Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario 26 - Tanks in the Streets

Wow...can't believe it's already December and the final game month of 2019. So much awesome ASL this year. Of course we have had our stumbles this year. Last week's AAR for AP 142-The Closer went into the delete folder after discovering that my Canadian defense had been setup incorrectly. Such a bummer. But I had a nice week off over Thanksgiving to recharge and prepare for this week's game of ASL 26 - Tanks in the Street. 

Designed by Rex Martin, this scenario in Yanks has been revised from its initial version released with the original version of Yanks. It's definitely a classic ASL scenario, but interestingly, neither Dan or I had ever played it. So, we were both looking forward to giving this scenario a playing. 

Now most of you know that Dan is partial to the Eastern Front and can be vocal about his struggles playing scenarios involving Americans. I really enjoy playing the Americans. 

ROAR  has the following stats: Yanks 1 Version  has it with 35 German and 17 Americans wins. The Yanks 2 version shows 3 German and 1 American win.

ASL Archive has the Yanks1 version with 2 German and 0 American wins. The Yanks 2 version shows 2 German and 2 American wins.  At first glance, I'd have to say the Germans have the edge in this scenario. 

Tanks in the Streets returns us once more to the fighting around Aachen. My luck in scenarios involving Aachen is nil. I have yet to prevail in any Aachen fight. But what the heck...luck has to turn eventually. The events of this scenario occur on October 11, 1944. On this day, the men of the US 120th Infantry Regiment found themselves in Bardenberg. A day earlier they had taken the city unopposed. But now...they found themselves in the midst of a the German 108 Panzer Brigade. Panzer Brigade 108 would have multiple MKIV's and halftracks supporting  a company of Panzer Grenadiers. With only bazookas, the Americans would find themselves in a wild melee for control of Bardenberg.

This scenario has some specific SSR's regarding setup. Prior to US Setup, the  German Player secretly records the first and last hex of a string of 15 contiguous road hexes. The German Player then sets up his units in the Cloaking Box Display A to O to represent their order in the convoy. 

The American Player then sets up normally. Additionally, each American support weapon may be kept off board to be revealed when fired, etc. 

The victory conditions require the German Player to control 8 or more multi-hex buildings. The American Player begins the game with 3 Bazookas, but may take up to 6. The German VC goes down a building for each additional Bazooka taken by the Americans over the original 3. So if all 6 are taken, the Germans will only need 5 or more buildings.

The American Player also receives air support, but may decline to bring it on and if it does not appear, then the German Player must control all 18 multi-hex buildings. 

After rolling for sides, I would once again be the defender and command the men of the 120th Infantry Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division. The 120th would see action in both World War 1 and II. It would see a lapse of 60 years before once more seeing action in 2004 as part of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team in Iraq. 

My force would consist of 15 x 6-6-6's led by a 8-2, 8-1, 8-0 and 7-0 with 2 x MMG's and 3-6 Bazooka 44's. Additionally, I would have the potential of air support in the form of three '44 Fighter Bombers with bombs.

I would elect to take the 6 Bazookas, which would reduce the German VP requirement to 5 or more multi-hex buildings, but I also planned to forgo the air support and force Dan's Germans to take all 18 multi-hex buildings.

Of course, I would have no illusions about my chances for success. If ROAR is any guide, the Germans have a more than passing chance of dominating this scenario. 

As the  German attacker, Dan Best would command the Panzergrenadiers of the Panzer Brigade 108. His force would consist of 9 x 5-4-8's, and a 2-3-8 led by a 9-1, 2 x 8-0's, and a 7-0 with an MMG and 3 x LMG's. The armor support would consist of 6 x Panzer MKIV (J's), and 9 assorted Half-Tracks. This is a very substantial force, but the Americans would have the edge in number of squads, but the German MKIV's and half-tracks are certainly game changing. With the machine guns alone, I imagine that Dan will be able to control nearly every road. 

Panzer Brigade 108 was one of several Panzer Brigades that were formed in the summer of 1944 in response to the staggering losses inflicted on the Wehrmacht Panzer Forces following Bagration in the East and Falaise in the West. For more detailed information, I highly recommend the "Panzer Brigade 1944"  article by Ruud Bruyns in LFT's From the Cellar Pack 8.

The article goes into unit organization as well as the history of the individual Panzer Brigades. Very informative and an excellent read overall.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Germans must be prepared to clear the Americans from all 18 multi-hex buildings in this scenario.  The key is how their column starts the scenario.  All 15 vehicles must start in motion on road hexes with all infantry as passengers/riders.  There are three ways the Germans can set up this vehicle column, safe, conservative or bold.  Safe is on board 17 away from buildings were Americans must set up.  But also, far from any victory buildings.  Conservative is on board 17 and 22 away from multi-hex building where Americans are likely but close enough for immediate attacks especially BAZ attacks.  Bold is right in the center of board 22 near the maximum of multi-hex buildings and on both sides of the stream.  Readers of this blog know my choice is to go bold!  I set up between 22H7 and 22Q2 to be as close as possible to the most multi-hex buildings and have immediate heavy combat.  In addition, I chose to put the maximum number of squads on the tanks as riders.  Avoiding the thin-skinned half-tracks which would be auto killed if hit by a BAZ and likely have no survivors from a burning wreck.  The German 9-1 with a squad and MMG and two squads will go for building 22F4.  This building will provide a rally point in the chaotic battle that is this scenario.  Plus, the MMG can get into second level to keep American movement to a minimum.  The 7-0 and two squads will go for capturing multi-hex buildings 22K7, 22J7, 22H9 and 22K10.  One 8-0 will be tasked with capturing buildings 22M2 and 22O3.   The other will move on to board 17 to capture the two multi-hex buildings.  Mostly the vehicles will immediately stop and unload.  The halftracks will be used to cut route paths and tanks will move to get adjacent to Americans to bring the MG firepower.  Hopefully the low American morale will result in many broken squads that can be eliminated in route by the half-tracks."

