Jun I 41 Axis Turn

EOT Dispositions

Axis Regular Reinforcement, Conditional Reinforcement, and Production Considerations on the Jun I 41 Axis turn of the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario:

• The five Available in Europe and one Return Ger LW air units indicated in the WitD Axis OB booklet as reinforcements for this turn are definitely neither available, nor are any Returning.  Since the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario is necessarily in effect a kind of truncated WW Desert and the Balkans Campaign Scenario with the Yugoslav and Greek mainland campaigns lobbed off, but the Crete campaign segment included, we feel bound to implement the special Desert and the Balkans Scenario “Return of Luftwaffe Air Units from [the] Balkans” OB stipulation, found on p. 24 of the WW OB booklet.  In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario these six stipulated Ger LW air units are Available in the mainland Europe off-map holding box and/or Sicily at step 14 of the same I. Phase that the Axis player ceases operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 3E5b.
• In the earlier May II 41 Allied turn EA game report, at the special Assault on Crete Segment May II 41 Allied turn non-phasing Axis Set-up, it was stated that “special Assault on Crete segment SE Command Reinforcements are available per the Axis Reinforcements of the WW Assault on Crete Scenario Axis OB at p. 21” of the WW OB booklet.  In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, this turn’s Ger  8-6 Air Lndg XX 22 unit is in fact an Axis Optional Conditional Reinforcement, and in the new Scenario, as in the WW Balkan Campaign and the Desert and the Balkans Scenarios, per the WW Balkan Victory Chart Axis VP Schedule, the Axis player pays a -3 VP penalty if he takes the Ger air landing XX as a reinforcement this turn.  And so in our EA game report the victory-seeking Axis player declines the offer of help from the willing air landing troops, leaving them instead for the upcoming surprise turn of SE/TW farther north at the Soviet borderline, in Rumania.  The Axis player does, however, take the Regular Reinforcement one step of attack supply given in the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Axis draft OB for the special Assault on Crete segment, which appears at Athenai, Greece, at step 14 of the I. Phase.
• Per Jean-Guy Rathe’s “Troupes Francaises du Levant Order of Battle (Land), June 1941,” published in TEM#81, under the 1st Turn of Invasion Conditional Reinforcements, the A-8 Cav III Tcher (TS) unit’s initial CL rating of 5 is reduced to 4 at step 14 of the I. Phase.  In the EA game report, the D-8 Cav III PTch (TS) has already been Removed, as required at-start, per the new Scenario’s Vichy French Levant draft OB, along with the B-5 Inf III 2 Lev (TS), which was selected from an OB list of TS units.  The two TS units required to be scrapped at-start, per the new Scenario’s Vichy French Levant draft OB stipulations, are the C-8 Cav III Druze and the B-5 Inf III 3 Lev, both selected from an OB list.  However, in our Scenario game report the Axis player spends 1/4 TS inf RP, stored at Damas, to “rally” the recently Dispersed C-8 Cav III Ligne (TS), beginning this turn in the Sud-Syrie territory box, and places it at Damas at step 14 of the I. Phase.  All these Troupes Speciales Rules details can be found on pp. 44-45 of Rathe’s article and in the Vichy French Levant considerations found in the previous Jun I 41 Allied turn EA game report.  However, now I am tentatively stipulating that the Axis player’s I. Phase substep expenditure of TS inf RPs for Rallying dispersed TS units comes before an Axis player’s subtsep cohesion check effort for a dispersed TS unit placed in its territory box, and so for a particular TS unit he can do one or the other in an I. Phase, but not first attempt the free cohesion check for a unit and, if failing, then pay the TS inf RP cost to get the unit.  In our EA game report, at the end of his I. Phase, the Axis player has 1/4 TS inf RP remaining, stored at Damas.
• We tentatively use F. Watson’s Vichy French Levant Axis OB for the Vichy Levant’s Jun II and Jul I 41 Regular Reinforcements, all of which are then Available in Europe.  This is different than the WW OB booklet’s Western Desert Scenario Neutral Nations OB for Vichy France, which stipulates that the LeO 451  3B5  2-5/25 air unit and the Fr ARP are available at Damas.  But for now I believe Watson’s Vichy French Regular Reinforcement OB stipulations are the more accurate, pending any new input.

Axis Med/NA Command

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

3 Italian inf Replacement Points at the start of the turn, +.5 It inf RP turn reinforcement = 3.5; no builds this turn.
2 Ger ARPs at the start of the turn, -1 ARP transfer to the SE Command, where it is immediately expended, = 1 ARP remaining at the end of the Axis turn.

• At step 14 of the I. Phase the Axis player transfers 1 Med/NA Ger ARP to the SE Command (see WW Rule 25C4-ARP Transfer), where it is used that same step to rebuild the Ger LW air unit in the Aborted Air Units Box of the SE Command Replacement Pool.  The rebuilt Ger LW Do 17Z  3B4  3-4/13 air unit is placed at the 3-cap temporary airfield at 15B:0914, on the eastern Peloponnese coastline, along with the other two on-map Ger LW Do 17Z air units.  Although arguably superfluous at this point in the Scenario, the LW air unit rebuild nevertheless appears to take away from the Allied player +.5 VP “per air unit in enemy aborted air units box,” as indicated by the WW Common Victory Chart’s Axis & Allied VP Schedule, found on p. 25 of the WW Scenarios & Appendices booklet, and intended to be tallied in the SE Command losses at the end of the Scenario’s special Assault on Crete Segment, which occurs whenever the Axis player ceases operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 3E5b.  Certainly more later on the important issue of VPs in the new Scenario and possibly also the special Assault on Crete segment’s relationship to the standard Jun II 41 Barbarossa opening turn in a hypothetical FitE/new Scenario link-up context.

2 It ARPs at the start of the turn, -1 ARP expenditure at step 14 of the I. Phase to rebuild the BR 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 air unit in the Med/NA Command’s Aborted Air Units Box.  It is placed at the Syracusa hex (18A:0702), on Sicily.

In Sicily [end of turn]:

Licata (18A:0102) [point city/minor port]:
3-cap permanent airfield
SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 [inop.; began turn here; did Malta Status strat bombing air mission at the very beginning of the M. Phase; Miss; returned to base here]

Coast hex 18A:0403:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ca 309  2B1  1/L/9 [inop.; began turn here; did Malta Status tac bombing air mission at the very  beginning of the M. Phase; Miss; 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; Hit; returned to base here]

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

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

Malta on the Jun I 41 Axis turn:

Malta Status: 10, at the start of the naval movement step of the Axis M. Phase and at the EOT.  At the beginning of the turn the Malta Status is 8, +2 Malta Status hits achieved at the beginning of the M. Phase, prior to the naval movement step, for the Axis player turn total of 10.

