Panzer Grenadier Headquarters - Library: Puppet Brigade

Panzer Grenadier Battles on March 28th:
Big Red One #4 - Hill 482	Spearhead Division #15 - Dillenberg
Big Red One #5 - This Place is Hell

AP Series	Panzer Grenadier
Designer	Bennighof
Game Type	Expansion
Format	Book
Release Date	2023-11
Availability	In Print
Scenarios	9
Counters	88
Counter Type	Die-cut
Maps	0

Overall Rating, 10 votes
5 4 3 2 1 2.8
Expansion Rank: 117 of 120

Popularity: Ownership & Activity
Status	Owned by 2%	Played by 1%	AAR'd by 1%	Medaled by 1%
Rank	165th of 173	130th of 162	122nd of 158	53rd of 98

Expansion Game Requirements & Playability
9/9	Puppet Brigade
9/9	Fire in the Steppe
6/9	Broken Axis

	Total
Side 1	4
Draw	0
Side 2	6

	Total
Side 1	4
Draw	0
Side 2	6

	Total
Side 1	0
Draw	0
Side 2	0

	In March 1939, the small, newly created nation of Slovakia declared its independence from Czechoslovakia and immediately became a satellite of Nazi Germany. Slovak troops fought alongside the Germans for five years as the most minor of allies, taking part in the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union but mostly serving as rear-area security. Puppet Brigade is a *Panzer Grenadier* Campaign Study, focused on the battles of the Slovak Army against the Red Army. There are nine scenarios plus the history of the campaign, and 88 die-cut-and-mounted playing pieces, This is not a complete game; you'll need Fire in the Steppe and Broken Axis to play all of the scenarios.

Scenario	Plays	AARs	Rating
1. Mopping Up	2	1	3
2. Slovakia’s Battle; Phase One	1	1	3
3. Slovakia’s Battle; Phase Two	1	1	3
4. Holding the River	1	0	3
5. Christmas Day	1	0	2
6. Collective Farm	1	0	3
7. High Water Mark	1	0	3
8. Crimean Gateway	1	0	2
9. Isthmus Guard	1	1	3

Germany Order of Battle

Heer
Foot Leader Motorized

Heer

Foot

Leader

Motorized

Slovak Republic Order of Battle

Slovenská Armáda
Foot Leader Mechanized Motorized Towed

Slovenská Armáda

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Motorized

Towed

Soviet Union Order of Battle

Army (RKKA)
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Army (RKKA)

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

Guards
Foot Leader Mechanized Towed

Guards

Foot

Leader

Mechanized

Towed

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Game's Order of Battle
Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0). AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement. AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1). Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2). Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3) Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0). Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3). Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3). AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42). AFV's may Dig In (16.2). Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present. Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC) Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB) Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC). Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier. Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

AFV Rules Pertaining to this Game's Order of Battle

Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
Open-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables, but DO take step losses from X and #X results (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT). If a "2X" or "3X" result is rolled, at least one of the step losses must be taken by an open-top AFV if present.
Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Self-Propelled Artillery: do not provide the +1 Assault bonus, even if closed-top (SB)
Armored Cars: These are Combat Units. They are motorized instead of mechanized. All have their own armored car leaders, who can only activate armored cars (6.85). Do not provide the +1 Assault bonus (ACC).
Reconnaissance Vehicle: 8.23 Special Spotting Powers Both foot and vehicle mounted recce units (1.2) possess two special spotting abilities. The first ability is that they can spot enemy in limiting terrain at one hex further than the TEC specifies for other units and leaders. For example, an enemy unit in town can normally be spotted at three hexes or less, but a recce unit can spot them at four hexes.Their second ability is that they can place a Spotted marker on any one enemy unit they can spot per turn, just as if the enemy unit had "blown its cover" by firing. Such Spotted markers are removed as described earlier.
Prime Movers: Transports which only transport towed units and/or leaders (May not carry personnel units). May or may not be armored (armored models are open-top). All are mechanized. (SB)

4 Errata Items
Scen 1	Puppet Brigade, scenario #1: Mopping Up First let me state this scenario requires 15 German Trucks not 13 to carry all the personnel. (JayTownsend on 2023 Dec 16)
	The reduced direct fire value in Kursk: Burning Tigers is 4-4. (plloyd1010 on 2015 Jul 31)
	Kommissars never get morale or combat modifiers. Ignore misprints. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)
	Kommissars never get morale or combat modifiers. Ignore misprints. (Shad on 2010 Dec 15)

Nations at War - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Soviet Union	100%	Soviet Union
Slovak Republic	100%	Slovak Republic
Germany	78%	Germany

Battle Types - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Inflict Enemy Casualties	67%	Inflict Enemy Casualties
Urban Assault	44%	Urban Assault
Road Control	33%	Road Control
River Crossing	33%	River Crossing
River Control	22%	River Control
Hill Control	22%	Hill Control
Rural Assault	22%	Rural Assault
Entrenchment Control	11%	Entrenchment Control
Bridge Control	11%	Bridge Control

Conditions - Scenario Appearance Percentages
Off-board Artillery	100%	Off-board Artillery
Smoke	100%	Smoke
Joint Forces Battle	78%	Joint Forces Battle
Terrain Mods	33%	Terrain Mods
Randomly-drawn Aircraft	22%	Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Reinforcements	22%	Reinforcements
Entrenchments	11%	Entrenchments
Minefields	11%	Minefields