Author	treadasaurusrex (Britain, New Zealand)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	Miguelibal
Play Date	2022-12-09
Language	English
Scenario	DeRa026

This was a very long, 7-session play through with another rapidly-improving rookie in a very tough scenario for both sides -- but especially for the leader of the Commonwealth -- this is a very hard pull. Being the more experienced player, I chose the New Zealand & British side, so at least I got some tanks! My estimable opponent wanted to practice his defensive skills, so he chose the defending Axis side in what ended as a very costly & frustrating DRAW. We used the FOW, smoke, excess initiative, consolidation and extended assault optional rules. The leader draws were fairly bad for the Axis, but pretty decent for the Commonwealth. There were 10 FOW-shortened turns out of 36 in this play-through and fortunately we ignored the random events table for sake of continuity.

As others have noted, this scenario is not well-designed, or properly play-tested. There are a variety of morale levels for both side's battlegroups: the Axis has three different ones (9/7, 7/6 & 8/6); as well as the Commonwealth (8/8, 8/7 & 8/6). Ours got all mixed up in the course of play, and it was an annoying -- but necessary -- chore to keep track of the varying morale levels of units from different formations in mixed stacks. The Axis side is required to maintain at least one unit intact on the upper hill levels and eliminate 10 or more New Zealander/British steps. This is a major challenge for the Italo-Germans as the several groups are set up widely on the single map, with significant gaps in between. This forces the Axis player to scramble and fill these gaps as soon as possible to ensure a better supported defense, and to do so while outnumbered. The Commonwealth needs to eliminate all enemy units on the upper hill contours, focus considearable effort on eliminating Axis motor transport -- and most crucially -- to join hands with the emerging British Tobruk garrison. This is a very tall order, indeed, given the number and lethality of the demonic AT guns deployed by the Axis player, and places a premium on a very rapid Kiwi advance and on pinning & destroying the high-morale Bersaglieri battalion before they move with their devilish 90mm AT gun platoon.

This nighttime, 36-turn scenario, was a giant slugfest, and it was fairly obvious that the Commonwealth force would not be able to prevail by the 20th game turn. However, the New Zealanders & Tommies kept punching to the end in hopes of throwing all the Axis troops off the higher hill terrace. This push nearly succeeded, but was foiled by multiple Commonwealth morale failures at critical junctures in turns 18-24. Most of these were caused by sporadically accurate and always heavy Axis OBA, combined with unlucky close assault combat rolls. A near link-up occurred in turns 25-27, but effective Axis counter attacks foiled this opportunity. Step losses at the end, were 22 steps for the embattled Italo-German force, and 12 steps for the Commonwealth.

I give this overlong scenario a generous rating of 2, only because of the challenging action and good companionship. It desperately needs more thorough play-testing to rate any higher, IMHO. Not sure that it is possible for the Commonwealth player to win this one outright, although I tried very hard to pull it off. It proved a very close draw. This encounter is probably better played in solo mode, and shortened to about 28-30 game turns.