GAME COMMENTARY
I had to start the game over three times because AI (co-pilot) can make mistakes. It often sends companies that were already sent elsewhere to engage me. Not a serious problem. Simply remind it and it will gracefully acknowledge its error. However, twice it provided incorrect information that forced me to start over using the correction.
On this third try, Co-pilot remembered the previous game and changed its strategy from the second game, knowing it lost. This time, it reversed everything it did before to try and win. It learns. It also recognized that when it it spotted my two landing ships west of Gozo, I planned a west landing. That allowed it to move its Pembroke infantry company to attack my parachute battalion in Mosta.
I also learned from the second game. I found I gained nothing from taking Wardija Ridge above Buggiba. The British hold and then escape. So I shifted my attack west to take the Triq il Palma road south from Mellieha. Aerial recon showed an obvious, impossible to camouflage, pillbox where I had to cross 118 to go down Triq il Palma. So I had to take it. The aerial photos showed it had defenses north, south, and west, but none east.
The obvious soultion was to atttack from the east, but this was just too simple. Why was the east not covered?
To the east there's a lot of trees.
I was sure there was something in those trees and that attacking from the east was a deliberate trap.
It was.
My salute to the British. It was a clever trap.
Suspecting the trap though, I wargamed landing parachutists in the rear but the southern defense was too good and the terrain unfavorable (You can be seen approaching from 2,000 feet.).
I did land parachutists in the rear but did not move them north. Instead I moved them south. Whatever was in those trees had only two roads out and I covered both roads with the parachutists. I then attacked from the north. First I bombed the road blocking pillbox with 1,100 pound bombs and then 75mm guns. If not for the 1,100 pound bombs, it would have held for three hours. The British were determined to hold, sending a reinforcing company when I had already broken through the "118 road" defense elsewhere.
Finally, the pillbox fell. And here come the retreating British down BOTH roads for me to capture, THREE TIMES more prisoners more than I expected. Those trees contained another pillbox, one disguised, and MOBILE infantry, all positioned for me to attack from the east.
Good thing I didn't.
But some things are a given. When you read Malta invasion internet posts, they all claim the whole island has been ranged and "boxed" for artillery fire.
I call BS. I never found a field gun anywhere.
The field gun advantage went to me, 12-0.
The British strategy is obvious, Make the Italians attack from the north.
So I did.
Then they delay, Delay, DELAY.
That's why I landed a landed a bicycle battalion. When you can move faster than the British, DELAY becomes impossible. I got everywhere before they did. The British do not have trucks. They have to call for them from Valletta, Although normally 15 minutes away, this game can be 15 minutes in a turn.
Anothr thing the internet generals all insist: NO LANDING BEACHES.
At first glance, that's true. If you live on Malta, evrything looks like a cliff. But beautiful beaches are only 15 minutes away. The British knew those beaches were there, mined them, built pillboxes, and dropped concrete obstacles with spikes to cover them. So the beaches are there (but so are the mines, pillboxes, and concrete spikes.). But the British themselves provided me with obstacle free landing sites. I only had to take out four pillboxes and build a pier. Italy projected their moto broggozi loss would be 100%. I haven't lost a single one.
But that does not mean I will win? No. Italy cited supply as a key reason for canceling the 1940 invasion. They couldn't supply 20,000 men. I can barely supply 5,000. The supply problem is two fold. First, there isn't any WATER. I had to plan my advance along water supply routes with water for one day at a time. It's why I took Dingli Cliffs. I didn't know there were radar stations there. What I knew was that I had to control Rabia and Rabia had no water. Dingli Cliffs did.
So now the British radar is sitting at the bottom of Dingli Cliffs. (Or then again not - another co-pilot mistake here.).
The reason I'm advancing so rapidly is that the British aren't moving. There's very little reaction as they're already in their defensive postions. They're in static, pillbox positions that can be blinded by smoke or (eventually) knocked down by 75mm guns, the latter taking so long I have used up 33% of my ammunition first day. So, no, I'm not shelling Luqa airfield even though it is within range. Can't spare the ammunition. The British also don't have artillery, a key point, while I do. However, a 75mm gun doesn't actually destroy a pillbox. It causes them to abandon their firing position or risk being blinded. Using smoke, then throwing a grenade in, is more effective,
The pillbox on 118 and Triq il Palma was an easy target but covered by infantry. It took two hours to take. Co-pilot thought 30 minutes.
Which brings us back to supply. This is my third try at this game and I still haven't captured a single truck and the civilian ones are already requisitioned. So I had to land ten of my own (not easy). They will each be running four supply trips a day. Eight of those trucks were landed with 2,600-75mm rounds, enough to knock out ten pillboxes. Two trucks carried 2-81mm mortars with 850 heavy (6.8 kg) rounds ( enough for 15 fire missions per mortar).
Otherwise, my two battalions run out of food and ammunition. This is the most difficult supply wargame I've ever played. I am dependent upon the British abandoning Hal Far airfield so I can air land supply.
I only have two battalions, one on bicycles. The British still have about four. They outnumber me and out equip me. Once they figure that out, they'll go from the defensive to the offensive.
Once they do, they'll find their troops better than mine. The game master (co-pilot) still thinks my 400 parachutists in Mosta are still holding out.
No. They surrendered hours ago.
