Author: Greg Bartels (Page 4 of 11)

Apr I 41 Allied Turn

October 27, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

Malta [end of turn]:
Malta Status: 10, at the end of turn [at turn’s start 11 (for 1 hit on Mar II 41 Axis Turn) – 1 repair this turn = 10]
Malta Repair Rate: 1 repair point each turn.
Valletta hex flack factor (intrinsic + hv AA II): 5
Valletta (18A:0407):
3-cap permanent airfield
3-6* Inf X 1 M
2-6* Inf X 2 M
1-8 MG II 2 Ch
0-1-8 Hv AA II AA=2 10
0-4 Cons X MC
4 gsp’s generated on the Apr I 41 Allied turn initial phase. [from Gibraltar, using a W Med NTP]
Note: All units are technically Allied U-2, but are in special general supply due to the gsp’s.

Allied end of Movement Phase dispositions: eastern Libya & Egypt

In Libya [end of turn]:
All indicated hexes are Allied owned.
Bengasi (18A:3121) [clear terrain reference city/major port transportation line nexus coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
12 hits on the port

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

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

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

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road escarpments hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip is present in hex at the turn’s start, but in the M. Phase it is destroyed by the Ind 1-10* Mot Inf X 3.
[vacant]

18A:4618 [clear terrain coast road escarpments hex; E of Gazala]:
8 Inf XX HQ 9 (Aus) [admin moved 16 hexes along road from Bengasi (18A:3121)]
2-8 Inf X 20 (Aus) [admin moved from Bengasi]
1-8 MG II 1 RNF [admin moved from Bengasi]
1 step of attack supply [spent 12 SMPs moving along the road from Barce]

Tobruch (18A:4817) [clear terrain point city/standard port/fortress road junction escarpment coast hex]:
unimproved fortress
1-cap temporary airfield, constructed in the M. Phase by the 0-1-4 cons X in the hex.
0-1-4 Cons X 66 RPC (Col) [never moved; spent 4 MPs building the 1-cap temporary airfield]
0-1-8 Hv AA II AA=2 51 [never moved]
2-8 Inf X 24 (Aus) [at start at Tobruch; moved one hex to 18A:4818 and inflicted 2 hits on the 3-cap permanent airfield, then moved back into Tobruch]
one step of attack supply [one of the two steps beginning at Zaulet Msus (18A:3523); used 16 SMPs in the M. Phase moving to here along the road]
1 resource point [broken down in the I. Phase from the step of attack supply beginning the turn at Tobruch; in the M. Phase the other two resource points are shipped out of Tobruch to Martuh and Alexandria]
Blen 4 3B3 1-2/23 [inop.; air transferred to here from 18A:3618 in the M. Phase]

18A:4818 [clear terrain escarpment road hex; S of Tobruch]:
3-cap permanent airfield w/ 2 hits of damage done this turn
3-8 Art 13 [admin moved 15 hexes to here along road from Barce (18A:3418)]
2-8 Inf X 26 (Aus) [admin moved 15 hexes to here along road from Barce]
Hurri 1 5F5 1/8 [operative; never moved]

18A:4819 [clear terrain road hex; 2 hexes S of Tobruch]:
1-10* Mot Inf X 3 (Ind) [began at 18A:4818; in M. Phase it regular moved to Ain el Gazala and destroyed the 1-cap permanent airstrip, then moved back to 4818; in the E. Phase it first moved to 18A:5018 and inflicted two hits of damage on the 3-cap permanent airfield there, then moved to here]
1-10 Mot Inf II 1 M (FF) [in M. Phase regular moved from Zaulet Msus to 18A:4318; later exploited to here]
1-2-10* Mot SG X AA=1 7 [railed from Alexandria to Matruh, then admin moved along road to 19A:0618; later exploited to here]
3-2-10 Arm X 7 [railed from Alexandria to Matruh, then admin moved along road to 19A:0618, later exploited to here]
2-1-6 Tnk II 4 RT [turn reinf; disembarked at Porto Bardiya, then regular moved two hexes to 18A:5119; in the E. Phase it first moved one hex to 18A:5018 and inflicted one hit of damage on the 3-cap permanent airfield there, then moved to here]

19A:0319 [clear terrain coastal cliffs coast road border hex; S of Porto Bardiya]:
3-8 Inf X 22 G [began at Alexandria; railed to Matruh, then admin moved along the road to here]

Porto Bardiya (19A:0318) [clear terrain point city/minor port/fortress escarpment road terminus coast hex]:
unimproved fortress hex
1-8 AT II 65 [began at Tobruch; regular moved to here]

Apr I 41 Allied EOT dispositions; Eastern Libya and Western Egypt

In Egypt [end of turn]:
Halfaya Pass (19A:0419) [coast road escarpments border hex]:
7-8 Inf XX 7 (Aus) [assembled here at the end of the M. Phase]
8 Inf XX HQ 7 (Aus) [began at Alexandria; railed to Matruh, then admin moved to here along the coast road]
2-8 Inf X 21 (Aus) [began at Alexandria; railed to Matruh, then admin moved to here along the coast road]
2-8 Inf X 25 (Aus) [began at Alexandria; railed to Matruh, then admin moved to here along the coast roadd]
2-8 Inf X 18 (Aus) [began at Matruh; admin moved along the coast road to here]

19A:0618 [clear terrain coast road hex; SW of Sidi Barrrani]:
2-1-6 Tnk II 7 RT [began at Disuq (20A:5026/19A:2815); railed to Matruh, where it ends the M. Phase; moved to here in E. Phase]

Matruh (19A:1218) [clear terrain point city/minor port transportation line junction coast hex]:
railhead marker
3-cap permanent airfield
2-8 Eng X 1 (Aus) [turn reinf.; sea transported to Suez, then railed to here]
1 resource point [sea transported to here from Tobruch using one E Med NTP]
Glad 3F3 0/8 [inop.; air transferred to here from Alexandria in E. Phase]
Blen 4 3B3 1-2/23 [inop.; air transferred to here from Alexandria in M. Phase]

19A:1418 [clear terrain major rail line coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Alexandria (20A:4930/19A:2416) [full hex city/major rail line coast hex]:
Supply Terminal marker
3-cap permanent airfield
2-8 Inf X 16 [began at Suez; admin moved along transportation lines to here]
0-2-6 Hv AA X AA=4 NMBDO 1 (RM) [never moved]
one step of attack supply [turn reinf; sea transported to Suez, then railed to here]
one resource point [sea transported to here from Tobruch using one E Med NTP]
Glad 3F3 0/8 [inop.; air transferred to here from Ismailia in E. Phase]

Cairo (19A:3219): [full hex city/transportation lines nexus hex]:
2-8 Inf X 23 [never moved]

Cairo (19A:3320) [clear terrain partial city hex; SE of Cairo full hex city hex]:
3-cap permanent air field

Ismailia (19A:3516) [sand reference city/standard port/Suez Canal transportation line junction hex]:
1-8 Marine Cmdo X Layf [never moved]

Suez (19A:3718) [clear terrain reference city/major port/Suez Canal transportation line junction coast hex]:
Supply Terminal marker
1-8 Inf II 11 (CS) [moved to here from Port Said]

Apr I 41 Apr I 41 Allied EOT dispositions: Eastern Libya & Egypt

In Palestine [end of turn]:
Gaza (19A:4211) [clear terrain point city major rail line coast hex]:
1-8 Cav X 5 [never moved]

Tel Aviv (20A:5011/19A:4308) [clear terrain dot city/minor port major rail junction coast hex]:
1-8 Cav X 6 [never moved]

19A:4608 [rough terrain road hex; NE of Jerusalem]:
2-1-8 Cav X 4 [moved 1 hex to here from Jeursalem (19A:4509), where it began]

Haifa (20A:4710/19A:4305) [clear terrain dot city/major port transportation line junction coast hex]:
railhead marker
3-8* Mtn X Karp (Pol) [never moved]
0-8 Marine Cmdo II ME [began turn at Limassol (20A:3615), on Cyprus; sea transported to here using one E Med NTP]
Bombay 1T2 1-2/15 [operative; never moved]

Greece Off-Map Holding Box [end of turn]:
4-3-10* Arm X 1
3-8 Inf X 5 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X 16 (Aus)
2-8 Inf X 17 (Aus) [sea transported to Greece from Port Said using one E Med NTP; done this turn per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB; transfer based on ER-II and WitD/WW WD Scenario Allied OBs]
2-8 Inf X 19 (Aus) [sea transported to Greece from Port Said using one E Med NTP; done this turn per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB; transfer based on ER-II and WitD/WW WD Scenario Allied OBs]
2-8 Inf X 4 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X 6 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X 14
8 Inf XX HQ 2 (NZ)
8 Inf XX HQ 6 (Aus)
3-2-28 Art X W
0-8 Lt AA II AA=1 57
0-1-4 Cons X 43 RPC
5 pos AA AA=1
1 step of attack supply [turn reinforcement; sea transported to here; done this turn per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB; based on ER-II and WitD/WW WD Scenario Allied OBs]
Well 1C 3NB4 1-6/28 [remains here this turn per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB]
Blen 1 2B3 1-2/16
Hurri 1 5F5 1/8

WW ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario

In Iraq:
Iraq is still a pro-Allied neutral.
Habbaniya (22A:2828) [clear terrain point city road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 1 AS (Col) [never moved]
Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative; never moved]

Shaibah (22A:4314) [clear terrain point city secondary rail line hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 2 AS (Col) [never moved]

ME Command Replacement Pool:
1-10* Mot SG X AA=1 2 [began 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario @ El Agheila (18A:2930); eliminated in Mar II 41 Axis Combat Phase]
3-2-10 Arm X 3 [began 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario @ El Aghelia; eliminated in Mar II 41 Axis Combat Phase]
3-2-10 Arm X 4 [per ER-II, begins “at-start” in ME Replacement Pool]

Non-Phasing Axis Air Activity in the Allied Exploitation Phase:
Late in the Allied Exploitation Phase the Italian MC 200 F type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Slouch (18A:3222) does a non-phasing transfer air mission to the 3-cap permanent airfield at 18A:0603, in Sicily.

Turn Activity:
Weather die roll: 2, for clear weather in weather zone D; calm seas.
Replacement Points (RPs) are brought on as reinforcements, but no builds are done this turn.
The 4 gsp’s beginning the turn at the Valletta hex (18A:0407) on Malta generated on the Mar II 41 Allied Initial Phase (per the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB) are removed near the end of the Apr I Allied Initial Phase.
In the Movement Phase the Allies destroy one step of attack supply @ Zaulet Msus (18A:3523).
In the course of the Movement Phase the Allies destroy the 1-cap permanent airstrip at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) and the 3-cap permanent airfield at 18A:5018 [Gambut]. They also inflict two hits of damage on the 3-cap airfield at 18A:4818 [El Adem]

In the Initial Phase a step of attack supply at Tobruch is broken down into three resource points. Also at Tobruch, in the Movement Phase the 0-1-4 Cons X 66 RPC (Col) spends 4 MPs in the hex to construct a 1-cap permanent airstrip there.

Apr I 41 Allied EOT; Axis dispositions

In the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, it is given that the “historical situation” occurs in the off-map Balkans and that therefore, in game terms, the Axis player in effect “calls” for German intervention in the Balkans at the competition of the Apr I 41 Allied turn, per WW Rule 38F2b. This certainly could be the case in a WW “Southern Theater of Operations” Scenario or in a WW “Wavell’s War” Scenario, both of which combine the Balkan with the Western Desert and the Near East map groups, along with some others. In our new scenario, the automatic Apr I 41 German intervention in the Balkans is important for the neutral Vichy Levant, as per WW Rule 38V3a, the Axis may afterwards (eg., as early as the Apr I 41 Axis turn) pressure Vichy France to grant Axis privileges in the Levant, per the results of a dice roll done in the following Axis Initial Phases, using the Vichy Levant Table, found on WW Game Play Chart 8. Indeed, per the WW Master Sequence of Play Summary, in the Axis Initial Phase the voluntary dice roll for possible Axis privileges in the Levant occurs before the mandatory dice roll for the Iraqi Coup. More later on Rule 38V3a-Axis Privileges in the Levant, Optional Rule 38J6-Axis Intervention in Iraq, and the new WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario.

