New Add-On Counters for Barbarossa, by Ty Bomba

17.1 I had originally intended to include the 16 counters—those presented in the lower-right of this issue’s counter-manifest—in issue number one’s Barbarossa game. Space limitations dictated otherwise, though; so we offer them to you now as optional add-ons.

17.2 Old-Line, Late-War Panzer Corps Replacement Counters
	The 11 new “2-4” panzer corps counters are entered, as conversions-in-place during Game Turn 22 (Dec/Jan 43-44), for each one’s respective “4-3” early-war counter. In general, the in-place switches occur wherever each of the early-war counters are found at that time, even in the dead pile. The exception is, any early-war panzer corps that’s without regular overland supply doesn’t undergo conversion until such time as it’s brought back into overland supply or goes into the dead pile, whichever comes first. Once an early-war version of these panzer corps is converted out of play in this way, it’s out of play for the remainder of the game. The late-war versions of the panzer corps generally perform like normal German mechanized units, with but one exception. That is, whenever they attack, no matter the terrain involved, MA or PA, they always use their attack factors as the basis for calculating their combat strengths. Their attack factors are circled on their counters as a reminder of that. Also note panzer corps not given replacement counters here—even including the XIV—are in no way affected by this rule or these new counters.

Design Note. The intention of these conversion counters is to further point up the evolution of the Germans’ eastern armies’ original 11 panzer corps, over the course of the war, from pure mechanized formations into semi-motorized infantry-heavy outfits. The Germans’ declining mechanized movement factors already told part of that story; these counters tell the rest of it. As the war went on, the panzer-strength of the German armies in the east tended to be concentrated in the SS and other elite panzer corps, while the old-line panzer corps came to resemble glorified infantry formations.

17.3 Soviet Cavalry Groups
	The entry data for the five new Soviet “cavalry groups” is on their reverse sides. They’re entered onto the map by being placed atop any Soviet stacks—but not in city hexes—which are in overland supply at that time. Further, units labeled “North” may only be entered in non-city hexes in the Northern Logistics Zone, while the one labeled “South” may only be entered in a non-city hex in the Southern Logistics Zone. Even further, none of them may ever move or attack into any hex outside their own logistical zone of arrival. The other special rules governing these units are as follows.

1)	They’re non-mechanized, are always in supply, and never require offensive supply in order to be able to attack at full strength.

2)	There may never be more than one cavalry group in any one hex at the end of any phase or at the end of any combat resolution. Other than that, however, they don’t count for stacking.

3)	They pay only one MP per hex entered, but they must pay and observe normal water-barrier hexside crossing costs and strictures.

4)	They may never end any phase or any combat resolution in a city hex, nor may they attack into city hexes (FC/HC or not).

5)	If a retreat-after-combat forces them into a city hex, retreat them an extra hex in order to get them out of there.

6)	They aren’t in anyway affected by, or part of, the Soviet Game Turn 3 withdrawals. Also note, though, cavalry groups aren’t replaceable once they do go into the dead pile.

7)	They may not have their entries delayed; any not entered on their indicated game turn are permanently forfeit.

8)	They may never go into the RVGK.

	The abbreviations on the cavalry group counters break out as follows.
	B—Batskelevich Cavalry Group
	K—Kuliev Cavalry Group
	DN—Donbas Cavalry Group
	DV—Dovator’s Cavalry Group
	M—Mishulin’s Cavalry Group

Design Note. I wanted to get these units into he original counter-mix simply because of the ‘historical color’ they added (not to mention their historical operational significance). Given that they made their living by conducting flank and rear-area raids against the advancing Germans, some of you may be surprised by the lack of further rules to amplify that aspect of their commitment. I originally had more special rules for them, but I found—given the game’s time and space scales—they simply made the groups too potent.