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Completed I can't believe this is a game from 2020: Let's Play Armoured Commander II

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
Nights are long and my attention is fickle. See, while I was finishing the last updates of my (sadly a half failure) LP of Armoured Brigade, I lazily checked for a game that was on my radar for ages, it's an interesting take on....

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WAIT WAIT DON'T ESCAPE HEAR ME FOR A MOMENT WAIT OR I'M GOING TO SHOOT

Let's start again from the beginning.

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Armoured Commander II is a roguelike developed by a guy names Gregory Adam Scott as a passion project. It's a sequel to his Armoured Commander game, that was pretty much an adaptation of an oldass boardgame (1987 or something, it's Avalon Hill) known as Patton's Best.

s-l400.jpg


In both the boardgame and ACI, you were the commander of a Allied Sherman tank and had to manage a campaign through Western Europe. It's some kind of roguelike as we would call 'em nowadays, and it's also somewhat realism-focused but not realistic, as the amount of material you blew up was frankly insane. But it made for a fun game and it was rather immersive despite some obvious shortcomings in gameplay. If you want to play Armoured Commander I it's still free, as the alpha versions of Armoured Commander II. Let me give you a link.

https://www.armouredcommander.com/blog/armoured-commander-i/

But what's the game, essentially? Well, you're a guy commanding a tank in a platoon. You got to survive, improve both your skills and those of your men, and pray that some German doesn't blow you into small little pieces. You command your tank in a very stylized battlemap and manage resources like time, ammunition and support.

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Did I say very stylized graphics?

Armoured Commander II went EA on Steam and it's a significantly better game than ACI, even if it covers now just some early war campaigns. I'd like to show ye bastards a bit of the game because, seriously, it's fun even if flawed (and I'll point out the flaws) and it's a work of passion that ought to be rewarded. Hell, I bought it.

Here, another link.



To make the thread a bit more interesting, I'd like to at least name the pixel men after you. Don't worry, you'll probably die. I won't play in hardass mode, because the campaign is over when your tank commander (yourself) dies. So, if you want to join up:

Give me a name and, to know how to play you, a temperament ( COWARDLY, CAUTIOUS, BALANCED, MOTIVATED, FOOLHARDY)

I'll try to properly adapt your character (a coward will take skills that prioritize his own survival and act the part, a foolhardy guy will prioritize KILL MAIM BURN over his safety). It will make it a bit more fun than sheer optimization. Don't worry about the limited crew, dying comes with the job particularly if we aren't too smart with cover.

Also, pick a Campaign:

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The classic since Panzer General. Germans have a nice selection of tanks from Panzer IIs to Panzer IIIs, and enjoy complete superiority against the Polish foe.

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This campaign isn't available in my copy. Specifically. I don't know why. DONT MAKE ME PLAY THE POLES PLEASE NO NO PLEASE

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Liberate the Poles from themselves. Great if limited tank selection, opposition is a joke.

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Protect Finland from the evil tankies. Disclaimer: some campaigns are long. This being a showcase, I'll use the game options to shorten the campaign to around 20 combat days. Finns are outmatched but hey, Finns.

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Join the tankies to liberate the Finns from themselves. Sadly, same selection of tonks as the Polish campaign.

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Frogs have nice tanks and have to deal with a frankly far more diversified and powerful Panzerwaffe.

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Now with all the array of 1940 German toys, from Panzer IIs to Stugs to Panzer IVs. PANZER VOR

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Ehrrrrrm. Do you like Matildas?

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*hysterical laughter*

I'd seriously like this one. Disclaimer: it doesn't end well. At all. for no one involved.

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And the first of our Late War campaigns! Want to be one of Patton's Best? 44 tech and 44 German opponents!

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Now with Superior Canadian metal and men!


