Jul I 41 Axis Turn

EOT Dispositions

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

3.5 Italian inf Replacement Points at the start of the turn, + .5 reinforcement RPs at step 14 of the I. Phase = a new total of 4, which is the same at the end of the I. Phase & turn; no builds this turn.

1.5 German inf Replacement Point reinforcements at step 14 of the I. Phase, which is the same as at the end of the I. Phase & turn; no builds this turn.

1 Ger ARP at the start of the turn, which is carried over into the next air cycle, per WW Advanced Rule 25C6-ARP Accumulation, + 5 Ger ARP reinforcements at step 14 of the I. Phase = a new total of 6.  A maximum of 2 Ger ARPs can be spent each Axis I. Phase, per WW Advanced Rule 25C6-ARP Spending Limits.  The Axis player spends one Ger ARP at step 14 of the I. Phase to rebuild the Ger LW Ju 88A4  4B5  3-7/26 air unit beginning the turn in the Aborted Air Units Box of the Med/NA Command Replacement Pool.  It is placed at Khania (18A:4403), on Crete.  At the end of the I. Phase and turn the Axis player has a total of 5 Ger ARPs remaining.

1 It ARP at the start of the turn, which is carried over into the next air cycle, per WW Advanced Rule 25C6, +5 It ARP reinforcements at step 14 of the I. Phase = a new total of 6.  A maximum of 2 It ARPs can be spent each Axis I. Phase, per WW Advanced rule 25C6.  The Axis player spends one It ARP at step 14 of the I. Phase to rebuild the It SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 air unit beginning the turn in the Aborted Air Units Box of the Med/NA Command Replacement Pool.  It is placed at 18A:2730, in Libya.  At the end of the I. Phase the Axis player has a total of 5 It ARPs remaining.

In Sicily [{beginning of the turn}/end of turn]:

Licata (18A:0102) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
{SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 [began turn here; this air unit is withdrawn this turn, per the WitD Axis OB, which is the basis of the new Scenario’s Axis draft OB; withdrawn at step 14 of the I. Phase]}

Coast hex 18A:0403:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ca 311  2B2  1/L/14 [inop.; turn conversion of the original Ca 309 air unit, per the WitD Axis OB booklet, Order of Battle Options, on p. 13, which is provisionally being used in the new Scenario; placed here at step 14 of the I. Phase; did Malta Status tac bombing air mission at the very beginning of the M. Phase; used the 3 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; Hit (yes, it rolled a 6); returned to base here]
Cr 42  3F3  0/9 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Coast hex 18A:0603:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 [inop.; Italian; began turn here; did Malta Status tac bombing air mission at the very beginning of the M. Phase; used the 3 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table; Hit; returned to base here]
MC 200  3F4  1/8 [operative; turn reinf; placed at 18A:0603, on Sicily, at step 14 of the I. Phase; never moved]

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

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

Malta on the Jul I 41 Axis turn:

Malta Status: 8, at the start of the turn, +2 for Malta Status bombing hits done prior to the naval movement step of the M. Phase, = 10 during this turn’s naval movement step and at the EOT.

Valetta hex (18A:0407) flack: 7 (3 intrinsic + a total of 4 for the two Br 0-1-8 hv AA II’s 2 flack factors, each)

• On this turn Malta Status air missions to the Valletta hex would roll on the 3 column of the Antiaircraft Fire Table, Per WW Rule 37I2a.

4 gsp’s are present in the Valletta hex at the start of the Axis player turn, generated on the previous Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase. However, this turn there are 4.5 REs of ground units on Malta, at Valletta.  The Allied player opts to designate the 1-8 MG II 2 Ch as the particular unit that is definitely in the Red U-2 supply status. The other 4 REs of Allied ground units at Valletta are technically Red U-2, but are designated as being in special general supply via the 4 gsp’s.

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

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

Tripoli (18A:0121) [clear terrain dot city/major port hex transportation line junction coast hex]:
Axis Supply Terminal marker
fort marker
0 pos flk unit AA=3 [Italian]
3 steps of attack supply [all began turn here; never moved]
2 steps of attack supply [turn reinfs; began turn in the mainland Europe off-map holding box at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase the two steps were successfully sea transported to Tripoli in a single naval convoy consisting of 6 turn reinf Axis NTPs; disembarked and never moved]
1.5 German arm Replacement Points (RPs) [turn reinforcements, began the turn in the mainland Europe off-map holding box at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase these 1.5 Ger arm RPs were successfully sea transported to Tripoli in a single naval convoy consisting of three turn reinf Axis NTPs; I am assuming that arm REs are doubled for naval transport purposes per WW Rule 27B3; disembarked & stored at the Tripoli Axis standard supply terminal]

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 hex]:
one step of attack supply [began turn at Tripoli; spent 4 SMPs in the E. Phase moving along the coast road to here]

