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PLAYBOOKPLAYBOOK Table of Contents PLAYBOOKPLAYBOOK Table of Contents 1.0 Scenarios ...........................................................................2 2.0 ZOC Effects Summary...................................................10 1.1 Compass ..........................................................................2 3.0 OOS Effects Summary ...................................................10 1.2 Sunflower .........................................................................4 Extended Example of Play ..................................................11 1.3 Crusader ...........................................................................6 1.4 Gazala ..............................................................................8 Designer’s Notes ...................................................................19 GMT Games, LLC • P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308 • www.GMTGames.com 2 The Dark Sands ~ Playbook 1.0 Scenarios The scenarios are both self-contained and potential starting points in the campaign. The setup instructions contain directions for setting up all units, counters and tracks. The setup instruc- tions also indicate which Units and Assets should be placed on the Reinforcements Track for the scenario being played. Each scenario setup section has the following sections: On Map: Place listed units on the map locations indicated. Available Assets: Place listed Assets in the appropriate “Available Assets” box. Out of Play Units: Place listed units in the game box. Returning Units: Place listed units in their returning location on the “Reinforce- 1.1 COMPASS ments Track.” Operation Compass began as a probing attack by the British Rebuildable Units: Western Desert Force against the much larger Italian 10th Army Place listed units in the appropriate “Rebuildable Units” box. that had invaded Egypt three months previously, but Italian Tracks: weakness quickly turned it into a series of major offensives Set the markers as indicated in this section. that by February had destroyed the Italian forces and cleared the Axis from eastern Libya. 1.1.1 Start Turn The Compass scenario starts on Turn 1 and is two turns long. © 2018 GMT Games, LLC The Dark Sands ~ Playbook 3 1.1.2 Set Up 1.1.3 Victory Conditions All Units and Assets with a hex location listed on their counter There is no losing this scenario for the British. The real test here are placed on the map, per the instructions in the “On Map” is how significantly the British win. Of all the possible levels of section below. All units that are due to arrive on Turn 1 or 2 are victory, anything other than Strategic Victory should be blamed placed on the Reinforcements Track. on the chits and dice—or on a British blunder. On Map: British Apparent Victory Place the “At Start” units as listed below. There are no Axis units in Egypt. Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi are Italian controlled. Congratulations. You have followed your orders to the letter. Your Location Italian Units reliable mediocrity will ensure a steady flow of inconsequential 1647 Fortified Box, Cirene assignments and an obscure footnote in someone’s memoirs. 1848 Fortified Box, 1 Meditrn With these results the DAK will not be sent and North Africa will 1949 Fortified Box, 2 Libya, Maletti Group remain a backwater to the war. 2150 Fortified Box, 1 Libya 2436 Sirte British Marginal Victory There are no Axis units in Egypt and Bardia is British controlled. 1839 (Sidi Omar) Garrison Tobruk and Benghazi are Italian controlled. 2045 (Buqbuq) Fortified Box, Catanzaro Congratulations. Your unimaginative but stylish victory appears 2140 (Ft. Capuzzo) 28 October to have placed British forces in an over extended and indefen- 2141 (Sollum) Marmaca sible position. Your next assignment will be less than obscure 2149 (Sidi Barrani) Fortified Box, 3 January but, for the sake of appearances, will be honorable. After all, 2441 (Bardia) 23 March you were victorious. 2830 (Tobruk) Garrison British Tactical Victory There are no Axis units in Egypt and both Bardia and Tobruk are British controlled. Benghazi is Italian controlled. Location British Units 1877 22 Guard Inf Congratulations. Your plodding but aggressive command has achieved what appears to be a true victory. Sadly, this is the worst 1959 11/4 Ind Mot Inf possible result. You will still be in command, probably sipping 2051 3 Coldstream Guard Inf tea in Tobruk, when DAK comes roaring out of the desert and 1951 Selby Mot Inf forces you to scamper back to Egypt. 