The Desert War - Preview and development thread

[Eivind IV]

Welcome to North Africa - a sandy hot hell! The desert fox and the desert rats are bashing together in a fight for the desert wasteland

It's a project I started a couple of years ago but abandonded as I grew tired of scenario making for a while. The map alone took me an eternity to make before I was satisfied. Just recently I took it off the shelf and blew dust off it.

The scenario starts in march 1941, with Rommel's first offensive and will continue until the bitter end in Tunisia and beyond, if that is indeed the outcome.

There are 3 different versions of this scenario. 2 SP versions and 1 MP version. The SP versions are playable either as the Axis or the Commonwealth. If you choose the Axis the axis will start with historical correct unit placement, while the commonwealth will be improvised to make the AI a tougher nut to crack. Vica verca with the other SP version. The MP version have historical placement on both sides.

There will be little or no shield production. Everything will be event controlled/created. So if you want supplies/equipment (money to rush buy improvements) or reinforcements (units) you will need to "request" (research) them. So the tech tree has been transformed to a "supply tree". Do you need more fighters? Well, then send an envoy to Berlin (research "fighter reinforcements" ) and ask for an audience with the Führer, then tell him what you need. Surely he'll understand The units will land in one of the major ports you control.

Here's the units divided between the Axis and the Commonwealth. Generic units are not listed:

Germany:
1 italia inf w/ rifle
2 german inf w/rifle

1 italia inf w/ MG
2 german inf w/ MG

1 german motor inf
2 italia motor inf

1 fallschirmjäger

1 mech inf

---

1 italia M13/40 (early med tank)
2 german T-38 (early med tank)

1 Pz I (light tank)
2 Pz II (light tank

1 Pz III (medium tank)
2 Pz IV (medium tank)

1 Pz VI (heavy tank)

1 Flak 88mm (anti tank, anti air)

---

1 Ju-87 (ground attack)

1 Ju-52 (bomber)
2 Do-17 (bomber)
3 He-111 (bomber)

1 MC 202 (fighter)
2 ME-109 (fighter)

1 FW-190 (interceptor)

-----------

Commonwealth:
1 brit inf w/ rifle
2 aust inf w/ rifle
3 indi inf w/ rifle

1 brit inf w/ MG

1 brit motor inf
2 aust motor inf
3 poli motor inf

1 mech inf

---

1 M3 (inf support
2 vickers (inf support)

1 matilda (medium tank)
2 cruiser (medium tank)

1 sherman (medium tank)
2 M5 (medium tank)

1 valentine (heavy tank)
---

1 typhoon (ground attack)

1 spitfire (fighter)
2 P40 (fighter)

1 hurricane (interceptor)

1 Wellington (bomber)
2 B-24 (bomber)

The civs are as following:
1. Axis
2. Commonwealth

(3. Vichy France
4. Syria
5. Greece
6. Turkey
7. Saudi Arabia)

Not all units are figured out yet, so please comment.

Vichy France, Syria and Greece will be AI controlled, and are there only to be invaded basically. Non combattants such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia are eliminated for play whatsoever, just like I did with the neutral states in my Norwegian Campaign scenario. Take a look at the screenshot over Syria and you'll see what I mean.

Comments and or suggestions are welcome!

[Eivind IV]

S1

[Eivind IV]

S2

[Eivind IV]

S3

[Sarsstock]

Well first off I love those screenshots Eivind, the desert terrain looks fantastic. Some of those units just might be the best damn MGE units I have ever seen in my life.

As for the city styles, I wonder if it might be more appropriate to use some sort of middle eastern city graphic rather than a european style for the commonwealth civ, much like the current middle eastern style of mine you used. In addition perhaps the Union Jack itself should fly over egypt.....

.... just a thought.

[Case]

From looking at the first screenshot, it seems that you may want to either use a larger map (much easier said then done I know!) or reduce the number of towns in North Africa. While the key characteristic of the war in North Africa was rapid moving warfare over large distances, that map is going to result in a slug-fest.

Also, AFAIK Benghazi and Tripoli were the only towns in Libya with large populations. The rest were tiny villages. I believe that Tobruk's peacetime population was only a few thousand people.

[curtsibling]

I would give the commonwealth the union jack, and the axis the German battle flag....

[Eivind IV]

Regarding the city styles, I can'y use anything else than european for the allied/axis as Italy is included as well. Besides, it's only graphics

The commonwealth civ will get the union jack. I'd much rather use an italian flag for the axis, but since greece is included, I'll stick to the generic axis flag. (I'm avoiding any swasticas, so no german battle flags).

Thanks for that input, Case, but the map stays. I have already reduced the size of the original map size I used to make the scenario less extensive. Also, all small villages are represented by city sizes from 3-4.

[Boco]

Gfx look very good , but Libya does appear too urbanized and fertile.

What kind of feel are you aiming for in N. Africa, traditional Civ or something more see-saw and sweeping? E.g. how many turns does it require to capture Libya? Will the AI be able to counterattack effectively (i.e. overwhelmingly at times)?

Do you have plans for Greece and Turkey?

[fairline]

Eivind: you already know my views about the map and scale. The vast majority of the North African campaign was fought in Cyrenaica in battles which saw the British Empire and Axis forces advance and retreat many times over the same ground. A map going from Tripoli to Alex would cover all of the practical objectives of both sides.

Leaving my preferences to one side (hey, this is your scenario!), there are a number of things you may wish to consider regarding the units. Firstly, the WDF and later 8th Army was a truly multi-national affair; the contribution of S. African and NZ divisions shouldn't be ignored, as I see you have British, Aussie and Indian troops already represented. British divisions were motorised throughout the War and the inclusion of motorised infantry in addition to regular infantry is superflous. Only the Italian divisions in N. Africa suffered from a serious lack of motor transport (all the German divisions were armoured or motorised).

The Typhoon was not used in N. Africa. The FW-190 made an appearance only late on after Libya had fallen and the Axis were retreating. The Hurricane was the most important Allied fighter in the theatre, particularly in the ground attack role. The Pz 38t was not used. Where are the early Brit cruiser tanks? Where is the Grant? Why include a Stuart M5 (only used after the Torch landings)? Where is the 25-pdr, the weapon that more than any other won the desert war? If you include the Tiger (again, only available at the end of the campaign) then the Churchill tank should also be included.

Sorry if this sounds negative, but I would have a serious think about the units

[curtsibling]

Indeed, cutting back on the trucks would free up some room for other units too.

[Exile]

Actually, Gareth, I've read a personal account of a British tanker who, during operation Crusader, was in a "Honey," the Brit slang for Stuarts. I don't recall if it was the 4th, 7th, or 22nd armored brigade that was equipped with them, but one of them certainly was.

The problems of the Stuart were revealed in the account. The tank commander's squadron was decimated by a German anti-tank unit and he was only saved because the first shell that struck his tank hit the water cans (spraying him with water, which he found incongruous, but refreshing). He only escaped by gunning his Honey over the edge of the coastal escarpment.

The British in north Africa received a plethora of American equipment at various times, and the Stuart, Grant, and Sherman all saw their first combats in various armored (or armoured, for those reluctant to endorse spelling reform, lol) brigades of the 8th army.

[Boco]

Exile, I gotta love the humor and flavor of your off-color, uncivilized preemptive revenge at the patronizing proponents of archaic forms of English.

[Exile]

Yes, but is it flavour and humour?

Sometimes you feel like a nut . . .

[Sarsstock]

Well if your ever in need of any flags or shields you know where you can reach me.