Valetta hex flack: 5 (3 intrinsic + 2 for the 0-1-8 hv AA II’s 2 flack factors)

4 gsp’s are present in the Valletta hex at the start of the Axis player turn, generated on the previous Jun I 41 Allied I. Phase.  All Allied forces on Malta are in special general supply this turn.

Libya [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
3 steps of attack supply [began turn here; never moved]
2 steps of attack supply [turn reinforcements; began turn at step 14 of the I. Phase in the mainland Europe off-map holding box; successfully sea transported to here]
1 resource point
0 pos flk unit AA=3 [Italian]

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

Misurata (18A:1022) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield
BR 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 [inop.; turn ARP build, placed at Syracusa airbase, in Sicily, in the I. Phase; did Malta Status strat bombing daylight air mission at the very beginning of the M. Phase; Hit; returned to base here]

18A:0925 [clear terrain road hex]:
0-1-6* Inf III                   280 GaF [released from the Tripolantania Garrison this turn per the WitD Axis OB; placed at Tripoli (18A:0121), Libya, at step 14 of the I. Phase; admin moved to here]
8* Inf XX HQ                    9 LA (Ger) [turn reinf; began turn at step 14 of the I. Phase in the mainland Europe holding box; successfully sea transported to Tripoli and admin moved to here]

18A:1627 [clear terrain coast road hex, SW of Sirte]:
1-6 Tnk II                        4 [turn reinf; began turn at step 14 of the I. Phase in the mainland Europe holding box; successfully sea transported to Homs (18A:0522), then admin moved along the coast road to 18A:1026; exploited to here]

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

18A:1927 [sand coast road hex]:
step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:0924, spent 12 SMPs moving along the coast road to here in the E. Phase]

18A:2730 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield

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

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

Bengasi (18A:3121) [clear terrain reference city/major port transportation line junction hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
12 port damage hit markers
4 pos flk AA=1 [began turn here; never moved]
3-6 Inf XX                         25 Bol [began turn at 18A:3622; regular moved to here]
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

Barce 18A:3418 [rough terrain point city road junction hex]:
1-8 Aslt Eng II                 31 G  [turn reinf; began turn at step 14 of the I. Phase in the mainland Europe holding box; successfully amphibiously disembarked at Libyan clear terrain coast hex 18A:3219; landed disrupted; afterwards moved to here]
2-8 Inf III                        155 (Ger)   [turn reinf; began turn at step 14 of the I. Phase in the mainland Europe holding box; successfully amphibiously disembarked at Libyan clear terrain coast hex 18A:3219; landed undisrupted; afterwards 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
6 Inf XX HQ                 B [began turn here; HQ component of the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; never moved]
1-6 Inf III                      B [began turn here; an unsupported component of the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; never moved]
0-6 Lt AA II    AA=1    38 [began turn here; never moved]
CR 42  3F3  0/9 [inop.; began turn at Ain el Gazala; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield

• This temporary airfield began the turn as a 1-cap, +1 cons III MP being already spent towards the 2nd cap; this turn the 0-6 Cons III 5 A spent 3 MPs in the hex to increase the cap to 3 and then regular moved to 18A:4718.

1-6 Inf III                       B [began turn at 18A:4318; an unsupported component of the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; moved 2 road hexes to here]
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:4318; spent 2 SMPs moving along the road to here in the E. Phase]
SM 79-2  2B3  3-4/V/20 [inop.; began turn at Derna; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (LW) [inop.; began turn at Derna; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (LW) [inop.; began turn at Derna; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

18A:4618 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-4-8 Art III                  221 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:3722; admin moves 10 road hexes to here]

18A:4718 [clear terrain coast road hex; SW of Tobruch]:
3-cap temporary airfield

• This temporary airfield began the turn as a 2-cap, +1 cons III MP being already spent towards the 3rd cap; this turn the 0-6 Cons III 10A spent 1 MP in the hex to increase the cap to there and then regular moved to adjacent hex 18A:4818.

5-8 Lt Arm XX               132 Ar [began turn here; in the M. Phase regular moved to 18A:5020; exploited back to here]
1-8 Inf III                        61 [breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; the 5-8 inf XX began the turn at 18A:4920; it broke down early in the M. Phase; this unsupported 1-8 inf III component regular moved to here]
1-8 Inf III                        62 [breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn, the 5-8 inf XX began the turn at 18A:4920; it broke down early in the M. Phase; this unsupported 1-8 inf III component regular moved to here]
1-10 Mot Hv AA II          I/18 (Ger LW) [began at 18A:2227; admin moved 20 hexes along road to 18A:3821; exploits along the road to here in the E. Phase]
0-6 Cons III                     5 A [began turn at Ain el Gazala; spent 3 MPs in that hex increasing the 1-cap temporary airfield there to a 3-cap, then regular moved 2 hexes to here]
1-6 Hv AA II                     29 [began turn here; never moved]
1-8 Mot Art III                 2 AC [began turn here; in M. Phase regular moved to 18A:5020; exploited back to here]
MC 200  3F4  1/8 [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Me 109E  7F5  1/7 [inop.; began turn here; did non-phasing air transfer to here late in the Jun I 41 Allied E. Phase; late in the present Axis turn’s I. Phase it flew the CAP air mission over the adjacent Tobruch hex (18A:4817); rebased here at the end of the E. Phase]
G 50  3F3  0/9 [inop.; began turn at 18A:0603, at Sicily; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

18A:4818 [clear terrain road hex; 1 hex S of Tobruch]:
3-6 Inf XX                         55 Sav [began turn at 18A:4618; regular moved to here]
1-10 Mot Hv AA II           I/33 (Ger LW) [began turn at 18A:4918; in M. Phase regular moved 19A:0720; exploited to here]
1-10 Mot AT II                  605 (Ger) [began turn at 18A: 4918; in M. Phase regular moved to 19A:0720; exploited to here]
0-6 Cons III                      10 A [began turn at 18A:4718; spent 1 MP in that hex increasing the 2-cap temporary airfield there to a 3-cap, then spent 5 MPs regular moving one hex to here]
3-4-6 Art III                      5 A [began turn at 18A:4718; spent 5 MPs moving one hex to here]
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:4718; late in the E. Phase spent 9 SMPs moving one hex to here]

18A:4918 [clear terrain coast road hex; SE of Tobruch]:
8-7-10* Pz XX                   5 Le (Ger) [began turn here; in the M. Phase regular moved to 19A:0818, SE of Sidi Barrani; exploited back to here]
2-3-6 Art III                       24 C [began turn at 18A:4818; spent 5 MPs moving one hex to here]

