What...wait a minute...you mean the SUPER BOWL is on right now... and you have Jimmy John's and Tostidos with that great nacho dip!?! BLOG...what blog...
Wait a minute...it's the Patriots and the Eagles...huh...no Vikings...no Cowboys...no Chiefs ??? Seriously...well dang...I think I'll grab that Jimmy Johns Vito to go and get back to the BLOG!!!
I tell them...the Cowboys ruled in the day and they just look at me...like I'm a crazy old dude who plays board games...uh...what...
Then I show them my Roger Staubach autographed picture and they ask me...who dat!?!
Of course the worst part of all of this is my brother is an Eagles Fan...yes...that's right he sent me an Eagles shirt for my birthday last week.
Yep...somebody at Goodwill is now dancing with their new Super Bowl Shirt!!!!
This meme is dedicated to my brother in Jenkintown, PA.
Oh yeah...I'm a Cowboys fan through thick and thin...of course, we may wallow in misery for a while longer...but one day...one day...the BOYS will be back...
Ok...point taken...
You're absolutely right. Let's get back on point and start talking ASL!!!
But wait...how is that different? I win about as often as the COWBOYS!!!
No wonder I'm a fan!!!
For our Saturday game, Dan Best and I selected scenario, ASL Scenario 126 (designed by Jean-Luc Beschennec) Commando Schenke is one of those classic urban fights set on Board 1...the very grail of all ASL maps. ROAR shows 53 Russian Wins to 59 German Wins. So this is one of the more balanced scenarios out there. Although, I'll admit that as the Russians I really felt like the odds were against me. Dan and I briefly discussed the relative power of our force. Numerically, the Germans only have 1 more squad than the Russians. But when you do the firepower math, it's drastically different. The Russians have a total of 67 Firepower for all squads and support weapons. The Germans have 266. That's a lot of offensive capability to draw upon and it's all needed, especially as the victory location building is completely fortified on every floor.
Liepaja, Latvia is located on the Baltic Sea and by all counts is a beautiful Latvian City. And appears to be a popular tourist destination.
On the eve of Operation Barbarossa it would already be occupied by Soviet Forces. These men would form the Leipaja garrison and find themselves in a tremendous battle against the German 291st Infantry Division and supporting Kriegsmarines.
My research for this AAR also revealed some darker history related to the Holocaust. Naturally, we should never gloss over such tragedies, and therefore acknowledge them here. A quick Google search will provide you with additional information about those tragic events.
I have always wanted to visit the Baltic States...but not sure if such an opportunity will ever arise. But, I'll keep it on my bucket list!!
After rolling sides, Dan Best would end up commanding the German forces and would be the scenario attacker. The men of the 291st Infantry Division "The Moose Division" would fight exclusively on the Eastern Front. Their early victories in the Baltic States would be replaced by years of static fighting on the Leningrad Front until their eventual annihilation by Soviet Forces in March of 1945.
Dan's force would consist of the following: 10 x 4-6-7's, 5 x 8-3-8's, led by a 10-2, 9-1, 8-1, 8-0 and 7-0 with an HMG, MMG, 2 x LMG's, 2 x Flamethrowers, 4 x DC's. As previously noted, this would be a very powerful force. They would also have 5 smoke making exponent, which would be put to good use throughout the battle.
Dan's ELR would be a 4 and his SAN would be a 2, which meant his sniper was not likely to ever be activated!!! I think I would only roll one snakes that resulted in an activation check and Dan would roll a 6. So in a rare occurrence, the sniper would not make an appearance for either side for the duration of the game.
As the scenario defender, I would command the Soviet elements of the Liepaja Garrison. Unfortunately, my Google searches returned very little information on this unit or its makeup. So I apologize to my Russian and Eastern European readers. It may seem at times that I over due my attention to German units in my AAR's. This is primarily the result of so little available source material on the net. So to you, I would ask for your assistance in identifying quality sources that are available online to better document the Soviet Red Army forces for my future AAR's. As always, I want this blog to be not just enjoyable but as informative as it can be. So thanks in advance for any direction you can provide.
