Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario 21 - Among the Ruins

After a week off, Dan Best and I were once again waging war on the ASL front. Dan had the pick for this week's scenario and he would select one of the classics...ASL Scenario 21 Among the Ruins (designed by Rex Martin). This would be my 4th of 5th time playing this scenario since I first played it from the first version of Yanks. And I can't say that I have ever won it. In recent years, I have lost it twice as the attacking Americans. My most recent defeat was at the 2013 Texas Tournament in a great game against David Longstreet. I learned some hard lessons playing against David and I recall that the German sniper just tore me up. I can't remember rolling so many 6's. It was an awesome game and the beginning of a valued friendship with Mr. Longstreet.

David also utilized rubble, half-squads and his machine guns to great effect. My Americans broke early and often during our game. Even my tanks really struggled as I recall.

So, I'll admit it, I wasn't eagerly looking forward to playing Among the Ruins yet again. And with my typical luck...I rolled and got the Americans again.

So here I would be on my third attempt to master this scenario as the attacking Americans. We'll see how it went down!!

Ok...now for a bit of travel log as I talk about Aachen...one of my favorite cities in the world. Charlemagne's capital is a beautiful city and the Aachen Dom is a remarkable Cathedral. It's very different from other cathedrals I visited during my various times in Europe. The stain glass is beyond description. Suffice to say that I have not seen its equal since.

I've only had the good fortune to visit Aachen one time. In November 1985 during my fall break from classes, I made a bee-line for Cologne and from there a brief night stop at Aaachen. My real destination was Bastogne via rail from Aachen to Liege-Namur-Dinant-Libramont-Bastogne. 

The picture at left is the only one I snapped of Aachen on my little Kodak 110 camera. I had to save film for Bastogne. Money was tight as I was a student then and had to conserve my pics. 

I took this picture while leaning out of my pension window in downtown Aachen. That evening, I had the chance to see inside the Aachen Dom and was treated to a concert of classic violinists as we toured the awesome structure. Great memories to say the least. So, if you are in that part of Germany, make a point to visit Aachen.

Of course, Among the Ruins does not concern itself with the beauty of an ancient German city, but instead covers the severe fighting that occurred as the Americans entered German territory for the fist time in the Second World War. Aachen would be ruined as the Americans and Germans grappled for control of the first city to fall to Allied forces. Rex Martin's design really captures the intensity of the fighting and crawling over the rubble brings the ruins title to life. 

ROAR has the Yanks 1 version of the scenario with 93 German wins and 96 Americans wins. The ASL Archive has this version with 14 German wins and 13 American wins. 

ROAR has the Yanks 2 version of the scenario with 1 German win and 3 American wins. The ASL Archive has the Yanks 2 version of the scenario with 2 German wins and 2 American wins. 

This scenario is definitely a good one that gives both sides an opportunity to win.

Now, ASL is not the only great source for fighting in the ruins of Aachen. Call of Duty World War 2 has a great Aachen Campaign game and the map for the online games is also a lot of fun.

I don't like urban battles...they are almost always bloody...bloody...and usually my blood!!!

After rolling for sides, Dan would be channeling his inner Walter Model as he lead the German defense. Dan would command elements of the 48th Grenadier Regiment of the 12th Volksgrenadier Division. The 12th VGD was formed in 1944 from the ashes of the 12th Division, which had seen service in Poland, the Low Countries, and Russian Front where it was eventually crushed during Operation Bagration. As the 12th VGD it would finish the war on the Western Front and would finally surrender during the Ruhr encirclement.

Dan's force would consist of 12 x 5-4-8's, led by a 9-2, 8-1, 8-0, and 7-0 with 2 x HMG's, 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's and 2 x Panzerschrecks with a 20L AT gun for good measure!

Now personally, I've always questioned 5-4-8's for Volksgrenadiers, which I would think are more likely in the 4-4-7 mold. I can say with experience that this force is tough to take on in a rubbled, urban environment. This is especially problematic for 6 moral US troops.

Dan and I discussed this in our post game wrap regarding the need for a German 1st Line 5-4-7 with 1 smoke exponent to better represent late war Volksgrenadier units which would ELR to a 4-4-7 and then a 4-3-6. Just seems to us that a 7 morale is more representative of Volksgrenadiers.

