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DE 196 states:

DE 106 - UK: Sponsor A Revolt In Arabia?

Event fires: From the 1st November 1915 when London and Cairo
are in Entente hands, the UK is aligned with the Entente and fully
mobilized, and the Ottoman Empire is aligned with the Central
Powers and fully mobilized.

Cost of accepting: 150 MPPs (at 30 MPPs a turn for 5 turns).

Yes: Arab partisans will take up arms in and around Medina, and if
both Aqaba and Medina are liberated then T.E. Lawrence will
deploy as an Egyptian HQ there, while on the 1st October 1917 an
Arab Legion Detachment (in Egyptian service) will deploy at Cairo.

No: Nothing.

My questions/comments are:

1) Wasn't T.E. Lawrence present at the attack on Aqaba: https://www.cliohistory.org/thomas-lawrence/akaba

2) It seems almost impossible to take Medina with only the three Arab partisans since they are only at supply level 3...
In reality, Medina was never captured (it was held under siege until the end of the war) yet the Arab revolt still went on to capture Aqaba, apparently with T.E. Lawrence. Why is it necessary for the Arabs to capture both Medina and Aqaba, before getting T.E. Lawrence?

C

The Ottomans are already far too weaker than Historic levels, you want them to be weakened even more?
In RL no country could afford to send probing detachments of 10000 men to die for the sake of stopping supplies before an offensive. Deep cavalry raids never happened, coastal defenses were splended and no troops could ever target ships unless the harbour itself was captured wherein naval guns and naval infantry would fire back before the harbours fell.

ORIGINAL: Christolos

Why is it necessary for the Arabs to capture both Medina and Aqaba, before getting T.E. Lawrence?

Hi Christolos

There are two aspects to this.

The first relates to how the engine works with regard to unit deployments, in that a HQ can only deploy at a resource, it cannot be set to arrive in the hills like the Arab Partisans can.

The second is that the Lawrence HQ really represents logistical support, rather than simply the man himself. Therefore a port is needed so that supplies can be shipped over to the Arabs.

Thanks Bill.

It just seems like the Arab partisans that can spawn, can't really do much on their own with supply lvl 3...

C

ORIGINAL: Christolos
It just seems like the Arab partisans that can spawn, can't really do much on their own with supply lvl 3...

The turn the Arabia Revolt happens, the supply of Medina will be plummet to to only level 1.
If move the Arabian partisans at the same turn towards Medina, and when they finally reach the town, the supply of Medina is still at a low level. You can then use the partisans to besiege Medina and lower the supply back to 0 - then even the partisans can deal with a corps.

Thanks for the tip eightroomofelixir.

It may be too late because I initially moved one Partisan unit next to Medina and got attacked by a detachment that was stationed there the next turn, which inflicted 3 damage points. I got scared and move the Partisan away the next turn (and kept the others at bay too), and so it has been many turns since the initial revolt turn.
Would this mean that Medina is likely at higher than lvl supply at this point?

C

You can still try to besiege the city, as long as your partisans cut off the railroad connection to Medina.