Annaba Constant 1960

[fitzpatv]

Another short scenario which provides a decent and quite challenging game. It assumes that Egypt provided material support to the Algerian rebels during that country's War of Independence with France. As a French commander, you have to intercept an escorted Egyptian convoy which is making for the Tunisian port of Tabarka to offload arms. Ideally, you should attempt to inspect the freighters and seize contraband without undue hostilities. While this is never going to happen in most Command scenarios (including this one), you should avoid firing first to stay within the spirit of the game.

To do the job, you have a WW2 type destroyer, the Chateaurenault, armed with 105mm and 57mm guns, plus a frigate, Le Brestois, which is essentially an ASW vessel and only has 57mm and 20mm guns. In the air, you are supported by two Mystere fighters and a Neptune patrol plane (with bombs and rockets), all based in Corsica.

The convoy consists of two freighters, escorted by the destroyer El Fateh. This British cast-off has 114mm guns and torpedoes, so your ships should treat it with caution. There is also a minesweeper, with a 102mm gun. The Algerian rebels have been given a couple of old Meteor fighters and a Vampire fighter-bomber. In addition to the convoy, there may be Algerian gun-running trawlers amongst the neutral shipping, so the latter should be approached and investigated if possible.

I soon found that the Mysteres were practically useless, as they lacked the range to fly CAP over the ships for more than a few minutes. Fortunately, the Algerian planes are limited to a patrol zone N of Tabarka and will leave you alone unless you enter it. You therefore need to intercept the convoy further E, ideally off the NE cape of Tunisia.

While waiting for the convoy to appear (and for the Neptune to be ready), I checked-out several merchantmen and discovered a gun-runner, which Le Brestois sank with gunfire for 20VP. Any positive score is Average.

Three or four hours in, the Egyptian minesweeper appeared. I used Le Brestois to provoke her into opening fire, then moved the frigate away at speed. She avoided damage and Chateaurenault crushed the enemy vessel with her heavier guns. This scored a hefty 100VP. Still Average.

Over six hours in, the Neptune located the convoy. The French ships kept their distance as the patrol plane (well out of the reach of Algerian aircraft), moved-in to neutralise the El Fateh. Rather unfortunately, the enemy destroyer managed to get lucky and downed the Neptune with AA, but she had already loosed her ZUNI rockets and these damaged the Egyptian ship. I was flying at 5,000' and should maybe have been higher but, then again, an attack from say 10,000' might well have missed. This cost 50VP.

Given no choice, I had Chateaurenault close, with Le Brestois running interference. It seemed that the rockets had destroyed or damaged vital systems and, to my relief, my destroyer got into range and hammered the El Fateh without reply for another 100VP. It was then easy enough to treble that award by polishing-off the freighters. With that, we disengaged and headed N, sealing a Minor Victory with a score of +370.

As you have no doubt noticed, I've been working through the Community Pack scenarios from A-Z, omitting those that have been reviewed elsewhere or which don't particularly interest me. Since this is a bit monotonous and as these reviews are for the general entertainment of the Command readership, I'm happy to vary things by taking requests (which will, of course, have to alternate with Northern Fury). I'm not keen on getting into any campaigns, as Northern Fury fills that category and will no doubt do so for some time to come.