Casualty Count: (x-y), where x=Soviet steps lost and y=Spanish steps lost. Penal units don’t count.

BATTLE SUMMARY

The Spanish hold two hills, primarily in the southwest where most of the entrenchments are. There is another small hill in the northeast which is heavily mined and holds two entrenchments.

The Soviets enter at night time (visibility = 2 hexes) and thrust toward the southwest, ignoring the heavily mined entrenchment hill in the northeast. In Soviet fashion, the penal units, armed with rocks, lead the charge!

At the one hour mark, the Soviet Penal units meet up with the first Spanish entrenchment and the fighting starts. The Penal units assault uphill and are completely slaughtered. But they bought the time the Soviets wanted as the main infantry advances as the Spanish are busy.

The second Spanish entrenchment to the southeast is demoralized by heavy Soviet artillery fire. (1-0)

Soviet wave washes up the hill and spreads out to attack the west-most entrenchment and the second demoralized entrenchment which takes 2 casualties from another brutal artillery strike! (4-2) Soon after they flee and the Soviets gain their first entrenchment!

The Spanish begin to send reserves from the northeast hill to aid in the defence in the southwest.

At the end of the second hour, the Kommissar begins to execute Soviet HMG squads. The Spanish artillery crew flees from the centre.

The Kommissar executes the remaining members of two HMG platoons. That’s four steps chalked up to the Kommissar! (11-5)

Spanish reinforcements reach the southwest hill. The Spanish entrenchment on top of The Finger comes under artillery fire and breaks.

Spanish reinforcements clash with the Soviets in the woods on the hill and are reduced by combined artillery fire.

At the three hour mark the sun begins to rise.

Fighting at the top of the hill goes back and forth with both sides taking losses (13-8). At the first centre entrenchment the surviving Spanish HMG platoon is reduced! His fate seems inevitable.

The Spanish flee from an assault in the woods, but artillery and mortar fire rains down and both sides are hurt bad. Soviet Kommissar eliminates two Soviet reduced platoons! The Soviets are down to half a platoon in the woods.

The Spanish are demoralized in the entrenchment at the top of the hill. In the first entrenchment they flee from the Soviets and are eliminated.

At the four hour mark the Spanish flee the entrenchment at the top of the hill. The Soviets have taken three entrenchments! They brace for the Spanish counterattack coming through the woods. Spanish artillery hits the Soviet mortars. (20-11)

Spanish proceed through the woods but are hit hard by Soviet artillery! The Spanish launch a counter-assault in the centre entrenchment on top of the hill but do not appear to have enough firepower to remain. The fighting is fierce and the Spanish are reduced by a Soviet counter-attack.

A little over an hour remains.

Friendly Fire demoralizes the Spanish in the centre entrenchment and they are eliminated by Soviet assault.

The Soviets guarding the edge of the woods are eliminated by three Spanish platoons. But this leaves the Spanish open to direct fire from two Soviet HMG platoons and artillery!

Spanish attempt to assault the second entrenchment but are eliminated. They are fought back in the woods.

Time runs out and the Spanish are defeated.

The northeast hill is held by one Infantry, a single 75mm battery, and minefields.

SOVIET MAJOR VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

Final Casualty count was 36-27. Both sides failed in their Minor Victory condition, but the Soviets succeed in their Major objective of controlling three entrenchments.

A few notes on the gameplay:

1. Artillery was king. Anyone in the woods or open was highly susceptible to artillery fire. Particularly when the sun began to rise and spotting range was increased.
2. With no morale differential (The Spanish are usually better) it was not very inviting for the Spanish to initiate counter-assaults, but rather hunker down in their entrenched positions enjoying the defensive benefits.
3. The low morale on both sides meant even a lowly “M” result from Direct Fire or Bombardment fatal. This greatly helped the Soviets to demoralize some entrenchments prior to assaulting and made hard work for the Spanish reinforcements.
4. The Kommissars were brutal this mission. It was tough on the Soviets losing two whole HMG platoons by turn 8.

Scenario Rating: 4/5 – This was a great battle of attack and counter-attack. Despite the entrenched position, the Spanish were forced to use their extra units (reserves) wisely and both sides had quite a bit of movement. Although not a small scenario, it played surprisingly fast.