White Eagle Defiant – fan-made scenarios, Part 2

My initial post with the suggested, new scenarios for the White Eagle Defiant was very positively received so I decided to continue and use the opportunities for creativity that games provides. The chit-pull mechanics, straightforward battle resolution, beautiful and thematic game components caused this to be one of my most often played titles of the last two months.

So in order to prolong the fun – playing both solo and competitively with my sons – I decided to create series of hypothetical scenarios which try in a way to answer the “what-if” questions. Some of them were more probable – like different dispositions of Polish forces or earlier mobilization, some pretty far-fetched – like Soviets attacking Germans in October 1939. Still, they provide new opportunities and challenges for players which I hope you will appreciate. Should you be willing to familiarize more with the game before jumping to the main article I encourage checking:

• White Eagle Defiant – what is in the box?
• White Eagle Defiant – first impressions
• White Eagle Defiant – fan-made scenarios, Part 1

Scenario 3 – Unthinkable

Scenario background:

It is October 5th, 1939. The mutual attack of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia meant the partitioning of Poland was a foregone conclusion. Still, unlike how the Goebbels propaganda would like to picture this, the Wehrmacht casualties were significant, to the extent that Hitler decided not to attack the western countries in 1939. What if the cunning Soviets were to take advantage of this? Hitler betrayed Stalin in 1941, what if the latter had done the same to the former in 1939? Enjoy!

Set-up & rules modifications:

SPECIAL RUES:

1. Germans and Soviets are enemies in this game; Nazis are using all the original counters, events and tracks as Germans in the base set-up; Soviets are using the original Poles events as in the base set-up
2. Put all other markers in opaque container with exception of Belarussian Front which is the starting chit for the game (similarly to North German Army in regular scenario).
3. Eastern Prussia German forts are VPs for Soviets (as they were for Poles)
4. Warsaw is worth 1 point to both sides
5. Germans victory: autowin – 12 VPs, end of game win – 7-12 VPs on track
6. Soviets victory: autowin – 0 VPs, end of game win – 0-6 VPs on track
7. Game starts at 10 VPs (Danzig, Gdynia, Torun, Poznan, Modlin, Warszawa, Lodz, Katowice, Krakow, Lublin) occupied by German forces
8. Blitzkrieg Breakdown rules are not in effect
9. Allied Intervention rules are not in effect
10. Polesie army does not move; this represents remnants of Polish army and each side can attack it to improve its lines of communication

Visual set-up:

Scenario 3 – Unthinkable.pdf – a pdf version of scenario, ready to download and print; BGG access required.

Scenario 4 – Allied-Soviet Alliance

Scenario background:

Through 1939 negotiations to broker some kind of agreement between Western Allies and USSR were held. They resulted in nothing. This was mainly due to the Soviets making demands for Red Army to enter Eastern Poland and garrison some cities – a demand decidedly rejected by Polish government. What if Poles yield to Soviet demands? Would that turn the tide of the September Campaign? Would the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact not happen? Enjoy!

Set-up & rules modifications:

SOVIETS SET-UP (Soviets “protect” Easter Poland, garrisoned in following way):

• Belorussian – 3^rd (2 units) – Grodno
• Belorussian – 4^th (2 units), 10^th (2 units), 11^th (2 units), CMG (2 units) – Minsk
• Ukrainian – 6^th (2 units) – Lwow
• Ukrainian – 5^th (1 unit), 12^th (3 units) – Proskurov

SPECIAL RUES:

1. Soviets in this scenario are neutral faction. They do not move nor are activated.
2. Two cities “garrisoned” by Red Army (Grodno and Lwow) are treated at the start of the game as VPs for Germans. In the end, such occupation was a direct hit into the independence of polish nation.
3. Both Poles and Germans can attack Soviet units (possibly, to take Grodno or Lwow). In such case, Soviets immediately become enemy of attacker and ally to the other side. Put both Belarusian and Ukrainian front markers into the opaque container from next turn. In such case, new ally of Soviets cannot attack them. Example: Germans attacks Lwow garrisoned by Soviets. Regardless of results, from next turn Soviets will be activated by the player commanding Poles. Polish units will not be able to attack Russians immediately, already after German attack.
4. If Russians become Polish Ally, there has to be always at least 1 Red Army unit in Grodno or Lwow (provided no Germans there). This is to ensure that those cities are permanently occupied by Russians denying VPs to Poles (even in case of Polish-Soviet alliance!)

All other rules – including the victory conditions and German North Army moving first – are the same as in the regular scenario.

Visual set-up:

Scenario 4 – Allied-Soviet Alliance.pdf – a pdf version of scenario, ready to download and print; BGG access required.

Summary

With above two additional scenarios, you have now five potential set-ups to play White Eagle Defiant – base and four fan-made ones. That should extend the replayability of already great game significantly – and that was exactly my plan. I hope you will enjoy that expansion and appreciate that title the way I do. Highly recommended!