08 - Middle East - Axis - Turn 19 of 26

September 1, 1941: Axis attempts to seize the oil fields of Persia.

Axis: player

Allies: a.i. advanced

PLAN

This scenario is really tough, a kind of tutorial, to win you must understand the mechanics and the philosophy of the game. There are six objectives to conquer and they are in a sort of curved line, but if you just take your army and try to conquer them one after another, you'll never succeed, as the last town is defended by two rivers and, by the time you'll get there, by an astonishing amount of enemy units. So the rules are: attack only the objectives, let the other towns be, and the last one must be dealt separately. This means that you must take a town with an airport, the best one is Al Hillah (50:17), and create there an army, cross the Tigris river and attack Baghdad from behind. To do this, take the three infantry units mounted on SPW 250/1, which is fast in the desert, and occupy nine towns and three airports in the south of the map which will be left unguarded by the enemy, it means 480 prestige points. Let's go!

TURN 01

AXIS - As always, first thing to settle is naval issue. To sink english fleet, first get rid of destroyers and T-boats. There is only one each, so attack with capital ships, planes and submarine, both are destroyed. Deploy artillery to hit the infantry unit in front of Jerusalem, and behind them place Stu GIIIb in defense. The three infantry units mentioned before begin their journey to cross the desert, and also paratroopers take the air. Purchase a SdKfz 10/4 antiaircraft unit, it will be useful against a very strong 12 strength points Spitfire unit which should enter the scene on turn 03. Get every unit out of 6" inch english artillery unit range, let's try and keep german units at full strength before attacking. PzIID and Pz IIF are sent in town to be upgraded to PzIII.

 ALLIES
Nothing happens during enemy turn.

TURN 02

AXIS - The three infantry units must pass south of Karak as they cannot cross the swamps. Attack on Jerusalem begins: english infantry, artillery and air defense units are destroyed. Be careful to keep naval units out of english recon unit spotting range in Haifa airfield.

  ALLIES - Just two minor fights with negligible losses.

TURN 03

AXIS - Attack on Jerusalem proceeds. Another air defense unit is destroyed, along with the Matilda II. We're going to have showdown.

ALLIES - Two Spitfires, a Mosquito and a Blenheim attack, other planes are on their way. Our losses are horrible, 28 strength points, two units are down to 1 strength point but no casualty for now.

TURN 04

AXIS - Revenge. The weaker Spitfire is taken down by SdKfz and a BF 109. The 12 strength Spitfire is taken down by combined attack by four fighters, and then the Blenheim is destroyed too. Only the Mosquito remains and another Spitfire is arriving. The last artillery unit in Jerusalem is destroyed by naval fire and a final blow by a PzIII. Then an english tank is destroyed and an infantry unit in south Jerusalem. Now only an infantry unit in the town and an antitank remain. Six enemy units destroyed.

ALLIES - English planes attack again, and two units are destroyed, the StuGIIIb which was down to 1 strength point and an italian infantry.

TURN 05

AXIS - Time to settle the naval issue. The english light cruiser is sunk by german capital ship and the destroyer. The battle cruiser is sunk by U-boot. Now only the battleship remains.
So let's settle the air issue. The Spitfire is destroyed by SdKfz and two BF 109. Mosquito is taken down to 4 strength points by FW 190, the italian fighters block the escape for the Moquito and the Blenheim.
Jerusalem is taken, and two english units are destroyed, an infantry and an antitank. The rest of the army moves toward Haifa.
In the middle of the desert, Kaf and Sakakah are occupied. The paratroopers reach their launch site near Al Hillah.

ALLIES - A Spitfire comes out of the blue and hits a Ju87 inflicting three strength points loss. Nothing else.

TURN 06
AXIS - The three english planes are finally shot down with some loss, now the air issue should be settled.
The air defense unit at Haifa is destroyed by naval fire. Now the door is open for german bombers. The recon at Haifa airport is wiped out. German planes hit every enemy unit around Haifa. An italian infantry unit is left in German Camp. The paratroopers land near Al Hillah. The units in the desert town replenish their fuel supply.

ALLIES - Nothing happens.

TURN 07
AXIS - The english battleship is finally sunk by U-boot and italian P108 Bi, now the naval issue is settled. The artillery unit defending Haifa is destroyed by naval fire. The english tank guarding the bridge on Jordan river is destroyed by BF110c. The garrison in Haifa is eliminated by artillery and the town is occupied. Another enemy unit is destroyed by FW190. Another english infanty unit is destroyed by RE2000/F1. Next step Beirut.

