The year of ASL continued as Dan and I got into two games on Monday and Friday. Dan was busy Saturday, so we had to settle for just two games this week. These two games would be 105 and 106 for me this year. Our record pace continues to amaze me. All but one of these 106 games was played Cardboard via SKYPE. It has certainly allowed me to play a tremendous amount of ASL.
Our Monday game would be pulled from Action Pack 15 Swedish Volunteers. This pack has some interesting scenarios. Our Monday games need to be short ones as we generally don't get to start playing until 6:00 PM. And also try to be done by 8:00 PM. Did I tell you that we play fast...I thought so...
Our choice would be AP148 Beacon of Hope. Set in 1940 Norway, the scenario covers actions near the village of Selbu. A group of Swedish volunteers and Norwegians took a stand near the village and were quickly tested by repeated German attacks.
Designed by Erik Leander, the scenario has 3 German wins and 8 Swedish/Norwegian wins on ROAR. The ASL Archive has it with 0 German wins and 5 Norwegian/Swedish. So yeah...it might be a little bit pro Swedish/Norwegian. Certainly the terrain favors their defense in this game as it did historicaly.
As the attacking Germans, Dan would command the men of the Elveren Garrisoin, 196th Infantry Division. this force would consist of 5 x 4-6-7's led by an 8-0 and 7-0 with an LMG, PSW222 and Panzer MK1.
As the Swedish/Norwegian force, I would command the men of the Ad Hoc defenders of Selbu. My force would consist of 4 x 4-4-7', and 5 x 4-5-7's led by an 8-1 and 7-0 with 2 x LMG's.
To win the scenario, the Germans must have 2 or more squad eqivalents on north of hex row K at game end. Not an easy task.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans need to get two squads across the K row. The vehicles are expendable. The plan is for the 8-0 squad and LMG to armored assault with the tank. While the armored car attempts to run the gauntlet and block the reinforcements. One squad will deploy and the others will advance on foot. Hopefully the troops can cross the stream without too much delay."
The red line indicates the K Row. The Germans have to get here to secure a victory. My LMG is positioned to lay a fire lane in front of the bridge approach. I did not place it in the road hex due to threat of an overrun. I expect Dan's infantry to armor assault with the MKI...so any pins or breaks will stop the MKI for the first movement phase. I stretched my line to check any end around attempts.
Dan raced the armored car through my dummy stack on the road and would push all the way to where my HIP Norwegians were stationed. They managed to Stun the armored car. In the center, my fire land did its job and stopped the armor assaulting infantry. The MKI would also stop to protect a DM squad.
The PZ1b should not be disrespected. It's 6 factor MG is tough and especially so when adjacent.
And speaking of that tough 6 factor MG...Dan would MALF it right at the start. With his armored car stunned and his PZ1b with no functioning armament, things had not started off well for the Germans.
In my part of Turn 1...I elected to fall back. This is something that I don't do enough in my games. In 2013-2015, I payed against Big Kansas in a number of games and he would almost always fall back once first contact was made. It made his defenses very resilient and tough to overcome. With any luck...my falling back would deliver similar results.
By the end of Turn 2 - Dan's Germans were effectively across the stream.
Turn 3 German - forward come the Germans
On my part of Turn 3 - my reinforcements come racing down the road. Had Dan's Armored Car survived, this move would not have been possible.
Turn 4 German - Dan pushes his attack forward. I manage to pin and break some of the units.
I fall back again and my Norwegians link up with my hard fighting Swedes.
As we looked to begin Turn 5, Dan would offer the concession. We walked through the possible moves and there was no way that the Germans would make it to the K Row. So that was it and a Swedish/Norwegian victory. I enjoyed this scenario, but feel it can be tough on the Germans, especially if you are not able to leverage your armor support.
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. The armored car was stunned and then knocked out in CC by the two HIP squads. The tank broke it's CMG and then rolled a 12 when overrunning to become immobilized. The infantry alone did not have enough to push through. Well played by Grumble Jones who kept the Allies formed up in front of the attack. This scenario is a fun walk in the woods and likely to see some tournament play. My thanks to Grumble Jones for a great game."
Our second game, which we played on Friday night, would be match between Germans and Finns. Two allies turned to foes by the circumstances of war and politics. Of all Germany's Allies, the Finns were among the most respected by the Germans. In ASL the Finns are a tough force to face and especially so in the wood, where they can use their stealth to great advantage. The ability to self-rally is another huge advantage for the Finns.
Our selected scenario would be ASL 176 The Only Way Out. Not the name you want to see on a scenario...cause it can't be good...
