INTRODUCTION: Ostfront: Treads, Boots and Bombs is a game set on the Eastern Front post 1942.

One player takes the role of the German Wehrmacht and the other the Russian Red Army. They have at their disposal divisions of men, tanks and guns. The objective is the utter destruction of their opponent. The rules favour the attack. It is much easier to attack than defend against an attack especially in an open area. Tanks are more resilant that other types of units but cannot survive a torrent of fire. The rules are an adaption of High Command a free wargames rule set, itself an adaption of KISS Rommel both are available at freewargamesrules.co.uk. Game Concepts: Dice: The game uses a 10 sided dice or D10. When a roll is called for subtract or add any modifiers to the number rolled for the result. The roll can never be lower than 1 or higher than 10. A roll of a 1 always fails regardless of modifiers. Stands: These represent a battalion of infantry or roughly 300 soldiers, a battalion of tanks or roughly 20 vehicles, a battalion of artillery or roughly 12 guns. Each stand includes that units organic support of artillery, armour and infantry. It is assumed that a tank battalion has a complement of infantry and the infantry battalion has a complement of anti-tank weapons. A stand is 6cm wide and 4cm long. Four figures represent an infantry stand plus their their relevant vehicle. A recon stand consists of two figures either motorcycles or armoured cars. A cavalry stand consists of two figures. One tank is used to represent a tank stand. One artillery piece plus their relevant vehicle represents a stand. A supply stand should have a tent, barrels or ammunition mounted on it. Prestige: These represent a specific stand's exceptional ability in combat, it does not mean they are better per se but are more lavishly equipped, possess a superior commander or field new or advanced equipment. These should be represented in some way on the stand for example Heavy Infantry on a tank stand should have a machine gun figure mounted on it or Improved Signals in an artillery stand should have a radio man figure Substitutions: A stand may be substituted with another stand during the setup phase. This allows divisions to take on unique equipment not included in the TO&E. Saving Throw: This represents a stand's survivability under fire. If successfully hit then roll a D10 with appropriate modifiers. If the number is greater than the saving throw needed for that unit then it survives if not it is dispersed. If a Recon or Tank stand is hit by a Heavy Anti-Tank or Heavy Tank stand it recieves no saving throw. Headquarters: Every HQ purchased as part of a Divsion or Corps or Brigade is a precious resource. They allow stands that are dispersed to be replaced and returned to play. Protect the HQ stands from your opponent, in addition because HQ stands concentrate the divisional anti-aircraft guns they are not subject to the same air support rules as other stands.

SETUP: Both players receive 5 Build Points to create their force to achieve the objectives. During setup the following rules apply: The German player may purchase 1 Panzer Grenadier Division at the reduced cost of 2 build points. The Russian player may purchase 1 Tank Corps at the reduced cost of 2 build points. The Russian player also receives 1 free Tank Brigrade. Both players recieve 1 free Infantry Divsion. After players have selected their force they may then assign a Prestige Point for each HQ in their force. These may be spent to add 1 Prestige Ability from the following list to a stand. Each stand may only have 1 ability. You can designate 1 Division or Corps as a Waffen SS Division for the German player or Guards Division/Corps for the Russian player. These stands may have 1 stand add 2 abilities, to designate a stand in the way costs 1 Prestige Point in addition to the point costs for these Prestige Abilities. Prestige Abilities: Pioneer: May ignore and destroy Defences when firing on a stand once per game. May always add +2 to roll to clear Mines. Heavy Infantry: May subtract -1 to the Saving Throw of a target stand during an attack once per game. May always add +1 To Hit when firing. Forward Observer: May add +2 to a Air Support roll once per game. May always add 5cm to the Spotting Range of the stand. Improved Signals: May count as Dispersed instead of Destroyed if out of HQ range once per game. May always add 5cm to range to determine if a stand is in HQ contact. Logistic Support: May re-roll a failed To Hit roll once per game. May always add +1 To Hit when firing.