Mar II 41 Iraq set-up

Rail movement:
8 Inf XX HQ 7 (Aus) [railed from Alex. to Matruh, then admin moved to 19A:0419]
2-8 Inf X 21 (Aus) [railed from Alex. to Matruh, then admin moved to 19A:0419]
2-8 Inf X 25 (Aus) [railed from Alex. to Matruh, then admin moved to 19A:0419]
2-1-6 Tnk II 7 RT [railed from Disuq (20A:5026/19A:5026) to Matruh]
2-8 Eng X 1 (Aus) [turn reinf. railed from Suez to Matruh]
one turn reinf step of attack supply [after disembarkation at Suez it railed to Alexandria]

Eastern Med. sea transport movement:
2-8 Inf X 17 (Aus) [sea transport on NTP from Port Said to Greece]
2-8 Inf X 19 (Aus) [sea transport on NTP from Port Said to Greece]
0-8 Marine Cmdo II ME [sea transport on NTP to from Cyprus to Haifa (20A:4710)]
one resource point sea transported on NTP from Tobruch to Alexandria
one resource point sea transported on NTP from Tobruch to Matruh

Western Med sea transport movement:
4 gsp’s generated on the Apr I 41 Allied Initial Phase at Gibraltar [to Malta; on 1 W Med NTP]

Replacement Point Inventory:
Br inf: 5 at-start + 2 turn reinf. = 7 EOT
Br arm: 1.5 at-start + .5 turn reinf. = 2 EOT
Aus inf: 1.5 at-start + .5 turn reinf. = 2 EOT
NZ inf: 1.5 at-start + .5 turn reinf. = 2 EOT
Note: All accumulated Allied inf and arm RPs are stored at the Alexandria hex.

Apr I 41 Allied EOT off-map display detail

Commentary:
It appears the Allied player can do little this turn but retreat as the newly constituted Afrika Korps asserts itself. The Allies must watch their losses and brace up for the numerous upcoming demands. The element of the surprise offensive inherent in the Scenario’s ER-II Mar II 41 Axis turn start date and the forward and vulnerable Allied at-start set-up at El Ageheila both make for the destruction of the Allied armored force there and also for the belated beginning of the fortress improvement construction labor at Tobruch. Also, contrary to what is offered in the ER-II Scenario and WW Western Desert Scenario Allied OBs, in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario the British Well 1C NB type air unit will remain in the Greece off-map holding box until the May II 41 Allied turn. Here it is assumed that it will be needed each turn in Greece against a good Axis player executing Operation Marita.

War-game strategists may take notice that the Axis player has again done nothing with the LW Ju 87B and Ju 87R air units (one each, for a total of 2 units) based this Allied player turn at Soluch. Beginning the 1941 ME Scenario at Sicily, these LW air units did not fly the Malta Status bombing mission from there; instead they flew the air transfer mission to Soluch (18A:3222), in Libya, in the Axis Exploitation Phase. This turn they could have flown non-phasing harassment air missions in the Cyrenaica, thereby certainly hindering the eastwards admin movement of the forward Allied ground units there; but again they fiddled in their tents, perhaps poised for the unlikely DAS air mission just in case the Allied player rashly attacked the spear points of the forward Axis motorized columns just south of Soluch and Zaulet Msus. But throughout the second quarter of 1941 the Axis player might ought to watch his losses in the MTO, especially the air units. I’m currently thinking that “success” in the Middle East campaign in this epoch will revolve around what will happen at Tobruch, Habbaniya, and Baghdad on likely either the May I or the May II 41 turns. And so in the opening turns of the Scenario both sides perhaps should be patient and prudent, preparing for these critical future turns by preserving until then their decisive assets and maneuvering these assets to be readily available in those crucial zones.

Mar II 41 Axis Turn

October 23, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

Mainland Europe off-map holding box [end of turn]:
3 Italian inf replacement points [ER-II at start]
2 Ger ARPs [ER-II at start]

In Sicily [end of turn]:
Licata (18A:0102) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
SM 79-1 2B3 1-5/22 [inop., strat bombed Malta Status late in the M. Phase; Hit; at-start @ Misurata (18A:1022), in Libya]

Coast hex 18A:0403:
3-cap permanent airfield
G 50 3F3 0/9 [inop., transferred to here from Tripoli late in the E. Phase]
Ca 309 2B1 1/L/9 [inop., tac bombed Malta Status late in the M. Phase, returned by flack; at-start @ 18A:0403, in Sicily]

Coast hex 18A:0603:
3-cap permanent airfield

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

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

Mar II 41 Axis end of Movement Phase Malta Status attacks (2)

Malta Status:
At the beginning of the Scenario: 10, +1 for Malta Status hit late in the M. Phase = 11 at the end of the turn

Libya [end of turn]:
Tripolitania Garrison Box:
0-1-6* Inf III 280 GaF
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 transportation line junction coast hex]:
Axis Standard Supply marker
fort marker
1 resource point
0 pos flk unit AA=3 [Italian]
Br 20M 3NB4 2-5/24 [inop., strat night-bombed Malta Status late in the M. Phase; Miss; at-start @ 18A:0701 (Sicily)]

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

Homs 18A:0522 [rough terrain point city/minor port road junction coast hex]:
1 step of attack supply [began turn at Tripoli; in E. Phase spends 4 SMPs to move along the coast road to here]

18A:0923 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-6 Inf XX 55 Sav [admin moved here from Garian (18A:0125)]
1 step of attack supply [began turn at Tripoli; in E. Phase spends 8 SMPs to move along the coast road to here]

Misurata (18A:1022) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield
He 111H4 4B4 2-7/S/22 (Ger LW) [inop.; bombed Malta Status late in the M. Phase, returned by flack; at-start @ 18A:0603 (Sicily)]

Sirte (18A:1727) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
fort marker (completed in the Mar II 41 Axis initial phase)
3-cap permanent airfield [began turn as 1-cap permanent airfield; in the M. Phase enlarged by 0-6 Cons III 5A by spending four MPs in the hex]
3-4-6 Art III 5A [admin moved along road from Misurata]
1-6 Hv AA II 29 [admin moved along road from Misurata]
1 resource point
2 x Ju 88A1 3B5 2-5/26 (Ger LW) [both inop.; both bombed Malta Status late in the M. Phase; both Missed; at-start @ 18A:0603 (Sicily)]

18A:1927 [sand coast road hex]:
0-6 Cons III 5A [regular moved 2 hexes to here from Sirte after enlarging 1-cap permanent airfield there to a 3-cap permanent airfield]

18A:2529 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
1 x 4 pos flk AA=1 [Italian, admin moved along road from Sirte (18A:1727)]

18A:2730 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
3-6 Inf XX 25 Bol [admin moved along road from Sirte (18A:1727)]
3-6 Inf XX 17 Pave [admin moved along road from 18A:1927]
2 x 1-8* Inf III 61, 62 [admin moved along road from 18A:1927; in M. Phase broke down from the 102 Trn Inf XX]
2-3-6 Art III 24 C [admin moved along road from 18A:1927]
2-3-8 Art III 16 C [admin moved along road from 18A:1927]
Me 110D 5HF5 4-1/12 (Ger LW) [inop.; did GS mission; began turn here]
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; did GS mission; began turn here]
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; did GS mission; began turn here]
one step of attack supply [never moved]

18A:2829 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs [moved to here from 18A:2629]

El Ageheila (18A:2930) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip
CR 42 3F3 0/9 [inop.; air transferred to here late in E. Phase from 18A:0403 (Sicily)]

Agedabia (18A:3327) [clear terrain point city road junction hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip
1 step of attack supply [began at 18A:2730; in E. Phase spends 7 SMPs to move along the road to here]
CR 42 3F3 0/9 [inop.; air transferred to here from Sirte late in the E. Phase]

18A:3427 [clear terrain road hex to Gialo]:
1-8 Mot Art III 2 AC [exploited to here from 18A:2730; at-start @ 18A:1927]

18A:3426 [clear terrain road hex to Msus]:
1-8 Mot Art III 3 AC [exploited to here from 18A:2730; at-start @18A:1927]

18A:3425: [clear terrain road hex to Msus]:
1-10 Mot AT II 605 (Ger) [began @ 18A:2730; ended M. Phase @ 18A:2930; entered El Agheila in C. Phase after combat; exploited to here from El Agheila]

18A:3424 [clear terrain road hex to Msus]:
2-1-8* Lt Arm III 32 [began @ 18A:2629 assembled w/ the 132 Ar Lt Arm XX, but broke down at the start of the M. Phase; ended M. Phase @ 18A:2829 and reassembled into the 132 Ar Lt Arm XX; entered El Agheila in C. Phase after combat; broke down again at the beginning of the E. Phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]

18A:3423 [stony desert road hex to Msus; SW of Zaulet Msus]:
2-10* Mot Inf III 8B [began @ 18A:1927 assembled w/ the 102 Trn Inf XX, which broke down at the start of the M. Phase; ended M. Phase @ 18A:2829, where it assembled into the 132 Ar Lt Arm XX; entered El Ageheila in C. Phase after combat; broke down again at the beginning of the E. Phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]
1-10 Mot MG II 2 (Ger) [began @ 18A:2730; ended the M. Phase at 18A:2829, where it assembled into the 7 Le Pz XX; entered El Agheila in the C. Phase after combat; broke down at the beginning of the E. phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]

18A:3324:
1-8 Mot Art III 1 AC [began @ 18A:2629; ended M. Phase @ 18A:2829; entered El Ageheila in the C. Phase after combat; exploited to here from El Agheila]

18A:3223 [clear terrain road hex to Bengasi; S of Soluch]:
2-10* mot Inf III 7B [began @ 18A:2629 assembled w/ 132 Ar Lt Arm XX, but broke down at the start of the M. Phase; ended M. Phase @ 18A:3030; entered El Agheila in the C. Phase after combat; exploited to here from El Agheila;]
1-10 Mot MG II 8 (Ger) [began @ 18A:2730; ended the M. Phase @ 18A:2829, where it assembled into the 7 Le Pz XX; entered El Agheila in the C. Phase after combat; broke down again at the beginning of the E. Phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]

Soluch (18A:3222) [clear terrain point city secondary rail terminus hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
10* Pz XX HQ 5 Le (Ger) [began @ 18A:2227; ended the M. Phase @ 18A:2829, where it assembled into the 7 Le Pz XX; entered El Agheila in the C. Phase after combat; broke down again at the beginning of the E. Phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]
5-3-10 Pz III 5 (Ger) [began @ 18A:2227; ended the M. Phase @ 18A:2829, where it assembled into the 7 Le Pz XX; entered El Agheila in the C. Phase after combat; broke down again at the beginning of the E. Phase and exploited to here from El Agheila]
1-10 Hv AA II AA=2 1/33 (Ger LW) [began @ 18A:2227; ended the M. Phase @ 18A:2829; entered El Aghelia in the C. Phase after combat; exploited to here from El Agheila]
one step of attack supply [formerly Allied; successfully captured here by the Ger Pz III 5 in the E. Phase]
MC 200 3F4 1/8 [inop., air transferred to here from 18A:0403, in Sicily, late in the E. Phase]
Ju 87B 2D3 4-2/8 (Ger LW) [inop., air transferred to here from Augusta (18A:0701), in Sicily, late in E. Phase]
Ju 87R 2D3 4-1/13 (Ger LW) [inop., air transferred to here from Syracusa (18A:0702), in Sicily, late in E. Phase]

Mar II 41 Axis end of Movement Phase dispositions: Libya and Sicily

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

At Rodi:
Rodi (20A:2230): [clear terrain major port point city coast hex]
3-cap-permanent airfield

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

In Iraq:
Iraq is still pro-Allied neutral.
WW Optional Rule 39E4-Fawzi al Qawuki action die roll: 1; does nothing.
H-1 Pump Station (21A:4717) [stony desert road hex]:
0-1-8 Inf II Fawzi (Bandit) [Guerilla; in combat mode; never moved]

Turn Activity:
No reinforcements or replacement builds.
Fort at Sirte completed in Initial Phase by the 0-6 Cons III 5A.
Late in the M. Phase one Malta Status air hit is done by Valletta hex daylight bombing mission (Rule 37I2a.). A BR 20M air unit does a Malta Status night bombing air mission; a miss. At the end of the turn the Malta Status is 11.
At Sirte, the 0-6 Cons III 5A spends 4 MPs to repair/upgrade 1-cap permanent airstrip to a 3-cap permanent airfield, then it moves West two coast road hexes to 18A:1827.
In the combat phase the British 3-2-10 Arm X 3 and the 1-10* Mot SG X 2 El Agheila stacked together at (18A:2930) are eliminated at 9 to 1, -1. They are attacked by the Axis stack at 18A;2829, minus the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs also there, along with the 2-10 Mot* Inf III 7B at hex 18A:3030 and also GS. The Allied units are isolated and so they generate no special replacements for the Allied side.
In the exploitation phase Axis capture the Allied step of attack supply at Soluch.