I promise I will try to listen to you and if you pick Poland again you get Italy in North Africa. Let's hope I don't slack off again.

dwHMWCkiKRpke0XUloPtUASDurak-3P1vqG2JK4YIvMD42Fskl_v8VOxXdYs93_jWb5U7xtoaKeyyWxDjhCZpMoCOtHcI8odMyQpdl2EDjNmE6ltwrtRnLyxXC_0ZE_Mrew9a0OeRiChF-C4V_9fSe-6ZWg
 

Binky

Cipher
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Messages
453
Name: Alberto Bertorelli
Temperament: Motivated
Campaign: Via della Vittoria

OR

Name: Bryan Adams
Temperament: Balanced
Campaign: Canada's Best
 

ValeVelKal

Arcane
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
1,604
Oh boy

Name : It is me ! Gabriele D’Annunzio. Yes, friends, I survived old age, women and cocaine. In 1915-1918 the weapon of the Poet was the plane and the fast boat and I volunteered to fight on these contraptions, by in 1939 the Poet shall fight in the tank ! I was more tha 50 when I humiliated the Austrians at Bakar, at more than 70 I will now humiliate the British.

Il Duce gave me a special authorization to join the force despite my age, and made me Count of ValeVelKal, wherever that his.

I am Foolhardy, because well at my age the best death I can hope is combat death.
 
Last edited:

Kz3r0

Arcane
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
27,012
Name: Italo Graziani Ettore
Temperament: A Cercar la Bella Morte
Campaign: Via della Vittoria
 

ValeVelKal

Arcane
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
1,604
So I played a bit and there are some stuff I don’t understand, maybe because I played a small French tank with 2 crewmen and managed to survive day 1 destroying some 4 tanks and 1 StUg.

- What does Overrun do ? I would think it crushes AT guns but in my case it did nothing
- What is the interest of the quick rack compared to the normal rack ?
- Is there, like, infantry ?
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
- What does Overrun do ? I would think it crushes AT guns but in my case it did nothing

Bonus to hit for MGs. Useful to fuck up infantry and AT guns.

- What is the interest of the quick rack compared to the normal rack ?

Significantly improved chances of "mantaining rate of fire", meaning you can fire more rounds in the same turn.


- Is there, like, infantry ?

Yes. Riflemen. Not on your side. They attack with grenades and AT weaponry.
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
You know what's wonderful? When you start the game and see there has already been an update with an Afrika Korps campaign.

Good, I guess we have a winner. Via della Vittoria!

It's honestly a fairly interesting pick for a campaign for the Italian side, for a series of reasons.... I'll sperg a little because I can.

10 June 1940

"SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND AVIATORS! BLACK SHIRTS OF THE REVOLUTION AND OF THE LEGIONS MEN AND WOMEN OF ITALY, OF THE EMPIRE, AND OF THE KINGDOM OF ALBANIA! HEED ME!

THE HOUR APPOINTED BY DESTINY HAS STRUCK IN THE HEAVENS OF OUR FATHERLAND!

THE DECLARATION OF WAR HAS ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED TO THE AMBASSADORS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE! WE GO TO BATTLE AGAINST THE PLUTOCRATIC AND REACTIONARY DEMOCRACIES OF THE WEST THAT HAVE HINDERED THE ADVANCE AND HAVE OFTEN ENDANGERED THE VERY EXISTANCE OF THE ITALIAN PEOPLE!
"

June 1940, Lybia

libia_storica_800.jpg

Italy has freed Lybia from the decaying grip of the Turk almost thirty years ago, and in the last decade our Great Nation has worked hard to develop this land in a proper province of the Italian Empire. Despite some rebellions by backwards and barbaric tribesmen (probably supplied by the accursed Frenchmen) in the last years roads, villages and massive agricultural development have been built all over our colonial possessions, but particularly in the region of Cyrenaica.

The military situation is however somewhat difficult, as we are surrounded on both sides by the French colonies and by the British puppet, Egypt. We are sure that King Farouk of Egypt would welcome to be freed from the repressive hand of the accursed Britons, but our objective in the area should be primarily defensive, waiting for the inevitable collapse of France and Britain.

Italo Balbo, governor of Lybia, is one of the most important men in the entire Empire, courageous and widely popular. Many think that he could even be a possible heir to the Duce himself! Under his leadership we will sure triumph.