18A:5018 [clear terrain hex]:
1-8 Mot Art III                1 AC [began turn at 18A:4818; in the M. Phase regular moved to 19A:0420; exploited to here]

18A:5119 [clear terrain hex]:
1-8 Mot Art III                 3 AC [began turn at 18A:4918; in M. Phase regular moved along road to 19A:0519; exploited to here]

19A:0219 [clear terrain hex]:
9-10 Pz XX                       15 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase regular moved to 19A:0723, gaining Axis-ownership of Siwa road hex 19A:0823; exploited to here]
3-10 Mot Inf III              115 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4718; in M. Phase regular moved to 19A0321; exploited to here]
2-10 Mot Inf III                7 B [breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn, the 5-8 inf XX began turn at 18A:4920; it broke down early in the M. Phase; later in the M. Phase the unsupported 2-10 mot inf III component unit regular moved to 19A:0725, gaining Axis-ownership of Siwa road hexes 19A:0824-0725-0726; exploited to here]

Porto Bardiya (19A:0318) clear terrain unimproved fortress/point city/minor port road terminus coast hex]:
unimproved fortress
3 port damage hit markers
3-6 Inf XX                          17 Pav [began turn at 18A:4819; regular moved to here]
8 Inf XX HQ                      102 Trn [breakdown of the 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn, the 5-8 inf XX began turn at 18A:4920; it broke down early in the M. Phase; the 8 inf XX HQ component unit regular moved to here]
3-2-8 Art III                       16C [began turn at 18A:4918; regular moved to here]

Med/NA Replacement Pool
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 a turn reinforcement NTP attempting to sea transport it to Libya from the mainland Europe off-map holding box; in this case no It special inf RPs are derived from its loss]
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]
SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 [in the Med/NA Replacement Pool since the start of the new Scenario; per ER-II]

Axis Southeast Command [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:

At Rodi:
Rodi (20A:2230): [clear terrain point city/standard port coast hex]
3-cap-permanent airfield
3-4-6 Inf XX                         50 Reg [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
1-2-5 Art X                            35 [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
1-2-5 Art X                            36 [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
0-6 Lt AA II        AA=1        Rodi [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
1-0-6 Lt Tnk II                     312 [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
Mxd F  2F2  0/8 [inop.; Dodecanese Garrison; began turn here; flipped to its inop side at step 21 of the I. Phase due to airfield capacity]
Ju 52  1T2  0/20 [operative; began turn here; Axis Conditional Reinforcement; never moved]
MC 200  3F4  1/8 [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Mxd  2A3  1-1/16 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; Axis Conditional Reinforcement; never moved]

20A:2331: [rough terrain coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
1-6 Hv AA III      AA=2       Rodi [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
Ju 88A1  3B5  3-5/26 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 88A1  3B5  3-5/26 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 88A1  3B5  3-5/26 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Mxd B  1B2  1-2/21 [inop.; began turn here; Dodecanese garrison; flipped to its inop side at step 21 of the I. Phase due to airfield capacity]

On Scarpanto:
Scarpanto (19A:0701): [rough terrain point city/minor port coast hex]
3-cap permanent airfield
0-1-6 Lt      AA II AA=1      Scar [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
Me 110D  5HF5  4-2/12 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 87R  2D3  4-1/13 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]

On Samos:
Samos (20A:1432/15B:1400) [rough terrain point city/minor port coast hex]:
6 Inf XX HQ                         C [began turn here; an unsupported breakdown component of the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno; never moved]

On Melos (15B:1610):
Melos (15B:1610) [clear terrain point city/minor port Aegean islet coast hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; in the C. Phase performed the GS air mission over the Erakleion hex (18A:4903), on Crete; returned to base here]
Do 17Z  3B4  3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn in the Aborted Air Units box of the SE Command Replacement Pool; rebuilt in the I. Phase w/ an ARP transfer from the Med/NA Command, placed at 15B:0914; then air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

On Crete:
At the start of  the Axis turn the island had both Axis and Allied forces on it.

Khania (18A:4403/15B:2115) [rough terrain reference city/standard port road terminus coast hex]:
2-cap temporary airfield

• built this turn by the Ger 2-6 Eng III 685, present in the hex the entire turn

2-6 Eng III                            685  [any] (Ger) [began turn at Khania; still Red U-1; in M. Phase it expended 6 MPs in the Khania hex to build a 2-cap temporary airfield here; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on the Suda Bay hex; after combat it remained in the Khania hex]
7-8 Mtn XX                          6 (Ger) [the Ger mtn XX began the turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it broke down into its unsupported components, then all the components were sent to the Khania hex, on Crete, either by sea or air transport; the components reassembled into the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6 at Khania at the end of the M. Phase; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on the Suda Bay hex; after combat it remained in the Khania hex]

• 8 Mtn XX HQ B [breakdown component of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6, which began the turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it broke down into its unsupported components; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase it was successfully sea transported to the Khania port hex, on Crete; at the end of the M. Phase, at Khania, it reassembled into the mtn XX]
• 3-8 Mtn III B [breakdown component of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6, which began the turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it broke down into its unsupported components; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase, it was successfully sea transported to the Khania port hex, on Crete; at the end of the M. Phase, at Khania, it reassembled into the mtn XX]
• 3-8 Mtn III B [breakdown component of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6, which began the turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it broke down into its unsupported components; then, directly after the naval movement step, it was air transported to the Khania reference city airbase, on Crete; at the end of the M. Phase, at Khania, it reassembled into the mtn XX]

Me 110C  5HF5  1/12 (Ger LW) [operative; began turn here; technically still Red U-1, but in Axis designated special supply due to the gsp present in the hex at the start of the I. Phase; never moved]
Me 109E  7F5  1/7 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Melos (15B:1610; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
He 111H  4B4  2-7/S/22 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at 15B:1415, on the southeastern Peloponnese; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
12 gsp’s [generated in the Jun I 41 Axis I. Phase; they began in the I. Phase at Athenai, where they were broken down from a step of attack supply present in the hex; late in the E. Phase all 12 gsp’s were air transported to Khania by the three Ger LW Ju 52 air units based at Levadia (15B:0612)]
{one gsp [generated in the May II 41 Axis I. Phase; removed from the map at the end of the current I. Phase]}
{one step of attack supply [began turn at Athenai; in the naval movement step of the current M. Phase was successfully sea transported to Khania, on Crete; expended in the C. Phase of the current turn]}