I had to start the game over three times because AI (co-pilot) can make mistakes. It often sends companies that were already sent elsewhere to engage me. Not a serious problem. Simply remind it and it will gracefully acknowledge its error. However, twice it provided incorrect information that forced me to start over using the correction.
On this third try, Co-pilot remembered the previous game and changed its strategy from the second game, knowing it lost. This time, it reversed everything it did before to try and win. It learns. It also recognized that when it it spotted my two landing ships west of Gozo, I planned a west landing. That allowed it to move its Pembroke infantry company to attack my parachute battalion in Mosta.
I also learned from the second game. I found I gained nothing from taking Wardija Ridge above Buggiba. The British hold and then escape. So I shifted my attack west to take the Triq il Palma road south from Mellieha. Aerial recon showed an obvious, impossible to camouflage, pillbox where I had to cross 118 to go down Triq il Palma. So I had to take it. The aerial photos showed it had defenses north, south, and west, but none east.
The obvious soultion was to atttack from the east, but this was just too simple. Why was the east not covered?
To the east there's a lot of trees.
I was sure there was something in those trees and that attacking from the east was a deliberate trap.
It was.
My salute to the British. It was a clever trap.
Suspecting the trap though, I wargamed landing parachutists in the rear but the southern defense was too good and the terrain unfavorable (You can be seen approaching from 2,000 feet.).
I did land parachutists in the rear but did not move them north. Instead I moved them south. Whatever was in those trees had only two roads out and I covered both roads with the parachutists. I then attacked from the north. First I bombed the road blocking pillbox with 1,100 pound bombs and then 75mm guns. If not for the 1,100 pound bombs, it would have held for three hours. The British were determined to hold, sending a reinforcing company when I had already broken through the "118 road" defense elsewhere.
Finally, the pillbox fell. And here come the retreating British down BOTH roads for me to capture, THREE TIMES more prisoners more than I expected. Those trees contained another pillbox, one disguised, and MOBILE infantry, all positioned for me to attack from the east.
Good thing I didn't.
But some things are a given. When you read Malta invasion internet posts, they all claim the whole island has been ranged and "boxed" for artillery fire.
I call BS. I never found a field gun anywhere.
The field gun advantage went to me, 12-0.
The British strategy is obvious, Make the Italians attack from the north.
So I did.
Then they delay, Delay, DELAY.
That's why I landed a landed a bicycle battalion. When you can move faster than the British, DELAY becomes impossible. I got everywhere before they did. The British do not have trucks. They have to call for them from Valletta, Although normally 15 minutes away, this game can be 15 minutes in a turn.
Anothr thing the internet generals all insist: NO LANDING BEACHES.
At first glance, that's true. If you live on Malta, evrything looks like a cliff. But beautiful beaches are only 15 minutes away. The British knew those beaches were there, mined them, built pillboxes, and dropped concrete obstacles with spikes to cover them. So the beaches are there (but so are the mines, pillboxes, and concrete spikes.). But the British themselves provided me with obstacle free landing sites. I only had to take out four pillboxes and build a pier. Italy projected their moto broggozi loss would be 100%. I haven't lost a single one.
But that does not mean I will win? No. Italy cited supply as a key reason for canceling the 1940 invasion. They couldn't supply 20,000 men. I can barely supply 5,000. The supply problem is two fold. First, there isn't any WATER. I had to plan my advance along water supply routes with water for one day at a time. It's why I took Dingli Cliffs. I didn't know there were radar stations there. What I knew was that I had to control Rabia and Rabia had no water. Dingli Cliffs did.
So now the British radar is sitting at the bottom of Dingli Cliffs. (Or then again not - another co-pilot mistake here.).
The reason I'm advancing so rapidly is that the British aren't moving. There's very little reaction as they're already in their defensive postions. They're in static, pillbox positions that can be blinded by smoke or (eventually) knocked down by 75mm guns, the latter taking so long I have used up 33% of my ammunition first day. So, no, I'm not shelling Luqa airfield even though it is within range. Can't spare the ammunition. The British also don't have artillery, a key point, while I do. However, a 75mm gun doesn't actually destroy a pillbox. It causes them to abandon their firing position or risk being blinded. Using smoke, then throwing a grenade in, is more effective,
The pillbox on 118 and Triq il Palma was an easy target but covered by infantry. It took two hours to take. Co-pilot thought 30 minutes.
Which brings us back to supply. This is my third try at this game and I still haven't captured a single truck and the civilian ones are already requisitioned. So I had to land ten of my own (not easy). They will each be running four supply trips a day. Eight of those trucks were landed with 2,600-75mm rounds, enough to knock out ten pillboxes. Two trucks carried 2-81mm mortars with 850 heavy (6.8 kg) rounds ( enough for 15 fire missions per mortar).
Otherwise, my two battalions run out of food and ammunition. This is the most difficult supply wargame I've ever played. I am dependent upon the British abandoning Hal Far airfield so I can air land supply.
I only have two battalions, one on bicycles. The British still have about four. They outnumber me and out equip me. Once they figure that out, they'll go from the defensive to the offensive.
Once they do, they'll find their troops better than mine. The game master (co-pilot) still thinks my 400 parachutists in Mosta are still holding out.
No. They surrendered hours ago.
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