Our Friday and Saturday Games - ASL Scenario A1 L'Ecole Normale and ASL Scenario 45 Revenge at Kastelli

Well...it's been hot today...over 90 degrees here in the cornfields of Western Illinois. My morning walk with my wife was good, but the heat was just overpowering. As I walked, my mind drifted over last night's game with Dan Best. Dan and I got in a Friday playing of ASL Scenario A1 L'Ecole Normale. This is a DASL scenario and one that neither of us had played before. I imagine, I'm like a lot of ASL players, I replay games in my head and walk through the good and bad decisions and the fun moments. Last night's game was not one of my better efforts. While this scenario is pro-Partisan, it certainly can be won by the Germans. And in looking back at the game, I was just really disappointed in myself. I made poor decisions...which are probably better described as very risky decisions. Had they worked, the game would have gone my way irretrievably...but they didn't go my way and in fact backfired big time. It's like that time when Seattle passed the ball instead of running it in to win the Super Bowl....yeah it's like that.  But hang on to that....I'll come back to it.

Overall, I feel pretty lucky to be living in Quincy, Illinois at the moment. While it is in a very isolated part or the country, it's also fairly self-contained and as a good a place as any to ride out the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our biggest problem is our next door neighbors...Iowa and Missouri were not much in favor of lockdowns and as a result, a lot of our folks have crossed the river to participate in their state re-openings (they barely locked down...so there's that). Anyway, our COVID-19 cases are on the rise  and as a result, our county, Adams County has been designated as a COVID-19 Hotspot in the state of Illinois, which has been doing a fair job of bending the infection curve. So sadly, we are in a worse place infection wise today than we were in March-June. What this means of course...is that I will be playing even more ASL!!! Since, I can't go anywhere...

But more games....means more AAR's. I won't lie...I'm knackered. This weekend's game took me to 56 and 57. My record year was last year at 61 games played. I'm on track to shatter that record. Now don't get me wrong, I'm loving the fact that I am playing so much ASL, but as I have said earlier this summer, the blogging can wear you out. Wouldn't it be great if blogging were my job!!!  Well...maybe not...not a big fan of working....it might actually ruin the whole blogging thing. The good news...I'll keep the posts rolling. In the age of lockdown...we all have to our part!

L'Ecole Normale first came out in the 89' Annual and as A1 and is a DASL Scenario. ROAR has the scenario with 28 Partisan wins and 17 German. The ASL Archive has it with 0 German and 2 Partisan wins.  It's definitely not a scenario for the Germans. 

The scenario is based on the FFI's efforts to liberate Tulle, France in early June 1944. As the Allies landed in Normandy, the FFI went to work in creating havoc in the rear areas. Tulle was one of those and this scenario covers the fight for a large school in Tulle, known as the L'Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs. The German garrison made up of 2nd line security troops would ultimately surrender and the FFI would enjoy a short-lived victory. The 2nd SS Das Reich was was only a few hours away and in a killing mood.

Tulle, France - 1944

The scenario takes place on June 8th. On June 9th, the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich would perpetrate a massacre on the citizens of Tulle in response to partisan attacks on their advancing columns.

The battle space, the K4 Building on Board C represents the L'Ecole Normale school building. The Partisans win immediately by placing 2 or more blazes in the building and/or eliminating all unbroken German units from the building. By SSR this building's staircases are in play and provide access to a level 1. All other buildings are ground level only. 

I would be the  Germans for tonight's game. I would command the men of the 3rd Battalion, Security Regiment 98. My troops would have an abysmal ELR of 2. This force would consist of 5 x 4-4-7's led by an 8-0 and 7-0 with an MMG and 2 x LMG's. Can you say dead on arrival...I can...

Dan's lucky roll would give him command of the FTP Maquisards. This force would consist of 2 x 5-2-7's and 8 x 3-3-7's led by an 8-1 and 7-0 with 2 x LMG's. They would also have Molotov capability.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

“The French Partisans must assault and break all German MMC in victory building cK4.  Or kindle blazes in two of the four hexes.  The Partisans will assault from the adjacent buildings.  With the 8-1 leading two 5-2-7 squads in an assault group.  The will come down from the board e hill backed up by five 3-3-7 squads and a LMG.  The 7-0 with two 3-3-7 squads and a LMG will cover from the building on board b.  The last 3-3-7 squads will also patrol from board b to maintain a threat on that flank.  Hopefully the Partisans will get MOLs and break the Germans as CC is a toss up without the Partisans being stealthy by SSR.”

