TABLE OF CONTENTS
GAME DESIGN
Craig Besinque
CO-DEVELOPER
Ron Hodwitz
ASSISTANCE
Gary Chappell
Dave Blizzard
Grant Dalgliesh
Tom Dalgliesh
Brion Emde
Mike Hoyt
Dieter Schlaepfer
GRAPHICS
Grant Dalgliesh
Tom Dalgliesh
Chris Moeller
©1984-2021 Columbia Games Inc.
Visit www.columbiagames.com for
updates on this game.
Rulebook Conventions
This rulebook is formatted so that the
sidebar (this column) contains definitions,
examples, suggestions, and historical
commentary to help you understand and
enjoy this game.
Terms specifically defined for gameplay
purposes are Capitalized and are defined
where shown in italics. Bold text is
generally used for emphasis.
The Arena
The map depicts an area of North Africa
stretching some six hundred miles
from Alexandria to El Agheila. This
region is primarily a rocky and barren
plateau (roughly 300-500' high) which
drops sharply to sea-level in a series of
rugged escarpments near the coastline.
The narrow coastal shelf contains most
settlements and roads, notably the towns
of Benghazi, Tobruk, and Bardia. There is
a hilly, wooded, cultivable area between
Benghazi and Derna (Jebel el Akhdar)
with peaks up to 3000'. Southward lies
a desert wasteland, largely waterless
except for the oases of Jalo, Jarabub, and
Siwa. The eastern desert boundary is the
Qattara Depression, a below sea-level
salt marsh impassable to modern vehicles
and armies; the narrow gap between the
depression and the sea at El Alamein is
the sole gateway east to Alexandria, Cairo,
and the Suez Canal. Within this isolated,
but well defined arena, the dramatic desert
campaign was fought.
Interpreting the map
Borders and terrain features are meant
to follow hexsides though they are drawn
with some artistic license.
INTRODUCTION
Rommel in the Desert is a game
of strategy for two players based on
the North African Campaign of World
War II. One player commands the
Allied (British and Commonwealth)
forces, and the other commands the
Axis (German and Italian) forces.
Game Scenarios provided include:
the 1941 and 1942 Campaigns, the
1940 "Italian" Campaign, and several
shorter scenarios. The 1941 and 1942
campaigns can also be combined into
the full “campaign game”.
The game is played in alternating
Player Turns, with monthly Buildup
interludes (for Reinforcements,
Resupply, etc.).
The object of the game is to hold
Tobruk and its environs, or preserve
a superior army if this area remains
contested. Capturing the enemy Base
wins the game immediately.
THE MAPBOARD
The mapboard depicts the area of
Libya and Egypt where the historical
campaign was mainly fought. The map
is divided into hexagons, or "hexes", to
determine position and movement.
Except at Gaps, Ridges and
Marshes are impassable. Mountain
Hexsides are passable only on roads.
Fortress symbols have numbers inside
showing their Port Capacities.
THE UNITS
Wooden block units represent
Allied brigades, German regiments/
battalions, and Italian divisions, plus
some composite support units.
A die-cut, adhesive label showing
the unit’s type and strength must be
attached to each block. Put green
(German) and beige/gray (Italians)
labels on the gray blocks, and the tan
labels (Allies) on the tan blocks.
Units in play normally stand
upright, with labels facing the owning
player. This provides simple yet
elegant “fog of war” in that players
cannot see the type or strength of
opposing units.
Unit type (armor, recon, etc.) is
shown by its central symbol. A unit’s
type determines its firepower and
movement rate.
The large numbers surrounding
the unit symbol show unit strength,
called Combat Value ("CV"). A unit’s
current strength is the number along
the top edge when standing upright.
Units generally begin a Scenario at
their maximum CV level, but can be
reduced by combat and also rebuilt.
A unit reduced below its lowest CV is
permanently eliminated from play.
SUPPLY CARDS
Players start a game with a given
number of Supply Cards and receive
additional cards every month. Two-
thirds of the cards provided are "real"
Supply Cards; 1/3rd are "dummy"
Supply Cards. Real Supply Cards are
expended to "buy" various defined
combinations of movement and
combat, called Turn Options. Dummies
have no value beyond creating doubt.
SEQUENCE OF PLAY
A Month of play consists of
Buildup, Initiative, and a variable
number of alternating Player-Turns.
During Buildup, players strengthen
and rearrange existing units and
receive Reinforcements and Supply
Cards.
Then players take alternating
Player-Turns, the Axis player generally
going first. The Active Player secretly
selects a Turn Option by playing one
or more real Supply Cards face down
(and dummy Supply can be included
for bluffing reasons). He then executes
one or more Movement and Combat
phases as that Turn Option allows.
Players may elect to Pass on their turn
in order to conserve Supply.
The number of Player-Turns in a
Month is variable: play continues as
long as players continue to expend
Supply Cards. When both players Pass
consecutively, that Month of play
ends, and a new Month begins.
1.0 THE MAP
The Axis player sits on the South
edge of the map while the Allied
player sits on the North edge.
1.1 HEXES
The mapboard is divided into
hexagons or hexes to determine unit
location and movement. A Hexside is
the boundary between two hexes.
Hexes can be identified by the
towns or fortresses they contain, or by
a direction and distance from one (see
the compass rose printed on the map).
For example, "Msus E1" is one hex
east of Msus.
1.2 HEX CONTROL
• Friendly hexes are hexes solely
occupied by friendly units.
• Enemy hexes are hexes solely
occupied by enemy units.
• Empty hexes are unoccupied.
• Battle hexes are hexes occupied by
units of both sides.
Battle hexes are controlled by the
side that occupied the hex when the
battle began (the defender). Fortresses
are controlled by the last occupant.
1.3 STACKING
Stacking refers to the number
of units that are allowed to occupy
one hex. In Rommel in the Desert, any
number of units may occupy a hex.
1.4 TERRAIN
Terrain applies to Hexsides, not
hexes. The terrain of a hex itself has
no effect on play, and is shown only to
help define Hexside terrain.
Rough terrain Hexsides are
impassable, unless a Gap is shown
and/or a road passes through the
Hexside. In these cases entry into
battles is constricted (see 7.1). Rough
terrain on the map includes:
• Mountains (Jebel el Akhdar),
• Ridges, and
• Salt Marshes.
All other Hexsides are Clear
terrain. Only the land portion of
coastal hexes is playable.
1.5 ROADS
Three types of Road are shown on
the map: highway, tracks, and trails.
Units can move faster along Roads
(regardless of terrain), Highway is
fastest, then tracks, and finally trails.
Supply Lines (12.2) are also more
efficiently formed along Roads.
1.6 BASES
Each player has one Base. The
Axis Base is El Agheila at the western
map edge. Alexandria, the Allied Base
is located at the eastern map edge.
New units (Reinforcements) arrive
in Base, and damaged units can be
rebuilt there. Bases are the main
Supply Source for each side and are
ports for Sea Redeployment.
Players must be careful to protect
their Bases, as losing them to the
enemy results in immediate defeat.
1.7 FORTRESSES
Benghazi, Tobruk, and Bardia
are Fortresses. Fortresses provide a
considerable combat advantage to
defending units, and can serve as a
Supply Source for a limited number of
units isolated from their Base.
Fortresses also act as ports: the
numbers shown are Port Capacity,
which govern its Sea Redeployment
and independent Supply capabilities.
Capturing an enemy Fortress gains
a player additional ‘bonus’ Supply
Cards in the next Buildup.
See 13.0 for details.
1.8 OASES
Jalo, Siwa, and Jarabub are Oases.
An Oasis can automatically Supply
one unit in that hex (no external
Supply Line is necessary).
Hexside Control
Control of Hexsides in Battle hexes is also
be important for establishing supply lines
into battles and enabling movement out
of them.
See 8.1 for details.
TERRAIN TYPES
RIDGE
MARSH
GAP/PASS
CLEAR
BASE
FORTRESS
OASIS
TOWN
HIGHWAY
TRACK
TRAIL
MOUNTAIN
Passable only
along roads.
Hexside Limit: 1
Impassable
Impassable
Hexside Limit: 1
Hexside Limit: 2
2.0 UNITS
The colored wooden blocks are the
playing pieces, or units in the game. A die-
cut adhesive label showing unit type and
strength must be attached to the face of
each block.
2.1 NATIONALITY
German units are gray blocks with
green labels. Italian units are gray blocks
with beige/gray labels.
Allied units are tan blocks with
tan labels. Central colors denote
Commonwealth forces.
The 12 Status marker labels go on the
white blocks.
2.2 UNIT TYPE
Unit Type is shown by the central
symbol on its label.
Units are categorized into one of four
[arms] Classes (armor/ infantry/ anti-
tank/ artillery) and Speeds (1-4 hexes).
Each Unit Type is a combination of class
and speed. See: Unit Types Chart.
All units of a given Unit Type have
identical speed and combat firepower, so
these are not shown on the label.
2.3 COMBAT VALUE (CV)
The large numbers surrounding the
unit symbol show the unit’s strength,
called Combat Value ("CV").
Units gain and lose strength in steps
of 1 CV (2 CV for elite units). A unit’s
current CV is the number along the top
edge when standing upright.
Units generally begin a scenario at
maximum CV, and are reduced by combat
but can be rebuilt. Losses and rebuilds
are handled by rotating the unit until the
new CV level is on the top edge. A unit
reduced below its lowest CV is eliminated
from the game and cannot be rebuilt.
2.4 ELITE UNITS
All German units (not Italians) and
some Allied tank units (center symbol
filled-in) are elite, having two CV per step
instead of one.
Two hits are necessary to reduce an
elite unit by a step (see 9.5).
Recon
Weak, high-speed units
composed of light tanks and
armored cars (some mounted
with light cannon.)
Armor
Tank units with strong
offensive punch.
Mechanized Infantry
Infantry mounted in armored
personnel carriers (APCs),
which could carry them into
the battlefield at speed.
Motorized Infantry
Infantry riding in trucks, able
to move quickly, but forced
to dismount and walk as they
approached the enemy.
Unmotorized Infantry/
Paratroopers
Leg infantry, with reduced
usefulness in a war of
movement.
Mobile Anti-Tank
Anti-tank guns with intrinsic
towing units having good cross
country mobility.
Motorized Anti-Tank
Anti-tank guns dependent on
truck pools for transport.
Self-Propelled Artillery
Artillery mounted in tank
chassis with excellent cross-
country mobility.
Artillery
Field artillery also dependent
on truck "pools", but
effectively slowed by greater
size and weight.
Battle Marker
Place the Battle Marker of the
Defender’s color in the battle
hex and the corresponding
Battle Marker of the Attacker’s
color with the Battle array.
UNIT SYMBOLS
Center Color
AU
Australian
Red
IN
Indian
Green
NZ
New Zealand
Light Blue
SA
South African
Orange
FF
Free French
Dark Blue
Pol
Polish
White
H
Highland
Tob
Tobruk
AT
Army Tank Brigade
G
Guards
m
Motor
SG
Support Group
MONTH OF APPEARANCE
S
Starts 1941 scenario or campaign.
T
Starts 1941 scenario or campaign in Tobruk.
M
Malta Group (see 1942 scenario).
Month of
Appearance
Division
Brigade or
Regiment
UNIT TYPES CHART
SPEED
ARMOR
CLASS
INFANTRY
CLASS
ANTI-TANK
CLASS
ARTILLERY
CLASS
RECON
4
RECON
MECHANIZED
3
ARMOR
MECH. INF.
MOB. A/T
SELF PROP. ARTY
MOTORIZED
2
MOT. INF.
MOT. A/T
UNMOTORIZED
1
INFANTRY
PARA
ARTILLERY
3.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY
Begin by dealing Supply Cards and
deploying Starting Forces as specified
for the Scenario (18.0).
3.1 GAME MONTHS
Each Month of play consists of
Buildup, Initiative, and a variable
number of alternating Player-Turns. A
Month of play ends when both players
Pass (4.5) in succession.
3.2 BUILDUP
Each Month begins with a Buildup
phase for each player (however, no
Buildup occurs before the first Month
of a scenario). See section 16.0.
3.3 INITIATIVE
The Axis normally has the first
Player Turn of a Month (the Initiative).
Initiative Challenge: The Allied
player may challenge for the Initiative
by playing a (real or dummy) Supply
Card face down. The Axis player may
then play a card of his own (or not).
If the Allied card is real and the
Axis has not matched it with a real one,
the Allies seize the Initiative. Otherwise,
the Axis retain the Initiative.
Supply cards committed to an
initiative challenge are expended
regardless of the outcome.
Important: In the first Month of all
scenarios no challenge is allowed. Also
note the Crusader Scenario begins with
an Allied Player-Turn.
3.4 PLAYER TURNS
Each Player Turn is a sequence of
phases which must be performed in
order. The Active Player is the player
taking his turn; his opponent is the
Passive Player.
3.41 INITIAL SUPPLY CHECK
The Active Player checks Supply
status of all friendly units and recovers
Disrupted units according to 12.7.
3.42 SELECT TURN OPTION
A Turn Option (4.0) is a combination
of Movement and Combat phases
costing a defined number of real Supply
cards.
Each Player Turn, the Active Player
secretly selects one Turn Option by
playing the required number of real
Supply cards face-down (dummy
cards may also be played to deceive
the opponent).
3.43 MOVEMENT
During a Movement phase, the
Active Player can make Group (5.1)
and/or Regroup (5.2) moves according
to the Turn Option selected. Forced
Marches (6.4) are resolved after all
other movement.
Refusing Battle: When Attacked
(see 8.2), the Passive Player may
choose to Refuse Battle (10.2).