ALLIES - Nothing happens during allies seventh turn

TURN 08

AXIS - The remaining antitank unit in Haifa is eliminated. Attack on Beirut begins: naval forces destroy the first air defense unit, seven more enemy units remain. In the meantime Al Hillah has been occupied by paratroopers.

ALLIES - In Beirut the enemy purchases the air defense unit which was just destroyed.

TURN 09

AXIS -Naval forces destroy the artillery defending Beirut. Artillery and tanks destroy the antitank and the air defense units in front of the objective. At Al Maffraq german tanks attack and destroy a Matilda I. In the east, german infantry units conquer Hit near Anah, Al Hillah airport and An Najaf airport.

 ALLIES - An english crusader attacks a german PSW 222/4r recon unit and inflicts 5 strength points loss.

TURN 10

AXIS - German ships destroy air defense unit in Beirut. Planes, PSW 222/4r and PzIII attack artillery unit and destroy it. The remainig enemy units, an english infantry unit in Beirut and two Matildas are hit by planes.
Al Maffraq is taken, the infantry and Matilda I units defending it are destroyed.
Next step Damascus.

ALLIES - The enemy purchases an air defense unit in Beirut.

TURN 11

AXIS - Beirut is attacked and conquered, the four defending units are destroyed. German units prepare the attack on Damascus. It's very important to surround the town and attack in the same turn to place a unit adjacent to both town hexes, otherwise next turn the enemy will purchase at least three Matildas and taking the town will be much harder.
In the east, Samarra is occupied, Karbala is taken by paratroopers and also Al Kuwait and Al Najaf are taken. At Al Hillah, a little army is purchased: two 15 sFH 18 and three PzIIIJ.

 ALLIES - Artillery in Damascus hits PSW 222/4r and causes a three points loss.

TURN 12

AXIS - Damascus is attacked: an anti-tank, an artillery and an air defense are destroyed, and German units get in touch with both town hexes, so next turn no purchases. Anti-tank units in An Nabk are attacked by planes.
In the east, Basra is occupied, while the mini-army heads toward the Tigris river to cross it.

ALLIES - Enemy counterattacks at Damascus and causes some loss. At An Nabk, three Matildas are purchased.

TURN 13

AXIS - The five english units defending Damascus are wiped out and the objective is conquered. At An Nabk an anti-tank unit is destroyed.
In the east the mini-army is crossing the river, Basra airport is occupied.

ALLIES - At An Nabk english units advance towards Damascus airport.

TURN 14

AXIS - At An Nabk, a BF109 destroys an anti-tank unit. A Ju87B destroys a Matilda I. Another anti-tank and a Matilda I are eliminated.
In the east before placing artilleries to hit the enemy, an airplane is needed to recon defenders in Baghdad. Abadan is occupied.

 ALLIES - Nothing happens.

TURN 15

AXIS - The three Matildas in An Nabk are destroyed and the town is taken. The army now proceeds toward Anah.
At Baghdad, there is a Stuart tank with four hexes spotting range, so we'll try to lure it away from the town. One PzIII and eight PzJager IB are purchased in Al Hillah. Ahvaz is occupied.

ALLIES - Two Matildas are purchased in Al Kazimayah.

TURN 16

AXIS - German units start surrounding Anah for final attack. Sixteen land units are in place to attack Baghdad.

ALLIES - A Crusader and a Stuart attack a PzJager IB: 6 poits loss for the attacker and 6 points loss for the defender.

TURN 17

AXIS - Anah: units get in place for the final attack.
Baghdad: the Crusader is destroyed. The Stuart is destroyed. Two artillery units and an air defense are destroyed while the other air defense is reduced to 5 points.

 ALLIES - Some minor counterattack.

TURN 18

AXIS - Anah: first thing, the artillery is destroyed. Then the infantry unit is eliminated. Then an air defense unit is reduced to 3 points. Then an Mk IIIA13 is destroyed. Next turn five artillery units will hit the objective.
Baghdad: the last air defense unit is destroyed, now airplanes can attack at will. Airport is taken. Now Matildas are easy prey or Tigris river, four of them are destroyed. An anti-tank on Tigris river is also eliminated.

 ALLIES - Some minor counterattack.

TURN 19

AXIS - Anah: all enemy units are destroyed and the objective is taken.
Baghdad: all enemy units except for an infantry one in Al Kazimayah are destroyed, the objective is taken, game is over.

GAME OVER