The Great War in the Desert

These rules cover Allenby's Palestinian Campaign, the Senussi Campaign and the Arab Revolt. They have been written to act as a campaign system for the Franco-Prussian War - WW1 Rule Box, published by Irregular Miniatures, but may be used with any set of rules covering the period, with suitable alterations of ground scale. The principals used may be adapted for most periods. A solo version is also to be included.

The rules use an area movement system, allowing movement to be restricted to historically accurate routes. Whilst this is not too important for desert actions, it has more significance in more 'cluttered' terrain. Areas are referred to as 'tables' since they reflect the tables on which battles will be fought. It should be remembered, however, that the area covered by each table is much larger than that covered on the tabletop. Thus, an action fought on a table containing a town need not include the town if both sides wish to fight away from it.

The rules cover actions between Regular (Turkish and Allied) and Irregular (Arab) forces. Regular forces are referred to as Empire forces in the text. It should be noted that Regular forces at tached to Arab commands, and Irregular Empire forces are treated as Arab for turn sequence, supply and battle determination pur poses, but as Empire forces for morale. If a campaign between two largely regular forces is being fought, both sides regular forces will move when specified in the turn sequence. Where conflict arises, the side holding the initiative chooses whether to move first or second, otherwise the Allied player chooses.

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1. TURN SEQUENCE PER DAY

i) Empire player determines their reaction force. This must be with, or in communication with their GHQ, or overall CO. The maximum strength of this force is three infantry battalions and one artillery battery. Cavalry and armoured cars may also be attached, with no limits on strength. Tanks may not be attached. Aircraft may also be declared as a reaction force if not used for reconnaissance missions that day.

ii) Empire player moves units which are out of communication. Units which are moving have their order of march determined.

iii) Empire player performs reconnaissance flights. Perform air to air combat on tables where both sides are attempting to carry out reconnaissance. Results of recon missions are supplied to the opposition.

iv) Empire player moves other units. At the end of this phase he announces which tables contain Empire forces. If Empire units have moved onto tables containing Arab troops, the Arab player may, if they wish, demand that the Empire player disclose the approximate strength of the moving units (e.g. Battalion, company etc.).

v) The Arab player now moves. If opposing forces are on the same table, battle is now joined. Starting forces are allocated. For the Turks, this is their entire force on the table. The Arab or Allied player may declare only a portion

of his force; the rest may enter after the 5th turn of battle.

vi) Unless it has already moved, the reaction force may now move to any adjacent table, or to any table connected to its starting table by railway if a train is available. Aircraft may fly to any table within three tables if it is in communication with the airfield table, provided the aircraft has not been used for a reconnaissance mission.

vii) Battles are resolved using the preferred set of rules. The order in which battles are resolved is determined as follows.

Roll a D6, +1 for each Arab force moving onto a Empire held table -1 for each Empire force moving onto an Arab table

1,2 - Empire player determines order 3-6 - Arab player determines order

Roll for surprise, and thus determine minimum starting distances between opposing forces, and the terrain. If, as a result of combat a force successfully retreats off table, it will move to a connected table as shown in Fig. 1.

If a force retreats onto an table held by the opposition, a further battle is fought. If it retreats onto an table in which a

battle is due to take place, determine the side of the table on which it will enter. It may enter on this side on the 6 th

turn of the battle.

After revealing forces, each player may opt for a 'bye', i.e. they will retreat their forces onto a neighbouring table before battle is joined. The Empire player declares whether they wish to retreat first. Only if both players agree will retreats take place.

viii) Book-keeping takes place once all battles, retreats etc. have been resolved. This covers supply, maintenance and reserves/re-inforcements. Determine which units are in supply and communication. If this is the last turn for a week, determine the supply expenditure of each unit and impose penalties accordingly.

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2. SUPPLY

Each campaign 'week' (7days/turns), determine the supply state of each unit.Requirements for unit types are shown below.

Unit Provisions Materiel Carrying CapacityInfantry 1 1 1/1Cavalry 2 1 2/1battery 100 100 100/200Aircraft 50 100 100/200Armoured car/tank 100 100 0/0Town, Station 200 - unlimitedTruck, Pack animals 10 - 1000*Train 10 - 10,000*Gunboat 20 100 10,000*

Carrying capacity is expressed in provision points/materiel points. Trucks, pack animals trains and gunboats can carry any combination of provision and materiel points.