All Movement (including Forced
Marches and Refusing Battle) must be
done before the Combat phase begins.
3.44 COMBAT
During a Combat phase, the Active
Player may initiate one Combat Round
in any or all current Battles.
See Battles (8.0) and Combat (9.0).
3.45 BLITZ MOVEMENT
In Blitz Turns, the Active Player
has a second pair of Movement and
Combat phases following the normal
Movement and Combat phases (but a
unit cannot move twice in a Turn).
All Blitz Movement must be done
before the Blitz Combat phase begins.
3.46 BLITZ COMBAT
In Blitz Turns, the Active Player
gets another Combat phase following
Blitz Movement. A unit can fire in both
Combat phases.
3.47 FINAL SUPPLY CHECK
The Supply status and Disruption
of the Active Player’s units is checked
according to 12.7.
3.48 SUPPLY REVEALED
The Active Player reveals the
Supply Cards played. All Cards played
are now discarded.
BUILDUP SEQUENCE
Advance Month
Buildup Supply check
BP Determination
First Player Buildup
Reinforcements
BP Expenditure
Replacements & Redeployments
Minefield Construction
Allocate BPs for Extra Supply
Resupply (draw all cards at once)
Monthly Resupply
Extra Supply (allocated above)
Bonus Supply (Fortress Capture)
Second Player Buildup
(repeat player 1 procedure)
INITIATIVE
Initiative Challenge [optional]
PLAYER-TURN SEQUENCE
Initial Supply Check
Determine Unit Supply
Disruption Recovery
Turn Option Selection
Supply Commitment (hidden)
Movement
Group/Regroup Move(s) [R*]
Retreats (Full and Partial)
Probe Combat (if partial)
Pursuit Fire (Retreating units)
Move/Disrupt Retreating Units [R*]
Forced Marches
Refuse Battle (Passive Player)
Pursuit Fire
Withdrawal [R*]
Combat (not Pass Turn)
Active Battles
Defensive Fire [R*]
Offensive Fire [R*]
Blitz Movement (Blitz Turn)
(as Movement)
Blitz Combat (Blitz Turn)
(as Combat)
Final Supply Check
Disrupt Unsupplied units [R*]
Supply Cards Revealed
[R*] ROUT POSSIBLE (Interrupts Play)
Rout Attrition
Pursuit Fire
Withdrawal Move
Continue Play
Blitz Movement and Combat
These phases occur only during Blitz
Turns.
A unit cannot move in both Movement
phases of a Blitz Turn, but can fire in both
Combat phases.
4.0 TURN OPTIONS
Each Player Turn, the Active
Player secretly selects (and commits
Supply for) one of the following Turn
Options (dummy Supply Cards may be
played to confuse the opponent).
In the Turn Option descriptions
given below, a Move means one
Group or Regroup Move during the
Movement phase; a Combat Round
means the option to initiate combat in
any or all Battles during the Combat
phase.
4.1 THE BASIC TURN
The Basic Turn costs one (1) real
Supply Card and allows the player one
Move and one Combat Round.
4.2 THE OFFENSIVE TURN
An Offensive Turn costs two (2)
real Supply Cards, and allows the
Active Player to make two Moves
(during the same Movement phase),
and one Combat Round. Remember: a
unit can only move once per turn.
4.3 THE ASSAULT TURN
An Assault Turn also costs two
(2) Supply Cards. It allows the Active
Player to make one Move, plus an
Assault Combat Round.
In an Assault Combat Round,
the Active Player has the option to
designate any or all current battles as
Assaults, in which units of both sides
fire Double Dice (see 9.21). Other
Battles may be fought normally or not
at all, as desired by the Active Player.
4.4 THE BLITZ TURN
A Blitz Turn costs three (3) real
Supply Cards. Blitz Turns allow the
Active Player two Basic Turns in
succession (except that units cannot
move twice).
The Active Player has one Move
and Combat Round during the regular
Movement and Combat phases, then
makes a second Move (with different
units) and Combat Round during Blitz
Movement and Blitz Combat. Units
are allowed to fire in both Combat
phases of a Blitz Turn
Hexside limits (7.1) are reset for
the Blitz Movement phase, so that
additional units may enter a battle hex
via hexsides already traversed in the
initial Movement phase.
4.5 THE PASS TURN
A Pass turn costs no Supply
Cards, allowing players to conserve
Supply while awaiting events.
In a Pass Turn, the Active Player is
allowed to make one free Withdrawal
Move (5.3) if he desires, but no other
movement or combat can occur.
If both players Pass in succession
the current Month of play ends.
TURN OPTIONS
BASIC
MC
OFFENSIVE
MMC
ASSAULT
MC*
BLITZ
MC + MC
No Cost
PASS
W
M = Move Phase C = Combat Phase
* = Any/All battles can be Assaults.
W = 1 optional Withdrawal Move
Turn Option Deception
The Active Player could play 1 real Supply
Card for a Basic Turn and add a dummy
Supply Card to bluff his opponent into
thinking that an Assault Turn is underway.
This might convince the Passive Player to
Refuse Battle rather than accept battle and
risk possible double dice combat.
Two Supply Cards Committed:
Assault or Offensive Turn?
When 2 real Supply are committed to a
Turn Option, it might seem at first glance
that the Active Player may be able change
his Turn Option in mid-turn.
However, the Active Player taking an
Offensive Turn must make two Group
or Regroup Moves in the Movement
phase. Doing so reveals that he is taking
an Offensive Turn before any opponent
decisions (e.g., Refuse Battle) are made.
If a player commits 2 real Supply Cards
and does not take 2 Moves in the
Movement phase, he is committed to an
Assault Turn.
Assault Turns
In an Assault combat, both sides fire
Double Dice, which might seem of no
advantage to the Active Player. However,
the ability to win a battle rapidly (even at
the cost of higher casualties) can prove
crucial at times. Bluffing an Assault Turn
with 1 real and 1 dummy Supply might
convince the opponent to Refuse Battle.
The Pass Turn
Passing in a Player Turn in no way limits
the future options of that player. A Player
that Passes on one Player-Turn may play
a different Turn Option on his next Player-
Turn (provided the opponent doesn't also
Pass, ending the Month).
Dummy Supply Card
Real Supply Card
5.0 GROUP MOVEMENT
A Group consists of all friendly
units occupying a hex. There is no
limit to Group size: any number of
units may occupy a single hex.
All movement during Player Turns
is made in terms of Group Movement.
A Move involves the movement of
one specific Group (either dispersing
an existing group or concentrating
forces into a new one). Depending on
the Turn Option (4.0) selected, players
make 1 or 2 Moves per Player Turn.
There are two types of Move:
Group Moves and Regroup Moves.
When moving Groups, rules for
individual unit movement (6.0) must
also be observed. There is a limit to
the number of units that can enter a
Battle Hex via a single Hexside (7.1),
but no Hexside Limit otherwise.
5.1 THE GROUP MOVE
In a Group Move, any or all units
from one hex may be moved to one
or more destination hexes. Units that
begin their movement together are not
required to remain as a Group, and
may disperse to separate locations.
To make a Group Move, the Active
Player indicates the desired group and
then moves units individually to one
or more hexes of his choice, observing
the movement speed of each unit.
5.2 THE REGROUP MOVE
In a Regroup Move, any or all
units in or adjacent to a designated
Command Point hex (regardless of
intervening terrain) may move to a
common destination hex, uniting into a
new Group.
The Command Point may be a
friendly, empty, or battle hex, but not
an enemy hex. The destination hex
can be Friendly, Enemy, Empty or
Battle (thus, Regroup Moves can be
used to Attack as well as Retreat).
To make a Regroup Move, the
Active Player indicates the Command
Point and the destination hex, then
moves regrouping units individually.
Again, the movement speeds of
individual units must be observed.
Units unable to reach the destination
hex of a Regroup may not move at
all.
Regroup Moves
The distance a unit can move is measured
from its original location, not from the
Command Point.
Regrouping Forced Marches
Units may attempt a Forced March (6.4)
to the destination hex of a Regroup Move,
but if unsuccessful they are Disrupted at
their original location.
REGROUP EXAMPLE
The five Allied units in hexes [1], [2], and [3] Regroup
to hex [D], using hex [C] as the Command Point. The
artillery unit on hex [3] cannot Regroup because it does
not have the speed to reach [D]. Units in hex [4] are
not adjacent to the Command Point [C] and therefore
cannot be part of the Regrouping Move.
5.3 WITHDRAWAL MOVES
A Withdrawal Move is a strictly
defined kind of Group/Regroup Move
that is made without Supply Card
expenditure. Withdrawals are Moves
where each unit moves back along one
of its own Supply Lines and territory is
conceded.
Withdrawal Moves are the only
type of Move possible without spending
a Supply Card. They can occur in three
different ways:
• The one Withdrawal Move allowed
in a Pass Turn.
• Withdrawal Moves made by the
Passive Player to Refuse Battle.
• Withdrawal Moves made to Retreat
groups that are Routed (11.3).
A Group or Regroup Move must
satisfy all of the following conditions
to qualify as a Withdrawal Move:
1) Each moving unit must have a
valid Supply Line (12.2) as the
Withdrawal Move begins.
2) Each unit can only move along
one of its own Supply Lines and
each hex entered must shorten that
Supply Line.
3) The friendly Supply Network
(12.6) must be reduced by at least
one hex.
4) No unit movement is made
physically away from the Supply
Source (in hexes).
Exception: See sidebar regarding
Bardia-Ft. Capuzzo.
Withdrawing units cannot Engage
enemy forces (unless the latter are
Disrupted - see sidebar).
Withdrawals into/through hexes
containing Disrupted Enemy Units
Withdrawing units that are not Retreating
can Engage & Rout Disrupted enemy units.
Withdrawing units that are Retreating
(hence becoming Disrupted themselves)
can pass through (or co-exist in the same
hex with) enemy Disrupted units, with no
effect on either force. If Disrupted units of
both sides occupy the same hex, the first
Group to recover will Rout the other.
Withdrawals into Fortress Supply
Units assigned Fortress Supply (13.3) may
withdraw along a Supply Line leading to
the Fortress. Units theoretically capable
of tracing Supply to a Fortress but not
assigned Fortress Supply cannot do so.
Supply Lines for Withdrawal
Supply Lines for Withdrawal Moves are
defined at the moment of the Withdrawal.
Bardia-Ft Capuzzo Withdrawals
The Coast Highway ‘jogs’ backwards
slightly at Bardia/ Ft. Capuzzo. To allow
for this, the Axis player may consider
these two hexes to be equally distant from
the friendly Base. Withdrawals following
the highway in the direction of the
Axis Base are allowable in this special
case [only], even when the hex entered is
further from Base in absolute hexes.
Withdrawal Example
An Axis recon unit is in Mechili with two other Axis units in Msus and Charruba forming
Supply Chains to the highway (Benghazi friendly). No Allied units are west of Tobruk.
The Mechili unit has 8 valid supply lines to the highway:
1) Mechili-Msus-Agedabia
5) Mechili-Msus-Er Regima
2) Mechili-Msus-Beda Fomm
6) Mechili-Derna
3) Mechili-Msus-Ghemines
7) Mechili-Gazala
4) Mechili-Charruba-Er Regima
8) Mechili-Bir Harmat
The recon unit can Withdraw along any of the first 4 routes (none move physically away
from Base). The other 4 Supply Lines are not valid for Withdrawal Moves as they involve
movement physically away from Base.
6.0 UNIT MOVEMENT
The Unit Speed of a unit is the
number of hexes the unit can move.
Units can move freely through
friendly or empty hexes, but must
STOP upon Engaging (i.e., entering a
hex containing enemy units).
Units can never move more than
once per Player-Turn (except to Rout).
6.1 UNIT SPEED
The basic movement speed of all
units is shown on the UNIT SPEED
TABLE (sidebar). A unit may move 1-4
hexes (depending on its speed) plus
any applicable movement bonuses.
6.2 ROAD BONUSES
Roads include highways, tracks and
trails. Units moving entirely along
Roads receive movement bonuses:
• Highway
+4 hexes
• Tracks
+2 hexes
• Trails
+1 hex
To receive a Road Bonus, a unit
must start, remain on, and end its
move on some type of Road. When
two types of Road are used, the lesser
bonus applies.
6.3 ROMMEL BONUS
During every Axis Player-Turn
(except in 1940), the Axis player can
designate any one Group or Regroup
Move as a Rommel Move. All Axis
units involved in that move receive a
movement bonus of +1 hex (plus any
applicable Road Bonus).
6.4 FORCED MARCHES
The Active Player may attempt to
Force March units one hex past their
normal maximum range, at the risk of
Disruption (11.0).
After all Moves are complete, the
Active Player announces all Forced
March attempts (units and desired
destinations), and rolls one die each.
On a roll of 4, 5 or 6, the attempt
succeeds, and the unit moves the extra
hex. On a roll of 1, 2, or 3, the attempt
fails and the unit is Disrupted (in its
current hex if this was a Group Move
or in its original hex if a Regroup).
7.0 ENGAGEMENT
Entering a hex containing enemy
units is Engaging.
Entering a hex containing only
enemy units is Attacking (as well as
Engaging). See 8.2.
7.1 HEXSIDE LIMITS
There is a limit to the number of
units able to Engage enemy forces
across the same Hexside in a single
Movement phase.
For Clear terrain Hexsides, the
limit is two units per Movement phase
(i.e., six units could enter a battle hex
via three clear Hexsides).
For Gap or Mountain Road
Hexsides, the limit is one unit per
Movement phase.
Remember: Units can only cross
Mountain hexsides where a Road exists
and Ridges/Marshes through a Gap.
During the Blitz Movement Phase,
Hexside limits are reset: additional
units can Engage via Hexsides already
traversed.
