With the appearance of the British to aid the Greek effort, Germany, concerned about possible interference with the oil supply from Rumania, drew up plans for the conquest of Greece - Fall Marita. The plan was quickly modified to include Jugoslavia when a coup overthrew the Jugoslav government and renounced the Tripartite Pact (an allegiance signed with Germany). Germany struck on 6 April 1941, at the advent of fair weather. Jugoslavia, torn by internal dissent, quickly collapsed; war-weary Greece was overrun as the British hastily evacuated to Crete, their bastion in the area. Fall Merkur, the airborne operation against Crete, was planned and executed. By the beginning June 1941, the Axis was in total control of the Adriatic and Aegean regions.

Marita-Merkur is an historical recreation of this campaign. It is a two-player game, with one player controlling various Axis forces (Italian, German, and Hungarian) and the other the Allied forces (Greek, British, Commonwealth, and Jugoslav) that participated in the campaign. The game has a dual nature. Initially, the Italians attempt to defeat Greece with the forces at their disposal, trying to regain prestige for the Italian armed forces. If this fails, then Germans intervene and must rapidly subjugate the area as their troops will soon be sorely needed in Russia. The Allied player attempts to thwart both these aims. Both sides manoeuvre their units and conduct combat, trying to achieve their goals.

By the fall of 1940, the glory of Fascist Italy had been almost totally eclipsed by the stunning German successes in Poland, Norway, and the West. To bring Italy once again into the world's limelight, Mussolini presented an ultimatum to Greece: Greek territory bordering Italian-controlled Albania must be handed over to Italy. Failing acceptance of the harsh demands, Greece would be invaded and forced to come to terms by the might of Italian arms.

It didn't work out that way. The campaign began on 28 October 1940. Very quickly, the world saw the Italian Army fail abysmally, as the Italian divisions, plagued by a weak organization, poor generalship, and unrealistic planning, were totally unprepared for the fierce Greek resistance. By the end of the year the small Greek army had thrown the Italians back into Albania.

Game components:

(Second Edition)

600 Die-Cut Counters
2 Maps, one 21" x 27" and one 21" x 16"
1 Rules booklet
3 OB's one Axis and two Allies
5 Reference charts
1 Die

A detailed breakdown of the activities that may occur in a turn is presented below. Activities inside each major heading are numbered and occur in the order shown; those marked with asterisks may occur simultaneously. Numbers in parentheses refer to appropriate rules sections.

At the start of each game turn

1. Weather determination (28)
2. British evacuation decision (27.E)
3. British interdiction decision (31.L)
4. German intervention deployment (31.E.2)

If German intervention has been triggered (on good weather roll):
German Special Invasion Turn (prior and in addition to German phasing player's turn)
Movement Phase: Yugoslav units checked for defection (Rule 31,G)

Exclude Exploitation Phase

Only German units may operate, other Axis forces may not
Yugoslav air units may not fly patrol attacks or interception
When all Yugoslav supply sources is Axis controlled simultaneously the Yugoslav army ceases operations (Rule 31, H)

At the start of each player turn 1. Phasing aircraft repair (24)

Main Sequence:

Supply Determination Phase

1. Check supply status of all units (12)
2. Check for Greek Collapse (31.1; Axis supply determination
phase only): After German Intervention, every unit that cannot trace a supply surrenders (remove from map) (Rule 31, G)

Movement Phase

The phasing player (Axis player in his player turn; the Allied player in his) may move any or all of his units in accordance with the provision of Rule 5 - Movement
1. Receive reinforcements (32)
2. Break down units (16.A)
3. * Move units (5)
4. * Execute overruns (13)
5. * Use engineering abilities (14.A)
6. * Use naval transport 127)
7. Reassemble broken down units (16.A)
8. Upgrade Greek units (32.D)

Air Phase

Players may deploy their air units and conduct air combat in accordance with the air rules (see Rule 22)
Movement segment
1. Return air units from shipping bombing (21.E.6)
2. Return air units from defensive air support (21.E.7)
3. Phasing player repairs ports (21.E.8)
4. * Phasing air unit movement (19)
5. * Resolve patrol attacks (20)
6. Enemy interceptor movement (21.A)
Air combat
7. Use German naval transport (31.M)
8. Air combat preparation (22.A)
9. Air combat resolution (22.8)
10. * Target defense and attack (22.C)
11. * Jump paratroops (21.D,3, 25.A1)
12. * Resolve paratroops attacks (26)
13. * Resolve special naval assaults (31.M)
Return segment
14. Phasing air unit return (19)
15. Enemy interceptor return (19)

Ground Combat Phase

The phasing player resolves all attacks he decides to make in accordance with the combat rules
1. Resolve combat (8)
2. Conduct retreats (8.F.1)
3. Perform advances (8.F.2)

Exploitation Phase

The phasing player may move (again) any or all of his units that are listed as combat motorized on the Unit Identification Chart
1. Break down combat/motorized (C/M) units (16.A)
2. * Move C/M units (5)
3. *Execute overruns (13)
4. * Use C/M engineers abilities (14.A)
5. Reassemble broken down C/M units (16.A)

At the end of each player turn
Check for Yugoslav collapse (31.H)

At the end of each game turn

1. Tally victory points (34.B)
2. Check for Yugoslav coup (31.D)
3. Check for German assistance/intervention (31.E.2). German intervention cannot occur until the first clear weather turn after intervention has been triggered.
4. German withdrawal decision (Rule 34.C.1).

Special Events

Special invasion turn (31.F): Prior to the Axis player turn on the turn of German intervention.

Yugoslav Defection (31.G): At the end of the movement phase of the special invasion turn.

German motor boat entry (31.M.1): Anytime.

German capture of shipping (31.M.2): When Athenai falls.

Rhodes special activities (31.N): Anytime after the first British evacuation.

Operation Marita: (the invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia) 6 April 1941

Operation Merkur: (the airborne invasion of Crete) 20 May 1941