Author	wleonard1
Method	Solo
Victor	Draw
Play Date	2020-10-25
Language	English
Scenario	COOE005

This scenario presents an interesting echo on a tactical level of the strategic dilemma faced by Ethiopia. On a strategic level, Ethiopia wanted the existing forces on the frontier to fight a delaying action, allowing time for Ethiopia to complete mobilization. A sound strategy, but the forces tasked with fighting the delaying action are local to the areas they are defending, and may be more eager to fight a stand-up battle than the high command would like. The tactical situation in this scenario is similar. A force of local irregulars faces an Italian Colonial force about twice its size, starting just before nightfall. The victory conditions on both sides are to eliminate enemy steps. The Ethiopian commander has a choice – do they use maneuver and try and pick off some isolated Italian units, or do they use their morale/close combat fierceness/ terrain advantages to stand and fight and see if they can win enough assaults? The Italian forces advance to contact; some DF disruptions and demoralizations on the right flank, but by the end of the first hour, all of the Ethiopian forces are tied up in assaults. Low casualties so far – 2 lost steps for each side – but the Ethiopian morale superiority may be beginning to show. All Ethiopian units are good order, while about 40% of the Italian forces are disrupted or demoralized. As the second hour ends, Italy has inflicted enough Ethiopian losses in assaults to meet the minor victory conditions, but the disruptions and demoralizations are starting to accumulate, and they may not be able to chase down all of the Ethiopian leaders. Ethiopia uses failed recovery rolls as a surprisingly effective retreat; and then gets lucky in an assault when two reduced INF and a leader kill a step to reach the minor victory conditions. Italy finally gets some effective recovery rolls, but runs out of time to chase down the Ethiopian leaders. Turns out to be a draw, with neither side happy about the results. The Ethiopian side caused some damage, but lost almost a third of the force, and that kind of casualty rate is not sustainable over a campaign. The Italians showed that they were able to defend their encampment, inflict casualties on the local Ethiopian militia, but couldn’t finish them off.