Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario 141 Action at Balberkamp

For our Saturday game...we would go EPIC! We would combine a Classic ASL Scenario with a 4 Player Cardboard via SKYPE Game. The Hollis  Center in Kansas City would be hopping with ASL excitement as we set sail in unchartered waters!!! Now there aren't many if any real four player scenarios out there. Many can be played with four players and so that was part of our approach. We looked for a scenario that had four distinct elements. ASL Scenario 141 Action at Balberkamp fit the bill. It had all the elements needed to create a good four player game. The German force has two distinct groups that operate on different parts of the batlefield and the Allies were made up of British and Norwegians, who also would operate on different parts of the battlefield. 

Action at Balberkamp is a classic scenario and first showed up in the  Crescendo of Doom Gamette for the original Squad Leader. At the time, Crescendo of Doom opened a entirely new world for Squad Leader. For the first time, we would have British, Minor Allies and the French. Oh what fun we had with this gamette. Additionally, the rules were updated and in my opinion, were the best of the Squad Leader iterations. Even after Anvil of Victory came out, I would continue to use the CoD charts and rules.

Scenario 24 would be Action at Balberkamp and it was an immediate favorite with my St. Louis group of players. We were so into big scenarios and lots of maps. And this scenario uses 5 maps with lots of squads. We just loved it!

The scenario would hit ASL as Scenario A63. ROAR has this version with 31 German wins and 29 Allied wins. ROAR has 141 with 6 German wins and 4 Allied wins. Based on this, I would certainly considers this to be a well-balanced scenario. Either side has a solid chance of winning this game.

The ASL versions of the scenario do differ greatly from the original SL scenario. Both sides have fewer squads, leader and machine guns. The Norwegians also do not have an AT-Gun in the ASL version. All sides would certainly benefit from more leaders and the addition of a second MMG for the British would certainly have been welcome in our game!!

The scenario covers the efforts of the Norwegian forces to stop the German advance from Oslo towards Trondheim. The Norwegians set up various blocking forces in the valleys leading to Trondheim and one of these actions would take place at Balkberkamp. Lacking effective anti-tank capabilities, the Norwegians were relying on the British to provide some defensive backbone. 

At Balberkamp, the Norwegians would be flanked by a shrewd tactical move by the Germans, who successfully seized the high ground behind the Norwegians and allowed them to hit the British hard as they arrived into the battle zone. The Germans would prove themselves to be the tactical masters throughout the Norwegian Campaign.

Norway...an amazingly beautiful country.

Now a four player Cardboard via SKYPE game can be a bit complicated. Three of our 4 players would be in one location at the Hollis Renewal Center (https://www.holliscenter.org/). Dan Best, Dave Mareske and Paul Works would all be together, while I would be by myself in Quincy, IL. Dave Mareske would command the Norwegians. I would command the British. Dan Best would command the main German force and Paul Works would command the German flanking force.

Dave Mareske's Norwegians would have arguably the toughest job. Dave would have to hold back the main German effort for as long as possible. Dave would command Group Ruge, which would consist of 6 x 4-5-7's, and 6 x 4-3-7's commanded by an 8-1 and 7-0 with an HMG and MMG. Dave would also have 18 concealment counters to play with. Dave would make good use of these throughout the game and continually challenge Dan Best to figure out what was real. Some of the best comedic moments of the game would be the heroic moves of Dave's ? counters and the banter between Dan and Paul as they debated which ones were real and which were dummys. Fun stuff!

Dave and I would ask Dan and Paul to leave the room at one point to have a brief discussion of strategy. After that 5 minute discussion, we did not coordinate again. This was to better represent the historical lack of communication between the Norwegians and the British.

Sitting by myself in Quincy also helped to simulate that tactical isolation that would have gripped the Allied commanders.

As the British force, I would command elements of the 1/5 Leicesters, 148th Infantry Brigade. My force would only enter the game on the north board edge on any friendly Rally phase with a DR less than or equal to the current turn. So Turn 2 would be the earliest that I could arrive and it was possible that I would not enter the game for quite some time, if I rolled like I normally do with a few 10's and 11's. It would be critical for my boys to enter as early as possible to reach the best possible defensive positions and dig in. 

My force would consist of 12 x 4-5-7's lead by a 9-1,  8-1, and 8-0 with an MMG, 2 x LMG's, and 2 x ATR's. A nice solid force.

