C&C2 - Scenario 4 Tobruk - Session 1
Moved onto scenario 4 of our 9 scenario campaign yesterday and this along with scenario 5 (Beda Fomm) are the two I have been dreading as the Italian player .... It has not disappointed
I had also dreaded Bardia, but knew a job could be done there .... this will be different.
Italians are asked to defend roads and trails on a complete map against high-moraled Aussies. The Italians do have a small detachment of BERS with them, but the mass of their troops are the familiar '7' moraled INF. There are no trenches, just dug-outs. Also, its a 30 turn game... far too long for the Italians to defend succesfully. I knew it would be tough.
The Aussies have manfully marched on the board and are invincibly surging forward. The Italians for their defence have set up a small enclave on the main junction at centre board and then their main hope rests with a hedge-hog at the end of the board surrounded by mines.
The road junction defence is being cleared quite easily by the Australians with most Italians deciding running away is far better than fighting. Italian artillery on board (their one asset) has been firing blanks. Over 7 turns that we played, it has rolled 7, 8, 9, 7, 6, 5, 9. This is clearly not good enough.
The Australians have positioned themselves in good areas to launch their attacks and the excitement for them should begin in the next session. Losses to both sides after 7 turns have been light so far. 1 step loss to the Italians, none to the Australians. But Italian losses will come soon.
One funny note. On game turn 6, Brett said "I still consider you 14 points ahead at the moment" .... I replied "I consider myself 24 game turns behind" !