So, I got my ass kicked.
Technically I really didn't so much get it kicked as I didn't accomplish the mission; the Russians won the match more or less on technicalities. The scoring in this scenario really requires the Germans to grab every single objective. I didn't manage that within the allotted time, hence a major defeat.
I could blame a lack of familiarity with the interface and mechanics of the game engine, but in all honesty it was my tactical plan that was at fault. Simple plans have a great many virtues and mine was not as simple and direct as it should have been,
Sweeping envelopments were certainly a standard German tactic. In this scenario, however, my moves to envelope and flank the Soviet positions ultimately dissipated my combat power too widely. I simply didn't have the concentration of force at critical points to force the tenacious Soviet defenders out of the objective locations fast enough.
Ultimately, while I was able to get well into the Soviet rear and cause widespread disruption and morale collapse, this plan worked against me. I ended up forcing more and more disrupted Soviet units into a smaller and smaller space - a space that happened to be right on top of my objectives. I'm playing with the alternate direct and artillery fire rules, so this had the effect of diluting my fires across an ever increasing mob of disrupted Soviet units.
Combined with my own unit's growing fatigue, this made assaults ineffective as well. In the end, there were just too many enemy troops right where I didn't need them to be, and they were there because I herded them there!
A good lesson. I'm replaying the scenario now, with a much simpler plan that has my regiments concentrating their attacks on much narrower fronts. I've also kept back at least a battalion of each regiment as a reserve, to rotate into combat when the lead units are exhausted. At turn four I seem to be making better headway -- but then I thought I was close to winning at turn four the first time!
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