Pertinent house rules:

Double-blind, Linear AT fire chart, Faster mechanized movement.

German setup:

The plan assumes the Soviets will move to departure positions 3 hexes from the North half of the town, as indicated by the jump-off lines. Soviets would then rush the town to the positions indicated by the arrow heads. In the next turn the Soviets would make assaults in order to gain infantry lodgements in the town. Tanks and SMG units would follow, and rotate in as excess and disrupted infantry move out. I figure that 4 lodgements would certainly collapse the town's defenses, 3 may be successful, while 2 could be contained.

Grenadier Platoons are placed up front, and in guard positions through the town, HMG support in the forward East and West hexes, Engineer support in the center. Mortars are in the rear of the town, with a guard. The AT battery is in the center of the town to deal with supporting tanks in the forward hexes. The AA and IG are setup outside the town to provide harassing fire to approaching Soviets. The colonel is in hex 0710 and a motivational captain (morale modifier of 2) is 0809. This allows activating the entire town with one action, and morale bonuses for nearly everyone. Still, the colonel says,”Dieses ist langer tag für das Vaterland.”

Soviet entry:

Soviet movement is noted behind the the light wood and on the hill. The Germans establish pickets (Observation Point) in 0807 to try to see what is happening. Germans sight part of a Soviet rifle company in 0402, while the Soviets see the 20mm AA dug-in in 0409. German blind fire on the ridge seems to have a minor effect on something. Soviets move against the flanks: Soviet infantry begins to emerge from behind the woods on the Western side. 2 companies of SMG infantry are moving down the east side. German blind fire on the ridge seems to have a minor effect on something. Soviet artillery eliminates the flanking AA position.

Soviet complete the envelopment:

The next couple turns have the Soviets making the envelopment of the town. A probing attack is made at 0608. Point -blank fire kills 3 steps. The survivors retreat to the woods.

On company of SMG is held up around 1209 due to artillery and mortar fire. The other advances down the Eastern side of the town. The German 75mm infantry gun begins harassing fire as the lead platoon is able to spot it. As the SMG company moves to engage the infantry gun, they see the AT gun lurking in the town, ready to fire upon tanks assaulting the front.

The Germans partly come to their senses about command exposure. The Colonel runs off to hide in the woods, while the major takes his place. 1 SMG begins assaulting the infantry gun.

Soviet artillery kills one of the mortars which was pounding the SMG company near the Northern hill.

Soviet infantry assault:

When it comes, the assault falls on the front and Western flank. The Soviet Guard SMGs eliminate the infantry gun. Artillery fire fails to disrupt the Western side of the town, as does prep fire from the tanks on the Northeast side. The German line erupts in fire as the Soviet infantry charges the line. German artillery, breaks up the Southern most infantry company. This allows the German grenadiers to fire successively down the line. Beginning with 0908 firing on 0707, and working around the town, most of the Soviet infantry is killed, or demoralized.. However, there is one lodgement in 0708, which results in the engineer being demoralized. The infantry which does not break into the village retreats to the woods in the West, most of the survivors are at half strength.

With the failure of most of the infantry attack, we agree the game is functionally over. We continue to play mostly out of a sense of completing the story.

Relief arrives:

German artillery causes substantial disruption of the SMG company in 1011. The mechanized infantry and PzIV move up to assault the SMG company. The T34s in 1008 take pot shots at the PzIV, then retreat up the hill next turn. The assault is successful after a second preparatory artillery strike.

The assault in the town continues. The engineer recovers, and the SMG breaks and retreats out. The Soviet HMG in 0707, recovers and moves into the 0808 assault hex. The mortars in 1105 move out of the town to hide elsewhere on the hill. The SMG company around 1207 moves back up to the hill and disappears.

Counterattack:

The T34s in 0908 cause damage and disruption to the infantry in 0909, prompting the move of the reserve platoon. When the infantry group recovers it jumps the T34s and the panthers move into 0909. With the T34s pinned by the grenadiers, the panthers wreak havoc. The surviving platoon runs up the hill.

The status quo remains in 0808 and will continue until the end of the game. The Soviet infantry seem to be trying to reorganize in the woods. German tigers move up to the West side of the town. T34s on the hill reveal themselves and begin dueling with the tigers. The tigers loose a step, the T34s loose more.

Final:

The Germans have lost 2 AFV and 8 other steps giving the Soviets 12 VPs, plus 3 for the town hex (1105), for a total of 15 VPs. The Soviets have lost 7 AFV and 22 regular steps, 36 VPs, and the Germans control 6 town hexes, for a total of 48 VPs.

Critique of German and play:

The chain of command was good, but would be better with the SGT and CPT, in 0808, being switched. The SGT had a combat modifier of 1, this would have been useful in raising the North-West corner firepower to the 16 column, as the LT in the North-East hex was able to do for his force. The AA position in West of the town was not useful, putting the gun in 0710 would have been more useful. The troop deployments were generally good, but I leaders we placed inefficiently.