Post by armchair general on May 30, 2017 19:29:45 GMT
[NOTE: This is part of the continuing effort to migrate as many scenarios as possible from the original Forum to the new one. Any assistance or feedback is always welcome!]
[originally posted by Boersma on April 2, 2010]
Battle of Elaia-Kalamas (Greece, 28 October-8 November,1940)
Introduction:
Desiring to recreate the glorious Roman Empire, Mussolini had invaded Albania in 1939, had only recently attacked British forces in North Africa and had now set his sights on Greece. It would soon prove to be much more than the meagre Italians resources could handle. In addition, the terrain chosen for the offensive in Greece was far from ideal. It was mountainous and rugged and to make matters worse, lasting rainfall had soaked the ground and made the terrain even less hospitable to offensive warfare.
Even though the Italians initially enjoyed a clear superiority in manpower, armour and planes, the above certified that all these advantages were nullified: their tanks (mainly L3/35s and M13/40s) couldn't cope with the terrain, the airforce was often grounded due to bad weather and their bombs were far less effective due to the sogginess of the ground and the men soon suffered from low morale, due to the harsh and cold fighting conditions. Also, expecting the campaign to be a walkover, Mussoilini had withdrawn many veteran divisons to be sent to Africa instead and left the conquest of Greece mostly to second rate troops. Moreover, the Greeks were rapidly mobilizing their forces and strengthening their lines by the day. For all these reasons, the offensive soon became a retreat and the battle for Greece wasn't won for the Axis until Germany came to the aid of its ally in the Spring of 1941.
Despite these adverse conditions, will you be able to give the Italians a better start in this battle than they had historically?
Maps:
West: Map 8 ==> # NE upside down.
East:map 15 ==> # SW corner
Overlay tiles:
9x marsh
3x trench (see Greek set up and special rules section)
2x hill
8xtown
8xmountain
Map 8: North-Western most hex is A1, the first full hex to its South is A2 etc. The second full hex in the NW is B1 (forest), the clear hex to its South is B2, marsh hex South of that one is B3 etc. Next row of hexes is C1 etc.
Place marsh tiles in: E7 (on top of forest hex), F9. G4, G7 and G8. Place hill hexes in D1, D2. Place a mountain tile in E2.
Map 15: Village/town hexes: E57x, E49X, E58X, E50X, E42X, E34X, E43X,E51X.
Marsh tiles in: Place masrh hexes over the 4 contigous forest hexes to the west of the river on map 15.
Place mountain tiles in: E61X,E53X,E46X,E54X,E63X,E55X,E47X
Set-up: Italians set up on the Western edge of the map on the last 5 rows of hexes.
Greek units set up in a town hex of Konitsa or in any hex East of the river. At least two units must be placed in the town at set up.
Greek units at set up:
1x Boys AT rifle (Use Prtd 41 AT rifle proxy and stat card)
1x Greek officer
1x Greek 7.5 cm field artillery (Use French artillery piece proxy from EW set)
1x MMG team (Use French Hotchkiss MG team proxy and statcard)
4x Greek infantry
1x Anti-tank obstacle
1x spotter (Use Russian proxy)
3x trenches (Must be placed in a hex East of the river; when placed in cover providing terrain, it adds to the original terrain's effects rather than replaces it).Also see special rules!
Greek reinforcements:
These enter on the Greek movement phase of the applicable turn in any hex on the Eastern edge of map 15. They may still move after entering. First hex counts as one movement point spent.
Turn 3:
1x Officer
4x infantry
1x MMG Hotchkiss
1x 7.5 cm artillery
Turn 5:
4x Greek cavalry
Greek screening forces: See special rules
Italian forces:
1x Folgore fighter (Desert set)
1x Breda MG team
4x Fucile Modello
2x Carro Armato M13/40
3x L3/35
3x Stalwart Lieutenant
8x Italian conscripts
2x Breda LMG
2x artillery piece Early war
1x spotter (German proxy)
Victory conditions:
* Major Italian Victory: The Italians have a unit in at least 6 of the town hexes and have (a) unit(s) in two or more different hexes on the opposite bank of the river by the end of turn 6. In addition, they have a total of 14 or more units left in play at the end of turn 6.
(Though the campaign has been far from won, the start of it has proven to be far more promising than it was historically).
* Italian victory:The Italians control** more town hexes than the Greeks at the end of turn 8 and have (a) unit(s) in two or more hexes on the opposite side of the river and the Italians have at least 11 units left.
