Camp Cromwell 08/12/05

2 x Steves' 1000 pts each of Russians v. Jim's 2000 pts Fucilieri
Cauldron Scenario on 8x6 table.
Apolgies from Barrie (Xmas), Mark (drink), Maruisz (work) & Leigh (band).

The Russians were fortunate in getting a deployment in 2 diagonally opposite groups with both KVs on the side away from the Pak40s.
The Ities got bad a 6MB deal - all the Fucilieri were Reluctant Trained. They also made a mistake in objective placement - one of them had a well covered line of approach for Ivan Infantry. Leaving the Grenadiers as reserves was also a bad idea (but then getting 3 out of 3 RT for the Fucilieri wasn't expected either).
The 2 Ivan infantry attacking from the right were stopped for a while by the Pak 40's, artillery and the early arrival of the L6s.
On the other flank the 2KV platoons advanced ponderously while the other infantry used hill & forest to get in close & attack the objective. The Itie infantry held with good shooting for 1 turn, but once assaulted ran. The L6s were rushed over to retake the objective and the grenadier reserve thrown at the infantry in their place. The Grenadiers killed a few Russians but bad saves did for them and the horde resumed their advance taking out the Pak 40s, the HMGs & the artillery before the last survivor of the 2 platoons was destroyed by rifle fire.
The L6s bravely retook the objective in the woods and destroyed most of the Ivan infantry in the wood before being destroyed.
The KVs then entered the wood. 2 got bogged, but the Itie infantry had no stomach for a fight, ran from every attack & refused to counterattack leaving the objective to the KVs.
The Russians lost all by 3 teams of the 3 infantry platoons, but even in the woods the Ities couldn't cope with the KVs