This was a short 8 turn game, with victory going to had control of most of the town. The Germans and Soviets ran straight to the town in the center. The Germans, having motorized infantry and ATGs, had the advantage of speed. As the Soviets entered the town, assaults followed, with the Soviets being ravaged. The German Mk IVs were very effective against the Soviet T-34s, who didn’t fare as well. The result was the Soviets losing a company of infantry and a company of T-34s. The Germans held most of the town for a savage victory.

After trying to go through from beginning to end of HotSU, we could see that several of the beginning scenarios were similar and decide to jump to the Red Parachutes scenarios. This proved to be well worth it.

A meeting engagement between German recon group and advancing Guard units after the Kursk battle. The Germans have only a recon force to try to take and hold the town more town hexes than the Soviets. Morale and speed are going to be the German strengths. The Soviets have more T34's than the Germans can handle but the infantry support lacks transport and morale is less than the Germans.

To start the German win the initiative and gain most of the town before the Soviets can get the T34's rolling. But the Soviets take several eastern town hexes with the T34's before waiting for the infantry to catch up. The Germans look to try to get setup in the town with their 75mm AT as well as position the armor cars and MTC's to strike at the advancing Soviets. By turn three the Soviets have their force at the towns edge but the Germans have positioned their armor cars and infantry just on the northern edge of the town with the AT and PzIVF2 positioned in the west of the town. The Soviet start to move on the MTC's and armored cars, but they dash around to the east side of town out of range of the tank/infantry force. The Soviets move to crush the AT and German tank but take heavy fire from the German HMG and SPW251's before they are destroyed by T34 fire. The armored cars and MTC move back into the town taking the hexes that the Soviets had just vacated. This forces the Soviets to double back to fight for those hexes. In the mêlées the Soviets lose a T34 and INF but the armored cars are destroyed and the MTC are demoralized and sent running. Turning their attention back to the AT gun and German tank the Soviets are able to overrun the gun but not before another T34 is knocked out in the street battle. By the time turn 8 comes the German force is depleted and the Soviets hold more town hexes than the Germans.

As I remember this was an interesting meeting engagement as it kept going back and forth between the Germans and the Soviets. I have to admit that I was worried as the Germans than I would be completely overrun, but keeping the pressure on the Soviets kept me in the game right to the end. Good game and worth the play.

I am not sure what year I actually played this, maybe 2003 but since this game was added to the PG-HQ forum and I found my old posting, I'll add it now.

I play one quick hitter from Heroes, Scenario #16, Red Parachutes: Grigorovka. I pick it because it is a fast play, something like 26 counters total, including leaders, with the victory condition of who ever controlled the most city hexes wins! Both sides start on the opposite side of the board, so it is kind of a race at first. The Russians have a bigger advantage with more armor but the Germans have a road leading into town, which helped them get there a little faster. After that it is a strategy on which units to move around the city and which ones to assault the enemy with, that have entered the city from opposite sides. I played it during commercials and half time of the Big Twelve Championship Football Game. It had 8 total turns and I was not sure of the out come until turn 7 and 8, with the Russian coming away with a clear victory. The Russians had control of 5 hexes, the Germans had 3 hexes and there were 2 or 3 that were in assault hexes or disputed. Fun Scenario! I think the Russians have the advantage unless the Germans can get some good initiative rolls in the beginning to get a good set up in town and spread out, though out the city.

In Virginia we have "gnat season". A short and very uncomfortable time during the spring where it seems as though small annoying flying insects find large puddles of vodka laced beverages and party at head height throughout my yard. Walking to the car can often be a terror laced activity as the tiny bugs become lodged in hair, ears, glasses, etc. (I have a mustache so let your imagination run wild). To defend we, of course, resort to swatting whereby we wildly swing at the darn things and they move deftly out of the way. My children, whose hearing is far better than mine, suggest that the gnats respond with tiny, derisive laughter.

This scenario is like that for the Soviet.

A fast group of German recon troops have to duel a Soviet force with some SMG support for control of a town. Neither player will have the strength to "take" the town so it is important to understand that this is a dance and not a fight. My Soviets came to this realization too late to win the battle.

Here's how it works. Both sides enter the board from opposite edges. The Germans are aided by a spur of a road and will get into the town before the Soviets. The Soviets will want to protect their armor in any case where the opposing forces may come in contact as the Germans will assault a lone armor unit without infantry support.

As the Soviets approach the German mechanized units they run away. Always keeping the final movement to themselves and always ending the turn with a town space between them and the Soviets thereby giving them the opportunity to run around, between and beside the Soviet guns which would turn them into mincemeat if they could ever draw a bead on them.

Time and again the Soviets would try to pen in the Germans and the Germans would run around and recapture terrain they had lost and recapture the victory condition. The Soviets would "swing", and the German gnats would avoid the swat and laugh derisively.

Oddly, this is one urban battle where speed of movement matters far more than any other factor. It was a frustrating little scenario. I give it a "2".