(Though the battle is far from decided, fortunes may yet smile upon the Italian armed forces).
* Any other result is a Greek victory. (More Greek reinforcements are arriving daily, the Italian attack has lost momentum and their losses have been too heavy).
Special rules:
A town hex is considered controlled when your side is the only one to have units in it or was the last sole occupant. All town hexes start in control of the Greeks. Moving through an empty hex IMMEDIATELY changes control of it.
Pre-battle artillery and aircraft bombardment: After set-up, but before the start of turn 1, roll a die targeting each Greek unit. On a roll of 6 (ineffective due to conditions, see introduction) place a face-up disruption counter on the targeted unit.
Aircraft and bad weather: At the beginning of the place aircraft phase, roll a die. Only on a die roll of 6, the Italian aircraft is available on that turn.
Lack of AA defenses: Aircraft get +1/+1 defense when attacked by units without the anti-air special ability.
Mud: Mud has the following effects:
1 Vehicles have their printed movement value lowered by 1.
2 There are no road bonuses.
3 Prior to moving in any phase, a vehicle must roll two d6. On a combined roll of 7+ it may move normally (taking into account points 1 and 2). On a combined roll of 4-6 it may not move that phase (stuck in the mud) and on a combined roll of 3- it may no longer move for the rest of the game. It has been immobilized.
4. There's always a minimum movement of 1 provided condition three is met and obviously as long as the vehicle isn't disrupted!
Trenches: Trenches provide a unit in them with +1/+1 defense and +1 on cover rolls. However, a trench hex can only hold 1 unit of each side.
Greek screening forces: Twice per game, but before the start of turn 4, the Greeks may place a soldier unit using the paratrooper deployment rule and make an attack during their assault phase against an Italian unit (still) on map 8 (A Communist Partisan unit works nicely). After attacking this unit is removed from the board immediately. Its AI attack stats are 7/5/- and AV: 2/-/-. It has a close assault value of 4.
* Officers on both sides have the limited spotter SA: This unit may call in indirect fire if an enemy is within 4 hexes and this unit has LOS to it. Aircraft roll an additional die.
Further balancing the scenario:
Italians: Add one carro armato M13/40 to their forces
Greeks: Add two barbed wire pices to their forces (set up).
[originally posted by Boersma on April 2, 2010]
Battle of Elaia-Kalamas (Greece, 28 October-8 November,1940)
Introduction:
Desiring to recreate the glorious Roman Empire, Mussolini had invaded Albania in 1939, had only recently attacked British forces in North Africa and had now set his sights on Greece. It would soon prove to be much more than the meagre Italians resources could handle. In addition, the terrain chosen for the offensive in Greece was far from ideal. It was mountainous and rugged and to make matters worse, lasting rainfall had soaked the ground and made the terrain even less hospitable to offensive warfare.
Even though the Italians initially enjoyed a clear superiority in manpower, armour and planes, the above certified that all these advantages were nullified: their tanks (mainly L3/35s and M13/40s) couldn't cope with the terrain, the airforce was often grounded due to bad weather and their bombs were far less effective due to the sogginess of the ground and the men soon suffered from low morale, due to the harsh and cold fighting conditions. Also, expecting the campaign to be a walkover, Mussoilini had withdrawn many veteran divisons to be sent to Africa instead and left the conquest of Greece mostly to second rate troops. Moreover, the Greeks were rapidly mobilizing their forces and strengthening their lines by the day. For all these reasons, the offensive soon became a retreat and the battle for Greece wasn't won for the Axis until Germany came to the aid of its ally in the Spring of 1941.
Despite these adverse conditions, will you be able to give the Italians a better start in this battle than they had historically?
Maps:
West: Map 8 ==> # NE upside down.
East:map 15 ==> # SW corner
Overlay tiles:
9x marsh
3x trench (see Greek set up and special rules section)
2x hill
8xtown
8xmountain
Map 8: North-Western most hex is A1, the first full hex to its South is A2 etc. The second full hex in the NW is B1 (forest), the clear hex to its South is B2, marsh hex South of that one is B3 etc. Next row of hexes is C1 etc.
Place marsh tiles in: E7 (on top of forest hex), F9. G4, G7 and G8. Place hill hexes in D1, D2. Place a mountain tile in E2.
Map 15: Village/town hexes: E57x, E49X, E58X, E50X, E42X, E34X, E43X,E51X.
