TEM #40 contained the battle scenario "Airdrop on Crete," a revision of the scenario included in the Balkan Front rulebook. One major difference of the TEM #40 scenario from the original BF scenario is that the Axis player must plan his airdrops for his initial turn before the Allied player sets up. This means, of course, that the Allied player sets up without knowing the Axis plans. The small size of Crete makes it possible for most Allied units to relocate anywhere on the island in a single player turn. The whole invasion ends up, as intended, being a version of the old shell game as the Axis must outguess the Allies in the matter of invasion sites.

Interestingly, although the "shell game" setup and movement by the Allies might be considered rather gamey, it is not a bad representation of the decisions under less-than-perfect intelligence that faced the actual commanders Freyberg and Student.

The shell game aspects of the scenerio do, however, make a solitaire playing rather difficult. You have to be incredibly schizophrenic to forget where you planned the Axis assaults. With this in mind, a request went out to the Europa Internet mailing list for various setups, both Axis and Allied. These are presented below, along with the historical defense and historical invasion plan.

Choose to either set up the Allies or plan the Axis airborne and amphibious operations yourself. If you choose the Allies, complete your setup then roll one die and consult the table Axis Planning Table below. If you choose the Axis, complete your pre- game planning, then roll on the Allied Setup Table below and set up the Allied forces as indicated.

And to really be sporting, don't study the tables before you make your plans!

Allied Setup Table
Type & Strength	ID	1	2	3	4	5	6
3-8 Inf X	4 NZ (NZ)	2114	2114	2114	2114	2310	2114
2-8 Inf X	5 NZ (NZ)	2114	2114	2114	2114	2310	2114
2-8 Inf X	6 NZ (NZ)	2114	2114	2114	2310	2310	2113
2-8 Inf X	17 Aus (Aus)	2310	2114	2212	2310	2212	2113
2-8 Inf X	19 Aus (Aus)	2310	2114	2212	2310	2212	2212
2-8 Inf X	14 (Br)	2310	2113	2310	2212	2310	2310
0-1-6 hv AA X	MNBD01(RM)	2114	2113	2212	2212	2310	2113
0-8 It AA II	52 (Br)	2310	2114	2114	2310	2212	2310
1 pt position AA	(Br)	2310	2114	2310	2114	2310	2114
1-4 Static X Kan	(Gk)	2114	2114	2114	2114	2114	2114
1-4 Static X Erak	(Gk)	2310	2310	2310	2310	2310	2310
1-4 Static X Reth	(Gk)	2212	2212	2212	2212	2212	2212

Axis Setup Table
Type & Strength, ID	1	2	3	4	5	6
6 Para XX HQ 7 (LW)	2113p	2310p	2114p	2212p	2114p	2114p
3-5 Air Lndg III Sturm (LW)	2113g	2310g	2114g	2212g	2114g	2114g
2-5 Para III 1 (LW)	2113p	2310p	2114p	2212p	2313p	2310p
2-5 Para III 2 (LW)	2113p	2310p	2114p	2212g	2313p	2212p
2-5 Para III 3 (LW)	2113p	2310p	2114p	2212p	2311p	2113p
3-6 Mtn III A	2411a	2211a	2508a	2311a	2211a	2113a
3-6 Mtn III A	load NT	load NT	-	-	-	-
3-6 Mtn III B	-
6 Mtn XX HQ A	-	-	-	load NT	-	-
6 Mtn XX HQ B	-
2-6 Art III 35 (It)	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT
2-6 Art III 36 (It)	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT	load NT
2-6 Inf III any (It)	load NT	2508a	load NT	2312a	2211a	2507a
2-1-10 Aslt Gun II [any]	-	load NT	-	-	load NT	-
2-6 Eng III [any]	-
2-6 Eng III [any]	-
a: amphibious landing g: glider airborne drop p: parachute airborne drop