Misurata (18A:1022) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield

Sirte (18A:1727) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
fort marker
3-cap permanent airfield
1 resource point

18A:2428 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:1427; spent 10 SMPs in the E. Phase moving along the road to here]

18A:2730 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
BR 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 [inop.; began turn at Misurata (18A:1022); in the C. Phase it first staged to Slouch (18A:3222) and then performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]

El Agheila (18A:2930) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip
SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 [turn ARP build; placed at 18A:2730 at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the C. Phase it first staged to Agedabia and then performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]

18A:3228 [clear terrain road hex]:
0-1-6* Inf III 280 GaF [began turn at 18A:2027; admin moved along road to here]
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:2428; spent 8 SMPs in the E. Phase moving along the road to here]

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

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

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

18A:3622 [stony desert road hex, NE of Zaulet Msus]:
8* Inf XX HQ 9 LA (Ger) [began turn at 18A:2428; admin moved to here]

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 coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
{1 port damage hit marker}
0-6 Lt AA II AA=1 38 [began turn here; never moved]
0-8 Cons III Afr (Ger) [turn reinf; began the turn in the mainland Europe off-map holding box at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the naval movement step it is successfully sea transported to Derna in a turn reinf NTP, expending 35 naval movement points doing so; in the M. Phase the cons III spends 4 MPs in the Derna port hex repairing the single hit of port damage there; remained in the hex]
CR 42AS  3F3  1/8 [operative; step 14 of the I. Phase turn conversion of the CR 42  3F3  0/9 air unit beginning the turn here; never moved]
SM 79-2  2B3  3-4/V/20 [inop.; began turn at Scarpanto (19A:0701); in the C. Phase it first staged to Khania, on Crete, and then performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
Ju 88A4  4B5  3-7/26 [inop.; began turn at Sirte (18A:1727), in Libya; in the C. Phase it first staged to 18A:3617 and then performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
{1 resource point [began turn here; expended at step 19 of the I. Phase for beginning the construction of a fort in hex 18A:4718, SW of Tobruch]}

18A:4216 [stony desert coast road hex, SE of Derna]:
{1 step of attack supply [began turn at Derna; in the M. Phase it spent one SMP moving one road hex to here; expended at the end of the C. Phase giving attack supply to 10 REs of Axis ground units in the Tobruch attack; the step of attack supply at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) was also expended in the Tobruch attack]}
vacant at the end of the C. Phase

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield
8 Inf XX HQ 102 Trn [began turn at 18A:4818; unsupported breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; regular moved to here]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (LW) [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (LW) [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
Me 110D  5HF5  4-2/12 [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
{one step of attack supply [began turn here; expended at the end of the C. Phase giving attack supply to 10 REs of Axis ground units in the Tobruch attack; the step of attack supply at 18A:4216 was also expended in the Tobruch attack]}

18A:4618 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
1-6 Tnk II 4 [began turn at Agedabia (18A:3327); admin moved 12 hexes along the road to 18A:4119; exploited to here]

18A:4718 [clear terrain coast road hex; SW of Tobruch]:
3-cap temporary airfield
3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs [began turn here; never moved; it did not participate in the Tobruch attack]
3-6 Inf XX 55 Sav [began turn at 18A:4818; regular moved one hex to here; it did not participate in the Tobruch attack]
0-6 Cons III 5 A [began turn here; began construction a 2-turn fort in the hex at step 19 of the I. Phase, projected to be completed in the Aug I 41 Axis I. Phase; utilized the expended resource point beginning the turn at Derna; never moved; it did not participate in the Tobruch attack]
1-8 Aslt Eng II 31 G [began turn at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518); regular moved to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
1-6 Hv AA II 29 [began turn here; never moved; participated in the Tobruch attack]
3-4-8 Art III 221 (Ger) [began turn here; never moved; participated in the Tobruch attack]
MC 200  3F4  1/8 [inop; began turn here; in the C. Phase performed the Escort air mission for the GS air op over the Tobruch target hex; returned to base here]
Me 109E  7F5  1/7 [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase performed the Escort air mission for the GS air op over the Tobruch target hex; returned to base here]
Me 109F1  6F6  1/8 [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase performed the Escort air mission for the GS air op over the Tobruch target hex; returned to base here]

18A:4818 [clear terrain road hex; S of Tobruch]:
5-8 Lt Arm XX 132 Ar [began turn at 18A:4918; regular moved to 18A:4818; participated in the Tobruch attack; remained here in E. Phase]
2-3-8 Art III 16C [began turn at Halfaya Pass (19A:0419), regular moved to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
2-3-6 Art III 24 C [began turn here; never moved; participated in the Tobruch attack]
one step of attack supply [began turn here; never moved; not expended in the Tobruch attack]