18A:4504 [mountain coast hex]:
7-6 Para XX                          7 (Ger LW) [at the end of the M. Phase it reassembled from its divisional breakdown components at mountain hex 18A:4504, reassembling as still Red U-1; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on Rethymnon; after combat it remained at the mountain hex]

• 6 Para XX HQ 7 (Ger LW) [began turn at Athenai; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase it was sea transported to Khania, on Crete; in the M. Phase it moved to the adjacent mountain hex 18A:4504; at the end of the M. Phase it reassembled there into the 7-6 para XX]
• 2-5 Para III 7/1 (Ger LW) [began turn here; still Red U-1; in the M. Phase it regular moved to the adjacent mountain hex 18A:4504; at the end of the M. Phase it reassembled there into the 7-6 para XX]
• 2-5 Para III 7/2 (Ger LW) [began turn here; still Red U-1; in the M. Phase it regular moved to the adjacent mountain hex 18A:4504; at the end of the M. Phase it reassembled there into the 7-6 para XX]
• 2-5 Para III 7/3 (Ger LW) [began turn here; still Red U-1; in the M. Phase it regular moved to the adjacent mountain hex 18A:4504; at the end of the M.Phase it reassembled there into the 7-6 para XX]

Rethymnon (18A:4603) [rough terrain point city/standard port coast road hex]:
1-5 Glider II                          1 St (Ger LW) [began turn at 18A:4304; still Red U-1; in M. Phase it regular moved to mountain hex 18A:4504; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on Rethymnon ; after combat it advanced into the Rethymnon hex]

2-5 Para III                           1 St (Ger LW) [began turn at 18A:4304; still Red U-1; in M. Phase it regular moved to mountain hex 18A:4504; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on Rethymnon; after combat it advanced into the Rethymnon hex]
1-6 Marine Cmdo II             Gr/SM [began turn at Khania; still Red U-1; in the M. Phase it regular moved to mountain hex 18A:4504; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on Rethymnon; after combat it advanced into the Rethymnon hex]

{Suda Bay} (18A:4503) [rough terrain coast hex; formerly a port upgrade major port and an Allied standard supply terminal]:
3-8 Mtn III                           A (Ger) [began turn at 15B:0813; an unsupported breakdown of 7-8 Mtn XX 5; early in the M. Phase it was air transported to Khania by a Ger LW Ju 52 air unit beginning the turn at Athenai; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on the Suda Bay hex; after combat it advanced into the Suda Bay hex]

Erakleion (18A:4903) [rough terrain reference city/standard port coast road hex]:

• hit marker on the reference city airbase

3-8 Mtn III                           A (Ger) [began turn at Khania, on Crete; still Red U-1; an unsupported component of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 5; in the M. Phase it regular moved to coast hex 18A:4803; in the C. Phase it participated in the Axis attack on the Erakleion hex; after combat it advanced into Erakleion]

Hagios Nikolaos (19A:0203) [rough terrain point city/minor port coast road terminus hex]:
1-6 Inf III                              C [began turn at Samos (20A:1432/15B:1400), on the Axis-occupied Aegean island of Samos; it is an unsupported breakdown component of the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno; in the naval movement step of the M. Phase it conducted an amphibious assault special op at the Nagios Nikolaus beach hex, and successfully landed undisrupted; remained in the hex]

Mainland Greece:

15B:1415 [southeastern Peloponnese rough terrain coastline hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn at 15B:0914; admin moved to here; see WW Rule 6B for admin movement in mainland Greece in WW]
G 50bis  3F3  0/10 [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Do 17Z  3B4  3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at 15B:0914; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
Do 17Z  3B4  3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at 15B:0914; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

Kalamai (15B:1118) [clear terrain reference city/standard port secondary rail line terminus coast hex]:
2 x 5 pos flk AA=2 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]

15B:0914 [eastern Peloponnese rough terrain coastline hex; E of Nauplion, SE of Korinthos]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved; at the start of the turn there were two 5 pos flk LW units here, but one admin moved to 15B:1415]

15B:0813 [rough terrain secondary rail line coast hex, E of Korinthos]:
3-cap temporary airfield

Athenai (15B:0911) [great port/full hex city transportation line junction coast hex]:
2 x 5 pos flk AA=2 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
2-6 Eng III                           690 [any] (Ger) [began turn here; never moved]
1-8 Ski II                               MC [began turn here; never moved]
8 Mtn XX HQ                       A (Ger) [began turn at Lauren (15B:1111); moved into Athenai; Mtn XX HQ unit breakdown of 7-8 Mtn XX 5]
Me 109E  7F5  1/7 (Ger LW) [inop.; began the turn at 15B:1415, in the southeastern Peloponnese; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; early in the M. Phase it air transported a ground unit in mainland Greece to the reference city Khania airbase, on Crete; returned to base here]
Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Kalamai (15B:1118); air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
Z 506B  2B3  2-4/F/22 [operative; began turn at Athenai; never moved]
{one step of attack supply [turn reinf per the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete draft OB; placed here at step 14 of the I. Phase; broke down into 12 gsp’s at step 16 of the I. Phase; in the E. Phase these 12 gsp’s were air transported to Khania, on Crete]}

15B:0811 [clear terrain secondary rail line coast hex, NW of Athenai]:
3-cap permanent airfield
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
2 x Ju 52 1T2 0/20 (Ger LW) [both operative; both began turn here; both never moved]
Ju 52 1T2 0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it air transported a ground unit in mainland Greece to the reference city Khania airbase, on Crete; returned to base here]

15B:0711 [clear terrain transportation line junction coast hex, 2 hexes N of Athenai]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
2 x Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (Ger LW) [both operative; both began turn here; both never moved]
Ju 52 1T2 0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at Athenai; early in the M. Phase it air transported a ground unit in mainland Greece to the reference city Khania airbase, on Crete; returned to base here]
Levadia (15B:0612) [clear terrain major rail line hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk AA=1 (Ger LW) [began turn at 15B:0813; admin moved to here]
3 x Ju 52  1T2  0/20 (Ger LW) [all inop; all began turn here; late in the E. Phase all three staged to Athenai where they each loaded up 4 gsp’s, for the total of 12 gsp’s that were in the Athenai hex, and air transported all of them to the airbase at Khania, on Crete; all three rebased here]

SE Command Replacement Pool [end of turn]:

2-6 Inf III                             C [This breakdown unit is derived from the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno, which began the turn at Samos (20A:1432/15B:1400). At the beginning of the May II 41 Axis M. Phase it broke down into the unsupported components of inf XX “C.” This inf III breakdown had an amphibious special op planned that turn for the Khania hex, on Crete, but the Aegean ANTP sea transporting it was sunk by an Eliminated die roll on the Shipping Results Table after a Contact dice roll on the Naval Table]

Eliminated Air Units Box:
DFS 230  0GT-1 -/T (Ger LW) [did air drop mission of the LW glider II on the May II 41 Axis M. Phase; placed here per WW Rule 23F]

Axis Near East Command

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

Select Initial Conditions Recap:
Standard Supply Terminals: Damas (20A:4505/19A:4701) and Beyrouth (20A:4207).
SMPs: 5
Rail Capacity, Levant Rail net: 4.
Intrinsic AA: Per the WW Intrinsic Light AA Summary, 1 point per dot and major city hex in the Levant.

