Author	ACav (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2023-11-22
Language	English
Scenario	PaGr028

This was a kind of long, 5-session play-through with the Treadasaurus ably leading the attacking hordes of Soviets, I had the Germans of the 6th Panzer Division in what turned unto a seesaw battle that might have ended in a draw if I had deployed all the Axis force on Map 1, and not tried to outmaneuver my opponent's tanks. I put too much stock in the weird SSR that called for the Soviets to throw dice to determine which of their armored units could move. Neither side had off board artillery or air support. Both sides drew decent leaders for this fight, but the Russians eventually prevailed by inflicting more the 28 step losses. The odd SSRs and confusing victory conditions could use a rewrite. As published, this one is probably better as a solitaire game.

We played with the FOW, consolidation, excess initiative and extended assault optional rules, PLUS these 2 house rules that imposed movement and game play: Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 a Movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, and Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes.

Mostly this game consisted of overwhelming Soviet infantry attacks that came from two directions with bloody and intermittent tanks fights on both the east and west edges of the battle map. German step losses mounted quite rapidly, as did Soviet losses among the large group of reduced platoons that my opponent used as skirmishers to draw OPFIRE away from the main Russian efforts. A German senior leader decapitation and many useless combat 7-die rolls hurt the defending Axis side, far more than the advancing Soviets. In the end, the Germans tried to hold too much ground, too thinly, and lost control of the central map board as they ran out of defending troops. Final step losses were 41 for the Germans, and 25 for the Soviets. There were 7 FOW-shortened turns of the 24 we played.

We both give this sloppily-designed scenario a generous 3, and feel that the use of the two house rules made for a much better, play-through.