Allied EOT Dispositions

Malta [end of turn]:

  • Malta Status: 9, end of turn [at turn’s start 10, – 1 repair this turn = 9]
  • Malta Repair Rate: beginning on the Jul I 41 turn, 2 repair points each I turn and I repair point each II turn, per the WitD Allied OB booklet.
  • At the start of the Allied turn and until step 24 of the I. Phase there were 4 gsp’s present in the Valletta hex; but at the beginning of the turn there were 4.5 REs of Allied ground units on Malta.  So, at step 11 of the I. Phase the Allied player designated all ground units on Malta in special general supply except for the 1-8 MG II 2 Ch, which is definitely Red U-2.
  • This turn the Allies were unable to successfully sea transport any gsp’s to Malta.  The usual W Med NTP carrying the 4 gsp’s generated at Gibraltar at step 16 of the I. Phase was sunk by Axis anti-shipping forces when it entered the Cent Med sea zone on map 18A in the naval movement step of the M. Phase.
  • The Br Hurri 2 F type air unit is in the Aborted Air Units Box of the Malta Command Replacement Pool.

Valletta (18A:0407):
3-cap permanent airfield; one hit of damage

Valletta hex flak factor: 7 (3 intrinsic, + a total of 4 for the two Br 0-1-8 hv AA II units, 2 each)
3-6* Inf X 1 M [technically Red U-2]
2-6* Inf X 2 M [technically Red U-2]
1-8 MG II 2 Ch [designated definitely Red U-2 at step 11 of the I. Phase]
0-1-8 Hv AA II  AA=2  10 [technically Red U-2]
0-1-8 Hv AA II  AA=2  4 [technically Red U-2]
0-4 Cons X MC [technically Red U-2]

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions, Central Mediterranean

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions, Central Mediterranean

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

Tobruch (18A:4817) [clear terrain fortress/standard port]:

  • Note that per WW Optional Rule 12E, U-4 is in effect the most severe general supply state for a unit, and therefore in the EA reported Scenario we will not note w/ markers further turns out of general supply than the U-4 status.

Improved fortress; construction of the improved fortress was completed in the May II 41 Allied I. Phase.
3-cap temporary airfield
7-8 Inf XX 9 (Aus) [began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
7-8 Inf XX 50 Nth [assembled at Tobruch at the end of the M. Phase from its unsupported components; per WW Rule 15A, the Br inf XX assembles in the U-4 status, as two of its component inf Xs were existing U-4]

  • 8 Inf XX HQ 50 Nth [began turn at Matruh; sea transported into Tobruch in an E Med NTP; in general supply in the I. Phase]
  • 2-8 Inf X 16 [never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
  • 2-8 Inf X 23 [never moved; this turn is technically Black U-4]
  • 2-8 Inf X 69 [turn reinf; sea transported into Tobruch in a turn reinf NTP; in general supply in the I. Phase]

0-1-4 Cons X 66 RPC (Col) [began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
0-1-8 Hv AA II  AA=2  51 [began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
2-1-6 Tnk II 7 RT [began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
3-8 Art X 13 [began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Red U-4]
Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 SAAF [operative; began turn here; never moved; this turn is technically Black U-4]
12 gsp’s [generated at step 16 of the JuI I 41 Axis I. Phase from a step of attack supply present in the Tobruch hex; these provide special general supply this turn and in the following Jul II 41 Axis turn; they will be removed from the map at step 24 of the Jul  II 41 Axis I. Phase, after the supply determination step]
one step of attack supply [began turn at Alexandria; sea transported into Tobruch in 3 E Med NTPs]
2 gsp’s [generated in the current I. Phase at Suez; sea transported into Tobruch in an E Med NTP]
{6 gsp’s [generated on the Jul I 41 Allied phase and sea transported into the Tobruch hex in the naval movement step of the M. Phase of the Jul I 41 Allied turn; removed from the maps at step 24 of the I. Phase]}

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: Western Desert

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: Western Desert

In Egypt [end of turn]:

Matruh (19A:1218) [clear terrain point city/minor port road-major rail junction coast hex]:
railhead marker
3-cap permanent airfield
fort marker
8 Inf XX HQ 6 (Aus) [began turn at El Alamein (19A:2119); admin moved to here]
2-8 Inf X 150 [began turn here; never moved]
2-8 Inf X 151 [began turn here; never moved]
3-8 Inf X 22 G [began turn here; never moved]
1-8 AT II 65 [began turn here; never moved]
0-1-8 Hv AA II  AA=2  68 [began turn here; never moved]
P-40C  5F5  1/13 SAAF [inop.; began turn here; flew the Intercept air mission to all-sea hex 19A:0717 in the naval movement step; returned to base here]
Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 [inop.; began turn here; flew the CAP air mission to all-sea hex 19A:0717 in the naval movement step, switched to interception in the target hex; returned to base here]
Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

19A:1319 clear terrain major rail coast hex];
0-1-4 Cons X 43 RPC (Col) [began turn at El Alamein; railed to here after increasing the 2-cap temporary airfield there to a 3-cap; spent 1 MP in hex 1319 beginning to build a 1-cap temporary airfield]

19A:1418 [clear terrain major rail coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
0-8 Lt AA II  AA=1  57 [began turn here; never moved]
Well 1C  3NB4  1-6/28 [inop.; began turn here; in the E. Phase flew a strat port bombing air mission at night to Derna (18A:4116); Miss; returned to base here]
Well 1C  3NB4  1-6/28 [inop.; began turn here; in the E. Phase flew a strat port bombing air mission at night to Derna (18A;4116); Hit; returned to base here]

19A:1219 [clear terrain Siwi road hex, S of Matruh]:
7-10* Arm XX 7 [began turn at 19A:1319; moved one hex to here; remained in the hex]
1-10* Mot SG X  AA=1  2 [began turn at 19A:1319; regular moved along the Egyptian coast road to 19A:0519, capturing for the Allies the road hexes along the way, including the Halfaya Pass (19A:0419) hex, w/ its ZOC, and also Sidi Barriani (19A:0718), by moving through it; exploited back to here]
6-4-6 Tnk X 1 T [began turn at 19A:1319; moved one hex to here; remained in the hex]
1-10* Mot Inf X 3 (Ind) [began turn at 19A:1319; regular moved along the Siwi Oasis road to 19A:0823, capturing for the Allies the road hexes along the way; exploited back to here]

