BUDAPEST

No. of Turns:  20

Battle Posture:  Axis = Attack     Allies = Defense

Per Turn Prestige Boosters:  Axis = 0        Allies = 0

No.of Units Available for purchase: Axis = 1      Allies = 1

     - Open terrain and an extensive road network facilitate
rapid movement slowed only be battles.  The Germans only have
half the map to contend with.  The objectives required to win are
relatively close to the starting positions.

No. of Objectives:  9 Axis: take all objectives.
     - Four are already held by the Axis and all other are within
a few moves from the German start point.  Simovtornya is off to
the side and will probably take an independent attack force to
assault the city.  

Prestige:   Axis = 500    Allies = 717
     - The Soviets begin this scenario with a numeric advantage
with top of the line tank and anti-tank units.  Germans have
little prestige to spend on new units when the current ones will
be damaged by good Soviet armor, so new units may be limited to
low end anti-tank units and replacements.

Air Superiority
     - The Axis begins with the exceptional DO335 fighter and two
FW190d9 fighters while the Soviet begin with a severe
disadvantage in the air.  But the Germans have only two tactical
bombers and cannot immediately afford more.  So this is not as
crucial as the ground battle.

Ground Superiority
     - The eastern half of the German attack is overly strong
where the western part is seriously weak with only defensive
units in place.  The western German line could be overrun by
aggressive Soviet armor and expose the German interior.  The
Soviet forces are fairly evenly distributed with good quality in
the IS-2s and the ISU-122.
   AXIS:  This is set up as a head-on fight, but you can turn it into an
   encirclement
battle if you can turn the Allied line at the city of Slofok on Lake
Balaton.  Open
a corridor past the Soviet left wing and do an end-run to the city of
Simontornya.
From there, your strike force can sent a detachment to take Dunafoldvar and
Solt
which will then push west along the far bank of the Danube while the bulk
of this
battlegroup cuts behind the Soviet line to attack towards Rackeve.  When
the
Soviets leave their entrenchments to mass to defend Aba, they lose their
defensive advantage and you can close in on them from both sides for a
crushing
victory.  The downside of this strategy is that the flanking force can
become
bogged down or the forces left behind might not be sufficinet to hold the
line.

ALLIES:  Start by putting a garrison in Slofok and concentrate on taking
the city
of Tatabanya first.  Since the German left wing is weak, this should happen
quickly and open a gap in the line through which the Allies can push troops
headed for Zirc and Gyor.  The added prestige you earn from these successes
may be enough to add additional strength before turning back north to
attack the
Germans near Szekesfehervar.
        Your heavy tanks remain a strong point you should plan around.
Unfortunately, your air force is not so good, but LA-7's and Yak-9's can
counter
the enemy's bombers and thus force him to escorthis bombers.


General Information
     -  The terrain is pretty open.  The opportunity for the
Soviets to strike behind the German lines is a real possibility. 
If they can do this then they can gain the prestige to blunt the
German main eastern offensive.

Final Evaluation 
          Prestige              Experience
Axis         +2                     0
Allies        0                     0

     -  The lack of airpower limits the ability of the German
forces to push through the cheap Soviet units and giving a chance
for the Soviet tanks to counterattack without the need for AA
cover.  The Axis player could go for another bomber because of
the lack of Soviet airpower, but this may keep their ground
forces weak.  A +2 to the German prestige should give them enough
to get the extra bomber and deal with the good Soviet units.