So what scenarios have you played Recently?

Jacometti

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Steve W. and I finished playing VOTG 26 A Bad Day for the Luftwaffe today. A Tom Morin design on a nice part of the VOTG map. Reminds a bit of "To the Rescue" from RB, with a small German force stranded and cut off on the banks of the river Volga, and other Germans have the job to "save" them. Nice little trick is that the Russians finally have some decent Air Support, in the form of two of Fat Hermann's Stukas with Bombs, who hammered their own forces twice on that day.

The Russian setup (sandwiched between a potent "stranded force", more potent relief force and expecting the imminent arrival of 3 StuGs) was a real puzzle. The first few Turns everyone was acting tough, passing 2 MCs as if it was just a fun fair. Steve's Germans found out why Wide City Boulevards are a lonely place. You can enter as a squad and come out as a broken HS.

My best leader Mr 9-1 received a letter and an engraved domino set from Stalin, when he Battle Hardened in appreciation of his commitment to global communism and recycling. Then the Stukas showed up and bombed the crap out of two German squads, turning one of them into a shellhole. One of the few times a 1/2" counter can turn into a 5/8" counter in the game. Thoroughly enjoyable of course, if you are the Russians.

Steve's StuGs were also not the brightest lights, bogging twice in Debris (11+) and Malfunctioning their Ammo Shortages MAs (per VOTG rules) three times. So all was Dandy for the Russians. This joy could not last and it did not. In the second half of the game, one of his StuGs drove up to my KV and blasted it.

In the last Turn, another StuG crashed into the rubble where my 9-2 and elite squad were playing dominoes. The StuG knocked over the table and the Russians became very angry. Unfortunately, they expressed their anger in a CC Reaction Fire attack, which turned the StuG into a burning wreck. Now they could no longer see their domino pieces, but worse they could not see a swarm of angry Germans coming to ruin their inner peace.

One of those German friends delivered a lovely purple bag (DC - design by Joop!), which exploded in spectacular fashion. My proud 9-2 pinned and the faithful domino players (4-5-8) broke (by one pip), creating the string of hexes needed to save the day for the Germans.

It was a pretty bad day for the Luftwaffe. It was an even worse day for inner peace. If you were Russian.

VOTG rocks, well done mr Morin thanks for this lovely design.
 
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M.Koch

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Finished off a playing of J178 Old Friends. A very interesting scenario featuring the forces of 116th "Windhund" Pz Div and the 30th "Orion's Belt" or "Roosevelt's SS" Infantry Infantry Division around Gahlen, Germany in March of '45. The scenario uses boards 10 & 59 with a couple of overlays on board 10. The Americans must capture 7+ multi-hex stone buildings but must be wary of a CVP cap while the Germans also have a CVP cap to worry about and must defend those buildings from seizure by the American forces. Both sides have heavy hitting armor and a satisfactory to good infantry force to accomplish their objectives but therein lies the cautionary of the CVP caps.

I as the Germans had to initially make a decision as how heavily I would defend the northern multi-hex buildings on board 59 (if defend them at all) as the Americans can put considerable pressure on them early; Whereas to forego any defense of them or defend the too lightly gives the U.S. forces 3 of the 7 needed buildings early at little or no cost. Bd59 does have a stream running roughly diagonally across it running east to west to make the seizure of the remaining 4 buildings a somewhat daunting task if pursued from the vicinity of the first three VPOs, but they have the infantry and support available to make it happen if those initial buildings are taken too quickly. The other approach to the board 10 buildings is a long way around route but with the Americans having speedy little M24's and potential riders, this must be taken into account as a viable American approach as well, so overall my Grenadiers would be rather stretched to forego all eventualities even when backed by a couple of little kitties, a Mk-IV and a hard hitting Flak-ht.

In the end the forward building were defended rather strongly and exacted a toll on the attacking American, but the toll on the Germans was heavy as well. A Panther with my AL did move into a position to seriously jeopardize several American tanks moving towards board 10 but malf'ed his MA on its 1st B1F shot on a Sherman 105. It was subsequently swarmed and taken out along with its wingman, the Mk-IV at the cost of only an M24 and an M10. Finally my last Panther was able to slam another M10 & M24, but left on his own by my ineffective remaining infantry he was eventually swarmed and blasted to bits giving the Americans a narrow CVP victory. A really fun game but a disappointing loss (if my AL Panther had managed to kill even one U.S. AFV my chances of victory would have dramatically improved). Highly recommended if you like hard hitting combined with lot of maneuver - plays fast given the size of the forces involved!
What happened to the StuG IIIG ?
No kill ring on the gun barrel ?
 