25 June 1940

With France defeated, the entire balance of power in the Mediterranean changes. Orders have come from the Duce himself to prepare for a push into Egypt: the British forces stationed here are numerous, but without doubt the stronger willpower of a younger people like ours will prevail. And without a doubt the logistical situation of the British must be hellish. Mere technological superiority counts nothing against skill and mettle.

28 June 1940

Italo Balbo, governor-general of Lybia, dies as his airplane is shot down during a British bombardment on Tobruch. His substitute, Marshal Graziani, is a skilled commander and has proven his mettle during the colonial campaigns. We will not let such a tragedy stop the aquisition of our Spazio Vitale!

July 1940

The first planned invasion of Egypt gets called off.

August 1940

The second planned invasion of Egypt gets called off. The resistance of the Britons in their homeland is giving problems even to our Greatest Ally, so proper care and preparations are needed for a smooth operation.

9 september 1940

The invasion has begun! Our initial plan is simple: we'll advance up to Sidi Barrani, an advantageous position, we'll wait for the inevitable British counter attack, and after repulsing it we'll advance until Suez.

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EVERY DAY OF BATTLE GETS US CLOSER TO THE OBJECTIVE!

Counterfactual Commentary

Ahh, spoilers and spoilers. This must be hard to read. Whatever, I like to be proper particularly when speaking about muh heritage and whatever.

The in-character description is mostly accurate.... from the point of view of the random Italian grunt on the ground.

Italy had conquered Lybia in 1911-12, but it had not properly managed it until the early 20ies, and real development started after the native rebellions were crushed the early 30ies and Balbo was nominated governor-general in 34. Amusingly enough, Graziani was responsible for crushing decisively and with, we can call, heavy handed methods the rebellions.

Colonial war crimes aside, Cyrenaica was intensely developed under Balbo, with colonists and equipment shipped from Italy and a keen eye for infrastructure. The military situation wasn't so pretty, despite massive investments and several military reforms (the last one in 1936) the army in the colonies was vast but poorly equipped and poorly trained. Manpower was no issue, modern equipment and modern training were.

The surrender of France was a godsend and Balbo already reinforced the 10th Army (the Army of Cyrenaica, the one we're in now) with the best equipment he had, cannibalizing other formations. It still didn't count for much, as the automotive situation was beyond horrible.

Then Balbo got shot down by Italian AA fire when he returned from a frontline mission. The man, despite being a Fascist, had guts, but his guts got him killed as the British bombed Tobruch and the Italian AA, in a frenzy, shot down their own governor-general when he came back to land. Conspirancy theories about Mussolini killing a possible opponent abound, but I'm more willing to believe criminal incompetence on the part of everyone involved.

So Balbo is out and Graziani is in. Graziani is utterly convinced that massive British forces are waiting for him in Egypt, and he's completely unwilling to act. It doesn't help that the British had already started from the 14th of June to aggressively harass Italian border positions. Archibald Wavell, the commander of the British Forces in the Middle East, had only 36'000 men to fight 250'000+ Italians, but the British forces in Egypt were exceptionally well-trained and organized: as one historian put it, "the only existing equivalent of a German Panzer Division outside Europe" in their armoured and vehicle-mounted infantry, giving him phenomenal mobility.

It gets worse, as the British have completely broken the Italian codes. Graziani flat-out tells the Duce that he can't attack, and the plans are postponed again and again until on September Mussolini flat-out orders the attack, whatever the cost.

Italian forces start pushing from the 9th of September following the Operation E plan, reaching Sidi Barrani and then build a Via della Vittoria that will connect the Egyptian positions with the Via Balbia in Cyrenaica.

And we're there, in the middle of the very initial push against a screen of British forces unwilling to engage. Let's see what will happen to out unfortunate pastamen...

Historical shitposting aside, let's begin!

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We only have two initial picks for tonks, and both are kind of shit. I'll leave the indepth sperging to a future post, but let us say that the L3 is a shitty tankette with a couple of machineguns and the M11 is a shitty medium tank with a shitty hull-mounted outdated cannon and MGs.

On their defense, the Italian tank industry was a shitshow of epic proportions and they weren't developed for desert operation, or even for combat with near-peer forces.

I'll pick random selection, because I enjoy pain.

