The Spaniards set a minefield that channeled the Soviets in to the center. The Soviets, didn’t take that route, and that proved fatal. The Soviet engineers were not able to get enough units across the minefield in strength. The rest were hung up on the minefields and cut up with mortars and DF. The Soviets did pull back to reorganize, but never got across the minefields to take any town hexes. Spanish win.

This small one map scenario looks typical PG Eastern Front fare, Soviet forces an attacking outnumbered entrenched enemy however canny VC's make this scenario stand out. The Russkies are raiding the Spanish lines mainly to plunder rations rather than any strategic reasons and win by controlling 4 town hexes at any stage of the game and not losing twice as many steps as the Spanish. They can also win but eliminating four Spanish steps and not losing eight of their own. If neither of both players win its a tie. The Spanish have entrenchments and minefields to help defend, the Soviets though have plenty if time to carry out this raid and should be able to avoid the minefields. In my game the Soviets moved around the main minefield and carried out a flanking attack on the only town held by the Spanish, this took some time to get units in place for the assault on the town but with accurate MG and artillery fire pinning down the Spanish INF in their trenches the assault went in with little loss. Having captured 4 town hexes and looted as much food and vodka as they could carry the Soviets who had only suffered 1 step loss so far and had inflicted 1 step loss only had to hold on for a couple of turns to win the game. However a desperate Spanish counterattack resulted in another unexpected step loss (12 rolled in a 5 column assault) meant that a tie now seemed the likely result. However on the last turn a reduced Sov INF unit fired at pointblank range into a Spanish held entrenchment where DEM Spanish INF were hunkered down. 12 rolled, Morale check failed by 3 = another Spanish step loss and a Soviet victory. Lots of fun with this one.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	PANISTA
Play Date	2023-02-21
Language	English
Scenario	BluD016

This was a fun-to-play, 3-session, infantry-heavy shoot 'em up with the redoubtable, PANISTA, leading the well-dug-in, but outnumbered defending Spanish force. I led the attacking -- and very hungry & thirsty -- Red Army contingent in this relatively-balanced scenario. Both sides had luck drawing leaders. Others have reviewed this one, so this AAR will be in summary form only.

We used the consolidation, excess initiative, smoke/illum optional rules, and skipped the defense-favoring FOW. We also experimented with the following 3 house rules: Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units. Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up or down slopes hexes. Firing Through or Over Friendly Personnel Units All AT guns, AFVs, Infantry guns (direct fire), Anti-Aircraft (AA) guns and HMGs may fire over or through friendly personnel units. In the case of HMGs, AA guns & Infantry Guns, there must be one unoccupied hex between any friendly unit that is being fired over and the targeted hex as in the current rule (10.1, page 24).

The Soviets are in a mass raid & pillage attempt against the Spanish lines. Their victory conditions specify the capture of entrenchments (and food) and taking at least 4 town hexes while keeping their step loses to less than twice as many steps as the Spanish. They cannot lose more that 8 steps in the process. The Soviet's somewhat rushed movement to contact avoided the minefields and went directly for the Spanish-held town which was completely occupied by the end of game turn 9. Red Army units then managed to outflank, infiltrate and suppress the remaining Spanish forces in the entrenchments. Multiple close assaults followed, that luckily were remarkable successful for Stalin's boys. Spanish counterattacks were bloodily repulsed and step loses mounted rapidly with the Soviets just managing to keep below the required double the losses of the Spaniards to the end of our third session, with 7 step losses total. By the end, the outcome was costly Bolshevik victory by a very narrow margin. Notably, only a combined EIGHT combat 7-die rolls were thrown in this scenario's 18 game turns.

IMHO, this well-designed, scenario could have gone either way and looked like it would be a draw for most of the game. I give this one an enthusiastic: 4 and recommend it for both SHARED and SOLO play. The 3 house rules we tried worked very well in this one.

BATTLE SUMMARY

Soviets enter in the north and descend against the Spanish occupied town. Spanish HMG and mortar open fire. The HMG is demoralized by a lucky artillery strike.

Soviets capture the small east town with their Recon platoon

Led by their engineers, the Soviets charge into the minefields surrounding the town while the Spanish HMG recovers.

Soviet infantry enters the town as the HMGs advance. Soviets lose half a platoon in the minefields.

Soviets flee from the Spanish HMG and the Spanish fire close range. The Soviets are shattered as their RCN is eliminated!

Spanish then lose half an infantry platoon by Soviet HMG fire. Spanish HMG moves to reinforce the hurt infantry. The Soviet artillery tries to finish off the demoralized Spanish infantry by fails.

The Soviet assault team rallies (two HMGs and an INF) and the reduce the Spanish HMG in assault.

Only 7 turns to go. The Soviet assault team recovers, falters and spends another half hour recovering.

At the 4 hour mark the Soviet assault succeeds and the entrenchment is taken and the Spanish HMG is eliminated! Soviets have half an hour to get one more entrenchment or inflict one more casualty.

The Soviet assault team continues their attack but they are thoroughly disrupted reduced and demoralized by Friendly Fire!

In the final minutes the assault team’s reduced HMG flees to be replaced by Soviet engineers. (back at 13 Direct Fire with ENG bonus).

But time is up! Who won?

Soviets were still one hex and one step away from victory. The Spanish inflicted 5 casualties. Needing at least twice as many casualties they also just missed their win condition!

DRAW!!!

Aftermath

I often find these small scenarios pretty bland and sometime very unbalanced. This one is one of the exceptions and was a great little scenario that set up and played in about an hour. Spanish defence is fairly static, but they have a number of choices in how and what to defend.

Scenario Rating: 3/5 – Decent small urban assault scenario.

COMING SOON: Blue Division Scenario 17.