The following example of play is from a brigade-level battle on the Russian Front in 1944. A brigade-sized Soviet is attacking a reinforced German infantry battalion.
Soviet General Markov is ordered to punch through the German front line at Pepinsk. He has the following troops.
- 3 battalions of infantry (6 figures per battalion giving a total of 18 figures)
- 1 battalion of tanks (4 tanks)
- 1 battery of mortars
- 1 battery of anti-tank guns
- 0 Air cover
Major Schultz is ordered to hold the line at all cost. Hitler has commanded that not one inch of ground be given back to the enemy! To carry out this impossible task he has the following troops.
- 1 battalion of infantry (6 figures in total)
- 1 battery of anti-tank guns
- 1 battery of artillery (off board)
- 1 Stuka dive bomber off board that can come on when called.
Schultz places his men in a lose double line – 2 stands out front in trenches and 4 stands to the rear as a reserve. He places his anti-tank guns behind the reserve line to stop any tanks that break through.
Markov sets his men up in 3 successive lines. The tanks stay in the rear. The infantry needs to clean out the German infantry before the Soviet armour will advance. The anti-tank guns hang back with the tanks while the mortars set up behind the infantry. This is going to be a human wave attack!
Turn 1
Markov activates his units first.
Markov rolls a single D6 die to see how many inches his infantry can move this turn. "
Ha! A six!" He then moves all his infantry up to 6”. He does not have to move them at all. They move over any terrain barriers as though they are not there.
Markov opts to keep his other forces where they are. If he had wanted to move them, he would have rolled for each troop type to see how far it moved.
After moving, Markov can choose to attack any enemy stands that are in range. He rolls a D6 die for stand that is firing, and Markov succeeds in hitting one German infantry stand with small arms fire and one infantry stand with mortar fire.
Schultz tries to save the stand hit by small arms fire by saying, "
They miss me (RESULT) because they are shooting while running (ACTION). They are not very close (REASON 1), they are out of breath (REASON 2), and my men are in trenches (REASON 3)." The umpire decides that this is a ‘Very Strong’ argument. Schultz rolls a D6 die … and rolls a 1, the only score that will not save the stand.
Schultz tries to save the stand hit by artillery fire by saying, "
We dive in our dugouts (ACTION) and are safe (RESULT)." Schultz gives no REASONS in support of his argument. The umpire decides that this is a ‘Very Weak’ argument. Schultz rolls a D6 die … and rolls a 6, thus saving the stand.
It is now Schultz’s turn to activate his units.
Schultz decides to not move and of his units. "
My men are where I want them to be."
Schultz throws everything he has got at the leading Soviet battalion. He scores two small arms fire hits and one artillery hit on the leading Soviet battalion.
Markov argues that his men survive the small arm hits (RESULT) because the Germans had their heads down (ACTION) due to Soviet fire (REASON 1). The umpire decides that this is a ‘Strong’ argument because "
Schultz said they dived into their dugouts. That means you're right." Markov rolls a D6 die for each stand and scores 2 and 3. As a result, only one stand is lost.
Markov argues that his men survive the artillery hit (RESULT) because they dive for cover (ACTION). The umpire decides that this is a ‘Very Weak’ argument because "
There is no cover!" (i.e. not a single REASON was given in support of the argument).
Markov rolls a D6 die and scores 6 so the stand survives. The umpire comments "
Well! I guess there is cover after all!"
Before the next turn starts, both players decide to propose Unexpected Event arguments.
Markov argues that "
The fire they came under spurs my men on (REASON). They get a second move next turn (ACTION), but are not able to fire (RESULT)." The umpire decides that this is a ‘Weak’ argument because "You moved a full six inches last turn!"
Markov rolls a D6 die and scores a 5, so he gets to make his move his infantry again before the next turn starts. He rolls a D6 die and gets a 3. He therefore moves the lead battalion 3 inches forward.
