Iraqi force dispositions:

In the Central Iraq region:

Baghdad (22A:2825):

Iraq capital marker

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 2

1 x Mxd 1A2 1/8 [operative]

22A:2826 [canal intensive major rail line/road junction hex W of Baghdad]:

1 x 0-1-6* Inf XX 4

22A:2928 [clear terrain hex SE of Habbaniya (22A:2828)]:

1 x 1-2-6 Inf XX 3

1 x 1-6* Inf XX 1

1 x 1-0-8 Lt Arm X 1

Rutbah (21A:5023):

1 cap-permanent airstrip [still owned by pro-Axis Coup Iraq]

Allied movement, end of turn dispositions, and commentary:

Allied Conditional Reinforcements

Iraqi Coup Reaction Forces

Coup Turn 3/May I 41 Allied turn

Middle East:

Convert: 1 x 2-1-8 Cav X 4 and 1 x transport counter (1 RE) to:

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

  • This conversion is done in the May I 41 Allied initial phase at hex 22A:5128 [at the ravines road Trans-Jordan/Iraq border hex]:

In Iraq:

In the Central Iraq region:

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

1 x 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab [this is at the end of the May I 41 Allied turn exploitation phase]

  • Commentary: In its dramatic, epic, and strategically important long-striding eastward motor drive through unfriendly Coup Iraq territory beginning at Trans-Jordan ravines road border hex 22A:5128, the renown Br Habforce motorized infantry unit captures for the Allies both the important Rutbah (21A:5023) one-cap permanent airstrip and the Ramadi hex reference city road hex (22A:2830), the later located only two hexes west of Habbaniya (22A:2828). With the long road/transportation line thus now controlled from Habbaniya all the way back to the Allied standard supply sources in Egypt, the supply crisis threatening the preservation of the Allied Habaniya airfield cantonment will end in the following May I 41 Axis initial phase supply determination.

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

3-cap permanent airfield

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

1 x Audax 1A1 1/8

  • The Audax A type air unit becomes Red U-2 this Allied initial phase.

1 x Glad 3F3 0/8

  • The Glad air unit is still Black U-1 this player turn.

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind)

  • This Coup Turn 3/May I 42 Allied turn Iraqi Coup Reaction Forces Conditional Reinforcement disembarks at Basra (22A:4313) and is air transported by the Bombay air unit based there to Habbaniya (22A:2828).

1 x Bombay 1T2 1-2/15 [inoperative; in the movement phase has air transported the 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind) from Basra to Habbaniya]

In the Southern Iraq region:

Allied Conditional Reinforcements

Iraqi Coup Reaction Forces

Coup Turn 3/May I 41 Allied Turn

Near East:

Arrive:

1 x 2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind)

  • This unit disembarks at Basra (22A:4313) and is air transported by the operative Bombay air unit based there to the Habbainya hex (22A:2828).

2 steps of attack supply

  • After disembarking at Basra (22A:4313), 1 step of attack supply remains there and the other uses all 5 of the newly arrived SMPs to move up the secondary rail line to 22A:4217, where it ends the turn.

5 SMPs

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

Allied standard Supply Terminal marker

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

one step of attack supply [conditional reinforcement, disembarks and remains at Basra]

Shaibah (22A:4314):

3-cap permanent airfield [Allied controlled]

22A:4217 [clear terrain secondary rail line hex; end of turn]:

1 step of attack supply [moved 5 secondary rail line hexes from Basra (22A:4313), using 5 SMPs]

Diwaniya 22A:3623 [reference city canal intensive secondary rail line hex; end of turn]:

1 x 8* Inf XX HQ 10 (Ind)

1 x 1-8 Inf X 20 (Ind)

  • Both units have regular moved up the secondary rail line from 22A:4218.

Commentary: One of the toughest decisions regarding Allied play in the special ME/“Iraq Campaign” scenario has been whether or not to have the Allied Iraqi Coup Reaction Conditional Reinforcements arriving at the Persian Gulf major port of Basra either “sit tight” in the Basra/Shaibah zone or else advance towards Baghdad up the secondary rail line leading towards it. In this game I’ve chosen the later strategy.