19A:1220 [clear terrain hex]:
0-8 Marine Cmdo II ME [began turn at 19A:1320; moved one hex to here]

19A:1320 [clear terrain hex]:
8 Inf XX HQ 2 (NZ) [began turn at 19A:1419; moved one hex to here]
2-8 Inf X 6 (NZ) [began turn at 19A:1419; moved one hex to here]
1-8 MG II 1 RNF [began turn at 19A:1419; moved one hex to here]

19A:1420 [clear terrain hex]:
2-8 Inf X 1 (SA) [began turn at 19A:1520; moved one hex to here]
2-8 Inf X 3 (SA) [began turn at 19A:1520; moved one hex to here]
2-8 Inf X 6 (SA) [began turn at 19A:1520: moved one hex to here]

19A:1521 [clear terrain hex]:
2-8* Inf X 5 (Ind) [began turn at 19A:1620; moved one hex to here]
2-8 Inf X 5 (SA) [began turn at 19A:1620; moved one hex to here]

19A:1621 [clear terrain hex, adjacent to Qattara Depression]:
2-8* Inf X 11 (Ind) [began turn at 19A:1721; moved one hex to here]
2-8 Inf X 2 (SA) [began turn at 19A:1721; moved one hex to here]

El Alamein (19A:2119/20A:5033) [clear terrain point city major rail coast road hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield

  • At the start of the turn this was a 2-cap temporary airfield, but was increased to a 3-cap by the 0-1-4 cons X 43 RPC expending 2 MPs in the hex before it railed to 19A:1319.

fort marker [completed this turn at step 19 of the I. Phase; began in the Jun II 41 Allied I. Phase]
2-8 Inf X 4 (NZ) [began turn here; never moved]
0-8 Hv AA II  AA=1  2 (Aus) [began turn here; never moved]
A-22  3A3  2-1/19 [inop.; began turn here; performed the Harassment air mission in the previous Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase]
A-22  3A3  2-1/19 SAAF [inop.; began turn here; performed the Harassment air mission in the previous Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase]

Alexandria (20A:4930/19A:2416) [major port/full city hex/major rail line coast hex]:
Supply Terminal marker
3-cap permanent airfield
0-2-8 Hv AA X  AA=4  1 NMBDO (RM) [began turn here; never moved]
5 pos flk unit  AA=1  [British; began turn at 19A:1319; railed to here]
Glad  3F3  0/8 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Cairo (19A:3320) [clear terrain partial city hex, SE of the Cairo full city hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

Suez (19A:3718) [clear terrain reference city/major port major rail line terminus coast hex]:
Supply Terminal marker

Jul II 41 End of Allied Combat Phase dispositions in the French Levant

Jul II 41 End of Allied Combat Phase dispositions in the French Levant

In Palestine [end of turn]:

  • Per WW Game Play Chart 5–Allied Garrisons, the Palestine garrison requirement is 3 REs of Garrison-category units. The Allied garrisons are determined at step 17 of the Allied I. Phase. However, per WW Rule 37E4, Forming units in the ME Replacement Pool count at their regular RE size for the Palestine Garrison requirement, as do also ME Replacement Pool units, but they count at 1/3 their regular RE size.  In addition to the 1.5 Garrison-capable REs present on-map in Palestine, the Allied player is counting the 1.5 Garrison-capable REs in the Forming Box of the Middle East Command Replacement Pool.

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. Probably more later regarding its construction in WW ME Scenarios.
1-8 Inf II 11 (CS) [began turn at Sour (20A:4509), in Vichy French Lebanon; moved to here]
Blen 4  3B3  1-2/23 [inop.; began turn at 19A:1418, in Egypt; air transferred to here in the E. Phase]

Safad (20A:4608) [rough terrain point city hex]:
2-8 Inf X 10 (Ind) [began turn here; never moved]

Allied Units in the Vichy French Levant [end of turn]:

  • Per the WW Game Play Chart 5–Allied Garrisons (Rule 37E), it appears the Allied player is fulfilling the garrison requirements for the Vichy French Levant, and has been since the beginning of the Allied invasion of the the Levant on the Jun I 41 Allied turn.

20A:4308 [rough terrain coast road hex, S of Beyrouth]
2-cap temporary airfield
7-8 Inf XX 7 (Aus) [began turn here; never moved]
2-8 Eng X 1 (Aus) [began turn at Saida (20A:4408), in Vichy French Lebanon; moved one hex to here and built a 2-cap temporary airfield; remained here]
1-8 MG II 2 Ch [began turn at Tel Aviv (20A:5011); regular moved north along the Mediterranean coast transportation line to here]
Blen 4  3B3  1-2/23 [inop.; began turn at Haifa (20A:4710), in Palestine; in the C. Phase flew the GS air mission to the 20A:4206 target hex in Vichy French Lebanon; returned to base here]

20A:4407 [rough terrain hex]:
8* Inf XX HQ 6 [began turn here; never moved]
2-8 Inf X 14 [began turn at 20A:4308; moved to here]
2-8 Inf X 29 (Ind) [began turn at 20A:4308; moved to here]

20A:4406 [rough terrain hex]:
2-8 Inf X 17 (Aus) [began turn at 20A:4308; regular moved to here]
1-8 Art II 1 (Aus) [began turn at 20A:4506, SW of Damas; moved to here]
2-8* Inf X 7 (Ind) [began turn at 20A:4504, NE of Damas; moved to here]

Rayak (20A:4306) [clear terrain point city secondary rail line hex]:
3-8* Inf X 1 FL (FF) [began turn at Damas (20A:4505); regular moved to Rayak (20A:4306); in the C. Phase attacked the Vichy Fr TS unit at 20A:4206; after combat remained in the Rayak hex]

20A:4206 [mountain hex, NE of Beyrouth]:
3-8* Mtn X Karp (Pol) [began turn at 20A:4407; regular moved to Rayak (20A:4306); in the C. Phase attacked the Vichy Fr TS unit at 20A;4206; moved in after combat]

20A:4205 [clear terrain major rail line hex]:
2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab [began turn at 22A:4402; regular moved to 20A:4103; in the C. Phase attacked the Vichy Fr TS unit at adjacent hex 20A:4102, but remained at 4103 after the combat; exploited to here]
2-1-6 Tnk II 4 RT [began turn at 20A:4506, SW of Damas; regular moved to 20A:4103; in the C. Phase attacked the Vichy Fr TS unit at adjacent hex 20A:4102, but remained at 4103 after the combat; exploited to here]

20A:4105 (Mt. Lebanon) [mountain hex]:
1-8 Cav X 5 [began turn at 20A:4507; regular moved to here]

20A:4002 [clear terrain major rail line hex, S of Homs]:
1-8 Cav X 6 [began turn at 20A:4604, SW of Damas; regular moved to here]

Damas (20A:4505) [clear terrain dot city transportation line junction hex]:
1-10 Mot Cav III AL (T-J) [Arab Legion; began turn at 21A:4432; regular moved to 21A:4133; exploited to here]

  • This is a provisional new unit introduced in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario on the May I 41 Allied turn. For more details, see that posted EA game report.

Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 (RAAF) [inop.; began turn at Haifa; in the C. Phase flew the Escort air mission w/ the GS air mission air units to the target hex at 20A:4206; returned to base here]
Hurri 1  5F5  1/8 [inop.; began turn at Haifa; began turn at Haifa; in the C. Phase flew the Escort air mission w/ the GS air mission air units to the target hex at 20A:4206; returned to base here]
Bombay  1T2  1-2/15 [inop.; began turn at Port Said (19A:3413), in Egypt; in the C. Phase staged to Haifa (20A:4710), in Palestine, and then flew the GS air mission to the 20A:4206 target hex in Vichy French Lebanon; rebased here]

20A:4504 [clear terrain road junction hex, NE of Damas]:
2-8 Inf X 9 (Ind) [began turn at 20A:4407; regular moved to here]

Lattique (20A:3405) [clear terrain reference city/minor port road terminus coast hex]
2-8 Inf X 19 (Aus) [began turn here; still Black U-2 at step 11 of the I. Phase; never moved]
4 gsp’s [generated in the current I. Phase at Alexandria; sea transported to here on an E Med NTP in the naval movement step]

21A:3526 [clear terrain road hex]:
1-8 Inf X 20 (Ind) [began turn at Deir ez Zoir (21A:3922); regular moved to here along the road, dog-legging to Rakka (21A:3424), capturing it for the Allies and the road hexes along the way]

Trans-Jordan [end of turn]:

21A:5120 [stony desert road hex]:
8 Inf XX HQ 5 (Ind) [began turn at Haifa (20A:4710); admin moved 16 hexes along the transportation lines to here]

On Cyprus [end of turn]:

Limassol (20A:3615) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip

Famagusta (20A:3411) [clear terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: Eastern Iraq and western Iran

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: Eastern Iraq and western Iran

Non Phasing Axis Air Activity in the Allied Exploitation Phase:

Late in the E. Phase the SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 air unit based at El Agheila (18A:2930), in Libya, flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the 3-cap permanent airfield at Licata (18A:0102), on Sicily.

Late in the E. Phase the MC 200  3F4  1/8 air unit based at 18A:0603, at Sicily, flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the 3-cap temporary airfield at Ain el Gazala (18A:4518), in Libya.

Late in the E. Phase the Ger LW Me 110C  5HF5  1/12 (definitely Red U-2) air unit based at Beyrouth (20A:4207), in Vichy French Lebanon, flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to Alep (20A:3231), in Vichy French Syria.

Late in the E. Phase the Ger LW Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (technically Red U-1) air unit based at Alep, in Vichy French Syria, flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the 3-cap permanent airfield at Rodi (20A:2230).

Middle East (ME) Command Replacement Pool [end of turn]:
3-8 Inf X 5 (NZ) [moved from Balkan Command Replacement Pool]
2-8 Inf X 16 (Aus) [moved from Balkan Command Replacement Pool]
3-2-10 Arm X 4 [in the WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario this unit is at-start in the ME Replacement Pool, per F. Watson’s ER-II Europa battle scenario, published in TEM#71]
3-2-10 Arm X 1 [moved from Balkan Command Replacement Pool; this is the original pre-conversion unit of the one sent to Greece]

Eliminated Air Units Box:
Blen 4 3B3 1-2/23 [in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase it participated in the first Allied attack in the Vichy French Levant, flying the GS air mission at 20A:4607; it was Killed in air combat there by the bypassing Vichy Fr D 520 F type air unit, flying the Interception air mission to the target hex]

Forming Box:
3-8* Mtn X 1 (Gk)
0-1-8 Inf II Gd (Yugo)

In the Allied Near East Command:

  • Iraqi coup collapse occurred in the May II 41 Axis I. Phase, per the dice roll done then using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table. At that time all Iraqi forces/production were removed from the map and the Iraq Replacement Pool. By the end of the I. Phase all Iraqi territory was Allied owned; except in our case the Mosul hex, which at the time contained the Axis Conditional Reinforcement Ger LW Mxd A type air unit.
  • The current Allied Iraqi railnet-cap is 3 1/2.
Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: off-map display details

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions: off-map display details

Allied Regular Reinforcements, Jul II 41 Allied Turn

Near East Command:

Arrive:
2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind)

 

In pro-Allied Iraq [end of turn]:

  • Per the WW Game Play Chart 5–Allied Garrisons (Rule 37E), it appears the Allied player is fulfilling the garrison requirements this turn, for Iraq.  This would be per the horizontal line reading:  “EJIS [Jul II 41] – Sep I 41”.  For a more detailed discussion of the Iraq garrison, see the Jul I 41 Allied game report

Rutbah (21A:5023) [stony desert point city road junction hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip [Allied owned]
2-8 Inf X 25 (Ind) [began turn here; never moved]

Habbaniya (22A:2828) [clear terrain point city road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 1 As (Col) [began turn here; never moved]
Audax 1A1 1/8 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Baghdad 22A:2825 [clear terrain partial city transportation line junction hex]:
one hit marker on airbase
8* Inf XX HQ 10 (Ind) [began turn at Mosul (21A:3509); railed to 22A:2926, adjacent to Baghdad and then moved to here]

Baqubah (21A:4802) [canal intensive reference city transportation line junction hex]:
2-8 Inf X 24 (Ind) [began turn at Baghdad (22A:2825); moved to here]

