(Note: This appeared in Europa Nuts & Botts #19/20 some years ago. I recently got a request from someone who'd heard of it but never seen it, so I've brushed it up and am sharing it with you.)

In June 1941, Germany had 21 armored divisions: 20 panzer divisions and one light division, which itself soon was redesignated a panzer division. Seventeen of these were assigned to spearhead the invasion of the Soviet Union, two were battling the British in North Africa, and two were rebuilding in Germany. In other words, almost 20% of Germany's elite striking force was absent from the start of its most ambitious campaign. What would have happened had these divisions rolled east with the others in the summer of 1941? The following options allow you to explore these possibilities in Scorched Earth.

Option 1: No Balkan Losses

After the conquest of Yugoslavia and mainland Greece in April 1941, the Balkan railroads were clogged with German forces deploying north. The rails were so congested that the German high command decided to ship two panzer divisions (2nd and 5th) by sea from Greece to Italy to speed their transfer. While at sea, British submarines appeared and sunk the ships carrying the divisions' tanks. 0 suspect Ultra was at work here!) These two divisions would have been committed to Barbarossa, but spent the summer absorbing new tanks instead. Assuming the divisions avoided this mishap by deploying overland, modify the SE order of battle as follows.

The 2nd Panzer XX (11-10) and 5th Panzer XX (10-10) appear as standard German reinforcements on the Jul I 41 turn; ignore their listed appearance on the Sep II 41 turn. Also, the German player receives an additional 2 armor replacement points on each of th'e following turns: Jul I 41, Aug I 41, and Sep I 41. However, due to clogged transportation lines in the Balkans, any four German divisions of the Jul I 41 standard reinforcements must have their entry delayed to the Jul 11 41 turn.

Option 2: No DAK

Had Germany followed a different strategy in 1941, the Deutsches Afrika Korps wouldn't have been formed, and forces scheduled for it would have marched east instead. Add the following to the initial forces of any panzer group in Greater Germany (all counters are available in Western Desert):

2 x 9-10 Panzer XX 15, 21
1 x 3-10 Mot III 115
1 x 3-4-8 Art III 221
1 x 1-10 mot AT II 605
2 x 1-10 mot hv AA II 1/18, 1/33 (LW)

Also, add the following to the standard German reinforcements on Sep I 41:

1 x 0-1-10 mot It AA II 617

Deprived of Rommel and his forces, the Italians would face a bleak situation in the desert and would have transferred more of their own forces there. Accordingly, delete all Italian forces from SE.

To be fair, if you're going to add the DAK to SE, then you should be forced to play a game of "WitD" without these Germans. Delete the above forces from "WitD", but add the SE Italians in their place. These Italian forces appear on their SE scheduled turns, except:

1) the Jul II 41 Italians are available on Feb I 41,
2) substitute the SE Italian 5-8 Mot XX for the 5-8 Cav XX, and 3) substitute one Italian infantry replacement for each RE of other Italian cavalry reinforcements. (Cavalry wouldn't have been sent to the desert.)

German armor and infantry replacements are still received per the standard OB. These represent some minimal German ground aid to the Italians and may be used to replace Italian forces as well as any German forces there.

Option 3: DAK Strengths

Option 2 uses the German forces at their "Witl)" strengths. However, the divisions would have probably been reconfigured for European operations. If you don't mind making up a few counters, use the following with option 2:

15th Panzer Division: Remove the 9-10 Panzer XX 15 and the 3-10 Mot III 115 counters and substitute a 12-10 Panzer XX 15 counter in their place.

21st Panzer Division: Remove the 9-10 Panzer XX 21 and the three 1-8 mot MG II 5, 9, 10 (from 2nd Panzer Group) counters and substitute a 12-10 Panzer XX 21 counter in their place.

Upgrades: Both panzer divisions would have been upgraded during the course of the war. So, on Mar I 43, Upgrade: 2 x 12-10 Panzer XX 15, 21 (3 arm RPs; each) to: 2 x 15-10 Panzer XX 15, 21

Panzers South

The Germans estimated that they'd need four panzers divisions in North Africa in order to defeat the British in Egypt and raise the swastika over Suez. They sent two panzer divisions and Rommel, who gave the British a run for their money but couldn't finish them off. Had Germany committed two more panzer divisions, would Rommel have been able to sweep the Middle East? Let's see.

The Germans could have scrounged up another pair of panzer divisions in 1941, despite their commitments in the Soviet Union. At the close of the Balkan conquests in the spring of 1941, the Germans cleverly shipped the 2nd and 5th Panzer Divisions from Greece to Italy by sea, avoiding the congested lines of communication there. Even more cleverly, the British managed to sink the ships carrying the tanks of these divisions, and the 2nd and 5th subsequently spent the summer in reserve, collecting new tanks, rather than in the field, collecting Soviet POWs.

When reequipped, they were sent off to participate in the Battle of Moscow. While they performed tremendous feats there, it was another classic case of too little too late, and the divisions ended the year worn out, up to their tank treads in snow and Soviet counterattacks. Had they been sent to see sand instead of snow, they just might have tipped the balance there. (Sure, their absence in the east might have meant that the Germans would have to call off their drive on Moscow in November rather than December, but this is another bonus for the Germans, not a drawback.) Accordingly, add the following units as German Sep III 41 reinforcements in "WitD":

1 x 11-10 Panzer XX 2
1 x 10-10 Panzer XX 5

Breakdowns:

11-10 Panzer XX 2
10 Panzer XX HQ 2
5-3-10 Panzer III 3
3-10 Mot III 2
2-10 Mot III 304

11-10 Panzer XX 5

10 Panzer XX HQ 5
4-2-10 Panzer III 31
3-10 Mot III 13
2-10 Mot III 14

See You Next Time

Will next column feature Europa: Life, the Universe, and Everything? Probably not. How 'bout a new installment on See Russia and Die from Fats O'Tooten? Maybe. More desert tracks? Nazi sky gangsters? Another Second Front report? Probably-and, until then, may you play Europa and prosper!

More Inside Europa

From the Beaches: Second Front
On the Soap Box: What is Europa?
Those Saucy Aussies: 2nd Australian Imperial Force
Meanwhile, Back in the East: Soviet Victory
Panzers East: Options for 1941