This scenario features the Soviets on the attack with a lot of units and initially a token SS force to block them from taking the town north of the river. Logistically challenging for Soviets who have 75 units to keep in command during the attack. But there is plenty of low grade officers to keep them moving. The Germans do not have enough units to block of kill the Soviets and will be overwhelmed as time goes on. This is what happened in this play through.

The Germans need to hold town hexes, presumably Rostov on board 30 and even more important and towns on board 31. So a forward setup was required and look to kill as many Soviet units before they could get over the frozen river. This was a tall order and they were not able to stop them despite some fierce assault defenses and fanatical rallies, there was just too many to get away from without giving up key VP's. Eventually had to give in on turn 16, 1:45pm due to the Soviet mastery of the field.

From the Soviet perspective, logistics is the issue and maintenance of command was extremely important. At the start the Soviets can arrange good chains of command, but they start to break down two turns in with units going their own ways. Average morale challenged good leaders to have to rally many units hit by opportunity fire and bombardment. But there is always more Soviets than SS and these early war political soldiers don't stand very long.

Key highlights were the Soviets, breaking through river west of Rostov. Here the German defense was a bit thinner and relied on the SS reinforcements to bolster the line. Once the bridge and the town fell the Soviet center could advance and the SS needed throw most reinforcements to that area. This included their armor support of 2 platoons of Stugs. Unfortunately, the SS infantry was hit with Soviet 76mm bombardment fire that keep them hide in the woods and the unsupported Stugs needs to hold back the swarm of Soviets. Eventually overrun the Stugs were reduced and had to flee back. On the attack against Rostov directly, the SS held longer and still contested the city by the 1:45 stop time, but at that point they were in danger of encirclement.

At the end the SS losses were 39 steps to the Soviets 7 steps, but there were 12 demoralized Soviets and an equal number of disrupted, that were slowing the Soviet attack. From the town perspective, 14 Soviets and 9 Germans hexes were controlled with 5 contested. Final VP was Soviet 53, German 34 vp.

I would have rated this higher with the amount of action, but the I could see the end at the beginning with all the Soviets and half as much for the SS. As all other factors were roughly the same of slightly in the Soviets favor, save leadership, I could see a Soviet victory. Dice are always a variable, but they were fair for both sides in the play. If in the future, this is revised, I would add some time constraints for Soviets to balance it off for the Germans.