One has to consider a cavalry charge into the face of modern weaponry cruelty to animals. An understrength Soviet cavalry battalion needs to attack a line held by two companies of Germans with ample artillery support. We can only hope that the man who ordered this monstrosity was himself severely dealt with. Cavalry certainly had its uses in the Second World War but they were hopelessly out of date as shock troops.

This is a short and simple scenario and one which plays well solo. There is no subterfuge available to either side. The Germans have the short axis of the board to defend and the Soviets have to get across the board and either kill Germans or get off the board. With a short length (15 turns), there is precious little time for maneuver or preparation fire (with a range of 1 on the cavalry, the very concept of prep fire loses something).

The Germans set up with their artillery on the hill for spotting purposes and the infantry, AT and HMG support on the wings. The Soviets, of course started out directly for the artillery in order to silence it and get through the center of the German line. The T-60s, however, started on a wing so as to avoid crossfire bonuses.

This initial Soviet strategy quickly come to an end as the artillery caused losses and morale disintegration before the horses even got close to the guns. Four platoons of cavalry did try to reach the hill but were savaged by the HMGs and were caught in a nasty crossfire and ultimately ran away (thank goodness for the horses' sake). They then decided to try a flank assault with the intention of getting steps off the board. This was moderately successful as one tank platoon and one reduced cavalry platoon did actually make it off the board. The rest of the force was repelled again for a very simple and compelling German victory.

I enjoy these enter and exit scenarios quite a bit so the rating of "3" needs to be understood in that context. This is a slaughter, plain and simple. The Soviets will take horendous losses and have little chance of winning. Nevertheless, I believe that the scenario conveys the feeling of desperation necessary in the Soviet player's mind to understand what the commander must have felt (with the exception of having to look at all those dying animals).