Units from “Old Ironsides” CCA, tasked with raiding Sened Station, moved out at 1145 hours on January 24, 1943. The town was well protected by both mines and elements of the Italian 50th Special Brigade. A German 88 was perched atop the northeast hill, and an Italian 75mm gun and 81mm mortar battery was in the wadi just south of it. As the Americans approached on the road, they were spotted by Italian observers in the southwest wadi took losses from the combined OBA, battery and German 88mm barrages. Progress was slowed, but the Americans controlled the southwest wadi by 1245. As they moved toward the town, they encountered minefields that resulted in more casualties, but lead units reached the southwest sector of town by 1345 hours. The 88 was finally neutralized by 1430, and the US controlled the town by 1530. All military stores and infrastructure were destroyed by 1600 hours in the north and south sectors of Sened Station, but the east section survived an attempt by the engineers to eliminate them there, so the Italians claimed a minor victory.

The objectives of this skirmish are to protect (Axis) or destroy (Allied) Sened Station, and US step exit. The scenario is very well done and clearly allows for either side to succeed based on this experience. With another turn or two in town, which the Italians could not have disputed, the engineer platoons that remained would have had a good shot at a minor victory. This could easily have happened except the die rolls for the OBA and artillery group were the kind that anyone would dream of in ftf games. At the beginning of the scenario, one would think the US couldn’t lose, but from about Turn 5 on, it looked like they would have little chance of winning despite overwhelming troop numbers. In the end, they ended up a die roll short of minor victory. The US took a pounding on casualties with 29 step losses to 9 for the Italians. In setting up, digging in the 88 on the 60m hilltop allows coverage of most of the board and can give all the Allied armor fits. For the Allies, controlling the southwest wadi gives a protected avenue of limited terrain to move forward toward the town. In summary, a fun scenario with the chance for many twists and turns.