Developed by:

Alan Emrich
with Paul Koenig
Art by:
Tim Allen
SIMULATING WAR
HELL’S GATE is just one of the EIGHT wargames
published in Philip Sabin’s new book Simulating War
(Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012), the sequel to his acclaimed
work Lost Battles.
The other games include:
• Second Punic War (multiplayer diplomacy)
• Roma Invicta? (Hannibal in Italy)
• Kartenspiel (Napoleonic card game)
• Big Week (US bombing raids)
• Fire and Movement (WW2 battalion attack)
• Block Busting (WW2 urban combat)
• Angels One Five (WW2 air combat)
Besides the rules, components and extensive design
notes for all of these games, Simulating War
contains a further 100,000 words of detailed
content giving you all the skills you need to design
and run your own simple wargames, as do Phil’s
MA students.
Chapter headings include:
• Modelling War
• Accuracy vs Simplicity
• Educational Utility
• Simulation Research
• Designing the Components
• Modelling Conflict Dynamics
• Modelling Command Dynamics
• Integration and Testing
Simulating War offers a complete
reference work and games compendium
for the price of a single wargames mag.
It is essential reading for all gamers.

For more, Google ‘Sabin Simulating War’.

Students using the Hell’s Gate Possible distributions of outcomes Zones of control as a means of
simulation in class for historical simulations reducing counter requirements

Philip Sabin is a Professor of Strategic Studies in the Department of War Studies, King's College London.
This deluxe free-standing edition of HELL’S GATE is published by arrangement with Bloomsbury Publishing (www.bloomsbury.com).
 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 1

Important information is in red text.

Hell’s Gate: References to examples of a Rule or Case are
in blue text and this font.
The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Text in shaded boxes, like this, provides
the voice of the game’s designer, who is
Table of Contents addressing you to explain an idea or
[0.0] USING THESE RULES ............. 1 concept that is not, itself, a Rule or a Case.
[1.0] INTRODUCTION ...................... 1
[2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT ................ 1 [1.0] INTRODUCTION
[3.0] SEQUENCE OF PLAY .............. 2 Hell’s gate is a simulation game of the
[4.0] ZONES OF CONTROL ............. 3 Battle of the Korsun Pocket in Ukraine,
during January and February of 1944. Two
[5.0] SUPPLY ................................... 3
players direct the German and Soviet
[6.0] REINFORCEMENTS ................ 4 forces as they seek to capture or regain
[7.0] COMBAT ................................. 4 territory and inflict losses on the opposing
[8.0] MOVEMENT ........................... 7 side while minimizing their own losses.
[9.0] THE RECOVERY PHASE ......... 7 The simulation is also easily playable
[10.0] SET UP.................................. 7 solitaire for those who wish to study the
[11.0] SPECIAL RULES ................... 7 dynamics involved.
[12.0] HOW TO WIN ....................... 9 [2.0] GAME EQUIPMENT
EXTENDED EXAMPLE .................... 9 Parts Inventory
DESIGNER’S NOTES . INSIDE COVER ● 1 11x17” map with Turn Track
● 70 double-sided, laser-cut* game pieces
[0.0] USING THESE RULES
● 1 six-sided die (boxed edition only)
New gaming terms, when initially
● 1 Rules booklet with a Reference Sheet on
defined, appear in dark red lettering for
the back cover
quick referencing.
*Some slight soot and discoloration can occur
The instructions for this game are during the laser cutting process. If any of these
organized into major “Rules” sections as pieces are missing or damaged, please email us
shown in large green CAPS font, and at info@victorypointgames.com
represented by the number to the left of the
A 6-sided die is needed for resolving battles.
decimal point (e.g., Rule 4.0 is the fourth
Rule). These Rules generally explain the [2.1] The Game Map and Scale
game’s subject matter, its components, the The game map shows
procedures for play, the game’s core the area of Ukraine
systems, how to set it up, and how to win. where the battle took
With each Rule, there can be “Cases” that place. Superimposed
further explain a Rule’s general concept or over it is a hexagonal
basic procedure. Cases might also restrict grid to regulate
the application of a Rule by denoting movement and the
exceptions to it. Cases (and Subcases) are position of the playing
an extension of a Rule shown in the way pieces just as squares
that they are numbered. For example, Rule do on a chessboard.
4.1 is the first Case of the fourth Rule; and We refer to each space on the map as a
Rule 4.1.2 is the second Subcase of the “hex.”
first Case of the fourth Rule.