Provision points are expended each week, materiel points are expended per day of battle (batteries, armoured cars, tanks), per flight (aircraft), or per week, whichever is the greater. For example, a battery resting for a week expends 100 materiel points, a battery in action for two days expends 200.

Units which expend all their available provision points take 10% casualties per week that they are out of supply. Tank/armoured car/battery/aircraft/train losses are borne by infantry and cavalry units in the same table. All units affected lose 1 MP for that week until they reach a supply source that can give them a week's supply points immediately.

Units which run out of materiel points suffer two extra halvings when firing. Tanks add one to scores needed for breakdowns, and armoured cars begin to roll for breakdowns as tanks. Aircraft are grounded.

Supply Sources and Supply Lines.

Each side receives enough supply points to cover its entire army per week. These points enter the game at specified points, either road/rail entry points, ports or, in the case of Arab forces, at supply points situated at oases or in mountain regions. Turkish and Allied supply points are known to the opposition, Arab supply points are secret.

As long as a unit can trace a line of occupied tables to a supply point (Turkish/Allied), or a line of tables unoccupied by opposing forces (Arab), it simply draws supply points from the supply source. However, if these conditions are not met, it has to draw supplies from those it is carrying, and must be regularly resupplied. Transport of supply points along occupied routes (and across open desert for Arab forces) is assumed. In all other cases supply points must be carried.

Oases may be used to draw up to 1000 provision supply points per week. Unless occupied by Empire forces they count as Arab supply centres.

If prisoners are taken, their provision supply points may be appropriated by the capturing force.

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3. RECONAISSANCE FLIGHTS

Reconnaissance flights are performed after units which are out of telegraphic communication have moved. Each plane can fly a distance of five tables, out and back, not counting its starting table, but counting its finishing table if different from its point of departure. Its starting table and its landing table (if different) must contain a truck designated at the start of the game as an aircraft support truck, representing the airfield support services. If lost, these trucks may not be replaced. If both are lost, all aircraft are out of service.

Units on an table in which an aircraft lands count as being in communication if they are otherwise separated from other forces. However, in this case they would be the only force able to take action on the information received, since it could not be passed to any other unit.

The player controlling forces on tables which are covered by any reconnaissance mission is told the tables over which they took place, and rolls for the accuracy of reporting.

Roll Accuracy Level Levels are: Nothing1 Bad +/-3 Platoon (1-100)2 Inaccurate +/-2 Company (100-300)

3-5 Fair +/-1 Battalion (300-1000)6 Good 0 Battalions (1000-3000)

Brigade (3000+)

They determine the reporting level of their force, and are free to modify it within the level limits of the reporting accuracy. The report will state the table in which the force is, whether it is in open country or towns/fortifications etc, and the level of the force. Unless a report of 'nothing' is returned, the presence of tanks, trains, armoured cars and gunboats must always be included. Numbers must also be included, although these may be modified by the accuracy of the report.

Example: The British player has a force of 2000 men, three armoured cars and an aircraft on a table overflown by a Turkish reconnaissance aircraft. A 4 is rolled for reporting accuracy, giving an accuracy of 'fair' and a level modifier of +/-1. He decides to report this as a Brigade (2000 men = battalions, +1 level = brigade), two armoured cars, and aircraft present (the single aircraft may be reported as 0,1 or 2 aircraft. Since its presence must be reported, the statement 'aircraft present' may be given).

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4. COMMUNICATION

Maintaining communications are vital for Empire and Arab forces, both to preserve supply lines and to manage reaction forces and reinforcements effectively. Lines of communication differ for Regular and Irregular forces.

Regular supply lines consist of a line of tables occupied by friendly forces of company strength or greater, or an unbroken telegraph line or railway line. A unit which is connected only by telegraph is in communication, but out of supply, and will need regular supply convoys to keep it maintained.

Irregular forces are in supply and communication if they can trace an uninterrupted line of tables to a friendly unit or supply base. However they are unable to take advantage of up to date information such as aircraft recons unless they can trace a line of communications as for Regular forces.

4.1 Laying Telegraphs

Any area in which friendly forces of battalion strength or greater have been in occupation for a week may be considered to have been connected to the telegraph system. Specialist line-laying units may be employed instead, if available.

