Shad's Note: I'm dumping in a bunch of my old BGG AARs. If you've followed my "work" on BGG then you've read these before...

DEPLOYMENT

Basically, the Italians have a 3 hex entrenchment complex at the end of the road with their backs to the wall. The land is flat except for a small hill in the north center that has no bearing on the scenario's development.

The British load up the transports and enter on the road.

There's a long string of wire all across the battlefield, but it's only a speedbump for the British.

THE BATTLE

Transports for everyone and the ease of road movement meant the British were able to reach the wire on Turn 1. This left 15 turns to massacre some pizzamen. Knowing that only 2 steplosses would sink the whole damn operation, the British took their time.

The light infantry unloaded from the trucks at the wire-line and the detachment began moving in a large semicircle to the SW with the armor leading the way.

A few Italian mortar rounds fell here and there, but with the exception of a LT who lost a contact lens the British steadily walked towards the scared-shitless Italian infantry peeking through the entrenchment viewslots when they weren't busy changing their pants.

The British A9 armored platoon & the Bren carriers loaded with HMG infantry cautiously approached the clearing in front of the first of the three Italian entrenchments. To their shock and amusement, a 19th century musket suddenly popped out of one of the entrenchment observation ports - shoulder stock first! - and was vigorously waved back and forth in the air. Stranger yet, attached to the triggerguard was a lovely pair of white silk panties!

The A9 crews could only watch in awe as several dozen Italians came skipping out of the entrenchment with their hands in the air. Not a single British round had been fired!

Without immediately handy prisoner containment facilities, the British rounded up the Italian infantry and restrained them... by tying their bootlaces together. (Historical Note - prior to the fullscale switch to Fascist Velcro in mid-1942, this was the most effective way to keep an Italian captive)

The second entrenchment, led by the Italian capitano himself, proved equally ready to fly the silk panties and come out skipping to be shoe-bound.

Only upon reaching the last entrenchment did the British finally find themselves in need of actually using those strange firesticks their government had insisted they carry. By turn 10, though, it was all over.

Shad's Conclusion

All Italian steps eliminated. No British steplosses. British Victory

Final Thoughts

As the British I did use my plane - pulled a good one too! - and then promptly rolled a 1d6 one for a miss. Crap!

The surrender rule is wild. You are allowed to ask an adjacent hex of demoralized Italians (good order if you have armor asking) to surrender once per hex per turn. The Italian player must roll 2d6 higher than the highest morale of any unit in the hex. Considering all the Italians have a base morale of FIVE in this scenario, you can see why all the white silk panties were flapping in the breeze so easily.

While they had basically no impact on the scenario, I really like the wire counters and the greatly simplified terrain.

Lastly, this was my first foray into the PG desert - and it's not a scenario that one could really pass any meaningful judgment on - but I will say that after this little dust-up I'm quite eager to start my next desert adventure...

Playing through the Afrika Korps, I have decided to start chronologically so scenario 50 is actually the first. Go figure. In looking at the scenario, I though that this would be a push over for the British, well was I surprised to have an Italian win. Given the Italians have the worst morale I have ever seen, 5, the surrender rule is in effect, they have reduced platoons and only one gun platoon. They do have entrenchments and a bit of wire and in my play two leaders with morale bonuses. The British have morale, full platoons, tanks and aircraft too. So who should win?

To start the British moved down the road in the trucks and Bren, dismounting in front of the wire. The A9 moved through the wire clearing the road, but Italian 65mm fire struck quickly with an M2, demoralizing a British LT and platoon. The others moved through the opening in the wire with the A9 and Bren. Moving forward the 65mm struck again with disrupting fire on another platoon. The British Captain was able to take charge and get the HMG and the other INF up to firing positions on the entrenched Italians. OP fire from the Italians were scoring hits but the British firmed up and held their ground. With the A9 and the Bren in positions the Captains fire group opened up on the entrenchments scoring a kill and demoralizing another Italian reduced INF, but the reduced HMG held in good order. British recoveries were slow to complete, while the Italians were recovering within the same or one turn later. More Italian bombardment fire from the 65mm gun demoralized the British HMG weakening the Captains fire group. The British had to concentrate on recoveries and moving troops forward for a couple of turns, which paid off. The Captain was able to get a decent fire group of a modified 11 column attack on the entrenchments, but the Italians were only disrupting or passing the morale checks. But the British pressed on and were able to get next to the entrenchments, but Italian OP fire disrupted and demoralized the units, forcing one to flee. At this point the British aircraft appeared, a Baltimore with guns and bombs. Going after the 65mm gun it was able to disrupt the Italian Capitano and the gun, but a demoralized HMG passed. The British pushed on with the Captain charging his troops toward the Italian entrenchments. One group assaulted and killed a reduce INF but the Tenant with them was able to get away. One entrenchment taken by the Brits. The other was hit by fire from the A9 and Bren, disrupting the units in it. At this point the Italian 65mm was recovered and opened on the Bren, but missed. The final turn had the British with an all out assault on the last two entrenchments. The British Captain assaulted the 65mm gun destroying it but the demoralized HMG passed it modified morale check of 4 with the help of the Italian Capitano. This ended the game for the British as the Italians still contested at least on entrenchment.

