Defiance Standard Campaign Session Report: OCTOBER 2025 AAR

Mark (Ukraine) and Doc (acting as a NATO observer) vs YOGI (Russian bot)

Note: We played against the Russian bot (YOGI) that Mark designed for Defiance.

TURN 1A: Battle of Hostomel Airbase

• Russian initial air assault gets the best result: Ukrainian garrison eliminated. Airbase captured. Air bridge established.  Follow-on forces at ready.

• Ukraine makes a maximum response and elements of the 72M Bde, with 44^th Art. Bde support, retakes the airbase and shuts down the airbridge.
• Russian follow-on forces fortunately scrub their mission minutes before nearing the now well defended air base.

• Russian call an audible and prepare secondary air assault on Vasylkiv.

---

Battle of Vasylkiv Airbase: Part 1: Airbridge Established

• Russians now execute their plan B and assault the their backup objective. Best result again occurs. Airbase captured intact. Airbridge established.

• Ukrainian territorial counterattack with 26 Artillery Brigade support. Ukrainians fail to retake the airbase.

• Russian VDV follow on air assault regiment successfully lands on the airbase.

---

Invasion: VDV AND 36^TH Army

VDV forces advance into Ukraine, clear main avenue of advance. VDV encounters groups of citizens that block roads at two locations. In the process, VDV commits two atrocities (note: VOVK game mechanic). Result is outrage in The West: NATO support for Ukraine stiffens. NATO Political track moves two spaces to the right yielding NATO Logistic support for Ukraine: +1 Logistical Point/turn.  Russia then activates the 36^th Army that advances to the river near Hostomel. A VOVK unit holds up the column long enough for elements of the 72 Mech to block the bridge. 72 Mech then decimates the original VDV AA units that retreated from Hostomel. EMD advances into the main traffic jam heading to Kyiv.

---

Invasion: 35^TH Army

35^th Army engages the 61J and is initially stopped, but in a subsequent set piece battle forces their way forward, but with heavy casualties.

The SoF HQ initially follow along the same route as the 36^th Army, but due to the traffic jam, they divert down an A1 exit to the west where they are stopped by elements of the 61J

Random Events Table then strikes for the first tie in the game: a major winter storms bring operations for a time to a halt (Random event: Berg smiles).

---

Invasion: 41^st  Army

41^st Army advances, but is delayed by local VOVK units. A battalion of the 1^st Tk Bde then blocks their advance on Chernihiv. After the Special Initial Russian Invasion Activation (5 Russian formations go first in Turn 1A), the Operations Phase begins.

A note on formation chit draws….Three chits are drawn from the Cup of Chaos. Usually, there will be a 2-1 split: one side draws two of its formation activation chits. They decide which “to play”. The side with 1 chit decides whether to play that chit or toss it back in the cup. After the 3, 6 or 9^th activation, a Phase Ender chit is tossed into the Cup of Chaos. When the third Phase Ender is drawn, a player rolls a die after each activation. If the die roll is 3 or less, the Operations Phase ends.

On average, there will be 15 formation activations…or 7.5 per side. Similar to other operational strategic wargames,  Paths of Glory, For the People, Empire of the Sun and Triumph of Chaos, each player has 6 to 7 “plays. Hence, how we mathematically structured the phase ender mechanic. One other item: a ‘save throw”. We don’t like when turns end suddenly without a player being able to influence that (we have scars on our back from World in Flames!). So, if a player has purchased Offensive Supply chits (they cost 1 LP each), a player can use 2 of them to get one more activation.

Battle of Vasylkiv Airbase: Part 2: Liberation

Player then exchanged a number of formations: with Russia pushing south and Ukraine attempting to parry and build a line west of Kyiv and west of Chernihiv. The last activation of the turn witnessed the 26^th Artillery Bde subjects Vasylkiv to a massive bombardment that in conjunction with a motorized battalion forces the Russian forces off of the airbase breaking the airbridge.

Ukrainian 26 Artillery Brigade, bombards and assaults Vasylkiv retaking the airbase

Operational Phase then ended via a die roll.