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FUCK YES THE LEAST SHITTY OPTION.

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Bertorelli gets to be the commander, and he's the most sane of the group as the gunner is some remnant in the 70ies convinced to be Gabriele D'Annunzio (that apparently died two years ago) and a gypsy that got stuck in the cargo hold of a ship, but apparently he has a driver's license (still valid) from the Austro-Hungarian Empire and so he gets to drive. People with a license are in short supply in the Royal Army, plus he looks trustworthy.

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I promised you stats, you get stats.

  • Perception is used during attempts to spot enemy units on the scenario layer
  • Morale represents the crewman's ability to resist and recover from being Shaken or Stunned, and to recover from Fatigue
  • Grit is used to resist being Stunned, recover from Critical injuries, and resist being Injured
  • Knowledge increases the rate of experience point gain per combat day

And the others are skills, from Campaign Skills (like Audacia here) to character skills. They have prerequisites an' shit but don't worry, I'll merely build the character out of the templates. We have two bloodthirsty and daring souls and a somewhat smart and daring soul.

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I properly build your characters (OFFENSE OFFENSE OFFENSE) and we get to the loadout of the tank. How lucky, our shitty outdated 37mm has only AP shells and no HE! It TRULY makes things easier!

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Let's keep this simple: this is the overland map. You are in a platoon with other 3 tanks and today's mission is Spearhead, we need to push forward and recon/capture the targets (the yellow points on the map). We can recon an hex or ask for artillery/airpower support, but it requires time and when the day ends it ends. We can ask for resupply and if we blow up the day ends.

And we need to gain VPs.

Easy.

I'll be aggressive and will not lose time with recon and support if it's not DIRELY needed. Maybe we'll recon the forts. We push for the first fortification, do some recon (it's a fort after all) and then push in!

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ACII functions in phases in a hex map. Every turn you give some orders and they get executed, and it's all dice rolls. You can relocate for cover inside a hex, for example now we're in a "fortress" inside our hex but we can relocate in the open if we wish.

It's all a tad ... abstracted, but trust me it works. But we're not here to hide! ADVANCE!

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We can't see what we're firing against! Matters little, load AP, fire MGs! We get a partial hit, this campaign begins under good auspices!

And our 37mm jams the istant later. Didn't I tell you that's a shitty gun? And yes, you can jam-unjam weapons.

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We identify what's opposing us, and it's a squad of riflemen and an.... AT rifle team. Ouch. We're so shitty that a Boys AT rifle is a significant problem. Also those riflemen are throwing grenades at us, luckily they're ineffective.

We daringly charge the riflemen, and pin them! Good.

We identify everyone else in the battlefield. A Dingo scout car and a Bren carrier. Those Britons are unusually well equipped. I wonder why. Fuck it, we'll try to overrun the infantry again! AVANTI!

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VICTORY! Now we'll have to deal with the Dingo, the AT and the Bren carrier. (also I goddamn love to death the art for the riflemen, it's beautiful)


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The situation gets intense when the Bren carrier dumps a second AT rifle team right in our lap. I want HE shells. I miss Soviet tanks.

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We don't get penetrated by the AT fire, but one of our companions isn't so lucky. We lose a platoon team mate as the Boys rifle disables the M11.

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We DARINGLY charge in as another one of our team mates is blown up. THIS ISNT WORKING AS INTENDED

Smoke from the MG and AT fire start to cloud our view, but after several rounds of combat we manage to cut down some men from a AT rifle team. The Bren Carrier is disengaging.

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The other team tries to relocate, but we're lucky and cut them down on the spot. Infantry is very vulnerable while moving.

The other one panics and tries to follow, but we're ready with our machineguns and the AT teams are no more. While we enjoy our victory , a couple of CR 42 Falco from the Regia Aeronautica show up, ineffectually make a couple of strafing runs against the Dingo and the Bren, and then fuck off. Thanks guys for the help.

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The Bren carrier tries to redeploy, but it's too slow and our shitty 37 mm is enough to blow it up. Do you know we have to move the ENTIRE tank to properly aim as the gun is hull-mounted?

