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Cavalleria
Desert Rats #8
(Attacker) Italy vs Britain (Defender)
India (Defender)
Formations Involved
India 4/6th Rajputana Rifles
Italy 3º Gruppo Squadroni Coloniale
Display
Balance:



Overall balance chart for DeRa008
Total
Side 1 4
Draw 1
Side 2 4
Overall Rating, 10 votes
5
4
3
2
1
3
Scenario Rank: 734 of 913
Parent Game Desert Rats
Historicity Historical
Date 1941-02-25
Start Time 18:00
Turn Count 24
Visibility Night
Counters 40
Net Morale 1
Net Initiative 1
Maps 1: DR5
Layout Dimensions 88 x 58 cm
35 x 23 in
Play Bounty 104
AAR Bounty 153
Total Plays 9
Total AARs 4
Battle Types
Hill Control
Inflict Enemy Casualties
Rural Assault
Conditions
Off-board Artillery
Reinforcements
Terrain Mods
Scenario Requirements & Playability
Desert Rats Base Game
Introduction

In the mountains of Eritrea, the Italian command decided to make a stand at the impressive natural fortress of Keren. While two Indian divisions began a long and bloody attempt to dislodge the Italians. Italian colonial cavalry units began to infiltrate around their flanks. A strong force of horsemen attacked one such flanking position.

Conclusion

With effective mortar support, the Italians managed to drive off the Rajput posts on hill 1710. A counter-attack restored the situation, and the Eritreans withdrew into the night. Until the situation became hopeless, it seemed that Italy's colonial troops would fight as hard as Britain's.


Display Order of Battle

Britain Order of Battle
Army
India Order of Battle
Army
Italy Order of Battle
Regio Corpo di Truppe Coloniali
Regio Esercito
  • Foot

Display Errata (4)

4 Errata Items
Scen 8

Inconsistency. In the Victory Conditions is said: "The Italian player wins if at any time during the course of play he or she controls all upper level hexes of one hill", but Indian reinforcements arrive "three turns after Italian units have occupied all upper level hexes of either hill".

(enrique on 2013 Aug 28)
Scen 8

I propose the following Victory Conditions (Italian): "The Italian player wins if at the end of play he or she controls all upper level hexes of one hill OR six Indian steps have been eliminated".

(enrique on 2013 Oct 14)
Scen 8

Surprisingly, despite the title of this scenario, there are not Italian cavalry leaders. I propose that all Italian leaders are cavalry leaders.

(enrique on 2013 Oct 14)
Scen 8

Indian Reinforcements are told when to arrive, but not from where to arrive. I had them enter from the east edge, opposite side from Italian entry, but this is a guess. Contrary to the other errata posted here, the instructions do not contradict the VCs. The Italian win condition is not a sudden death win, so the reinforcements are entering to aid the Indians in forcing a draw.

(triangular_cube on 2022 Dec 12)

Display AARs (4)

No surprises
Author Umikaze
Method Solo
Victor Draw
Play Date 2024-04-10
Language English
Scenario DeRa008

About what you'd expect. Italians couldn't clear a hill, both sides achieved the step loss victory conditions. Drawn.

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Cargas de caballería en Keren
Author enrique
Method Solo
Victor Britain, India
Play Date 2013-10-14
Language Español
Scenario DeRa008

En este escenario se enfrenta una fuerza de caballería indígena italiana, integrada por dos escuadrones aproximadamente, más una compañía de fuerzas irregulares de infantería (los temibles "bande") con el apoyo de tres secciones de morteros de 81 mm, a un destacamento hindú formado por un batallón de infantería de los famosos Rajputana Rifles. Los hindúes ocupan dos colinas, que deben defender del ataque de los coloniales italianos. Si los italianos consiguieran tomar una de las colinas entrarían en escena los refuerzos hindúes, consistentes en una compañía de infantería. Los hindúes gozan de una moral superior (8/6) a la de sus enemigos (7/6). La batalla comienza al atardecer y se desarrolla casi toda ella en casi completa oscuridad.

Los coloniales italianos entran por el norte y atacan la colina Este. Las "bande" avanzan bajo la protección de los morteros italianos, pero son frenadas en seco por el fuego de oportunidad de los hindúes. Los eritreos sufren las primeras bajas, pero se reorganizan y vuelven al asalto. Se producen los primeros combates cuerpo a cuerpo en la cima de la colina y los indígenas al servicio de Italia son repelidos con enormes bajas.

