5 SMG platoons and a reduced T34 of average morale have to defend four town hexes including a bridge from a horde (2 battalions and a platoon of PzIVs) of really uninspired Germans (morale 6/5). While the Germans melt away from Opportunity Fire quite easily one must actually get a result in order for that to happen. Helping the Germans again is that this is a night fight so their bumbling advance and poor morale are only evident when they get real close.

As a result, it is nearly impossible to keep the Germans from assaulting the Soviet forces. The good news is that virtually any result in the assault will result in plenty of morale failures amongst the German troops, but there are just so darn many of them.

In the end, numbers mattered and the Germans overwhelmed the Soviet defenders. The firepower and mass of the Germans was critical. This is a great scenario for understanding how to use mass and reserves in assault combat. It is essential for the Germans to keep their troops in hand and pursue rapid reinforcement of the assault hexes. Leaders with morale bonuses must be available for rally activity.

Trading fire with the Soviets is insane, just assault and don't worry about the detritus (losses or those red and black counters on top of your units). With the numbers you have you can't worry. Consider yourself Zulus. Oh wait, that wouldn't work for Nazis would it? Never mind.

This really is an excellent training scenario for assault combat. If as the Germans you don't keep at least two good order GREN platoons adjacent to each assault hex to reinforce the hex as the current occupants get disrupted or demoralized you will not be able to win. Give the Soviets a chance to recover and you have lost the game. I give it a "4" for the lessons taught.