CSME 1.02 - AAR - Battlefields of Old (vs Greg)

[Jason Petho]

One of my regular PBEM opponents is Greg. He's a very skilled player (more so than I) and always provides some excellent feedback on the scenarios I create.

This will be an overview of a PBEM battle we are currently playing. We are quite a few turns in now, so I'm not worried about sharing anything he might see.

The scenario we're playing is called Battlefields of Old. Those familiar with the North Afican Campaign during World War 2 will see some terrain features that will ring a bell or two. For example:




The situation is a historical one, covering a brief border war between Egypt and Libya. Here is the scenario description:

21 July, 1977
[Jaghbub, Eastern Libya]:[H2H][HIS][CSL]: Relations between Egypt
and Libya became strained after the October War in 1973, with
Egypt slowly trying to find peace with Israel. Libya was one
of the transitions most vocal critics and started a campaign
of harassment along the border during the mid-70's. Almost going
to war in 1976 over the numerous border clashes, Egypt reinforced
the border area with two mechanized infantry divisions as a show
of force. Libya continued to train Egyptian dissidents as terrorists
at several camps throughout Libya and regularly dispatched them
across the border to disrupt the Egyptian regime. Border skirmishes
grew in frequency and intensity finally escalating to the intense
skirmishes in July, 1977. On July 21, Libya conducted another
battalion sized raid in the vicinity of as-Sallum, this time,
the Egyptians were prepared and counterattacked with a large
mechanized force. This scenario depicts the initial raid by the
Libyan 9th Tank Battalion and the subsequent Egyptian counterattack
into Libya. Tank skirmishes broke out over the familiar battlefields
of the North African Campaign of World War Two. [ALL OPT:VV][NONE][1.02]

The map is one of the larger ones included in the Middle East game. Here is a Jump Map view of my starting positions



Sollum is where my headquarters start the scenario. I'll be moving them out towards the border in anticipation of the Libyan moves.




Fort Cappuzo will be one of my first targets. Not too far across the border. You can see that I've started advancing my forces towards the border. I don't know what to expect, so I will be advancing relatively cautiously, as per my usual game play.



I have loaded up all my artillery assets, but have left the SAM systems in place for now. You can see my armoured column on the hard surfaced road.