Los morteros italianos siguen castigando la cima de colina, consiguiendo desorganizar e incluso desmoralizar a algunas unidades enemigas. A continuación la caballería indígena ataca las posiciones hindúes y se produce una violenta lucha. Los eritreos sufren bajas espantosas, pero están a punto de desalojar de la colina a los hindúes, que deben pedir refuerzos a la guarnición de la colina vecina.

Al final las tropas indígenas al servicio de Italia son casi aniquiladas, pero les faltó poco para dejar en tablas el combate.

Costosa victoria hindú. Bajas indígenas: 15 steps; bajas hindúes: 5 steps.

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Desert Rats #8
Author triangular_cube
Method Solo
Victor Italy
Play Date 2022-12-12
Language English
Scenario DeRa008

This is a fairly interesting scenario to play through, as the Italians have a lot of meta choices to make. They decide which hill they want to clear, whether they want to attack earlier in the daylight, or later at night, and how much they want to be anchored by their slow moving mortars who will likely be wiped if left behind.

In my case, the Indians set up everything except 4 INF platoons on the West hill-west face to deny a quick sweep upon entry by the Italians. The Italians bypassed this by entering towards the south and moving east. As they moved, the Indians constantly displaced and revised their positions, digging in again when able, to keep a strong defense against the CAV whereever they decided to strike, and plinking away with OBA through forward spotting officers. As they kept moving east with the CAV the Italians broke off their BANDE to approach the eastern hill from the southwest to try and elicit a reaction from the Indians, who did end up chasing them back off with the remaining INF on the western hill, leaving only the HMGs and Mortars there. With the BANDES moving back towards the CAV, 2X INF then went after the mortars and eliminated them while the rest stared down the CAV.

As night fell the Italians moved their cavalry up in a sweeping attack along the east side of the east hill and were able to roll well in assaults to capture the top, as the baited INF tried to get back into place. The BANDE ran back up and hit the southwest face of the eastern hill, supporting the CAV and getting the last little bit needed for the win.

Having delayed the attack until night, the Indian reinforcements did not arrive in time to save the day, as the Italians rode off and avoided the Indians for the last few turns. After achieving one of their VCs (both in this case), they need only to not lose enough steps to trigger an Indian victory to win.

I would have given this one a 4 had I not had to invent a place where the reinforcements would arrive, as this was missing from the scenario.

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La Muerte del Caballeria Italiana!
Author treadasaurusrex (Italy)
Method VASSAL
Victor Britain, India
Participants Sonora
Play Date 2022-10-23
Language Español
Scenario DeRa008

Por favor, disculpe el Español muy Pocho Y quebrado! Nosotros jugamos en linea para tres sesiones. Mi oponente era Sonora el lado atacante de Italia. Usamos las reglas opcionales como: Niebla de Guerra, humo. consolidación y exceso de incitativa. Por favor, disculpe me extenso cite del informe de Enrique.

Este escenario se enfrenta una fuerza de caballería indígena italiana, integrada por dos escuadrones aproximadamente, más una compañía de fuerzas irregulares de infantería, con el apoyo de tres secciones de morteros de 81 mm, a un destacamento Hindú formado por un batallón de infantería de los Rajputana Rifles. Los hindúes ocupan dos colinas, que deben defender del ataque de los soldados Coloniales Italianos. Si los Italianos consiguieran tomar una de las colinas entrarían en escena los refuerzos Hindúes, consistentes en una compañía de infantería. Los Hindúes tienen moral superior (8/6) a la de sus enemigos (7/6). La batalla comienza al atardecer y se desarrolla casi toda ella en casi completa oscuridad.

Los coloniales italianos entran por el norte y atacan la colina al Este. Las "bandas Eritreos" avanzan bajo la protección de los morteros italianos, pero son frenadas en seco por el fuego de oportunidad de los Hindúes. Los Eritreos sufren las primeras bajas, pero se reorganizan y vuelven al asalto cercano. Se producen los primeros combates cuerpo a cuerpo en la cima de la colina y los indígenas al servicio de Italia son repelidos con enormes bajas.

Los morteros Italianos siguen castigando la cima de colina, consiguiendo desorganizar e incluso desmoralizar a algunas unidades enemigas. A continuación la Caballería Indígena ataca las posiciones hHndúes y se produce una violenta lucha. Los Eritreos sufren bajas espantosas, pero están a punto de desalojar de la colina a los Hindúes, que deben pedir refuerzos a la guarnición de la colina vecina.

Al final las tropas Indígenas al servicio de Italia son casi aniquiladas, pero les faltó poco para dejar en tablas el combate.

Una costosa victoria Hindú y Británicas. Bajas indígenas: 18 steps; bajas Hindúes: 5 steps.

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