SCENARIO 11
WHAT IF THE LEGION FREIES ARABIEN FOUGHT?
NUQAIB OASIS - MAY 1941
Scenario
This scenario represents a fictitious meeting engagement between the two Arab
Legions – the Trans Jordan Arab Legion (TJAL) and that of Germany Legion Freies
Arabien (LFA).
Introduction
Kingcol is advancing on Habbaniya and has been deployed off to the south to
counter a reported sighting of enemy vehicles at the oasis and ruined fort at
Nuqaib in the desert.
Ground
The desert is open stony ground with windblown sand dunes.
The main feature is the rocky outcrop and spring that makes up the oasis
on the German base line. The ruined
fort is more a collection of broken walls and the remnants of a tower where a
single lookout may be posted. There a
few other ruins where caravan s have built shelters.
General
Outline
The reports of troop movements in the desert have been coming to Glubb via the
Bedouin of the desert. Likewise
radio reports from Baghdad have been telling the German led Legion Freies
Arabien (LFA) of the progress of Kingcol.
As a result the TransJordan Arab Legion (TJAL) are now deployed in a
screen to the south and the LFA readying themselves for a foray north against
the Lines of Communication of Kingcol back to Transjordan.
Both sides have deployed scouts.
TJAL Force Briefing (Glubb Pasha)
The
enemy have been found by intelligence and air reconnaissance.
They have established a base at Nuqaib Oasis and pose threat to the
column and its line of communication.
Tonight the replenishment column will arrive and the attack is planned
for just before dawn.
The enemy regularly patrol from the base
and so can expect to be met at any time.
LFA Force Briefing (Hauptmann Berger)
Mission: To interdict the British
Line of Communication between Habbaniya and Trans Jordan.
Execution: Locate and destroy the
enemy screen, penetrate it and destroy military supply transport along the line
of communication.
The enemy have established a thin screen of Arab Legion scout cars between the
Oasis and the main Trans Jordan – Habbaniya road along the pipeline.
This afternoon the supply truck arrives and the column will move off
before dawn.
Playing the Game
The two sides meet in the early dawn about midway down the track.
The tracks are regarded
as fairly good going for wheeled vehicles.
Off the track all vehicles travel at half speed except in the wadis where
the best speed is walking pace for infantry.
Any vehicle entering the wadi rolls a d6 and overturns on a roll of 1,
bogs in on a 2 or 3. Similarly
exiting the wadi. Driving across a
wadi risks bogging on 1-3 and if driving along it the risk is reduced to a 1
only.
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