OPERATION CRUSADER ERRATA

updated 031113

From: EastnFront@aol.com
Subject: GDW's Operation Crusader Errata

To whom it may concern:

Enclosed is a text file for the errata for GDW's monster Operation Crusader. I made it for a ADC2/PBEM opponent and thought I
would send it in, since I didn't see it on your site.

Best regards,

Greg Allen
gallen@www.wargamer.com

GDW's OPERATION CRUSADER C1978/C1979
Official Errata and Clarifications
April 1979

MAP:

• Sollum map:
  • Hex 3335 is Fort Maddellena, a landmark (not a fortification).
  • Hex 3134 and 3733 should contain landing grounds.
  • Hex 4103 is Sollum barracks, a landmark hex.
• Sidi Barani Map:
  • Hex 0113 is a clear hex.
  • Hex 0115 is a pass.
• Tobruk Map:
  • Hex 3213 is a hill (Ras Belhamet).

COUNTERS:

• German:
  • The 3/606 Light Flak Artillery should not have a parenthetical assault factor.
  • The 2/1 Light Battery of the 33rd Flak Regiment should have a parenthetical assault factor.
• Free French:
  • The single Free French air unit is the Lorraine squadron.
• South African:
  • The single South African of Boston bombers (unidentified) is the number 24 squadron.

FORCE ORGANIZATION CHARTS:

• Italian 20th Mobile Corps: The five anti-tank batteries of the 20th Mobile Corps are the 31st, 71st, 103rd and "T" batteries.
• Panzer Group Afrika: Although initially deployed in the "Afrika" Division area, and later assigned to the division, through-out most of the campaign the 200th Rifle Regiment fought as a component of the 15th Panzer Division and may be controlled by either divisional commander at the option of the Axis supreme commander.

CONVENTIONAL FIRE TABLE:

At 10:1 odds, the result of the die roll should be 50%, not 55%.

Plotting key: Under 1. Formations, add A: Assault.

RULES:

• Rule 6: Zone of Control: Units which begin the movement phase in a zone of control may move directly into an adjacent hex also in an enemy zone of control, but then must immediately stop.
• Rule 8: Formations: Paragraphs 8 B-1-a and 8 B-2-a contradict the Formation Effects chart. The chart is correct.
• Rule 9: Plotting, Section C: The first two paragraphs, headed 1. Moving Columns, and 1) Heading, are jumbled and should read: movement code and possibly a stop code. Each code will be separated by a dash. Also: a. formations: The formation assumed by a moving column is noted by the recording of one of four formation codes. These are:
  • B: Bounding
  • T: Traveling
  • R: Road formation
  • A: Assault
• Only engaged columns may plot assault formation.
• Paragraph 9-C-1-b 3) Skirting: Add the following: "A unit which encounters the end of an antitank ditch or escarpment ceases movement, even if it has unused movement points remaining."
• Paragraph 9-C-1-b 5) Follow: Add the following: "The first hex entered by the following unit is the hex previously occupied by the unit being followed."
• Paragraph 9-C-1-b 7) and 8): Add the following: " A unit may be plotted to stop immediately after crossing an antitank ditch or an escarpment by recording CD (cross ditch), CE (cross first escarpment), CE2, ect.
• Rule 22: Morale: Personnel class units being assaulted by enemy AFV units do not suffer the morale effects of rule 22 b-4 if there are at least as many friendly units defending and/or AFV strength points in the hex as their are assaulting enemy AFV strength points. Armored cars and non-gun armed light tanks (Italian L-3 tankettes and British Mark VI tanks) are not counted toward the total of defending AFV strength points, but are counted toward the total of assaulting enemy strength points. Note that this calculation is made solely on the basis of strength points, not antitank value.
• British 25 pdr artillery strength points count as antitank strength points.
• Add the following to section B: 5. Any unit checking morale from any cause except losses from indirect fire, and which has no ammunition, subtracts 2 from its morale factor.
• Add the following to section B: 6. Any motorized unit checking morale from any cause except losses from indirect fire, and which has no fuel, subtracts 2 from its morale factor. Any semi-motorized unit checking morale from any cause other from direct fire, and which has no fuel, subtracts 1 from its morale factor.
• Rule 24: Fortifications: Add the following: 8. The highest column of the indirect fire table that may be used when firing on a fortification is the 108 column. All attacks with 108 or more factors are conducted in this column.
• Rule 25: Terrain Effects: The references to the Terrain Effects Chart should be to the Formation Effects Chart.
• Rule 27: Supply Requirements and Consumption: B-1, add the following: A column which contains at least one assault-capable unit and which enters assault formation, expends one issue of ammunition, whether it fires or not. Thus ammunition is expended even of the defending column routs before the phase in which assault takes place.
• Rule 29: Transport and Distribution: Supply points may be distributed into a fortification, even if the fortification is in an enemy zone of control, provided the distribution path leading to the fortification does not pass through enemy zones of control. Such a path must be traced through other freindly fortifications in enemy zones of control.
• Rule 31: Capture of Supply Points: The second sentence of the first paragraph should read "Whenever units of one side are the sole occupants of a depot hex at the end of movement they are considered to be in possession of the supply points in that depot."
• Rule 36: Tank Recovery: A-1 How Units Recover Tanks, add the following: Allied and Italian units may recover wrecks from a hex in a enemy zone of control during night turns.
• Rule 42: Night: Columns in laagered formation do not suffer the morale penalty specified in rule 42-C.
• Rule 49: Air Missions: Section E (Ground Attacks), add the following: Ground attacks may be targetted on a specific hex number containing no landmark. Aircraft conducting ground attacks on a specific hex number containing no landmark may only do so using the Area Bombing (see rule 52) method, not the point attack method. Upon arrival over the target hex, roll the die once per attacking squadron. On a die roll of 1-4, the squadron bombs the designated hex. On any other rol, the squadron bombs an adjacent hex in the direction indicated below:
  • 5- North
  • 6- North-east
  • 7- South-east
  • 8- South
  • 9- South-east
  • 10- North-east
• If friendly units are in the hex attacked, they are attacked as if they were enemy units. Attacks may be made in hexes containing both friendly and enemy units, in which case all units of both sides are attacked.
• Optional rule: Early Axis Recovery: Although the Axis aircraft were grounded for the entire first day, the British were not aware of this soon enough to take major advantage of it. To simulate Allied uncertainty, the Axis player should roll the die twice before the start of play, adding the two die rolls together. The sum is the number of turns (from 2 to 20) that the Axis airforce is grounded. This die roll is done in secret and the Allied player is not informed of its result until the Axis aircraft are encountered in the air.