Philippe D.

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Played DftB141 Gut Punch, as the defending Germans.

A German force of mostly Conscripts (with 1 1/2 SS squads and 1 1/2 838 Assault Engineers), supported by some guns (1 88 AA gun, 1 75L AT, one immobilized Tiger) have to defend a village that is being attacked from three sides by a strong Russian force: 10 AFV (6 T34 and 4 SU), 12 Russian Elite squads. The map is pretty long (equivalent of two double wide maps, lengthwise), with lots of setup/entry restrictions that force both the defenders and attackers to split their forces.

To be honest, I hated this scenario - we played it because my opponent is going to a tournament where it's on the list, but by myself I would never have played this as the Germans, or asked my opponent to play it. Everything for the Germans depends on the setup: where the guns are, and where the Conscripts are - being mostly forced to remain in buildings, they have almost no options to move and must maintain concealment at all costs.

Overall, I felt like I had no options at any time. Definitely not my type of scenario. I can see how it can appeal to others, but definitely not for me.
 
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Carln0130

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Played DftB141 Got Punch, as the defending Germans.

A German force of mostly Conscripts (with 1 1/2 SS squads and 1 1/2 838 Assault Engineers), supported by some guns (1 88 AA gun, 1 75L AT, one immobilized Tiger) have to defend a village that is being attacked from three sides by a strong Russian force: 10 AFV (6 T34 and 4 SU), 12 Russian Elite squads. The map is pretty long (equivalent of two double wide maps, lengthwise), with lots of setup/entry restrictions that force both the defenders and attackers to split their forces.

To be honest, I hated this scenario - we played it because my opponent is going to a tournament where it's on the list, but by myself I would never have played this as the Germans, or asked my opponent to play it. Everything for the Germans depends on the setup: where the guns are, and where the Conscripts are - being mostly forced to remain in buildings, they have almost no options to move and must maintain concealment at all costs.

Overall, I felt like I had no options at any time. Definitely not my type of scenario. I can see how it can appeal to others, but definitely not for me.
Gut Punch. People are going to think this is some Game Of Thrones scenario ;-).
 

JRKrejsa

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Bullets for Breakfast ASL 207 North Koreans on a commanding hill must get some units into the "schoolhouse" on board 44. The US forces are scattered around in their night sleeping positions. The NKPA came straight at the school, with the flanking SMG Company trying to move across the paddy fields towards the school. Instant carnage for both sides. The US outposts on board 9 were vaporized, but 2 of the HSs managed to stay alive for a couple of turns, tying up NKPA who would have come at the schoolhouse. The 75mm RCL were surprisingly deadly against my Shermans. But, the 82mm MTRs on the hill only got off 2 Smoke missions. (They were a holy terror with HE instead.) The NKPA made several tries at the school, getting into the building just to the north of it more than once, only to be thrown back out. US victory. Both sides had hardly anybody left at the end.
Great slugging match of a scenario. Not hard at all from a new rules standpoint.
 

Mister T

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Played RPT140 Warwickshire at Wormhoudt, a 1940 short scenario with MIB attacking Brits. That is a scenario to test your attacking skills because there is so much to do for the baddies in just six turns! My Germans crossed board 16 with some casualties in particular as the British defenders of the two-storey house resisted fiercely. German AFVs worked hard to facilitate the SS rush but resistance stiffened on the VC board. I needed every counter to seize the first VC building, bagging a prisoner in the process. That proved handy to meet the Exit VP conditions (i read in the blurb that british prisoners were massacred after the battle, how ungrateful these guys were). My opponent chose to Alamo the last VC building at the expense of defending the exit area. That seemed to pay for a time as the HMG went into a rate tear and savaged the MMCs hurriedly gathered to assault that building. But the British ATG gacked its TH rolls and i burst into the building with the PzIII. Mother nature endowed it with an impressive 8 FP CMG that killed everyone in the last CCPh.
A good game, but i would recommend using the German balance (and possibly more than that).
 

Uncle_Duke

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On Monday, @Houlie and I sat down to play HF7 "Gotta Get Out." This one had been a while in the making, as we'd originally planned to play back in February, but circumstances changed and it lurked in the back of our minds for three months.

@Houlie had the American attackers, I had the Germans charged with defending the Train Station and three buildings just Northeast of the R20-Y9 road (hereafter the "dirt road").

Setup and Initial Thoughts

Even before the game properly began, I was faced with a couple decisions: Where should I put the rubble? Do I take the PaK 40 or the GrW 34 and PSK?