7.2 DISENGAGEMENT
Units that leave a hex containing
enemy units are Disengaging (except
during Buildup, see 16.51). Units can
only Disengage through Friendly
Hexsides (8.1). Units that Disengage
are always Disrupted (11.0). Hexside
limits do not apply when Disengaging.
Disengaging units are turned
upright before moving out of a Battle
Hex and turned face-down (Disrupted)
after they finish movement. They
cannot re-engage this Player Turn.
When all friendly units Disengage
from a hex, it is a Full Retreat (10.3).
If some but not all friendly units
Disengage from a battle hex, it is
termed a Partial Retreat (10.4).
7.3 REVEALING UNITS
Units engaging into a Battle are
not revealed until all Movement is
complete. Once revealed, units remain
face-up until they Disengage or until
the battle ends.
UNIT SPEED
RECON
4
ARMOR
MOB. A/T
MECH. INF.
SELF PROP. ARTY
3
MOT. INF.
MOT. A/T
2
INFANTRY
PARA
ARTILLERY
1
Road Bonus Example
A Recon unit (speed 4) can move up to 8
hexes along the highway, 6 hexes along
tracks, and 5 hexes on trails.
The unit could move up to 5 hexes along a
combination of tracks and trails.
Road bonuses do apply in all types
of movement (including Retreats and
Redeployments).
The Rommel Bonus
The Rommel Bonus can only be used by
an active Axis player during Movement or
Blitz Movement (not both).
It cannot be used by a passive Axis player
for Withdrawal Moves to Refuse Battle or
Rout, or to Redeploy in Buildup.
Regrouping Forced Marches
Units may attempt a Forced March to the
destination hex of a Regroup Move, but
if unsuccessful they are Disrupted at their
original location (units that cannot Regroup
to the destination hex cannot move at all).
Forced Marches into Battle
Players cannot attempt to Force March into
engagements in excess of Hexside Limits
(anticipating that some units will fail to
arrive).
Retreat Forced Marches
Units failing a Forced March when making
a Retreat lose one step in addition to the
usual Disruption that always happens to
Disengaging units.
Retreat vs. Disengagement
Units Disengage; Groups Retreat.
8.0 BATTLES
A Battle is a hex containing units of
both sides, where combat can occur.
Battles are not necessarily resolved
immediately: they last until one side
Retreats [10.0] or is eliminated. Battles
can last through several Player Turns,
sometimes even lasting for Months.
8.1 BATTLE HEXSIDES
Each Hexside of a battle hex is
termed a Battle Hexside. Control of
Battle Hexsides determines Supply
Lines into battles and Disengagement
routes out of them.
A Battle Hexside is friendly to the
side whose units last engaged across it
(and this takes effect instantly).
A Hexside that neither side has
crossed is friendly to the Defender (8.3).
8.2 ATTACKS
Moving units into an enemy hex
(one containing solely enemy units) is
termed Attacking. Adding units to an
existing battle hex is not an Attack.
The Passive Player can respond to
an Attack either by accepting battle
or by Refusing Battle (8.4). If battle is
accepted, combat is mandatory that
turn (8.5).
Disrupted units that are Attacked
without friendly Undisrupted Shielding
units present are Routed (11.3).
8.3 ATTACKER & DEFENDER
The player who initiates a battle is
termed the Attacker in that Battle for as
long as it lasts. The other player is the
Defender. This distinction is important
because the Defender maintains
control of Battle Hexes for Supply
Line tracing purposes.
8.4 REFUSING BATTLE
Immediately upon the completion
of all enemy Moves (including Forced
Marches), the Passive Player has the
option to Refuse Combat and Retreat
Attacked Groups by Withdrawal Move
if possible (see 10.2).
The option to Refuse Combat is
not open to Groups already engaged
in Battles when Movement began.
8.5 BATTLE ARRAY
If battle is accepted, mark the
hex with a Battle Marker of the
Defender’s color and move the units
involved to a convenient location.
Small battles may be fought in the hex.
Players then arrange their units
in opposing Battle Lines (placing the
corresponding Battle Marker of the
Attacker’s color nearby).
Players now reveal their units by
turning them face-up, tipping forward
toward the enemy line, so that their
current CVs are oriented toward the
enemy line.
8.6 ACTIVE BATTLES
In a Combat phase, the Active
Player has the option to wage Combat
in any or all current battles. Battles
selected for Combat are termed Active
Battles.
Combat is mandatory in two
cases: these Battles must be fought in
that Combat phase:
• New Battles: combat is required
in the first Combat phase of a new
Battle.
• Fortress Battles: the Attacker
(but not the Defender) must wage
combat every Combat round when
engaged in a Fortress hex (except
during Blitz Combat).
Select Active Battles: Before
Combat begins, the Active Player
must indicate all the Battles in which
Combat is to occur by moving those
Battle Lines closer together, and
leaving other Battle Lines more
separated.
Select Assault Battles: During
Assault Turns, selected Battles may
be fought as Assault Battles. Before
Combat begins, the Active Player must
pre-indicate all Assault Battles by
placing one or more friendly units on
top of the defending line.
In Assault Battles, all units (both
Attacker and Defender) fire Double
Dice (9.21).
Refusing Battle: Disrupted Units
in the Group
When a Group containing Disrupted units
Refuses Battle, the Disrupted units are, of
course, unable to Withdraw, being unable
to move except to Rout.
First, the Undisrupted units suffer Pursuit
Fire and then execute a Withdrawal
Group Move. The Disrupted units are
now Unshielded and are therefore Routed,
suffering Rout Attrition and Pursuit Fire
from unfired Pursuing units (if any). If
they survive, they can then Withdraw as a
separate group.
Refusing Battle: Units in the
Group without a Supply Line
Since units without a Supply Line cannot
Withdraw, and Partial Retreat is not
allowed when Refusing Battle, a mixed
Group of units of which only some have a
Supply Line may not Refuse Battle.
This situation can arise when a group
is composed of units assigned Fortress
Supply and other units with no Supply Line
to Base.
Battle Arrays
The position of units in the line is
immaterial (though it helps to group units
by arms class).
Artillery units can be placed behind the
battle line to remind players that they can
only be targeted by enemy artillery (unless
unsupported).
Fortress Combat in Pass Turns
The Original Attacker must have combat
when Engaged in a Fortress. Yet no
Combat is allowed during a PASS TURN.
Therefore, if the original Attacker Passes
while engaged in a Fortress hex, he must
Retreat his forces from the Fortress hex by
Withdrawal Move. If this is not possible,
the active player's forces are Routed (see
13.2).
9.0 COMBAT
Once Active Battles are designated,
they are resolved one by one, in any
order chosen by the Active Player.
Each Combat phase involves one
Combat Round in each Active Battle, in
which each unit fires once. All firing in
one Battle must be completed before
proceeding to the next battle.
9.1 COMBAT ROUNDS
A Combat Round is executed in
each Active Battle as follows:
1) The Passive Player fires Defensive
Fire and losses are applied.
2) The Active Player fires Offensive
Fire and losses are applied.
9.2 UNIT FIRE
In Defensive or Offensive Fire, each
unit fires once in any desired order,
except that artillery must fire first.
To fire a unit, the firing player
indicates the unit firing and the Class
(armor/infantry/anti-tank/artillery)
being targeted, and rolls one die per
firing unit CV (3 dice for 3 CV units).
Depending on the unit’s Firepower
(9.4) versus the selected target Class,
certain numbers rolled score hits,
reducing the CV of enemy units in the
target Class.
9.21 DOUBLE DICE
In Assault Combat and Fortress
defense, units fire Double Dice, meaning
they roll twice the normal number of
dice (at normal Firepower).
9.3 TARGETING
Some unit classes must fire at their
enemy counterparts if present: Armor-
class units must fire at armor-class
units, if present. Similarly, infantry-
class units must fire at infantry-class
units, if present. Artillery and anti-tank
class units are not restricted in this
way. Only artillery can target enemy
artillery, unless no other class of target
unit is present. Target class must be
announced before firing a unit.
If all units of a required target
class are eliminated, unfired units may
fire at other target Classes.
9.4 FIREPOWER
The effectiveness of fire depends
on the Class of unit firing and its target.
Cross-referencing the firing unit's Class
and the target Class on the Fire Table
(see Map) shows fire effectiveness.
• "SF" stands for "single fire" and
scores one hit for every "6" rolled.
• "DF" (double fire) scores a hit for
every "5" or "6" rolled.
• "TF" (triple fire) scores a hit for
every "4", "5", or "6" rolled.
9.5 APPLYING LOSSES
For each hit scored by enemy fire, a
unit of the targeted Class is reduced by
1 CV (owner’s choice of exact unit).
Elite Units: All German units and
some Allied armor units are elite, with
2 CV per step. Two hits are necessary
to reduce them by a step. All hits on a
given arms Class must be applied if
possible but leftover hits at the end of
a combat round are wasted.
Within an arms class, the owning
player may allocate hits to individual
units as desired (except hits may only
be wasted if there is no alternative).
As hits are received, the owning
player provisionally allocates them to
units of the target class, only finalizing
this when all enemy fire is complete.
Single hits allocated to elite units are
indicated by rotating the unit 45º.
If sufficient hits are inflicted within
a combat round to eliminate all units
of a target Class, they are removed
from play which may affect subsequent
targeting and opponent fire.
9.52 DOUBLE DEFENSE
Double Defense applies to the
Defenders in a Minefield (14.2). Hits
scored on Minefield Defenders are
considered half-hits, and it requires two
half-hits to inflict a 1 CV loss.
Exception: Artillery fire is unaffected
by Minefields and scores full hits.
As for elite units, half-hits are
provisionally allocated to units within
the target class. At the end of a
Combat Round, leftover half-hits on a
given target class are wasted.
Unit Fire
A unit must fire all its CV simultaneously
at a single Target Class, and cannot switch
targets in a Combat Round, even if all
units of the Target Class are eliminated.
Unit Fire Example
Since no enemy armor is present, a 6 CV
armor unit fires on enemy infantry at fire
effectiveness of double fire (DF).
A dieroll of 4, 5, 1, 6, 3, 3 scores two hits.
Double Dice Unit Fire Example
A 3 CV Infantry unit defending a Fortress
rolls 6 dice (3 CV, doubled) for defensive
fire. Firepower remains the same (e.g., SF
when targeting enemy infantry).
Targeting Artillery
Artillery can only be targeted by enemy
artillery, unless no other Class of friendly
unit is present in the battle (Disrupted
units are ignored for targeting purposes).
Artillery unsupported by any other arms
Class is extremely vulnerable. All units
except artillery fire on unsupported enemy
artillery at Triple Fire.
Firepower Example
If enemy armor is present in a Battle, an
armor unit must target it at SF.
However, when no enemy armor is
present, the same armor unit can fire on
enemy infantry at DF.
Applying “Half Losses”
When all units of a given target class are
elite, leftover “odd” hits at the end of a
Combat Round will be wasted.
For example, if all Axis armor in a battle is
elite, and the Allies score 3 hits on enemy
armor in a combat round. Two hits are
applied to reduce a German armor unit by
one step and the leftover hit is wasted.
The same principle applies to units with
Double Defense in a Minefield.
Applying Losses to Mixed Groups
When a target class is a mix of elite and
normal units, all hits must be applied.
Example: Three armor hits are scored in
a combat round where there are both elite
and normal armor targets. Either 2 hits are
applied to elite armor and 1 hit to normal,
or all 3 hits are applied to normal armor.
Players should apply hits provisionally.
For instance, a 1 CV unit hit by enemy fire
should not be removed from play until the
end of the combat round since an ensuing
2nd hit may have to be applied to an elite
double-step unit instead.
10.0 RETREATS
Disengaging (7.2) all units from a
Battle Hex is a Full Retreat (10.3). If
some, but not all, units Disengage it
is a Partial Retreat (10.4). Units that
Disengage are always Disrupted (11.0).
Voluntary Retreats can occur
when Refusing Battle (10.2) by Group
Withdrawal Move, or by a Group or
Regroup Move during a Player Turn
(including by Withdrawal Move during a
PASS TURN).
Involuntary Retreats occur when
Disrupted units are Routed (11.3). A
routed unit makes a Withdrawal Move.
Important: Disrupted (11.0) units
cannot move except to Rout (11.3).
10.1 RETREAT ROUTES
Units can only Disengage through
friendly Battle Hexsides (8.1) into
friendly or empty hexes, never directly
into an enemy or battle hex. They may
then continue to move as normal, but
may not re-engage this Player Turn.
Units forced to Disengage but
unable to do so are eliminated.
10.2 REFUSING BATTLE
Immediately following all enemy
Movement, the Passive Player may
Refuse Battle by Retreating all units of
any Groups just Attacked (8.2) by
Withdrawal Move (5.3). Regroup Moves
or Partial Retreats to Refuse Battle are
not allowed. As usual, the retreating
units are subject to Pursuit Fire and
become Disrupted. When Refusing
Battle, units are not revealed.
10.3 FULL RETREATS
The Active Player may voluntarily
Retreat all units from existing battles
by Group or Regroup Move (including
by Withdrawal Move 5.3). Retreating
Groups are subject to Pursuit Fire (10.5)
and become Disrupted (11.0).
Refuse Battle Procedure
1) The Passive Player announces his intent
to Refuse Battle, leaving units upright in
the Battle Hex (not revealed).
2) The Active Player conducts Pursuit Fire
against Retreating units, saving fire for
Routs as desired. Pursuing units are not
revealed either.
3) The Passive Player moves surviving
units by Withdrawal Group Move.
4) Any Disrupted units remaining are
Routed (11.3) and subject to Pursuit Fire
by unfired units.
