Description

Welcome to North Afrika November 1941 and Operation Crusader, which was part of the Western Dessert Campaign fought during World War 2.

After the Allied defeat in Operation Battleaxe in June, a lull settled in North Africa, and the Axis siege of Tobruk continued. The Allies used this time to build up their strength and the 8th Army was formed. Before dawn on 18 November, the 8th Army was ready to strike and the Allies launched a sweeping offensive into the Axis controlled Cyrenaica (Eastern Libya) in order to relieve the besieged fortress of Tobruk. After a series of swirling battles, the Axis had to withdraw and the siege was lifted.

Michael Gustavsson, co-designer of FAB: Golan’73 is back with volume IV in the Fast Action Battle series. In this game, as the Allied player, you control the XXX and XIII corps, Tobruk Garrison and the Strategic Reserve force of the 8th Army. As the Axis player, you control the DAK (Deutsches Afrika Korps), the Italian XXI corps and the Corpo d’ Armata di Manovra (CAM) of the Panzergruppe Afrika commanded by the famous Erwin Rommel. Units in the game represents regiments/brigades and some battalions, while assets are mostly battalion size and turns are 1-2 days in time.

In FAB: Crusader you will see features like Motorized Infantry units, higher stacking limits, Tank Refit, Italian Trieste Reserve Division, Ghost Units, Fortified areas, Realistic Armor treatment, Special Reconnaissance Unit Capabilities, movement points to trace Supply and Divisional Integrity rules, a new Combat Matrix and other rules for transferring the system to desert warfare.

Assets include Machine Gun Battalions, Allied "I" Tanks, Powerful German 88’s (AT) and more. Various events are included such as Air Missions, Allied Rapid Response, The Beta Convoy, British LRDG Commando Raid, Naval Bombardment and German Auftragstaktik, Command Confusion among others. The game also have optional rules to enhance realism such as Allied Armor Doctrine, Probe Attacks, Italian SNAFU Check and German Momentum.

This battle will provide interesting challenges to both sides: Will the Allies try a risky breakout from Tobruk, and will it be relieved, will Rommel go for a dash to the wire, will Allied replacements outlast Axis fuel and supply, will the Italians crumble or hold? Now, it is up to YOU to find out…