minor correction

[boldairade]

if the UK moves a unit from the middle east into cypress that triggers Italian entry and effectively ends the game as a competitive endeavor.

that seems wrong

securing cypress makes the med MORE secure, not less. and that making italy enter seems wrong.

I get why the UK can't be allowed to redeploy units from the Egyptian theater

but perhaps the code could be altered so that if they redeployed them WITHIN the theater, it wouldn't cause this.


or maybe it's not worth the trouble

as always, great game!

PS at the very least some mention of it might be good to put in the game notes?

[stjeand]

I have done this more than once...


I suggest you split you corps in the Middle East because you just need 6 units. Does not matter how strong they are. When the game starts the UK have 6 units, and one can be split. You will still have to move a unit to the Middle east.

Sadly if the range is "expanded" it messes up with Syria and the range does not appear to go over water. I just tested it.

[boldairade]

thx for the reply

how does splitting a unit help ameliorate the problem if you still need to send another unit?

[Nirosi]

Hi,

Because by splitting units, you get "extra units" you can send to Cyprus and still keep the required numbers in Egypt, Palestine, Jordan.

[stjeand]

In any case...you need a large corps to show up in Egypt else risk a really bad Axis invasion.
Though depending upon which scenario you are playing there are ways to mitigate the loss of Egypt.

So when the game starts...and this is by memory...there are 6 units in Egypt...one is a small corps. You can split it and move one division to Cyprus. Now you can send another from the UK down to Egypt or send one of the large corps. You need the ZOC to cover locations plus you need a few large units to take Syria.

[boldairade]

Ok

So by splitting it you avoid Italy jumping into the war

But you are saying that additional troops will be needed to ultimately defend Egypt

[stjeand]

Absolutely but you also need one more division in order to keep Italy out of the war.

Splitting the unit gives you 7 units...you need 8...

2 to cover Cyprus and 6 to keep within Egypt...
Then you also need more because when you have to take Syria you need ZOCs and larger units to keep the Italian invasion at bay as well as naval units to cover the beaches.

It is a balancing act because you have to cover the UK too...so it is a stressful early game for the UK...once winter comes, the UK is safe then more units can be sent the Africa...


Normally I send the Canadians so they can get a warm vacation. That is 4 units if you split so more than enough to hold the area and a large corps.
I will still suggest a small corps at least from the UK...then you can have 2 large corps and the armor. Which should be enough to keep the Italians at bay. NOW if the Germans send amphibious panzers...well that is a different issue.

[Nirosi]

And one or two coast forts near El-Alamein can also help as they protect against all land attacks. Yu can make it a bottle neck, even more so with shore support if needed and/or possible.

[aaminoff]

You want to be careful not to conflate 2 things: the game's requirements for diplomatically ensuring Italy remains at peace, and strategic requirements to try to defend Egypt and the Middle East once Italy is in.

The former is 6 units in Egypt. Creating divisions out of corps helps with that. That requirement is in effect starting the first turn of the game.

The latter you don't really need to worry about until say March 1940 or so, at which point you probably want to start shipping some real units to Egypt and Cyprus.