Where to place the rubble proved to be a bit of a challenge. I wanted to rubble victory hexes to increase the cost of entry and prevent VBM tactics. However, I couldn't rubble the Train Station (it's multi-story, and thus not a legal target), and I wanted to make sure that buildings X9 and if possible V12 and W14 were intact so as to allow good fields of fire down the dirt road. I ended up choosing to rubble S17 and T14. The random placement ended up in R16 and U12.

Fortunately, the second decision was proved to be pretty simple. In light of the fact that the PaK 40 can't reliably penetrate the front armor of the Shermans in the American OB, I chose the mortar and additional Panzerschreck. Besides, the Panzerschreck can be kept off board to induce additional paranoia.

The Plan

My defensive plan was to set up in the victory buildings, albeit with only a minimal garrison in the Train Station.

A screening force would be deployed in the wooden buildings between the dirt road and the Train Station. Though the Western orchard presents some good cover and interesting fire opportunities, I determined that it would likely be covered in smoke and overrun in short order.

My MMG, GrW 34, their attendant crews, and a leader would be placed near the intersection of the dirt road and Rue Principale to cover the Southern approaches and provide fire down the dirt road when the Americans would eventually try to cross.

Then it would be a matter of slowly falling back and only making a stand once the Americans were directly attacking the victory buildings.

The Fighting

They say that no plan survives contact with the enemy, but this one held up pretty well for the first three turns. @Houlie laid his smoke screen roughly between the Train Station and U17 and then attacked aggressively through the Western orchard, attracting only desultry fire from the outpost line.

I fell back a few hexes North and East, just enough to get out of point blank range. Then I deployed a squad and shuffled around a few concealment counters to keep the Americans guessing a bit.

The Americans turned South a bit, and attacked the Train Station. One of the supporting Shermans shot the place full of White Phosphorous first, just to liven things up a bit. The lone half squad in the building passed the resulting MC, but lost concealment. Covering fire from Y11 proved ineffective as the squad both cowered and broke their LMG. This would prove to be one of two ill omans. The Train Station fell in the resulting close combat.

The second ill oman came in the form of an M3A1 halftrack that ran up the West side of the map and that provided fire support and messed with German route paths for a solid turn and a half before finally succumbing to a PSK shot.

However, as German Turn two opened, things were still looking pretty good. The main defensive line was holding well, and two Panzer IVs were about to come on board to shore things up. These I posted at the intersection of Rue Principale and the dirt road and in the field just to the West, to shore up the defense and deter a flanking action. At this point, I withdrew to my final positions before needing to cross the road in earnest.

My fortune turned for the worse on Turn 3. The other halftrack brazanly charged through my defensive lines, as panzerfaust after panzerfaust flew by only to explode harmlessly in the frozen fields. It eventually ended up right next to T14, raking the defenders with machinegun fire as it drove by.

One of the Pz IVs moved west to deal with the halftrack, but took a critical hit from a 76mm armed Sherman in the process and spent the remainder of the game as flaming wreckage.

In the West, building V17 fell to the Americans, the remaining Germans withdrawing into foxholes dug across the street and into the rubble of buildings S17 and R16.

At this point, I completed my withdrawal across the dirt road, and sited the GrW 34 and MMG to fire along it, awaiting the inevitable attack.

The Collapse

This is where everything completely fell apart. @Houlie has plenty of experience playing as the Americans, and fully understands that if your target isn't shrouded in smoke or burning white phosphorous, you're doing it wrong. Virtually every hex containing any sort of defense got smoked in.

"Not great," I thought. "I've still got an MMG and mortar to contest the crossing."

Then the MMG crew cowered (the leader having been broken by previous fire) while trying to lay a fire lane down the road.

"Okay," I thought. "This is gonna be ugly. At least I've got the mortar though."

Then the mortar broke.

And then the Americans swarmed across the road in force far in excess of what I could possibly defend against, giving the GIs of the 14th Armored Division a hard earned victory.

Thank yous!

Thanks to @Houlie for a wonderful game-- I can't think of a better way to spend a very rainy afternoon.

Thanks also to @Andrew Rogers for another fantastic scenario design. I've finally played all of the Hatten scenarios now, and they've been a wonderful mix of infantry and armor action-- some of most fun I've had playing ASL in the last year.
 
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Houlie

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Thanks to @Houlie for a wonderful game-- I can't think of a better way to spend a very rainy afternoon.

