Few scenarios in PG can I call a masterpiece and this is one of them. I will first mention that this should be played FtF for the best experience. I played solo and it was great, but I wished I had saved this for a FtF. At this point you must be saying, why is this one so good, because it has everything in it as well as some very good victory conditions that will keep the game going until the end. There is no way around it you will need to play every turn to get a result.

So what does it have. It has a large German panzer force attacking a fixed Soviet position with the Soviets denying road control and Germans exiting units. But it also has a requirement for number of lost or demoralized units which requires the Germans to keep good force management through out the game. The Soviet force is weaker, in fact most are militia units with one step and low morale. But they also have a large force cavalry that can be very useful against strung out German units as well as plugging holes in the line.

The setup for the Soviets is across the hills on board 9 and board 25. They get entrenchments and mines to block the roads and other infiltration points. There is plenty of HMG's but the MIL's are single steps and weak. They are only good for keep the Germans at bay for a short period and they setup supporting the HMGs in the bunkers. The bit of artillery and AT guns are setup to cover the roads as well. Leadership is average to poor for the Soviets, but Cavalry leaders are better.

For the Germans they have a good force of panzers, PzIIIG's, PzIVE's are the backbone. Their is plenty of infantry and HMG's to take on the Soviet defenders. Leadership is good and the high command has given OBA and aircraft support to the attack. They will advance on to the board on turn one, but there is still a decision on how to attack. Do you try to take the roads and move off or bypass and limit casualties and move off?

I decided for the later. The Germans advance in mass in the spilt between boards 4 and 6. They will try to get between the two main road defenses to avoid the AT's and postional defenses. This will give the Soviets one of their VC's right off the bat, but there will be less chance of losses with this route.

Advancing onto the board, the German lead force move slowing forward. A Soviet FO spots the advance and calls in OBA with dead accuracy. A full German platoon is wiped out, not a good start to avoid losses. But then things settle down and the German advance progresses. The Soviets counter with the cavalry battalion moving in directly east of the German advance. This will buy time to adjust the militia defenders to the threat.

The Soviet cavalry win the race to the center of the board and divide their force, one to wait in the light woods on the western ridge of board 9 and one to position in the fields on board 4 and try to get some opportunity cavalry charge against the advancing Germans. The Germans continue their slow advance with the Soviet OBA harassing it along the way. Eventually they move into range and the Soviet cavalry charges from the fields. The Germans are a bit stunned as the charges make it through the OP fire and inflict step losses on the INF's. But the horses are winded and most of the cavalry disrupts or demoralizes. But the fight is on for the Germans.

The advanced units of the Germans engage the eastern cavalry units. This time with better success, the charging units are rebuffed and head back to the woods. The panzers move forward to try to deal with the remaining units, but their shots missing the swift cavaliers. Meanwhile Soviet OBA is finding its mark again with several German units demoralized as well as 82mm mortar fire reducing another INF. For the Germans their attack is slowing and starting to rack up losses and demoralizations.

But they keep pushing forward and encounter HMG units that have shifted from the entrenchments. Coordinated fire keeps the HMG's at bay but they get some critical morale checks on German units. This brings the loss/demoralization level dangerously close to the 15 step mark during the middle turns of fighting. This requires the Germans to stop and try to recover these units as well as press on to the boards east edge. This soon leaves units strung out on for the German that have to be cover. This strips the advance force down and the Lt. Col has a lot to do to keep the cohesion together.

Eventually the panzers are able to push through the gap and get enough INF units to the edge, but not before having to fight it out with several militia bands. All the while getting sniped at by the Soviets and under constant threat of cavalry charges. Most charges fail or are broken up before they get any where, but some are successful on the initial assault.

In the end the Germans are able to get units off the board as well as keep the losses down below 15 steps. It was close though 8 steps were lost and 3 demoralized at the end. Two more German INF's demoralized and the game would have been for the Soviets.

I would highly recommend this for play or even play again as it was that good of a scenario. One last note, a tip of the hat to Peter Llyod for his militia counters he posted on BBG under W&P. These are a nice addition for scenarios with militia in them, much like the Volksgrenadiers for the Western Front scenarios. Print the off and stick them on cardboard, they are worth it.