Goddamn. Time to hunt for the Dingo, that's now hiding somewhere in the ruins of the fort. It could be a dangerous opponent if it's a Boys armed Dingo.

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It isn't. Easy prey.

VITTORIA PER IL DUCE E PER IL RE!

Yes, and we lost all the other tanks of our platoon. And now we have to push alone. Of course, we could abort and get back to our starting line, but aren't we daring men?

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We cover several miles without a sign of the enemy. Suddenly, a scout car appears. We quickly engage and destroy it.

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We're steadily advancing towards the fort, our main objective.... we hit a oasis and we find a couple of trucks with riflemen and a Bren Carrier. We engage and blow up a truck, rush the Bren Carrier...

and it's a AT variant. Our luck runs out and the 12mm shot disables our M11. BAIL OUT BAIL OUT

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ACII simulates bailing out. I don't shit you, we have skills to let you escape from the tank faster. While the commander and the gypsy manage to escape commendably fast, D'Annunzio fails to do so and almost burns to death before being rescued by his companions.

Our day is over.

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C'mon, this ain't so bad. We almost made 80% of the way to the second British-occupied fort. Almost. And destroyed some things. This went well after all, now we're just going to wait for the reinforcements and new tanks from Italy, and everything will go smoothly and....

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We get assigned a new M11 (notice how there's a new model of L3, it's still a shitty tankette but now with a 20mm AT rifle, they're called L3 cc "controcarro").
See? Everything is good. A couple of days of rest, and we will keep pushing towards Sidi Barrani.

War is almost half-won, isn't it?

(also pardon typos, it's getting kinda late)
 

Endemic

Arcane
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
4,321
"Medium tank" is a very generous descriptor for the M11/39. Then again, this is the same nation that called the P40 a heavy tank...
 

ValeVelKal

Arcane
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
1,604
YOU GUYS LET THE GREATEST POET OF ITALY SINCE DANTE BURN ALIVE IN A TANK ? HOW DARE YOU !!!!

Oh well, that was fast. Good thing I bought the game because I did not play it by procuration for long ^^
 

Binky

Cipher
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Messages
453
So much bravery, honor, and glory. Gets me all misty-eyed. Vittorio Emanuele Ferdinando Maria Gennaro di Savoia would grow an inch reading that.
 

Dayyālu

Arcane
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Messages
4,465
Location
Shaper Crypt
Hoi, I didn't want people to buy the game before I explained what I find bad about it!

Let's begin with a bit of spoilered historical shitposting, if someone wants to burn time.

"Medium tank" is a very generous descriptor for the M11/39. Then again, this is the same nation that called the P40 a heavy tank...

OF MEDIUM TANKS AND THE ITALIAN WAY OF LIFE

Today on our appointed "Dayyalu goes sperging" we'll talk about our ride, the M11/39. A pure threadhead post won't be interesting, so we'll take the humanities approach.

fiat-ansaldo-m1139-1024x699.jpg


Why does this exist? I mean, it's not a terrible light tank for 1940 standards, but why the fuck the best option we have in 1940 is a riveted (you don't want rivets in your tank armour, funny things happens when they get shot) underpowered thing that has an outdated hull-mounted cannon and a turret machinegun?

To reply to this question, we'll have to consider some interesting peculiarities of Italian geography, history and social/political structure. Are you saying that this kind of shit matters when you build a tank? Ain't it steel an' stuff?

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First, geography. As you can notice Italy is excellent tank country. No it's not. There are a shitton of mountains everywhere, and the only worthwile plain is a goddamn flood plain that barely manages not to be a swamp due to costant human intervention, and it's also heavily built, with hundreds of small town and villages pretty much covering the area. Also rivers. Dozens of 'em.

That and the experience during the First World War made the Italian military estabilishment think that maybe we didn't need much tanks, and if we needed 'em they we would need 'em small, easy to redeploy with trucks and to use in the cramped mountain&hills fighting conditions. In the colonies, we're going to shoot mostly Africans and the like, they don't have AT guns.

