Para Bellum Special n°4 : Inferno sul Piave

Para Bellum Speciale No. 4 – Inferno sul Piave is a special issue of the Italian historical simulation magazine Para Bellum, featuring a complete wargame covering the Battle of the Piave in June 1918, also known as the Battle of the Solstice.

Published by Aleph Game Studio, the game recreates the Austro-Hungarian offensive against the Italian positions along the Piave River. It was the final major Austro-Hungarian offensive on the Italian Front and its failure became a decisive step toward the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian war effort in late 1918. BoardGameGeek likewise identifies Inferno sul Piave as a simulation of the Austro-Hungarian attack against the Italian line on the Piave River.

Inferno sul Piave belongs to designer Andrea Brusati's series of First World War games built around the theme of the "Inferno" of trench warfare.

The Game

The Austro-Hungarian player must make the most of the initial offensive momentum and attempt to break through the Italian defensive line before resistance becomes too strong. The Italian player must absorb the attack, preserve his formations and exploit defensive opportunities.

The combat system is particularly distinctive. Combat results determine whether a retreat occurs and establish modifiers for subsequent damage resolution. Artillery strength and the intensity of the engagement also affect the final damage inflicted. This creates a useful distinction between a large attack with limited artillery support and a smaller force backed by powerful artillery.

Units have two steps, but damage does not necessarily translate immediately into a permanent step loss. Damaged formations can recover through rest, forcing players to decide whether to continue pressing an attack or pause to rebuild their strength.

The result is a game where attrition, artillery and operational momentum are central to decision-making.

Key Features

• Complete wargame of the Italian Front in 1918
• Covers the Battle of the Piave / Battle of the Solstice
• Austro-Hungarian offensive versus Italian forces
• Combat system featuring retreats, damage, artillery and combat intensity
• Units with two steps
• Damaged units can recover through rest
• Strong emphasis on attrition and offensive momentum
• Italian and English rules available from the official Para Bellum website
• Complete game included with Para Bellum Speciale No. 4

Historical Background

In June 1918, the Austro-Hungarian Army launched a major offensive against the Italian forces along the Piave River. Following the disaster of Caporetto, the Italian Army had reorganized its forces and considerably strengthened its defensive position.

The Austro-Hungarian offensive initially achieved several bridgeheads, but logistical problems, strong Italian resistance and the difficulty of sustaining the captured positions ultimately led to failure.

The Battle of the Piave was therefore a major turning point on the Italian Front. The Austro-Hungarian Army would not launch another comparable strategic offensive, while Italy would regain the initiative later in 1918.

Contents

Para Bellum Speciale No. 4 includes:

• The Para Bellum special issue
• The complete Inferno sul Piave wargame
• All game material required to play
• The game rules
• Rules available in Italian and English from the official publisher website

Product Information