Jul II 41 Axis Turn

End of Turn dispositions

Mainland Europe off-map holding box [end of turn]:

4 Italian inf Replacement Points (RPs) at the start of the turn, but 3 It inf RPs were transferred to the Licata port/airfield hex, in Sicily, at step 14 of the I. Phase, per WW Rule 37C2a-Mainland Europe, and then air transported from there to Tripoli, in Libya, in the M. Phase.  At the end of the turn there was 1 It inf RP in the mainland Europe off-map holding box.

1.5 German inf Replacement Point at the start of the turn, but 1 Ger inf RP was transferred to the Licata port/airfield hex, in Sicily, at step 14 of the I. Phase, and then air transported from there to Tripoli, in Libya, in the M. Phase.  At the end of the turn there was .5 Ger inf RP in the mainland Europe off-map holding box.

5 Ger ARPs at the start of the turn, but two were expended at step 14 of the I. Phase to replace the aborted He 111H4  4B4  2-7/22 and the Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 air units.  The He 111H4 air unit was placed at the Licata airfield hex, on Sicily, along with the It SM 79-1 B type air unit beginning the turn there.  The Ger LW Ju 87B air unit was placed at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Sicilian coast hex 18A:0603, along with the It Ju 87B D type air unit beginning the turn there.  At the end of the turn there were 3 Ger ARPs left in the mainland Europe off-map holding box.

5 It ARPs at the start of the turn, but one was expended at step 14 of the I. Phase to replace the aborted Br 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 air unit.  It was placed at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 18A:2730, in Libya, along with the other BR 20M air unit beginning the turn there.  At the end of the turn there were 4 It ARPs left in the mainland Europe off-map holding box.

In Sicily [end of turn]:

Licata (18A:0102) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
G 50 3F3 0/9 [inop.; began turn at Scarpanto (19A:0701), in the Dodecanese; late in the E. Phase it flew the air transfer air mission to here]
SM 79-1 2B3 1-5/22 [inop.; began turn here; on the Jul II 41 Allied E. Phase it did a non-phasing air transfer to here from El Agheila, in Libya; early in the M. Phase of this turn it flew an air transport air mission, per WW Optional Rule 23E3, carrying 2 It inf RPs from Licata to Tripoli, in Libya; returned to base here]
He 111H4 4B4 2-7/22 [inop.; turn ARP build, placed at Licata at step 14 of the I. Phase; early in the M. Phase it flew an air transport air mission, per WW Optional Rule 23E3, carrying 1 It inf RP and 1 Ger inf RP from Licata to Tripoli, in Libya; returned to base here]

Coast hex 18A:0403:
3-cap permanent airfield
Me 109E 7F5 1/7 [inop.; began turn at 18A:4718, in Libya; late in the E. Phase it flew the air transfer air mission to here]
Cr 42 3F3 0/9 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Coast hex 18A:0603:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 [inop.; Italian; began turn here; at the very beginning of the M. Phase it flew the Malta Status tac bombing air mission; used the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; returned by flack; returned to base here]
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; turn ARP build, placed here at step 14 of the I. Phase; at the very beginning of the M. Phase it flew the Malta Status tac bombing air mission; used the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; Miss ; returned to base here]

Syracusa (18A:0702) [reference city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Augusta (18A:0701) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Malta on the Jul II 41 Axis turn:
Malta Status: 9, at the start of the turn, + 1 for Malta Status bombing hits done prior to the naval movement step of the M. Phase, = 10 during this turn’s naval movement step and at the EOT.
Valetta hex (18A:0407) flack: this turn, 5 (3 intrinsic + a total of 2 only for the two Br 0-1-8 hv AA IIs’ 2 flack factors each, as their unit flack factors were both halved because of being definitely Red U-2, due to the lack of gsp’s present at Malta at step 11 of the I. Phase)
On this turn Malta Status air missions to the Valletta hex would roll on the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table, Per WW Rule 37I2a.

There were no gsp’s present in the Valletta hex at the start of the Axis player turn.

