Combat Leader

Tactical World War ii COMBAT game

Volkssturm ‘45
This module is part of the Combat Leader game series, and contains
new counters, maps, and rules for German Volkssturm troops.

PDF edition
You must own Core Rules to use this module.

Second ed. © 2020 Minden Games

 Combat Leader: Volkssturm 2nd ed. is a game module for the Combat
Leader series. It contains game components and scenarios pitting German
Volkssturm squads against Russian foes near the end of World War II, in
1945. It is compatible with all other games and modules in the series.
You must own the Core Rules for Combat Leader to use this module.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Counter Key 2
Module Instructions 3
Volkssturm Squads 3
Optional Rules 4
Module Unit Roster 5
Scenarios 5
Volkssturm Roster 7
Module Components 8

Blue circle =
Volkssturm

minden_games.homestead.com
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 Volkssturm 2nd ed.
Instructions

Combat Leader: Volkssturm ‘45, 2nd ed. is a module for the Combat Leader game series.
You must own Combat Leader: Core Rules to use it. This expansion includes new counters
for German Volkssturm troops, a new 1st line Russian squad (Russian soldiers #55-66), maps
3, 4, and 5, Reference Card, and three scenarios. Everything is compatible with all other Com-
bat Leader games/modules.
INTRODUCTION: The Volkssturm (People’s Stormtroops) was a military organization
made up of civilians (teenagers to age 60), formed in late 1944, tasked with helping defend
Germany from invasion. It was comprised of all sorts of men, some with WWI experience,
but most lacked training and military expertise. As such, they could not be expected to stand
up to veteran Russian troops. They were armed with a variety of weapons (many of inferior
quality) and lacked uniforms, apart from armbands. While some Volkssturm units acquitted
themselves well in battle, many others melted away after contact with the enemy. Raised
during impending national emergency, these citizen soldiers faced desperate conditions as
best they could. The following rules simulate their use in Combat Leader scenarios.
GAME RULES & COMPONENTS: All game rules from the Core Rules book apply to
this module, unless otherwise specified. All game components usage (and map terrain) are as
explained in the Core Rules book.

Module Instructions
VOLKSSTURM (VKS): Volkssturm (white ID # in blue circle) have two squads of 12
men (#57-68; #69-80), and are armed with Mauser rifles unless indicated (MP = MP 3008; A
= antique rifle; P = Pistol). Weapons follow normal GER rules, except jam on Ace draw auto-
matically. VKS have no AL, and normally have only one Leader per scenario. VKS have an
additional +1 drm on Hesitation rolls. In VKS scenarios, apply an additional –1 drm to all
Initiative Table rolls. Being irregular troops to begin with, VKS are not considered Green.
PANZERFAUSTS (PF): PF are single-use anti-armor
weapons that individual VKS carry in addition to his regu-
lar weapon. Allow one PF per six VKS in a scenario
(drop fractions), unless the scenario stipulates otherwise.
Note the PF carriers secretly on piece of paper. A man
cannot fire his usual weapon during the phase that he fires
a PF. In the game, PF may only target building hexes in
range and LOS. PF have range of five hexes (hexes, not
range points) and are fired from an activated hex as usual.
Procedure: Draw a card to determine PF’s accuracy: Ace
-4 = miss and/or no effect, 5-King means Accurate (if range is 2 hexes, -1 cdm; if 3 hexes –2
cdm; if 4 hexes -4 cdm, if 5 hexes –5 cdm ; no other modifications (including man’s fire
modifier, and Leader benefit) apply). If Accurate, each man in the target hex rolls one die: 1=
no effect; 2-4 = pinned (regardless of morale rating), 5-6 = KIA automatically. PF are re-
moved after firing once.
VOLKSSTURM SCENARIOS: When playing a scenario with VKS troops, observe the
following. Select the scenario to be played, and secretly bid on who will play the Germans.
Any number up to 27 may be bid; low bid plays the German side (if tied, roll off to see who
plays the Germans at that bid). The winning bid is the number of VKS men used in the sce-

3 PDF edition © 2020 Minden Games

nario. These men are all considered to be a single squad, for game pur-
poses. Players must agree beforehand how specific VKS men are se-
lected (e.g. you may say that the player gets to choose which men he will
use, or you may agree that the lowest numbered IDs are chosen first (so
if 19 is the winning bid, men #57-75 appear in the scenario), whether
more than one Leader can be selected, etc.). You may use regular Rus-
sian troops or the new Russian squad provided as the basis for Russian
men in a scenario, or design your own situations.
PLAY BALANCE: Using Volkssturm can be an excellent play bal-
ance mechanism. Allowing the better player to take the Germans against
a novice Russian can make for an exciting contest.