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 2 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

You will find explanations of the terrain Steps measure losses in combat and are
features on the Terrain Effects Chart important for determining the winner
which, along with the Turn Track, is (12.0). Bright-colored units have two
located on the game map itself. Other steps, and paler units have one step each.
charts and tables are printed on the back The two dots in the bottom-right corner
of this Rules booklet for reference. of some units indicate that it was
Scale: Each hex is approximately 20 originally a two-step unit that is
kilometers across and each turn currently reduced to its one-step side.
represents three days of real time. The German Player controls the
[2.2] The Playing Pieces German (field gray and black) units.
The Soviet Player controls the Soviet
The square pieces, hereafter referred to
(red and brown) units.
as “units,” represent the actual military
formations that fought in this campaign. The remaining square, round and arrow-
Their numbers and symbols denote their shaped pieces are “markers” used to
strength and type. indicate and help players remember the
state or status of something.
Sample Units
Sample Markers
FRONT BACK
Unit Unit
Size I.D.
Setup
Unit Steps
hex or
Entry Type Game Out of Retreated
Turn # Combat Strength Turn / Supply
Weather (OOS)
[#] = Defense strength; this value is
multiplied when Attacking [3.0] SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Unit Type Symbols Note: The set up instructions (10.0) are
toward the end of the Rules. This is
Infantry Tank or Mechanized Infantry because you should not “dive in” until
Cavalry
Panzer or Panzergrenadier you have looked at all the Rules and
taken note of the Special Rules regarding
the first three Game Turns (11.0).
Unit Sizes
How the Turns Work: Each Game
X = Brigade; XX = Division;
Turn, the players alternate taking their
XXX = Corps
respective Player Turns, Soviet first
Thus, reading its I.D., Type and Size, the and German second. Each Player Turn
sample unit is the 3rd Panzer Division. consists of four Phases conducted in
Combat Strength measures a unit’s order, with the player completing all of
value in battle as expressed in Strength the actions during one Phase before
Points; higher numbers are stronger. A beginning the next Phase.
tank unit’s [bracketed] strength value is Soviet Player Turn
used only when defending; its strength is
1. Soviet Supply and Reinforcement
always multiplied when attacking.
Phase. The Soviet player checks his
Unit size and unit identification data are units’ supply status (5.0).
provided for historical interest only; they
do not affect gameplay.

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 3

2. Soviet Combat Phase. The Soviet hexes and inhibit opposing units’ ability
player initiates any desired battles to trace supply (5.1) and retreat (7.6).
against adjacent enemy units (7.0). [4.1] Continuity: All units exert a ZOC
3. Soviet Movement Phase. The Soviet at all times, regardless of the Phase,
player may move any or all of his Player Turn or presence of enemy units.
units in play (8.0). [4.2] Effects: There is no additional
4. Soviet Recovery Phase. The Soviet movement cost to enter or leave a hex in
player removes any Retreated an enemy ZOC (abbreviated EZOC).
markers on his units (9.0). Terrain has no effect on ZOCs, nor is
German Player Turn there any additional effect when more
than one EZOC is exerted onto a hex.
5. German Supply and Reinforcement
Phase. The German player checks his [4.3] Mutuality: Adjacent opposing
units’ supply status (5.0). units are mutually affected by their
respective ZOCs.
6. German Combat Phase. The German
player initiates any desired battles [5.0] SUPPLY
against adjacent enemy units (7.0). During your own Supply and Reinforce-
7. German Movement Phase. The ment Phase at the beginning of your
German player may move any or all of Player Turn, you must judge the supply
his units in play (8.0). status of all your units. Each unit’s
8. German Recovery Phase. The supply status remains in effect until your
German player removes any next Supply and Reinforcement Phase
Retreated markers on his units (9.0). (when it is judged anew).
Administrative [5.1] Tracing Supply: Units are in
9. Housekeeping Phase. Advance the supply if they occupy a friendly supply
Game Turn marker one turn and roll source hex (i.e., one with that player’s
for mud (11.2) or, if the eighth Game supply symbol in it) or can trace a
Turn was just completed, determine supply line to one.
the winner (12.0). A supply line is an unimpeded chain of
connected hexes of any length to a
[4.0] ZONES OF CONTROL friendly supply source hex. A supply line
The six hexes cannot be into or through enemy
immediately occupied hexes. Neither can it be traced
surrounding a into or through an enemy supply source
hex occupied by hex or a hex in an EZOC unless a
a unit friendly unit is also in that hex. That is,
constitutes that the presence of a friendly unit blocks
unit’s Zone of EZOCs and enemy Supply Source hexes.
Control (or [5.2] Denoting Supply Status: When
“ZOC”). your units are not in supply
This represents the vicinity where that during your Supply and
unit projects its strength through active Reinforcement Phase, place
patrols, probing, and ranged firepower. an Out of Supply (OOS)
These adjacent hexes upon which a unit marker on them to indicate this status. If
exerts its ZOC are called its controlled your previously unsupplied units can

