Well it's Super Bowl Sunday and that can only mean one thing...yeah that's right...another Grumble Jones AAR!!! It's been a long week with snow...bitter cold weather...and lots of time walking in my basement to keep up with my daily steps. The job front continues to entice me, but as yet nothing has come to pass. Staying hopeful as it's all you can really do at times like these. As for ASL...well, it was a great week of gaming. On Monday, Dave Mareske and I would lock horns. Then on Wednesday and Saturday, Dan Best and I would wage cardboard mayhem. 2021 has not been kind to me as for wins and losses. I have won only 2, lost 11 and one still undecided. And I would go 1-2 in this week's games. And all three games would end with concessions mid-way through the games. My dice would fail me miserably for two games and then aid me in winning the third. Honestly, I think my dice are di-polar...you like that...I did...
My Monday game would be against my good friend, Dave Mareske. Dave was traveling and would be playing from a hotel room. So this was a first for us as I played Cardboard Via SKPE and Dave was on VASL.
We picked a small a scenario and took one from Schwerpunkt Volume 10. Schwerpunkt Scenario SP115-The Five Pound Prize would be our battleground for the evening.
This scenario (designed by Evan Sherry) depicts the actions of the 12th SS Panzer Division versus the British 49th Infantry Division at Fontenay Le Pesnel, France in June 1944. The British would successfully repulse a combined armor and grenadier assault by the SS of the Hitler Jugend Division.
The roll for sides would place me in command of the attacking men of the 3rd Battalion, 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment and Company B, 2nd Battalion, 2 SS Panzer Regiment, 12th SS Panzer Division. My force would consist of 4 x 6-5-8's, and 4 x 5-4-8's led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 8-0 with an MMG, 3 x LMG's and a total of 5 x MKIV's with an 8-1 armor leader.
I would win the scenario by controlling 8 buildings within 3 hexes of the stream.
As the scenario defender, Dave would command the men of the Yorkshire and Lancaster Regiment, 146th Infantry Brigade, 49th Infantry Division. This force would consist of 3 x 4-5-8's, 6 x 4-5-7's and 2 x 2-2-8's led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 8-0 with 2 x LMG', a Piat, a Carrier, 2 x 57L AT Guns and 2 x Shermans, and a Firefly with 8-1 Armor Leader.
I would discover just how tough the Polar Bears would be!
And now for Dave's Pre-Game Comments:
"While needing to defend both sides of the stream as we don't know which side the Germans will attempt. I am going to place both AT guns next to each other so they can support each other. I think my infantry have a chance to run to either side but there are a couple of points that will need to be defended to allow that to happen. The AT guns bore sight a couple of hexes on the board edge to see if they could catch a lucky shot."
My attack was committed to taking the 9 buildings on the west of the river and then holding them. This was a 5 turn scenario...so time is limited. I decided on a very aggressive attack.
My 9-1, 8-1 and 8-0 agree on the attack axis.
Turn 1 - German - my first move and seconds later - a knocked out MKIV as I moved into a bore sighted hex of one of the two 57L AT Guns. This gun was leader directed by SSR and even with the bore sight -2, would have missed except for the leader's -1. The crew jumped out...but mentally, I suffered a blow that I did not recover from. I'm not fan of bore sighting and even less so in scenarios like this with such limited approach hexes. The other bore sight hex was Q10. Good defensive tactics by Dave. With the loss of the tank and a squad that got mowed down...I didn't care anymore and just moved everything forward. Honestly, this is probably exactly what the Hitler Jugend grenadiers did historically...so hey...I was just trying to be historical.
At the end of German Turn 1, I had gotten into position in the center mass of the village.
I had taken some blows early to my grenadiers and this would be a huge problem later in the game.
On his part of Turn 1 - Dave came at me. His carrier would move around my flank and drop off a half-squad with a Piat. I would roll snakes against them and KIA them. I would then capture the Piat. Dave also began funneling his infantry over both bridges to reinforce the flanks.
Going into Turn 2 - I had captured 6 building locations (still had to eliminate some brokies at level one in one location). This would be the most I would secure. Getting control of the other three would be beyond my ability.
My tanks were helping out as well.
Turn 2 British - enter the Firefly and 2 Shermans. Dave would ready to take the hurt to me.
Here comes trouble...
Dave sent his carrier after my Half-squad that had acquired the Piat. They would get a critical hit and eliminate the carrier. But they would go down to an overrun by one of the Shermans.
That was a fun moment for the Germans getting a kill with the captured Piat.
Dave's Piat team breaking Sherman would eliminate one of my MKIV's and put some hits on the other one. I was missing the lines of sight and Dave was not.
"Hans...ist das ein guter Schuss ..???" "Ja...leider so Junge."
I would return fire on one of the Shermans and knock it out...but Dave would take it down. My turn 3 reinforcements had arrived...so I still had two MKIV's in play, but my grenadiers were breaking left and right and Dave was putting lots of his boys in the building on the south. I was too anemic to stop it.