18A:4918 [clear terrain coast road hex; SE of Tobruch]:
2-8 Inf III 155 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4618; regular moved to here; it did not participate in the Tobruch attack]
0-6 Cons III 10 A [began turn at 18A:4818; spends 5 MPs regular moving one hex to here, abandoning the temporary airfield under construction at 18A:4818; spends 1 MP at 18A:4918 beginning construction of a new temporary airfield in hex 4918; it did not participate in the Tobruch attack]
3-4-6 Art III 5 A [began turn here; never moved; participated in the Tobruch attack]
8-7-10* Pz XX 5 Le (Ger) [began turn at Halfaya Pass (19A:0419), regular moved to here; remained here in the E. Phase; participated in the Tobruch attack]

18A:4819 [clear terrain hex; 2 hexes S of Tobruch]:
1-8 Inf III 61 [began turn at 18A:4718; unsupported breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; regular moved to here]
1-8 Mot Art III 2 AC [began turn at 18A:4718; regular moved to 18A:4918; exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]

18A:5018 [clear terrain hex]:
1-8 Inf III 62 [began turn at 18A:4818; unsupported breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; regular moved to here]
1-8 Mot Art III 1 AC [began turn at 18A:5119; regular moved to 18A:4818; exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]

18A:5119 [clear terrain hex]:
1-8 Mot Art III 3 AC [began turn at 19A:0219; regular moved to 18A:4818; exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
1-10 Mot AT II 605 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4718; regular moved to 18A:4918; exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]

19A:0219 [clear terrain hex]:
9-10 Pz XX 15 (Ger) [began turn at 19A:0320; regular moved to 18A:4818; exploited back to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
3-10 Mot Inf III 115 (Ger) [began turn at 19A:0320; regular moved to 18A:4818;  exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
2-10 Mot Hv AA III AA=4 135 (Ger LW) [began turn here; regular moved to 18A;4818; exploited to here; participated in the Tobruch attack]
2-10 Mot Inf III 7 B [began turn at Halfaya Pass (19A:0419); unsupported breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; regular moved to 19A:0922, gaining Axis ownership of the Egyptian coast road hexes up to 19A:1018 and the Siwa road hexes 19A:1119-1020-1021; exploited along the Siwa road to 19A:0823, gaining hex control of the road up to this hex and the adjacent south road hex 19A:0824, and then turned NW and ended its exploitation movement here]

Porto Bardiya (19A:0318) [clear terrain unimproved fortress/point city/minor port road terminus coast hex]:
unimproved fortress
4 port damage hit markers
3-6 Inf XX 17 Pav [began turn at 18A:5018; regular moved to here]

Crete [end of turn]:

Khania (18A:4403) [rough terrain reference city/standard port road terminus coast hex]:
2-cap temporary airfield

Erakleion (18A:4903) [rough terrain reference city/standard port coast road hex]:
hit marker on the reference city airbase

On Scarpanto [end of turn]:

Scarpanto (19A:0701) [rough port point city minor port hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
G 50 3F3 0/9 [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 88A4  4B5  3-7/26 [inop.; turn ARP build; placed at Khania (18A:4403), on Crete, at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]
Ju 88A4 4B5 3-7/26 [inop.; began turn at Sirte (18A:1727),in Libya; in the C. Phase it first staged to 18A:3618 (Maraua) and then performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; returned to base here]

Southeast or Med/NA Command

Mainland Europe:

Axis Conditional Reinforcements

Optional Axis Near East Forces [see WW OB booklet, p. 27 and WW Optional Rule 38J6; per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft Rules and Axis OB, based on the concept of F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July 1941” Europa Battle Scenario, found in TEM#81]

• Axis Conditional Reinforcements Axis Intervention in Iraq forces tentative operational area, per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario draft rules: Axis Near East Command, Axis SE Command, the South Aegean Islands (see WW Rule 3D), Cyprus, Palestine, and Trans-Jordan.

[Iraqi] Coup turn 7/Jul I 41 Axis Turn:

Place at any airfield on Rodi:

German:
1 x He 111H4  4B4  2-7/22 (Ger LW)  [Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq/NE]

Axis Production/Vichy French Production:

Place at Rodi (20A:2230):
4 Axis gsp’s at the standard port of Rodi (20A:2230), generated at step 16 of the Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase, per WW Rule 12C2a & 12C4

1 Vichy French Colonial inf RP [per the WW OB booklet, p. 36 [back cover] and F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July, 1941” Europa battle scenario Axis OB, published in TEM#81; technically, begins in “mainland Europe”, but I believe that since the Axis cessation of  operations in the Balkans, this includes “any Axis-owned ports or airbases in the South Aegean Islands”, per WW Rule 40A2-Axis Reinforcements]

Mainland Europe:
one Vichy French ARP [per F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July, 1941” Europa battle scenario Axis OB, published in TEM#81]

At Rodi [end of turn]:

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

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

Med/NA Replacement Pool [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:
1 x 2-6 Inf XX 60 Sbr
1 x 2-10 Mot Inf III 10 B
1 x 2-1-8 Lt Tnk III 3
2 x 1-8 Lt Tnk X 1,2
5 x 1-6 Tnk II 1, 3, 5, 6, 21
1 x Para Inf III Tonini
3 x 0-1-6* Inf III 300 GaF, 310 GaF, 320 GaF
1 x 3-4-6 Art III 24 dM
3 x 2-3-6 Art III 10 C, 20 C, 21 C
1 x 1-6 Art III 23 C
1 x 3-4-6 Art III 8 A [Jun I 41 Axis turn reinf; sunk in sea transit to Libya  that turn by Allied anti-shipping, per the Naval Table]
4 x 0 pos flk unit AA=1 [Italian]

Med/NA aborted air units box:
CR 42  3F3  0/9 [here since the start of the new Scenario; per ER-II]
He 111H4  4B4  2-7/22 [began the Jul I 41 Axis turn at Derna; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; aborted by the Tobruch AA fire]
Br 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 [Jul I 41 Axis turn reinf; placed at Khania (18A:4403), on Crete, at step 14 of the I. Phase; this can be done in the South Aegean Islands after the Axis cessation of operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 40A2-Axis Reinforcements; in the C. Phase it performed the GS air mission over the Tobruch target hex for the Axis attack there; aborted by the Tobruch AA fire]
{SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 [in the Med/NA Replacement Pool since the start of the new Scenario; per ER-II; turn ARP build; placed at 18A:2730, in Libya, at step 14 of the I. Phase]}
{Ju 88A4  4B5  3-7/26 [aborted by Allied NTP flack in the naval movement step of the Jul I 41 Allied M. Phase; turn ARP build; placed at Khania (18A:4403), on Crete, at step 14 of the I. Phase]}

Axis Near East Command

Select Initial Conditions Recap & Status Update for the Vichy French Levant on the Jul I 41 Axis turn:

Standard Supply Terminals: Damas (20A:4505/19A:4701) and Beyrouth (20A:4207)

• Damas was captured by the Allies in the previous Jul I I 41 Allied C. Phase.

SMPs:  4, this turn; it was 5 at the beginning of the Scenario, but reduced to 4 this turn after the loss of the Vichy French standard supply terminal at Damas, on the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase; this SMP reduction is per WW Advanced Rule 12H3

Rail Capacity, Levant Rail net:  3; was 4, but reduced to 3 this turn after the loss of the dot city/rail marshaling yard at Damas on the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase, per WW Rule 7A5a

Intrinsic Vichy French Levant AA: Per the WW Intrinsic Light AA Summary, 1 point per dot and major city hex in the Levant.

Vichy French Levant Conditional Reinforcements:

3nd Turn of Invasion/Jul I 41:

Available in [mainland] Europe [both these items per F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July, 1941” Europa battle scenario, from TEM#81]

1 Vichy French ARP [Note: Per WW Advanced Rule 25C8 and WW Rule 25G [ARP] Transfers, in the I. Phase this Axis turn reinf may transfer from mainland Europe to the Axis-controlled South Aegean Islands and from there to a Vichy French standard supply terminal in the Levant, and there be expended in this same I. Phase]

Vichy French Levant [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:

Beyrouth (20A:4207) [rough terrain dot city/standard port transportation line junction coast hex]:
Standard Supply Terminal marker [Vichy French Levant specific]
0-1-5 Cons X Lev (Col) [began turn here; never moved, but expended 4 MPs in the Beyrouth hex building a 1-cap temporary airfield there]
4-3-6* Inf III 6 LE (LE) [began turn at 20A:4406; regular moved one hex to Rayak; entrained there on the secondary railway and railed to Beyrouth]
1-2-6* Inf III 16 TT (Afr) [turn Vichy Fr in RP build; placed here at step 14 of the I. Phase; never moved]
one step of attack supply (Vichy French) [began turn here; never moved]
{.5 Vichy French inf RPs began the turn at Beyrouth, + 1.25 Vichy Fr special inf RPs added on at step 14 of the I. Phase for combat losses incurred in the previous Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase; 1 Vichy Fr inf RP is expended at step 14 of the I. Phase to replace the 1-2-6* Inf III 16 TT (AFR), w/ .75 Vichy Fr inf RPs remaining at the Beyrouth hex at the end of the I. Phase}
ME 110C  5HF5  1/12 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Rayak (20A:4306); air transferred to Beyrouth in the M. Phase; technically Red U-1, but in special general supply via an Axis-specific gsp air transported to Beyrouth on the Jun II 41 Axis M. Phase; this gsp was removed from the maps at step 24 of the current I. Phase]
D 520  6F5  0/11 (Vichy French) [operative; began turn here; never moved]

20A:4307 [mountain secondary rail line hex, SE of Beyrouth]:
2-6* Inf III 29 TA (Afr) [began turn at 20A:4307; never moved]

