32nd Battle of the Isonzo - the Infantry assault - part 1

Or: Climb Every Mountain....

 Having told Martin (the A-H CO) that the occupants of his command bunker were stunned by gas for 3 turns, this was the sight which greeted me when I fired up Zoom on Wednesday night:

And you though the silly hats were frivolous!

Speaking of silly hats, here are the Bersaglieri (left) and Arditi plodding forward.  Their ranks  - especially the Arditi - had been thinned by the Austrian artillery barrage.

While the others toiled through the snow the mountain-trained Alpini surged up the hill.  The Austrian machine gunners caused a few more casualties but the Alpini were soon out of sight...

...in this fuzzy but atmospheric photo they can be seen preparing for the assault on Hill 171.

They made it up the final slope and the scene was set for an assault.

Meanwhile the Bersaglieri and Arditi engaged the battered KUK company on the plateau...

...and soon prevailed.  

By now the Alpini had endured a further burst from the MG in the bunker....

...but there were still, as an Austrian spokesman commented "hundreds of the bastards!"

We will pause now and return for the thrilling conclusion soon.  At which point these important questions will be answered:

        Will the Alpini capture Hill 171?

                    Will the Austrians counter-attack?

                                    Did Martin suffocate in his gas mask?

                                                        Is the minestrone ready yet?