[WarInEur] partisans (resend)

[Wardall Clark]

The Decision Game rules have the benefit of being completely clear. They also have the liabilityof encouraging the Axis player to completely ruin one important aspect of the simulation. For allother areas of the Map, with the possible exception of the USSR, partisans are simply a nuisance designed to encourage at least an approximation of Historical rear area garrisoning.   Kent is right, the number of partisans and cadres that are "supposed to be" on the map is 
indicated by the 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945 campaign scenarios.  erThese numbers 
seem to indicate that overruns did not prevent formation of cadres in Yugoslavia. However the Scenario deployment rules contain obvious errors. 1) A partisan cadre is a ghost unit, its existence does not impede axis movement so even if every hex of Yugoslavia is covered by axis combat units, the allied/soviet player should be allowed to make initial placements of cadre counters when setting up a scenario. 2) a Partisan unit lacks the movement points to move into a hex containing an enemy unit, but enemy units are allowed to move on top of Partisan units when they have the MP for the hex. Partisan units are always considered to have sufficient MP to move out of enemy occupied hexes. HENCE the presence of Axis ZOC in Yugoslavia hexes should have no effect on the the initial placement of Partisan units.   The DG website needs to be contacted concerning these mistaken rules regarding partisans in Yugoslavia.    The ultimate origin of the Partisan rules is WitE first edition.  However, the designers realized that partisan counters slowed the game down considerably (by making the counters harder to move) with 
very limited military effect.   Partisans were an optional campaign game feature.     The original rules were as follows     a) cadres only formed when a cavalry or infantry unit was wiped out within the 1939 USSR. (I think that placement was not automatic, but depended on terrain.)      b) The roll to convert cadre depended on the distance to a supply center.     c) Partisan units could cut a rail line if the rail hex was unoccupied (at least as I understood the rules)      d) Partisan units which became supplied could convert to 1-4s !!!!!!optional e) The Soviets could air drop partisan units to OOS locations to enhance local activity.  Because of the enormous number of cadre created by the initial invasion and the risk to precious rail linesI never felt comfortable omitting partisan activity altogether, at least when playing the campaign game.  The new rules, which are all mandatory      a) LImit cadre formation to 2 per cycle and any hex within "air drop" range can be chosen for placement.erratum: The placement hexes have to be unfriendly--i.e. behind German lines.      b) same as above     c) Partisans block rather than cut rail lines, and if an Axis unit is on top of the Partisan this effect is nullifiedd) If the germans do not adequately garrison a Personnel Center, a 1-4 can form on or next to it.<to me this indicates some sort of insurgency with access to resupply.)      e) The optional air drop of Partisans is gone, instead the Soviets may create airborne 1-4's. Under these rules, Soviet partisans are never more than a nuisance. The really important rule is the required garrisons for the major cities.  In Yugoslavia, the situation is rather different in that the Partisan units eventually become Partisan divisions and there are many more cadre and units present to begin with--or at least there would be were it not for the gimmick allowing overruns to prevent partisan cadre formation. For CWIE, the presence of Cadre and Partisan units in no way complicates the movement routines. This means that the original rules would be workable and in fact something like them are in force for Yugoslavia with optional rules allowing axis partisan activity such as the anti-Soviet Finnish partisans. (who could just as easily be anti-fascistpartisans if the Axis violates Finland.)  If it were up to me:   I would restore the original WitE rules for russian and Finnish partisan cadre placement to CWIE, with an exception that ATP are required for a special partisan CADRE "air drop" so that German air superiority would preclude the drop.        declare that any supplied Partisan Cadre automatically converts to a Partisan unit if the Soviet player desires.        create special soviet partisan divisions for what happens when a partisan unit comes into major supply.        require that a security division be part of any attack on a cadre, and only allow attack from the same hex as the cadre. (that makes them tougher to kill and give the security divisions a more important function than simply squatting on Personnel centers.)      revise the required city garrison rule to allow placement of extra cadre rather than a 1-4.     Allow Partisan units to CUT any rail hex and convert cities and ports to friendly status provided that the hex is not in a hostile ZOC.  BOB.
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