22A:4215 [clear terrain secondary rail line hex]:
2-1-10* Lt Arm X 252 (Ind) [began turn at Baghdad (22A:2825); regular moved along transportation line to 22A:3723; exploited to here along the secondary rail line]

21A:4411 [stony desert pumping station road hex]:
2-8 Inf X 21 (Ind) [began turn at 21A:4318, adjacent to the Vichy French Syrian border; regular moved to here]

22A:3324 [canal intensive secondary rail line hex]:
one step of attack supply [began turn at 22A:3524, spent 2 SMPs in the E. Phase moving along the secondary rail line to here; it couldn’t cross the demolished bridge this turn, not enough SMPs left]

Shaibah (22A:4314) [clear terrain secondary rail line hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-4 Static II 2 As (Col) [began turn here; never moved]

Basra (22A:4313) [clear terrain dot city/major port, w/ a major river hexside]:
Allied Supply Terminal marker
1-8 Inf X 17 (Ind) [began turn here; never moved]
2-8 Inf X 18 (Ind) [Allied NE Command regular reinforcement; disembarked at Basra; remained here]
three steps of attack supply [all began turn here; all never moved]

Turn Activity

At step 11 of the I. Phase the Allied ground and air units at the isolated Tobruch hex that began the turn at technically Red or Black U-4 essentially remain at this U-4 status, as per WW Optional Rule 12E, U-4 is in effect the most severe supply status for a unit. Therefore in the EA reported Scenario we will not note with numbered markers any further turns out of general supply than the severest U-4 status. All 8 REs of ground units and the single air unit beginning the turn at Tobruch are in special general supply at step 11 of the I. Phase due to the 18 gsp’s in the hex.  Twelve were generated from a step of attack supply present in the hex on the Jul I 41 Axis I. Phase and 6 were generated in the Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase at an on-map Allied standard supply terminal hex and then sea transported that same turn into the Tobruch port hex.

Jul II 41 Allied end of step 23 of the I. Phase dispositions around Malta

Jul II 41 Allied end of step 23 of the I. Phase dispositions around Malta

At Malta, 4 of the 4.5 REs of Allied ground units beginning the turn there are technically Red U-2, but draw special general supply at step 11 of the I. Phase from the 4 gsp’s also in the hex, generated at Gibraltar in the Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase and sea transported that same turn to the Valletta hex. Once again the Allied player decides to designate the Br 1-8 MG II 2 Ch as the definite ground unit out of supply, although he admittedly seriously considered designating the Br 0-4 Cons X MC as the unit definitely out of supply.  Evidently this construction unit being out of supply does not inhibit its ability to  enable the spending of the Malta repair points, per WW Rule 37I, although spending the 2 MPs in the M. Phase to repair the damage hit on the Valletta 3-cap permanent airfield would prevent the repair rate of 1, it appears, per the same WW rule.  In any event, the Allied player doesn’t have to worry about an Axis assault on Malta until the Sep II 41 Axis turn, at the earliest, per WW Rule 33D1a, since the Axis did not cease operations in the Balkans until the Jun II 41 Axis turn.  The Aus 2-8 Inf X 19, at Lattique (20A:3405), on the Vichy French Levant Mediterranean coastline, is still definitely Black U-2 at this turn’s supply determination step, but it is not isolated.

Jul II 41 Allied end of step 23 of the Initial Phase dispositions

Jul II 41 Allied end of step 23 of the Initial Phase dispositions

At step 14 of the I. Phase the Allied player activates the CG-1 (RN) naval unit, per WW Optional Rule 34E, and “in effect” places it at the off-map Gibraltar major port, where the Allied ARP is stored that he attempted to naval transport to Malta on the previous Jul I 41 Allied turn, embarked then on a turn reinforcement NTP.  Although a hard bargaining rules lawyer might argue that Gibraltar is neither a port on the maps in the new WW 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, which is based on the WW Middle East Scenario, nor is there an off-map holding box for it in the published WW charts, Gibraltar is nevertheless a present factor in both the previously mentioned scenarios’ game play, and so therefor we think activating the British RN CG naval unit at off-map Gibraltar is applicable in both games, pending further input and discussion.

At step 16 of the I. Phase the Allied player generates 4 new gsp’s at both the Suez and Alexandria Allied Standard Supply terminals.

At step 19 of the I. Phase the 2-turn fort under construction at El Alamein (19A:2119/20A:5033) by the 0-1-4 Cons X 43 RPC (Col) is now complete.

At step 22 of the I. Phase neither side flies CAP missions, but the Axis player designates 6 Axis aircraft based at airfields in Libya and at Scarpanto as assigned to the Naval Patrol air mission, in an obvious attempt to thwart any Allied reinforcement and supply of Tobruch.  See the text above and the pictures below for the Axis Naval Patrol air mission details.

Jul II 41 Allied end of the I. Phase dispositions Eastern Mediterranan.

Jul II 41 Allied end of the I. Phase dispositions Eastern Mediterranan.

At step 24 of the I. Phase the Allied player removes from the maps the 4 gsp’s at Malta that were generated on the Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase and sea transported to Valletta in the M. Phase of that same turn.  Also removed from the maps at this time are the 6 gsp’s at Tobruch that were generated on the Jul I 41 Allied I. Phase and then sea transported to there in the M. Phase of that same turn.

Jul II 41 Allied end of the I. Phase dispositions: Iraq

Jul II 41 Allied end of the I. Phase dispositions: Iraq

In the naval movement step of the M. Phase the first thing the Allied player does is execute his naval transport itinerary to the Valletta port hex, at Malta.  He sea transports on a W Med NTP 4 gsp’s that were generated that same turn at Gibraltar, per WW 41B1-Western Desert Campaign, and the transport naval group enters the west edge of map 18A at all-sea hex 0108.  To determine Axis Central Med anti-shipping effects, he uses the 9 column of the Naval Table, per WW Rule 31E1, and quickly runs into trouble when he rolls a 3: Contact.  On the subsequent die roll using the Shipping Results Table, using the Supply/Resource Item column, he rolls a 6: Half Eliminated; and so, with only one NTP to halve, both the 4 Gibraltar gsp’s and the W Med NTP are lost.  The handy W Med NTP will not be available again until the I. Phase of the Aug I 41 Allied turn, when it can be replaced, per WW Rule 35D.  Then the activated RN CG-1 naval unit carrying the Br ARP previously stored at Gibraltar enters the west edge of map 18A, at all-sea hex 0116.