Mar II 41 Axis Combat Phase: immeddiately after the combat die roll

Detail of pertinent or close-by Axis dispositions of the attack in the Combat Phase prior to the combat die roll:
Sirte (18A:1727) [clear terrain point city coast road hex];
Fort marker
3-cap permanent airfield
one resource point
1-6 Hv AA II 29
3-4-6 Art III 5 A
CR 42 3F3 0/8 [operative]
2 x Ju 88A1 2-5 3B5 2-5/26 (Ger LW) [inop.; both did Malta Status strat bombing mission late in the M. Phase]

18A:1927 [sand coast road hex]:
0-6 Cons III 5 A [regular moved 2 hexes along road to here from Sirte]

18A:2127 [sand coast road hex]:
one step of attack supply [spent 4 SMPs moving to here from Sirte; provides attack supply for Axis units in hex 18A:2829]

18A:2529 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
4 pos flk AA=1 [Italian; admin moved 8 road hexes from Sirte]:

18A:2730 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
3-6 Inf XX 17 Pave
3-6 Inf XX 25 Bol
2 x 1-8* Inf III 66, 62
2-3-6 Art III 24C
2-3-8 Art III 16C
2 x 1-8 Mot Art III 2 AC, 3 AC
two steps of attack supply

18A:2829 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
This is the attacking stack. All attacking ground units are in attack supply.
3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs [does not participate in the attack]
8-7-10* Pz XX 5 Le (Ger)
5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar
1-10 Mot Hv AA II I/33 (Ger LW)
1-10 Mot AT II 605 (Ger)
1-8 Mot Art III 1 AC

18A:3030 [clear terrain hex; SE of El Agheila]:
This unit also attacks. It is in general supply, but not in attack supply.
2-10* Mot Inf III 7 B

El Agheila (18A:2930) [currently Allied owned; clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airfield
1-10* Mot SG AA=1 2 [British unit]
3-2-10 Arm X 3 [British unit]
2 x Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (Ger LW) [on GS air mission over hex; began at 3-cap permanent airfield at 18A:2730 ]
Me 110D 5HF5 4-1/12( Ger LW) [on GS air mission over hex; began at 3-cap permanent airfield a 18A:2730]]
All three LW air units make it through the Allied flack shot.
Die roll is a 4 at 9 to 1 -1: DE.
All attacking Axis ground units move into the El Agheila hex after combat. The 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs, not participating in the attack, remains at hex 18A:2829. The three LW air units on the GS air mission return to base inoperative at the Arco dei Feline airfield at 18A:2730.

WW ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario

Commentary:
Hard core Europa Western Desert campaign gamers may want to compare the various possible Axis end of turn movement results of the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario Mar II 41 Axis at-start set-up with what they perceive to be the optimum Axis end of turn movement results of F. Watson’s classic ER-II Scenario Mar II 41 Axis at-start set-up, using the generic and more often used 9-10 Pz XX 21, and search for game design deficiencies and chain-hobbles in the alternate Axis at-start set-up done here. For now we will not delve into the particular differences between the two Scenarios’ optimum end turn dispositions in the Cyrenaica, but may do so later if an EA discussion begins. Although there are admittedly some differences in the Axis Mar II 41 EOT maximum penetrations between the two set-ups, this singular fact in and of itself is not the decisive thing, I think, in evaluating the new Scenario’s at-start set-up. I think the main thing in a critical analysis would be detection of a decisive difference in the odds of a possible Axis attack on Tobruch on either the May I or May II 41 turns, depending on things, such as the availability on those turns of sufficient Axis air units in the Tobruch zone as opposed to say, at Sicily.
I admit to also air transferring the LW Ju 87 B and LW Ju 87R D type air units from Sicily to Soluch, in Libya, a strategy which some may question. Some strategists might say that they should have stayed in Sicily and done the Malta Status bombing. In another game I might indeed have done this, too, but not in this one.

Mar II 41 Axis EOT dispositions

Mar II 41 Axis EOT: off-map display details

Off-map display of reinforcements, etc.

Mar II 41 Allied Set-Up

October 21, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

At Malta:
Malta Status: 10 [per ER-II]
Malta Repair Rate: 1 repair point each turn.
Valletta hex flack factor (3 intrinsic + 2 ground unit): 5
Valletta (18A: 0407):
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
3-6* Inf X                               1 M [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB after WitD Allied OB booklet analysis]
2-6* Inf X                               2 M [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB after WitD Allied OB booklet analysis]
1-8 MG II                                1 Ch [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB after WitD Allied OB booklet analysis]
0-1-8 Hv AA II AA=2 10 [per ER-II]
0-4 Cons X                             MC [per ER-II]
Four gsp’s generated on the Mar II 41 Allied turn. [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB]
Note: All units are technically Allied U-2.

At-Start: Sicily & Malta zones

In Libya:
Except as indicated below, all Allied force dispositions in Libya are per F. Watson’s “Enter Rommel-II” Europa Battle Scenario found in TEM#71.
El Aghelia (18A:2930) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip [per ER-II]
1-10* Mot SG X AA=1 2 [provisional 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario at-start set-up done for the EA game report]
3-2-10 Arm X 3 [provisional 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario at-start set-up done for the EA game report]

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

Zaulet Msus (18A:3523) [stony desert point city road hex]:
1-10 Mot Inf II 1 M (FF)
two steps of attack supply

Soluch (18A:3222) [clear terrain point city secondary rail terminus hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
one step of attack supply

Bengasi (18A:3121) [clear terrain reference city\major port transportation line nexus hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
2-8 Inf X                                 20       (Aus)
1-8 MG II                                1 RNF
8 Inf XX HQ Unit                   9          (Aus)

Barce (18A:3418) [rough terrain point city transportation line nexus hex]:
2-8 Inf X 26 (Aus)
3-8 Art X 13
one step of attack supply

Rough terrain road hex 18A:3617:
3-cap permanent airfield [per WW OB booklet, p. 34]

Rough Terrain road hex 18A:3618 [Maraua]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
Blen 4 3B3 1-2/23

Derna (18A:4116) [rough terrain point city/minor port coastal escarpment road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip [per ER-II]

Tobruch (18A:4817) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast road junction fortress hex]:
unimproved fortress [per ER-II]
2-8 Inf X                                 24       (Aus)
0-1-8 Hv AA II AA=2 51
1-8 AT II                                 65
0-4 Cons X                             66 RPC (Col)
one step of attack supply

18A:4818 [El Adem; clear terrain road escarpment hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
1-10* Mot Inf X 3 (Ind)
Hurri 1 5F5 1/8

18A:5018 [Gambut; clear terrain hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]

Porto Bardiya (19A:0318) [clear terrain point city minor point fortress road terminus coast hex]:
unimproved fortress [per WitD Axis OB booklet for Dec I 40 at-start]

Mar II 41 At-Start dispositions; Libya and Egypt

In Egypt:
Except as indicated below, all Allied force dispositions in Egypt conform to the ER-II Scenario stipulations.
Matruh (19A:1218) [clear terrain point city/minor port coast road/major rail line junction hex]:
railhead marker [EA game report note: in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario the Matruh-Tobruch railroad construction does not begin until the Aug II 41 Allied turn, per the WitD Allied OB booklet]
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
2-8 Inf X 18 (Aus)

Coast road hex 19A:1418 [Maaten Baggush; clear terrain major rail line coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]

Alexandria (20A:4930/19A:2416) [major city/major port major rail line coast hex]:
[intrinsic flack: 1]
3-cap permanent airfield [per WW OB booklet, p. 34. Note that per the WW Airbase summary major city hexes have an airbase capacity of 3.]
2-8 Inf X                                 21       (Aus)
2-8 Inf X                                 25       (Aus)
3-8 Inf X                                 22 G
3-2-10 Arm X 7
8 Inf XX HQ Unit 7          (Aus)
0-2-6 Hv AA X AA=4 NMBDO 1 (RM)
1-2-10* Mot SG X AA=1 7
Glad                3F3     0/8
Blen 4             3B3     1-2/23

Disuq (20A:5026) [canal intensive point city major rail hex]:
2-1-6 Tank II 7 RT

Cairo hex (19A:3219): [full city/transportation lines nexus hex]
[intrinsic flack: 1]
2-8 Inf X 23

Cairo hex (19A:3320): [clear terrain partial city hex; SE of Cairo full hex city hex]
3-cap permanent airfield [per WW OB booklet, p. 34. Note that per the WW Airbase Summary the two Cairo major city hexes each have an airbase capacity of 3.]
[intrinsic flack: 1]

Port Said (20A:5121/19A:3413) [swamp dot city/standard port/Suez canal major rail terminus coast hex]:
[intrinsic flack: 1]
2-8 Inf X                                 17 (Aus) [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario OB, required transfer to Greece on the Apr I 41 Allied turn]
2-8 Inf X                                 19 (Aus) [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario OB, required transfer to Greece on the Apr I 41 Allied turn]
The ER-II Scenario shows the Aus 2-8 Inf X 19 in the Greece Holding Box. In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario Mar II 41 Axis turn at-start set-up it is placed in Egypt in order to better comply with the WitD Allied OB booklet’s Apr I 41 Allied turn Transfer to Greece stipulations.
1-8 Inf II                                11       (CS)

Ismailia (19A:3516) [clear terrain reference city/standard port/Suez canal transportation line junction hex]:
[intrinsic flack: 1]
1-8 Marine Cmdo X Lay
Glad 3F3 0/8

Suez (19A:3718) [clear terrain reference city/major port/Suez canal transportation line junction coast hex]:
[intrinsic flack: 2]
Standard Supply Terminal Marker
2-8 Inf X 16

Mar II 41 Axis turn Allied at-start set-up: eastern Egypt, Palestine, and Cyprus

In Palestine:
All Allied force dispositions in Palestine conform to the initial force stipulations found in the ER-II Scenario.
Gaza (19A:4210) [clear terrain point city major rail line coast hex]:
1-8 Cav X 5

Tel Aviv (20A:5011) [clear terrain reference city/minor port major rail line junction coast hex]:
1-8 Cav X 6

Jeursalem (19A:4509) [rough terrain dot city transportation line junction hex]: [Note WitD Map Errata for the spelling.]
2-1-8 Cav X 4

Haifa (20A:4710) [clear terrain dot city/major port transportation line junction coast hex]:
railhead marker [per WW Rule 41B1a-Western Desert Campaign Starting Conditions, “the transportation line from Haifa to Tripoli (20A:4005) is a road, not a railroad.” This stipulation is used in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario. More later on its construction.]
[intrinsic flack: 1]
3-8* Mtn X Karp (Pol)
Bombay 1T2 1-2/15

On Cyprus:
Limassol (20A:3615) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip [per WitD Allied OB booklet, p. 1]
0-8 Marine Cmdo II ME [this unit is not in ER-II; it is included in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario per WitD Allied OB booklet analysis]
1 gsp generated on the Mar I 41 Allied turn [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB]
Note: the marine cmdo unit is technically Axis U-1.