Thanks also to @Andrew Rogers for another fantastic scenario design. I've finally played all of the Hatten scenarios now, and they've been a wonderful mix of infantry and armor action-- some of most fun I've had playing ASL in the last year.
Thanks, Geoff! A well-written AAR.

Indeed, it was a great game and tense the entire way with only 4.5 turns to get the job done. I think this one plays pretty evenly with even a very slight nod to the German. A well-constructed defense made this very challenging, but I was helped with one of my best "smoke" games in my memory. As Geoff mentioned, losing the 81mtr and the cowering (no FL) MMG made a difference on getting across the road. Also, getting a timely CH on the PzIV can make anyone look like Rommel instead of a Klink. CC was also kind, helped by the natural American FP advantage in CCs. I sustained a few critical breaks at key moments (and the CO expressed his discontent), which concerned me as to whether I could pull it off, but overall things generally worked according to plan. All in all a fun game and an even more enjoyable opponent. Sitting 10-8 on ROAR with the advantage to the German. Another enjoyable Hatten scenario -- a real gem of a HASL.
 

TopT

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Bullets for Breakfast ASL 207 North Koreans on a commanding hill must get some units into the "schoolhouse" on board 44. The US forces are scattered around in their night sleeping positions. The NKPA came straight at the school, with the flanking SMG Company trying to move across the paddy fields towards the school. Instant carnage for both sides. The US outposts on board 9 were vaporized, but 2 of the HSs managed to stay alive for a couple of turns, tying up NKPA who would have come at the schoolhouse. The 75mm RCL were surprisingly deadly against my Shermans. But, the 82mm MTRs on the hill only got off 2 Smoke missions. (They were a holy terror with HE instead.) The NKPA made several tries at the school, getting into the building just to the north of it more than once, only to be thrown back out. US victory. Both sides had hardly anybody left at the end.
Great slugging match of a scenario. Not hard at all from a new rules standpoint.
I played this a while back. In the 1st 2 turns, my opponent (NKPA) practically eliminated all of my tank crews, broke the sqd handling the HMG and hammered anybody that i tried to move. His 82mm Mortars were devastating. I nearly failed my PMC on T1 and broke and ran on T2. I haven't had the guts to try again :).
 

Michael R

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Erik Lindblad and I played 212 FIRST BAYONET CHARGE. It was the first Korea scenario for both of us. Being the host, I had the North Korean defenders. The attackers consisted of French OUNC troops. Aside from a couple of Korea terrain changes, there is also Falling Snow, Ground Snow, Extreme Winter and on level 2 and higher, Deep Snow; just a bit of a rules dive. Oh, and all buildings are crags (thank BFP for those crag counters). The French need to take all the level 3 locations on board 2. I placed my three sangars in the rear level 3 hexes. I planned to hold the front heights for two OUNC turns. My 82mm mortar was in the front hex of the rear level 3 hexes. The match was affected by the Extreme Winter, but more for the NK. A NK LMG broke on its first shot (B11 lowered to B10). The other NK LMG broke on its second shot. Both 6'd out on repair attempts. The OUNC light mortar had no WP, took one shot and then broke on the next. It repaired soon after however. The NK 82mm mortar took a few shots then X'd out on a 12 (original B# became an X#). Despite the setbacks, the withdrawl went alright, but not without losses on both sides. We played 5.5 turns of seven. The NK still held two level three hexes with a melee going on in a third. The NK reinforcements were poised to reinforce the three NK owned hexes. The OUNC had not a lot of good order troops nearby and they would need to cross open ground after rally attempts, so we awarded the match to the NK. Oh, and Erik did the first bayonet charge with a squad and a leader. It did not end well.
8930
 

wrongway149

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"Japanese MMC never break. They just fade away."

, and I played WO16 "Wildcat Strike." Matt played as the Americans, I had the Japanese.

In retrospect, I should have pulled back much faster, and perhaps set up further back as well.
Usually it's too late by the time that thought hits.

But I am pleased how this scenario turned out. It may be the best of that pack-- even though it was supposed to be the 'snack', just thrown in there to round out the pack.
 

Mister T

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Usually it's too late by the time that thought hits.

But I am pleased how this scenario turned out. It may be the best of that pack-- even though it was supposed to be the 'snack', just thrown in there to round out the pack.
The value of the scenario resides in its multi-parameter VC, a good thing.
 

Houlie

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I had the pleasure of playing Brian Routh in BFP114 Engineering Defeat -- a marvelous all-infantry scenario in our VASL League game. I was the attacking Germans; Brian the defending Poles. Seven turns to secure three of four VC buildings. Scenario is set on half of Bd 42 and a BFP city board. A boatload of German squads and hardware (2xFT/2xDC) against a starting defense of mixed quality Poles +HMG/2xMMG.

