 Victory Point on the Game-Turn the Warsaw
situation. As the Warsaw Pact's maneuvers get underway, Pact declares chemical warfare, and 1 Victory Point on
NATO goes on full alert. However, no con census emerges every Game-Turn thereafter.
on the seriousness of the Pact intentions nor on the need
VICTORY CONDITIONS
to mobilize until proof arrives that the bulk of the Polish
VICTORY LEVEL 8 GAME·TURNS 15 GAME·TURNS
army has crossed into East Germany, only 48 hours before
the invasion opens. At this point, NATO finally WP Decisive 41 or more 46 or more
mobilizes. Thus, when the first blow descends, NATO's WP Substantial 36 to 40 41 to 45
air defenses are fully prepared and waiting, and a thin WP Marginal 31 to 35 36 to 40
screen of troops exists all along the border. Nevertheless, Draw 26 to 30 31 to 35
NATO's position is desperate. The bulk of the alliance's NATO Marginal 21 to 25 26 to 30
groundforces are still far out ofposition. Thoseforces ac-
NATO Substantial 16 to 20 21 to 25
tually along the border face well coordinated attacks from
NATO Decisive 15 or less 20 or less
NA TORUL£S, PA GJ:: 33
Scenario 3: Extended Build-Up toward the front. Similarly, the alliance's reserve forma-
tions are well along the road to combat readiness, and the
This scenario examines a situation in which an extended US Reforgerairlift is in full gear from the outset. NATO's
military confrontation precedes the actual initiation of air forces, bolstered by the arrival of the entire US 9th Air
hostilities. Internal politics and international rivalry Force, represent a serious threat to the Warsaw Pact even
create a climate in which East- West relations sink to an in its own airspace. NATO will quickly win air superiority.
all-time low. After a hair-raising showdown with the Evenly balanced, though along v~ry different dimensions,
United States over the passage of Soviet arms shipments both sides begin a bitter struggle for the same objective:
to Latin American client states, the Soviet leadership the reunification of Germany.
decides to strike back. A plan is initiated to engineer
another Berlin Crisis, in a calculated move to split NATO WARSAW PACT SCENARIO SPECIFICATIONS
between hawks and doves, and thereby wreck the alliance. Initial Point Allocations
The Soviets stage the exposure of a bogus West German 4 Airborne Transport Points; 2 Helicopter Transport
spy ring in East Berlin. Shortly thereafter, the Soviets Points; 4 Amphibious Transport Points; 6 Fixed Nuclear
claim that NATO has stockpiled huge numbers of tactical Delivery Points; 8 Mobile Nuclear Delivery Points; 14
nuclear warheads in West Berlin, and an intensive pro- Chemical Warfare Points; 16 Rail Capacity Points; and 4
paganda campaign is launched to denounce this develop- Chemical Warfare markers and 4 Offensive Support
ment. The Warsaw Pact issues a collective ultimatum, markers (no further CW or OS markers available later).
demanding West Berlin's return to East Germany.
Variable Rules
NATO, however, proves surprisingly united in its re-
ORGANIC SUPPLY: Warsaw Pact Organic Supply rules are in
jection of the Warsaw Pact demand. The Soviets step up
effect for Game-Turns 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
the pressure by putting the Warsaw Pact on full alert and
initiating massive ground and sea maneuvers. NATO re- ACTIVATION: Initial: All Warsaw Pact units.
mains unmoved. As matters come to a head, access routes FIRST GAME·TURN SEQUENCE: There are no WP Phases in Game-
to West Berlin are cut and Berlin is blockaded. Furious Turn 1 except the WP Movement Phase (when WP rein-
NA TO diplomacy fails to obtain any respite, as the Soviet forcements can arrive) with these restrictions :
leadership has committed itself to recovering West Berlin
too fully to back down. As an insurance measure, the • No unit can be transported by amphibious transport,
Soviets quietly begin mobilizing Category II divisions. helicopter transport, or airborne transport.
Food and fuel begin to run short inside the
beleaguered city. Un escorted West German transports try- NATO SCENARIO SPECIFICATIONS
ing to penetrate the blockade are repeatedly turned back Initial Point Allocations
by Warsaw Pact fighters. When an escorted flight is at- 4 Airborne Transport Points; 2 Helicopter Transport
tempted, it is attacked. Only the immediate destruction of Points; 4 Fixed Nuclear Delivery Points; 12 Mobile
the attacking aircraft and a hasty retreat across the border Nuclear Delivery Points; 28 Rail Capacity Points. All
prevent a general conflagration. Unwilling to see Berlin other NATO point levels begin the scenario at zero.
starved into submission, NATO begins serious prepara-
tions to break the blockade by force. In a well-executed Variable Rules
surprise move, the US deploys four wings of the 9th Air ACTIVATION: Initial: All NATO units except French units in
Force to forward West German bases in less than 24 France. Game-Turn 4: All French units in France.
hours. A NATO carrier task force begins to form in the
FIRST GAME·TURN SEQUENCE: There are no NATO Phases in
North Sea; West Germany calls up selected reserve units.
