From: hcmeyer@uci.edu (Hank Meyer)
Subject: NEW: Afrika (The Gamers) New Scenarios & Optional Rules

MORE AFRIKA SCENARIOS - Additional AFRIKA Exclusive Rules by Hank Meyer
(hcmeyer@uci.edu) and modified from his article published in Operations
#10. Comments and suggestions are invited.

Here are two optional rules to consider as well as two shorter scenarios to
play with. The new rules give the turn sequence a more interactive and
grand-tactical feel, while the additional scenarios are suitable for an
evenings entertainment, tournament play and/or developing "perfect" plans.


IMMEDIATE COUNTERATTACK
Any unit of the non-phasing player may counterattack any adjacent unit that
attacked or advanced after combat in the Combat Phase. It occurs as the
last thing in the Combat Phase, before the Exploitation Phase begins, and
has no effect on the ability of units to function later in the turn. In
other words, if a unit makes one of these attacks, it is not giving
something else up. This can be used with or without the optional
Interactive Sequence of Play rule.

The difficulty of coordinating a counterattacking force can be represented
by requiring the non-phasing player to commit to each and every
counterattack at the moment the triggering attack or advance after combat
takes place. These designated counterattacks are still not executed until
all attacks and advances have be made. This will limit the flexibility of
the counterattacking player and may provide some unpleasant surprises when
the player is forced to go ahead with a counterattack that doesn't seem as
wise at the end of the combat phase at it did when committed to in the heat
of the moment.

Alternatively, players can experiment with allowing counterattacks to take
place immediately when the triggering attack or advance after combat
occurs, thus making the combat phase an interactive series of attacks and
counterattacks. This may be difficult to make work correctly as it is
possible for a given unit to be involved in series of attacks and
counterattacks, and thus in multiple separate combats.

Regardless of which method of resolving counterattacks is chosen, no unit
may make more than one counterattack in a given combat phase.


INTERACTIVE SEQUENCE OF PLAY
  1.Movement Phase (all friendly units can move their full movement allowance)
  2.Combat Phase (with or without optional Immediate Counterattack rule)
  3.Enemy Reaction Phase (exploit-capable enemy units can move one-half MA
and conduct overruns)
  4.Exploitation Phase (exploit-capable friendly units can move one-half MA
and conduct overruns)
  5.Supply Phase

The above preserves the total MA for the exploit-capable units for the turn
at the rate it currently exists. The player may make more attacks per turn
using this system and must be careful not to generate an operational tempo
which will create losses which exceed the unchanged level of reinforcements
and replacements. When adding an Enemy Reaction Phase after the Combat
Phase, a change may be needed to the Replacement procedure. A Supply Trace
will be needed to and/or from a unit receiving a step-loss to an SP or a
port in order to make the replacement possible -- in other words, to gain
replacement steps, units must be in and be eligible to be in supply.


NEW AFRIKA SCENARIOS

These make good, short tournament games. Change sides and compare results
to determine tournament winners. These scenarios eliminate most of the
variability inherent in the games's supply, shipping, and replacement
systems. This makes them very conducive for the development of "perfect"
plans. They also make good scenarios to try out the optional rules
presented above.

SPECIAL RULES FOR BOTH SCENARIOS:

1. Malta Reduction is not used (but see optional rule 9 below that allows
for this).

2. The Axis Player gets 3 SPs per turn. The Axis Supply Table is not used.

3. The Axis player automatically gets a Coastal Shipping of 3 each turn,
the die roll is not made.

4. Benghazi has a port capacity of 2 at all times, and all other ports are
set at their maximum value. These values may be degraded by barrage attacks
normally.

5. Reinforcements arrive normally as per the Order of Arrival Tables

6. Truck points may be used proportionally -- 1 truck point could therefore
move 1 SP 10 MPs, 2 SPs each 5 MPs, or 10 SPs each 1 MP (etc).

7. The Variable Reinforcement Tables are not used. On turns 1 & 2 (Sept and
Oct, 1940) the Allied player gets two steps per turn. From that point on,
he gets 1 step per turn. The Axis player always get 1 step per turn. There
are no mandated withdrawals. Possible British withdrawals have been
integrated into the above reinforcement rate.

