The Soviets are advancing on our well defended position. Sir, shall we fire? No, CHARGE!!!

Note: Score will be denoted by (x-y), where x=Soviet casualties, y=Spanish casualties.

BATTLE SUMMARY

Soviet forces begin their advance toward the Spanish. They position the Penal companies to lead the attack. The Africanistas, manning their HMGs open fir…wait… instead of opening fire they leave their urban buildings and begin to charge the Soviets!!!

Note: Maybe the Soviet condition won’t be too hard! If the Spanish fanaticism makes them charge, they can hopefully taunt them and sit back. This will be interesting!

Soviets advance and the Spanish back into town. The Penal platoons come under HMG fire and the Soviets set-up outside of town.

Spanish charge out of the town again and initiate assault in the woods and open terrain east of the town! (1-0)

Spanish continue to fight against their own fanaticism and Soviet SMG platoons enter the undefended town! (3-2)

Casualties are high and the Spanish that advanced are eliminated. Soviets head westward toward the second town. The defenders are spotted and Soviet artillery eliminates Spanish AT Battery. (5-10)

Note: Casualties are actually even, but those PEN platoons don’t count toward victory conditions!

Soviet armour begins to pound the west village. Spanish infantry charges!!! They eliminate a Soviet platoon in the fields but are caught out of the protection of the village!

In the eastern town, Spanish infantry initiates another assault. (9-14)

The last of the Spanish infantry in the west village is demoralised and flees to the north. The western town hexes are all under Soviet control, although Spanish infantry still lurk in the fields. What seemed impossible occurred due to the Spanish Fanaticism!

In the eastern town though, weak Penal units are clogging up the assaults.

To the west, Spanish infantry assaults the Soviet T-26s and eliminate a full platoon of armour!

The Soviets just can’t get any favourable results in the eastern town assaults and the 5 hour time limit is reached.

Final casualty count is (16-20) (tanks count double but the 8 Penal steps lost count for nothing!)

Neither side succeeds in their victory condition, but both are very close! (Two Spanish platoons remain in the eastern town)

DRAW!!!

Aftermath

This was a very fun quick scenario that can be played in a single sitting. The Spanish fanaticism is almost humourous at times!

Only qualm is that the special rules are a bit vague when it comes to demoralized/disrupted units and leaders. Basically, I treated the Spanish Fanaticism like the Penal units. “Charge if able”

Scenario Rating: 5/5. I’ve decided to give this a rare 5/5! I’d gladly play this one again (either side). It’s quick and low density (not my preference), but still has plenty of surprises and twists.