Game-Turn 1 except the NATO Movement Phase (when
The Warsaw Pact military leadership now concludes
NATO reinforcements can arrive) with these restrictions:
that the political leadership has seriously overreached
itself. The generals insist thal either the blockade be aban- • No unit can be transported by amphibious transport
doned or a pre-emptive strike authorized if NA TO is to be or airborne transport.
prevented from doing serious damage to Pact forces in VICTORY POINTS FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE: The NATO player
East Germany. Unwilling to bear the cost of another receives 1 Victory Point on the Game-Turn the Warsaw
humiliating retreat, and secure in the knowledge that the Pact first uses chemical warfare, and 1 Victory Point on
Category II divisions of the Western Military Districts are
every Game-Turn thereafter.
combat ready, the Soviet leadership authorizes a pre-
emptive strike. Carried by the momentum of confronta-
VICTORY CONDITIONS
tion, Europe moves once more toward world war. Warsaw
VICTORY lEVEL 8 GAME·TURNS 15 GAME·TURNS
Pact preparations are discovered almost immediately, and
NATO begins full mobilization. Forty-eight hours later, WP Decisive 31 or more 26 or more
the first Soviet Category II divisions roll into East Ger- WP Substantial 26 to 30 21 to 25
many, and the invasion is launched. WP Marginal 21 to 25 16 to 20
The Pact enjoys considerable superiority infront-line Draw 16 to 20 11 to 15
divisions. Furthermore, its logistical network is fully NATO Marginal 11 to 15 6 to 10
prepared to support simultaneous offensives along multi-
NATO Substantial 6 to 10 1 to 5
ple axes. The Pact can fight an extended war indefinitely.
On the other hand, NATO's front-line troops are fully NATO Decisive 5 or less o or less
prepared for combat, and its rearward units are launched
NA TO RULES, PAGE34
Designer's Notes gave way to fatigue. Different starting forces and reinforcement
rates were used for each scenario.
NA TO: The Next War in Europe was conceived as a After all this information had been fed into the computer,
strategic level simulation of a Warsaw Pact attack on Western the air war program developed fighter power projections for air
Europe, playable in a single sitting. In essence, the objective was superiority, escort, and air defense roles, and ordnance projec-
to create a beer and pretzels simulation of the most complex war tion for ground attack, deep strike, and counter-air roles. The air
currently imaginable. During the design process, however, the superiority projections for each side took on the opposing air
designer gradually came to appreciate that a true beer and defense projections, and the surviving air defense took on the op-
pretzels wargame on the subject would be so simplistic that it posing escort projection . Finally, the surviving air defense took
would lose all value as a simulation. Modern warfare is con- on the enemy bomber projections. The ground attack and deep
ducted along so many different dimensions, with so many dif- strike projections that actually reached targets were transla ted in-
ferent types of forces, that it cannot be simplified beyond a cer- to Tactical and Operational Air Attack Points, at approximately
tain point without becoming checkers with treads. Hence, NA TO 2000 tons of delivered ordnance per point (NATO's slightly less,
is not the simple game it was initially conceived to be. It is, the Warsaw Pact's slightly more, to reflect the greater lethality of
however, playable in a single sitting. It is realistic . It does convey NATO's smart munitions). The counter-air projection suppress-
a true flavor for the challenge of maneu vering multi-dimensional ed enemy aircraft for the next cycle.
forces on the modern battlefield. Careful attention was paid to the different abort and loss
Designing a wargame on a conflict that has never occurred is rates likely to apply to each type of mission, and to the varying
an inherently difficult proposition. One must make ass umptions allocation of planes to mission types as the war progressed.
that cannot be tested, and which will inevitably be challenged by Naturally, this involved a lot of guesswork . Nevertheless, the
others whose assumptions are equally plausible. The purpose of model certainly achieved consistency between the forces possess-
these notes is to lay bare some of the major assumptions that ed by each alliance and the relative amount of damage that these
shaped NA TO, so that their rationale, at least, will be clear. forces could inflict on the opposing alliance. Further, it gave a
There are three fundamental assumptions on which NA TO good basis for differentiating the effects of readiness and rein -
is predicated . The first is that there is no doubt about the out- forcements on each scenario . The air war was not pulled from a
come of a serious confrontation unless each alliance is united in hat.