Jul II 41 Allied naval movement step of the M. Phase action details: the Malta convoys.

Jul II 41 Allied naval movement step of the M. Phase action details: the Malta convoys.

Using as a tentative rules guide the WW Gibraltar Convoys proviso, found in WW Rule 41B1, I currently believe “the first hex must be in daylight.”  Although this provisional stipulation is not a factor in our particular Jul II 41 turn situation in the EA reported wargame, it might be in other games if the Axis player had Axis air units on Naval Patrol in the Malta zone.  Upon entering map 18A, the CG-1 naval unit duly rolls the dice to determine the effects of Axis anti-shipping action in the Cent Med, using the Naval Table, per WW Optional Rule 34E, and comes up lucky this time with No Contact.  Consult the mentioned WW Rule if interested in the effects if Axis anti-shipping Contact had been made with the Allied CG-1 naval unit carrying the ARP cargo.  In our situation, the Br ARP immediately transfers from the RN CG-1 naval unit, now on-map at 18A:0116, to the Valletta limited supply terminal hex, on Malta, where it is stored for likely use in the upcoming Allied player turn to rebuild the Hurri 2 F type air unit, now in the Aborted Air Units Box of the Malta Command Replacement Pool.  Afterwards the CG-1 naval unit promptly exits the board, surely on its way back to Gibraltar.

Next, the Allied player does a number of naval transport activities in the East and Central Mediterranean sea zones.   This turn he is very likely compelled to attempt to sea transport to Tobruch the single on-map step of attack supply in the Mediterranean, which begins the turn at Alexandria.  Failing this, or perhaps somehow intertwined with the overall procedural strategy of getting the available step of attack supply to Tobruch, is an alternate Plan B of getting to Tobruch as many of the 8 gsp’s as possible that are on-map in the Mediterranean at the beginning of the M. Phase.  These subsequent naval actions are listed below in sequential order.  Those that are indicated by a # are indicated as such in the naval movement step action activities picture included below in the game report.  The Allied player begins by executing his sea transport schedule for besieged and isolated Tobruch, but note that this turn the Allied player has only 9 E Med NTPs, having already lost one on his Jul I 41 turn.

#1.  An E Med NTP is used to sea transport 1 gsp from the Allied standard supply terminal at the major port of Suez (19A:3718), to Tobruch.  The first hex it enters, which would be Suez Canal hex 19A:3618, is at night, and it continues moving at night up to and including Egyptian Delta swamp coastal hex 19A:3212, now in the Mediterranean Sea.  Per the Naval MP Costs Summary it costs 1 naval movement point (ntp) to “enter an all-sea hex or river/canal hexside,” and 2 ntp’s to enter a coastal hex.  It begins daylight movement when it enters adjacent Egyptian Delta swamp coast hex 19A:3113, and continues its voyage in daytime, using a mixture of coast and all-sea hexes up to and including the Alexandria coastal hex at 19A:2416.  It then does a voluntarily truncated sea movement at night up to and including all-sea hex 19A:1918.  Beginning at Egyptian clear terrain coast rail line hex 19A:1818 the Allied player begins the mandatory 20 ntp’s in the daytime, if he definitely wants to later begin naval movement at night.  He hugs the North African coastline until coast hex 19A:1118, the last friendly coast hex.  Because the Allied naval group wants to avoid being caught in an enemy-owned coastal hex by an enemy Naval Patrol air mission, the E Med NTP carrying the single gsp from Suez then dog-legs northwestward, entering adjacent all-sea hex 19A:1017, and continues moving through 3 more all-sea hexes until 19A:0717, due north of the adjacent enemy-owned Sidi Barrani coastal hex.  As intended, this is its last hex in daylight.  If it can make it to adjacent all-sea hex 19A:0617, this time at night, it can make it all the way into the port hex of Tobruch using night movement, thereby escaping the fearsome Axis Naval Patrol air mission attacks.  But this time the Axis player makes no Contact attempt die rolls, using the Success Table, and lets the small naval task force sail onwards.  He is unsure as to what to do, being sure only that the Allied player is trying to bait him into chasing after this little minnow with his formidable array of available Naval Patrol assets.  But this time other Axis minions do the Axis air force’s work for them, because when the small naval group enters the Cent Med sea zone, upon entering map 18A, the Allied player rolls an 11 on Naval Table, using the 9 column, which is good for an Axis anti-shipping Contact.  Using the Supply/Resource Item column on the Shipping Results Table for a single NTP makes both it and the cargo good as sunk by default without the die roll.  And so all are lost along the ancient Libyan coastline, where Virgil says Aeneas once sailed, and lost ships, also.

Jul II 41 naval movement step action details

Jul II 41 naval movement step action details

#2.  The undaunted Allied player then sends another E Med NTP carrying another gsp from Suez along the same voyage route to Tobruch.  This time the Axis player shows interest at all-sea hex 19A:0717, just north of the Sidi Barraini Egyptian coast hex, which is the last hex in daylight before the final leg of night movement, ending at the Tobruch port hex.  There he opts for a Naval Patrol Contact attempt die roll on the Success table, using the Ger LW Ju88A4 B type air unit based at Scarpanto, 16 hexes away in the Dodecanese.  The Contact attempt die roll modifiers are +3 for calm seas and -3 for the range, making it necessary for the Axis player to roll a 5 or 6 to achieve a Contact; and he rolls a 3: No Contact.  And so the Allied naval group then sails onwards, this time at night, towards Tobruch.  But alas, when it reaches the Cent Med sea zone it rolls a 3 on the Naval Table, signifying a Contact with the Axis anti-shipping forces and in this case, just like the previous voyage, it is another automatic sinking, perhaps by an Axis torpedo from a submarine or an Italian light craft.

#3.  Now the Allied player uses some bigger bait and sends the last 2 gsp’s present at the port of Suez, embarked on an E Med NTP.  At the now familiar all-sea “target hex” at 19A:0717, the Axis player again calls for a Naval Patrol Contact attempt die roll, using this time the second available Ger LW Ju 88A4 B type air unit based at Scarpanto.  The Success Tale modifiers are identical to those in #2, above.  But this time the Axis player rolls right and comes up with a 5: Contact.  The Allied player’s 2 flack factor shot dice roll is also high, a 10, which is a miss.  And so now the Axis player has three die rolls, looking for 6’s only, and comes up with no sixes.  The lucky Allied naval group force voyages on, and is lucky again with its Axis anti-shipping dice roll, and so successfully runs the gauntlet, from Suez to Tobruch, and delivers its cargo of 2 gsp’s, generated this turn at an Allied standard supply terminal, and with a mariner’s tale to tell at some harbor tavern.