Dan Best would command the largest force in the game. He would command the advance elements of the 340th Infantry Division and enter on turn 1 from the south board edge. Dan's force would consist of 17 x 4-6-7's, and 2 x 2-4-7's led by a 9-1, 2 x 8-1's, and 2 x 8-0's with an MMG, 3 x LMG's and 2 x 50 MTR's. For support Dan would have a half-track, a Panzer 1 and a truck hauling a 75* INF Gun. 

And finally, Paul Works would command the flanking elements of the 340th Infantry Division. Like the British, Paul would roll during each friendly Rally Phase to see if his boys would enter the game. Prior to setup, Paul and Dan secretly recorded which board and board edge Paul's force would enter from. Additionally, Paul would receive an additional 4-6-7 for each turn that his force did not enter the game. Paul would enter on any DR less than the current turn. 

His force would consist of 9 (would become 12) x4-6-7's led by a 9-2, 8-1, and 7-0 with 3 x LMG's. This strong, well led force would be difficult to stop.

And now for Dan Best's Pre-Game Comments:

" The Germans outnumber the Allies by over 9 squads.  They also have two AFVs and gun.  My objective is to attack the board 5 woods and have the AFVs try to get behind the Norwegian lines to stop them from falling back to board 3.  Then use the infantry advantage to destroy the Norwegians in place on Board 5.  The truck towing the gun will try to get past the busy Norwegians on the west side of board 5 and set up on a hill on board 3 to dominate the village.  I will take prisoners as much as possible.  Working with Paul who will control the German flanking force they will enter on the east side of board 2 and try to clear the pass.  Then our forces can recombine to clear a road on board 6.  Hopefully the German reinforcements arrive before turn 6 and get an early start. "

And now for Dave Mareske's Pre-Game Comments:

“There is not a lot to work with as the Norwegians take the field.  I will try to delay the Germans as long as I can and hope for an early entry for the Brits.  I use my HMG to cover the East side of the board and form a picket line in the woods.  The MMG will cover the West side.  I set up almost my entire force in the center woods, hoping to escape if needed.”

And now for Paul Works Pre-Game Comments:

“Really, these comments are really "pre-reinforcement entry for the Germans"

since Dan picked the board and board-edge before I arrived.  I would not have

picked differently from him in any case.

The reinforcement "2" DR by Scott on Game Turn 2 allowed him to get on-board and situated prior to my troops arriving.  I really did not have a problem

with his troops coming on early because I expected that I would get 2-6 additional squads (which Dave and Scott said had to be 4-6-7s vice 8-3-8s; hey, the SSR did not specify what type of squads(!)... I tried) - greatly helping my flank attack. As a result, I ended up with 3 additional squads;  a whole extra platoon is not bad.  Scott had to spread his troops out a bit because he did not really know which side of the map I was entering (despite Dan's meaningful glances (:-)).  Scott did correctly identify the pass between the two hills on Board 2 as the bottleneck and critical area he needed to defend to deprive Dan and I our VC.  Scott deployed a lot of HS and used them to dig foxholes in various terrain positions - generally to create as many locations as possible to be adjacent to road hexes.

Dan was pushing hard and inflicting significant casualties on the Norwegians. As I watched it unfold, it became clear that the Norwegians were not going to have much left by mid-game. I decided my job was to crush the British forces on the east side of the map (freeing up the eastern roadway) and remove all the units covering the pass between the hills on board 2.  I figured my 9-2

could get the latter done even with the more open hill terrain leading into the pass.”

At the start of the game, both Paul and I would be observers as Dave's Norwegians would set out to stop Dan's main German advance.

In order to win the scenario, the Germans must have a continuous road from board 4 to board 6 that is free of good order Allied squads either on it or adjacent to itt. A tall order, but with nearly 14 turns...it is certainly doable.

Dan would concentrate his Schwerpunkt to the east board edge, with a flanking force on the west with the 75* INF Gun. The Panzer 1 would move along the east edge as well.

Dan moved aggressively forward and his half-track would lead the effort. As his squad exited the half-track, Dave would inform Dan that his MMG had boresighted he hex. A hail of machine gun bullets followed and Dan's boys would break.Dave would have first blood.

Dan's 1st Turn move would be largely unchallenged. Only the MMG had fired. Unfortunately for Dave, Dan's return fire would break the 7-0 directing the MMG.

 Dan's initial penetration had nearly cleared board 4. One board down...4 more to go!!!

 On Turn 1 - Dave sent some boys towards the rear and presumably the next possible life of defense.

Turn 2 - Dan's grenadiers made the next leap ahead and onto Board 5. The Battle for the forest road would now take center stage for th next six turns.