4.2 Breaking Communications

Rail and telegraphic communications are always intact unless a table through which the communication route passes is occupied by the opposition at the end of a turn. In this case the opposition may break communications, or may waive this right in order to keep their presence secret. In addition, if a force occupies a table through which a rail-mounted reaction force passes, this force may be ambushed and the rail broken. To repair telegraphs, a friendly unit must enter the table on which the break occurred; the cable repair is assumed. To repair a rail section a train-mounted force must enter the table and remain on it for two days/turns. Battles fought on this table will have no effect on the repair unless the repairing force is wiped out or forced to withdraw.

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5. BATTLES

Once it is decided to fight a battle, roll for initiative, position and possible ambush, using a D10, counting 0 as 0.

Roll Action Type 0 Arab/British ambush 1-3 Encounter (Empire deploy first) 4-6 Encounter (hidden deployment) 7-9 Encounter (Arab/British deploy first) 10 Empire ambush

Add one to the die roll if the Turks have the initiative, and subtract one if the Arabs or British have the initiative.

In the case of ambushes, the defender deploys in a column of march, which should be specified in advance. The ambushing unit may then deploy up to half its force a minimum of 5cm of the outermost ambushed element. Artillery, tanks and armoured cars must be placed at least 20cm from the nearest enemy unit. 1 If the ambushed unit is not moving, it is deployed in defensive works or in laager. Minimum distances still apply.

For encounter battles, the minimum set up distances are as follows:

a) Both sides entering table, hidden deployment - 600mm, deploy in column of march.

b) Both sides entering table, one side has 'deploy first' condition - 400mm if deploying force wishes to start in defensive positions, else 600mm.

c) Other cases - 600mm if both sides moving, 400mm if one side in defensive positions.

All tables should be 6'x4'*, or as close as possible to that size. Decide which side faces North, and deploy both forces accordingly. Thus, if one force is advancing onto a table from the North, it enters on the North side of the table. Forces in defensive positions deploy as close as possible to the centre of the table.

Terrain is determined from the table below. Roll a D10 twice.

Roll Feature 0-5 Rolling terrain - open 6 Roll d6: 1-3 rough terrain, becomes an area 300mm square if 0-5 is rolled 4-6 small village 7 Small oasis - becomes a marsh if table contains a river. 8 Rocky hills 30cm x 10cm 9 Scrub 30cm x 20cm 0 Wadi, determine start and finish side with a d6:

1 North2 South3 East4 West5 Centre6 Roll again

A wadi beginning and ending on the same side becomes a wadi ending in the centre. A wadi beginning and ending in the centre becomes a depression of radius 100mm.

If the battle is to be an ambush, the attacker may specify either an area of rocky hills or a wadi on either flank of the ambushed column in addition to any terrain features already rolled for.

The table is divided into six squares, each 2'x 2', numbered from 1-6. Once all terrain features have been chosen, a die is rolled for each to determine which square of the table they will be placed in, with the exception of wadis. If one side is starting the battle in defensive positions, they may chose one terrain feature around which they are organising

1* Distances apply to the Irregular Miniatures Rule Set. For other sets, increase distances proportionally

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their defence. This feature is placed in the centre of the battlefield rather than rolling for its location. Any obvious terrain features, such as main towns, ports, coastlines etc. are also placed. Random ter rain features should be moved or changed if their location conflicts with the permanent features (e.g. rolling terrain in mountainous areas - this would be changed to an area of flat land 200mm square within the mountains).

6. PRISONERS

If a unit surrenders the capturing player must accept the surrender unless the capturing force is Arab, or Empire and the captured force is Arab, in which case the prisoners may be massacred. If prisoners are taken they require an escort of 1 guard per 20. If prisoners are massacred, note the site. If forces from the same side as those massacred enter the same table, roll for morale effect on a D6. The effect lasts for the turn on which the discovery is made, and the subsequent turn.

Roll Turkish Arab British1 +1 +1 +1 2 N/E +1 +13 N/E +1 +14 -1 N/E N/E5 -2 N/E N/E6 -1/* -1 N/E

-1/* : Morale of the unit is reduced by one until it reaches a friendly town or fortification.

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