8. The victory conditions are based on the historical outcomes. To justify
the tournament quality of the scenarios, players must play each side and
compare results. The victory conditions are not guaranteed to come up a
50-50 change of each side winning.

9. (OPTIONAL) Malta Reduction can still be attempted with air points. One
air point yields 1/2 additional SP per turn, two yields 1 additional SP,
three yields 1 and 1/2 additional SPs and four yields 2 additional SPs. 1/2
SPs are held in Tripoli until an additional 1/2 point becomes available, at
which time they are combined and are available for normal use.

SCENARIO 5.1A:  O'CONNOR'S OFFENSIVE

Length: 7 Game Turns (turns 1 to 7)

Also try lengths of 6 or 8 turns. Alternatively, roll one die starting at
the end of turn 6. On a 1-3, the game is over. Otherwise, the game
continues. The game automatically ends on turn 8, if it has not ended
earlier. Another alternative to this is to allow either player the option
to extend the game at the end of turn 6. At the end of turn 7, the other
player (only) has the option to extend the game one more turn. The game
automatically ends on turn 8 regardless.

Set-Up: As per Scenario 5.1

Victory Conditions:

Smashing British Victory: Control of Bardia, Tobruk, Benghazi and El Aghelia.
British Major ((historical)) Victory: Control of Bardia, Tobruk, or Benghazi.
British Symbolic Victory: Control of two of Bardia, Tobruk, or Benghazi.
Italian Symbolic Victory: Control of two of Bardia, Tobruk, or Bengazi.
Italian Major Victory: Control of Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi.
Glorious Italian Victory: Control of Bardia, Tobruk, Benghazi and Mersa Matruh
Draw: Other than the above

SCENARIO 5.2A: THE RACE FOR TOBRUK

Length: 6 turns (turns 8 to 13)

Also try lengths of 5 or 7 turns. Alternatively, roll one die starting at
the end of turn 12. On a 1-3, the game is over. Otherwise, the game
continues. The game automatically ends on turn 14, if it has not ended
earlier. Another alternative to this is to allow either player the option
to extend the game at the end of turn 12. At the end of turn 13, the other
player (only) has the option to extend the game one more turn. The game
automatically ends on turn 14 regardless.

Set-Up: As per Scenario 5.2 -- add a Box and 23 Bde/70 Div (less one step)
set up in Mersa Matruh.

Victory Conditions:

Smashing British Victory: Control of Mersa Matruh, Bardia, Tobruk, and
Benghazi.
British Major Victory: Control of Mersa Matruh, Sidi Barrani, Bardia, and
Tobruk.
British Marginal Victory: Control of two of Bardia, Tobruk, or Sidi Barrani.
Axis Marginal Victory: Control of two of Bardia, Tobruk, or Sidi Barrani.
Axis Major Victory: Control of Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi.
Glorious Axis Victory: Control of Mersa Matruh, Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi.
Draw: Other than the above.

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5-02 Afrika Errata (official)

  1.  Units cannot move between hex A34.25 and hex A34.24. This all sea
hexside should be considered prohibited to movement and combat  (but not
barrage, of course).
  2. In scenario 5.2, one of the Allied 4-5 Variable Reinforcement rolls
has already occurred and the RECAM unit should not be in the dead pile.
  3. In scenario 4.1, the values for the 288 Sonderverband should be
4-7-18, not 3-4-15.
  4.  Supply cannot be traced into Salt Marsh or Delta hexes except along a
road.
  5. Case 1.6b should be a NOTE. The first case 1.6c should be 1.6b.
  6. Design Note for 1.7: There is no reason to disallow proportional use
of truck points. Proportional truck point use is allowed in the place of
the current rule if players desire to use it. The existing rule was
designed for simplification purposes only.
  7. In 1.11a, add "Units which are out of supply cannot replace step losses.
  8.  Clarification's: 1.16 The SP expended to construct a box must be in
standard supply range and does not supply the unit constructing the box for
the coming turn. 1.17 - the Babini group counts as a division for this
rule.
  9. For purposes of combined arms, parachute infantry counts as infantry.
 10. The second player always sets up first.
 11. Rommel can move in both phases, he does not have to choose between
them as rule 2.3 seems to indicate.
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