Air Assault on Crete

Overview

Air Assault on Crete is a two-player wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1977 that simulates the German airborne invasion of Crete on May 20, 1941 (Operation Mercury). One player commands the German airborne and air-landing forces attempting to seize the island, while the other controls the Allied defenders (British, Commonwealth, and Greek forces). The game features hex-based movement at company/battalion level, with three-month turns and scenarios covering the ten-day campaign. It includes a bonus game, Invasion of Malta: 1942, using the same rules system.

Components

3-part hex map of Crete (1.6 km per hex)
Over 500 die-cut counters (German and Allied units)
24-page rules booklet
Dice
Bonus game map and counters for Invasion of Malta: 1942

Setup

Players choose sides (German or Allied). Set up units according to the chosen scenario’s starting positions. Allied forces are deployed in defensive positions around key objectives (airfields, ports). German forces are organized into airborne assault waves for paradrop.

Turn Structure

Each game turn represents approximately one day of operations:

German Bombardment Phase: German player conducts air bombardment of Allied positions.
German Airborne Assault Phase: German paratroops are dropped onto the map. Paratroop units take losses from both scattering during the drop and defensive fire, resolved with a single die roll.
German Air Landing Phase: Additional German forces arrive by transport aircraft at captured airfields.
German Movement Phase: German ground units move.
German Combat Phase: German units attack adjacent Allied units.
Allied Movement Phase: Allied ground units move.
Allied Combat Phase: Allied units attack adjacent German units.

Actions

Airborne Operations

German paratroop units are dropped onto designated hexes on the map
Each drop involves risk: units suffer casualties from scattering and anti-aircraft/defensive fire
Losses are determined by a single die roll combining both scatter and enemy fire effects
Successfully dropped units may be disorganized and require time to rally

Ground Movement

Units move from hex to hex, spending movement points based on terrain
Terrain types affect movement costs (roads, rough terrain, mountains)
Zones of control restrict enemy movement around units

Combat

Combat is resolved between adjacent units
Each unit has attack, defense, and movement values
Combat results are determined by comparing total attack strength to total defense strength, creating an odds ratio, then rolling on the combat results table
Terrain provides defensive bonuses
Stacking limits apply (maximum units per hex)

Air Landing

Once the Germans capture an airfield, reinforcements can arrive by transport aircraft
Airfields are the primary strategic objectives for the German player

Scoring / Victory Conditions

Victory conditions vary by scenario:

Basic Game: The German player wins by seizing one airfield and holding it for four consecutive turns, allowing reinforcements to land.
Advanced Game: If the Germans fail to seize an airfield by Turn 8, the Allied player wins.
Extended scenarios have additional objectives related to controlling key locations across the island.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

German paratroops are vulnerable during the drop phase and may land scattered
Airfields (Maleme, Rethymnon, Heraklion) are the critical objectives; without one, German reinforcements cannot arrive
The Allied player has hidden deployment options in some scenarios
Naval intervention rules cover British Royal Navy actions around Crete
The bonus game, Invasion of Malta: 1942, simulates a hypothetical German invasion of Malta using the same game system with its own map and counters
Zones of control do not require mandatory attacks
Supply rules affect unit effectiveness in extended play

Player Reference

Key Airfield Objectives

Turn Phase Summary