Optional Rules
Volkssturm units varied widely in quality and armament. Players may agree to use any of
the following optional rules when setting up scenarios involving them.
BETTER QUALITY SQUAD: Use men #57, 58, 59, 63, 65, 67, 71, 74, 76, 81, 82, and 83
to represent a VKS unit of better quality than average.
LESSER QUALITY SQUAD: Use men #60, 61, 62, 64, 66, 69, 70, 72, 73, 75, 77, and 80
to represent a VKS squad of less than average quality.
SPECIAL INITIATIVE TABLE: You may use the Special Initiative Table (see scenario
below), in any Volkssturm scenario, as desired. If used, no drm are ever applied to these rolls
during the game.
VARIOUS WEAPON CHARACTERISTICS: Players may employ different weapon char-
acteristics when used by VLK men. Weapons are grouped into six categories: Rifles, An-
tique Rifles, MP, LMG, Pistols, and Misc. This mix helps create the rag-tag feel of many
VLK units. Note that “Misc.” includes weapons such as shotguns, assorted pistols, and other
improvised weapons. (No one is armed with “Misc.” weapon on the supplied counters; you
may indicate anyone who is armed in this way by noting it on the Volkssturm Roster pro-
vided.) All VKS weapons automatically jam on an Ace draw.
Rifles: Function as usual, except Long range is “5-6”, instead of “5-7”.
Antique Rifles: Long range is “5-6”, and firing at Extra Long range is prohibited.
MP, LMG, and Pistols: Unaffected.
Misc.: Shotguns have a range of 3; Short range is “1-2” and Long range is “3”, and no
Extra Long range fire is allowed. All other improvised weap-
ons have the same characteristics as a Pistol. A man with a
Misc. weapon can have a maximum Fire rating of –1.
HITLER JUGEND: You may allow for Hitler Youth
members to be represented in the game. Simply use Volkss-
turm counters and designate them as such. There are no spe-
cial rules for them; threat them as regular Volkssturm soldiers.
VOLKSSTURM ROSTER: You may arm (and rate) indi-
vidual VLK as desired. Keep track of all ratings on the Volkss-
turm Roster (photocopy roster before use).
Designer: Gary Graber

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 VOLKSSTURM: UNIT ROSTER
GERMANS 77 P +0 1 1
ID Weapon Fire Morale Other-MF 78 P +0 2 ♦ 4
57 MP +1 4 Leader 7 79 ARifle -2 4 2
58 Rifle +0 4 ♦ 6 80 ARifle -1 1 ♦ 2
59 Rifle -1 3 ♦ 4 81 LMG +1 4 5
60 Rifle +0 2 2 82 Rifle +0 2 ♦ 4
61 Rifle -1 2 ♦ 3 83 MP +0 3 5
62 P +0 1 1
63 Rifle -1 3 ♦ 4 RUSSIANS
64 ARifle -2 1 ♦ 1 ID Weapon Fire Morale Other-MF
65 Rifle -1 4 3 55 MP +1 5 Leader 8
66 ARifle -2 2 ♦ 2 56 Rifle +0 5 ♦ AL 7
67 P +0 3 3 57 Rifle +0 3 3
68 ARifle -2 3 1 58 Rifle +1 4 5
69 Rifle +0 4 ♦ Leader 6 59 LMG +2 4 6
70 Rifle -1 2 1 60 Rifle +1 5 6
71 ARifle -2 3 ♦ 3 61 Rifle +0 3 ♦ 5
72 ARifle -2 3 1 62 Rifle +2 4 6
73 Rifle +0 2 2 63 Rifle +1 2 3
74 Rifle +1 3 ♦ 6 64 Rifle +0 5 ♦ 7
75 ARifle -2 1 ♦ 1 65 Rifle +0 4 ♦ 6
76 Rifle -1 3 ♦ 4 66 Rifle +1 3 4
AL = Assistant Leader MF = melee factor ARifle = antique rifle P = pistol

