Grumble Jones September Scenario Parts 1 & 2 of GJ137 Krafft's Blocking Line

This month's scenario was in work for quite some time and even after completion, I just was not certain that it was as good as I had hoped for it to be. At any rate, this blog post has idled in draft stage since July. Reading it will feel like a short walk in the summer month past.

July...seems like yesterday it was only May. June is passing by quickly as I blog the latest Grumble Jones scenario. June would be a record month of ASL for me personally. 21 games chalked up in June 2024. Seven of those would be at the Texas Team Tournament. And the other 14 would be against Mr. Dan Best. As we complete the half-way mark for 2024, we are on a pace for 140 games this year. Definitely not sure I can maintain that pace. Tonight's game SP243 Konrad Three saw both Dan and myself with frayed nerves as we missed easy shots, watched 12's turn shells into Duds and MALF'd MA's. Frustration can build and the vagaries of dice rolls can suck the fun out of beloved game. And then, the bitterness and dice induced rage gives way to surprise as the unexpected SNAKE EYES pops up and suddenly you have won the game. Yep...in the last CC a Russian 4-5-8 with VBM freezing MKIV dropped a snakes for the kill and the scenario win. Head shaking ASL at is finest or worst based on your vantage point.

"It's a bittersweet life this ASL...you're a slave to rolls and then you MALF..."

The funny thing about our game is that no matter how frustrating or bewildering a game can be...the next day we're already looking forward to the next game. The siren call of Hill 621 cannot be ignored...

Our quest never ends...

July's scenario began its journey back in March of this year. As I do each year, I put together an Arnhem scenario for our good friend Mark Drake. Last year, I put in two efforts in order to add some scenarios to Mark's annual Arnhem gameplay in September. 

One of the scenarios received some reader criticism based on perceived historical inaccuracies. As it turned out, the accuracy issue was related to the use of different source materials. The differences were very slight as well...and not worth the time it took to investigate. Our hobby is well-stocked with critics...so anything created is usually fair game for the occasional harsh review.

With this in mind, I was slow to complete this year's scenario. Mark had expressed an interest in a scenario involving Sepp Krafft's early reaction to the British landing and his subsequent and successful blocking effort. Krafft's force deserves credit for seriously disrupting the British timetable and giving the Germans valuable time to respond and isolate Frost's paratroops at Arnhem bridge. Disrupted timetables is something every ASL player knows all too well.

This month's scenario consists of two parts. Part I play determines key setup locations for the Part II scenario.

As always, these monthly "Basement Quality" Scenarios are offered for fun only and as a thank you to the readers of this blog.

Remember to open pictures in a new window in order to maximize the size. 

All Grumble Jones scenarios are available from the ASL Archive website. 

               (Just search on Grumble Jones)