Played this scenario solo over the course of a week, as I am incorporating some Campaigns and Commanders scenarios to beef up the career of two young Leutnants that have the unfortunate honour of receiving their Commissions into the Kurmark Panzer Grenadier Division in Jan '45!

An interesting start, the Germans are strung out along a highway, with the Victory Conditions requiring the Germans get over the Oder River via a single bridge and the help of an Engineer unit.

The Soviets roll onto the map from the East and are tasked with trying to cut off the retreat and trap as many fascists as possible before escaping over the river.

Easier said than done!

The German setup had the SS units acting as a rearguard on the highway while the Heer units were set up to the West, with the slower units up front in order to get them over the bridge on time. The Tiger and Panther were left behind with the SS to try and slow the Guards' T34's and JSU's long enough to get the bulk of the units over the river on time and in good order.

The Soviets concentrated the bulk of their armour and mobile troops (along with the two Engineer units) to the South, as this provided the clearest avenue of approach, with some forces to the North of the highway tasked to tie down German troops while their comrades force a Southern crossing of the Oder. A mistake!

Long story short, the German troops could retreat along the highway much faster than the Soviets could cover the clear terrain on the Southern portion of the maps. German artillery in the form of a Wespe and some heavy mortar units that set up in the forests West of the Oder made life miserable for the approaching Guards.

I would suggest perhaps not using the Southern map approach, and instead as the Sov player concentrating all forces in the North to make a run for the bridge and try to capture it intact.

A major victory for the Germans.