This was a great scenario to play with tension throughout.

The Germans planned to cross north of the Board 3 town (Ustyluh) under to cover of the early morning darkness with a supporting attack attempting to rush the bridge. Once the town was clear the panzers and Panzergrenadiers would rush to the Board 1 town (Trostyanka) for the win, killing Russians on the way.

The Soviets planned to delay at ustyluh as long as possible, deny the road to the Germans and through up a tank-infantry screen in front of the Pnazers as they approach Trostyanka)

The Russian plan worked. The Germans were delayed for a good deal of the early morning at Ustyluh and then realized they could not fight along the road and had to send the panzers and Panzergrenadiers around the woods to the north. The Russians through up the screen which delayed the Germans a bit more and left them about an hour to clear Trostyanka. It cam down to the Germans needing to clear just two more hexes of the town, but the Russians held on for the win.

Losses in steps:

Soviet: 9 tank, 25 infantry, 8 HMG, 6 artillery, 1 mortar, 1 ATG, 3 leaders, 3 wagons

German: 5 tank, 10 infantry, 2 HMG, 5 leaders.

Fire in the Steppe Scenario 2: Across the Bug

A rainy Saturday, wife and kids out of the house, time to break out a big battle on the table. 30 turns and tons of units.

The Situation: Dawn, June 22,1941. Kickoff of what would become WW2’s main event. The Germans will force a rover crossing with plenty of Russians waiting on the other side. The key is the town hexes; the Germans have to take all of them, and they have to clear the one just over the river before the armored reserves are released. For the Soviets, every turn they can delay the Germans brings them one step closer to victory. And if they’re lucky some armor reinforcements of their own will show up.

The setup: The Soviets have to start dispersed with at least 15 units on each board. So I do the obvious and pile infantry up front, artillery in the back, and set up the rear guard infantry at choke points and in the towns.

Recap: The German force is big, and entrenched Russians cover the bridge, so the engineers each lead a couple companies north and south of the bridge. The southern force gets across without too much trouble, getting all units across by turn 10, brushing aside the Soviets in the woods south of town, and setting up a blocking position on the main road. For the engineers to the north, this must have been their first day on the job, as it took them forever to get their force across. It did t help that the Soviets brought up a little infantry and started causing disruptions all over. By mid game the northern crossing was a complete mess.

German bad luck to the north was offset by good luck at the bridge. Here off board artillery and strong leaders cleared the trenches and moved in. It was messy, but the after a series of assaults the Germans had their town and routed a Soviet company attempting to reinforce. The Panzers hit the map on turn 16. With nearby resistance cleared and with an eye on the clock, they push forward.

Russian T-26s finally arrived on turn 20. They had just enough time to reach the crossroads on map 1 and hit the Panzers rushing up the highway coming out of the woods. The old Russian cans got the upper hand, sending the PanzerIV flying back and knocking out half the Panzer IIIs.

The Germans tried one final lunge at the town on map 1. They inflicted casualties but lacked the numbers to shove the Soviets out. In the end the Germans easily won the unit loss victory condition (57-26) but the Commies stalled them out. Soviet victory!

Analysis: A big, wild nasty Eastern Front battle. In the end the trouble at the river in the beginning cost the Germans at the end. A better crossing would probably get them over the top, but this one will never be easy.

Fire In The Steppe: scenario #2: Across the Bug

After playing a game called Across The Bug River by VUCA Simulations and reading about another gamer’s play of the PG scenario on another Blog I went and pulled Fire in the Steppe off the shelf. I had to play this scenario after enjoying the VUCA game so much and I highly recommend that game. Totally different scales but a great subject.

Back to PG, this scenario is three maps and the Soviets must setup divided on the three maps, the Germans setup west of the major Bug River but get three Engineers and one bridge hex to be able to cross the river. The Soviets setup three entrenchments adjacent to the Bridge crossing however but fortunately the Germans have enough off-board artillery to blast those entrenchments open. The German off-board-artillery of 3 x 16 & 2 x 24 are the key to this game. The Soviet get a smaller amount of a 2 x 18 value and both sides get reinforcements with some conditions.

