Drive on Damascus - Campaign - Part 3

Having driven to Damascus, our third session focused on the battle for Damascus and then sweeping into the Beqaa Valley.

Allied Turn 9 

The focus is on capturing Damascus, carefully

The Vichy are pulling back on the coast to shorten their lines.

But still find time to counterattack the relatively weak Commonwealth forces screening the siege of Damascus.

The Commonwealth get on with the battle for Damascus.

End of the Vichy Turn 10 and they have again pulled back,

but also launched counterattacks around Damascus.

The fickle CRT could see anything result!

The Commonwealth pursue the Vichy forces up the coast and in the Beqaa Valley.

Mopping up commences around Damascus.

Turn 12 

Final mopping up around Damascus.

Turn 13.

There was an uprising in Sidon as the Commonwealth forgot to garrison the place.  Duh!

Habforce has arrived and is racing north with the aim of getting into the top of the Beqaa Valley,

while other troops try and fight their way in.

A clash of armoured cars.

Turn 14 and the Commonwealth try a perilous attack on the coast road.

They have to get to Beirut in order to remove the Fascist menace to the Middle East.

 

The Vichy pull back to avoid being outflanked

and also to prepare for the defence of Beirut.

Turn 15 and the Commonwealth make a lucky attack on the coast

as well as keeping up the pressure on the retreating Vichy.

In the north Habforce attack another Vichy delaying force.

The big picture end of Turn 15.

There are six turns left.

It is not going to be easy for the Commonwealth to capture Beirut in that time, 

but we will try!

While Habforce can be brought in as an outflanking force, this doesn't seem necessary once Damascus has been captured and also incurs delays.  Much quicker to bring them in on the main road from Trans-Jordan.  As it is motorised it can not enter any of the mountain hexes that surround the approaches to Beirut so it is not going to be that useful, but we shall see.