Author	treadasaurusrex (Australia, Britain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Australia, Britain
Participants	bugmaster@aol.com
Play Date	2022-07-30
Language	English
Scenario	AfKo030

This was a 3-session play-through with the resolute and intrepid, bugmaster, as the Axis Commander, with a forward-deployed, battalion-plus, combined Italo-German force. At the beginning, the Italian element was setup dug-in adjoining the north-south wadi on the east margin of Map 2 in the vicinity of the crucial Hex 1810.

In the initial session (game turns 1-2) my determined opponent relied on a defense in-depth for the Italian force that was immediately confronted by the lead elements of the Scots Guards coming into view as the sun rose on 15 May 1941. Opportunity fires began exacting a toll on the advancing British columns who became engaged in adjacent, front-line hexes. The British armor and a mechanized company veered left and away from the Italian AT gun line. German motorcycle infantry began reinforcing their Italian allies’ front line during the first turn. A company of German armored cars and a platoon of Pz-II tanks arrived on the Italian right flank in order to setup crossfire AT shots at the same time. In the second turn, the squadron of Matilda II tanks commenced long-range AT fire at the armored cars resulting in both units being reduced to half-strength. Axis AT crossfires were initially in vain and the Italian gun line came under suppressive fire from the pair of British mortar platoons. Step loses for both sides were even at 2 apiece by the end of the 2nd turn.

The 2nd session (game turns 3-4) included the loss of the remaining German armored cars to AT fire from the advancing I-tanks of C Squadron of the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, as well as a moderately successful British left flank deployment. In addition a forced surrender of 2 platoons of Italian infantry by an adjacent Matilda II unit happened in turn 3. This was coupled by some excellent shooting by the dug-in Italian infantry and mortars. Much of this session consisted of both sides conducting morale recovery attempts – with the Italians having considerable success. The sole remaining German armor – a half-strength Pz-II platoon – was able to escape to the rear, to provide protection for the centralized Italian motor pool in the north. Step losses for both sides now stood at: 9 for the Axis, and 4 for the advancing British side by the end of the game turn 4.

The 3rd session (game turns 5-7) began with a series of left flank combined arms close assaults by the British that was focused on the well-positioned and dug-in Italian HMG units in Hex 1610. This position collapsed on the following turn, but not before the Italians had managed to silence the Tommie’s mortars for what turned out to be the rest of the game, and inflicted significant casualties on their attackers. Heavy Italian opportunity fires proved deadly as the Brits moved into assault positions on both sides of the Axis defensive line. A successful close assault on the opposite edge of the Italian line (Hex 2011) unhinged the Axis left flank and supporting, close-range DF from the central British force proved decisive in silencing the remaining Italian AT guns. In the north, the remaining step of Axis armor was eliminated on turn 6 along with 3 platoons of trucks. At the beginning of turn 7, the Axis Commander conceded the game, as it was apparent that further fighting would inevitably result in an overwhelming British victory in this seriously unbalanced scenario. Final steps lost were; 25 for the Axis and 9 for the British side.

Suggestions for a better scenario play-through:

1) As written, the scenario is too long and should probably be reduced from 18 to 13-14 game turns.

2) The British force mix is historically accurate, but far too strong for game balance. The victory conditions should require that the British not only clear the area with 3 hexes of Hex 1810, but also clear all 23 hexes on the north-south road at the edge of the wadi – while not losing more than 10 steps in the process.