1650 4/7 Armour, 7/7 Armour, 7SG/7 Mot Inf 1550 5/5 Ind Mot Inf, 7/5 Ind Mot Inf, 16/70 Inf British Operational Victory 1960 Railhead marker There are no Axis units in Egypt, and Bardia, Tobruk, and Benghazi are British controlled. At least one Italian step is still Available Assets: on the board and able to trace an LOS. The following Assets are available and should be placed in the Congratulations. This is the best possible situation. You have appropriate “Available Assets” box. cleared eastern Libya of enemy forces, badly damaging the Italian army in the process. The Italians are being reinforced by DAK; Commonwealth: 6x Fortified Box you have been given two more divisions to complete the conquest of Italian North Africa. Good Luck. You will need it. 4x British Garrison 1x Coastal Navy British Strategic Victory 1x RAF +2 (historical and the only acceptable level) 1x RAF +1 The British player wins immediately at the end of a Victory Out of Play Units: Check Segment if there are no Axis units on the map that can None trace an LOS. Returning Units: Congratulations. You have cleared the map of the enemy. High None Command is convinced the show is over and is stripping you of your better units. The next few months will be a shock to all Rebuildable Units: concerned. None Tracks: Axis Victory Turn Record Track: Turn 1, British Initiative Avoid a British Strategic Victory. Saved Inf Replacements: 0 Any other level of British Victory is actually an Axis Victory Saved Armor Replacements: 0 due British mistakes or extreme bad luck. You should let them Commonwealth VPs: 0 try again. Axis VPs: 0 © 2018 GMT Games, LLC 4 The Dark Sands ~ Playbook 1.2.2 Set Up Turn 3 Reinforcements Action Segment is assumed to have been performed before the play started. The following setup includes the withdrawals and reinforce- ments that would be part of these action rounds. Note: In the campaign game the players will perform the Reinforcement Action Rounds at the start of the Action Phase prior to the Initiative Action Round. All Units and Assets scheduled to arrive on Turn 3, 4, and 5 are placed on the Reinforcements Track. The units that arrived prior to Turn 3 are setup according to the following instruction. On Map: Place the “At Start” units as listed below. Location Axis Units El Agheila Entry Area 21 Corps HQ El Agheila Entry Area 132 / Ariete Div 1.2 SUNFLOWER El Agheila Entry Area 8 Ber / Ariete Div El Agheila Entry Area 32 / Ariete Div Operation Sunflower was the code name for Hitler’s reinforcing El Agheila Entry Area Pavia North Africa to prevent the collapse of Italy’s Empire. Rommel El Agheila Entry Area Bologna turned this essentially defensive operation into an offensive that El Agheila Entry Area Brescia threw the British back to the gates of Egypt. El Agheila Entry Area Savona A word to the wise: Do not send Italians into the desert! El Agheila Entry Area Trento 1.2.1 Start Turn El Agheila Entry Area Afrika Corps HQ Sunflower begins on Turn 3, and is three turns long. El Agheila Entry Area 1 / 5 / 21 Pz Sunflower starts with the Turn 3 Replacements Phase and ends El Agheila Entry Area 2 / 5 / 21 Pz after the Turn 5 End Phase. El Agheila Entry Area 3 / 21 El Agheila Entry Area 2 MG El Agheila Entry Area 8 MG Location British Units 1877 (Alexandria) Garrison 2830 (Tobruk) 24/9 Australian 2830 (Tobruk) Garrison 1960 (Mersa Matruh) 22 Guards 1960 (Mersa Matruh) Garrison 2429 (El Adem) 3 Indian 2906 26/9 Australian 2904 (Benghazi) 20/9 Australian 1905 (Agedabia) 1 /2 British 1905 (Agedabia) 3/2 British 1702 2SG/2 British 1957 Railhead marker © 2018 GMT Games, LLC The Dark Sands ~ Playbook 5 Available Assets: Rebuildable Units: The following Assets are available and should be placed in the Axis: appropriate “Available Assets” box. Sabratha Division German: Tracks: 6x Fortified Box Turn Record Track: Turn 3, German Initiative 2x Italian Garrison Replacement Track: All chits available in pool 2x German Garrison Saved Inf Replacements: 0 21 Corps Arty +1 Saved Armor Replacements: 0 Regia Areo +1 Tank Upgrade: 0 Commonwealth: Commonwealth VPs: 1 6x Fortified Box Axis VPs: 0 1x British Garrison 1.2.3 Victory Conditions 1x Coastal Navy +2 Axis Victory: 1x RAF +1 The Axis player wins immediately at the end of any Victory 1x RAF +2 Check Segment that one of the following apply: Out of Play Units: • He controls El Agheila, Benghazi and Tobruk. All Italian “At Start” Units • There are no British units on the Center map outside Tobruk. Selby Company • It is turn 5 and he controls Benghazi, Bardia, Sollum, and 3 Coldstream Gds Company Hellfire Pass (hex 2042). 6 Australian Division (3 units) British Victory: Returning Units: The British player wins by avoiding the Axis Victory Conditions Turn 4: 7 British Armour Division (3 units) by the end of the scenario. Turn 4: 7/4 and 11/4 Indian Brigades Turn 6: 70 British Div (3units) For Campaign Start only Turn 7: 5/4 Indian Brigade For Campaign Start only © 2018 GMT Games, LLC 6 The Dark Sands ~ Playbook Location Axis Units 2042 (Halfaya Pass) Fortified Box, 200/90 (-) 2041 Fortified Box, 104/21 2040 Fortified Box, Savona (-) 2031 (Bir El Gubi) 132/Ariete, 8 Ber/Ariete, 9Ber/Ariete, 32/Ariete 2727 21 Corps HQ 2728 Trento 2629 Pavia 2630 Bologna (-) 2828 Brescia 2441 (Bardia) Afrika Korps HQ 2437 1/5/21 Pz, 2/5/21 Pz 2337 3/21, 33/15, 580/90 2534 8 MG, 1/8/15 Pz 2435 2/8/15 Pz, 115/15 2730 155/90 (-), 288/90, 361/90 1.3 CRUSADER 1938 Recam 2125 (Bir Hacheim) 65/Trieste, 66/Trieste Operation Crusader was the third attempt to lift the siege of To- bruk.
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