Our Games - ASL Scenario J85 Pitchin' In and BoF19 Bite of the Bassotto

 

Once again, Dan Best and I would play two games in the past week. Wednesday and Thursday evening would be one game and Saturday would be our second game. These would be games 87 and 88 for the year. That number still boggles my brain. Dan and I are planning at least two more before 2020 drags itself  across the finish line. So 90 games...holy cow...unbelievable. With each game averaging at least 4 hours...that's about 360+ hours of ASL played in 2020. My ASL Kit got a workout this year! I'll do a separate blog post for the end of the year with all the stats and reflections about this year. But suffice to say here that I am very grateful for both the quantity and quality of my ASL experience this past year. It may stand as the greatest year ever for ASL...if for nothing else.

2020...see ya...don't want to be ya...

Our first game would be ASL Scenario J85 Pitchin' In (designed by Ken Dunn and Brian Youse). This scenario is set in June 1944 as Operation Bagration smashes German Army Group Center. The Soviet Partisans in the region were activated and went to work to secure key bridges, rail lines, etc. to hinder German counter-attacks and disrupt lines of retreat. In Pitchin' In, a small German force is tasked with holding a stone bridge against Partisan attack. This is an 8 turn game, but if the Germans retain 1 of four locations at the conclusion of Turn 5, they win the game. If not, the Germans win at game end by getting 13 VP of their reinforcements across the bridge. The Partisans have Molotov capability...but Dan would fail to get it every time he rolled. This is a huge asset to Partisan attacks and the lack of it, would hurt Dan in this game.

Oh...word to the wise (GIF haters beware)...this AAR is the Christmas Edition...you have been warned...turn back now...

TOO LATE!!!

As the attacking Partisans, Dan would command the men & women of the Pripyat Partisan Detachment. This force would consist of 16 x 3-3-7's led by a 9-1, 8-0 and 7-0 with 2 x LMG's, an ATR, and 2 x DC's with 8 Dummy Counters.

As the defending Germans, I would command elements of the 707th Security Division and 35th Infantry Division. My bridge defenders would consist of 3 x 4-4-7's, 2 x 4-3-6's, a 2-3-6, and 2 x 1-2-7's  led by an 8-0 and 7-0 with an MMG, LMG, 2 x 20mm AA guns and a wire. I would also be able to set up entrenched. My reinforcements would consist of 5 x 4-6-7's led by 9-1 with 20L Flak Panzer, 2 x Half-tracks, a Kuebelwagen and a Truck.

The battle space. ROAR has this scenario 18 German and 25 Partisan wins. The ASL Archive has it with 2 German and 3 Partisan wins.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Partisans must capture the bridge and hold the Germans from crossing.  The plan will be for the Partisans to attack from the east with the extra concealment markers attacking from the west.  Hopefully the Partisans can overwhelm the defenders by turn 5 and clear the bridge."

Dan's boys could attack from all board edges.  Dan would select two...but the group on Board 40...well they are a bunch of dummies, which I would correctly guess. But I will admit that there were moments in this game, where I was not 100% sure.

Dan would move those three Dummy stacks very carefully and I had to check and make sure that they were dummys every now and then...

Dan's Turn 1 movements.

Dan was moving 16 squads of Partisans towards me in a big Schwerpunkt.

I would get some early breaks as Dan's first attacks made contact.

Our first CC of the game as Dan's boys closed in from the woods. I would regret not placing my wire in front of the bridge. Why do I do some of the things that I do...I really don't know...

Early breaks would slow Dan's assault...just enough....

But Dan kept the pressure on me. My defense would hold as he rushed my AA Gun.

One of the things that convinced me that Dan's Dummys were Dummys was that he never fired to put me in encirclement at the end of the bridge....and of course they only assault moved and advanced. So there's that...but I was on to Dan's attempts to beguile me...

I ignored Dan's Dummy assault and focused on trying to stop the Schwerpunkt on the other side. 

I was just barely hanging on!!!

My AT Gun crew would be captured as Dan cleared out my foxhole locations. 

Dan was closing in from both sides.

I managed to rally my broken 7-0 and he would contribute to the cause by DM'ing two broken 3-3-7's. They would be unable to support the attack for another turn. Dan controlled the other end of the bridge and now needed to secure the 4 victory locations to keep me from winning the game.

Dan was thirsty for more and stormed across the bridge!!!

Turn 5 - my reinforcements arrived and I managed to DM the single 3-3-7 that had gotten to the end of the bridge. I retained Victory Location 40I4 and with that my Germans had the victory!

My boys had held the bridge.

And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:

"The plan did not work.  The bridge defenders got in several breaks on the Partisans and the Partisans never got a MOL roll.  The Partisans took several rally phases to return to battle and could not clear one hex of the bridge by turn 5.  Germans got the early win.  Well played by Grumble Jones!  The Partisans must attack from both sides of the bridge on this scenario.  Lesson learned.  This scenario is good fun to play if you like being a Partisan player.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for a great game!"

And now for our second game!!!

Our second game would be ASL Scenario BoF19 Bite of the Bassotto. Designed by Chris Mazzei and Peter Struijf, this scenario takes place in 1944 Italy as the Allies pursued the retreating Germans through the Liri Valley after the fall of Monte Cassino. Near San Casciano, New Zealanders would discover that the retreating Germans still had a powerful bite. 