The Germans need to take control of the town hexes on map 3, right across the Bug River to get their Tank-Infantry reinforcements and if they can’t get this achieved there is no point in continuing the scenario. The Germans were able to cross the river in good time in four locations counting the Bridge and control all the town hexes on map within 12 turns to get their reinforcements even with the Soviets pulling units out of map 6 to reinforce the fight on map 3.

After the town was conquered on map 3, the game situation was all about moving the battle to map 1 and control of the town hexes there. The Soviets got their 6 T-26 platoons or 12 steps about the same time and sent them to the area just out-side of the town on map 1, which had a nice force of 76.2mm guns and more Infantry units. The Battle raged and the Germans lost most of the armor there. The Germans even used some of their unloaded trucks and went back to the slower moving wagons and took their load of 37mm anti-tank guns from them, to rush them to map 1, where they were badly needed.

Towards the very end of the scenario, The Germans were in control of the last town hexes on map 1 and with a great help of their off-board artillery. In fact, I thought they had won by achieving this victory condition but when I went and added the step losses with tanks counting double, the Germans had lost 37 steps to the Soviets 63 step losses, thus not achieving the second condition: (Soviet step losses are at least 150% of the German step losses) With tanks counting double per step, the Germans lost this scenario outside or around the town on map #1. All those 76.2mm, 45mm & T-26s took their toll. Soviet Victory!

Not counting double steps, just plain unit step losses:

German losses were: 3 x Trucks, 5 x Leaders, 1 x HMG, 13 x INF, 1 x ENG, 2 x 37mm, 6 x PzIIIG, 2 x PzIVE and 2 x PxII.

Soviet losses were: 8 x Wagons, 11 x Leaders, 9 x HMG, 32 x INF, 6 x 76.2mm, 3 x 45mm, 1 x 82mm and 6 x T-26.

I think this scenario favors the Soviets when you factor in the step losses and time factor but was still fun to play.

Now for the twist: CSW has a folder called Panzer Grenadier Series: Scenario Setups and Strategy (APL) where player post. I took ten players who most recently posted there and assigned them to Leader counters, 5 for each side. Hopefully no one is offended by this, sorry if so. It made gameplay even more fun to see how they did. For the Soviet side: Peter LIoyd: COL, Daniel Rouleau: Lt COL, Pete Pariseau: MAJ, Reinforcements: Tom Lee: Tank Leader T-26 and Joe Garrett: Tank Leader T-26.

For the German side: Philippe Larmande: COL, Peter McCord: Lt COL, Joe Oppenheimer: MAJ, Reinforcements: John Alsen: MAJ and Fred Schwarz: Tank Leader PzIVE.

Now for the results: Soviets: Peter LIoyd was killed in action in street fighting, Daniel Rouleau was killed in action from Artillery Fire, Pete Pariseau was killed in action from Artillery Fire, Joe Garrett was killed in action from Anti-Tank fire and Tom Lee was the only survivor on the Soviet side and his T-26 tank unit which would have to retreat to fight another day.

Now for the results: Germans: Philippe Larmande would have a rough start getting demoralized early while crossing the Bug River but recovered and survived the battle. Peter McCord was killed in action during assault combat, Joe Oppenheimer was killed in action due to direct fire, John Alsen would survive the battle to fight another day but Fred Schwarz was killed in action due to Anti-tank fire lighting up his PzIVE tank.

Interesting, out of 10 guys, only 3 lived in this very bloody battle!

Author	J6A (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	unknown
Play Date	2022-01-05
Language	English
Scenario	FitS002

I played this scenario against Terry Simo, who had 1 game of PG under his belt, Scenario 1 of FitS, where he outlasted my Soviets with his Germans for the win. This scenario took us about 13 months of play by e-mail over VASSAL. Sometimes it was interrupted by busy schedules, and sometimes it was just a matter of each turn using a lot of small files.

