Our Saturday Game - ASL Scenario FT308 Luchs on the Lookout

Just a week ago, I was face to face across the table with my old foe, Dan Best. And quite an interesting week it was. After recovering from my unfortunate illness, Dan and I would spend three evenings playing ASL 172 The Art of Dying. As the Italians I would conduct an attack against a Russian held village. Despite some initial success, I would come up short and after back to back snakes with one of Dan's two 76L ARTY Guns...I would give the concession. My Italians simply had no offensive punch left with which to take the final hex needed for victory. Few things hamstring my personal ELR quite like back to back snakes. A critical hit from a 76L is no laughing matter. So Dan would take the first of our two games this week.

Choosing our Saturday game would fall to me this time. I would select FT308 Luchs on the Lookout. This scenario would be very similar to the The Art of Dying. Designed by Lionel Colin, this scenario depicts an attack by the German 4th Panzer Division to take the village of Rudnia Weresnia.

Russian recon and infantry elements defended the village. The veteran Panzermen were successful in taking the village after a sharp fire fight.

This a 4-1/2 turn game. Dan and I finished it in just under two hours. I would highly recommend this one whenever time is tight. 

As this is a brand new scenario, there is no idea of its balance with regards to ROAR stats. 

Dan and I came away feeling the game was both balanced and fun. Dan felt it would be a good tournament game. I yield to Dan's judgement on such things given his years of experience in picking scenarios for the annual March Madness Tournament.

This scenario gives the German Player 5 Panzer II Luchs. I've been a fan of this tank since first seeing it in the pages of Tanks & Weapons of World War II. In the early '70's, the History of the World Wars Magazines were available each week at the local grocery store. At that time, they were a $1.00 a piece...but I was generally lucky to have a quarter to my name in those days. And let's just say...that quarter would usually be spent on a $.20 copy of the lastest GI Combat or Sgt. Rock. But while on vacation in Delaware, my grandmother indulged her grandson's love of history books and bought the gem above at the B-Dalton Bookstore in the Salisbury, Maryland Mall. The book has been with ever since, though it's no longer connected to its covers. Even today, I enjoy searching its pages.

It's also interesting to me to reflect on how far my knowledge of these things has grown since I was 8 years old. The 8 year old version would see only a German tank on the cover...the ASL version of me sees a Panzer MKIII with a 50L...

As the attacking Germans, I would command the men of the 4th Panzer Division. The 4th would have a storied history from Poland to France to Barbarossa to Kursk to it's end in the Kurland Pocket. My force would consist of 6 x 4-6-8's, and 2 x 2-4-8's led by a 9-1 and 8-0 with 2 x LMG's, a DC and ATR with a 250 Half-Track, 5 x Panzer MKII Luchs and a 9-2 and 8-1 armor leader.

As the defending Russians, Dan would command Recon Elements of the 2nd Guards Tank Army. Formed in 1943, this division would participate in the battles for Seelowe and Berlin. Dan's force would consist of 2 x 4-5-8's, 5 x 4-4-7's, a 2-4-8 and 2-2-8 led by an 8-1 and 8-0 with an MMG, 2 x LMG's, 2 x ATR's, a 45L AT Gun and 2 x BA-6 Armored Cars.

A look at the battle space. The German Player gets the option of setting up on Board 70 with 2 hexes of 70X10 and/or on hexes 7 or greater on Board 69. The 5 Panzer MKII's Luchs enter on Turn 1 along the east and/or south board edges.

And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:

"The Russians must defend the stone buildings on Board 70.  The plan is for a tight defense around the four buildings covered by the AT gun and the two armored cars.  The 8-1, 4-5-8 MMG will set up in F4 for the fire lane possibilities.  The AT gun will set up in J5 looking at K6/J6.  The first AC will set up in E4 the other in I4.  The 8-0, 4-5-8 LMG and 2-4-8 will set up in I5 to reinforce the J5 building.  The 4-4-7 ATR squads will set up in H3 and I7.  The 4-4-7 squads in D4 and H4.  The concealments will be used on the Armored cars and the 8-1 stack, 8-0 stack and H3.  Hopefully the Russians can get some kills on the German AFVs and get over the CVP cap of 21."

I would make my primary attack from the south on Board 69. I would send two tanks to come in from the east. I didn't want Dan to be able to shift his defense too quickly to meet my main assault. Although, given the objectives, it would likely not be necessary any way. 

To win, the Germans would have to control two of the 4 stone buildings without losing 21 CVP in the process.

Apologies for the glare...the late afternoon sun got the best of me tonight...

Turn 1 German - I advance without any issues. Dan's forces remain concealed and await the time to strike.

I would take some low chance shots at Dan's two BA-6's. I would miss.

Turn 2 Germans - I would advance into the village. This time Dan would hit me hard in return.

Dan's BA-6's would knock out one Luchs and immobilize another with its crew bailing out. The AT Gun would show up in the center and light up my Half-track and then immobilize my Luchs with the 9-2 armor leader. UGH...

This was not good. Had Dan destroyed the other two Luchs which had my 8-1 and 9-2..well that would have been game over as I would have gone way over my CVP cap. One of the things I hate most in ASL is HIP. I invariably suffer losses to HIP guns. But I had thus far dodged a huge bullet.

Dan would send a 4-4-7 to eliminate my crew huddled under the immobilized Luchs. I would manage to break them before they got into the woods. Dan would then send another 4-4-7 w/ATR into CC with my 2-4-8 with an ATR. 

Turn 3 German - I may have dodged a bullet on Turn 2, but I wasn't feeling great about the game. I wasn't sure if could avoid the CVP cap and take out Dan's BA-6's and AT Gun. But things would turn around on a dime for the Germans. I would succeed in breaking the AT Gun crew, destroy the NE BA-6 and Dan would MALF the MA on his other BA-6. Just like that the game had turned.

The Luchs are pretty tough on infantry and my 9-2 was able to save himself from destruction. 

I would go into Close Combat with Dan's wounded 8-0, but then roll boxcars, which allowed him to escape. In the other Close Combat, I would lose a half-squad, while another squad remained in Melee.

Turn 4 German - I would knock out the last BA-6 after two rate of fire tears against it. I would also push Dan into the center of the village. At this point, I had control of two stone buildings and was at 13 CVP. The Melee had ended with mutual destruction.

Turn 5 German - In Defensive Fire, Dan would finally reveal his 8-1 and MMG. They would break a 4-6-8 in a victory location, but Dan had no movement and I had two squads ready to advance into the location if need be. With that it was game over and a German victory, though as we have seen...just barely. Two better rolls and Dan would have won immediately.

My thanks to Dan for a good game that went the distance. But the German Player must exercise caution. The 45L's take out the Luchs on a 7 or less. So watch out!

And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:

"The plan did not work.  The Germans had to close on the concealed Russians and the Russians knocked out a tank and halftrack.  Both tanks with armored leaders were immobilized and one less on the to kill attempt would have meant victory.  However, the German return fire suppressed the AT gun and knocked out both armored cars.  Great use of combined arms by Grumble Jones.  This scenario is great fun and sure to be a tournament favorite in 2022!  Congrats to Grumble Jones on a great win."

That's a wrap on tonight's AAR and 

the last for February. 

Spring is around the corner....

Gott sei Dank!

Dan and I'll will return next week!

We will see you then!