Grumble Jones - An ASL Blog: Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario AP131 Crickets in Spring

For our Saturday game, Dan and I selected another from the new AP13 Pack - ASL Scenario AP131 Crickets in Spring (designed by Bill Sisler). This scenario takes place in March of 1945 as the Germans are engaged in the ill-conceived counter-offensive in Hungary. I've always wondered about the sanity of sending the last armored reserves available to the Third Reich into Hungary rather than into the Polish Plains, where they could have been used to hold off the Soviets' advance into Germany and perhaps reconnect with the Kurland Pocket.

This particular scenario would encompass the actions around Aranyos-Puszta, Hungary on March 7th, 1945.

The EC would be Mud with no wind and Mist. While the Mist would have relatively little impact on our game play, the mud would be a constant impediment to movement.

All the roads would be paved and would of course be the primary route to be taken by both the German and the Soviet armor.

This would be an advantage for the Russian player as the road network is very extensive in the Russian setup area. The Germans only have one road from Board 11 into Board 64. This would naturally funnel most of the German forces onto that one road.

As always, we rolled for sides and I wound up with the Russians and would be the scenario defender. I would command elements of the Soviet 26th Army.

My initial setup would consist of 6 x 4-4-7's, lead by a 9-1 and 8-0 with an HMG, MMG, and 3 x 76L ARTY's for support. Honestly not a stellar force to cover a wide front and trying to stop SS Grenadiers. I definitely didn't like my odds right out of the gate. I would get some substantial reinforcements on Turn 2 in the form of 6 x T-34/85's with 6 x 6-2-8's with 2 x LMG's led by a 9-2. OK...I felt a little better....6 x T-34/85's...that's pretty sweet!

As the scenario attacker Dan would have the burden of slogging through the mud and achieving more VP and CVP than the Russians. Each multi-hex building would be worth 2 VP's in addition to all other normally earned CVP. We identified 17 buildings, so the Russians would begin the game with 34 VP. Turn 1 would be my high water mark!!!

Dan would command the veterans of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26, of the 12SS Panzer Division. These boys had fought hard in the Normandy and Ardennes campaigns before finding themselves once more at the forefront of a German offensive in the muddy Hungarian Spring. Of course, the quality of this division would be suspect given the devastating losses which it suffered in Normandy. It's performance in the Ardennes was mediocre at best and would reflect the large number of replacements fed into the Division. But in this scenario Dan's boys would hard hitting 6-5-8's.

Dan's force would consist of 9 x 6-5-8's, with an MMG, 2 x LMG's and led by a 9-1 and 8-0. This group would set up on Board 11. Immediately on Turn 1, this force would be reinforced by 3 x Panthers, 3 x SPW251's with 3 x 6-5-8's led by a 10-2 with an LMG and another SPW251 with 37L Gun in support. Yikes 12 x 6-5-8's with armor galore going against 6 x 4-4-7's. UGH...not good. And wait..there's more!!! The Germans would get additional reinforcements on Turn 4 in the form of 3 x SIG 38T's with 150* guns...just in case I gave the Germans any headaches that needed to be addressed.

I elected to go with an upfront defense with all three 76L ARTY's up front to shred the SS Grenadiers. I would get very lucky with my first two placements as they were in the attack zone chosen by Dan. My third one would be mission killed until near the end of the game, when Dan went after it with a halftrack.

Dan's Panthers and halftracks selected separate entrance roads, but they all end up in the same area.

Dan's plan was to schwerpunkt my left flank and then roll into the center of the village from there.

My 76L ARTY's caught him by surprise and I managed to break some folks and Dan's "12" on an MC for a half-squad KIA'd them. I had gotten 1 CVP and it would be all I would get for quite some time.

Revealing my 76L ARTY's as I fired away at Dan's infantry gave his Panthers all the intel they needed to breath easier and move forward.

"You're welcome...."

In Advancing Fire, Dan went after the crew of one my 76L ARTY's. I rolled a "12" on the MC and said goodbye to my crew.

The road was now open!

My other 76L ARTY on the far left was destroyed in Close Combat. My upfront defense was proving to be a poor idea.

"Hmmm...the Force was weak with this crew I see..."

Next up my dice conspired to injure me. I rolled a snakes...which caused my firing team to cower and then it activated the German Sniper, who promptly shot my 9-1 in the head.

But my dice weren't done with me. My 4-4-7 would boxcar the Leader Loss MC and become a DM'd 2-2-6. Oh JOY...!!! In one fell swoop at the hands of my own dice, my strongest position was all but eliminated.