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 4 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

again trace supply during this Phase, The three brown Soviet units, however, can
remove their respective OOS markers all easily trace supply lines back to the
from play. Soviet Supply Source hexes behind them.
[5.3] Effects of Being Out of Supply: [6.0] REINFORCEMENTS
Units with an OOS marker can move
only one hex per turn. They also suffer After judging your units’ supply (5.0),
adverse column shifts in combat (7.2). place any friendly reinforcing units due
to arrive that turn in their entry hexes at
Example: It is the beginning of the Soviet full-strength. These reinforcements and
Supply and Reinforcement Phase and the their entry hexes are shown on the Game
embarrassed Soviet player checks the supply Turn Track. They cannot be delayed, and
status of all his on-map units as shown here: may attack and move normally on their
turn of arrival.
Cases
[6.1] Enemy Occupied Hexes: If the
designated arrival hex is enemy
occupied, those reinforcing units arrive
instead in the nearest vacant or friendly
occupied Friendly Supply Source hex
(the owning player’s choice if two such
hexes are equidistant). If there are no
He is embarrassed because, during the eligible Friendly Supply Source hexes,
previous turn, he advanced boldly to the west the reinforcement is lost.
and captured his second German Supply [6.2] The 24th Panzer Division: arrives
Source hex (A6), but failed to completely on Game Turn 4 only on the
eliminate the German units trapped and condition that a Soviet unit
unsupplied themselves in C6. Because of has ever entered hex A2, A3,
this battlefield setback, the surviving German A4, A5 or A6 – otherwise,
unit there exerts its EZOC onto the Soviet the unit never arrives.
Supply Source hex in C7, thus blocking his The division is sent back to the crisis at
two red tank and two red infantry units from Nikopol and never appears in the game.
tracing a supply line back to C7. As a result,
these four units are all unsupplied and are [7.0] COMBAT
now marked so, thus: Your friendly units may combat enemy
units during your Combat Phase, at
which time you are the “attacker” and
your opponent is the “defender” regard-
less of the overall strategic situation.
Conducting combat is voluntary. Attacks
can occur only between units in adjacent
hexes, and in any order that the attacker
desires.

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 5

Procedure [7.1.1] How Many Units: A

During your Combat Phase, each combat maximum of two units can attack
is conducted by performing the across a single hexside, so additional
following steps in order: units in an attacking hex would have
to attack different hexes or not at all.
1. Designation: You designate which of
your units are attacking and which hex A maximum of two Soviet or three
they are attacking (see 7.1). German units can defend in a single
hex. If there are more than that many
2. Determine Combat Strengths: Each
units defending in a hex, the strongest
player simultaneously totals the
units defend.
Combat Strengths of their respective
units involved in that combat. [7.1.2] Strengths: Defending units
always use their (current) printed
3. Determine Odds Ratio: Divide the
Combat Strength.
attacker’s strength total by the
defender’s strength total (from Step 2), Attacking tank or panzer units have
dropping any remainder (or “frac- their strengths tripled when attacking
tions”) to determine the appropriate into a clear terrain hex, or doubled
odds column on the Combat Results when attacking into a woods hex or
Table (see the back of these Rules). the city hex of Cherkassy (F6).
4. Determine Column Shifts: As [7.1.3] Retreated Units: Retreated
required, shift the odds column (from units cannot attack.
Step 3) to determine the final odds Retreated units contribute nothing to
column (see 7.2). the defense of their hex. They are
5. All-Out Attack?: If eligible, the ignored when defending a hex.
attacker can declare an All-Out Attack [7.2] Column Shifts: Each column shift
(see 7.3). is symbolized by left and right arrows
6. Determine Result: Roll the die and (, ). They are cumulative and each
consult the Combat Results Table; combat uses all of these that apply:
cross-index the row of the number  If all of the unretreated units in the
rolled with the final odds column to attacked hex are unsupplied.
determine the result.  If some, but not all, of the
7. Apply the result immediately. unretreated units in the attacked
8. Conduct the next combat if there are hex are unsupplied.
others yet to be resolved.  If the ground conditions
Cases are mud.
[7.1] Restrictions: Each friendly unit  If the defender is in a
can only attack once per turn, and each woods hex or the city hex of
enemy occupied hex can only be Cherkassy (F6).
attacked once per turn. Friendly units in  If at least half of the attacking
the same hex may attack into different units are doing so across river
adjacent hexes or not at all, and units in hexsides.
different hexes can combine to attack a  If some, but not all, of the attacking
mutually adjacent enemy hex in a single units are unsupplied.
attack.

