Author	treadasaurusrex (Italy)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Italy
Participants	Capt. Chaos
Play Date	2023-08-19
Language	English
Scenario	AAAD039

This was a 5-session play-through with the dynamic, wily & resourceful, Capt. Chaos leading advanced elements of the American 18th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division that began dug-in on Hill 722. I played the Italian 131st Centauro Armored Division that begins on the Djebel Berda hill mass. Both sides drew decent sets of leaders. We played with the consolidation, smoke/illum, extended assault and excess initiative optional rules. In addition, we used the following three house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up or down slopes hexes, and 3) Dug In Units in Slope Hexes are Automatically in Limiting Terrain in Desert Games Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL units that are dug-in on slope hexes are considered to be in limiting terrain and are spotted if enemy units approach to within 3 hexes, or 4 hexes for reconnaissance units – unless they are marked with a spotted marker, see 8.22.

Our initial, bloodless session (game turns 1-2) featured totally ineffective OBA, and air strikes for the Italian side, and a left flank movement to contact on the southern half of the map to confront the dug-in GIs on the 20-meter contour line on the east margin of Hill 722. In response, a mobile Americans column moved east into the center of the valley to menace the remaining Italian positions on Djebel Berda. A combined TEN combat 7-die rolls were thrown.

The second session (game turns 3-4) was a costly one in which 10 steps of US troops, and 2 steps of the Italian side were eliminated. There were multiple, adjacent-hex firefights as the Italians began to get traction against the dug-in American infantry positions on the eastern margins of Hill 722 in the southern portion of the battle map. During game turn 4, there finally was some effective Italian counter battery fire, as well as accompanying close assaults. or long-range AT fire that eliminated the trio of US 37mm AT guns & portee unit. Likewise, both jeep platoons were eliminated in the central valley. In the north, Italian armor was able to establish a toehold, on the north-south 20-meter ridge. Steps losses caused the GIs to lose one level of initiative. The updated victory point tally was 13 for the advancing Italians and 10 for the Americans.

The third – very costly but fun to play – session (game turn 5-7) consisted of ferocious fighting on the east slopes of the Hill 722 as Mussolini’s Bersaglieri assault stacks maintained their advance by taking advantage of some lucky initiative rolls. Numerous adjacent-hex firefights and the first full-on, close assault on the hill supported by mortar, HMG and OBA fire erupted on the 20-meter contour line. In the north, Italian armor managed to “fire & maneuver” the remaining Americans off the majority of the north-south ridge. This advance then combined with the advancing central Italian column that crossed the valley as the GIs grudgingly gave ground in both areas. Accurate American OBA destroyed a howitzer and a single mortar platoon in one turn, and then eliminated the remaining two on the next! Increasing step losses again caused the GIs to lose a level of initiative, and the Axis level to drop as well. The revised victory point tally was now 21 for the advancing Italians and 11 for the American side. The step loss totals were now: 16 for the Americans and 6 for the surging Italians. A combined NINE combat 7-die rolls were thrown this session.

Our action-packed, 4th session (game turns 8-9) featured the first Italian combined arms, close assault on the crest of Hill 722 (Hex 77-0816) and multiple, adjacent-hex fire fights on the lower slopes to the west and east on the 20-meter contour of the same hill mass. The step loss tally was now 7 steps for the Italian attackers, and 17 for the tiring GIs. Highlights included the loss of the last Italian onboard artillery to an accurate US OBA strike and the appearance of an additional US infantry company that had been hidden from view since the start of the game on the lee side of the Hill 722 crest. The updated victory point score was now: 22 for the Italians, and 11 for the American side. A combined SEVEN combat 7-die rolls were thrown, nearly all in crucial situations.

The fast-paced, fifth session (game turns 10-12) featured very lucky Italian initiative throws and the subsequent development of three, overwhelming Italian combined arms, close assaults on both the east & west slopes of Hill 722. This tightening of the Axis grip on the hill mass led to intense & costly adjacent-hex firefights. Eventually, the westernmost 3 of the 40-meter hexes on Hill 722 were taken by the Centauro Division infantry. Surprisingly, two American Mortar platoon survived to the end of the game. The updated step losses were 26 for the American side, and 10 for the Italians. The final Victory point totals were: 12 for the Americans, and 34 for the Italian side resulting in a major victory for Mussolini’s Legions. A combined FIVE combat 7-die rolls were thrown. We felt that the experimental house rules worked very well in this maneuver-and-decision-heavy, Tunisian scenario.