After a week of downtime, Dan Best and I resumed our Saturday game. A lot has happened since last we played. I said a final farewell to Quincy, IL and moved into my new home in Tulsa, OK. I wish I could say it was an easy move. It was not. My closing was delayed and nearly derailed by a Ransomware attack that shut down one of the third party providers of the closing paperwork. Fortunately, despite the delay and attendant stress, we were finally able to complete our move. The house is of course still full of boxes...but the important room...my office is fully operational and the ASL Kit has been properly stowed and is ready for full deployment. Priorities must be observed!
Of course being back in Tulsa again...feels like I'm repeating my life...it's definitely strange to be back where I was four years ago. But...Tulsa is the birthplace of Grumble Jones and I'm happy to be back within striking distance of the Texas Tournament Again. Kansas City and Austin are on my agenda for 2022.
So tonight's game would be the first ASL played in my new digs and I was pretty excited just to be playing again. This would be my 55th game of the year and my 499th recorded game. Next week will bring 500...which is a big milestone! I would never have achieved it without Dan Best's commitment to playing every week. Dan is of course headed for a 1000 recorded games as he passes the 800 mark.
I've thought a lot about the ASL Community this past week. Just today, Advancing Fire released the pre-orders for Prokhorovka, which looks amazing. Then we have MMP stuff, Hazardous Movement, Lone Canuck and Bounding Fire will no doubt contribute something new.
We are living in an amazing period for our hobby. The 2 Half-Squads are hard at it with great interviews with the people who are contributing so much to our community. However...just remember the sign-off for the 2 Half-Squads Podcast is "Roll low and Rally Well...but NOT when you're playing us!" And of course listen to their Podcast...it's well worth your time!
Looking back at this time last year, it was not a great period. COVID was foremost in our minds and derailing not only our tournaments, but everyday life in a way that I hope to never experience again. 2020 was a lost year by every measure.
Dan would pick tonight's scenario and his choice would be MM32 Winter Forest. This scenario comes straight out of the Commissar Pack. This pack would be my first ever 3rd Party Product. Prior to attending the 2013 Texas Tournament, I only owned and played MMP products. But during the tournament, Dan and I played a scenario from the pack and I got a free copy of the pack. I was onboard from that moment forward.
Winter Forest (designed by none other than Dan Best himself) is as the name suggest set in the winter in a forest...a very deep Russian forest in the extreme Russian cold. Set in 1942, the scenario depicts the actions of the German 707th Infantry Division as it set out to eliminate Partisan Camps hidden in the forest. The 707th were equipped with skis and would put them to good use in the deep snow.
Winter scenarios, especially those with extreme cold and deep snow can be daunting to play first glance, but don't let that put you off from trying them. The rules are are quick and easy look up and the addition of skis is a nice bit of chrome for your game. Of course you don't want get caught on skis in an ambush...cause it won't be pretty...and close combat is best avoided if you are still wearing your skis.
Another element in tonight's game would be fortifications. There are a lot of them in this scenario...10 pillboxes, 5 trenches and 11 wire make for quite the fortified location.
and this is an important aspect of this scenario. The Partisan player has to setup a camp and try and keep the Germans from wiping it out. It's a tall order as the Germans are well equipped and well lead.
Dan and I discussed the Partisan options a few times during the game. There are some terrain features like reverse slopes and gullies that can be built into the Partisan camp to make it harder for the Germans.
Additionally, the Partisans get 4 squads HIP...which is adds that little bit of uncertainty that preys on the German player's mind as he moves through the dark Russian forests.
As the defending Partisans, I would command the men of the Soviet Partisan Detachment Rudnya. This force would consist of 8 x 5-2-7's, 21 x 3-3-7's and a 1-2-7 led by a 10-0, 9-1, 8-0, 8+1 and 7-0 with 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's, 2 x ATR's and a 50 MTR with 10 pillboxes, 5 x trenches, and 11 x wires.
As the attacking Germans, Dan would command the men of the 727th Infantry Regiment, 707th Infantry Division. Trained in winter fighting and equipped with skis the men of the 707th would wage an aggressive campaign against the Partisans. In the process, the 707th would gain a reputation for ruthlessness that crossed over in war crimes. This force would consist of 4 x 5-4-8's, 19 x 4-6-7's and 5 x 4-4-7's led by a 9-2, 9-1, 2 x 8-1's, 2 x 8-0's and a 7-0 with an HMG, 3 x MMG's, 6 x LMG's, 3 x DC's, 2 x Radios and a 50 MTR.