---

Day 1 Wrap Up

Day 1, February 24, 2022 wrap up:

Losses:  Large Unit Steps: 9 RUS, 0 UKR. Ammo Deplete: RUS 2, UKR 1

Limit of RUS advance: 2024 (Feneychi – NW Kyiv) 1421 (Termakhivka – NW Kyiv) 1015 (Radcha – NW Kyiv) 3310 (Ryabtsi -N Chernihv)

---

TURN 1B: FEB 25-FEB 28: Strategic Phase

The Special Russian Air Assault segment is only conducted at the beginning of the Turn 1A. Turn 1B returns to normal game sequence with the Strategic Phase. First decision for players is whether to use the optional SitRep cards. We wanted to play the full monty.

Political Segment of Strategic Phase

Either draws the five SitRep cards titled Turn 1B, shuffles. A card is randomly drawn. In our case,  SitRep Turn 1B: #4 with the headline Kherson Captured, was drawn.

This card has no Pre(requisites), so we moved onto the Political Track die rolls for Putin, Lukeshenko, Zelinsky, and NATO Political Tracks. The 1d10 die rolls were 6,9,7, and 2 respectively. These rolls determine “drift” on the Political Tracks. Results were:

Putin track: No change

Lukeshenko track: 1 R, he begins to dither

Zelinsky track: 1 R, Zelensky resolves to stay in Kyiv and shouts “send bullets!”.

NATO track: 1 L, the loss of Kherson unnerves the alliance. Subsequent Ukrainian Displacement Table die rolls will have a +1 DR Ukrainian Displacement Table DRM (making it slightly more likely that the Ukrainian government will shift their capital due to lack of alliance support).

Russian MoD Elan: Due to the losses from turn 1a (not shown) the Russian MoD is in the 0-4 column. 1d10 rolls a zero. RUS MoD shifts 1L, hardening their resolve.

None of these movements add or subtract any resources at this time.

Note: if not using the optional SitRep cards, based on the position of the Political Track markers they may shift based on Drift die rolls (see Politial Track Drift).

Reinforcement Segment

Ukrainians recieve the 58 Motorized Brigade and the Russians gain additional 35 Army and SoF units during the reinforcement segment.

Logistics Point Segment

Generation: On turn 1b the Russians receive a base of 19 Logistic Points (LP) and the Ukrainians receive 16 LPs. Then each side makes a Corruption 1d10 die roll and the Russians lose 2 LPs, now 17 LP and the Ukrainians are unaffected with 16 LP.

Expenditure: Broadly Flex Command chits cost 2 LP to purchase while all others cost 1 LP.

Russian: 8 HQ chits (8 LP), 5 Offensive Supply (5 LP), and 2 Flex (4 LP) = 17 LP

Ukrainian: 9 HQ chits (9 LP), 1 Offensive Supply (1 LP), and 3 Flex (6 LP) = 16 LP

Construction of the Cup of Chaos

Place all of the purchased chits into a cup or other container plus the Berg Random event chit. Place the three End Phase markers on the activation track in their designated spaces.

Asset Generation

Each player rolls a 1d10:

• Russia: rolls a “4”…adds 6 to it (Russian’s add a 6 to there Asset Generation die rolls)…generating 10 randomly drawn assets (Air/Attack Helo’s, Missiles, Drones). These are placed into to their Asset Cup and are drawn when Russia wants to conduct Strikes.
• Ukraine: rolls a 3 (no drms). Result is the number of assets (minimum of 2, maximum of 7). Note: Russia generally ends up with around double the assets vs the Ukrainians

Theater Strikes

On turn 1b the Russians have three theater strikes and the Ukrainians have zero. The Russians decide to use all of them and make three 1d10 die rolls: 1, 5, 7 that according to the Theater Strike table will reduce the Ukrainian LP generation on turn 2 by 1 LP.

Theater EW Attack

EW tracks for Russia and Ukraine indicate the number of Theater EW Attacks each side may conduct during the Strategic Phase: Russia 3, Ukraine 1. For each attack, a slide rolls a 1d10 to determine the enemy  HQ attacked. Then, a second 1d10 on the EW Attacks Table yields the outcome of the attack.

