Hello again. As you may have noticed, I took a three week break from AAR's. Just wasn't feeling the blog vibe for a bit. Many reasons for it and I felt like I needed some downtime to get some much needed rest. These AAR's take a lot of time to complete. They generally average about 6 hours each to finish up. Many a Sunday has been all but consumed by the blog. But ont blogging doesn't mean I wasn't playing. Since last we met, I managed to get in another 4 games. Three were against Dan Best and one was against my St. Louis buddy. I would be the Attacker in all 4 games. Attacking is always tough in ASL. I would go 1-3 for the lot.
Here are the four scenarios played:
The Wells of Borgut ASL 259 Lost this one as the Italians (lot of running in the open)
Insufficient Resolve SK S84 Lost this one as the Germans (very close battle, fun game)
Woodland Pursuit MM 75 Lost my own design as the Partisans
Danger Forward ASL 286 Won this one as the Americans despite awful dice rolls
Of these four scenarios, the only one I really enjoyed was the Starter Kit Scenario S84 Insufficient Resolve. This is a nice, combined arms game as early war Germans try to take a Russian Village (my favorite!). Despite more bad dice rolling, I very nearly won and had I been able to win a 3-1 one Melee instead of rolling a 10...I would have. My least favorite was the The Wells of Borgut...which honestly, I almost wish I hadn't bothered playing. I have concluded that I don't really like the Ethiopian-Italian scenarios. Low fire power, poor morale, poor range and bad ELR led to really unsatisfying game play. With a 24 CVP cap for the Italians, I had to keep my armored cars away from the action. The Ethiopian 20L AA guns were too bloody powerful and took two of them on Turn 1. The other two ran away. My Italian fighter bombers failed a sighting basically did nothing but pin an Ethiopian 8-1. The rest of the game was just my Italians trying to cross an overly large area to close with entrenched Ethiopians, who gunned me down the entire time. Yeah...it wasn't fun.
Poor dice rolling continues to be my primary affliction. I would love to have average rolls...you know 7's. My averages have been in the 8-10 range. This means failing every morale check and failing to do anything to your opponent when you shoot. On the other side of the field, my two opponents rolled exceptionally well in all of these games. Hits were made as needed and to great effect. The best games are the ones where the dice play no role (pun intended) in controlling the outcome of the game.
These past four games were generally unsatisfying to play and would have blogged just as poorly, so it was no loss that they were not documented for posterity. When blogging, you really don't want to blog negatively about a scenario, just because your experience with it wasn't great. It's usually not a relection of the scenario's design, but of your own poor choices, bad luck or both!
Despite, the lackluster couple of games, 2022 has been a fantastic year with 93 games already played. I can tell you that I once thought 15 games a year was pretty doggone good. The years playing against Dan Best have been pretty incredible. And my growth as a player has largely been due to the many games played. Dan's aggressive play style has made me a much better defender and a more wary attacker. Dan is not a passive defender. He is always read to strike if you give his defenders an opening. And Dan is also a very rules oriented player. He never fails to take the time to check the rule for any given situation. So, I have benefitted greatly from our games.
The games for this AAR are both British/Canadian versus the Germans in a 1940 and 1945 scenarios. I would be the British/Canadians in both and Dan would take the Germans for both. A couple smallish scenarios as well.
The first of our two scenarios would be SP22 Tod's Last Stand (designed by Ron Kelley). The ASL Archive showed it with around 117 playings and the second most played of the scenarios in Schwerpunkt Volume 2. I suspect its small size makes it attractive to play. Most of us do struggle to make time for large scenarios.
Since I was first exposed to Schwerpunkt scenarios at various tournaments, I have become a fan. I like the size, the quick time into contact and the straight forward SSR's and objectives. There's a reason so many of them show up in Tournaments.
Small scenarios can also be susceptible to bad rolls or the one bad decision that cannot be recovered from...so yeah small scenarios can be unforgiving.
This scenario takes place on May 27th. A quick look at the map shows that the campaign was nearing its end by the 27th of May. The BEF would soon be evacuated from the continent. This scenario nicely captures the difficulties facing the British forces at the end in France 1940.
