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Author Topic: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added  (Read 7562 times)

Offline Shikari Sahib

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the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« on: August 31, 2012, 09:01:51 AM »
In this last months I was thinking to refight the battle of Adowa, founght in Ethiopia (at that time called Abyssinia ) the 1st March 1896 between the Italian Army and the Negus Menelik’s army.
So I spent my holiday re-reading all the books I have on that argument.
It was one of the big battles of the colonial history.
The Italians were around 14.000 and the Abyssinians a numbers between 100,000 and 140.000.
It ended in a terrible defeat of the new Italian Royal Army, due to lack of generalships, wrong strategic and nasty tactical  decisions.

The wrong approaching points , from our HQ, were:
-Night march in an area  partially unknown , full of mounts,  and with the help of not  trustworthy guides; this cause also tiredness on our troops, expecially the white soldiers, as the movement started at night 09.00 PM of the 29th February.
-Decision to divide the Corp of operation in 4 independent Brigades;
-Brigades’ s Heliographs left at main camp without any reason;
-Reduction of ammo for soldiers and  guns and reductions of transport (mules) for speed of the units;
-Lack of orders from the CinC Gen Baratieri, he had not in his hands , never, the control of the battles ( we’ll see later that any Brigades will fought his personal battle);
-Not bringing with the Corp of operation the cavalry, available and expert. The Abyssinian ‘s Galla irregular cavalry made a tremendous impact on our forces during the retreat, and this could have been avoid if our cavalry was at hand. Our Penne di Falco  (hawk feathers ) was made of askaris with Italian officers, and has already shown capacities against the Dervishes;
-Map given to brigades Commanders was a sketch , with wrong name, wrong position of some mounts and without a scale:
- Understimation of our enemy, our spies reports that the army of Menelik were between 40-60.000 men, with few food and low morale;

Apart the above points, which will have bring any army to descruction, must be added that new fresh troops arrived from Italy were made of inexperienced soldiers taken from various Home Regiments and put togheter in new formations.
So lack of cohesion and also the officers doesn’t know their soldiers.
Last but not least, the Italian Government pick up the Moschetto 91, a new rifles, and gave to these soldiers the old Vetterly; just to make uniform rifles and ammunitions with those of the Askaris.
So we fight against an enemy that in many cases had  better weapons than ours.
Incredible to say, but with all these problems and mistakes our only expert brigade made of Askaris with 2 batteries of mountain artillery fought and repulse a force ten times is numbers for hours.
Around 09.00 am after more than 3 hours of fight the Abyssinian army was repulsed for the third time and most of the warriors returned back to Adwa camp.
Seems that a victory could arose to the Italian but ….legend said that Taitu’ Queen and wife of Menelik esorted his husband and the warriors not to be coward.
Apart the legend the Menelik Negus decide to put in the battle the Guard, another unit of around 34.000 soldiers.
They were repulsed too, but at 10.30am Italian artillery was out of ammunition and so start the end of Albertone’s Brigade.
The  Menelik’s army attacked the central Brigades enveloping them and later , in another separate battle,  butchered the Dabormida’s Brigade, get lost in a valley instead give an help to Albertone’s Brigade.

In the battle and following retreat Italians lost more than 7.000 men , and the pursuit of the enemy followed for another 2 days. About 2.000 white and askaris were taken prisoners, mostly of the 800 askaris suffered  cut of right arm and left leg, for have fought against the Abissynians.
Abyssinian army lost  7-8.000 warriors killed, plus a number between 10-12.000 wounded of whom mostly died .