Western Desert (Libya & Egypt) [{beginning of the turn}/end of turn]:

Tripolitania Garrison Box:
0-1-6* Inf III 290 GaF
0-1-6* Inf III 340 GaF
0-1-6* Inf III 350 GaF
0-2-6* Inf III 330 GaF

Tripoli (18A:0121) [clear terrain dot city/major port hex transportation line junction coast hex]:
Axis Supply Terminal marker
fort marker
0 pos flk unit AA=3 [Italian]
5 steps of attack supply [all began turn here; never moved]
1.5 Ger arm Replacement Points (RPs) [began turn here; not expended or moved this turn]
3 It inf RPs [began turn in the mainland Europe off-map holding box; in the I. Phase these It inf RPs transferred to the Licata port/airfield hex, in Sicily; in the M. Phase they were air transported to here, two It inf RPs in the It SM 79-1 B type and one It inf RP in the Ger LW He 111H4 B type air unit, along with a Ger inf RP]
1 Ger inf RP [began turn in the mainland Europe off-map holding box; in the I. Phase this Ger inf RP transferred to the Licata port/airfield hex, in Sicily; in the M. Phase the Ger inf RP was air transported to here in the Ger LW He 111H4 B type air unit, along with an It inf RP]

18A:0122 [Castel Benito; clear terrain secondary rail line hex, S of Tripoli]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Misurata (18A:1022) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield
one step of attack supply [began turn at Homs (18A:0522); in the E. Phase it spent 5 SMPs moving along the coast road to here]

Sirte (18A:1727) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
fort marker
3-cap permanent airfield
1 resource point [began turn here; never moved]
Ju 88A4 4B5 3-7/26 [inop.; began turn at Bengasi (18A:3121); at the very beginning of the M. Phase it staged to Sirte and flew the Malta Status strat bombing air mission; used the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; returned by flack; returned to base here]
Ju 88A4 4B5 3-7/26 [inop.; began turn at Bengasi; at the very beginning of the M. Phase it staged to Sirte and flew the Malta Status strat bombing air mission; used the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; Miss; returned to base here]
Ju 88A4 4B5 3-7/26 [inop.; began turn at Bengasi; at the very beginning of the M. Phase it staged to Sirte and flew the Malta Status strat bombing air mission; used the 2 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; Hit; returned to base here]

18A:2730 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:2428; in the E. Phase it spent 3 SMPs moving along the road to here]

El Agheila (18A:2930) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip

Agedabia (18A:3327) [clear terrain point city road junction hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip

Bengasi (18A:3121) [clear terrain reference city/major port transportation line junction hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
12 port damage hit markers
4 pos flk AA=1 [Italian; began turn here; never moved]
3-6 Inf XX 25 Bol [began turn here; never moved]
one step of attack supply [began turn here; never moved]

Soluch (18A:3222) [clear terrain point city secondary rail terminus hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

18A:3617 [rough terrain road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

18A:3618 [Maraua; rough terrain road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

18A:3920 [stony desert road hex, SW of El Mechili]:
0-1-6* Inf III 280 GaF [began turn at 18A:3228; admin moved 12 hexes along the road to here]

18A:4218 [stony desert road hex]:
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:3228, in the E. Phase it spent 15 SMPs moving along the road to here]

Derna (18A:4116) [rough terrain point city/minor port coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

1 port damage hit marker
8* Inf XX HQ 9 LA (Ger) [began turn at 18A:3622, NE of Zaulet Msus; admin moved 12 hexes along the roads to here]
0-6 Lt AA II AA=1 38 [began turn here; never moved]
CR 42AS 3F3 1/8 [inop; began turn here; early in the M. Phase it flew a fighter on an airbase bombing mission to the Tobruch target hex; Hit; returned to base here]
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (LW) [inop.; began turn at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518); early in the M. Phase it flew a tac port bombing air mission to the Tobruch hex; Hit; returned to base here]
Ca 311 2B2 1/L/14 [inop.; began turn at 18A:0403, at Sicily, late in the E. Phase it flew the air transfer air mission to here]

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield
8 Inf XX HQ 102 Trn [began turn here; never moved]
MC 200 3F4 1/8 [inop.; on the Jul II 41 Allied E. Phase it did a non-phasing air transfer mission to Ain el Gazala from 18A:0603, on Sicily; early in the M. Phase of this turn it flew a fighter on an airbase bombing mission to the Tobruch target hex; Miss; returned to base here]
BR 20M 3NB4 2-5/24 [inop.; began turn at 18A:2730; early in the M. Phase it flew a daylight strat port bombing air mission to the Tobruch target hex; returned by flack; returned to base here]
Br 20M 3NB4 2-5/24 [inop; turn ARP build; placed at 18A:2730, in Libya, at step 14 of the I. Phase; early in the M. Phase it flew a daylight strat port bombing air mission to the Tobruch target hex; returned by flack; returned to base here]