History: our european enemies have the same problem we have. They will need to go over the Alps, and even if they manage to break in the North they'll have to deal with a billion of rivers, just like the Austro-Hungarian armies in WW1. Money is better spent on aircraft and most importantly ships.

Also, Fascist Italy is essentially poor. I know that it may be memetic to think of the Italians as a bunch of lazy pricks, but now we're essentially a rich and industrialized country. Such was not the case during the Fascist era: Italian industrialization was mostly a post-WW2 affair. This means every ton of steel is of lesser quality and it's more expensive compared to British , German or (God forbid) American steel. The idea of building smaller, mobile tanks was a sound one.

But Dayyalu, the Soviet Union was also piss-poor, had a somewhat shit industrial base and it had to deal with catastrophic warfare and political repression! Also, both Italy and the Soviets bought British designs in the early 30ies!

And they built nice tanks!

Ehr, good point. That's why the political structure of Fascist Italy is interesting: Italian tanks were built by a conglomerate known as FIAT-ANSALDO, a collaboration between the automotive producer FIAT and the reborn ANSALDO. It's a typical example of Fascist (and Italian) industry: the private owner makes money of a mediocre product and the public pays for it.

I'll put it simply: FIAT-ANSALDO kept designing and building crappy tanks and strong-armed the military and Fascist authorities to keep buying them, to shut down any possible opponent and to avoid like the plague to buy or adopt foreign designs. And if Mussolini dared to say something, hey, remember we have like 20'000+ workers and you don't want them to protest, right? Ain't going to look good on the papers. And look, it's just a tank. Good like any other. So shut up and we keep making those tankettes. Look at this project, next one will be better. Coming any moment now.

Just shut up. And pay.

Wait, isn't Mussolini supposed to be Il Duce and running the place and the trains? Yes and no. Totalitarian states aren't omnipotent. You can't simply make things happen, and Mussolini, compared to Comrade Stalin, had to deal with massive power blocks that supported or delayed action. That's the nature of every strongman regime, but Fascist Italy is still Italy, and local/interest groups were/are murderously powerful. As long as the money is there and it's not my fault, everything is good, particularly in areas where the Duce lacked personal expertise.

The M11/39 is thus born of this peculiar situation: it's essentially a child of a British design, the Vickers 6-ton, built in the late 1920ies and widely sold around the world. Many other nations bought the Vickers and took inspiration from it, as both the Soviet T-26 and the Polish 7TP are its descendants.

It's amusing to notice how the FUCKING POLES built an essentially better tank by not being savaged by a predatory home industry and excessive focus on mountain areas: they bought excellent Swiss engines and Swedish guns.

It's also essential to note how the M11/39 was born late: the Soviets started considering the T-26 rather obsolete by 1940 (production started in 1931!) the the FUCKING POLES started building the 7TP in the mid 30ies. Procurement procedure for the M11/39 was started in late 1936 after the dreadful experiences during the Spanish Civil War, when Soviet-built tanks did their Chad routine on Italian tankettes, and production models started coming out in mid 1939.

By then everyone had realized how crappy it was, but c'mon, let's build at least 100 to use just in case. Around 30 were sent in the Ethiopian colony and 70+ in Lybia, were we man them now.

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Mussolini inspects a M11/39

The time of Men is over, the Age of Manlets has begun


Let's go for the update proper.

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Tanks are good as new - well, they're new - , stats are improved (both D'Annunzio and the gypsy get some extra Grit to show their ferocity) and we can again launch ourselves against the British oppressors. Stock AP loads for the gun, not that we have anything better

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Doesn't look so bad, we're melting under the scorching sun but it doesn't look so bad. I didn't add last time that the small Red points signal known minefields. Mines... kinda blow up things.

From our perspective we see that the Oasis close to us is British controlled. AVANTI VERSO LA VITTORIA!

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This time I'm not taking any chances, we ask for both artillery and air support. Our airmen don't spot a thing ( concealed enemies!) but the artillery support manages to ..... reduce a single unit?

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SANTIDDIO it's an AT gun. A 2-pounder is a 40mm AT gun, if it hits us we're toast. Maybe asking for artillery wasn't that bad. We quickly move to engage, our only chance is to overrun it before it can recover from the artilllery shock.

