Mekelle Fort 1895 - First Italo-Ethiopian war

During this Covid pandemia, one of my club mates, he have painted a lot miniatures and made an Italian fort to give us the opportunity to play a particular period of Italian military history: the first Italo-Ethiopian war (1895-96).

He have made a great fortification that remember the Macallè (or Mekelle) Fort. Below some pictures of the miniatures he painted

The First Italo-Ethiopian War was fought between Italy and Ethiopia from 1895 to 1896. The Italian troops, starting from Italian Eritrea, having an initial success until Ethiopian counterattack. 

The Battle of Mekelle, sometimes known as the siege of Mekelle, took place in January 1896. during the First Italo-Ethiopian War. Italian forces surrendered a partially completed fort at Mekelle, a city in the northern Tigray Region of Ethiopia which they had occupied since 1895, to Ethiopian forces.

The Italians numbered 20 officers, 13 non-commissioned officers, and 150 privates, they were supported by 1,000 Askari and two mountain guns. The Ethiopian army numbered around 27,000 men.

After two weeks of bombardment artillery the Ethiopians managed to cut off the fort's water supply, prompting the defenders' surrender.

After the Italian defeat of Adwa battle the our army was forcet to back into Eritrea and close the war. Adwa battle was one of the first decisive victories by African forces over a European colonial power.