FEBRUARY 6TH UPDATE: Ok...Christian Knudsen, a Grumble Jones reader was able to ID the Russian force in Liepaja during the battle. He had the opportunity to visit there (see his comment at the end of this post). Christian said the Soviet 67th Rifle Division was located there. I did some additional research and sure enough the Axis History Forum confirmed that yes, the 67th Rifle Division formed the core of the Soviet forces at Liepaja.
(https://forum.axishistory.com//viewtopic.php?t=91764).
Check the link for some great photos and a nice map of the action. Thank you Christian for helping me ID the Soviet force. The boys of the 67th would suffer heavy losses during Operation Barbarossa and would be disbanded. They would be reformed later in the war and serve on the Finnish Front.
My force would consist of 11 x 4-4-7's, 3 x 5-2-7's led by an 8-1 and 9-0 Commissar with a MMG, 2 x LMG's and 13 concealment counters to go along with a fully fortified victory location. One observation for this scenario is the relative lack of machine guns on both sides. One more LMG would have gone a long way for my Soviets.
By SSR, the Soviets have to setup at least 6 squads south hex row U. I did so and added to Dummy Stacks to attract Dan's flamethrowers. They would do exactly what I hoped as Dan's boys eliminated them in Prep Fire. I tried to establish my initial blocking line out of flamethrower with opportunities to interdict the various roads. My 8-1 with the MMG was prepared to lay down fire lines along either flank. I have heard of other strategies for defending in this scenario, where the Soviet player put everything into an upfront defense. I was worried that I would not be able to fall back with enough intact squads to utilize that strategy.
Lately, I have put considerable effort into my pregame. In the past, I usually just worked things up that day before and reacted as the game unfolded. And honestly, that's not a good way to prepare. So I worked through about five different setups before going with the one I used.
As expected, Dan hit me hard right off the bat and sent his half-squads running all over the place to be bullet magnets and force me to uncover my forces. My fire line with the MMG worked as I had hoped, but Dan managed to use bypass movement and avoid my fire lane. So on turn 1, Dan managed to push his way forward up the middle.
After Dan's part of Turn 1, things were already looking bad for my boys in the center. I just didn't have enough firepower to evict his boys from the buildings. I did well enough in controlling the streets, but for the most part only broke Dan's units, and with their good leadership and morale they would keep coming back turn after turn.
One of the things that really bedeviled Dan during the game was the failure of his 8-3-8's to avoid breaking. They had a "glass jaw" as Dan called it for most of the game. So this allowed my forces to stay in the fight for a turn or two longer than would have happened otherwise.
But despite breaking, they would still be the primary force that would bring Dan victory at game end.
Our first Close Combat would go to Melee, but in the end Dan's boys would prevail.
This scenario would be a rough one for both of us and a great many squads would be eliminated by game end.
Dan's 10-2 also had a bit of glass jaw and would break on two occasions, which again gave my boys much needed breathing room as Dan's relentless attacks came on every turn. One of the key characteristics of Dan's play is that when he attacks, he is in your grill every phase of every turn.
Dan's 9-1 and 8-1 prior to the battle...let's listen in..."Franz.." "Ja Rudi" "What do you think of our 10-2 that transferred from the zweite Kompanie?" "Well..I heard he panics under fire sometimes...but always seems to get things done...so we'll see how it goes in this fight."
Having played against Dan for these past two years, I've tried to learn how to better use fire lanes. I'm not quite the master that he is, but I'm making them a staple of my ASL defensive tactics. I have also learned that residual fire can be your best friend. So the Wall of Resid would be the rallying cry of my Soviets as the Germans stormed at them from all sides.
Just keep throwing the lead boys!
So...by the end of Turn 2, Dan's boys were through my blocking force. I had eliminated a couple of half-squads, but lost too many of my own boys as well as a desperately needed LMG. Dan would also get his first prisoners. Sadly they would all perish as I was forced to fire at the Germans escorting them. All for the Motherland was given.
