Introduction

"The Invasion of Syria" is a Europa battle scenario for War in the Desert or Western Desert/Near East, with an optional section allowing for the addition of a Europa naval module. The Allied Player controls all Commonwealth and Free French forces, the Axis player controls all Vichy French forces. The terms "Vichy" and "Axis" are synonomous throughout this scenario.

In addition to the standard Western Desert/War in the Desert rules, several additional rules and rule variations are included. You may use these additional rules as you see fit, but be aware that the scenario was developed and play-balanced assuming all these additional rules except the "Forward March" movement are in effect.

Background

Throughout late 1940 and early 1941, the Free French argued that the time was ripe for a coup in Vichy Syria. When the Vichy government both actively supported the Iraqi revolt and allowed German and Italian aircraft to transfer through Syria on their way to Iraq, the British could no longer ignore the threat. Allied troops crossed the border on June 10.

There was hope that the Vichy troops would not resist; the Australians marched in close order wearing their slouch hats to encourage a bloodless affair. The answer to the question of resistance came quickly, however. The French would fight...

Components

Rules.

Use either the original WD rules or the later WitD rules. You may combine later Europa rules versions (BF, etc.) as you wish. The optional naval setups should prove easily adaptable to any Europa naval system.

Maps.

Use the southeastern quarter of map 20 and the southern half of map 21. Both maps are from The Near East.

Counters.

Most of the units can be found in WD or NE. A French MS.406 is in Fall of France or Torch. A British marine commando unit is available in Balkan Front (Layforce). A usable substitute counter for the British motorized infantry brigade can be found in FoF or WD (3rd Ind Mot Inf X). The French infantry battalion is not available in any other game, but it usually won't enter play anyway.

If you don't have one of these titles or don't want to scavenge, you can photocopy and make the counters below:

Prepare for Play

Lay out maps 20 and 2 1.

The Vichy player deploys his units first, as per the "Invasion of Syria" Order of Battle. The Allied player then deploys his units and, if using the British commando rule, may plan his amphibious landing.

At the start of the game, the Vichy player controls Syria, Lebanon and Rhodes. The Allied player controls Cyprus, Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq.

Special Rules

The following rules are not standard WD or WitD.

Vichy Surrender.

At the beginning of each Vichy (Axis) Initial Phase, the Vichy Player rolls two dice and modifies the die roll according to the table below:

+3 The Allies hold Beyrouth.
+2 The Allies hold Darnas.
+2A supplied Allied unit is adjacent to Beyrouth, but Vichy controls Beyrouth.
+1 The Allies captured Beyrouth this turn.
+1 The Allies captured Damas this turn.
+1 The Allies hold Alep.
+1 The Allies hold any Levant reference city. (Note: This is not per reference city held.)
+1 It is Jul I 41 or later.
-1 An Allied ground unit has been eliminated or reduced.

All Vichy forces surrender on a modified die roll of '13' or higher.

Naval Gunfire Support

The Allied player has four points of naval gunfire support each player turn. He may use naval gunfire to support any Allied attack from a coastal hex into another coastal hex. He may also use naval gunfire points to support an Allied occupied coastal hex in defense.

Naval gunfire points function in-the same manner as field artillery. Treat each naval gunfire point supporting a combat as 1/2 RE of field artillery for the purposes of Rules 11 and 14B.

At the start of each Vichy combat phase, the Allied player must state which hex or hexes his naval gunfire will support in defense.

A naval gunfire point may only be used once per player turn. Naval gunfire points may not be accumulated for use in later turns.

Naval gunfire points may not be attacked or eliminated. They are never affected by ground combat results. Naval gunfire points are not counted when determining losses due to exchanges.

Allied Supply

Assume all rail lines leading off the south edge of the map leads to Allied supply terminals.

Vichy Air Force

If Vichy air units fly any air missions other than transfer, they must be checked for damage. Roll a die for the air unit after the air return step; on a roll of I or 2, the air unit immediately becomes inoperative. If the air unit is already inoperative there is no further effect. Patrol attacks are unaffected.

Vichy Air Replacement Flexibility

The Vichy player receives 1 air replacement point. He may use this air RP to either replace a destroyed Vichy air unit, or to repair one aborted Vichy air unit without making an air repair die roll. The Vichy player must state he is using the air replacement point for repair before he makes his air repair die roll.

Optional Rules

Commandos

The British commando unit may attempt to make a surprise attack. The commando unit may attack alone or in conjunction with other units. The British player declares the surprise attack immediately before rolling the die to make the attack, after calculating the odds of the attack. Consult the Success Table.

If the commando operation succeeds, modify the combat resolution die roll for the attack by +1. If the operation fails, the commando unit may be eliminated (as explained on the Success Table). If the commando unit is eliminated, then the attack odds must be recalculated excluding the commando unit's strength from the attack.

Success Table

Die Roll Result
1 or Less F*
2 F*
3 F
4 F
5 S
6 S

Results:

S: Success. The attempt succeeds.

F:Failure. The attempt fails. The commando unit is removed from play, but is not considered eliminated for VP purposes.

