Ben Knight's fine article in TEN 2 about Operation Compass set me to thinking what can be done to make GDW's War in the Desert combined game an even more accurate simulation, especially as to the events of the early days of the desert war. As discussed by Ben, Compass was conceived and executed by the British with very limited resources and far exceeded the Allied commanders' fondest wishes. General Wavell, C in C Middle East Forces, was being pushed by Churchill to mount an offensive against the Italians in the Western Desert. At the same time, he was being told that military aid to Greece was to have top priority, and he was dealing with Italian East Africa. Wavell was also responsible for keeping the peace in Palestine, watching the Vichy French in the Levant, and protecting the Empire's interests in Iraq and Iran. To further complicate matters, most of his infantry units in Egypt were Australian and New Zealand brigades, which were undertrained and ill-equipped and whose commanders were answerable not only to him but also to their governments.

Ben takes a stab at figuring in some of these constraints but more must be done to put the Allied player (who in effect is standing in Wavell's shoes) under the same pressures and limitations. Therefore, I propose the following rules changes and modifications, some of which affect the OB and OA of the various units. I have tried to design these not only to fit the War in the Desert scenario but also to be adaptable to the larger scheme of things of Grand Europa.

A. Naval Transport

2. Rule 26B2, On-Map shipping addition: "The Allied EMed shipping capability on Mar I 41 and Jun I 41 is 0." This takes into account the all out effort of the Royal Navy to first send troops to Greece and then to evacuate them.

Both of these proposals would have to be modified if the "No Expedition to Greece" variant is used or if Marita-Merkur is played in conjunction with War in the Desert (or for Grand Europa). These proposals limit Italian reforcement attempts to Cyrenaica during Compass and limit British abilitities too.

B. No Allied rail movement is possible during the regular Allied player turn following the Allied surprise attack turn. This simulates the disruption to the Allied supply network after having brought up troops and supplies for the offensive, and for reasons enumerated by Ben.

C. Australian and New Zealand infantry brigades must end each player turn in any city in the Delta or Palestine; they may not leave these areas unit "activated." They defend normally if attacked but may not until activated. An Australian or Zealand infantry brigade is activated when a division HQ of the proper nationality is on the game board at the start of an Allied movement phase; each HQ may activate three inf brigades. Once activated, the brigades may move and attack freely. For example, no New Zealand infantry brigade is activated until Mar I 41, and three Australian infantry brigades are activated on Dec I 40.

This proposal simulates the need to train and equip the Australian Imperial Forces and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force before they can be submitted to combat, and also the tank ce of the governments of Commonwealths and their military commanders to allow their troops to be committed piecemeal and under British tactical command. They would go to war under their own leaders and as divisions and not brigaded together with British troops.

D. The British government designated certain units to be sent to Greece, and therefore these units were kept in reserve and not sent to the Western Desert in order to prepare for and stand ready to go to Greece. Units designated to be committed to Greece may not leave the Delta or Palestine until one of these events occurs:

1) They are sent to Greece as per the order of battle (or by the Allied player it playing Marita-Merkur with War in the Deseo.

2) Greece surrenders (as per Marita- Merkur.

3) German ground units advance beyond hexcolumn 18:29xx (El Agheila).

The Allied units restricted by this rule are: 2 NZ Inf XX (4, 5, 6 NZ Inf Xs), 7 Aus Inf XX (18, 21, 25 Aus Inf Xs), Pol Carp Inf X, and Brit 1 Arm X. This restriction does not apply to 6 Aus Inf XX (16, 17, 19 Aus Inf Xs), any British inf X, Brit W Art X, or AA units and counters.

This restriction is designed to place the Allied player in the same position as Wavell, that is to say trying to mount an offensive knowing the bulk of your forces are earmarked by your superiors for Greece. The decision to aid Greece was made quite soon after the Italian invasion, but the Greek leader Metaxas, out of fear of off ending the Germans, refused to accept any help except air units and technical troops. After Metaxas died suddenly, the new Greek government decided to accept Churchill's repeated offers. Naturally all this would have to be changed in Grand Europa.

E. The following corrections to the Axis and Allied orders of battle are also suggested:

1. German Forces:

Aug I 41: convert 2x 1-8 mot MG 112, 8 to 1 x 3-10 Mot III 200.

(This is to better simulate the ad hoc nature of 5. Leichte Division.)

2. Allied Forces:

a. 2nd Armoured Division: Jan I 41: 1x 3-2-10 Arm X 3, 1 x 1-2-10 SG X 2 (from Their Finest Hour; 1 x 3-2-10* Arm X 1, 1 x 1-10 mot AT II 102 (from Marita-Merku.

The latter two units are assigned to Greece and are restricted as per D above. If 2 SG is eliminated it does not go to the replacement pool and cannot be rebuilt, and in any event withdraw Feb II 42; 1st Arm X is withdrawn from play Dec I 42; if it is on the board receive one arm RP. This unit can be scrapped, without penalty, beginning Jun I 42. On Sep II 41 convert 3rd Arm X and 2x 2-1-6 Tank II 4RT, 7RT to 1x 6-4-6 Tank X 32T. If any of these units are on the board, no cost; if all are in the replacement pool, one arm RP.

(The 2nd Armoured Division was sent to the Middle East below strength [two of its armored regiments had been sent ahead early in 1941 to bring 7th Armoured Division up to strength] and ill- equipped. See Crisp, Robert, The Gods Were Neutral [New York: Ballantine Books, 1961] and Joslen, H. F., Orders of Battle [London: HMSO, 19601. The British simply did not have two fully equipped armored divisions in Egypt in January 1941.)

b. 2-3-8 Art X W is removed from play and may not be replaced upon its return from Greece.

c. Withdraw 1-8 AT II 65 Sep II 42 (became organic AT unit of 7th Armoured Division).

d. Withdraw 1-10 mot AT II 102 Oct I 42 (became organic AT unit of 50th Infantry Division).

e. Lastly, add airfield at 19:0708 (Allied controlled initially, becomes Axis controlled Jun I 41).

I believe these modifications will more accurately simulate the Allied situation at the start of Operation Compass and give the Allied player more of a taste of Wavell's predicament. The best way to play War in the Desert is to play Marita-Merkur at the same time, but rules of both games must be standardized. It should be pointed out that to accurately be in Wavell's shoes, the Allied player has no choice as to the issue of helping Greece. This decision has already been made for him by Churchill.

Two final notes: First, to accurately simulate Operation Compass as set out in Ben's article, you must use the Scorched Earth administrative movement rules rather than those in War in the Desert.. Otherwise the Australians can't get to Bardia in time.

Second, in staging Compass under Ben's proposals, I have found that an aggressive Italian player, if he risks 2:1, 1.5:1, or even 1:1 counterattacks, can significantly delay or even cripple the Allied offensive, especially if he can get a surrounded DR or EX on the 7th Armoured Division. Perhaps some sort of "Graziani" rule, such as was proposed in David Scheel's article in The Grenadier #23, would be in order to curb ahistorical overaggressiveness on the part of the Italians.

In preparing this article I have relied on the sources already noted, as well as Jackson, W. G. F., The Battle for North Africa, 1940 - 1943 (New York: Mason/Charter, 1975), correspondence with GDW, and notes and articles in The Grenadier and Europa Nuts & Bolts. Comments and criticisms welcomed.