Gents: :smoke:
Here are some tactics and strategies to utilize when playing my
First Battle of Tembien scenario!
Forces & Tactics
Italian Forces
2nd Eritrean (Native) Division: Pros: Good assault strength. Cons: Poor defense strength and low morale. Tactics: Advance in mass and concentrate direct fire attacks. Close to assault distance utilizing defensive terrain and remain out of enemy LOS as much as possible. Somewhat “brittle” units that will retreat and lose strength points often when attacked. Use MG units to provide covering fire. Keep leaders close to assist in morale checks and rallies.
2nd Blackshirt Division: Pros: Good attack strength. Cons: Poor assault strength. Tactics: May operate in open terrain and have better survivability then Eritrean units. Use MG units to provide covering fire. Engineer unit has 6 smoke rounds.
Tankette Company: Pros: Speed and being armored helps too. Cons: Poor defense and attack strength. Tactics: Scout and spot. Use behind Ethiopian lines to spot enemy artillery and high value units like the retinue (Ethiopian supply unit).
Artillery: Pros: Attack strength and some organic movement. Indirect fire. Cons: Poor defense strength. No capability to use smoke rounds. Tactics: Use to bombard concentrations of Ethiopian troops. Effective against enemy advancing / defending in rough terrain.
Aircraft (fighter & ground support): Pros: Availability to attack any spotted hex on map. Cons: Poor attack – especially fighters and limited numbers (only 4 aircraft in scenario) Tactics: Use against Ethiopian troops in open terrain and against spotted enemy artillery and high value units like the retinue (Ethiopian supply unit).
Ethiopian Forces
Mahel Safari (Ethiopian Infantry): Pros: Good attack strength. Cons: Poor assault strength. Tactics: Use in mass against Italian forces. Utilize “hit & run” tactics by moving out of rough terrain to attack Italian troops and then retreating back into covered terrain. Remain out of enemy LOS as possible to avoid artillery bombardment and aircraft attacks. Attack where the Italian is weak and retreat where he is strong. All victory hexes are out of direct enemy LOS at start and surrounded by rough terrain on hills. Emphasis is on the Italian to attack and secure Ethiopian-controlled victory hexes.
Mahel Safari (Ethiopian Infantry) mounted on pack camels: Pros: Good attack strength and mobility. Cons: Poor assault strength. Tactics: Use as mobile reserve to plug holes, and add weight to any attacks against enemy forces.
Galla Cav Basciai (Ethiopian Calvary) Pros: Good attack strength and mobility. Cons: Poor assault strength and low morale. Somewhat “brittle” units that will retreat and lose strength points often when attacked. Tactics: Use as mobile reserve to plug holes, and add weight to any attacks against enemy forces. Use behind Italian lines to spot enemy artillery, transport and high value units like HQ’s.
Artillery: Pros: Attack strength and some organic movement. Indirect fire. Cons: Poor defense strength. No capability to use smoke rounds. Tactics: Use to bombard concentrations of Italian troops. Effective against enemy advancing / defending in rough terrain.
Regards, Mike / "A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week." - George S. Patton /