Designer's note - Scenario Design Center

At beginning of the Fulda Gap ‘85 project, we considered how a "hot war "could be
portrayed. The seminal idea came to us as we looked at the garrison map of East and
West. What would happen if the Warsaw Pact executed a surprise attack? Would that
have been at all possible without the NATO having been aware of preparations? How
much time would it have taken for the Warsaw Pact to move divisions to the
German-German border?
The last question can be answered: it would have taken 6-9 hours to march the first wave
of divisions from their garrison positions to the border, at least in theory.
We assume in this scenario that the surprise would be more or been less perfect. What
would the Warsaw Pact have found in West Germany? NATO units that were in their
barracks, an intact road system and, importantly, a population who is also surprised
completely. This all together would have brought the Warsaw Pact an immense
advantage and fast progress in the direction of the Rhine without major resistance in the
first days.
Warsaw Pact strategy
The Warsaw Pact Player should try to possibly cross West-Germany as fast as possible,
avoiding major skirmishes close to the German-German border. Speed is all important
here so as to succeed before NATO re-groups and builds an effective defence line. With
some luck and skill, the Warsaw Pact can push forward units until near Frankfurt without
meeting with an interrelated front line. The big advantage of the Warsaw Pact is its
enormous number of soldiers and vehicles. Later arriving divisions should be used to
mop up smaller NATO forces while preparing to storm Frankfurt with the initial divisions.
However, the player also must be careful not to exhaust entire divisions, since the quality
of the troops is considerably worse then NATO’s. Therefore, front divisions should be
rested from time to time.
NATO strategy
Generally, the player should play the NATO side. The player has two options: to
immediately offer the Warsaw Pact local resistance or, to immediately fall back, form an
adequate defensive line and to wait for reinforcements from the south. The second option
is recommended, since the Warsaw Pact's "steam roller" is not to be underestimated in
the first days of the conflict. Nevertheless, if the player has the chance to resist with bigger
units, he should, while avoiding a major defeat. When the reinforcements arrive, the
player should be capable of starting a successful counteroffensive and to advance as far
as possible towards the East German area conceivably.
IVb. Classic Variant
This scenario treats the more or less "classic" concept of an East-West conflict. There is
already innumerable literature and games dealing with this conflict.
Both sides are prepared for the forthcoming war and the Warsaw Pact crosses the
border.
Warsaw Pact strategy
The player should from the start to try to find gaps in the NATO defence and to break
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