Ascari: African Battles of the Italian Army 1890-1895

About this board game

Ascari: African Battles of the Italian Army 1890-1895 is a two-player, company-level wargame playable in about 60 minutes. It portrays the stories of loyal soldiers who fought for Italy in Eritrea, the first Italian colony.

The game covers four battles in which the Italians were the protagonists: the two battles of Agordat, Coatit, and Amba Alagi. A fifth, bonus scenario depicts the battle of Metemma between the Dervishes and the Ethiopian Emperor Johannes IV.

• First Agordat: Captain Gustavo Fara’s Ascari troops catch a Dervish raiding party on the plain of Agordat.
• Agordat: 2,200 native Askari and Italian national soldiers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Arimondi, face around 12,000 Mahdists attempting to invade Eritrea.
• Coatit: General Baratieri’s Italian Army in Eritrea attacks Ras Mangasha’s larger army, fighting for two days before a redeployment under enemy fire.
• Amba Alagi: The IV Native Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant Toselli, stands before the full Ethiopian army of Negus Menelik.
• Metemma: Emperor Johannes IV gathers an Ethiopian army to repel the Mahdists from Metemma, but the army is demoralized after his death during the final assault.

These scenarios present sharply different situations, from a small raiding party and desperate defensive positions to major engagements involving thousands of soldiers. The Italian victories at Agordat and Coatit, and the tragedy at Amba Alagi, place the battles within the wider story that led toward Adowa.

Released in 2012, Ascari focuses on the forces, leaders, and battlefield circumstances described in these African campaigns. It offers a concentrated two-player wargaming experience built around five distinct historical scenarios.