As my luck drained like sand in an hourglass, Dan's was rising like the incoming tide. He managed to create a Fanatic Half-Squad and Hero with his snake eyes.

I would pin the fanatic SS half-squad, but the Hero was still coming at me..even though I wounded him. He was one tough Hombre!

On Turn 2 - Dan's Panthers would move into blocking positions in anticipation of my Turn 2 reinforcements.

With my upfront defense shattered, I wasn't sure of where best to send my T-34/85's. I knew full well that they couldn't go toe to toe with the Panthers, but I had to find a way to create some sort of defense....I know...duh...

On the far left, I sent one T-34/85 to go after some soft skin AFV's loaded with Grenadiers. As it was in motion, I felt it gave me a good chance. I would ultimately be wrong.

Dan had done very well in just turn turns and in moving through all the mud too. No one bogged, so he was in great shape as we headed to Turn 3.

In the center, I had one 4-4-7 that refused to go down easily. Dan sent in his wounded hero in Close Combat and won the ambush. Neither of us got our roll and so Melee raged and one German took on my 10 Russian Riflemen.

By Turn 3, I was in real trouble. Dan was racking up VP and CVP like a big dog. I still only had added 1 to my total at the start. And I was beginning to lose buildings.

At least my reserves were on the board!

On the far left, my T-34/85 came under attack. Inside the Half-track, Dan's boys fumbled around for a Panzerfaust, but rolled a "6" and pinned themselves. This would happed three more times to Dan and he would not find a single Panzerfaust during the entire scenario. Looks like some of his Grenadiers had been extras in the movie -- "FURY".

"What these...nah...these are just props..."

Fortunately for Dan...he didn't need no stinkin' panzerfausts...

As Dan's VP count began to exceed mine, his blood got up and he sent his half-tracks on some perilous missions! My mission killed 76L ARTY found new life as Dan charged an SPW251 in overrun attempt. I fired and missed...and next thing I know the half-track is overrunning my gun. But Dan had to roll for ESB in order to do it...and promptly immobilized in my hex.

On the right flank, I lost a duel with another of Dan's Panthers.

Back on the left and center left, things were going decidedly Dan's way. I had lost control of all the VC building locations and my only 4-4-7 was locked in Melee with a wounded German hero...oh the indignity of it all. Dan would fire into the Melee and break my 4-4-7...and of course the wounded Hero would finish them off as they tried to flee.

The second of Dan's suicide squad half-tracks barreled past my 76L ARTY...it was preoccupied...and zoomed after the flank of my T-34/85's. It's 37L popped off a shot to announce it's presence!

My next move was to try and get my forces into blocking positions to hang on to my current buildings. But it would be to no avail. I thought about challenging one of the Panthers...but quickly thought better of it and kept on moving out of sight.

Thank goodness it missed...

Dan's grip on victory was tightening with each phase...

Then Dan's 10-2 decided to make a dash to Q10 and another VP Building. I squeezed off some shots and forced an MC...Dan rolled Snakes!!! And his 10-2 became a Heroic 10-3. OH GOOD GRIEF!!! This is whey we love ASL!!!

"ANGREIF!!!"

At this point in the game, Dan had surpassed my VP count and it looked very doubtful that I could push back enough to recapture buildings. It was getting very bleak for my Russians.

But Dan wasn't done with me yet. He pressed the attack and sent his Panthers on the hunt for my cowering T-34/85's.

At this stage of the game, Dan had moved without bogging anyone. And then suddenly, an SPW251 bogged as it tried to pick up some Grenadiers.

Dan's center Panther came down to support the Heroic 10-3. I fired away...but would only end up Shocking the Panther (it would fix itself in the final Rally Phase).

Yep...I couldn't get through that thick Krupp Steel.

Dan's Panther on the left came rolling to clean up things on the left.

My boys fired...and SNAKE EYES!!!

Well...a last bit of luck for my hard-pressed Russians!

Meanwhile in the center, Dan's 10-3 would end up in Melee with my my boys after reducing them to a 3-2-8. I would fire into the Melee and break the 6-5-8 with Dan's Heroic 10-3. It would not matter, he would wipe out the half-squad all by himself in the next Close Combat Phase.

"Yeah...I remember this one scenario... I had to go into Close Combat all by myself...it was no biggie...nothing could stand up to my -4 DRM. It was epic!"

"Sounds cool..."

My last gasp on the right was to send a T-34/85 to hit the rear of the last of Dan's Panthers. It would not result in anything before the game ended with my concession.

I had been manning the Concession Stand since about the end of Turn 3. So as we headed into Turn 5, I gave Dan the concession. His boys were clearly in control of the situation and he had earned a hard-fought victory.