• For the second time in this special ME/“Iraqi Campaign” Scenario demonstration, the Allied player in his initial phase, prior to receiving reinforcements, checks for an Iraqi Coup Collapse by a dice roll done using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table to determine results. As earlier, there is a +1 Modifier for the Allied-owned dot city of Basra; and like on the Apr I 41 Axis turn the roll isn’t done, because the best result could only be a 13, not enough for a Coup Collapse, which requires at least a 14 result.
  • WW ME Scenario clarifications: Per the WitD Neutral Nations OB Baghdad is the Iraqi supply terminal for Iraqi forces (only). Since the May I turn is an air cycle per WW Rule 25 (Intro), I’m guessing that Coup Iraq maybe gets an ARP replacement this turn. See p. 8-9 of the WitD Neutral Nations OB. If so, it’s stored at the Baghdad hex. Finally, I erred earlier when I said that Iraq starts with a rail cap of 4. It begins with 5; in this EA reported game it now has 3 due to the loss of their rail marshaling yard at the dot city of Basra. The Allies currently have a rail cap of 1 in Iraq, with Basra being their rail marshaling yard.

Allied dispositions:

In the Central Iraq region:

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip [now Allied controlled]

22A:2829 [the swamp road hex W of Habbaniya (22A:2828)]:

1 x 2-1-10 Mot Inf X Hab

Habbaniya (22A:2828):

3-cap permanent airfield

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 1 As (Col)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind)

1 x Glad 3F3 0/8 [operative]

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x Bombay 1T2 1-2/25 [operative]

  • All Allied forces in the Habbaniya are now in regular supply via the Allied-controlled road/transportation line hex element back to either Suez or Alexandria, in Egypt.

In the Southern Iraq region:

  • All Allied units in the Southern Iraq region are in supply via the new Allied standard supply terminal at Basra.

Basra (22A:4313):

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 2 As (Col)

one step of attack supply

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied controlled]

Diwaniya (22A:3623) [reference city canal intensive secondary rail line hex]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 10 (Ind)

1 x 1-8 Inf X 20 (Ind)

22A:4217 [clear terrain secondary rail line hex]:

one step of attack supply

Axis Intervention in Iraq [Optional Rule 39E4]

Axis Conditional Reinforcements

Coup Turn 3/May I 41 Axis Turn

German:

Med/NA [or Southeast]:

Place at any airbase on the island of Rodi:

1 x Mxd 2A3 1-1/16 (LW)

  • Near the end of the exploitation phase this Axis air unit does a (4X) air transfer mission from the Axis 3-cap permanent airfield at the Rodi (20A:2230) point city/standard port hex on the Aegean island of Rodi to the Mosul (21A:3509) dot city hex in northern Iraq. In so doing it flies over Vichy Levant hexes.
  • This wargamer serves notice at the EA that it currently appears to him that if using WW Optional Rule 38J6-Axis Intervention in Iraq, the text says that all the Optional Axis Near East Forces Conditional Reinforcements found on p. 27 of the WW OB booklet may enter and go (back and forth) through Vichy French hexes “as expeditiously as possible” on their way to the Iraq “Axis intervention” or back to Europe in a final withdrawal. Specifically, “any use of these forces contrary to [Axis intervention in Iraq] is prohibited.” Per Rule 38J6, Axis intervention in Iraq is done apparently absolutely regardless of the Axis Privileges stipulations found at Rule 38V3a-Axis Privileges [in Vichy Levant]. Upon close reading of both WW rules, the Axis forces affected by Rule 38V3a are not the Optional Axis Near East Forces used only in conjunction with Optional Rule 38J6 in the applicable WW Rule 41 campaign scenarios using the Near East map group. Rule 38V3 appears to apply (only) to those Axis Med/NA Command Reinforcement forces coming from the WitD Axis OB booklet in the applicable WW Rule 41 campaign scenarios

Iraqi forces movement, end of movement phase dispositions, and commentary:

In the Central Iraq region:

Baghdad (22A:2825) [end of turn]:

Iraq capital marker

1 x 1-2-6 Inf XX 3 [regular moved to here from 22A:2928, SE of Habbaniya (22A:2828)]

1 x 1-0-8 Lt Arm X 1 [regular moved to here from wwA:2928, SE of Habbaniya]

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [never moved]

22A:2926 [canal intensive major rail/secondary rail junction hex, SW of Baghdad]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 2 [regular moved from Baghdad

22A:2826 [clear terrain major rail/road junction hex, W of Baghdad]:

1 x 0-1-6* Inf XX 4 [never moved]

22A:2726 [clear terrain major rail hex, NW of Baghdad]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 1 [regular moved from 22A:2928, SE of Habbaniya]

Commentary: Iraqi Coup force attacks this turn against the Habbaniya hex, or perhaps against the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab, if possible, would probably be desired in typical Iraqi campaign wargame scenarios, but the estimate done here of the combat odds seen on the Near East map group nixes these good intentions for now in the given EA demonstration. The Allies presently have 1.5 unsupported def factors in the Habbaniya hex, plus a sum of 2 DAS tac facs with the available Audax 1/8 and the Bombay 1-2/15 operative air units both based in the hex, all adding to a total 3.5 defense factors. At best the Iraqis could muster a total of 3 factored attack factors, if the Mxd 1/8 Iraqi air unit doing the GS mission makes it through the Allied Glad F type air unit’s certain interception air mission. Although at 1 to 2 odds a die roll of 6 will fetch a HX, which would be good for ending Iraqi Unsteadiness, the other possible direr combat die roll results make it appear to me best to pursue alternate “non-attack” strategies involving maneuver this Axis game turn. Hence the above Iraqi move.