Sadia (20A:4408) [rough terrain point city transportation line coast hex]:
3-6* Inf III 24 MC (Col) [began turn at Tripoli (20A:4005), in Lebanon; regular moved to here]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III                7 CA (Afr) [began turn at Damas; regular moved to 20A:4407; exploited to here]

20A:4308 [rough terrain transportation line coast hex, S of Beyrouth]:
C-8 Cav III                            N Syr (TS) [began turn at Alep; admin moved to here]

20A:4407 [rough terrain hex]:
2-6* Inf III                           29 TA (Afr) [began turn here; in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase this unit was D-backed to 4407; never moved this turn]
A-8 Cav III                           Tcher (TS) [began turn at Damas; regular moved to here]

20A:4507 [ravines hex]:
4-3-6* Inf III                        6 LE (LE) [began turn at Alep; in the M. Phase it railed to Rayak and then regular moved to 20A:4507; in the C. Phase it participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; remained here at 4507 after combat]
2-1-6* Lt Arm III                6 CdA (Afr) [began turn at Damas; in the M. Phase it regular moved to here; in the C. Phase it participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; remained here at 4507 after combat]
1-8 Cav III                            1 SM (Afr) [began turn at Beyrouth (20A:4207); in the M. Phase it regular moved to here; in the C. Phase it participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; remained here at 4507 after combat]
1-6 Inf II                               V/1 TM (Afr) [began turn at Damas; in the M. Phase it regular moved to here; in the C. Phase it participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; remained here at 4507 after combat]
20A:4607 [rough terrain hex inside Vichy Syria; Allied-occupied hex at the start of the Axis player turn]
1-2-6* Inf III                        16 TT (Afr) [began turn at 20A:4806; regular moved to 20A:4606; in the C. Phase participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; after combat it moved into hex 4607]
C-8 Cav III                           Ligne (TS) [this turn placed at Damas at step 14 of the I. Phase after the expenditure of .25 TS inf RP;  in the Jun I 41 Allied C. Phase it had been placed in the Sud-Syrie territory box after being Dispersed in a cohesion check die roll prior to an Allied attack at hex 20A:4607; this turn in the M. Phase it regular moved to 20A:4507; this time having rolled a No Effect on the cohesion check die roll done before the combat, it participated in the C. Phase attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; after combat it moved into hex 4607]

20A:4707 [rough terrain hex]:
2-6* Inf III                           17 TS (Col) [began turn at 20A:4707; in the C. Phase participated in the attack on the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607; after combat it remained here at 4707]

Rayak (20A:4306) [clear terrain point city transportation line junction hex]:
1-cap permanent airstrip
one step of attack supply [began turn at Beyrouth; in M. Phase spent 3 SMPs to move along transportation line to here]

Damas (20A:4505) [clear terrain dot city transportation line junction hex]:
Standard Supply Terminal marker [Vichy French Levant specific]
0-1-5 Cons X                        Lev (Col) [began turn at Alep; railed to here]
{one step of attack supply [expended in the C. Phase for the Vichy French attack at 20A:4607]}
D 520  6F5  0/11 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Beyrouth (20A:4207) [rough terrain dot city/standard port transportation line junction coast hex]:
Standard Supply Terminal marker [Vichy French Levant specific]
[vacant of Vichy French forces at the end of the turn]

Tripoli (20A:4005) [rough terrain reference city/minor port transportation line coast hex]:
railhead marker
[vacant of Vichy French forces at the end of the turn]

Alep (21A:3231) [clear terrain partial city transportation line junction hex]:
A-5 Inf III                             1 Lev (TS) [began turn at Lattique (20A:3405); moved to here]

Lattique (20A:3405) [clear terrain reference city/minor port road terminus coast hex]:
[vacant of Vichy French forces at the end of the turn]

Hassetche (21A:3218) [clear terrain point city road hex]:
D-8 Cav III                           Djez (TS) [began turn here; never moved; required to remain here at Hassetche until moved out of the hex in a C. Phase]

Deir ez Zoir (21A:3922) [clear terrain reference city road junction hex]:
A-8 Mot Cav II                   Lev (TS) [began turn here; never moved; tentatively required to remain here this turn; may move freely next turn]

• Note:  This TS unit’s first turn after the Allied invasion restriction proviso will likely be changed from “required to remain at Dier ez Zoir” this turn to “required to end the first turn after the Allied invasion at either Deir ez Zoir or Palmyre (21A:4129).”

Vichy French Levant Replacement Pool:
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:

• The Br Glad F type air unit beginning the turn at Nicosia (20A:3413), on Cyprus, air transfers to Hafia (20A:4710) late in the E. Phase

In pro-Allied neutral Iraq [{beginning of turn}/end of turn]:

• In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario the pro-Axis Iraqi coup occurs in the Apr I 41 Axis Initial Phase.
• At step 4 of the Initial Phase of the May II 41 Axis turn, the Allied player rolled a 9 when checking for an Iraqi Coup Collapse, using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table, per WW Rule 38J5.  This resulted in a modified roll tally of 15: Coup Collapse, taking into account the +1 modifier for the Allied-owned Iraqi dot city of Basra, the +1 modifier for if a rail connection (per WW Rule 7A1) cannot be traced from an Axis-owned Baghdad to an Axis-owned dot city in Iraq, and the +5 modifier for the “first turn (only) that a supported Allied unit [eg., the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab] is adjacent to an Iraqi-owned Baghdad,” per the WW Errata-28 October 2005 addendum.  At that time all Iraqi forces were removed from the game maps and the Iraqi Replacement Pool.  All Iraqi hexes became Allied controlled except for the Mosul hex (21A:3509), because of the presence in the Mosul hex at that time of the Ger LW Mxd A type Conditional Reinforcement air unit, which was subsequently air transferred back to Rodi in the May II 41 Axis E. Phase.
• This turn, in the Allied E. Phase, the Br 2-1-10* Mot Inf X Hab exploited through the Mosul hex, thereby gaining Allied control of the only remaining Axis-controlled hex in Iraq.
• Meanwhile, back at step 2 of the Initial Phase of the current Jun I 41 Axis turn, the Axis player did the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and came up with a 5: “Fawzi is under the control of the Axis player for the player turn.”  The Axis player forthwith changed the mode of the Fawzi Guerrilla unit (Bandit) from guerrilla to combat, per WW Optional Rule 39B-[Guerrilla] Modes.  The Fawzi dummy Guerrilla unit, beginning the turn at 22A:3133, was accordingly removed from the maps and set aside.  The Fawzi Guerrilla unit beginning the turn at 21A:5121 was flipped to the 0-1-8 Inf II Fawzi (Bandit) side.