Now it’s coming down to the nitty-gritty, and the Allied player ups the ante in the running aero-naval conflict by flying one of the two operative Br Hurri 1 F type air units based at Matruh on the CAP air mission over the all-sea hex at 19A:0717, looking for the Axis bombers.

#4.  Then the Allied  player ups the ante again when he sends the turn reinforcement 2-8 Inf X 69 towards Tobruch, beginning in a turn reinforcement NTP at all-sea hex 19A:5129, in the Red Sea on the SE edge of map 19A.  Once in the Suez Canal it begins using the same day-night chronology as the other E Med NTPs used that began their voyages from the port of Suez, carrying the gsp’s.  But at the Egyptian coast hex at Matruh, at 19A:1218, the Allied cargo naval group is joined by a second naval group coming out of the port there, comprising of an E Med NTP embarked with the 8 Inf XX HQ 50 Nth, which began the turn at Matruh.  The now enlarged Allied naval group then sails westwards as a unit, reaching even all-sea hex 19A:0717 without interference from the Axis. The Axis player is very tempted to blast this Allied convoy filled with British soldiers like a rubber duck in a tub, but he feels it best to stick to the original plan and lie in wait for the expected big Allied cargo sea transport of the single available step of supply, now languishing at the docks of Alexandria.  More Allied troops at Tobruch mean more Allied prisoners-of-war, in due time, he thinks to himself.  And so he lets the troop transports sail on to their destiny at the fortress of Tobruch, come what may.  There is, of course, the Br Hurri 1 F type air unit still on the CAP mission above all-sea hex 19A:0717, and the SAAF P-40C F type air unit is still operative at the Matruh airfield and within interception range of 0717 to consider.

#5.  And so now it comes down to the step of attack supply at Alexandria, which is what the Allied player embarks next on three E Med NTPs and sends westwards.  But the four gsp’s generated this turn are still at Alexandria, so what is the Allied player doing?  In any event, the Allied player continues with the established voyage schedule and sea route until it reaches all-sea hex 19A:0717, and then the Axis player kicks out the jambs and calls for Naval Patrol Contact attempt die rolls, using the entire remaining contingent of assigned Axis Naval Patrol air mission units, based at Derna and at Ain el Gazala.  At Derna (18A:4116) are the It SM 79-2 B type (V code) and the Ger LW Ju88A4 B type air units, and at Ain el Gazala are two Ger LW Ju 87 D type air units, these latter two air units flying the Naval Patrol air mission at extended range, if the Contact attempt die roll is successful.  The Derna contingent, 16 hexes away from the 19A:0717 target hex, does a single Success Table die roll.  There is a +3 for calm seas and a -3 for the 16 hex range, and the die roll result is a 3: No Contact.  The Ain el Gazala contingent is 12 hexes away from the same target hex, so there is a +3 for calm seas, but only a -2 for the 12 hex range, and the Success Table die roll is a 4: Contact!  But the two Ger LW Ju 87 B air units, flying at extend range, do not fly alone, as in our case they can and are escorted by the Ger LW Me 110D HF type air unit based and operative in the same hex, with a range of 12, just right for the aero-naval combat occasion.  Forthwith the Allied player sends the operative SAAF P-40C F type air unit based at Matruh on the interception air mission to the said target hex, and the Br Hurri 1 air unit flying the CAP air mission at the target switches to the intercept air mission.  The intercepting SAAF P-40C air unit pairs up with the escorting Me 110D HF air unit, and the Br intercepting Hurri 1 F type engages one of the Ger LW Ju 87 B D type air units.  This time the P-40C air unit is deadly and Kills the Me 110D air unit in air combat; the ME 110D air unit’s own dice roll on the Air Combat Results Table being a (-).  The Br Hurri 1 F type air unit Aborts the Ger LW Ju 87 B air unit, which in return rolls a (-).   The surviving Ju 87 B D type air unit evades the E Med NTP 2 factor flack shot, but, perhaps due to flying at the extended range, rolls low on the Bombing Table, for a Miss.  After all this shooting the 3 E Med NTPs carrying their supply cargo continue towards Tobruch, this time at night and make it into the harbor, safely avoiding a bad dice roll on the Naval Table upon entering the Cent Med sea zone.  And so ends this turn’s aero-naval and anti-shipping warfare saga, off the North African coast, involving the Allied naval group carrying the vital step of attack supply to Tobruch.  By then the two surviving Allied F type air units at the 19A:0717 target hex have returned to base at Matruh, perhaps afterwards talking about their firey encounter with the Nazi Stukas and twin-engined fighters above the sea.

