Two battalions of Austrians supported by a field gun battery advanced on an Italian sector in the foothills of the Isonzo mountains. Ordered to hold both the hill and the town, the Italian commander split his force - an understrength battalion to hold the village, while two companies reenforced by a own field gun battery, would hold the hill. He opted to hold a rifle company and a squadron of Lancieri in reserve in the center.
The Austrians committed to taking the hill but advanced one column under cover of the woods which had somehow survived shelling. The Italian reserve rifles advanced to meet them, supported by a company from the village. Fierce fighting followed.
Meanwhile, the attack on the hill began to disintegrate under fire from the Italian battery and machine guns.
The Italians held their own in the woods, leaving the second wave of Austrian companies to dislodge them, while on their right, their fellows still comfortably held the hill.
The Lancieri waited patiently for their moment and then struck out in a thunderous charge!
Meanwhile the Austrians in the wood were crumbling engaged on two sides by Italain troops in close combat.
The Italians held the woods, the Lancieri drove off their opponents, but the Italian defenders on the hill had suffered under the relentless pressing surge of Austrians.
With their attack dwindling, Austrian rifles entered and crossed through the trench to dislodge the field gun battery in a final mopping up operation. The Italain commander sent the Lancieri to support the town, in case of Austrian reinforcements, while a unit of Italian infantry made for the hill to aid in the fight for the trench.
To the surprise of all, the artillery crews drove off their attackers. With nothing left, the Austrians retreated behind their starting positions.
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Rules were
One Hour Wargames "Machine Age", with my modifications. Eight units per side didn't really extend the playing time but felt more substantial as a game than the usual six.
The playing area was 3' x 2' and never felt cramped nor too large for the size of the forces involved.
The Austrian plan was determined by die roll and the Italian distribution of troops was similarly randomized.
My rules modifications are working well, but I haven't tried playing any games set in the later years of the war, where Arditi and strumtruppen might appear. I'll have to give them a go soon to see if my modifications make them overpowered.
It is always good when rule modifications work out.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Although even when they don't, at least a game was played.
DeleteA nice version of this scenario John, which I find is always really tough for the attacking side.
ReplyDeleteThat's a lovely piece of artillery btw
Thanks, Maudlin Jack. The defender really does have some nice advantages, being uphill (1/2 melee damage and in Machine Age, the units on the hill are dug in too, so 1/2 vs ranged) or in the BUA(1/2 damage). I think using the WWII rules as written the attacker, if they get two mortars, has the better of things- they can just sit back and lob mortar shots at the defender on the hill.
DeleteThe artillery was a fantastic ebay score which I am trying to replicate with little success! The gun itself is easily found, but not for the pittance I paid.
Another excellent looking and very exciting game! There's nothing better on Thanksgiving Eve than a good war game! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving John!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Brad! And a happy (belated) Thanksgiving to you and yours!
DeleteTime well spent.
ReplyDeleteAlmost always!
DeleteWill you use the WWI rules for the later part of the war? I can see using Musket and Saber for early war, altho the artillery is pretty deadly by then, rapid firing and all. Happy Thanksgiving! Alex
ReplyDeleteHappy (belated) Thanksgiving, Alex!
DeleteI use my own modifications of the WWI rules for the entire war, which include modifications for close combat (missing from the Machine Age rules), fighting in/along trenches, limit movement of field guns once fired, and add assault troops.
For early war, I tend to treat cavalry results as regular infantry, and limit heavy infantry to a single unit. In the later war, I treat cavalry as sturmtruppen for the Austrians, and for the Italians I dice off between mounted Lancieri and Arditi.
The Lancieri use the cavalry rules from the Rifle & Sabre rules. The assault infantry I give 9" movement (like Zouaves from the ACW rules), +2 in close combat (grenades, flame throwsers, daggers, special assault training), if they force the removal of the enemy unit in close combat, they can advance to take that space vacated and can immediately fight another close combat if they end up in contact with an enemy unit as a result, and they take 1/2 damage from direct fire, due to their dispersed formation compared to regular infantry.
However, these assault infantry rules have yet to be play tested more than a few times. I did toy with limiting ranged attack effectiveness for the assault troops but decided against that.
I still want to add a creeping barrage (which the Austrians made use of, but not the Italians, or not well) and poison gas (which the Austrians used quite successfully), and possibly bring in sighting like the WW2 rules.
Marvellous looking game. Great to see the cavalry having a key role and doing well!
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Thank you, James. I like to think I'm getting better at using my cavalry in the game (here and in my Ancients games). That may not in fact be the case, but I still like to believe it!
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