Full Retreat Procedure
1) The Active Player moves all other
units, announces the Retreat and turns
Retreating units upright in the battle hex.
2) The Passive Player conducts Pursuit Fire
against Retreating units.
3) The Active Player moves surviving
Retreating units according to the Group or
Regroup Moves underway.
4) Any Disrupted units remaining in the
Retreat hex are Routed (11.3) and subject
to Pursuit Fire by unfired units.
Partial Retreat Procedure
1) The Active Player moves all other units,
announces the Partial Retreat and turns
Disengaging units upright in the Battle
Hex.
2) The Passive Player may initiate Probe
Combat. If the Rearguard is eliminated by
Probe Combat, the Partial Retreat becomes
a full Retreat. Continue with Retreat
Procedure above, starting with 2).
Reversed Roles in Probe Combat
If Rearguard units are Original Defenders,
they receive any Fortress and Minefield
defensive benefits (Probing units do not).
Pursuit Deception
Pursuit Fire for some units may be
withheld to disguise the nature of the
Group. Or, because each unit can only fire
once, a player may reserve the fire from
some Pursuing units for enemy Disrupted
units about to be Routed.
Pursuit Fire in a Combat Phase
Pursuit Fire can occur during a Combat
phase when Disrupted units in a Battle
Hex are Routed after elimination of all
friendly Shielding units (11.11). Only units
that have not yet fired in combat may
conduct Pursuit Fire.
10.4 PARTIAL RETREATS
Partial Retreats involve Disengaging
some but not all units from a battle.
Partial Retreats can never be made
by Withdrawal Move: they require the
expenditure of a Supply Card. Partial
Retreats may avoid Pursuit Fire.
After completing all other
Movement, turn the Disengaging
units upright. All Undisrupted
units remaining in the Battle are the
Rearguard. The Rearguard must survive
a round of Probe Combat to protect the
Disengaging units from Pursuit Fire.
Important: When making a Partial
Retreat you cannot initiate Combat in
that Battle during the same Player Turn.
10.41 PROBE COMBAT
Before units making a Partial
Retreat actually move, the Passive
Player may provoke a round of Probe
Combat (no Supply Card expenditure
required).
In Probe Combat the Offensive/
Defensive roles are reversed: first the
Active Player’s Rearguard unit(s) fire
Defensive Fire, then the Passive Player
returns Offensive Fire (see sidebar).
If all enemy Rearguard units are
eliminated, unfired Probing units may
immediately conduct Pursuit Fire (10.5)
against the upright Disengaging
units (treated as a Group). Surviving
units then resume their Disengage
move. If the Passive Player declines
Probe Combat or the Rearguard is not
eliminated by it, the Disengaging units
are not exposed to Pursuit Fire (10.5).
10.5 PURSUIT FIRE
Groups that Retreat for any reason
must take Pursuit Fire. Pursuit Firepower
is based on Unit Speed.
The Retreating player announces the
speed of his slowest Retreating unit.
The pursuing player then rolls one die
for each equally-fast unit in the [former]
battle hex, and two dice for each faster
unit. Slower units cannot pursue.
One hit is scored for each dieroll
of 4, 5, or 6. The Retreating player
must immediately apply losses to any
Retreating units as desired as per 9.5.
11.0 DISRUPTION
Units become Disrupted if they:
• Disengage from a battle (7.2),
• Refuse battle (10.2),
• Are Unsupplied (12.1) during both
the Initial & Final Supply Checks, or
• Fail a Forced March (6.4).
To indicate Disrupted status, turn
units face-down on the map (tip back
toward the owner to preserve CV).
Units can remain Disrupted
indefinitely, but are eliminated if
Unsupplied (12.1) at the end of a
month.
11.1 DISRUPTION EFFECTS
Disruption has temporary, but
severe effects. Disrupted units cannot:
• Move (except to Rout)
• Impede enemy movement (they
Rout immediately if Attacked)
• Fire or absorb hits in Combat
• Form part of friendly Supply Chains
• Block enemy Supply Lines
• Redeploy or Return to Base during
Buildup (see 16.5)
11.11 DISRUPTED UNITS IN BATTLE
Disrupted units that are Engaged
are immediately Routed (11.3) unless
Shielded by friendly Undisrupted units
in the same hex.
Even if Shielded, Disrupted units
take no part in battles (place them
face-down behind the battle lines),
Disrupted units cannot recover
while enemy units remain in the hex,
but may do so once the battle is won
(no enemy units remain in the hex).
Disrupted units Rout immediately once
no Shielding units remain.
11.2 DISRUPTION RECOVERY
Disrupted units Recover during
the Initial Supply Check of a friendly
Player-Turn, provided that they:
• Are not in a Battle Hex,
• Have a Supply Line, and
• Have spent one complete enemy
Player-Turn Disrupted (i.e., they do
not recover if they Refused Battle or
Routed in the previous enemy turn).
11.3 ROUT
Disrupted units in a battle hex
without Undisrupted friendly Shielding
units are Routed. This can occur if:
• Disrupted units are Attacked alone
(i.e., not Shielded).
• Disrupted units become alone in a
battle hex after all friendly Shielding
units Disengage or are eliminated.
When a Rout occurs, its effects
(below) are resolved immediately,
interrupting the normal flow of play.
All Routed units must (in order):
• Lose one step of Rout Attrition
• Suffer Pursuit Fire (10.5)
• Retreat by Withdrawal Group
Move, and they are eliminated if
unable to do so)
• Become Disrupted again
11.4 OVERRUN
An Overrun occurs when one or
more units enter a hex containing
Unshielded enemy Disrupted units
(hexside limits apply), Routing the
Disrupted units. All Overrunning units
must stop in the attacked hex, moving
no further that turn.
Although a single Attacking unit
can Rout a Disrupted enemy group,
the Active Player may elect to Attack
with multiple units to increase his
Pursuit Fire during Rout resolution.
Once all Attacking units have
entered the hex, movement is
interrupted to resolve the Rout.
After resolving the Rout, the
Active Player may still have other
units qualified to move (as part of
Group or Regrouping Moves already
underway), but as yet unmoved.
These units may then complete their
Movement, including passing through
the Overrun hex now vacated of
enemy units.
Multiple overruns can occur in the
same Player Turn.
Units Disrupted in Enemy Turns
Units that have become Disrupted are
only able recover after spending an entire
enemy Player Turn Disrupted.
This means units that become Disrupted
during an enemy Player Turn (by Refusing
Battle or being Routed) remain Disrupted
through the upcoming friendly Player-
Turn and the next enemy Player-Turn,
becoming able to recover only in the
second friendly Player-Turn following
Disruption.
Routs
When Unshielded (11.11) Disrupted units
are Attacked, they are Routed.
Routs also occur when the Rearguard in a
Partial Retreat is eliminated while Shielding
friendly Disrupted units.
Combat Phase Routs
When Disrupted units are Routed in a
Combat phase due to elimination of all
friendly Shielding units in that Battle Hex,
only enemy units that have not yet fired in
that combat round may conduct Pursuit
Fire.
Final Supply Check Routs
If units Engaged in battle become
Disrupted due to lack of a Supply Line,
they are immediately eliminated, since
units without a Supply Line cannot
Withdraw.
Overruns
In an OFFENSIVE TURN, units from both
moving Groups may participate in the
same Rout and/or Overrun (as they share
the same MOVEMENT phase).
Overrun Procedure
1) The Active Player moves one or more
units into a hex containing solely enemy
Disrupted units, and announces the Rout.
2) All Disrupted units in the Attacked hex
lose one step of Rout Attrition.
3) The Active Player executes Pursuit Fire
(10.5) against the Disrupted units.
4) The Passive Player must now Retreat
surviving units by Withdrawal Group
Move, if possible. If not, they are
eliminated.
5) The Active Player now moves all
unmoved units that are eligible to move as
part of the Group/Regroup Moves already
underway. These units my move into or
through the Overrun hex just vacated by
Routed enemy units.
12.0 SUPPLY
Units in play are either Supplied or
Unsupplied, depending on whether or
not they had a Supply Line during the
latest friendly Supply Check.
To be Supplied, a unit must be able
to trace a Supply Line to a friendly
Supply Source. This is normally the
friendly Base, but a limited number of
units may also trace Supply Lines to a
Fortress (13.0). Oases also have very
limited Supply capability (see 15.1).
12.1 UNSUPPLIED UNITS
Units that cannot trace a Supply
Line during friendly Supply Checks
are Unsupplied. Being Unsupplied
causes no immediate harm (unlike
Disruption). Unsupplied units can
move, impede enemy moves, Engage
or Attack, form or cut Supply Lines,
capture Fortresses and Bases, etc.
However, units judged Unsupplied
during the Initial Supply Check and
still Unsupplied at the Final Supply
Check become Disrupted (11.0).
12.2 SUPPLY LINES
A Supply Line is a continuous line
of hexes leading from a unit to a
friendly Supply Source.
Supply Sources: The main Supply
Source for each side is its Base (El
Agheila or Alexandria), which can
Supply any number of friendly units.
Fortresses can also act as Supply
Sources for a limited number of
units (13.3). Oases can Supply one
unit, see 15.1.
Supply Lines are determined by
the position of friendly units on
the board at the time of the Supply
Check. They can be any length and
are composed of sections of Highway
and/or Supply Chains of friendly units.
Units can have multiple Supply Lines.
Supply Lines can pass through
friendly hexes, empty hexes, and
Battle Hexes where the friendly side
is the Defender (Friendly Battles). They
cannot pass through enemy hexes,
enemy Battles (enemy Defender), or
through impassable Hexsides.
12.3 HIGHWAY SUPPLY
The coastal Highway normally forms
a Supply Line for either side. Any stretch
of Highway that is not blocked by enemy
units automatically forms a valid Supply
Line. A Supply Line may be composed of
several stretches of highway connected
by one or more Supply Chains.
12.4 SUPPLY CHAINS
Off highway, Supply Lines are
composed of Supply Chains which are a
series of spaced friendly units, each within
a specified distance (Supply Range) of
another member of the Supply Chain, and
with at least one unit of the chain within
Supply Range of a Supplied Highway or
Fortress. Supply Range varies with Road
quality as follows:
• Tracks: 3 hexes (2 hexes intervening)
• Trails: 2 hexes (1 hex intervening)
• No Road: every hex (units must be
adjacent via passable terrain)
• If different types of Road are used, the
lesser Supply Range applies.
A single unit can contribute to several
Supply Chains. Engaged units can form
Supply Chains but Disrupted units cannot.
12.5 SUPPLY INTO BATTLES
Both sides can trace Supply Lines into
a Battle Hex. Supply Lines into Battle
Hexes must pass through friendly Battle
Hexsides. Battle Hexsides are friendly to
the side that last crossed them (but see
below), and control changes instantly.
Hexsides not crossed by either player are
friendly to the Original Defender.
The Original Defender can trace
Supply Lines through a Battle Hex. The
Attacker can only trace Supply Lines into
Battle Hexes (through friendly hexsides).
Raiders: Unsupplied units cannot
regain a Supply Line or make a Hexside
friendly by entering a Battle via an Enemy
Hexside. If the Hexside of entry remains
enemy after all movement, mark the
unit with a Raider marker. Raiders are
considered to remain behind enemy lines
isolated from friendly Supply.
Raiders fight normally but become
Disrupted (Final Supply Check) if supply is
not re-established (e.g., the Battle is won).
Supply Chains
Supply Chains do not "project" from a
unit into the surrounding area, they can
only connect to a friendly unit to the next
unit in the chain or to the Highway.
Disrupted units cannot help form Supply
Chains or block Supply Lines.
A Supply Chain cannot be traced from
a unit back to itself (e.g., in a loop along
Roads). Hexes containing only Disrupted
units are considered empty hexes for
Supply Chain purposes..
Disrupted Unit Supply
Although Disrupted units cannot be used
to form Supply Chains, they themselves
can trace supply to any Supply Lines
within Supply Range.
Supply Check Timing Implications
Unsupplied units suffer no immediate
penalty, but must have a Supply Line
(or Fortress/Oasis Supply) at the Final
Supply Check to avoid Disruption
(11.0). Establishing a temporary Supply
Line during the turn will not save an
Unsupplied unit from Disruption, it must
have a Supply Line at the Final Supply
Check.
Therefore, Supplied units can interdict
enemy Supply Lines by moving to an
Unsupplied location deep in the enemy
rear without immediate ill effect (having
been Supplied at the Initial Supply
Check). Even if they remain Unsupplied,
these units will not become Disrupted
until the end of their next friendly
Player-Turn.
But in the meantime, enemy units that
become Unsupplied as a result are more
immediately threatened with Disruption.
To avoid Disruption, they must recover
a Supply Line by the end of their Player
Turn, which comes first.
Note that units can move to Unsupplied
locations on one Player Turn, and
return to a Supplied location in the next,
without becoming Disrupted.
Disrupted Unsupplied units that fail a
Final Supply check suffer no additional
effect. Units that are still Unsupplied
when a Month of play ends are
eliminated and removed from play.
12.6 SUPPLY NETWORK
The sum of all current friendly
Supply Lines is termed the Supply
Network. When a unit has several valid
Supply Lines, all of them contribute
to the friendly Supply Network.
It is entirely possible for a hex to
be in the Supply Networks of both
players simultaneously. Opposing
Supply Networks may overlap without
affecting either side.
12.7 SUPPLY CHECKS
• INITIAL SUPPLY CHECK:
• Check for valid Supply Lines.
Determine friendly Battle Hexes
and Battle Hexsides. Check for
Supply Status of friendly units.
• Place Unsupplied markers on
Unsupplied units and remove
markers from Supplied units.
