Replayed this one in face-to-face mode as the German side and emulated the wily waynebaumber's tactics from a previous, online thrashing. Gracious game host, Sagunto, led the high-morale, Maori defenders entrenched on a barren hill, daring anyone to throw them off without losing every attacker. This was a seesaw-like, very costly encounter played over 4-sessions with a lot of beer and salsa. The final result was a hard-fought German victory that materialized on nearly the last turn.

We ignored the FOW, but used the excess initiative, consolidation, smoke and extended assault optional rules. We also used these two house rules: 1) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units- All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes, and 2) Dug In Units are Automatically in Limiting Terrain in Desert Games - Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL units that are dug-in on slope hexes are considered to be in limiting terrain and are spotted if enemy units approach to within 3 hexes, or 4 hexes for reconnaissance units – – unless they are marked with a spotted marker, see 8.22. This rule set helped ease in-person play and added substantially to our fun.

As others have described, this one was a back-and-forth, counterattack-filled, bloodletting. It boiled down to many German-induced, mechanized infantry assaults, and brutal, adjacent-hex firefights for virtually the entire game. The ferocious Maori infantry slowly melted away, taking many Germans with them. It seemed to us that the challenge is one of patience on the part of the Allied player as the Maoris are deadly with grenade & bayonet when out of their trenches in counter attack mode. However, once the supporting AT portee and the HMGs are gone, the German halftracks can make hay in close range, combined arms combat. Casualties were many once the Axis troops were in range, and luckily for them, they managed a number of magnificent 6-die, initiative rolls!

This was a relatively balanced one, that requires considerable forebearance for the Allied player, and great persistence - plus lucky combat die rolling for the Axis side. If the fierce Maoris stay in their trenches, the Germans will almost certainly lose the fight. We give this bloody-but-fun, scenario a solid, rating of 4.