Initial Phase: The Greek army mobilizes. Numerous reinforcements are poised to rush to the front and fill up the Metaxas line. The British Well 1C is called up at the cost of -1 VP for on-map use. Italian bombers fly limited harassment missions, intended to slow this Greek push to the front (1 along the western coast to keep a few units from the reaching the front along the coastal road, and one at Phlorina, which should prevent any significant reinforcement of hex 14A:4215, which the Italians decide might be a possible point of attack next turn should the weather prove supportive. The Mxd B on Rhodes is put on naval patrol.

Mov’t Phase: The British Expeditionary Corps moves to Khania, with the Italian Mxd B moving to intercept. No Greek CAP is flown over the hex, so the Italian bombers will be unopposed. They successfully make contact (+3 for calm seas, -3 for distance, 5 rolled), AA is ineffectual (7 rolled on 2 column); however, Italian bomb sites are inadequate and the bombs are lucky to find the earth (thanks only to gravity), much less the harbor with the British ships unloading the Brit 14th Brigade (1 rolled.)

In the East, the Metaxas line is more than fully manned. On the main front, all hexes in front of the Italian lines are retaken, with most held in strength. Along the western coastal road, only a single 2 DS rgt holds the coast. The hex just east of Koritsa, 14A:4215, is abandoned as untenable (Italian newspapers trumpet the success of Italian arms and the imminent fall of Athens.)

Of interest, Thessolonike is turned into a veritable AA fortress… by the end of the turn, both the British and Greek short range bombers will be based here (no fighter cover, as this unit remains in the south covering Athenai.)

Combat Phase: The two remaining Italian bombers fly DAS to the only hex where a 3:1 might be possible. The Greek high command finds no attacks at better than 2:1 odds (+0 however due to Greek mountain prowess.) Still, the conservative commanders choose to launch no attacks, apparently unwilling to risk the possibility of significant retreats on any “1”s.

Exploit phase: A single Wellington C stages a night raid on the port of Valona, no doubt hoping to find an armaments ship in the port (the massive damage rule is in effect for ports which are standard supply terminals.) 3 pts of AA is ineffective thanks to B and a night mission mods (which also prevents any intercept attempts.) Fortunately for Mussolini’s troops, the Wellington’s miss (2 rolled.)

Nov I 40 Italian player turn:

Initial phase: For the odd weather turn, a 2 is rolled, leaving both zone D & E in clear (with Mud guaranteed Nov II, this is seen as an excellent turn of events by the Italian high command.) Italian units arrive in Brindisi and Bari for transport to the front. The combined Allied AF flies no CAP or naval patrol. The Italian quartermaster is stripped of his rank and assigned to a penal company as he failed to notice that breaking attack supply down into resource pts occurs in step 8 of the initial phase, while fort building must begin in step 6… therefore a construction reg’t at Koritsa is forced to wait impatiently for the necessary cement and supplies until next turn, thereby losing the good digging weather.

Mov’t phase: In naval interference, the Allies manage some small success in impeding Italian reinforcements. Two successful contacts are made, with a 2-3-6 Art III resulting in no effect and a 3-4-6 Inf XX returned to port. Italian troops take advantage of the weather to improve their lines. Great fanfare is held when another hex of Greece is seized thanks to the retreat of the hated foe. (14A:4215, previously abandoned by the Greeks in their turn.) Many medals are handed out and Mussolini calls for a parade… Athens is just around the corner.

A possible attack is set up against a 5 pt stack that might lead to a breakout, though with bad weather coming it’s unlikely the attack will be launched. The attack would go in at 3:1 -2 at best, so in actuality it’s hoped that perhaps the Allied AF will be tempted to fly DAS, which might therefore be intercepted. Failing that, the Italians will be satisfied with adjusting their lines and waiting for mud to ensure any Greek counter-attack is thwarted.

The island of Kerkyra could have been cleared in the good whether, but it is determined that the tank battalion/artillery rgt combo, or a full division necessary for this action are better used elsewhere in the line. Let them eat rats…

Combat phase: Metaxas notes the weak Italian situation for what it is and declines to fly DAS. The combat phase passes without fanfare.

Exploit phase: Little occurs on the ground, other than the aforementioned tank II moving forward into the lines. In the air, the Italian AF commander decides to take advantage of the good weather and show the Greek AF whatfor, seeing as how it has impudently chosen to base so close to the front… AA be damned! A raid of 2 bombers with 1 tac pt and a fighter also with 1 tac pt sweep into the base unmolested by flak… bomb rolls of 2, 1, 1 however indicate that the Italian pilots may have been missed by flak due to their having dropped their loads prior to actually getting to the base! Not to be deterred, the Italian Goering sends forth 2 more fighters, with 0 tac bombing strength for another attempt at the Allied bombing force. Lucky flak catches one of these with an abort (2 rolled). The fighter that gets through rolls a 3 and misses, but at least these two found the base…

At end of game turn: The Italians collect 5 VPs for owning 5 hexes in mainland Greece.