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RE: Rules For Penal Troops
"History calling...history calling" (I'm trying to echo London Calling here...) a historical correction here probably answers this rules question. The scenarios in which penal troops are called for, and all those which should have them added to the o.b. should include the proviso that for every 3 penal units included or added to scenarios representing Soviet Offensives from Aug 42 on, one NKVD machine gun unit is also included, at no victory point cost. The NKVD units are there solely to fire upon Penal units that don't advance their full movement allowance or don't engage in assault. Actual Smersh units were assigned to Penal companies for this purpose, and RKKA machine gun companies were suborned to the NKVD if enough Smersh troops were not available on the spot.
The Wehrmacht player controls the NKVD unit and may fire it at any disobedient penal unit or at any RKKA or Guards unit seen retreating. The unit is considered activated whenever the penal troops are activated, and the German player can move the smersh unit to keep in MG range. This is the only situation where activating your own troops provides a free activation for your opponent. Barrier troops were probably the most highly motivated and feared state troops of the war.
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