Rayak (20A:4306) [clear terrain point city transportation line junction hex]:
{1-cap permanent airstrip [demolished in the M. Phase by the A-8 Cav III Tchr (TS)]}
{1 x resource point (Vichy French) [began turn at Rayak; expended in the I. Phase to increase the Vichy French Levant railcap to 4.5, from 3, per WW Optional Rule 7A5b]}
vacant at the end of the M. Phase

20A:4206 [mountain hex, NE of Beyrouth]:
A-8 Cav III Tcher (TS) [began turn at Rayak (20A:4306); spent 2 MPs demolishing the 1-cap permanent airstrip at Rayak, then regular moved to here]

20A:4106 [mountain hex]:
C-8 Cav III Ligne (TS) [began turn at 20A:4405; regular moved to here]

Tripoli (20A:4005) [rough terrain reference city/minor port transportation line coast hex]:
railhead marker
hit marker on reference city airbase
C-8 Cav III N Syr (TS) [began turn here; never moved; spent 2 MPs demolishing the reference city airbase in the hex]

Homs (20A:3902) [clear terrain reference city  transportation line junction hex]:
hit marker on reference city airbase
1-8 Cav III 1 SM (Afr) [began turn at 20A:4405; regular moved to here]
D-8 Cav III Djez (TS) [began turn at 20A:3903; regular moved to here, but not before demolishing the reference city airbases at Homs (20A:3902) and Hama (20A:3702)]

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

Alep (20A:3231) [clear terrain partial city transportation line junction hex]:
1-6 Inf II V/1 TM (Afr) [began turn at Alep]
Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Rodi (20A:2230); Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq; in the E. Phase air transported 1 Vichy French inf RP and 2 Axis-specific gsp’s (generated at the port of Rodi in the I. Phase) to here]
He 111H4  4B4  2-7/22 (Ger LW) [Axis Conditional Reinforcement, Axis Intervention in Iraq; began turn at Rodi at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the E. Phase air transported 2 Axis-specific gsp’s (generated at the port of Rodi in the I. Phase) to here]
LeO 451  3B5  2-5/25 (Vichy French) [inop.; Vichy French  ARP build; began turn at Beyrouth (20A:4207) at step 14 of the I. Phase; in the M. Phase it air transported 2 Vichy French-specific gsp’s to Alep, per WW Optional Rule 23E3]
1 Vichy French inf RP, air transported to here from Rodi (20A:2230) in the M. Phase
.75 Vichy French inf RP, railed to here from Beyrouth in the M. Phase, entraining on a secondary rail line
4 Axis-specific gsp’s, generated this I. Phase at the Axis standard port of Rodi, in the Dodecanese, and air transported from Rodi to here
4 Vichy French-specific gsp’s, generated this turn at Beyrouth; 2 were railed to here from Beyrouth, entraining on a secondary rail line, and 2 were air transported to here from Beyrouth by the LeO 451 B type air unit

21A:3332 [swamp major rail line hex, S of Alep]:
A-5 Inf III 1 Lev (TS) [began turn at 20A:3302; moved to here]

20A:4102 [clear terrain road hex]:
A-8 Mot Cav II Lev (TS) [began turn at 21A:4433; due to enemy ZOCs it became Black U-1 in the I. Phase, halving its movement rating; regular moved to 20A:4302; exploited to here]

Vichy French Levant Replacement Pool {beginning of turn}/end of turn]:
{1-2-6* Inf III 16 TT (Afr) [eliminated at Damas (20A:4505) in the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase; rebuilt this turn w/ Vichy Fr inf RPs and placed at Beyrouth at step 14 of the I. Phase]}
2-6* Inf III 22 TA (Afr) [eliminated at 20A:4308 in the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III 6 CdA (Afr) [eliminated at 20A:4308 in the Jul I 41 Allied C. Phase]
3-6* Inf III 24 MC (Col) [eliminated at Saida (20A:4408) in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III 7 CA (Afr) [eliminated at Saida (20A:4408) in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-6* Inf III 17 TS (Col) [eliminated at 20A:4707; in the Jun II 41 Allied C. Phase]
2-6* Inf III 22 TA (Afr) [eliminated in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase]
1-8 Cav III 2 MS (Afr) [eliminated in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase]

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

• In the E. Phase the Br Bombay  1T2  1-2/15 air unit beginning the turn at Tel Aviv (20A:5011), in Palestine, performs a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the Port Said airbase (20A:5121), in Egypt.

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

• In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario the pro-Axis Iraqi coup automatically occurs in the Apr I 41 Axis Initial Phase.
• The Iraqi coup collapsed at step 4 of the Initial Phase of the May II 41 Axis turn, when the Allied player rolled the dice checking for an Iraqi Coup Collapse, using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table, per WW Rule 38J5.
• This Axis turn, At step 2 of the Initial Phase, the Axis player did the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and came up with a 6: Fawzi is under the control of the Axis player for the player turn. The Axis player decides to keep the two Fawzi units in their Guerrilla mode and move them in the M. Phase.

