So the play-through started slowly and end with a bit of a bang. Lets see how the scenario goes starting with turn 5.
Turn 5
We start off with the 18th Panzer getting activated. I think that the Germans would have liked to have waited for the T34s to activate but that is the peril of the Draw Cup. The Panzer in M1 rallies and the formation is at full strength. I don’t want any T34s rolling around the corner and out of the woods and causing trouble for the Pz IVs so I will need to lay some Smoke this turn. The newly rallied tank in M1 declares a Move and Fire action. It fires at the T70A in K4 and gets a hit but the lilliputian Soviet tank shrugs the hit off. It then ‘moves’ and puts Smoke into hex N2. The Smoke can’t be placed over water so this is the best it can do. The Panzer in L2 follows suit but is unable to successfully hit the Soviet tank. The Pz IV in K1 also declares a Move and Fire. It advances into K2 and puts Smoke into and then fires at the T70. It hits and the T70 isn’t able to dodge this shot and is reduced. Finally the HQ moves into K1 where it is slightly safer.
Next to activate are the 71st Guards Infantry who breath a sigh of relief that they will get to activate before the German infantry. The infantry unit in M8 fails to rally so the Commissar asks them to reconsider that roll. They re-roll the 5 which comes up a 4 and is therefore enough for them to rally. The Commissar goes back to smoking his pipe and writing a witty cartoon for the next issue of Pravda.
The 45mm ATG in K6 fires at any infantry unit in K8 and hits. The Germans are unnable to make a save and are disrupted. A good start so far. The infantry/HQ stack in L6 declares a Move and Fire and advances into L7 where it fires at the German infantry in K6. Somehow they miss. The reduced unit in M8 fires at the adjacent Germans in L9 and also misses. The infantry in N8 attempts to do better with its attack against M9 and is equally unsuccessful. That could hardly have gone any worse.
The German Designated Formation counter is drawn next. Since the Soviet T34s are yet to creep out from behind the woods there is not much point in activating the Panzer so the 320th Infantry are activated instead.
The Pioneer in H11 is unable to rally and is in danger of being left out of command. The disrupted infantry in K8 also fails to rally. The infantry stack in M9 moves to N9 where it is stopped as a T34 in R5 is calling an Extended Range Op Fire shot. It hits and one of the infantry is Disrupted. This means the Germans have a bit of a decision to make. The trench gives the Soviet infantry a bonus in Assaults but standing out in the open in front of Soviet trenches isn’t a smart idea either. The Germans decide to try to launch an assault anyway but only with the single unit. The Germans only get a single hit and the Soviet get two which pushes the now Disrupted and reduced Germans back into their own hex and Disrupts the Soviet defenders.
The GO infantry in K8 hopes into the trenches in L8 and waits for reinforcements. The German infantry in L9 assaults the trench in M8 with the Commissar and reduced Soviet infantry. The Germans get a single hit which destroys the defenders who go down in a blaze of glory and do three hits against the Germans and destroy them as well. Thats what you get for disturbing the Commissar during his pipe break. Sadly the Commissar is destroyed as well. The rest of the 320th move forwards towards the city and the STuG III advances into M10 where it hopes to move and target some T34s next turn. None of the T34s chose to use an Op Fire attack on the STuG III.
So maybe the last round was a fluke? A bad example of German assault tactics? The Dice Cup decides to give the Germans a second try and the 320th Infantry is the next counter out of the cup. The Pioneers in H11 remain obstinately disrupted. The troops in K8 rally and the reduced infantry unit in N9 rallies but not the full strength infantry. The HQ isn’t happy with the line of T34s across the river so it calls in an HE barrage on hex R5. It is on target and disrupts both tanks in Q4, Disrupts the stack in R5 and reduces one unit and then has no effect on the HQ and reduced T34 in S5.
German infantry in K8 hop into L8 to reinforce the trench. The infantry in M9 move into the trenchworks in M8 and then assault the Disrupted Soviet infantry in M8. They clear out the trenches with no casualties. The reduced Pioneers and infantry move into the trenches and then into the city in M7. The HQ follows up and positions itself in the trenches in M8 where it finds a still warm pipe and a cartoon of Stalin wearing a bear costume. The STuG III changes plans and moves into L10. The single GO T34 does not want to Op Fire. It continues into L9 and then K8 where it positions itself to provide supporting fire for the rest of the unit.
Following that brief period of barbarity, the first End Turn counter is drawn followed by the second End Turn counter. Sadly the Soviets won’t get to reply with their T34s this turn. They save an End Turn counter to make sure that they do next turn.
Turn 6
Much to the dismay of the Soviets, the German 320th Infantry is drawn from the Draw Cup first. The Pioneers in H11 find themselves Out of Command and this at least provides an excuse for them remaining disrupted. The infantry unit in N9 rallies and is ready for action. The two infantry units in L8 leap over the trenches and attack the Soviet HQ stack in L7. The Germans manage to get three hits and the Soviets, even with the HQ, only manage to get a single on in return. The Soviet infantry is disrupted and both it and the T70A are reduced. The stack retreats into L6 to avoid getting assaulted again in M6.