Dave's part of Turn 3 would seal the deal. I was simply too weak infantry-wise to do anything more than try and hold on to the buildings I had and even that was questionable. I was beaten and so gave Dave the concession. I never recovered from losing my first MKIV thirty seconds into the game. It just took all the wind out of my sails. Never a good thing to check out mentally at the start of any game. My congrats to Dave on a decisive win and my thanks for a fun game. It was really never in doubt as his British took me down.
And now for Dave's Post-Game Comments:
"My plan worked. An AT gun took out a tank in its bore-sighted hex and remained a nuisance until it MALFed. My infantry were able to reinforce the contested buildings. A surprise to both of us was the 3-hex building along the board edge became a battleground which the Brits never yielded. Thanks for a great game Scott."
Ok on to Game 2!
Designed by Rick Troha, this scenario covers the actions of the German 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division as they seek to take a hill away from the American 29th Infantry Division.
Historically, the Americans counter-attacked and threw the Germans back. Well...don't be looking for historical accuracy for this one.
As the defending Americans, I would command the men of the 1st Battalion, 116th Regiment, 29th Infantry Division. This force would consist of 10 x 6-6-6's and 2-2-7 led by an 8-1, 8-0 and 7-0 with a Hero, an HMG, an MMG, 4 x Bazookas, a 60 MTR and 11 x foxholes.
As the attacking Germans, Dan would command the men of the 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division. This force would consist of 12 x 5-4-8's, led by a 9-1, 8-1, and 8-0 with an HMG, MMG, 3 x LMG's, 2 x Panzershrecks, a 50 MTR, 2 x Flamethrowers and 3 x MKIV's.
The hedgerows don't exist on or adjacent to the hill. So...the Germans would get the advantages of the hedgerows as my boys set up in their exposed foxholes on the hill. This also would allow the German MKIV's to get up on the hill with no problem. I was not liking this scenario much...
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans must attack and clear the level 2 hill top hexes on deluxe board e. There will be four assault groups three will enter in armored assault with the three tanks. The first group is led by the 9-1 and will have two squads one with the HMG and the other with the MMG and two HS one with the 50mm MTR the other with the PSK. This group will head for the stone building on board e to fire on the hill. The second group will be led by the 8-1 with three squads two with LMG and one with the FT. They will enter on board f and take the road to assault the hill from the east. The 8-0 three squads one with LMG and one with the FT will attack across the board g and board e edge to attack the hill. Finally the second 8-0 will armored assault with two squads and a HS with the PSK along the road on board e. Hopefully the tanks can avoid the BAZ to get into the American lines and force route off the hill."
My defense was a bit heavy on the left side of the hill. And all four bazookas were covering the front of the hill.
My 8-1 would be on the level 2 hill with the HMG. I would have some good visibility.
German Turn 1 - Dan came down the roads. My HMG would zap the first group armored assaulting with a MKIV. They would break and then a very long rate of fire tear would reduce them to a broken half-squad. Dan moved up the middle successfully and my mortar failed to do any damage to his force on the left.
The end of German 1 - would show Dan in good positions to begin an assault on the hills. DASL boards really compress the battlefield and keep the action close.
Dan's 9-1 giving directions to his boys.
Turn 2 - German - Dan comes at me. I fire three bazooka shots at one MKIV and miss every time. In the meantime, Dan manages to break my HMG position.
Turn 3 - I had managed to immobilize one MKIV, but it's return fire broke two squads. My MMG group had been killed by Dan's 9-1 Kill Stack. All my bazooka squads were broken. At this point in the game I was down to 3-1/2 unbroken squads and Dan's tanks had yet to move. It was game over. I gave the concession and congratulated Dan on what really was an overwhelming victory. My 6-6-6 squads broke and ELR'd at an alarming rate. And my failure to get bazooka hits with a 7 or less was soul crushing. After turn 1, this game was really all German. My thanks to Dan for a fun game despite the outcome.
So after two games, I was 0-2 and feeling pretty low. Both losses were just butt-whippings. I won't lie my self-confidence was badly bruised. Many of this year's games haven't even been close...just straight up beatings.
And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:
"The plan worked. Although the American got good hits on the initial German attack with the board e armored assault 8-0 stack being almost wiped out by the American HMG on a rate tear. One tank was immobilized by a BAZ but then proceeded to break up the American defense and with no good order BAZ units the other two tanks could run over the hill. This scenario is hard on the Americans who do not have bocage on the hill to allow for movement. Once the attack opens then can be easily pinned in place. My thanks to Grumble Jones for another fun game of ASL!"
Ok...let's go on our Third Game...it's gotta be better right!?!
My third and final game of the week would be a Russian Front battle on Saturday against Dan. It was Dan's turn to pick and he would choose March Madness Scenario MM29 from the Commissar's Pack. This would also be one of Dan's scenario designs. The Commissar's Pack is special to me. My first time meeting Dan Best was at the 2013 Texas Tournament. I knew no one there and Dan invited me to play a game with him from the pack and he even gave me a free copy. I have many great memories of that first tournament in 2013...but there is no doubt in my mind that this Grumble Jones Blog exists because of that fortunate meeting. Without Dan Best...well...there wouldn't be much to blog about.
