This scenario was very much like the first, except that this one everything was on the North side of the map. The Italian Commander took the West hill, but every time he had to retreat to fix his troops, he had a far distance to go. It wasn't until the last three hours of the battle that they get back up to speed. By then, it was too late. Interior lines held up well for the British, every time the Italians tried to turn the flank, the British were there. When all was said and done, the British had a third of the Eastern hill at the end of the game.

The Allied player set up on both hills. The Western hill held most of the Allied force, including the mortars on the 40 meter slope. But there was still was a considerable presence on the eastern hill. All were dug in. The Axis had a long approach starting on the south end. The Axis used the road to approach the hills in column. The Axis relied on their off board artillery to give the Allies some disrtaction. This did nothing as almost every shot was either no effect or the Allies passed the morale check. Eventually, after 8 turns, the Axis were in a position to launch a attack on the eastern hill. On and off board artillery was partially successful in disrupting the dug in Allies but not enough. When the Axis came next to the dug in positions they were hit with a storm of direct fire and bombardment fire. Making matters worse were two factors. One fact the the mortars could see their target and the fact the the target hex was stacked three high. This naturally raised the column two to the right. Add in a good rolls and you got step losses and disruptions and demorializations. This first rush got spanked despite the fact that a Axis 9-0-1 LT. passed every morale check and led the assault into the the foxhole line. (Eventually being repulsed.) After that the Axis could only mount uncordinated assaults due to leader casulities and the struggle to recover low morale troops. The Axis just could never bring their whole strength to bear at one time again despite their crazy LT.

In consequence, despite doing good work with their artillery, they never even took one Allied position, loosing 18 steps in the process. Allied victory. Despite a faulty set up by the Allies they still won with no problem. Granted they did get some nice rolls when they needed them but that only shortened the Axis agony. This is a perfect scenario to practice different Allied set ups to see how that would effect the flow of the game. I'm going to give this scenario a 3, mostly because of the interesting situation and the different ways it can be approached. All of which could work.

Author	waynebaumber (Italy)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Britain
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2021-12-13
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa002

This scenario had an Italian colonial force attacking dug in British regulars, the mission for the Italian's is simple capture both hills on the playing area. This was my first game against a new opponent, Felipe, and my first game without using FOW rule which Felipe requested, more on that later. The Italians march on from the south and advance to contact in a parade ground manner, splitting into two groups, the larger group would move to the right flank and capture the smaller hill before turning to take the remaining Black Watch units in the flank, the smaller group would try and prevent any reinforcements getting to the targeted hill and then attack in concert with the flank attack already mentioned. In fact the first Italian casualties came from this smaller group when a long range shot from an HMG took out an Italian unit as it was manoeuvring but apart from this mishap the first Italian attack actually did quite well initially, storming up the slopes they engaged the kilted enemy in bitter hand to hand fighting. There now began a long fight for this first hill, the Brits were perhaps a little to passive in their defence with very few local counter attacks probably because the first such counter attack had not gone well. However it took more than 2 hours to clear the hill, the clock was ticking for the Italian commander, which in turn meant that the assault. H on the second hill went in rather piecemeal. Here the British MTR's had a field day with accurate fire disrupting the attack, however using SMOKE the Italians did get to grips with the Scottish units but fared worse in the initial assaults. The British commander then launched a counter attack and with the bagpipes playing the kilted soldiers leapt from their dugouts and pushed the native troops off the hill, accurate fire from flanking units killed many of the colonial troops as they retreated. On the penultimate turn the Italian commander seeing that it would now be impossible to take the second objective called off the assault. **A good solid game against an excellent new player, the scenario only rates a 3 because the odds are stacked against the Italian. It was strange to play with out Fog of War and though it aids the attacking player more than the defender normally it still felt tough for the Axis forces, I also should have taken up Felipe's offer to use the strategic movement rule which I normally don't use as as this would have saved me some time at the beginning of th battle though probably not enough to influence the outcome **

Score: (Italian step losses- British step losses)

THE BATTLE

The British decide to set up all their forces dug-in on the top of the NE hill (leaving the NW hill empty)

1100-1215: Italians begin to advance and spend the first hour moving. The Italian 65mm sets up outside the range of the British mortars.

1230: Italians advance within mortar range and the first “whistles” can be heard.

1245-1330: The next hour sees the Italians advance and begin their charge up the hill. British rifle and machine gun fire hails down upon them. They begin to break (5-0).

1345: British continue to hail down steady fire, but by numerical advantage, the Italians continue the attack (8-0)

1400: Italians win the initiative and assault. They lose one and half platoons and another half platoon is lost in the counterattack. But a single British step is also lost! (12-1).

The Italians initiate more assaults and lose another 5 steps of infantry (17-1).

1415: Four assaults are now going as the Italians are now on the hill. They begin to bring up reinforcements into the assaults and recover. One assault falls to pieces. (18-1)

1430: 3 Assaults continue. The Italians recover in two of them and in the third the British repel the attack (19-1)

1445: Recover Time.

1500: Italians push the three assaults and get victories in the SW and SE hill crests!!! A platoon and a half of British are eliminated while the reduced platoon flees. (20-4)

1515: As many of the Italians are demoralized, they are cut down while fleeing (25-4). In the two good successful assaults the Italians claim the ground as controlled. (25-7).

Is there really any hope for the Italians? Most of their troops are either eliminated or demoralised and the British just hail down fire from their dug-in positions

1530-1545: Italians win the initiative and continue the assault versus the British mortars. But they are hit by British close range fire after the mortar crews flee and the Italians are decimated! (30-9) Half an Italian platoon remains in the centre.

1600-1615: British continue to whittle down the Italians as they try to recover to remount the attack.

1630: Italians have 3 good platoons assaulting British half platoon in the SW with 2 platoons recovered and coming to assist.

1645-1730: It takes an hour of disruption, recovering and assaulting to finally overcome the British half platoon. Once eliminated, the British HMGs open fire claiming another Italian platoon.

With only an hour to go, the Italians surrender.

BRITISH VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

I don’t believe the Italians could ever win this one if the British only inhabit a single hill and don’t split their force. Even if split, it is an uphill battle (pun intended).

Scenario Rating: 2/5 – I prefer Scenario One, which felt more balanced. 2 out of 3 is a better win condition than kill all.