David R. Moody  - Oct 11, 2007 12:23 pm (#20596 Total: 20801)
  What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises-- no
matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love . . . . It's
not for fighting. 
	 
Totally ugly game of ASL last night with Jason Pipes at Endgame in
Oakland. To give you some idea, my SAN was 3 (for those not familiar
with ASL, that means that every time Jason rolled a 3, I got to do a
sniper check and see if my sniper hit someone). I think I made six
sniper checks last night. 

Fairly simple scenario--Silence That Gun, from Paratrooper. D-Day, and
Ami paras (502nd Para Infantry, 101st Airborne) had to move in and
silence an AT gun, part of a Jerry strongpoint in the village of
Foucarville, blocking one of the exits to Utah Beach. I would win
immediately if my paras destroyed the gun, or if they solely occupied
the one fortified building the Germans had (predesignated prior to
setup), provided the Germans hadn't earned more Casualty VP than I had. 

So Jason set up his lads, a mix of second line and volksgrenadier
troops, fairly spread out, with the AT gun in town covering the road. I
had six turns, and only had 7 squads to Jason's 12. I probably should
have flanked him, but didn't feel I had time to do so--indeed, I felt
time wasn't on my side, what with his superior numbers--so instead I
decided to go straight in, knock out the gun and/or get the building
(one of five or six), and end the game, trusting to superior morale,
leadership, and firepower. 

So I posted my two .30 M1919 MMGs on the flanks--one on the left,
directed by my 8-1, to sweep the road and interdict any German attempts
to reinforce the center; the other, directed by my 7-0, on the right to
cover that flank. I deployed one squad into half squads to man the MMGs,
and also posted a squad with a bazooka with each group to provide more
firepower. The 9-1 and hero led the main assault with the remaining
squads, intending to move up concealed to close quarters where hopefully
superior firepower would tell. The hero got the demo charge to take out
the gun. 

So my flankers opened up, breaking and Disrupting two of Jason's 4-3-6
squads (German ELR was only 2) as the main force crept up through the
woods toward the gun. Then the fun started--Jason started rolling fives,
fours, and threes; I started failing morale checks; both covering groups
broke; one of his disrupted 4-3-6s rallied and in the process Battle
Hardened to a 4-4-7 AND generated a hero. 

Despite that, my attack forces were forward, still concealed, and in
position. Then the 75 opened up, and the good dierolling by Jason/bad
dierolling by me continued. Jason kept getting ROF for his AT Gun, and I
kept rolling for my sniper (and you'd think I would have gotten a 1 or
2, but NO!) and failing morale checks. Soon both squads with the hero
were gone, thanks to multiple failed morale checks. The hero, however,
went Fanatic, thanks to a HOB roll (I guess heroes can go Fanatic--they
can't get more heroic, I suppose). More firing ensued, as I found out
that the building right next to the AT Gun was the fortified one.
Despite being twice wounded, the hero hung on. Ugh. 

Meanwhile, my group with the 9-1 kept up fire, breaking some Germans
(and doing damage with their bazooka--for a change, my bazookas were
effective) but soon they broke and routed back. I probably should have
had the hero throw the DC at this point, but with a net DRM of +6 (+4
for the fortified stone building, +2 for throwing the damned thing, if
memory serves) I decided not to risk it--bad move, as the hero died in
CC and the Germans captured the DC! 

By then I was in full retreat, losing another half-squad on a 12 MC
roll, though at least some of my broken troops got back into action,
firing to cover the pullback. Another disrupted Volksgrenadier squad
tried to surrender (failed ELR, adjacent to me) but I invoked No Quarter
(a rarity for me--I usually offer the honors of war) as most of my force
was broken and fleeing. My 8-1 and one of his rallied squads joined the
skedaddle; the HS and MMG, after cutting down the surrendering Germans,
died in melee. 

At that point, with nearly half my force gone, Jason only down two
squads, and the situation worse than bleak, I conceded. Ugly ugly UGLY.
Shoulda gone round the flank . . . . And those were my new dice, the
same ones that rolled three straight 3's for me in the initial scenario
of the Cheneux campaign game! 

Oh well, still fun. As Jason said, the narrative of ASL is fun even if
you lose. Rematch this weekend--British vs. German scenario to be
determined. Next week with Joe Oppenheimer, a Lock 'n' Load Swift and
Bold scenario to be determined, so looks like I'll be commanding Tommies
for a bit. 

Still solitairing the final assault scenario from Alesia (GMT) at
home--X Legion heavily engaged at the open end of the vallations around
Mt. Rhea. VII Legion moving up to help. I figure I'll bring in the last
two tribes, then start Vercingetorix and the boys out from Alesia. 

