[Sticky] Scenario

It is the 9th July 1944. The Å iauliai Offensive is now under way, part of the third phase of Russia's massive 'Operation Bagration' in which 185 Soviet divisions comprising about 2.5 million soldiers and 6,000 tanks smashed into the German positions on a front line of 1,000 km, started just 17 days earlier.

The aim of the Å iauliai Offensive is to fight against the remnants of Third Panzer Army with the main objective to capture back the Lithuanian city of Å iauliai (Russian: Shyaulyai; German: Schaulen).

The 2nd Guards Army is attacking towards Riga on the Baltic coast with 3rd Guards Mechanised Corps attached, splitting the German Army Group Centre and Army Group North.

Our event takes us to the Latvian/ Lithuanian border, close to Kalnamuiža, a heavily wooded region. Close by it the main arterial road north west to Riga and south east to Daugavpils, heavily used by the occupying forces.

The Russian advance party needs to assess the area and pass information so that plans can be made to break through at speed. The Russian 2nd Guards (13th Guards Rifle Corps) has a small, fast and lightly armed scout party on foot. Until the rest of the Corps arrives, the advance party's job is to gather information and harass enemy troop movements. The pressure is on them, as previous groups have not returned, their fate unknown but, sure to have been grim. They have a small group of the local partisan brigade to assist them with their excellent local knowledge.

The incumbent German force locally consist of IV SS Panzer Corps and some of the Sturmpionier Battalion "Großdeutschland". They are mechanised, highly mobile and reasonably well equipped with excellent local knowledge of the area and terrain and have been ordered to resist attack and hold the line at all costs. The main Russian thrust can be delayed if the Germans can eliminate the Russian scout party. Also, the capture of any partisans could help greatly with disrupting local terrorist activity.