21A:4824 [sand hex]:
Guerrilla unit Fawzi (Bandit) [began turn at 21A:4821; moved to here]

21A:4825 [stony desert road hex]:
Guerrilla unit Fawzi (Bandit) [dummy guerrilla-capable unit; began turn at 21A:4822; moved to here]

Turn Activity

At step 2 of the I. Phase the Axis player does the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and comes up with a 6: Fawzi is under the control of the Axis player for the player turn.  The Axis player decides to keep the two Fawzi units in their Guerrilla mode and moves them in the M. Phase.

At step 11 of the I. Phase the Aus 2-8 Inf X 19 at Lattique (20A:3405), along the Vichy French Syrian Mediterranean coastline, becomes Black U-2.  This is a correction from what was indicated in the pictures done for the previous Jul I 41 Allied turn game report.  The SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit at Tobruch becomes Black U-4 this turn, making all the Allied units currently in the Tobruch hex now at the U-4 status, Red or Black.

At step 13 of the I. Phase the Allied player checks for Variable Levant surrender, per WW Optional Rule 38V3f, rolling the dice and using the Variable Levant Surrender Table.  This is perhaps the optimum turn in the present game for this political event, as this turn the Allied player gets a +2 modifier for “the first turn Damas is Allied-owned”, a +2 if “a supplied Allied unit is adjacent to a Vichy-owned Beyrouth”, but also a -1 if “an Allied unit has been eliminated or reduced to cadre in [the] Levant,” for an adjusted one-time +3 overall modifier to the dice roll.  The Alied player rolls a 7, which is modified to a 10: No Surrender; and so the fighting goes on in the Vichy French Levant.

After the Axis player ceases operations in the Balkans, each Axis-owned port in the South Aegean Islands becomes an Axis unrestricted full supply source, per WW Rule 12C2a. The South Aegean Islands include all islands in the Dodecanese.

Beginning on the Jun II 41 Axis turn, the Axis player may use naval transport in the Eastern Mediterranean sea zone, using the 12 column of the Naval Table. This would be per WW Rule 31D2.

At step 14 of the I. Phase the Axis player spends the turn reinforcement Vichy French ARP and rebuilds the LeO 451  3B5  2-5/25 (Vichy French) air unit, placing it at Beyrouth (20A:4207), in the Vichy French Levant. Although F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July, 1941” Europa battle scenario, published in TEM#81, says the ARP is Available in Europe, I believe it can be expended this turn at either of the Vichy French standard Supply Terminals to replace the aborted air unit, per WW Rule 25C4-ARP Transfer.  The Ger LW Ju 88A4  4B5  3-7/26 and the It SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 air units are also rebuilt, costing one Ger & It ARP, and are removed from the Aborted Air Units Box of the Med/NA Replacement Pool and placed on the maps.

At step; 14 of the I. Phase the Axis player spends 1 Vichy French inf RP stored at Beyrouth to rebuild the 1-2-6* Inf III 16 TT (Afr), placing it at Beyrouth.  This leaves .75 Vichy Fr inf RPs stored at Beyrouth at the end of the I. Phase.

Using the Optional Axis Near East Forces Axis Order of Battle, found in the WW Orders of Battle booklet, at p. 27, the Axis player continues to bring into play the Axis Conditional Reinforcements Axis Intervention in Iraq (Optional Rule 38J6) German forces.  This time the Coup Turn 7/[in our case, the Jul I 41 Axis turn] Ger LW He 111H4  4B4  2-7/22 air unit is brought in at Rodi, in the Dodecanese, at step 14 of the I. Phase.  Although admittedly these forces were initially intended as a pro-Axis Iraqi coup intervention force, they also seem to be a plausible and convenient Axis intervention force pool for deployment into an Allied-invaded Vichy French Levant, assuming that the Axis player has received either Air or Full Axis privileges in the Levant, after doing the correct dice roll using the Vichy Levant Table, per WW Rule 38V3a.  This Optional Axis Near East Forces OB seems to be the source of the Axis Conditional Reinforcements indicated in F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July, 1941” Europa battle scenario, published in TEM#81, and so we use it here, in the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario.

At step 16 of the I. Phase the Allied player converts the one remaining step of attack supply at Tobruch into 12 new gsp’s, per Rule 12C4b-GSP’s from Steps of Attack Supply.  At the Tobruch hex this turn are also 6 gsp’s that were generated on the previous Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase and sea transported into the hex during that turn’s M. Phase.  At step 16 the Axis player generates 4 gsp’s at the standard port of Rodi (20A:2230), per WW Rule 12C2a & 12C4; and 4 Vichy French-specific gsp’s are generated at the Vichy French Levant standard supply terminal at Beyrouth (20A:4207), in Lebanon.