Also in a PBEM playtest of Markus' WWII naval game--doing the
Lae-Salamaua Raid scenario. I am the Americans. I can't say much, as
Joe's my opponent for that one, but my planes just hit the transports at
Lae, taking some losses but reporting hits on Japanese ships. Painting
15mm Prussian dragoons. 


Jason Pipes  - Oct 11, 2007 1:56 pm (#20597 Total: 20801)  
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men
stand ready to do violence on their behalf." 

Indeed, great game of ASL last night! I suppose it doesn't hurt that I
won, but like David said even when loosing the narrative created by ASL
is fantastic. I also love watching the interplay of tactical choices
made by each side and how the flow of battle ebbs accordingly. 

Interestingly enough I really didn't think I had a chance in this
scenario when I set up. The area of operations consisted of 3 full map
boards so even with 12 squads (all which were really crappy) I had a lot
of approaches to cover. In addition, David's American's were very
powerful. With seven elite 7-4-7 paratrooper squads he was packing a ton
of firepower, not to mention the bazookas and the demo charge. I was
worried. 

I set up first and worked to guard as many approaches as possible and
placed my fortified building in the middle of the center board directly
next to my lone anti-tank gun. I concentrated with most of my forces in
and around the anti-tank gun with forces on both flanks stretched out a
fair amount. I also placed units to my rear to try and prevent him from
rolling up on my on either flank. I was really worried he would simply
split his forces, hold me down, and hammer each isolated outpost with
tons of fire power. 

And then he set up. He placed everything in four main stacks directly in
front of my center on the middle board. He had two flank stacks, one on
each side, and two main assault stacks in the middle. All four groups
were within about 4 or 5 hexes of one another. The sheer amount of fire
power he assembled really stunned me at first but then I realized how
much easier this made it on me. If I could withstand his first turn of
prep fires (and since he didn't have LOS to most of my units yet) I
figured I could pull everything forward to concentrate against him. With
no threat to my flanks they were useless in that roll. I was equally
pleased by the fact that he was pushing his main assault directly into
the path of my fortifed building. The fortified building is also where I
holed up my best leader, two of my best squads (2nd line 4-3-7s) and an
HMG. 

As David described on his first turn during prep fire he hit one of my
small groups on the wings of my flank fairly hard and they all broke,
but otherwise his fire was entirely ineffective. He crept closer to my
center and the fortified building, in fact being only 5 or so hexes away
from the anti-tank gun he needed to destroy before he even started
moving on the first turn, but those 5 hexes were blocked by many units
and a lot of buildings making it slow going. When it came to my first
turn I opened up with the anti-tank gun and pounded the crap out of his
main assault group effectively killing two entire squads and leaving
nothing but a lone hero and demo charge standing when the dust settled.
Other fire pushed he right flank group back, and I used a half squad to
charge out near them in a later phase to cause them to DM again and
route even further. 

It all sort of went down hill from there. We called it on the 3rd turn
as there was clearly no way David could recover at that point. I was
fully concentrated, most of his units were broke, routing away, or dead.
He lost the demo charge, and was further from the gun now then when he
started. All was lost. 

The biggest mistake David made, if you want to call it that, was falling
prey to the hope that good die rolling on his part (or bad die rolling
on my part) would make up for bad tactics. It's a fatal flaw and
although luck and die rolling is big in ASL, it can never make up for
what are essentially bad tactical choices. I credit David in his
boldness in forgoing the flanks and pushing hard with everything in the
center, but failing to keep me spread thin allowed a lot of crappy units
to concentrate and actually form effective and powerful fire groups.
Once they concentrated they were able to challenge and effect his flank
as well, which in this scenario was a disaster for the Americans. 

All in all another fantastic round of ASL, bloody as it was! 


David R. Moody  - Oct 15, 2007 1:02 pm (#20689 Total: 20801)  
What has mood to do with it? You fight when the necessity arises--no
matter the mood! Mood's a thing for cattle or making love . . . . It's
not for fighting. 

She Who Must Be Obeyed and my eldest daughter spent the weekend freezing
at Girl Scout camp down by Half Moon Bay, so Saturday night I had Jason
Pipes over for a playing of The Crux of Calais, from the 1990 ASL
Annual. I understand they remade it for For King and Country, the
rerelease of the British for ASL, but I don't have that module, since I
was fortunate enough to get West of Alamein when it came out and didn't
see the need/couldn't afford to purchase FKaC. I'd be interested in
hearing what, if anything, was changed in the newer version. 