18A:4718 [clear terrain coast road hex; SW of Tobruch]:
3-cap temporary airfield
3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs [began turn here; never moved]
3-6 Inf XX 55 Sav [began turn here; never moved]
0-6 Cons III 5 A [began turn here; continued the construction of a 2-turn fort in the hex begun in the Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase; projected to be completed on the Aug I 41 Axis I. Phase]
1-8 Aslt Eng II 31 G [began turn here; never moved]
1-6 Hv AA II 29 [began turn here; never moved]
3-4-8 Art III 221 (Ger) [began turn here; never moved]
MC 200 3F4 1/8 [inop; began turn here; early in the M. Phase it flew the Escort air mission to the Tobruch target hex w/ the large air op; returned to base here]
Me 109F1 6F6 1/8 [inop.; began turn here; early in the M. Phase it flew the Escort air mission to the Tobruch target hex w/ the large air op; did air combat w/ the intercepting SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit based at Tobruch; rolled a Return in air combat; returned to base here]
SM 79-2 2B3 3-4/V/20 [inop.; began turn at Derna (18A:4116), in Libya; early in the M. Phase it flew a tac port bombing air mission to the Tobruch target hex; Hit; returned to base here]

18A:4818 [clear terrain road hex; S of Tobruch]:
7-6-8 Arm XX 132 Ar [assembled here in the E. Phase from its component parts; upgrade of the 5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar]
4-3-6 Tnk III 132 [turn reinf; successfully sea transported in a turn reinf NTP to Derna (18A:4116), and then admin moved along the coast road to 18A:4618; exploited to here in the E. Phase]
8 Arm XX HQ [breakdown of the 5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar; the lt arm XX’s HQ component is indicated as an arm XX HQ unit on the counter; the 5-8 Lt Arm XX began the turn at 18A:4818 and broke down into its unsupported component parts in the M. Phase; the 8 Arm XX HQ unit then regular moved to 18A:5121; in the E. Phase it exploited to here and assembled for the first time into the new upgraded 7-6-8 Arm XX 132 Ar unit]
2-10 Mot Inf III 8B [breakdown of the 5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar; the 5-8 Lt Arm XX began the turn at 18A:4818 and broke down into its unsupported component parts in the M. Phase; the unsupported 2-10 Mot Inf III component part then regular moved to 18A:5121; in the E. Phase it exploited to here and assembled for the first time into the new upgraded 7-6-8 Arm XX 132 Ar unit]
{5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar [began turn here; in the M. Phase it broke down into its unsupported components for the last time; in the E. Phase the unit assembled into its upgraded 7-6-8 Arm XX for the first time; the old 5-8 Lt Arm XX unit was permanently removed from play]}
2-3-6 Art III 24 C [began turn here; never moved]
one step of attack supply [began turn here; never moved]

18A:4918 [clear terrain coast road hex; SE of Tobruch]:
2-1-8 Lt Arm III 32  [breakdown of the 5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar; the 5-8 Lt Arm XX began the turn at 18A:4818 and broke down into its unsupported component parts in the M. Phase; the unsupported “relic” 2-1-8 Lt Arm III 32 component part of the 5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar then regular moved to 18A:5121; in the E. Phase it exploited to here]
0-6 Cons III 10 A [began turn here; spent 4 MPs in the hex upgrading the track to a road; then it spent its last 2 MPs in the hex continuing the construction of a new temporary airfield in hex 4918, increasing the completed MP construction count to 3]
8-7-10* Pz XX 5 Le (Ger) [began turn here; never moved]
3-4-6 Art III 5 A [began turn here; never moved]

18A:4620 [clear terrain hex]:
1-8 Inf III 61 [began turn at 18A:4819; regular moved to here]

18A:4720 [clear terrain hex]:
0-8 Cons III Afr (Ger) [turn reinf; began the turn at Derna (18A:4116); regular moved to here]
2-8 Inf III 155 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4918, SE of Tobruch; regular moved to here]
18A:4819 [clear terrain hex; 2 hexes S of Tobruch]:

1-8 Inf III 62 [began turn at 18A:5018; regular moved to here]
1-8 Mot Art III 2 AC [began turn here; never moved]

18A:5018 [clear terrain hex]:
1-6 Tnk II 4 [began turn at 18A:4618; regular moved to 18A:5020; exploited to here]
1-8 Mot Art III 1 AC [began turn here; never moved]

18A:5119 [clear terrain hex]:
1-10 Mot AT II 605 (Ger) [began turn here; never moved]
1-8 Mot Art III 3 AC [began turn here; never moved]

