Gazala: Another Plan

[MengJiao]

Well, my first plan didn't work so it's now time to mod the game a bit and include some explicit supply.
So here's the problem: in the actual battle, Rommel's initial move around to the south essentially failed
due to major supply issues...hence the Cauldron Battle etc.  The game scenario assumes he could have had infinite supply and not bothered with being trapped against the minefields etc. etc.  So time for some explicit supply -- until Rommel gets back on the regular supply net (or even after that) he runs on:
1) the "four days" of ever-dwindling inherent supply (with ever-increasing ops point problems) or
2) has his HQs burn through) either his own supply dumps or captured dumps
3) these options exist for the Allies as well should they become isolated from their supply net (as at
Bir al Hakeim)
4) So lots of dumps (big ones in Tobruk and at the railhead).

And the game is Compass GAmes The Fall of Tobruk

Also, rules changes: 1) units can recover morale
2) tank retrieval happens quickly or not at all
3) which leaves the wreck markers as a way of moving big tall stacks of units off the board
4) air war -- using the basic/solitaire rules since the air war is a lot of work for not much impact

[MengJiao]

Well, my first plan didn't work so it's now time to mod the game a bit and include some explicit supply.
So here's the problem: in the actual battle, Rommel's initial move around to the south essentially failed
due to major supply issues...hence the Cauldron Battle etc.  The game scenario assumes he could have had infinite supply and not bothered with being trapped against the minefields etc. etc.  So time for some explicit supply -- until Rommel gets back on the regular supply net (or even after that) he runs on:
1) the "four days" of ever-dwindling inherent supply (with ever-increasing ops point problems) or
2) has his HQs burn through) either his own supply dumps or captured dumps
3) these options exist for the Allies as well should they become isolated from their supply net (as at
Bir al Hakeim)
4) So lots of dumps (big ones in Tobruk and at the railhead).

And the game is Compass GAmes The Fall of Tobruk

Also, rules changes: 1) units can recover morale
2) tank retrieval happens quickly or not at all
3) which leaves the wreck markers as a way of moving big tall stacks of units off the board
4) air war -- using the basic/solitaire rules since the air war is a lot of work for not much impact

Good thing I managed rule change 1 or the DAK would be a bit beat up after attacking Bir Hakeim.  Anyway its the morning of the 27th and I think Rommel and Co are doing better than last time.  The air war is easier to run but harder on the Axis at the beginning.  Bir Hakiem is in Allied air space at the start hence the mess in attacking it early.  But things are generally going well.  90 light is on the road to El Adem and the panzer divisions are going to avoid driving between the two allied armored divisions.  The supply dump thing seems to be working as planned and maybe Rommel and Co will do okay this time.  Here's a snapshot from pretty far south:

[MengJiao]

Good thing I managed rule change 1 or the DAK would be a bit beat up after attacking Bir Hakeim.  Anyway its the morning of the 27th and I think Rommel and Co are doing better than last time.  The air war is easier to run but harder on the Axis at the beginning.  Bir Hakiem is in Allied air space at the start hence the mess in attacking it early.  But things are generally going well.  90 light is on the road to El Adem and the panzer divisions are going to avoid driving between the two allied armored divisions.  The supply dump thing seems to be working as planned and maybe Rommel and Co will do okay this time.  Here's a snapshot from pretty far south:

Afternoon of the 27th and 21 Panzer reaches the middle of the map.  This is moderately perilous since the
airwar rolls have not been kind to the Axis and 3/4 of the map is under allied air superiority and 21 PZ has left the only safe zone: Bir Hakiem (which includes the Bir Haliem airfield but not the fort):

[MengJiao]

Afternoon of the 27th and 21 Panzer reaches the middle of the map.  This is moderately perilous since the
airwar rolls have not been kind to the Axis and 3/4 of the map is under allied air superiority and 21 PZ has left the only safe zone: Bir Hakiem (which includes the Bir Haliem airfield but not the fort):

Morning of the 28th -- this is where things start to go very wrong for the Axis: first their supply problems start to increase, second the weather is likely to be worse and third, if the allies don't start destroying themselves the necessay battle of attrition is not likely to move fast enough.  The real crux of the problem is the two huge supply advantages the allies have -- even with dumps that Rommel and co can use -- it is the tight net of roads radiating from El Adem.  Historically, Rommel got there (El Adem) after the allies wrecked their armor.  In the game (as could have happened in reality if Auckenlek had intervened and or Richtie had grasped the situation) the allies have the option of not throwing away their armor.  they have more AT-capable weapons than the Axis does and they can wait for the Axis to get in too deep and then trap or annihilate a large Axis force.  But they should do it far back and use their artillery to produce the necessary bang to do the work.  The 160 Grant tanks can hold, but not crush the Axis

But here is the supply problem -- the two main roads out of El Adem that Rommel and Co have to cut or overwhelm: