Is it feasible with BJR mod in PBEM to take Egypt/Iraq?

[jjdenver]

Hi,

Is this feasible? I had a discussion w/ a PBEM partner and his feeling is that it's just not practical vs a human opponent using BJR mod and the limitations it imposes on troop deployment to north africa.

Can any experienced PBEMer who's used BJR mod comment on whether it's practical and some tips for achieving it? It seems a shame not to get that oil for Germany.

Thanks!

[rkr1958]

Hi,

Is this feasible? I had a discussion w/ a PBEM partner and his feeling is that it's just not practical vs a human opponent using BJR mod and the limitations it imposes on troop deployment to north africa.

Can any experienced PBEMer who's used BJR mod comment on whether it's practical and some tips for achieving it? It seems a shame not to get that oil for Germany.

Thanks!

Absolutely. Happycat took Egypt, Syria and was about to take Iraq in our last game. He did it by invading and capturing Cyprus and using that as an air base to strike at Egypt and Syria. The air units based there don't count against the restrictions imposed by the Malta Supply rule. Before that; however, he knocked out Greece, which gave him Crete, which serves as an all important air base for conducting operations in the eastern Med.

I had preserved most of the quality UK forces in North Africa. I had lost all the garrisons in Egypt, one infantry corps deployed from Canada and one infantry corps defending Syria. I can't remember my exact force but I had one motorized corps, one tank corps, one fighter unit, and two or three infantry corps. Happycat had begun his initial attack on a garrison defending one of the two oil fields in Iraq. He was about to break my back in the eastern Med expect I launched an early Operation Torch. Because he had all his quality units tied up in the eastern Med I knew he had to be weak in western North Africa. So I launched Torch 5/8/42. He's my report that I sent,

A lot happened this turn. First off as you know the US/UK launched Torch. They made it ashore and inflicted losses on the Vichy French garrisons but captured no ports. I can't believe I didn't run into your Italian sub! Also, I'm glad it caught you by surprise. I was worried that your German u-boats picked up the main invasion fleet; however, it seems that they only saw the lesser fleets heading to the invasion site. The Allied high command hotly debated launching Torch this early but decide that since a significant Axis force was tied up in the eastern Med to go for the operation. We'll see later if that was a good or bad decision.

RAF strategic bombers hit the exposed German u-boat fleet off the west coast of Ireland and reduced it to 4-steps.

The Russians launched a limited offensive into Finland and reduced an Finish infantry corps to 1-step. Also, they reduced the Finnish airforce to 6-steps.

My next turn I knew that the fate of Iraq and the oil fields hung in the balance and required a strong response, even though I was weak and if he continued his push he would break me there and gain control of that area. Here's my response for my 5/29/42 turn.

The US/UK captured Casablanca and Algeries. The Vichy French garrison at Oran still holds at 2-steps. An Allied DD, CV and fighter attacked the Italian sub reducing it to 2-steps.

In Iraq, the UK launched a counterattack and destroyed the Italian tank corps that attacked Mosul. The fact that the Axis telegraphed their attack on Mosul lead some in the the UK high command to believe that this attack was a trap but Churchill made the final decision and accepted the responsibility to counterattack.

It wasn't a trap. Happycat rightly perceived that I was weak and that he was about to break me in the eastern Med. But by going on the offensive I hoped that he would believe that I was strong and withdraw his forces to face the threat that Torch posed. It worked but by only the thinnest of margins. He withdrew his forces not knowing how weak I really was. In fact I was considering evacuating what I could of this force to fight elsewhere. In fact I nursed this force and didn't advance with them until I knew that he'd gone.

It should be noted that in the BJR mod, even with the Suez Canal under Axis control, the Allies can still reinforce Kuwait and Iraq through a "second" Africa transport loop.