May II 41 Axis Turn

End of Turn

Mainland Europe off-map holding box

Italian inf Replacement Points at the end of the I. Phase and the turn; no builds this turn.
4 Ger ARPs at the start of the turn, – 2 ARPs transferred to the SE Command, where they are immediately expended = 2 Ger ARPs at the end of the I. Phase and the turn.
At step 14 in the I. Phase the Axis player transfers 2 Med/NA Command Ger ARPs to the SE Command (see WW Rule 25C4-ARP Transfer), where they are used that same step to rebuild the two Ger LW air units in the Aborted Air Units Box of the SE Command Replacement Pool.  The rebuilt Ger LW Me 110D  5HF5  4-2/12 and the Ger LW Ju 87R  2D3  4-1/13 air units are placed at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Scarpanto (19A:0701) in the Dodecanese.
3 It ARPs at the start of the turn, -1 for rebuilding the It Ju 87B D type air unit starting in the Aborted Air Units Box of the Med/NA Replacement Pool = 2 It ARPs remaining at the end of the I. Phase and the turn.  The rebuilt It Ju 87B air unit is placed at 18A:0603, in 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 at Misurata, in Libya; did Malta Status strat bombing air mission at the 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 beginning of the M. Phase; Miss; returned to base here]
Cr 42                3F3     0/9 [inop.; began turn here; did airfield bombing air mission at Valletta; added its tac factor w/ that of the G 50 air unit, also on the airfield bombing air mission; Hit; returned to base here]

Coast hex 18A:0603:
3-cap permanent airfield
G 50                3F3      0/9 [inop.; began turn here; did airfield bombing air mission at Valletta; added its tac factor w/ that of the Cr 42 air unit, also on the airfield bombing air mission; Hit (same one as above); returned to base here]
Me 109E         7F5      1/7 [inop.; began turn here; escorted multi-mission air op to Valletta hex consisting of the G 50 and CR 42 air units on the airfield bombing air mission & the Ju 87B air unit on the Malta Status bombing air mission; returned to base here]
Ju 87B      2D3     4-1/8 [inop.; Italian; ARP step 14 I. Phase rebuild; placed here; did Malta Status tac bombing air mission at the 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

Malta Status:  At the beginning of the turn 9.  It remains the same at the start of the naval movement segment of the Movement Phase because there were no Malta Status hits achieved at the very beginning of the Phase.
Valetta hex flack:  4 (3 intrinsic + only 1 for the 0-1-8 hv AA II’s 2 flack factor, now halved for being Red U-2)

Libya [end of turn]

Tripolitania Garrison Box:
0-1-6* Inf III               280 GaF
0-1-6* Inf III               290 GaF
0-1-6* Inf III               340 GaF
0-1-6* Inf III               350 GaF
0-2-6* Inf III               330 GaF

Tripoli (18A:0121) [clear terrain dot city/major port hex]:
Axis Supply Terminal marker
fort marker
3 steps of attack supply [never moved]
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

18A:0924: [clear terrain road hex]:
one step of attack supply [began turn at Homs; in the E. Phase it spent 7 SMPs moving along the road to here]

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

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

18A:2227 [sand coast road hex]:
1-10 Mot Hv AA II                I/18 (Ger LW) [turn reinf; disembarked @ Homs, admin moved along coast road to Buerat el Hsum (18A:1226); exploited to here]

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

18A:3622 [stony desert road hex]:
3-6 Inf XX                               25 Bol [reassembled here from its supported components at the end of the M. Phase]
1-6* Inf III                    A [began turn at 18A:3631; admin moved here; a 3-6 Inf XX 25 Bol breakdown]
1-6* Inf III                    A [began turn at Ain el Gazala; admin moved to here; a 3-6 Inf XX 25 Bol breakdown]

Bengasi (18A:3121) [clear terrain reference city/major port transportation line junction hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
12 hits on the port
4 pos flk          AA=1              [began turn here; never moved]
one step of attack supply [began turn here; never moved]

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

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

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

18A:3722 [stony desert road hex]:
3-4-8 Art III                            221 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:2629; admin moved 16 hexes along the road to here]

Derna (18A:4116) [rough terrain point city/minor port coast road hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
6 Inf XX HQ                          B [began turn at 18A:4318 as part of the  3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; the inf XX breaks down into its unsupported elements at the beginning of the M. Phase; the inf HQ unit moves to Derna]
1-6 Inf III                               B [began turn at 18A:4318 as part of the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; the inf XX breaks down into its unsupported elements at the beginning of the M. Phase; this inf III breakdown units moves into Derna]
0-6 Lt AA II   AA=1              38 [never moved]
SM 79-2          2B3      3-4/V/20 [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 87B             2D3     4-1/8 (LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]
Ju 87B             2D3     4-1/8 (LW) [operative; began turn here; never moved]