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 6 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

 If all of the attacking units are Procedure

unsupplied. Applying Hits: Typically, Hits are
Example: Units with a total combat strength absorbed by losing as many steps from
of 12 attack a single unit with a combat defending units as the combat result
strength of 1, so the combat odds are 8:1 value indicates.
(which is the maximum allowed). The defender chooses which of his units
For the column shifts, the unit being attacked absorb Hits, with these restrictions:
is unsupplied (), but it is defending in a  All unretreated defending units, not
woods hex () and behind a river () just those that contributed their
during mud conditions (). combat strength, are eligible to absorb
The net effect is to apply one column shift to Hits. Retreated units are not eligible to
the left () making the final, adjusted odds absorb Hits.
column 6:1.  Eligible two-step units must always
[7.3] All-Out Attacks: After the final take step losses in preference to one-
odds column has been determined, the step units. No unit in a combat can be
attacker may declare he is launching an completely eliminated while there are
All-Out Attack. An All-Out Attack uses any intact two-step units there to take
the (higher) combat result to the right of the losses.
the slash on the Combat Results Table. Automatic Elimination: When a
Procedure defending hex suffers more Hits than it
has eligible steps to absorb, eliminate all
To declare an All-Out Attack, one the units in the defending hex and ignore
attacking two-step unit of the owner’s the excess Hits.
choice (which must be a tank or
panzer unit if possible) is flipped to its [7.6] Retreats: Except in the case of
one-step side. If no full-strength, two- automatic elimination (above), the
step unit is attacking, an All-Out Attack defending units may absorb their final
is not allowed. Hit, not as a casualty (i.e., a step loss),
but by retreating all their remaining units
[7.4] Overconcentration: Attacks on to one or more adjacent hexes of the
hexes containing five or more units defender’s choice instead.
(excluding retreated units) automatically
use the (higher) combat result to the Procedure
right of the slash on the Combat Results Units must retreat into hexes that are not
Table. There is no need for the attacker in an EZOC (see 4.0), if possible. If no
to declare an All-Out Attack on such such hex is available to retreat into, only
defending hexes. then can units retreat into friendly-
[7.5] Combat Results: The number to occupied hexes in an EZOC.
the left of the slash shows how many Restrictions
Hits the defender suffers in a normal Units may never retreat off the map, into
attack, while the number to the right of hexes in an enemy ZOC that are not
the slash shows the defender’s Hits occupied by friendly units, or hexes that
versus an All-Out Attack or as a result of contain an enemy supply source, unless
an overconcentrated defense. occupied by a friendly unit.
Friendly Supply Source Hexes: Units
in a friendly supply source hex can only

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 7

retreat into another friendly supply in succession, in any direction or

source hex (provided that it is not in an combination of directions, as long as
EZOC, unless a friendly unit also they do not enter an enemy occupied
occupies that hex). hex. Cavalry may make such two-hex
Mandatory Retreats: Retreating is moves regardless of terrain, but tank,
voluntary, except that Soviet forces panzer and mechanized units cannot
which suffer 2 or 3 Hits must retreat to enter two woods hexes or cross two river
absorb the final Hit if they are able to do hexsides (though they may accomplish
so. one of each on a two-hex move).
Post-Retreat Effects [8.3] Stacking: There is no limit on how
many friendly units may occupy a single
All retreated units have a Retreat
hex.
marker placed on them to denote their
status. It is removed during But there are limits as to how many units
that player’s Recovery can attack or defend in a hex (7.1.1) and
Phase (see 9.0). a risk for overconcentration (7.4).
Retreated units (i.e., those marked with a [9.0] THE RECOVERY PHASE
Retreated marker) can neither attack nor During your Recovery Phase, remove all
move during their owner’s Player Turn. of the Retreated markers from your
Ignore Retreated units in a defending friendly units. This ends their effects.
hex; they do not contribute to its
defense, nor can they absorb Hits. [10.0] SET UP
Eliminate retreated units if all of the First, sort the units by side: field gray
other defending units in their hex either and black for the Germans, red and
retreat or are eliminated. Thus, a unit brown for the Soviets. Create two nearby
with a Retreated marker cannot be piles for the OOS and Retreated
retreated again; it is eliminated instead. markers.
Old Hands Note: There is no “Advance Next, turn all of the units so that their
After Combat” in this game. Your full-strength side is face up. All units are
Movement Phase follows combat, and initially deployed onto the map showing
your pieces can “advance” at that time. their strongest side.
[8.0] MOVEMENT In the upper-left corner of every unit is
its set-up location. This is either a letter-
During your friendly Movement Phase, number combination (e.g., “A2”) indica-
you may move none, some or all of your ting that it sets up in the correspondingly
unretreated units one hex to any marked hex on the map, or a circled
adjacent hex that does not contain an number, indicating it sets up on the
enemy unit. Game Turn Track in a box beneath that
[8.1] Restrictions: Units may never turn number. It enters play during its
move off the board or enter a hex owner’s Supply and Reinforcement
containing an enemy unit. Phase of that turn.
[8.2] Fast Units: If the ground The Game Turn / Weather marker is
conditions are still snow, then placed with its ‘snow’ side up in the 1
supplied tank, panzer, box of the Game Turn Track.
mechanized and cavalry (e.g.,
“fast”) units can move up to two hexes

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 8 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