 I set up my Germans to try and hold the school with as many squads as possible. I deployed only one, but the SSR allows you unlimited deployments for the Germans.

Dan came at me aggressively on Turn 1. Keep in mind that this is a 7 Turn game on DASL size hexes. So you can take your time if you choose. I would manage to hurt Dan's 8-1 with the two 5-2-7's. The officer would wound and the two 5-2-7's would both go to half-squads. This was my biggest worry in the game and I had managed to hurt them bad. 

My medium machine gun would get a couple good shots and then nothing more.

 Dan managed to get into positions despite my defensive fire activities.

I did some rearranging in my part of the turn. With Dan's Partisans adjacent, I was concerned about Molotov's. 

As I retreated back towards the school, Dan's Partisans moved forward and into the school itself. YIKES!!!

Now kind readers is the moment in the game, when I decided to try and lose the game. I would foolishly jump into CC with Dan's Partisans. My hope was to overmatch them, eliminate them and secure my hold on the school for good. Sounded good in my head...but one little problem...MY DICE. They don't like close combat and I should have known better.

 As you can see...my plan failed miserably. Dan would win ambush and infiltrate another squad into the school....NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! (Note: I hate this game.) And the other close combat was now a MELEE. I was in serious danger and I did to myself....

Things would rapidly go from terrible to catastrophic. Dan would DM my only unoccupied squad and then rush the school house. My 8-0 leader would valiantly try to hold off the partisans with the MMG. He would manage to DM two squads and stop reinforcements from getting into the school from the north. 

 Well...my DM squad became prisoners and my 8-0 was now in a MELEE as well. Good times!

Things were not going according to my plans...

The MELEES were slowing things down though as Dan and I eliminated half-squads during the close combat phase.

With all my boys in MELEE, Dan's Partisans could enter the school unopposed and start trying to set the place on fire.

  My 8-0 officer went down fighting and the Partisans managed to get their first flame going!

Then Dan did it...he always does you know...yep...he fired into the MELEE. Only a single German half-squad was unaffected.

 So there I was with only a half-squad left to my name...(Remember...I hate this game...really I do...)

Well...my half-squad would be wiped out in the next round of CC...I just forgot to take a picture of it. I was depressed...I'm allowed to be depressed sometimes...

"Oh man...turn 2...what a train wreck...must be less aggressive in the future..."

My congrats to Dan on a good win. He recovered from the Turn 1 setback and spanked my Germans hard...and not in a good way....

And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:

“The plan worked.  Although it was a close battle with the Germans getting a good shot on the 8-1 group knocking them out of action.  A strong CC counterattack by the Germans did not go well and the Partisans cleared the board in 3 turns of CC.  Fun little scenario and very straight forward.  I have always wanted to play this scenario since playing ASL 27 The Liberation of Tulle.  My thanks to Grumble Jones of giving it a try and for a great game.”

And now for Round 2 - ASL Scenario 45 Revenge at Kastelli

So, Saturday came around and Dan and I were back at it for round 2 of our scenario double-header. Dan's choice would be ASL Scenario 45 Revenge at Kastelli. I lost this one back in 1991 and don't remember enjoying it. Flash forward to 2020 and yeah...I would still not enjoy it...but I'm getting ahead of myself. This scenario depicts actions during the German invasion of Crete. Near Kastelli, it just so happened that a Greek Regiment was located and saw the arriving German paratroops. Eager for revenge, they went after the Germans and took them down.

Kinda like this...

ROAR has this scenario with 33 German wins and 43 Greek Wins. The ASL Archive has it with 12 Greek and 3 German wins. Seems like lately, I've been drawing the wrong side in these past few scenarios. As most of us know, Crete wasn't the usual German Blitzkrieg of the 1940's. It started off badly and in truth, the Germans were lucky to emerge as the victors. 

