{"product_id":"ariete-the-battle-of-bir-el-gubi-libya-november-1941","title":"Ariete: The Battle of Bir el Gubi, Libya November 1941","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"expandable-envelope\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" ng-style=\"{maxHeight:expandablectrl.maxHeight}\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"expandable-body\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" ng-transclude=\"\"\u003e\n\u003carticle class=\"game-description-body ng-scope\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"ng-binding\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" ng-bind-html=\"geekitemctrl.wikitext|to_trusted\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAriete\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Battle of Bir el Gubi, Libya November 1941\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis the 17th game in the\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eTactical Combat Series\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMulti-Man Publishing\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand covers the Italian Ariete Division's defense of Bir el Gubi, Libya, on November 19, 1941.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMoming of 19 November 1941: General Mario Balotta, commander of 132nd Armored Division Ariete, the only Italian armored division in North Africa, is completing his defensive dispositions to cover the southern approaches to Tobruk. He orders his division's motorized infantry regiment, the crack 8th Bersaglieri, to occupy three battalion strongpoints around a key cross-roads near the well (bir) of Gubi. The 8th Bersaglieri, supported by the reinforced divisional artillery, begins moving into position around Bir el Gubi and digging in. Most of the M13\/40 tanks of Ariete 's understrength 132nd Tank Regiment are kept to the rear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAt the same time, General William Henry Ewart Gott, commander of the British 7th Armoured Divi-sion, orders the 22nd Armoured Brigade (Brigadier John Scott-Cockburn) to attack the Ariete at Bir el Gubi, a complete change from his original orders for the brigade to secure Sidi Rezegh, 25 miles to the north. The reason for the change is still not clear: perhaps Gott hopes to give this well-equipped but inexperienced brigade an opportunity to season itself against an Italian formation that he assumes will be a weak opponent; possibly he just wants to clear his division's left flank before advancing. Whatever the reason, the full-strength brigade, equipped with 162 brand new Crusader tanks, is eager to emulate the Commonwealth's easy victories against the Italian Tenth Army die previous winter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe stage is set for a swirling desert battle between evenly matched opponents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAriete\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ecovers this entire mobile action in turns representing 30 minutes each and a map scale of 150 meters per hex. Units range from sections to platoons. A minimal amount of special rules bring the Tactical Combat Series to North Africa, highlighting the unique tactical challenge of the desert environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Italian player must manage a mobile defense against stronger British armored units until reinforcements arrive in the form of the 132nd Tank Regiment. He must make good use of artillery and AT assets (especially truck-mounted 102mm guns) to bloody the Brits and set them up for an armored counterattack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Commonwealth player must solve the problem of using an armor-only force to crack defensive positions held by a well-led combined-arms force. The desert environment, with swirling dust clouds and relatively long lines of sight, will not help him in this regard!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e12 Scenarios:\n\u003cul data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eDestruction of the III\/8 Bersaglieri, 2 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Nearest Thing to a Cavalry Charge, 6 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Attack on the 8th Bersaglieri, 6 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Attack on Bir el Gubi (Prepared Defense), 6 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Attack on Bir el Gubi (Early CW Arrival), 6 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAttack of the 2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, 10 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAttack of the 4th County of London Yeomanry, 11 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Ram Strikes, 6 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Battle of Bir el Gubi (historical), 11 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Battle of Bir el Gubi (Prepared Defense), 11 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Battle of Bir el Gubi (Early CW Arrival), 12 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe Battle of Bir el Gubi (Free Deployment), 11 turns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGame Scale:\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGame Turn: 30 minutes\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eHex: 164 yards \/ 150 meters\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUnits: most vehicles Platoon\/Squadron, infantry platoons, support weapons generally individual \u0026amp; sections\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGame Inventory:\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne 22 x 34\" full color mapsheet\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne dual-side printed countersheet (240 1\/2\" counters)\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne 32-page Tactical Combat Series version 4.02 rulebook\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne 16-page Ariete game-specific rulebook\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTwo 4-page Tactical Combat Series version 4.02 Charts \u0026amp; Tables\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne front coversheet\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne rear coversheet\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOne plastic zip lock bag\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eSolitaire Playability: Medium\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eComplexity Level: Medium-High\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePlayers: 2 or more\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003ePlaying Time: 4-15 hours\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNote: Players will need to provide one red, and one white 6-sided die for game play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eNote: In order to keep production costs down, Ariete is produced as a bagged game only; there will not be a boxed edition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/article\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"closer\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Multi-Man Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":32679319797839,"sku":null,"price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1380\/9101\/products\/ariete.jpg?v=1603625104","url":"https:\/\/leisuregames.live\/products\/ariete-the-battle-of-bir-el-gubi-libya-november-1941","provider":"Leisure Games","version":"1.0","type":"link"}