The Lions of El Alamein, 1942

From VentoNuovo Games:

In the summer of 1942, after the capture of Tobruk, the German-Italian forces under the command of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel were in a strategic position to continue their advance in North Africa. The fall of Tobruk, a major Libyan port defended by British forces, was a severe blow to the British Eighth Army, which was forced to retreat rapidly eastwards towards Alexandria and the Suez Canal.

Rommel, having accumulated a series of successes, intended to use the opportunity to pursue the retreating British army, aiming to defeat it definitively and take control of the Suez Canal, vital to Allied supplies. His plan was to maintain constant pressure on the British forces, who were exhausted and ill-equipped, with the aim of forcing them to retreat further.

However, the situation of the Axis forces was not without its difficulties: Rommel suffered from supply problems, especially fuel, and logistics posed a significant challenge in the advance into the desert. Nevertheless, his determination to continue the pursuit and exploit the strategic momentum did not waver, and he prepared for what would become one of the decisive battles of the North African campaign: the Battle of El Alamein.

The game uses a new supply system based on the use and management of various types of resources: supplies, motor vehicles, ammo, manpower, afv and more.

The game offers five scenarios: two tutorial for learning the SLIT and three to relive the three battles of El Alamein, from July 1 till November 5.

One player is the Axis, the other is the Commonwealth.

In each Impulse a player may play a Pass, a Tactical Impulse or a Strategic Impulse.

Scale:

Monthly Rounds, divided in alternated Turns. Rounds ends after two consecutive passes.

Units are Regiments (Axis) or Brigades (CW)

Map is 86x64cm, 1:10000, with one hex side corresponding to 6 km

Each scenario has its own victory conditions, with victory points for each eliminated enemy units and captured Logistics Hub.

Includes convoy wars in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

DESCRIPTION OF PLAY

The initial setup is very quick: For each of the five scenarios, the game provides detailed setup instructions in the form of graphics illustrations.

The game is played in Impulses that are not strictly alternated and depends on Air Superiority. Thus a player with Air Superiority has more chance to play a second consecutive impulse.

The phasing player may choose between a Tactical Impulse, a Strategic Impulse, or a Pass. 

The game mechanics is somehow similar to the legendary Waterloo 200, Barbarossa Trilogy, and BLACK SWAN, but employs a newly developed engine called SLIT: Strategics, Logistics, Invention and Tactics, as all these four features must be mastered by each player to achieve success.

After the phasing player has completed his move and added pioneer, air and artillery support and before resolving battles, the defender has the chance to call for Air Support, armor reaction, and artillery support fire for defending key spots that must be held at all cost.

Depending on his Logistcis and Strategic Value a player can commit a huge number of resources to each battle. This is true for the attacker and for the defender, but keep in mind that when attacking you must avoid an all out frontal assault along all the line and you must instead find a weak spot to create a SLIT through which your armored formations can infiltrate and exploit the success.  And the non-phasing player must remember that defending everywhere equals to defending nowhere.

Thus no matter if you are the Axis or the Commonwealth, or if you are attacking or defending: Create a solid logistics chain by controlling the vital Logistics Hubs and keep your HQs at the highest possible strength as these two factors represents available ammo, fuel, personnel, supplies, water, and - most important - trucks. 

There is no forage and no horse available in the desert, thus to resupply your army and win a battle of manouver you must count on your available trucks.

And whatever either general might need in the Western Desert, must come by sea. Thus, goods will be subject to shipping losses. 

Second, set your strategy according to your Logistics and work on improving the latter to assist the former. Warfare science does not work the other way round.

Then, apply your invention ability to deceive the enemy about your real intentions thanks to the fog of war and find a weak spot in the enemy line. 

Finally, employ your best tactical assets to the hot spot and watch the enemy formations fleeing from the battle hex and leaving a sweet gap open for your armored formations.

In addition, both players have various events they can play to influence the game in different ways, such as Devil's Garden, Temporary Motorization, Independent Battalion Support, Medics, and more.