This 12-turn scenario kept me riveted to the very last turn. Soviets hold the large town on board 38, Germans need to kick them out completely or leave nobody but demoralized steps in the town. I set up the Soviets mostly in the town, the two 76.2 guns on the far right and left flanks, the HMG and an infantry in the southernmost hex with the best leader, the commander in the middle of town with the SMG guys where they could react to anything looking like a breakthrough, the AT rifles and infantry also towards the middle, and the mortars with an infantry in the northwest corner where it could fire for spotters and also assist in defending the rear of the town against any Germans trying to flank them. The Soviet T-70 tanks were set up forward in the light woods southeast of town. Germans have to start 5 hexes from the nearest Soviet and on board 37, so having the tanks forward kept the Germans from setting up and crossing the line first thing. The game starts with reduced visibility and gradually lighting up with turn 1 4-hex visibility and turn 2 6-hex visibility, which prevented an early bombardment of anything as the Germans took 3 turns to get into place. Immediately as the T-70s opened fire on approaching German troops, the German Marder III was in place to take out one step, and proceeded to continue to do so until the last T-70 step died on turn 6. Germans were able to move forward on both flanks and get into position to assault from both sides, dropping off board arty, mortars and the direct fire Grille (followed by the Marder joining in after finishing off the Soviet armor) onto the flanks and middle of the town. This killed one of the two 76.2s pretty early and kept the forward town troops busy recovering morale. On the second round of assaults on the western side of town, the German commander became a casualty but this failed to slow down the attack. Soviets were bloodied turn after turn, but just managed to disrupt assaults each time. In the end, Soviets had lost 19 steps to the Germans 5, but on turn 12, with 3 assaults going and needing to at least demoralize the Soviets in all 3, the game ended on the first one as the Soviet mortar survived and retained good order. The German assault on the eastern flank was in doubt and the assault to the southwest had a 50-50 chance, but knowing that the Germans could not win anylonger forced the Germans to consolidate their gains and await more support before going beyond the time allowed. Soviets win. Great game right to that last turn.

The objectives for this scenario are simple for both sides. The Germans have to take the town, the Soviets have to hold it.

The Soviets set up in the town (of course). They do have their artillery dug-in on the hill west of town, hoping to disrupt the German infantry and/or pick off the German armor as it approaches.

The SS infantry sets up on line south of the town. They hold back their (rather fragile) armor to protect it until the infantry can tie up the Soviet anti-tank guns and armor.

The Germans move forward as quickly as they can, using the rapidly diminishing cover of darkness. The Soviet artillery disrupts a couple of platoons during the approach, but causes no casualties. The German off-board artillery quickly wipes out the Soviet guns once they are spotted (On the second salvo, the Germans rolled a '2' on the 30 column).

The Soviets inflict some casualties as the Germans close in (two step losses and some disruptions/demoralizations due to Opportunity Fire), but it's not enough. The remainder of the battle comes down to bitter house-to-house fighting as the Germans try to clear the town.

With the Soviet tanks in the town and their anti-tank guns gone, the SS armor is able to follow their infantry into the town, using the town itself for cover. When the Soviet tanks use Opportunity Fire to try and prevent the SS infantry from assaulting, the German armor moves adjacent. On the following turn, the higher German initiative gives them the first shot and they take out half of the German tanks, leaving the rest demoralized. An infantry assault quickly mops the remnants.

Casualties mount quickly as the assaults proceed, but the Germans have the numbers and the firepower to prevail. They finish clearing the town with half an hour to spare for a German victory.

Played solo in 2 1/2 hours.

I set up a Soviet dug in 1208 to force the Germans to start even further from the town. The unit fell back into town when the German artillery failed to disrupt it on the first turn.

The Germans lose two steps to opportunity fire on their way to town. The assault starts on turn 4 to tie the 76.2mm guns and the T70's. The Germans bring their armor forward and the Grille is demoralized when the Soviets rolled a "6" in the first assault it participated in. Another assaults heavily favorable to the Germans goes awry when all German units are demoralized. The Soviets counter-assault and eliminate two steps.

The Germans recover but it also gives time for the Soviets to redeploy their troops more effectively. The Soviets abandon three tow hexes to concentrate their forces in 4 hexes. The Germans make slow progress and run out of time.

Soviet victory.

I rate this one a "3". Interesting order of battle but with the first two assaults going entirely the Soviets way, the game was pretty decided by turn 7.

The Germans were unstoppable in this scenario. No leader on their side had a morale rating less than 9, and there was even a leader with a 2 morale modifier!

The Russians set up so as to make sure the Germans were as far back as possible. As the Russians retreated from these forward positions, the Grille and the Marder actually got to shoot up two of their infantry platoons from the cover of the little town. The Germans also had unnaturally good rolls on their artillery bombardments. Several Russians were demoralized on their way back to the town.

The German infantry advanced inexorably forward, then began assaulting the town. They began taking losses at this point in the assaults, but by turn 5 the Russians, who had lost one 76.2 mm had no way to keep the German armor out of the town, and with their advance from the little town, the Russians lost heart and surrendered.

This scenario was mostly a study in "formation control" for the Germans; it required very little in the way of creative thinking or unorthodox approaches to tactical situations. Hence I rated it a 3.