Soviets set up in towns and surrounding woods and with four platoons of infantry on board 6. Spanish entered cyclists and motorcyclists from south but avoided Soviets by going around them. Spanish Tiger moved up road but then moved backwards to engage Soviet infantry moving north from board 6. The Spanish infantry continued to move up the road toward the large town while the Tiger advanced into the northern woods to assault the Soviet artillery. The faster Spanish motorcyclists and cyclists advanced to the northern town to attempt to take it but suffered significant losses in their approach. The Spanish assaulted the units in the northern town but luck wasn't on their side for many turns. A few turns later they began their assault on the larger town as well. With three turns remaining the Spanish were able to eliminate the Soviets in the towns and claim victory. This scenario saw atrocious rolling by the Spanish in their assaults or else the game would have been over much sooner. Still, a fun, close scenario.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany, Spain
Participants	Miguelibal
Play Date	2023-01-23
Language	English
Scenario	BluD011

This was a 5-session play through with the enthusiastic & ferocious, Miguelibal, commanding the combined arms Spanish & German force in attack mode. Unfortunately, due to losing a coin toss, it fell to me to lead the beleaguered and armor-free, Soviet side of this unbalanced scenario. As others have reported this one in considerable detail, I will just present an outline in this AAR. We used the FOW, excess initiative, consolidation and smoke/illum optional rules. There were 11 FOW-shortened game turns in our play-through. The Axis side drew excellent leaders, the Soviet not so much. The best moment was when the Russians well-positioned, "crash boom" 76.2mm AT unit nailed the German's rampaging Tiger platoon with a lucky AT shot, that was shortly followed by a very costly infantry close assault that eliminated this armored menace in the larger town. By game turn 15, the Soviets had already lost 11 steps and 2 leaders, while the Axis had lost a total of just 7 steps and a leader. As the game progressed, the number of Soviet units steadily declined as the Spanish gained the upper hand by way of repeated successful urban close assaults, and adjacent-hex fire fights. The last Russian step and leader was eliminated on the very last game turn, resulting in an overwhelming Spanish victory. Between us, we threw 21 combat 7-die rolls -- the bulk of which (13) were thrown by the hapless Bolsheviks.

I don't think that it's possible for the Soviets to prevail in this stacked scenario, no matter how lucky their die rolls may be. I give this one a 2, mostly because it was fun to play with a spirited, high morale opponent. This one should be saved for SOLO play as there is comparatively little for the Russian player to do, apart from trying to stem the Spanish tide as long as possible and hold a few town hexes. Soviet counter attacks are not a particularly good idea as the Spanish are just too tough and mobile. Taking out that single German heavy tank platoon, was both lucky and tragic, since it cost the Russians so dearly that they were doomed to ignominious defeat after the 18th game turn.

Sorry for the AAR being in spanish. I gladly accept volunteers for traslation!

La defensa rusa situó los cañones y AT en los bosques del mapa norte, y una fuerza de bloqueo en la carretera del mapa sur. El grueso de los INF y HMG quedaron en los pueblos.

El plan español trataba de evitar el bloqueo de la carretera, rodeando el bosque y reuniendo los dos grupos de ataque en/alrededor del bosque al S del pueblo grande. Tal y como estaba previsto los rusos no pudieron hacer nada por evitarlo, sus medios pelotones son demasiado debiles para suponer casi ni un retraso, solamente una tirada con suerte en un bombardeo artillero desmoralizó a un par de pelotones. Para cuando el peloton de tigres consiguió llegar a la zona de reunión, los españoles habían limpiado todos los cañones de 76.2 y AT rusos en los bosques. La única participación de los tanques fue en el asalto al pueblo grande. La superioridad de moral, líderes y encima tanques (no estoy seguro de si debía aplicarse el modificador de armas combinadas, pero lo usé) fue demasiado para los rusos, que solo consiguieron eliminar una etapa de infantería con una tirada afortunada y rematar a otra desmoralizada en el siguiente turno.

Resultado final: victoria del Eje, en 20 turnos, con dos etapas perdidas (en asaltos al pueblo).

Spanish battalions join in the effort to mop up the trapped Soviet 2nd Shock Army caught in the Volkhov Pocket. Aided by the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion (Tigers) the depleted Soviets brace for the attack.

Spanish forces race against the Soviet positions. Some Soviets in the northern woods are engaged by the Spanish.

Spanish take an early loss as a Motorcycle platoon is hit by direct fire.

Tiger moves close to the main Soviet town ignoring the 45mm AT Gun. Spanish move closer.

In the northern village the Soviet HMG is demoralized and flees the town under Spanish attack

Spanish continue to clear out the main woods south of the town and the 45mm ATG crews flee from the Tigers.

Spanish lose their second step in an assault in the south woods.

Soviets are being eliminated and fleeing everywhere! Already lost 12 reduced platoons and 3 leaders.

The southern woods are now free and the Spanish close in on both the town and the small village. Now hit 3 hours.

Spanish close in against the northern village and assault. The Soviet infantry is demoralised and eliminated trying to flee.

Outside the main town the Soviet forces are dwindling so they initiate a brave counter-assault against the Tigers located just outside the town. They disrupt the Tigers!

But their victory is short lived as the German crews recover and the counter-assault shatters the soviet defenders, although one Spanish infantry is reduced.

Spanish motorcycles take part of the town and the Soviet colonel is captured. We have just passed the 4 hour mark, a single town hex is still contested.

The next hour and 15 minutes see the Soviets pushed out of the town as the Tigers roll down the streets. The Soviets flee into the northern woods and are chased down and captured or eliminated by the Spanish. By turn 22, (Five and a half hours) the final Soviet unit is eliminated.

SPANISH VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

A good scenario. Quite difficult for the depleted Soviets they fared the same as historically. This scenario played very quickly though and it is always fun attacking units with morale of 5!

The Tiger was suitably impressive and the Soviets only chance to take it out was in assault.

Scenario Rating: 3/5 – Good quick assault with highly asymmetric sides and asymmetric victory conditions (Soviets win if Spanish player doesn’t!)

*This looked like a quick but interesting scenario to tryout and I haven’t played one from Blue Division yet, so why not? After setting this up, I feel it’s a good solo playing scenario as once the Soviets setup, there is not much to do, other then shift a few units around as needed and defend.

*I had some difficulties on my approach the town hexes as the Spanish & Germans but after recovery with the higher morale as the axis player, things started to go better and once the Axis south & east battle-groups met up, they pretty much had things their own way. The PzVIE (Tiger Tank) stayed out of any AT trouble, as couple shots from the Soviet 76.2 mm & 45mm AT guns fire at them but the rolls were low and then they were then covered with Spanish Infantry types shortly after they had their small chance.

*In the end, the Axis controlled all the town hexes and only lost 3 steps while the Soviets were pushed out with many more step losses. An Axis victory for sure this time around!