Author	treadasaurusrex (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	Schoenwulf
Play Date	2024-02-05
Language	English
Scenario	DelP013

This was a fun-filled, fast playing 2-session play-through with the determined & resolute, Schoenwulf, leading elements of the 9th Polish Infantry Division that were holding the 5-hex town just east of the Brda River. I led the German invaders from the 3rd Panzer Division that were assigned to cross the river to assail the waiting Poles. We both drew decent leaders, the German set was slightly better. We played with the smoke/illum and excess initiative optional rules. In addition, we experimentally used the following one house rules: 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.

The initial session (game turns 1-8) featured an extended, right flank movement to contact for the German invaders across the southern half of Map 3. There were 2 turns of delays for the Germans crossing the Brda, but this was not contested by the Poles. Instead, a portion of the Polish force redeployed briefly further south into the depths of the woods just south of the 5-hex town as the Germans moved to the east, and two companies of landsers curled around the woods and swept north to menace the town from the rear. Most Axis OBA was ineffective for the first few turns, although the Polish mortars were demoralized and later forced to retreat into other town hexes. A 4-turn German close assault on the southeastern margin of the town, was repeatedly thwarted and even reinforced by the town’s Polish garrison. Multiple adjacent hex firefights in the town and the south wood were comparatively bloodless until the 6th game turn when the Germans finally drew first blood. By the end of the session, there were only 3 Polish step losses and none for the Third Reich invaders. The Poles still controlled the broken bridge hex and 4 of the 5 hexes in the town, but their initiative level fell at the end of game turn 8.

Our second, action-packed session (game turns 9-12) featured the Germans tightening their grip on both the town and the south woods, as their troops moved into decisive engagement range. Multiple adjacent-hex firefights and close assaults resulted in the Germans controlling of the bridge hex, a final total of 10 polish steps lost, and the capture of 4 of the 5 town hexes required for a major victory.

This was a relatively, well-balanced scenario that could have gone either way depending on the breaks and fate. We think that it is suitable for both SOLO and SHARED play. We give this one a solid 4.