As the British, I would command the men of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 17th Brigade, 5th Infantry Division. My force would consist of 6 x 4-5-7's, led by a 10-2 and 9-1 with an MMG, LMG, 51 MTR, ATR, 1-4-9 Hero and an ATR Bren Gun Carrier.
As the Germans, Dan would command the men of Infanterie Regiment 18. His force would consist of 10 x 4-6-7's and 2-4-7 led by a 9-1, 8-1, and 8-0 with 2 x MMG's, 3 x LMG's and 2 x MK IIA Panzers.
A nicely imagined battle space. Really well done.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans must attack and defend in this scenario. The attack group will try to destroy the Brits on the north side of the stream. Following the two tanks into battle. The tanks will attempt to cut route and retreat paths. Hopefully the defenders can keep the Brits out of the buildings."
This scenario has some interesting twists. The British move first,but have a dual mission...first slow down the pursuing Germans to the north...and second, get across the stream and into the farm complex to the southeast. Sound easy enough...except that the Germans get to HIP 2-1/2 squads, with an LMG and 8-0 officer on the south side of the stream. And won't that be fun...
"I hate it when the bloody Huns are HIP!!!"
Turn 1 British - my plan was to set up a blocking force centered on the MMG and ATR. Meanwhile, the Carrier and the 10-2 with three squads would hightail it south and cross the stream. Dan would get his tanks on Turn 1...so I couldn't hesitate...even with those HIP Germans just waiting for me.
And naturally, I'd move right next to the Germans...but Dan would roll high and I would roll low on the Morale Checks and be unharmed. My Carrier even got across. So far so good...
My Mortar would have no smoke (a 10 on the Smoke Roll..I would roll two more of these in the next game...why even bother with special ammo...you rarely get it....yes I'm complaining..." I would also break my mortar...and lose it on the repair roll...that's ok...it was heavy anyway.
Turn 1 German - the Panzers can be heard in the distance.
The PZ MKIIa is pretty decent tank for early war scenarios. It's especially useful against infantry with its combined INF factors of 9. It's light on the armor and vulnerable to ATR's, but otherwise a formidable AFV.
Turn 2 British - my blocking force falls back and I send another squad south towards the stream. My Carrier and the 10-2 group move towards the farm complex.
Dan's boys had also advanced into my blocking force, but I had managed to break three squads and the 8-1. One squad would also ELR. Dan would suffer from poor morale check die rolls. This would give my boys some valuable breathing room as Dan tried to rally his boys back into the action.
"Breaking is not acceptable!!!"
By the end of Turn 2, I couldn't complain. The German force in the north had stalled a bit and my force on the south side of the stream was nearly into the farm complex.
Turn 2 German - Dan's Panzers would both cross the stream as his northern infantry group advanced into my blocking force. My squad with the MMG would break and leave it behind. The fighting in the farm complex would go my way and the Germans there would be broken.
Turn 3 British - I would take control of the farm complex as Dan sent other troops to reinforce the broken units there. My blocking force had fallen back with only a couple squads lingering behind in the stone building. My other boys ran for the stream as Dan's Panzer came after them. One would overrun my 10-2, but do no damage. I was living a charmed life in this scenario.
Turn 3 German - Dan's Panzers were not faring well. One of them MALF'd its 20L and then tried to get into the farm complex with an ESB attempt. The attempt would fail and the MKII would be immobilized. the second MKII made a run across the fields south of the stream. My ATR squad was waiting for them. I took a rear shot...hit and then SNAKES and a burning wreck. With both Panzers knocked out and his infantry still stuck north of the stream...Dan gave the concession for a British win.
My boys had won the day...but the road to Dunkirk was still ahead of them...
And now for Dan's Post Game comments:
"The plan did not work. The German attack bogged down and could not pass the morale checks. Significantly they also had several ELR failures. The German tanks were lost to the ATR and an ESB failure with MA break. The British 10-2 was able to lead the force into the victory buildings. Congrats to Grumble Jones on a great game with good use of the Carrier for keeping the Germans off balance. My thanks for a great game of ASL!"
