Iraqi Coup force and Axis Iraq intervention force dispositions:

In the Central Iraq region:

Baghdad (22A:2825):

Iraq capital marker

1 x 1-2-6 Inf XX 3

1 x 1-0-8 Lt Arm X 1

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [operative]

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

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 2

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

1 x 0-1-6* Inf XX 4

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

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 1

In the Northern Iraq region:

Mosul (21A:3509) [dot city major rail line hex]:

1 x Mxd 2A3 1-1/16 (LW) [operative]

  • This unit becomes Red U-1 in the initial phase.

Allied movement, end of turn dispositions, and commentary:

In Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region:

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

1 x 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab

  • At the end of the movement phase this unit spends 10 MPs regular moving to clear terrain hex 21A:4704, east of the Tigris River and 3 hexes NNE of Baghdad.
  • By the end of the exploitation phase this unit spends 6 MPs regular moving eventually to canal intensive secondary rail hex 22A:2725, NE of Baghdad. On the way it enters and exits the nearby Baqubah hex (21A:4802), capturing for the Allies this reference city and secondary rail junction hex.

Habbaniya (22A:2828) [end of turn dispositions]:

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 2 A (Col) [never moved]

1 x 1-8 Inf X 20 (Ind) [air transported to Habbaniya from by the Bombay T Type unit]

  • The Ind 1-8 Inf X 20 begins the turn at Diwaniya (22A:3623). From there it regular moves 7 hexes south along secondary rail lines to reference city Nasiriya (22A:3919), where it is then air transported by the Bombay T type air unit (staging from Habbaniya) back to the Habbaniya airfield.

1 x Bombay 1T2 1-2/25 [inoperative; remains here after air transporting the Ind 1-8 Inf X 20]

1 x Glad 3F3 0/8 [never moved]

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [never moved]

22A:2927 [canal intensive hex, end of turn disposition]:

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind) [regular moves here from nearby Habbaniya (22A:2828)]

 

Commentary: What’s happening in the Central Iraq region is that the Allied player is maneuvering his units for the most optional Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table dice roll in the upcoming May II 41 Axis initial phase, hoping then for a timely “historical” Iraqi collapse and surrender. This is why the Br Hab c/m X and the Ind Inf X 20 units are where they’re at. The only other option would appear to be attacking Iraqi ground units in the Baghdad zone, but this turn the available Allied ground units in the Central Iraq region are mostly unsupported and there are no available nearby steps of attack supply. One tempting target is the Iraqi 0-1-6* inf XX at clear terrain road hex 22A:2826, W of Baghdad. An attack with the Br Hab motorized unit (supported) plus GS has the makings of a straight up 6 to 1, but if the Iraqi Mxd A type on the DAS mission survives the Glad F type’s interception, the battle die roll would be a 2 to 1. Too risky this turn, I think, prior to the critical Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse die roll next Axis initial phase. And the Iraqis should risk their air unit in this case. If the Iraqi Coup Collapse dice roll doesn’t finish the Iraqi campaign for the Allies, then Plan B would be to start attacking in the region, with the capture of the Baghdad hex being the prime objective. And that’s where this turn’s movement in the Southern Iraq region comes in.

In the Southern Iraq region [end of turn dispositions]:

Basra (22A:4313) [end of turn]:

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

one step of attack supply [never moved]

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied controlled]

22A:4021 [clear terrain secondary rail line hex; end of turn]:

one step of attack supply [in exploitation phase spends 5 SMPs moving here from 22A:4217]

22A:3224 [swamp secondary rail line hex; end of turn dispositions]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 10 (Ind) [regular moved up the secondary rail line from Diwaniya (22A:3623)]

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 2 As (Col) [railed up secondary rail line from Basra (22A:4313) to Diwaniya, then admin moves 4 hexes up the line to here]

 

Commentary: The Allied player is attempting to get the Ind 8th Inf XX HQ unit as close to the Baghdad zone as he can, in case the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table die roll in the upcoming May II 41 Axis initial phase doesn’t clinch Iraqi Coup collapse and surrender. Attacking might then become necessary to finish the Iraq campaign. The step of attack supply is being brought up to the Baghdad zone from Basra as quickly as the 5 SMPs per turn in Iraq will allow.