Preparing for first game of WW2 desert campaign turn 3

Campaign turn 2 had the Allied forces successfully halt the Axis advance. The Axis misfortune continued with no supples arriving for campaign turn 3. This presents the Allied commander with a choice of directing their supplies, which did arrive, to:

1. Refitting and re-equipping divisions
2. Digging in with prepared positions and wait for the next attack
3. Launch an attack (or counterattack in the current campaign context)

Allied forces have 3 reasonably unscathed divisions, and intelligence indicating the supply difficulties for Axis forces. The Allied commander decides to launch a counterattack led by an armoured brigade on the coast. The opposition is revealed as the Italian Pavia infantry division with some supporting armour (all infantry have some supporting armour in this campaign).

Campaign map at the start of turn 3

With the next action decided terrain cards were drawn and laid out. Axis forces as the defenders selected their base edge.

Axis force selects base edge.

Having decided their edge, the next step was to determine if they wanted to switch any adjacent cards forwards and backwards from their base edge. They chose to switch some hills with the road. This had the effect of not only providing good defensive terrain on their base edge, but it also means there will be only one object on the whole tabletop. Note - only hills, escarpments and towns can be objectives.

Axis commanders switches one terrain card (backwards or forwards comparative to the base edge)

The Allied commander using the option of switching terrain side to side comparative to the base edge. Moves the road into the centre allowing them to bring up reserves quickly and deploy on either flank easily.

Final card switch by the attacking Allies and objective identified.

Once all terrain was switched the single objective from the three hills was decided by a dive roll. All is now ready to setup the tabletop once I clear it of a Jacobite game.

Soon to to finished game