Score: (Italian step losses- British step losses)

THE BATTLE

The British decide to set up all their forces dug-in on the top of the NE hill (leaving the NW hill empty)

1100-1215: Italians begin to advance and spend the first hour moving. The Italian 65mm sets up outside the range of the British mortars.

1230: Italians advance within mortar range and the first “whistles” can be heard.

1245-1330: The next hour sees the Italians advance and begin their charge up the hill. British rifle and machine gun fire hails down upon them. They begin to break (5-0).

1345: British continue to hail down steady fire, but by numerical advantage, the Italians continue the attack (8-0)

1400: Italians win the initiative and assault. They lose one and half platoons and another half platoon is lost in the counterattack. But a single British step is also lost! (12-1).

The Italians initiate more assaults and lose another 5 steps of infantry (17-1).

1415: Four assaults are now going as the Italians are now on the hill. They begin to bring up reinforcements into the assaults and recover. One assault falls to pieces. (18-1)

1430: 3 Assaults continue. The Italians recover in two of them and in the third the British repel the attack (19-1)

1445: Recover Time.

1500: Italians push the three assaults and get victories in the SW and SE hill crests!!! A platoon and a half of British are eliminated while the reduced platoon flees. (20-4)

1515: As many of the Italians are demoralized, they are cut down while fleeing (25-4). In the two good successful assaults the Italians claim the ground as controlled. (25-7).

Is there really any hope for the Italians? Most of their troops are either eliminated or demoralised and the British just hail down fire from their dug-in positions

1530-1545: Italians win the initiative and continue the assault versus the British mortars. But they are hit by British close range fire after the mortar crews flee and the Italians are decimated! (30-9) Half an Italian platoon remains in the centre.

1600-1615: British continue to whittle down the Italians as they try to recover to remount the attack.

1630: Italians have 3 good platoons assaulting British half platoon in the SW with 2 platoons recovered and coming to assist.

1645-1730: It takes an hour of disruption, recovering and assaulting to finally overcome the British half platoon. Once eliminated, the British HMGs open fire claiming another Italian platoon.

With only an hour to go, the Italians surrender.

BRITISH VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

I don’t believe the Italians could ever win this one if the British only inhabit a single hill and don’t split their force. Even if split, it is an uphill battle (pun intended).

Scenario Rating: 2/5 – I prefer Scenario One, which felt more balanced. 2 out of 3 is a better win condition than kill all.