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An enemy tank appears out of the map, but it's a Vickers VI B, it has merely a .50 calibre.... wait it's enough to defeat our rear armour. Ok, ok. Non preoccupatevi, the situation is completely under control.

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Don't worry it will miss

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Don't worry it won't penetrate

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Don't worry we'll escape safely

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See all according to plan!

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And the combat day ends. Command isn't particularly happy with our performance, and by the way we're starting to deplete the M11/39 stocks to enjoy you're driving a Tankette now. It has at least a 20mm gun.

Imagine just having machineguns. Just imagine.

Sadly, D'Annunzio doesn't fit in the new tank and so he'll have to wait until someone dies. The old man keeps screaming, dunnow why.

DOESN'T MATTER

We simply push on the next day with our brand new POWERFUL ride!

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Literally unstoppable

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New day, new objectives. Again, an oasis, a ton of mines, and coast. This time it will go better.

What do you mean we don't have MGs to engage infantry

Don't worry, our platoon is mixed with stock L3/35 that will provide POWERFUL MG fire.

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We request again air and arty support, and a storm of shrapnels pins and reduces the hiding enemies.

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We identify the enemies, and it's all infantry. All infantry.

We don't have MGs. This will be as fun as skinning a cat with a spoon. And I can't withdraw because my crew is kinda daring and bloodthirsty.

Go AI MG tanks! I believe in you!

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FIGHT AND WIN!

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The riflemen squad is routed: but the situation gets worse as a British Light tank appears. AGAIN?

Maybe it's the same one from yesterday.

The plan is easy, we cut down the AT rifle team (that's trying to redeploy) then we engage the Light Tank then we engage the HMG. And we all get a medal.


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*BREATHES DEEPLY*


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First phase of the plan done. We skillfully use ourselves as bait while the MGs cut down the foe.

Now the tonk.

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I don't like those penetration odds.

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While we engage the tank, overhead Air forces bomb the HMG team into oblivion. Thanks guys, a lifesaver.

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I'd love to say this was short and easy, but we had to duel for quite a bit before one of our allies blows up the British tank.

VITTORIA

Time to push for the mission objectives (we need to recon the Northern area).


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For a bit we get nothing but a single Infantry squad with a HMG detachment. It's a very simple encounter, our air force comes down and bombs them, while we finish them off after they start to run.

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As we get closer to the map border, a enemy AT carrier ambushes us! Its opening shot misses though, and it's heavily outnumbered.


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It tries to move away, just to get blasted by our team mates.

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Aww. When you reach a "map border" ACII generates a new map, but we simply don't have time to get to the British-held forts there. The day is almost over.


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What do you mean, "we got jumped by a Cruiser Tank?"

MADONNA BEATA

This could be a small little problem. C'mon, max 14 mm of armour. WE CAN DO THIS

AVANTI SAVOIA


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This is because we invoked the Holy Virgin Mary, right? (Also early British cruiser tanks have shit armour, being hyper-aggressive this time paid off as they will demolish us but if we shoot first we can get 'em). Quote, " The cruiser tank concept was conceived by Giffard Le Quesne Martel, who preferred many small light and fast tanks to swarm an opponent, instead of a few expensive and unsatisfactory medium tanks. "

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A great day! Worthy of a promotion. We got a real tank you see!


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And thus Operation E ends. The Italian Army has reached Sidi Barrani and an extensive network of defenses and forts is being built, while fresh material and men flood from Italy and Lybia. A great start, can't wait to push for Alexandria and then Suez!

Refitting phases are simple: you get new tanks from the new vehicles developed by your country or captured from the enemies. Updating your equipment.

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Of course, we're going to get the best and the latest. Did I tell you that we destroyed a REAL cruiser tank last mission? Piece of cake. We deserve the upgrade and we can get D'Annunzio back in.

We'll get a new guy also, because FOUR MAN TANK.

I do wonder why we're still in december tho, when we're going to push for Alexandria? We're probably waiting for the British to attack and waste themselves, before we go for the killing blow. Masterful plan.

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The fools are attacking! They don't know what awaits them....
 

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