Briefing Package for Allied Supreme Commander
Introduction
Crete 1941 is an umpire-moderated campaign depicting the initial stages of Operation Mercury, the German airborne invasion of the island of Crete in the Eastern Mediterranean. Players assume the roles of commanders on either side. They communicate with each other through umpires, and their orders are carried out on the tactical table top (or not, as the case may be) by the respective battalion commanders.
This briefing is designed to give you an overview of what to expect from the campaign and enough information on friendly and enemy forces to formulate a plan and get started.
Special Campaign Rules
1.0 Commander's Role
The Supreme Commander is responsible for the overall direction of the campaign. You will issue orders to subordinate commands, schedule all reserves and reinforcements and control all air and naval units.
You have a dual role: that of General Bernard Freyberg, commanding officer of CREFORCE, and Vice-Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, Royal Navy, commanding British Mediterranean Fleet. Any air units or ground reinforcements from Alexandria that make an appearance will also fall under your control.
The complete Allied order of battle (down to platoon level) and chain-of-command is included in this briefing package.
2.0 Communications
You begin the campaign at CREFORCE headquarters, situated in a quarry overlooking Suda Bay in the New Zealand. There are three primary means of communication between CREFORCE and its subordinate brigades and battalions: wireless, field phone and courier.
Wireless sets are old, unreliable and subject to monitoring by the Germans. Batteries may last up to 24 hours and replacements are scarce.
Phone communications use existing civilian infrastructure, i.e., telephone poles. The phone net (shown on your tactical maps) is vulnerable to damage by air attack and enemy troops that discover the lines will have no difficulty cutting them. Due to a severe shortage of wire and tools your forces may not string additional lines and once a unit moves away from the existing network it will be unable to use the phones.
On the bright side, signals units are fully staffed by qualified personnel.
Couriers travel by motorcycle, car or foot. The probability of a courier getting through depends on many factors, including the presence of enemy troops in the area, enemy air activity, getting lost, the destination HQ moving, etc.
All commanders down through brigade level will be physically isolated in separate rooms and only allowed to communicate with each other and with battalion commanders via the Liaison Umpire. Battalion commanders are responsible for actually fighting the tactical battle on the game table top. The Supreme Commander may choose at any time to communicate directly with battalion commanders, but this circumvents the chain of command and might upset your brigade commanders.
Please, to maintain the spirit of the campaign do not discuss your plans or the strategic situation with the other British players during free time.
You have complete freedom to issue any orders you deem reasonable, i.e., you don't have to choose from some limited list of options. Before the campaign begins you may wish to coordinate with your subordinates to determine how frequently they should submit situation reports and what information these reports should contain. This will often be the only means by which you will be able to assess the progress of the battle.
2.1 "Visiting the Front"
The Supreme Commander may visit the front lines at any time. In exchange for better intelligence and more direct control of the tactical battle in particular area you will be out of touch with CREFORCE HQ, and of course you run the risk of death or capture.
3.0 Maps
Included in this package is a set of maps to help you keep track of the overall situation: four Tactical Maps on which you may plot the suspected locations of friendly and enemy ground units and one Operational Map to plot the movement of friendly naval convoys and British task forces.
The four Tactical Areas for which maps are provided are:
- Maleme
- Galatas-Suda Bay
- Retimo-Georgeopoulis
- Heraklion
4.0 Time Scale
4.1 Campaign Time
The campaign is designed to simulate the initial stage of the battle, from the first landings on the morning of 20 May 1941 through the evening of 23 May 1941. Game time will progress at the same rate for all areas, regardless of how quickly or slowly the players are able to complete their turns. Ideally, one day of game time will be completed each half-day of real time.
Example: It is conceivable that during a particular four hour period 6 game turns were completed at Maleme but only 2 at Galatas, because one group of players was significantly more experienced than the other. Obviously the commanders at Maleme will accomplish more, but that's life.
Also, time will be accelerated when there are significant lulls in the action, with all tactical areas being accelerated the same amount so that none of them "fall behind".
Example: Both sides are battered and bloodied and decide to regroup their forces. The umpire might decide that game time may be jumped ahead by one or two hour increments until one side or the other is ready to attack. All four tactical areas will always be jumped ahead to exactly the same time. Once the action resumes in one area, all four areas go back on real time.
4.2 Operational Turns
Each campaign day is broken into three eight-hour Operational Turns, or OpTurns (AM, PM, NIGHT). Naval movement/combat and air unit mission allocation takes place during each OpTurn (see sections 6.0 RAF and 7.0 Royal Navy below).
4.3 Night
Keep in mind that the Luftwaffe cannot fly at night. As a result, night is the window of great opportunity for both naval and land forces.
5.0 Victory
The exact victory conditions will not be provided to either side, but as a guide the following Allied goals are listed in order of significance:
- Deny airfields and ports to the enemy. HINT: you probably won't win if Jerry captures one.
- Control other key geographical features (towns, hills, etc)
- Do not fritter away your ships
- Destroy enemy paratroops!
