Dan Cicero - 07:19pm Dec 5, 2001 PST (#101 of 102)

I got this response from Donato Maglionico, the designer of ADUA 1896. I
had some questions about the how the Italian Command Range worked. The
response is so complete that I thought it made sense to post it here.

"The difference between in the two styles of giving orders, because the
Abyssinians and for the Italians, simulates the differences which
existed between a colonial European force and a native force of the
time.

The Abyssinian and Italian commanders have Command Ranges, which value
is first the number of hexagons that a commander is able to control. For
a unit to receive an order, it must be within the Command Range of its
Commander or the General. For the counting of the hexes which constitute
the Command Range, it must not cross enemy units.

For example, in Figure 2, General Dabormida (Command Range = 5 and
Command Value = 3) gave two order to his two subordinate commanders
(Col. Ragni and Col. Airaghi, both of whom are within the Command Range
of General Dabormida) spending two of his three points.

Colonel Airaghi (Command Range = 3 and Command Value = 2) gives two
attack orders to the units under his commend that are all inside the
Command Range of the Colonel while Colonel Ragni (Command Range = 3 and
Command Value = 2) has only one unit within his Command Range while the
artillery that is 4 hexes distant from the Colonel cannot receive and
order. However, the artillery making part of II Brigade, being attached
to General Dabormida, and having the General use only 2 of the 3 points
of his Command Value, can receive the attack order directly from the
General.

In Figure 2, note that:

Dabormida commands all of II Brigade, which is constituted of the units
under the command of Colonel Airaghi and Colonel Ragni Colonel Airaghi
commands only the Native Battalion (Btg. Ind.) and IV Regiment (IV Reg).
Colonel Ragni commands only III Regiment (III Rgt) and II Mountain
Battery (II Art. Mont.)

Figure 3 instead shows the Abyssinian that attack an Italian unit
(Bersaglieri). The Abyssinian units for to move themselves and conduct
an attack are not forced to leave from hexes inside the Command Range of
the Abyssinian Commanders.

The Combat is subdivided into two distinct phases: 1. Small Arms Combat
2. Melee Combat

In the first phase the Abyssinian units, making fire with their arms,
try to take themselves to contac twith the Italian units which the
italian units try to repulse them with more force than their enemy can.
In the Figure, the attack of the Bersaglieri is conducted initially with
the 5 units adjacent. The two fires of the ZOC of the Italian units (a
Veteran Infantry FV and an infantry F not participating in the attack).
The Italian unit repulses 3 units, consequently only 2 of the 5
initially remain to contact to engage in Melee with the Bersaglieri.

Before Melee Combat is resolved, the Abyssinian player tries to bring
other units into the attack. These units cannot be chosen from those who
participated in Small Arms Combat and must be under the control of the
Commander (which means they must be inside the Command Range of the
Commander). The chosen units must be moved within the Command Range of
the Commander and must start its movement at least two hexes from the
Melee Combat. In Figure 3, only the infantry units are within the
Command Range of Maconnen. The Abyssinian player rolls a die to determin
if the Abyssinian Commander succeeds in gaining Initiative. The Veteran
Infantry that initially had not participated in Small Arms Combat is
outside control of Maconnen, meanwhile it is within the Command Range of
Menelik, being the overall Commander of the entire Abyssinian force can
give an order to units not under his direct control. Understand that
Menelik must pass the Initiative check.

In the Figure, it is supposed that Maconnen has failed his Initiative
check which Menelik has not.

I hope this has answered your questions, I remain at your disposal for 
other questions.

Un saluto, Donato"