This scenario put the Germans on the offense for 3.5 turns and then 3.5 turns on defense with the arrival of a potent Polish reinforcement group of 6xSqds, 10-1, FT, DC, MMG. The Germans had very good success the first half and ended up solidly ensconced in three VC buildings by the end of their player turn in turn 4. They set up to defend all three knowing that losing one would be the game. Too, by this time I had taken a bunch of prisoners as well as suffered some losses. Note: if you are the German player, do NOT refuse prisoners. A focused push by the Polish reinforcements could really put things in jeopardy, especially the 10-1 + FT combo.

Indeed, the push came on the most vulnerable building (Polish right flank). Additionally, some bypassed Poles made me cover all three VC buildings. So, I had less forces at my disposal that would have liked. The attacker had become the defender.

We duked it out for the remainder of the game. With the 10-1+FT causing all kinds of problems for the building defenders. Some weirdness where two 1,1 HOBs for a 457 and a 7-0 caused two surrenders. Additionally, in the latter part of the game on some key Polish moves, the German got a three key 1MC results on units headed to reinforce the building assault in the same turn. 3 x 1,1 MCs, HOB result, with the follow up DR…yep, 1,1s in at least two cases to create two heroes. Terrific. Anyway, by now we were tangled up in several melees which was good for me. I was able to outlast the (now) attacker when the final turn was completed with one 248 remaining melee and a 467+wounded 7-0 in GO upstairs.

Amazing scenario! Both sides attack and defend. The Poles get punished hard the first few turns, but they know the cavalry is coming to make it a tight outcome. A skillful fighting withdrawal while nicking the German force strength is the objective for these initial turns. Both have the assets to win and it feels like two scenarios in one. I could not recommend a scenario more highly. A real chess match against an excellent opponent. Thanks to Brian for a great game.

Currently 18-16 in the German favor. If you like a cerebral chess match that requires your best play, get this one to the table. My highest recommendation.
 
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asloser

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BFP114 Engineering Defeat -- a marvelous all-infantry scenario
I played this one against my brother Teemu Lukkari couple of weeks ago. It is indeed a good one, Germans have just enough time to get across the road to the Victory buildings when the Polish reinforcements arrive. Bonus points for having a FT on both sides.

Our game went to the last possible CC roll, I won as the Germans. I would recommend this one as well.
 

Yuri0352

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Erik Lindblad and I played 212 FIRST BAYONET CHARGE. It was the first Korea scenario for both of us. Being the host, I had the North Korean defenders. The attackers consisted of French OUNC troops. Aside from a couple of Korea terrain changes, there is also Falling Snow, Ground Snow, Extreme Winter and on level 2 and higher, Deep Snow; just a bit of a rules dive. Oh, and all buildings are crags (thank BFP for those crag counters). The French need to take all the level 3 locations on board 2. I placed my three sangars in the rear level 3 hexes. I planned to hold the front heights for two OUNC turns. My 82mm mortar was in the front hex of the rear level 3 hexes. The match was affected by the Extreme Winter, but more for the NK. A NK LMG broke on its first shot (B11 lowered to B10). The other NK LMG broke on its second shot. Both 6'd out on repair attempts. The OUNC light mortar had no WP, took one shot and then broke on the next. It repaired soon after however. The NK 82mm mortar took a few shots then X'd out on a 12 (original B# became an X#). Despite the setbacks, the withdrawl went alright, but not without losses on both sides. We played 5.5 turns of seven. The NK still held two level three hexes with a melee going on in a third. The NK reinforcements were poised to reinforce the three NK owned hexes. The OUNC had not a lot of good order troops nearby and they would need to cross open ground after rally attempts, so we awarded the match to the NK. Oh, and Erik did the first bayonet charge with a squad and a leader. It did not end well.
View attachment 8930
This was the first Korea scenario which I played as well (I lost as the French).

Which BFP module includes the Crag counters?
 

Michael R

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This was the first Korea scenario which I played as well (I lost as the French).

Which BFP module includes the Crag counters?
They were in a bin labeled CoS, but I can't guarantee the accuracy of that.
 

jrv

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They were in a bin labeled CoS, but I can't guarantee the accuracy of that.
They may be part of the grey-core replacement counters for the white-core counters from Blood and Jungle that came with Crucible of Steel. I see the light jungle counters on the images on board game geek.

JR
 
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