• Mark Fortress Supplied units with
a Fortress Supply marker.
• Disruption Recovery:
• Friendly units that have spent
a complete enemy turn
Disrupted but are now Supplied
and unengaged revert to their
normal, Undisrupted state (turn
upright).
• FINAL SUPPLY CHECK:
• Check for valid Supply Lines.
Determine friendly Battle Hexes and
Battle Hexsides. Check for Supply
Status of friendly units.
• Remove Unsupplied markers from
any units now in Supply.
• Disrupt all units marked Unsupplied
that still have no Supply Line.
• Immediately Rout newly Disrupted
units in Battle Hexes without
friendly Shielding units.
Note: Temporarily re-establishing a
Supply Line to an Unsupplied unit
during the turn will not save it from
Disruption if it is Unsupplied in the
Final Supply Check.
• BUILDUP SUPPLY CHECK:
• Check for valid Supply Lines.
Determine the Supply Network of
each player: these remain in effect
without change throughout Buildup.
• Determine the Supply Status of all
units of both sides.
• Eliminate any Unsupplied units.
• Remove markers for those units now
Supplied.
• Recover all Supplied, Unengaged
Disrupted units (turn upright).
Two More Supply Examples:
A) An Allied recon unit moves behind the
Axis line and cuts the Highway at Gazala,
isolating all Axis forces to the east. During
his next turn, the Axis player moves units
to Mechili and to Bir Harmat.
These moves re-establish the Highway east
from Bir Harmat as an Axis Supply Source
because a Supply Chain exists around the
blocking unit at Gazala.
The unit at Bir Harmat chains three hexes
along the track to the unit at Mechili which
chains two hexes along the trail to the
Supplied Highway at Derna. No chaining
unit is required at Derna.
B) Allied units are holding out in Benghazi
after main Axis forces have advanced far
to the east to Gazala. The Axis player has
some units in the Benghazi hex, attacking
the Fortress. As the Attacker, the Axis
player cannot trace supply through the
Benghazi hex so the Highway is blocked at
that point for the units at Gazala.
However, an Axis unit at Er Regima would
re-establish the Highway as an Axis Supply
Source for the units at Gazala by creating a
Supply Chain around Benghazi.
This is because the unit at Er Regima can
chain two hexes along the trail/track to
the Supplied Highway at Ghemines. No
chaining unit is necessary at Ghemines.
SUPPLY EXAMPLE
Alexandria lies off the map to the east. Allied unit [A] is Supplied
along the Coast Highway. Unit [B] is Supplied along the track (3
hexes) to Mersa Matruh on the coast highway. Other units (not
shown on the map) located a further three hexes south at Siwa
Oasis would trace a supply line through [B], although one of them
would be in supply from the Oasis anyway. Unit [C] is Supplied
along a trail (2 hexes) to Sidi Barrani on the Coast Highway. Unit
[D] is Supplied because it is adjacent to [C].
Unit [E] is Unsupplied. It is located in the open desert and it is not
adjacent to a Supplied unit. Although it is adjacent to the Coast
Highway (which is usually sufficient to trace a supply line), it is not
allowed to trace a supply line through the impassable ridge to the
north.
If Axis unit [1] were to move east two hexes and occupy Sofafi,
Allied units [C] and [D] would be Unsupplied at the beginning of
the next Allied Player-Turn. Axis unit [2] must remain at Sidi Omar
to keep Allied unit [D] from being Supplied via Sollum. Allied units
[C] and [D] would have to establish new supply lines in that turn to
avoid Disruption.
13.0 FORTRESSES
Benghazi, Tobruk,
and Bardia are Fortresses.
Special Combat and Supply
rules apply to Fortresses.
Fortresses also act as a ports and
Fortress Supply Sources for the side
that controls them.
13.1 FORTRESS CONTROL
Fortresses are initially controlled
according to the Initial Deployment
areas given at the Scenario start.
Fortress control changes only
by Fortress Capture (see 13.4). An
unoccupied Fortress is friendly to the
last owner. It is still an empty hex and
cannot block Supply Lines.
13.2 FORTRESS BATTLES
Defensive Double Dice: In a
Fortress, Defending units (except for
armor-class units) fire Double Dice on
Defensive Fire. This advantage is lost
if the Defender initiates combat.
Mandatory Combat: In Fortress
battles, the Attacker must initiate
combat during his own Player-Turn.
(Combat is optional for the defender).
Exception: Fortress combat is not
mandatory during Blitz Combat
13.3 FORTRESS SUPPLY
Fortress Supply Capacity. A
Fortress with no land Supply Line to
Base is Isolated. An Isolated Fortress
can be used as a Supply Source for a
limited number of friendly units based
on its Port Capacity (the numbers
inside hexagons).
The Port Capacity for the Axis is
the first number and the Allied Port
Capacity is the second. For example:
The Port Capacity of Tobruk is 5
Allied or 2 Axis units.
During each Initial Supply Check,
the Active Player may assign available
Fortress Supply capacity. Units inside
the Fortress must receive first priority
on Fortress Supply. Other units that
can trace a Supply Line to the Fortress
may be assigned any remaining
available capacity, but units nearest
the Fortress must receive first
priority for Fortress Supply. Mark units
assigned Fortress Supply with markers.
Fortress Supply assignments last
throughout that entire Player Turn:
and cannot be negated or switched
to another unit. Units using Fortress
Supply must trace Supply Lines (and
Withdrawal routes) back towards the
Fortress.
Similarly, friendly forces not
assigned Fortress Supply cannot trace
Supply Lines or Withdraw towards the
Fortress (even if located in the same
hex as Fortress Supplied units).
If the full Supply Capacity of a
Fortress is not utilized in the Initial
Supply Check, additional units may be
assigned Fortress Supply in the Final
Supply Check (within its capacity).
13.4 FORTRESS CAPTURE
Fortress control changes only
when Undisrupted enemy units have
sole occupation at the end of a Player-
Turn. Passing through a Fortress
during Movement is not sufficient.
Captured Supply: If a Fortress
is captured, the new owner receives
bonus Supply Cards in the following
Buildup. The number of cards awarded
is equal to enemy Port Capacity.
Example: The Axis player would
receive two (2) bonus Supply Cards
for capturing Benghazi, but the Allied
player would receive only one (1).
Captured Supply is never awarded
more than once per month for each
Fortress.
13.5 BESIEGED FORTRESSES
A Fortress is besieged if any hex
adjacent to it contains enemy units (is
an enemy hex or battle hex).
Besieging a Fortress affects Sea
Redeployment cost (16.53).
Besieging Tobruk can be important
to Victory (17.0).
Fortress Combat in Pass Turns
If the Attacker in a Fortress Battle takes
a Pass Turn (e.g., due to lack of supply),
Fortress Attackers must Disengage by
Withdrawal Move (5.3), subject to all
Disengagement and Retreat rules. If
unable to Withdraw during a Pass Turn,
the Fortress Attackers are Routed (11.3).
Captured Supply
If a Fortress is captured but recaptured by
the original owner in the same month, no
bonus supply is awarded.
If captured, recaptured and then captured
again, all in the same month, the capturer
receives bonus supply just once.
Fortress Supply Assignment in
Final Supply Check Example
The Allied player starts his Player-Turn
with two units tracing supply to Tobruk
(capacity 5), and has four other units
unable to trace a Supply Line to Base. If
those four units move so that, at the end of
the turn, they can trace Supply to Tobruk,
then three of those units will be Supplied,
and only the unit with the longest Supply
Line from the Fortress will become
Disrupted (owner's choice among equally
distant units).
However, players may not deliberately
withhold Supply from units inside the
Fortress. In the example above, the Allies
can not leave one of their two units
in Tobruk Unsupplied in the INITIAL
SUPPLY CHECK, in order to Supply all
four of the other units in the final check.
Port Capacity
Axis
Allies
El Agheila
no limit
n/a
Alexandria
n/a
no limit
Tobruk
2
5
Bardia
1
2
Benghazi
1
2
Older Maps: In previous editions, the
map showed only Allied Port Capacity;
Axis Port Capacity is one-half this
number, rounded down.
Fortress Assault Battles
Most units attacked in a Fortress with an
Assault Battle fire defensively at Quadruple
Dice. The exception is armor-Class units
which fire defensively at Double Dice.
14.0 MINEFIELDS
During Buildup, Minefields can
be secretly built in unengaged hexes
within the friendly Supply Network
(12.6).
Minefields are impartial and may
be used by enemy forces if captured.
14.1 BUILDING MINEFIELDS
To build a Minefield during
Buildup, secretly note the desired
location on the Game Record Sheet
(use a named location or a direction
and distance from one, e.g., “El
Alamein SW1”).
Building a Minefield costs 15 BPs
(16.3), so it may be necessary to save
BPs to afford one. Also, two existing
Minefields can be dismantled to build
a new one (see 15.55).
14.2 MINEFIELD EFFECTS
Undefended Minefields have no
movement or combat effect. If entered
by enemy units, they must be revealed
at the end of the Movement phase.
Defended Minefields do not affect
Movement but have a major effect on
Combat. Minefields are not revealed
until the end of the Movement phase.
In Minefield hexes, the Defender
has Double Defense (9.52), meaning
that Offensive Fire by Attacking units
only scores half-hits.
Exception: Artillery fire is unaffected
by Minefields and scores full hits on
defenders.
It takes two half-hits to reduce a
defending unit by 1 CV. As for elite
units, leftover half-hits may be wasted.
Example: Four (4) half-hits are
required to reduce an elite unit
defending a Minefield by one step.
The defensive advantage of a
Minefield is lost if the Defender
initiates combat (defending units are
considered to have moved out of their
"prepared positions" to counterattack).
In this case, both sides take normal
losses in Combat.
15.0 OASES
Jalo, Jarabub and Siwa
are Oases.
15.1 OASIS SUPPLY
Oases cannot act as Supply
Sources: units outside Oases cannot
trace Supply to them (as Fortresses).
A single unit in a friendly Oasis hex,
however, is Supplied.
During the Initial Supply Check,
one unit occupying each Oasis
must be assigned Oasis Supply. As
for Fortress Supply, this cannot be
canceled or switched to a different
unit during that Player Turn (unless
this unit is eliminated).
Units actually in the Oasis
must receive first priority on Oasis
Supply. Players cannot, for example,
deliberately withhold Oasis Supply
from a unit in an Oasis in the Initial
Supply Check in order to apply it to a
unit arriving at the Oasis later in the
same Player-Turn.
If no unit was assigned Oasis
Supply in the Initial Supply Check,
Oasis Supply may be assigned to a
unit in the Oasis at the Final Supply
Check.
In Oasis battles only the defending
unit receives Oasis Supply; Enemy
units need an external supply line.
Units occupying Oases can form
part of a Supply Chain as normal.
Elite Units in Minefields
Example: An elite unit defending in a
Minefield hex loses 1 step after it has taken
a total of 4 hits.
Example 2: Because artillery is not
affected by a minefield, the defending
elite unit in the first example would lose
1 step if it takes 1 hit from artillery and
2 hits from other unit classes in the same
Combat Phase.
16.0 BUILDUP
Each game Month begins with
Buildup (except the first, which is
factored into starting conditions).
Exception: The Gazala Scenario
does begin with a modified Buildup.
Buildup consists of the following
phases, taken in the order shown:
Advance Month
Buildup Supply check
BP Determination
First Player Buildup
Reinforcements
BP Expenditure
Replacements & Redeployments
Minefield Construction
Allocate BPs for Extra Supply
Resupply (draw all cards at once)
Monthly Resupply
Extra Supply (allocated above)
Bonus Supply (Fortress Capture)
Second Player Buildup
(repeat player 1 procedure)
16.1 ADVANCE MONTH
During this Phase, advance the
turn marker to the next game month.
16.2 SUPPLY CHECK
• Check for valid Supply Lines.
Determine the Supply Network
of each player: these apply
unchanged throughout Buildup.
• Determine the Supply status of all
units of both sides.
• Eliminate any Unsupplied units.
• Remove "Unsupplied" markers for
those units currently Supplied.
• Recover all Supplied, unengaged
Disrupted units (turn upright).
16.3 BUILDUP POINT
DETERMINATION (BPs)
Each player rolls two dice (2d6).
(Exception: in the 1940 Campaign,
each player rolls one die). The total of
all four dice is the number of Buildup
Points received by each player.
Example: if one player’s dice roll is
"9" and the other player’s is "7", each
player receives 16 BPs.
The player that rolled the lower
total is Player 1 for Buildup. If tied, the
Allied player is Player 1.
Each player determines current
Total BPs available (new BPs for this
month plus those previously Saved)
and records this on his Game Record
Sheet.
16.4 REINFORCEMENTS
Reinforcements are new units that
arrive in play during a game. They
arrive in the friendly Base during
Buildup at no cost in BPs.
All Reinforcement units have an
expected Month of arrival, as noted
on their labels, but may arrive one
month earlier (see below).
16.41 EARLY ARRIVAL
Reinforcement units either arrive
in the game month indicated on their
counter label (2/3rds chance) or one
month early (1/3rd chance).
All Reinforcement units scheduled
for the current month that have not
already arrived early arrive on time
and are deployed in the friendly Base.
Any Reinforcements scheduled for
the next game Month are checked for
Early Arrival. The owner rolls one die
for each such unit in turn, keeping its
identity hidden.
1-2: Early Arrival. Unit arrives in
Base immediately.
3-6: Scheduled Arrival. Unit
arrives next Buildup on schedule.
16.5 SPENDING BPS
Buildup Points can be spent on
the following in any order:
• Redeployments (16.51)
• Replacements (16.54)
• Minefields (14.1)
• Extra Supply Cards (10 BPs each)
Players can also Save a maximum
of 20 BPs for future expenditure.
