Day after day in mid-January, the Soviets launched repeated attacks against the Italians of the Cuneense, Julia, and Tridentina divisions. Often the attacks never even made it across the frozen Don River to the fortified positions. On January 16th, they tried again, striking the Tridentina Division. . .
Attacker: Russian (15th Army Corps)
Defender: Italian (55th Battalion, 6th Alpini Regiment, Tridentina Division)
7 turns
Players: 2 OBA: Italian Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:20.0 D:11.0
AFVs: A:0 D:0
Guns: A:0 D:0
Misc Rules:
GS, possible FS. A: WC
Map Board(s):
18
7
Overlays:
NONE
Errata (source)
Players wanting to play this game/Request a match:
Played with the Russian balance (removing 2 SW MTRs from the Italian OB) and Pleva's heretical OBA variant.
Good first-turn ROF from the Russian 9-2-led HMG and failure of the Italians to gain battery access until mid-game allowed the bulk of the Russian infantry to gain the western shore largely unmolested. Which left plenty of time to grind down the Italian defenders. The Russian Sniper was also a key asset, wounding the Italian 8-1 (who later succumbed to a K result mortal wound), and later popping a cap in the 8-0 manning the radio (putting paid to that worry).
Game included a berserk Russian squad charging a berserk Italian (wounded) 8-1/squad combo. Alas, the surviving HS was unable to take out the Italians or even tie them up in melee.
Fun game. Certainly lots of luck on my side this playing. A lot (obviously) depends on whether the Italians can get the OBA into play. Seems like it'd be a real uphill grind without the balance. As it was, the one Italian 45 MTR put a real dent in the advance for a turn or so, breaking (and in some cases ELRing/reducing) several Russian squads.
2019-04-24
(D) Paolo Cariolato
vs
Dario Bagnoli
Italian win
2014-12-05
(D) Kermit Mullins
vs
Christopher Brackney
Italian win
Game went to bottom of turn 2. Italian Sniper in the first turn eliminated the Russian 9-2 and an 8-0 and DM's the squads with those officers. After that, the Russian Human Wave assault was DM'd by lots of HMG and Mortar Rate of Fire. Very tough game for the Russian player.
2014-12-05
(A) Chris Brackney
vs
Kermit Mullins
Italian win
2014-05-31
(D) Michael Rodgers
vs
Marc Hannah
Russian win
Italians beat themselves mostly by breaking two MTRs and the HMG in turn 1. I think the Italians are better to NOT use the allowed setup of Wire and mines in the river, to keep the Russian guessing where these fortifications are until after setup.