Sorry, but that's all the help you get.
6.0 RAF
The last surviving Royal Air Force planes were ordered to evacuate Crete days before the invasion. RAF ground personnel have been armed to fight as infantry. You will be notified if air units become available from Alexandria.
7.0 Royal Navy
7.1 Movement
During an OpTurn you may move as many naval units as you wish. Write down the path of each unit and submit it to the umpire.
- SLOW units may move only one sea zone per OpTurn.
- FAST units may move two sea zones per OpTurn.
- Entering or leaving a port incurs the same cost as moving through one sea zone.
There is no limit to the number of naval units that may occupy or pass through a sea zone.
7.2 Search
Fleet units will search sea zones for Axis naval convoys.
Keep in mind that you have a greater probability of being detected and attacked by the Luftwaffe the farther north you go.
In sea zones south of Crete you may have cover from British aircraft based in Alexandria.
7.3 Combat
All naval searches and combat will be resolved by the umpires, who will then communicate all discernible results to you. When enemy naval units are detected you will receive situation updates that will allow you to decide whether or not to commit air units, break contact, etc.
Naval units bombard enemy positions near the coast. Move them into a sea zone adjacent to land and inform the umpire of your intentions.
8.0 Reinforcements and Supply
Troops and supplies may be transported by air or by sea.
On the Detailed Order of Battle you will see that each company-sized unit has a number of "Transport Steps". Airfields, ports and anchorages are rated according to how many Transport Steps they can accommodate each OpTurn. This information is marked on your maps, and should enable you to estimate how quickly you can send supplies and reinforcements to Crete.
9.0 Intelligence Briefing
9.1 Allied Chain-of-Command
See Orders of Battle
9.2 Tasks of Subordinate Units
| Maleme Sector | 2nd New Zealand Division consisting of:5th New Zealand Brigade. Defend airfield and the coast between the Tavronitis River and Platanias. 1st Greek Regiment defends anchorage at Kisamos Kastelli.10th New Zealand Brigade. Hold a defensive position, facing west and running from the cape of Kolimvithra southwards via Red Hill and Pink Hill to the hill south of Cemetery Hill |
| Suda Bay Sector | Defend Suda port and environs. |
| Retimo Sector | 9th Australian Brigade. Defend airfield. |
| Heraklion Sector | 14th Brigade. Defend airfield and port |
| CREFORCE Reserve | 4th New Zealand Brigade less one battalion in Maleme Sector. 1 Welsh Battalion in Suda Bay Sector. They will be administered by respective sector commanders, but will be kept concentrated and ready to move at short notice on orders from Force HQ. |
9.3 Unit Notes
Specialists: Many specialist and technical units are present on Crete awaiting evacuation. They are not properly equipped to perform their stated missions and are much too valuable to utilize as infantry. These units are primarily in the Suda Bay area.
Ad Hoc units: The New Zealand and Australian Composite units, Royal Horse Artillery, New Zealand Cavalry, RAF, Field Regiments, etc, are composed of specialists or artillerymen without guns. These units are eager to give good accounts of themselves despite the fact that they have little infantry training.
Greeks: Greek troops have only the most rudimentary infantry training under British and Commonwealth officers. Rifles are scarce and of various caliber. Rifle ammunition averages 3 rounds per man in some regiments.
Cretan Police: Police and Gendarmerie units are highly motivated, well-trained as individuals but untrained as cohesive units.
Cretan Irregulars: Highly-motivated, and in some cases fanatic. Trained and often led by British officers. Very stealthy and able to perform at night. These units carry on the centuries-old Cretan tradition of resistance to foreign invasion.
Motor Transport: Trucks are in short supply. Those available will be attached directly to brigade or sector HQs.
9.4 Civilian Population
The Cretan population has a long history of personal weapon ownership and resistance to invasion. Although gun ownership is outlawed by the Metaxas government almost every family owns a shotgun, pistol or hunting rifle. Historically, even women and children have taken up arms against invaders. The population is to be actively encouraged to follow this predisposition.
9.5 Misc. Notes
Fortifications: Positions consist mainly of foxholes or slit trenches with overhead cover and camouflaged against detection from the air. Shovels and picks are in short supply and units will be hard-pressed to dig new positions should they abandon the old. Wire has been laid in front of most positions but usually only a single line.
9.6 Terrain and Climate
Western Crete is dominated by the White Mountains, which rise gradually from the northern coast, reach their maximum height in the center of the island and drop away precipitously on the southern coast. A series of ridges and gullies run perpendicular to the coast.
Roads are primitive at best. The northern coast road has a metalled surface which is inferior by European standards but will accommodate motor transport. Secondary roads are merely tracks or goat paths.
Numerous olive groves and vineyards dot the countryside, surrounded by bamboo wind breaks. These provide good cover and concealment, especially against detection from the air.
The climate is predicted to remain dry and hot, daylight temperatures reaching 40 C. Temperatures are much lower at night, especially in the higher altitudes.
No precipitation is forecast and winds will be light out of the West or Northwest.
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