The white line indicates the road that would need to be controlled by the Germans. The blue line indicates the extent of the German penetration after two turns.

Now for ASL MAGIC!!! My first opportunity to roll for entry was on Turn 2. I would need snake eyes for that occur. So I rolled the dice....SNAKE EYES!!! Are you kidding me!?! It was beautfiul. The best possible outcome for Dave and I.

The white circles are the locations, where I would set up my defenses. The Germans would have to take the road through the hills on Board 2. I would also hang back some boys in the event that German flanking force was coming from the west edge. I was expecting them to come from the east board edge, so would concentrate in that area.

 A look at the positions of the British and Norwegians. Life was good at the end of Turn 2.

 Turn 3 - Dan makes some big moves. Dave's defense reacts but Dan has the momentum.

Dave did the best he could to keep a force in front of Dan's Germans and deny them control of the forest road.

 Dan would keep up the pressure and in spite of losses, just keep hammering ahead.

By Turn 3 I was getting my British into position. Paul's flanking force could arrive at any moment...so I had to get in place and start digging in.

 The blue line advances steadily across Board 5.

 Dave was still holding on.

Turn 4 - Dan increases the pressure. The Germans were starting to knock the Norwegians back from the road.

Turn 5 - Dan's boys start to make the move towards Board 3 on the west edge, while fighitng rages in the forest. Dave's HMG would manage to immobilize the truck towing the 75* INF Gun. Dan would be forced to manhandle it for the remainder of the game.

 Back in the British zone, I was busy entrenching my boys in as many foxholes as I could dig!!!

Paul's flanking force arrived on Turn 6. I was still trying to entrench some units...but the time for digging was over. Paul was sending 12 squads at me in four groups of 3. 

A look at the situation around Turn 6. The Germans were nearly in control of all the road from Board 4 to Board 2. Dave's Norwegians were falling fast.

 I would succeed in giving Paul's Germans a bloody nose as they first came on. Several squads would break.

The circled position housed a 4-5-7 with an LMG. They would do good service delaying Paul's attack until I made a critical mistake.

 Back in the woods...Dave's boys kept fighting hard. 

In the British sector, I would catch Paul's 9-2 stack for the second time in the game as they advanced on the hill. My boys in a level 1 hill position managed to spot them. But the range limited my firepower and a single broken squad would be the only result. The remainder of Pauls boys moved towards the road between the hills. Dan's Half-track would also show up carrying aa 50 MTR.

 The end was finally coming for Dave's boys.

Now for my big mistake. My 4-5-7 with the light in front of Paul's boys had decided to move. I would pop smoke and jump out of my holes. Paul would light me up and reduce me to a broken half-squad. In retrospect, I should have fired and then attempted to advance behind the hill. Oh well...live and learn...live and learn.

Paul would move forward without too much difficulty. He would use the shell holes in the road to assault move into and retain concealment. This caught me off guard and would effectively eliminate my defense in that area.

Dan continued to advance to try and  link up with Paul's forces. A single broken Norwegian squad had made it the hill on board 2...but Dave's boys were nearly kaputt.

At 11:00 PM..we all looked at the clock...we had been playing hard for 7 hours. At this point in the game, the Norwegians were gone, and the Germans were linking up. It was the start of Turn 8. There were still about 6 movement phases left for the Germans. We all conferred and agreed that the Germans were going to win this battle. So, Dave and I gave the concession and congratulated Dan and Paul on a great win.

Congrats to Dan and Paul on a great win. Dave...we'll get 'em next time buddy!

My thanks to Dan, Dave and Paul for an exceptionally fun night of ASL. I think we did Action at Balberkamp justice and look forward to our next get together! 

And now for Dan Best's Post-Game Comments:

" The plan worked.  The Norwegians were split in two by the attack and the west group fell first.  They were cleared on turn 6 as the flanking force entered.  The east group held tough until turn 8.  The truck was immobilized by long range fire and half track was stunned.  The tank broke the single Norwegian squad in the village and broke its MGs chasing down the broken squad.  The flanking force was able to engage the Brits and was slowly clearing them from the west side of Board 2 and the road pass between the hills.  They were helped by having 4 extra squads because of the difference in entering times.  With the Norwegians done on turn 8 it looks like the Germans could wrap up the fight in the remaining 6 turns.  The game is great fun with multiple players and the four person game was fun.  My thanks to Paul for the assist on the win.  Also to Dave and Grumble Jones for a classic ASL game!"

