To the left of the Russian cavalry, Nikolai Epanchin’s III Corps had three divisions, one regular and two reserve. They had been in these positions since the front had settled down here in September and perhaps become somewhat complacent. The German plan mostly tried to avoid direct assault on prepared positions, but III Corps would have to be pushed out of its lines.

Unlike similar Russian formations, the newly-raised German reserve divisions had cadres of combat-experienced officers and NCO’s, and this made an enormous difference on the battlefield. The two divisions of XXXVIII Reserve Corps, backed by additional artillery, struck the Russians hard and swarmed over their positions. Epanchin ordered a retreat directly eastwards towards the fortress of Kovno, neglecting to inform the corps command to his left or Tenth Army where he had sent his troops. Both assumed III Corps to still be defending Tenth Army’s northern flank. The German Tenth Army poured through the gap unopposed.

Counters and maps from the first edition of August 1914 will work in place of those components of the second edition.

Maps from Eastern Front Deluxe or Panzer Grenadier: The East front may be used in place of those from Fire in the Steppe.

The German Oberleutnant should be a Leutnant.