After last Saturday's grueling DTO scenario, I was looking forward to something a little less intense. I flipped through my Heat of Battle scenarios and found one that checked off all of my favorite boxes. I had found a scenario set in Normandy with Canadians and their arch-rivals the 12th SS Panzer Division...oh and it was a six turn scenario. My favorite!
Six turn scenarios are just about right and with the speed that Dan and I usually play, we can churn through a six turn scenario in about 4 hours. And 4-5 hours of straight game play is about the right amount of time for a Saturday game.
This HOB pack was one of the first Third Party Scenario Packs I every purchased. I picked it up during the my first tournament in Texas. Since that that time, I have played 3 scenarios from this pack. Tonight's would be my fourth. And I have to say that they have been very good. The scenario designers for this consolidated pack are: Steve Dethlefsen, Rob Banozic, Scott Holst and the HOB Team. The Playtesters are a large group of familiar names in the community. So altogether, a very solid scenario pack.
I had the turn to pick the scenario and selected NQNG-2 The Precious Price of Time. This scenario is set on August 10th, as the Grenadiers of the 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division attempt to hold open the Falaise Pocket against determined Canadian attacks.
ROAR has this scenario with 21 German and 10 Canadian wins. The ASL Archive has it with 3 German and 1 Canadian win and 1 draw. Overall, the edge seems to be with the Germans. The terrain is well suited to the use of Panzerfausts and with 2 Panzerschrecks, the Germans have ample AT Defense.
Two books from my library that I would highly recommend are Anthony Tucker-Jones, Falaise the Flawed Victory and Casemate Illustrated's The Falaise Pocket.
Tucker-Jones provides an exhaustive accounting of the Falaise campaign with an eye towards exposing it as less of a victory than it should have been. While the Germans would lose the vast majority of their armored fighting vehicles during the escape, they would in fact succeed in getting a lot of veteran Panzermen and Grenadiers out of the collapsing pocket. This cadre of veterans would be quickly reformed and equipped in time to stop Operation Market Garden and stall the Allies in front of the Rhine River for months. A great book with some interesting conclusions.
The Casemate book is an exceptionally well-illustrated book that is one of my favorites to turn to with regards to Falaise. The entire Casemate Illustrated series by Yves Buffetatut is outstanding. And yes, I own the five related to the Normandy Campaign. Can't help myself...
After rolling for sides, I would get to command the fanatical, teenage Grenadiers of the 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division. This division's history is fully tied to the Normandy Campaign and particularly to the Falaise Gap. This division was a unit that exhibited great courage in the face of heavy odds and also acts of great infamy as they executed Canadian prisoners. Nazi indoctrination certainly had its dark influences over these young men. They would exemplify all the best and worst traits of the Waffen SS at the same time.
My force would consist of 4 x 6-5-8's, and 2 x -3-4-8's led by a 9-1 with a Panzerschreck and 2 x Goliaths. This group would set up on boards 2 and 19. On Turn 1, I would get reinforcements consisting of 6 x 6-5-8's led by an 8-1 and 8-0 with 2 x LMG's, a Panzerschreck and 4 x Half-tracks with a 9-2 Armor Leader. Not a bad little force.
Dan would command the me of the Argylls and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada. This unit would see action in the First World War, Northwestern Europe in World War II and even be in action in Afghanistan as late as 2014. They would serve with distinction in the Normandy Campaign and specifically at Falaise. Together with the Poles, they would finally shut the door to the Falaise Gap. Their history would be forever intertwined with that of their fiercest opponent....the 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division. Today's scenario will definitely be a No Quarter affair....as it was historically.
Dan's force would consist of 7 x 4-5-8's led by an 8-1 and 7-0 with 3 x LMG's and Piat. Two Shermans would provide armor support. On Turn 2, Dan would also receive 3 more Shermans and an 8-1 Armor Leader. Dan's force would be fairly tough as well.
