Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario J175 - Bedburg Bite

After a week off from ASL, I was back in the fight for my Saturday Game with Dan Best. This week's game was my choice and I selected ASL Scenario J175 Bedburg Bite. Bedburg Bite is from the  ASL Journal 11.

This was one of the first Journals to include the Scenario Cards as separate inserts. No more copying or carefully removing the scenarios from the magazine. Thank you MMP for figuring that out!

Bedburg Bite (designed by Pete Shelling!!!) takes place in 1945 Germany as the Canadians move forward in Operation Veritiable. This particular scenario covers the fighting in Louisendorf, Germany. 1945 scenarios can be a lot of fun due to the availability of all kinds of special goodies. Lots of Panzerfausts, WP, and ATMM's make for some fun games. And our game would be no exception!

ROAR has this scenario with 31 Canadian wins and 41 Germans wins. The ASL Archive has it with 7 Canadian wins and 11 German wins.

 Louisendorf, Germany

Operation Veritable would be the Allied Campaign to secure the Rhineland. Canadians would figure largely in the fighting to clear out determined German resistance. It would not be an easy fight by any measure.

After rolling for sides, (for the record, high roll DR gets the attacker in any scenario we choose). Dan would get the Canadians and be the scenario attacker. He would command elements of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and Scots Guards. 

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles would earn a very distinguished record of military achievement over the course of two world wars. 

Dan's force would consist of 12 x 4-5-8's, led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 8-0 with an MMMG, LMG, 51 MTR and 2 x Piats. Supporting the infantry would be 3 x Churchill VII's, a Badger flame-throwing tank and 3 x Ram Kangaroos. A solid force, but light on machine guns in my opinion.

As the scenario defender, I would command the grenadiers of the 60th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 116th Panzer "Windhund" Division. The 116th would rack up an impressive combat history during the fighting in NW Europe 1944-45.  My force would consist of 5 x 4-6-8's, and 4 x 4-6-7's led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 8-0 with 2 x MMG's, 2 x LMG's, and a Panzerschreck. I would also get an 81mm MTR and 24 factors of mines. I would create 4 x 6 factor AP minefields. 

On Turn 3, I would also get a single Jagdpanther and 251 Halftrack. A Jagdpanther is also a welcome addition to any OOB. 

The victory conditions are detailed. The Canadians win by amassing 17 or more VP. They get 1 VP per stone building on board 67 that is controlled per Game Turn - important!

They get 5 VP at game end for control of Building 645L5. Additionally, they get 3 VP for having more non-crew infantry north of the 64A6-M8-P7 road at game end. And it doesn't end there. They also get 1 VP for each destroyed German AFV. On the negative side, they lose 1 VP for each of their tanks which are destroyed. The Kangaroos do not count...so losing these is no big deal for the Canadians.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Canadians have to capture the three stone buildings on board 67 as early as possible then move on to capture building L5 on board 64 and get north of the road on board 64 with as many units as possible.  I will attack with a strong force up the middle of board 67.  The 9-1 three squads and the MMG will armored assault with the flame tank.  The 8-1 three squads with the LMG and both PIATs will armored assault with a Churchill.  The 8-0 and two squads (one deployed) will use the Kangaroos to get around the German line to the back stone building.  The other two Churchills will attack on the right flank with a squad and a HS to try to keep the Germans on that flank out of the village fight and cut rout paths.  The last HS will have the MTR and try to support with smoke.  The Canadian troops have great morale and are the same firepower as the Germans so should be able to have equal chances in CC.  The PIATs will have good chances of hitting in the narrow streets.  Hopefully we can capture the victory buildings, cut the German rout and destroy most of the Germans before they can retreat to board 64."

In setting up my defense, I would with a wide front to try and prevent Dan from flanking me right away. I also wanted as many of my boys in woods or brush locations, so that they could use their Panzerfausts without any backblast concerns. I had no idea where to put the 81mm MTR. I got lucky with where I placed it, but utltimately it wouldn't hit anything. However, the crew would take down a Kangaroo with a Panzerfaust before they would be wiped out in CC.

By now...all of you readers are aware that Dan Best is very aggressive when on the attack. He came straight at me. I would manage to break his 9-1 Kill Stack and KIA one squad right off the bat. But...Dan's aggressiveness would put me in a world of hurt despite the losses inflicted on him.

With my upfront defense,  I had not given myself much of a buffer to withdraw and Dan's aggressive moves eliminated almost any chance I had to pull back. I had miscalculated...