TABLES OF ORGANISATION AND EQUIPMENT: German: Panzer Division: Cost 3 Build Points HQ Panzer Battalion [2] Armoured Recon Battalion Motorised Artillery Battalion [2] Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalion Panzer Grenadier Division: Cost 3 Build Points HQ Panzer Battalion Armoured Recon Battalion Mechanised Infantry Battalion [5] Motorised Infantry Battalion [5] Motorised Artillery Battalion [2] Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalion Motorised Infantry Division: Cost 2 Build Points HQ Motorised Recon Battallion Motorised Infantry Battalion [9] Motorised Artillery Battalion [3] Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalion Infantry Divsion: Cost 2 Build Points HQ Motorised Recon Battallion Infantry Battalion [9] Artillery Battalion [2]
Tiger I Number Built: 1,300 Primary armament: 8.8 cm KwK 36 gun Secondary armament: 2 7.92-mm Maschinengewehr 34 Machine Guns Introduced to fight Soviet heavy tanks in 1942. Able to destroy all Allied tanks. Increasing Allied airpower and anti tank weapons diluted its combat power. Panzer IV Number Built: 8,800 Primary armament: 7.5 cm KwK 40 gun Secondary armament: 2-3 7.92-mm Maschinengewehr 34 Machine Guns Found on all theatres throughout the war. It's main gun was upgraded continually to remain lethal to all but the heaviest tank. 6153 we lost on the Eastern Front.

Sd.Kfz. 251 Half Track Number Built: 15,200 Primary armament: 7.92-mm Maschinengewehr 34 Machine Gun Able to carry 12 soldiers An armoured halftrack, used to transport mechanised troops in all fronts. Modified to carry mortars, flamethrowers, anti tank guns and anti aircraft weapons.

Russian: Tank Corps: Cost 4 Build Points HQ Armoured Recon Battalion Tank Battalion [9] Motorised Infantry Battalion [3] Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalion Mechanised Corps: Cost 4 Build Points HQ Armoured Recon Battalion Tank Battalion [3] Motorised Infantry Battalion [9] Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion Heavy Anti-Tank Gun Battalion Tank Brigade: Cost 2 Build Points HQ Tank Battalion [3] Mechanised Brigade: Cost 2 Build Points HQ Motorised Infantry Battalion [3] Infantry Divsion: Cost 1 Build Points HQ Infantry Battalion [9] Artillery Battalion [2]
ISU-152 Assault Gun Number Built: 3,700 Primary armament: 15.2cm Gun Howitzer Secondary Armament: 12.7 x 108 mm DShK anti-aircraft Machine Gun An unsubtle weapon, able to smash apart building, bunkers or tanks it was known as the Zveroboy ("beast killer") in the Red Army. T-34 Number Built: 57,000 Primary armament: 76.2 cm F-34 gun Secondary armament: 2 7.62 mm (0.308 in) DT Machine Guns Widely produced, exported and a symbol of Russian resistance. The T-34 was fast, well protected, numerous and mounted a powerful gun.

MosinNagant Rifle Number Built: 17,600,000 Action: Bolt-action Range: 500 meters Produced in the millions the Mosin Nagant found its way into every Soviet unit. A powerful symbol of the Red Army sniper Ivan Sidorenko killed nearly 500 Germans with his scoped rifle during the war.

Substitions: One stand per Division or Corps or Brigade may be substituted for the following at no extra Build Point cost. A Panzer/Tank Battalion stand may become a Heavy Panzer/Heavy Tank Battalion A Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion stand may become a Self-Propelled Gun Battalion A Motorised Artillery Battalion stand may become a Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion An Infantry Battalion stand may become Two Calvary Battalions An Artillery Battalion stand may become a Heavy Anti-Tank Battalion An Artillery Battalion stand may become Two Heavy Mortar Battalions