its desire to fight. On the Warsaw Pact side, the assumption is Several other features of NA TO also deserve mention. One
that the USSR would never risk an attack on the West unless it of the game's stickiest design problems was the location of units.
were certain of the reliability of its allies. On the NATO side, the The actual positions of the troops involved were well known.
assumption is that the defense would be doomed from the start However, for ease of play, the intention was to portray both sides
unless the entire alliance pooled its resources immediately. Even at the division level. This intention posed a problem because
under the best of circumstances, NATO has very little margin for many of NATO's divisions consist of widely scattered brigades,
error, let alone for defection. Hence, there are no political some separated by hundreds of kilometers. Where were such
unreliability rules for either alliance in this game. divisions to be located? The solution was to identify the location
The second fundamental assumption is that , if a major war of each constituent brigade and the division headquarters. The
does break out in Europe, it is highly unl ikely to go nuclear. This division was then located in the brigade or headquarters position
is certainly a debatable point. Nevertheless, it is this designer's th at was closest to the "center of gravity" for the whole division.
firm conviction that no European would ever incinerate his In a few cases, none o f a division's components were within a
homeland to keep it from Soviet hands. Conversely, if the War- reasonable distance of the true center of gravity, in which case
saw Pact cannot win a war with its obvious preponderance of the division was arbitrarily located at that center.
conventional force, it will see no advantage in trying to win it on The question of whether the Warsaw Pact would ever use
the razor thin margin of its nuclear superiority. The raison d'etre gas in Central Europe produces lively debate whenever it arises .
of the Soviet military establishment is to prevent a repetition of This designer is firmly in the free use camp. The use of gas would
the devastation of 1941-1945. Initiating a nuclear war is the an- give the Warsaw Pact three crucial advantages, none of which the
tithesis of this purpose. Hence, the nuclear rules of this game are Pact would willingl y forego. First, ,it would cause a tremendous
intended to discourage the rational playe r from ever pushing the amount of disruption along the front line in the first few days of
button. However, players wh o wish to test a different assump- use . NATO troops would have to remain suited up all the time,
tion should feel free to ignore the high nuclear threshold built in- wh ile Pact troops need suit up only just prior to being commit-
to the game. ted. Second, the use of gas would allow the Warsaw Pact to con-
The final assumption that fundamentally shaped NA TO is tinuously plaster NATO's airfields with persistent chemicals.
that airpower will be the most decisive fo rce in the conflict. This The effect on NATO's airpower, the one force that may be more
assumption militated for a detailed treatment of the air war. than a match for its opposite number, would be devastating .
However, such a treatment would have been totally inconsistent Tests indicate that suited ground crews and aircrews lose roughly
with the primary objective of keeping the game playable in a 500/0 of their effect iveness.
single sitting. There are simply too many complicated interac- Finally, the use of gas would have a catastrophic effect on
tions in a modern air war to allow for a simple and realistic West Germany's civilian population . Huge numbers of non-
simulation. For instance, friendly runway busting missions affect combatants would take to the road and flee, clogging all
enemy sortie rates, which affect enemy runway busting missions, transportation routes. The Warsaw Pact would almost certainly
which affect friendl y sortie rates, which in turn affect friendly exacerbate this problem by lobbing chemical warheads into ma-
runway busting missions . Iterative loops such as this are jor urban centers to clear them for capture and destroy West Ger-
nightmares in terms of game mechanics, but invite computer many's economy. Conversely, the penalty for initiating chemical
simulation - which was the course adopted for NA TO. warfare, barring a nuclear response, would be very little. NATO
A detailed air OB was developed for 1985. A technical lacks the means to reply in kind, and the Warsaw Pact would
weapons system rating was then developed for each type of already have lost world opinion simply by invading. Therefore it
fighter craft in the theatre, and an ordnance lift rating assigned to is this designer's recommendation that the game be played us ing
each bomber. A pilot proficiency rating was given to each na- the chemical warfare rules in order to get an accurate picture of
tionality. Last, each alliance was assigned a sortie rate schedule NATO's ability to defend itself. The Victory Point penalty incur-
reflecting the various elements of surprise and preparedness red by the Warsaw Pact player for initiating chemical warfare is
found in each individual scenario, rising and falling as surges not intended to deter him from doing so, but rather it is intended
NATO RULES. PAGE35
solely as a means of play balance to compensate the NATO thus obviating the necessity of diverting regular ground troops
player for doing an adequate job in the face of this tremendous from the main front.
disadvantage. The Warsaw Pact player receives no meaningful rein-
Another relevant factor in the game's design is the assump- forcements in this scenario. He must therefore be very careful
tion made about other fronts of the war. NATO's OB was not to get bogged down in costly exchanges. He should attack
developed on the assumption that the Warsaw Pact made strong selectively, only as necessary to break NATO's front, and risk his
subsidiary thrusts against Norway and the Turkish Straits, and units in deep penetrations behind NATO's line rather than in
that within hours of the start of war was encouraging Syria and frontal assaults.