I set up the Soviets with a strong infantry force in the forward town, and all 3 entrenchments just 1-2 hexes from it. On the middle map I put a small infantry force in the north-west portion of the woods, and a larger combined infantry-AT force blocking the road, figuring they would eventually slow up his armored reinforcements. On the eastern board, I put a mixed tank and artillery force in the town, with a small force dug in on the crossroads, and more artillery and AT guns in the south woods.

Terry's attack started slowly, as he was having trouble getting across the river, although he had most of the force across by about turn 9. He opted to only do a southern crossing, with infantry coming across the bridge under the cover of smoke and machineguns and artillery peppering the entrenchments and town. After getting sufficient force built up, the town came under heavy shelling, however the troops did a remarkable job of making morale checks. There were definitely some casualties, and the Germans did not attempt a major assault on the town itself, preferring to clear out the entrenchments. These troops held on far longer than they had any right to do, making morale checks, and when demoralized, choosing not to rout out of the entrenchments. As such, the German attack really bogged down. The artillery bombardment of the town was mostly ineffective, with lots of 6s, 7s and 8s rolled.

Eventually the entrenchments fell, and the assault on the town began in earnest. Here again, despite massive casualties, the Soviets made the Germans pay for every step of ground gained in blood (not much) and time (lots of this). Seeing how long it was taking, the Germans did start diverting some infantry around the town, and it was becoming clear that time was not on the German side. The town did not get cleared until about turn 22, and it was clear that the Soviets were going to win the scenario. However, Terry wanted to use tanks and get more experience with the system. After he missed his reinforcement rolls on turns 23, 24 and 25 (a 1 in 27 shot of missing all 3), we called it.

The Germans only suffered about 6 step losses in this to something like 34 for the Soviets. Then entire force defending the forward town was wiped out. However, their sacrifice was the key to victory. Terry did say that he learned a lot about the difficulties in assaulting from the scenario. Personally, I would have closed in earlier, even though it would have meant more casualties. The Germans had a numerical advantage, so even if the Soviets could attack some stacks on columns (22 or better), the Germans had excellent leadership and good base morale, so it was going to take X results to slow them down. Given the final casualty numbers, IMO losing another 10 steps in return for getting the armored reinforcements 5 or 10 turns earlier would have been a good try.

I liked the scenario. It is definitely challenging for both sides. For the Germans, in how fast they can cross the river, and how long to wait to assault the town, and for the Soviets, who have poor troops with poor morale and have to do as much as possible to delay the Germans from taking both towns. It worked out well for me here, and could have very easily gone the other way. Definitely a scenario worth another play.

Author	Schoenwulf (Germany)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	Daedalus
Play Date	2021-12-03
Language	English
Scenario	FitS002

This scenario is driven in large part on the speed with which the Germans can control the west town in order to allow their reinforcements to enter. Thus, the ability of the Soviets to hold the town is critical for a victory. In this playthrough, the Soviets set their entrenchments in a line three hexes east of the river bridge, overlapping the westernmost hex of the town. The Germans advancing across the bridge took heavy fire and subsequent damage, while German engineers set up in river hexes well away from Soviet fire both north and south of the bridge. The Soviet OBA, which doesn’t seem all that powerful (2x18) was able to keep the engineers disrupted and slow crossings on the flanks. The engineers had finally crossed those units that they could and headed toward the town on Turns 11-13. Meanwhile, as the Soviets took losses in the town, they brought reinforcements from the woods east of it. Eventually, after several units received the Order of Lenin, the Germans cleared the town on Turn 25, which left little time (5 turns) to cross two maps and attempt to capture the eastern village for victory. The Soviets had set their remaining tanks and AT weapons along the only east/west road creating a gauntlet for the Germans to traverse. The German die roll on Turn 26 was kind, and reinforcements began crossing the Bug and heading east. However, time was short and they were forced to use the east/west road for any chance at controlling the eastern town by the 30-turn game end, so they threw caution to the winds and had to risk running the AT gauntlet. That approach was costly as three tanks were DM or lost as well as a number of loaded trucks that transported troops vital for seizing the east town. Some units did get through and were able to threaten the east town, but the German OBA simply couldn’t inflict any significant damage on the Soviet units holding the town. So, the game ended with the Soviets in control of all five east town hexes. They had lost 63 steps to the Germans 45 and had reduced the German initiative for a clear Soviet victory. This set the Soviets up for a campaign victory since they had decreased the German initiative by one and denied the Germans a victory. However, the Germans still had a chance for a draw in the campaign.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Draw
Participants	NBGB
Play Date	2025-03-17
Language	English
Scenario	FitS002