Anyway, the scenario takes place on 25 May 1940, in Calais. The King's
Rifle Regiment, supported by very very light tanks (Mk VIs) of the 3rd
Royal Tank Regiment, is holding three bridges over a canal separating
the old and new sections of Calais. Germans from 10th Panzer are trying
to stomp them and threaten the perimeter around Dunkirk. The side with
the most Good Order squads/equivalents (in this game, each AFV with
functioning main armament, mobile or not, counted as two squads) on the
British (north) side of the canal after nine turns won. 

I was the British, of course. I had about thirteen squads, three totally
sucky Mk VI tanks (one at least had a 15mm gun, slightly more effective
against Jason's six panzers, but less effective against his 17 squads
with an IFE of only 6) and a Daimler scout car, plus two 2 pounder AT
guns. I also had a few Boys ATRs, somewhat effective against the weak
armored tanks of 1940. 

Now the only way across the canal was across those three bridges, so I
had to cover them. The problem was that a) I only had the two AT guns
and b) smoke from three burning buildings, residue of a prebattle
bombardment, partially obscured my front. I decided then to make my main
position on my left, hiding the AT gun behind a hedge to cover the
approaches to the bridge in that area, backed up by my 9-1 and squads
with HMG and LMG in the upper levels of a big building behind them and a
light mortar team next to them. I postioned one of the MG armed tanks to
shoot straight down the bridge. The middle bridge I covered with another
hidden AT Gun, my 76mm mortar, and the second MG armed tank. On the
right, which I considered my weakest position (it was obscured by smoke
the most), I put the 15mm gun armed tank and most of my ATRs, with a
couple squads and the scout car in reserve out of sight, hoping Jerry
wouldn't come that way. 

And he didn't. Historically, the Germans appear to have moved on all
three bridges simultaenously, getting across one of them but being
beaten back. Jason, however, loaded up on what HE thought was my weakest
flank, my left, lining up five of his tanks (he got a Panzer IVD and
five Panzer IIIFs) along the road, with infantry stacked with them. I
was pleased--right into the sights of one of my 2 pdrs. He had the last
tank CE opposite my tank with the 15mm gun. 

So after some ineffective MG fire at my lads in the building on my left,
the first tank started forward, doing Armored Assault. Bam went the 2
pounder--knocked out tank. Crew got out. Jason tried swinging the Panzer
IV around a different way, but I had maintained ROF, and my gunners
shifted to engage him behind a hedge. Another dead tank! My gunners kept
firing, sending an AP round at some infantry darting past. Then Jason
sent a third tank down the road. I went for Intensive Fire, and my luck
ran out--11, gun broken! DOH!! 

The remaining tanks moved forward to the bridge, infantry behind, taking
heavy heavy fire, breaking, some losses. I thought about opening up with
my second AT gun, which was positioned to fire down the canal at the
first bridge, but the modifiers were so high (+2 for smoke, +2 for
moving vehicle, +2 for the walls of the bridge) that I decided against
it, preferring to keep it as a threat in being to make him more cautious
once he got across. I did fire at the lead tank with my Mk VI, but broke
the machine guns. His tank fired back ineffectively, breaking its own
main gun; the one behind it broke its machine guns, though both forced
my mortar team and gun team to break and flee into the building. 

Despite all that, I was feeling pretty good. Then . . . one of those
moments that makes ASL so incredibly cool. Jason was using his personal
9-1 leader counter, SGT Pipes (promoted to Leutnant Pipes for this
action, as he was the senior leader on the German side). Heavy fire was
forcing lots of morale checks, and some of Jason's men had already
casualty reduced. Then the 9-1 got a Heat of Battle roll, and went
Berserk! 

LT Pipes waved his Luger, inspiring the men with him (squad, broken HS,
vehicle crew) to join him. They sprinted out into the street, taking
heavy fire. The brave LT went down, wounded (failed Wound roll) but the
men went on, making it across the bridge, taking losses, before the last
of them was cut down in the courtyard of the building. Someday they will
make a manly painting of their exploits and advertise for it in
mass-market military history magazines. But their sacrifice was not in
vain, for the troops behind them, inspired by their example, followed
them across the bridge, taking it by coup de main. The Germans were
across! 

The fighting continued, as Jason now had to reduce my strongpoint. He
began shifting troops over. The rest of the line was relatively
quiet--my gun-armed tank got a stun result on his Panzer III, which
recovered and nailed my tank anyway, then moved over to reinforce the
breakthrough. I shifted my Daimler SC and unneeded troops from that
sector over, my Daimler preventing further advances by German infantry
until a panzer blasted it. Both our tanks with broken main armament
failed to repair it and had to be Recalled; my gun crew rallied,
struggled back to their gun, found it irrepairable, and then kept up a
heavy fire until being broken again. Jason lost his 8-1, his only other
leader with a negative modifier, and my sniper kept pinning Germans. 