18A:4318 [stony desert road hex]:
1-6 Inf III                               B [began turn at 18A:4188 as part of the 3-6 Inf XX 27 Brs; the inf XX breaks down into its unsupported elements at the beginning of the M. Phase; this inf III breakdown unit remains here]
one step of attack supply [began turn at 18A:3228; late in the E. Phase it spends 16 SMPs moving along the road to here]

Ain el Gazala (18A:4518) [clear terrain point city coast road hex]:
1-cap temporary airfield
0-6 Cons III                            5 A [began turn at adjacent hex 18A:4417; regular moved one hex to here and spent 5 MPs building the 1-cap temporary airfield, +1 MP towards the 2nd cap build]
CR 42              3F3      0/9 [inop.; began turn at 18A:3617; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

18A:4618 [clear terrain coast road hex]:
3-6 Inf XX                               55 Sav [began turn at 18A:3622; admin moved 11 hexes along road to here]

18A:4718 [clear terrain coast road hex; SW of Tobruch]:
2-cap temporary airfield
5-8 Lt Arm XX                      132 Ar [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase moved to 18A:4819; exploited to here]
3-10 Mot Inf III                     115 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:2227; admin moved 20 hexes to 18A:3821; exploited to here]
0-6 Cons III                            10 A [never moved; spent 6 MPs here building 2-cap temporary airfield (1 MP was expended the previous turn beginning a 1-cap temp airfield) + 1 MP for the 3rd cap build]
1-6 Hv AA II                           29 [began turn at Derna; regular moved to here]
3-4-6 Art III                           5 A [began turn at 18A:4216; regular moved to here]
1-8 Mot Art III                       2 AC [began turn at 18A:4718; in M. Phase moved to 18A:5018; exploited back to here]
MC 200          3F4     1/8 [inop.; began turn at 18A:3617; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]
one step of attack supply [never moved]

18A:4818 [clear terrain road hex; 1 hex S of Tobruch]:
9-10 Pz XX                             15 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4718; in M. Phase moved to 19A:0319; exploited back to here]
1-8 Mot Art III                       1 AC [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase moved to 19A:0218; exploited back to here]
2-3-6 Art III                           24 C [began turn at 18A:4618; regular moved to here]

18A:4918 [clear terrain coast road hex; SE of Tobruch]:
8-7-10* Pz XX                       5 Le (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase moved to Sidi Barrani (19A:0818); exploited to here]
1-10 Mot Hv AA II                I/33 (Ger LW) [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase moved to 19A:0319; exploited to here]
1-10 Mot AT II                       605 (Ger) [began turn at 18A:4818; in M. Phase moved to 19A:0319; exploited to here]
3-2-8 Art III                          16C [began turn at 18A:4818; regular moved to here]
1-8 Mot Art III                      3 AC [began turn at 18A:4712; in M. Phase moved to 19A:0219; exploited to here]

18A:4819 [clear terrain road hex]:
3-6 Inf XX                              17 Pav [began turn at 18A:4718; regular moved to here]

18A:4920 [clear terrain road hex]:
5-8 Inf XX                              102 Trn [inf XX reassembled at the end of the E. Phase from its supported breakdown components]
1-8* Inf III                             61 [began turn at 18A:4819; supported breakdown of 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; moved to here]
1-8* Inf III                             62 [began turn at 18A:4819; supported breakdown of 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; moved to here]
2-10* Mot Inf III                   7 B [began turn at 18A:4819; supported breakdown of 5-8 Inf XX 102 Trn; in M. Phase it regular moved along the Giarabub road to 19A:0326, gaining hex control; in the E. Phase it entered the Oasi di Giarabub hex (19A:0327), capturing the point city, and then double backed along the road 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
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]
BR 20M     3NB4  2-5/24 [aborted in GS air mission over the Tobruch hex on the May I 41 Axis C. Phase]

Axis Near East Command

In Iraq:
In the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario, the pro-Axis Iraqi coup occurs in the Apr I 41 Axis initial phase.
Per the WW Master Sequence of Play, at step 2 of the Axis Initial Phase the Axis player does the Fawzi al Qawukji action die roll, per WW Optional Rule 39E4, and comes up with a 4: “Fawzi does not change mode and moves randomly during the upcoming Movement Phase.”

Per the WW Master Sequence of Play, at step 4 of the Axis Initial Phase the Allied player for the third time checks for an Iraqi Coup Collapse by a dice roll done using the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table to determine results. There is a +1 Modifier for the Allied-owned dot city of Basra, +1 if a rail connection (per Rule 7A1) cannot be traced from an Axis-owned Baghdad to an Axis-owned dot city in Iraq, +5 first turn (only) that a supported Allied unit is adjacent to an Iraqi-owned Baghdad, and a -1 if an Axis air unit is in Iraq, which tallies to +6 die roll modifier. The dice roll is 9, modified to a 15: Coup Collapse!

