Afrika Second Edition

Lawrence and I played the first 7 turns of Afrika yesterday.  We tried playing the first version twice before and found the movement values so high as to make the game unplayable.  The movement values have been halved (or more) for this second version which makes for a much better simulation in our opinions - speed on the main highway was doubled which makes up the difference when just chugging down the map but now the 2mp penalty for entering a ZOC actually means something.

Game Setup

Here is the game at start, not very exciting.  UK is to the left (in the glare...) and Italians to the right.  Things start off with Mussolini ordering an advance!

End of Game Turn 1

At the end of game turn 1 the Italians have crossed the line of death (the line above the Bardia box).  The Commonwealth is waiting to build up some supply.  A major difference with the first game is the Commonwealth supply is not as mobile, only 2 truck points in the first couple turns.

End of Game Turn 2

The Commonwealth attacks!  O'Connor leads the way (he stays on the board till a 3 or less is rolled on 2 dice, one check at the start of each turn).  Five Italian units are cut off and need to have supplied restored by the end of their turn.

End of Axis turn 3

This is actually the end of the Axis turn 3, The axis tried to attack the 1-2-12 armor unit in the pic above and rolled a 3, which mean the Axis lose 2 steps.  The 1-2-12 reigns supreme and cuts supply.  the Axis end up losing a step per unit and ends up with two out of supply single step divisions.  O'Connor thinks he can use this opportunity to drive the Italians away from Bardia and Perhaps even Tobruk but Chruchill has other plans and takes 3 infantry brigades and an armor brigade away.  The Italians are having equally bad luck with their supply situation, rolling a 1 (worst) for shipping and thus being on a shoestring.

End of Game Turn 4

End of game turn 4 and Churchill takes ANOTHER 3 Infantry brigades and another tank brigade!  Just enough left for O'connor to hold position but taking ground is out of the question.  On the plus side another random reinforcement roll of 4/5 will be considered no effect from now on - rather than losing those troops.  The Italians again roll terribly for shipping as well keeping them from reinforcing.

End of Game Turn 5

I spoke too soon!  For my reinforcement roll I rolled a 3, Churchill demands that ANOTHER 2 brigades be sent elsewhere.  I leave the New Zealanders up front in a box (defensive position) and pull the rest back.  The only consolation is that the Italians roll lousy for shipping again and can not take advantage.

End of Game Turn 6

High Command finally cuts some slack and sends some troops.  Not a lot, but better than losing them...  Italians are still in bad shape but the O'Connor can not take advantage.  Which is a problem since Rommel comes in next turn.  The LRDG has also been causing problems, skulking in the mountains to the right (and mucking up supply).

End of Game Turn 7

End of Game Turn 7, alternate view.

At the end of turn 7 Rommel has moved forward (he is under that 3-4-10) by blasting the LRDG out of the way in the Mountains.  O'Connor is still around and rolled the max replacements this turn, bring back 5 units.  This allows the CW to build a nice defensive position in front of Mersa Matrah.

So far the Axis is winning (they need to hold Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi at game end) so the CW has to attack but with 21 turns left to go...

Both Lawrence and I like the changes that were made to this version of the game - personally this is my goto game for North Africa now.  The main changes are that movement rates are halved (while the coastal highway was doubled), Artillery now give a column shift and can no bombard, early supply for the UK was constrained, O'Connor was added, and the Axis supply shuffle was eliminated - the Axis player was given a false choice in the first edition between using air points to help supply into Tripoli or using it on the table but the supply would just pile up in Tripoli with no way for it to be moved out.

Our next 2 games days or the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving (Nov 24th and 25th).  We both have vacation we need to burn and what better way to do so?