On 28 October 1940, the Italians invaded Greece in what Mussolini hoped would be the first of many Italian blitzkriegs for the new "Roman Empire". The Greek Army, outnumbered and poorly equipped, demonstrated an outstanding fighting spirit, and managed to hold all Italian gains to a minimum. Greek forces counterattacked in the Koritsa area with the objective of taking Mount Pissoderi.
Attacker: Greek (Elements of 8th Division)
Defender: Italian (IX Armata with Light Armor Support)
6 turns
Players: 2 OBA: None Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:13.5 D:13.5
AFVs: A:0
AFVs: D:2
AB 40 L3/35 Autocarro Leggero x 2
Guns: A:0
Boys ATR
D:1
Cannone da 65/17 Mortaio da 45 Brixia x 2
Misc Rules:
A: 1st Greek MMC to fail a MC automatically generates Hero
The Greek plan of attack was to push through the 9L2-L5 road valley and approach the victory hex from the rear through the cover of crags while interdicting reinforcements with HMG/LMG teams on 2P5/Q5. The Italian INF Gun and Mortars on the 9-740 hill mass caused some casualties (e.g., 9-1 going berserk/subsequently eliminated) and eventually broke the HMG/LMG teams, but the Italian MMG malf'd (never to return). The Greeks reached the reverse slope crags in significant force and killed the Italian tankette and AC with a rear PBF LMG and 3 hex-range ATR shot, respectively. From there it was just a matter of time before the Italians folded under the weight of Greek firepower, accelerated by their 6 morale. I think a reverse slope defense in the crags with enough firepower to dissuade a frontal approach is the way to go for the Italians to compensate for their lower morale/ELR/firepower, and short range.
2017-04-28
(D) Michael Rodgers
vs
Bruno L'Archeveque
Italian win
Played using I1 handicap, which gives an extra 9-1 leader to the Greeks. There weren't many GO Italian units left after five turns, but they still held the victory hex and the Greek could not take it in the sixth turn.
2016-06-05
(D) Ron Garcia
vs
Darryl M.
Italian win
2014-04-14
(D) X von Marwitz
vs
David Wallace
Greek win
My second game using the Italians. As they are brittle and have only an ELR of 2 I figured it would not be wise to expose them to fire. For that reason I set up only very few units up front to slow the Yugoslav advance and built a reverse slope defence instead with the intention of increasing my effective firepower, and counteracting the Yugoslav advanage in range. Besides, I felt that a forward setup presented precious little positions to fall back to with brittle or broken Italians. My gun was set up on that single level 3 knob on hexrow Y of board 9 with the intention of taking advantage of the range of the gun which would be somewhat protected by the distance to the enemy. This gun is certainly a key unit which I had earmarked to cover the level 3 plateau next to the Victory location. The vehicles I intended to use to disrupt the Yugoslaw deployment and to drive one of them up into the victory location. So much for the plan. Unfortunately, the 65* Gun malfed in the DFPh of Yugoslav turn 1 and was broken on a repair roll of 6 a while later. It managed to fire one single effective shot. The AC did wreak some havoc among the Yugoslavs and sucked up a lot of fire until it went finally down. The absence of the gun was sorely felt as it eventually allowed the Yugoslav to establish himself on the plateau after he managed to get one unit into the victory location and thus controlling it during his APh. While my Italian infantry was mainly intact, this would force me into the role of the attacker which is, of course, a thing the Italian wants to avoid. I hoped to turn the status "back to normal" by driving the tankette up to the Victory location. Though after a stop along the way, I could not get the radioless machine to move again which was then sneaked up by the enemy ATR and taken out. These factors basically predetermined the outcome. Some good performance by my 45* MTRs and a broken Italian leader and Conscript squad going berserk somewhat delayed the decision, but in the end, the Yugoslav prevailed. I think this scenario usually favors the Italian. But losing that 65* gun right at the start was surely a tough blow for the Italians. Alltogether, this scenario is worth playing.