All Iraqi units (air, ground, the Capital marker, and the 4 Iraq-specific gsp’s) are removed from the game maps and the Iraq Replacement Pool. All Iraqi hexes become Allied controlled except the Mosul hex (21A:3509), because of the Ger LW Mxd A type air unit there at the start of the turn. The Allies now have a railcap of 3 in Iraq.  Technically the Axis still have control of the Mosul rail marshaling yard.  Finally, the Fawzi (Bandit) guerrilla unit is still in play “until at least 12 turns since the Iraqi Coup has collapsed” and “the Levant has surrendered to … the Allies,” per WW Optional Rule 39E4.  In our EA game report this would likely be until at least the Initial Phase of the Dec II 41 Axis turn, if allowing maybe three turns for the surrender of Vichy Levant and “12 turns” = game turns.

Mosul (21A:3509) [clear terrain dot city transportation line junction hex; beginning of movement phase; still Axis controlled]:
Mxd    2A3     1-1/16  (Ger LW) [Axis Conditional Reinforcement]
Late in the E. Phase this air unit does a 4X air transfer mission to here from the 3-cap permanent airfield at Rodi (20A:2230)]

21A:5121 [ravines hex]:
Fawzi Guerrilla Unit (Bandit) [Fawsi unit in guerrilla mode; began turn at 21A:5122; regular moved to here per random movement die rolls]

22A:3133 [stony desert hex]:
Fawzi Guerrilla Unit (Bandit) [dummy unit in guerrilla mode; began turn at 22A:3232; regular moved to here per random movement die rolls]

Vichy Levant on the May II 41 Axis turn:
At step 5 of the Initial Phase the Axis player again pressures Vichy France to grant Axis privileges in Vichy Levant, despite the collapse of the Iraqi Coup Golden Square junta a little earlier in the Phase.  This is only the second time in the EA reported game the Axis has attempted this.  The last time was in the Apr II 41 Axis Initial Phase.  However the Axis player has already gathered a modest Near East intervention force in the region (via WW Rule 38J6) and, the recent Iraqi coup collapse notwithstanding, nevertheless persists in pursuing a broader policy of interference with Allied strategy in the region while he can.  Accordingly he rolls on the Vichy Levant Table and the dice comes up 3:  Full privileges!
In search of a plausible Axis force pool for some kind of intervention into the Vichy Levant, the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario designer notices those German forces in F. Watson’s “Syria, Operation Exporter: June-July 1941” Europa Battle Scenario, published in TEM#81.  Those German forces appear to be the same as those indicated under the heading: Optional Axis Near East Forces: Mar I – Aug I 1941, found on p. 27 of the WW OB booklet.  Although stipulated in a sub-heading as Axis Intervention in Iraq forces, the war gamer takes them into tentative consideration for possible use in a Vichy Levant intervention scheme.  This is excepting the Ger 2-6 Inf III SV 288, which to his understanding is a specially recruited Nazi German unit at least partly comprised of European Moslems from the Balkan region, and therefore perhaps not suitable for an intervention force into Vichy Syria for the purpose of maintaining Vichy French control over the colony.  These said German LW (only) forces from the “Syria” Europa battle scenario Axis OB would be in addition to the available “Full” privileges forces from the WitD Axis OB booklet.

Axis Southeast Command

Special Assault on Crete Segment May II 41 Axis Dispositions

On Crete:
18A:4304/15B:2115 [rough terrain coast hex; SW of Khania]:
1-5 Glider II                          1 St (Ger LW) [began turn at Kalamai; did air drop mission; disrupted; remained here after combat]
2-5 Para III                          1 St (Ger LW) [began at 15B:0811; performed air drop mission; remained here after combat]

Khania (18A:4403/15B:2115) [rough terrain reference city/standard port road terminus coast hex]:
2-5 Para III                           7/1 (Ger LW) [began turn at Athenai; performed air drop mission @ 18A:4304; entered Khania after combat]
2-5 Para III                           7/2 (Ger LW) [began turn at Athenai; performed air drop mission @ 18A:4304; entered Khania after combat]
2-5 Para III                           7/3 (Ger LW) [began turn at Athenai; performed air drop mission @ 18A:4304; entered Khania after combat]
1-6 Marine Cmdo II            Gr/SM [began turn at Naupulion, in Greece; in M. Phase did amphibious landing sp op at Khania; landed disrupted]
3-8 Mtn III                           A (Ger) [began turn at Athenai; unsupported component of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 5; broke down in M. Phase; air transported to Khania late in the E. Phase]
2-6 Eng III                           685 (Ger) [began turn at Athenai; air transported to Khania late in the E. Phase]
one gsp [generated in the I. Phase; a 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario OB Axis Intervention in Iraq Conditional Reinforcement beginning the turn in the I. Phase at the port of Rodi; air transported to here late in the E. Phase by the Ger LW Ju 52 Conditional Reinforcement based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Rodi]
Me 110C      5HF5   1/12 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn at 15B:1415; in I. Phase did CAP air mission over Khania; returned to base here at the end of the E. Phase]

