Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario RO3 - Defenders of Stalingrad

For our Saturday Game, I selected ASL Scenario RO3 Defenders of Stalingrad (designed by Michael A. Balis). Dan Best and I are both fans of some good Eastern Front Action. I generally don't enjoy city fights and so have played very little from Red Barricades or other Stalingrad based scenarios. The brutal, stand up fighting involved in these scenarios is just not what I enjoy. I much prefer the more open battles, where men and armor can do some maneuvering. But...after watching the Army University Press' outstanding series on Stalingrad, I was excited to try some Red Factories. If you have not seen these, I cannot recommend them enough. There are a total of 4 videos, an overall look at Stalingrad and then one on The Martenovskii Shop (Hall 4), The Grain Elevator, and The Commissar's House. Well worth your time!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K0SFr2gPbc

So after watching the video on the Martenovskii Shop, I was eager to play a scenario involving that location. Defenders of Stalingrad was a BINGO! This scenario is set in Hall 4 known as the Martenovskii Shop. Watch the video link for a really, awesome in-depth look at this fight.

The scenario itself takes place at the end of October 1942. The Germans had made several attempts to secure Hall 4 of the Red October Plant, but had thus far been unsuccessful.  Soviet resistance was just too great overcome. 

Undaunted the German 212th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division with the 179th  Pioneer Battalion would launch yet another assault to secure the Hall. The Germans managed to punch their way into the Hall, but eventually bumped into a Soviet main line of resistance crossing the entire Martenovskii Shop. And before the Germans could consolidate their hard won gains, Soviet counterattacks would push them out of the hall once again.

Just some overall looks at the battlefield. Most,  if not all ASL players are fairly familiar with Stalingrad. The ASL journey begins with Stalingrad scenarios and even today, they remain some of the most heavily played of all ASL scenarios. The arrival of Red Factories has taken the ASL experience of Stalingrad to an amazing place. The size of the maps is mind boggling. It's so hard to believe that two factories would nearly bleed the German forces in Stalingrad dry. And these two factories, in no small way decided the fate of the world. Of course that may be a little over the top. But I don't think it would be unreasonable to suggest that these two factories were the place where German expansion and conquest was stopped.

The scenario itself does not appear to be entirely well-balanced. I generally don't worry about balance, but the stats for this scenario definitely make it look Pro-Russian.

ROAR has it with 17 Russian wins and 5 German wins. The ASL Archive has it with  3 Russian wins and 1 German win. So clearly a 3-1 edge for the Russian Player.

Of course, my win ratio as the Russians is abysmal. I mean awful. I just don't win often when playing the Russians.  And in the early part of this game, I was pretty sure that I would be singing the Red October blues at game end.  Oh...but ASL and it's mistress...the Dice are a fickle lot...and there's no predicting what was going to happen.

After rolling for sides, I would be the attacking Russians, whose mission was to take control of every ground floor hex of the Martenovskii Shop/Hall 4). Definitely a tall order when going against German  8-3-8's with DC's and a flame-thrower.

I would command the men of the 120th Guards Rifle Regiment, 39th Guards Rifle Division and NKVD Militia. This force would consist of 14 x 4-5-8's and 12 x 6-2-8's led by 2 x 9-1's, and 2 x 9-0 Commissars with 3 x MMG's, 7 x LMG's, and 2 x DC's. A nice size force.

As the Germans, Dan would command the men of the 212 Infantry Regiment and 179 Pioneer Battalion of the 179th Infantry Division. Dan's force would consist of 4 x 8-3-8's, 2 x 2-2-8's, and 8 x 4-6-7's, led by a 9-2, 8-1, and 2 x 8-0's with an HMG, 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's , a flamethrower and 2 x DC's. Now at first glance these seems like a nice size force, but the ROAR stats would seem to indicated that these are not enough Germans.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Commentary:

"The Germans in this scenario must keep control of the hexes in Hall 4.  They are out numbered two to one.  The 9-2 with the HMG and a MMG squad will set up in R21 to cover an attack from the north flank.  The other MMG will set up in W25 to cover the east flank.  The choke point for the Hall 4 building is around S22.  There the 8-3-8 flamethrower will set up.  With another 8-3-8 with a DC as back up.  The other 8-3-8 and DC will set up in U24 and the last 8-3-8 will set up with the 8-1 and two squads with LMG at W24.  These should protect the flanks.  The Russians have to attack so we will let them come at us.  I will deploy two squads and spread them out on the along Hall 4 with the remaining squad.  Although one will protect the MMG in X25.  The flanking units will defend until turn 4 then retreat to Hall 4 for the final stand.  Hopefully the Russian  flamethrower will last the game and we can inflict enough casualties to stay in the hard won factory."

