The more I play Infantry Attacks, the more I like it. As a solo exercise or a face to face setting, the scenarios are always tense and the fighting fierce.

This particular scenario pits a small Russian force defending two wooded hills and a town further back, and a large Austrian force trying to pry them out. The Russians have better morale, better field guns, better MGs and great positions. The Austrians have mass and better leaders. They’ll need em! The historic date of the battle was August 28 1914.

As in most Infantry Attacks games so far there was no offboard artillery, so this is a one dimensional infantry slugfest. Let me just say that with each infantry unit representing a company the casualties get high, fast. I found through trial and error that just jumping in and assaulting a strong position is just a great way to have your head handed to you. Of course, that’s true with any PG game. But with Infantry Attacks it’s multiplied. You must first gain fire superiority before the final rush. That’s at least how the Germans saw it. The Austrians however believe that mass will win over firepower. As the Austrian player you have the ability to attack using “cold steel”, a force of two companies that provide a 2 column shift. Sounds deadly right? Well, maybe not.

For one thing, whenever the Austrians use this, whoever they are assaulting gets first fire. And that first fire gets an additional +2 column shift on that fire.

So, let’s take an example. Ive got a reduced 3 strength company and a leader defending a hill top in heavy woods, dug in. The Austrians are in the hex with two infantry companies and they assault using cold steel..

The defender gets the following shifts: The Russians in this game have higher morale, so a +1 The Russians have a leader, another +1 The Russians are on higher terrain, another +1 Cold Steel defense, +2

So, my three strength infantry company shifts 5 columns to the 24 column. 8 out of 11 chances for at least 1 kill.

Since there are no limits to the modifiers you can use, this is a deadly proposition.

Historically, the Austrians never shed from these types of attacks, I’m not sure how many gamers will follow doctrine however. Some positions are just too strong to overcome by brutal assault, so, fire away and bleed them down.

Maybe in the open cold steel isn’t as suicidal, but it will be deadly.

Overall though, I had a good game and learned a lot.

I’ll be playing more of these scenarios.