Iraq to attack Israel, thus neutralizing Israeli airpower in the Strategically, the Warsaw Pact player faces two viable op-
Mediterranean. The forces of the Leningrad Military District, tions for developing his campaign. He can concentrate his forces
backed by an airborne division and marine elements, are presum- along the North German plain and go for a knockout blow. This
ed to move against Norway's northern spine in an effort to seize strategy absolutely requires that he take the valuable Ruhr cities
the all- weather airstrips in the region. These forces are matched in order to win . Alternatively, he can opt for a broad front ad-
by J ATO 's ACE Mobile force, the British and Dutch marine vance, attacking along several different axes. This strategy re-
ommands, and two regiments of US marines. The Russian divi- quires a serious effort in the south, with the object of capturing
sions of the Southern Group of Forces stationed in Hungary, Nurnburg and Munich, as well as undertaking the usual attack
along wi th elements of the Hungarian and Bulgarian armies, are across the We~er.
presumed to drive toward the Dardanelles. These forces are mat-
ched by the French and Italian marine commands, with rein- NATO
forcement from those US marines that can arrive in time. The US
82nd Airborne and 10lst Airmobile divisions are presumed to be The NATO Player faces an extremely dicey situation with
sent to these flanks or held in reserve, as they are too light to last very few resources to hand. His primary objective should be to
long in the Central European environment. Within the time avoid getting destroyed along the border in the opening week of
frame of the game, only a single convoy is expected to reach the war. This objective is often best achieved by abandoning
Europe from CONUS. This convoy bears the US 5th and 24th Schleswig-Holstein at the outset and running like hell toward the
mechanized divisions, heavily attrited in passage. Weser. Only by the third Game-Turn of war will NATO possess
A final word is in order about the formation rules in this sufficient unit density to stop running and form a solid line.
game. The function of these rules, cumbersome as they seem, is However, there are three areas which NATO can seldom afford
to require players to work within the logistical and command to give up. The first is the forest strip northwest of Kassel, which
restrictions that would actu:ally apply in the field. On the NATO is the gateway to the Ruhr. The second is the line of hills just
side, these rules encourage players to preserve their national ar- before Nuremburg, which forms an excellent blocking position
my boundaries intact. Despite repeated exercises, the difficulties upon which to hinge the defense of Bavaria. Above all, there is
of national coordination at the tactical level remains formidable. the Weser itself, which should be defended tenaciously. Once the
On the Warsaw Pact side, these rules reflect two constraints. The Pact is across the river, the terrain will favor a quick advance.
first is the requirement that the Soviets "corset" their allies' for- The NATO player's primary problem is that he has too few
mations with Russian divisions. The second is that the Warsaw units to form a solid defense. Therefore he should avoid losing
Pact logistical network lacks the flexibility to accommodate ma- units as much as possible in favor of losing ground . Similarly, he
jor changes of axis. The network depends heavily on pre-planned should be very careful about using his Offensive Support marker
operations and fixed installations such as field pipelines. For a to launch counterattacks. The concentration required to launch a
Russian Front commander to shift several divisions laterally decent counteroffensive may so strip other sectors as to ensure a
from one army to another would entail a major disruption of Warsaw Pact victory. A NATO victory in this scenario demands
both armies' rear areas and would be avoided as much as possi- careful attention to keeping NATO 's field armies mobile and in
ble. Hence, NA TO requires each player to treat his armies, not being .
his individual divisions, as his basic units of maneuver.
NATO took two years to design and develop. Its air and
land OB's were painstakil1gly researched from hundreds of
Tactical Surprise Scenario Notes
sources. Its technical aspects were developed in consultation with WARSAW PACT
dozens of experts from the military and academic establishment. The Warsaw Pact player's key to success in this scenario is
It was played over two hundred times before it was even released concentration . At a tactical level, he should mass at least two ar-
to blindtest groups for independent evaluation . It is a carefully mies, one of which is offensively supported, behind each attack.
crafted game. We have enjoyed producing it immensely. We On a strategic level, he should concentrate his resources along a
hope that you will enjoy playing it. single front and try to achieve a massive breakthrough. Secon-
dary fronts should be maintained, but only as diversions, or
when golden opportunities present themselves . NATO possesses
StrategiC Surprise Scenario Notes enough units to meet and absorb a diffuse series of attacks
WARSAW PACT without having to give up much ground . Hence, concentration is
vital if any rate of advance is to be maintained.
