Battle of Adua

Due to the 400m scale hex and to simulate the better skill of the italians at rifle fire, I added some light guns of 1-hex range to the italian units.

Ethiopia was the only African country that was still completely free from European domination at the end of the 19th Century. While Christian, Ethiopia was a barbaric and violent land, where landlords, called Ras, would fight bitterly for power. In the late 19th century, through cunning and ruthlessness one landlord emerged as the new Ethiopian emperor, or Negus, under the name of Menelik II.

Italy, recently united, bitter about it's defeats in the war of 1866 against Austria (despite winning the war thanks to Prussia), and late in the scramble of European nations for colonisations, bought and expanded a colony on the shores of the Red Sea, Eritrea, and was desperately looking for military glory. Italy's Prime Minister, Crispo, pushed for expansionist policies in Africa to please the Italian public. As Italy expanded inland, towards the mountains of Ethiopia, it clashed with the expansionist policies of Menelik whose ambition was to make Eritrea a province of his and an access to the sea..
While a mutual friendship treaty was signed between Italy and Ethiopia, trickery on both sides brought war. The Italian command in Eritrea was quite incompetent and its generals were jealous of each others and of the colony's governor, General Oreste Baratieri, an influent but arrogant and incompetent a hero of Garibaldi's expeditions turned politician.

Rome was angered by Menelik's stance and ordered Baratieri to retaliate. He captured Adigrat and Makalle from the Ethiopians and was feted as a hero in Italy. The Italians seriously underestimated the Ethiopians thinking that they were just another African tribe, and Baratieri boasted that he would bring Menelik back in a cage.

The Italian assembled their forces and, with about 18'000 troops marched towards Ethiopia's rugged lands. Menelik assembled his army of over 120'000 troops, armed with 50'000 new modern rifles and ammunition previously bought, ironically, from Italy. Menelik was also helped by Russian and French military attachés who trained its army.

Instead of attacking as Baratieri hoped he would, Menelik concentrated his forces at Adua and waited. Both sides were waiting for the other to attack and little happened throughout February 1896 except that supplies started to run out for both sides. Menelik had set up gibbir or depots to store food for his army but even these began to empty rapidly. The Negus even began to consider retreat. The Italians' supplies would only last until March 2nd and that was on half rations. On February 29th, angered by a telegram from Crispi calling him incompetent and cowardly - Crispi had in fact already sacked Baratieri and sent his successor to the colony - and encouraged by his officers, and in a desperate move to gain victory to save his image, Baratieri prepared to advance.
The advance would start badly as the maps given to the Brigade commanders were wrong. During the night of the 29th the Italian four brigades, totalling 17,700 men (10,600 Italian infantry and 7,100 Askari) and 56 guns, advance the nine kilometres from the Italian base camp at Sauria to a line of three defensive peaks overlooking the Ethiopian camp near Adowa, The Italian commander, General Oreste Baratieri, and Brigadier General Giuseppe Ellena's reserve brigade halt near Mount Eshasho. At four in the morning of Marc 1st, Brigadier General Giuseppe Arimondi's brigade (Italian infantry) halts its advance to allow Brigadier General Matteo Albertone's Native brigade (Askari) passage, the two brigades have become entangled in the dark and the unfamiliar terrain. At 5:30 in the morning, A Shoan horseman arrives at Adowa and informs Emperor Menelik II that The Ferangi (the foreigners) have been spotted north of Abba Garima. Menelik II, Empress Taitu, and the royal Shoan forces ride out to the church at Abba Garima to observe. At 6:00, Albertone's brigade, now well in advance of the rest of the Italian army, encounters the Ethiopian right wing, commanded by Ras Tekla-Haymanot, which had been camped near to Edna Chidane Meret.. At 6:15, General Baratieri, based near Mount Eshasho with the reserve brigade, sends out runners to discover the location of Albertone's brigade. At 7h45, Baratieri issues orders to Brigadier General Vittorio Dabormida to support the centre. Dabormida actually turns away and heads down the valley of Mariam Shavitu. Ras Makonnen and Ras Alula, joint commanders of the 30,000 strong Ethiopian left wing, take advantage of Dabormida's isolation. At 8h15, under attack, Albertone sends a message back to Baratieri urgently requesting reinforcements. At 9:00, Menelik II has kept his 25,000 Shoan reserves back from the fight at Abba Garima. Empress Taitu seizes the initiative and encourages Menelik to release them by sending out her own bodyguard into the fight. Albertone is overwhelmed and then taken prisoner. His remaining Askari attempted to flee back towards the camp at Sauria. At 9h15, Baratieri finally receives Albertone's message and moves forward with reserve brigade. He observes the retreating Askari from Albertone's Native brigade running down the valley to the right of his position. Unfortunately he does not notice that Ethiopian troops are also amongst them. At 10:00, Dabormida's brigade encounters the Ethiopian left wing in the narrow valley of Miriam Shavitu. Meanwhile the northern spur of Mount Bellah has fallen to the Ethiopian centre, commanded by Ras Mashanga and Ras Mikail: Arimondi's brigade crumbled when his left flank was stormed. Arimondi is killed in ensuring battle. At 11h30, Baratieri, on the southern side of Mount Bellah, orders retreat. It almost immediately becomes a rout. At 14 :00, Dabormida realises his brigade is surrounded in the valley of Miriam Shavitu. He consults his brigade staff: "It is a serious thing, a serious thing. No message, nor order, no reinforcements - nothing." He then orders an orderly retreat. In the afternoon, Albertone's surviving Askari and remaining Italian soldiers from Baratieri and Arimondi's brigades retreat to Sauria and then to Adigat. Most don't stop until they reach the border, hunted by the Ethiopian cavalry.
Thousands of Italians and Askari died and many were madde prisoners. While most Italian prisoners were well treated and later released against ransom, the loyal Askaris were put to torture and all had their right hand and left foot cut.
It was a disaster of such proportions that not only Baratieri was court-martialed, but it brought the fall of the government with Prime Minister Crispi having to resign amidst popular anger.
While it was less of a disaster than the British defeats to the Zulu, at least Britain then regained control of the territory and was victorious. Here, Italy, in political turmoil, accepted defeat until 1935. It was the first time where Africans defeated an European nation and was later considered a symbol of African independence by intellectuals.