Soviets deployed their forces around the key objectives, towns, the 40m hill hexes with the thought of delaying the Germans from exiting steps off the north map edge. The Germans attacked along the east N-S road, their goal was to exit as many steps off the north edge as possible, and they get 2 VPs for each step. Soviet armor counter attached the German column, did some damage but not enough as the Tigers, Panthers and 88s took a heavy toll.