JP054: Satisfaction and Confidence: 25th June, 1944, Slobodka, Russia.

History: On June 24, the 3rd Army of the 1st Byelorussian Front made a 10 kilometer penetration 
towards Minsk against the German 134th Infantry Division as part of Operation Bagration. 
General Jordan, commander of the German 9th Army, received permission from Field Marshal Busch 
to commit his major reserve, the 20th Panzer Division. The 20th was only at partial strength as 
one of its tank battalions was being refitted with Panthers but moved out as ordered nonetheless. 
The Soviet 65th Army, however, had made another breakthrough on the southern approaches to 
Bobruisk, and, as this penetration deepened, Marshal Rokossovskiy committed the 1st Guards Tank 
Army to exploit the breach.

Aftermath: This new exploitation deeply alarmed General Jordan, who then changed his orders to 
20th Panzer and turned them around to move southwards towards this new threat. The 20th now had 
its infantry in the lead, followed by the Mk. IVs of remaining tank regiment. They met the Russians 
at Slobodka and engaged in a series of disjointed infantry and tank skirmishes. The Germans 
destroyed 60 tanks but lost nearly half of their own vehicles in the process without slowing the 
Russian advance. As the relentless assault by 1st Guards Tank Army moved forward, it threatened 
to cut off several German infantry divisions. On June 26, both Jordan and Busch flew to see Hitler 
who relieved them both, ordering Field Marshal Model to take command of Army Group Center. The 
staff of 9th Army (Model's early-war command), fed up with Busch and the beating the 9th had been
taking the past week, noted in their official diary that the news of Model's arrival was welcomed 
with satisfaction and confidence.
                  
Play Mode: Best head to head or as Soviets, normal to hard difficulty.

Setup: The German player sets up on the board, their reinfocements enter Turn 2 on the north edge. 
The Russians enter from the south edge where indicated.

Units Human Players (AI player units may vary)
German: Squads, Crews, Leaders, MMG, LMG, PSK, PF, Ordnance, AFV's.
Soviets: Squads, Leaders, LMG's, DC, AFV's.

Map: North is to the left, three maps (1x3) full playing surface.  

Visibility: 14 hexes.

Terrain: Rural, Fields, Woods.

Scenario Length: 6.5 Game Turns

Victory Objective: The Russians get Victory Points for exiting units only. The Germans get a victory
if the Russians don't at least get a minor victory.

Scenario Designer: John M. Pirman [Matrix Callsign: Big Ivan] Special thanks to Ken Dunn for his
original development of this scenario in Advanced Squad Leader.
