Oil War: strategy & tactics

For the benefit of new subscribers, Oil War is a game of the
hypothetical attempt by the United States and various other nations to
land forces in the Persian Gulf oil-producing countries, and seize the
very vital oilwells and ports. This article discusses the best strategy
and tactics for both players.

American play is dependant on the initial set-up of the Arab player, so
I will deal with this first. One modification must be made to the O.B.
The Kuwait armoured Brigade value 2, should be made into a 7 value unit,
the same as the Iranian armoured Brigades, the reason for this is the
150 Chieftain Tanks, that Britain has agreed to supply to Kuwait.

From the Arab point of view, at the start, the airfields are the only
place to position forces. Iran is unlikely to be invaded, with all the
Iranian forces available there. The same holds for Iraq and Kuwait.
Saudi Arabia and /or Qatar therefore are the prime targets.

Here is the best (to my mind) set-up for the Arabs:

             Hex No.
Saudi Arabia 1324 one SA 4, one SA 167
             1128 one SA 6(mech), one
                  SA Lightning
             0828 one SA 4, one SA F5
Kuwait       0509 one KW 1
             0510 one KW Lightning
             0511 one KW 1
             0711 one KW 7(Armoured)
Iraq         0607 two IQ 4's(mech),
                  one SU7, one M21
             0606 one IQ 4(mech),
                  one IQ 3
             0508 one IQ 3
Iran         0805 two IN 8(mech)
             0806 two IN 7(arm)
             0705 two IN 7(arm)
             1107 one IN 6
             0907 one IN F4
             1306 one IN F4
             2115 one IN F5
             2110 one IN F5
Qatar        2024 one QT 1
Bahrain      1721 one BH 1

As can be observed the Kuwait forces are taking no chances, if all the
airfields were left unoccupied it would be a good opportunity for the US
forces.

As soon as the American/lsraeli forces have landed, the Arab forces
should be sent to the area and try and hold them. On the way, the Arabs
should try and move in single stacks, until actual combat occurs or they
end up less than a move away from the Americans. The reason for this is
that if the Americans bomb a stack of two units, say fours, they need
only twenty-eight to remove the units with certainty, at +20 odds, but
to remove two separate fours, they need twenty-four on each, a total of
forty-eight.

The airfields at Riyadh (0326) and Az Zahran (1521) are left unoccupied
at the start, their Sam-bases will prevent American/ Israeli/EEC
Air-landing troops from flying in, but these could land adjacent and
march in. Hexes 1419 and 0816 are bad places to land, being between two
forces the American is almost forced to attack hexes 1324, 1128, or
0828. But by benefit of the aircraft on top of these bases, even if shot
down, the Arab in his turn can place more aircraft over the bases to
prevent the American bringing in any reinforcements.

From about move 4 on, Iranian reinforcements should be kept back,
instead of going forward, and positioned about 4 hexes from the coast,
around hexes 0514,0515 to stop the Marines easily marching in and
capturing the ports/oil facilities nearby.

Little more can be said about the Arab's strategy and tactics, beyond
the obvious: going for the American ground troops, and the F-111's, and
if the Americans do break out, the Arabs must try and contest as many
objectives as possible.

American Strategy

For the American to get at least a marginal victory,
one port and fifteen oil facilities, must be captured. The port is quite
easy to capture, by dropping an air-landing unit on Bahrain .

Here is the move one, for the Americans, against the best defence.
Israeli air-landing units land on hexes 1028 and 1227, surrounding the
six value mechanised infantry unit and easily destroying it, an A6 and
an A7 aircraft are sent to hexes 2024, and 1728. The rest of the
aircraft, all F4s attack the Saudi Arabian Lightning and F5, having a
50:50 chance of getting each.

If the Arab, in his turn attacks the two Israeli units with all
available units including the two Iranian F4s, he will only have +0 odds
on them, with a one third chance of success, so it is likely that he
would pull back his forces instead.

In the American's next turn, he should land one of the Brigades in
Bahrain, and capture the port. Also he should land two Brigades on 1728,
move one unit off and bring back the A7, to cover the airfield. By about
move 4 he should be locked in combat with the Arab and unless he is
unlucky, inexperienced, or plays badly, he should be pushing the Arab
back by move 6.

If it goes badly, he may have to land the Marines as near as possible,
to help or if he is on top, the ports and oil facilities, if unguarded
provide a very good target. If guarded, a landing in 1609 and subsequent
movement on move 7 may give him a chance of capturing some oil
facilities and even the port on 1308.

Overall the 1st scenario is quite well balanced, but in the 2nd
scenario, l feel that the Victory Conditions should be reduced in favour
of the American.

David Bolton