Introduction

January 3, 1941. Sixteenth Australian Infantry Brigade, supported by some tanks from the 7th RTR bypass the Italian AT-Ditch and make their way south to mop up the Italian entrenchments.

The First Hour

Australian Battalions begins to advance. The first Italian entrenchment comes under heavy allied HMG fire and surrenders to the Australian infantry. Australians suffer their first losses to Italian artillery (1)

One company accompanied by the Matildas heads east toward the Italian artillery

The Second Hour

The second Italian entrenchment surrenders under fire. One of the Italian 105mm is hit by the allied off-board artillery and their crews flee.

Australian company reinforcements enter far northwest.

The Third Hour

Italian mortars in the south are spotted firing on the Australians. Australian artillery responds shaking them up badly. The AA and AT Gun batteries surrender.

In the northeast, the Matildas force surrender of the AT Gun and HMG platoon. Australians lose half an infantry platoon and their lieutenant to artillery bombard. (3)

The Fourth Hour

Australians lose another half platoon in the northeast before the Matildas force the surrender of the Italian captain and his troops. The Italians are now leaderless in the northeast corner and are quickly cleaned up! (4)

Along the line the Italian mortars come under heavy fire as the next entrenchment surrenders. Another Australian step is lost, this time to Italian HMG opportunity fire.

The Fifth Hour

Australian artillery and mortars hit the Italian batteries. Australians assault the next Italian entrenchment and the Italian Major is killed. His men quickly surrender.

The Matildas and company in the northeast travel across the sands to join in the main attack.

The Sixth Hour

The Italians are overrun and demoralized. Another three entrenchments are taken. The Australians initialize another assault.

The Seventh Hour

The Australian assault succeeds and the men take a few minutes to regroup before pushing onwards. The next entrenchment comes under heavy HMG fire and the demoralized defenders flee as the Matildas and infantry approaches.

The Eighth Hour

The Italian HMG platoons choose to leave their entrenchment and attack the lone few Matildas in a close assault. They disrupt the British armour but fail to make them flee. Australian command orders their off-board artillery to target their own tanks and the assaulting Italian HMGs are shattered! Now with the Italians weakened, the Australian infantry moves in to clean them up while the Italian MAJ flees.

The Ninth Hour

The Italian MAJ is captured and their Lt Col and infantry surrender to the British Matildas. The final Italian entrenchment is demoralized by Australian fire. Spirited, with the end in sight, the Australians charge!

The Tenth Hour

Overwhelmed, the final entrenchment surrenders.

Australian artillery continues to fire at the fleeing Italian infantry keeping them demoralized.

Soon only a single Italian Infantry platoon and Captain remain.

The Italians wave the white flag. Game Over.

AUSTRALIAN VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

Australians only suffered half their allotted casualties in clearing the Italian defenders.

I find these scenarios quite “difficult” to play the Italians. Their morale is horrible (7/5) and therefore at times I think their best chance is to stay in their entrenchments and concentrate their artillery and mortars on the advancing Australians. The Italian AT Guns are too weak to hurt the Matildas, which are nigh impossible.

The Australians were (usually) safe not to get their Matildas in a situation where they could be assaulted, nor hit by point blank 37mm guns.

Perhaps the Italians should abandon their middle entrenchments and fall back, digging in to try to form a solid fire line? It would seem possible, but the allies have quite a bit of time to whittle them down. Playing solitaire, I’ve decided on a more static Italian defence for the majority of the time, unless the Australians made a move that left them at all susceptible to Italian counter-attack.