A highly recommended advanced river crossing scenario for the Germans and Soviets. It gives the Soviets a good chance at stopping the Germans with several SSR's that will balance out some of the German advantage in numbers. The Germans have quite an advantage with a full battalion of troops to assault the river of Dvina. Supported by many ENG's and HMG's make this an majority infantry fight. There are a couple of German Stug platoons but that is it for the armor. The Russians have a sizable force of INF, HMGs and 76mm guns that are dugin and entrenched on the southern side of the river. Mines also make the German advance tough. There is plenty of bombardment factors for both sides as the 76mm will most likely be employed for bombardment support. One note on the play there is conflicting SSRs for the river, it says it is minor but there is river crossing numbers for a major river. I played it as a major river after looking at maps of the area.

With my play the Soviets setup, they look to block the bridges across the river. They position entrenchment on the bridges with HMG and INF's hold the bridges. AT guns position for cross fire on the center bridges while the mortars and 76mm guns set up to maximize their fire. Mines will also funnel any advance to the stronger Soviet positions. The Germans will just need to advance carefully and push against the bridge positions and take any losses to take the bridges. With the volume of troops this should not be a problem for the Germans.

The advance starts with the Germans getting on the board behind the woods that shield them from the Soviets. The main group commanded by the Lt. Col. advance into the town opposite the center bridge. A second group moves west to attack western bridge and push for the western flank of the western town. The center heats up first, German OBA begins to work the fortified bridge and is able to start to get morale results. This allows the German assault troops to position next to the bridge. Supporting fire from the Soviet HMG's slow the Germans and morale check are failed for key leaders. German OBA continues to work over the supporting Soviet HMG's and eventually the center bridge is assaulted with positive results for the Germans. in short order the Soviets are destroyed but with losses of two German platoons. German unit pour over the river and ENG's move to put more crossings over. Heavy Soviet bombardment destroys a couple more Germans, but they are across in force and looking to capture the first town in front of them.

The Soviets have limited counter attack ability without leaving open towns for the Germans to occupy, this allows the Germans to concentrate their forces but are vulnerable to Soviet OBA. German assault teams of Stugs and INF advance but Soviet AT guns are able to knock out one step of Stugs while they are maneuvering. This is small consolation as the first town falls with heavy Soviet losses. However the German advance is threatened by a entrenched wooded location that they must deal with. Infantry positions to attack it but heavy HMG fire keeps them at bay. German OBA is called in and the Soviets break. Germans advance and assault but only tie up the Soviets so they cannot fire on the main advance.

With units on the main road to board 10, they look to advance but need to cross a minefield. A ENG advances and discovers a 3 FP field. Surviving the attack it moves off not will to disarm the dense field under fire. This cause the company designated to rush up the road to detour through the woods. It slows them down but they still force one artillery/mortar position to abandon there position and head back onto board 10. The advance company continues to advance and runs into the dugin defenders of the town on board 10. OBA tries to work over the Soviets, but the fast company moves around them and enters the town from the east. This forces the Soviets to shift defenders from the front to the center to defend the town hexes. Soon the Germans assault and bombard the German positions taking several hexes and destroying more 76mm guns. But the German company is small and cannot take the town by itself.

Up comes the German Major with a reinforcing company, but fire from a 76mm gun and a AT gun demoralized the Majors force and stopping them short of the town. The Germans will have to leave some of the town hexes to the Soviets by the end of the game.

But the other big fight is the advance on the flank on the west. Several companies with good ENG support, take the western bridge after a long a heavy fighting. They advance on the Soviet entrenchment and quickly take it but heavy fire from the western town demoralized several German units. This forces the Germans to advance through the woods to attack the town. But the town is defend by SMG's and HMG's so the assaults will be tough. The Germans eventually get close, but the fights do no go the Germans way and they take heavy losses but still hold on in the assaults. Supporting units from the center attack push in from the east and slowing wear down the Soviets.

But this help has a cost and the Soviets are willing exploit it with remnant units reoccupying the German controlled towns. German reinforcements are diverted to retake the towns. This keep vital reinforcements from board 10, but in the end the Soviet losses pile up and give the Germans a major victory. 30 Soviet steps are lost to the Germans 15 but the Soviets just don't have the troops to plug the holes that the Germans have advanced over the river.

So this was a great river crossing scenario that can go either way for the players. Would be interest to see a FtF play at some point.