WW2 Western Desert campaign rules and turn 10 begins

There have been a few changes to the WW2 Western Desert campaign rules as the campaign has progressed. In some cases I over complicated things and adjusted them after a turn or two. So I am posting them here in their current state. The campaign has been running on and off now since March 2020 and I have played 22 games over 9 campaign turns. 

A game in progress

A quick reminder of the objective of this campaign which was to:

• Provide a narrative for a series of tabletop games using my 1/300 Heroics and Ros models. 
• The campaign needed to be easy to set aside for a while and return to pick up where I had left it. 

The tabletop games are played on a hex grid using a variant of "Tank on Tank" boardgame rules. I will be posting the updates to these rules in a later post as these to have been adjusted as the campaign progressed.

A linear campaign approach was used and I used the KISS Rommel campaign rules to get inspiration for the map layout and approach. The question for linear campaigns is always how many steps to have in the campaign? I decided on 9 zones and a map was drawn.

WW2 Western Desert Campaign Map

Each side has five counters representing their forces grouped at a divisional level. This is where there is unfortunately one bit of paperwork to track just the number of losses and recovery throughout the campaign. At the start of a turn one both players line up their counters on the board face down. The campaign begins with Allied and Axis forces positioned at Tobruk, the centre point of the linear campaign.

Each campaign turn represents 1 month. During each month’s turn players receive an unpredictable flow of supplies determined by a D6 dice. Players are then able to direct their supplies (D6 pips) on the following:

• 3 pips - Re-equipment a division back to their original strength.
• 1 pips - A unit can prepare defense positions (I allow upto 6 hexes worth of mines and 3 units in improved positions)
• 1 pip - Increased reconnaissance activities to reveal up to a maximum of two enemy divisions before an attack.
• 1 pip - Interdiction of enemy units to remove a maximum of one enemy division from the attack or defensive line.
• 1 pip - Air support for a division.

Supplies cannot be carried over to following turns.

Sequence of campaign play

Determine who is the attacking player. The attacking player is the player who won the most games in the previous turn. (For the first campaign turn flip a coin to determine who is the attacking player.)

1. Dice for supplies to reequip divisions, interdict enemy movements, provide air support, interdict enemy movements, or add defences.
2. The defending player notes which divisions will benefit from defences.
3. If the defending play has available interdiction they indicate which of the hidden attacking divisions cannot participate in the attacks.
4. The attacking player now flips over their division’s counters and indicates which divisions will benefit from air support.
5. The attacker selects the first division to make an attack and the defending division counter opposite is turned over. The game is moved to the tabletop.
6. The attacker selects the second division to make an attack and the defending division counter opposite is turned over. The game is now moved to the tabletop.
7. If the attacker has lost the two previous engagements the attacks are called off. Otherwise they select the third division to make an attack and the defending division counter opposite is turned over. The game is moved to the tabletop.

After each tabletop game, which represents a key engagement between elements of the two opposing divisions rather than the whole division, the losing division is reduced by 3 units which need to be recorded. A division with multiple losses keeps reducing the number of units they can field until reequipped when they return to their full strength of 15 units. Note, the wear and tear of desert conditions comes into the set up the tabletop games where between 1 and 3 units cannot be fielded.

Up to a maximum of three games can be played during the campaign turn. If the attacker wins two games they advance one zone on the campaign map the loser retires one zone. If the attacker wins all three games they advance two zones on the campaign map the loser retires two zones. 

If a defender wins two games the attack is called off and neither side moves on the campaign map, and the defender will become the attacker in the next campaign turn.

The rules for transferring a game to the tabletop will be posted with the next game report. First though here is a recap of the current campaign status as turn 10 begins.

Situation after turn 9 and starting turn 10...

After turn 9 which saw a minor Axis victory (2-1) the Allies have retired to take up defensive lines at Mersa Matruh. Both armies are suffering from losses, some carried over from turn 8, and they will be hoping for sufficient supplies to help reequip at least one of their divisions.

An Axis convoy had recently arrived and they were able to reequip two of their weakened Italian divisions (Ariete and Trieste). Supplies were also reasonably plentiful for the Allies who are in more urgently need with three weakened divisions. One armoured division was reequipped and the remaining supplies went to improving the defences of the weakened 2nd New Zealand infantry division and interdict Axis forces.

Tracking Supplies - Supply situation after turn 9 and resupply undertaken for turn 10. Axis scored 6 to reequip 2 divisions and the Allies scored 5 to reequip 1 division along with beefing up their defences and disrupting the Axis attack with interdiction.

As I am playing this campaign solo all divisional counters began placed face down. Normally I would have the attacking Axis divisions revealed, but I need to remove from the attack one of the divisions due to interdiction.

Divisional counters placed face down

One Axis division is removed from play due to interdiction

The Axis will use their three armoured divisions to try and breakthrough the Allied defences. The 21st Panzer division will be leading the attacks and the defending division is the 7th Armoured. This will now be transferred to the tabletop.

The Axis divisions are revealed and three are chosen for the upcoming attacks

The first attack by the 21st Panzer division will be against the 7th Armoured division. 

The game has begun and will be the next post along with the approach used for determining the tabletop layout and order or battle.

Part of the action to come. The sharpe-eyed may have noticed the Allies now have some Sherman tanks instead of the usual Grant tanks.

Anyway that is all for now as Christmas lunch is in the making...Have a good Christmas.