My fear of Dan attempting to flank me was realized on the left as his Kangaroos bounced right through me.  In the center, I would take down my first Churchill VII with a Panzerfaust.

Dan would make good use of these and put squads in my rear on the very first turn. Really a great move. I would ultimately destroy all three of them, but once they had delivered the squads, it didn't really matter what happened to them.

In the center, I had dealt Dan's Canadians some body blows...but the Badger would unleash burning hell on me and snake eyes would eliminat the first of my 4-6-8's....the Badger would be Dan's standout performer in the scenario.

I hate flame throwing tanks...I really do...24 factors flat...give me a break...or a KIA...haahhahahahaa

Now Dan's dice would get hot with 2's and 3's that would really hurt me. I would roll two snake eyes and in both cases create a berserk squad....YAH...guess...hero creation...battle hardening was too much to ask for...

Did I say Dan was aggressive...Turn 1 Close Combat was EPIC!!! Man what a blast we had. This round of CC would go mostly the German, but two would be locked in Melees that would eventually benefit the Canadians.

My boys knew we were in for a hard fight.

So as the Canadian part of Turn 1 ended, I had knocked out a Kangaroo and a Churchill and bloodied the Canadian infantry. But Dan was behind me and already in a victory location. He had me on the ropes after a half-turn.

In my part of Turn 1, I too would go after Dan's boys in CC. ATMM's are AWESOME! I would take down another of the Kangaroos

Turn 2 --- the death turn for my boys. Dan's Badger would burn out another location and his attacks would rock me back on my heels as I was pushed out of the village center and the victory locations.

 Turn 2 would be the critical turn. Dan's aggressive attack had broken my defense.

 I had managed to take down another Churchill Tank, but my grip on the village was fading...

Going into Turn 3 - I was down for the count. I only two unbroken stacks. The Badger was in firm control of the village center.

In Turn 3 - Dan's MMG would fire on my last big stack. I would shrug it off...but then his dang Piat would break me...

Dan would make good use of Turn 3 to consolidate his power in the village and send some boys to the 5 VP building on Board 64. 

Honestly, at this point in the game, I could have given the concession....but the night was still young and so I consulted with my boys...

My boys said..."keep fighting....after all...we get a Jagdpanther!!!"

Ok...Turn 3 German Phase - my Jagdpanther and halftrack came on with the intention to eliminate Dan's boys before they took control of the 5 VP board 65 buidling. The white circle indicates where I should have placed my halftrack...

Jagdpanther...GOOD....

Back in the village, I send a squad to eliminate Dan's broken 4-5-8 on the south board edge. I would get them...but die later...so...not the best outcome.

Turn 4 - Dan's Badger burned some more of my boys as I finally relinquished control of the village. His remaining Churchill moved up to confront my Jagdpanther and his boys in the north took control of the 5 VP building on Board 64. Prety much game over for me at this point.

In my part of Turn 4 - I charged my Jagdpanther directly at the Churchill. Neither of us would get a hit.

As we began Turn 5 - and totaled Dan's points for the previous turn it was clear that the Germans were beaten. So I gave the concession and congratulated Dan on a great win. His aggressive attack on Turn 1 worked. Once we were engaged, I had no way to disengage and reset my defense. His Kangaroos did a great job of getting behind me and his Badger burned the way to victory!

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles had won the day!

And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:

"The plan worked.  It was a sharp hard fight but by the end of turn 2, the Canadians had eliminated six German squads and the crew.  They had captured two victory buildings.  However, they had lost 6 squads, two Churchill tanks and the three Kangaroos.  In turn three the 8-0 led a squad to building L5 on board 64, the last victory building was taken and two more German squads were eliminated.  Turn 4 and 5 were spent maneuvering vehicles and the last German squad avoiding the Canadians.  The Germans conceded at the end of turn 5 when calculation of points showed the Germans could not gain enough to prevent the Canadians from winning.  The tank battle was likely going to benefit the Germans but it would still not turn the number in their favor.  Early capture of the victory building (one each turn for the first three turns) gave the Canadians the win.  That and the elimination of most of the German infantry on turn two.  The Canadian flame tank eliminated two squads and the PAITs got two hits and one critical hit.  Even exchange in CC did the rest of the work.  This scenario is great fun with different options for both sides and has a lot of replay value.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for a great game!"

Well...that's the wrap on yet another "Our Saturday Game". I'll be taking next week off to spend time with family. Dan and I'll be back again on the 19th for a playing of ASL Scenario 21 Among the Ruins. I haven't played this one since David Longstreet crushed me at the 2013 Texas Tournament. I think I'm ok to try it again....

See you then!