Following a week off, Dan and I were back in the saddle and playing some great ASL. Dan had just returned from an outstanding performance at the St. Louis Tournament. Dan would finish 6th in a field of some truly outstanding ASL Players. Our friend, Paul Works would win the St. Louis Tournament and readers might recall that Paul was also the winner of this year's Kansas City ASL Tournament. Congrats to both Dan and Paul on an outstanding tournament.
As for me, I would enjoy a weeks vacation in Arkansas with stops in Hot Springs, Little Rock and a wonderful night's stay at the Mt. Magazine Lodge. Despite the oppressive heat, my wife and I had a grand time.
Our Friday Game would be ASL Scenario WO34 Feast Day by Chas Argent. This scenario is set in Ortona in December 1943. A tough urban fight between Canadians and German Fallschirmjaegers. Historically, the German Paras put up a very tough fight similar to their brothers fighting at Cassino. And like Cassino, the urban environment was filled with rubbled buildings and blocked streets.
Using armor at both Cassino and Ortona was extremely difficult and of course hazardous for the tanks themselves.
ROAR has this one with 18 Canadian wins versus 27 German wins. It's a definitely a challenging scenario for the Canadians...as it was during the actual fighting.
As the defending Germans, Dan would command elements of Bataillon II, Fallschirmjaeger-Regiment 3, Fallschirmjaeger-Division 1. This force would consist of 8 x 5-4-8's and a 2-3-8 led by a 9-1, 8-1, and 8-0with an MMG, 3 x LMG's, and a DC.
As the attacking Canadians, I would command elements of C Company, Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, 2nd Infantry Brigade and elements of the Three Rivers Regiment, 1st Canadian Armored Brigade. My force would consist of 10 x 4-5-8's and a 2-4-8 led by a 9-2, 8-1, and 7-0 with an MMG, 3 x LMG's, a Piat, a 51 MTR, 2 x DC's and 3 x Sherman Tanks.
A look at the battlespace. The Canadians have a very limited entry point and the Germans are able to set up within two hexes of the entry area. Gotta say, I don't like those kinds of game setups. Nothing I hate more than having a very small entry area that is known to my enemy who will be able to bloody me from the start. Another pet peeve is Dismantled support weapons. I don't like them and most especially as the rules already allow me to dismantle weapons prior to play if I so choose. The rules do not allow for setting up already dismantled support weapons prior to play. In this scenario, I would literally advance directly into the German MLR zone....so I had no need of dismantled weapons. I was already tat the point of contact. Anyway, this is a discussion that Dan and I have at the start of many a scenario. Bottomline...let the player decide if he wants his support weapons dismantled.
And now for Dan's Pre-Game Comments:
"The Germans must defend the large church or most other buildings from the Canadians. The plan will be to defend the large church and move the other units to defend the building. Hopefully the Canadians cannot clear the building in the six turns."
To win this scenario, the Canadians must control the E15 Building and 8 VP of additional buildings on or east Hexrow G. 10 x 4-5-8 Canadians represents 40 FP vs. 8 x 5-4-8's which is 40 FP. Those are poor odds for an attacking force. And additionally, the German 5-4-8's have the edge in Close Combat. They are truly tough hombres.
My initial attack plan was for the 9-2 and main kill stack to have a go at the E15 Building. My 7-0 and 3 x squads would go around the southern flank and get into the German backfield and begin harvesting Building VP's. My 8-1 and 3 x squads would head north to meet up with three Sherman tanks entering on Turn 2. The town would be thoroughly rubbled and several streets would be rubble-strewn as well.
GAME NOTE: Dan would forget that he could HIP a squad with leader and support weapons.
Turn 1 Canadian - I move onto the map as earlier noted. A 2-4-8 would move up to draw fire and Dan would oblige and KIA them in the street. But I now had an idea of what awaited me. My other forces moved safely into position.
Turn 2 Canadian - my 51 MTR would successfully smoke two hexes before running out of smoke. My Shermans came on the board and met up with my 8-1, while the third Sherman moved to support the 9-2's assault on the E15 Building.
After two turns, a look at the extent of the Canadian penetration into this part of Ortona.
Turn 3 Canadian - I send one of my Shermans to the south. This tank will then swing to the east to support my 7-0 Platoon. This group had been forced to pull back after two 5-4-8's moved up to engage. But then Dave shifted them towards the E15 building, which opened the door for my 7-0 to flank and get into the backfield. It was at this point in the game, that Dan made a hard commitment to concentrate at the E15 building and hold it against all attacks. It was certainly the key to the game.
Getting into the backfield was crucial, as the Canadians must obtain at least 8 VP's worth of buildings in addition to controlling the E15 Building. But to be honest, I wasn't sure I had any chance of taking the E15 Building. Dan's Green Devils were hanging tough and passing their morale checks while dishing out some serious damage to my Seaforth Highlanders.
Turn 4 Canadian - I push hard in the center against the E15 Building. But it is tough going. My 7-0 deploys his full squad and sends the boys to gather up Building VP's. My third Sherman would join them.
It was at this time, that Dan's Paras would start connecting with Panzerfausts. My first lost Sherman would actually take two shots to kill. Dan would roll boxcars on the first hit result. This is of course about the only roll that won't kill an enemy AFV. The second shot would turn my first Sherman into a funeral pyre.
Dan would also successfully destroy a second Sherman...but a one on the colored die would casualty reduce the squad.
After 4 turns, a look at the Canadian advance. Despite some losses I had covered some ground. But E15 remained firmly in German control. It was this point, that I briefly considered conceding the game. I just couldn't see how I was going to knock Dan's tough Fallschirmjaegers out of the building. But I decided to play it out.
Turn 5 would change the game. Had I conceded, I would have cost myself a victory. Dan's tough Fallschirmjaegers suddenly began breaking as Dan's hot dice turned stone cold with 10's and 11's leaving his center force shattered. My 7-0 and half-squads were gobbling up building VP's and despite losing two of my 3 Sherman Tanks, my boys were pushing the Germans out of the E15 building. The 9-1 and 8-1 had both broken along with their squads. This gave my boys the opening to push hard against the remaining Germans.
Turn 6 - My 7-0 and his boys succeeded in taking 10 Building VP's. My 9-2's attack would successfully secure the E15 Building. Dan's 9-1 and 8-1 had rallied, but had no path to victory and therefore Dan gave the concession and it would be a Canadian victory. A game that I thought was lost on Turn 4 had done a 180 and was suddenly a Canadian victory. It had been a fun and challenging scenario. Dan's defense had been well constructed. It had simply come down to his boys breaking at the end of the game that would ensure a Canadian win.
My thanks to Dan for a great game that went the distance.
And now for Dan's Post Game Comments:
"The plan did not work. The Canadian 9-2 dominated the building and was able to break all the defenders and keep the Germans from routing upstairs. Well played by Grumble Jones, who passed his personal morale check on turn 4 to persevere for the win. Congrats to the Canadians!"
That's a wrap on this weekend's game.
Dan and I will return next week.
We will see you then!
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