Kursk 1943 Soviet Soldiers Advance behind a T-34 Tank

Units: NATION All All All All UNIT HQ Armoured Recon Motorised Recon Self-Propelled Artillery (Move or Fire) Artillery (Move or Fire) Heavy AntiTank Gun (Move or Fire) Infantry Mechanised Infantry Motorised Infantry Self-Propelled Gun Cavalry Heavy Mortar (Move or Fire) Supply Panzer Heavy Panzer Tank Heavy Tank SPOTTING RANGE 15cm 22.5cm 22.5cm 15cm RANGE 15cm 15cm 15cm 30cm SAVING THROW 9, 10 8, 9 , 10 8, 9 , 10 8, 9 , 10 SPEED 15cm 20cm 22.5cm 15cm

All

15cm

45cm

9, 10

15cm

All

15cm

30cm

9, 10

15cm

All All All All All All

15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm 20cm 15cm

15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm 22.5cm

9, 10 9, 10 9, 10 8, 9, 10 10 9, 10

7.5cm 15cm 10cm 15cm 20cm 7.5cm

All German German Russian Russian

15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm

15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm

9, 10 7, 8, 9, 10 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 8, 9, 10 7, 8, 9, 10

15cm 10cm 15cm 15cm

BATTLEFIELD SETUP: The field is divided into zones that are 30cm width and length. There are table should be 120cm in width and 150cm in length. The following setup is used: German Setup German Supply German Supply German Supply German Setup German Setup German Defence German Defence German Defence German Setup Russia Setup Russia Defence Russia Defence Russia Defence Russia Setup Russia Setup Russia Supply Russia Supply Russia Supply Russia Setup

Players select 3 Terrain Types each to place. They may place all 3 or none if they wish. Each player can place a terrain type in an opposing Defense Zone or Setup Zone. Each Terrain Type occupies a zone of 15cm by 15cm. The Terrain Types are as follows: Hill add +3cm to Spotting Range for enemy units wishing to fire on a unit on a hill. A stand on a hill may add +5cm to Spotting Range. Blocks Line of Sight. Road add +5cm to Movement Range. Village any unit other than a Tank stand may add +1 to their Saving Throw. Blocks Line of Sight. Forest any unit other than a Tank stand may add +1 to their Saving Throw. Blocks Line of Sight. Supply not so much a terrain type but an objective, these are placed in the centre in each player's Supply Zone.

DEPLOYMENT: 1) The Russian player may place Mines in the Russia Defence Zone. A minefield is 60cm long and is 6cm wide. 2) The German player may then place Mines in the German Defence Zone. A minefield is 60cm long and is 6cm wide. If you move into an enemy player's mined area roll on the following table:

ROLL 1

RESULT Stand is Dispersed or if more than 30cm from the HQ stand it is Destroyed and removed from play Stand halts in front of minefield. Stand clears field up to 5 other units may pass though the gap, the gap is the width of a stand. If an Infantry stand cleared the field a gap is cleared permanently and the width of a gap is a stand.

2 to 6 7 to 10

3) One Division or Corps or Brigade may be entrenched. This means that a Defence Zone may be entrenched. Any stand other than a Tank, Recon or Cavalry stand may add +1 to their Saving Throw in the Defence Zone and 5cm to their Spotting Range. Enemy stands do not benefit from the entrenchments. If they disperse a stand in the Defense Zone they automatically destroy the entrenchment at the end of the turn. 4) The player with the most amount of stands in their force places these stands anywhere within 15cm of the centre of the table. 5) The second player then deploys their stands within 15cm of the centre of the table. 6) Either player may choose not to deploy a single Division or Brigade on the table but may instead hold these stands as a reserve. This stand may activated and deployed on the board in Either Player's Movement Phase during a turn and may Move but can only Fire in the next turn. The stand may be the target of attacks as per normal no matter which player's movement phase the stand entered play. The stand may only be deployed on any Supply Zone that on the player's side of the board. 7) Place a Supply Counter in each of the 6 Supply Zones.

