Two understrength and unsuspecting Hungarian battalions have occupied a big swath of Slovakian territory and have established themselves in two enclaves separated by miles of space. A large Slovakian force with a mobile component (Cyclists and an armored car) and air support arrive to take back their country.

Readers of Chandler will recognize the opportunity created by that large open space between the two Hungarian forces as a perfect opportunity to take the central position. Apparently the Slovakian leader had access to time travel (since it was published in 1973), read carefully, and sent his mobile forces around the Hungarians and grabbed some defensible terrain between the two forces.

The advancing Hungarian force ground itself to dust on the mobile force while only contesting two town hexes, while the forward Hungarian force was reduced by artillery and concentric assault. The Slovaks won a major victory without any real effort.

The only real possibility for the Hungarians is to abandon their forward positions and attempt to link up with the advancing battalion. To stand and fight is to get crushed. As tempting as it is to try to kill Slovaks as they advance, there are just too many of them and you will not be successful. The Slovaks can still probably grab that central position but there is the chance to at least make them pay for it.

The addtions of low morale on both sides (7/5) make this a battle marked by stretches of recovery. A solid 3.