The Soviets deployed INF and HMG in the large town on Map 17. In front of them was a crescent-shaped minefield laid out between the two forests to the north and south. Each end was anchored by more INF deployed in the woods. Their job was to keep the Germans busy until sunrise. As artillery spotting range increased, they were to fall back. Behind them were the Soviet AT units in an arc from north to south. They supported each other, giving many opportunities for cross fire to any German panzers crossing the wonderful tank terrain on Map 21. Along with them were the Soviet INF units and SPA's. Once the sun rose, they could go to work, as could a crippling amount of Soviet OBA.

The Germans needed to move quickly, assault and take the town, then move as far as they possibly could before sunup. But first came the matter of traversing the minefield.

The Germans attacked the town in three groups hitting from three directions. Two had to plow through the minefield and prepare to take point-blank DF as best they could. The southern group was to hook through the woods and assault the defending Soviet INF. The center group made it through in good order. The northern group suffered step losses and morale checks, withdrawing and regrouping.

It was the southern force hitting the woods that made the difference. The defending Soviet INF buckled and soon broke. A way around the minefield was now clear for the Germans. They exploited their gain as units hooked northward to hit the town from behind while others broke right to take on the first Soviet AT position. It was soon obvious that the defenders needed to withdraw.

Meanwhile the regrouped and rallied northern group began making their way through the northern woods. Their objective was to move behind the 40M hill on Map 21 and take on the next Soviet AT position. They were met by the brave but doomed Soviet SPA units. Much to their credit, the SPA's eliminated two steps of panzers before they were eliminated.

While the assault on the hill continued, the Soviets withdrew in good order to a line running from the NE woods on Map 21 through both towns. The Germans kept up pressure in the south while fighting it out in the north. When the Soviet AT position was eliminated, the Germans moved on the NE woods, threatening to flank the Soviet defenses. The Soviets countered with extending their position with reserve units.

The Germans managed to eliminate the Soviet AT positions with assault and some highly accurate OBA. The German panzers were free to move at will. The lengthening spotting range for the Soviet OBA proved of little help; most of their GREN targets were in APC's.

As the German panzers began moving on both flanks, the Soviets began to withdraw to their final line of defense west of the river: a corner arcing from the river, through the field and to the southern woods on Map 20. A special posthumus commendation to the Soviet INF who bought time for their comrades by assaulting the German armor in the woods.

The Soviets maintained good order in their final withdraw, but the massed German DF began to take its awful toll. The Soviet line began to transform into smaller groups of depleted and demoralized units. They had no armor of their own and their OBA was highly ineffective, I did s lot of soul searching and called the action off early, giving the victory to the Germans.

I give this action a high rating. It's ideal for the newbie who wants to stretch out a little farther. Yet the race against sunup on the Germans' part and the need for the Soviets to delay them as much as they can should also make this a good one for the more seasoned grog.