Author	triangular_cube
Method	Solo
Victor	Italy
Play Date	2023-02-08
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa047

This is a fairly unique board entry and exit scenario with very early Germans driving across to get off opposed by Italian Motorcycles and 47s. The 47s have a commanding superiority over the German armor so they must be avoided or eliminated prior to contact with the PzIs. This shouldnt be a problem due to the generous time limit the scenario imposes.

Italians strength comes in mobility with their MTC and the 2 north/south roads that let them hit wherever they need to pretty much at will as soon as they get on the board. With this in mind, they plan to react to the German first moves.

Italians win initiative and race their HMGs and 47s to the town an outlying hills, ready to deny all approaches to the Germans until they dig them out. The Germans drive on board into 2 groups of Motor infantry supported by PzIs. One diverts north to approach from behind the small hill on 9, the other drives more directly down the road. They all disembark at the conclusion of their move.

The Italians burst out up the road on 9 behind the German advance, and get adjacent ot the northern group and with 6 of their MTC and in firing positions for op fire with the other 3. The Germans are now stuck between the Italian groups and the town. German OBA is largely ineffective.

Germans lose init to the Italians again on the crucial turn 2, and the Italians charge into assault in the north rolling well, and wrecking tanks, and mortars while the INF are bypassed. In the South the Germans focus fire on the Italians to little effect and advance and are cut to pieces by op fire.

Turn 3 is another Italian init win and the assaults in the north hit the casualty count for the Italian VC due to tanks counting double. At this point all the Italians have to do is deny exit for the Germans who are fighting for a draw. But they are winning decisively so they press their advantage over the next few turns.

The Germans are able to stabilize in the south, having run off the outnumbered MTCs while the northern MTCs fall back to the town and hills surrrounding it with the AT guns. The Germans are unable to break through, weakened as they are, and end up losing.

Init rolls in the crucial first turns told the tale here, but I think the mobility and power of the 47s put the advantage on the Italian side anyway. Interesting scenario of a unique situation for sure.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Italy)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Italy
Participants	Tankodactyl
Play Date	2023-02-09
Language	English
Scenario	TaBa047

This was a 5-session play-through with the hard-charging, Tankodactyl leading the scuttling German combined arms horde. I played the Italian side in what turned out to be a rather unbalanced and too long (36 turns) scenario, where the Italians had a decided edge in AT assets. We used the FOW, consolidation, excess initiative, extended assault, smoke/illum optional rules. There were 12 FOW-shortened game turns in our 5 sessions. Both sides had light tanks aplenty, and both sides had decent leader draws.

Others have described this, fast-paced entry & exit battle, that displays the Italian Celere Division concept, perhaps at it's best. Many motorcycles and tankettes in this one. It is dominated by Italian 47mm AT guns, and their interior lines, which allows quick reaction to German moves, suitable to the Italians highly mobile force. The Italians quickly move into the town and onto dominating terrain in the hills on Map 2. As they begin to consolidate, the Germans com eon in a 2-pronged advance, which the Italians quickly infiltrate in the north, at the cost of some tankettes. The Germans in the southern prong are shot up and their advance, unexpectedly stalls with considerable morale issues. Meanwhile, Italian AT fire begins to decimate the Pz-I mob in the north and the Italian victory points accumulate rapidly.

The balance of the overlong scenario was characterized by aggressive play by the Italian MTC and sacrificial tankettes, coupled with a great many AT gun shots that stymie the Germans on both sides. This eventually results in a costly Italian victory!

This one is fun-to-play, and could probably have gone either way in our play-through. I give it a 3 for fun, but it should have been more balanced since it is a theoretical battle. In general, my opponent suffered from more than his fair share of bad luck in bothe morale recovery and combat die rolls. Between us, we threw 28 combat 7-die rolls. As is, this scenario is probably better suited to SOLO play.