Famagusta (20A:3411) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airfield [per WitD Allied OB booklet, p. 1]

On Crete:
Note that in the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario BF map 15B is placed below WD maps 18A, 19A and NE map 20A. This is different than the BF 15B map overlap stipulations found in the official WW scenarios such as the “Desert and the Balkans” Scenario or the “Wavell’s War” Scenario. No game action is permitted on the exposed portion of map 15B until the occurrence of the “Assault on Crete” segment of the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, which begins on the May II 41 Allied turn. The “Assault on Crete” segment is then linked with the WW ME/ER-II core Scenario as essentially a reduced WW “Desert and the Balkans” Scenario. The Crete segment ends with the voluntary German cessation of operations in the Balkans, per essentially Rule 3E5b.
At the beginning of the second Axis turn after the implementation of Rule 3E5b-Voluntary Cessation of Operations in the Balkans, which is necessarily used in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, 3-cap permanent airfields (w/out hits) appear at Khania (18A:4403) and Erakleion (18A:4903). This appears to coincide with the WitD Allied OB booklet for the WW WD Scenario situation.
Khania (18A:4403) [rough terrain reference city/standard port coast road terminus hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II and the WW Operation Marita Scenario Allied OB]

Rethymnon (19A:4603) [rough terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airfield [per the WW Operation Marita Scenario and Assault on Crete Scenario Allied OBs]

In Iraq:
Iraq begins the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario as a pro-Allied neutral.
The Allied forces in Iraq dispositions indicated below are based on the WitD Allied OB booklet and F. Watson’s “Iraq: Rashid Ali and the Golden Square” Europa Battle Scenario found in TEM#81.

Habbaniya (22A:2828):
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 1 AS (Col)
Audax 1A1 1/8

Shaibah (22A:4314):
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 2 AS (Col)

Mar II 41 Iraq and eastern Syria set-up

Greece Off-Map Holding Box:
This is based on the ER-II Scenario.
4-3-10* Arm 1 [This is a BF refit kit unit used in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario. It would normally be used in the WW “Desert and the Balkans” or “Wavell’s War” Scenarios, I think. The ER-II Scenario indicates the Br 3-2-10 Arm X 1]
3-8 Inf X                                 5 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X                                 16 (Aus) [In the ER-II Scenario this unit is found in Egypt, “in the Delta.” It is placed here after analysis of the WitD Allied OB booklet and the Operation Marita Scenario Allied Order of Battle found in the WW OB booklet]
2-8 Inf X                                 4 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X                                 6 (NZ)
2-8 Inf X                                 14
8 Inf XX HQ                            2 (NZ)
8 Inf XX HQ                            6 (Aus)
3-2-8 Art X                             W
0-8 Lt AA II    AA=1               57
0-1-4 Cons X                          43 RPC
1 x 5 pos AA         AA=1
Blen 1             2B3     1-2/16
Hurri 1 5F5     1/8
Well 1C 3NB4 1-6/28 [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB, this air unit is placed here at-start]

Mar II 41 At-Start Off-Map display detail

Accumulated Allied Replacements: 5 Br Inf RPs, 1.5 Br Arm RPs, 0 Br ARPs, 1.5 NZ Inf RPs, 1.5 Aus Inf RPs. [per ER-II] All accumulated Allied inf and arm RPs are stored at the Alexandria hex.

Mar II 41 At-Start Off-Map display detail

Mar II 41 Axis Set-Up

October 20, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

Mainland Europe off-map holding box:
3 Italian inf replacement points (RPs) [per ER-II]
2 Ger ARPs [per ER-II]

In Sicily:
The ER-II Scenario says to place five 3-cap permanent airfields “anywhere in Sicily.” Below is the set-up done for the EA game report.
All the Axis air units indicated below except one are “at any airbase in Sicily” per the ER-II Scenario. This is the Axis set-up in Sicily done for the EA game report.

Licata (18A:0102): [point city/minor port]
3-cap permanent airfield
Br 20M 3NB4 2-5/24

Coast hex 18A:0403:
3-cap permanent airfield
MC 200          3F4      1/8
CR 42              3F3      0/9
Ca 309             2B1     1/L/9 [provisionally specially included unit in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario; not included in ER-II]

Coast hex 18A:0603:
3-cap permanent airfield
2 x Ju 88A1 3B5 2-5/26 Ger LW
He 111H4 4B4 2-7/S/22 Ger LW

Syracusa (18A:0702) [reference city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ju 87R 2D3 4-1/13 Ger LW

Augusta (18A:0701) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 Ger LW

At-Start: Sicily & Malta zones

Libya:
Except as indicated below, all Axis forces dispositions in Libya conform to the at-start stipulations indicated in F. Watson’s “Enter Rommel-II” Europa Battle Scenario found in TEM#71.
Tripolitania Garrison Box: [this holding box is not used in the ER-II Scenario, nor are the units below used in ER-II]:
0-1-6* Inf III               280 GaF
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 transportation line junction coast hex]:
Axis Supply Terminal marker
fort marker [per ER-II]
two steps of attack supply
one resource point
1 x 0 pos flk unit AA=3 [Italian]
G 50 3F3 0/9

18A:0122 [Castel Benito]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]

Misurata (18A:1022) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield [per ER-II]
3-4-6 Art III                            5 A
1-6 Hv AA II              AA=1 29
SM 79-1          2B3     1-5/22

Garian (18A:0125) [rough terrain point city transportation line junction hex]:
3-6 Inf XX 55 Sav

Sirte (18A:1727) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
unfinished fort marker (complete in the Mar II 41 Axis initial phase) [per ER-II]
one step of attack supply
one resource point
0-5 Cons III                            5 A
3-6 Inf XX                              25 Bol
1 x 4 pos flk    AA=1           [Italian]
Cr 42               3F3      0/8

18A:1927 [coast road sand hex]:
5-8 Inf XX                              102 Trn [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB this unit starts assembled]
3-6 Inf XX                              17 Pave
2-3-6 Art III                            24 C
2-3-8 Art III                            16 C
1-8 Mot Art III                       2 AC
1-8 Mot Art III                       3 AC

18A:2227 [coast road sand hex]:
10* Px XX HQ unit                5 Le (Ger)
In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB this unit is substituted for the 10 Pz XX HQ 21, which is used in ER-II. See the WW OB booklet, P. 27 and F. Watson’s ER-II Scenario article in TEM#71, p. 33 for additional information.
5-3-10 Pz III                           5 (Ger)
1-10 Mot Hv AA II AA=2   1/33 (Ger LW)

18A:2629 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
5-8 Lt Arm XX                       132 Ar [per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB this unit starts assembled]
3-6 Inf XX                              27 Brs
1-8 Mot Art III                       1 AC

18A:2730 [Arco dei Feline; clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per ER-II]
Below is a provisional 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario at-start set-up done for this hex for the EA demonstration that is different than the one found in ER-II.
1-10 Mot AT II                      605 (Ger)
1-10 Mot MG II                     5 (Ger)
1-10 Mot MG II                     8 (Ger)
In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft OB the two above Ger mot MG IIs are substituted for the Ger 3-10 Mot Inf III 200, which is used in ER-II. See the WW OB booklet, p. 27 and F. Watson’s ER-II Scenario article in TEM#71, p. 33 for additional information.
two steps of attack supply
Me 110D        5HF5   4-1/12 Ger LW
2 x Ju 87B 2D3     4-1/8 Ger LW

On Scarpanto:
Scarpanto (19A:0701) [rough terrain minor port point city hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield [per the WW Operation Marita Scenario Axis OB]

At Rodi:
Rodi (20A:2230): [clear terrain major port point city coast hex]
3-cap-permanent airfield [per the WW Operation Marita Scenario Axis OB]

20A:2331: [rough terrain coast hex]
3-cap permanent airfield [per the WW Operation Marita Scenario Axis OB]

Mar II 41 At-Start Set-Up; Palestine and Syria

In Iraq:
In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario Iraq begins the game as a pro-Allied neutral. In this Scenario it automatically becomes a pro-Axis neutral in the Apr I 41 Axis Initial Phase.
21A:4717 (H-1 Pump Station) [stony desert road hex]:
0-1-8 Inf II Fawzi (Bandit) [Guerilla-capable unit; currently in combat mode]
Watson’s “Iraq: Rashid Ali and the Golden Square” Europa Battle Scenario found in TEM#81 is used as a basis for determining an at-start location for the pro-Axis Fawzi bandit/guerrilla unit.

Mar II 41 Iraq and eastern Syria set-up

Med/NA Replacement Pool
This is per ER-II.
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 0-6 Cons III 10 A
4 x 0 pos flk unit AA=1        [Italian]

Mar II 41 At-Start Off-Map display detail

Iraq Campaign Scenario: Final Thoughts

May 6, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

There is still a little more that might be said of Europa wargame use and value in reference to the special WW ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration done earlier in 2015 at the EA.

On the outbreak of the world war Iraq, under the rule of the pro-British Regent Amir Abdul Illah, broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. But in June 1940 Iraq did not take this step against Italy, when it declared war on the Western Allies. This may have been due to the influence of then Iraqi Prime Minister Rashid Ali el Gailani, the future pro-Axis Iraqi coup leader. Per Playfair, after June 1940, “the Italian Legation in Baghdad became the center of Arab Nationalist and anti-British agitation. Axis prestige was greatly increased by the German victories in the West and by the arrival of the Italian Armistice commission in Syria, while that of Great Britain sank very low.” P. 177. The modest success the Italians had dealing with the Islamic elements in their Libyan and East African colonies, in particular with native ground unit recruitment in these two colonies, is perhaps overlooked in WWII analysis. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was another anti-Allied Arab leader in Iraq at the time that was successfully used by the Axis in 1941, who was exiled from Palestine and intrigued with the Germans, probably because of their mutual anti-British and anti-Jewish inclinations. On Mar. 31, 1941, on the eve of the Iraqi coup, the pro-Allied Iraqi Regent fled Baghdad, and from the British airfield at Habbaniya flew to Basra, where he settled on the British warship Cockchafer, in the harbor. Thus the Axis intervention into Iraq ought to be understood in its particular anti-British, anti-colonial, Versailles revisionist, and perhaps also anti-Jewish context, all done in a paradigm where since the spring of 1941 German military force seemed able to blow away the British Army. Another source says it was the news of the Rommel’s mobile heavy AA units tearing up the British armor at Mersa Brega that tipped the Iraqi coup clique into action.

A close look at the Allied Iraqi Coup Reaction Forces Conditional Reinforcements found in the WitD Allied OB shows the initial elements of the Ind 10^th Inf XX arriving at Basra at anytime between the Jan II 41 and Jul I 41 turns, depending on the timing of the Iraqi coup by the dice roll results done per Rule 38J4-[Iraqi] Coup. The Ind 10^th Inf XX had long been a reserve division based in India, and that is why it is so readily available for duty in the Near East in the entire first third of 1941. Playfair says that its first brigade had been originally intended to be shipped to Malaya on Apr. 10, but that the division was suddenly diverted by orders from London (not Wavell) when the news arrived of the pro-Axis coup. Thus it was the desire at London for firm military action aimed at the forced ouster of the anti-British Iraqi coup government (evidently by means of a march on Baghdad) that led to the Ind 10^th Inf XXs landing at Basra, which was soon followed up by the landing of the second brigade, also from India. The Iraqi coup government protested the initial Ind inf units landing at Basra to the newly arrived British ambassador at Baghdad, but finally realizing no sincere British offers to negotiate, and upon learning about the landing of the second Ind inf X at Basra at the very end of April, elected for the armed demonstration against the RAF airfield at Habbaniya, precipitating outright the Iraq campaign.

