17. Critical Losses

After certain nations have taken substantial losses, the morale of their armed forces will decline. Two effects are possible; in order of severity, they are shaken and demoralized.

Critical loss levels are determined in the critical loss determination phase of each turn. At that time, the losses of each nation subject to critical losses are counted to determine if the nation has reached either critical loss level. If it has, the effects of that loss level are in effect for that nation for the remainder of the game. If a nation is shaken and later takes losses sufficient to demoralize it, the effects of demoralization replace those of being shaken.

See the national/factional data chart for the shaken and demoralization levels for vulnerable nations. If a nation has dashes (—) for these items, then that nation is not vulnerable to critical losses.

17.1 Counting Losses All losses are counted by stacking points. Air units in the shot down box do not count toward critical losses. Air units removed from play due to loss consolidation count as one stacking point each for critical loss purposes. The number of stacking points each susceptible nation must lose to become shaken or demoralized is given on the critical loss chart. For example, in the Persian Gulf scenario Turkey will become shaken after losing 11 stacking points, and will become demoralized after losing 10 more (for a total of 21).

Two Critical Losses Displays are provided to track losses by nation. Simply use eliminated counters from the corresponding nation as markers on these displays. 17.2 Vulnerable Nations The following nations are susceptible to becoming shaken and demoralized: Afghanistan, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Turkey, and Yugoslavia. Other nations are not susceptible and their losses need not be recorded. 17.3 Shaken Once a nation becomes shaken, place the shaken marker for that nation somewhere within its borders.

17.3.1 Effects of Shaken Status

1) No unit of that nation may attack unless the unit and the hex it is attacking are both within that nation’s boundaries.

2) Air units of shaken nations •may not fly the logistical strike or runway cratering missions, •may not fly strike/interdiction missions except to hexes within their own nation, •may not fly escort missions except to escort strike/ interdiction missions within their own nation, and •may not fly ground attack missions or top cover missions unless at least one of the ground units involved in the battle (attacker or defender) is of their own nationality. 17.4 Demoralized Once a nation becomes demoralized, flip the shaken marker to the demoralized side.

17.4.1 Effects of Demoralized Status

1) All surviving ground units must return to their own national territory by the quickest route. Any demoralized units outside their national territory in the next critical loss determination phase are removed from play.

2) No unit of that nation may attack under any circumstances.

3) All surviving units have their proficiencies reduced by 1.

4) Air units of demoralized nations may fly only interception, ground attack, and top cover missions. Interception missions may only be flown against strike/ interdiction and air transport missions in a hex in the demoralized nation. Ground attack and top cover missions may only be flown in support of a ground unit of the demoralized country which is inside the country. 17.5 Romanian Unreliability Romania is at best a somewhat reluctant member of the Warsaw Pact. There are three chits included for Romania, used to determine Romania’s reliability and adherence to the Warsaw Pact in the standard game; they are not used in the Balkan Entente scenario.

The NATO player draws one of the Romanian chits at the start of the game. The NATO player examines the chit, and places it face down on the map in Romania. It is revealed to the Pact player only when appropriate.

17.5.1 Romanian Unreliability Chits

1) No Effect – this chit has no effect and Romania responds to critical losses the same as any other nation.

2) Surrender if Demoralized – this chit indicates that when

Romania suffers sufficient losses to become demoralized, it instead surrenders, and all remaining Romanian forces are removed from play.

3) Defect if Shaken – this chit indicates that when Romania suffers sufficient losses to become shaken, it switches sides.

Since critical losses are determined in the initial segment of the turn, Romanian forces come under NATO control at that point and are moved by the NATO player from that point onward.

All air units of Romania are placed on the NATO air theater display in the same theater and specific box they occupied on the Pact air theater display.

If Romanian and other Pact units are stacked together when Romania switches sides, then the side with the