At step 19 of the I. Phase the Axis player begins the construction of a two-turn fort at 18A:4718, SW of Tobruch, in Libya.  He expends the resource point at Derna, 6 hexes away.  In the Vichy French Levant the Axis player expends a Vichy French resource point to increase the Vichy French Levant railcap from 3 to 4.5 this turn (only), per WW Optional Rule 7A5b-Temporary Capacity Increase.

At step 24 of the I. Phase the 12 gsp’s at Tobruch are removed from the maps that were generated on the earlier Jun II 41 Axis I. Phase.  Also removed from the maps at step 24 are the 8 Vichy French-specific gsp’s at several locations in the Vichy French Levant that were generated in the I. Phase of the same Jun II 41 Axis turn, at the Vichy French Levant standard supply terminals at Beyrouth and Damas.

 

In the naval movement step of the Initial Phase the Axis player successfully sea transports the two steps of attack supply to Tripoli, in Libya and also the German reinforcement 0-8 Cons III Afr, to Derna, in Libya.  Because the Malta Status is 10 at the beginning of the naval movement step, the Axis player also risks sea transporting to Tripoli the important turn reinforcement 1.5 Ger arm RPs.  But he waits before sea transporting any It or Ger inf RPs across the Cent Med sea zone to North Africa, as there is an alternate transport method available, but it cannot be done this turn, and so for now he bides his time.  Note that the poor Italian ally does not receive any arm RPs until the Jan I 42 Axis I. Phase, and so it appears that the Axis player would be wise to conserve the Italian armored and mobile forces until near the end of 1941 at the earliest, unless he wishes to share with the Italians the German arm RPs.  But for the hard core Europa aficionados, an array of possible Axis arm and inf RP policy options perhaps reveals itself now, as the game enters into the second half of 1941, with the consequent ground unit losses anticipated in the inevitable clashes in the Western Desert.  So at least by now would be a good time for both players to take a hard look at the WW Special RP Costs Chart, found on p. 28 (the back cover of the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet), and understand the dear costs of replacing certain units, especially armor.  For the Allied player in the EA reported WW ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, it takes a hefty 3 Br arm RPs to replace the vital 3-2-10 arm X’s, which is why it took until the Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase for the Allied player to finally replace one of the three such units found in the new Scenario’s Middle East Replacement Pool.  For the German 5-3-10 pz IIIs, I believe WW players use the cost listings under Pz Brigades, Unit Attack Str of 5; it probably should read “Pz Regiments”.  Someone let me know if they believe the correct costs of either the Ger 5-3-10 pz IIIs or the Br 3-2-10 arm Xs are different than what I’ve indicated here, for the benefit of the interested EA audience who want to play the game accurately.

In the Movement Phase the It 0-6 Cons III 5 A begins the construction of a 2-turn fort at the SW hex adjacent to Tobruch, signaling the deepening stages of the protracted siege there.  The It 0-6 Cons III 10 A moves from 18A:4818, S of Tobruch, abandoning the unfinished 1-cap temporary airfield begun there last turn, as perhaps a diversion, and moves to adjacent hex 4919, and begins there another 1-cap temporary airfield, currently unfinished, and perhaps another diversion.  The next Axis player turn this construction III will be expected to upgrade the track in that hex to a road, thereby finishing the Tobruch Bypass, and enabling Axis general supply eastwards, beyond Tobruch and into Egypt.  Meanwhile, the fresh Ger 0-8 Cons III Afr turn reinforcement disembarks at Derna after successfully sea transporting from mainland Europe.  What will it do next?  Should it have gone to Benghasi, instead?

But in the C. Phase the world war again presses its harsh and perilous demands upon its Europa wargame players, and the Axis player executes the second big Axis attack in the game against Allied held Tobruch, regardless of the hazards.  This time he organizes a “specialist” attack, utilizing the little Italian 1-8 Aslt Eng II 31 G as the basis, in order to gain the important +1 combat die roll modifier when attacking a fortification hex, if at least 1/10 of the attacking REs, excluding attacking artillery units, are combat engineers, per WW Rule 14A 2&3.  But note that “an assault engineer has its combat strength doubled and has its RE size doubled for purposes of calculating the engineer proportion when attacking into … any fortification with a combat die roll modifier of -1 … (per the Fortification Effects Chart).”  In addition, he throws into the Tobruch attack his available heavy AA units, whose attack strengths are not halved when attacking fortifications, per WW  Optional Rule 14M2.