Although per Rule 38J4 the Iraqi coup could occur as early as the Jan I 41 turn, the important 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Habbforce conversion occurs at the earliest on the Apr II 41 turn, in the case of the coup’s occurrence on the Mar II 41 turn, or earlier. In the first three months of 1941 there is a good chance of mud weather in the Iraq region slowing up the ground movement northwards towards Habbaniya and Baghdad of the Indian ground units disembarking at Basra. Also, Allied combat opportunities anywhere in Iraq would be unlikely during the long rainy season. Any Allied air units at the Habbaniya 3-cap permanent airfield would surely have to be supplied by air, probably by the Bombay T type air unit available in Egypt. But during the mud weather turns it would be unable to air transport 1 RE sized ground units from southern Iraq to the Habbaniya airfield hex. Although the problems of campaigning in the mud weather are not critical for the Allies, it does imply a longer campaign for them than one beginning in the spring, after the Apr I 41 turn; and the Hab mot inf X will not be available until the Apr II turn at the earliest. In any event, the good news for the Allies is that in Scenarios in which the Balkans are not in play, such as the Middle East Campaign Scenario, the Axis cannot intervene into coup Iraq (per Optional Rule 38J6) until the Apr II 41 turn, at the earliest.

Per Optional Rule 38J6 the Optional Axis Near East Forces Conditional Reinforcements are essentially used only in an Axis intervention into an Iraq campaign precipitated by a pro-Axis Iraqi coup, but definitely with some provisions made for allowing their transit and/or extremely brief stay over in the French Levant, (only) for going to or from Iraq. This means absolutely no active/deliberate participation by the Iraq intervention Axis Conditional Reinforcements in the Levant Campaign after an Allied invasion in the Levant. Provision could be made for the case of a border cross-over of a desperate Ger 2-6 Inf III SV 288 on the run after participating in a shattered and defeated Iraqi intervention saga. Moreover, I’m currently thinking all German intervention in Iraq Conditional Reinforcements should also be allowed to enter Iran, but only in the context of their initial arrival in the Axis Near East Command through the stipulations found in Optional Rule 38J6.

Right now my current notion is that if either the Ju 52 T type or the He 111H4 B type LW air unit Conditional Reinforcements are either eliminated or aborted in an Axis intervention in Iraq campaign, then they should be required to be rebuilt for use in the Russian campaign, using Ger ARPs from the Med/NA Command, as soon as possible after an Axis Iraq intervention withdrawal. I currently do not include either the Axis Conditional Reinforcement Mxd A type or its conversion Me 110C HF type LW air unit in this category of required LW air unit rebuilds. Furthermore, I’m currently thinking that if the Ger 2-6 Inf III SV 288 is eliminated while isolated in the Near East (eg., in Iraq or Iran) then it cannot be rebuilt (off-map) and subsequently brought in as a Med/NA Command reinforcement on the Oct I 41 turn, per the WitD Axis OB. I realize that this is a real party killer for the Axis player in the Western Desert games, as the 2-10 Mot Inf III SV 288 is an important Afrika Korps unit in late ’41 and all of 1942, but this is what I’m thinking, right now. However, some provisions could be made for the rescue/recovery of its residual .5 special Ger inf RP (see Optional Rule 40B4) back to (essentially) the Mainland Europe off-map holding box. I realize that this “rescue of the expendables” may sound a little like silly Hollywood drama to some, but I think this concept of desperation and force risk is part of the hazards of the Axis intervention in Iraq concept in the summer of 1941.

The arrival in Iraq of the Ind 5^th Inf XX, in Europa beginning on the Aug I 41 turn, historically comes not from a sea landing at the port of Basra, but rather overland east from Trans-Jordan along the same long desert road route going through Rutbah, Ramadi, and Habbaniya that the Br Motorized Inf X Habbforce used historically in May 1941. The Ind 5^th Inf XX had voyaged from East Africa into the Mediterranean and evidently initially went through Palestine on its long overland march to Iraq. Like the proud Ind 4^th Inf XX of Operation Compass and Kern fame, it is a fully supported inf XX in Europa. According to David Hughes’ Europa Magazine #69 article “The Indian Army in Europa,” this is because these two Ind inf XXs had been upgraded upon their arrival to the Middle East region. This “upgrading” evidently consisted of receiving modern weapons, including in particular anti-tank guns. On the other hand, other Ind inf XXs like the 10^th, 6^th, and 8^th, all ultimately Near East garrison units, suffered from an “abysmal lack and modern weapons and equipment,” in particular the anti-tank gun; hence “this accounts for the lower rating given to units that appear in Iraq in 1941 and 1942.” Two more of the “abysmally” equipped Ind inf XXs are the 9^th and 11^th Inf XXs, stationed in Malaya in December 1941; with perhaps predictable results against the seasoned Japanese invaders the next month. The Inf 5^th Inf XX is eventually withdrawn from the Near East in April 1943 to fight in Burma, I believe.

There is perhaps one further major Axis military option in both the Med/NA and NE Commands, in their contexts in at least the Middle East Campaign Scenarios, that can now be broached in possible future wargame design modifications of the existing WW rules, and this is the manipulation and application of the reduced Axis Southeast (SE) Command forces available in the context of Rule 38F2c-German Withdrawal from the Balkans. In conventional WW games, German withdrawal from the Balkans “automatically” occurs during the first Axis initial phase that both the Greek and Yugoslav governments have been evacuated or captured. In WW Scenarios where the Balkans are not in play; implicitly this would be on the May I 41 Axis turn (see Advanced Rule 12C1d). A quick reference example of this reduced SE Command [German Balkan Intervention, after withdrawal] force pool can be scrutinized by referring to the WW Assault on Crete Scenario Axis Order of Battle found in the WW OB booklet, on p. 21, although some small changes could be made. I suspect that this OB is in effect where the WW Optional Axis Near East Forces found on p. 27 comes from.

Delving deeper into the WW rules, we see that after the “automatic” German withdrawal from the Balkans per Rule 38F2 is done, the necessary second and final step in the total disengagement of the SE Command, historically certainly deliberately done because of Barbarossa requirements, is the “voluntary” cessation of German operations in the Balkans, per Rule 3E5. The Assault on Crete Axis OB is a neat preliminary reference German OB base for an array of possible alternative MTO scenarios devised for this admittedly quite limited and ominous time period. To be sure, and to console those perhaps alarmed EA readers who see what’s coming, in regular WW Scenario play this substantial Axis OB addition (eg., an enhanced Axis force projection based on the WW Assault of Crete Axis OB) is explicitly restricted per Rule 3E4 in its operational limits done in the vicinity of the Med/NA and NE Commands found on maps 18A & 20A, which on the WD and NE map groups are specifically the Dodecanese and the South Aegean Islands, and the Aegean Sea zone. However, assuming both German Balkan intervention and the conquest of Crete as the prerequisites, then with only some minor WW rules tweaking, this substantial enhanced Axis force projection, certainly admittedly deriving from the SE Command, perhaps for a short time could be directed to 1) the Western Desert on Jun I 41, as an “Available in Europe” reinforcement, along with the rest of the Balkan campaign LW returns arriving that turn, or 2) directed to an air assault on Cyprus on map 20A on the Jun I or Jun II turn from Axis bases on Crete and Rodi, and then 3) subsequently directed to some second large operation projected into the Vichy Levant and/or Palestine on 20A, and/or 4) in conjunction with the Afrika Korps in the Western Desert, directed into Egypt, on map 19A. Whew!

In concurrent WW Rules, the only patent restraints, other than the big one at Rule 3E4, are the -5 VP “each Axis initial phase on or after the Jul II 41 that the Axis has not ceased operations in the Balkans” (see the Balkan Victory Chart, p. 26 of the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet) and the apparently arbitrary “ending” of the WW Balkan Campaign Scenario “upon the completion of the Aug II 41 game turn” (see Rule41C1-Balkan Campaign, in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet). Although the WW rules appear vague, presumably by the Aug II 41 Axis turn the Axis player does need to voluntarily cease operations on maps 18A, 19A, and 20A (or beyond to 21A, 22A, and 32) using forces derived from SE Command’s Assault on Crete Axis OB, by implementing the stipulations found in Rule 3E5b-Voluntary Cessation of Operations in the Balkans/[eastern Mediterranean?]. The Aug II 41 Axis game turn might also be a good date for the required withdrawal of at least the Ju 52 T type and the He 111H4 B type LW air units in the Axis intervention in Iraq Conditional Reinforcements, due to Barbarossa considerations.

But of course these extended operations in the Axis Med/NA and NE Commands beyond the Jun II 41 Barbarossa start date, going on up to the Aug II 41 Axis turn, using the reduced SE Command Axis OB derived from the Assault on Crete, surely have their impact on the Russian campaign. I still haven’t decided, myself; but the potential outline is already visible in the existing WW material, I think.

Aug II 41 Allied Turn

April 13, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

This turn the Allied player invades Iran. Rule 38I3-Allied Invasion says “for game purposes, the Allied player is required to invade Iran. He may not invade (enter) Iran before Aug I 41 [eg., the historical Europa date, I believe]. … The Soviet Union invades Iran simultaneously with the Allied invasion. … [T]he effects of the Soviet invasion are [1] all Iranian units north of the D weather line are removed from play, [and 2], of the Iranian units that start in Tehran, only one Iranian unit may move from Tehran (the rest have to stay and guard the capital).”

Set-up of the Iranian Army as of this Europa date, per WitD Neutral Nations OB:

Capital: Tehran (32:1512).

Rail Capacity: Iranian rail net: 8 REs. Note: The Iranian rail net has not been renovated.

No intrinsic AA.

Iranian Army:

Tabriz (32:0229) [partial city hex; north of D weather line]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 3

Rizaieh (21A:2902) [reference city; north of D weather line]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 4

Resht (32:0718) [dot city; north of D weather line]:

1 x 0-1-6 Inf X Resht

Gurgan (32:0701) [point city; north of D weather line]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 11 [Conversion Jun I 40]

Senna (32:1627) [point city; north of D weather line]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 5

Tehran (32:1512) [partial city hex]:

Iran capital marker

1 x pos hv AA AA=1

2 x 1-2-6 Inf XX 1,2

1 x Art III 1

1x 1-8 Lt Arm X 1 [Regular reinforcement Jun I 40]

This will be the “one Iranian unit [that] may move from Tehran.”

Kermanshah (32:2127) [reference city]:

1 x -6* Inf XX 12 [Conversion Jun I 40]

Ahwaz (22A:3810) [reference city]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 6

1 x Mxd 2F2 1/8 [“Any airbase in Iran”]

Meshed (off-map):

1 x 1-7* Mtn II 7

Isfahan (off-map):

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 13 [Conversion Jun I 41]

Shiraz (off-map):

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 8

Kerman (off-map):

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 10 [Conversion Jun I 40]

Zahidan (off-map):

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 9

Note: All off-map Iranian cities are found on the Iran Off-Map Holding Box printed on the WitD Neutrals Game Chart. All appear to be south of the D weather line.

Allied movement and end of movement phase/turn dispositions, NE map group:

In Syria/Iraq/Iran [all Allied units are in general supply this turn]:

In Syria [end of movement phase]:

21A:3924 [stony desert road hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9

This Br c/m X began the turn at border hex 21A:4318, in Iraq. In its westwards movement it captures the Syrian point city Abu Kemal at border hex 21A:4319 and then Syrian reference city Deir ez Zoir at 21A:3922.

In the Central Iraq region and Iran [end of movement phase]:

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip

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

3-cap permanent airfield

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

Baghdad (22A:2825) [partial hex city; end of turn]:

one hit on airbase

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

Khanaquin (21A:4501) [point city at the Iraq-Iran border; beginning of movement phase]:

1 x 6-8* Inf XX 10 (Ind) [breaks down to its supported Xs]

At the beginning of the movement phase this unit breaks down into its three supported Ind Ind X’s.
The Ind 2-8* Inf X 24 regular moves to point city/mtn road hex Karind (32:2130), in Iran.
The Ind 2-8* Inf X 25 regular moves to point city/mtn road hex Shahabad (32:2229), in Iran.
The Ind 1-8* Inf X 20 regular moves to mtn road hex 32:2131, in Iran.

In Southwest Iran [movement and end of movement phase dispositions]:

22A:3710 [clear terrain major rail hex, NE of Ahwaz, in Iran; end of movement phase].

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind) [regular moved from 22A:3514, in Iraq]

22A:3911 [clear terrain major railway hex, SW of Ahwaz]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 8 (Ind) [regular moved from 22A:4212]

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind) [regular moved from 22A:4212]

On the way to 22A:3911 this Ind inf X enters and captures Susangerd (22A:3812) for the Allies.

