This scenario pretty much has it all; tanks, air-support, pontoon bridge building, smoke rounds, plenty of limiting terrain, ample space, a reasonable turn length and a 100+ counter density. The IRGD have a very specific task, to effectively eliminate all Soviet opposition or at least all units on the easternmost map. Nothing less than that will suffice for victory. The Soviets have a sizable force to defend with and a wide variety of deployment options along with up to ten units already dug-in.

The Soviets set up first and are allowed to deploy up to eight units on the western map near the existing bridge. In this area all three 45mm AT guns were placed to cover all areas of the river along with one 82mm mortar and a combination of HMG and INF units set-up as a roadblock. In the center map area were more INF units supported by a triple-stack of T-26s hidden in the fields, poised to ambush any units that made it through the intial roadblock. On the eastern map the two other platoons of T-26s were deployed with the remaining mortar units on the northernmost hill while the 76.2mm batteries were located on the higher hill south of the town supported by a few foot units. All the other rabble hunkered down in the town itself bracing for the inevitable urban assault.

The Germans selected one ENG unit paired with an INF unit to begin constructing the pontoon bridge at the northern portion of the map, just out of DF range of the AT gun deployed across the river from them. Meanwhile, the main battleforce not loaded on transport began to send units piecemeal across the river to take on the roadblock but taking care not to leave any units behind on river hexes as the SSR #8 gives a +1 DF and indirect fire bonus against them. German OBA is highly deadly with 2x24 and 4x16 available and this is used to clear away the AT gun threat rather than use 2x16 of it for smoke rounds. The IRGD takes some light casualties early on going at the roadblock right away braving opportuntiy fire and an assault is made on it immediately. The intial assault takes a while to complete but other units work their way around it and keep pressing east. Whatever the case I made a point of keeping the Germans constantly on the move as time was of the essence; the advance was a bit scattered to begin with but units did manage to eventually link-up enough in force to continue the drive effectively.

At 06:30/turn 7 the roadblock had been dispersed and German units had begun to make contact with the Soviets hiding out in the fields. By this time the panzers and StugIIIB had made their way ahead to support the INF units and briefly engaged the T-26s. Once one step of T-26s were quickly eliminated the panzers kept driving on ahead to track down the other T-26s which had dug-in on the hill further east, leaving the rest in the fields to the infantry. The German assaults in the fields go quite well and instead of supporting the Soviet INF units there the remaining T-26s begin to make a slow retreat towards the other, higher hills south of the town. A vacancy on the 40mm hill opened up after the 76.2mms were eliminated by German OBA. Soon German units begin to gather and assemble outside the main town, slowly filling in the ranks. All this time the designated ENG platoon contiued to construct the pontoon bridge across the river unscathed by Soviet OBA or DF and by 08:00/turn 13 it was completed. It was never contested as German units were managing to move units quite efficiently already across the main bridge and Soviet OBA had more threatening targets to contend with.

Around 08:45/turn 16 the fields in the central area have been cleared out of all Soviet opposition; in fact, by that time, no Soviet units were left on either the western or central map except for one lone and disrupted Lieutenant that had lingered around in the woods to spot for OBA if needed. Now most of the German assault force had gathered for an assault on the main town with more mobile reinforcements trailing behind safe from any AT fire. Simultaneously the panzers and StugIIIB prepare to engage the T-26s dug-in on the northern hill. Just before the first urban assault takes place a German "change in orders" random event occurs resulting in a shell shortage! This was right when I was considering using the smoke rounds for the first time to give the panzers some cover before taking on the Soviet tanks. Instead the panzers battle the T-26s without smoke cover or being able to set-up crossfire; though those T-26s do eventually get wiped out it is at the cost of a whole platoon's worth of PzIIIGs. Despite a few minor setbacks the Germans are keeping a very decent timetable. A good deal of units in the rearguard were slowed down after the German LT-COL perished after a whole platoon of HMGS was wiped out by Soviet OBA but that did not phase the ongoing urban assault.

Once the first town hex was cleared German units swarmed in all around it and the defenders began to break very rapidly though the first town hex that was assaulted on the west end held out a lot longer than most of the rest. It seemed inevitable that it would only be a short amount of time before the entire town was cleared. The panzers had managed to flank around eastern edge of town to support the the foot units and cordon off escape areas for fleeing Soviet units. Soon the town was almost entirely encircled forcing fleeing units to move towards the southeast corner, by the last refuge of the hills there. Things continued to to go like clockwork for the IGRD. The last of the T-26s that had dug-in on the 40m hill found themselves not only in AT gun AND panzer crossfire but were also threatened by an INF assault team. The Soviet tankers were doomed; either use DF against adjacent INF units or use AT fire against the panzers? Either option didn't look good but they chose to use DF fire and did manage to demoralize the leader leading the potential assault. Too bad that the panzer's AT crossfire got them anyway! So the battle wraps up with the last Soviet INF platoon having to flee to the southeast corner of the map with nowhere else to go. Defiantly it does manage to recover while a horde of both armored and foot units begin to mass and converge upon it. In a last act of defiance the sole remaining Soviet leader calls down a last burst of OBA that manages to demoralize the German Major and wipe out an SPW 251 unit but then the panzers gang up to finish off that last INF step and rolls over the Soviet Lieutenant squish in the corner with no hex to escape to. At 13:00/turn 33 there is not one soviet unit or leader left on the entire battlefield with 3 turns left to go; a complete and decisive German victory.

I have rated this one a "5" as it has to have been one of the most rewarding EF scenarios yet. I think it will challenge both the German and Soviet player alike. I'm sure I could of deployed the Soviets better, perhaps set-up more roadblocks? But what I think really worked for playing the Germans was keeping them constantly on the move, no matter what. Even when the urban assaults got bogged down I managed to keep units moving around and flanking constantly. This really challenged my unit management and organization along with keeping a rigid timetable. The one thing I regret was not being able to use the smoke rounds before the shell shortage eliminated the German OBA, as this is the first scenario that I've played using smoke. Then again, not being able to use the smoke rounds gives it even more of a replay value. Also would like to revisit this one again to see if I could repeat what I accomplished with the Germans, as many things that actually went right could of gone far more wrong. Usually I struggle with large attacking forces with a high counter density but this time I may have learned something after more than a few failures.