Although I think Africa Orientale is a great game, I haven't yet given up hope of living long enough to see the publication of an official Europa East Africa game. I visualize a Collector Series title with standard scale maps covering East Africa, the Red Sea, and the Nile Valley to the southern edge of the WD maps. The game will include a 1935 Italian invasion scenario, the 1940-41 campaign, rules for linking with WitD, full Europa OBs, actual and hypothetical, for the Ethiopians, South Africans, and British Colonial forces. It will also contain the Vichy French, and any other Grand Europa odds and ends or what-ifs (Dakar? Madagascar?) that might fit in the box.

Of course, this may be an exercise in wishful thinldng, since Designer-General-in-Chief John Astell has said that for Grand Europa purposes, the East African theatre might be best represented as a series of holding boxes. From a rational game design perspective it's difficult to argue against this, as the historical campaign was probably an unnecessary diversion of resources that could have been put to better use elsewhere. Nevertheless, I offer the following observations in support of one of my pet projects.

Many Europaphiles, while normal enough in many respects, are not rational creatures when it comes to the big game. Many of us want more maps and more counters, and want Europa to be as truly complete and comprehensive as possible. The scant strategic significance of the places or events portrayed is of no consequence to us. I'm not sure how many of us there are, but I suspect that if GR/D ever does produce an official version of AO, enough of us will buy it so that they will at least break even.

More importantly, I believe that Grand Europa needs East Africa. I'm not convinced it is merely a bit of fringe esoterica that need not concern saner Europaphiles closer to the mainstream. While the historical event may have been a footnote to more important events elsewhere, East Africa potentially has a much greater significance in the context of Grand Europa. A strong Axis presence in the Horn has serious implications for the Allied defense of Egypt and the Middle East.

In your imagination, step through the Grand Europa time warp for a moment. It's late 1940--early 1941. Mussolini, in this dimension a wiser statesman and better general, has avoided any ill-advised and premature adventures in the Balkans. Instead, he's been quietly strengthening his position in AOI, accumulating vast stores of war materiel, building up a decent garrison (in the context of AO, a dozen or so 3-4-6 infantry divisions would be truly ferocious), and basing a cruiser squadron and maybe even a battleship or two at Massawa. Now, feeling that the time is finally ripe, he blockades the Red Sea, sends the Regia Marina into the Eastern Mediterranean in force, and, as his valiant 10th Army crosses the Libyan frontier, orders his East African legions down the Nile Valley to Cairo.

Now I ask you, how could you have that much fun with a bunch of holding boxes? And although AO makes a noble attempt at GE compatibility, with the inclusion of the Vichy garrison of French Somaliland and rules for linking up with WitD, we need something a little more along the lines of my proposal to really make things work.

So I continue to live in hope that Messrs. Astell & Hamilton will reconsider and that the rise and fall of Africa Orientale Italiana may yet find a place in Europa. (Keep those cards and letters coming!) To paraphrase Hitler, that would be the end of my territorial demands in Europa .... except for the Azores .... and, oh yes, Iceland, maybe?...

Africa Orientale was the magazine game in Strategy and Tactics # 128.

On the Horns of a Dilemma In the Horn of Africa

Introduction
Fighting in the Horn
Last Thoughts