At Axis-controlled Aegean Islands:
On Samos:
Samos (20A:1432/15B:1400) [rough terrain point city minor port coast hex]:
6 Inf XX HQ                            C [began turn here assembled w/ the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno.  The inf XX breaks down at the beginning of the M. Phase; the inf XX HQ unit remains here for the rest of the turn.]
1-6 Inf III                                  C [began turn here assembled w/ the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno.  The inf XX breaks down at the beginning of the M. Phase.  This inf III breakdown had an amphibious sp op planned for the Khania hex, on Crete.  In the M. Phase the Aegean ANTP sea transporting it rolled a Return to Port on the Shipping Results Table after rolling a Contact result on the Naval Table.]

On Rodi:
Rodi (20A:2230) [clear terrain major port point city 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]
1-0-6 Lt Tnk II                       312 [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
0-6 Lt AA II        AA=1          Rodi [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
Mxd F   2F2      0/8 [operative; began turn here; Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]     
Mxd      2A3     1-1/16 (Ger LW) [inop.; Axis Conditional Reinf; began turn at Mosul, in Iraq; Red U-1; did 4X air transfer mission from Mosul to here in the E. Phase, after Iraqi Coup Collapse dice roll result done in I. Phase]
Ju 52    1T2       0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; Axis Conditional Reinf; began turn here; late in the E. Phase air transported the gsp here at Rodi to Khania, on Crete; returned to base here]
I have tentatively allowed this Axis Conditional Reinforcement, originally intended exclusively as an Axis intervention in Iraq force, but now currently unemployed since the recent Iraqi coup collapse, to air transport to Crete the special new Scenario reinforcement gsp originally intended for LW air unit use in Coup Iraq.  This particular Ju 52 air unit should definitely not be allowed to perform any airdrop air missions (except airdropping gsp’s), nor should it be diverted to the Western Desert.  But I am currently considering allowing the original Axis Conditional [LW] Reinforcements intended for Iraq to be available as part of some kind of Axis/German intervention into Vichy Levant scheme if the Iraqi coup has collapsed.  But it, along with its Axis Conditional Reinforcement partner, the LW Mxd A type air unit, may well be soon withdrawn from play, per WW Optional Rule 38J6-Axis Intervention in Iraq.
MC 200     3F4     1/8 [inop.; began turn at 15B:0811; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

20A:2331: [rough terrain coast hex]
3-cap permanent airfield
1-6 Hv AA III       AA=2         Rodi [Dodecanese Garrison; never moved]
Mxd B        1B2     1-2/21 [inop; began turn here; Dodecanese Garrison; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 88A1     3B5     3-5/26 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0914; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 88A1     3B5     3-5/26 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0914; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 88A1     3B5     3-5/26 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0914; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]

On Scarpanto:
Scarpanto (19A:0701): [rough terrain minor port point city 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) [inop.; began turn here; did airfield bombing air mission to Suda Bay; Miss; returned to base here]
Ju 87R        2D3     4-1/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 87B        2D3     4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did extended range airfield bombing air mission to Suda Bay; Hit; returned to base here]

On Melos (15B:1610):
Melos (15B:1610) [clear terrain point city minor port Aegean islet hex]:
3-cap permanent airfield
Me 109E     7F5      1/7 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 87B        2D3     4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Ju 87B        2D3      4-1/8 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]

Mainland Greece:
15B:1415 [southeastern Peloponnese coastline]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk            AA=1             (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
Me 109 E    7F5      1/7 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
He 111H      4B4     2-7/S/22 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
G 50 bis     3F3     0/10 [inop.; began turn at 15B:0711; air transferred to here late in the E. Phase]

Kalamai (15B:1118) [reference city/standard port]:
2 x 5 pos flk        AA=2          (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
Ju 52           1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; did air drop mission of the LW glider II; returned to base here]

15B:0914 [eastern Peloponnese coastline; E of Nauplion, SE of Korinthos]:
3-cap temporary airfield
2 x 5 pos flk       AA=2          (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
Do 17Z        3B4     3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0813; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Do 17Z        3B4     3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0813; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]
Do 17Z        3B4     3-4/13 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn @ 15B:0813; did GS air mission to Khania; returned to base here]

Athenai (15B:0911) [great port/full hex city coast hex]:
2 x 5 pos flk       AA=2          (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
6 Para XX HQ                      7 (Ger LW) [began turn here as part of the Ger LW 7-6 Para XX 7; the XX broke down into its unsupported components at the beginning of the M. Phase; the HQ unit remained here]
7-8 Mtn XX                           6 (Ger) [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]
3 x Ju 52    1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [all inop.; all began turn here; in the M. Phase one performed the air drop mission and returned to base here; later the other two performed air transport missions in the E. Phase of the 3-8 Mtn III A & the 2-6 Eng III 685, both returned to base here]
Z 506B       2B3    2-4/F/22 [operative; began turn here; never moved]

