This was a great scenario, lots of units on a medium board, diverse objectives. The SS had a reinforced regiment with which to do 4 things: capture a small town, occupy a point on the north-south road, exit 20 steps off the far edge, and don't lose more than 20 steps doing it. The Soviets had about half as many Guards troops to stop them, with reinforcing battalions of RKKA T-34s and SMGs arriving at some point.

The Soviet defense placed a minefield covering the southwest approach to the town, and a mix of 76mm and infantry defending it. To the north they straddled the road with dug in inf and 76mms. Backing this front line were ATGs and ATRs in interlocking fields of fire.

The SS split their force into a battalion to attack the road position, and a reinforced battalion to take the town. They also assigned a few companies of inf to support their StuG company and Tiger platoon. The plan was to spend the first 3 hours taking the two territorial objectives, then devote the final 1.5 hours to exiting their troops. The tanks and ATGs were to bide their time in the middle, available to support either attack or to deal with the T-34s when they arrived.

That was the plan, and then they met the Guards. In the north, as the SS was working their way through and around some fields approaching the dug-in Soviets, the Soviets decided to spoil their attack by charging out of their defenses and meeting them at the edge of the fields. It was brave, suicidal, and ultimately successful. For the rest of the battle, the SS was hung up, gaining no more ground, but decimating the Guards in turn.

In the south, as the main force approached the town, the 76mm opened up on the towed ATGs and wiped most of them out. Some infantry moved in to try to silence them, but they held on. For the rest of the battle. They were literally the last unit rooted out 4 hours later. One battery of ATGs tied up a huge variety of SS forces, and inflicted losses on their tanks when they tried to get in on the fight. At the south end of town, a company of infantry and SMGs held out for nearly as long, stopping every attack cold and holding morale remarkably well as they were slowly worn down.

The Soviet reinforcements were almost catastrophically late in arriving, and even when they did they were nearly wiped out in stopping the last desperate drives of the SS. The Tiger, which had been step-reduced in a dramatic assault by the town defenders that also claimed half the StuGs, was finally shot down in a blaze of glory, literally surrounded by tanks and ATGs on all sides and at ranges up to 2 kilometers.

It was apparent early on that casualties were mounting too fast for the SS, and they were having so little success in taking their objectives, that I never really doubted the Soviets would get at least a minor victory. But thanks to the final desperate attacks by the RKKA reinforcements, they achieved a major victory.

Great game, but tough for the SS. They need to play a bit more cautiously, look for the flanks, and keep up a steady stream of exiting forces, rather than waiting for the end.

Tigers are predators. Every predator needs prey. In this case a single platoon of Tigers gets to feast on a host of T-34s from the RKKA 96th Tank Corps.

At first the scenario looks to be a walkover as the SS need to dislodge some Soviet Guards from a town, establish a presence on an extended road, exit some units and keep from losing too many steps. If all that was around was simply the initial Soviet force this would be simple but the 96th Tank Corps is sending 10 platoons of a variety of T-34s (models a through c) and 9 platoons of SMGs to support the Guards. In addition the SS is primarily an infantry force with three platoons of StGs, one of Marder IIIs and one of Tigers.

Since the Soviets are amply supplied with AT gunnery capability the SS entry is calculated to protect their armor. Even at that one step of Marders are destroyed almost instantly (that darn 1 1/2 range will get you every time). What then ensues is a process of the infantry rooting out AT gun after AT gun and the Tigers pulling into sight in order to get the AT guns (and the 76.2s) to shwo themselves. I would expect that the most frequent sound heard on the battlefield was the boing and thud of AT rounds bouncing off the Tigers armor.

As the Soviet hold on the town began to slip and the AT guns in the fields began to lose their cohesion the 96th Tank Corps arrived. The Germans worried some as the T-34s dropped off their SMG riders and moved to a crossfire position. The Tiger, however focused its fire at long range on the a's and b's which had only 4 armor and quickly lost steps and (with a reduced morale of "6") demoralized and the StGs helped knock out one leg of the crossfire. This left the T-34s firing at "-2" and praying for miracles. While they ultimately did get one step of Tigers reduced they lost 15 of 20 steps of tanks and the SMGs were mainly demoralized. Unfortunately for the SS their losses were slightly too high (by four steps) but all other objectives were reached.

This leads to a minor German victory.

Again, the urgency of the German assault is palpable in the scenario. The terrific pace of the battle is felt through each fog of war stoppage (and most of the turns ended that way!). Losses are tremendous and the power of the Tiger tanks in comparison to the early model T-34s was stunning. While not the tour de force of the previous scenario (#3 Attack of the Lifeguards) it is still a heck of a play. I give it a "4".