If you do not have a copy of this excellent scenario pack, head over to the ASL Archive and pick up a PDF version. There are some seriously good scenarios in this pack. My personal favorite is Futile Bravery.
MM29 Sorve Point would be Dan's choice for the evening's adventure. This scenario covers the actions of the German 61st Infantry Division as it tries to eliminate fortified Russian positions on Saaremaa Island, Estonia.
If you enjoy fortifications, then I would recommend this scenario. I'm very intimidated by fortifications and don't always enjoy them as much as other scenario types.
I would win the scenario by controlling 9 level 2 hill hexes.
As the scenario defender, Dan would command the men of the 3rd Rifle Brigade. This force would consist of 9 x 4-4-7's, and 6 x 4-2-6's led by a 9-1, 8-0, 8+1, and 7-0 with 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's, 2 x ATR's, a 60 MTR, 3 x pillboxes, 8 x trenches, 4 x foxholes, 8 x wire, 24 AP mines. On Turn 4, Dan would get reinforcements of 3 x 5-2-7's led by an 8-1 with an LMG. Dan would also have 120mm OBA.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Russians must defend the level two hills in this game. With heavy fortifications the Russians have the ability to hold ground but with a ELR of 2 they will melt away in a stand up fight. This calls for a reverse slope defense. The pillboxes will set up on the level 2 hills covering the hill top while the trenches create paths to the reverse side of the hill for route paths. The 7-0 with the radio will set up on the island with a view on hill 501. The 2+5+7 pillbox with the 9-1 two squads and the MMG will set up in 61BB6 covering the hill 501 mass. The 1+5+7 pillbox will set up in 61CC4 also covering half of hill 501 with the 9-0 commissar and squad MMG. Other fortifications will channel the Germans toward hill 501 which will be the kill zone. Hopefully the OBA can get a contact and does not draw two red cards right away."
German Turn 1 - I move towards the hill while my 9-2 with an HMG and MMG is on over watch and marked with Opportunity Fire. The starred hexes were my 9 level 2 objectives. Unbelievably, I would cross the open ground with only a single broken unit.
Time to get up the hill boys!!!
Dan's arty was my biggest concern as my part of Turn 1 ended. It was next to my 8-3-8's. I advanced away from it...but one squad was still in the impact zone.
Dan's arty would break the squad with the 8-1. But that would be the extent of damage caused by Dan's artillery for the entire scenario. Dan is usually very successful with his OBA, but it would fail him in this scenario.
Turn 2, I continue moving forward and jump onto the first pill box for close combat.
With 2-1 odds in CC, I would only casualty reduce Dan and he would do the same to me. Now my boys were standing on top of the pill box with lots of Russian guns aimed at them.
And sure enough...Dan's MMG would roll snakes and kill the 9-1 and 2 squads. UGH...it was hard punch in the gut.
And he kept rate...but I would have my revenge...oh yes...I would have my revenge!!!
Dan, ever the aggressive player would send a 4-2-6 into CC with one of my 2-4-7's. Both would die.
Turn 3 - I push into the trench line and try to get around the east side of the hill. I discover mines in the gully.
At the end of German 3- I have or will take control of 7 level 2 hexes. I only needed two more.
My OBA had been hitting on the second hill and suddenly set the grain on fire in spite of the wet conditions. The fire would spread quickly and begin burning towards the second pill box where the MMG team was holding out.
And then it happened...the flame spread into the hex with the pillbox.
A took at Turn 4 - the Germans were still trying to get over the wire to get the last two level 2 hill positions. Meanwhile, Dan's reinforcements were coming, but the fire was making the west flank nearly unusable.
In the advancing fire phase of Turn 4, Dan would roll for the flames in the bunker hex and it would turn into a blaze and eliminate the position. With that, Dan gave the concession and I had the most unlikeliest of wins. I've never won a scenario due to fire. With the fire raging between us, Dan would hard-pressed to keep me from controlling the last two hill hexes. So that was game. My thanks to Dan for a second great game this week.
And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. While the Germans were channeled into the kill zone the OBA did not connect. Plus the German OBA was on target and started a terrain blaze which overtook the 2+5+7 pillbox making a counterattack by the Russians impossible. With the Germans successfully through the kill zone and fire blocking the counterattack the Russians were done. Well played by Grumble Jones! This is what makes ASL so interesting random events like terrain blazes changing the game and making improvised tactics so important. The scenario has great replay value for different defensive fortification set up. Congrats to Grumble Jones on a good win and finally breaking his string of losses."
That's all for now...I'm knackered...almost 9 hours working on this one today.
Dan and I will return next week for more blazing ASL Action!!!
A sad day as we say good-bye to Christopher Plummer. For many children such as myself who grew up in the late 60's and 70's...The Sound of Music was an annual part of our lives and Christopher Plummer stood as the earliest example of someone who stood against the Nazis. We will not soon see his like again.
Godspeed Sir.
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