Laurion (15B:1111) [clear terrain point city/minor port secondary rail terminus coast hex]:
8 Mtn XX HQ                       A (Ger) [began turn at Athenai as part of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 5; the XX broke down into its unsupported components in the M. Phase; the HQ unit moved to here]

15B:0813 [E of Korinthos]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk          AA=1              (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
3-8 Mtn III                            A (Ger) [began turn at Athenai as part of the Ger 7-8 Mtn XX 5; broke down in the M. Phase; this unsupported component then moved to here; the other unsupported mtn III was air transported to Khania, on Crete, late in the E. Phase]

15B:0711 [2 hexes NW of Athenai]:
3-cap temporary airfield
5 pos flk           AA=1             (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
Ju 52          1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; staged to Athenai; performed the air drop mission; returned to base here]
Ju 52          1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; staged to Athenai; performed the air drop mission; returned to base here]

15B:0811 [clear terrain secondary rail line coast hex, NW of Athena]:
3-cap permanent airfield
5 pos flk            AA=1            (Ger LW) [began turn here; never moved]
Ju 52          1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; performed air drop mission; returned to base here]
Ju 52          1T2     0/20 (Ger LW) [inop.; began turn here; performed air drop mission; returned to base here]

Levadia (15B:0612) [clear terrain point city major rail line hex]:
3-cap temporary airfield
3 x Ju 52 1T2 0/20 (Ger LW) [all inop.; all began turn here; all staged to Athenai; all performed the air drop mission; all returned to base here]

SE Command Replacement Pool

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 M. Phase it broke down into the unsupported components of inf XX “C.”  This inf III breakdown had an amphibious sp op planned for the Khania hex, on Crete.  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:
DFS230      0GT-1 -/T (Ger LW) [did air drop mission of the LW glider II in the M. Phase; afterwards placed here per WW Rule 23F]

Allied Non-Phasing Air Activity Late in the Axis Exploitation Phase
Late in the E. Phase the Hurri 1 F type air unit at the Habbaniya 3-cap permanent airfield (22A:2828) flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the Haifa hex (20A:4710), in Palestine.
Late in the E. Phase the Bombay T type air unit at the Habbaniya 3-cap permanent airfield flies a non-phasing air transfer air mission to the Rutbah hex (21A:5023) 1-cap permanent airstrip, in western Iraq.

Turn Activity:

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 in the Initial Phase the 12 old gsp’s at Tobruch that were generated from a converted step of attack supply in the May I Axis Initial Phase are removed from the map.

At step 22 of the I. Phase the Me 110C F type air unit based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at 15B:1415, on the southeastern Peloponnese coastline, flies the CAP air mission over the Suda Bay hex.  The Hurri 1 F type air unit based in the Suda Bay hex would have liked to have performed a non-phasing CAP air mission 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 Suda Bay airfield, operative.  However, in the M. Phase the Me 110C air unit on the CAP air mission over Suda Bay declines to perform the patrol air mission against the Br Hurri 1 air unit based there when it subsequently flies the scramble air mission to Khania.  At the end of the E. Phase the Me 110C air unit returns to base at Khania, on Crete.
At step 22 of the I. Phase the SAAF Hurri 1 F type air unit based at Tobruch flies a non-phasing CAP air mission over the Tobruch hex.  It returns to base at Tobruch at the end of the E. Phase.

Early in the M. Phase, prior to the naval movement step, the Axis player flies a series of air missions against the Valletta hex, on Malta.  The first air op consists of the CR 42 and G 50 F type air units, based in Sicily, flying the airbase bombing air mission. Accompanying them to the Valletta Target Hex is the It Ju 87B D type air unit flying the Malta Status air mission.  The three Axis air units are escorted by the Me 109E F type air unit.  The Hurri 2 F type air unit based at the Valletta 3-cap permanent airfield flies the intercept air mission and is aborted in air combat by the escorting Me 109E air unit.  In the air combat the Hurri 2 air unit rolls a miss (-) against the Me 109E air unit.  In the mission resolution step the two Italian F type air units combine their tac factors of 1 for a total of 2, and roll a 5 for a Hit.  The It Ju 87B air unit rolls a Miss and returns to base at 18A:0603, along with the G 50 and the Me 109E air units.  All these bombing air units make it through the Valletta flack, which is reduced by the Red U-2 supply status.  Next the SM 79-1 air unit based at Misurata, in Libya, flies the Malta Status air mission.  It rolls a Miss and then bases at Licata, in Sicily.  Finally the Ca 309 air unit based at Sicily flies the Malta Status air mission, rolls a Miss, and returns to base at 18A:0403, in Sicily, along with the inoperative CR 42 air unit.

