It's overcast, cold, a thick carpet of snow covers the ground and a biting wind comes in from the south...

My units are all veteran. I have:

1 x recon platoon with a 37mm AT gun in support (under Lt Oldendahl)

2 x pioneer platoons (under Lt von Pannwitz and Lt Mogg)

2 x MG34 HMGs, 2 x flamethrower teams, 2 x tank hunter teams and one 75mm inf gun (under company commander Hpt Schuster)

Armour assets comprise 2 x SPW 251/1 HTs, a SPW 250/11 support HT and a sIG IB self-propelled artillery unit.

I am defending a small town - more specifically the bridge to the south and the church to the west.

The scenario has been designed by Abbott and was originally played by MasterGoodale. An AAR never materialised, but from what I remember of the wailing and gnashing of teeth I assume MG's Russians lost.

I have never played Axe 2121 before (the maggot) and I have no idea from which direction to expect an attack or even likely force composition. Considering the size of the map (smallish) and the conditions (far from ideal) I decide it will not be a good idea to go wandering around - I'll take a more conservative approach which, to be honest, I favour anyway.

Tree coverage means good LOS is tricky, so I attempt to spread my force out to gather as much intelligence as possible, which should also lessen the impact of any artillery. I trust I have also left the flexibility to respond to whatever the next half an hour will bring, with cover to both advance and retreat.

Oldendahl's men set up what I hope will be a reverse slope defence to the south of the town, with his AT gun on the ridge to cover the roads to both the south and the east.

von Pannwitz takes his squads to defend the bridge, supported by an AT team and a flamethrower.

Mogg's platoon hides in the trees to the north of the church.

Schuster will command his forces from the church, with the second flamethrower covering the rear entrance and an HMG in the tower. The 75mm inf gun is also near, by the graveyard, where it has reasonable views to both the west and south.

The final tank hunter team keeps an eye on the road leading from the east. Here it can get a little covering fire from the second HMG, which is set up on the first storey of the nearby light building.

I hide my fragile AFVs close to the roads - with ground conditions like this I don't feel I can afford to take them too far off the beaten track. However else this encounter develops, I hope it doesn't turn into an armour battle...

Task Force 'A' is comprised of three T-34s and a platoon of regular infantry on skis and the company HQ. I've tasked them with approaching the village from the left flank. Sufficient tree coverage should mean they'll reach the village undetected.

Task Force 'B' is almost the same as 'A' with the exception of the Company HQ. I have also attached two 50mm mortars to it, because once I broach the first treeline, I will have LOS to at least some of the village. It has been tasked with moving up the road and securing the bridge. I'll be the first to admit I don't like the assignment of driving up the main road but I'm afraid if my other task forces get bogged down in the snow, I won't have sufficient armor to assault the village. Still, I do want them to sweep a little off the road before heading back onto it.

Task Force 'C' has the furthest to go, a long trek to the right flank so, hopefully I'll be approaching the village from three different directions. Because they have so far to go, I give the job to a platoon of nimble T-70s and a supporting team of infantry on skis which they will need to move fast enough to keep up.

And away we go!!