Kind of a cool looking scenario using one map, 12 turns, interesting units and victory conditions for controlling the four town hexes and eliminating enemy units, also a low unit/counter count. Good for a quick setup and game play!

The Soviet setup defending the town with a few minefields and the Germans enter in the south with the armor flanking to the left and the Infantry and some AT-Halftracks flanking to the right under the cover of some large fields. At first the German offense takes a few bumps, losing a few steps of armor right away to Soviet dug-in T-34s & Grant Tanks. After this, the German plan ran pretty well only taking a few more step losses while controlling the town. The Germans won a Major Victory! The Soviets main problems are the short range of their SMG Infantry defending the town and the fact that RKKA armor does not have Armor Efficiency, giving the Germans two shots to one. The Germans can blast away from range and have off-board artillery as well. The only thing to worry about is having only 12 turns.

It’s hard to rank this one, as I would like to give it a 3.5.

This was a good one to play- quick and dirty. The Russians had set up in the field, the town, and in a few foxholes interspersed between minefields. The Germans advanced within shooting range...

Russian T-34s stationed in the town took out a half tank platoon on the second turn of the game, but the Armor efficiency of the Germans proved devastating against them. Early in the game, the Russian Initiative modifier was reduced to zero. Despite a few ill-advised assaults by the Germans, they held things together and ground toward the town.

An attempt by the Russians to gain the crossfire benefit was negated by one of the few aggressive tank vs tank moves I have ever made: I used other tanks to charge right at the tanks that would have fired with the benefit! Having the initiative advantage was crucial to this making this tactic work, and it paid off.

An interesting scenario in that the Germans really don't have to take the town to win. They just have to force the Soviets into a fight, duke it out and cause more casualties. With their efficient tanks this could be done.

The Russians set up with a company of infantry in the town and one to each flank of the town, dug in to prevent an encirclement. the extremes of the flanks were protected by the Grants. The T-34s were forward in the fields to used the limited terrain and to prevent and approach through that terrain by the Germans. The mines backed that up by covering the clear terrain from the fields to the town.

The Germans chose to advance on their left, attack and roll up the Russian right and take a couple of town hexes if needed. But the goal was to kill Russians while keeping German losses down.

The Russian tanks fires in the first few turns was deadly as the T-34s took out some Pz IVs and then pulled back into the fields for cover. The Germans were concerned and pressed the attack. Their morale got bolster by killing the Grants to their front. The Grants proved to be nearly worthless and just gave points to the Germans.

The Germans did roll up the Russian right as the T-34s moved to the fields behind the town to protect the rear if the Germans tried to flank.

Once the germans rolled up the flank and killed a few morre tanks, they had a Major Victory racked up and thus decided to not tempt luck and just moved forward effectively by passed the town. The Russians tried for more kill in a feeble attempt to gain more points to lower the germ,an VC to minor or if real lucky, a draw. But the germans used smoke to cover their move. the game ended 25 to 17 in favor of the Germans.

This was a pretty big tank battle for a 1-mapper. The soviets had elements of a tank brigade (grants and T34b's and c's) with which to hold a 4-hex town near some fields. The Germans had a battalion of tanks with companies of schutzen and motorcycles in support with which to take it.

The Russians put their T34s and some SMGs in the town and in a wood behind the town, and their Grants and some SMGs in the fields on the southeast flank.

The Germans attacked into the fields with most of their force, holding back half of their PZIVs as an assault force once the way to the town was open.

The fight in the field was a short range brawl as you'd expect. The Grants were pulverized but the SMGs held out nicely. Eventually the Germans committed their tank reserve to an end run to the east around the fields, hoping the mopping up in the fields would free up a few infantry to support them. The tanks drove into the teeth of the remaining T34s still holding the town and woods. Caught in a crossfire, the Germans lost half their remaining tanks and were thoroughly demoralized, deciding to pull back since they had inflicted significantly more casualties up to that point.

End result: Germans 36 VP, Russians 29 VP, a just barely a major German victory, but with a very bloody nose.

I've been exposing PG to a lot of players since I started playing it myself about 1-1/2 years ago. Mike is yet another first-time FTF PG opponent for me.

I told him I thought the Soviets were a bit over-matched in this one. Tough to compete when the German armor has stronger AT numbers, greater range, armor efficiency, and matches the Soviet's numbers. Mike set up in the town and field. I brought my Pz IVs onto the west side of the battlefield, keeping my infantry back for now. I started picking off Soviet armor steps one-by-one as my superior tanks lived up to my expectations. A bit later I brought on the recon motorcycles, and finally my infantry.

By around turn 6 I was ahead 21 step losses inflicted to only 2. With remaining Soviet armor and a portion of the Soviet infantry is disarray Mike conceded. I told him I think we both are still learning how to defend effectively in PG. Mike is currently cleaning my clock in an email Vassal Elsenborn Ridge scenario where I am the defender.

I think this is a pretty good intro scenario because of the limited number of units and turns. It's also potentially a lot of fun for noobs because of the mix of tanks and infantry on both sides. Unfortunately though it seems lopsided in favor of the Germans. Sometimes that can be remedied by requiring one side to complete their task in less turns than the scenario specifies, but I don't think that approach changes much in this case.

Soviets dug in T-34's and Grants in lines on both sides of the town, some in fields. AT gun in town with some of the infantry, with minefields in front. Germans did not capture a single town hex but they were all being assaulted except for one. German PzkpwIV's picked off the dug in T-34's and contributed to the town assault. Germans drove straight north and then flanked the town once the T-34's were eliminated. Off-board artillery and mortars not very effective due to most of the units being dug-in, AFV's or in the town.

While the Germans won big due to Soviet step losses, the Soviets did manage to delay the advance and frustrate the SS panzer grenadiers.

As with my previous solo play, I have treated assaulted victory hexes as being not controlled by either player.