To win the scenario, Dan and I would have to control more three level hill hexes on board 2 than the other guy. I predict a tough fight to the finish.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
“The Canadians must control more
level three hill locations than the Germans at game end. While they are out numbered 7 squads to 11
squads. They do have tanks, two set up
with the infantry at start and three more join on turn 2. The infantry will take reverse slope
positions while the tanks take up flanking positions to provide support. The plan will be for the infantry to get into
position to assault move to capture the level three locations then advance back
down to reverse slope. Once the
Canadians have the level 3 locations the Germans will have to come and take
them. The tanks will take flanking
positions to interdict German movement toward the hill. When the reinforcing tanks arrive two will go
hunting German half tracks while the third moves up on the hill to reverse
slope position. Hopefully the tanks can
stay three hexes or more away from the German infantry.”
Everybody got their orders and prepared to move out!
The game begins. I would move successfully as Dan's boys couldn't see much.
I inexplicably left a squad in the line of fire of one of Dan's Shermans. I was not playing a crisp, well-thought out game for the first three turns.
Now my buddy Dan...well he had a plan...cause I was playing Dan Best...not Dan Worst...
I had thought it was too risky to park on top of the level 3 hills. I had planned to just shoot down anyone who went up there. Of course Dan did go up there and was Concealed. And I was rolling 10's left and right... "10" may favorite roll...
Dan would take his first victory location. My defensive fire would be ineffectual.
Turn 2 - My HJ Grenadiers moved into the fight. I tried moving my half-tracks and Dan's hot dice and easy swivel turrets would register their first kill. It would be a great night for Dan with both moving turrets and Intensive Fire shots. He would be very productive with both.
Dan would have two victory locations as Turn 2 - came to an end. I would go into CC on the right flank to take that location away from him. I would succeed.
As my part of Turn 2 ended, I had evened up the number of Victory Locations.
Turn 2 Canadian- Dan's 3 x Shermans would roll into the battle. Two would go up on the hill and the third would sweep around to hit my left flank.
Dan's Turn 2 movement phase was masterful. His Shermans had successfully interdicted me on the reverse slope which forced my retreat. His infantry then successfully took all 5 of the center 3 Level Hill Hexes.
Dan would also succeed in destroying my Goliath on the left side as it trundled towards the hill top summit. This was a major bummer. As Turn 3 opened, I sent my boys to shore up my right flank and sent my 75* Halftrack with my 9-2 Armor leader to take out one of Dan's Shermans in the rear. Dan would turn his turret and destroy me.
Wow...things were just getting ugly fast for me. As happens far too often to me, my personal ELR was cratering. Dan's dice were hot and he was able to get results when took actions. My dice were like always....and I was achieving very little at this stage of the game. And I was beginning to check out and actually considered just conceding. I had been walloped on Friday night and it looked this scenario was going to be another shellacking. I'll be honest...I just wasn't up for that. But...I kept going.
I was really running out of ideas and I believe I even said that out loud to Dan. I moved my grenadiers into position to threaten the Sherman on the left. I knew I would possibly lose some boys, but as soon as Dan tried to start that Sherman...I was going to be ready to faust it.
Now on the top of the hill, I had thrown everything I had at Dan's Canadians. Dan would roll three snake eyes in a row...and create two Heroes.
Nothing...I mean nothing can shake you up like seeing your opponent roll back to back snake eyes...and three in a row...is like realizing you just ate a Ghost Pepper...
yeah...it's like that....
Turn 3 Canadian would be a bit of a momentum shift, although I don't believe Dan or I realized it at the time. Dan's sniper would DM my 3-3-8 in the far left foxhole. For me...that was just icing on my cake of personal sorrow. He would also move aggressively to threaten me on the right and center. I resisted the distractions and patiently waited for his Sherman to start up. It did...I got my Fausts and a flaming wreck would be the result. The first Sherman was down.
As Turn 3 ended, Dan was firmly in control. At the half-way mark, Dan had control of all 7 Level 3 Hexes. Honestly, I was very impressed. Dan's attack with inferior infantry numbers had rocked my SS Grenadiers on their heels and put me very much on the defensive. But...the first Sherman was down and that would set in motion a German counter-attack on the left.