Excess unspent BPs are lost.
Note: Use the Game Record Sheet
to record your own BP expenditures.
If both players agree, opponent
expenditures may also be tracked (see
sidebar).
Early Arrival: First & Last Months
Units can never arrive early in the first or
last month of a Scenario.
No Buildup occurs in first Month of play.
Units cannot arrive early in the last Month
of a Scenario as that would affect Victory
unit counts.
Early Arrival Example
During Month 2 Buildup (May 1941), all
four (4) Allied Month 2 Reinforcements
arrive (none can have arrived early in the
first month of the Scenario).
The four (4) Axis Month 3 Reinforcements
are then each checked for early arrival.
Reinforcements to an Engaged Base
If a Base is engaged, Reinforcements
cannot arrive there, but must wait off
board near Base. They are considered a
single Group located one hex directly east
/ west of the friendly Base.
In a subsequent Player Turn, they can only
enter the Base by normal Group Move.
There are no Hexside limits to enter the
Base from this offboard area.
Game Record Sheet
During Buildup, players note BPs Received,
Available, Spent, and Saved, and how BPs
are spent on Redeployments, Rebuilds, and
Extra Supply cards.
❒ Divulging BP Expenditures
Upon request, you must divulge to
your opponent the number of:
• BPs Saved (from previous Months),
• Redeployments/ BPs spent,
• Steps Rebuilt/ BPs spent,
• BPs spent for Extra Supply,
• BPs spent for Minefields (location is
not divulged).
Players can also record enemy steps
rebuilt on their Game Record Sheet.
If enemy losses have been noted
during play, the two can be reconciled
to help prevent errors in unit strength
and/or disputes.
16.51 REDEPLOYMENT
During Buildup, units can be moved
individually using Redeployments.
One Redeployment consists of
moving a unit two hexes plus all
applicable Road Bonuses (the Rommel
Bonus is not applicable). Each
Redeployment costs 1 BP.
Example: For 1 BP, any unit can
Redeploy 6 hexes along the Coast
Highway.
A unit can be Redeployed as many
times as desired during Buildup, as long
as there are sufficient BPs.
Units being Redeployed must
remain at all times within the friendly
Supply Network (and may not enter the
enemy Supply Network where Supply
Networks overlap).
Units may never Redeploy into
or through Battle Hexes. Units may
Redeploy out of Battle Hexes provided
at least one friendly unit remains
behind. (This is not considered
Disengagement or Partial Retreat and
none of their adverse effects apply).
16.52 RETURN FOR REFIT
Instead of Redeploying to Base,
undisrupted units can Return for
Refit at no cost but then become
unavailable to receive Replacements or
for any other use for one Month until
the next Buildup.
Units being returned to Base for
Refit must follow an overland (not
sea) route within the friendly Supply
Network. The Active Player should
indicate the route.
Place such units off-board near the
Base, face-down (tip backwards to
maintain current CV). At the start of
the next Buildup, Refitted units recover
(turn upright and place in Base),
and may then receive Replacements
and Redeploy normally. (If Base is
engaged at this point, treat as for
Reinforcements).
16.53 SEA REDEPLOYMENT
Fortresses and Bases are also Ports.
Units can Redeploy by sea between
controlled Ports (13.1).
Sea Redeployment costs 1 BP per
unit, regardless of distance, provided
that neither the departing or arrival
Port is besieged (13.5).
If either Port is besieged, Sea
Redeployment costs the Allies 4 BPs
and is prohibited for the Axis. Sea
Redeployment between two besieged
ports is never allowed.
The maximum number of unit
embarkations/debarkations allowed
per Fortress during a single BUILDUP
is limited to its Port Capacity (13.3).
Bases have unlimited Port Capacity.
Sea Redeployments and land
Redeployments can be combined.
16.54 REPLACEMENTS
Eliminated units are permanently
lost, but damaged units can regain CV
by receiving Replacements in Base.
Replacement costs: The sidebar
table shows BP costs to increase a unit
by 1 CV. Elite units cost twice this
amount for a 2 CV step. Units may
receive multiple Replacement steps if
there are sufficient BPs.
16.55 BUILDING MINEFIELDS
During Buildup, players may spend
15 BPs to build a hidden Minefield
in any hex within the friendly Supply
Network (not in battle hexes).
The desired location is secretly
noted on the Game Record Sheet. (For
hexes with no named location, use a
direction and distance in hexes from
one, such as "Alamein SW2".)
Two Minefields within the friendly
Supply Network may be secretly
dismantled, to enable a one new one
to be built immediately at no cost.
16.6 RESUPPLY
Collect all Supply Cards spent
during the previous month (plus any
dummy cards players may wish to
discard) and return them to the deck.
Shuffle the deck and deal the
monthly allotment of Supply Cards
to each player (as per Scenario
instructions, adding any Bonus Supply
(13.4) and Extra Supply purchased
during Buildup. A player can never
have more than 16 Supply Cards.
Redeployment
Units can Redeploy to Base, receive
Replacements (16.54) and then Redeploy
again back to the front (but Redeploying
units cannot enter battle hexes).
Newly arrived Reinforcements can be
immediately Redeployed.
Units can be Redeployed to any hex within
the friendly supply network (as determined
at the start of Buildup), even if this has
the result of incidentally expanding the
Supply Network by creating additional
Supply Lines. This expansion of the Supply
Network cannot be applied during the
current Buildup.
Redeployment Example
In a single Buildup, the Axis can
Redeploy a unit out of a battle by road to
Tobruk, Redeploy it by sea to Base, add
Replacements there, Redeploy it by sea
back to Tobruk and then by road again
toward the front (but it could not enter a
Battle Hex).
Port Capacity Example
Assuming Tobruk is not besieged, the
Allies could move two units into and three
units out of it in a single Buildup, at a cost
of 5 BPs. The Axis could only move one
unit in and one unit out at a cost of 2 BPs.
Supply Cards
Players are obliged to reveal the total
number of Supply Cards [real plus dummy]
in their hands. However, the number of
real vs. dummy cards should remain a
carefully guarded secret.
BP COSTS PER CV
Armor & Recon
3
Anti-Tank (all)
3
Artillery (all)
3
Mech & Motor Infantry
2
Leg Infantry & Para
1
Elite Units cost double to increase one
step of 2 CV.
Minefields
15
Extra Supply Card
10
17.0 VICTORY CONDITIONS
The game ends when the stated
number of Months for that Scenario
(18.0) have been completed.
Listed below in descending order
are Levels of Victory that apply to all
Scenarios. Higher Levels of Victory
overrule lower ones.
Victory Points (VPs) are assigned to
each level for tournament purposes.
17.1 STRATEGIC VICTORY
A "sudden-death" Strategic Victory
is achieved by exiting the enemy map-
end with three or more Supplied units,
or by controlling (1.2) the enemy Base.
If either of these conditions occurs, the
game ends immediately. 10 VPs.
17.2 DECISIVE VICTORY
Decisive Victory is achieved by
having twice as many units remaining
in play at the end of the game as the
opponent. German units (not Italians
or Allied Elites) count as 1.5 units each.
5 VPs.
17.3 POSITIONAL VICTORY
Positional Victory is achieved by
holding Tobruk at the game’s end,
provided it is not besieged. 2 VPs.
17.4 ATTRITION VICTORY
Attrition Victory is achieved by
having the larger number of units
remaining in play at game’s end.
German units (not Italians or Allied
Elites) count as 1.5 units each. 1 VP.
OPTIONAL RULES
ALLIED I-TANKS
The Allied “Army
Tank” brigades (1AT
and 32AT) consist
largely of slow, heavy
“Infantry Tanks”.
If both players
agree to adopt this optional rule, all
four I-tanks in the game become elite
units (2 hits required to reduce them 1
step) but have reduced Unit Speed of
2, instead of 3.
Victory Hierarchy Example
A player having twice the unit count of
his opponent at the end of the game wins
a Decisive Victory even if his opponent
is holding Tobruk and it is not besieged
(which qualifies for Positional Victory).
Exiting Units
To exit a unit just move into a mapedge
hex and continue moving offboard.
You should only exit units if it leads to
immediate victory because exited units
cannot return.
18.1 1940 SCENARIO
Start: Sep. 1940 (Month 1)
Length: 6 months
End: Feb. 1941 (Month 6)
Time: 2 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES:
8 Italian units. Free Deployment in
Libya and Sidi Omar.
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 6 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 2 Cards
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS:
MONTH 3:
MONTH 5:
ALLIED STARTING FORCES
The following 4 units are deployed
using Free Deployment in Egypt:
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 3 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS:
MONTH 2:
MONTH 4:
SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES
1. The Axis cannot apply the
Rommel Bonus in this scenario.
2. Each player rolls only one die
(instead of two) for Buildup
Points each Month.
1940 Historical Commentary
In September 1940, Britain stood alone:
France had fallen, and Russia and America
were not yet involved. The Battle of Britain
was raging, and Italy had assembled a
large army in North Africa to invade
Egypt, capture the canal, and turn the
British out of the Mediterranean. Britain
could not spare forces for Egypt, and the
heavily outnumbered British covering
force harassed the invaders but fell back
under superior pressure. The Italian Army,
under Graziani, advanced to Sidi Barrani,
and there stopped and fortified. The
Italian buildup was slow, and in November
the British hazarded a spoiling raid to
disrupt the Italian buildup. Graziani's
army disintegrated under the shock: half
was captured outright and half routed
back to the Libyan coastal fortresses. The
much more mobile British isolated the
two fortresses of Bardia and Tobruk and
after a delay, stormed them and captured
most of the rest of Graziani's force. The
final remnants of the Italians attempted
to withdraw to Agheila, but were cut off
at Beda Fomm by a daring British move,
and annihilated. An entire Italian army
of over 150,000 had been wiped out by
a British force of 30,000 in less than 4
months. Though the way was clear for
a British advance to Tripoli, Churchill
instead stripped the front of forces for a
pet project: the disastrous expedition to
Greece. The stage was set for Rommel.
1940 Strategy Overview
The Italians begin with an advantage in
strength and supply, but greatly inferior
mobility. The British have an infantry
shortage, but gain an armor and supply
advantage late in the game. They must
put it to good use to regain lost ground,
besiege Tobruk, and attrition the Italian
Army enough to win.
Month of Appearance
Month of appearance codes on the blocks
do not apply to the 1940 scenario.
18.0 SCENARIOS
Once players agree on a Scenario to play, select the units listed Starting Forces
and Reinforcements for that Scenario. Deploy starting forces as directed and
arrange Reinforcements in their Month of appearance. Unless otherwise noted, all
units begin a Scenario at their maximum CV.
The Axis player always deploys first. Free Deployment units may be placed in
any Supplied location in the specified area and not occupied by the enemy.
Then deal the initial allotment of Supply Cards. Players may discard their entire
initial hand and redraw a new one (Axis first, then Allies). This may be done only
once: a redrawn hand must be played.
The Axis player has the first turn in all Scenarios and no Initiative Challenge is
allowed in the first Month.
18.2 1941 SCENARIO
Start: Apr. 1941 (Month 1)
Length: 10 months
End: Jan. 1942 (Month 10)
Time: 3-4 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES:
El Agheila: all "S" units (10 total).
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 6 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 2 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 3, 5, 7 (12 units)
––––––––––––––––––––
ALLIED STARTING FORCES
Free Deployment in Libya and
Egypt: all "S" units (6 units).
Tobruk: all "T" units (6 units).
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 6 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 (24 units)
18.3 1941-42 CAMPAIGN
This Scenario combines the 1941
and 1942 Campaigns. Starting forces
and Initial Supply as well as Resupply
are outlined in the 1941 scenario.
Standard victory conditions apply.
Start: Apr. 1941 (Month 1)
Length: 20 months
End: Dec. 1942 (Month 20)
Time: 6-8 hours
After Month 10, continue playing
Months 11-20, making the following
changes beginning Month 11:
• Return the Month marker to "1"
• Both players execute a normal
Buildup in Month 11. Ignore 1942
Campaign starting deployments:
continue playing with the surviving
units "as is" until the end of 1942.
• Axis Resupply increases to 3
Cards/Month.
• Axis "M" (Malta Group) units
become available as optional Axis
Reinforcements (as per the 1942
Scenario rules).
18.4 CRUSADER
Start: Nov. 1941 (Month 8)
Length: 3 months
End: Jan. 1942 (Month 10)
Time: 1-2 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES:
Free Deployment in Libya, Sidi
Omar and Sollum: 22 units total: All
Month 3, 5, and 7 units plus all "S"
units.
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 10 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 2 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS: None
––––––––––––––––––––
ALLIED STARTING FORCES:
Free Deployment in Egypt and up
to 5 units in Tobruk (28 total): All
Month 2, 4, 6 and 8 units, plus all "S"
and "T" units except:
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 12 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/
Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS
Month 10 (4 units)
SPECIAL SCENARIO RULES
1. Allies have the first Player Turn
(no challenge).
2. Tobruk has a Minefield.
1941 Historical Commentary
After the disastrous Italian defeat of
the winter of 1940-41, the Axis High
Command dispatched Rommel and
advance elements of the Afrika Korps
to North Africa to stiffen the faltering
Italians. Meanwhile the British front had
been stripped of forces for the ill-fated
expedition to Greece.
Rommel probed aggressively with his
meagre force, sensed weakness, and went
on the offensive (against orders) out of
El Agheila around the beginning of April.
Skillfully blending bluff, deception, and
bold maneuver, Rommel advanced to the
Egyptian frontier in less than a fortnight,
bypassing Tobruk. Then a hastily-prepared
assault on the fortress was sharply rebuffed
by the 12,000 Australian defenders.
