Recently I picked up the demo game from Avalanche Press, and having finished reading the rules, I was able to try the game out. Things started out slowly, but as I went I began to grasp the flow of the game and familiarize myself with some of the charts, so thing sped up. This was my first proper wargaming and solo gaming experience, and I definitely enjoyed it, so a boxed game purchase is likely in my future.

The game itself was exciting until the end. The Soviets dug most of their infantry and an ATR in among the fields north of the farm, with an HMG covering the right flank and an SMG platoon close to the farm itself, acting as a reserve and covering the artillery and mortar units. The Germans amassed their infantry units in front of the main Soviet defenses and moved in to assault them from the beginning, with a StuG platoon offering support close behind. The German artillery and mortars did a poor job of softening up the Soviets, and as a result the main German thrust quickly bogged down (pesky first fire!). The StuG did move in and turned the tide of one of the two assaults in favor of the Germans, but due to the sacrifice of the HMG to buy time and the continued resistance of a sole infantry platoon in the face of three assaulting German infantry units, the Germans were unable to reach the farm in time. Even if they had reached it, there were Soviet units that had escaped at the expense of the HMG ready and waiting for them. The Soviet infantry platoon that held three German platoons in check for 7 entire turns was definitely the hero unit of the battle, although poor German rolls and ineffectiveness of the German artillery and Luftwaffe certainly helped.

Looking back, I definitely could have approached the game better from the German side, but I just wanted to get a feel for the how the game plays, and I did just that. Next time I will try a more tactical approach. Overall it was a fun experience, and I look forward to playing more Panzer Grenadier in the future.