Designed by Teemu Luoma, this scenario covers the German retreat from Finland in October 1944. For the Germans, the only way out of Finland was up and over to Norway. The Finns had no desire to fight the Germans...but the Soviets were impatient to see the Germans leave sooner than later. As a result, they pressed the Finns to hound their former allies out of their country.
ROAR has this scenario with 4 Germans and 5 Finnish wins. The ASL Archive has it with 1 German and 2 Finnish wins.
As the defending Finns, Dan would command the men of the 11th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division. This force would consist of 10 x 5-4-8's and 2 x 4-4-7's led by 2 x 9-1's and an 8-0 with 2 x HMG's and 3 x LMG's.
This is a very interesting and unique scenario. The Germans set up a small rear guard on the board HIP..then the Finns place their two groups...then two more groups of Germans are randomly placed along the main road by die rolls. And finally, a fourth German unit will enter on Turn 3. To win the scenario the Germans must exit at least 10 VP off the north edge and have more total VP then the Finns at game end.
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The Finns set up along the road and ambush the Germans, who are randomly spread out on the road. I set up two squads and an LMG to prevent a flanking attack. The rest were along the road. Hopefully the random deployment puts several enemy units adjacent to the Finns for prep fire and some CC action, if the Finns survive the return fire."
You don't have a ton of options for your set up. The Finns have the most flexibility...but with the random set up of the Germans on the road, it's tough for both sides to know precisely where best to set up.
Turn 1 - I would have my force strung out down the length of the road. In many cases, I was adjacent to a Finnish unit. I assumed that German Turn 1 would be brutal. But I was wrong. Dan would roll unusually badly and not do much damage to me. I would argue that this initial Finnish Prep Fire failure would contribute to my eventual victory.
I would break some of Dan's boys in my Defensive Fire. On my part of Turn 1, I would try and force the surrender of the broken Finns...at least the ones I could get to...
At this stage of the game, I had suffered some losses, but had managed to break a number of the Finns and actually captured some.
Ever the aggressive defender, Dan would move his intact squads towards the road. His mission was to engage me in close combat and inflict as many losses as possible. Definitely a good strategy when you forces are stealthy.
Dan would initiate three close combats, but lucky for me...all would end up in Melee. This would benefit my forces.
I would move to to force more Finnish surrenders and to reinforce the melees. At this point, I was focused on getting CVP against Dan's Finns before trying to get the necessary 10 Exit VP. I have had a bad habit of exiting too early in exit scenarios. Not this time.
I would lose another truck, for a total of three now destroyed, but would win the remaining melees.
Turn 3 German - my reinforcements would arrive and cruise along the road.
Turn 4 - I would begin exiting and soon have over the 10 VP and another 18 CVP for losses inflicted on the Finns. Dan had 14 CVP as he had inflicted some serious losses on me as well.
A last look at the end of four turns. At this point, I had 28 points to Dan's 14 and had moved the bulk of my remaining forces into a defensive perimeter on the south board edge and way from trees. Dan did the math and as the hour was late and the opportunity for a Finnish win looking more and more remote...he offered the concession and my Germans had the win. Dan's forces were weakened and throughout the game, his 8 morale troops had failed to pass morale checks. Additionally, the terrain would severely hinder a fast movement of his forces to take on my defensive perimeter on the south. So, I would agree with Dan's assessment that overcoming the German 28 VP total would be very difficult. The failure to inflict meaningful losses on the Germans in the initial Prep Fire definitely affected the outcome of this battle.
My continued thanks to Dan for our weekly ASL adventures!
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. The initial prep fire was miserable. With only one squad, one leader and one truck eliminated for 10 attacks. The return fire was harsh and only one truck was eliminated in CC with another squad. The Germans counterattacked to cut route and capture one Finn squad, 8-0 leader and captured and eliminated one HMG. The German survivors were able to exit (with prisoners) and the Germans took a commanding lead in VP. The reinforcements and survivors formed a hedgehog and waited for the attacking Finns. Well played by Grumble Jones for a excellent busting of the ambush. The scenario is fun however the initial turn is critical for both sides, if the Finns do not bale hay turn 1, the German numbers will tell in the shootout. My thanks to Grumble Jones for a great game."
That's it for another weekly games update.
Dan and I will return next week for another blizzard of ASL excitement!!!
We will see you then!
Thank you for doing all this work. It is really appreciated .
ReplyDeleteASL 176 The Only Way Out: Worst scenario in the Pack. When I played it as the Finns by the end of turn 2 there was only broken Germans on the board. Set up is to dicey. Would never play in again