Yashka kept in the dark

 On Friday, Lisa came over to play out the third of the scenarios based on the wartime experiences of Maria 'Yashka' Bochkareva from the Empire to Revolution scenario pack for Through the Mud and the Blood.  In this scenario, Maria, now promoted to corporal (or Ефрейтор), joins a patrol to raid German lines, seeking to capture German prisoners. Unfortunately for the Russians, the Germans have anticipated the raid and set an ambush of their own!

Everyone deploys on blinds. German trenches are on the left, but some of German forces are setting up their ambush in the small wood in the lower right corner. Some of the Russian blinds have already been spotted and required to deploy. The Russians have started to lay down fire on the German trenches, resulting in the shock marker on the German blind.

Germans return fire with devastating effect on the Russian third squad. With more shock markers than troops, the squad is forced to fall back.

From their ambush location in the woods, German troops fire along the Russian flank.

German fire continues to wear down the Russians, as second squad is also driven off.

Germans in the trench are keeping up fire on the Russians in no man's land.

It's not all one-sided.  Russian return fire on the ambushers drives back one of the squads.

Yaska keeps the Russian first squad in good order,

but even her leadership is not enough as German rifle fire wears down the remaining troops.

 The scenario ended up as a stalemate.  The Russians were forced to fall back, but neither side was able to capture any prisoners or gain control of no man's land.  We have one more scenario to go, as Maria Bochkareva is promoted to command the Women's Battalion of Death!