21A:4821 [ravines hex]:

0-1-8 Inf II                            Fawzi (Bandit) [began turn at 21A:5121 in the Guerrilla mode; at step 2 of the I. Phase, after the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, it was voluntarily flipped to its combat mode by the Axis player; in the M. Phase it moved to here]

22A:3133 [stony desert hex]:

[vacant after step 2 of the I. Phase]

{Fawzi Guerrilla Unit (Bandit) [dummy unit, in guerrilla mode; began turn here; at step 2 of the I. Phase it was removed from the maps and set aside after the Axis player voluntarily flipped the main Fawzi Guerrilla unit to its combat side.]}

Turn Activity:

At step 11 of the I. Phase the Br 5 pos flk unit at Limassol (20A:3615), on Cyprus, becomes Black U-1; as does also the Br Glad F type air unit based at Nicosia (20A:3413), on Cyprus.  Most of the Axis forces starting the turn on Crete are still definitely Red U-1, except for the Ger LW Me 110C HF air unit based at Khania, which this turn is only technically Red U-1, drawing Axis designated special general supply from the single gsp present in the Khania hex until its removal at step 24.

At step 16 of the I. Phase the Allied player converts one of the two steps of attack supply at Tobruch into 12 new gsp’s, per Rule 12C4b-GSP’s from Steps of Attack Supply.  At step 24 of the Initial Phase the 12 old gsp’s at Tobruch that were generated from a converted step of attack supply in the May II 41 Axis Initial Phase are removed from the map.  At step 16 of the I. Phase the Axis player also converts one of the steps of attack supply at Athenai into 12 new gsp’s.

 

At step 22 of the I. Phase the Me 109E F type air unit at the 2-cap temporary airfield at 18A:4718, SW of Tobruch, flies the CAP air mission over the adjacent Tobruch hex (18A:4817).  The SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit based at the Tobruch airfield would have liked to have performed a non-phasing CAP air mission over Tobruch in the I. Phase first, in order to get safely off the ground for the duration of the Axis turn, but was pre-empted by the phasing Axis player per Rule 16D-Air Operation Sequence, and so remains based at the Tobruch airfield, operative.  At the end of the E. Phase the Ger LW Me 109E air unit rebases at the now 3-cap-temporary airfield at 18A:4718.

Early in the M. Phase, prior to the naval movement step, the Axis player flies a big Malta Status daylight air mission air op against the Valletta hex, on Malta.  Flying the Malta Status air mission are the strat bombing SM 79-1  2B3  1-5/22 air unit, from Licata, the strat bombing Br 20M  3NB4  2-5/24 air unit, from Syracusa, on Sicily, the tac bombing It Ju 87B  2D3  4-1/8 air unit, from Sicilian coast hex 18A:0603, and the tac bombing Ca 309  2B1  0/9, from Sicilian coast hex 18A:0403.  All make it through the Valletta factored flack factor of 2 (see WW Rule 37I2-Bombing Malta) and the Ju 87B and BR 20M air units each score a Hit.  All the Italian air units return to their respective Sicilian airbases, except for the long-range BR 20M NB type, which rebases at the 1-cap temporary airfield at Libya, thereby increasing its air mission alternatives next turn.

At the start of the Axis M. Phase the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX  6 unit at Athenai is broken down into its unsupported B Mtn XX components.

In the naval movement step of the Axis M. Phase the Axis player uses 5 Aegean NTPs to successfully sea transport the following forces from the great port of Athenai, in mainland Greece, to the standard port of Khania, at Crete: one step of attack supply (3 Aegean NTPs), the Ger LW 6 Para XX HQ 7 unit (1 Aegean NTP), and the Ger 8 Mtn XX HQ B unit (1 Aegean NTP), which is the HQ unit of the unsupported breakdown components of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6).  Per WW Rule 31D6, the 12 column is used on the Naval Table (see WW Game Play Chart 3-Naval War) and all the Axis sea cargo makes it safely across the Aegean Sea to Crete.  The 6th Axis Aegean NTP is an Aegean ANTP (see WW Rule 31A), and it sea transports the It 1-6 Inf III C, an unsupported breakdown component of the It 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno, beginning the turn at the port hex of Samos (20A:1432/15B:1400), on the Axis-controlled Aegean island of Samos, to the Allied-controlled Cretan beach hex of Hagios Nikolaos (19A:0203), on an amphibious assault special operation, duly planned one turn in advance (See WW Rule 33A).  This was the only Axis special operation planned for this turn.  After determining that the Axis Aegean NTP is not Contacted per the Naval Table dice roll, the Greek 1-4 Static X Erak, 3 hexes away at Erakleion (18A:4903), declined the Enemy Reaction die roll attempt (WW Rule 32B), as after analysis it appeared that in any event a successful non-c/m 1 MP Reaction Movement in any direction would not affect either that Allied unit at Erakleion, or the ownership of the Erakleion hex at the turn’s end, or the events unfolding at Hagios Nikolaos.  This time Fate smiled at the Italian inf III when the Axis player rolls a 4 on the Disruption Table, which modifies to a 2: No Effect; and so the It 1-6 Inf III C successfully landed undisrupted at the Hagios Nikolaos enemy beach hex.

It appears that beginning this turn the Axis player has only 6 Aegean NTPs (with a maximum of 3 of them being ANTPs, per WW Rule 31A), although on the May II 41 Axis turn he definitely began with 7 Axis Aegean NTPs, per the WW Assault on Crete Scenario Axis OB, which is the basis of the new Scenario’s Axis OB for the special Assault on Crete segment.  Well, the Axis player lost one Aegean ANTP on his May II 41 M. Phase assault on Crete, and per WW Rule 35D-NTP Replacements, evidently no replacement provisions are made for lost Axis Aegean NTPs, although there are provisions for the replacement of lost Axis Mediterranean and Adriatic NTPs.