I really botched up this one! The Soviets were bled dry over the 16 turns that we played. The Germans rather unexpectedly advanced en masse against the town- I had expected an advance on a broader front. Needless to say, I didn't hold the town, but my units there took down quite a few Germans steps. My reinforcements also showed up a bit later than I would have liked, i.e., after the Germans had pretty much consolidated their positions in the town and on the road on board 36.

My defense was spread too thin for me to make effective counterattacks anywhere, but the hidden AT assets were just enough to slow the German advance. Caution in these scenarios, I am learning, does not corollate with victory.

Nevertheless, the Soviet AT capabilities were able to take out the Marder, half an STG and half the Tiger platoon; nearly 20 INF/MG steps were lost by the Germans as well.

The Soviets had quite a few of the T-34s left, but only a handful of infantry and SMGs left, most of whom were poorly positioned by the end.

The Game was called a draw: Germans lost 20 steps; Germans held the Town; Germans held the Road; and they started to, but were unable to meet, the 20 exit point requirement.

Played in two sessions, this scenario has an SS battler group with armour support including a platoon of Tigers, air support and OBDA attacking a Soviet Guards regiment dug in with the promise of a regular Tank Brigades support. The German commander has four objectives and must fulfil three of them for a minor victory, as one of these objectives is not to lose 20 steps this is a tall order. The SS sweep onto the board and make for their first objective the capture of a small town, other units aim for the northern road and begin to dig in, another objective is to block this road, other units are kept in reserve their aim will be to exit the eastern edge of the board to gain the third objective. Initially all goes well and losses are negligible however once the close combat start in the town this soon changes. The Soviet forces defend with great vigour and accurate HMG fire cuts down many SS troopers. In fact the Soviet commander holds the town like a mini Stalingrad by feeding just enough units to reinforce the town just when the SS think they have the upper hand. In fact by game end the town is still solidly in Russia hands. The SS reserve enter the board and make for a gap in the lines as per the initial plan. These units are met by elements of the RKKA tank brigade and the T34's are more than the match for the STUG's and Marders who were in the reserve. By game end not one German unit has managed to break through to the east, SS losses are so heavy that the attack is called off.A major Soviet victory. Good solid scenario this, I'm not sure if the SS can ever get a major victory but a minor victory is possible with a better planned attack. The Tiger unit got embroiled in the hand to hand combat in the town and very early on got reduced and demoralised and never cane back, a mistake on my part as it would have been a tough egg for those T34's to crack.

Author	treadasaurusrex (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Soviet Union
Participants	Jockulus
Play Date	2026-05-06
Language	English
Scenario	KurS004

This was an exciting, but overlong, 12-session play-through with the careful, yet daring, Jockulus, leading attacking elements of the 2nd “Germania” Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 2nd SS Das Reich Panzer Division in a mixed terrain, 18-game turn, outrage. I led outnumbered defending elements of the Soviet 52nd Guards Rifle Division & the 28th Antitank Brigade, in this unbalanced, 2-map encounter. Both sides had decent leader draws.

The FOW, smoke/illum, excess initiative, extended assault, tank riders (Soviet SMGs & Leaders only) and consolidation optional rules, as well as these FIVE 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, 3) Towed Anti-Tank (AT) Hidden Emplacement — Unless prohibited by special scenario rules, ALL dug-in, entrenched, or town-occupying, towed AT gun units always begin scenarios in HIDDEN mode if allowed to dig-in per scenario special rules (please see Optional Rules for Hidden Units; Plotting Position; Revealing; and No Hidden Units Specified on Page 37). For example: dug-in, PaK 38 (50mm); Soviet 45mm, or British 2-pdr and/or 6-pdr towed AT gun platoons are eligible under this house rule, 4) German Assault Gun & Self-propelled Artillery Activation — German Army, turretless STGs, Jagdpanzer and self-propelled artillery units were typically crewed by artillerymen. Like halftracks, these units may be activated by ALL leaders, as well as Tank Leaders, unless prohibited by scenario rules, and 5) Voluntary Unit Reduction — Players may voluntarily reduce 2-step personnel units to 1-step (halved) units if they have at least one leader of MAJOR or higher rank among their side’s assigned force. To do so, the unit to be halved must begin the player’s activation phase in the same hex or in an adjacent hex to a CAPTAIN or higher rank. The full-strength unit to be halved must be in good order and this action costs all the reduced unit’s movement points. Remove the full-strength unit and replace it with 2 reduced strength units. Mark both — and the leader — as activated.

