ASL Scenario 17 - Lost Opportunities (Turns 1-1/2)

Our Friday night game saw the continuation of our replaying of the Paratrooper scenario suite. This night's selection would be ASL 17 - Lost Opportunities. My St. Louis opponent and I diced for sides and he received the Germans and I the Americans. 

Now at first glance, this scenario looks like a tough one for the Germans, and I felt that a solid up front defense would be the right way to play it. The Germans win immediately by controlling 4 buildings in the US zone of control. But...the Germans also lose instantly if they have less than 9 unbroken squads. And when you have 9 x 4-3-6's in your OOB...that could happen fairly easily, especially if the German elects to lead his assault with the fragile 4-3-6 squads.

My opponent would do just that, but the outcome of the first 1-1/2 turns would be surprising for us both!!!

Seems like it's always that way in ASL...because of those little things called dice...

I built my defense with a center strong anti-tank force- bazookas and the 57LL AT Gun. I really didn't expect my opponent to try for risking trail breaks..especially with 8 movement factor tanks. I placed one 30 Cal in B3 to cover the center and east flank. The other 30 Cal was on the second floor with great fields of fire. But in keeping with the name of the scenario...I had nothing but lost opportunities for fire. 

I would be channeling my inner Bill Murray for much of the night. (In fairness to myself...I had a tremendously rough week at work. So it took me most of the night to get my ASL face on.)

 My STL opponent has a tendency towards cautious play, but on this night, he would move forward very aggressively and really caught me napping. The 9 x 4-3-6's did indeed lead the attack with cover from the German mortars on the hill. (first lost opportunity...I never fired my 2nd level MMG at either mortar...completely dumb on my part...and an error which will be corrected in my next Prep Fire.)

My opponent opened the game with the Marder attempting smoke and then HE. Both rolls failed and so the vehicle was marked No Smoke and No HE. But the AP shells fired later would be unwelcome!!

 Following the German turn, I finally decided to do some shooting. I had kept all my boys concealed during the German's first movement phase. Again, a decision that probably created lost opportunities.

It was time to reveal a unit.

 The two Pz35A's would be my target.

 My 57LL AT Gun barked out two shots and remarkably created two burning wrecks.

 The German's D-Fire would be punishing as the two 5cm Mortars dropped shells on either flank.

 The German mortars would be quite effective in the first German fire phases.

 A look at the east flank. Despite the mortar shells, I was fairly confident that my unit in B3 would hold out and be ready to repel the coming advance. I would be mistaken...

 And so they did during the German D-Fire as the combined mortar and Conscript fire succeeded in breaking my 3-4-7 with the MMG and my 7-4-7 with two Bazookas. Rolling back to back '11's" have a way of breaking you...Paratrooper Bad Ass or not...

 And in the midst of all that fun...I managed to roll and activate the German sniper who promptly pinned my MMG on the 2nd floor. That was special...

 So my Turn 1 accomplishments were the destruction of two tanks and nothing more.

 The US Sniper did also show up and managed to pin the German mortar in F7, which ended his Golden Corral...endless buffet of ROF...oh good grief...my STL opponents has an unbelievable ability to retain ROF. It's eerie sometimes...

ok...I'm just pointing it out...

The German D-Fire would continue to hammer me in the center and on the west edge. The mortar on the west flank managed a critical hit on my boys in C9. When the smoke cleared...the 7-4-7 squad was gone and so too was their 6cm mortar, which had not fired a shot yet. (another Lost Opportunity...I had planned to open up in the next D-Fire...but that chance never came around...). But as often happens...the next ROF shot with that same mortar came up "12"...thank goodness!

It was...but my opponent wasn't finished just yet.

Next up, the German kill stack with the 9-1, MMG, and HMG rolled snake eyes against the crew of my 57LL AT Gun...who were still celebrating their two tank kills.

In a flurry of machine-gun bullets, they were wiped out.

I wish...

 I kept my composure...after the week I had...just playing ASL was awesome...so go ahead...roll snake eyes...it's all good...

 The X's mark the positions that had been successfully eliminated and/or routed by my opponent. 

Yeah...I was feeling a little like Conan here...but remember he got out of this ok!

 Prior to starting Prep Fire, my opponent's wind change resulted in Gusts...so wind came into the game if only momentarily.

 The German turn 2 Prep Fire was ineffectual on the west flank, but managed to break my boys in C2 on the east flank. As they were in foxholes...things would end badly for them.

 The Germans would succeed in moving up on the east flank and capturing the broken 7-4-7 in C2.

I am going to have get more careful with my foxhole usage.

 A final look at the conclusion of the German phase of Turn 2. Overall, an excellent beginning for the Germans. They have lost their armor, but infantry is king in this scenario and so far, my opponent has kept his infantry completely intact as he heads towards at least 3 of the 4 required victory locations. It's going to get interesting to say the least!

Yes I do...Turn 2 US Phase...time for payback!