A quick look at the German and Soviet pockets. Also note that one of Dan's snake eyes would create a Hero and make an 8-3-8 Fanatic. Awesome...just awesome...
This guy would go on to have quite a story arc during our game.
Dan would send the Hero to the rear to keep my 2 broken squads DM'd. And the rest of his grenadiers moved in to begin assaulting my fortified building. To win the game, Dan would have to make sure there was no good order Soviets in the building at game end.
Dan's 8-3-8's were ready.
Dan's 10-2 would break once again and be forced from the fortified building. But he would be back. At this stage of the game, my MMG was broken. I had few more 12's than I like to see. I would sorely miss it's additional firepower.
Germans knocking on the door. We haven't any Knockwurst...so go home!!!
Dan was a bit luckier than I during the game in rolling snakes. Two of these would come with flamethrowers and on both occasions I would watch every man die. Flamethrowers...even in ASL...there isn't really a worse way go down...
No after flamethrower pyrotechnics...Dan's Hero would engage in some war crimes as he rejected the surrender of my two squads.
Prisoner taking was over....
Dan's kept the pressure on me and kept coming. I had hoped he might take one turn to regroup...but he just kept coming with that no huddle offense...
Past the half-way mark and a look at the respective forces. I still held the building in force...but the winds of change were beginning to gust.
Smoke and DC's would dominate the end as Dan's grenadiers stormed the building. They would get their first breach.
Dan's boys would pour into the breach and right in the front door as Dan snaked his flamethrower roll on my 9-0 Commissar stack. Everyone would die. The heart and soul of my defense was gone in an instant. In better news...Dan's Hero would be KIA'd in the street as he rushed the building. His crimes had been punished.
Dan's 10-2 was once again in the building and leading his grenadiers forward. His 9-1 and 8-1 had directed supporting fire, but would not enter the building until the end. I had 30 men left. They knew the end was near...but stayed at their posts and continued to fire away.
As the Germans stormed the lower level...my boys scrambled up the staircases to try and hold out on the upper level. "Resist Comrades...never surrender!!!"
"Dmitri..." "Da Yuri"..."I think this is the end..." "Too many 9;s, 10's, and 11's Dmitri..."
Dan's 10-2 finishes off Dmitri, Yuri and their comrades. The end comes swiftly as my boys break under incredible firepower. No concession necessary as my boys were all eliminated. Dan had won a another solid victory. My Soviets held out for 5-1/2 turns, but once the Germans got into the building it was game over.
Yeah...me too!!!
Dan's grenadiers had won the day. Congrats to Dan on the win and another great Saturday of ASL.
This scenario left us both mentally drained. It was a fight from turn 1 and a heck of a lot of fun! If you haven't played this one...definitely put on your list. It's a tough scenario, but great fun!
Dan and I will be back in the cockpit again next Saturday with ASL Scenario AP72 - Guns for St. Barbara
Ok...now you can go and enjoy the Super Bowl!!!
Congrats to you if your team won...and if your team lost...well it could be worse...you could be a long suffering Cowboys fan!!!
Read this rather than watch the Superbowl; I passed my perdictions to my clients I handicap for and told them to take the Eagles and 5.5...if they win I get 10% if not, cest la vie. Great AAR
ReplyDeleteJim, you ended up being right on the Eagles! Thanks for always reading my blog. You are one of the reasons I enjoy blogging!
DeleteI had the extremely good luck to spend two weeks in Leipaja while working last summer. A beautiful city that I would go back to in a heartbeat. I also managed to take in the sights, including the port, the old demolished Russian naval fort north of the city, the Russian military prison, a demolished German bunker system, and the Holocaust memorial at Skunde just north of Leipaja, among others. One thing I did find on the old Russian base, with its gorgeous Cathedral, was a building with a plaque identifying it as the HQ of the Soviet 67th Rifle Division in June of 1941, which might be where our Russian units in the scenario came from!
ReplyDeleteChristian, thanks for the info! Thanks also for sharing the memories of Leipaja. Sounds like an awesome place to visit! And thanks for spending your time at Grumble Jones. I really appreciate it.
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