1 x 1-6 Inf II Z (Ind) [breakdown; moved from 22A:4212]

This Ind inf II is a breakdown of the Ind 2-8 Inf X 19, beginning the m. phase at 22A:4212.

22A:4212: [swamp border hex in Iran, NE of Basra; end of movement phase]:

1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 5 (Ind) [moved 1 hex to here from Basra]

22A:4112 [clear terrain border hex, in Iran; end of movement phase]:

1 x 2-8 Inf X 9 (Ind)

This Ind inf X began the turn at Basra. It moved two hexes eastwards along the swamp road, crossed the Shatt-al-Arab major river hexside and entered into the Iranian reference city/minor port road hex of Abadan (22A:4410); then it veered north on the road and entered the point city/standard port of Korramshahr (22A:4311), where the major railway line begins, and ended its move at clear terrain hex 22A:4112.

22A:4011 [clear terrain major railway hex; end of movement phase]:

1 x 0-1-6 Inf II Z (Ind) [breakdown; moved from 22A:4212]

This Ind inf II is the other breakdown unit of the Inf 2-8 Inf X 19, beginning the movement phase at 22A:4212.

22A:4211 [clear terrain major railway hex; end of movement phase]:

one step of attack supply [spent 10 SMPs moving here from Basra]

Basra (22A:4313) [dot city/major port]:

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

1 x 1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind) [railed here from 21A:4303]

four steps of attack supply

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x P 40C 5F5 1/13 [operative]

In the WW Allied Near East Command Replacement Pool

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind)

This unit was eliminated in the battle for Baghdad on the Jul II 41 Allied turn.

Iranian air activity at the end of the movement phase:

At the end of the movement phase the Iranian Mxd 2F2 1/8 air unit at Ahwaz (22A:3810) flies the CAP air mission over the Ahwaz hex.

Allied force activity in the Combat Phase:

The phasing Allied player flies the Audax A type air unit based at Basra on the GS air mission to the Ahwaz reference city hex 22A:3810. It is escorted by the SAAF P 40C 5F5 type air unit also based at Basra. When the Allied combined air ops reach their target hex the Iranian Mxd 2F2 type air unit flying the CAP mission over the Ahwaz hex refuses to intercept.
The Iranian 1-6* Inf XX 6 is defending the Ahwaz hex (22A:3810). From adjacent hex 22A:3710, to the NE, the Ind 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 attacks. On the opposite side of Ahwaz the Allied stack at hex 22A:3911, SW of Ahwaz, is also attacking. This would be the Ind 8* Inf XX HQ 8, the Ind 2-8 Inf X 18, and the Ind 1-6 Inf II breakdown Z. The Audax 1A1 1/8 air unit adds its 1 tac factor for GS. The step of attack supply at 22A:4211 gives attack supply to all attacking Allied ground units. All attack factors plus the GS add up to a total of 6. The Ind lt arm X’s AECA gives the attack a +1 DRM. The attack is a 6 to 1 +1. The die roll is 2, modified to a 3: DH, good enough for a DE in our case. The Iranian 1-6* Inf XX 6 is removed from the map and placed in the Iranian Replacement Pool.
The Ind 8* Inf XX HQ, the 2-8 Inf X 18, and the 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 all advance after combat into the Ahwaz hex. The Ind 1-6 Inf II Z breakdown remains in hex 22A:3911, to the SW of Ahwaz, after combat.
After combat the Audax A type and the SAAF P 40C F type air units return to the dot city airbase of Basra and land inoperative. The Iranian Mxd F type air unit remains over the Ahwaz hex on the CAP mission.
At the end of the combat phase the step of attack supply at 22A:4211 is removed from the map.

Exploitation phase [end of turn]:

In Syria [end of exploitation]:

21A:4431 [stony desert road hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9 [began the e. phase at Syrian hex 21A:3924]

On its way westwards in the exploitation phase, this unit captures Palmyre (21A:4129) for the Allies.

In Southwestern Iran [end of exploitation]:

Haft Kel (22A:3807) [point city rough terrain hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind) [began the e. phase at Ahwaz (22A:3810)]

On its way to the Haft Kel point city hex this unit also captures in the exploitation phase the Iranian point cities of Bamhoromoz (22A:3907) and Masjid-i-Suliman (22A:3508).

Iranian air activity at the end of the exploitation phase:

At the end of the exploitation phase the Iranian Mxd F type air unit flying the CAP mission over the Ahwaz hex (22A:3810) rebases at the Dizful reference city airbase (22A:3311), a little to the north.

Commentary:

The Allies have captured 9 Iranian cities by the end of the Aug II 41 Allied turn. This is important because in the next Axis initial phase when they roll on the Iranian Surrender Table they’ll get a +1 dice roll modifier “for each Allied-owned city in Iran (except Tehran) south of the ‘D” weather line.” It appears to me that in the upcoming Aug II 41 Axis initial phase the dice roll using the Iranian Surrender Table (found on WW Game Play Chart 8-Political Events) will result in an automatic “Surrenders.” With a subsequent “Iraq Campaign” Scenario game report appearing unnecessary, I may conclude the special cropped ME Campaign Scenario EA demonstration with a Final Analysis and/or some final thoughts on the WW ME Campaign Scenario.

From the main transportation line running from Korramshahr (22A:4311) to Ahwaz (22A:3810) the Indian soldiers of the 8^th and 5^th Ind Inf XXs see from across the desert and marsh the sun setting low on the special WW ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario. From their compass perspective the top hemisphere of the globe is currently immersed in the world war’s high tide. I imagine some say they saw the mirage of a city on fire. Where to next, in the cardboard world of Europa?

When was the last time you set up the Iranian Army units on the Europa Near East maps and the WitD Iran Off-Map Holding boxes? Do you even have the Iranian Army punched out from Europa Counter Sheet 87? Egad, what have I done here? Obviously I’m retired with time to kill!

Aug I 41 Axis Turn

April 11, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

This time in the initial phase the Allied player rolls high on the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table and the result is: Coup Collapses. Per Rule 38J4B, which is used in the Variable Coup Collapse/Surrender Optional Rule, “Iraqi territory … becomes Allied owned.” Note this is different than Vichy Levant surrender, where just Vichy French forces surrender, but not the Vichy Levant territory. The Iraqi Mxd 1A2 1/8 air unit at the Karbals dot city airbase (22A:3227) is removed from the map and placed in the Iraq Replacement Pool. In addition, all formerly hostile Coup Iraqi/Axis hexes in Iraq (not occupied by Axis forces) now become Allied-owned, and the Allies capture intact the remaining 1 RE of Iraqi railcap, bringing the Allied railcap total to 3 in the Iraqi railnet, I believe. Rule 42B-Victory Points tells us not to count Iraqi or Iranian force losses, either by combat or by surrender, for the purposes of VP awards counted on the Common Victory Chart found in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet.

Allied dispositions:

In Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region [all Allied forces are in general supply]:

21A:4318 [clear terrain Syrian border hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9 [conversion of the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab unit]

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip [Allied owned]

Habbaniya (22A:2828):

3-cap permanent airfield

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

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x P 40C 5F5 1/13 (SAAF) [operative]

Baghdad (22A:2825) [partial city hex]:

one hit on the airbase

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

21A:4303 [clear terrain secondary rail hex]:

1 x 1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind)

Khanaquin (21A:4501) [clear terrain secondary rail line terminus point city Iranian border hex]:

1 x 6-8* Inf XX 10 (Ind)

22A:3514 [clear terrain Iranian border hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind)

In the Southern Iraq region [all Allied units are in general supply]:

Basra (22A:4313) [major port/dot city; end of movement phase]:

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 5 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 9 (Ind)

5 steps of attack supply

22A: 4212 [swamp Iranian border hex E of Shatt al Arab, NE of Basra]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 8 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 19 (Ind)

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied owned]

Coup Iraq forces and Axis/German forces on the NE map group:

None.

Allied air unit activity in the Axis exploitation phase:

Late in the exploitation phase the Allied player does a non-phasing air transfer mission of the Br Audax 1A1 1/8 and the SAAF P 40C 5F5 1/13 air units based at the Habbaniya airfield (22A:2828) to the Basra dot city airbase (22A:4313).

Commentary:

Turning to the Near East Victory Chart used in ME Campaign Scenarios that is found in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet, we read that the Allies suffer a -1 VP count at the “end of each game turn with a pro-Axis government (see Rule 38J4) in power in Iraq.” In the special ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration the Iraqi Coup occurred in the Apr I 41 Axis initial phase. It collapsed/surrendered this turn, in the Aug I 41 Axis initial phase. I count 7 “game turns” where the Allies receive this -1 VP count, for a total of -7 VPs for “a pro-Axis government in power in Iraq.” Note that “historically,” with the Iraqi Coup conveniently collapsing on the May II 41 Axis turn due to the +5 Modifier on the “first turn (only) that a supported Allied unit is adjacent to an Iraqi-owned Baghdad,” the Allies would only suffer a -3 VP count.

Noted in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet at Appendix G-Transportation Lines is an important change in the transportation lines at the Shatt-al-Arab zone on NE map 22A. Here it says “the transportation line from 22A:4011 [in Iran] to Basra (22A:4313) [in Iraq] does not exist until the railroad is built. Construction was undertaken following the Anglo-Soviet occupation of Iran and was completed in March 1942. (Actually, only a rail ferry crossed Shatt-al-Arab until mid-1943, when a rail bridge was completed).” Thus in 1941 there is no transportation line at all going between Basra (22A:4313) in Iraq and hex 22A:4011, in Iran; nor is there a bridge crossing the Shatt-al-Arab major river hexside at the 22A:4212/4112 borderline between Iran and Iraq. Moreover, a little farther south, at the Shatt-al-Arab major river hexside at 22A:4411/4409 (Abadan, in Iran), there is evidently no bridge, only the intervening major river borderline hexside with a road leading up to it there through the swamp hexes on either side, I think.

Aug I 41 Allied Turn

April 11, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

In the supply determination segment of the initial phase the Iraq 1-6* Inf XX 1 at 21A:4803 is still Black U-4, and isolated. Per Optional Rule 12E5, a die roll is done on the Success Table to check for elimination from lack of general supply; the roll is 3: elimination. The Iraqi inf XX is removed from the game map and placed in the Iraq Replacement Pool.
Per the WitD Allied OB, in the reinforcements segment of the initial phase the Allied player converts the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab at Baqubah (21A:4802) to the 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9. Note that this conversion could not have been done if the Iraq 1-6* Inf XX 1 at adjacent hex 21A:4803 had not been eliminated due to lack of supply a little earlier in the initial phase.
In the reinforcements/replacements segment of the initial phase the Allied player transfers two available ARPs in the ME Command to the NE Command (see Rule 25C4-ARP Transfer) and rebuilds the Br Hurri 1 F type air unit in the NE Eliminated Air Units box. It is placed (operative) at the Habbaniya airfleld (22A:2828) in the initial phase and in the movement phase it conducts an air transfer mission to Egypt, where it is needed at the Egypt-Libya border zone.
With the fall of Baghdad on the Aug I 41 Allied turn, the Allies now have a railcap of 2 in Iraq. Technically, the Coup Iraqis have a remaining railcap of 1.

Iraqi Coup force dispositions in Iraq:

Karbala (22A:3227) [salt marsh dot city/secondary rail line terminus hex]:

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [still Black U-1]

Allied movement and end movement phase dispositions:

In Iraq [all Allied units in Iraq are in general supply]:

In the Central Iraq region:

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip [Allied owned]

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

3-cap permanent airfield

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

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x P 40C 5F5 1/13 (SAAF) [operative]

Baghdad (22A:2825) [partial hex city; end of turn]:

one hit on the airbase

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 2 As (Col) [moved from 22A:2826]

21A:4303 [clear terrain secondary rail hex; end of turn]:

1 x 1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind) [regular moved 8 hexes here from Baghdad]

This unit is marching to the reference city of Sulaimaniya (32:1532) to capture it.