Immediately after the safe arrival of the NTP cargo to the Khania hex, the Axis player then instigates an air transport air op of three German ground units from airfields in mainland Greece, using the three operative Ger LW Ju 52 T type air units beginning the turn at Athenai, to the Khania reference city airbase target hex.  Two of the Ger LW Ju 52 T type air units based at Athenai air transport to Khania the the two 3-8 Mtn III B (the two unsupported breakdown units of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6) units, both beginning the turn at Athenai, too.  The third Ger LW Ju 52 T type air unit based at Athenai stages to the 3-cap temporary airfield at 15B:0813, on mainland Greece, and from there air transports the 3-8 Mtn III A (an unsupported breakdown of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 5) unit to Khania, on Crete.  One of the Ger LW Ju 52 air units rebases at Athenai, another Ju 52 air unit rebases at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 15B:0811 (NW of Athenai), and the last Ju 52 T type air unit rebases at the 3-cap temporary airfield at 15B:0711.

Meanwhile, another naval transport odyssey is unfolding in the Central Med sea zone, utilizing the Axis player’s turn reinforcement NTPs available for the Axis turn’s ground reinforcements and two steps of attack supply, all beginning the naval movement step in the mainland Europe off-map holding box.  First, at Cyrenaica clear terrain coast road hex 18A:3219, the Axis player amphibiously disembarks the two Axis ground unit reinforcements that have no heavy equipment, which would be the Ger 2-8 Inf III 155 and the It 1-8 Aslt Eng II 31 G.  Only the It aslt eng II lands disrupted at the beach hex, the Ger inf III lands undisrupted.  Then the two turn reinforcement steps of attack supply and all the remaining Axis reinforcement ground units successfully make it across the central Mediterranean sea zone, per the Naval Table dice rolls.  But the Axis side receives a bitter blow this turn when the Axis turn reinforcement NTP carrying the primo It 3-4-6 Art III 8 A unit rolls a 1 on the Shipping Results Table and sinks, after a Contact result on the Naval Table.  This is surely bad for the Axis player, as it will likely not be replaced in the context of the game and will be missed in the Western Desert.

In the M. Phase the It 0-4 cons III beginning the turn at Ain el Gazala increases the 1-cap temporary airstrip there (w/ 1 MP already done for the second cap) to a 3-cap temporary airfield.  The It 0-4 cons III beginning the turn at 18A:4718 increases the 2-cap temporary airfield there (w/ 1 MP already done for the third cap) to a 3-cap temporary airfield.  On Crete, the Ger 2-6 eng III beginning the turn at the reference city Khania hex spends all its MPs building a 2-cap temporary airfield in the hex.

In the C. Phase the Axis player executes three combats on the island of Crete, utilizing 10 REs of Axis ground units there.  The first battle is at Erakleion (18A:4903), against the Greek 1-4 Static X Erak unit in the hex.  Attacking is the Ger 3-8 Mtn III A, which had moved to adjacent coast hex 18A:4803, from Khania.  Adding GS is the Ger LW Ju 87B D type air unit from Melos.  The odds are 9 to 1, -1 for rough terrain, good enough for an automatic Elim.  After combat the Ger mtn III advances into the Erakleion hex.

The second combat on Crete is at Rethymnon (18A:4603), against the Greek 1-4 Static X Reth unit in the hex.  Attacking are the Ger LW 7-6 Para XX 7, the Ger LW 2-5 Para III 1 St, the Ger LW 1-5 Glider II 1 St, and the It 1-6 Mar Cmdo II Gr/SM, all from adjacent mountain hex 18A:4504.  The odds are easily again 9 to 1, -1 due to the rough terrain, which is good enough for another automatic Elim.  After the combat the three non-divisional Axis units advance into the Rethymnon port hex.

The third combat on Crete is Suda Bay, at 18A:4503, which is also an Allied Improved Port and an Allied standard Supply Terminal.  Defending the Suda Bay hex is the 0-2-0 Hv AA X 1 NMBDO (RM) and the Greek 1-4 Static X Khania, for a total of 1.5 defense factors.  The Axis stack at the adjacent Khania hex attacks Suda Bay.  The Khania port hex contains the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 6, the other 3-8 Mtn III A, and the Ger 2-6 Eng III 685, adding to a total of 12 attack factors.  The odds are thus an 8 to 1, -1 for the rough terrain, again good enough for an automatic Elim, with no place for the Allied stack to retreat to in case of a DR.

In the Vichy French Levant the Vichy French forces attack the Allied stack at 20A:4607, just inside Vichy Syria.  The way the Vichy French forces had done their movement prior to the C. Phase made it difficult for the Allied player to determine whether the Vichy French were going to attack the Aus 7-8 Inf XX 7 at 20A:4508 or the Allied stack at adjacent hex 20A:4607, containing the FF 3-8* Inf X 1 FL and the Br 1-8 AT II 65.  The Allied player was more concerned about the Australian inf XX, and so sent to its hex the Br Blen 4 B type air unit, based at Tel Aviv (20A:5011) on the DAS air mission, escorted by the Br Hurri 1 5F5 type air unit based at Haifa.  Although it was very tempting for the Vichy French D 520 6F5 type air unit to intercept and give combat to the weaker Hurri 1 air unit, the Axis player held it back, wanting to make sure it is available until the arrival of the Fr ARP on the Jun II 41 Axis turn.

The pivot in getting the 3 to 1 is the C-8 Cav III Ligne (TS), with a CL rating of 4, and this time with a +1 modifier on the cohesion table die roll “when stacked with a non-TS combat unit,” done before the combat die roll.  The Axis player’s cohesion table die roll is low (a 2), and so the C-8 Cav III TS unit throws in its unsupported combat factor of 1 (halved).  From hex 20A:4707 the 2-6* Inf III 29 TA (Afr) attacks.  From hex 20A:4606 the 1-2-6* Inf III 16 TT (Afr) attacks.  Attacking from hex 20A:4507 are the 4-3-6* Inf III 6 LE (LE), the 1-8 Cav III 1 SM (Afr), the 1-6 Inf II V/1 (Afr), the C-8 Cav III Ligne (TS), and the 2-1-6* Lt Arm III 6 CdA (Afr).  The Axis combat attack factor total is 10.5, including the TS cav III’s .5 combat factor, with a +1 modifier because of the 1/10 AECA, due to the Vichy French supported lt arm III’s full AECA.  The Allied defense factor is 3.5, with a -1 modifier for the rough terrain.  The combat die roll is a straight-up 3 to 1 and the die says 5: DR.  And so the Allied stack retreats to 20A:4608, back across the borderline into Palestine, and the Fr 1-2-6* inf III (Afr) and the TS C-8 cav III advance into hex 20A:4607 after the combat.  The Vichy French step of attack supply at Damas is expended.