As the attacking Americans I would command elements of the 26th Infantry Regiment of the 1st "Big Red 1" Infantry Division. The Big Red One has been in continuous service to the American people since 1917 and has fought in every war since. Their battlefield honors are too numerous to name. Suffice to say that the 1st Infantry Division has and currently stands as one of our finest fighting formations. My force would consist of 23 x 6-6-6's, led by a 9-1, 8-1, 2 x 8-0's, and 7-0 with 4 x MMG's, 4 x 44BAZ and 3 x Sherman Tanks. A capable force, but going against 5-4-8's with a ton of machine guns will be no easy task.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Germans have 12 squads and a gun to stop 23 squads and three tanks in a city board fight.  This sounds like a classic east front scenario...but it is not.  The American fire power makes this a very different street fight.  The terrain has two level 3 buildings and allows the Germans to place 10 rubble counters, some of which can be used to block roads.  The Germans get two squads to set up HIP.  First I will use 6 rubble to block board edge attacks and four rubble to set up firing positions for the main line of resistance (MLR).  The MLR will be centered around building 21J4 which defends the cemetery.  Also building 20U3 and 20Z3.  Each building will have fire lanes along approach roads.  First, I will use the rubble in Building 21S8 and S9 to eliminate the second level 3 building which the Americans can capture quickly and with the woods close the board edge.  This will also link with building 21R6 and R7 also being rubble.  On Board 20 rubble in 20S9 and S10 will close that board edge and in combo with the gully make movement restrictive.  The rubble in 21I5 and H5 will allow a firing position along the road west of the cemetery.  The 20mm AA will be positioned in H5.  Rubble in 20Z2 and Y2 will make another firing position.  The 9-2 with a squad and HMG will set up in Y2, allowing a fire lane for 16 hexes along board 20.  The 8-1 with a squad and MMG will set up in 21K4 and have a good fire lane east of the cemetery.  The 8-0 and a HS with the HMG will be HIP in level 3 of building 20Z7 to make American movement difficult.  The 7-0 and a HS with the MMG will set up HIP in 20V0/21L0 for a fire lane.  The first HS PSK HIP will be next to them in 21L1 and the other behind in 20Z0/21H0.  Squads will form the rest of the MLR with LMGs in building 20U3 and on each flank.  The 14 concealment counters will be dummy units in front of the MLR to keep the Americans guessing where the main defense is.  Hopefully the American attack will be constricted by the fire lanes and the Germans can laterally reinforce where the main attack falls. "

Time to move into Aachen and see if we can make something happen!

In my previous game against David, he put HIP half-squads right up front. These took a terrible toll on my initial advance...so  I was very cautious in moving forward. Dan's entire first line was dummys and I would of course waste time and bullets finding that out.

"Boys...let's move forward, but be careful...there are bound to be HIP German units waiting for you to move in the open!"

Dan had positioned an HMG high in one of the 3rd Level Locations. It would take a fearful toll on my squads throughout the game. It would ultimately be the source of much agony.

My plan was to move towards and through the cemetery and make for the exit along that path. My forces in the east were intended to keep Dan from reinforcing.

I managed to get my one and only WP shot on Dan's Level 3 HMG. This would help silence it for about 2 turns. But I had no more WP...and I would need it...so badly...

 My line of advance after 2 Turns.

Turn 3 I was making good progress towards my objective of the cemetery. I was still taking body blows from Dan's machine guns, but otherwise was intact. My return fire was complete ineffectual. I would not do anything to Dan until midway through the game. My dice were very unkind to me...to the point that my personal ELR was failing fast.

Despite the failure of my dice to allow me to hit, not break, not pin and rally, I was still moving ahead. After all...ASL is a game of movement...or so I hear often enough...

 Dan's 20L AA Gun was about to reveal itself and rock my world.

20 factors of 20L AA fire is devastating...it would shock me as I had not expected it to be there. I had pegged it for the center of the battlefield. It was now perfectly placed to mess up my entire advance. Meanwhile, Dan's other boys were moving steadily to the west to help their brothers hold the line.

