Spanish set up in a long east-west line directly on top of the road, with all their men in entrenchments or dug in. They had single platoons of AT guns covering each of the three approaches. The Soviets entered with their tanks to the east, hoping to capture the bridge first. Their infantry was divided among the eastern and central approaches while the SMG platoons used the woods of board 3 as cover while they approached the large town. As the Soviets advanced they took many losses, which stalled their attacks. The game then centered on the bridge area and the town. Soviet attempts to take these areas was met with fierce resistance, with the higher Spanish morale playing a key role in assaults. At one point the Spanish took some losses and ordered German reinforcements, but they rolled a 6, meaning they only got an Inf and two 81mm mortars. As the game approached its end the Soviets had taken too many losses to mount an offensive to take the road hexes on map 1, so their hope was to keep the Spanish from controlling the town on map 3, thus gaining a draw. The Soviets unleashed three assaults on town hexes the last two turns to insure there would be no Spanish victory. In the end the Soviets controlled the bridge hex, the town had three assaults raging, and most of board 1 was Spanish controlled. A draw. All in all a nice scenario, but one where the Spanish player can always count on German reinforcements if he runs into real trouble. Conversely, if the Soviets had concentrated their initial advance to one area of the board, they wouldn't have had to deal with so much opposition early on.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany, Spain)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany, Spain
Participants	OldPueblo
Play Date	2023-03-25
Language	English
Scenario	BluD018

As others have described, this is a, relatively balanced, large-scale, slugfest, This will be an outline AAR only, for a 5-session play-through, of this rather long scenario. I led the defending Spanish/German side, and the doughty & calculating, OldPueblo, played the Soviet side. We used the FOW, smoke/illum, consolidation, extended assault, and excess initiative optional rules. The Soviet & German leader draws were much worse than the exceptional Spanish one. There were 13 FOW-shortened turns in this tournament of death.

The Soviet onslaught came from the north in a series of waves. The forward-deployed Spanish force entrenched in the vicinity of the bridge, as well as sparsely on the road, and in the town. Wisely, the Red Army concentrated its OBA on the fiendish AT gun platoons, and eventually eliminated all of them. This freed up the Soviet armor to cause no end of mischief with relative impunity, and to support a 2-pronged pincer attack. Spanish calls for support brought in a series of reinforcing elements including STGIIIB assault guns and infantry. Many of these troops fell to accurate Soviet OBA. Extended close range, adjacent-hex fire fights & close assaults followed, which resulted in the Axis loss of the east-west road to the advancing Bolsheviks.

Spanish counterattacks regained the bridge after 4 turns in Soviet hands, and the Reds begin to lose their T-34 tanks in close assaults, while the town's garrison staved off several flanking attacks in costly fashion, especially in terms of leader losses for both sides. By the end of game turn 18, there were 5 eliminated Soviet leaders, as well as 2 more KIA for the Axis. The highly efficient Soviet Kommisar systematically killed off a good number number of routed INF platoons, throughout this match, adding to the overall body count. Soviet OBA was also deadly, and both sides suffered from reduced initiative, and many unsuccessful morale recovery rolls. By the end, the combined total of combat 7-die rolls was 24. Later contingents of German reinforcements included a higher grade of leadership, which strengthened Axis counter attacks in, and around, the town. Entrenchments changed hands regularly through game turn 26, as heavy casualties accumulated for both sides. The Axis side finally won the seesaw fight in the town, on the darn bridge, and on the east-west road. This resulted in a very bloody Spanish/German victory. made possible by frequent German reinforcements -- about half of which survived intense Soviet OBA -- to contribute to saving the entrenched Spaniards. As reported elsewhere, the Soviets spent too many resources & time trying to take the town, and repeatedly fell for Spanish/German feints that drained strength away from the 27-turn, seesaw fight for the strategic bridge.

This scenario was fun to play with ample maneuver and many decisions to be made by both sides. It easily could have gone the other way for a costly Soviet victory. I give this one a rating of 4. It is suitable for either SOLO or SHARED play, IMHO.

On the 19th of march 1943, Fathers Day for the Spanish Blue Division troops, the Russians launched their final attack on the bridge over the Izhora River, just south of Leningrad. This attack seals the fate of Operation Polar Star, a Zhukov double encirclement move that actually faultered on the other, northern part of the operation.

The bridge itself, was strongly defended by the Spanish Blue Division, which had to prove themselves worthy again as German allies, after the debacle of Krazny Bor, just a few weeks and miles ago. Having lost quite some faith in the valor of the Spaniards, the Germans stationed a division of their own in the vicinity, just in case.

