Custom Scenario Name:                 SUEZ
Scenario Starting Date:               February 4 , 1915
Maximum Scenario Duration:             turns 

Scenario Author:                      RhinoBones
Author's E-mail Address:              RhinoBones@aol.com
Last Scenario Revision Date:          September 10, 1999
Version 1.1

Background:

When the war broke out Egypt and the Suez Canal were neutral territory under international law.  In 1904 the British along with others had assented to respect the neutrality and rights of free passage.  When Turkey entered the war on the side of the Centeral Powers, Britian did not hesitate to declare Egypt a protectorate and thereby establish hegenomy over the length of the canal.  The use of the Suez to move Allied war material, and denial of use to the enemy, was of paramount importance; no matter that the international community had a difference of opinion.

Months prior to Turkey's entry into war, British intelligence had detected a build up of men and material in Palestine. Now that Turkey was in the war there could be no doubt that an attempt would be made to assualt the canal, defeat the British and enchourage the local Egyptian population to revolt for independence against the British.  Troops and war ships were deployed to defend against the precieved threat.

By January 1915 the British had deployed three divisions and a number of naval assets to defend the canal.  Of course, since the canal was approximately 100 miles in length, an end-to-end defense was impossible.  Strong points were established and a mobile reserve was tethered to the rail line which ran down the West side of the canal.  Actually the canal was it's own best defense.  The canal is a minimum of 34 feet deep and never narrower than 190 feet.  This is a big, wide obstacle.

In February the Turks attacked the British canal defenses.  The astounding part of the attack was that the Turkish commander, Djemal Pasha, moved 20,000 men across the Sinai Desert with their pontoons and bridging material (conveyed all the way from Germany) to their designated jump off points without the British  having the slightest hint of their presense.  Unfortunately though, the actual attack was a costly failure.  Less than a company of Turks breeched the canal at a cost of 2,000 casualties.  The British commanding general, General Maxwell, followed his direct orders to be cautious and avoid risky fighting, thus allowing the Turks to withdraw unmolested.

The Turks withdrew into the Sinai and area around Gaza, set up shop and waited for the British to follow.  They would eventually follow, but not until 1917.  It was about this time that the Germans dispatched a Barvarian colonel named Kress von Kressenstein to assist the Turks.  His sniping attacks upon the Canal with anti-shipping mines and railway demolition would hamper British efforts but not seriously degrade their capability.  His skill at selecting defensive positions, however, would later prove an insurmountable obstacle to many Allied soldiers.

The biggest accomplishment of the Suez Canal attack was to develop an intense fear in the British camp that bigger attacks were on the horizon.  British intelligence eventually estimated the number of Turkish soldiers in South Palestine to be 300,000 men, an impossible number, but a number which the general staff felt they needed to defend against.  In 1915 the British had over 14 infantry divisions pass through Egypt, divisions which might otherwise have been put to better use in the Balkans, or at Gallipoli or in France.

Designer's Notes:

This scenario is designed to be played in the solitaire mode from the Turkish side.  The British AI should be set on the rugged defense (blue computer icon) setting.  Solitaire play from the British side is possible.  The internal parameter settings used for the Turks will instruct the AI (as the Turks) to play aggressively and provide as reasonable amount of competition, that is, unless they run out of fighting units.

PBM Cheyenne games are possible providing both players have identical versions of the scenario.  It is suggested that the Turkish side receive a +2 boost in prestige to make up for the defensive advantage of the British forces.

Victory Conditions:

The Turkish player must capture all of the British controlled objectives by the end of the last game turn.  With the British AI is set for a rugged defense (blue computer icon) the Turkish player will need to overcome a defense which  fights in place to the last man.

Additional Macintosh/Windows scenarios are available at:
http://members.aol.com/RhinoBones/Tourney.htm


Scenario Prepared for Tortoise Page
http://www.fortunecity.com/meltingpot/oxford/285/tortoise.html   