After following these steps, the game reminder marker shown here on the
begins by following the Sequence of map.
Play until Game Turn 8 is completed, at This is because of the small Soviet
which time, victory is assessed (12.0). pocket of troops hanging on there
[11.0] SPECIAL RULES from an earlier attack.
 During the Soviet Supply and
GAME TURN 1 Reinforcement Phase, Soviet supply
[11.1] Game Turn One: On the first lines cannot be traced more than three
Game Turn, apply these Special Rules: hexes to a Soviet Supply Source hex.
 During the Soviet Combat Phase, all  During Both Combat Phases, both
Soviet units may attack normally, but sides suffer a maximum of one
German units can only retreat into adverse column shift for being
hexes containing friendly supply unsupplied (see 7.2), whether
sources or other German units, and attacking or defending.
only then if the hexes are eligible for
 During the German Movement
retreats and have suffered no Hits in
Phase, no German units that start in or
earlier Soviet attacks. That is, once the
are adjacent to Korsun Airfield (hex
Soviets inflict a Hit against a
E3) can move unless a
particular hex, German units in later
Soviet unit has ever
combat that turn cannot retreat there.
entered a hex adjacent
 During the Soviet Movement Phase, to Korsun.
only the three Soviet tank units may
 During the Housekeeping Phase,
move. They must move so that they
beginning on this turn and for the
end the Soviet Movement Phase in
rest of the game, the
different hexes from one another.
German Player rolls a die
 During the German Combat Phase, to determine if the ground
only the two German panzer units that conditions have turned
begin setup on the map, and the two from Snow to Mud. On a 1 or a 2,
Turn 1 German panzer reinforcements, flip the Game Turn marker to its Mud
can attack and the Germans suffer a side before advancing it to the next
maximum of one adverse column shift Game Turn.
for being unsupplied (see 7.2), when
Any other result has no effect and
attacking.
causes this die roll to be repeated
 During the German Movement during the Housekeeping Phase of the
Phase, only one German panzer unit following Game Turn, and so on each
(and no other units) can move. turn until Mud occurs.
GAME TURN 2 Mud conditions remain in effect for
[11.2] Game Turn Two: On the second the rest of the game. Mud limits all
Game Turn, apply these Special Rules: movement to one hex, and produces
an adverse column shift in attacks.
 For the entire turn,
German units cannot move GAME TURN 3
or retreat into Tichonovka [11.3] Game Turn Three: On the third
(hex B3). Place the Game Turn, apply these Special Rules:

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 9

 During the German that do not move and are not inflicted
Movement Phase, no with a Retreated marker can attempt
German units that start in to “break out to friendly lines” at the
or are adjacent to Korsun end of the Movement Phase, as long as
Airfield (hex E3) can there is at least one hex within a two-
move unless a Soviet unit has ever hex radius containing a supplied
entered a hex adjacent to Korsun. friendly unit (called a “refuge hex”).
 Beginning on this Procedure: Each evacuating unit rolls
turn and for the a die, adding one (+1) to the result for
rest of the game, each such refuge hex it has available
German units (so the modifier will be at least +1). If
defending in or the modified roll is 5 or more, that
attacking out of unit "breaks out;" the unit is removed
Korsun (hex E3), from play but is NOT placed in the
Yanovka (hex E2), or Shenderovka destroyed box. On any other result,
(hex D3) suffer a maximum of one the unit is placed in the destroyed box.
adverse column shift for being out of
supply (even in combination with
[12.0] HOW TO WIN
attacks from other hexes), as long as At the conclusion of the eighth Game
Korsun (hex E3) contains a German Turn, play ends. Victory is determined
unit at the moment when the attack as follows:
takes place. First the Soviets, and then the Germans,
Korsun held supply dumps and an eliminate all friendly units that cannot
airfield for flying in supplies. trace a supply line (5.1) at that instant.
GAME TURNS 5 AND 7 Second, each side scores:
1 Victory Point (VP) for each step of enemy
[11.4] Game Turns Five and Seven: units in its destroyed box
On these two Game Turns, apply this
1 VP for each enemy two-step unit still on the
Special Rule:
map (or broken out) but with only one step
 At the end of the Soviet Supply and remaining, and
Reinforcement Phase on these turns 2 VPs for each enemy supply source hex
(which are marked on the Turn Track currently occupied by a friendly unit.
by red symbols as a reminder), one The German player then adds 10 VPs to
reduced strength corps-size (XXX) his score as a handicap to balance the
unit on the map may be flipped back game. The player with the higher total
to its full-strength, two-step side, as VPs wins.
long as it is in supply. That unit may
then attack and move normally EXTENDED EXAMPLE
(unless, of course, it has a Retreated Please set up the game as per Rule 10.0 and
marker on it). follow along with this example of the first
Game Turn:
GAME TURN 8
The first activity on Game Turn 1 is checking
[11.5] Game Turn Eight: On the final Soviet supply. Most Soviet units start off
Game Turn, apply this Special Rule: occupying Soviet Supply Source hexes, and the
 During either player’s Movement 254th and 294th Rifle Divisions can trace supply
Phase, that player’s unsupplied units either to friendly occupied E6 or to the vacant

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 10 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