 Ok...time to get the game rolling. By SSR, Dan had secretly placed his force on 15 continuous road hexes with all MMC's as riders/passengers and all vehicles in motion. Also by SSR I had to place my troops one squad per building. Awesome way to guarantee that the Americans are scattered. I placed my guys in upper levels whereever possible. If it helped me...I really could not say. This is the best picture of what would be a total American train wreck. so hop aboard....

Dan went with an aggressive strategy. He would set up right in my face and ready to knock me around!!

Now the trouble with me is sometimes...I'm not really prepared for what's coming...this would be one of those games!!!

My defensive strategy (calling it a strategy is generous) was to take all 6 Bazookas, which reduced Dan's building requirement from 8 to 5...but then I decided to forgo the Air Support which would then require Dan to take all 18 Buildings...right Lt. Dan!?!

Tonight's AAR will be mercifully short and full of movement. I honestly wasn't sure how to blog this one, because the action was so fast and furious on Turn 1. I mean...good grief...Dan's 6 tanks and 9 half-tracks just went everywhere and his panzergrenadiers were in my face almost immediately. I fired at everything that I could and managed to break some squads...which was good...

I wasn't too unhappy with some of my defensive fire. A few good breaks and I managed to destroy the 37L Flak Wagon. So not too shabby to kick things off.

Despite the few breaks, Dan had done a great job of spreading out and making sure that I could not group my boys into a cohesive defense. This was really great execution on Dan's part. the half-tracks were all CE and after unloading their passengers went around the battlefield to help encircle my isolated squads. With my bazookas all in buildings to start the battle, I would end up breaking or pinning some of my boys as they took the backblast results. I would even break 2 of my 6 bazookas on the first D-Fire. Honestly, the 11's, 10's, and 9's that I rolled tonight just really hammered me hard.

I thought Dan played his half-tracks as well as any game I can remember since maybe our playing of Wiener Waltzer where his half-tracks waltzed all over me.

 If you're wondering...this is still Turn 1....yeah Turn 1 took about an hour, because there was so much action.

Well....yeah....I think it's a PANZER STORM!!!

One of the other great things about Dan's choice of road hexes is that he immediately has his force on both sides of the stream. What I had hoped would be important to slowing down Dan, instead hindered me from supporting my center positions. Dan's in my face set up was paying huge dividends.

"It's all in the planning Kamerad!"

The fighting in this scenario was in my face as Dan's armor just came up point blank and blasted away.

The German Sniper was hurting me in my backfield, which would free up yet another building for Dan's grenadiers.

The black circles show my broken units. I had plenty of them. And both Dan and I would ELR two squads a piece in the course of the battle. The white circles show my successes against Dan's armor. I would knock out the 75* Half-track, small stun two more and immoblize one of the MKIV's. The Crew would bail out and rout away. But success agaimst the armor was not as important as success against Dan's troops. My 9-2 had several 20 factor shots and rolled high on all of them and never got rate of fire. You can't be successful in ASL if your primary assets do nothing...

Turns 2 and 3 - saw Dan's boys moving to cut off rout paths and secure as many buildings as possible.

Towards the west, I would send a 6-6-6 into close combat with a stunned Half-Track and fail to knock it out. I was  locked in Melee and would fall the next turn.

Dan's half-tracks would be the masters of the battlefield.

As we hit the half-way mark of Turn3, we had been playing over 4  hours, which is a long time for so few turns, but again as I pointed out earlier, there is a  lot going on in the early turns of this game. My 9-2 in the large northern building had been encircled and Dan sent two groups upstairs to confront him. My 20 factor shot...I rolled high...no rate...the Germans shrug off my fire. Then a MKIV pulls up adjacent and let's rip with MG's and rolls snakes. A 1 check...I roll an 8 resulting in a 9....but since I was encircled, my 9-1's morale is an 8....so I break. Then my 6-6-6 squad breaks. With that...I called it quits. Dan had already taken 9 buildings with two more ready to fall and I was down to 5 squads and no bazookas. Honestly, I had enough of just taking a beating...so gave the concession and congratulated Dan on a great win. His force did just about everything right and never let up on me. It's tough to concede with only a third of the turns completed....but it was game over. Dann had all the buildings he needed and if I brought in the airpower, he would have nearly double the 5 he would need and there would be little chance of my 5 squads managing to take away enough buildings to get the win. So giviging the concession just seemed to make sense. 

Dan's panzer men could celebrate a good victory!

And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:

"The plan worked.  The Germans being outnumbered 15 squads to 9 and 1/2 made it a close issue.  But the American morale of 6 made the Americans squads break and the halftracks were able to cut the route paths.  The American 9-2 was upper level encircled in 22F4 and eliminated on turn 3.  The Germans were careful to take prisoners when required even though the deployment made the German squads lose firepower.  The multi-hex buildings fell quickly and by turn 2 all six BAZ were out of the game with two captured and destroyed, three destroyed shooting and one lost on the field.  The Germans had lost only three vehicles with two more immobilized.  Only one was a tank.  By the end of turn 3 the Americans had only 5 squads left.  The scenario is interesting with much replay value due to multiple ways both sides can set up.  But it is very hard on the Americans with their low morale and the ability for mobile vehicles to cut route paths.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for another fun night of ASL!"

Dan and I will be back next Saturday for a playing of BFP-102 Tolstoy Woods. We'll finish the year with an Eastern Front Scenario!

See you then!