This game was the second scenario of nine in the First Desert Campaign in C&C2 that Brett and I are playing.

The scenario represents the opening of the British attacks in Operation Compass. In this particular game, they are charged with capturing as many of the three hills that are being defended by the Italians as they can and also to inflict casualties. The Italians are the same,in reverse. Hold the hills and inflict casualties.

The set-up is an interesting poser. The British force composed of no less than 24 INF plns plus A9/A10 tanks and some other MG laden AFV's amongst other units will enter from the south edge anywhere they wish. The Italians are required to place a minimum of 10 steps on each hill, thus thinning their forces. Also, the two smallest hills are right on the south edge and thus susceptible to early attack. The biggest hill and worth most points is much further up towards the north edge and worth the most points to both side.

Taking the above into account, I decided to forsake one hill by placing the minimum and fastest troops on it that could pack up and leave for the biggest hill as soon as the game started. The other hill I placed 8 platoons of infantry and hoped they could hold off a good portion of the British force for at least 12 turns (half the game). The idea being that a much weaker British force would make the attempt on the main hill and therefore be easier to hold off. The main hill itself was defended by 11 INF plns, 4 HMG plns, 2 AA and 5 Artillery units. They had dug in around the road on the hill and would await the British to try and scale the slopes.

As the British attack begun, the 8 Italian platoons defending the south-west hill soon saw that the Allies were sending a useful size force against them, including Armoured cars and MkVI tankettes for extra MG support. The process of trying to reduce the Italians here began by turn 3 (1330 hours).

The other hill was quickly abandoned by the Italians and the rest of the British force trudged toward the main northern hill. No casualties were suffered by either side until a British 25pdr battery was eliminated by on-board Italian artillery at 1345 hours. At 1600 hours, Italian AA guns cut down two steps of advancing British infantry. The battle was now beginning to come to life and the British inflicted casualties themselves at 1445 hours when they caught up with a retiring Italian infantry platoon that had vacated the south-east hill and made short work of them in an assault.

The battle soon settled down to two British firing lines at both the south-west hill and the main northern hill. Artillery fire was being exchanged on board also and the British A class tanks contented themselves chasing down the Italian L5 tankettes. This phase of the game really lasted from 1415 hours till the end at 1845 hours.

The south-west hill lasted in place as an Italian defence way beyond turn 12 and was threatening to hold throughout the game. But slowly, small chinks were scratched into their defence as platoons were whittled down by the British fire. Those Italians that decided to flee were somehow always cut to ribbons by opportunity firing Rolls-Royce armoured cars and MkVI tanks. One fleeing platoon did manage to escape this fate but like the others, was eliminated further on. The last Italian platoon here was removed on turn 22 having just failed to keep position on the hill till turn 24. What they did achieve of course was to deny British strength for an attack on the main hill.

No attack seriously developed on the main hill at all. Of the 22 Italian INF steps on this hill, only 1 was eliminated. 3 x ART batteries were removed, but that was all. In return, a rather ragged British line faced it. This line had lost its COL and a MAJ and did not once advance nearer than 400 yards to the Italian defences.

So the Italians had denied the 15pts bonus for the Main hill capture and also kept 10pts themselves for holding it. But with the loss of the other two hills, this made for a 16-10 point score in the British favour. All this would have been well and good for the Italians IF, as I had hoped, I could keep the defeat to a 15 point loss (which was my target). However, the last 4 turns, the British managed to eliminate 9 step equivalents !! This made the final points tally Britain 45pts, Italy 25pts. That last phase was a little diappointing for me from the Campaign angle, especially as my on-board artillery of 30/42/55 point bombardments had only knocked out around 4 steps over the whole 24 turn game. So, a major British victory in points, but Italian morale holding as the main line held.

Casualty count was:

British - 14 FOOT, 2 OFF, 1 GUN

Italian - 19 FOOT, 1 OFF, 3 GUN, 4 AFV

On-Going Campaign score is Britain 60pts, Italy 63pts

For rating I give this a '3' as a campaign game. As a one off game it may be too slanted towards the British (like scenario 1 was for the Italians). But the 2 x campaign scenarios look like they have been develped to balance each other ? We move on to Bardia in scenario 3 where the tough old 'Diggers' are required to extricate more defending Italian infantry from entrenchments.