Then the Axis player sends an air op to the Suda Bay Target Hex (18A:4503) at Crete, consisting of the Ju 87B D type air unit (on an extended range tac bombing air mission) and the Me 110D air unit (on a bombing air mission), both based at the 3-cap permanent airfield at Scarpanto (19A:0701), in the Dodecanese.  The Br Hurri 1 F type air unit based at the 3-cap temporary airfield at Suda Bay flies the scramble air mission to the Khania reference city airbase at adjacent hex 18A:4403.  The ME 110C F type air unit flying the CAP air mission over the Suda Bay hex declines to seek combat by switching to the patrol air mission against the scrambling Hurri 1 air unit, quite content that the pesky Allied fighter unit will finally be inoperative on the ground prior to the big LW paradrop attack on Crete.  The two Axis bombers make it through the Allied 4 factor flack shot at Suda Bay and the Ju 87B D type air unit, flying at extended range, manages to roll a 5, modified to a 6 due to the D type, for a Hit on the Allied temporary airfield in the hex.  They both return to base at Scarpanto.

Next the Axis player executes his Special Operations on Crete.  Both airborne and amphibious landings have been planned in advance.  The text of the planned in advance airdrop landing is as follows:
“The single Target Hex of the May II 41 Axis turn airborne landing is 18A:4304/15B:2115. on Crete.  The following LW air-droppable units to be dropped in that Target Hex are the 1-5 Glider II I/St, the 2-5 Para III 1 St, and the three 7th Para XX Para IIIs:  7/1, 7/2, and 7/3.”
The text of the planned in advance amphibious landing is as follows:
“The single Target Hex of the May II 41 Axis turn amphibious landing is Khania, (18A:4403/15B:2114), on Crete.  The following Italian units to be amphibious landed in that Target Hex are the  two unsupported inf breakdowns of the 4-6 Inf XX 6 Cno, which would be a 1-6 inf III and a 2-6 inf III, and the 1-6 Marine Cmdo II Gr/SM.”

This would be at the beginning of the naval movement step of the Axis Movement Phase; but the Axis player does all the paradrop operations first, afterwards he does the amphibious operations.  The airborne landing special ops are done one ground unit at a time, with the 1-5 glider II being first.  It drops at the 18A:4304 Target Hex, and rolls low on the Disruption Table: Disrupted.  But the four remaining 2-5 para IIIs all roll high on the Disruption Table and land undisrupted: No Effect.  So far the Allied player declines to check for Enemy Reaction.

After all the LW airborne landings come the Italian amphibious landing special ops, with the two unsupported inf III breakdowns attempting first, each embarked in an Aegean ANTP (for Aegean ANTPs see WW Rule 31A1-Axis [NTPs/ANTPs]).  Bad news comes early this time, and the two Naval Table dice rolls result in Contact for the Axis cargo.  Using the Tight Naval Interdiction Zone column of the Shipping Results Table, the 1-6 Inf III C is Returned to Samos and then the 2-6 Inf III C is Eliminated, along with its Axis Aegean ANTP.  The 1-6 Marine Cmdo II Gr/SM, also embarked in an Aegean ANTP, also rolls a Contact on the Naval Table, but by a miracle rolls a 6 on the Shipping Results Table: No Effect.  Finally, at this particular time, after all the numerous Axis special op ground units have performed their landings, the Allied player then speaks up and wants to do a Reaction attempt.  Note that although Rule 33B-Enemy Reaction says that the enemy Reaction attempt is done “immediately after any unit makes a special operation landing in the [particular Target] hex,” the WW Master Sequence of Play Summary-Back, evidently says to do the Reaction Attempt Resolution after the Disruption Table die roll of the amphibiously landing unit.  I’m currently assuming that the Master Sequence of play is the correct interpretation of a completed special operation “landing,” and that the enemy Reaction die roll comes after the Disruption Table roll.  In our case here, the 1-6 Marine Cmdo II Gr/SM manages to roll a Disrupted upon landing amphibiously, per the Disruption Table.  Next, the Allied player rolls high on the Success Table, for a Success.  Now, in other games the Allied player might elect to move into the Khania hex the relatively powerful NZ 3-8 Inf X 5 from the adjacent Suda Bay hex; but in this game the Allies do otherwise and instead retreat the Aus 2-8 Inf X 19 from Khania to Suda Bay.  Why, in this case?  Because although earlier the Allied player held fast his ground units at Khania when he couldn’t stop what the Axis player had already started, and had printed combat factor parity with the available LW paratroop units anyway, in case of the EX, now he punks out for upping the ante in the high stakes Wild West poker game in play at Crete, and in effect “folds” to cut his potentially high Combat losses.  In the final analysis he sees the battle for Crete as primarily a diversion, and not a necessary fight to the death showdown for some kind of prize stake in the world war.

