This scenario was played over skype in 3 sessions with wayne Baumber. I chose this scenario because when I saw the 199 turns demanded, I thought it might be fun as it would probably be like a mini-campaign game ? ...... Wrong !

Instead we were left with a scenario where the first 47 turns (yes 47 !) could have been ignored as they involved the Aussies (under Waynes command) slowly moving up and getting into positions that could have been part of a set-up in a much lesser length scenario.

As the Italian commander, I tried to disrupt this advance as much as was allowed, but most times, it ended in the loss of an artillery spotting leader or a shot up platoon. By the time the scheduled sandstorm arrived, the Australians were very much in a position to launch their assault as they wanted.

When the Aussie assault got under way, they simply loaded up fire-groups and patiently blatted away until each hex crumbled. This continued for sometime with the Italian line slowly disapating. It was quite depressing to see this go on before my very eyes with little recourse to any meaningful answer.

My aim was to wait for the required Australian assault on the entrenchments to inflict losses on him, but Wayne being the experienced PG player he is was not going to waste the remaining 70 odd turns in a hasty assault when he could continue whittling me down.

The final straw came with an AT shot of some distance. Requiring an 11+ to knock out some Italian L3/35 tankettes, I erroneously thought that a difficult shot was in prospect for him. Having already suffered a number of X results from direct fire, surely this one could not go against me too. Of course, that turned out to be in error as the 2pdr shells ripped throught the dug-in AFV's at 1600m.

Enough was enough, I could not take any further beyond the mass of turns already played and see my forces wiped out with such little to dish out in return.

This was a consumate win by Wayne without mistake. A player of his experience showed how a simple methodical approach to this scenario should slowly grind down the Italians. Could I have knocked out 6 Australian steps ? Well, I had achieved none by the time game ended and I really don't think he would have sent his men willy-nilly with bayonets fixed into my trenches ............. I think I saved myself a bit of free time by conceding as well as a lot of frustrated angst !

Hated this one. A lot of invested time for a miserable and unexciting scenario (IMO) a bland '1' rating from me.