|
|
Scenario Author:
RhinoBones
Author's E-mail Address:
RhinoBones@aol.com
Last Scenario Revision Date:
July 30, 1999
VERSION 1.1
In the years preceding WWI the British had exercised a protectorate over the local gulf rulers, the Sultans of Kuwait and Mohammerah. Later, with the discovery of sizeable oil reserves and the building of the Anglo-Persian pipeline which brought the oil to the Shatt-al-Arab, the British had grew dependent on the supply and quite sensitive to any event which could negatively influence the flow of oil. With the advent of war in 1914, and especially with Turkey entering on the side of the Central Powers, the British government was quick to call on the colonial forces in India to mount an expedition aimed at securing the source of petroleum production and the general safety of the gulf region. By the end of the year India had dispatched three brigades who counted a total of nine Indian and three British battalions. With no serious opposition to contend with, the Indian brigades successfully occupied Basra.
By early the next year British ambition in the region grew to the point where an advance up the Tigris River to Baghdad seemed to be the next logical step. This ambition was predicated not so much on the military need to strike toward Turkey but by the fact that there appeared to be so little Turkish opposition to the plan. Besides, if something could be done which would cheer up the home front, then all the better. While on the way to Baghdad the British expected to secure their logistics tail by establishing outposts along the river at Qurna, Kut-el-Amara and Ctesiphon.
Before the advance could be started though, the Turks struck at the
Basra defenses from the West while groups of Arabs East of the Shatt (those
who did not recognize the British as anything other than occupiers of a
different name) used this same moment to exercise their independence.
After easily defending against the attacks, the British proceeded to move
up the Tigris where things would soon become a bit more difficult.
Victory Conditions
------------------------
The British will defend Basra before moving up the Tigris River toward Baghdad. The Turkish goal is to prevent the British from gaining any of the up river objectives and to capture Basra.
Remarks
------------
This scenario is designed to be played in the solitaire mode from the Turkish (Axis) side. For PBM games it is recommended that the Turkish side be awarded +2 in prestige to compensate for the advantageous troop deployment enjoyed by the British and the Indians.
Last Update Changes
-------------------------------
v1.0 06-01-99 Initial Release
v1.1 07-30-99 Fixed error in Turk cavalry identification
(all units were Arab Nationalists). Added two Turk infantry units
and limited Allied auxillary units to six total units for game balance.
|
|