GAME TURN SEQUENCE: 1) Replacement Phase The German player may replace a Dispersed stand. 2) Movment Phase The German player may Move their stands. The German player may assign Air Support. 3) Fire Phase The German player may Fire their stands. 4) Replacement Phase The Russian player may replace a Dispersed stand. 5) Movment Phase The Russian player may Move their stands. The Russian player may assign Air Support. 6) Fire Phase The Russian player may Fire their stands. 7) Repeat Step 1-6 to complete a Turn. Their are 12 turns in a game, from turn 10 onwards roll a D10 at the end of step 6, if a 8 or higher is rolled the game ends. Replacement Phase: a player may take a stand that is Dispersed and return it to play. One Division HQ may replace a Dispersed per turn. The stand may be placed 30cm within the Divsion HQ. Movment Phase: a player may move any stand to the maximum of their Speed rating. The stand may not move closer than 2cm to an enemy stand. Facing plays no part in this phase. A stand may not exit the table except on their respective table edge. Doing so makes the stand count as Dispersed. Assigning Air Support: each player recieves 2 Air Support Points. These can be used for Strategic Bombing or Tactical Bombing. The respective player must choose a stand that is within spotting range of a stand. They must then decide if the support is Strategic Bombing or Tactical Bombing. Tactical Bombing consumes 1 Air Support Point and Strategic Bombing consumes 2. Roll on the relevant table and apply the effect to the target stand. Unless stated on the table Air Support Points refresh each turn.

TACTICAL BOMBING 1

EFFECT If within 30cm of an HQ stand there is no effect and subtract 1 Air Support Point which does not refresh the next turn. If not within 30cm of an HQ the airstrike has no effect. No Effect Roll a Saving Throw if failed the stand is dispersed or out of Command Range it is destroyed.

2 to 7 8 to 10

STRATEGIC BOMBING 1

EFFECT If within 30cm of an HQ stand there is no effect and subtract 1 Air Support Point which does not refresh the next turn. If not within 30cm of an HQ the airstrike has no effect. Stand may not move until next turn. If the Russian player assigns this to a German stand, this stand may not move in the next turn. Roll a Saving Throw if failed the stand is dispersed or out of Command Range it is destroyed.

2 to 7

8 to 10

If the target is a HQ stand then subtract 1 from the bombing results table. Fire Phase: any stand may fire on a stand within spotting range. All stands within a Divsion, Corps or Brigade may spot for each other. Only stands within the Divsion, Corps or Brigade may spot for each other. A target behind a Hill, Forest or Village blocks line of sight between the target and the firing stand. Any conflict between players with respect to line of sight is resolved as follows: Roll a D10, on an even number the firing player may fire on the target the target stand may re-roll their Saving Throw. If an odd number is rolled the firing player may not fire. The only stand that may ignore line of sight are artillery stands of all types and mortar stands of all types. Self-Propelled Guns are not counted as artillery. A stand must fire at the closest target and hits on the roll of 8, 9 or 10. When a stand hits a target, the target stand rolls its Saving Throw. If it is successful then the stand survives combat, if it fails then the stand is Dispersed if within 30cm of an HQ stand. If it is not then the stand is Destroyed and removed from the game. If a Recon, Heavy Panzer or Heavy Tank stand is hit by a Heavy Anti-Tank Gun it does not recieve a Saving Throw. If a HQ stand is the target of a successful attack and fails its Saving Throw then the HQ stand must fall back 15cm towards the player's table edge. This must be in a straight line, if the HQ stand comes within 2cm of an enemy stand it immediately stops. If a HQ stand cannot flee because of terrain or being blocked by enemy stands it is Destroyed. An HQ stand that had to flee cannot Replace a stand until the following turn. German HQ stands that are made to flee cannot make a replace turn until the conclusion of the next turn.

VICTORY CONDITIONS: Each Heavy Tank stand Destroyed grants 3 Points Each Tank or Heavy Anti-Tank Gun stand Destroyed grants 2 Points Each Supply or HQ counter Destroyed grants 5 Points If a stand is Dispersed at the end of the game it counts as Destroyed. If a player destroys all of his/her opponent's HQ or Supply stands then the player gains an automatic MAJOR VICTORY. LESS THAN 5 POINTS DIFFERENCE: DRAW 5 AND 9 POINTS DIFFERENCE: VICTORY 10 OR MORE POINTS: MAJOR VICTORY