In the M. Phase the Axis player builds a 1-cap temporary airfield at Ain al Gazala (18A:4518) and increases the capacity of the 1-cap temporary airfield at 18A:4718 to 2.  Late in the E. Phase the CR 42 air unit based at 18A:3617 air transfers to the temp airfield at Gazala.  The MC 200 air unit also based at 18A:3617 air transfers to the temp airfield at 18A:4718, adjacent to Tobruch.

At Tobruch the Allies definitely have 17 defense factors in the improved fortress hex.  By my count here at the game board the Axis could muster from 29 1/2 up to maybe 30 1/4 factored ground unit attack factor points against the improved fortress hex, with the 29 1/2 being the preferred count.  This is the factored figure after halving the available non-heavy AA and non-artillery ground unit combat factors.  Both of the only available steps of attack supply in the zone would have to be expended, and if the Axis player throws into the attack the absolute maximum 30 1/4 factored ground unit attack factors, not quite all have full attack supply.  To get a raunchy 2 to 1, -1 attack again, with an EX or HX being the best die roll outcomes (with a 5 or 6, respectively),  the Axis player would need to successfully deliver to the target hex the needed additional amount of halved GS tac factors (due to the improved fortress), after the Antiaircraft Fire Table dice rolls; and this is where the rub is.  The available Axis air units for GS in the projected attack would be the 2 LW Ju 87B D type air units and the It SM-79-2 B type air unit, all based at Derna, and also the It SM 79-1 B type air unit, based at far-off Misurata (which would first stage to Bengasi).  If either of the two LW Ju 87 B air units fail to make it through Tobruch’s 3 factors of flack, the Attack odds slip down to an even worse 3 to 2, -1, with an EX being the best result, with a roll of 6.  So the cardboard Rommel decides to postpone a second attack of Tobruch and instead opts to maneuver in the zone.  But in so maneuvering, he threatens the flimsy and drained Allied Western Desert Force now propped at Matruh, and thereby compels the Allied player to instigate sooner the evacuation of the Allied forces on Crete and to even seek the voluntary cessation of Axis/German operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 3Eb, and thereby instigate sooner the transfer of the Allied units in the Balkan Command Replacement Pool to the Middle East Replacement Pool, so he can more readily get to them.  These peculiar considerations will likely cause some interesting tactics and procedures on Crete the next Allied turn.  My opinion tonight is that if the Allies completely evacuate Crete and leave behind only the Greek static Xs, then in the following Axis turn they surrender to the Axis at step 4 on the Initial Phase, allowing the Axis player to then cease operations in the Balkans, per WW Rule 3E5b.

In his Combat Phase the Axis player sends to the Khania target hex on the Ground Support air mission every available Axis air unit in range in the Aegean Sea region.  He takes no chances with the Allied flack shot due to the single positional flack unit (AA=1) in the hex.  Back at Alexandria, while awaiting the outcome of the battle for Khania, Wavell mulls whether he should have left the British 0-8 lt AA II in the Khania hex in his previous turn, thereby jacking the AA factor to 2.  By luck of the Anticraft Fire Table dice rolls every Axis air unit on the GS air mission makes it to the Target Hex.  The Axis player carefully tallies his attack factor total, accounting for the two disrupted ground units and the provisions of both WW Rule 20G2b-GS and Optional Rule 20G4-Air Support Limits, and arrives at an attack strength of 25 5/8, to an Allied defense strength of 3 1/2, good for a 7 to 1, -1.  The die roll is a 3, factored to a 2:  DH!  And so the Allied player eliminates one of the two NZ 2-8 inf Xs (the 4th) and the remaining Aus 2-8 Inf X (the 16th) and retreats the Greek 1-4 static X (Khania) and the surviving NZ inf X (the 6th) into the adjacent Suda Bay hex.  The Axis player promptly enters the Khania hex with some of his attacking ground units after combat.  As for the inoperative Br Hurri 1 air unit based at the Khania airbase, it manages to successfully escape the captured airfield and is placed in the Aborted Air Units Box (per WW Rule 17B) of the Balkan Replacement Pool, for the second time.

Near the end of the E. Phase both sides do a series of air unit transfer missions.  See the above text or the accompanying pictures for these various air unit movements.  Using the two remaining operative Ger LW Ju 52 T type air units based at Athenai, the Axis air transports a Ger 2-6 eng III and a Ger mtn III in the full city hex to Khania, to beef it up.  The two transport air units return to base at Athenai.  At the end of the E. Phase both sides land their F type air units performing the CAP air mission.

Axis end of turn accumulated Axis Med/NA Command replacements: 2 Ger ARPs, 2 Italian ARPs; 3 Italian inf RPs.  The ARPs and replacement points are stored in the mainland Europa off-map holding box.

