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Volkhov River, Russia,
20 October 1941: After clearing Russian resistance on the knoll,
Lt. Jose Escobedo emplaced his 2 machine guns in readiness for
the expected counterattack. He ordered his men to dig in. Ammunition
and supplies were quickly ferried across the 250-yard wide river.
The wounded were evacuated and limited reinforcements were brought
over. The Russian POW’s were quickly put to work assisting
in this re-supply effort. The 2nd Battalion of the 848th Regiment
launched its first attack at 1900 hours, but was quickly driven
back into the darkness. Reinforcements from the 3rd Battalion
of the 848th were quickly rushed into the fray within an hour.
This time they managed to break into the Spanish lines but after
a savage counterattack, which saw hand-to-hand fighting, the Ukrainians
were driven back again. The Russians rested for a while and tried
another attack at 2300 hours, which was again repulsed. At midnight
the Ukrainians rushed forward again, this time supported by artillery.
While chanting the battle cry of “Urrah! Urrah!” they
stormed towards the Spanish lines.
Volkhov River, Russia, 19 October 1941: After the failure to secure
a bridgehead across the Volkhov the previous day, Colonel Jose
Martinez Esparza, Commander of the 269th Regiment, 250th Infantry
Division, ordered another crossing at 0800 hours on the 19th of
October. The rubber boats however turned up late. A break in the
frost combined with heavy rain turned the single road from the
rear area supply depot at Miasnoi Bor into a quagmire and the
entire area into slush and swamp. The dejected Colonel was even
forced to abandon his beloved Studebaker that he had brought with
him from Spain. Only the regiment’s seven-horsepower Ford
was light enough to slide forward. Boats and skiffs were manhandled
through the trees to the riverbank. At 1500 hours, Lt. Jose Escobedo
pushed off with 2 platoons and no artillery preparation. Across
the river, the Ukrainians and Tartars of the 848th Regiment, 276th
Rifle Division sat low in their slit trenches unaware of the coming
attack.
Spanish Blue Division
is another Eastern Front-themed historical module from CH. It
includes one sheet of 140 ½” die-cut counters, providing
Spanish Blue Division MMC/SMC. Eight scenarios, all set on the
two historical maps provided, included contested river crossings
and more. A Special Rules document rounds out the set.
