Starting a play through of 3 British lieutenants and 3 Italian Tenente in the attack on Eygpt in the early part of the war. The British lieutenants were Wright, White and Roberts. Lt. Wright is a good leader from the start, he is a natural 9-1-1 leader with mortar/artillery skills as well as serving initial in the cavalry unit. Lt. White is an average leader 8-0-0 with skills in survival and commanding AT guns. Lt. Roberts is also average with 8-0-0 and has urban assualt skills and commanding convoys with advanced driver skills.

For the Italian leaders, Tenente Gallo is slighly better than average 8-0-1 with rural assault and pathfinder skills. Tenente Costa is slighly below average 7-0-1 with rifle comba and endurance skills. Tenente Lombardi is better than average at 9-0-0 having mortar / artillery and endurance skills.

In the scenario the Italians have crossed the border and attacking the first line of defense for Eygpt. Britsh regulars from the Coldstream Guards are manning the line. Their line stretches' across a ridge perpendicular to desert road that the Italians could use for their line of attack. Dug in on the ridge the company size unit has limited heavy weapons, just there organic 3-inch mortars and 2-pdr AT guns. The three lieutenants serve with the captain as well as the battalion major is on the line to help command.

For the Italian force a reinforced set of two companies are tasked to penetrate the British line and drive as far as possible. They have attached L3/35 and L6/40 tanks as well as organic 81mm mortars and off map support of 90mm battery and aircraft. The Tenentes serve with the company captain as well as the regiment's Major in overall command.

The Italian attack must eliminate British units and get units off to the map to the east. The approach will be along the desert road and once contact is made a broad front attack with an assault group to hit the weakest point once artillery and aircraft have reduced the resistance.

The first hour has the Italians moving down the road to the east in mixed groups of infantry and armor. The guns and mortars trail and will move the first ridge to prepare for firing on the British position. Once over the first ridge, the Italians form two assault groups to attack the British position. Artillery and aircraft attack knock out the first AT Gun dug in on the road. Lt. White barely survives the attack with Tenete Gallo's force moves to assault his position. Mortar fire from Lt. Wrights units to the south slow Gallo's force, but Tenente Costa moves to the north and assualts' the north end of the British line. Tenete Lombardi is in charge of the mortars and guns and commences bombardment. Intial success cause British casualties rise bend the British line but it does not break it. Lt. Roberts is killed in one of the air attacks on the road.

Costa and Gallo suffer heavy losses over time and they both demoralize and retreat. The company Captain needed to come forward to lead the attack, but he to is demoralized. British luck turns as the Italian attacks fail and the British can reestablished the line on the reverse side of the hill away from the Italian artillery.

The southern end of the British line is hit by mixed force of L3/35s and infantry. The other AT gun is able to knock out several L3/35 before they can get up the hill. Infantry charge in an lock up the tanks as the mortars peel away the infantry support. Eventually the Italian force is stopped and it has to retreat.

In the end it is a British win with 32CP to 10CP for the Italians. Lt' Roberts is killed while Lt. White performs poorly with several morale failures. He will look to redeem the next scenario. Lt. Wright performs well enough to get mentioned in dispatches and gains urban assault skills. For the Italians, both Gallo an Costa have poor experiences and will need to redeem the next scenario. Tenente Lombardi performs well as artillery director for the scenario, scoring several key hits in the initial attack, but he does not participate in the assaults' and limits his advancment.

On to the next...