19A:0219 [clear terrain hex]:
9-10 Pz XX 15 (Ger) [began turn here; never moved]
3-10 Mot Inf III 115 (Ger) [began turn here; in the M. Phase it moved to 19A:0725, capturing various Siwa road hexes along the way; exploited back to here in the E. Phase]
2-10 Mot Hv AA III AA=4 135 (Ger LW) [began turn here; in the M. Phase it moved to 19A:0721, but not before advancing farther eastwards and capturing various Siwa road hexes along the way; exploited back to here in the E. Phase]
2-10 Mot Inf III 7 B [began turn here; in the M. Phase it moved eastwards along the Egyptian coast road up to 19A:1018, and then double-backed to 19A:0618, capturing the various coast road hexes along the way, including the Sidi Barrani point city hex at 19A;0718; exploited back to here]

Porto Bardiya (19A:0318) [clear terrain unimproved fortress/point city/minor port road terminus coast hex]:
unimproved fortress
4 port damage hit markers
3-6 Inf XX 17 Pav [began turn here; never moved]
2-3-8 Art III 16C [began turn at 18A:4818; regular moved to here]

Crete [end of turn]:
Khania (18A:4403) [rough terrain reference city/standard port road terminus coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Erakleion (18A:4903) [rough terrain reference city/standard port coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

On Scarpanto [end of turn]:
Scarpanto (19A:0701) [rough port point city minor port hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

At Rodi [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:
Rodi (20A:2230) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
{Ju 52 1T2 0/20 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn at Rodi (20A:2230); Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq; at step 14 of the I. Phase it withdrew from the Intervention, permanently withdrawing from the game]}

20A:2331 [rough terrain coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Med/NA Replacement Pool [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]

1 x 2-6 Inf XX 60 Sbr
1 x 2-10 Mot Inf III 10 B
1 x 2-1-8 Lt Tnk III 3
2 x 1-8 Lt Tnk X 1,2
5 x 1-6 Tnk II 1, 3, 5, 6, 21
1 x Para Inf III Tonini
3 x 0-1-6* Inf III 300 GaF, 310 GaF, 320 GaF
1 x 3-4-6 Art III 24 dM
3 x 2-3-6 Art III 10 C, 20 C, 21 C
1 x 1-6 Art III 23 C
1 x 3-4-6 Art III 8 A [Jun I 41 Axis turn reinf; sunk in sea transit to Libya that turn by Allied anti-shipping, per the Naval Table]
4 x 0 pos flk unit AA=1 [Italian]
Med/NA Aborted Air Units Box:
CR 42 3F3 0/9 [here since the start of the new Scenario; per ER-II]
{He 111H4 4B4 2-7/22  (Ger LW) [aborted in the Jul I 41 Axis C. Phase by Tobruch AA fire when it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; rebuilt this Axis I. Phase, at step 14, and placed at the Licata airfield hex, in Sicily]}
{Br 20M 3NB4 2-5/24 [aborted in the Jul I 41 C. Phase by Tobruch AA fire when it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; rebuilt this Axis I. Phase, at step 14, and placed at the airfield at 18A:2730, in Libya]}
{Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (Ger LW) [in the Jul II 41 Allied M. Phase it performed the Naval Patrol air mission at the 19A:0717 target hex against Allied naval force; aborted; rebuilt this Axis I. Phase, at step 14, and placed at the airfield at 18A:0603, in Sicily]}

Med/NA Command Eliminated Air Units Box:

Me 110D 5HF5 4-2/12 [in the Jul II 41 Allied M. Phase it performed the Escort air mission at the 19A:0717 target hex, escorting the Naval Patrol air mission at the hex; killed in air combat]

Axis Near East Command

Per the Allied player’s Variable Levant Surrender Table dice roll, done at step 13 of the current Axis I. Phase, the Vichy French Levant immediately surrenders to the Allies.  All Vichy French forces in the Levant are removed from the maps, except for the Vichy Fr LeO 251 B type air unit beginning the turn at Alep, which Withdraws to mainland Europe at step 14 of the current Axis I. Phase.  However, the Axis player still retains control over the hexes in the Levant he owns, which is presumably officially determined at steps 11 & 12 of the current Axis I. Phase.  In addition to some remaining hex control, the Axis player also retains control of the previously Vichy French-controlled Levant railcap, SMPs, and intrinsic AA.