Turn 4 - Who says you should never Prep Fire (seriously that one always irks me). My Prep Fire would finally bring me some success as I managed to DM nearly all the Canadians on the right flank. My Goliath on this side also did it's job and DM'd Canadians by the squad. This was a huge moment in the game and went a long way to shaking me out of my raging self-pity.
One of my lesser character traits was on display for much of the night. Poor dice roll results really can mess with me and take me out of the game. I hate it when I do that...it's something I have to work on.
In spite of my self-pity and whining, I was snapping back to normal and sent my boys to take the fight to Dan on the left. Time was running out and I had to start clawing my way back onto the hill.
I would jump on another of Dan's Shermans in Close Combat.
I would fail to take down the Sherman in close combat, but as it left the hex, my Fausts would faust it. Second Sherman was now down for the count.
Turn 5 - German - I had rolled Dan back on the left and forced him back to his reverse slope positions. Both of us were taking body blows. My fausts would take down yet another Sherman. All the armor on the left flank was gone. Only one tank was on the hill complex and a final Sherman was in the backfield on the right, where it had stopped all German flanking efforts cold.
Turn 5 - Canadian. Dan had rallied his boys and once again assaulted the hill. His Sherman on the right side of the hill would fall victim to a Panzerschreck shot.
With that the armor battle was essentially over. At the beginning of this scenario, I questioned how the Germans can stand up to the Allied Armor. Very well as it turned out.
Turn 6 - German....unbelievably I was able to move onto the entirety of the center hill and secure 5 Level 3 Victory Locations. I was in Melee with Dan on another Level 3 Hill Hex on the far right. And Dan has successfully taken back one on the far right.
Now my boys would have to prepare themselves to hold the hill since the Canadians would get the final move of the game.
A look at the final German line. Two hours earlier, I had been ready to concede and congratulate Dan on a great win. But now, I was in position to win the game. I actually felt bad about this, because I had been so self-pitying earlier. ASL is a game that truly isn't over until you actually give up. Thank goodness I didn't and listened to Dan when he pointed out that the game was far from over.
Turn 6 - Canadian. Dan's Prep-Fire rolls would 10's and 11's. After a game where he had rolled at least 5 snake eyes and enough 3-5's to fill an ammo box, his dice failed to deliver and at just the worst moment. And Dan's half-squad on the far right was broken in Defensive Fire and forced to rout off the hill. So all that was left for Dan was to launch his boys into Close Combat.
The close combats would all end in Melee and with that it was game over and a German victory with 6 Level 3 Hexes vs. 1 for the Canadians. While I was happy to have the win, I was disappointed in myself for getting down so early in the game. I tend to let my emotions get the better of me and in ASL that is just not something you can afford. Dan had played an excellent game. We both agreed that his Shermans had been overly aggressive and probably should have hung back and swept the hill as my grenadiers tried to storm to the top. Once my grenadiers got in close to the Shermans it was game over for the tanks. So kudos to the scenario designers on this one. Clearly, they saw that the Germans have what it takes to withstand the Canadian armor.
As always, my thanks to Dan for a fun night of ASL. And thanks for the in-game encouragement.
And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:
“The plan did not work. The Canadians captured the hill locations but
the tanks got engaged in a close quarter fight with the infantry. My aggressive tendencies pulled in the Canadian
infantry to support the tanks and all were lost to the German infantry. In the end the Canadians did not have enough
infantry to take back the level 3 hill hexes on the last turn close
combat. Well played by Grumble Jones in
a hard fought come from behind victory.
This scenario is a reverse slope duel for both sides and the Germans
must win with infantry. My thanks to
Grumble Jones for a good game and congratulations on a great win!”
That's all for now.
This scenario proves once again that as long as you don't count yourself out...you can always change the outcome of an ASL game...well...almost always!!!
Dan and I will be back next Saturday for a playing of Scenario MM59 Wildcat Bowl.
Looks like Caves filled with Imperial Japanese Infantry will be my lot...and I'm sure to need more than a little bit of luck to survive that one!!
See you then!
Great AAR, loved the back and forward battle
ReplyDeleteIan