Marsh tiles in: Place masrh hexes over the 4 contigous forest hexes to the west of the river on map 15.
Place mountain tiles in: E61X,E53X,E46X,E54X,E63X,E55X,E47X
Set-up: Italians set up on the Western edge of the map on the last 5 rows of hexes.
Greek units set up in a town hex of Konitsa or in any hex East of the river. At least two units must be placed in the town at set up.
Greek units at set up:
1x Boys AT rifle (Use Prtd 41 AT rifle proxy and stat card)
1x Greek officer
1x Greek 7.5 cm field artillery (Use French artillery piece proxy from EW set)
1x MMG team (Use French Hotchkiss MG team proxy and statcard)
4x Greek infantry
1x Anti-tank obstacle
1x spotter (Use Russian proxy)
3x trenches (Must be placed in a hex East of the river; when placed in cover providing terrain, it adds to the original terrain's effects rather than replaces it).Also see special rules!
Greek reinforcements:
These enter on the Greek movement phase of the applicable turn in any hex on the Eastern edge of map 15. They may still move after entering. First hex counts as one movement point spent.
Turn 3:
1x Officer
4x infantry
1x MMG Hotchkiss
1x 7.5 cm artillery
Turn 5:
4x Greek cavalry
Greek screening forces: See special rules
Italian forces:
1x Folgore fighter (Desert set)
1x Breda MG team
4x Fucile Modello
2x Carro Armato M13/40
3x L3/35
3x Stalwart Lieutenant
8x Italian conscripts
2x Breda LMG
2x artillery piece Early war
1x spotter (German proxy)
Victory conditions:
* Major Italian Victory: The Italians have a unit in at least 6 of the town hexes and have (a) unit(s) in two or more different hexes on the opposite bank of the river by the end of turn 6. In addition, they have a total of 14 or more units left in play at the end of turn 6.
(Though the campaign has been far from won, the start of it has proven to be far more promising than it was historically).
* Italian victory:The Italians control** more town hexes than the Greeks at the end of turn 8 and have (a) unit(s) in two or more hexes on the opposite side of the river and the Italians have at least 11 units left.
(Though the battle is far from decided, fortunes may yet smile upon the Italian armed forces).
* Any other result is a Greek victory. (More Greek reinforcements are arriving daily, the Italian attack has lost momentum and their losses have been too heavy).
Special rules:
A town hex is considered controlled when your side is the only one to have units in it or was the last sole occupant. All town hexes start in control of the Greeks. Moving through an empty hex IMMEDIATELY changes control of it.
Pre-battle artillery and aircraft bombardment: After set-up, but before the start of turn 1, roll a die targeting each Greek unit. On a roll of 6 (ineffective due to conditions, see introduction) place a face-up disruption counter on the targeted unit.
Aircraft and bad weather: At the beginning of the place aircraft phase, roll a die. Only on a die roll of 6, the Italian aircraft is available on that turn.
Lack of AA defenses: Aircraft get +1/+1 defense when attacked by units without the anti-air special ability.
Mud: Mud has the following effects:
1 Vehicles have their printed movement value lowered by 1.
2 There are no road bonuses.
3 Prior to moving in any phase, a vehicle must roll two d6. On a combined roll of 7+ it may move normally (taking into account points 1 and 2). On a combined roll of 4-6 it may not move that phase (stuck in the mud) and on a combined roll of 3- it may no longer move for the rest of the game. It has been immobilized.
4. There's always a minimum movement of 1 provided condition three is met and obviously as long as the vehicle isn't disrupted!
Trenches: Trenches provide a unit in them with +1/+1 defense and +1 on cover rolls. However, a trench hex can only hold 1 unit of each side.
Greek screening forces: Twice per game, but before the start of turn 4, the Greeks may place a soldier unit using the paratrooper deployment rule and make an attack during their assault phase against an Italian unit (still) on map 8 (A Communist Partisan unit works nicely). After attacking this unit is removed from the board immediately. Its AI attack stats are 7/5/- and AV: 2/-/-. It has a close assault value of 4.
* Officers on both sides have the limited spotter SA: This unit may call in indirect fire if an enemy is within 4 hexes and this unit has LOS to it. Aircraft roll an additional die.
Further balancing the scenario:
Italians: Add one carro armato M13/40 to their forces
Greeks: Add two barbed wire pices to their forces (set up).