Axis end of turn accumulated Allied Balkan Command replacements:  .5 Aus (special) inf RPs; .5 NZ (special) inf RPs.  The replacement points are stored at the Suda Bay hex, on Crete.  They were generated as a result of this turn’s Allied Combat losses.

Commentary

The Europa war gamer admits that the research done and design for the special Assault on Crete segment of the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario has been very interesting; but he takes full responsibility for all shortcomings, errors, failures, and frailties of the Merkur component of the new Scenario, as done so far.  For example, some Europa players may rattle the chain-hobble done to the three Greek 1-4 static Xs at Crete, in restricting them to the three standard ports on the island prior to the execution of the Axis special operations at Crete.  Certainly these three Greek static Xs could be placed at hexes 18A:4303, 4304, and 4404, surrounding the Khania hex.  This just might be a killer Allied defense against the Luftwaffe paratroopers, done on the cheap with the handy and expendable Greek cannon fodder, which are likely good as gone anyway, per WW Rule 3E5b.  But quotes can probably be produced from both the British Playfair’s history and the Australian official history (Vol. 2) to argue that these three static Xs, composed of older militia recruits, poorly equipped, encumbered with a primitive and local community logistics basis, and demoralized by the very recent Greek collapse that had taken place on the mainland, were in no mood or organization to be the front line defenders for the evacuated Allied Creteforce against the fresh Nazi German aggressors, at least prior to the actual arrival of the normally rousing specter of battle.  In any event, the Allied player can always use the available British and Commonwealth forces for the cannon fodder at Crete needed for that higher level of defense, using either those units from the at-start Allied OB of the special Assault on Crete segment or those available in the Middle East Command and transported to Crete earlier on perhaps the May I 41 Allied turn.

Interestingly, both the above-mentioned sources, including the more recent (1993) Wavell in the Middle East, 1939-1941, by Harold E. Raugh, Jr., indicate that at first (eg., upon the Allied withdrawal from mainland Greece) there was no objection or hesitation from either London, Freyberg (the Allied commander at Crete in the 1941 assault epoch), or Wavell regarding the concept of defending Crete after quitting mainland Greece.  After all, the British fleet could protect the Crete shoreline from Axis amphibious assault.  Raugh’s more recent book indicates how Ultra kept both Wavell and Freyberg informed about the German paradrop plans in store for Crete, including several postponements.  Raugh says “Wavell, who had received indications via Ultra …[on Apr 26th, in the midst of the evacuation from mainland Greece]… that Crete would be the object of a German airborne assault, possibly as an intermediate objective for an Axis seizure of Cyprus, Syria, or Iraq, directed that Crete be denied to the enemy.” [P. 208]  However, all three sources indicate that upon the clearer realization of the powerful force projection capability of the available German paratroop forces, a growing sense of crisis began to take shape at the Allied top level, which manifested itself in a wish for reinforcements.  But when the actual airborne landings occurred, the fruit of these earlier growing apprehensions was an immediate and resolute decision to evacuate the Creteforce, and not squander it in some futile stand on the island.

Raugh says that Churchill, sensing that the debacle in Crete might be interpreted at home as a second Norway, quickly sacked Longmore, the British Air Chief in the Middle East, as a scapegoat, in order “to disassociate himself from the failure to hold Crete.”  Wavell came later.  But in his book he appears to be a partisan defender of the military commanding profession against all politicians in any event in war.  This is said sincerely without any kind of implied judgement, as in the final analysis the issue of war responsibility is complex and each individual historical case is different, but some authors/historians are always the same.

In scrutinizing the earlier May I 41 Axis turn and the present May II 41 Axis turn, we see on the game board perhaps the outlines of one of those authentic crossroads in the history of the world war.  By that I mean that in Europa war game terms, on the earlier May I 41 Axis turn, it is quite possible that the Axis player could have rolled a 6 (modified to a 5) in his 2 to 1, -1 attack at Tobruch, for a HX, and have captured the then unimproved Allied fortress, thus causing a staggering amount of Allied losses.  Then, in the Initial Phase of the current May II 41 Axis turn the Axis player could have rolled a No Collapse on the Variable Iraqi Coup Collapse Table, thereby likely giving at least two additional months of life to the pro-Axis Coup Iraqi regime.  This apparently is not at all an impossible combination of wartime events, at least in Europa game play, and would certainly set up an entirely new but perhaps plausible wartime situation for the powerful Axis aggression to play itself out with in the second half of 1941.  It would be tempting to put a bookmark in the current EA game reporting of the 1941 ME/ER-II/Crete Scenario and come back later to play through a couple of turns of this ominous alternate outcome of this segment of the war game, say after we complete the Syrian campaign.  But hopefully by then we will all be aboard a Ju 52 transport bound for military bases very close to either the German/Soviet or Romanian/Soviet border, from where we plunge into the new game board realities of Total War.