BluD007 
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Beast of Prey Blue Division #8 |
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(Attacker)
Germany
(Attacker) Spain |
vs | Soviet Union (Defender) |
| Formations Involved | ||
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| Germany |  |
424th Infantry Regiment |
| Soviet Union |  |
65th Rifle Division |
| Spain |  |
269th Infantry Regiment |
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| Overall Rating, 4 votes |
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2.5
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| Scenario Rank: --- of 940 |
| Parent Game | Blue Division |
|---|---|
| Historicity | Historical |
| Date | 1942-03-14 |
| Start Time | 08:00 |
| Turn Count | 30 |
| Visibility | Day |
| Counters | 59 |
| Net Morale | 1 |
| Net Initiative | 1 |
| Maps | 3: 17, 18, 6 |
| Layout Dimensions | 84 x 43 cm 33 x 17 in |
| Play Bounty | 143 |
| AAR Bounty | 165 |
| Total Plays | 3 |
| Total AARs | 2 |
| Battle Types |
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| Inflict Enemy Casualties |
| Road Control |
| Conditions |
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| Off-board Artillery |
| Randomly-drawn Aircraft |
| Reinforcements |
| Scenario Requirements & Playability | |
|---|---|
| Blue Division | Base Game |
| Eastern Front | Maps + Counters |
| Road to Berlin | Maps |
| Introduction |
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The Soviet 2nd Shock Army's offensive across the Volkhov River south of Leningrad had gone horribly wrong. Charging across the river, the made gains but could not widen the breach in the German lines. Among the Axis units detailed to close up the lines and trap the Soviets on the wrong side of the Volkhov was 58th Infantry Division, reinforced by parts of the Blue Division. As soon as the weather cleared enough to allow German air support, the Spaniards and Germans moved forward to begin "Operation Raubtier." |
| Conclusion |
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The Spanish assault went forward with great spirit, and Miguel Roman Garrido's battalion took its objectives and prepared to stand off Soviet counter-attacks. However, the German units on either flank failed miserably and left the Spaniards' flanks hanging open, eventually forcing a withdrawal. But within four days the Volkhov Pocket would be sealed and Second Shock Army doomed. |
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| Heer |
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| Army (RKKA) |
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| Army |
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| 2 Errata Items | |
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The movement allowance on the counters in Airborne is misprinted. It should be "3." (rerathbun
on 2012 Jan 30)
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The reduced direct fire value in Kursk: Burning Tigers is 4-4. (plloyd1010
on 2015 Jul 31)
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| Paisanos Restore the Line | ||||||||||||||
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This was a 5-session play-through, with a rapidly improving & well-read rookie, playing the defending Soviet side. I played the Axis Commander with Spanish & German troops -- and no tanks! We used the dreaded FOW, Consolidation and excess initiative optional rules. This scenario is about the Spanish forcing their way down a road, while inflicting as many Russian casualties as possible in a an overlong 30 game turns. Regrettably, it turned into a virtual massacre by the end of turn 7. Unexpectedly, in our play-through the Spanish lost a mere 6 steps in the process of annihilating the entire Soviet force by the end of game turn 25. This is an unbalanced scenario in which the Soviet player does not really have the opportunity of inflicting more damage on the Axis side than is absorbed by the hapless Bolsheviks. There were 11 FOW-shortened turns out of 25 played through in this bloody encounter! As others have indicated, this scenario is best played in SOLO mode. I give this one a generous 3, since it was fun to play with a spirited opponent- but it really deserves a 2 - given how hopelessly unbalanced and overlong it is. |
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| 0 Comments |
| Spanish on the March | ||||||||||||
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This scenario features the Spanish moving up the road and needing to kill or demoralize every Soviet in sight. A strange affair, where the Spanish were actually successful due to some early highly successful town assaults and good artillery strikes against the Soviets in the woods. The Spanish only lost an amazing 5 steps while completely wiping out the larger Soviet force. I didn't think they could do it. Soviet options are quite limited beyond holing up or running away. Soviet Victory (inflict more damage against the Spanish) seems impossible, so I recommend this one for solitaire play only. Germans never showed up in this replay, and I doubted the Spanish chances, but they pulled through in the end! It actually got tense near the end as in the final 2 hours the Spanish had 5 more Soviet platoons to eliminate/rout and just succeeding in time on turn 29. Scenario Rating 2/5: Solitaire only. Soviet victory seems improbable. (It's Christmas period, so I don't have the time for a full AAR at this time.) |
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| 0 Comments |