The first thing to note is that the Soviets get to set up in the town on Board 2 with four separate entrenchments which gives them the chance to get their AT guns in place for a cross fire. Secondly they have enough artillery to make the German infantry squeal as they cross the board to get to the town. Finally the Soviets can stick one of those entrenchments on the hilltop with a leader which means that the Germans can't use cover as they approach the town.

The Germans, on the other hand, have a few older Pz 35ts and a mixed infantry force and are charged with the need to cross the board and clear a large town in 4 hours. A daunting task to be sure but they are missing one of their prime advantages. They don't have a morale advantage.

Upon entering the board the Germans move to take out the entrenchment on the hilltop to give them some cover. Tanks are sent to help the infantry (for the combined arms column adjustment, there are no engineers in the scenario). They also send a large portion of their infantry to the south to take out one leg of the crossfire set up with the Soviet AT guns.

After an hour the Germans had cleared the hilltop and engaged the southern end of the Soviet AT defenses giving them the confidence to begin advancing on Bogdanovo. The Soviets apparently unaware of their lack of crossfire immediately rolled two hits on the tanks. The Germans, now caught in the open tried to close on the town but were hammered by the Soviet artillery and reached 8 step losses quickly and painfully thus losing the scenario.

I know that the Soviet rolls were unreal and another play of exactly this same tactic would create a better result for the Germans but I believe that this result is likely. As the fifth play of the scenario, all of which have been Soviet victories I expect that the task at hand is simply too difficult. Either the Germans will lose too many steps or they will run out of time to clear the town or both.

I had no doubt that I would be able to clear the town given sufficient time. The goal is to clear the town to use as a base for the coming evening yet the scenario ends at noon. Another 8 turns would totally change the likely result and still give the Germans a chance to make their beds before nighttime.

The combination of a short timeframe and the need to totally clear the town makes the Germans take risks in coming to grips with the Soviets which they normally would not do. So as I sat down to write this one up I felt that the goal of the scenario wasn't reached and that the result was contrived. Then I reread the introduction, "every structure took on added importance as shelter from the elements". I've been really cold before and I must admit that being cold causes one to throw caution to the wind and take risks that you normally wouldn't (rationally at any rate). So, despite my earlier complaints, a 4 is given due to the ability of the short timeframe to simulate the effect of freezing cold and the desperation that it can engender in men unused to it. Yes it's hard for the Germans to win this one but that is due to their hurry to get warm.