And now for Dave Mareske's Post-Game Comments:

“The Norwegians got chewed up.  There were some positive moments and the Germans unloaded a halftrack in my bore-sighted hex, but generally the slow attrition of green troops took its toll.  I should have fled board 5 early in the game, but I could not bring myself to give up all that ground uncontested.  I had a great time playing with good ASL friends!  Lots of laughs over tragic DRs and heroic moments!”

And now for Paul Works Post-Game Comments:

“I split my twelve squads into four platoons.  Three were led by leaders.  The

9-2 had three squads and all three LMGs with him.  His job was to go up and

over the hill on the east side of board 2 and get onto the hill to assault Scott's most powerful stack (an 8-1 and squad) in that area.  The 7-0 had three squads who were tasked to move beside the 9-2 platoon and get into the pass itself using the shell holes.  In retrospect, I should have swapped the platoon's roles. The 8-1 and a platoon, plus the leaderless platoon, assaulted a small hill with a squad and foxhole north of the board 2 hill mass.

Watching Dan's amazing display of surviving 2 minus 2s, and 4 minus 2s, and 8 flats, I decided to be aggressive as well. My first move was rather more of a goof than being aggressive.  I moved my 9-2 and his entire platoon up and onto level 1 on board 2.  Scott promptly showed me that his squad in a foxhole on board 6 on level 1 could see that move.  Doh!  He shot a 2 minus 2 and got a 1MC (or MC?) result - THAT was lucky.  Only one squad broke and the 9-2 (to hide his embarrassment) left it behind and got behind the level 2 ridgeline out of LOS.  What I should have done was a) seen that his squad and LMG could see the planned 9-2 platoon's move, and b) moved my 8-1 led platoons to draw

his squad's fire.  The 9-2 stack got into some woods on the west edge of the board 2 (eastern-side) ridgeline and prepared to assault Scott's 8-1 position. The 7-0 led platoon moved up and retained concealment to get ready to move into the shell holes in the pass. My 8-1 platoon (somewhat latently) moved up to be adjacent to Scott's squad and foxhole that had tried to nail my 9-2 stack.  Three of my squads in the two platoons broke as did the 8-1!  That annoying 4-5-7 in the foxhole was doing great so far.

On the next turn, the 9-2 stack sent a squad forward to reconnoiter the path to the woods beside Scotts 8-1 position.  Blam!  He got shot by another British squad and LMG in a foxhole on another level 1 hill.  Now I was really annoyed at myself (and... that Dan's troops could get away with it, but I

couldn't! :-)).  The 9-2 sat in place and began a 2-turn shoot back-and-forth vs. that British squad/LMG position that basically did nothing (yeesh). Meanwhile, the 7-0 platoon was doing great.  I moved them up concealed and snuck them into the shellholes in the road pass on board 2 - eventually right next to Scott's two HS that had been trying to dig foxholes. My 8-1 platoons recovered, broke the squad/LMG in the foxhole holding them up and then assaulted the next British position containing a house, his 9-1, and 4-5-7, and MMG.  I advanced both platoons (5 of the six squads) into position to fire at the house. He Prep'd at me, but did no damage and did not get rate with his MMG (uh oh).  A 16+2 and a 8+1 later and the entire British stack was broken and had to surrender.

At this point, we called the game.  With about 8 squads of Dan's troops + his HT + his (malf'd MA) tank closing in; Scott's 9-1, two squads, and MMG gone; and my 12 squads ready to make another strong push the Norwegians and Brits conceded (plus they were tired...).

I made a couple bone-head, open ground moves that could have resulted in disaster, but survived.  I think the additional three reinforcement German squads really were big and offset any advantage the British received from getting on the map so early. I also think that a couple too many Brits were deployed, but that's a matter of choice at the time.  I think a key aspect was Dan's success vs. the Norwegians.  In this scenario, it looks like the Norwegians would do better if they just put a light screen forward and moved most of their force into the buildings inside the village.  Better defensive

terrain and better lines of sight than in the woods on the southern board(s). Because the Brits have to put forces on the two edges of board 5 to defend against German entry either way, they end up a bit spread out.  Once they see where the German reinforcements come in, they need to hurry over to that side and get ready for the onslaught. In this playing, the Brits got on 3 turns earlier than the Germans.  The other way around would be really challenging for the Brits as the Germans could be in position to interdict any British entry.”

So that's a wrap on our epic 4 player game. We had a blast and with any luck and time, we'll do this again in the future. Dan and I will be back next week for our Regular Saturday Game.

See you then!