HOTT Scenarios for Modern Armour

Arab-Israeli Wars : Jerordi Defile

On June 5th 1967, Israel launched a pre-emptive assault on the Egyptian defenses in the Sinai Desert. On the Mediterranean coast Israeli Paratroopers engaged Palestinian troops in Gaza, opening the way for the Tal Armour Division to advance. Tal's orders were to drive through the Jerodi defile, take El Arish at the western end of the pass and then push on to the Suez Canal. The Egyptian 7th Infantry Division had prepared and were manning the defenses of the defile.

Egyptian

7th Infantry Division

Commander Mortagy (d6 command; break point 12 AP lost)

HQ

6x Infantry

2x Light AT guns* (movement 0"; +2 +4; 4"Range; 2AP)

3x OT

3x towed Art.

3 trucks

3x minefields = 34 AP

Israeli

Tal Armour Division

Commander Tal (d8 command; break point 18AP lost)

HQ

7th Arm. Brigade - 4x SBT

7th Arm. Brigade Support

2x Infantry + 2x trucks

1x SBT

1x SP Art.

60th Arm. Brigade - 2x SBT

1x OT

1x Recon

2x Infantry + 2x trucks

Deployment

Before any deployment the Israeli player must note where on the southern edge of the table the 60th Armour Brigade will enter the table. The player simply writes down how many inches from the eastern edge of the table and the 60th has to enter with 6" of that spot.

Egyptian forces then setup anywhere on the table outside of 12" from the east edge and within 6" of the Rafah-El Arish road. The Egyptian player may entrench any and all elements under his command. Place a square horseshoe-like marker (60mm by 40mm) around the element. An entrenched element receives a +2 bonus when fired upon from the front or flank and a +1 bonus in close combat, as long as it is not contacted through the rear of the entrenchment. Entrenched troops cannot move for the duration of the game, however. If forced to recoil or flee, these elements are destroyed instead.

The Israeli 7th Armour Brigade, minus its infantry and artillery support enter on the eastern table edge on turn 1.

Reinforcements

The first time the Israeli player rolls a "6" for his command PIPs the 60th Armour Brigade enters the table on the southern edge, within 6" of the spot indicated by the Israeli player, before the game. This does not cost the Israeli player PIPs. He still has his 6 PIPs to command the 7th Arm.Brig., for that turn.

The second time the Isreali player rolls a "6" for his command PIP the Infantry and Artillery support units of the 7th Armour Brigade enter on the eastern table edge within 6" of the Road. This does not cost the Israeli player PIPs. He still has his 6 PIPs to command the 7th Arm.Brig. and 60th Arm.Brig., for that turn.

Victory Conditions

The first army to be reduced to its breaking point loses the game. If, after 18 turns, neither side has reached its break point, the Israeli player wins if no Egyptian element can partake of direct fire against the Rafah- El Arish road (indirect fire does not count). Otherwise, the Egyptian player wins.

Special Rules

1. Elements in column can move at triple speed down a road as long as they do not combine their movement with any cross-country movement and do not come within 12" of any enemy elements.

2. The sand dunes to the south of the the Rafah-El Arish road were thought, by the Egyptians and their Russian advisors to be impassable. Whenever an element reaches a ridgeline, south of the road, roll a d6, exactly as you would when reaching a river in DBA. The following are the results for that 6" section of the ridge

1 the ridge, at this 6" section, is impassable, the slopes on either side cannot be scaled.

2 to 4 the ridge, at this 6" section, is considered Bad Going and can only be crossed in column. Elements defending the ridgeline receive a +1 bonus for fire combat and close combat.

5 to 6 the ridge at this 6" section, is considered Good Going. elements defending the ridgeline receive a +1 bonus for close combat but not fire combat.

All ridgelines and contour lines block line-of sight for all units, except those actually touching the ridgeline or contour line.