Cherkassy hex (F7) since it is not in a German (the only permissible direction since they already
unit’s ZOC. occupy a supply source hex, 7.6), but this would
With no Soviet reinforcements due until next turn, mean giving up the valuable position in B7 itself,
play moves swiftly on to the Soviet Combat so they opt instead to hold on and take a step
Phase. As happened historically, the Soviets loss. Both defending units are at two-step
decide to attack first with the Second Ukrainian strength, so the obvious choice is to flip the 106th
Front (i.e., their seven strong units at the bottom Infantry Division to its reduced-strength side
of the map). The Soviet player’s main effort will be while keeping the 3rd Panzer Division intact.
against the 389th Infantry Division in C6, but Marshal Konev now launches his main effort
before that, the Soviets decide to attack B7 to against C6. The 75th Rifle Corps and 20th Tank
inflict some attrition and to prevent the 389th from Corps contribute 9 strength in the clear terrain,
retreating out of the encirclement. and the 21st and 26th Guards Rifle Corps in D7
add another 7 points, just reaching the 16 points
needed to make a maximum attack at 8:1 odds
(again with no column shifts in effect). The Soviets
could limit themselves to another normal attack,
but analyzing the Combat Results Table reveals
that this leaves a 2/3 chance of the 389th
surviving with a single Hit and foiling the planned
breakthrough, so the Soviets instead play safe
and flip the 20th Tank Corps and declare an All-
Out Attack.
On a die roll of 3, the defenders suffer 2 Hits.
The first Hit must be taken as a step loss, and
absorbing the second Hit in this way would
destroy the division altogether, so the only
sensible option is to
retreat. The unit
would normally
have to pull back to
The two German units in B7 have a combined B6 or C5 (since
defense strength of 4. The 75th and 48th Rifle these hexes are not
Corps with a combined strength of 6 could attack adjacent to the
them at odds of 3:2, but the Soviets decide to use enemy), but the
the 29th Tank Corps instead of the 75th Rifle Special Game
Corps. Since its basic combat strength of [2] is Turn 1 constraints
tripled when attacking into clear terrain, this gives (11.1) mean that only German Supply Source
it, plus the 48th Rifle Corps, a combined attack hexes or those already containing a German unit
strength of 9, enough to achieve 2:1 odds (since are permissible retreat destinations. Now, B7 is
no column shifts apply). The Soviets could greatly immediately ruled out, as the units there have
increase their chances of success by declaring an suffered a Hit of their own this turn in the previous
All-Out Attack (7.3), but this would require them to battle, so there is no option but to withdraw the
sacrifice a precious step from their tank unit, so 389th north to D6, after
they opt for a normal attack instead. which a Retreat
marker is placed on the
On a die roll of 5,
unit as shown in the
they get lucky and
above illustration.
inflict 1 Hit on the
Germans. The To try to widen the
defenders could breach further, the
choose to retreat Soviet player now turns
across the river into A6 against the Smela

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1 11

salient itself. However, only the 20th Guards Rifle Guards to their reduced side. A die roll of 2
Corps remains in D7 to conduct the attack, inflicts only 1 Hit on the 198th. It could remain
supported by the 373rd and 294th Rifle intact and retreat to A2 (a German Supply
Divisions to the north. Their combined strength of Source hex not adjacent to a Soviet unit), but the
7 is not quite enough to achieve 2:1 odds against Germans decide instead to take a step loss and
the 4 strength points of defenders (the retreated keep their line intact.
389th being ignored), but at least the column shift Vatutin’s only hope for a breakthrough now
for the Tiassmin River will not apply, since fewer comes from the secondary attack by the 27th
than half of the attacking units are affected by that Army. All three divisions could focus on the
obstacle. The Soviet player considers that an All- northern half of
Out Attack at 3:2 odds would have a good chance the 88th
of either hitting the 72nd Infantry Division Infantry
(presumably the German player’s preferred step Division in D2,
loss) or forcing a retreat to D5 and so destroying but a better axis
the remnants of the 389th altogether, but this for the
would mean eviscerating the strong 20th Guards encirclement
unit in the process, so the Soviets settle for the runs through C2
long shot of a normal attack instead. On a roll of further south, so
4, the attack inflicts 0 Hits and thus has no the 180th and
effect. 337th Rifle Divisions attack there instead. The
In the north, the 206th Rifle Division could attack basic combat odds are 3:1, but the leftward shift
the screening forces of Korps Abteilung B at 2:1 because of the woods reduces this to 2:1, and
odds, but it could not safely advance even if it only a normal attack is possible because both
pushed one of the German units back because Soviet units have only a single step. However, on
then its own supply line to G2 would be interdicted a die roll of 5, the attackers get lucky and inflict 1
by the other unit, so it bides its time for the Hit! The weak defenders have no choice but to
present. retreat, and with B2 barred to them because it has
The focus hence moves to Vatutin’s second suffered a Hit itself in the previous battle, the only
prong of the overall pincer movement. His main option this turn is to unite with the rest of the 88th
force at B1 could focus its Division in D2.
efforts either on the 34th Play now proceeds to
or 198th Infantry the Soviet Movement
Division. The former unit Phase. On Game
occupies a valuable Turn 1, only the three
supply source hex, but it tank units are allowed
could retreat without to move (11.1).
opening a gap in the Vatutin redirects his
German line, so the depleted 5th Guards
Soviets attack the 198th Tank Corps from B1
in B2 instead. Only two through C1 and into
units can attack across C2, exploiting to the
the single hexside (7.1.1), maximum the tanks’
yielding 3:1 odds thanks capacity to cross one
to the tripling of the 5th river and enter one
Guards Tank Corps’ woods hex.
basic strength. Adding in In the east, Konev’s
the two one-step divisions two tank corps must
in C1 would push the odds to 4:1, but would bring move to different
no net benefit because the cross-river combat hexes (11.1), and the Soviets decide to send the
penalty would also be triggered, shifting back the depleted 20th Tank Corps two hexes to the
odds column just gained. Hence, the Soviets woods around C5, and the stronger 29th Tank
launch an All-Out Attack instead, and flip the 5th