 My boys began to enter the cemetery and the place where my doom would be sealed...

"We have the Amis now...the cemetery will be their final resting place!"

 I had managed to make it to my initial objective, but the German MLR was still just out of my grasp.

Into the cemetery I went with a strong line. I felt good about things...I had a real chance...or so I had convinced myself.

Ahhh...but then total disaster...Dan's HMG in the level 3 location began to fire and didn't stop...10 Rate of Fires in a row would absolutely knock the stuffing out of my attack and me personally. I cannot describe the feeling of watching your opponent roll 10 ROF's in a row with  7 factors. It was one of the worst moments I have experienced in playing this game. When Dan stopped firing I had 7 squads broken...I was gutted.

 I tried to keep my poise and not sink into despair...so I kept moving my boys forward. 

Dan's HMG in the tower of power continued to rain devastation down on me. I tried to hit it with my Sherman...but missed every shot. The white circles indicated the locations of broken squads.

Remarkably, I was still moving ahead. 

I tried desperately to dash across the street...but Dan's quad 20 would take me down and he would intensive fire successfully. I would succeed in capturing a broken 5-4-8.

I would also go into close combat with Dan's 8-1. This would remain locked in melee for the remaining game time. I would also lose my first Sherman to a HIP Half-Squad with a Panzerschreck. My caution had been for naught.

Dan's quad 20 would continue to take me down. I would succeed in crossing some boys...but my dashes were not successful for the majority of my boys. I was reinforcing failure...

As we concluded Turn 5...I gave the concession. I was down to one Sherman and less than 6 unbroken squads (one of which was locked in melee). Dan's boys were gathering around my projected exit path and would be waiting for me if I even got near the board edge. I congratulated Dan on a great win. He would lose only two squads and inflict a devastating defeat on me.

Dan's boys could well celebrate a total victory. German machine guns had prevailed and ruled the streets of Aachen.

I'll be honest, this game was a real bummer for me. The night before I had played a game with my buddy in St. Louis. I lost that one as well as my dice failed to produce any meaningful results and my opponent's hot dice just blitzed me. So here I was the very next night being wiped out...literally in one Rate of Fire tear that would be followed by more ROF tears. I know we hate to complain about dice...but there are times when I actually decided not to even fire or roll the dice. That would happen a couple time in this contest. Dan would point out that I had this or that shot...and I would just shrug and declare my fires over. I had zero confidence in my dice. I changed dice and still continued to roll the 9's, 10's, 11's, which would break, ELR my squads and fail to produce any meaningful IFT results on my opponent. That's not to say that I didn't have some good outcomes. I would create two Heroes and Dan would break both of his MMG's with his own bad rolls (He would also fix both of them.). But there is also no denying that dice rolls matter.

Thanks for letting me vent...

As I finish writing this blog...I'm still feeling raw. This was one of those games, that I felt a little broken at the end. I mean to the point that I felt like maybe I needed to take a break from ASL. This feeling will of course pass. By next week, Dan and I will be playing another great game of ASL and the bitterness of tonight's effort will be water under the bridge.

And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:

“The plan worked.  Mainly due to a 10-shot rate tear by the HMG at level 3 breaking 7 squads on turn 4.  The Americans broke and surprisingly with an ELR or 4...ELR reduced with two leaders (including the 8-1) and 6 squads.  While the American leaders kept the troops rallied and moving forward, they could not form large fire bases to get good firepower on German positions.  The Germans were able to laterally reinforce the 21J4 building and keep the Americans from getting around the defenses.  The tanks ran out of smoke and could not get past the MLR.  By the half way point two tanks were burning, six squads were eliminated and the Americans were not past the cemetery.  The Germans were still moving reinforcements into the area.  With no good American fire base and an indepth German defense area to move through the Americans conceded.   My thanks to Grumble Jones for another great game!  This scenario is a great street fight action, with the victory going to who can get good movement and use their firepower to good effect. Thanks for a great game and looking forward to some Russian front action next week!”

Dan definitely channeled his inner Walter Model very effectively. This machine gun team earned their Iron Crosses for sure!

Dan and I will be back next week for a playing of Crucible of Steel Scenario

 BFP-94 To the Last Shell. 

See you then!!!