F*:Failure. The attempt fails. The commando unit is eliminated (consult the Victory Point Schedule).

Amphibious Landings

The British commando unit may make one amphibious landing per game. The amphibious landing must be planned in advance, similar to an airborne operation. Use WitD Rule 25F for planning the amphibious landing. Before the game, but after the Vichy player sets up, the Allied player may plan a landing for the Jun I 41 turn.

To make the amphibious landing, the commando unit must begin the Allied movement phase in an Allied port. During the movement phase, the Allied player conducts the amphibious operation simply by placing the commando unit on any beach hex except Beyrouth. A beach hex is a coastal hex of any terrain type except mountain.

The commando unit cannot land in Beyrouth due to French naval forces and coastal defenses not directly represented in the game.

The commando unit is a marine unit, and hence its combat strength is not quartered on the turn of the landing.

The Litani River

Consider hexsides 20:4408/20:4509 and 20:4408/20:4508 to be minor river hexsides.

Deir es Zor

Consider hexside 21:3821/21:3922 to be bridged.

Bridges

Use Rule 32A, "Bridges" from BF, or 39A "Bridges" from SE. Note that this also allows the British commando unit to attempt to seize a bridge.

Iraq Petroleum Company Pipelines.

Rules for supply along the I.P.C. pipeline and from pumping stations on the pipeline are given in TEM # 18.

Tracks.

Paths of desert tracks for NE are given in "Tracks to the Orient," in TEM #27.

Vichy Reinforcements

The Vichy player receives reinforcements not listed in the WitD OB in the form of a supply step and an infantry battalion. These units appear in Europe. The French player may attempt to transport these units to a Levant port using naval transport and risking Allied naval interference in the Eastern Mediterranean. Since the Allies control Haifa, Cyprus, and Alexandria, there is no possibility for successfully transporting these to Syria (see WitD or the WD errata sheet). There are three ways to handle this:

1) If using an optional naval system, allow that naval system to handle any attempts at transport.

2) Assume that no Eastern Mediterranean transport is possible (per WitD). This is in line with the fact that the Vichy naval forces were unable to transport significant men or material through the British blockade.

3) Use the original WD Eastern Mediterranean transport rule and allow the French successful naval transport on a roll of '3' or lower.

We used option 3 during playtesting.

"Forward March" Movement Rules

The movement rules below were presented by Duane Romfoe in "Forward March" of TEM #10. The scenario works with or without them. If you use these rules, the Indian units that begin the game in hex 21:5105 should instead enter the game in that hex as Jun I reinforcements, having already used 6 MPs in administrative movement.

Unopposed Movement

During the movement phase (only), a unit may use unopposed movement. A unit using unopposed movement may expend movement points equal to 1.5 times its printed movement allowance. It may only use unopposed movement if the following conditions are met:

• The unit must be in general supply as judged during the Initial Phase.
• The unit does not enter a hex adjacent to an enemy occupied hex unless the intervening hexside is impassable to all enemy units in the enemy occupied hex. (Note that the unit may begin its movement phase adjacent to an enemy occupied hex.)
• The unit does not expend movement points for any other purposes except movement (such as engaging in overrun or construction).

Exploitation phase

All units may move in the exploitation phase. All phasing combat motorized units may spend movement points equal to their movement rating. All phasing non-combat motorized units may move up to one-half their movement rating in the exploitation phase.

Variant

Free Deployment

Instead of following the deployment restrictions listed in the "Invasion of Syria" Order of Battle, use the following rule.

Set up forts and airfields per "The Invasion of Syria" Order of Battle.

All Vichy forces may deploy anywhere in the Levant. Three Levant cities must be occupied by a supported Vichy unit.

Allied forces described as setting up in Iraq and Cyprus per "The Invasion of Syria" Order of Battle must still do so. Allied forces setting up in Palestine and Transjordan may set up anywhere within either of those areas.

Victory

A. Game Length

The game starts with the Allied player turn of Jun I 41 and ends at the conclusion of the Vichy (Axis) player turn of Aug II 41 or when the Vichy forces surrender.

B. Victory Conditions

Only the Vichy player scores Victory Points. Victory point awards and penalties are listed on "The Invasion of Syria" Victory Point Schedule below.

Victory Point Schedule

Upon occurrence:

+4 per Allied unit reduced to cadre status.
+2per Allied RE eliminated (placed in the replacement pool).
+2 per Allied air unit eliminated.
+1 per Vichy bombing hit on Haifa.

At the end of each game turn:

+5 if Vichy forces have not surrendered.
+1 if Damas is Vichy controlled.
+1 if Beyrouth is Vichy controlled.

Levels of Victory

Victory Points : Level of Victory
36 or More : Vichy Decisive Victory
29-35 : Vichy Substantial Victory
24-28 : Vichy Marginal Victory
17-23 : Allied Marginal Victory
7-16 : Allied Substantial Victory
6 or Less : Allied Decisive Victory

The Invasion of Syria "Operation Exporter" June-July, 1941

Rules
Orders of Battle
Designer's Notes

Related

Europa As History The Invasion of Syria