Updated Select Initial Conditions Recap & Current Status for the remaining Axis-controlled Vichy French Levant on the Jul II 41 Axis turn:

Vichy French Levant Standard Supply Terminals:  None, after the surrender

SMPs: 4, after surrender; Axis controlled

Rail Capacity, Levant Rail net: 3, after surrender; Axis controlled

Intrinsic Vichy French Levant AA: Per the WW Intrinsic Light AA Summary, 1 point per remaining Axis controlled dot and major city hex in the Levant.  In our case here, this would be at dot city Beyrouth and at partial city hex Alep, which are still Axis-controlled.

Remaining Axis-controlled Vichy French Levant [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:

Beyrouth (20A:4207) [rough terrain dot city/standard port transportation line junction coast hex]:
still Axis controlled

Tripoli (20A:4005) [rough terrain reference city/minor port transportation line coast hex]:
railhead marker
hit marker on reference city airbase
still Axis controlled

Homs (20A:3902) [clear terrain reference city transportation line junction hex]:
hit marker on reference city airbase
still Axis controlled

Hama (20A:3702) [clear terrain reference city major rail line hex]:
hit marker on reference city airbase
still Axis controlled

Alep (20A:3231) [clear terrain partial city transportation line junction hex]:
{ME 110C 5HF5 1/12 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq; at step 14 of the I. Phase it withdrew from the Intervention, permanently withdrawing from the game]}
{He 111H4 4B4 2-7/22 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq; at step 14 of the I. Phase it withdrew from the Intervention, permanently withdrawing from the game]}
{LeO 451 3B5 2-5/25 (Vichy French) [inop.; began turn here; per the WitD Neutrals OB booklet this Vichy French unit transfers back to mainland Europe when the Vichy Levant surrenders; withdraws at step 14 of the current I. Phase, permanently withdrawing from the game]}

{4 Axis-specific gsp’s, generated in the Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase at the Axis standard port of Rodi, in the Dodecanese, and air transported from Rodi to here in the Jul I 41 Axis M. Phase; removed from the maps at step 24 of the current I. Phase}
still Axis controlled

Vichy French Levant Replacement Pool [end of turn]:

A-8 Mot Cav II Lev (TS) [eliminated in combat in the Jul II 41 Allied C. Phase at 20A:4102, in Vichy French Syria]
A-8 Cav III Tcher (TS) [eliminated in combat in the Jul II 41 Allied C. Phase at 20A:4206, in Vichy French Lebanon]
2-6* Inf III 22 TA (Afr) [eliminated at 20A:4308 in the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III 6 CdA (Afr) [eliminated at 20A:4308 in the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase]
3-6* Inf III 24 MC (Col) [eliminated at Saida (20A:4408) in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III 7 CA (Afr) [eliminated at Saida (20A:4408) in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-6* Inf III 17 TS (Col) [eliminated at 20A:4707; in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-6* Inf III 22 TA (Afr) [eliminated in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase]
1-8 Cav III 2 MS (Afr) [eliminated in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase]

Axis & Non-Phasing Allied air unit activity near the end of the Exploitation Phase:

In sequential order, as done

The It G 50 3F3 0/9 air unit beginning the turn at Scarpanto (19A:0701), in the Dodecanese, flew the air transfer air mission to Licata (18A:0102), at Sicily.

The Ger LW Me 109E  7F5  1/7 air unit beginning the turn at 18A:4718, SW of Tobruch, in Libya, flew the air transfer air mission to 18A:0403, at Sicily.

Seeing that there are now no operative Axis air units in the zone, the Br Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 air unit beginning the turn at Matruh  (19A:1218), in Egypt, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Tobruch (18A:4817), in Libya.

The Br Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 air unit beginning the turn at Damas (20A:4505), in Syria, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Matruh, in Egypt.

The Br Blen 4  3B3  1-2/23 air unit beginning the turn at Haifa (20A:4710), in Palestine, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to 19A:1418, in Egypt.

The Br Blen 4 3B3 1-2/23 air unit beginning the turn at 20A:4308, in Lebanon, south of Beyrouth, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to El Alamein (19A:2119), in Egypt.

The RAAF Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 air unit beginning the turn at Damas, in Syria, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Alexandria, in Egypt.

The Br Glad  3F3  0/8 beginning the turn at Alexandria, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Isamilia (19A:3516), in Egypt.

The Br Bombay  1T2  1-2/15 air unit beginning the turn at Damas, in Syria, flew a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Port Said (19A:3413), in Egypt.

In pro-Allied neutral Iraq [end of turn]:

In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario the pro-Axis Iraqi coup automatically occurs in the Apr I 41 Axis Initial Phase.

The Iraqi coup collapsed at step 4 of the Initial Phase of the May II 41 Axis turn, when the Allied player rolled the dice checking for an Iraqi Coup Collapse, using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table, per WW Rule 38J5.