And so the Spanish entrench the bridge and most of the town while dug in soldiers defend the Moscow-Leningrad highway. The Russians attack along the whole front, with the T34s spearheading the contingent attacking the bridge via the east riverbank. When an I16 pilot destroys the AT support covering the bridge, the T34s have free reign to approach and start pummeling the entrenched defenders into submission. Those tanks are shifted to the southside of the highway to accomodate the arrival of the first Russian infantry units, and the Russian commander turns pale when he sees his Spanish counterpart swallow his pride and immediately calls for German backup. This means that the Spanish lose their Major victory conditions within less than an hour, but it will prove a vital move for the rest of the battle.

The Russian advance on the bridge is severely hampered by accurate Spanish OBA and direct fire from the bridge itself. After 2 hours of Communist prep fire, the Spanish troops are still happily occupying their trenches unscathed. In the meantime, Russian casualties are mounting fast and afraid of also losing his armor in the process, the Russian Major retreats to overthink his strategy. Witnissing the difficulty of just capturing the bridge alone, the Russian Colonel concludes that assaulting the entrenched town would be a futile meatgrinder with no hope of success. And as such, that part of the battlefield also stalemates to a halt.

So the Russians turn their attention and OBA to the road. And rightly so because German reinforcements are forcing their way up north to back up the dug in defenders of the highway. During all this, a cat and mouse game goes on between the sole German Panzer III platoon and the Russians KVIs. Both sides strengths outweigh each others weaknesses. The PzIIIs have a hard time penetrating the Russian armour and the slow KVs can’t pin down the speedy panzers. At 11.00, both Spanish dugin positions are overrun by Russian human waves. Immediately, those troops make arrangements to defend what they just have painstakingly gained.

At the bridge, the Spanish troops are getting restless, they only have to deal with sporadic, ineffective direct fire of the T34s and the Tenente wonders why the Russians are so quiet. So he orders to stir them up a bit by shooting at a nearby HMG platoon. This time, the retaliating Russian OBA fire hits its mark and when all Spanish defenders fail their morale, the Russian Major launches an all out attack. At 11.30, the Russians pepper the bridge some more before assaulting the by now, demoralized defenders. But even demoralized, they prove to be made of tougher stern than their assailers. The first fire of the Spaniards kill a Russian platoon and demoralizes all other assaulting Russians, including the Major. Within half an hour, the Spanish Tenente restores the situation without taking any losses, while the leaderless Russian attack force is in tatters. The bridge is firmly in Spanish hands and Russian command realize that winning this battle is off the table. Their only hope left is trying ”not to lose”.

To do that, they desperately need to hold the highway. But the Russian line is wearing thin, especially since several German reinforcement forces are trying to break that line. As such, the Russians frantically start to shift their still goodordered units camping in the wood near the village, to the west, including the so far hapless T34s. The KVIs, bolstered by the message that finally help is on its way, manage to hit the panzers but fail to demoralise them. This hyped up half platoon, returns fire in a buzz and promptly hit the KVs as well (needing a 12!). The KVs are not so lucky, their morale breaks and they flee. Hurrahs and despair turning sides within seconds!

Russian morale is at a new low at this moment, but all is not lost. The Russian line still holds and thanks to a high morale Kommissar, demoralized troops are returned quickly into their positions. More and more Russian units are bolstering the line against the German reinforcements and the Spanish troops advancing from within the village. While racing towards the west, the T34s lose a platoon from 50mm AT fire, but the remnants quickly despatch the Panzers and start dominating this part of the battlefield. The Russians still have a few hairy moments when accurate OBA blow a gap of more than a half mile wide into their line, but the few good Russian leaders manage to always fill the gaps with new troops. A special mention needs to go to a reduced disrupted rifle platoon that was the bane of several German attacks, refusing to either die or give up ground. True Heroes of the Soviet Union, but probably nobody will ever see the need to tell this to the General. After 7 hours of heavy fighting, the Axis attacks wittle down and both sides agree on a draw. And a very hard fought one!

After the game we settled down with a nice beer and contemplated how the battle became such a bloodbath. We concluded that the blatant stupidity of the Russian commander to cross the road on turn 2 and thus inviting the Germans also to the party, sealed his doom. If he hadn’t done that, he could have concentrated more on the bridge and his own victory conditions. On the other hand, the game would probably not have been such a blast if he had kept his head !

As a farewell, just now, when doing some research on Operation Polar Star for this AAR, I came across this quote of David Glantz on wiki: “Soviet general staff critiques after the battle highlited the reasons for the failures of the attacks as strongly fortified defenses, faulty reconnaissance, poor command and control on all levels, clumsy employment of tanks and ineffective artillery support”. Yeah, that pretty much sums it up!

