Reply To: Battleaxe starting player and victory conditions
Hello there,
I haven’t played this game through yet but was tinkering with it in order to learn the rules (half month variant). It did strike me that there was not a lot that the Axis could do on their first turn. Four Italian reserve divisions can’t move unless the Allies relieve Tobruk and that’s not going to happen! Meanwhile the Trento division is only released when Allies get within three hexes of them. The Ariete armoured division only moves when Allies cross the border, while the German 5th Light and 15th Panzer divisions movement is dependent on activation rolls also after the Allies cross into Libya. There doesn’t seem too much the Axis can do if they have the first turn. I wonder if starting the game with the Allied turn of June I would work to reflect the Allied attack that was essentially blunted by 17th June? This earlier turn could also perhaps reflect the border battles that took place towards the end of May as well. I appreciate of course that the Axis set up restrictions probably reflect the fact that OKW had ordered Rommel not to make any attacks as Barbarossa was imminent!
I also appreciate that as I haven’t played this fully, or completely got to grips with the system, that I could be talking nonsense!!
I have learnt though that the Wellington night bombers are lethal as the Axis have no night fighters and, as the Axis player, not to attempt airbase attacks when the Hurricane fighters are based there as the GCI rule will see Axis bombers shot to pieces.
As the Axis player (and without doing the full maths) I would be keen to be allowed to just leave a defensive screen on the border and to make a full on assault on Tobruk. Assuming no set up restrictions (fanciful, I know), perhaps the Axis could use the reserve X Italian Corps, along with most of the Italian artillery and the two motorised infantry regiments and artillery battalions from 15th Panzer division for a concentric attack, supported by the majority of Axis air power. It might be possible to get a 2:1 with some potential retreat results for the defenders which would see them wiped out. It’s a gamble which could also see some heavy losses to the Axis, but it would be worth it to capture Tobruk even if it also meant giving some ground on the border (but hanging on to Bardia).
Crazy idea? Yes probably, but this is one of the joys of TSWW, the chance to try the “what ifs”.
Thank you again to all those who have made this system a reality.
Kind Regards
Steve