This Axis turn, At step 2 of the Initial Phase, the Axis player did the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and came up with a 2: Fawzi changes mode but does not move. The Axis player flips the Fawzi unit to its combat mode and removes the Fawzi dummy guerrilla unit at hex 21A:4825.

21A:4824 [sand hex]:

0-1-8 Inf II Fawzi (Bandit) [began turn here, in the guerrilla mode; at step 2 of the I. Phase it was flipped to the combat mode; per the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll it cannot move this turn]

Turn Activity

At step 2 of the I. Phase the Axis player does the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and comes up with a 2: Fawzi changes mode but does not move.  The Fawzi dummy guerrilla unit is removed from the maps.

At step 11 of the I. Phase the Aus 2-8 Inf X 19 at Lattique (20A:3405), along the Vichy French Syrian Mediterranean coastline, is no longer Black U-2; it can trace a supply line to an Allied standard supply terminal.  The Allied forces at Tobruch are still isolated and the ground units there are all at U-4 supply status; but all forces in the Tobruch hex are in special general supply due to the gsp’s available there at the supply determination step of the I. Phase.  See the text above or pictures below for  more detail.  At Malta the Allied ground units there are in definite Red U-2 supply status, as there were no gsp’s at Valletta at the start of the turn.

At step 13 of the I. Phase the Allied player checks for Variable Levant Surrender, per WW Optional Rule 38V3f, rolling the dice and using the Variable Levant Surrender Table. This turn the Allied player gets a +1 modifier if “this is the second or later turn that Damas is Allied-owned”, a +2 if “a supplied Allied unit is adjacent to a Vichy-owned Beyrouth”, but also a -1 if “an Allied unit has been eliminated or reduced to cadre in [the] Levant”, for an adjusted +2 overall modifier to the dice roll. The lucky Allied player rolls an 11, which is modified to a 13:  Surrender!  And so the fighting has ended in the Vichy French Levant.  In the case of a Vichy French Levant surrender, then per WW Rule 38V3f & d, “all Vichy ground and air units [except the LeO 451 B type air unit] in the Levant are removed from play; these forces are considered to be eliminated.”  Furthermore, per WW Rule 38A5-Surrender, “a neutral that surrenders forfeits all accumulated replacements and no longer receives any reinforcements.”  I take all this to mean that all Vichy French/Axis-controlled land hexes in the Levant are still owned by the Axis side until these said land hexes are later captured by Allied ground units or otherwise deemed owned by the Allies, per WW Rules 5B & 5B3 & 4.  Technically then, and explicitly per WW Rule 38A5, the remaining Vichy French/Axis-controlled Levant railcap, SMPs, port, rail lines, airbases, and land hexes are still under the control of the Axis player, including the applicable Axis-owned hexes for administrative movement.  Thus the Axis Ger LW air units at Alep, in northern Vichy French Syria, along with the 4 Axis-specific gsp’s in that hex, remain on-map there at this still Axis-controlled hex, even after the formal Vichy French Levant’s surrender at step 13 of the Jul II 41 Axis I. Phase and the removal of virtually all their forces from the map in the Vichy French Levant.  In addition to that, the Vichy Fr LeO 451  3B5  2-5/25 air unit, beginning the turn at Alep, remains in the hex until step 14 of the current Axis I. Phase, when it Withdraws back to mainland Europe, per the WitD Neutrals OB, at p. 5.  In this case the Vichy French Levant air unit is not counted as eliminated for the Allied WW VP count purposes; nor are surrendered or eliminated Vichy French TS units counted for WW VP purposes, I think.

Finally, it should be noted here that had the Vichy French Levant campaign continued deeper into 1941 without a Vichy French surrender, then on the Sep I 41 and Nov 1 41 Axis turn air cycles, in the new Scenario, the resistive Vichy French Levant would have received 1 Vichy French ARP on each of those two turns as a Conditional Reinforcement, per the WitD Neutrals booklet, at pages 16 & 17.

At step 14 of the I. Phase the Axis player transfers 3 It inf RPs and 1 Ger Inf RP from the mainland Europe off-map holding box, where they were stored, to the Licata port/airfield hex at 18A:0102, in Sicily, per WW Rule 37 C2a, in anticipation of air transporting them over the Cent Med sea zone to Tripoli, in Libya.  At step 14 of the I. Phase the Optional Axis Near East Forces that are at Rodi, in the Dodecanese, and Alep, in the Vichy French Levant, are permanently withdrawn from the game by decision of the Axis player, per WW Optional Rule 38J6, and are removed from the maps, as is also the Vichy Fr LeO 451 B type air unit, beginning the turn at Alep, which is withdrawn back to mainland Europe.  The Axis intervention into the Near East epoch is over.

