Author	treadasaurusrex (France)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	France
Participants	goosebrown
Play Date	2022-07-29
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD011

This was a quick, 3-session play-through with the cunning and relentlessly entertaining, goosebrown, as the Italian Commander holding the town of Rebaa Oulad Yahia and adjacent hilltop areas on Map 79. We used the optional smoke, excess initiative rules; and happily dispensed with the fog of war.

In our first session (game turns 1-6) the 7th Moroccan Tirailleurs moved to contact from the southwest corner of Map 79 where they were hidden from prying eyes by the two adjoining 20-meter hills. In general, French OBA and onboard artillery had a very good day and soon both platoons of Italian mortars were eliminated along with a truck and their-well-positioned Forward Observer. The Moroccans proceeded north up the western margin of the map and then turned east after clearing the second hill to form a left flank attack on the town. An early attempt at setting up a French OP on the second hill was stymied by an accurate Italian artillery barrage resulting in a mass demoralization that swept an infantry platoon and a Sergeant back off the second hill. During turn six, the rapidly advancing French colonial troops were menacing the northern margins of Rebaa Oulad Yahia (Hex 79-0512 & 79-0511) and a second Italian Tenente had become a casualty. At the end of the session; there were 4 Italian step losses, and 1 French loss. In addition, a column of Moroccan tirailleurs had made their way north and were scaling the largest 40-meter hill mass on Map 77.

Our 2nd session (game turns 7-10) was focused on the bitter, close-quarter struggle for the 3-hex town of Rebaa Oulad Yahia as close assaults by the French Colonial troops slowly began to wear down the Italian defenders in the contested northwest hex of the town. However, Moroccan close assaults were repeatedly stymied, disrupted and disorganized by the reckless bravery and tenacity of the Italian defenders. In the meantime, accurate French artillery fire demoralized and eventually destroyed the equivalent of a company plus of infantry and half of the available Italian machine gun support, as well as eliminating a second leader. Outlying Italian positions east of the town were overrun. Deadly close-range fire from the Italian HMG unit the southwest sector of the town drove off and demoralized another menacing tirailleur company during turn 9. The northern tirailleur column occupied the 40-meter hill mass on Map 77, and this formation began returning to the battle on the town margins. By the end of game turn 10, there were 11 Italian step losses, and 3 French steps lost.

The third session (game turns 11-13 ) continued the hard-fought, close-quarter fighting for Rebaa Oulad Yahia as close assaults by the 7th Moroccan Tirailleurs continued to slowly chew up the remaining Italian formations in the town. Down to only one town hex in Italian control, the Italian Commander mercifully conceded the scenario, thereby delivering a French major victory on the 13th game turn. At the end, there were 14 Italian step losses, and 3 French steps lost.