The STuG III fires at the ATG in K7. It only gets a single hit but the gun doesn’t save and is Disrupted. Despite wanting a peaceful afternoon, the newly retreated Soviet stack in L6 is assaulted by a reduced stack of Germans who move from M7 to M6 and then into L6. If they weren’t all reduced it would be a slaughter as the Soviets roll three 5s and a 6 but sadly they need 6s. The Germans do indeed roll four hits so both Soviet units are removed and the HQ is also removed. The German infantry in N8 advance into N7. The remaining Go T34 is reduced and so there is no point doing Op Fire. The infantry stop in N6. The Bridge is a tempting location but it is out in the open and provides no cover. The HQ stack moves into M6 and the single infantry unit from N9 advances into the city into M7.
The counter for the Soviet 31st Tank is drawn next. The reduced T70A in K4 rallies but that is the extend of the good news for the formation. It is down to two reduced T70A units and it is being encroached to the south by Infantry studying their Teller mine manuals and Panzers to the north who are recalibrating their targeting scopes for smaller targets. To make matters worse, the HQ can’t draw an LOS to a hex that it would like to drop an artillery barrage onto. So off to the Solo Assistant deck. The tank in K4 fires at a Pz IV in K2. It hits but the Panzer makes an armour save. The T70/HQ in K5 also fires but this time at the infantry in L6. It surprisingly gets two hits and manages to Disrupt the Pioneers.
Next up the 18th Panzer. Once again they activate before the T34s which is really starting to annoy them. The tank in M1 declares a Move and Fire. It advances into M2 and drops Smoke after which it fires at the T70A in K4 but misses. The Pz IV in L2 does the same and also misses. The Pz IV in K2 doesn’t want to be the odd tank out and so it moves into K3, drops Smoke and also misses a shot at the T70. The HQ advances into K2 and doesn’t do anything further.
Next to be activated are the HQ-less 71st Guards Infantry. The 45mm ATG is unable to rally even without the Out of Command penalty. The remaining infantry unit is in K5 helping protect the 31st Tank HQ but it decides to assault the Disrupted Germans in L6. It only gets a single hit but the Germans are not able to generate any in return. The Disrupted and reduced German infantry is removed and the Pioneers retreat into M5 which is the only hex open to them due to stacking restrictions. A weary ‘Hurrah’ is all the depleted defenders can manage.
The 3rd Tank is drawn next. Only one of the four Disrupted tanks manages to rally due in part to the criminally low Morale of 5 that the formation has. That artillery barrage is going to have some long-lasting repercussions. The two disrupted units in Q4 are blocking the road and greatly complicating the formation’s activation. The GO tank in R5 would like to be able to Move and Fire at either a Panzer or the reduced Pioneers in M5 but it can’t do that without leaving itself out in the open. Instead it decides to move around the Disrupted tanks. It pushes out into Q5 and then P5 and finally P4. The HQ in S5 advances into R5 where it hopes to help rally the tank there next turn.
The last counter out of the Draw Cup is the German Designated Formation counter. Since there aren’t a lot of T34s to shoot at yet I decide to use it to activate the 320th Infantry again. The Pioneers in H11 are again Out of Command and, again, fail to rally. The Disrupted unit in L7 fails but the reduced Pioneers in M5 are closer to the action and so they quickly rally to try to keep themselves safe. The HQ can’t see anything to call in an HE barrage.
The GO infantry in L7 assaults the ATG in K6. The ATG gets no hits and the Germans succeed in reducing it and forcing it to retreat into K5. The STuG III advances from K8 to L9 and then to M9 and N9 and finally O9. The reduced T34 in R5 declares and Op Fire shot but misses. The reduced Pioneers in M5 assault the Soviet infantry in L6. Both units Disrupt the other and the Pioneers retreat back into M5. The German infantry in M7 then moves into L7 and then assaults into L6. This time the Soviets don’t do any damage and they are removed from the board. The German infantry in N6 would love to be able to move and assault the Soviets in K5 (the 31st Tank HQ, a reduced T70 and a reduced ATG) but there is no way they can move as a stack and I don’t want to risk just using a single unit.
The turn ends as there are only the two End Turn counters left. The Panzer induced Smoke is removed and the 31st Infantry HQ cannot be placed back on the board as there is only the attached ATG left from the formation. Schade.
Turn 7
Things are not looking good for the Soviets. They are holding on to a small rim of the city outskirts and their T34 reinforcements are Disrupted outside of the city.
The first counter out of the Draw Cup is the first End Turn counter. The German Designated Formation counter is pulled next. I decide to use it to activate the 18th Panzer. The Pz IV in M2 fires at the T34 in P4. It gets two hits and even with the cover bonus and the Augmented armour it saves none of them and is reduced and Disrupted. The Panzer in L3 also fires at the same T34 and also gets two hits but luckily the Soviet tank is able to save both. The Panzer IV in K3 assaults into K4 to try to remove the T70 there. It easily destroys the unit. Finally the Pz IV/HQ stack in L2 fires at the T43 in P4. It gets an amazing three hits and even more impressive is that the T34 saves them all.
