Alamein: Allied Options, Part Two
By Mike Bennighof, Ph.D.
March 2010

In Part One, we looked at two weak formations that were in the path of the Axis invasion of Egypt. Today we continue with five new variants for Alamein involving Allied forces. In Part Three, there are 140 FREE new counters for download.

Variant Three: A Polish Division

Most of the Polish troops destined to fight in II Corps had only recently arrived from Soviet prison camps, and were not yet organized into fighting units. And many of them still needed a good deal of rest and regular meals before they could be considered physically capable of combat. The new II Corps would not be ready for combat until the spring of 1943, and would not actually enter the front lines in Italy until that fall (after Italy had capitulated, thus avoiding the legal problem that Poland and Italy were not formally at war).

A single Polish brigade fought at Tobruk during its first siege, and took part in the Allied counter-offensive that followed in late 1941. We covered their adventures in an earlier Daily Content installment. At the time the Alamein battles began, the Poles had moved to Iraq to join the British garrison there, and during the course of the campaign they returned to Egypt.

One of the two Polish divisions, the 3rd Carpathian, was largely based on the old independent brigade and ready for action much sooner than its sister unit. Even so, it lacked its third brigade and much of its artillery, and none of its battalions were fully up to strength. But it was a veteran formation, and one that could be counted on to fight hard whatever the strategic circumstances. Had the Axis threatened Cairo, Alexandria and the Suez Canal, they would have to get past the Allies' most determined troops.

Variant Four: Kiwi Armour

We looked at the 2nd New Zealand Division in one of Alamein's earliest Daily Content pieces. From the start, the New Zealand government and military establishments wanted their Expeditionary Force to include an armored component. Tanks proved hard to come by, so not until October 1941 did the 1st Army Tank Brigade finally form with three battalions of Valentine tanks. The brigade was to join 2nd New Zealand Division in the Middle East the following spring, but once the Japanese began their relentless drive south the New Zealand government insisted on retaining it for home defense.

During the course of the Alamein campaign, the New Zealanders began conversion of their 4th Brigade into an armored unit. Most personnel of 1st Army Tank Brigade were transferred to the 4th Brigade, which had suffered heavy losses in the battle around Mingar Quaim. Surviving infantrymen were given the option of learning new skills or transferring to other infantry units; most chose to stay with the new tank battalions. While 1st Army Tank Brigade had been equipped with Valentine tanks in New Zealand, the new unit received American-made Sherman and Stuart tanks.

Assuming that the New Zealand government had allowed this reinforcement to go forward, add the three tank battalions of 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade to the 2nd New Zealand Division in all scenarios. Place them stacked with any unit of the 2nd New Zealand Division. New Zealand tank units are not required to check for tank-infantry cooperation.

Variant Five: Australian Armour

Only one division of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) failed to see combat overseas. The 1st Armoured Division formed in mid-1941, with the intention of deploying to the Middle East at the end of the year. Training and equipment would be completed in Egypt, and the division would take the field in mid-1942.

The first echelon was to have left Australia in December 1941, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ended those plans. Already upset that the British were not promptly returning the veteran divisions of the AIF from the Middle East to defend their homeland, the Australian government was not about to release its most powerful formation to fight half a world away. The division finally received its tanks by the spring of 1942, and deployed first in New South Wales and then in Western Australia to counter the perceived threats of Japanese landings. We covered it extensively in our Panzer Grenadier: Waltzing Matilda supplement.

Deployment of the division to Egypt would have required that the British Middle East Command find several hundred tanks for it plus hundreds of other vehicles. This probably could have been accomplished, and the Allied command would have been under heavy political pressure to use the Australian division or send it home.

In Scenarios Three and Four, set up all units of the 1st Australian Armoured Division at or within two hexes of hex 40106: headquarters and leader Robertson, six tank battalions, one motorized infantry battalion, one recon battalion, one motorized artillery battalion, four motorized anti-tank companies and two motorized engineer companies. It is prepared at the start of each scenario. In the Campaign Game, all units of the division enter as reinforcements on the 12 July AM turn.

No more than two units of the 1st Australian Armoured Division may be assigned to a non-Australian division, and no more than two non-Australian units may be assigned to the 1st Australian Armoured Division. Prime Minister John Curtin did not send the division to Egypt just so it could be broken up among British formations. Australian tank units must check for tank-infantry cooperation just like British tank units.

The Allied player is not required to expend tank replacements to bring the Australian units into play. British tank replacements may be used to restore Australian tank losses.

Variant Six: Indian Armor

As we covered in another Daily Content installment, the British Indian Army formed its own armoured division as early as July 1940, though it received no tanks until November 1942. At the time of the Alamein battles the division formed part of 10th Army in Iraq, repressing the locals and standing by in case the Germans burst south through the Caucasus mountain passes into the Middle East.

The division certainly could have been brought forward at any time, and had been in training for a year and a half. The British command would have to find tanks for the Indians before committing them to combat, but they did so just after the battle ended in November 1942 and likely could have issued them earlier.

Allow the Allied player to bring the following units into play at any time: 31st Armoured headquarters and leader Wordsworth, the three motorized infantry battalions of 3rd Motor Brigade, 13DC recon battalion, three tank battalions (two of them Indian, HH and SH, and one British, 14/20), four motorized anti-tank companies (79), one motorized engineer company (32), and two motorized artillery battalions (15 and 144). The Allied player must expend three tank replacements of the appropriate type: three Grant steps each for SH and 14/20, three Stuart steps for HH. The other units may not enter play until all three tank battalion shave been brought into play at full strength.

The same attachment rules covering British armoured divisions apply to the Indian 31st Armoured Division, except that the three motorized infantry battalions bear a brigade designation and are eligible for the integrity bonus. Indian tank units must check for tank-infantry cooperation just like British tanks. British tank replacements may be used to restore Indian tank losses.

Variant Seven: Tell it to the Marines

The Royal Navy offered two brigades of Royal Marines for service in the Alamein campaign, but ultimately the battalions would be broken up to provide crews for landing craft and commandos for special units. We covered their story in an earlier installment of Daily Content.

The Royal Marine Division had a headquarters, but lacked most of its supporting units including artillery. The Army did not see a need for two undersized brigades of light infantry, and was not interested in building up the Navy unit to meet its requirements. That very lightness would have allowed rapid transport to the Middle East, even aboard warships if this was seen as necessary.

The Allied player may bring the two Royal Marine brigades (each with two marine battalions and one machine gun company) into play as reinforcements at any time. There are no replacements for the Marines.

NOTE: FREE downloadable counters make up Part Three of this variant. Keep watching Daily Content!

Don't miss out on all the fun! Click here to order Alamein TODAY!