The main objectives:

Spanish

1. Hold the road, town and/or bridge.

Soviet

1. SMASH the SPANISH! LEAVE NO SURVIVORS!
2. Don’t forget to control that damned Bridge.

Time = 7.5 hours (30 turns)

Casualty Count: (x-y), where x=Soviet steps lost and y=Spanish steps lost.

BATTLE SUMMARY

Soviets enter in the north and advance toward the Spanish forces entrenched at the bridge and road and occupying the town.

Soviets continue to advance under HMG, mortar and artillery fire (2-0)

A lucky Soviet artillery strike eliminates the Spanish 50mm AT Guns, so the armour is now free to advance. The armour reaches the road and the Spanish call for reinforcements. The Soviet infantry advances toward the town through the forest.

The first hour is over (4-1)

The second hour sees the Soviets focus on advancing against the east and west flanks of the Spanish position. Near the bridge they are cut to pieces, but led by the armour the Spanish HMG nest is torn apart. German reinforcements arrive in south, a couple foot platoons and some StuGIIIBs.

The next 30 mins have the Germans reinforcements advance only to be chewed up by Soviet artillery. The StuG advances into firing range. (15-7)

The Soviets win initiative and the StuG is blown to pieces! Soviets capture the entrenchment at the west-east T junction. The Spanish are now cursing that they didn’t set up more entrenchments along the east-west road.

The Soviet armour moves against the town as the timer hits the three hour mark.

Another StuG platoon and more German foot troops arrive in the south. (18-12)

Again, the German reinforcements are shredded by Soviet artillery! The Spanish leave the town to assault the T-34s and manage to eliminate two tanks. They continue the assault and blow it and are hit hard by Soviet artillery. Unlucky for the Russians, the T-34s and KV-1s are spooked by their own friendly fire! (23-17)

The Soviet armour is routed, but the Spanish numbers are dwindling. The StuG moves to fire on the fleeing KV-1. Soviet infantry charges the town.

Just past the 4 hour mark and the casualty count is too high! (Both sides reduced to 0 initiative, so I stopped counting). The StuG scores a hit against some of the T-34s. But the Soviets lose a 4th officer (only 6 proper officers left).

Soviets begin to assault the town as the StuG crosses to the north side of the road. A German Infantry company arrives in the south.

The first town hex is captured, while in the northern woods the Soviet Kommisar begins eliminating routed platoons!

German infantry platoon moves towards the town to assist, but once again they are smashed by artillery.

The KV-1 recovers and advances against the StuG. The German AFV fires but misses and the return Soviet fire takes out half the German unit!

In the far east, the few remaining Soviets eliminate the Spanish AT Gun and capture the entrenchment next to the bridge!

Just under 2 hours to go and the last batch of German reinforcements arrive. 3 Inf platoons, HMG platoon and some 50mm guns. Led by two fantastic leaders (both with +2 morale bonus!)

The StuG runs, but is eliminated.

The Soviets attempt to stop the Germans from reaching the road. A mortar strike takes out the 50mm and the KV-1 advances against the Germans.

German morale is too good and they reach the western part of the road. The Soviets, despite numerous artillery strikes can’t dislodge them.

The battle in the town rages on with both sides taking more and more casualties.

In the east the Soviets make a desperate attempt at gaining the bridge but are severely flogged.

The battle reaches its conclusion.

SPANISH MINOR VICTORY!!!

Aftermath

The Spanish hold the bridge and have German units controlling some of the east-west road on the western board, which is enough for a minor victory.

The town is mostly contested, with a lone hex being in Soviet control.

The Death Toll is astronomical. Here is the Dead Pool…

Soviets have lost 23 foot platoon out of 33. 70% losses!

Spanish have lost 8 out of 16 foot platoons. 50% losses!

German reinforcements arrived 4 times, with the first 3 “companies” completely obliterated!

Brutal.

A few notes on the gameplay:

1. Spanish should have set up a bit more along the east-west road on the Western board. They were very fortunate to be given such great German reinforcements on turn 25, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to have anyone on the road.
2. Soviet focus was all wrong. They really needed to capture the bridge. Consequently, they should have avoided the town, sending half their force against each flank. Once the bridge was secured, they could have moved against the town.
3. Soviet artillery was brutal against anyone not in town/entrenchments. With their on board units they could deliver 30x2 and 16x2 strikes. This was enough to demoralize and eliminate the Germans on countless occasions.

Scenario Rating: 3/5 – A good scenario. Both sides appear to have a chance at victory. Soviets need to focus more on the bridge.