This rule set provided improved playability & simplicity during our play-through.

A bifurcated, tidal wave of German troops flooded onto the western margins of the battle map during the initial session. This wave proceeded virtually unhindered by the Soviet defenders (game turns 1-2). Two German and a single Soviet step were lost in the early going, as the broad-front Jerry advance moved east in two large clusters, the northern (left flank) assault group, being the more powerful of the two. Sporadic opfires and limited Red artillery firing over open sights was not able to appreciably slow the advance, as the forwardmost Soviet positions were flanked and isolated.

Our costly, second session (game turn 3) was one in which the fates ran wild, resulting in many combat 7-die rolls, ineffective Russian OBA, and the loss of another pair of Red Army steps for the embattled Soviet side. The probing German wave moved inexorably eastward, virtually unhindered, in spite of the loss of another 5 steps, mostly thanks to lucky Russian opfire die rolls, as well as an ill-fated Tiger I platoon plowing into an unexpected minefield on the north margin of the battle map! The central and northern (left flank) Waffen SS advance merged into a powerful, well-supported, strong-side attack. The fateful loss of a step of heavy German armor, was coupled with the reinforcing Soviet contingent arriving on time, during a turn without a Luftwaffe presence. Soon after two German STG-IIIs assault gun units arrived on the west map edge, the entire force of reinforcing Soviet armor & tank-riding RKKA infantry entered the map. This force dismounted & deployed in the fields just east of the large town. Accurate German OBA succeeded in suppressing a pair of now-dismounted, SMG infantry platoons.

The high mobility, third session (game turn 4) saw the SS northern wing (left flank) split into 3 distinct swarms that steadily moved east, with the central group crossing the north-south road. In the south, the weaker German right wing advance continued west and successfully completed a close assault on a Soviet ATR unit in the southwest fields. Forward elements of the reinforcing Red 96th Brigade bagel arriving in the vicinity of the 4-hex town on the southern portion of Map 37. This action prompted elements of the Soviet garrison in the town to launch a combined arms counter attack into the fields southwest of the town. In the north, the reduced Tiger I platoon failed to recover after carelessly taking heavy losses on the minefield and retreated to the rear. In the south, long-range AT fire against several T-34 platoons failed to have an impact. Surprisingly, casualties this session amounted to just 4 more steps for the struggling Soviets. A combined SIX combat 7-die rolls were thrown this session.

The German horde drew into decisive range in the center of the battle map during this fateful & frustrating, fifth session (game turns 5–7). Step losses this session included: 3 Soviet steps, plus an officer, while the Herrenvolk shed another 2 steps and suffered an initiative reduction. My intrepid opponent engineered a clever, pinning action to engage all three Russian entrenchments, while also pinning a dug-in battery of 81mm Mortars, forcing their horse-drawn transportation to flee. In the south, a Russian countermove gained a bit of momentum, as more Red Army reinforcements arrived to relieve the garrison in the 4-hex town. A combined TEN combat 7-die rolls were thrown this session – mostly by the hapless Soviets (8) at very inopportune moments!

Our grim & bloody, sixth session (completing game turn 7) was another high mobility episode, that included a foolhardy pair of Red T-34 platoons, which were eliminated in a long-range AT crossfire that involved nearly every AT-capable weapon system present on the German portion of the battle map. The Russian counter attack in the south ground slightly forward, causing the Herrenvolk to consolidate a bit and abandon a close assault. Elsewhere, mixed results in opfires and OBA strikes pushed the Soviet initiative down a level as the Russian side lost 8 steps, while only inflicting 2 more on the surging SS horde. The victory point score was now 17-11 in the German’s favor.

During a somewhat frustrating, seventh session (game turn 8) the Germans in the north came to life and moved aggressively to draw into decisive range opposite the forwardmost Russian gun position in the northeast field on Map 36. In the center, the Soviets briefly left their entrenchments to mount a pair of close assaults in an attempt to drive off their besiegers. Both failed, in spite of inflicting another step loss on the SS thugs. In the south, the Russian counter attack added some momentum with a successful close assault, but also lost a leader. The revised victory point score was now at 22-13 in the Third Reich’s favor.

