Columbus Day seemed an excellent opportunity to play some PG, so we dragged out Edelweiss Expanded and turned to the German/Soviet scenarios. First up is Hunters of the Plains. This is an unusual scenario in that an all tank force goes up against an all infantry/gun force, neither side having massive firepower. Both sides are trying to inflict casualties while also maintaining/preventing the occupation of road hexes. Neither of us suspect a major victory is possible, so we’re really going after the minor conditions.

The Germans set up across board 8, placing the 50mm near the center to cover the width of the board. The remaining forces are deployed north and south in equal measures, the southern units occupying the hill and woods, while the northern force is dug in in the open but mutually supportive. The Soviets deploy their tanks along the central and northern portions of the western slope on board 14. The T-28s, vulnerable to the 50mm, start together, while the KV-1 and one T-34 team up as the slow but powerful force and the other T-34s stay together as the fast moving hard hitting force.

The Soviets do not want to get into an assault situation with anything stronger than a single platoon, and are trying to minimize exposing the 28s to the 50mm. The 28s move into the central woods on board 14 to hide from the 50mm while protecting the road. The remaining stacks go after the northern hedgehog. Using German units to shield themselves from 50mm fire, the tanks manage to approach the Germans without incident and quickly get a lucky roll against a 37mm/MTN stack, killing the gun and inflicting a step against the MTN. The quick kill begins to unhinge the German defense, and German forces begin to shift to try and trap the tanks in an assault position. Meanwhile some southern German forces begin to press on the 28s to try to assault or at least flush them out. The cat and mouse game eventually forces the 28s out of the woods while giving the Germans road position on board 14.

But attempts to trap the 34 stack go awry as they are just too fast. Using German units as a shield once again, the 34s skootch through the German lines and the single opfire attempt by the 50mm misses. The 34s are now in the backfield threatening the entire German force, the KV/34 stack is roaming at will, and even the 28s expose themselves to the single best shot the Germans get with the 50mm and escape damage. The entire northern position is chaos, the center is defended by only the 50mm with one MTN platoon, the wagons are all under threat and can’t move the guns.

The German player realizes his setup could have been more effective, and offers me victory. While a major is out of reach, a minor is achievable and I accept the offer so we can get another scenario on the table. By the end I would have had to accept some losses in assaults to get the full measure of steps for victory, but it was very achievable.

I didn’t expect much out of this scenario, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun it was. My opponent also liked it a lot. It’s not great, as I think the victory conditions are extremely challenging, and the major conditions unlikely to be fulfilled. Not getting into assault makes it hard to get steps, and an assault eventually becomes necessary. But isolation of German units is important to prevent them from ripping the tanks apart. The Germans need to isolate slower tanks and feed the grinder to kill Soviet steps, because the guns aren’t going to do it. Interesting situation with two completely disparate forces, but little firewpower to achieve the objectives. I give it a 3.

I had to get something on the playing table and this is the one that came up for some reason. This was a puzzle for both sides as the make-up of both is very different with the Germans having all Infantry and small AT-Guns and the Russian side having all armor. I am not sure either side can get a major victory but a minor one for both sides is doable and in my game, both sides did get a minor victory resulting in a draw. That is about it for this short AAR.