I tried something different with this scenario, just to see if the game system truly rewarded the proper application of tactics. Well, to be accurate, I was questioning whether the improper application of tactics would be punished, so, sort of my initial question, but in reverse.

Well, I am very happy to say that the game system does in fact punish you when you depart from conventional tactics. In this scenario, the Germans are tasked with capturing 70% of the Soviet town hexes and clearing the road network. In order to accomplish this, I divided the German forces into 3x separate combat commands, each tasked with achieving their objectives independently of each other. Conventional tactics would have identified each Soviet position and called for the application of overwhelming force against the enemy. By dividing my forces into mutually unsupported elements, I was courting disaster from the outset.

The Soviets were deployed such that they could cover everything, but rapidly reinforce critically threatened areas. They did this remarkably. Each of the smaller German forces were repeatedly bogged down in their assaults due to the concentrated fire of mutually supporting Soviet elements. It wasn't until the plodding Tiger II's (Tigers at Zamoly) came up to each sector that the Soviets were overwhelmed and defeated in detail.

Ultimately, the Germans took 3x of the four towns in their entirety (9 of 10 total town hexes) but at such a cost that the Soviets bled them white. The Germans suffered 36 step losses (counting Tanks double). Luckily none of their Tiger II's fell casualty (they would have counted triple). It was very nearly a draw as the Soviets did achieve their minor victory goal, but I gave the Germans the overall victory for achieving their major victory goal, while also nearly annihilating the Soviet host. All that survived for the Soviets was a company of cavalry and a platoon of T34-C's. While the Germans survived with nearly three full battalions worth of troops, so many ended the scenario in a demoralized state that it would likely take hours of game time to rally everyone and reorganize sufficiently to continue the advance.

The lesson learned here was to maximize fire effect and not divide forces. There were many times where German tanks were caught in crossfires (The T70's were outstanding in this capacity) and only survived due to their armor values and blind luck. Eventually the superior German AT values won the day by destroying the Soviet tanks at every turn, but the Soviets gave nearly as good as they got. 36 German step losses in a late war scenario such as this would not have been wildly received at the Fuhrer's bunker, even if the overall mission was a success!!!