Je viens de finir ce gros scénario joué en diagonale sur plusieures séances. Neuf pelotons d'infanterie australiens plus quelques HMGs et des tanks Matilda doivent prendre 27 fortifications italiennes tenues par 21 pelotons italiens plus de l'artillerie, des mitrailleuses etc. Un rapport de un contre deux ! Mais les italiens ne sont pas très vaillants et se rendent facilement.

Les australiens doivent tout prendre en 12 heures (48 tours) en perdant moins de 12 pas. J'ai pris la dernière fortif au 47ème tour, juste après avoir perdu mon 11ème pas le tour d'avant ! Juste, juste...

Au bout de quelques tours, je maîtrisais assez bien la règle de reddition. Bombarder à distance, attendre qu'une unité craque, foncer à l'attaque pour demander la reddition. Les tanks peuvent aider aussi. Passer à la fortif suivante. A un moment, des italiens ont tenté une sortie pour attaquer les mortiers britanniques isolés, mais ils ont dû vite rentrés quand un Matilda s'est pointé.

Great mid sized scenario. Decided to put the main artillery batteries up the hill giving it a good view over the battle field and the entry area of the Aussies/Brits. I decided to let the first wave of Allies clean up the entrenchments all the way south taking advantage of the cover of the AT ditches and staying out of reach of the Italian hill arty. The reinforcements would take care of them. Progression south was ok until the Aussies met stiff opposition in the form of 2 Ital steps of Inf and a 1-10-1 Ten. It took about 3 hours of siege and 4 steps to take them out.. The reinforcements by then marched towards the hills and were targeted by the Italian arty, who, becoming spotted in the act, were targetted by the allied off board arty. After about an hour and a half the Italian arty was 'neutralised'. The arty's cordon of Italian infantry and AT however didn't give up their trenches so easily. It took till the end of the scenario and even then 3 entrenchments still were giving the allies a hard time. In the south one entrenchments with one Disrupted step of Italian inf was still in action. As the allies lost 9 steps but 4 entrenchemts were still Axis occupied a drawn was the result.

I've grown a little tired of these early AK battles where the Australians have to capture all the Italian trenches, but I actually enjoyed this one because it was such a wild see-saw ride. The Australians made initial progress capturing the two northernmost trench positions, but then completely bogged down for hours trying to move any further south or to take the artillery position to the east. The Italian artillery was doing a lot of damage to the Australians and causing lots of command disruption, so much so that the Italians launched a broad but scattered counterattack hoping to knock the Australians out. Unfortunately their poor morale and the surrender rule snuffed that out as quickly as it developed, but the Italians fell back into strongpoints that were a series of very tough nuts to crack for the weakening Australians.

The greatest asset were the British tanks, but they spent hours disrupted and demoralized from a plucky Italian assault, severely limiting their ability to force surrenders.

As the fifth hour of battle began, the Australians had taken 23 step losses, twice the victory condition for the Italians, and still had multiple well-defended (and most importantly well-led) Italian trenches to take, plus many more weakly-held trenches. I called the battle, since I think the Australians wouldn't force the issue with greater than 50% casualties.

Italian victory.

The initial Australian strategy was to assault the entrenchments from north to south with infantry, and send the tanks to take out the entrenched artillery on the hill. Once the artillery was eliminated, the Matildas would sweep south and west. The Italian strategy was to just hold out. I placed HMG and infantry units together in a few entrenchments to give assaulting Australian units a tough time.

At 0845, the Matildas had cleared out the Italian artillery and were forcing surrenders as they moved south. The main infantry push down the line seemed to be going well, with the Australians losing only two steps.

By 1000, the Australians had taken eight entrenchments, while the Matildas continued to force surrenders as they moved south. The Australians still had 13 entrenchments to take, and some of these were held by tough units and at least one good leader.

At 1330, the Australians had lost four steps. The Matildas were very successful in overrunning the scattered Italians in the east. They then moved southwest, forcing several Italian platoons to surrender. A couple of stubbornly-held entrenchments slowed down the main advance in the center. Now the Australians only had three hours to take the final five entrenchments.

At 1545, the Australians forced the surrender of the final entrenchment. The Italians had lost the majority of their forces, while the Australians suffered the loss of only six steps and two officers. This was a clear victory for the Australians.

The key to victory was the Matildas and their ability to force many Italian units to surrender. Australian infantry units were bogged down in assaults against two entrenchments containing HMG, infantry, and strong officers. These were finally taken by exiting the assaulting units, bringing in the tanks, and forcing the Italians to surrender.

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.

At last, we finished a face-to-face game that we started in July! It was a very long, seesaw battle and my Australians fought hard to throw the defending Italians out of there prepared defenses over 6 sessions and a lot of beer. Lost count of the step losses and the Italians did surrender when my tanks got close. This was not enough for the win, since I lost quite a few infantryman and 5 leaders and could not take enough entrenchments to win outright. Still, I am a new player and the Italians were not able to destroy the 12 steps needed for them to win. I did learn a lot from this scenario, but think that the victory conditions are too stiff for the Allied side.