All trails and roads do not exist. The interior woods are Forest, which adds a +1 TEM. The deep snow also eliminates the brush.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans must capture the Partisan camp or have a positive CVP balance (and with errata over 20 CVP). The 9-2 will assault with three 5-4-8 squads all with LMG and two will also have a DC. The 9-1 will have the other 5-4-8 LMG and DC squads, plus two 4-6-7 squads with the HMG and MMG. Both 8-1s will start with three 4-6-7 squads with a MMG and LMG. These assault groups will enter in the south with the 8-0 and three squads with the MTR. The 8-0 will have the radio with contact to the 81mm OBA. From the north will be the other 8-0 and a screen of seven 4-6-7 squads plus the 7-0 with a radio to the 75mm OBA. The pre-registered hex will be on board 34 in hex Z5. Hopefully the 7-0 can put in a barrage to prevent movement of units across this. The goal is to find the Partisan camp, concentrate for an assault and clear the camp...or get good CVP trying."
I set up the Partisan camp three times before I settled on the central position in the clearing. I placed my pillboxes in a circle with wire on top of each one. The trenches were in the center with my MMG's and the bulk of my troops. I wanted them to have a full 360 degree view of the battlefield. My 5-2-7's were placed in the pillboxes. They would have 10 FP against any attacks coming adjacent to them. I would then lay fire lanes across the pillboxes as the Germans tried to get under the wire. At least that was the plan.
Dan's attack plan was to hit me on the flanks with half-squads who were search fruitlessly for hidden stuff, while his main effort would come from the south. The north effort was fairly weak, but could keep me encircled once they reached the camp perimeter.
Turn 1 - Dan's boys move up. The first two turns would be nothing but Germans skiing silently through the woods looking for Partisans.
In his Turn 2 Advance Phase, the first German 5-4-8 would reach the camp perimeter and see everything. This was one of the downsides to my strategy. Very little could be hidden. The open ground that gave me a 360 view also allowed the enemy to quickly observe everything in the camp. But the 5-4-8 would pay for his preview as a blast of Russian firepower would DM them.
Turn 3 - the Germans begin to converge on the center and a wall of Russian fire and resid greets them.
My 360 view allowed all of my assets to contribute firepower to the defense and inflict losses on the Germans as they reached the wooded perimeter.
In the ensuing firestorm, the Germans would see three squads KIA'd and other broken with some of the 5-4-8's ELR'ing. In short, it was the devastating and the pivotal moment in the game. Dan's Germans were fatally mauled in this Defensive Fire Phase.
Dan would send a wounded/Heroic officer into CC with a Partisan 3-3-7. I would shoot into the melee and end up casualty reducing my won squad. Word of advice...don't shoot into a Melee when you opponent has a heroic officer. It won't end well for you.
One of the biggest issues that impacted Dan during the game was missing morale checks. Dan's 8-1 that was broken in the initial assault along with three squads would not rally until Turn 4. Additionally, Dan's squads were breaking and in many cases over their ELR. This was sapping the German attack of it strength and momentum. My Russians were also able to pin the German HMG/MMG stack, which kept the rate of fire tears from ripping me up. Dan would get revenge and inflict heavy losses on me as he KIA'd my 9-1 and three squads. My strategy had been a very risky one. Had I not inflicted heavy losses on my first Defensive Fire opportunity, I believe Dan would have wasted my boys with his overwhelming firepower.
Another problem for Dan was the slow progress of the northern group, which was never able to support the southern team's attack. A simultaneous assault would have forced me to divide my firepower, which was fully concentrated on the southern attack.
On my part of Turn 4 - I managed to DM a string of German units all around the perimeter. This would further sap the strength of the German attack.
A final look at the battlefield. As we began Turn 5, Dan gave the concession and it was game over and a Russian win. At this stage of the game, no pillboxes had been taken by the Germans and the Russian perimeter was completely intact. The German mortar squad had broken and only two German positions were able to put down any significant firepower. Further more, the Russians had inflicted 18 CVP on the Germans while the Germans had inflicted only 9 CVP on the Partisans. I would have agree with Dan's assessment of his chances for winning the game. I thanked Dan for a great night of ASL and another game added to our long of history of Saturday games.
My strategy had been successful...but I'm not sure it is the recommended approach. I got very lucky with hurting the Germans early. It could just as easily have gone the other way and with the camp completely exposed, Dan's simultaneous attacks would have cut rout paths and allowed him to sweep the camp with fire. I was very lucky this time.
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. The camp was easy to find. But my troops could not pass a morale check. After losing the 9-2 and one 8-1 (after battle hardening and going heroic) and about 18 CVP while only inflicting 9 CVP, I conceded on turn 5. A strong defense by the Partisans in the central clearing on the board 34 and 52 edge was too much for my glass jaw troops, who could not pass a morale check. Routing and rallying in the slow movement, deep snow was going to be a problem and OBA would be of little help even if the wounded 8-0 leader rallied. Congrats to Grumble Jones on a great win and excellent defense!"
That's a wrap from beyond the wall...
next week we'll be in the Normandy hedgerows....
thank goodness!!!
We will see you then!!!
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