Tactics II - Turn 3 Allied - Game 5 Shoot and scoot.

Another game in the Tactics II campaign rather thin on Pic's I am afraid - The sign of a good game.

The allies were feeling confident they heavily outnumbered the Italian defenders as they pushed forward towards the main front. 

The Italian were already at 3/4 strength and were out numbered by at least 2:1 together with Headquarter support but they had rolled well on the scenario table - Ambush an the terrain was in their favour.

What seemed like an endless stream of allied troops snaked their way on to the table, looking in the dice bag there seem to be very few red dice for the Italian side, troops hugged the terrain in ambush awaiting their moment.

In the forward position the Italians waited.

The first Indian troops reach the killing zone and were wiped out to a man - that's 120 points in the favour of the Italians.

Protected by the mud wall they were proving difficult to winkle out even with the introduction of the A10 a risky move as anti-tank and Auto Cannon rounds narrowly missing it, that would have been expensive.

Many of the Italians were quite a way back, forcing them to bring forward the Armoured Car - The A10 fired and boom!!! - suddenly it was game on 105 points for the allies.

Turn 5 came and by now the Italians in the village were providing covering fire allowing the defenders to fall back slipping out of the walled field before the allies could mass enough troops. A few Italians fell scrambling over the wall, whilst the allies saw a number of casualties from a nasty sniper somewhere off in the distance.

Losses 205 allied to 165 axis an unlikely Axis victory. The allies are forced to fall back.

Initiative switches to the Axis but activation orders were poor and the Italians above were unable to withdraw which may make the next turn rather nasty for them.

As stalemate continues on the right flank reinforcements make their way up from the rear area for the Axis forces, there are sure to be some large fights ahead. The only significant engagement is the arrival of the Germans and elements of 1st Panzer Division who are looking to break through the allied parachute screen who is blocking access to the port city of Karalaan.

So next up an interesting encounter as the Germans hit the landing fields - quite telling the random roll with Platoon Forward is a Platoon attack - Take and hold a settlement on the main road to the port - To win the game.

Let's see if the Axis willing streak continues.