This was a solo action played at the end of nice vacation. This is one of the Borodino series that I am slowly playing through. They give a nice view of the early SS units. These are the second line troops that were first formed by the political arm of the Nazi's. These early units reflect the lack of training and leadership with the poor morale and many x-0-0 leaders. But they are well matched for the Soviet forces as they end up being and even match.

This scenario is just that. The SS have poor morale and the leaders were lack luster. They have to defend a wide area with not enough troops from a Soviet counter attack from two battalions of troops supported by tanks and artillery. The Soviets have average to good leaders with the addition of the W&P leaders to the toss. There were several Soviets with leadership skills, coupled with better than average morale for the Soviets, this would make them a good attacking force.

But the VC's are high for the Soviets, twice as many VP's as the Germans. It is town control and killing units for points. Plenty of towns to capture, 17 in total. There are some interesting terrain mods, with the removal of the hills from board 11 and 23. There is a rail embankment that helps both sides.

Both sides have average artillery and the Germans get two planes to appear at one turns of their choosing. No reinforcements for the Germans and the Soviet second battalion arrives after turn four.

For the setup the Germans choose to hold the large town on board 11. It is Artemki and it has nine town hexes compared to Utity with three and Borodino Station with five. The field Lt. Colonel places his HQ in Artemki with support from two SS companies and HMG and AT and IG gun support. Mortars are placed about a kilometer west in light woods. From this dugin position they should be able to his any thing that comes up the east west road on board 11.

On board 23 in Utitzy, the mobile force is setup. This is the only armor support the StugIIIB and KRAD. A INF and HMG are loaded on the trucks to quickly respond to where the Soviets arrive. In outside Borodino Station, a lone 37mm AT and INF with a commanding Captain stand watch over the east-west rail line.

The Soviets start by moving the first battalion of the 32nd Rifle on the split between boards 11 and 23. Taking advantage of the cover of the light woods and providing threats to both set of town on the two boards. They advance for three turns before turning south and heading to Artemki. Several armored cars and the units RCN unit position to cover the Germans in Utitzy and Borodino Station. The rest of the battalion head for a assault on Artemki from the northeast.

On turn for the well coordinated second battalion of the 32nd Rifle arrives with the tank support. They enter from the south-east taking advantage of the cover of the woods south-east of Artemki. At this point the SS are facing two battalions of Soviets with just two companies of troops. At this point the SS mobile formations move out with the Stug taking the point. It positions to get a shot at any of the first battalions advance if they venture toward the Artemki-Borodino Station road, but soon see they will be needed in Artemki. The truck loaded with the HMG moves west and south to position in the light woods west of Artemki with the dug in mortars. The others hold tight for the moment.

German OP fire picks up as the first Soviet reach the outer trenches of the Artemki defenses. Several disruptions and the stay demoralization, but the Soviets quickly recover to close of the Germans. The second battalion advances on the southern spur of Artemki and quickly assaults the defensive line, reducing an SS platoon. German fire increase and a reduction of a Soviet platoon happens on the north-eastern advance.

The supporting Soviet tanks, a platoon of T-34s and two platoons of BT-7s close on the southern half of Artemki. The lone German Stug takes position in a field and waits for its moment. Meanwhile SS AT guns are dragged to the southern part of the town to try for a shot on the T-34's. The Stug has been patient but the southern SS platoon has been demoralized by Soviet OBA and the Soviet tanks are threatening. They open up on the T-34's but miss with both shots, the T-34 returns fire, reducing and demoralizing the Stug. The next turn the Stug is destroyed. All armor support is gone for the Germans.

German fire from the north-east of the town is starting to take its toll as another INF is reduced from the first battalion. The commander orders the T-37's forward to support the disrupted attack and they stiffen the Soviet resolve. German fire cannot slow the T-37s advance but the in infantry is still vulnerable. In the north the SS Captain sees the Soviet recon units in the woods and orders OBA on the it reduces them and kill their commanding Lieutenant. This leaves them without 'eyes' to the north. The armor cars are position to keep any shifting units from using the Artemki-Borodino Station road. But this does not stop the SS. Using trucks they drive them south and east to the light woods west of Artemki. From here it is an easy jump to the west end of town. This allows a MG and INF to scurry in for support.

But something worse for the Soviets, with the loss of the leader a reduction in initiative too. But the Germans have been reduced to with there losses in the south of Artemki. The southern part of town is being rolled up by the second battalion of the 32nd Rifle. INF's and tanks roll into the town and take three hexes with assaults before they are slowed by a stiffening German defense.

To the north east of town the first battalion commander sees a chance to throw his SMG's into action with a leading LT. After a demoralization and recovery the SMG's advance on the outer defenses on the east road out of town. But the German LT calls in OBA that devastates the two platoons. After two turns of firing one SMG is destroyed and the remnants are disrupted and demoralized. The leading lieutenant is also killed in the bombardment, leading to another loss of initiative, but again the Germans had be reduced first. But this just leaves a plus one differential for the Soviets.

German DF and OP fire continue to reduce Soviet INF's but the assaults from the southern part of Artemki keep destroying SS troops. An MG is the latest victim of a Soviet tank-infantry assault. The Germans keep shooting and slowly the Soviet assaults get bogged down take many turns to reduce the hexes. By turn 13, the commanding Major of the first battalion realized that he will need to try to take other town hexes of Borodino Station and Utitzy to win. He moves his command north to get the reduce RCN and armor cars moving to try to take on the 37mm AT gun and INF covering the towns. After several turns of maneuvering the Major is in position, ordering OBA and support fire on the AT guns, but they shake it off and still control the rail line. Time runs out before the Major can mount any attack.

The final thrust into Artemki has the tank-infantry assault on the SS LT. Colonels HQ. Defended by an MG, the assault is preceded by OBa that reduces the MG. Easy pickin's for the tanks and infantry. Not so says the Lt. Colonel taking over three turns before he and the MG are kills by a collapsing build, blown out by a T-34 shell. With the SS command gone the units are frozen in there town hexes and subjected to Soviet assaults. But this comes to pass as the Soviet assault runs out of steam. (Two early FoW rolls end the game early) Final score Germans 28 Soviets 26, where short of the 2-1 advantage that the Soviets needed.

But the SS are spent, commanding HQ is gone, no armor support, many disrupted and demoralized troops. They will need to pull back to recover and some early lessons learned for later battles.