Obviously to refight Adowa should start with a different approach; so ok for the Vetterly instead the 91, so ok for fresh new troops from Italy, but here the changes:
-   CinC will be Gen. Baldissera , who was on travel to Massaua ( our capital city in Eritrea ) to replace Gen. Baratieri just on the same hours of the battle ;
-   No night march , the Corp of Expedition will start his movement in the morning of the 1st of March ;
-   Use of heliograph attached to each Brigades, and cavalry unit on the reserve;
-   Use of reconnissance done by our irregular units with Italian officers, to explore the area just ahead of our tropps;
-   No split of the brigades as a separate and independent corps;
-   More mules for transport ammunitions for guns and rifles;

Here the composition of the Corp of Operation:
CinC Gen. Baldissera

Native Askaris Brigade Gen Matteo Albertone
1°Battalion .Askaris   ....(magg.Turitto).......rifles  950
6°  ""      ""....................(   ""    Cossu).........."   850
7°  ""      ""....................(   ""    Valli)............."   950
8°  ""      ""....................(   ""    Gamerra......."   950
Iirregular bands of  Asmara,Dechi Tesfà e Tigray ,Lt.  Sapelli e Lucca   rifles 376

Prima Brigata Artiglieria da Montagna (magg.De Rosa):
1^Batt.Indigeni..............(capitano Henry).....guns  4
2^  "        "....................I Sez.(ten.Vibi).........."   " ...2
3^  "        "....................(capitano Bianchini)..."    "...4
4^  "        "....................(    "    "   Masotto)...."    "...4
                                                                  _________
                                       Total :rifles  4076-guns  14




1st Infantry Brigade  (generale Giuseppe Arimondi)
1°Regg.Stevani:
1°Batt.Bersaglieri............(De Stefano).........rifles  423
2°  "          "....................(Compiano).........."    350

2°Regg.Brusati:
2°Batt.Infantry ................(Viancini)................"    450
4°  "        "......................(De Amicis)............"     500
9°  "        "......................(Baudoin)..............."     550
1^Coy  Askaris of  V  battalion (ten.Pavesi)......."     220
8^Batt.da Mont................(Loffredo)............guns  6
2^  "     "    "...................(Franzini).............      "     6
                                                                      _______
                                      Total :rifles  2493-guns  12

2nd Infantry Brigade  (generale Vittorio Emanuele Dabormida)
3°Reggimento Ragni :
5°Batt.Fant.........(Giordano)...................rifles  430
6°  "       "..........(Prato)......................... "     430
10  "       "..........(De Fonseca)................ "     430

6°Reggimento Airaghi:
3°Batt.Fant.........(Franchi)......................."     450
13° "      "..........(Raineri)........................"     450
14° "      "..........(Solaro)........................."     450
Batt.Militia of Askaris  (De Vito)....................."    950
Chitet Asmara (Sermasi)...................."    218

2^Brigata Artiglieria da Montagna (Magg.Zola) :
5^Batteria..........(Mottino).....................guns  6
6^  "    ".............(Regazzi)....................  "   "    6
7^  "    ".............(Gigla)........................  "   "    6
                                                                ________
                               Total  :rifles  3808-guns  18

3rd Infantry Brigade  (generale Giuseppe Ellena)
4°Reggimento Romero :
7°Batt.Fant..........(Montecchi)...............rifles  450
8°  "       "...........(Violante)...................."  "  450
11° "      "...........(Manfredi)..................."   " 480

5°Reggimento Nava :
Batt.Alpini...........(Menini)......................"    " 550
15°Batt.Fant........(Ferrero)...................."    " 500
16°  "       ".........(Vandiol)...................."    " 500
3°   Askari battalion (Galliano)...................."  " 1150

1^Batteria..........(Aragno)................guns.....6
2^   "   ".............(Mangia)................    "    ".....6
half coy Genio(sappers) ......................rifles....70
                               Total :rifles  4150-guns  12


Composition of Menelik’s Army

Negus Menelik (Scioa) from  34.000  to 38.000
Iteghiè Taitù (Queen ) (Semièn)  5.000 to 6.000
Ras Makonnèn (Harràr) 15.000  to  16.000
Ras Michael (Wollo-Galla) 14.000  to 15.000
Uagscium Guangùl (Lasta)   10.000 to  11.000
Fitaurari Gabejehù  13.000 to 14.000
Fitaurari Mangascià Atikim   5.000 to 6.000
Ras Taklà Haimanòt (Goggiàm)   5.000 to  6.000
Ras Oliè (Ieggiù)  6.000  to  7.000
Ras Mangascià e (Tigré)
Ras Alula (Hamasèn)  3.000  to  4.000

Total from 110.000 to  123.000 warriors, mostly armed with rifles , plus some batteries of artillery , but in the battle they didn’t gave any results, small caliber at long distance.


