Our Friday Game - ASL Scenario DaE1 Ambush at De Hoop

Well...as many of you know by now, the Kansas City March Madness ASL Tournament was cancelled. As I type this, I should have been nearly to Kansas City and back together with my friends at Hollis Center. And yes, I am bitterly disappointed. I look forward to this tournament very much. It's usually my first vacation time since Christmas. And believe me...I need vacation badly. For three months I have been working closely with my Italian Division in northern Italy. As you can imagine the challenges facing our Supply Chain Team are extreme to say the least. The COVID-19 Coronavirus has become the dominant thing in our lives across the globe. And this AAR is released in response to the desire to provide additional content to my readers experiencing quarantine conditions in Italy, Spain, Germany, France and across the most affected nations. This Friday AAR is for you. 

Today was also a milestone for my home in Quincy, IL. We are in a fairly isolated part of the American mid-west. Major interstates run near us, but not to us. So we have been insulated somewhat from the risk of COVID-19. But today...our first case of the virus was confirmed. Tiny Quincy, IL, a community of 40,000 people on the banks of the Mississippi River is now home to a virus that has travelled all the way from Wuhan, China. It's mind boggling how quickly this virus has spread to all corners of the world. We are connected to one another far more than we ever imagined. So now, this community holds its breath to learn how many more of our community are infected and how it will forever alter our lives.

So, such news causes one to rethink what's important. It has been difficult for me personally to concentrate on work. And a creeping depression has settled over me lately. I go to work each morning...return home each evening and stay inside. But as an ASL player, I am blessed to have an outlet to take my mind off the global pandemic and still do my part in social distancing and helping to control the spread of this virus. And it is with this in mind, that I decided to blog tonight's Friday game. 

On the ASL  Facebook group, some folks asked about "Cardboard via SKYPE" and how to do it. So tonight's game will be streamed live on Facebook for all who care to watch and see just what Dan Best and I do in our weekly games. Hopefully it will give some of you an outlet in which to play ASL from the confines of your homes and in a way, which brings the best of the game's social aspects. For I personally believe that this method of playing over SKYPE feels like the next best thing to sitting face to face. So here's the AAR to go with tonight's selected scenario.

For our game tonight, Dan and I went with a scenario from Decision at Elst. Surprisingly, neither of us had yet played a scenario from this module. We would choose Scenario DaE1 - Ambush at De Hoop. Designed by Ken Dunn, this scenario has a small bit of fame for being a 15 minute scenario. This would of course be perfect for a Friday game and to showcase with a live stream.

Additionally, the British force sets up HIP...so another great opportunity to showcase one of the great strengths of playing "Cardboard via SKYPE". 

Now, a word of warning, a 15 minute scenario is going to get a 15 minute AAR...it's only fair and since I will still have a Saturday Game to blog...well this one will be short and sweet.

As the attacking Germans, Dan would command the men of Heavy Panzer Company Hummel. This force would consist of 3 x Tiger I's, which would all enter on Turn 1 through Hex B12 after spending 8 MP. Oh and they would have to be CE until Advance Phase. 

As the defending British, I would command the men of the A Company, 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry (I do love British Regiments!!!)., 24th Brigade, 43rd Wessex Division. I would have 3 x 4-5-7's, led by an 8-1 with an LMG and 3 x PIATS. My mission should I choose to accept it would be take down all three of Dan's Tiger I's. A tall order to say the least, but I did know exactly were they would entering and I would be HIP. So yes, I'll take that mission!!!

ROAR has the scenario with 16 German wins and 5 British wins. The ASL Archive has it with 7 German and 0 British wins....YIKES....this must be harder than I thought it would be. But somehow 5 people figured out how to win it as the British. Could I be the 6th or would my Duke of Cornwall boys be ground into the Dutch soil by Dan's massive Tigers!?! 

Well...read on lads...let's find out how these 15 minutes went down!!!

NOTE: Dan's Pre and Post Game comments will not be included in this AAR. Dan deserves a break too. COVID-19 is certainly adding to his workload.

This scenario uses a very small portion of the DaE Map. The Germans enter on the B12 road hex and must have one mobile AFV with functioning MA at game end in order to win. At first glance, the orchards and grain provide the best spots to wait for Dan's Tigers. They will only be CE for this one Defensive Fire, so I have to make the best use of my chance with the LMG to break one of the tank crews. I need rear or side shots with PIATS and trying to hit moving Tigers is going to be tough. And once I fire...oh man...those Tigers will unleash on me. This could turn out to be one rough 15 minutes.

Dan and I would live stream the game tonight. Hopefully, those who viewed it found it helpful in understanding how Cardboard via SKYPE works. Those who watched the video also saw that my intial British setup was incorrect. I had set up within 2 hexes of B12 rather than at least 2 hexes away. I'm a bonehead...no excuse. 

 Turn 1 Dan's Tigers rumble onto the map. I fire away to no absolutely no effect.

So I would reveal all of my HIP units in the First D-Fire. I would get a few hits...but I had little chance of penetrating the Tiger's frontal armor. I had revealed my ambush too early.

By SSR, the Tigers are CE upon entry and can't button up until Advance Phase. I would force some morale checks, but Dan's Tiger crews would shrug them off.

In  my part of Turn 1, I would rout back my boys who broke under German D-fire and then my 8-1 and a 2-4-7 would jump on a tank each and go for a close combat kill. I would fail in both cases and both units would die.

My boys gave it a great shot...but went down under the power of the Tigers.

Dan's Tanks completed the win on  Turn,  3 after blocking the rout paths for my final DM'd unit. And in about 45 minutes the game was over. Dan had won a commanding victory. I got spanked to put it lightly. Congrats to Dan on a very thorough victory!

"WOOT WOOT...how you like me now!?!"

Ok, as promised that's a wrap on this short version AAR. 

Thanks again to all who watched our live stream. 

We'll see you tomorrow night for a playing of Critical Hit Scenario CH-167 The  Warlord's Estate.