NOTE: For a long time, I played the morale rules wrong, with units just needing to roll their morale or less to recover, not less than their morale. This is reflected in some of the commentaries.

Scenario 2 is a beginning of the war scenario and is a small one, with the Germans having superiority in numbers, morale and equipment. The German objective is to get 8 units (not steps) off the board while losing no more than 2 steps. The Russians have to guess where the Germans are going to go, and with this in mind I spread them out in a rough line to cut off likely German advances. In an earlier session report, someone asked about hex numbers, so I wrote them down. In 0302 I had a 1/2 platoon. Dug in full squads were in 0403, 0505, 0606, 0807 and a full platoon was in 1007. Another 1/2 platoon was in 1207. The 1/2 strength HMG platoon was dug in at 0603, the full strength HMG was dug in at 0505. The mortar was in 0903. The Germans light artillery was in the town while the heavy artillery was on the hill. The infantry was clustered around the road, while the armored car was near the front. The initial setup is shown in the picture below.

On the 0500 turn, the both the off board and on board artillery hit the full strength HMG and while the on board forced a morale check, the HMG passed. The Soviets then began digging in their other troops. The armored car raced ahead, while the infantry split into two groups, one heading north, one heading east.

At 0515 the Germans had a 3 impulse advantage and didn't get much out of it as the off board artillery was ineffective, as was return fire from the Soviet mortar. The armored car took a pot shot at the Soviet 1/2 squad in 1207 and demoralized it, however it quickly rallied to disrupted. The Germans advanced into range of the full strength HMG and and were able to escape casualties.

At 0530, the Germans continue their advance. Artillery demoralized the 1/2 strength HMG squad that came out of dug out, while spirited return fire from the Soviets actually took out a step from the Germans. The German HMGs didn't take out any Soviet steps, however they did demoralize the dug in squad in 0807. This was the start of many problems for the Soviets, because their leaders weren't any good, and once they got demoralized they tended to stay that way. Even worse was the plight of the 1/2 strength platoons, with a morale of 5, were basically doomed.

By 0545, the Soviets were already in trouble. Germans were in contact, and there weren't enough Soviets to go around, and not enough adjacent to leaders to move to shore up any holes in an already thin line. The armored car headed towards the north edge through the gap in the Soviet lines created by demoralized units.

At 0600, the Soviets ran into more problems when the German on board artillery took a step off the full strength HMG and sent it running. The Germans were into close combat now, and the Soviets stood no chance against the superior firepower and morale, even where they had had first fire for being dug in. The Germans were now pouring through their lines.

Soon it was all over but the dying. The Soviets had nothing with which to stop the Germans. Demoralized units just hunkered down in panic, with Germans on all side. For their part, the Germans eliminated a few of the Soviets and mostly bypassed them.

I think it would be next to impossible for the Soviets to win this scenario. They have inferior numbers, inferior troops, less artillery, and inferior leaders. The just have to hope they can get a couple of lucky hits on the Germans to win the game. While they start dug in, if they shift to meet a German threat, they lose that advantage. I think this scenario was very well suited to solitaire play. At least it went quickly.