As the defending Germans, I would command the men of the 3rd Battalion, Sturm-Regiment I. My force would consist of 12 x 5-4-8's led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 2 x 8-0's with 2 x LMG's. A tough force...but as you will see...poorly led.

As the attacking Greeks, Dan would command the men of the 1st Greek Regiment. This force would consist of 6 x 4-5-7's and 17 x 4-3-7's led by a 9-1, 8-0, and 2 x 7-0's with 3 x LMG's. 

The battlefield for our Round 2 game. By SSR all woods are brush. 

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

“The Greeks must attack the Germans on both sides of the board 3 village.  They have 23 squads (6 first line 17 green) to eliminate 20 CVP worth of Germans (out of 30 total).  The plan is for the 9-1 with three fist line squads and two LMG to attack toward board 11.  The will be backed up by a 7-0 and nine green squads.  While the 8-0 will lead three first line squads with one LMG on to board 2.  Backed up by a 7-0 with eight green squads.  The units will move toward the Germans then spread out and attack as a blob with one squad per hex, but keeping adjacent to for large fire groups.  Hopefully they can break the Germans because the Germans have advantage in CC with the higher squad firepower.”

With limited defensive cover, I set up out of sight of Dan's boys. My defensive choices would go a long way to ensuring my defeat. So don't ...let me repeat...don't set up like I did. There must be a better way...find it.

"So that's the plan...we're just going to hide...???"

 Dan's boys left the village and headed towards my positions in the north and south. Dan would win immediately by gaining 20 CVP against my Germans.

Oh man...I am in so much trouble....

 By Turn 2 Dan was getting close to my hiding spots.

Turn 3 - Dan made contact..."Look fellas...German Paras!!!"

"I know...that's what I'm afraid of..."

One of the significant flaws in my strategy was that I was dependent on my dice to give me some results...but I would fire away and do nothing as Dan's boys moved adjacent. So then I decided to go into close combat...MELEE...been there many times...it never ends well.

 Not much to add here...Dan's Greeks were coming to get me...

"Boys...I need a drink..."

 I was was falling back...and I didn't have much board to work with.

 Dan's Greek tidal wave was coming in and I couldn't stop it...I wanted to....

You know those games...where you know it's already over...but you just keep playing...yeah this was one of those.

 But Dan just wouldn't put me down...he just kept dragging it out....

Stop torturing me...just beat me already....!!!!

 Things were actually a little better in the north. Not much....but I was still in the fight...

 In the south....what is there to say...

 In the north, I was still hanging on.

The terrain was a bit more favorable as well in the north.

I kept activating Dan's Sniper. After eliminating my sniper, it would target and break my most important squad. It had been an awful night for me and this sniper landing on my last best chance to hold out in the south just broke me. 

In the next rally phase (Turn 7) I failed to rally. Dan had 16 of the 20 points he needed. My failure to rally meant that I was going to lose two broken squads. With that Dan had the 20 points and the immediate win. It was game over finally and a commanding win for Dan. 

I don't think it left a mark though...

It wasn't all peaches and cream for Dan. I held out in the stone house in DD8 through no less than four 36 factor shots. Additionally, Dan rolled a very high number of 12's throughout the game. I counted 8 boxcars for my good friend. I think Dan actually killed more of his men in casualty reductions than I did!! There were only 3 snake-eyes in the whole game. For me....my dice sucked soooo bad. I mean really  horrible. I would do nothing with 15 and 20 factor shots and then break from low factor shots form the Greeks. 

Dan would sweep the double header weekend with two solid victories. As for me...I'm looking forward to not rolling dice for the next seven days. My thanks as always to Dan for a great weekend of ASL!

And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:

“The plan worked.  The Greeks were able to move out in the first two turns and begin blob attacks to sweep the Germans into the corners of the board.  Both German groups went down fighting but after a series of bad rolls the Greeks captured the broken Germans.  This scenario does not have much replay value.  After one playing the tactics are plain to see.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for giving this scenario a try.”

Dan and I will be back next Saturday 

for a playing of ASL Scenario G18 GOYA...

(make up your own jokes!!)

SEE YOU THEN!!!