AOI Scenario 19: Mill Hill

Another in the battle game covering the Italian inavasion of British Somaliland, and is the third in a trilogy (along with #17 Observation Hill and #18 Punjab Ridge) built around an Italian attack on a British hilltop position. This time the Italians bring a little tank support while the Commonwealth has some heavy artillery and can get some air support. Allegedly.

The catch for the Brits is that they have no transports, so the 17 pounder is stuck in place. Also, destruction of the 17 pounder is a victory condition for Italy in the battle game so they will be gunning for it. Thus the British defense will be pretty static. I set them up on the ridge with the artillery behind and wait.

They didn’t have long to wait. The Italians entered from the west and proceeded cautiously, trying to keep coordinated and maintain formation. The L3/35s advanced from the southwest while the main infantry force went right up the middle. A smaller force hooked around to the north. A The British get to roll for air support every 30 minutes and get one on a roll of 5 or 6. They roll a 2, a 3, a 1, another 1, a 3, a couple 4s, and ultimately never get any planes during the battle. Meanwhile the Italians, undeterred, kept coming on. The L3/35s cracked the left flank, and the Italians simply rolled up the line. The British were steadily pushed into a pocket around the 17 pounder; it was eventually taken out and the bulk of the Commonwealth forces around them were surrounded and forced to give up. By the end a company of Commonwealth infantry, a HMG and a couple leaders scurried northeast. The rest of the British force was wiped out.

This was a rare walkover for the Italians, who definitely benefited from the British bad luck with aircraft. But it was also a coordinated and patient attack by Italy, which brought superior firepower to several locations and quickly took the Commonwealth position apart.