In the following months, Rommel attacked
Tobruk without success, and two British
attacks across the frontier failed to relieve
the fortress. Both sides dug in and built up
strength, the British more rapidly as Africa
had become an Axis sideshow during the
invasion of Russia.
In November, when Rommel was almost
ready for his planned setpiece attack on
Tobruk, he was forestalled by "Crusader",
the strongest Allied offensive to date. After
two weeks of incredibly confused fighting,
both sides were exhausted, but it was
Rommel who was forced to withdraw due
to insufficient strength. He fell back all the
way to El Agheila, inflicting some stinging
blows on pursuing Allied spearheads.
Rommel's first offensive had narrowly
failed.
1941 Strategy Overview
The Axis has superior quality units, and
better mobility, but is short of supply,
and must contend with the burden of the
attack. The Allies start with a territorial
advantage and have a superior flow
of reinforcements and supply. Using
withdrawals to advantage, the Allies can
often accumulate a dominant supply
quantity.
18.5 BATTLEAXE
Start: Jul. 1941 (Month 4)
Length: 7 months
End: Jan. 1942 (Month 10)
Time: 2-3 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES
Free deployment in Libya except
Tobruk (14 units):
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 4 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 2 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 5 and 7 (8 units)
ALLIED STARTING FORCES
Free Deployment in Egypt and up to
5 units in Tobruk (18 units).
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 8 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 6, 8, 10 (16 units)
Battleaxe
This scenario picks up the 1941 Campaign
in the 4th Month with Rommel investing
Tobruk and holding the frontier. The
British have escaped major losses by giving
ground, and have accumulated a supply
advantage. [This scenario was introduced
in a tournament at ‘Origins 1987’.]
18.6 1942 SCENARIO
Start: Feb. 1942 (Month 11)
Length: 10 months
End: Dec. 1942 (Month 20)
Time: 4-5 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES
El Agheila: 14 of the following units
below (Axis player’s choice).
Mersa Brega: 10 of the following
units (Axis player’s choice):
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 5 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 17, 19 and "M" Units
(8 units)
Malta Group: Axis "M" units are
optional Reinforcements. They may
arrive during any Buildup, but Axis
Resupply immediately drops to 2
Supply Cards per month.
ALLIED STARTING FORCES
Free Deployment in Libya and/or
Egypt (10 units):
Tobruk (10 units):
Alexandria (8 units):
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 5 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS:
Months 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 (24 units)
1942 Historical Commentary
After pursuing Rommel back to El
Agheila, the British again diverted forces
to other MidEast areas. Rommel struck
unexpectedly and chased the British back
to the fortified "Gazala Line" where he
paused. The British were preparing a new
offensive but Rommel beat them to the
punch, swinging south around the line and
driving toward the coast to cut it off.
He was stopped short and trapped behind
enemy lines, but the British were slow to
take advantage, and he pushed a supply
line back through the minefields. British
armor finally attacked, but was defeated
and then routed by a counterattack.
Rommel once again deceived the Allies by
driving past Tobruk in pursuit of British
forces, then doubling back at night and
taking the fortress. Resupplied with the
vast amount of stores in Tobruk, Rommel
advanced into Egypt.
After outmaneuvering a British stand at
Mersa Matruh, Rommel came up to the
partially-prepared Alamein Line, the last
(and best) defensive position before Suez.
He attacked, but Allied C-in-C (Near East)
Auckenleck took direct command and
skillfully parried his thrusts.
After weeks of inconclusive skirmishing,
both sides dug in and built up. Seeing that
the Allied buildup was outpacing his own,
Rommel attempted to break through at
Alam Halfa in late August, but was foiled
by minefields and short supply.
Montgomery completed the massive
British buildup before attacking. In late
October he opened a relentless battle of
attrition against a heavily outnumbered
opponent. Rommel returned from sick-
leave in time to order a withdrawal, but
was countermanded by Hitler.
The British broke through, the Italian
forces disintegrated, and the Afrika Korps
was shattered. Rommel skillfully extricated
the remnants of his mobile forces and
escaped but meanwhile the Allies landed
in Morocco and Algeria. The Axis was
finished in North Africa.
1942 Strategy Overview
The Axis has better supply but its strength
position deteriorates seriously in time.
Again, the burden of the attack is costly in
supply. The desirability of rebuilding the
depleted Axis force is counter-balanced by
the time factor, Allied rebuilding, and the
appearance of minefields.
18.7 GAZALA
Start: May 1942 (Month 14)
Length: 2 months
End: Jun. 1942 (Month 15)
Time: 1-2 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES:
Free deployment on or west of
the line: Gazala- Segnali Rotunda-
Tengeder- Trigh el Abd- trail
southwest to Agedabia (24 units):
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 10 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS: None
––––––––––––––––––––
ALLIED STARTING FORCES:
Free deployment on or east of
the line: Acroma- Sidi Mufta- Bir
Hacheim- Retma- Bir Guba- the trail
to Jarabub Oasis (20 units):
Alexandria (16 units):
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 12 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS: None
SPECIAL GAZALA RULE
Before initial deployments, players do a
special PreGame Buildup, the Allied player
going first. Each player receives 30 BPs (no
dice are rolled). These BPs may be spent
on Replacements, Redeployments, extra
Supply Cards or Minefields as usual.
Other Buildups in the game proceed
normally.
Gazala
This scenario begins with the stage set
for perhaps Rommel’s most remarkable
comeback victory of the campaign. His
second push towards Tobruk has met a
strong Allied perimeter based on minefield
boxes, quickly thrown together by the
British by transplanting mines from the old
Italian Tobruk defenses.
Though the Allies were preparing a
counteroffensive, Rommel struck first
with the trusty ‘right hook’ plan. The
Afrika Korps outflanked Bir Hacheim and
defeated British mobile forces at Retma,
but the minefield boxes of the Gazala Line
and especially Koenig’s stolid Free French
at Bir Hacheim held firm. Rommel was
trapped behind British lines with no supply.
After British bumbling saved him from
utter defeat, Rommel turned the tables,
routed the British, and took Tobruk. The
British missed a great opportunity here.
18.8 PURSUIT TO ALAMEIN
Start: Jun. 1942 (Month 15)
Length: 6 months
End: Nov. 1942 (Month 20)
Time: 2-3 hours
AXIS STARTING FORCES
Free deployment in Libya (22 units):
AXIS INITIAL SUPPLY: 8 Cards
AXIS RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
AXIS REINFORCEMENTS:
17, 19 and "M" unit (8 units)
Malta Group: Axis "M" units are
optional Reinforcements. They may be
added during any Buildup, but Axis
Resupply immediately drops to 2 cards
per month beginning that Buildup.
ALLIED STARTING FORCES
Free deployment in Egypt (16 units):
Alexandria (12 units):
ALLIED INITIAL SUPPLY: 8 Cards
ALLIED RESUPPLY: 3 Cards/Month
ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS:
16, 18 and 20 (16 units)
Pursuit to Alamein
Beginning one month after Gazala,
Rommel has decimated the British army
and captured Tobruk with its immense
supplies. In the process the Afrika Korps
has also taken heavy losses from which it
will never completely recover.
Rommel has convinced Axis High
Command to abandon the assault on Malta
and instead devote airpower and supplies
to supporting a lightning pursuit into
Egypt. His forces were to prove slightly
inadequate to the task but it was “a close
run thing.” Failure to clear Malta meant
increasing Axis supply problems while the
British could rebuild rapidly so near their
base and hold at El Alamein.
19.0 DEMO: 1940
DEPLOYMENT
The Axis player has initially
deployed one unit in Bardia, four units
in Ft. Capuzzo and three units in Sidi
Omar. The Allies have one unit in
Sollum, two units in Buq Buq and one
unit in Sofafi. Note that units on the
movement diagrams are shown with
their current CV on the top. The Battle
Array diagram shows units facing each
other in battle array. The Axis have six
Supply Cards, the Allies three.
GAME MONTH 1:
FIRST AXIS PLAYER-TURN
Since this is the first month of
the game, the Buildup Sequence is
skipped. The Axis spends one Supply
Card (a Basic Turn) and makes on
regrouping move into Sollum (the
Command Point, marked "C", is at Ft.
Capuzzo). A maximum of three Axis
units can move into Sollum: they are
entering an Enemy Hex via the three
gaps through the ridge. No other Axis
units can move, as no additional units
can enter Sollum, the destination hex
for the regroup move.
The Allied player now has
the option to Refuse Battle and
immediately Retreats his Attacked
group (only one unit in this case) using
a Withdrawal Move. The Allied player
chooses to Withdraw to Sidi Barrani.
The move is a legal Withdrawal Move
because 1) the unit moved back
towards its Base along a valid Supply
Line (the coast highway) and 2) a
forward hex was abandoned, reducing
the Supply Network. Neither group has
been revealed to the opposing player.
The Retreated unit is Disrupted
(for Disengaging) and must take
pursuit fire. The Allied player informs
the Axis player that the unit (the
slowest in the Retreating group) is a
mechanized unit. Since the Axis player
has no mechanized or faster units
involved, there is no pursuit fire. The
Disrupted unit is placed face down
("D" in the diagram). There are no
Battles, so the Axis Player-Turn ends.
GAME MONTH 1:
FIRST ALLIED PLAYER-TURN
The Allied player passes his turn,
not wishing to spend any Supply. The
Disrupted unit at Sidi Barrani does not
yet recover (it must spend a full enemy
turn Disrupted).
GAME MONTH 1:
SECOND AXIS PLAYER-TURN
The Axis plays one Supply Card
(Basic Turn) and moves the group out
of Ft. Capuzzo. Two units Attack Buq
Buq (the maximum allowed through a
single Hexside) and the third unit joins
the Sidi Omar group.
The Allied player decides to
fight this time and has the first fire
(Defensive Fire). The armored unit gets
two hits with Double Fire (DF) but the
mechanized infantry (SF) misses.
The Axis player reduces one of his
infantry units by 2 CV (alternatively,
both units could have been reduced by
1 CV each).
The Axis player fires both infantry
units (4 CV and 2 CV) at single fire
(SF), scoring one hit. The Allied player
reduces the mechanized infantry unit
by 1 CV. The Combat Phase ends.
BATTLE ARRAY
GAME MONTH 1:
SECOND ALLIED PLAYER-TURN
The Disrupted unit at Sidi Barrani
recovers. The Allied player chooses to
Pass to save Supply. One Withdrawal
move is permitted on a Pass Turn so
the Allied player makes a Regroup
Move to the hex east of Sidi Barrani.
The Command Point is at Buq Buq
(the ridge does not interfere with
the Command point). This is a legal
Withdrawal Move, since all units
involved moved along Supply Lines
toward their Base and the Supply
Network was reduced.
The units from Buq Buq Retreated
from a battle, so they are Disrupted.
Since they are faster than the pursuing
units, no pursuit fire takes place.
GAME MONTH 1:
THIRD AXIS PLAYER-TURN
The Axis player plays two Supply
Cards for an Offensive Turn allowing
two Group Moves: 1) two units out of
Sollum Attack Sidi Barrani while the
third moves to Sidi Omar for Supply
chain duty and 2) three units move
out of Sidi Omar; two units to Sofafi
(the non-motorized unit force marched
successfully) while the other moves
to Bir Habata for Supply chain duty
(chaining Sofafi to Sidi Omar).
The Allied player Withdraws the
mechanized unit to Mersa Matruh.
Again it takes no pursuit fire, but is
Disrupted.
GAME MONTH 1:
THIRD ALLIED PLAYER-TURN
The two Disrupted units west of
Mersa Matruh recover. The Allied
player passes his turn, not wishing to
improve his position.
GAME MONTH 1:
FOURTH AXIS PLAYER-TURN
Having spent four Supply Cards
the Axis player also passes his turn,
wishing to save the two remaining
Supply Cards for future moves.
Since both players have passed in
consecutive turns, the Month ends.
MONTH 2: BUILDUP
The month record marker is
advanced to "2". The Disrupted Allied
unit in Mersa Matruh is Supplied,
so it recovers automatically. Both
players roll one die (two dice in other
scenarios). The Allied player rolls a "4"
and the Axis player rolls a "5"; thus,
both players receive 9 Build Points
(BPs). The Allied player rolled the
lower number, so he spends his BPs
first.
The Allied player receives two
Reinforcement units at his Base and
spends 2 BPs to Redeploy them to
the front. He also Redeploys the
damaged infantry unit back to his Base
(1 BP), rebuilds it 1 step (2 BPs) and
Redeploys it again to Mersa Matruh
(1 BP). The Allied player saves the
remaining 3 BPs.
The Axis player Redeploys his
damaged infantry unit at Buq Buq to
Bardia (1 BP), moves it by sea to his
Base (1 BP), rebuilds it 2 steps (2 BPs)
and moves it by sea Redeployment
to Tobruk (1 BP). Sea Redeployment
back to Bardia was not possible
because its Axis Port Capacity (1)
was used when the unit was shipped
back to Base. From Tobruk the unit is
Redeployed to Sofafi (2 BPs). The Axis
player saves his last two BPs.
Note that all Redeployments were
along Supply Lines only.
After making sure that all
expended Supply Cards have been
returned to the deck (players can
also turn in unwanted dummy Supply
Cards) the deck is shuffled. The Axis
player then draws two cards, and the
Allied player draws three cards.
The Allied player wishes to
challenge for the first Player-Turn and
places one Supply Card face down.
The Axis player declines the challenge
and the Allied card is turned face up.
