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My main criticism is of the briefing for the Allied side. I planned a strategy based on my reading of the briefing and in restrospect, I now realize I misinterpreted it, as it is written in language that could be interpreted in more than one way. My ensuing actions, based on erronous conclusions, ultimately handicapped my performance. This is not an excuse, just an observation of the facts. Ultimately, it was my responsibility. These are the fortunes of war; commanders misread their orders in RL, too.
Let me explain futher:
The briefing tells the Soviet commander that:
"You have been ordered to move with all speed from Nadvornaya and defend the pass ... You have a small recon force defending the village of Banya. I have ordered them to stand fast until your forces reach them."
I realize now that this information is offered in a strategic sense, not a tactical sense. Since I erroneously read it as tactical information, I took the instructions literally, believing the town garrison was in immediate danger of attack, e.g. there would be an attack in the first couple of turns, which was obviously not the case, and that I need to relieve the garrison NOW! Like, on Turn 1. Unfortunately, I formed a plan based on that faulty premise. The details are unimportant. Still, I nearly managed a draw.
Briefings, I understand, are a tricky business, with designers not wanting to give away too much or too little, while also attempting to craft something creative that improves the "flavor-text" of the given scenario. While the lines above are well-written and dramatic, perhaps they could be rewritten in such a way as to make it clearer that these are strategic directives, not tactical orders.
If I had read the briefing correctly, and manuevered accordingly, I think a draw or better would have been guaranteed. This is a pretty good, balanced scenario, otherwise. The matchup of fast-moving, turreted tanks against monster assault guns that can turn suprisingly quick made for some tense armor skirmishes. The swarms of Hungarian infantry can be dealt with, if one parcels out HE shells in a rapid-reaction fashion and keyholes the halftracks and armored cars with a mind of strictly targeting infantry.The terrain, most of which I erroneously viewed as extraneous, I now see offers a variety of options for movement and organization of forces.
Certainly, based on my experience with this scenario, I would be most interested in trying out some of your other work.
Thanks and good luck to you!
Enzo
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