Schultz argues "
I call in a Stuka dive bomber next turn (ACTION) to attack the Soviet infantry! (RESULT) I can do this because I have air support available (REASON 1) and the Soviets do not have any fighters in the area that can intercept the Stuka (REASON 2)." The umpire decides that this is a ‘Strong’ argument, but when Schultz rolls a D6 die and scores 2, the
Stuka is unserviceable.
Turn 2
Markov activates his units first.
Markov rolls a single D6 die to see how many inches his infantry can move this turn. He rolls a 5, so his infantry moves forward 5”. This brings the leading battalion into contact with the German front line.
Schultz decides that it's time to use an unexpected event argument. "
Humm? ... should I have my men fall back or fire again? I think stand and fire (RESULT). My men shoot (ACTION) as the Soviets close with them. They will cause casualties because at close range they can hardly miss (REASON 1), they are in trenches and can rest their weapons on the parapets for greater accuracy (REASON 2), and the Soviets make excellent targets in the open (REASON 3)." The umpire decides that this is a ‘Very Strong’ argument. Schultz rolls a D6 die and scores 2, so his troops fire at the oncoming Soviet infantry. Unfortunately, they miss!
Markov decides to use his unexpected event argument to prepare his attack. "
Thanks to their special training (REASON 1), Soviets infantry are deadly in hand-to-hand combat (ACTION). Henceforth, they will hit on a 5 or 6 (RESULT)." The umpire decides that this is an ‘Average’ argument. Markov rolls a D6 die and scores 4 … changing the rules regarding Soviet hand-to-hand attacks. If Schultz cannot counter this rule change at some point, he may well lose the battle.
Markov's first battalion melee with the leading two German stands. Markov rolls a 2D6 dice and scores 5 and 5. Both the German stands are hit … something that would not have happened if the rules had not been changed in favour of the Soviets in hand-to-hand combat.
Schultz tries to save his stands. For the first one stand he argues that, "
They fall back (ACTION) just before they are overrun (RESULT)." The umpire decides that is a ‘Weak’ argument, and when Schultz rolls a D6 die and scores 2, the stand is destroyed.
Schultz does not repeat this argument when trying to save his second stand. Instead he says, "
They survive (RESULT) because they surrender! (ACTION)" The umpire decides that although no REASONS have been proposed in the argument, the circumstances mean that it is a ‘Strong’ argument. Schultz rolls a D6 die and scores 5 … and the stand goes off into captivity!
The Germans continue to hold their ground.
This time some of the German stands in the reserve position are armed with machine guns. As a result, the Soviet infantry suffer 2 hits.
Markov says, "
My men are spread out (REASON 1), as a result of which (RESULT) the German fire (ACTION) is ineffective." The umpire decides that regarding the small arms fire, the argument is an ‘Average’ one, but that it is only a ‘Weak’ one when used to counter machine gun fire because "
Sweeping fields of fire is exactly what machine guns are good at." Markov manages to save both his stands from the small arms fire, but loses one to the machine gun fire.
Subsequent turns
The Germans succeed in repelling the first wave of the attack and do a lot of damage to the second wave, but the third wave breaks through. When they do, the Soviet tanks roll forward and drive on towards the German headquarters.
During the rest of the battle, Schultz manages to successfully argue that his artillery will hit on a score of 4, 5, and 6, gets his captured stand to escape and re-join the fight, and argues that he survives the battle and wins the Iron Cross (First Class). Markov succeeds in capturing the German anti-tank guns and causes a fleeing German stand to be lost trying to cross a barbed wire entanglement.
At the end of the battle, as the sun sets, all the special rules of the day vanish so that the next day can start fresh. Each new day is totally unpredictable.
The POLITICS BY OTHER MEANS rules are © Chris Engle, and may not be reproduced commercially without his written and explicit permission. The example shown above was originally written by Chris Engle, re-drafted by me, and is intended to illustrate how the rules can be used on the tabletop.