I decided I had to minimize my losses, so I refused my left, setting up
a new line near the middle bridge around my remaining AT gun (still
hidden), 76mm mortar, and last tank. The troops in front of the
breakthrough would have to fight it out. 

And they fought like warrior poets. The squad with the HMG battle
hardened to a 4-5-8, and generated a hero; Jason got another berserker,
who charged into the building and took out my broken crew and a broken
squad in melee. It came down to the broken 4-5-8, the 9-1, and the hero
(now wounded) against two German squads in a melee for the last building
hex. The 9-1 and hero, Sten gun and Enfield in hand, took out the first
squad as they came up the stairs (successful Ambush) then engaged in a
deadly melee with the second that lasted a few turns, finally succumbing
after both were wounded twice. Their last transmission to HQ in Dunkirk:
"Jerry on the stairs--God Save The King!" 

By then, we had both begun engaging each other on the new line.
Unfortunately, Jason didn't move his tanks close enough for me to wack
them with my remaining 2 pounder (I did think about pulling back even
further to draw him onto my gun, but decided against it), but the ATR
squad I had there kept up a lively fire, forcing Jason to pull his tanks
back. I moved my lads forward, getting a Critical Hit which came for
naught, then taking out a tank with a turret hit. But the weight of lead
(and Jason switching dice) began to tell--Jason broke three of my
squads, including the ATR team, even Casualty Reducing one, and I was
unable to rally them before the end of the game. 

When the smoke cleared (at 2 AM Sunday), Jason had 15 squad equivalents
on my side of the canal to 10 for me. But the game was closer than
that--if I rally those broken squads, and get just one more tank . . .
awesome awesome game. Can't really fault my strategy--perhaps I should
have sent more ATR teams hunting tanks, but I didn't want to expose my
troops to getting broken, what with the way I roll. 


Jason Pipes  - Oct 15, 2007 4:26 pm (#20696 Total: 20801)  
"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men
stand ready to do violence on their behalf." 

Awesome AAR as always David! That was indeed an epic battle on Saturday
night. We fought one another for upwards of 6.5-7 hours! I was glad we
did it at your house though as it meant we actually could finish the
entire scenario. When we game at EndGame we can only play for a max of 4
hours or so on a good night making it much better for smaller scenarios.

I have to admit that after the first two turns of this one I didn't
think I had much of a chance. I was almost ready to give up around the
half way point but I kept telling myself a good leader makes the best of
a bad situation and finds a way to overcome defeat. I avoided counting
squads until the very end so I actually didn't know who had the
advantage when, but in the end I pulled if off! This was actually my
second ASL win in a row against David! I know that means I'm due for a
major spanking now but it was fun while it lasted. I'm actually pleased
with my record so far in playing David; I keep a running total on ROAR
of each scenario we've fought. 

I really thought David's left was he weak spot and it turns out it was
his strong spot. Figures I went that route. I positioned most everything
I had to open up a suppresive fire on his units in the church across the
canal on my first turn, and positioned the others near them to move
across hoping they would be able to do so under cover of his units being
broken. That was wishful thinking apparently. What was that I mentioned
last time about not hoping good die rolling can make up for bad tactics?
I shouldn't have started moving until those units were broke. As it was
I stationed all but one tank on that axis as well, and looking back I
should have waited until my infantry cleared the opposite bank before
they moved forward. As it was I lost two tanks by pushing them forward
too early. I really should have let the infantry clear everything first
and then get them across. In this scenario AFVs count as 2 squads for
the final count and with 6 tanks I could have gotten 12 points on those
alone. Having two tanks blown up on the first turn hurt. 

One of the real highlights tactically and narratively was the epic
struggle for the 3 story church on David's left, opposite my main (and
only) assault. It was so epic I had to bring my holding forces opposite
his right and center over to reinforce because I took so many losses
trying to get across. David's British simply sprayed everything that
moved towards them and since many of them were holed up on the 2nd story
of a +3 stone building they were really, really well protected. I
literally had to pry them out one hex at a time and it was very slow and
very bloody. Amazingly enough, that is also what the Germans had to do
during the real battle in 1940 as well. 

If I had to do it again I think I would have gone for the same axis of
attack but I would have used my armor to blast away at the church and
his units around it before moving foward with anyone. I had 9 turns to
get across so I should have used that time better to batter David down.
I was overly quick in moving forward. Alas I still won in the end, but I
was a little weary with all my losses. Still, a win is a win and this
one was a hard fought victory!!