As the attacking Allies, I would command the men of the 2nd New Zealand Division and 23 Battalion, and A Squadron, Divisional Cavalry Regiment. This force would consist of 8 x 4-5-8's led by a 9-1, 8-0, and 7-0 with 2 x LMG's, 2 x PIATS and 3 x Armored Cars. This is a pretty anemic force for the task at hand. 

As the defending Germans, Dan would command the men of the Battalion II, Fallschirmjaeger-Regiment 12, Fallschirmjaeger Division 4. This force would consist of 7 x 5-4-8's led by a 9-1 and 8-1 with 2 x LMG's, a Panzerschreck and DC with 2 Stugs, a 9-1 Armor Leader, 6 Factors of Mines and one foxhole.

ROAR has this scenario with 55 German and 50 New Zealand wins. The ASL Archive has it with 15 German and 18 New Zealand. This is a short 5 Turn scenario and as such leaves no room for error on either side. Dice rolls would matter and as you shall see, Dan's first rolls were not be Pro-German.

Our rolls for both games would result in only 2 snake eyes for Dan and 6 for me. Dan would roll 5 boxcars to my 4. But Dan's dice have been pretty good on Morale Checks and Rallies. A lot of 3's and 4's would keep his boys in the fight.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Germans must keep the British from capturing more than 8 building in the 12 building village.  The plan is for the Germans to defend the buildings.  We will deploy two squads and give two HS the SSR allowed PF optional usage.  The mines will set up in CC10 to prevent a board edge creep and the 8-1, squad and LMG will set up HIP in AA7 for good fire lane possibilities.  The StuG will set up in Y9 to keep from being flanked by a swarm of armored cars.  Hopefully the Germans can get a few early kills while the British move into the village."

My attack plan was pretty simple. I would focus on taking the outlying buildings in opposite corners. And then drive towards the center. 

Turn 1 - I move forward and wait for the surprises that Dan has in store for me. But things don't go according to plan...first a 2-3-8 fires a Panzerfaust and gets a hit...then Dan rolls a "12"...a DUD Panzerfaust shot...WOW...how often does that ever happen..."anything but a 12"....

Dan's silent screams came through the SKYPE line. I myself had this happen many years ago and it scars you for life...It does...no it really does...

Next, I found Dan's minefield in CC10....well...because of course I went in the single hex that contained mines...and on my first move...fortunately, I would suffer no ill effects until I tried to advance out and my 8-0 would break.

I neglected to take a picture before my Turn 2 movement phase. In Dan's phase of Turn 1, he would destroy an Armored Car with his Panzerschreck and move his Stug into a hull down position. He would MALF the Stug's MA as I sent an armored car to hit him from the rear..

I would lose the first of my armored cars.

Turn 2 - German - Dan would try to reorganize and rally up. At this stage of the game, my New Zealanders had taken 4 of the 8 needed buildings. I had been incredibly lucky up to this point in the game.

My good fortune had made me giddy with early Christmas joy!!!

Oh...but fate is a cruel mistress. She would visit Dan's sniper on my boys in the southwest corner. She would hit them again later. They would never rally for the remainder of the game. I would have 2 x 4-5-8's mission killed over here. That would leave six squads with the job of taking the necessary buildings.

Dang sniper....

I got lucky and managed to knock out Dan's MALF'd Stug. I then redployed my Armored Cars to prepare a reception committee for Dan's Turn 3 reinforcements. 

As Dan's reinforcements arrived, I had secured 8 building locations. Now if I could only hold on to them.

Dan's 9-1 had arrived.

As expected, Dan came right at me. I managed to pin the 9-1 and a second 5-4-8 and DM the third. Not too shabby.

On Turn 4 - I managed to get another building location. I had a total of 9, but Dan's boys were looking for some payback.

On his part of Turn 4 - Dan would take away two buildings and get into position to take another. UGH!!!

Things were not going well for my New Zealanders.

As we entered Turn 5 - I was down to 6 buildings. I would have to try and retake 2.

Yep...it wasn't looking good...

Turn 5 - I go for the gold...I break one German 5-4-8...so Building 7 was in the bag...then two other squads rushed to take two more buildings. The Germans would both cower, but one squad was broken. My other one was in good shape. And then it happened...in full Defensive Fire...Dan would shoot 1 down nothing and I would pin...PIN...and with that it was game over and Dan had pulled off the win!!!

I never saw it coming!!!

Dan's boys had won the day! My congrats to Dan on a fun and well played game. Dan overcame all the hurdles to take the victory. I had suffered the bite of the Basotto.

With that Dan and I had once again split the double-header, which is pretty awesome.

And now for Dan's Post-Game comments:

"The plan worked despite my dice.  One PF half squad got a hit with a dud PF and the StuG broke its main gun on the second shot.  The AC were able to kill both StuGs and the Brits took 9 buildings by turn 5.  However, the German counter attack was able to take back and hold two buildings for the win.  This scenario is tough on the Brits.  The attack was well done by the Brits, but the German counterattack was too much.  My thanks to Grumble Jones for a fun scenario!"

Well...that's a wrap gang on the last AAR for 2020. Yep...I'm taking the rest of December off. I'm wore out and need a chance to recharge. On behalf of Dan and myself...we wish all of you and your families a very happy and healthy Christmas. We look forward to bringing you more ASL action in 2021.

Merry Christmas my friends and a 

very...very happy New Year's!