Preparing for WW2 North Africa Campaign

The objective of this campaign is to provide a narrative for a series of tabletop games. My games use 1/300 Heroics and Ros models on a hex grid, using a variant of "Tank on Tank" boardgame rules. They provide quick games which can be setup and played to completion within about an hour.

While I don’t want to be dealing with supply in the tabletop game, I do want supply to be reflected in the campaign game mechanics as supply was a major factor in the North African campaign. Something both sides had to deal with.

The Desert campaign lends itself to a linear campaign approach. What better starting point is there than KISS Rommel campaign rules to get inspiration for the map layout and approach. These are available on https://freewargamesrules.fandom.com/wiki/Freewargamesrules_Wiki.

Campaign map drawn using felt tipped pens and colouring pencils for shading. The map is divided into zones for the inner campaign.

With linear campaigns there is always the question of how many steps to have in the campaign? The temptation is to always add too many steps and as a result campaigns can drag on too long. So I was mindful not to get too ambitious.

In terms of timescale, each campaign move represents 1 month. During each month’s turn players direct the supplies they receive to one of three areas:

1. Launch an attack
2. Prepare defences
3. Reequipping units

The flow of supplies can be interrupted and must be diced for each month. A D10 dice is used to determine this. Axis forces get supplies 80% of the time and Allied forces 90% of the time. I don't quantify the volume of supplies, armies are either supplied or not supplied, and the areas represent the focus of supplies.

Each side has five counters representing their forces grouped at a divisional level. This is where the one bit of paperwork is used to track divisional losses and recovery throughout the campaign. Both sides line up their divisional force counters on the board. The campaign begins with Allied and Axis forces positioned at Tobruk, the centre point of the linear campaign.

Campaign forces.

Players dice for their supplies and assuming the flow of supplies is successful, assign their supplies (attack, defence, or reequipping). It is quite possible for both players pick the same supply option. Should that be the case the following occurs:

• Prepare defences - No battles occur for the month. When battle does come the defending player’s units will have prepared positions and minefields.
• Reequip units - No battles occur for the month. Players attempt to recover lost units for all their divisions.
• Launch attacks - When both players decide to attack roll the dice to decide which player attacks, if scores are drawn the Axis player is the attacker. The losing player’s supplies will instead be directed to reequipping units.

Once an attacker is identified the best of three tabletop games are played to determine the result of the attack. However, before these games occur there is still some campaign activity to occur. Both players pick up their divisional counters and reposition them face down. The attacking player then reveals their counters and selects the division which is acting as the spearhead of the attack, and the opposing enemy unit on the map is revealed.

Both sides reposition their forces and the defending forces are concealed.

The units on the defending side are only revealed after an attack is declared. Divisions may only attack their opposite number.

Once the two engaged divisions are known the battle moves to the tabletop. Divisions have a defined order of battle which are deployed, minus any lost units from previous battles which have not yet been reequipped. The tabletop is setup ready for a game using terrain cards (which I have yet to make). Where a player has directed their supplies to improving their positions all their infantry, AT and artillery units can be in improved positions and 6 hexes of minefields used in their defences.

Units in prepared positions behind minefields.

After each battle unit losses are recorded on the division’s order fo battle. Both the winner and loser can attempt to recover and reorganise lost units. These are diced for immediately after the game. Allied and Italian divisions can recover a unit with a 5+ on a D6 dice. While German divisions recover units with a 4+ on a D6, representing better recovery abilities throughout the campaign.

Regardless of the result, the attacking player players chooses the next division to be involved in the next battle. This maybe the same division that fought previously. The same process applies as before when setting up the battle. Note: a defending division which has lost a battle and is attacked again cannot deploy improved positions and minefields.

Up to three games can be played during the campaign turn. If the attacker wins two games they advance one step on the campaign map the loser retires one step. As soon as a defender wins two games the attack is called off and neither side moves on the campaign map.

These are draft rules, but they are at a point where I can soon start my campaign and tidy them up as I go along.