#6.  The Allied player is happy in successfully sea transporting the 2 fresh gsp’s, the step of attack supply, and the two Br ground units into Tobruch.  This was for a total of 5.5 REs of units/supplies, and the RE capacity of the Tobruch standard port is 6, assuming no port damage.  Balancing the RE port capacity and the sea transport demands of each turn can be tricky, I think.  As a Plan B, the Allied player had set aside the 4 remaining gsp’s still at Alexandria as a last-ditch reserve.  If the step of attack supply didn’t make it to Tobruch, then the Bombay T type air unit based at Port Said would have staged to Alexandria, loaded the 4 gsp’s and then flown a 1-way air transport mission to the besieged fortress, at twice its range and at night, thereby assuring the successful delivery of the gsp cargo, although it would have had to roll on the Success Table for a possible crash-landing (read: an Abort), upon finishing the air transport air mission.  As it turns out, the Allied player still has several E Med NTPs available, and 4 fresh gsp’s still stacked on the pier at Alexandria, so what to do with this luxury?  He could sea transport them to Malta, which has no gsp’s at all now, as the W Med NTP carrying the usual shipment of gsp’s from Gibraltar was sunk this turn.  But he is loath to risk yet another E Med NTP to the hot-rolling Axis anti-shipping forces working the Cent Med sea zone.  Another E Med NTP loss would jack up the game turn’s total to 4, and since he can only replace up to 2 per each I turn, this would put him down to 8 available E Med NTPs at the beginning of the Aug I 41 Allied naval movement step, instead of the projected 9, so far.  In any event, the built-in Ultra intelligence embedded in WW Rule 33D1a assures the Allied player in the current EA reported game that Malta is as safe as money in the bank from an Axis invasion assault until the Sep II 41 Axis turn, at the earliest.  And so, in these cardboard wargame circumstances, the Allied player decides to forget all about the supply status of Malta for now, which will never get below Red U-2 for the ground units and for air units at Valletta in excess of one (for Malta air unit supply, see WW Rule 23I) anyway, due to the connivance of the WW rules as written (for Malta ground unit supply, see WW Rule 12C1b and Rules 12E2&3), and instead loads up the 4 gsp’s at Alexandria on an E Med NTP and sends them on a guaranteed safe cruise in the E Med sea zone to the Allied-occupied port of Lattique, on the Mediterranean coastline of Vichy French Syria.  Right now tonight I believe that Malta supply considerations should be toughened up in WW Europa, for the sake of realism.  Optional Rule 12E3-Elimination from Lack of General Supply should be in effect at Malta/Gozo, I think, with perhaps a +1 modifier, at best, to be accounted for in the Success Table die roll for elimination, at U-4, because Valletta is a limited supply terminal.  The limited supply terminal status should account for this +1 modifier and for the needed Malta Command reinforcement and replacement activities.  Then, finally, the Allies have a good reason to send regular supply convoys to Malta.

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions in the Western Desert

Jul II 41 Allied EOT dispositions in the Western Desert

During the M. Phase the Aus 2-8 Eng 1, beginning the turn at Saida (20A:4408), in Vichy French Lebanon moves north one hex to coast road hex 20A:4308, along with the Aus 7-8 Inf XX 7 and the Br 1-8 MG II 2 Ch units, and builds a 2-cap temporary airfield in the hex, which is south of Beyrouth.  If the Syrian campaign persists, the Allies will need forward airfields to slug it out with the Axis in their coastal enclave redoubt.  Vichy French Beyrouth could be a tough nut to crack, if the armistice negotiations drag on.

Jul II 41 End of Allied Combat Phase dispositions in Vichy Levant

Jul II 41 End of Allied Combat Phase dispositions in Vichy Levant

Upon finishing the important fort at El Alamein, the handy 0-1-4 Cons X 43 RPC (Col) rails west, to hex 19A:1319, SE of Matruh.  It could have instead moved one hex due south of El Alamein to 19A:2120, in order to perhaps build another temporary airfield there and eventually the second fort for the classic El Alamein stop line.  But for now, in the current game, it presses westwards, perhaps maneuvering for an even better fort location at 19A:1219, south of Matruh, which would be a first step in a sequence of maneuvers intended ultimately to push westwards the Allied front line desert shield, in preparation for a Crusader-type offensive later in 1941.  One thing holding back these good intentions is the lack of a resource point in the zone.

Jul II 41 Allied end of the Movement Phase dispositions: Iraq

Jul II 41 Allied end of the Movement Phase dispositions: Iraq

In the Combat Phase the Allied player manages to put together two attacks in the Levant without a step of attack supply, in an almost desperate attempt to find the end to the Operation Exporter invasion campaign, seeing that the Variable Levant Surrender Table dice rolls have done them no favors.  In the upcoming Jul II 41 Axis I. Phase, at step 4, the Allied player will have to roll an 11 or 12 to secure a Vichy French Levant surrender.  Barring a total elimination of the Axis forces in the Levant, the only other practical strategy is to fight to take Beyrouth and Alep, which would give them a modest +1 modifier, each.  If the swaying gravity effect of the Variable Levant Surrender Table dice rolls continues to spite them, the Allies are faced with long fight in the Syrian campaign.

The first Allied attack in the Vichy French Levant is at 20A:4102, a clear terrain road hex containing the Vichy French D-8 Mot Cav II Lev (TS) unit.  Attacking it are the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab and the 2-1-6 Tnk II 4 RT, stacked together at adjacent SW hex 20A:4103.  On the opposite side of the defending hex, at NE hex 21A:4133, is the 1-10 Mot Cav X AL (T-J), a new unit introduced into the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario earlier in the game.  This latter Allied unit is not attacking, but its adjacent ZOCs in weather zone F (see WW Rule 5A2) entrap the Vichy French mot cav II TS unit, along with the attacking Habforce mot inf X’s ZOCs.  Per the Troupes Speciales [TS] Rules, found in Jean-Guy Rathe’s “Troupes Francaises du Levant: Order of Battle (Land), June 1941”, published in TEM#81, Axis/Vichy French “air units may not provide GS or DAS to TS REs.”  With no step of attack supply available, the two attacking Br units attack at half their combat strength.  For the supported 2-1-10 c/m Hab unit, that would be for an adjusted combat attack factor of 1, and for the 2-1-6 Tnk II, its would be .5, halved once for no attack supply and halved again for being unsupported, in this case.  But the Allied short stack attacks with full AECA due to the Br tnk II’s armor effects, for a +3 modifier; and looking at the Ground Combat Results Table, at the 3:1 column, we see that the combat attack is an automatic elimination.  The TS c/m II is removed from the maps, but neither of the Allied units participating in the attack move into the vacated hex, afterwards.