In this example, Russia determined that Ukraine’s 44 Artillery (dr 2), 72 M (dr 4), and 14 M (dr 9) HQs are impacted. As the 14 M is not yet in play, this attack is an automatic no effect. The attack on the 44 artillery (dr 7) is no effect, but the 72 M (dr 2) will lose 3 Ops points in its activation.

Supply Status and Reorganization

As its early in the campaign neither side has any formation that they wish to reorganize (3.5), which concludes the Strategic Phase.

Play now proceeds to the Operational Phase.

TURN 1B: Operational Phase

 In the west on Turn 1B, 61J Ukrainian and two Russian formations – SoF and 3th Army were stuck in place due to a second Berg Storm (Random event). An optional rule allows players to treat the event as no effect on turns 1A and 1B due to its disportionate impact on the ability of the Russian to keep moving forward. In this game, it cost Russia four activations on turns 1A and 1B.

On the Chernihiv front, the Ukrainian 1^st Tank Brigade held firm. Russian 41^st army hit the 1^st Tank Brigade with two meeting engagement which resulted in a repulse. Russian artillery and asset strikes bore no fruit.

On the Kyiv front, the Ukrainian 44^th Artillery continued to roar. The Russian 36^th paid the price suffering multiple hits. Impact? The column advancing on Kyiv stalled…beginning to form the infamous 65 KM supply train through heavy woods teeming with partisan and SOF units. Activation Track for Turn 1B ended up as pictured.

During the Logistic Phase, NATO and Zelensy tracks moved right due to a SitRep cards Ukrainian bonus

TURN 2: Strategic Phase

Political Track Drift die rolls on SitRep card Repulse at Vozbesensk resulted Putin shifting 1L and NATO shifting 1R, giving Ukraine a free FLEX chit each turn.

Regarding LPs, UKR ended up with 17: Base of 16, -1 for corruption, +1 for NATO Track bonus +1 for Zelensky Track bonus. Russia ended up with 18: Base of 19, -1 for corruption

Russia spent its 18 LPs as follows: 10 HQs, 2 FLEX and 4 Offensive Supply. Ukraine spent its 17 as follows: 9 HQs, 3 FLEX and 2 Offensive Support.

Note: Players will generally ended up with 16-20 (Ukraine at lower end of that early in the game). Let’s assume 18 LPs. How to spend? First, formation activation chits….likely a purchase of 10 (each cost 1 LP). How to spend the other 8? Typically, 2 FLEX (they cost 2 LPs each – which allows a player to activate any formation) and 4 OS (Offensive Supply…gives more juice to formations). If players want more “tension” in choice, players can decide to reduce LPs by two – or more or less for one side.

Asset generation; Russia gained 10 Assets and Ukraine 4.

TURN 2: Operational Phase

TURN 3: Strategic Phase

SitRep card resulted in a Zelensky Political Track shift left (some loss of domestic support for resisting the invasion) and a NATO shift right (hardening of Russian aggression opposition and more aid). Russian MOD Elan weakened in light of suprising battlefield losses and lack of significant success. Logistic Points (LPs) for Russia were 19 and Ukraine 17. LP purchases:

Russia: 11 HQs, 2 FLEX and 4 Offensive Support

Ukraine: 11 HQs, 2 FLEX and 2 Offensive Support

Asset generation for the turn resulted in Russia with 14; double Ukraine’s 7.

Russia had two effective Theater Strikes resulting in Ukraine losing 2 LPs next turn. Additionally, Russia was able to hit the 95 AA brigade with an effective EW (Electronic Warfare) attack and cause its HQ to flip to spent.

TURN 4: Strategic Phase

Ukraine met the conditions of the SitRep card: control of Hostomel,Bucha and Irpin. 3 Political Tracks moved right with only the Putin Political Track unmoved (in the “Questions” box). Overall: Ukraine support strengthing.