At step 16 of the I. Phase the Allied player converts the step of attack supply at Tobruch into 12 new gsp’s, per WW Rule 12C4b.

At step 24 of the I. Phase the Allied player removes from the map the 12 old gsp’s at Tobruch that were generated there on the earlier Jul II 41 Axis phase from a step of attack supply then at the hex.  There are still 2 old gsp’s at the Tobruch hex that were sea transported into the hex in the Jul II 41 Allied M. Phase.  In Syria the 4 Axis-specific gsp’s at the Alep hex are removed from the map that were generated on the Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase at Rodi, and then air transported to Alep.  The Vichy French gsp’s present in the Alep hex at the start of the turn were removed at step 13 of the current I. Phase, when the Vichy French forces surrendered.

At the very start of the Axis M. Phase, even before doing any sea transport in the naval movement step, the Axis player conducts a series of Malta Status air missions against the Valletta target hex, in an effort to increase the Malta Status number prior to doing any Axis naval transport.  He staggers them one-by-one, in order to promptly quit the bombing air missions after a certain amount has been reached (at least one, but hopefully up to 3 or 4) in order to use the remaining air units for another air mission at the Tobruch target hex.  In spite of committing 5 good Axis air units to the Malta Status bombing air missions, only one Malta Status hit is scored, and he stops there, not wanting to commit either of the two It Br 20M NB type air units, which could have bombed Malta this turn, but which he wants for the Tobruch operation.

Next the Axis player sends a large air op to the Tobruch target hex, escorted by the Ger LW Me 109F1 and the It MC 200 F type air units, based at 18A:4718, adjacent to the Allied fortress.  The recently converted It CR 42AS  3F3  1/8 air unit and the other It MC 200 3F4  1/8 air unit both fly the fighter unit on a bombing mission, per WW Rule 23D1, on an airbase bombing air mission.  When fighters fly the airbase bombing air mission, their tac bombing strength is increased by 1, per WW Rule 20G2a.  In the same air op are the two It Br 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 air units, flying a daytime strat port bombing air mission, along with the Ger LW Ju 87 B D type air unit, flying a tac port bombing air mission.  In this case, with so many Axis air units overhead the Tobruch hex, the Allied SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit based at the hex goes ahead and flies the Intercept air mission, and after the random draw engages the Ger LW Me 109F1 F type air unit in combat.  In the ensuing fighter combat neither air unit is killed or aborted, and so the Axis player continues to the Mission Resolution step, and manages a hit on the Tobruch temporary airfield and inflicts two hits on the Tobruch strong natural harbor port, which is good for a port damage marker of 1.  See the text above or the pictures below for additional details of both the Tobruch and the several Malta air missions.

Both sides do air unit transfers in the Axis E. Phase.  First, the phasing Axis player strengthens his air assets in Sicily, using air units previously based in Libya and at Scarpanto.  Then the non-phasing Allied player evacuates his air units from the now pacified Levant, and also from Palestine, rebasing all of them in Egypt.

Commentary

The collapse of Vichy French resistance in the Levant at step 4 of the Axis I. Phase is certainly a big and arguably an unexpected event in the EA reported Europa game scenario.  It is “big” because the event immediately releases a number of Allied units now available for use in the Egyptian Western Desert against the Axis Afrika Korps milling in the Tobruch zone, in eastern Libya.  It is “unexpected” because this turn it took an Allied dice roll of 11 or 12 to clinch the surrender, and the lucky Allied player rolled an 11.  But a close look at the WW Variable Levant Surrender Table perhaps reveals that Vichy Levant surrender is never a sure thing in the WW Scenarios, even though historically the surrender occurred on the Jul I 41 turn in circumstances similar to what is indicated on the maps in the EA game report, I think.  In fact, if Beyrouth turns out to be a Vichy French “Tobruch” citadel, then, using the implied logic of the given + Modifiers, the Allies should bypass it, thereby still retaining the +2 modifier if “a supplied Allied unit is adjacent to a Vichy-owned Beyrouth”, and instead march northwards to take first a Vichy French-owned Alep, and add its +1 modifier to the dice roll, if it is Allied-owned.  To conquer Beyrouth first is to gain a +1 for its Allied-ownership, but it loses for the Allied player the +2 if “a supplied Allied unit is adjacent to a Vichy-owned Beyrouth.”  Maybe in a revised WW the Allied player could have an additional + modifier benefit of say, an additional +1 modifier for every 5 or 6 Levant point and reference city hexes owned by the Allied player when the Variable Levant Surrender Table is used in the appropriate Axis I. Phases, perhaps after the fall of one of the Vichy French Levant dot or partial city hexes.  In the current Jul II 41 Axis I. Phase the Allied player held 11 such Levant point and reference cities.  There are a total of 16 point and reference cities in the Levant.  This + modifier for the Allied player would give him an incentive to occupy these cities scattered throughout the vast French colonial territory, where in the historical campaign Allied units, mostly from Iraq, did just that.  These remote eastern and central Vichy French Levant cities are otherwise probably ignored in many WW Middle East Campaign Scenarios, for the sake of pursuing the campaign exclusively in Lebanon and far western Syria against the two dot and the single partial city hexes there, currently the only 3 Levant cities fetching + modifiers for the Allies.

