Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	PANISTA
Play Date	2023-01-10
Language	English
Scenario	BluD007

This was a 3-session play-through with another quick-learning rookie, leading the defending Spanish and Germans. I played the attacking Soviet Commander mostly because that side had some armor. The Spanish garrison the west town, and the Germans garrison the eastern town. We played using the defense-favoring FOW, and the excess initiative, smoke/illim and consolidation optional rules. Both sides drew fairly poor leaders, though the Spanish and German were sets were of considerably better quality.

In our play-through, the twin prongs of the Soviet force advance from both east and west as others have described, with the meager Soviet armored force approaching from the east. The tanks were in the lead, and they took the east town under fire early in the game resulting in a number of German disruptions 7 demoralizations, as well as a leader loss. After a 3-turn movement-to-contact the Soviet infantry finally caught up after pushing through deep snow. They begin to surround both towns. The Axis side draws first blood as they apply suppressive fire by both garrisons to the forward edge of the Soviet advance. The attackers are particularly hurt by the 81mm mortars firing from the eastern town in support of the German garrison. In the end, both sides lost several leaders in this play-through, even before the close assaults began.

As things continued to develop, the east town's German garrison was reduced and demoralized, causing a tactical withdrawal allowing the advancing Soviets to enter the town and seize ground. Axis step losses are marginal at this point, as far more Russians are falling than German or Spanish soldiers. the Soviets contunually have difficulty recovering their demoralized troops. As the PG fates would have it, the Axis mortar units were forced to flee and are eliminated by opfire. It was a major chore to cycle fresh Russian troops into these fights, particularly against the garrison in the eastern town. In the west town, Spanish Ski units attempted to break out of the encircling Soviet grip to help their German allies in the east town. The persistent covering fire from the Soviet T-34 begins to pay dividends during game turns 8-11 and some of the Axis heavy weapons were eliminated or demoralized. The Russian armor now begins to shift (turns 12-16) to engage the Spanish garrison in the west town. In game turns 15-20, the Soviets are able to clear the remaining Germans in the east town, forcing the remaining Germans into the addjoining woods. All but the the last town hex in the east town falls under Soviet control, in spite of a spirited Spanish counter attacks.

The results of this fight was a hard-fought draw. The Soviets failed to inflicting the compulsory 5 step loses, but they did succeed in controlling 3 town hexes. All but one of the other town hexes in play were contested at the end of our 3rd session. The Spanish/German side was not able to achieve the required 12 or more step losses by one step! However, they did manage to hold a single town hex for the duration.

I give this one a generous 3. This is another scenario that could use a rewrite and additional play testing if it is ever re-issued.