The rule I think to use is Kitet (call to arms for Abyssinian warriors) an amatorial set taken from an original idea of Mr. Richard Brooks, who published many years ago “Eritran Roulette “ and “ Besieged by the Mahdi “ on Wargames Illustrated.
The scale is a grand tactical with 1 stand of infantry 1 Italian Battalion or half Native Battalion, 1 stand of artillery 1 battery.
1 stand of Abyssinians 1000 warriors.

The field of battle will be a table of 100 x 120 cms, that will suit well my project.
Turning to the ground , many reports of the time mention about a ground broken, with many mountains that will not allow to see in distance; full of  ravines, gullies.
I believe that this feeling was due to the night march and influenced by the chaos of the battle.
Modern visitors , (an Italian photographer in 2009 visit the area of the battle ), mention of a ground with many mountains but with open valleys  and easy hills between ; where a brigade could gather and maneuver  for a battle. Certainly not like the Omdurman plain, but neither the Lunatic ground described after the battle.
So using modern technologies, eg Google earth, I ’ll reproduce the ground with the principal mountains and leave the ground as it is.

Some strategical tips for the game, in order to left unkown the movement of the Abyssinians to the Italians  , I made a simple system to test randomly when the Menelik’s army decide to move and on which direction.
With the order to move  of the Italian Corp at 06.00 am , and considering their speed, I’ll make tests randomly to see when and where the Abyssinians will be.

Apart the morale section, already included in the set of rule , I have worked another system , general morale, for the Abyssinians. As the hate and  envy were sentiments very common  for the Ras Makonnen and Ras Mangascia against Menelik , (both of them reclaimed the throne of the Negus ), if 1 or more units of Menelik’s Guards will retreat, both Ras will leave the battlefield with their armies.
As Negus Menelik was in the eve of the battle in the opinion to withdraw due to lack of foods and  disattisfaied by  his Ras , and he came into battle just because at 05.30 am an advanced party of 1st native Battalion arrives at the outskirt of Adowa, and this caused a general mobilization; I have decided to keep  this option with a special test done in the early morning of the 1st march, to see if Menelik decide to withdraw or to engage the coming Italian army.
Historically b oth armies were in front of each other, spaced  less than 20 klms  , for 2 weeks, both of them undecided on what to do , both of them with the fear that a retreat could be seen as a defeat.

After all more than a refight this should be a study of what could have happened .

The armies are quite ready, just to paint some more strips of Abyssinians warriors.
The figures are all Irregualar Miniatures in 6mm.
In the close future I’ll post pictures of the troops and ground , then start the battle.
Hoping  that this big project will be of interest for some of you, more news will follow.

Ps sorry for my English, good for short sentence, not so good for longer  lol
« Last Edit: September 07, 2012, 04:45:02 PM by Shikari Sahib »

Offline commissarmoody

  • Galactic Brain
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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2012, 09:08:50 AM »
Don't worry about your English, I am a native English speaker and I butcher the written word all the time. lol
Looking forward to seeing some photos of the battle.
"Peace" is that brief, glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading.

- Anonymous

Offline gringo

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2012, 04:32:53 PM »
looking forward to seeing this...just bought a book on the subject ...wll

let you know the name

regards
Ged

www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com
and 28mm

ps great detail from you!! ;)

Offline john Hollyoak

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 339
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2012, 09:56:27 PM »
Will watch this with interest.i have a ton of stuff on the battle, it has long been a dream of mine to recreate this in 15mm.
It would also be interesting to see how the battle might have gone if the Italians had kept their units closer together.