Right now it seems to me that the key to prolonged Axis/Vichy French resistance in the Vichy French Levant is not specifically through an Axis intervention into the Vichy French Levant via WW Rule 38V3A-Axis Privileges, but rather by a spirited and prolonged resistance in a pro-Axis coup Iraq.  This would be signaled and enabled by a failed Allied Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table dice roll done on the turn that the critical +5 modifier is used for the “first turn (only) that a supported Allied unit is adjacent to an Iraqi-owned Baghdad”, per the Wavell’s War Errata–28 October 2005 addendum.  In many WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenarios this one time dice roll event will likely occur on the May II 41 turn, and if it fails to bring about the pro-Axis Iraqi coup surrender, the consequences will likely be an additional 2 months to the longevity of pro-Axis coup Iraq, until the Allied player marches up enough Allied forces to the Baghdad coup citadel, along with the needed step of attack supply, to attack Baghdad and take the partial city hex.  A prolonged Iraqi campaign might delay the start and perhaps more likely the conclusion of an Allied invasion of the conniving Vichy French Levant, and with the automatic Iraqi coup embedded in the Apr I 41 Axis turn of the new Scenario, should be part of the Axis side’s strategic considerations for the first half of 1941, I would think.

This turn the Axis player did seriously consider another big Axis attack on Tobruch, similar to the one done the turn before, utilizing again the little Italian 1-8 Asslt Eng II 31 G in order to acquire the critical +1 engineer modifier, but instead he opted for the big Axis air raids on Malta and Tobruch.  Certainly the Axis player is considering attempting soon another big Tobruch attack, but he feels he needs some time to prepare and maneuver.  But time is on the Allied player’s side, more better Axis players might argue; and this may be so, but the Axis player doesn’t want to attack in a panic, like maybe Paulus at Stalingrad, and so he claims to bide his time, for now.  A big Axis attack on Tobruch this turn, using the It assault engineer II for the modifier, would likely have mustered about 31 adjusted ground unit attack factors, against an Allied defense factor of 20.  It would have cancelled out the Malta and Tobruch air raids, sucking up all the available Axis air strength in the Med/NA Command.  It likely would have been done without the Me 110C  5HF5  4-2/12 air unit, presently in the Eliminated Air Units Box of the Med/NA Command Replacement Pool, which is sorely needed in any Axis assault of the improved fortress for its 4 tac factors (halved) on the GA air mission.  The step of attack supply brought up to 18A:4218 in the E. Phase would have to be brought up to the same hex in the M. Phase instead, and expended in the C. Phase along with the only other Axis step of attack supply in the zone, at 18A:4818.  Keeping to the same Axis movement scheme, at the end of the Axis turn that would have left the closest Axis step of attack supply to the Tobruch zone at Benghazi.  There is another one at 18A:2730, two  hexes west of El Agheila.  In a hypothetical Jul II 41 Axis attack on Tobruch, the Axis would likely have to get through the Tobruch 3 factor flack shot at least one 4 tac factor Axis air unit and a host of 3 tac factor air units in order to get the chance for another straight up 2 to 1, with a 50-50 chance of winning the hex.  I agree, it’s hard to say prior to any combat die roll what would have been the best Axis strategy on the Jul II 41 Axis turn, but what’s done is done in the EA game report.  Part of the Axis scheme of sending Axis arm and inf RPs to Tripoli is to better prepare for big EX and HX results in such big projected Axis Tobruch attacks, or perhaps as a result of big Allied Crusader-type offensive attacks, coming sooner or later.