Logistics points: RUS 19, UKR 17

Purchases: RUS: 11 HQs, 2 FLEX, 4 Offensive

UKR: 11 HQ, 2 FLEX, 2 Offensive, 1 NATO FLEX

Assets: RUS 8, UKR 5

Theater Strikes: RUS had 3 and UKR … all no effect. Theater EW attacks: each side had 2…RUS EW attacks no effect, UKR EW attacks on the 1A and 35A resulted in each HQ flipping to their spent side.

TURN 4: Operational Phase

Short turn, as the Phase Ender chits were drawn early in the game turn: RUS had 6 activations vs 7 for Ukraine. Short turns benefit RUS.

RUS continued its push south of Malyn with a pounding of Ukraine’s 10^th Mountain brigade. 10^th Mtn joined the 61 Jager as each sought to find firm ground to stem the Russian tide. West of Kyiv, Ukrainian line strong with 26 Arty and 44 Arty supporting 72 MECH and 4 RBB. 14 Mech now also enters the scene.

In the east, Russian 2^nd army entered from the East. Russian 1^st Guards Tank Army stalled for the turn.

Ukrainian 1^st Tk Brigade counterattack at Chernihiv knocked Russian advance off balance.

TURN 5: Operational Phase

In the east, Russia pushed through Novyi Bykiv to set up a possible attack on Brovary.  Ukraine’s 14^th Mechanized rushed east to block. Further north, Ukrainian defense around Nizhyn stiffened with the 58^th Motorized stopping Russia’s 1^st Guard Tank Army cold. At Chernihiv, Russia’s 41^st Army finally manage to force a retreat of the spirited 1^st Tank Brigade and open the road to follow on reinforcing forces.

TURN 6: Strategic Phase

Turn 6 began with the usual draw of SitRep Cards. The prerequisites of the first card draw (TURN 6#1) could NOT be met. Therefore, another card was draw – TURN 6#2 resulting in 2 Ukrainian assets added to the their Asset Cup. The only shift from the drift die roll was 1L for Zelensky, however that was blocked since the marker was in the “Rally NATO” box and can’t move left once there.

LP generation: RUS 23 bse…0 corruption (stop the presses!)…+3 bonus from previous Sit Rep = 23

UKR 18 base…-1 corruption…+1 NATO bonus…+2 previous Sit REP bonus = 20

LP spend: RUS 11 HQs, 4 FLEX, 5 Offensive Support

UKR 11 HQs, 2 FLEX and 5 Offensive Support

Theater Strikes: RUS had 3 that caused a UKR T7 LP loss…UKR had 1…no effect

Theater EW Attacks: Both had 2…UKR 26AA HQ went spent and no effect on RUS

Asset Generation: Russia generated 8 Assets and Ukraine 2 Assets for the turn.

TURN 6: Operational Phase

Turn 6 witnessed the two bastions, Kyiv and Chernihiv, continue to hold rock solid.

At Kyiv, the 72 Mech, and supporting artillery, protected the outer NW perimeter of Kyiv. The Russian 36^th army was derailed early. It still was trying to mount a sensible attack with supporting elements provided by the VDV and SOF. At Chernihiv, the 1^st Tank Brigade continued to parry the Russia 41^st Army and 90^th Tank Division. The real action occurred on the flanks threatening each bastion…

The BIG news on turn 6 arrived from the Ukrainian lines of communication. The Russian 2^nd Army was able to punch into the southern portion of the city. Further north, the Russian 1^st Army was making progress on cutting off Chernihiv from the road to Brovary to isolate the Bastion at Chernihiv. Southwest of Kyiv, the Russian 35^th Army and supporting SOF elements continued their push south to isolate Kyiv from its supporting rail line and major road running from Poland. Russian tossed up a flag over the town of Radomyshi (hex 929). By doing so, the battle for Brusyliv (hex 1333) could begin in earnest.

Historically, Ukraine managed a stunning ambush of Russian elements entering Brovary fromMarch 9^th – March 12^th. The video that captured the event helped significantly strengthen belief that Ukraine would prevail in the campaign and again demonstrated Ukrainian tactical ability at thwarting Russian aggression.

TURN 7: Strategic Phase

The Political Tracks held their position, with the exception of Lukashenko, which drifted 1L.