The 71st Guards “Infantry” is drawn next. All that remains in an Out of Command and Disrupted ATG so I am not expecting much to happen. Surprisingly it rallies (an example to those lazy Pioneers in H11) and shoots at the Pz IV in the adjacent hex but it doesn’t manage to do any damage.
Next to be activated is the 3rd Tank. Shockingly, or not so if you look at the percentages, none of the Disrupted tanks are able to rally. Without much else to do the reduced T34 stacked with the HQ takes a shot at the Disrupted Pioneers in N5 but it doesn’t hit.
And the cavalcade of Soviet activations continues with the 31st Tank which currently consists of a reduced T70A platoon and an HQ. After a bit of mental statistics it is determined that the T70A will fire on the German infantry in L6. It has a slightly better chance to hit the tank but better odds on damaging the infantry. None of which really matters as it fails to hit the infantry in any case.
The only good news that the Soviets could get would be two End Turn counters in a row but that faint hope is for naught as the 320th Infantry is drawn next.
I don’t think I need to tell you what happens to the Pioneers in H11. Darned Millennials. The Pioneers in M5 rally as do the infantry in L7. All of the Soviets have activated this turn so there is no fear of Soviet Op Fire. Now might be a good time to try to grab some road hexes. The Pioneers in M5 rush across the bridge and down the road (missing the turnoff to Grandmother’s house) and assaults the Disrupted T34 in P4. The Pioneers destroy the T34. The STuG III fires at one of the T34s in Q4 hitting it once but the sloped armour of the tank shrugs off the shells. The infantry in N6 loops around the city core through M5 and L5 and then assaults the remaining Soviet defenders in K5. The entire stack is eliminated for no losses to the Germans. Two infantry units move into M5 and third moves into N6 in preparation for a mad dash to the bridge next turn.
The second End Turn counter is drawn before the 18th Panzer counter is pulled but since it was already activated this turn the Germans can’t withhold an End Turn counter.
Turn 8
The final turn is upon use and unless something incredible happens with the Soviet 3rd Tank this looks like a clearcut German victory. The 31st Tank and the 7th Guards Infantry counters are removed from the Draw Cup so there is just the single Soviet counter in the Cup.
The first counter drawn is an End Turn counter and the Soviets start praying, in a most inappropriate manner, for the second to also be drawn. Their silent exhortations to a god they don’t even believe in go unheard (obviously)and the 320th Infantry is activated.
It is at this point that I realise that I could have been moving the Pioneers in H11 for at least the last turn. One of the perils of the Vassal screen is that you sometimes lose units. They are still out of command but they do rally. Probably sensing the end of the game and a need to get involved in the celebrations. One of the infantry units in M5 advances onto the Bridge where it takes fire from the only GO Soviet unit in the game, the reduced T34 in R5. The shot is at Extended Range and misses. It continues into O4 and then P4 to reinforce the Pioneers in the woods. Two other units advance into N5 and O4 to claim the objectives for the scenario. The STuG III fires at the T34 in R5 but misses entirely. The 320th HQ stays in place and the two infantry in K5 advance into M5 and then one into N6 to spread out and keep the road open for the Panzers.
The 18th Panzer is drawn next. The tanks move on the road and through the city to end up in hexes M5, K6, and K5. The HQ moves into L5.
And before the 3rd Tank can be activated the final End Turn counter is drawn to end the game. A clear victory for the Germans.
Afterwords
Well I didn’t think that the game would be that lopsided. I think that the placement for the Soviets could have been a bit better. The one HQ that I left with LOS to the advancing Germans was unable to actually see anything worth targeting the one HE barrage they had and the 7th Guards HQ was unable to get an LOS out of the city for the entire game. The Soviets were passive until the Germans got into range of their guns but I am not sure what other option they had. Maybe a counterattack with the T70As?
The two German artillery barrages were devastating. They kept the T34s stuck on the road for the rest of the game and helped clear out the Soviet infantry that were in the trenches. The loss of the recon aircraft in turn one was a PITA but the Germans weren’t really doing any long range fire in any case. The Soviet Commissar was handy until his entire hex was assaulted and destroyed.
The Solo Assistant deck was quite helpful this game. It helped me with the Soviet moves near then end of the game where it seemed as if nothing would work and it also helped me with the Op Fire calls for the T34s. It made some calls that I wouldn’t have but then that is really what it is for. Making calls in a way that you wouldn’t normally.
This scenario is going to go onto my replay list and I will have a few things to try with the Soviets to see what I can do to help them hold onto the city. Despite it being a bit lopsided at the end I did quite enjoy it and I think there are a lot of good options for both the Germans and the Soviets in this scenario that can be explored.
Pile of dice 
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