Panzer Grenadier Battles on November 21st:
Desert Rats #16 - The Panzers Pull Back Desert Rats #19 - The Panzers Return
Desert Rats #17 - The Tomb Of Sidi Rezegh Jungle Fighting #7 - Line Of Departure
Desert Rats #18 - A Pibroch's Skirl South Africa's War #5 - Irish Eyes
PG-HQ Library - Panzer Grenadier Hall > Scenarios > COOE028
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Second Ogaden: Battle of Gianagobò
Conquest of Ethiopia #28
(Defender) Italy vs Ethiopia (Attacker)
Formations Involved
Display
Balance:
Overall balance chart for COOE028
Total
Side 1 1
Draw 1
Side 2 0
Overall Rating, 2 votes
5
4
3
2
1
4
Scenario Rank: --- of 940
Parent Game Conquest of Ethiopia
Historicity Historical
Date 1936-04-15
Start Time 09:30
Turn Count 30
Visibility Day
Counters 124
Net Morale 0
Net Initiative 2
Maps 2: 87, 89
Layout Dimensions 56 x 43 cm
22 x 17 in
Play Bounty 180
AAR Bounty 171
Total Plays 2
Total AARs 1
Battle Types
Hill Control
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Conditions
Caves
Randomly-drawn Aircraft
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Conquest of Ethiopia Base Game
Introduction

Marshal Badoglio's successes on the northern front frustrated the vain and envious General Rodolfo Graziani in the south. Hampered by terrible rains and a lack of roads, Graziani delayed repeatedly as he built up his infrastructure and supplies. Mussolini, ignorant or just uncaring of the difficulties, repeatedly urged the general to resume the offensive in the southern sector. Against his better judgment, Graziani finally ordered several mobile columns to further penetrate into Ethiopian territory. The left column headed for the strategic Korrak Wadi near Gianagobò, but encountered a surprise.

Conclusion

Olal Dinle’s tough Somali Dubats met stiff resistance as they closed on the wadi. Gen. Guglielmo Nasi soon dispatched Libyan troops to reinforce their efforts and some of them, with the support of tanks, reached the wadi. However, due to recent heavy rain the wadi was in flood and posed a major obstacle. To make things worse the Ethiopians had skillfully exploited the caves and broken terrain on the opposite side of the wadi. Some Ethiopians attempted to infiltrate the Italian positions but were repelled with the aid of the tanks. The first day of the battle ended in a bloody stalemate. Only a small Italian detachment managed to cross the wadi (and that was in a marginal sector not portrayed in this scenario). However, Gen. Franco Navarra's forces reestablished contact with the left side of the Nasi's column. Nasi, one of the best officers of Regio Esercito during both the Ethiopian and Second World Wars, methodically prepared for the rest of the day and night for the following day's battle in which his troops outflanked the Ethiopians, who quickly gave ground.
Display Relevant AFV Rules
AFV Rules Pertaining to this Scenario's Order of Battle
  • Vulnerable to results on the Assault Combat Chart (7.25, 7.63, ACC), and may be attacked by Anti-Tank fire (11.2, DFT). Anti-Tank fire only affects the individual unit fired upon (7.62, 11.0).
  • AFV's are activated by tank leaders (3.2, 3.3, 5.42, 6.8). They may also be activated as part of an initial activating stack, but if activated in this way would need a tank leader in order to carry out combat movement.
  • AFV's do not block Direct Fire (10.1).
  • Full-strength AFV's with "armor efficiency" may make two anti-tank (AT) fire attacks per turn (either in their action segment or during opportunity fire) if they have AT fire values of 0 or more (11.2).
  • Each unit with an AT fire value of 2 or more may fire at targets at a distance of between 100% and 150% of its printed AT range. It does so at half its AT fire value. (11.3)
  • Efficient and non-efficient AFV's may conduct two opportunity fires per turn if using direct fire (7.44, 7.64). Units with both Direct and AT Fire values may use either type of fire in the same turn as their opportunity fire, but not both (7.22, 13.0). Units which can take opportunity fire twice per turn do not have to target the same unit both times (13.0).
  • Demoralized AFV's are not required to flee from units that do not have AT fire values (14.3).
  • Place a Wreck marker when an AFV is eliminated in a bridge or town hex (16.3).
  • AFV's do not benefit from Entrenchments (16.42).
  • AFV's may Dig In (16.2).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Immune to M, M1 and M2 results on Direct and Bombardment Fire Tables. Do not take step losses from Direct or Bombardment Fire. If X or #X result on Fire Table, make M morale check instead (7.25, 7.41, 7.61, BT, DFT).
  • Closed-top AFV's: Provide the +1 modifier on the Assault Table when combined with infantry. (Modifier only applies to Germans in all scenarios; Soviet Guards in scenarios taking place after 1942; Polish, US and Commonwealth in scenarios taking place after 1943.) (ACC)
  • Tank: all are closed-top and provide the +1 Assault bonus, when applicable
Display Order of Battle
Ethiopia Order of Battle
Ethiopian Imperial Army
Imperial Irregulars
  • Foot
Sefari
  • Foot
  • Leader
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Corpo di Truppe Coloniali
Regio Esercito
  • Mechanized
Display AARs (1)
Conquest of Ethiopia, scenario #28: Second Ogaden: Battle of Gianagobo
Author JayTownsend
Method Solo
Victor Italy
Play Date 2022-12-28
Language English
Scenario COOE028

Conquest of Ethiopia, scenario #28: Second Ogaden: Battle of Gianagobo

This was a slugfest battle no doubt, with three battlegroups of Ethiopians and three battlegroups of Italians all fighting over some hills with caves in forest terrain to boot. I used extra cave counters I have from my laser to die-cast counter conversion days. So I think they are from my Saipan game but I wanted to use actual cave counters then entrenchment counters.

With Conquest of Ethiopia, the scenarios have few leaders for either side, showing how difficult it was to manage battles in this era of early WWII. It encourages you that you must stack three units per hex regardless of the combat modifiers when hit by enemy fire, or you will never get your troops to the battle. This causes more casualties but makes playing these battles more interest as well.

I won’t go into the back and forth of a slugfest 30 turn scenario as this, but the Ethiopians did send out a few units early to strike at the first group of Italians before their reinforcements arrive and then pulled back into the hills. The Italians were assisted by their air-forces and armor, including one Flame-throwing L3 unit, both of which open a small hole in the far western hill mass.

By the end of game play, the Italians had a small 6 point lead in causality points over the Ethiopians but more importantly, controlled one hill hex worth 8 points giving them a 14 point lead and a Minor Victory, on point short of a major victory. But really, this battle could have gone either way depending on attack strategies, setup and die-rolls.
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