LP generation: Russia 18 and Ukraine at 21

LP spend: RUS bought 11 HQs, 1 FLEX and 5 Offensive Supply chits. UKR bought 11 HQs, 2 Flex chits and 5 Offensive Supply chits. Additionally, the NATO and Zelensky tracks produced 2 FLEX chits for Ukraine.

Theater Strikes and Theater EW Attacks were not signifiant.

Asset generation: Russia generated with 15, while Ukraine generating 5.

TURN 7: Operational Phase

Russians captured a second urban hex at Chernihiv, bringing 2/3rds of the city under occupation.

South of Chernihiv, the Russians cut the main Chernihiv-Brovary road and continued their fiece fight for Brovary. Little progress was made against Kyiv or cutting the Zhytomyr-Kyiv main road.

TURN 8: Strategic Phase

Both Lukashenko and Putin shifted 1R as the political situation deteriorated.

LP generation: Russia 15 , Ukraine 22

LP spend: RUS bought 9 HQs, 1 FLEX and 4 Offensive Supply chits. UKR bought 11 HQs, 3 Flex chits and 5 Offensive Supply chits. Additionally, the NATO and Zelensky tracks produced 2 FLEX chits for Ukraine.

Theater Strikes: Strikes found their mark with UKR losing 3 LPs for Turn 8 and RUS losing 1 LP

Theater EW Attacks: RUS theater EW attacks resulted in 3 Ukrainian formations (14 MECH, 10 MTN and 26 ART) losing 3 OPs Pts each for the turn.

Asset generation: Russia generated with 14, while Ukraine generating 6.

TURN 8: Operational Phase

Fierce battles continued at Chernihiv and Brovary. West of Kyiv, Russia continued to be stymied.

TURN 9: Strategic Phase

Political Tracks Turn 9: NATO fully supporting Ukraine. Lukashenko senses the empending Ukrainian victory regarding Russian’s invasion of nothern Ukraine and decides not to further assist Putin. Russian MoD elan moves to Disorder, given losses and lack of accomplishing the mission to topple the Ukrainian government.

LP generation: Russia 16 , Ukraine 20

LP spend: RUS bought 11 HQs, 1 FLEX and 3 Offensive Supply chits. UKR bought 12 HQs, 2 Flex chits and 4 Offensive Supply chits. Additionally, the NATO and Zelensky tracks produced 2 FLEX chits for Ukraine.

Theater Strikes: Strikes were not effective.

Theater EW Attacks: RUS theater EW attacks were ineffective. Ukraine managed to hit the Russian 1^st Guard Tank Army resulting in a loss of 3 LPs

Asset generation: Russia generated with 14, while Ukraine generating 5.

TURN 9: Operational Phase

Determining a result in Defiance is about whether or not the Ukrainian government fees from Kyiv:

The final turn witnessed the Russian player getting to +7 drm from the Ukrainian government displacement table roll (+2 Kyiv-Korosten rail line, +2 for Zhytomyr-Kyiv road, +2 for two hexes of Chernihiv, -+1 for one hex of Brovary). A +7 drm  would give Russia a 20% chance to displace the Ukrainian government: Ukraine government displaces on a roll of 15, so, either a roll of a 8 or 9 would do it. Note: historically, Russia managed to only achieve a +5 (+2 Kyiv-Korosten rail line, +2 for Zhytomyr-Kyiv road, +1 for Brovary).

However, politics dynamics (atrocities, penalities/bonuses from SitRep cards and war narrative) went strongly against Russia. The Political Tracks produced a -4 drm:  NATO, Zelensky, Lukashenko and Russian MoD elan)….so a NET +3, which was NOT sufficient to generate a Ukrainian government displacement die roll. Ukraine held.

Epilogue

This OCT 2025 play of Defiance was a full campaign test of YOGI (the Russian bot). We also used it as a final shakedown cruise for the simulation (hard development work for a workhorse developer, Mark Herman). Upon its conclusion, we decided, Defiance was good to go. Champagne was popped.

---

Editor’s Note: Mark Herman would like it to be known that he WON this full campaign test vs. YOGI. Well done Mark!