Sunday, 10 May 2020

WW2 Western Desert Campaign Turn 4

Campaign turn three saw a victory to Allied forces with two wins. Each campaign turn is the best of three games on the tabletop. Because the Allies were attacking this turn, Axis forces are pushed back one zone on the campaign map.

Allied forces are able to advance after they successfully counterattacked.
The start of another campaign turn sees Axis and Allied forces determine their supply status. The Allies receive supplies on 2+ and Axis on 3+. Axis forces desperately require supplies having survived with no supplies last turn and with only one fully equiped division (15th Panzer division).

Supply chart at the end of campaign turn 3.
Unfortunately for the Allies they rolled a 1. While Axis forces will receive supplies with a 4 rolled.
The decision for the allies will be whether to continue with their attack or pause and consolidate their position, avoiding the risk of over stretching. This pause approach assumes Axis forces re-equip and with neither force attacking the campaign turn will roll on to turn 5.

The Axis decision is pretty straight forward. They choose to resupply so all their divisions will be at full complement. The Allies choose to continue their attack hoping that should it stall their flow of supplies returns.

Axis units are shuffled and placed face down. The Allies select their attacking division and will be facing the Italian Pavia division again. A fortunate choice of attack avoiding a reequipped Panzer division.

Allies continue their attack.
The first attack of turn 4 avoids a clash with the reequipped Panzer divisions.
All set for the next game.


15 comments:

  1. Those poor Italian division are going to get a complex soon.

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    1. Yes, but always preferable to a Panzer division.

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  2. Really love the logistics dynamic here - and so critical for the campaign. Develops an understanding of modern mechanised warfare more than most of the thick hardbacked rulesets that are out there.
    Oooh this would work so well for Market Garden.

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    1. Thank you, I am sure the supply approach could be applied to a Market Garden campaign with some modifications.

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  3. The Allies made the correct decision to press on and got lucky! Lovely maps.

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    1. The benefits outweighed the risks in this instance, and their luck holds.

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  4. Poor old Pavia Division, but those re-equiped Pz Divs sound an ominous threat...

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    1. Yes, if the Allies do not win turn 4 those Panzer divisions will be counterattacking.

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  5. Good to see the Brits pushing hard to maintain the initiative and momentum; I think overextending yourself was the name of the game in the desert ;)

    I understand who all the Allied counters represent except this one, which is just marked "armored." Which unit/formation is the Allied counter that is making the attack this phase?

    V/R,
    Jack

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    1. It will be interesting to see how the Allies go this turn, which will probably be the high-water mark for this counterattack. I have not named the third armoured division as it represents some combined armoured brigades. But I should give this force a name.

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    2. High-water mark??? Be bold, Peter, we're galloping for Benghazi! ;) And thanks, was just curious about that one counter. I'm looking forward to the fight; this one should be easy. Well, not easy, but better than taking on 15th or 21st Panzer.

      V/R,
      Jack

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  6. Loving all this! What a cool yet easy to do campaign.

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    1. Thank you. I try and keep campaign rules and any associated bookkeeping to a minimum.

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  7. In looking thru all your posts on this fun campaign, I am right now unable to find how long a battle lasts? How many turns before you decide the winner (based on possession of objectives, that part I get).

    I thought I read something about time passing in the games awhile back but right now I just can't relocated that post. I hope I am not bothering you to point this out again?
    Thanks!

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    1. Glad you are enjoying the campaign. The rules do have a time component in them which I have yet to effectively employ during the games. One reason is I keep forgetting during the games, and I want to relook at the rule with a number of games under my belt.
      To give an idea of duration, the games played to date have taken between 15 to 20 turns.

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