Very early on in my PG playing I found myself consistently rushing attacks. As a result my plays had a tendency to end up as defender wins loaded with heavy casualties for the attackers and a failure to break through the defender's initial lines. Only when the attacker was stunningly superior (e.g. the Germans in many Eastern Front situations) were the "run up and punch them in the mouth" tactics effective.

As time went by I noticed that many of these scenarios ended well before the turn limit due to exhaustion or destruction of the attacking force. I then began developing real tactics with fire and movement, reserves and all the stuff you really are supposed to do. I can't say as yet that I have mastered the system but at least I understand it a lot better and can find ways to use bombardment, direct fire and assault in ways to improve my attacker's odds.

In this scenario a force of the Ariete division must drive through an Indian battalion which is holding a road along a ridge. The Indians have substantial artillery and prepared positions with ample AT guns and will receive a couple platoons of A9s early on. The Italians have a couple battalions of Berseglieri (sp?), two companies of motorcylists and a horde of slow, weak and thinly armored "tanks" as well as some good AT guns and some light artillery. The objective is to eliminate the Indians and gain control of the road without losing too many Italians in the process.

The Indian AT guns and the A9s made mincemeat of the Italian "armor" but the firepower of the Ariete troops slowly wore down the Indian prepared positions. Italian losses were substantial but the Indians were also losing steps as the Italian attacks first rooted out he defending dug-in troops and then moved onto the entrenchments. Since the Italian losses were too high they could not win but by controlling the road they would deny the Indians the win as well.

The defenders were reduced to two positions astride the road with an hour and a half to go in the battle and were finally eliminated on the very last roll of the game. It was a fun, but incredibly bloody battle, one that I didn't think could go the Italians way, even to acheive a draw. I give this one a "4".