This scenario was redone for EFDx as scenario 20 of the same name. It concerns a group of Soviets trying to break out of an encirclement through the lines of Gross Deutschland Regiment. I played it as part of EFDx and had a tremendous time with the Soviets just missing a win. The GD line bent terribly but did not break.

When I sat down for this one I expected a similar rock and roll fight but was surprised when GD managed to keep everything in check. Only three Soviet units made it off the board and one made it by fleeing off the board, not the result one usually considers part of a victory but it made sense at the time. The remainder of the troops were corralled by the repidly redeploying GD and although the morale was similar (8/7 for GD, 8/6 for the Soviets) the Soviets could not break through in any numbers and ultimately fled back into the pocket.

An odd piece that seemed to contribute to the result was that the 8 tank platoons had no leaders. This led to some very odd movement and desperate attempts to get the tanks into the battle by using cover, etc. The lack of leaders for these strong units kept them from having an impact on the battle and left the infantry force to face the vast majority of the GD by themselves.

In reviewing the scenario in EFDx I noted that 3 tank leaders were added to the OB which would have completely changed the scenario and made it much more competitive (much as it played when I played it then).

This one was not without some chances for the Soviets but I feel that a "3" is as high as it can go given the lack of the tank leaders.

Author	CavDo (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2024-01-31
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr016

We played this, 4-session scenario to a draw. The Soviets only got 9 steps off the south edge of the battle map before we ran out of time, but the Germans lost 22 steps trying to stop the slow, Red Army migration to the south. This resulted in a draw. Another turn or so, and the Reds would have managed to exit another 7 steps.

We did not use the FOW, but did use the excess initiative and smoke optional rules. Both sides drew not very good leaders and had lots of bad die rolls. Step losses rapidly accumulated, especially in our 3rd and 4th sessions. The Treadasaurus displayed his usual skill at killing AT guns with Mortars, OBA or in adjacent-hex frights. All German towed AT guns were eliminated by the end of turn 9. The Russians did pay a heavy price for this as I have become much better at deploying my units in a "defense in depth" with "interlocking field of fire" pattern. All but one step of BT-7 and T-26 light tanks were destroyed along with 4 Soviet leaders. The German losses were also very heavy with 5 leaders killed or deserted, a decapitation and many units halved in their first baptisms by fire.

This was a quicker than usual, fun-to-play-with-beer-and-chips, but poorly-written scenario that is near guaranteed to result in a draw with the victory conditions as written. Doesn't look like this battle was properly play tested against a real opponent. A rewrite of the VCs would do wonders for this game and make it a much better scenario to play with another person.

I give this battle a generous 3. It is more suited to This one is best played as others has suggested - as a solo performance.

Author	ACav (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2023-06-26
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr016

We played this cruddy one to an almost draw, but the Russians pulled off a win at almost the last minute. Both sides drew poor leaders and had lots of bad die rolls. I figured that this would be an easy one for the Germans to win - wrong again! Soviet AT cross fires were unusually deadly and my opponent's desire to destroy every AT gun as a priority did a whole lot to expose the weakness of the ill-equipped and deployed Nazi defenders. Still getting used to fighting defensively in PG, and this fight had some teachable and coachable moments for me.

I give this mess, a generous rating 2, because it was fun to play with a dangerous and cunning opponent after we added the tanks leaders as others have suggested. Next time, I get to do the attacking in what I hope will be a better play-tested game. This one is probably best played as a solitaire game.