John

Offline Shikari Sahib

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 640
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2012, 05:59:37 PM »
Will watch this with interest.i have a ton of stuff on the battle, it has long been a dream of mine to recreate this in 15mm.
It would also be interesting to see how the battle might have gone if the Italians had kept their units closer together.

John

What books do you have in your stuff ?

Offline 6milPhil

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    • Slug Industries
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2012, 06:09:18 PM »
Sounds interesting so I am looking forward to photos too. Your English is fine by the way.

Don't worry about your English, I am a native English speaker and I butcher the written word all the time. lol
Looking forward to seeing some photos of the battle.

Haven't a clue what you're saying though...

Offline Shikari Sahib

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 640
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2012, 09:52:35 AM »
first pictures while I'm finishing paint last units and arranging terrain.
Brigata Indigeni


Artillery


Menelik's Army, a part




Offline gringo

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2012, 11:47:28 AM »
really neat!! quite a set up already :)

regards
Ged

www.gringo40s.com
www.gringo40s.blogspot.com
and 28mm

Offline Cecil Gaybody

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2012, 06:23:24 AM »
How brill a rastafarian army, dread how long it takes to get together.
Top Ranking .
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Offline Shikari Sahib

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 640
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm
« Reply #9 on: September 07, 2012, 12:54:44 PM »
1st March 1896, at 05.00 am from the Sauria'-Enticcio' bases the Italian brigades under the order of Gen Antonio Baldissera move to engage against Negus Menelik's army.

at 10.00 the Albertone's brigade, entirely made of askaris(fast runners )  reach the Erara' hills; between 10.30 and 11.00 the other three Brigades reach their designated positions.
on the left on Erara' Hills Albertone Brigade; in the centre around the slopes of Mount Rayio the Arimondi Brigade, on the right on the Belah hills the Dabormida brigade; back in reserve Ellena brigade  between Mt. Rayio and Rebbi Arienni hill.

Adwa 09.00 am , some spies reported to the Negus that  columns of Italian soldiers are moving towards the Semaiata-Rayio mountains .
Negus Menelik harangue all his Ras, some of them are not realiable, so the discussion go on for more than one hour. then the Negus , after promise of lands and money to the Ras not yet convinced, move his sterminate army to face the Italians.

general view of the field of battle


the Italian Brigades deployed


Ellena Brigade on reserve


Abyssinian army advancing, view from Dabormida position




at 11.30 the two armies are facing , ready for an epic battle.

More to follow soon
« Last Edit: September 07, 2012, 12:56:36 PM by Shikari Sahib »

Offline Shikari Sahib

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« Reply #10 on: September 10, 2012, 10:13:13 AM »
the Menelik's army is moving to attack the Italian positions.
the Megus guards and Gabrejehu warriors on the left, Ras Makonnen and Ras Michael the centre, Ras Mangascia'. Alula and Olie, the right.


the attack on the right

Dabormida artillery start to bombard them.


Offline Shikari Sahib

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2012, 10:17:35 AM »
Albertone Askari's brigade is deployed ready for the coming negus's Guards


the central attack on Arimondi brigade



Offline Shikari Sahib

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2012, 10:30:05 AM »
Dabormida artillery and the infantry are shooting on the Ras Mangasha' and Alula warriors.


ras mangascia' and Alula were repulsed, ras Olie' warriors try to attack the Dabormida positions under heavy fire





Offline Shikari Sahib

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Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2012, 10:32:04 AM »
Meanwhile in the Centre Arimondi brigade are under heavy pression







Offline Shikari Sahib

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  • Posts: 640
Re: the Battle of Adowa 1896 in 6mm Pictures added
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2012, 10:35:17 AM »
while Albertone brigade is frontally engaged, a column of Abyssinians moved behind  Albertone postions, but was soon engaged by tropps from Ellena reserve,
Cavalry and Askaris




« Last Edit: October 03, 2012, 01:10:37 PM by Shikari Sahib »

 

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