[Desert war] Capture of Bardia - January 03, 1941 - January 05, 1941

Operation Compass
Mediterranean Theater By: jdrommel - Last update: 05/28/2012
Axis Player: Allied Player:
x5 x7 x6 x7
    first You play first


Historical Background:
Under naval fire of HMS Barham, HMS Valiant and HMS Warspite from 02nd of January 1941, Italian forces of General Bergonzoli, besieged in the fortified camp of Bardia, waited for the British attack. General O'Connor planned his attack with a deception manoeuvre from the north by a Free French company and 6th RTR, another deception attack in the center by the 17th Australian Brigade and the main attack on the east by 16th Infantry Brigade and Matilda tanks of 7th RTR. Started on the 3rd of January, the battle lasted three days and two nights. When the Australian infantry entered in the city, on the 5th of January, the Italian resistance ended all over the fortified camp. Bardia had fallen !
The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command. The rest is history.

Briefing:
Allied Player [United Kingdom] : 6 command card, you move first.
Axis Player [Italy] : 5 command cards.

Conditions of Victory:
7 medals.

Special Rules:
- Use "North African Desert" rules (Action 9).
- Use "BCF Command" rules (Nation 5) to all Allied units except the two Free French units.
- Use "Royal Italian Army" rules (Nation 6). Badges are not required.
- Use "Engineer" rules for the three units with engineer badge (Troop 4).
- Antitank obstacles represent antitank ditch, it can be crossed by infantry only. An engineer unit can fill in as for a minefield
- 7th RTR is an elite armor unit with four figures to represent well-protected Matilda tanks (Troop 2).
- Free French and Australians are regular units.
- Use "Big Guns" rules for the 1 figure Italian artillery (Troop 3).
- Hills represent "The Escarpment" and Bardia is at the same level of the sea and under the rest of the ground.
- Destroyers are in open sea, they only can be shot by Italian artillery.
- The Axis player lays out the minefields (Terrain 29).

Scenario Bibliography:
- Military Magazine hors-série n°3 - Tobrouk.
- "Campagnes d'Afrique 1940-1943" - Flammarion.
- Magazine Images de guerre 1939-1945 n°4 - Egypte-Libye.

Warning:
Please note that this scenario was not approved by Richard Borg or Days of Wonder, so you have to check yourself about playability, potential gaming issues, etc.

Set-up Order
4
10
4
5
4
2
1
6
12
12
9