An updated version of this scenario is available at Eastern Front Deluxe Scenario 9.

It's a very short night meeting engagement scenario, with both sides trying to control a large town.

The Soviets started closer to the town, and got farther into it than the Germans to start. The Soviet tanks tried to chase down the lone StuGIIIb platoon, but the StuGs managed to take out half a platoon of the light tanks and retreat into cover in the town.

The Germans had the advantage in firepower since they were able to combine groups for Direct Fire (the Soviet leaders had no Combat bonuses at all). Even with their combined firepower however, they were unable to do much due to the night and the protection of the town. Neither side was able to inflict significant casualties with firepower alone and the battle came down to assaults. The Germans were forced to attack since they held fewer town hexes.

The Germans were able to do some serious damage to the defenders in the assaults, but the Soviets were able to commit enough reserves to keep the Germans from evicting them. In the end, the Soviets held ten town hexes to the Germans' eight (two were contested). Soviet Victory.

The Soviet light tanks aren't great, but they outnumber the German armor six-to-one and the StuGs can't afford to get pinned down anywhere. This means they can't really help out in the assaults. That and the short time limit makes this one tough for the Germans.

Author	Tambu (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2024-03-19
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr032

This was a quick (2-sessions) and fairly intense meeting engagement in the dark. I doubt if anyone playtested this confused, all-or-nothing scenario that does not allow a draw - that this should have been. My skilled opponent led the Soviets and I had the inadequate, but stronger, German side. We fought for control of a large, 22-hex town, which the Soviets were fast to enter and try to secure. One of the sillier special rules we have encountered was that the Russian mortar may only fire on units it sees. This in a nighttime battle! Luckily we played with the smoke/illum, excess initiative, strategic movement optional rules. at least this his allowed the Soviet mortar to get off 3 whole shots and one illum launch! We ignored the FOW, since this is only a 9-turn fight on 2 maps. The Soviets had a miserable leader draw, and the Germans had much better leaders.

The Germans had slightly better luck in close assaults, and adjacent-hex firefights or this would have been a Russian win. All but two and a half of the Soviet tank platoons were eliminated. The German STGIII made the mistake of getting pinned in a close assault and was shot up by vengeful Soviet T-34s.

In the end, the Soviets held 9 town hexes to the German's 8 with five more still contested). The Germans eliminated more than 12 Soviet steps (14 in all), but the Russians accounted for 16 German steps. Since neither player achieved an outright win, the VCs give the victory to the Germans. Talk about a gamey and accidental way to win a tight game!

I give this scenario a generous rating of 2, and recommend it for SOLO play only. The limited number of turns makes this difficult for both sides, but then hands the game to the Germans on a technicality. The victory conditions need a rewrite, as this should have been a draw.