Operation Exporter 1941 - A new project looms....

With all the desert gaming of late and the Outremer project looming large in 2023, another small project lands on the painting desk. Having been given a present of a box of 8th Army, it opened up pandora's box for a new project. I had always had a hankering for the French Foreign Legion and then I read about Operation Exporter and the British operations against Vichy France.

A little known campaign of WW2.

In May 1941, the pro-Axis Rashid Ali rose to power in Iraq and refused to allow British manoeuvres within his country Britain quickly restored the status quo by driving Ali and his followers out of Iraq (now that could be an interesting game......) To ensure that German military supplies shipped to Ali via Syria did not result in Axis control of that country and neighbouring Lebanon, Britain decided to take preventive action. With Australian and Indian support, as well as that of Free French forces, Britain invaded both Syria and Lebanon, fighting Vichy French garrisons loyal to Germany. On June 8 1941 Operation Exporter began.

The British and General de Gaulle's free Free French hoped to rally the Army of the Levant (45,000 men) to the allied cause and capture the airfields that had been used by German and Italian aircraft to support the Iraq rebellion.

The allied force of 20,000 expected this to be a simple task but faced surprisingly stubborn resistance from the Vichy French regulars and their colonial troops.

Now this is the type of project that is right up my street, an eclectic mix of units on both sides, strange vehicles and scratch forces. 

So with an order from Perry's for some extra heads and some French colonial troops to add to the lead pile.

So the 8th Army are to become Indians.... and the French troops can fight on both sides should I decide to expand to the Western desert.

Heads snipped and new heads on........

Not sure on a rule set yet, maybe Chain of Command or Bolt Action.

Time to hit the books and think about future purchases.