Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain, India)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Britain, India
Participants	OldPueblo
Play Date	2022-11-30
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa007

This was a 5-session play-through with the rapidly improving & adaptable OldPueblo leading the Italian Colonial (Eritrean) side, and me as the Indian Frontier Force Commander in this relatively balanced -- easy to draw -- scenario. We used the Fog of War (FOW), consolidation, smoke and excess initiative option rules. There were 8 FOW-shortened game turns in our play-through which ended in a very slim Indian Army victory. It was very fun to play.

As others have reported, there is relatively little for the Italian side to do initially but pick which hillmasses to defend, and decide how many of the 18 maneuver units available to deploy on the 4 choices available. -- while also sticking as close as possible to the road to Keren. In our play-through, the Italians chose to make a fight of things up front and as close to the west edge of Map 5 as circumstances allowed. In effect, this meant little depth of defense. The hope was that fierce resistance would keep the Indian Army hung up, thereby impeding their ability to attack points further east along the road where to other Italian outposts were dug in. The setup was: 3 Fanteria (FAN) platoons and 3 Mitragliere (MIT) platoons dug-in on the 0621-0624 Hill. The flanking hill (1521-1526) was held by 4 more dug-in FAN platoons. The hill in the Southeast (2005-2006) held three Bande (BAN) platoons and one FAN platoon in dug-in positions. The remaining hillmans was the site of the dug-in supporting weapons and a single BAN platoon -- which constituted the only Italian reserve.

The Indians approached in mass formation along the road to Keren, starting on the west edge of the battle map, and made a beeline for the closest Italian defenses, while getting forward observers in position to take advantage of the 2, No. 16 increments of British OBA. The strongest Italian defenders with the machine gun units put up a very spirited defense that took quite sometime to overcome by a highly concentrated set of attacking stacks. Next, the SE hill was cleared with more dispatch. The assault on the flanking hill (1521-1526) was the best sequenced, with the HMG platoons providing suppressing fire, and the Indian INF platoons moving up with a good leadership and plenty of support. As always in PG, methodical reduction of strong points takes time, and step losses in close assault are unpredictable, Final step losses for the Indian Army were 6 and a pair of leaders. The Italian side lost 21 steps and 4 leaders.

This was another very tough fight for both sides in a knife-edge, balanced scenario, that nearly ended ion a draw. The Indian side has a very stark victory condition---lose 7 or fewer Steps, or Lose the scenario. I give this one a 4.