Area of Operations Ukraine

The story thus far…

It is Fall 2022. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been halted and consolidated along the Dnieper River, holding Kherson in
the South and Kharkiv in the North. With the backing of the West, Ukraine has done the unthinkable, halting the Russian advance
and now with the capacity to conduct counterattacks to liberate Ukrainian territory.

Dramatist Persona: Russian Forces Kherson

Russian Forces fighting in Kherson are comprised of units from Russia's Southern Military District, mainly from the
49th Combined Arms Army and Russian Airborne Forces (VDV), specifically the 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division.

The 49th Combined Arms Army has officially formed as a part of the Russian Federation's military reforms in 2010.
Still, it traces its lineage to the Soviet Red Army's 49th Army, which formed in 1941 after the German invasion of the Soviet
Union. The business magazine Forbes identified the 49CAA as the leading Russian force in southern Ukraine's Kherson Oblast
and allegedly had its division commander killed in the Russian assault on the Kherson International Airport.

The 7th Guards Mountain Air Assault Division is an elite guards division of the VDV. The Division traces its lineage to the 322nd
Guards Rifle Regiment, which fought in the Eastern Theater of World War 2. During the Soviet Unit, the unit was called upon to
suppress the Hungarian and Czech revolutions. This counterinsurgency legacy continued in the Russian Federation as they were
deployed to the Caucasus region to form similar missions. Parts of the unit allegedly took part in the War in Donbas in 2014,
although Russia claims no official involvement. The division has been fighting since the beginning of the 2022 Russian invasion
and has reportedly had its division commander killed in Mariupol in the early stages of the invasion.

Dramatist Persona: Operational Command - South

The Operational Command South (OC South) is a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces in the southern part of
Ukraine, which was formed in January 1998 as the Southern Operation Command based on the Odesa Military District and
headquartered in Odesa to Mykolaiv in 2015 as Ukraine restructured its military after the 2014 Russian invasion of the Donbas.

The 28th Mechanized Brigade traces its origins to the 180th Rifle Division starting in May 1942. The division fought at
Kharkiv and Iași. It was with the 37th Army in Bulgaria in May 1945. During the 1980s, the then 28th Guards Motor Rifle
Division was part of the 14th Guards Army headquartered at Chișinău, in the Moldavian SSR (Odessa Military District). The
brigade fought in the 2014 war in Donbas, and on 22 August 2016, its Guards title was removed. A year later, by decree of
 Area of Operations Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky, the official name of the brigade became: the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade, named after the
Knights of the First Winter Campaign.

The 57th Otaman Kost Hordiienko Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade was formed in November 2014 in
Kropyvnytskyi in Kirovohrad Oblast. Initially, the brigade consisted of three volunteer territorial defense battalions. The Brigade
is named after an 18th Century Ukrainian Hero Kost Hordiienko, a Cossack general who defended Ukrainian territory from the
Muscovy. In less than a year, the brigade deployed to fight in the war in Donbas. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine,
the brigade received the recently established "For Courage and Bravery" award from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy
for liberating several settlements in the Kherson Oblast.

The 59th Motorized Brigade was activated on 8 December 2014 and headquartered in three volunteer territorial defense
battalions. One year later, on Ukraine's Independence Day, the brigade became fully operational and received its guidon. From 24
February to 2 March 2022, the Brigade fought in the Battle of Kherson, defending the city from the Russian invasion but
ultimately had to consolidate west of the Dnieper River.

Mission 1 Rules Addendum: Operation Ukraine Strikes Back

OSC-South starts the game with the initiative, and units may not cross the Dnieper without an Engineer
Order.

2.2 Create Your Task Force

The Order of Battle for this Mission is attached as an appendix. Each army has 3 ADA markers; these may
each be used once per turn in response to an enemy Strike order if the friendly unit being struck is
within 5 hexes of the revealed ADA unit.

2.4 Deploy Forces

Russian OB

Russia arrays its forces with (2) maneuver brigades north of the Dnieper and the rest of the force south
of the Dnieper. (5) maneuver units will be left off the board and can be called in for reserves.

OSC-South OB

OSC-South arrays their forces within (2) two spaces on the map's northern side.
 Area of Operations Ukraine
3.0 Orders

Attack: In addition to the rules stated, the Russians will lose one Combat PowerPoint (CPP) after it
executes an attack order.

Sustainment: OSC-South may not give this order in this scenario.

Engineer: Russia and OSC-South may issue an engineer order in conjunction with a unit move order for
that unit to cross the Dnieper river.

3.3.1 Special Orders

Reinforcements: The Russians may give a move order to one maneuver unit off the table for them to
come in as reserves. When the order is executed, the selected unit is moved to hex 124, and starting at
the end of this turn; it may give regular orders as described in 3.3.

4.0 Replacements

OSC-South units are in lines of communication as long as they can draw an unobstructed line back to the
north end of the map.

Appendix A: Unit Icons

If you are playing this game as a print-and-play, printing this page on sticker paper is recommended.
 Area of Operations Ukraine

Appendix B: Order of Battle

If you are enjoying this game as a print-and-play, it is recommended that you print Appendix B on card
stock and laminate for extended use.
 Area of Operations Ukraine

Appendix C: Unit Order Sheets

If you are enjoying this game as a print-and-play, it is recommended that you print five copies on
cardstock, cut the individual cards, and laminate them for extended use.
Area of Operations Ukraine