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 12 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Rules v1.1

Corps to B6. C6 is left vacant because, even if flipping the weaker 14th Panzer Division to its
garrisoned, it would be likely to fall to a panzer reduced side, but on a roll of 2, they still only
counterattack. With no Retreated markers on his inflict 1 Hit on the enemy. The 29th could hold in
units to remove during the Soviet Recovery place and lose a step itself,
Phase, this ends the Soviet player turn on a very but the Soviet player decides
dramatic note. instead to keep it intact and
In the German Supply and Reinforcement ‘retreat forwards’ to B5, which
Phase, the bad news dawns that the twin Soviet is not adjacent to a German
pincers have already cut the supply lines to all the unit! The main penalty which it
units north of B2 and B7, since both German front suffers is that it gains a
lines have been breached and there are no vacant Retreat marker which will
hexes for supply passage which are not in the constrain its actions next turn.
Zone of Control of (i.e., adjacent to) the Soviet The 3rd Panzer Division has
spearheads at C5 or C2. Hence, all German units no chance on its own against
in the north receive an Out of Supply marker to the strongly held woods
show that they are unsupplied, though their around C7, so play proceeds to the German
existing stockpiles mean that they will not suffer Movement Phase. Only one panzer unit is
the full penalties until Game Turn 3 (see 11.1 and allowed to move on Game Turn 1 (see 11.1), and
11.2). The 11th and 14th Panzer Divisions now the obvious candidate is the strong 11th Panzer
arrive as reinforcements in B7 to join the two Division. It could enter B6 to follow up the 29th
divisions already there, as shown below: Tank Corps, or even move on from there to A5
(so avoiding the river hexsides on the route via
A6), but the German player decides instead to
take a risk and reoccupy C6, thereby re-
establishing a direct link with the pocketed forces
(as happened historically for a brief time).
During the German
Recovery Phase, the
Retreat markers on the
88th and 389th are
removed, and Game
turn 1 is complete.
Next turn, the 20th and
29th Tank Corps units
will be unsupplied
because of the
limitation of their supply lines to three hexes (see
In the German Combat Phase, the Game Turn 1 11.2), despite their being able to trace a longer
restrictions (11.1) mean that only the four panzer supply line via Vatutin’s forces in C2.
units can attack. The 5th v Panzer Battalion is The key question is whether the Germans will be
too weak to hurt the 20th Tank Corps because able to keep hold of C6 in the face of an all-out
the woods and the lack of supply restrict its cap- assault by Konev’s arriving second echelon
abilities to a pointless normal attack at 1:1 odds. forces. There is only a 1 in 6 chance of them
However, in the south it is a very different matter. being able to resist the likely 6:1 All-Out Attack,
The maximum attack force of the two newly and even if they do, the continuing movement
arriving panzer divisions has its strength tripled to restrictions around Korsun (E3) make a prompt
15 against the 29th Tank Corps in B6. evacuation of the pocketed forces problematic.
Unfortunately, this is not quite enough to achieve With four German and two Soviet steps having
8:1 odds, and the penalty for attacking across the been lost so far, the Germans face a hard struggle
Turiya River cuts the final odds to just 4:1. The to recover from the continuing onslaught and to
Germans decide to make an All-Out Attack by rescue their trapped men.

