Optional Rules for "Desert Fox" One of the major problems inherent in designing a game on the African Campaign is what to do about the withdrawal (and then return) of all those units that were being shifted around for one reason or another. Do you follow the historical sequence strictly, or do you allow the Commonwealth player to vary this somewhat? Obviously, you cannot allow the CW player to decide on his own; given that lack of restriction he would withdraw nothing and the Allies would be in Morocco for a 1941 Thanksgiving. (Unless, of course, you fudge all the combat strengths, supply rules, and other historical elements, and end up with another Africa Korps.) The reasons for the African withdrawal were many and varied, ranging from total inaction on the African front to problems in Greece, Crete, Syria and even India. Given that one is recreating historical possibilities - not actual history - when playing Desert Fox it is possible that all, some or none of the above reasons may actually come into play. Use of a variable withdrawal/return table would randomize those historical possibilities, creating much greater "fog of war" than is presently available. In Desert Fox, I opted for strict adherence to the historical arrival and departure times, mostly for playability purposes - and also because we were operating under the spatial restrictions of an S&T game. Having made the Axis supply arrival ahistorical and variable, perhaps I should have gone to a similar Allied variable/withdrawal table. Several of my designer associates pointed this out to me, and it set me to thinking that it would not be too difficult to formulate such a table for those players who did not wish to be fettered by the chains of historicity. I therefore put forth the following rule, which may be used by Desert Fox players instead of the withdrawal/return table presently in use, as stated below. The new variable table does not change the balance of the game over the course of an entire campaign. However, it will change the ebb and flow of the game as you have been playing it, and players must be aware that they are now subject to the whims of the die rolls. Just because your die always seems to come up a "1" when you roll does not mean everyone else's does. I tested this out on two separate games, and in both run-throughs the course of the campaign was quite different from that of history, or from other games that I had played previously. However, since the Allies won one of the campaigns handily, and the Axis eked out a miniscule tactical victory in the second, overall balance did not seem greatly affected. Please note that I recommend this only for the full campaign game, and those wishing to play only the Tobruk scenario should stick to the historical withdrawal. The rule given for Axis use of Tobruk represents the limited use to which the Axis put that port during the campaign. The main problem with Tobruk was that Axis fighter protection for convoys to Tobruk was scanty at best, and the player therefore takes a chance of losing a unit if he wishes to use Tobruk to gain greater forward mobility. Historically, the Axis did bring several convoys of men and equipment into Tobruk, but these were mostly smaller-level units than the game contains (which is why we have limitations). Benghazi, although theoretically a much better port than Tobruk, was fairly useless throughout the war because of all the sunken ships and mines in the harbor. At this level of play it would be senseless to represent the minimal function it did have. Also included, below, is a rule for the presence of Rommel, which was discarded during playtesting, mostly for purposes of keeping the game clean - plus the fact that we needed extra counters. The use of Rommel will slightly - very slightly - help the Axis player. Even though the Axis player now can gain some maneuverability with Rommel, he will probably lose his all-important initiative advantage several times during a complete game. I decided to allow Rommel to remain alive and impervious solely because to write "Raid on Rommel" rules would be far in excess of the level of the game. To do so would have to incorporate the "Desert Patrol" rules (also originally in the game) that were provided in MOVES nr. 58. One last note: a piece of additional errata. Benghazi should be the equivalent of a Level 1 Fortification, not a Level 2. Simply shift Benghazi down to the next row on the Combat Results Table. [5.3] COMMONWEALTH VARIABLE WITHDRAWAL AND RETURN [5.31] The Commonwealth player does not use the Withdrawal/Reinforcement Schedule of Section 5.17, except where it pertains to non-returning reinforcements (reinforcements without an asterisk). In addition, all rules in Case 5.0 apply, except as changed or noted below. [5.32] Starting with Game-Turn 3 and continuing through, and including Game-Turn 20, the Commonwealth player, in his Reinforcement Phase, uses the Commonwealth Variable Withdrawal Table (5.37) to determine whether or not he must withdraw, and/or may return previously withdrawn, combat units. Commonwealth units are withdrawn and withdrawn units returned only through this table. [5.33] The Commonwealth player rolls one die, consulting the Variable Withdrawal Table. That die roll may be adjusted by one, some or all of the four factors listed beneath the table. Thus, if the Axis player holds Tobruk and Bardia (mere occupancy or the "last unit to pass through" is enough) but instigated no attacks (see below) the previous turn, the CW player adds one to his die roll. Any combat action that the Axis player takes where he is considered the "attacker" (see 11.0) satisfies that definition. [5.34] If the table states that there is a withdrawal, the Commonwealth player than proceeds to the Commonwealth