Author	Schoenwulf (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	Daedalus
Play Date	2021-12-03
Language	English
Scenario	FitS002

This scenario is driven in large part on the speed with which the Germans can control the west town in order to allow their reinforcements to enter. Thus, the ability of the Soviets to hold the town is critical for a victory. In this playthrough, the Soviets set their entrenchments in a line three hexes east of the river bridge, overlapping the westernmost hex of the town. The Germans advancing across the bridge took heavy fire and subsequent damage, while German engineers set up in river hexes well away from Soviet fire both north and south of the bridge. The Soviet OBA, which doesn’t seem all that powerful (2x18) was able to keep the engineers disrupted and slow crossings on the flanks. The engineers had finally crossed those units that they could and headed toward the town on Turns 11-13. Meanwhile, as the Soviets took losses in the town, they brought reinforcements from the woods east of it. Eventually, after several units received the Order of Lenin, the Germans cleared the town on Turn 25, which left little time (5 turns) to cross two maps and attempt to capture the eastern village for victory. The Soviets had set their remaining tanks and AT weapons along the only east/west road creating a gauntlet for the Germans to traverse. The German die roll on Turn 26 was kind, and reinforcements began crossing the Bug and heading east. However, time was short and they were forced to use the east/west road for any chance at controlling the eastern town by the 30-turn game end, so they threw caution to the winds and had to risk running the AT gauntlet. That approach was costly as three tanks were DM or lost as well as a number of loaded trucks that transported troops vital for seizing the east town. Some units did get through and were able to threaten the east town, but the German OBA simply couldn’t inflict any significant damage on the Soviet units holding the town. So, the game ended with the Soviets in control of all five east town hexes. They had lost 63 steps to the Germans 45 and had reduced the German initiative for a clear Soviet victory. This set the Soviets up for a campaign victory since they had decreased the German initiative by one and denied the Germans a victory. However, the Germans still had a chance for a draw in the campaign.