Jul II 41 Allied Combat Phase: Assault on Vichy Levante

Jul II 41 Allied Combat Phase: Assault on Vichy Levante

The second Allied attack is at mountain hex 20A:4206, NE of Beyrouth, in Vichy French Lebanon, where there is another Vichy French TS unit, this time the A-8 Cav III Tcher, one of the better TS units.  This Vichy French TS cav unit is being attacked by the 3-8* Mtn X Karp (Pol) and the 3-8* Inf X 1 FL (FF) from the adjacent Rayak hex, at 20A:4306, to the SE of the defending hex.  In this case, however, the Allied player invokes WW Advanced Rule 12D3-Minimal Attack Supply.  The rule says the unit drawing such “minimal attack supply” must “trace a supply line to a step of attack supply” which in our case is admittedly in far-off Iraq.  And so the Polish 3-8* Mountain X attacks into the mountain hex with its full 3 combat factors.  The Free French 3-8* Inf X’s attack factor is halved twice, once for not being in attack supply and again for attacking into the mountain hex.  For the FF inf X, this would equate to an adjusted attack factor total of 3/4.  However, per WW Rule 14K-Mountain (and Ski) Units, this Allied short stack gets a +1 modifier to off-set the -2 for the defender being in the mountain hex because at least 1/2 of the (non-artillery) REs attacking the mountain hex are mountain units.  But the Allied player also throws into the battle two Br air units on the GS air mission:  the Blen 4  3B3  1-2/23 air unit based at Haifa (20A:4710), in Palestine, and the Bombay  1T2  1-2/15 air unit based at Port Said (20A:5121), in Egypt.  The Bombay air unit first has to stage to Haifa, and then flies with the rest of the air units in the air op to the target hex.  The two air units on the GS air mission are escorted to the target hex by the two Allied Hurri 1 F type air units (one Br, the other RAAF) based at Haifa.  Interestingly, perhaps as a symptom of the endgame period of the Levant campaign, the Axis player decides not to attempt intercept or patrol air missions with either the Vichy Fr D 520  5F5  0/11 or the Ger LW Me 110C  5HF5  1/12 (at definite Red U-2), both based at the close-by Beyrouth airbase.  ARPs are scarce now, for either Axis contingent in the Levant, and the Axis player wants to conserve his remaining Med/NA Command Ger ARPs and keep Axis air units in the Levant zone, forcing the Allied player to tie down forces at the secondary Middle East front.  And so when the two Br air units on the GS air mission arrive at the target hex they add their 1 tac factor each without any delay to the attack, both halved for GS in the mountain hex, for an adjusted total of 1 GS tac factor.  The Allied attack factor total would then be 4.75, to an Axis/Vichy French defense factor total of .5; which is good for a 9 to 1, -1 combat, or in effect, another automatic elimination.  And so the A-8 Cav Tcher (TS) unit is removed from the maps and placed in the Vichy French Levant Replacement Pool, along with the D-8 Mot Inf II Lev (TS) unit, eliminated a little earlier in the Allied C.Phase.  The D-8 c/m II derives no Vichy Fr TS inf RPs, because it was isolated at the moment of combat, but I believe the TS cav III derives .25 TS inf RPs, stored in the adjacent Beyrouth hex.  After combat the 3-8* Mtn X Karp (Pol) moves into the mountain hex, and the 3-8* Inf X 1FL (FF) remains at the adjacent Rayak hex.

Jul II 41 Allied end of the Combat Phase dispositions

Jul II 41 Allied end of the Combat Phase dispositions

In the E. Phase the Allied player again sends his two Br Well 1C  3NB4  1-6/28 air units based at 19A:1418, in Egypt, on a nighttime strat port bombing air mission to the Axis port of Derna (18A:4116), in Libya, and scores a hit, good for a port damage marker being placed in the target hex.  Both Allied NB type air units return to base at 19A:1418.  However, the third Br air unit based at 19A:1418, the operative Blen 4  3B3  1-2/23 air unit, does an air transfer air mission to Haifa, in Palestine, in order to beef up the DAS air defenses there in the upcoming Jul II 41 Axis turn.  The Allied player is spread thin in the Levant with vulnerable fragile foreign contingent ground units or Commonwealth units scarce in inf RPs at the line, and wants to protect them from an Axis player looking for a vengeance attack.  For his part in all the gameboard worrying, the Axis player shuffles some of his still operative air units back and forth between Sicily and eastern Libya, preparing for his next turn.

At the end of their turn the Allies have the following inventory of accumulated replacements: 7.5 Br inf, .5 Br arm, 1.5 Aus inf, 1.5 NZ inf, .5 Ind inf, and 3 Allied ARPs. All items are stored at the Alexandria hex. One available Allied ARP is stored at the Valletta hex, at Malta.  No builds were done this turn.

Commentary

There is some scurrying this turn in the Near East, as the Allied player, after rereading WW Rule 38I-Iran and refreshing his memory regarding the impending Allied invasion of Iran, rather belatedly begins his invasion deployment in eastern Iraq along the Iranian border.  In any event he will likely wait until the Aug II 41 turn to execute the invasion, anticipating the Aug I 41 turn arrival of the bigger part of the Ind 8th Inf XX at Basra, and its subsequent invasion deployment on map 22A next to the Iranian border.  Although per WW Rule 3E4-Player Control of Commands he doesn’t necessarily have to, the Allied player nevertheless maneuvers the 5th Ind Inf XX HQ unit and the Ind 2-8 Inf X 9 to possibly enter Iraq on the Aug I 41 Allied turn, overland from the west and per the WitD Allied OB, thinking if it’s historical, it must be good.  If the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario was based on the WW Western Desert Scenario instead of the WW Middle East Scenario (and it could have been), then these WitD Allied OB Transfers from the ME to the NE Commands would be required.  In any event the Iraq garrison requirement increases on the Sep II 41 turn, per WW Game Play Chart 5-Allied Garrisons, and by then there will be an Iranian garrison, too, to fulfill.  The Allied player eyes with interest the increasing number of attack supply steps piling up in Iraq, and mulls whether he can, like legendary sergeant Bilko, eventually finagle some for the ME Command.  But he will likely need at least one step of attack supply for the Iranian invasion, for an expected Allied attack at the reference city of Ahwaz (22A:3810), in SW Iran, guarded by an Iranian infantry XX; and beginning on the Sep II 41 turn there is an Iraqi garrison requirement of 2 steps of attack supply.  In the meantime the Allied player frets about the ongoing Syrian campaign and how also to sooner get the Australians out of besieged Tobruch, due to the flared Commonwealth wartime political crisis caused by the chronic parlous situation the Australian Mid East expeditionary force has found itself in since the collapse of the Greek campaign in the spring of 1941.

The Axis player is in a snit, too.  Since the last Jul I 41 air cycle replenishment he has played his Med/NA Command air force like a Mississippi riverboat gambler, and after the recent Axis air unit losses and builds, especially the Ger LW losses, in the stymied Jul I Axis Tobruch attack and in the Jul II Allied bloody aero-naval warfare attrition, he may need to change his daring betting strategy, in order to conserve his forces and not be forced to fold in his big third quarter of ’41 poker game, like a broke American tourist at Monte Carlo after betting with the Continental high-rollers.