This was a 9-session play-through (30 game turns) with the resolute & careful, NBGB, leading attacking elements of attacking German 298th Infantry and 14th Panzer Division. I led dug-in elements of the Soviet 87th Rifle Division and the reinforcing 41st Tank Division. The Soviets drew a middling set of leaders, but the German invaders drew an excellent group of officers.

We used the FOW (starting on game turn 10), consolidation, tank riders, smoke/Illum (both sides), hidden units (Soviet side), excess initiative and extended assault optional rules. And also these 3 house rules: 1) Road Movement for Mechanized & Foot Units - All FOOT & MECHANIZED units may move on roads at the rate of 1/2 of a movement Point (MP) per road hex, just like MOTORIZED units, 2) Standardized Movement for Mechanized Units — All mechanized units may move through clear hexes at a movement cost of only 1 movement point (MP) per hex, instead of 1 1/2. Add one to this cost if moving up, across, or down slopes hexes, and 3) Enhanced Anti-Tank (AT) Gunnery & Hidden Placement Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL dug-in, entrenched, or town-occupying, towed AT gun units may fire in opportunity fire (OPFIRE) TWICE just like tanks in the standard rule set. For example: dug-in, German PaK 36 (37mm); PaK 38 (50mm); or British 6-pdr towed AT gun platoons are therefore able to fire TWO AT shots per unit in OPFIRE situations. In addition, towed, AT gun platoons always begin scenarios in HIDDEN mode if allowed to dig-in per scenario special rules, or are entrenched, dug-in, and/or town-occupying (please see Optional Rules for Hidden Units; Plotting Position; Revealing; and No Hidden Units Specified on Page 37).

Our initial session (game turns 1-2) consisted of the start of an orderly German movement to contact on the west side of the Bug River, led by some brave mortar units and the senior leader. This action was immediately disrupted & disordered by aggressive Russian reconnaissance activity on the east side of the single bridge (Hex 03-0909) west of the 5-hex town of Ustyluh. While the Soviet Lieutenant involved ended up captured, German movement on to the map was temporarily derailed in response to some accurate Russian OBA and long-range artillery strikes, as they poured into concealed positions in the forest. By the end of the session, both sides had lost 2 steps, including a pair of German mortar platoons and two Russian infantry steps.

The second session (game turns 3-4) featured the continued German movement west to contact at the bridge. and further north along the western bank of the Bug. Casualties were again, low this session with a combined 3 steps lost and a pair of captured leaders. The only critical hit was the loss of a single step and a demoralization to the first German pioneer unit to reach the river.

Our constricted-maneuver, third session (game turns 5-6) featured an audacious infiltration of German troops through the contested bridge hex under a smokescreen! They were met by heavy opfire and the Soviets repeatedly bombarded the Wehrmacht 3-stack in the bridge hex, to little avail. Casualties this session included a second German leader killed and a Soviet Kommissar was captured. A handful of steps were lost, bringing losses for both sides to 5 steps apiece. German pioneer platoons and accompanying Landser infantry spread out on the west banks of the Bug, to jump off positions north & south of the bridge. The outcome of this one will likely hinge on the next 6 game turns.

