Original Operation Crusader Scenario

When TEM #55 containing the updated Crusader battle scenario went to press your intrepid author was wandering around the Rift Valley of northern Tanzania with an anarchist anthropologist in 10 year old Land Rover (what's the unit symbol for motorized social scientists?). This caused our beloved editor a bit of trouble as I had never actually submitted an actual article, only a series of more or less refined e-mails outlining my ideas for a scenario. Frank did a masterful job producing an article out of my e-mails and additional contributions from a number of other folks on the Europa Internet mailing list.

Unfortunately, Frank was unable to reach me in my "isolated" state. The result was a number of minor problems with the battle scenario as printed in TEM #55 and a major problem with the scenario- specific two turn Air Cycle system. The following changes should sort out all of these issues.

The Crusader battle scenario as written is not really suitable as a starting point for a longer campaign scenario as a number of Allied forces have been abstracted out of the scenario, and the battle scenario's special air replacement cycles weren't designed for use in a longer scenario.

Victory Conditions. One more entry is needed at the bottom of the "Victory Points Awards, Upon Occurrence:" table.

+/- ? additional activations of the RN TF beyond the one "free" activation per quarter and, if this optional rule is in use, damage to the Italian fleet from major escort operations

Axis Order of Battle: Add 1x 5-3-10 Pz III 8 (GA) to the "Axis Order of Battle" "Available for Assembly/Breakdown."

Raids. The Allied player may attempt to raid one Axis airbase, as per Rule 37E3, on either the Nov II or Dec I turn and another on the Dec II or Jan I turn, for a total of two raids during the battle scenario.

Allied Order of Battle: Ignore the 1x transport counter (1 RE) listed as arriving during the Allied Jan I player turn.

Air Replacement Schedules: The biggest problem is with the replacement schedule, especially the scenario- specific two turn air replacement system. Disregard the ground and air replacements listed in the battle scenario and all references to Special Air Cycles listed in the reinforcement schedules, and instead use the following at start forces and reinforcement schedule.

Axis Order of Battle Initial Forces, Nov II

Med/North Africa:

Accumulated Replacements: 3 Ger inf, 2 It inf, and 3 It arm
Axis: 0 It and Ger ARPs

Nov II

Note: Special Air Cycle turn
Available in Europe: 2 Ger ARPs and 2 It ARPs

Dec I

Available in Europe: 1.5 Ger inf, 1 It inf, 3 Ger arm, and 1 it arm

Dec II

Note: Special Air Cycle turn
Available in Europe: 4 Ger ARPs and 3 It ARPs

Allied Order of Battle

Middle East:

Accumulated Replacements: 2 NZ inf, 2 Ind inf, 8 Br inf, 6 Br arm, and 1 Br ARP

Nov II

Note: Special Air Cycle turn
Middle East: 1 Br ARP
Arrive in the Middle East: 4 Br ARPs

Dec I

Middle East: 2 Ind inf (appear at either Allied Supply Terminal)
Arrive in the Middle East: 2 Br inf, 1 Ind inf, 2 Br arm

Dec II

Note: Special Air Cycle turn
Middle East: 1 Br ARPComments: I think most of the minor fixes are self explanatory. The clarification on Allied raiding clears up any possible confusion about when raids may be conducted in the scenario which starts in the middle of a month.

I don't know where the Allied Jan I transport counter came from, but it shouldn't be there. Note that I've specifically left out the Aus Recon II which appears as a Jan I reinforcement in the Allied OB booklet.

Someone seems to have changed my ground replacement schedule and made it match the schedule provided on the back pages of the Axis and Allied OB booklets. I had changed the WitD rates because they work well as averages for a long campaign, but less well in reflecting the short time period covered by the battle scenario, especially the shipment of German armor to North Africa in December 1941. I also left out the Jan I replacements because according to my reading of the WitD rules they can't be used to rebuild units until the Jan II turn, after the battle scenario ends. Both the Allied and Axis players have to move replacements to their African supply terminals during their Jan I movement phases and only then can these replacements be used for rebuilds during the following initial phases. Am I reading the rules correctly here? [yes. See Rules Court Ruling #134 in this issue. - RCV]

The ARP schedule basically halves the ARPs nomnally available for four turn Air Cycles with the Axis ARPs rounded down to try and compensate for the possibly excessive strength of the Axis air forces in the battle scenario.