Our second game of the weekend would be MLR04 (revised) Sneek Attack, which is a Jim McLeod design from the Elite Canadians pack by the Winnipeg ASL Club.
I have played a couple scenarios from this pack and found them to be enjoyable. MLR04(revised) Sneek Attack covers a late war encounter near Sneek, Holland in April 1945. With the war nearly over, the Germans were still resisting places like Sneek.
A small force of SS Grenadiers attempts to hold a village crossroad against a slightly larger Canadian force equipped with a WASP flamethrowing Carrier. A fearsome weapon...if you can get it within range without being knocked out. With a 3 range, it's within range of the 1945 Panzerfausts. Its weak armor also makes it vulnerable to the German 20L AA gun in this scenario.
Like our previous game, this one also involves me crossing a stream. This one is Deep and therefore not really crossable. Additionally, the SSR's are EC Wet and the Canadian Carriers are subject to bog checks when pivoting or starting or stopping in an Open Ground Hex. So remember the paved, elevated road and the orchards are your friend.
As the attacking Canadians, I would command the men of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. My force would consist of 7 x 4-5-8's and a 2-4-8 led by a 9-2, 8-1, and 8-0 with 4 x LMG's, 2 x PIATs, 2 x 51 MTR's and a BMG Carrier and Wasp- flamethrowing Carrier.
"Hitler Youth...not 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division"
As the defending Germans, Dan would command the men of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Jugend". His force would consist of 4 x 5-4-8's, 2 x 2-3-8's and 2 x 2-2-8's led by an 8-0 and 7-0 with an MMG, 2 x LMG's, a 20L AA and 81 MTR. You will note that I have italicized the 12th SS. I have done that because I do not believe (know) that the 12th SS Panzer Division was not at the battle of Sneek. And below, I explain how I know this.
OK...let's talk about the 12th SS in Holland 1945...that would be a no. Following the Battle of the Bulge the 12th accompanied the rest of the 6th SS Panzer Army to Hungary. The 12th SS would end the war in Austria after surrendering to the Americans.
The war diary of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada detail that Coy A encountered German snipers and cleared them out with flamethrowers (presumably the Wasp(s) if they were in fact attached to the Queen's Own.
https://www.tracesofwar.com/articles/4714/Liberation-of-the-northeastern-part-of-the-Netherlands.htm
So who were the Germans - it appears that the Germans consisted of Wehrmacht fragments -Fallschirmjaeger primarily, Volksturm elements, Dutch SS, and Hitler Youth. And on the 15-16th these elements offered some localized resistance. Canadian Carriers went in and the German defense quickly capitulated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt_2viNNN6I
This scenario also makes note of the service of Sergeant Major Charlie Martin. The above link will take you a Canadian documentary about Charlie Martin.
At twenty-four, Charlie Martin was one of the youngest company Sergeant Majors in the history of The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. He served in ‘A’ Company 1st Battalion. Charlie Martin was one of the first of 4,123 to hit the beaches of Normandy at Bernieres-sur-mer. Charlie Martin was wounded in April 1945 in Sneek Holland. His war was over.
Certainly, the historical record of Charlie Martin and his involvement in the fighting at Sneek are well-documented.
Charlie also wrote a book about his experiences. Battle Diary: From D-Day and Normandy to the Zuider Zee and VE.
So yes, I quickly downloaded the Kindle Version to get to the bottom of this question that was burning in my brain.
Pages 2374 - 2435 deal with the Battle of Sneek. There is also an outstanding map of the causeway and the elements involved...and the smoking gun is revealed. On page 2374, Charlie refers to the German defenders as Hitler Jugend soldiers. Later he refers to the Hitler Boys with their AA gun. So...the mystery is solved. No, the 12th SS Panzer Division was not engaged in this small action at Sneek. They were busy being defeated on the Eastern Front. Charlie is simply telling us that at Sneek on April 16th...the Queen's Own was up against Hitler Youth...boys playing at soldier...with all too deadly intent. Charlie would be severely wounded and his war would end on April 16th.
