Advancing Soviet spearheads of General Bagramyan's 1st Baltic Front had established bridgeheads across the River Venta near Kursenai. Long experience had taught the Germans the need to eliminate these small bridgeheads as quickly as possible; otherwise the Soviet forces would swiftly increase the strength of the units within them to a point where they could serve as springboards for an attack. The German attack would fall to Generalleutnant Verhein's newly formed and untested 551.Volksgrenadierdivision. On the morning of October 3, foggy conditions grounded the Soviet Air Force, allowing the Germans to close up within the forward Soviet positions undetected before launching their attack. As the German casualties mounted and Soviet reserves arrived to stabilize the line, the German attack lost steam and ground to a halt.
I played German Attacker. The Russian Defender set up in the village with a defense in the center. I charged across the road on the 1st turn into a fire lane and took several casualties. I was able to eventually flank and prevent him retreating and/or routing his village team toward the bridge. I was able to set up long range Machine guns to cover the bridge crossing before he could take it with his turn 2 reinforcements. The game went all the way to the final turn 6 with both our forces charging the bridge. He cut down my charge on 1st half of turn 6. His final turn 6 charge was cut down at the last minute with long range machine gun saving the day. Very close game.
I misunderstood the statement about the elevated road (it does exist but is not elevated...). Therefore, the Russian reinforcements took a (very) long time for coming in play. During this odyssey, the meager Russian defense was annihilated by the German offensive. In the antepenultimate turn, the bridge was for good in German hands...