 Ok...Red October would require a much bigger table...

 My biggest strength was numbers. I had a lot of squads and intended to push around behind Dan's Germans as much as possible. My 9-1 was in the Administration Building on the west edge with two 4-5-8's and 2 x MMG's. This force was my base of fire to pin down the Germans in front of me.

My two MMG's would do stellar work on their first shot as they would break Dan's 9-2 stack. Just like that, the German defense looked to be in extreme peril. But I didn't finish the job. I rushed my 9-0 Commissar with 2 x 6-2-8's with DC's and then didn't try and hit Dan's boys with a DC. A huge mistake...just a monster stupid move.  

The German 9-2 would get everyone out of harm's way.

Well...you are reading Grumble Jones...so naturally the situation above needs no explanation...yep...after my first shot, I kept rate and let loose with another volley... and rolled boxcars and then yatzheed and broke them both. Then in the next Rally Phase I would roll two "6's". After watching Dan's 9-2 escape and then losing both MMG's...I was a wreck...ELR of -3. 

 Dan's 9-2 stack would make a hasty retreat and promptly rally back in the Rally Phase...oh I love this game...really I do...

 In Dan's part of Turn 1, he would make me pay for my lack of a killer instinct..HARD…

And my Commissar who failed to toss a DC would receive one in the mail from Dan's German Pioneers...with postage due no less!!! My entire stack would break and both 6-2-8's would ELR. Dan would toss two DC's and each time he rolled for the effect on his own boys, he rolled 10 or 11. It's a Teutonic Conspiracy I tell you!!! Great move by Dan and one that would swing the momentum solidly to the Germans.

 So as Turn 2 ended, I had been pushed back hard and was now looking at a much harder fight ahead.

The one bright spot was that I would hang on in the west end of Hall 4. And my sniper would start picking off Germans. Both of Dan's 8-0's would be KIA'd as well as half-squad before the smoke cleared from the barrels of my Mosin-Nagants. The Russian snipers would unhinge Dan's eastern defense and allow me to put pressure in Dan's backfield.

Never underestimate the power of the sniper.

 Since my MMG's were both toast...My boys in the Administration Building moved into the fight.

Heading into Turn 3 - things had improved for the Russians.

The Russian sniper would strike again and injure Dan's westernmost defenses. My boys moved up to confront Dan's 8-1 holding that sector.

Dan would throw another DC at me as I mentioned earlier. Both of us would survive as it exploded between the two buildings.

Dan's Grenadiers would quickly form a line in the middle of Hall 4 backed by the flamethrower while the 9-2 sent everyone else to the west end of the Hall to throw out my boys.

 I would manage to hang on in the Locomotive Hall.

 Dan's Germans were still holding Hall 4 pretty well.

But losing his 8-0's to my sniper was beginning to have an impact as his broken units lacked anyone to rally them.

And the next step was to launch my boys into Close Combat...hand-to-hand with as many of Dan's boys as possible. It was time to put my numbers to work.

 I would prevail in the majority of the Close Combats and eliminate the German flamethrower. 

Winning the close combats and tying up Dan's other boys in melee allowed my Russians to surge forward and start to roll up Hall 4.

As we headed into Turn 5, my Russians had pushed the Germans out of Hall 4 except for the 9-2 who had headed to the roof.

My Russians made their final push to take control of Hall 4 and Hall 3.  

As Turn 5 ended with Dan's 9-2 pinned and unable to advance back down into CC...it was game over and Dan offered the concession. My Russians had secured the victory.

Wow...what a game. It played relatively fast, but was really intense. Dan and I both cursed our dice and bad luck early and often. We both made good and bad moves, but it was little things like the Sniper, the creation of 2 Russian Heroes and missed DC opportunities that really shifted the balance of power in this game. My thanks to Dan for yet another great Saturday of ASL. We've been doing these Saturday games since 2017 and it has been an absolute blast!

And now for Dan's Post-Game Commentary:

"The plan did not work.  The German were able to throw back the first assault thanks to a well thrown DC.  But the Russians in turn 3 were able to enter into three critical CCs and the snipers were able to kill off the 8-0 leaders.  This opened the door to a surge of Russians across the line.  The Russians also created two heroes and were able to use them effectively in CC.  This cleared the Germans from the board in Turn 5.  Well played by Grumble Jones.  It was a fun scenario and I look forward to playing some more on this map."

Well that's a wrap from here on the banks of the Volga River.

Dan and I will be back next Saturday for a playing of ASL Scenario 15 - Trapped. See you then!