The chaotic, faulty internet-connection, fourth session (game turn 7) featured many adjacent-hex firefights and a surprisingly effective Russian bayonet charge that eliminated an infiltrating German infantry platoon in Hex 03-0808. Just west of the forest on Map 03, the Wehrmacht moved into a river crossing site in Hex 03-0706, southwest of Ustyluh. The updated victory point totals were now: 7 for the struggling Soviets, and 5 for the Germans.

Our wild, fifth session (game turns 8-9) featured the Wehrmacht force closing on the river Bug to attempt crossing operations both south & north of the bridge hex & Ustyluh. Slow infiltration of German infantry through the close assault hex at the bridge location continued with more than a company of Landsers and a supporting HMG platoon sliding across the east bank of the Bug. Good news for the Russians was the delayed entry of a battalion of slow & ramshackle, T-26 tanks during the 9th game turn, and German initiative fell one level to a 3. Victory points were now: 9 for the advancing Germans, and 8 for the godless Soviets. Both sides lost one leader this session.

The wild & woolly, sixth session (game turns 10-11) featured the beginning of the FOW and a good deal of chaos & mischief. Lucky Soviet artillery strikes resulted in the elimination of one of the critical German pioneer platoons, and adjacent-hex fire fights ended the Jerry threat at the southernmost river crossing site, amid heavy casualties and multiple morale collapses. Heavy fighting continued in the troop concentration zone between the bridge hex and Ustyluh, where the infiltrating Germans mounted a second close assault, west of the Bug. There were 5 Wehrmacht steps losses, as well as a pair of Russian steps and a leader killed in action. Soviet initiative fell one level, though momentum of the game seemed to shift in their favor by the end of the session, as the first of the relieving armored column rumbled into view east and south of Ustyluh.

Our bloody, seventh session (game turns 12-13) was incredibly grim for the Russian defenders who lost an additional 8 steps and a leader in very heavy fighting west of Ustyluh. In contrast, the Germans only lost a pair of steps and a Sergeant in close assaults, while steadily reinforcing their contingent across the Bug. By the end of the session, the Germans were very firmly ensconced on the east side of the river and were rapidly drawing into decisive range to begin the inevitable siege of Ustyluh.

The close-assault-heavy, eighth session (game turns 14-15) was another grim one for the defending Soviets with 5 more steps lost to close assaults, accurate OBA and adjacent-hex firefights. The fighting was intense this session and the advancing Germans parted with another 4 steps and lost an initiative level in the bargain. Jerry infiltration through the contested bridge hex continued and now and entire Wehrmacht battalion was across the Bug River and closing on the western margins of Ustyluh. At the halfway point in this high-casualty scenario, the final outcome is still very much in doubt!

The bloody, ninth session (game turns 16-19) was very grim for the Russians with 9 steps lost, to only a pair of Axis losses. The Soviets offered a draw from at the start of the 19th game turn, which was accepted with alacrity by the German commander to end this riverside slugfest.

Unfortunately, this scenario suffers from some poorly-written & edited Fire in the Steppe special scenario rules e.g., Red Tread Heads. It is clear that this one was not adequately play-tested. The German objectives are a very hard pull, given that an entire town (Ustyluh) must be captured before they may begin rolling for their NEEDED, reinforcements. Nevertheless, it was fun to play with an aggressive, determined & able opponent, and though overlong, it provides ample opportunities for sweeping movement, attack sequencing practice, night combat and aggressive probing of prepared defenses, with many crucial decision points. Unplaytested though it is, I give it a rating of 2, and suggest that the more experienced player take the German side,. In spite of the caveats noted above, this is relatively-balanced scenario is recommended for both SOLO and SHARED play.