Khanaquin (21A:4501) [clear terrain secondary rail line terminus point city Iranian border hex]:

1 x 6-8* Inf XX 10 (Ind) [moved here from 22A:2725]

This unit marches here in preparation of the invasion of Iran; end of turn disposition.

21A:4809 [stony desert road hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9 [end of movement phase]

This is the new conversion unit of the 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab. It’s heading West, on its way first to eastern Syria, where it will capture the Vichy French/Axis-owned Deir ez Zoir reference city hex (21A:3922) for the Allies, before continuing its journey westwards to the Western Desert region.

22A:3218 [clear terrain hex in eastern Iraq]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind) [end of movement phase]

In the Southern Iraq region [all Allied units are in general supply]:

Near East:

Arrive as Reinforcements [per the WitD Allied OB for the Aug I 41 Allied turn]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 8 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 19 (Ind)

two steps of attack supply

5 SMPs

The Allies already have 5 SMPs in the NE Command (eg., Iraq), so now they have a total of 10 SMPs in the NE Command.

These two ground unit reinforcements and the two steps of attack supply arrive with their own naval transport sufficient to transport it.

Arrive in the movement phase [per the WitD Allied OB for the Aug I 41 Allied turn]:

1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 5 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 9 (Ind)

These two ground units probably deserve scrutiny by hard core WW ME Campaign Scenario players in order to determine their best use in the summer of 1941. Per the WitD Allied OB, both originally come to the Middle East Command that summer from East Africa. After a very brief stay in the ME Command, in WW WD Campaign Scenarios they are required this turn to then transfer to the Near East Command, either via East Med/Indian Ocean sea transport or else more likely overland via exiting the east edge of map 20A in Trans-Jordan or Syria, especially if the Iraq Coup collapsed several turns ago and there is no urgency. One thing they could do in their brief stop-over in the Middle East, which corresponds with the Syrian campaign, is to be part of the Palestine garrison upon arriving there, perhaps disembarking at the great port of Hafia, in Palestine. This would allow for a timely release of the existing Allied units in the Palestine garrison for use in the Levant campaign just a little farther north. In our “Iraq Campaign” case there is pressing need for them in the Basra zone in Iraq for the Iranian invasion done from there, I believe. So we say that in our special ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration they both left Palestine at the start of the Jul II 41 Allied turn from Haifa, embarked on two East Med/Indian Ocean NTPs. The two NTPs and their cargo sailed southwards (through the Suez Canal) about a 100 naval MPs and eventually entered the WW Aden Off-Map Holding Box at the end of the Jul II 41 movement phase, but without the ground cargo disembarking (see Rule 28A). Then, on the Aug I 41 Allied turn, they leave the Aden Off-Map Holding Box using East Med/Indian Ocean NTPs and spend 110 naval MPs moving to all-sea Persian Gulf hex 5109, on the south edge of map 22A (see the info in the Aden Off-Map Holding Box). From there they spend 10 naval MPs to arrive at the major port of Basra and disembark, spending 30 naval NTPs doing so, but with no remaining ground MPs left for the movement phase, per the Naval Transport Costs Summary found on WW Game Play Chart 3-Naval War.

Basra (22A:4313) [major port/dot city; end of turn]:

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

1 x 8 Inf XX HQ 5 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 9 (Ind)

Both these Ind inf units disembarked at Basra after voyaging from the ME Command in East Med/Indian Ocean NTPs. They can move no farther. They began their long voyage from Hafia to Basra on the Jul II 41 Allied turn.

5 steps of attack supply [two arrived this turn as reinforcements per the WitD Allied OB]

22A:4212 [swamp Iranian border hex; end of turn]:

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind) [began the turn at Basra; moved 1 hex to here]

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 8 (Ind)

1 x 2-8 Inf X 19 (Ind)

These two Reinforcement Ind units disembarked at Basra and moved to here.

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Axis controlled]

Exploitation phase c/m movement:

21A:4318 [clear terrain Syrian border hex; end of turn]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9 [moved 10 hexes west from 21A:4409]

22A:3514 [clear terrain Iranian border hex; end of turn]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind)

Exploits to here from 22A:3218; on the way it captures the Amara reference city hex (22A:3576). It moves here in preparation for the invasion of Iran.

Commentary:

A pretty big error was said/done in the Jul II 41 Axis game report post done at the EA. I talked a whole paragraph in a Commentary bullet about the Axis gaining +10 VPs “the first time the player gains control of all cities in the Levant.” In the special ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration it’s the Allies who are gaining control of the Levant, not the Axis, so disregard my nonsense in that bullet in the Jul II 41 Axis game report about the Axis gaining control there. Gotta slow down and edit better. In WW ME Campaign Scenario games the Allies get no VPs for Control of the French Levant, Iraq, or Iran; but the Axis do, if they somehow can. The Allies do get VPs for eliminated/surrendered Vichy French forces in the Levant, and they get +5 VPs “the Axis initial phase when Iran surrenders to the Allies,” per the Near East Victory Chart found in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet.

Jul II 41 Axis Turn

April 9, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

Per the WW Master Sequence of Play Summary the Allied dice roll to check for Levant surrender using the Variable Levant Surrender Table is done before the Iraqi Coup Collapse check. Both are done in the Axis initial phase before supply determination or the reinforcements segment. The Allied player rolls high, and the dice roll result is Surrender. Per Optional Rule 38V3f and Rule 38V3d, “the Vichy forces in the Levant [then] surrender…. When these forces surrender, all Vichy ground and air units in the Levant are removed from play; these forces are considered to be eliminated.” However, it appears per WW Rule 38V3-The Levant and Rule 38A5-Surrender, large areas of French Levant territory are still considered enemy-owned hexes until captured per Rule 5B and Advanced Rule 5B3. In the present special WW/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration this includes at least reference city Deir ez Zoir (21A:3922), partial city hex Alep (21A:3231) and reference city Lattaique (20A:3404). In the off-map Syrian campaign Beyrouth (20A:4207) fell on the Jul I turn and Damas (20A:4505) fell on the Jul II 41 Allied turn. The Allied units (all non-motorized) involved in the Syrian campaign are currently in a rough line between Beyrouth and Damas.

In this Axis initial phase the Allied player has the following Dice Roll Modifiers when using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table: a big +6 “if Baghdad is Allied-owned,” a +1 for the Allied-owned dot city of Basra, and another +1 for the Allied-owned dot city of Mosul. There’s a -1 Modifier “if an Axis air unit is in Iraq,” which there is this turn. Note, however, the Allies no longer get the +1 “if a rail connection (per Rule 7A1) cannot be traced from an Axis-owned Baghdad to an Axis-owned dot city in Iraq” because Baghdad is no longer “Axis-owned.” The arithmetic tallies to a +7 Modifier for the Allies; and the dice roll is a 4: w/ the +7 modifies to an 11: No Collapse!
In the supply determination part of the initial phase the Iraq 1-6* Inf XX 1 at 21A:4803 becomes Black U-4. It is assumed to be isolated. Per Optional Rule 12E5-Elimination from Lack of General Supply, a die roll is done on the Success Table to check for elimination; the roll is a 5: the Iraqi inf XX survives.
In the reinforcement segment of his initial phase the Axis player withdraws (per Optional Rule 38J6) all Axis intervention in Iraq air units currently in the special WW ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration This would be the LW Ju 52 T type air unit at the Rodi (20A:2230) airfield (in the South Aegean islands) and the LW He 111H4 B type air unit at Sulaimaniya (20A:4710), in Iraq. These two LW air units probably go to the Russian front. In addition, the LW Me 110C HF type air unit in the Axis NE Command’s Aborted Air Units box is also withdrawn from the game, I believe. In the case of wanting to keep the LW ME 110C air unit in play, the Axis player would have to spend a Ger ARP from the Axis Med/NA Command. The Axis player sees no point in attempting further German intervention into the endgame of the Iraqi Coup after the fall of Baghdad and the loss there of the ground unit core of the Iraq Army, especially with Barbarossa unleashed. Perhaps more later on the issue of the Axis Intervention in Iraq Conditional Reinforcements air unit withdrawals, per Optional Rule 38J6.

Allied dispositions:

In Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region [all Allied forces are in general supply]:

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip

1 x Well 1C 4NB3 2-6/28 [operative]

Habbaniya (22A:2828):

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

1 x Glad 3F3 0/8 [operative]

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x P 40C 5F5 1/13 (SAAF) [operative]

22A:2725 [canal intensive secondary rail line hex; NE of Baghdad]:

1 x 6-8* Inf XX 10 (Ind)

Baghdad (22A:2825) [partial hex city]:

1 x 1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind)

one hit on the airbase

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

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

Baqubah (21A:4802) [canal intensive secondary rail junction reference city hex]:

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

22A:3023 [clear terrain secondary rail line]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind)

In the Southern Iraq region [all Allied forces are in general supply]:

Basra (22A:4313) [dot city/major port]:

Allied standard Supply terminal marker

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind)

three steps of attack supply

Shaibah (22A:4314)

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied owned]

Iraqi forces and Axis/German forces on the NE map group; movement and end of turn dispositions:

In the Central Iraq region [all Iraqi units are out of general supply and isolated]:

21A:4803 [canal intensive secondary rail line hex]:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 1 [becomes Black U-4 this turn; never moved]

Karbala (22A:3227) [salt marsh dot city/secondary rail line terminus hex]:

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [becomes Black U-1 this turn; never moved]

In the dark twilight of the Iraq campaign, this remaining Iraqi coup unit is relatively safe where it’s at, in the sacred dot city hex of Karbala. The Allied player will likely not “enter or attack” this Iraqi-owned hex and suffer the -3 Die Roll Modifier consequences on the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table dice roll the next Axis initial phase. Presumably “attack” or “enter” also means an Allied pinpoint bombing attack on the dot city airbase, in addition to Allied ground unit entry into the Karbala hex.

In the South Aegean islands:

On the island of Rodi:

Rodi (20A:2230) [point city/standard port]:

3-cap permanent airfield [Axis owned]

Allied air unit activity late in the Axis exploitation phase:

Late in the Axis exploitation phase the Allied player announces a non-phasing air transfer to Egypt of the Glad 3F3 type air unit at Habbaniya airfield (22A:2828) and the Well 1C 4NB3 type air unit at the Rutbah airstrip (21A:5023). In western Egypt and at Tobruch Rommel and his Afrika Korps press hard the British Western Desert Force (soon to be renamed the 8^th Army). However, the SAAF 5F5 1/13 air unit remains based at the Habbaniya airfield, in anticipation for use in the impending invasion of Iran, not to mention to guard against the remaining Iraqi Mxd 1A2 type air unit still surviving at the Karbala dot city airbase.

Commentary:

The special WW ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration does not yet have a fixed ending or a completed Victory Rule. For now it is considered the cropped portion of a larger WW ME Campaign Scenario. But I assure the EA that there is an end to it, and that the end is very near. The “Iraq Campaign” EA postings will end with the fall of Iran, which should be quick in coming and is virtually automatic, per Rule 38I-Iran.

The WW Middle East (ME) Campaign Scenario Victory Conditions are found at Rule 41B5. Turning to the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet and referring to the several Victory Charts used per the WW ME Campaign Scenario Victory Conditions, we notice the following VP stipulations for the Vichy Levant:

Per the Western Desert Victory Chart, used in the Middle East Campaign, we see that the Axis get +10 VPs the first time the player gains control of all cities and ports in the Levant. This will probably be accomplished in a couple of turns from now after some Allied ground unit movement throughout the conquered and presumably empty French Levant territory. Note that in WW games other than ours, this award could be made before the actual Levant Surrender occurs per the dice roll done using the Variable Levant Surrender Table (Optional Rule 38V3f). The Allied player incurs -1 VP “each [game] turn [the] Axis has privileges in the Levant and the Levant has not surrendered to the Allies.” Per the WW Master Sequence of Play Summary this particular accounting is done early in the Axis player’s initial phase, prior to the initial successful die roll to “pressure Vichy France to grant Axis privileges in Levant, if eligible/desired.” In our “Iraq Campaign” Scenario, the Axis player gained “Air” privileges in the Levant in the Apr I 41 Axis initial phase, so the -1 Allied VP count for no Vichy Levant surrender began on the Apr II Axis initial phase and stopped this Jul II 41 Axis initial phase, for a total of -6 VPs, I think.

