Introduction

This is a wonderful scenario, one I would like to play again with the Morale shift in effect; I suspect it would not be quite as much fun for the Italian Player then. I am very sensitive to casualties, even when, as my opponent liked to point out, they are "just cardboard". This hesitancy eventually would pay off, but in these early days of PzGr, it often meant I played to a Draw or even a Loss, as I did here.

The Plans

Here there's not much for the Italian Player to do but pick a Hill to hold and hold it. The division of strength among four hills makes that task difficult; the Italians only have 18 units total (the Truck was a major point of contention, but eventually the point went to the Italian Player, and the Truck counted as a unit). The Indian Army player has to decide how to proceed against these necessarily weak positions, either piecemeal, or in stages, or a bit of both.

The Italian Player

The Italian Player decided to make his stand right up front, hoping that a determined resistance would keep the Indian forces from attacking further back along the road and wiping out his other outposts. The major defence, comprising three Fanteria (FAN) platoons and three Mitragliere (MIT) platoons, was dug-in on the 0621-0624 Hill. The flanking hill (1521-1526) was held by four dug-in Fanteria platoons. The hill in the Southeast (2005-2006) held three Bande (BAN) platoons and one Fanteria platoon, all dug-in. The remaining hill held support weapons and rear guard, the 65mm howitzer battery, the 81mm Mortar platoon, and a platoon of Bande, all dug-in. The Capitano was in charge of the support force, with a Tenente at the Southeast and flanking hills. The main defence hill had the Maggiore and the best Tenente.

The Indian Player

I decided to keep my forces concentrated for entry along the Road, hoping to discover where my opponent's main strength lay before striking at the other hills. I considered him unlikely to attempt an even distribution of forces, knowing that I had sufficient strength to reduce them each in turn, and with 38 Turns in the scenario, plenty of time for it.

The Battle

I ran right into the Italian positions, and my lack of planning quickly told. I wasted several turns extricating myself from the defile, and when I had done, I was behind the main Italian defence and its flanking hill. I compounded my error by moving on to take out the two rear hills, which posed little challenge, instead of concentrating on the main defence and then mopping up. The artillery park was quickly cleared, and the Bande proved difficult to coordinate and hard to rally, so that the Southeast hill was taken rather quickly, and without undue losses, considering the Bande get a +1 shift in assault (two Steps). My assault on the flanking hill (1521-1526) was more methodical, with my Weapons (HMG) platoons setting up to provide covering and supressing fire, and my Rifle (INF) platoons moving up with good officer and reserves support. But methodical reduction takes time, and even the greatest care results in losses during Assaults, so that by the time I had cleared the third Hill, I had suffered 4 Step losses, bringing my total to six. Moving across the defile to assault the last Hill I took two more from the massed fire of the Mitragliere platoons, making the Italian victory conditions, and ensuring an Italian Victory; I conceded.

Conclusion

This would be another fight where proper use of the Morale rules in Assault would make a huge difference, particularly against the Bande platoons. Still, this is a tough fight for the Indian Player to win, and I would think an excellent scenario for those who cry for play balance; the Indian Player has a stark Victory Condition---lose 7 or fewer Steps, or Lose the scenario.