In the E. Phase both sides do air unit transfers; see the text above or the pictures below for the sundry details of these air unit movements on the maps.

Commentary

It is hard to tell from being so close to the game board if it is worth it for the Allied player to prolong the agony at Crete.  In the Jun I 41 Allied I. Phase, he could have disbanded the 0-2-0 Hv AA X 1 NMBDO (RM) and also the three Greek static X’s, per WW Rule 40C2-Disbanding, and then in the M. Phase could have completely evacuated Crete of the remaining Allied forces.  Note that per WW Rule 3B2-Allied [Side], the British and the Greek forces are two separate “national forces” and therefore all four units could be disbanded in the same I. Phase.  This appears to be the most exquisite and efficient way for the Allied player to find a quick end to the Crete debacle, other than suffering the -3 VP penalty for disbanding the RM brigade (1 RE), and then not getting any Br special inf RPs due to the unit’s 0 combat strength.  At least with the disbanding the Allied player would not give to the Axis player the +1 VP for the RE in the Balkan Command Replacement Pool due to a combat loss, per the WW Common Victory Chart, which in large part will be used at the end of the special Assault on Crete segment, corresponding with the Axis cessation of operations in the Balkans.  If I am understanding the WW Rules correctly, there is no VP penalty for disbanding the Greek units after the Axis player ceases operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 3E5b, as their unit losses are evidently not counted for VPs, per WW Rule 42B.  But of course this “exquisite” solution of the Crete debacle depends upon the Axis player immediately following up the above Allied scheme with his own prompt voluntary cessation of operations in the Balkans.  What ought the Axis player do in this game on his Jun II 41 Axis I. Phase?

In the Western Desert the Axis player continues a cumbersome and awkward southward swing around the Tobruch improved fortress’s defense perimeter, thereby exerting pressure on it and the British Western Desert force bracing up at the Matruh stop line in central Egypt.  But this action implies that for the time being the Axis player has likely abandoned any big attack on the Allied citadel of Tobruch.  A variety of tell-tale signals indicate that the Axis has opted instead for a new and different strategy of bypassing Tobruch and applying pressure on the Allied Western Desert Force’s desert shield at Matruh.  This is not necessarily an end zone run to Alexandria, but of course it could be.  But if the Axis player can push the Allied player away from Matruh and its strategic airfield, or neutralize it by building corresponding close-up Egyptian airfields, then he can endanger the necessary air defense structure enabling the continued successful supply and reinforcement of the besieged fortress.  Signals of the impending end of the 1941 “Enter Rommel” epoch are the continued Axis swing around Tobruch of the non-c/m units, the positioning of the two It cons IIIs at hexes 18A:4718 and 18A;4818, and the nonchalant air transfer of the Axis stack of D type and B type air units from Derna to Ain el Gazala.

A hard look at the situation at Tobruch this turn reveals that the Axis player can muster a preferred count total of 29 3/4 factored ground attack factors (not quite all in attack supply via the absolutely necessary expenditure of the two available steps of Axis attack supply in the zone) and a maximum of 6 total factored (eg., halved, for the improved fortress) GS factors, this possible tac factor total prior to the 3 column dice results of the Antiaircraft Fire Table.  The Allies have a total of 17 defense factors at Tobruch, so the Axis player must count on almost all (eg., 3 out of 4) of the possible four Axis air units providing GS making it through Tobruch’s flack to obtain the raunchy 2 to 1, -1 odds.  If the die comes up 1, it’s an AH, and that’s not good for the Axis player, even if Mars & Death are paid off by flipping XX’s to cadres and using Italian cannon fodder for the change.  And so this turn Rommel forgets all about Tobruch and fishes in other troubled waters, seeking to snag victory.

But at the moment the Allied invasion of the Vichy French Levant only weakens the Allied player’s desert shield at Matruh; and so perhaps the Axis player can make hay while the sun shines.  At this same moment, the Allied player has a looming attack supply step crisis in store due to pursuing his current lavish double strategy of supplying Tobruch with gsp’s derived from broken down steps of attack supply and the demands for vigorous attacks each turn in the Allied invasion of the Vichy French Levant, in pursuit of clinching its surrender, per the Variable Levant Surrender Table.  And to top it all, beginning this Axis turn, at step 12 of the I. Phase, the Allied player begins to lose VPs for “placing Australian units in a precarious position.”  This “precarious” situation occurs “once at least three Australian REs have been in the replacement pool (at any time)” and if any Australian unit “is isolated in an Axis Initial Phase.”  Furthermore, “the Allied  player loses 1/2 victory point for each Australian RE in a precarious position.”  In the EA game report all the above occurs this Axis Initial Phase, per WW Advanced Rule 38B3-Australian Preservation, and in the current Axis I. Phase the Australian 9th Inf XX (3 REs) is at isolated Tobruch.  Using F. Watson’s WD Campaign Victory Conditions analysis chart found in  his outstanding “End of the Beginning:  The Third Battle of El Alamein, October 1942” Europa battle scenario, found in TEM#63, we see that according to his estimate, historically the Allies lost -13.5 VPs for “Australian forces placed in precarious positions ([WitD] Rule 43D2).”  I believe the WitD Australian Preservation proviso to be essentially the same as WW Advanced Rule 38B3.

The Allied invasion of the Vichy French Levant creates a complex situation for the Axis player, and the “correct” strategy will likely be decided only in hindsight, pending the outcome of combat die rolls and the Allied player’s reaction to the Vichy French moves and actions.  Thus, if this turn’s Vichy French attack would have resulted in a DH, or a HX, or maybe even an EX, the Axis player would almost unavoidably have become a winning warrior with the correct strategy.  Although the Axis player has successfully pushed back the Allied invaders from a hex of Vichy French Levant territory, he has expended one of the French colony’s two steps of attack supply, and most of the strong Vichy French ground units are jammed up at the front in the SW zone of the Levant.

Finally, a procedural mistake has occurred on the game maps which is enough to make this Europa game reporter red-faced and hang his head a moment.  On the May II 41 Allied turn, when rearranging the Allied desert front line at Matruh and corralling the three supported Aus inf X’s there back to Alexandria in preparation for the upcoming Allied invasion of the Vichy French Levant, I accidentally reassembled them into the Australian 6th Inf XX instead of the game correct and historical 7th Inf XX.  There were three mighty and distinguished Australian infantry XXs in the Mediterranean theater of operations during the 1941 epoch:  the 9th at Tobruch, the 6th at Greece and Crete, and the 7th defending Egypt and then involved in the Levant campaign.  This wargame oversight has been corrected.