However, per Rule 40B-Victory Points, the Allied player evidently gets VPs for all surrendered and eliminated Vichy French Levant forces. This VP count for the “eliminated” Vichy Levant force losses/surrender comes from the WW Common Victory Chart, also used in the Middle East Campaign Victory Conditions. An exception to the “all surrender” rule for the Vichy French forces in the Levant is the Vichy French LeO 451 B type air unit Reinforcement, if still on-map (eg., not already Aborted or Eliminated) in the Axis initial phase of Vichy Levant surrender. Per the WitD Neutral Nations OB the Vichy French LeO 451 air unit withdraws “if the Levant surrenders to the Allies.” Upon Vichy Levant surrender, I count an automatic +12 VPs for the Allies, counting all the Vichy Levant ground unit REs along with the Vichy Fr D 520 F type air unit (per the WitD Neutral Nations OB for Vichy France). Right now I don’t believe the Allies get a +5 for the capture or either the Vichy Levant or Iraqi supply terminals; I believe these VPs go to the capture of Allied or Axis supply terminals.

Continuing our survey of periphery issues, looking at Appendix G-Transportation Lines in the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet, we find that in the WW ME/“Iraq campaign” Scenario time frame the secondary rail line from Kut-al-Imara (22A:3220) to Baqubah (21:4802) is actually a road. The text says “[rail] construction was started February 1942, completed December 1942.” This oversight has made no difference in our game. Also found in Appendix G is another quite important ME Scenario map group transportation line difference, this time in Iran, in the Shatt al Arab zone of the critical SW Iranian region by the Persian Gulf; but this will be noted later at the start of the Allied invasion of Iran.

For those who wonder about such things, here is a partial list of the Iraq cities still under Coup Iraq/Axis control:

Karbala (22A:3227) [dot city]
Sulaimaniya (32:1532) [reference city]
Amara (22A:3526) [reference city]
Khanaquin (21A:4501) [point city]
Samarra (21A:4506) [point city]
Tel Afar (21A:3512) [point city]
Najaf (22A:3526) [point city].

Jul II 41 Allied Turn

April 8, 2015 / Greg Bartels / 0 Comments

Iraqi Coup force and Axis/German Iraq intervention force dispositions on the Near East map group [at the turn’s start]:

On the island of Rodi:

Rodi (20A:2230) [point city/standard port]:

1 x Ju 52 1T1 0/20 (LW) [operative; in supply]

Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region:

Baghdad (22A:2825):

Iraq capital marker

1 x 1-2-6 Inf XX 3

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 2

1 x 0-1-6* Inf XX 4

1 x 1-0-8 Lt Arm X 1

one hit on the airbase

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [operative]

1 x Me 110C 5HF5 1/12 (LW) [operative; becomes Red U-2 this turn]

21A:4803:

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 1 [still Black U-3]

In the Northern Iraq region:

Sulaimaniya (32:1532) [reference city]:

1 x He 111H4 4B4 2-7/22 (LW) [operative; becomes Black U-1 this turn]

Allied movement and end of turn dispositions:

In Palestine:

Haifa (20A:4710) [dot city/major port]:

1 x Well 1C 4NB3 2-6/28 [operative; end of movement phase]

In Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region [all Allied forces are in supply; end of movement phase]:

22A:2725 [canal intensive secondary rail line hex; NE of Baghdad]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 10 (Ind) [never moved]

1 x 2-8 Inf X 24 (Ind) [never moved]

1 x 1-8 Inf X 20 (Ind) [never moved]

1 x 2-8 Inf X 25 (Ind) [regular moved from 22A:2726]

At the end of the movement phase these four units assemble into the Ind 6-8* Inf XX 10. This is the signal that the battle for Baghdad is at hand. It is no accident that these units are at 22A:2725; this is the only hex adjacent to Baghdad that does not have an intervening river hexside. The Ind 1-8 Inf X 17 at 22A:2925, on the opposite side of the Baghdad hex from here, provides the necessary ZOC entrapment combination to turn DR’s to DE’s. The two Allied c/m Xs are where they’re at because they can’t get to 22A:2725 by the end of the movement phase. Ground unit maneuver in the Baghdad hex vicinity is a problem every turn for the Allied player in the Iraq campaign. It’s downright tricky and difficult. At least three times I’ve had to scrap game reports for the Allied turn at the last minute upon realizing a ground unit movement mistake had been make in the necessary maneuvering around the partial city hex in preparation of the final assault.

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind) [regular moved from 22A:2824]

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

1 x 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab [regular moves from 21A:4504]

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

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

one step of attack supply [never moved; end of movement phase]

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

1 x 1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind) [never moved]

22A:2925) [canal intensive hex E of the Tigris river; SE of Baghdad]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind) [never moved]

Habbaniya (22A:2828) [end of movement phase]:

1 x Glad 3F3 0/8 [operative]

1 x Hurri 1 5F5 1/8 [operative]

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative]

1 x 0-1-4 Static II 1 As (Col) [never moved; end of turn]

Ramadi (22A:3830) [reference city; end of movement phase]

1 x P 40C 5F5 1/13 (SAAF) [operative]

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1-cap permanent airstrip [Allied owned]

In the Southern Iraq region:

Near East:

Arrive [per the WitD Allied OB for the Jul II 41 Allied turn]:

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind)

This Ind inf X disembarks at the major port of Basra and then regular moves 6 hexes, gaining hex control of several hexes in the vicinity. The Ind inf X moves first to 22A:4312, and then turns about face and soon moves south to the Umm Qasr point city/minor port border hex (22A:4513), where it again reverses its direction and ends it movement back at Basra. In so doing it gains Allied hex control of point city Zubair (22A:4413) and the swamp road border river crossing hex 22A:4411, possibly important for preparing for the pressing invasion of Iran.

Basra (22A:4313) [dot city/major port; end of turn]:

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

1 x 2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind)

three steps of attack supply

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied owned]

Allied and Axis/Coup Iraq force activity in the Combat Phase:

The non-phasing Axis player announces a DAS air mission over the Baghdad target hex (22A:2825). The LW He 111H4 4B4 (Black U-1) and the Iraqi Mxd 1A2 1/8 air units fly the DAS mission to the Baghdad target hex. The LW Me 110C 5HF5 1/12 air unit (Red U-2) flies the escort air mission over the target hex. From the Habbaniya airfield (22A:2828) and the the Ramadi reference city airbase (22A:2830) the SAAF P 40C 5F5 1/13, the Hurri 1 54F5 1/8, and the Glad 3F3 0/8 Br air units fly the interception air mission to the Baghdad target hex.
In the Baghdad target hex the Allied player allocates the Glad 3F3 type to attack the escorting LW Me 110C 5HF5 type (reduced to 3HF3, due to being U-2). The other two intercepting Allied F type air units bypass the single Axis escort and attack the Axis mission force; a random selection pairs the Br Hurri 1 5F5 type with the LW He 111H4 4B4 type, and the SAAF P 40C 5F5 type with the Iraqi Mxd 1A2 type.
The results: The Me 110C air unit is aborted in air combat and placed in the WW Axis NE Command’s Replacement Pool Aborted Air Units box. The Glad air unit survives and returns to base at the Habbaniya airfield. The He 111H4 air unit is returned in air combat and bases at the Sulaimaniya airbase (32:1532); the Hurri 1 air unit is killed in air combat and placed in the WW Allied NE Command Replacement Pool’s Eliminated Air Units box. The Iraqi Mxd air unit is returned in air combat and bases at the Karbala dot city air base (22A:3227) and the SAAF P 40C air unit survives and returns to base at the Habbaniya airfield.
Then the phasing Allied player announces a GS air mission over the Baghdad target hex. There is no need for fighter escort, nor are any Allied fighter units operative in the Baghdad zone. First he flies the Audax 1A1 1/8 on the GS air mission to the Baghdad target hex. Next he stages the Well 1C 4NB3 2-6/28 air unit from the Haifa airbase (20A:4710) in Palestine to the Rutbah (21A:5023) 1-cap permanent airstrip in Iraq, where it flies the GS air mission to the Baghdad target hex.
The Coup Iraqis have a total of 4 def factors in the Baghdad partial city hex; their three inf XX’s there halved to a total of 2 due to Iraqi Unsteadiness. The Allied player attacks Baghdad from all the adjacent hexes containing Allied ground units, all but 22A:2725 having river hexsides facing towards the partial hex city.
I tally the following factored attack strengths per hex:

From 22A:2725: Ind 6-8* Inf XX 10 (3) + Ind 2-8 Inf X 21 (.5) = 3.5
From 22A:2726: Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab (.5) = .5
From 22A:2826: Col 0-1-4 Static II 2As (0) = 0
From 22A:2926: Ind 1-8 Inf X 17 (1/8=.125) = .125
From 22A:2925: Ind 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (.5) = .5
GS from Audax (.5) + Well 1C (1) = 1.5
This adds to a total of = 6.125

The attack is a straight up 3 to 1. Per the GE TEC used in WW there are no modifiers for attacking a partial hex city outside of “combat between Axis and Soviet forces.” The die roll is a 3: HX. All Iraqi ground units in the Baghdad hex are eliminated and placed in the Iraq Replacement Pool found on the WitD Neutrals Game Chart. The Iraq Capital Marker is removed from the NE map group and set aside. The Ind 2-8 Inf X 21 is eliminated in the HX and placed in the WW Allied NE Command Replacement Pool. The Audax air unit returns to base at the Habbaniya airfield, and the Well 1C air unit returns to base at the Rutbah airstrip.
After resolving the combat results, the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab and the Ind 1-8 Inf X 17 advance after combat into the Baghdad hex.
At the end of the combat phase the Allied player removes his step of attack supply in 22A:2826 used to provide attack supply for his attacking ground units (Rule 12D).

Allied movement in the combat phase:

Baqubah (21A:4802) [canal intensive secondary rail junction reference city hex]:

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

From the Baghdad hex the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab journeys northeastwards and ends the exploitation phase at Baqubah, retaking this reference city for the Allies. It sorely needs to soon move westwards across Iraq and capture the Vichy French reference city Deir ez Zoir (21A:3922) for the Allies, but there is still unfinished business for it in Iraq.

22A:3023 [clear terrain secondary rail line hex]:

1 x 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind)

From canal intensive hex 22A:2925, SE of Baghdad, the Ind 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 moves southeastwards along the secondary rail line to Kut-al-Imara (22A:3220), capturing this reference city/minor port hex for the Allies. Then it double backs northwest and ends the exploitation phase at 22A:3023.

Commentary: With the Allied capture of Baghdad in their combat phase, the main Allied hex objective is accomplished in an “extended” Iraq campaign where the Iraqi coup did not ideally collapse in the earlier Axis initial phase of the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table dice roll done on the “first turn (only) that a supported Allied unit is adjacent to an Iraqi-owned Baghdad.” In our special WW ME/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration this bad luck Allied dice roll happened on the May II 41 Axis initial phase; and now, two months later, Baghdad falls in the Jul II 41 Allied turn in a dicey battle.

For the Allied player it appears that “phase 2” will be the mop-up in Iraq and the border deployment and subsequent execution of the invasion of Iran. Also, the remote eastern Syrian reference city hex of Deir ez Zoir (21A:3922) still needs to be captured for the Allies, and the Br c/m X Hab unit is the logical choice for this task, of all Allied ground units present on the WW ME Campaign Scenario map group. On the Aug I 41 Allied turn it converts to the 2-1-10* Lt Arm X 9, and is likely needed as soon as possible in the Egypt-Libya border zone in the Western Desert map group, facing the Afrika Korps besieging Tobruch. In any event the damage is done to the Allied cause in our extended Iraq campaign demonstration here. Some of the Allied forces involved in the special WW/“Iraq Campaign” Scenario demonstration have been diverted from their historical roles in the Syrian and Western Desert campaigns, and the Iran invasion will apparently be delayed by a turn, at least. But such are some of the primary issues played out in the WW Middle East Campaign Scenario game play.