I'm not all that thrilled with an active discussion on an on-going tourney game, but since a few folks have commented on being frustrated by the tank issue, I'll let it go, for now.
When I chose this scenario, I picked a few winter scenarios and then compared them to the current database here at the Blitz. I had not played or tested this scenario in the past, so if this is a bit of a ball-buster you can blame me a bit. In checking the play-testing report for this scenario, it was not, unfortunately tested in a PBEM game. The tester was able to win against the AI and felt it would be an even more fun scenario as a PBEM.
https://www.theblitz.club/scenarios/Squa...&ladder=10
As you can see, the Russians have been successful twice in this game, albeit one being Ozgur who could probably beat the Indians in a Battle of the Little Bighorn scenario....
That said, you have to think carefully about what you're doing in order to win this one as the Russians. You lose a tank on a bridge in real life, chances are you've blocked the bridge for a while, unless you've got a dedicated engineer team to move it. In the time-frames for SB, that's not all that realistic.
As for the infantry, it makes some sense that you can't get past a burning tank on a bridge by 'crawling' near it. Chances are, you need to get up and run past it. I don't think this is an unrealistic representation of what you'd have to do in real life.
It would be no fun if I didn't give a tourney a challenging scenario! It will separate the men from the boys.
;)