2022 began with a bang and a great scenario for January 1st. Dan Best and I would begin our 6th Year of "Our Saturday Games". We finished 2021 with 110 games played against each other. I certainly don't expect 2022 to match that total, I do look forward to another great year of weekly games. Tonight's game would be MM41 Final Victory.
MM41 Final Victory can be found in the 2017 ASL March Madness Hollis Pack. This would be my second time playing the scenario. I first played it in 2017 at Hollis against Dave Mareske. It would be the first time that Dave and I played one another. I would come away with a victory as the Partisans.
This time around, I would play the Germans. Designed by Dan Best, this scenario covers the successful assault of the Battalion Kilinski of the AK on the PAST Telephone Exchange building. Heavily defended by the Wach-Regiment Warshau, the 11 story building was nonetheless taken by Partisans as they successfully breached the cellar through the sewers. Prior to our playing this scenario had 3 Partisan and 0 German wins on ROAR.
11 story buildings are a challenge to model in ASL. Fortunately, fighting involving such tall buildings was relatively rare in World War II.
The March Madness team addressed this issue by including a player aid for use in this scenario. It includes levels for Cellar, Ground Level, Level 1 and Levels 2 and 3. This is an excellent solution and can certainly be expanded for use in other similar urban fights to account for multiple level buildings. This also solves the problem of massive stacks in a single hex. I found this player aid to be very helpful in this game.
Now during the AAR, you will not see German units (maybe one time) in the building on the Board 45 map. I would try and keep them all on the player aid maps. You will see Partisan units in the board 45 building to show them at sewer level.
As the defending Germans, I would command the men of the Wach-regiment Warschau. This unit was formed after the fall of Warsaw and would spend the duration of the war located there until its destruction in January 1945. This force would consist of 2 x 4-6-7's, 11 4-4-7's and 4 x 4-3-6's led by a 9-1, 8-0 and 7-0 with an HMG, MMG and 4 x LMG's.
It is interesting to note that Captain Wilm Hosenfeld was a member of this German unit. Hosenfeld was played by Thomas Kretschmann in the excellent movie, The Pianist. Hosenfeld is credited with assisting Władyslaw Szpilman, who was in hiding in Warsaw. Szpilman bore witness to both the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. If you have not seen the movie, I encourage you to do so. It is well worth your time.
Hosenfeld would enter Soviet captivity and die there in 1952. Yad Vashem would recognize Hosenfeld as Righteous Among the Nations.
As the attacking Polish AK, Dan would command the Battalion Kilinski, Armia Krajowa. This force would consist of 9 x 5-2-7's, and 19 x 3-3-7's led by a 9-2, 8-1, 8-0, and 7-0 with 4 x LMG's, 2 x Flamethrowers, 6 x DC's and 2 x PIATs.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Armia Krajowa (AK) partisans must attack a fortified building and capture 12 or more locations. The main attack will be through the sewers. Let by the 8-1 with three 5-2-7 squads a FT, LMG and DC. Another group of three 5-2-7 squads will be led by the 8-0 with a PIAT, and two DCs. These will be followed by two groups of 3-3-7 squads, each with three squads and an LMG. One of the second groups will be led by the 7-0. The 9-2 will lead three 5-2-7 squads with a FT and two DCs through the rubble into the building. Followed by two groups of three 3-3-7 squads with an LMG. Finally, a group of three 3-3-7 squads with an LMG will attempt to attack from the west using the cover of the hedge. Hopefully they can roll low enough on the sewer emergence to get into the fray and the AK can clear the building from the cellars up."
Having played this once already as the Partisans, I knew the biggest threats were through the sewers into the cellar level and from the rubbled building next door. I placed the MMG in the bunker watching the road on the north. Dan would never cross the road, but instead would be sending his boys into the sewers. I placed only 4-3-6's in the cellar. I didn't expect them to survive. So my plan was to hold the staircases. do everything possible to keep the Partisans from gaining entry to the fortified Ground Level Locations. Stopping DC toting squads would be a priority.
Turn 1 would have a +1 TEM for Low Visibility. This would make PREP Fire more or less useless. But Dan would succeed in breaking my half-squads outside the building. That was their mission...to strip concealment from the oncoming Partisans. Of course the flamethrower was effective.
Dan would send two kill stacks into the sewers. Both would roll a 6 on the emergence dr and with the additional pluses due to my boys covering the sewer entrances...they would fail to emerge and take Defensive Fire. Breaking in a sewer is not good. You are eliminated and I would eliminate both groups to the last man.
My Defensive Fire would successfully stop all the attacks. The attack from south side of the building would be completely broken. It had been the best possible result for the Turn 1 Defensive Fire.
Dan did what the Partisans have to do on Turn 1 and sent everyone at me. The Low Visibility TEM helps protect the attack and ensures that any broken units will be able to rout. But my fire was on target and Dan's Partisans struggled to make MC's.
In our post game discussion, Dan and I both agreed that the successful German Turn 1 D-Fire had sealed the game for the Germans.
Dan's boys routed back and I went after them. I sent a 4-4-7 south to keep the boys there DM'd and eliminate any if possible. In the north, I jumped into Melee with a Pinned Unit. Dan's next two sewer groups were preparing to enter the sewers for another try.
It was risky leaving the building to take out broken Partisans, but I felt it was necessary to keep the Partisans off balance, especially as they only had 1 officer left in the game...the 9-2.
At this point in the game, I had lost a 1-1/2 squads and had a broken half-squad. The Partisans had lost the 8-1, 8-0, 6 x 5-2-7's, and 9 x 3-3-7's.
Dan's Turn 2 assault would hit me hard, but again I was able to keep anyone from placing a DC or entering the building. Only 1 of the sewer groups would successfully emerge as the other rolled a 6. Three 6's had effectively ended any chance of success for the Partisans. I had broken up all the attacks from the south and the 9-2 was busy rallying and not able to join the assaults.
The remaining flamethrower was unable to get close enough without breaking.
My LMG's and especially my HMG were controlling the battlespace.
Dan's emerging group of 3 x 3-3-7's would go into close combat and be eliminated in the ensuing hand to hand fighting for the loss of a German half-squad. At this point in the game, Dan had only 5 unbroken units in the game. My boys were routing the north and south attack groups (9 total squads broken). Only the 9-2 in the rubbled building was still in the fight. And another 3 x 3-3-7's were still trapped in the sewers.
A last look at the German positions in the building. At the end of Turn 2, Dan would offer the concession. his force was simply too degraded and had lost too many officers and support weapons to effectively take the building from the more numerous Germans, who were beginning to concentrate to block the sewers and hold the fortified ground level locations.
And now for Dan's Post-Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. The AK rolled three 6s on the sewer emergence dr attempts and were discovered and attacked. Losing six 5-2-7 squads, the 8-1, 8-0 and a FT, PIAT, and three DCs. The group that did get in was then wiped out in H-t-H CC. Meanwhile the alert German sentries kept the 9-2 group from moving concealed and the German 9-1 with HMG was able to defend against a rubble attack. The AK lost over half the attacking force to one and a half Germans squads lost. A good defensive set up by Grumble Jones defending the perimeter of the building saved the day. While also having a good defense in the cellars. Helped by poor sewer emergency die rolls. Congrats to Grumble Jones on the first victory of 2022!"
Wishing you and your families a very prosperous and healthy New Year!
Dan and I will return next week for more armor piercing ASL Action!
We will see you then!
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