Introduction

This is a wonderful scenario, one I would like to play again with the Morale shift in effect; I suspect it would not be quite as much fun for the Italian Player then. I am very sensitive to casualties, even when, as my opponent liked to point out, they are "just cardboard". This hesitancy eventually would pay off, but in these early days of PzGr, it often meant I played to a Draw or even a Loss, as I did here.

The Plans

Here there's not much for the Italian Player to do but pick a Hill to hold and hold it. The division of strength among four hills makes that task difficult; the Italians only have 18 units total (the Truck was a major point of contention, but eventually the point went to the Italian Player, and the Truck counted as a unit). The Indian Army player has to decide how to proceed against these necessarily weak positions, either piecemeal, or in stages, or a bit of both.

The Italian Player

The Italian Player decided to make his stand right up front, hoping that a determined resistance would keep the Indian forces from attacking further back along the road and wiping out his other outposts. The major defence, comprising three Fanteria (FAN) platoons and three Mitragliere (MIT) platoons, was dug-in on the 0621-0624 Hill. The flanking hill (1521-1526) was held by four dug-in Fanteria platoons. The hill in the Southeast (2005-2006) held three Bande (BAN) platoons and one Fanteria platoon, all dug-in. The remaining hill held support weapons and rear guard, the 65mm howitzer battery, the 81mm Mortar platoon, and a platoon of Bande, all dug-in. The Capitano was in charge of the support force, with a Tenente at the Southeast and flanking hills. The main defence hill had the Maggiore and the best Tenente.

The Indian Player

I decided to keep my forces concentrated for entry along the Road, hoping to discover where my opponent's main strength lay before striking at the other hills. I considered him unlikely to attempt an even distribution of forces, knowing that I had sufficient strength to reduce them each in turn, and with 38 Turns in the scenario, plenty of time for it.

The Battle

I ran right into the Italian positions, and my lack of planning quickly told. I wasted several turns extricating myself from the defile, and when I had done, I was behind the main Italian defence and its flanking hill. I compounded my error by moving on to take out the two rear hills, which posed little challenge, instead of concentrating on the main defence and then mopping up. The artillery park was quickly cleared, and the Bande proved difficult to coordinate and hard to rally, so that the Southeast hill was taken rather quickly, and without undue losses, considering the Bande get a +1 shift in assault (two Steps). My assault on the flanking hill (1521-1526) was more methodical, with my Weapons (HMG) platoons setting up to provide covering and supressing fire, and my Rifle (INF) platoons moving up with good officer and reserves support. But methodical reduction takes time, and even the greatest care results in losses during Assaults, so that by the time I had cleared the third Hill, I had suffered 4 Step losses, bringing my total to six. Moving across the defile to assault the last Hill I took two more from the massed fire of the Mitragliere platoons, making the Italian victory conditions, and ensuring an Italian Victory; I conceded.

Conclusion

This would be another fight where proper use of the Morale rules in Assault would make a huge difference, particularly against the Bande platoons. Still, this is a tough fight for the Indian Player to win, and I would think an excellent scenario for those who cry for play balance; the Indian Player has a stark Victory Condition---lose 7 or fewer Steps, or Lose the scenario.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain, India)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Britain, India
Participants	OldPueblo
Play Date	2022-11-30
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa007

This was a 5-session play-through with the rapidly improving & adaptable OldPueblo leading the Italian Colonial (Eritrean) side, and me as the Indian Frontier Force Commander in this relatively balanced -- easy to draw -- scenario. We used the Fog of War (FOW), consolidation, smoke and excess initiative option rules. There were 8 FOW-shortened game turns in our play-through which ended in a very slim Indian Army victory. It was very fun to play.

As others have reported, there is relatively little for the Italian side to do initially but pick which hillmasses to defend, and decide how many of the 18 maneuver units available to deploy on the 4 choices available. -- while also sticking as close as possible to the road to Keren. In our play-through, the Italians chose to make a fight of things up front and as close to the west edge of Map 5 as circumstances allowed. In effect, this meant little depth of defense. The hope was that fierce resistance would keep the Indian Army hung up, thereby impeding their ability to attack points further east along the road where to other Italian outposts were dug in. The setup was: 3 Fanteria (FAN) platoons and 3 Mitragliere (MIT) platoons dug-in on the 0621-0624 Hill. The flanking hill (1521-1526) was held by 4 more dug-in FAN platoons. The hill in the Southeast (2005-2006) held three Bande (BAN) platoons and one FAN platoon in dug-in positions. The remaining hillmans was the site of the dug-in supporting weapons and a single BAN platoon -- which constituted the only Italian reserve.

The Indians approached in mass formation along the road to Keren, starting on the west edge of the battle map, and made a beeline for the closest Italian defenses, while getting forward observers in position to take advantage of the 2, No. 16 increments of British OBA. The strongest Italian defenders with the machine gun units put up a very spirited defense that took quite sometime to overcome by a highly concentrated set of attacking stacks. Next, the SE hill was cleared with more dispatch. The assault on the flanking hill (1521-1526) was the best sequenced, with the HMG platoons providing suppressing fire, and the Indian INF platoons moving up with a good leadership and plenty of support. As always in PG, methodical reduction of strong points takes time, and step losses in close assault are unpredictable, Final step losses for the Indian Army were 6 and a pair of leaders. The Italian side lost 21 steps and 4 leaders.

This was another very tough fight for both sides in a knife-edge, balanced scenario, that nearly ended ion a draw. The Indian side has a very stark victory condition---lose 7 or fewer Steps, or Lose the scenario. I give this one a 4.

Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Britain, India
Play Date	2022-12-10
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa007

I think I fumbled this one as the Italians by trying to win. Italian VCs call for causing step losses to the Indians so concentration of force is necessary along with some lucky dice. I maximized the chances to score hits and demonstrated why this is a bad idea here.

Italians set their MIT and arty park on the northwest hill, with FANs on the southwest and southeast hills, along with the BANDE and Truck on the northeast hill. While the Indians were advancing all of these raced to the Northwest hill (well except the truck) and joined in the resistance, with enough time to dig in thanks to the road.

The combined Mortar and 65 fire was able to get 1 step loss on the approaching Indians, who dug their own line 3 hexes away from the hill and used patience, longer range, and the tempo setting OBA to wittle down the Italians. Desperate flanking assaults by the BANDE picked up another 2 step losses but the sustained OBA left the Italians diminished and scattered. Had they counterattacked they would have been torn to bits. Generous time limits and the OBA proved decisive.

Had the Italians instead played for a draw, and just scattered their forces to the wind, constantly running away with hopes of securing a couple hill spots in the last few turns to deny an Indian win, they would have had more success. They would not have had any kills though.