The Warsaw Pact player faces an opponent whose units are The Warsaw Pact player should seek to knock Denmark out
totally out of position at the start of the war. His prime objective of the war as soon as possible . This effort is worth the allocation
should be to maintain this situation throughout the game. There of most of the Warsaw Pact 's airborne, airmobile, and am-
are three ways that this can be achieved. The first is to bypass phibious units. The Warsaw Pact player may either choose to
NATO units wherever possible. The second is to make judicious take several Danish mainland cities, and link up with his airheads
use of road interdiction attacks to prevent NATO divisions from using the 2nd Guards Tank Arm y, or he may choose to go direct-
reaching the front and to obstruct their concentration in front of ly to Copenhagen , using only his special services, which can fre-
primary breakthrough zones. The last is to use airborne and air- quently take the city by generating a flank attack, especially in
mobile units to set up blocking positions just behind such zones. conjunction with chemicals.
In this scenario, it is always a good idea to go after Denmark The Warsaw Pact player must maintain a high degree of
right at the start of the game. Denmark can almost always be mobility. Whenever an opportunity for exploitation presents
taken solely with airborne, airmobile, and amphibious troops, itself, the Warsaw Pact player should seize it. Individually, this
NA TO RULES, PA GE3 6
will mean a number of units will be surrounded and destroyed . hexes in which NATO's reserve reinforcments appear. A suc-
Collectively, however, the sum of such advances can seriously cessful airborne campaign against NATO's reinforcement sites
unhinge NATO's defense. Similarly, if a given axis of attack can put a serious dent in NATO's ability to stand up to Warsaw
begins to fail under the weight of NATO's counterconcentration, Pact meatgrinder tactics.
the Warsaw Pact player should waste no time in shifting his ef-
forts to a different front. Mobility is the sine qua non of modern NATO
warfare.
The Extended Build-Up scenario is the only scenario in
which it pays for the NATO player to be as aggressive as possible.
NATO
The NATO player should use his unit density and awesome air
The NATO player should avoid defending too far forward superiority to mount a shifting series of counteroffensives aimed
in the opening Game-Turns of the war. Thereafter, he will at capturing a Warsaw Pact city hex. The mere threat of achiev-
possess the unit density to hold his line. In this scenario, it often ing this goal will force the Warsaw Pact player to break his offen-
pays to hold onto good defensive terrain, at a high cost in units, sive concentration in order to blunt NATO's counterattacks.
rather than give up ground. This is especially true of positions There are three additional strategies that will serve the
that require the Warsaw Pact to attack from clear terrain hexes . NATO player well . First, he should guard his Reforger sites
The NATO player should use such posit ions to create operational against Warsaw Pact airborne drops . Second, he should rein-
kill zones for his airpo wer. force Denmark as strongly as possible at the very outset of the
Geographically, the NATO player must hold the Weser and game. Third, he should take advantage of his unit density and
the forest strip behind Kassel at all costs. If this line cannot be rapid rate of reinforcement to burn up units rather than give up
held, the Warsaw Pact will earn a substantive victory in the ground. The Warsaw Pact's Victory Conditions can be achieved
following three Game-Turns. It is also very important to contest through the capture of only a few NATO cities. The NATO
Denmark as hard as possible . The best way to do this is to airlift player cannot afford to lose much territory.
airborne units into Denmark as soon as possible, and retreat the The NATO player enjoys a decisive advantage in airpower.
West German 6th Panzergrenadier Divisio n northward, rather He should use this airpower to target the Warsaw Pact's four ma-
than westward, as necessary. jor armies in East Germany: 1st Guards Tank, 2nd Guards Tank,
Finally, the NATO player should take full advantage of his 3rd Shock , and 8th Guards. Once these outsized armies have
Offensive Support marker to launch spoiling attacks . This been worn down, the net effects of offensive support for these ar-
marker is often best used to support a dri ve into Czechoslovakia, mies will be reduced to manageable proportions. This scenario is
rather than to counterattack directly into the Warsaw Pact 's a game of attrition, and thus the NATO player should always
main effort . A successful counteroffensive in the south will often seek to ensure that the Warsaw Pact is attriting faste r than he is.
force the Warsaw Pact player to di vert substantial rein-
forcements to merel y holding the line in this area. Nevertheless,
there are man y creative uses for this marker, and flexi bility is
generall y rewarded.