Overall, I was surprised how much fun this was although frustrated by the British rolls the Italians were very unbelievable staying in good order even with bad morale. This probably would never play out like this again but it was fun to see it.

Author	goosebrown
Method	Solo
Victor	Italy
Play Date	2021-12-31
Language	English
Scenario	AfKo050

The scenario got off to a smooth start with the Italians occupying the entrenchments at the end of the E/W road. The 65mm gun set up in the middle entrenchment. The Brits came on in road order with the cruiser in front and the Bren with the Captain and HMG following and the rest of the rifle platoons in trucks.

The second turn initiative for the Brits started with a 6 and the Italians rolled a 2 for a differential with +5 modifier, to get a 4 activation start. I reckon they had time to brew up right past the wire where they unloaded.

The next turn was no better for the Italians until... their 65mm fired AT at the cruiser and got a 12. One step, counted double. Game over for victory conditions purposes. We (me) played it out but the Brits never got past that loss. It turned into a slug fest of direct fire and while the Italians never got great attacks, they consistently got Ms which bogged down the Brits.

In retrospect, the British should have not worried about going slow and simply tried to overrun the position instead of build an assault. I am going to play this one again. Without that lucky shot early on, I don't think the Italians could have done much.

Author	goosebrown
Method	Solo
Victor	Britain
Play Date	2022-01-01
Language	English
Scenario	AfKo050

Second time through solo. This time the British were big winners and still had time for a brew up by 8:45am except they had hundreds of Italians to look after on their way to camps in Canada.

Turn 1 the Brits moved in in road order with the A9 in the lead which moved directly to the wire with the Bren and the HMG following, then the trucks.

Turn 2 the Brits won initiative and the A9 proceeded to destroy the barbed wire then move across the line and to the right to hold the flank. The Bren moved through and unloaded the HMG. The Italians took a shot with the 65mm and disrupted a truck behind them with an INF platoon. The rest of the trucks ignored them and went across the line and unloaded on the left of the road to hold a right flank.

Turn 3 the British got a Hudson that didn't miss and which got an M2 on the 65mm, an INF and the Tenient. All demoralized. In the next activation, the British moved infantry and the A9 right up to the entrenchment and getting the first activation next turn asked for surrender which the Italians quickly gave them.

Still in turn 3 the Brit INF moved to the next hex and became adjacent with 2 INF to the next stack of Italians. Now the Italians fired back at the Brits and got an M but that failed to impress the 1st King's Royal Rifles.

Turn 4 the Brits demoralized the Italians adjacent and moved the A9 to be adjacent But the Italians broke and ran just to give the Brits some exercise as they were dismounted. Brits moved adjacent to the retreating Italians with the Bren, which offloaded the HMG and the A9.

Turn 5 the Brits won the initiative and simply asked the Italians to simply surrender and they did.

Overall, my take away is don't fear wire, it's more or less an ornament if you have a tank and no real AT threat.

My second take away is keep your infantry in separate hexes when loaded so that they don't get wiped out in a lucky shot, then drive them hard for their objectives.

My third take away is that Italians leaders are worse than useless

Enjoyed a lot more the second time through.

This one went quickly. The Brits got a Hudson on Turn 4 that took out the 65mm leaving the Italians without any anti-armor capability. This allowed the Bren and A9 to get in close and start the surrender party. A 10-1-2 Capitano leader draw for the Italians kept it interesting for a bit but they finally succumbed to the inevitable. Nice, simple desert scenario. If the 65mm sticks around it can get tense as one tank step will lose the game for the British. Fun, played quickly.

A mobile British column attacks a border strongpoint. The Italian garrison can't decide whether to use it's guns as artillery or anti-tank - but that doesn't matter because neither way hits any British units on the approach. A Blenheim bomber conveniently demoralizes the best Italian infantry/HMG stack, which then surrenders when a tank drives up next door. Infantry successfully assaults the myopic artillery, and only a very brave Italian Capitano puts up any serious resistance, overcoming his alleged morale of 6!

Played this scenario face-to-face in just one session with lots of beer, chips & salsa and no Fog of War rule. Much like the other AARs already on file, an unprepared Italian frontier garrison was attacked and destroyed by a fast-moving British task force accompanied by a single A-9 Cruiser Tank platoon. The British side drew a fine set of leaders. My hard fighting opponent's Italians had no such luck. Oddly, most of my morale, DF, air attack and assault die rolls went my way this time. The British movement to contact was relatively quick and undamaged by Italian artillery. Turns 2 and 3 both featured a RAF attacks that created some demoralized units, includng the only half-strength HMG platoon. This helped the Tommies get adjacent a bit later when the Cruiser Tank unit arrived on the scene. Poor morale doomed the Italian side to a long series of dismal morale checks and inevitable demoralization and surrender. By the end of Turn 13, all 8 steps of Italian Infantry hade been eliminated along with the 65mm field gun and the weakened HMG platoon. Both Italian leaders surrendered when the bulk of the infantry contingent did. Only 3 steps of Italian infantry, the field gun platoon and the HMG were actually destroyed in combat. The rest of this ill-fated garrison ended up as prisoners of war. Only one step of British infantry was lost in the assault on Fort Capuzzo, though there were multiple disruptions along the way. The results were a victory for General Archibald Wavell's Western Desert Force.