From the book Simulating War by Philip Sabin

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944 Designer’s Notes

hexes and stronger Zones of Control can

Hell’s Gate: bring.
Both sides constantly face difficult tactical
The Korsun Pocket, 1944 trade-offs – when and whether to launch
more powerful all-out attacks at the cost of
DESIGNER’S NOTES attrition to their attacking forces
The Korsun Pocket is a classic (especially their precious tanks), and
encirclement battle from the Eastern Front. whether to conduct a mobile defence or to
Like Stalingrad the previous winter, it has hold their positions doggedly at the
all the essential ingredients – awful expense of similar attritional losses.
Russian weather, slashing Soviet pincers, What comes through very clearly from this
Hitler’s stand fast orders, Luftwaffe battle, and from the game, is the enormous
resupply efforts, and desperate panzer impact of varying force densities – from
counterattacks. several thousand troops per mile of front in
Unlike at Stalingrad, some of the trapped the Soviet breakthrough sectors to only a
Axis troops did manage a messy breakout, few hundred troops per mile in the north of
making the situation even more dramatic the salient. Instead of imposing the usual
and finely balanced. It is not surprising that ‘stacking limit’ on each hex, the rules limit
there have already been a number of attacks across each hexside, thereby giving
detailed simulations of this epic struggle. a more realistic representation of spatial
dynamics. One sees immediately why
For many years I have used simulation
Hitler’s insistence on retaining a foothold
games to help my university students
on the Dnieper instead of withdrawing to a
understand operational dynamics such as
straighter and less overstretched line
force-to-space ratios, but for this to be
placed his forces in such peril.
practical, I needed radically smaller and
simpler designs that can be played by non- I discuss the design of HELL’S GATE at
experts within a two-hour class. I designed far greater length in my new book
HELL’S GATE to fit this bill, while still Simulating War (see the ad on the inside-
remaining as faithful as possible to the front cover) where this game was first
detailed history of the engagement as laid published, so please read the book for
out in recent books by Glantz and more information on this and all the other
Orenstein, Zetterling and Frankson, and by simulations which I use in class.
Nash. - Professor Philip Sabin
The game’s title echoes the nickname GAME CREDITS
Höllentor, which the Germans gave to the Game System Design: Philip Sabin
area around Shenderovka (hex D3) where Development: Alan Emrich, Paul Koenig
they were crammed into a kessel just a few
Art & Graphic Design: Tim Allen and
kilometers across before the final desperate
Alan Emrich
breakout through Soviet lines.
Playtesting: James Bennett, John Buck,
The rules use a simple system of David Grebe, Wayne Ho, Robert Hossal,
alternating Player Turns, but with an Robert Lloyd, Oliver Lane, Ian Sundstrom,
unusual fight-move sequence that suits the Sam Tranter, Arrigo Velicogna
positional nature of the fighting in the Proofreading: Bill Barrett, Hermann Luttmann,
snow and mud. The combination of big Lance McMillan, Rick Partin, Ian Wakeham
hexes and weak Zones of Control allows
the antagonists to duel over individual
hexes without the artificialities that smaller

© 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games

 Hell’s Gate: The Korsun Pocket, 1944
Reference Sheet
Sequence of Play

Combat Sequence
1. Designation
Soviet Player Turn 2. Determine Combat Strengths
1. Soviet Supply/Reinforcement Phase (5.0) 3. Determine Odds Ratio
2. Soviet Combat Phase (7.0) 4. Determine Column Shifts
3. Soviet Movement Phase (8.0) 5. All-Out Attack?
4. Soviet Recovery Phase (9.0) 6. Determine Result on CRT
German Player Turn 7. Apply Combat Result
5. German Supply/Reinforcement Phase (5.0) 8. Conduct Next Combat
6. German Combat Phase (7.0)
7. German Movement Phase (8.0) Cannot attack, defend or move.
Eliminated if the other units in
8. German Recovery Phase (9.0) Retreated their hex are eliminated or retreat;
Administrative removed during Recovery Phase.
9. Housekeeping Phase (12.0)


One hex movement per turn,

[X]
Attacking strength tripled vs. a clear hex,
or doubled vs. a woods hex or the city hex
of Cherkassy (F6).
 Out of
Supply
maximum; negative combat
shifts when some or all of the
force is unsupplied.

Die Odds Ratio (attacker : defender) 4:1 6:1

combat results table

Roll <1:1 1:1 3:2 2:1 3:1 5:1 7:1 8:1+

1 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/1 0/1 1/2
2 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/1 0/1 1/2 1/2
3 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/1 0/1 1/2 1/2 1/2
4 0/0 0/0 0/1 0/1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2
5 0/0 0/1 0/1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2/3
6 0/1 0/1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1/2 2/3 2/3
#/# = Defender’s normal / All-Out or Overconcentrated losses
Red # = If Soviet defenders, must retreat if eligible to do so (see 7.5)
 If all units in attacked hex are unsupplied*
 If some, but not all, units in the attacked  If the ground conditions are mud
hex are unsupplied  If defender is in woods or Cherkassy (F6)
 If some, but not all, attacking units are  If at least half of the attacking units
unsupplied are across river hexsides
 If all attacking units are unsupplied*
*A maximum of only one shift applies on Game Turns 1 and 2 © 2013 Philip Sabin and Victory Point Games