Sequence of Play

[Blu3wolf]

The sequence of play outlined below lists all distinct phases of the game. Each step has its own operations the user will want to perform on their units and PlayerSide data. The user's interactions are roughly detailed at each step.

[Blu3wolf]

Initiative Determination Phase is the first 'step' of the game-turn. The user can optionally enter the result of a dice roll, or have the result determined randomly. The software shows the user's Initiative Rating for that GameTurn, and the result (just sum of both numbers). The user selects whether they have Initiative or not below (big prominent buttons!). This status persists until next turn.

[Blu3wolf]

The Strategic Air Planning Stage is broken down into 4 phases, each having distinct operations. In the first, the Designation Phase, the user assigns each aircraft(!) to either Land Support or Strategic missions.

The second phase is skipped if the user is Commonwealth. For the Axis user, the Axis Malta Availability Determination Phase allows the user to select how much air raid support they will use this Game Turn from the mainland, abstracted air forces, to raid Malta.

The third phase, the Strategic Mission Assignment Phase, has the user now assign specific missions to their aircraft which were assigned Strategic. If the user is Axis, they assign aircraft to either naval convoy protection, or raids on Malta. The CW user assigns strategic aircraft to Naval missions or Bombing Reserve.

The fourth phase of the step is the Malta Raid Phase. The Axis player attacks Malta. If the user is Axis, the software presents data for planning and resolving the attack. If the user is CW, the software presents data for defending and noting losses.

[Blu3wolf]

The Naval Convoy Stage is the third stage of the game turn. It also is broken down into multiple steps. The first of these being the Naval Convoy Schedule Phase (which is the 6th distinct step of the turn). If the user is CW, they 'skip' to the next step. If the user is Axis, they determine how much tonnage of shipping they will have NEXT turn, and plan on the cargoes and routing for their convoys next turn (time intensive).

The next stage is CW only. The CW user resolves their strategic recon of convoys (this turn, so planned last turn). If the user is Axis, they are presented with a list of their convoys. If the user is CW, they are presented data and dice rolls for resolution of recon missions. They also may make notes (they can do this at any time, but the software reminds them at this time that they can do so), which may be useful in the event they are successful in their recon.

The Convoy Lane Assignment Segment is the 8th distinct step. The user assigns units to specific Convoy Lanes based on their role. If the user is CW, they assign Bombing Reserve aircraft to CAP, Flak Suppression, or Convoy Bombing missions in specific convoy lanes. If the user is Axis, their convoy protection aircraft are assigned specific lanes to CAP in.

The last step of the stage, Convoy Bombing Segment, resolves the combat set up in the previous step. The software presents data for resolving the combats, and the user inputs results, noting losses and expenditures.

[Blu3wolf]

In the Stores Expenditure Stage, the 10th step in the turn, the user distributes and expends Stores (Case 51.0). Units in an Oases, or Cairo require no Stores. HQ, SGSU and Engineer units consume 1 Stores point. Guard Units consume 2 Stores points per Guard Point (and may deduct their stores from the nearest supply dump). All other units consume 4 Stores points per TOE Strength Point - and require the Stores to be present in their hex, unloaded.

If insufficient Stores are present in the hex to feed all units, the user may mark units for half-rations. They may also mark units for half-rations by checking a 'dire straits' checkbox. Until those units are back on full rations, they may not exceed CPA voluntarily, nor may they voluntarily enter an enemy ZOC.

If units do not receive required stores, they lose 1 Cohesion. Units track the last Turn they received stores - if an even number of turns has passed since they received stores, the unit loses a percentage of TOE Strength Points, equal to that number of turns and rounded to the nearest number. (2 turns without stores, lose 2% of TOE, 4 turns, lose 4%, 6 turns, lose 6%, etc). Only infantry-type points can be removed, guns and tanks are unaffected. Units in Oases and Cairo update their last supplied turn, each turn (they are getting access to unlimited Stores).

[Blu3wolf]

The Ops Stage is steps 11 through 48 (wow!). At the end of step 48, if the current Player is PlayerA, the 'next' step is the reserve designation phase (step 33) again, and the current player is PlayerB. if the current player is PlayerB at the end of step 48, and the current ops stage is 1 or 2, the current ops stage is incremented by one, the next step becomes step 11 (start of the ops stage), and Player A becomes the current player. If the current ops stage is 3, the next step is 49 (finally!)

[Blu3wolf]

step 49 is the strategic air recovery phase. All surviving aircraft on strategic missions RTB if possible. Step 50 is the aircraft maintenance phase. The user is presented with data and tool to determine the readiness of aircraft that flew strategic missions.

[Blu3wolf]

If the step is 50 and the user proceeds to the next step, the step is reverted to zero, the turn is incremented by 1, and it all starts over.