Setup: The Germans choose to setup their defensive line along the north-south road that road through the middle of the map. They spread out so that all but three of the road hexes are covered by the German units.

Play: The Soviet force enters on the eastern map edge and move towards the German line at a slow rate so that the entire force can move as one, due to the shortage of Soviet leaders. As soon as the cavalry are within two hexes, they initiate four separate cavalry charges, two in the north and two in the center, making sure that one of the targeted hexes contained the German's 105mm, which had been holding back the Soviet T-26's.

Two of the charges work perfectly, the horses surviving opportunity fire, and one loses one of three cavalry platoons, but the other two make it into the assault. The northernmost charge completely fails and three steps are lost. The initial assaults go well for the Soviets, but tie up almost all of their units, and the Germans can respond with risking extra gaps in their lines.

The assaults continue, but neither side has quite enough to do serious damage to the other, and both sides must rely on compound demoralization and lucky results to reduce the enemy. The assaults drag on for turns while the T-26's push through the gaps in the Germans' line. The German 37mm's take pot shots at them, and manage to take out one step, but the Soviet tank makes their morale check and continue towards the western edge. The Soviet cavalry and German defenders continue to fight close range, but the Soviets are almost completely broken, although still in the assaults as the game ends.

Result: German Victory

One has to consider a cavalry charge into the face of modern weaponry cruelty to animals. An understrength Soviet cavalry battalion needs to attack a line held by two companies of Germans with ample artillery support. We can only hope that the man who ordered this monstrosity was himself severely dealt with. Cavalry certainly had its uses in the Second World War but they were hopelessly out of date as shock troops.

This is a short and simple scenario and one which plays well solo. There is no subterfuge available to either side. The Germans have the short axis of the board to defend and the Soviets have to get across the board and either kill Germans or get off the board. With a short length (15 turns), there is precious little time for maneuver or preparation fire (with a range of 1 on the cavalry, the very concept of prep fire loses something).

The Germans set up with their artillery on the hill for spotting purposes and the infantry, AT and HMG support on the wings. The Soviets, of course started out directly for the artillery in order to silence it and get through the center of the German line. The T-60s, however, started on a wing so as to avoid crossfire bonuses.

This initial Soviet strategy quickly come to an end as the artillery caused losses and morale disintegration before the horses even got close to the guns. Four platoons of cavalry did try to reach the hill but were savaged by the HMGs and were caught in a nasty crossfire and ultimately ran away (thank goodness for the horses' sake). They then decided to try a flank assault with the intention of getting steps off the board. This was moderately successful as one tank platoon and one reduced cavalry platoon did actually make it off the board. The rest of the force was repelled again for a very simple and compelling German victory.

I enjoy these enter and exit scenarios quite a bit so the rating of "3" needs to be understood in that context. This is a slaughter, plain and simple. The Soviets will take horendous losses and have little chance of winning. Nevertheless, I believe that the scenario conveys the feeling of desperation necessary in the Soviet player's mind to understand what the commander must have felt (with the exception of having to look at all those dying animals).

I have been wanting to play one scenario on the day that it occurred. This one fit the bill. Short small amount of counters, something to finish in an evening. Unfortunately, it finished much sooner. This scenario is purely historical, balance is very lopsided for Germans. I was even able to get the 10-2-2 German Lt into the battle.

All the factors favor the Germans, OBA, HMGs, setup, morale and victory conditions. The Soviets only chance is to try to run past the German fire. But it did not work. Germans OBA signaled the demise of the Soviet cavalry. Demoralizing the first units it hit and continuing unit the units were reduced and demoralized. But the Soviets keep coming. German Op fire hit the Soviets and disrupted and demoralized the charging cavalry. By turn six half the Soviet cavalry was demoralized or reduced and once the T-60's were in range of the AT guns they were quickly reduced. Dice rolls were also in the Germans favor.

A couple more turns and that was enough for the Soviets, Germans score a major victory. I knew this one was unbalanced and is not fun as a game, but it can show historically how useless cavalry was in a cavalry charge and why they would be relegated to recon and partisan activities.