By my tally, the Axis attacks Tobruch with a total of 18 adjusted non-artillery ground unit attack factors, + 13 artillery attack factors, totaling to 31 ground unit attack factors, not quite the 34 needed for a straight-up 2 to 1 odds.  This would be against a total of 17 Allied defense factors in the improved fortress of Tobruch.  We see that in our case here, per the Grand Europa Fortifications Effect Chart, that an improved fortress’s Combat Effects is a -1, no AEC, attacker (except engineers and artillery) and GS halved, and that the engineer modifiers are in effect.  And so, under these circumstances, the Axis player takes no chances in failing to get the better 2 to 1 odds with his dicey Tobruch attack and throws into the attack against the improved fortress virtually every available Axis air unit with a tac bombing factor, except for his three best F type air units in the zone, based at the adjacent 3-cap temporary airfield hex 18A:4718, which he sends on the Escort air mission along with the big GS air mission in a giant combined air operation, as a safeguard against the single operative Allied fighter, the SAAF Hurri 1  5F5  1/8, present in the Tobruch hex.  For the Axis air op details, see the text above or the pictures below.  When the swarm of Axis air units appears above the Tobruch hex, the SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit declines to patrol or intercept, figuring its chances of survival are better on the ground, pending the outcome of the combat die roll.  After determining the effects of Tobruch’s 3 flack factors by the dice rolls, using the Antiaircraft Fire Table, the Axis player adds 9 adjusted (eg., after halving) GS tac strength factors to the ground combat subtotal of 31, for a total Axis adjusted combat attack strength of 40 attack factors, against the Allied defense factor of 17:  a straight-up 2 to 1.  There’s a -1 modifier for the Allied improved fortress and a +1 modifier for the Axis engineering effects.  And the combat die roll is a 3:  AS!  At the end of the C. Phase the Axis player rebases his big air op flying over the Tobruch hex and expends two of his three steps of attack supply in the zone; these would be the one at 18A:4216, in the M. Phase moved 1 hex to there from Derna, and the second step at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518).  At the end of the turn only the step of attack supply remaining in the Tobruch zone is at 18A:4818, S of Tobruch; the nearest other one is still quite far away, two road hexes SW of Agedabia.

Meanwhile, back in the Vichy French Levant, the Vichy French, along with the intervening Ger LW forces present in the French colony, execute a series of furtive maneuvers intended to prolong resistance there, in order to tie down as many Allied units as possible at that secondary front, for the pleasure of their Axis masters.  What is essentially a defensive coastal enclave is created along the Lebanese Mediterranean coastline, centered at the remaining Vichy French standard supply terminal in the Levant, at Beyrouth.  Farther  north, forces and supplies are gathered at the Syrian partial city hex of Alep, as a kind of planned final Axis resistive redoubt for the Allies to march up to and engage.  The Variable Levant Surrender dice rolls, per WW Optional Rule 38V3f, done in the Axis I. Phases, at step 4, conveniently serves as a game model for the inevitable Vichy French Levant and Allied armistice negotiations, certainly quietly going on in these late stages of the Syrian campaign.

Near the end of the E. Phase the Allied player does a non-phasing air transfer of the Bombay T type air unit from Tel Aviv, in Palestine, to Port Said in Egypt.  Although perhaps a relatively minor war effort, he wants to maximize his options next turn.

Commentary

The Axis attack on Tobruch this turn was probably not pretty, but sitting next to the gameboard it did appear necessary.  For the Axis player to settle back into a siege and hold only mentality, to become sleepy and half-witted by the desert heat and sun, and then succumb to a “midnight at the oasis” forever mentality, and to now become fearful of the dread tasks demanded by world war that it instigated earlier, is to invite the wrath and contempt of Death and Mars, whom the Axis masters of war invoked and counted on in other times for the sake of Victory.  But the Tobruch attack also perhaps revealed a vulnerability of the Allies.  They can be hit at the improved fortress, with a 50-50 chance of wiping out the large Allied garrison there without any fear of an AH, with a straight-up 2 to 1 combat die roll.  How many more times can the Axis pull off this attack, where a DR is as good as a DE?  Moreover, by the end of his turn the Axis is poised to wreak havoc on the Jul II 41 Allied schemes of supplying the besieged and isolated Tobruch garrison, with more Axis air assets positioned in the zone.  The Axis tactical position in the Tobruch zone should improve with the progress of the Tobruch Bypass road, with the construction of Axis forts around the perimeter, and with the possible construction of additional Axis airfields farther eastwards.

On the other hand, each I turn of the second half of 1941, which began on the prior Jul I 41 Allied turn, is a big Allied reinforcement and production turn.  For the Allies, it’s like having Christmas at the start of every month.  This next turn the Axis player is vulnerable in the Tobruch zone in that it has only one step of attack supply there, which can be a weakness, both defensively and offensively.  This is one reason why the Axis ended their turn in a rather conservative defensive stance in far eastern Libya, east of Tobruch, after earlier risking a lot in the Tobruch attack.  Soon the Allies will likely want to begin to cunningly creep forward from their present Egyptian front line desert shield, the better to finally pounce with greater effect and precision in executing a Crusader-type offensive.

Which side can exploit their particular advantages and/or exploit their enemy’s weaknesses in the second half of 1941, in order to break the stalemate in the Western Desert and rout the enemy?  That seems to be the name of the game, for now.