Our the surprising & hard-fought, eighth session (game turns 9-10) featured very heavy fighting in all three sectors of the battlefield, as the Germans shed an additional 7 steps, a level of initiative, as well as a leader in multiple close assaults. Four Soviets step losses were also recorded, including a pair of mortar platoons. In the north, the SS continued menacing a pair of Russian gun emplacements on either end of the northernmost field. In the center, a pair of spectacular Russian counterattacks cleared the besieging Germans from one of the entrenchments, while a second close assault almost produced the same result. In the south, a sharp, Guard-led, Soviet counter attack pushed back the Germans on the north margin of the large field southwest of the 4-hex township.

The exciting and bloody ninth session (game turn 11) consisted of the Germans holding in the south, consolidating in the center, and pressing their close assaults in the north. They also began moving a small portion of their force toward the east map edge. The Russians attempted to push besieging SS militiamen away from two of their road-straddling entrenchments with close range bayonet & hand grenade assaults. Surprisingly, the reduced strength Tiger I platoon, after sitting demoralized for most of the battle, managed to luckily recover its morale – offering hope for the SS force to improve their difficult position. Step losses this session, were 5 more to the Soviets, and only a pair of German steps in heavy fighting. The updated victory point tally was now 29-22 in Germany’s favor.

Our action-packed, tenth session (game turn 12) featured the Germans staging a successful tactical withdrawal in the south, the sudden return to battle by their half-strength Tiger I platoon in the north, as well as many morale recoveries & opfires. They also managed to push an initial 10 steps off the east edge of the map. The Russians continued their slow, advance in the south. Casualties were limited to only a pair of steps lost by each side in this lengthy session. The revised victory point tally was now 31-24 in Germany’s favor.

The incredibly grim – for the Soviets – eleventh session (game turns 13-14) was mostly a German triumph with 9 additional Russian steps lost and an officer captured. Long-range AT crossfires accounted for the loss of two and a half platoons of T-34 tanks in the town. The advancing Herrenvolk lost no steps and were able to maneuver another 2 steps off the east map edge, bringing their exit total to 12. The Russian counter attack in the south continued its slow advance west as the German continued their well-executed, tactical withdrawal in this portion of Map 37. All in all, a dismal pair of game turns that also saw a Russian crashboom and an infantry unit eliminated in a mighty close assault on the north margin of the battle map.

Our twelfth session (game turns 15-18) was a bit anti-climactic, as the oddly victory conditions allow for a Soviet minor victory in spite of the horrendous (50 steps) casualties they sustained in this bloodletting. The Russians did manage to maintain a death grip on the crucial town, while inflicting just enough step losses on the German invaders – mostly thanks to their halting but ultimately successful – counter attack in the south.

There were 8 FOW-shortened game turns of the 18 played, which materially benefited the defending Sons of Stalin.

This was a gamey, flawed and unbalanced conflict simulation that favors the invading German horde. The victory conditions should be rewritten, as the Herrenvolk may simply race off the east edge of the map, while not losing more than 20 steps, and leaving a single, undemoralized combat unit on the northern segment of the north-south road. Also, the German side gets points for steps exiting IN ANY CONDITION. Strangely, there were no Soviet Kommissars included in the setup instructions. I give this one a rating of 3, and recommend it for both SOLO and SHARED play. The more experienced player should lead the much-harder-to-setup-and-play, Soviet defenders.

Author	sagunto (Soviet Union)
Method	VASSAL
Victor	Germany
Participants	treadasaurusrex
Play Date	2026-06-11
Language	English
Scenario	KurS004

A very bloody and unbalanced, slog of a fight that we concluded in 8, seemingly interminable sessions. In spite of the hype in the writeup, I'm not convinced that the Russians can actually pull off a win in this bloodfest, without incredible die rolling luck! The Soviet leaders draw was horrendous, and unexpectedly, the usually awful, party militia drew a set of fine leaders. Commie, morale recovery attempts failed far more than they succeeded, and once history and reduced, the Red's tanks were almost impossible to recover. The Reds desperately need a Commissar or two in this fight!

The combination of excellent, long-range German AT sniping, and the Russian CO getting killed at the beginning of the 9th game turn made a huge the difference in this scenario. Red Army T-34s were mishandled and repeatedly caught in lethal cross fires as I struggled to hold positions in the town and on the north-south road. In retrospect, I should not have concentrated the Russian entrenchments around the town. Having the crash boom 76.2mm artillery units being required to see their targets, proved thier undoing, again and again. I should have concentrated them with the Russian mortars. The Germans flowed across the battlefield like a relentless tide, regardless of heavy casualties, even when they stopped long enough to close assault my infantry units -- a massacre almost always followed.

I give this one a generous 2, in battle with a tough, patient and determined opponent. It is probably more suited for solitaire play in my humble opinion.