OPTIONAL RULE: ARTILLERY AMMUNITION EXPENDITURE

• Artillery units have more firepower than normal units, but as a result expend more ammunition. Any column containing three or more batteries of towed or self-propelled field or antiaircraft artillery uses two issues of ammunition instead of one each time that it fires. Such columns may use only one issue of ammunition if desired, but if so all field and antiaircraft artillery units in the column fire at half value. (In antiaircraft fire, half the normal shots are taken).

OPTIONAL RULE: HIDDEN ALLIED NIGHT LAAGERS

• All Allied columns entering laager during the night turn are removed from the map and may be displaced up to two hexes in any direction, provided this does not place them on or adjacent to an enemy-occupied hex. The exact location breaks laager, or C) an Axis column enters the hex.

OPTIONAL RULE: FREE ALLIED SET UP

• Although the Allies had a firm idea where the Axis forces were deployed, the position of the Allied units after the initial approach march was not known to the Axis. To simulate this, allow the Allied player to set up his forces within the following restrictions:
  1. Each major unit (Army HQ, Corps HQ, Division HQ, brigade, or battalion) which is given an initial set up location must deploy one of the initial set up locations given, although it need not be in the one listed in it.
  2. Major units may only set up in one of the listed locations, and at least one major unit must be in each such location.

SCENARIOS

Brevity:

• 6. Supply Availabilty: All British HQ and Convoy units are fully loaded.
• 10. New Units: 0100 hrs., 16 May - All three companies of the I Bn, 8 Panzer Regiment.
• Scenario Balance: The Brevity scenario is based on a actual availability of units, their correct arrival times, and historic supply availability. However, the British did not have access to the detailed information that the players and would then have been stranded there until 3:00pm the next afternoon, nor were they aware of the critical shortage of Axis artillery on the frontier at that time. Armed with this knowledge, it should generally prove possible for the Allied player to win Brevity. To simulate Allied uncertainty of Axis strength, the Axis player should separate four strength point reduction chits from the counter mix, numbered 1 to 4. Before play begins, the Axis player draws one chit at random, keeping the results of the draw secret from the Allied player. The chit should be retained for verification after the game. The following results are implemented:
• 1 - Historical forces and arrival times
• 2 - 1/8 Panzer arrives at historical time, but fully loaded with POL. 10 additional POL points may be placed in depot on the map initially.
• 3 - The Axis supply convoy column arrives at the same time as the 1/8 Panzer battalion, fully loaded.
• 4 - The Axis Supply convoy column arrives at the same time as the 1/8 Panzer battalion. At 1400 hrs., May 16 (when the supply convoy normally arrives) the 2 and 3 batteries of the I/75th Artillery arrive, fully loaded with ammunition and POL. (The counters from Battleaxe may be used for the purpose).
  

Crusader:

• 9. Setting Up The Game: 4th Indian Division: Add The following: "11th
  Indian Brigade within 4 hexes of hex 5008, Sollum map."
• The Italian 55th "Savona" Division sets up in the area indicated for the
  Bardia Fortress Command. The Bardia Fortress Command sets up anywhere
  inside the Bardia perimeter.