Notes on the Vassal Module for Black Sea*Black Death The pre-defined setups for all four scenarios stack units in the correct general areas, but precise deployment is up to the players. The various charts, tables, and tracks have been reorganized onto eight windows accessible from the main toolbar: * German and Soviet Displays (which includes added Dead Pile boxes). These displays are side-restricted. * Turn Tracks from the published mapsheet. * Fatigue Tracks from the published mapsheet - Both sides are on one window. * Charts & Tables, with four tabs: * Combat * Air & Naval * Other * Terrain Key Hex numbers have been added to the map. The often eccentric way in which units take strength losses is fully incorporated into the counters. Press Ctrl-DownArrow to reduce a unit's strength to the next step; other values (anti-tank, morale) adjust as appropriate. Press Ctrl-UpArrow to reverse the process. Disruption and Suppression are also built into each counter as an orange band and a yellow band, respectively. Press Ctrl-D to cycle through them. Supply status is indicated on the counter by an orange supply symbol for Unsupplied and a yellow diagonal slash for Not in Supply. Press Ctrl-U to cycle through them. To allow for secret deployment of coastal defenses, Axis units can be made invisible. For details on invisibility, http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Hideable. Since the rules probibit examining enemy stacks, all units can be masked by the owning player. For details on masking, see http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Mask. Various status and activity markers are also available directly from the Unit Command Menu when appropriate: * Assault * Foxhole (flips to Trench) * Fortifying (flips to Fortification) * Road Column (flips to Strategic Movement) The following counters have been added per suggestions by Mr. Radey in the rule book: * Soviet Li2 aircraft * Artillery spotter aircraft for both sides * German searchlights They appear on the Added Pieces tab of the pieces palatte. The module incorporates all of the errata except the rather startling map revision attributed to Jack Radey at http://grognard.com/errata/blackse1.txt: "There are a few errata, never published anywhere as far as I remember. The first problem is that the coast line from south of Stanichka around the point to the stream and past it to the cliff south of Mt. Myshako is all cliff, except for openings at Alexina, one hex on either side of the Myshako Stream, and at the Fish Factory. Oh ho, that changes a few things." The module includes blank markers in red, green, and blue to use as you please. Short text can be added to each marker via Ctrl-T. UNIT COMMAND MENU * Make Invisible (Ctrl-I) (Axis units only) - Make the unit completely invisible to the Soviet player. It will appear semi-transparent to the German player. Press Ctrl-I again to restore it to normal. * Mask (Ctrl-M) - Mask the counter so that its identity and strength will not be known to the enemy player. Press Ctrl-M again to restore it to normal. * Send to Dead Pile (Ctrl-S) - Move the unit to the dead pile on the German or Soviet Display window. * Place Road Column Marker (Ctrl-R) - Place a side-specific Road Column marker on top of the stack the unit is in. The marker can be flipped to a Strategic Movement side with Ctrl-F. * Place Assault Maker (Ctrl-A) (assault-capable units only) - Place an Assault maker on the hex. The marker floats above all units and does not stack. It can be rotated. * Lose SP (Ctrl-DownArrow) - Reduce the strength of the unit. Other values adjust if appropriate. * Gain SP (Ctrl-UpArrow) - Restore strength to the unit. Other values adjust if appropriate. * Place Foxhole Marker (Ctrl-F) (personnel and weapons units only) - Place a Foxhole marker on top of the stack the unit is in. The marker can be flipped to a Trench side with Ctrl-F. * Place Fortifying Marker (Ctrl-E) (engineers and construction units only) - Place a Fortifying marker on top of the stack the unit is in. The marker can be flipped to a Fortification side with Ctrl-F. * Delete (Ctrl-X) - Delete the piece. * Movement Trail (Ctrl-T) - Toggle the movement trail off or on. * Disrupted/Supprssed (Ctrl-D) - Change the disruption level (cycles through good (blank), Disrupted, and Suppressed). * Unsupplied (Ctrl-U) - Change the unsupplied level (cycles through good (blank), No Supply Line, and Out of Supply). MARKERS From the original game: * Amphibious Supply * Assault (non-stacking; rotatable with Ctrl-RightArrow and Ctrl-LeftArrow) * Fortifying/Fortification * Foxhole/Trench * Impulse * Mounted/Dismounted (side-specific) * Naval Impulse * Naval Quarter * Out of Command (side-specific) * Road Column/Strategic Movement (side-specific) * Smoke * Turn Added: * Ammo Point * Artillery Fired * Artillery Hidden * Artillery Moved * Axis Unreleased * Blown Bridge * Blown Tunnel * In Tunnel * Surprised