The battle takes place in July of 1941 and it is set in the area south 
west of Leningrad. The Germans at this time were advancing quickly 
and in this particular instance perhaps just a bit too quickly for their 
own good. They managed to secure the two large wooden bridges 
which span the Luga River in the town of Porechye and the trick now 
was to hold them for the slower moving artillery and infantry units to use. 

*****Note: 
This scenario has the same file names at the Porechye scenario 
that comes on the EFII CD.You may want to back that one up prior 
to installation

Author:
PORECHYE  
The Soviets shelled the area surrounding the bridges with upwards 
of 2,000 shells a day in an attempt to at least drop the  bridges before 
they could be used for the advance on Leningrad. Which at this time 
the population was constructing earth works, bunkers, tank traps and 
killing zones in the areas south and west of the approaches to Leningrad. 
Obviously the  longer the Germans were held in the Porechye area the 
better the prepared defences would be. In the scenario the Soviets  
have a strong artillery presence and this is designed to reflect the "up to 
2,000 shells a day". The Germans however are not  without the ability to 
inflict damage at long range as well in their advance to the bridgehead area.  
    
This battle is based upon reading and researching the following books. 
Barbarossa by Alan Clark, The Road to Stalingrad  by John Erickson, 
Hitler Moves East by Paul Carell and finally Fighting in Hell: The German 
Ordeal on the Eastern Front  by various contributors who gave their 
respective experience's to American interviewers following the war.     
The scenario as it is now is designed for a two player game. Each side 
has its work cut out for them.  As the Germans the objective is to advance 
and relieve the surrounded combat units holding the Porechye bridges. The 
Germans are hampered by the usual problems of stubborn Soviet defenders
and time and distance to be covered to actually influence the battle for  the 
bridges and town of Porechye.  As the Soviets the problems are how to get 
the Germans to pull back from the bridgehead area and then will you be 
strong enough to throw back the usual German counter-attacks. Your other 
forces can  also greatly influence the battle with their delaying of the German 
relief units.  
    
Historically the Germans held the bridgehead and then moved on in their 
quest to take the Northern objectives of  Leningrad and Murmansk.  
A thank you to John Landi for helping to fine tune this scenario with his 
ability to frustrate my attacks and tips on how to improve the scenario. 
Also to Frank Donati for posting this battle .... enjoy!  
    
Stephen Duncan