And while, we have solved the riddle of what Germans were at Sneek, it does nothing to detract from this scenario's very faithful depiction of the actions that occurred at Sneek. Actually, quite well done as you read Charlie's accounting of the battle and see how well it has been adapted in the scenario. I will call foul on the 12th SS Panzer Division being added to this fight, but it's very clear where that misunderstanding originated.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans must defend the crossroads buildings. The main defense will be the rowhouse, which is one level but does have cellars. The 20mm AA gun will set up in the orchard (13H9) hex adjacent to the building. While the 81mm MTR will set up in 13D9 where it has good fields of fire for anyone trying to flank the position. The 8-0, squad and MMG will set up in 13F8 while a squad and LMG set up in 13G9. The 7-0, squad and LMG set up in 13E6 and the final squad set up in 13I8. With a HS in I6 and G7. Hopefully the wasp can be killed before it's FT wipes out the defenders."
I would send the bulk of my force north of the causeway to flank Dan's grenadiers from the northwest. My Carriers would not enter on Turn 1. By SSR, I could enter on Turn 1 or thereafter. I needed a better idea of where Dan's mortar and 20L were hidden. My 9-2 would lead another force on the south side of the causeway. Dan's mortar and AA gun placements were just about perfect in my opinion. They would be largely responsible for what happened to me in this game.
Turn 1 Canadian -my infantry move successfully into position. My Carriers would not enter yet.
Turn 1 German - Dan's 81 MTR would go on a massive rate tear and casualty reduce and ELR on of my LMG squads on the south edge. My mortars would join in the fight and do nothing. Snipers would would wound my 8-1 and break Dan's 5-4-8 with the MMG.
I hate when Dan has any weapon with a 3 rate of fire. It means pain for me!!!
Turn 2 Canadian - I tried to get smoke with my mortars, but each one rolled a 10...so no smoke. My mortars would not contribute anything meaningful to the game. I would send the BMG Carrier along the causeway as my infantry moved up. The Germans would watch intently for opportunities to fire.
Turn 3 Canadian - I continue moving on the north and south flanks. My BMG Carrier moves down. Dan's squad fires and misses, but then end up breaking and ELR'ing from the backblast. I would end up taking my first of the 4 victory location buildings.
"What have I done...!?!"
At this point in the game, I had pushed hard on the German southern flank and had taken my first victory building. The 20L AA gun had not yet appeared, but I was feeling good about the situation. A couple good breaks and the German line could be cracked. At least that was what I told myself.
And then the 20L AA Gun showed up. DRATS...right where I was trying my end around. My Wasp...which I had tried so hard to protect was in trouble. But then...Dan...known better by his nickname...Intensive Fire Dan would roll a 10 on the Intensive Fire Shot...a MALF. Cheers go up from the Canadians at this kind act of Providence (not Rhode Island...don't get me wrong...I love Providence and eating at Friendlys is the bomb!).
I would get one shot with my Wasp.
My Canadians had made solid progress and were converging on both flanks. I had a shot at this.
Until I didn't. Dan would repair his 20L on the very first try and then rolls snakes on the killing my WASP...UGH!!!! The close combat in the north had turned into a MELEE, which I would eventually lose. My success rate with close combat has always been sketchy at best.
"Well...things didn't look so good anymore."
Turn 4 Canadian - I press ahead and try to make something happen.
I was closing in on my second victory building and had gotten behind the Germans.
But it wasn't meant to be. Turn 5 would end badly as I lost both close combats and my remaining Carrier was taken out with a Panzerfaust. I was down to only three unbroken squads. I was out of the juice and gave the concession. There was no way I was going to wrinkle out the 5-4-8's from their stone buildings. So that was game and a solid German victory. Dan's defense was spot on and effectively covered every approach. Congrats Danno on a great game and thanks as always for a great weekend of ASL.
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The plan worked. The AA gun killed the wasp after a timely repair. The other carrier was hit by a PF. The infantry battle was an exchange with the 8-1 being wounded early by a sniper and several squads being lost to long range fire. The is a small scenario and the first side to suffer losses usually is at the disadvantage. The loss of the wasp with only one shot of the FT started a German trend of getting hits when needed. My thanks to Grumble Jones for a fun game of ASL!"
That's all for now.
Dan and I will return next week!
We will see you then!
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