Withdrawal Table (5.38) and rolls one die, withdrawing the unit(s) listed. Units are withdrawn at the end of the Game-Turn in which they were rolled for (as the last act of the friendly Refit Phase), following the general precepts of 5.21. The units withdrawn must meet the criteria listed on the table, unless there are no such units on the game-map (whether available under 5.21 or not) that meet those criteria. In such a case, any other unit may be withdrawn, or if only some units can be withdrawn, follow the precepts of 5.22 and 5.23. [5.35] If the table states that a "Return" is possible, this means that the Commonwealth player may return to play, as per 5.1, any unit previously withdrawn during a prior turn under 5.34. He rolls one die and consults the Commonwealth Return Table (5.39) to see what unit(s) may be returned. Units so returned enter as reinforcements during the friendly Reinforcement Phase of the next Game-Turn. The player may return any previously withdrawn unit he wishes to, unless the table indicates that the returning unit must be infantry. Any unusable return "points" are lost; they may not be saved from one turn to the next. [5.36] Under certain die rolls on the Withdrawal Table, if all or some of the units from the same parent division (e.g., all units from the 2nd New Zealand Division) fit the requirements and are available, then all - or at least three - withdrawing units must come from that division. Such units may return all at once or individually, as the player sees fit. Example: The CW player must withdraw four units, including 1 Heavy Weapons brigade. The 24/9 Aus, 26/9 Aus, and the 9 Aus Heavy Weapons Brigade are available as per 5.21, while the 20/9 Aus brigade is depleted and out of supply. The CW player must withdraw the three Australian units plus one other. [5.37] Commonwealth Variable WithdrawalTable (see below) [5.38] Commonwealth Withdrawal Table (see below) [5.39] Commonwealth Return Table (see below) [5.4] AXIS USE OF TOBRUK AS A PORT [5.41] In any friendly Reinforcement Phase that the Axis player occupies (has a unit of any type) in Tobruk and the Commonwealth player has no combat units in General Supply on Map L, the Axis player may attempt to bring reinforcements in at Tobruk. [5.42] Only newly arriving units may use this rule, not refitted units. [5.43] The Axis player may attempt to bring in 1 Stacking Point of combat units of any type, excluding the following types: recon, armor, artillery, and heavy weapons. [5.44] To bring in a reinforcement at Tobruk the reinforcement must be scheduled for arrival that Game-Turn. The Axis player then announces which unit is attempting transport to Tobruk and rolls one die. If he rolls a 1-5, the reinforcement arrives safely. If he rolls a 6, the convoy has been sunk and the unit(s) is permanently eliminated (i.e., goes into the destroyed units pile). [5.45] Units arriving at Tobruk are treated as normal reinforcements and may move, etc., in the turn of their arrival. [5.46] The Axis player may not use Tobruk for reinforcements the same turn in which he brings in a MSU, and vice versa. [8.8] ROMMEL In order to use this optional rule, the players must supply a "Rommel" counter. [8.81] Rommel is deployed Game-Turn 1 with any German unit. It has no value other than listed below, and has "0" Stacking Point. [8.82] Any unit engaging in a normal Overrun (not a Supply Overrun) that is stacked with Rommel adds one to its combat value (to the total stack, not to each unit in the stack) and expends only one additional Movement Point, not two as in 8.34. [8.83] Any motorized combat unit stacked with Rommel during a friendly Reaction Phase may react one additional hex, in addition to the allowance listed in 8.42. [8.84] At the beginning of each Game-Turn, prior to the Initiative Phase, the Axis player rolls two dice. If he rolls an "11" or "12," Rommel has returned to Germany for that turn. When rolling for Initiative that turn, the dice roll span is 2 to 6, regardless of what is printed or, the track. Do not use this section for Game-Turn 1 or 2. [8.85] Rommel may not be killed. If he is stacked with units that are eliminated, simply place him with the nearest friendly unit, immediately. [8.86] Rommel affects all units in the hex in which he is stacked. However, Rommel may never affect a stack composed solely of Italian units; the stack must be all German or part German. Richard Berg [5.37] COMMONWEALTH VARIABLE WITHDRAWAL TABLE DIE ACTION TAKEN -1 Withdraw 0 Withdraw 1 Withdraw 2 Withdraw and Possible Return 3,4,5 No Action 6,7 Return (*) = Roll die: on 1-4, no action; on 5-6, Return. The Table is used on Game-Turns 3 through 20. Adjustments to Die Roll +1 if Axis holds Bardia +1 if Axis holds Tobruk -1 if no Axis combat unit in General Supply on Map L -1 if no Axis attack on previous turn All adjustments are cumulative [5.38] COMMONWEALTH WITHDRAWAL TABLE DIE UNITS WITHDRAWN 1 Any one unit 3 strength points or better 2 Any one unit 4 strength points or better 3 Any two units 4 Any two units, one of which must be an armored brigade 5 Three,units, one of which must be a Heavy Weapons Brigade (see 5.36) 6 Four units, one of which must be a Heavy Weapons Brigade (see 5.36) [5.39] COMMONWEALTH RETURN TABLE DIE UNITS RETURNED 1 One Infantry(*) unit 2 One unit, any type 3 Two units, one must be infantry(*) 4 Any two units 5 Four units, two of which must be infantry 6 Four units, one of which must he infantry (*) Infantry means any unit which is not armor or Heavy Weapons. However, if no infantry is available, player may return other type unit. NB submitted by John Kula (kula@telus.net) on behalf of the Strategy Gaming Society (http://www.boardgamegeek.com/~sgs), originally collected by Andrew Webber (gbm@wwwebbers.com)