In Virginia we have "gnat season". A short and very uncomfortable time during the spring where it seems as though small annoying flying insects find large puddles of vodka laced beverages and party at head height throughout my yard. Walking to the car can often be a terror laced activity as the tiny bugs become lodged in hair, ears, glasses, etc. (I have a mustache so let your imagination run wild). To defend we, of course, resort to swatting whereby we wildly swing at the darn things and they move deftly out of the way. My children, whose hearing is far better than mine, suggest that the gnats respond with tiny, derisive laughter.

This scenario is like that for the Soviet.

A fast group of German recon troops have to duel a Soviet force with some SMG support for control of a town. Neither player will have the strength to "take" the town so it is important to understand that this is a dance and not a fight. My Soviets came to this realization too late to win the battle.

Here's how it works. Both sides enter the board from opposite edges. The Germans are aided by a spur of a road and will get into the town before the Soviets. The Soviets will want to protect their armor in any case where the opposing forces may come in contact as the Germans will assault a lone armor unit without infantry support.

As the Soviets approach the German mechanized units they run away. Always keeping the final movement to themselves and always ending the turn with a town space between them and the Soviets thereby giving them the opportunity to run around, between and beside the Soviet guns which would turn them into mincemeat if they could ever draw a bead on them.

Time and again the Soviets would try to pen in the Germans and the Germans would run around and recapture terrain they had lost and recapture the victory condition. The Soviets would "swing", and the German gnats would avoid the swat and laugh derisively.

Oddly, this is one urban battle where speed of movement matters far more than any other factor. It was a frustrating little scenario. I give it a "2".