Introduction

I played this scenario immediately following its predecessor, "A Single Day As A Lion", and under the same misconceptions as to rules. Without the column shifts for Morale or the Surrender Rule, the presence of entrenchments make it very difficult for the Commonwealth forces to clear the camp and kill Italian tanks in a timely fashion.

The Plans

Italian planning decisions are more complex in this scenario, because the presence of truly mobile forces provides for defensive options beyond holding the fortified camp. The Commonwealth plan must again encompass entry and points of assault, but the Commonwealth player must also keep focus on the Italian tank units, as these are a major objective of the attack.

The Italian Plan

The Italian Player again created a concentrated, heavily-fortified camp on the L2 Hill hexes. The Italian Player chose to place entrenchments in 1525, 1528, 1426, and 1428. The entrenchments in 1426 and 1424 protected one Infantry (INF) platoon and one Heavy Machinegun (HMG) platoon each, those in 1525 and 1528 two Infantry (INF) platoons and a 47mm Anti-Tank Gun each. The third 47mm A/T gun was dug-in with one Fanteria (FAN) platoon and one Mitragliere (MIT) platoon in 1427, making for a "continuous front" defence of the camp. The flanks at 1625 and 1629 were protected by two Fanteria platoons each, both positions being dug-in. The artillery set up at the rear of the camp, with the two 65mm howitzer batteries dug-in at 1726, and the two 81mm Mortar platoons dug-in at 1727. The third 81mm Mortar platoon and the third Mitragliere platoon were dug-in at 1627. One Fanteria platoon was dug-in at 1626, 1627, 1526, and 1527, these constituting a reserve to reinforce any of the positions attacked by the Commonwealth forces. The last Fanteria platoon was dug-in at 1728, ostensibly protecting the gun batteries. Lorries were co-located with the howitzer batteries, the Mortar platoons, and the A/T guns. The remaining lorries were placed, empty, with the Italian armour as a feint.

The Italian armour was disposed along the foreward edge of the camp; that is, the Western Edge, this being the direction from which the Commonwealth forces must advance. The M11/39 Troops were dug-in at 1322 and 1323, the leader being in 1323. The L3/35 Troops were dug-in at 1324, 1325, 1326, and 1327, leaders being in 1325 and 1326. The lorries were disposed in 1421, 1520, and 1620.

Note

By agreement, during deployment, empty transports were disposed with "dummy" counters underneath, except where they occupied hexes with towed weapons; thus it is not possible for either player to simply look at a stack across the table and know if it is loaded with troops or not. This Rule was part of the House Rules for Secret (I use "semi-secret") Deployment, which permit a player to set up their forces without being observed by their opponent. This is not specifically allowed or prohibited in PzGr, though the presence of a scenario in Elsenborn Ridge that has players use a screen to hide their dispositions infers that deployment is made in front of one's opponent; in any event, this is a courtesy I have long observed, and so practice in all my games.

The Commonwealth Player

The Commonwealth Player faces a long approach march followed by an exhausting series of assaults to clear the Italians from their fortified camp, complicated by the need to attack and eliminate the Italian armour. This time, when I should perhaps have chosen to divide my forces, I elected to concentrate them and go straight on to the attack. I used my lorries to bring my Rifle (INF) and Weapons (HMG) platoons into position along the South edge of the map, West of the road, then dismounted. The 3-Inch Mortar platoons were concentrated into a Fire Group under the command of a Lieutenant with a Fire Modifier. The rest of the Rifle and Weapons platoons will advance right up to the camp and launched a series of Assaults, making full use of the element of surprise. The Mathildas will turn the Hill and assault the artillery park before storming into the camp itself. Once the camp has been cleared, the Mathildas will open up on the Italian tanks.

The Battle

Things did not go quite so well as I hoped, but not as badly as they might have done had the Italian Player handled his armour better. As time pressed, the Mathildas turned on the paralyzed Italian tankers before the hilltop fort had been cleared, snapping the Italian armour out of its torpor and sending it charging for to support the Italian infantry. But several Italian tanks attempted to fight it out with the Mathildas, which was particularly foolish given the Italian Player's poor shooting. Still, the Italians were able to inflict sufficient casualties with an armoured counter-attack to force a Draw, though by doing so they offered themselves to destruction. The early elimination of the artillery park crippled Italian efforts to hold their entrenchments, as the Commonwealth forces attacked on a narrow frontage that maximized their ability to bring fresh platoons into action and support assaults with suppressing fire. By the time the Italians could move, their position had been overrun and their artillery park neutralised. The Commonwealth forces did lose a Mathilda Step to close-range A/T fire, and this was the margin between Victory and a Draw.

Conclusions

I don't feel I made the best use of the surprise rule, considering the poor disposition of the Italians. I ought to have got right up nearly on top of them with my trucks, and maybe saved myself a Turn or two. Had I more experience, I would have realized that the Italian tanks were no match for the Mathildas, and waited to attack them until after the hilltop had been cleared. I really ought to have won this one. Fought again, with the correct Rules this one would be conceded. With a better Italian deployment, however, it might still prove possible to force a Draw; the Tanks must be in among the Infantry, so that it is all but impossible for the British not to take out a Step in self-preservation; cross-fire will kill a Step of Mathildas, and that's 30% of the way home for the Italians.