Author	treadasaurusrex (Ethiopia)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Ethiopia
Participants	Tambu
Play Date	2024-09-14
Language	English
Scenario	COOE011

This was an intense, 7-session, 4-map, play-through in the wilds of Ethiopia that started as a face-to-face battle, but we were forced to convert to Vassal due to a pet-and-grandchild-related invasion.

Tambu ably-led the attacking Italian horde and I had the Ethiopian defenders on hilly, Map 85. We used the FOW, consolidation, smoke, excess initiative optional rules, and drew middling sets of leaders. This one was rather tedious to get through at 20 game turns, It would be better at about 18 turns in length, with standardized morale values, and less obstructive special scenario rules, e.g., amba climbing rolls. We experimented with these 2 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, and 2) Dug In Units 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.

This was a high casualty slugfest for both sides, but especially for the Italian attackers who lost 7 leaders and suffered a disasterous, senior leader decapitation during game turn 13. The Italians changed directly & diagonally across the battle map, and their reinforcements were delayed until the 12th game turn. This led to very heavy fighting and many step loses in adjacent-hex firefights and multiple close assaults. The Ethiopians inflicted substantially more casualties than they absorbed & managed to hold the crucial amba hexes to the end.

We both give this one a solid rating of 3 in SHARED mode, as it as mostly fun to play - though probably not properly play tested, and more fiddly than needed. It would probably be a better go in SOLO mode.