It turns out to be a dummy card, so
the Axis player goes first anyway. The
Axis would have spent a Supply Card
for nothing if he had tried to stop the
Allied player from taking the initiative.
Buildup for Month 2 is complete,
the Axis player takes the first Player
Turn.
20.0 STRATEGY NOTES
SUPPLY LINES
Protection of supply lines must
be a primary consideration. To allow
the enemy freedom of movement in
your rear is to invite disaster; units cut
off from supply are likely to become
disrupted and quickly overrun.
Accordingly, defensive fronts must
be wide enough to prevent outflanking
moves and strong or deep enough to
withstand a frontal attack.
This implies some dispersion of
forces, which is contrary to movement
and attack efficiency. Players must
constantly strive for an optimum
balance between these conflicting
demands.
RESERVES
Because disengaging units are
disrupted, it is imperative to maintain
a reserve of unengaged units.
Units in battles are effectively
pinned; they cannot intervene
elsewhere without a costly and time-
consuming retreat and reorganization.
When all units are engaged, flexibility
is lost; there is no way to counter an
outflanking move or breakthrough, no
way to exploit an opportunity, and no
way to retreat safely.
Since battlefield results can be
sensitive to small strength differentials,
it is often tempting to commit all
available forces. However, losing
such a battle often means losing the
campaign. Without reserve units to
cover a retreat, few units will survive
the ensuing rout.
BATTLES
In Rommel in the Desert, it is
common for several battles to be
fought simultaneously. Usually when
an army loses any one such battle, its
entire position is compromised.
Therefore, an effective tactic is to
concentrate on winning just one battle,
while "holding the line" in the others.
This tactic usually requires a major
effort in one battle plus an attempt to
attack and pin other enemy groups
with smaller forces.
The object is to engage and
pin possible enemy reinforcements
and generally limit your opponent’s
freedom of movement. Even when
these pinning engagements are fought
at a disadvantage, the neutralization
of important enemy forces and the
constriction of enemy access to
battles can be a decisive factor.
Because of the unit-count victory
conditions, and the possibility of
rebuilding, players should strive to
preserve units from elimination: where
possible, retire from unfavorable
situations early.
MOBILE DEFENSE
Because of the highly mobile
environment and the predominance of
offense, counterattack and the threat
of it are often more effective that a
passive defense.
There is little in the way of
defensive terrain on the board, and
very few positions when an inferior
force can make a stand against a well-
supplied opponent. The only truly
effective defensive positions are the
bottlenecks at El Agheila and Qattara,
and those based on minefields.
Minefields are expensive; the
timing and location of minefield
construction is a crucial aspect of the
defensive game, and the one most
requiring foresight.
As time and supply are major
factors, the player on the strategic
defensive must strive to delay enemy
advances and extract maximum
enemy supply expenditure. Headlong
retreats can be easily and efficiently
followed up the other player. By
maintaining a formidable posture, you
can force your opponent to approach
cautiously, and well-timed withdrawals
can leave the enemy striking at air.
However, this mobile defensive
strategy is easier to describe than to
execute; it requires care in planning. In
particular, careful consideration should
be given to the preparation of viable
"fallback" lines that can be manned
with maximum movement efficiency.
STATIC DEFENSE
When standing on the defense,
several philosophies are viable. The
best choice depends on considerations
of geography, strength, supply balance,
and time. Three basic defensive
alignments are described below:
• Linear Defense (a strong front
line) is good with regard to attrition,
but invites outflanking, which is
always possible except at the board-
end bottlenecks. This defensive
style implies a weak reserve and
is inflexible and brittle, with little
offensive threat. However, this type of
defense becomes more attractive with
good strength and defensive position.
• Defense-In-Depth provides
good security against possible Blitzes.
However, the resulting dispersion
of force has obvious movement and
combat disadvantages. This defense is
effective in extracting enemy supply
expenditure, but is very costly in
friendly unit attrition compared to
enemy losses.
• A Strong Central Reserve
provides maximum flexibility
and offensive threat, at the cost
of a weakened forward wall,
exposing frontline units to (initially)
disadvantageous engagements. The
ability to either counterattack strongly
or retreat in good order from this
alignment is a major advantage.
However, the forward line should
not be weakened to the point where
a successful Blitz could penetrate,
allowing engagement of the reserve,
which would negate all the advantages
of this deployment.
OFFENSE
In general, the player on the
offensive should seek to apply and
increase pressure on the opponent
through rapid and unexpected
maneuvers, multiple threats, high-
powered turn options, and pinning
engagements. The goal should be to
cause the opponent more problems
than he can solve in one turn.
Maintaining this pressure will
force your opponent to react to
pressing short-term threats with
increasingly inefficient responses,
unable to pursue his own objectives
or prepare for your next move.
Concentration of force is
highly desirable for striking power,
moderated of course by defensive
and supply needs. When planning
moves, the future implications of
dispersion should be considered. It
is advisable (but not always possible)
to maintain some concentration of
force for immediate use. Apart from
the obvious movement and combat
advantages of concentration, it takes
time to regroup a dispersed army,
and in the meantime, pressure on
your opponent is relaxed.
21.0 DESIGN NOTES
Rommel in the Desert includes
the all-important psychological
factors of strategy, so crucial in the
historical campaign and so often
overlooked in most wargames.
Factors like surprise and deception,
bluff and nerve are not merely good
gaming features, but ultimately
necessary to explain what
happened in the Western Desert.
This game also reflects
command problems more
realistically by forcing the necessity
for compromise under organizational
and time constraints.
THE UNITS
It should be understood that the
CV assigned to units in the game
is meant to represent just that,
their Combat Value. Numbers of
men, and quality and quantities of
equipment do not begin to tell the
whole story about the effectiveness
of a military formation in battle.
Such factors as leadership, training
and morale have as much or more
impact on "combat value" than mere
numbers.
While some military units
have continued to function after
sustaining over 80% casualties,
others have surrendered or
disintegrated before suffering
10% losses. Such units must be
considered to have been reduced to
ZERO combat value, even though
their manpower and equipment may
be virtually intact.
Even a cohesive formation of
tough and determined soldiers may
have limited combat value due
to poor communications, faulty
doctrine, inadequate weaponry,
insufficient mobility, or bad
leadership.
Certain 'technological' armor
and anti-tank units have been
included in the game to reflect
the sudden leaps in effectiveness
achieved by existing forces with the
introduction of new and superior
weaponry.
The Allied Order of Battle has
been modified to eliminate the
historical "comings and goings"
of units in the game. The correct
number and type of brigades
is preserved, but the historical
designations (which are for interest
only) of units in play may at times
be incorrect, with one historical
unit substituting for another.
This eliminates the unproductive
shuffling of units in and out of the
game.
For example, in many cases a
historical unit left the campaign at
a certain point and was replaced
by a similar unit. In this game
the original unit remains in play,
representing the unit that replaced
it in the Allied OB. Note that units
arrive in the game on the basis of
their historical appearance at the
front, as the Allies tended to keep
new units in rear areas for months
of training and acclimatization.
See the table in the next column
for details.
Unit Substitution
Game Unit
Period
Historical Unit
4 Ind/5
Mar-Jun ‘40
6 Aus/15
4 Ind/11
Mar-Jun ‘40
6 Aus/17
4 Ind/7 Mot
Mar-Jun ‘40
6 Aus/19
4 Ind/7 Mot
Feb ‘42-
5 Ind/10
4 Ind/3 Mot
Apr ‘42-
10 Ind/25*
4 Ind/5
May ‘41-
1 SA/5*
70/23
Jan-Jun ‘41
9 Aus /24
70/23
Dec ‘41-
50/150
70/14+16
Jan-Jul ‘41
9 Aus /26
70/14+16
Dec ‘41-
50/151*
7 Aus/18
Jun ‘41-
2 SA/6*
9 Aus/20
Jul-Dec ‘41
70/16 *
9 Aus /20
Jan ‘42-
50/69
Pol
Oct ‘41-Jan ‘42
1 FF
Pol
Jan ‘42-
(2 FF)
7/7 Tk
Nov ‘41-
(CRUS)
2 NZ/4
Dec ‘41-Jan ‘42
161 Ind Mot
2 NZ/5
Dec ‘41-Jan’42
5 Ind/9
2 NZ/6
Dec ‘41-Jan’42
5 Ind/10*
22 Gd
Jun ‘42-
44/133*
* Co-identified units
( ) Units not identified in game
MOVEMENT
Group movement is a simple
and effective mechanism to reward
foresight and planning in the
concentration and organization
of forces. Commanders could not
ALWAYS execute perfect maneuvers
involving far-flung forces. To say that
the movement limitations imposed by
the system are unrealistic in the era of
modern communications is to miss the
point. The opponent’s communications
are just as fast; he can react before a
commander can move all his forces
and that is precisely the effect of the
group movement system.
By limiting the amount that can
be done at one time, group movement
also emphasizes the "use of time" (or
tempo), the idea being to cause the
opponent problems which will occupy
his time while you are causing further
problems. Rommel's natural instinct
for this technique was most effective
in an environment like the desert,
where events develop quickly, and
was a key element of his success. The
ability to shift gears with high-powered
but expensive multiple-move turn
options allows further opportunities to
upset enemy expectations.
COMBAT
The combat system in the game
is also unique. Unlike most combat
systems, it favors the defender only
slightly, as did desert warfare. The
desert provided little in the way of
physical or visual cover, mobility was
basically unrestricted, unit density
was very low, and the inland flank
was always hanging. North Africa was
in fact the perfect environment for a
counterattacking "mobile defense";
fixed infantry defenses were basically
useless unless extensively fortified.
Realistic combined arms effects
are integral to the combat system. The
mathematics of combat may seem
simple but in fact they produce two
sophisticated effects: a skewed bell
curve for expected attrition; and the
"acceleration effect" of fire superiority,
where firepower differentials tend to
widen in time.
The combat system yields a wide
variety of results, in which no level of
superiority can guarantee success. In
battle, things rarely go as expected.
Real commanders cannot assume that
what should happen will, or that what
shouldn't happen won't. They don't
have the security of knowing the true
"combat value" of their troops, or of
consulting a "combat results table".
In Rommel in the Desert players are
subject to the same lack of certainty.
BATTLES
Extended engagements require
players to manage battles, rather
than simply initiating them and then
accepting a given result on a single die
roll. As battles develop, the questions
of when to retreat, when to hold, and
when and where to commit reserves
fall upon the commander.
The retreat rules are designed to
reflect the difficulties of extricating
engaged forces in a mobile
environment and to emphasize the
importance of reserves. A player
without unpinned reserves in this
game is militarily bankrupt, powerless
to react to the moves of his opponent.
SUPPLY
Supply lines in the game are
critical. Players who ignore this will
find themselves with an army of
disrupted units that will melt before an
enemy advance.
The chaining of units along tracks
and trails reflects the problems of
lengthy supply lines through difficult
terrain and the need for more and
more support units at the expense of
combat units.
The supply cards represent not
only supplies, but also control time
and the turn options. The variable
length of months and the choices
of turn options reflect the "stop-go"
nature of the campaign and allow
directed supply effort. The Basic Turn
is the most efficient use of supply
(there are diminishing returns on
higher options) but well-executed use
of the high-powered options will upset
your opponent's best laid plans.
A small but well-supplied army
is more than a match for a stronger
but poorly-supplied one. The secrecy
of supply levels provides magnificent
opportunities for deception and nerve.
Bluff can sometimes carry the battle
on shoestring supply, especially against
a rattled or demoralized opponent, but
the threat must be credible.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The victory conditions involve
both attrition and position. Their
relative values are rated by VPs.
Awarding a decisive victory
for having a 2:1 advantage in units
remaining at the games' end is a
recognition of the inevitability of a
strategic win with this superiority of
strength, given more time and supply.
The lesser victory conditions center
around Tobruk. Although this fortress
had some military value, the essential
benefit in holding Tobruk was its
status as the best defensible port in a
region where everything from fuel to
food to ammunition, and even water
had to be imported. For this reason
the victory conditions recognize no
value for possession of Tobruk if the
port is besieged and hence not fully
active.
INDEX
Assault Turn4.3
Attacker8.3
Attacks8.2
Base1.6
Basic Turn4.1
Battle8.0
Battle Array8.5
Besieged13.5
Blitz Turn4.4
Buildup16.0
Combat9.0
Decisive Victory17.2
Defender8.3
Design Notes21.0
Disruption11.0
Double Defense9.52
Double Dice9.21
Double Fire9.4
Elite Unit2.4
Firing Units9.2
Firepower9.4
Fortresses13.0
Fortress Capture13.4
Fortress Supply13.3
Full Retreats10.3
Groups5.0
Group Move5.1
Hex Control1.2
Highway Supply12.3
Initiative3.3
Minefields14.0
Month3.1
Movement5.0
Nationality2.1
Oasis15.0
Oasis Supply15.1
Overrun11.4
Partial Retreats10.4
Pass Turn4.5
Player Turns3.4
Port Capacity13.3
Probe Combat10.41
Pursuit Fire10.5
Raider12.5
Rearguard10.4
Redeployment16.51
Refusing Battle8.4, 10.2
Regroup Move5.2
Reinforcements16.4
Replacements16.54
Resupply16.6
Retreats10.0
Retreat Routes10.1
Return for Refit16.52
Roads1.5
Road Bonuses6.2
Rommel Bonus6.3
Rout11.3
Sea Redeployment16.53
Shielding Units11.11
Speed6.1
Stacking1.3
Step2.3
Strategy Notes20.0
Supply12.0
Supply Checks12.7
Supply Chains12.4
Supply Lines12.2
Supply Network12.6
Supply Source12.0
Targeting9.3
Terrain1.4
Turn Option4.0
Unsupplied Units12.1