Straight from the book, the two forces have 9 Units each, arriving on a scale of escalating likelihood, but no more than 1 Unit a turn...
The Bersaglieri Force, above1 Barrage, FO, FO in Armored Transport [no weapons]4 x Infantry Squads, 6 Rifles, 1 LMG, 1 SMG, 2 w' Trucks1 M13/49 Light Tank w' Leader [can be an FO]3 M13/49 Light Tanks
The CCNN force, above and below:4 x Infantry Squads, 8 Rifles, 1 SMGHeavy Weapons Platoon [elements]: ATR, HMG, Mortar2 x 47mm man-portable ATG "Elefante"a Leadera Hero - uncertain what he will do, really!2 Barrages, each with an FO
The Objectives:
Knocked-out Semovente with medic and nun.
Bersaglieri Forward Observation Post w' wire radio and bicycle
Locals complaining to Capitano re: stolen sheep...
They are faced off by the CNN, who choose to deploy their Heavy Weapons Platoon elements, an Infantry squad, and an ATG.
Behind central objective - the one most likely to be contested - is an Infantry Squad, the HMG, the ATG, and on the next hill over the Leader.
Mortar is in the far woods - has some LoS over the battlefield, and the Leader can call in fire as well.
ATR in the woods next to the hill.
Bersaglieri roll for first Player Turn. They kick off and begin enveloping the left of the hill. The FO in the armored car will get visibility of the enemy hiding behind the hill, and drop Field Gun Barrages upon them, while the Tank and Infantry engage them frontally, making no place safe!
Meanwhile, the CCNN have received their second ATG as a reinforcement [Embarked on truck]. Closeup of the FO dodging the ATR in the woods, leaving it to the tank!
Unfortunately, sometimes when you think you are going to be a very clever gamesman, you forget the scenario or the rules! Reinforcements arrive any where on their baseline, and CCNN chooses an Infantry Squad which immediately Assaults the FO! They roll the needed '6' twice and smoke him.
Meanwhile, the Tank drives into the woods and Alpha-Strikes the ATR, which rolls an unfortunate '1' for a save and is destroyed!
By turn 5, the CCNN hold the hill solidly with an ATG and HMG. The last objective is on the hill, so the question is about that FO post in the middle of the battle...
Bersaglieri bring in their Leader and a Squad, but the squad is plastered by artillery and HMG Fire, and loses 5 figs of 8!
The Tank pushes on thru the woods, and pins a reinforcing squad, while the FO's AC burns. But hastening to the site is another CCNN squad!
On Bersaglieri Turn 7, they take out both the ATG and the HMG, which have been heroically punishing their advance.
In return, the CCNN are laying Barrages upon the advancing Bersaglieri Infantry, while chasing the Tanks away from the hill.
A lone tank tries to sneak away with an objective!
The Bersaglieri Infantry are getting nowhere.
On the right, the tank must abort it's flank assault on the hill as Infantry arrive to harass it.
An Infantry that tried to sneak around the woods was plastered with Barrages, losing half.
The Bersaglieri Leader, acting as an FO, is killed!
A horde of CCNN wave assault the hill crest, where two light tanks lurk...
Crying "Avanti! Avanti!" they destroy two tanks!
The battle has slowed somewhat - both sides have taken losses, and are trying to push onto the center objective.
Below, the last ATG holds off the tanks at range, with infantry close by supporting it. It manages to knock out a tank at 500 yards! This gives the other something to think about...
The right tank is retreating from the pass, leaving the objective behind for the CCNN Infantry, but it does manage to put some casualties on it and pin them!
Meanwhile, another Bersaglieri squad tries to rally in the woods. They are still nearly at 50%, not quite lethal...
At this point, with two tanks and nearly zero infantry to support them, the Bersaglieri had to concede the game. Their FO's were both killed so their barrage wasn't firing at all, and the tanks are too vulnerable to Infantry up close.
Overall, a very exciting escalation scenario!
The main lessons learned are that Infantry are vulnerable to barrages, and tanks to ATGs. A combo of Infantry, HMG and ATG is tough to break up without effective Barrages to knock out either the HMG or the ATG.
The game played quite smoothly, and my main point for the rules is that I am going to make the Infantry save better, but the Morale worse, so that Infantry survive 17% more, but are 17% more likely to be Suppressed or Pinned. That's the way I see it from history, so I prefer it that way.
The Tanks and ATGs are fine, the Barrages a bit too frequent - perhaps they should only be allowed to Fire every other turn? They are also very responsive to battlefield situations, which is not accurate. The relatively open desert is a great place for them to limit Infantry, and with an on-table mortar and two Barrages, the CCNN was able to prevent any effective use for Infantry while the mistaken advance by the tanks resulted in losing half of them.
Another exciting game of this old-school rule set!
I think your suggestion for modifying the infantry kill/suppression is very sensible. Although I fiddled around with these rules a few years ago I never actually got around to playing a game with them, but I'm strongly tempted to give them a go. Something else to go on the to do list!
ReplyDeleteHad a great time, definitely looking forward to using these rules more.
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