Arctic Front: Across River Vuoksi (2 x 2 Team Game)

[Crossroads]

As we are nearing the completion of Round 1 of our tournament, I would like to ask for your feedback

** Across the River Vuoksi LWM 1.2

Scenario
Objective: Balanced and fun recreation for JTCS for battle of Vuosalmi July 4. - 15. 1944, representing the first phase of the battle (as of pic 1 below, and forward), with scenario ending just before Red Army switched the 98th AC for the 115th AC and before the Finnish counter attack against the bridgehead the 115th created (pic 2 below).

4.-5. July 1944

9. July 1944

Map
Objective: historical, accurate map.

Contemporary maps from late 1930's are actually available digitally here: http://www.karjalankartat.fi/ Just switch to English and type Vuosalmi into search box, and double-click the "Vuosalmi, Äyräpää" result. Three different map sets available. Nice!

- I prefer to have a delta of 10 meters to have maps a varied terrain, but the steep heights in southern shores sort of forced the 20 meter delta. It turned out quite OK though?

- Pontoon bridges with rivers at end added for a chance for both sides to have means to cross rivers. Are there too many of them, would three be enough? I sort of like the fact there are four of them, as things become much more hard to predict for gaming purposes. Three bridges would make the life of Axis a bit easier I assume
- Shallow water hexes added for beaching and also for crossing some straights. Would you like to see more of them? Where?
- Your comments?

OOB
Objective: Historical oobs, with some elements of Finnish Armoured Division arriving a bit too early for balancing reasons.

- Some transports still have too many units, e.g. most Wagons, some trucks.
- Soviet T-34/85s left out and replaced with T-34/43s, in order to give Axis assault guns some freedom to operate. The southern shore heights have such a commanding view...
- What would you like to have changed?

Objectives
Objective: Large enough objectives to encourage direct action and to make them important despite of largeish scenario size. Placed on what I considered important locations, and also accurate to reflect the actual battle results as far as Red Army managed to extend their bridgehead at the time

- I am considering moving the Vuosalmi 500VP location on hex Northeast, to hide its LOS from southern shores. Would make it a tad easier for Axis player to defend it.
- Comments?

Length
Objective: Short enough to force Allied player to come out in force, long enough for Axis player to be punished hard for any reckless actions. Given the difference in size of the respective forcepools, it is important to get this spot on.

- In my test games it was only 16 turns, but that was perhaps a bit too short. 18 turns feels like an eternity from Axis point of view, though
- Your comments?

Balance

- What would you like to see changed?

Fun

- What was fun? What was not?

Scenario description

- Did it set the scene properly? Did it give both sides enough information for orientation towards stragety etc?

H2H Score

On scale of 0-10, how would you rate the scenario, using H2H criteria:

- Balance
- Enjoyment
- Briefings

A scenario is scored in three categories, Balance, Enjoyment and Briefings. The score a scenario achieves is an average of these three scores using this formula

(balance*1.6)+(enjoyment*1.2)+(briefings*0.2)/3

From the above formula the 'Balance' score is by far the most important and you should take into account your own performance when making your judgement of this.

'Enjoyment' is self explanatory and 'Briefings' is the least important score. If the Briefing was full and informative you should always score it highly (8 or greater).


Other comments

- Feel free to add any observations for the good, bad and outright ugly of this scenario!

Ta!