Scenario VKS-1: Outskirts of Berlin

Situation: As the Russian army descended on Berlin, pockets of organized resistance remained
in the suburbs surrounding the city. A local Volkssturm unit prepared to defend such a pocket,
while a single Russian squad was tasked with clearing out the area. Greater Berlin, early May,
1945. Use map 5; map edge A1-A13 is north.
Special Initiative Table
Germans 1 conduct RUS Bonus phase
Player 2 (sets up first) 2 conduct RUS Bonus phase
Men: #57-68, 71-76 (and three Panzerfausts). Set Up: All units
3 conduct Rally phase
set up inverted, in any building hexes on the map, as desired.
4 conduct Rally phase
Russians 5 conduct Rally phase
Player 1 (sets up second) 6 conduct GER Bonus phase
Men: #55-66. Set Up: All units set up inverted, in any
hexes in rows 0 to 3 inclusive (e.g. 5A3, 5K2, 5F1, 5J3, etc.), as desired.
Victory Conditions: Players secretly bid on number of building hexes needed for Russian vic-
tory. High bid plays the Russians. (Roll off tied bids with winner taking the Russians at that
bid.) The Russians win if they occupy (or were the last to occupy) building hexes equal to or
more than their bid, OR all Germen men are eliminated. Germans win otherwise.
Game Length: 15 turns.
Special Rules: Any unit leaving the board is eliminated. Use Special Initiative Table noted. No
drm apply to any rolls on this table the entire game. Assume each building hex to be German
controlled until Russians occupy it.
Variations: (1) Roll die three times, and total, to determine victory threshold. Then, bid on the
number of turns for the game; low bid plays the Russians (roll off ties). RUS win by occupying
(or being last to occupy) threshold number (or more) building hexes at the end of the game, OR
eliminating all German men; Germans win otherwise. (2) Limit GER set up to a maximum of
four building hexes, all within rows 9-13 inclusive. (3) GER begin the game with eight Panzer-
fausts. (4) Add a second RUS squad.

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 Scenario VKS-2: Deny the Probe
Situation: German Volkssturm defenders try to hold back a probing Russian squad moving
toward the outskirts of Stettin, spring 1945. Use any map. Hexrow L is north. Use the
Volkssturm Special Initiative Table included below.
Germans (Player 2; sets up first)
Men: #59-61, 64-70, 77-80, 82. Set Up: All men set up in- Special Initiative Table
1 conduct RUS Bonus phase
verted, in at least three hexes (at least one man in each hex),
2 conduct RUS Bonus phase
rows 1-4 inclusive.
3 conduct Rally phase
Russians (Player 1; sets up second) 4 conduct Rally phase
Men: 55-56, 58-62, 64-66. Set Up: All units set up inverted 5 conduct Rally phase
in any hex or hexes, rows 9-13 inclusive. 6 conduct GER Bonus phase
Sides & Game Length: Before play, players secretly bid on
the number of game turns. Low bid plays RUS (roll off ties), with the game lasting the bid-
ded number of turns.
Victory Conditions: If all GER men eliminated and/or removed from play by the end of the
game, RUS win. Otherwise, GER win.
Special Rules: Apply –1 drm to all Initiative Table rolls. RUS men may exit off west edge of
map (only); exited men may not return. For each RUS man exited off map, two GER men
must immediately be removed from play (GER player’s choice).
Variations: (1) GER start game with two panzerfausts, and man #81. (2) Hexrow A is
north; GER men set up in rows 10-13, and RUS set up in rows 1-5.

Scenario VKS-3: Last Stand

This is a design-your-own scenario, with these stipulations. (1) Agree on which map to use
(either 3, 4, or 5). (2) Agree on the number of game turns. (3) Agree on one RUS squad of
any 12 men (from this or any other module). (4) Each player then bids the number of Volks-
sturm soldiers (randomly drawn) he would take to play the GER. Low bid plays GER (if tied
bid, roll off to see who takes the GER at stated bid). (5) GER sets up first, within four hexes
of any one map edge (his choice). RUS sets up second, within four hexes of opposite
map edge. (6) RUS is player 1. (7) Use the Special Initiative Table (VKS-2, above).
(8) If all GER men eliminated by end of game, RUS win, otherwise GER win.

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 Volkssturm Roster
ID# Name Weapon Fire Morale Other-MF

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 Volkssturm: Module Components

Components for this module are provided on the following pages.

They are compatible with all other Combat Leader games and modules.

Contents
German Volkssturm & Russian counters (sheet D)

Game Markers

Reference Card

Map 3

Map 4

Map 5

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 Sheet D back

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Combat Leader MARKER SET © 2015 Minden Games

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Combat Leader MARKER SET © 2015 Minden Games

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Pinned Pinned Pinned Pinned Halt Halt

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Halt Control Control Control Jammed Dug In

Marker Sheet Back Side

Marker Sheet Back Side

Combat Leader Map 3 © 2014 Minden Games
Combat Leader Map 4 © 2014 Minden Games
Combat Leader Map 5 © 2015 Minden Games