AAR 2019 ASL Open

MajorDomo

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The 2019 ASL Open was held at the Holiday Inn on Cumberland avenue near Chicago's O'Hare airport on Thursday, starting at 4pm through Sunday April 14th. The upscale Holiday Inn features luxurious rooms with the most comfortable beds I have slept on in ages. Breakfasts are included, featuring a cook making eggs/omelets to order and takeaway sandwiches to eat later. A ground level Bar Louie has a large bar and serves food until 1:30am on the weekends.

Round 1
Rob Banozic, veteran of Windy City Wargamers fame, played me in the first round. We chose Bertoldo The Brave (HF2), with the dice giving Rob the attacking Germans on the winterized Hatten map. The tourney specified American balance.

8334

My plan was to fall back down the long row of central Stone buildings and keep three of those central buildings in my control for a win. The three side VC wooden buildings would be lightly held, just enough to divert German assets. Finally, I kept a couple of the three M10s offboard to keep them safe as their disabling/destruction would lower the required building total by one, reversed should the two Panthers suffer a similar fate.

I wanted to avoid firefights versus this rather overwhelming attack force led by a 9-2, hopefully, contesting the final buildings in CCs with my superior 6 FP.

Rob's Germans came right up the middle, exposing my dummies and setting up across the central road for a firefight, flanked on each wing by a panther. He cleverly used the halftracks to VBM my planned fallback buildings, which made fallback difficult and exposed the low morale Amis to FTR should they break.

The key turn was turn three as my Amis assault moved back wherever possible under withering fire from large fire groups, panthers, SPW251/21s and even the PSK. My Amis fared reasonably, losing a couple of squads and a MG to FTR, but blazing a VBM HT for smoke cover. They rejoiced at a panther gun break, followed by a recall and then a Kentucky woodsman sniper wounded the 9-2.

Two M10s swarmed the remaining German right flank panther, trading one for an immobilized, bailed out and broken panther crew. This upped the VC total buildings and gave me the only two tanks, which soon ended the pesky halftrack menace and secured the rear building complex for the Amis.

We enjoyed the scenario. Hatten has a different feel and winterized VASL like map.

The scenarios appear well play tested, certainly a virtue for tourney fare.

Round 2
Bob Bendis and I squared off in DTF4 - Death to Fascism. Bob bid Russian 1 to secure the attacking Russians and give me an additional SWPP.

My spending spree included a 60mm mortar, LMG and two DCs for the onboard Rumanians; the turn three reinforcements received two LMGs. I had played this as the Russians in Albany with Johnathan Kay, chose the .50cal with great benefit and my defensive setup intended to minimize that selection. My plan was a passive defense concentrating on keeping the central two story, P6 building.

The 76L Art, 60mm mortar, MMG, trenches and L6 village people all were to serve that strategy. In 20/20 hindsight, I would put the three wires and HIP 247/DC right in front of the L6 village.
8343


Bob took the level one, .50cal/9-1 combo and then came right at the L6 village. Faced with no upfront opposition, he made great progress and took the DC away from my upfront hippie after I took a two down two at a stack. He cleaned out the L6 village fairly easily on turn three, only real loss a fausted T34.

He positioned three Valentines and the remaining T34 in a row (hexes R3 through O6, T34 in O6 hill) to interdict my turn three squads and my turn four Stugs. The fourth Valentine aided a platoon attack on the Rumanian far right, which was contested by three squads, ineffectively, as two perished and the third went upstairs in W row to overlook the central plowed fields.

Romanian fortunes turned as my ART gun wasted two Valentines, blazing both. Wind change blew smoke back towards the L6 village, occupied by about 8 Russian squads. That allowed my P7 building halfsquad to CX through smoke and place his DC on the hill T34, rolling three for placement and yet another Russian weenie roast. The eight or so, Russian village people were now comfortably relaxing, encased in smoke.

These events allowed Rumanian entry of squads and Stugs, one squad immobilized the last central Valentine in CC. A squad/LMG, joined the 60mm mtr squad and kept Bob's right side squads rooted to their isolated VC buildings.

Bob now needed 11 buildings, had nine. The wind subsided, allowing the gun and Stugs to break all but one of the village people in a Chicago style shooting spree. A few Russians tried suicide runs for buildings, but the fat Rumanian lady was singing loudly.

Good tense game!

Round 3
Friday night and on came Wes Vaughn for a game of FT214 - A Grain of Sand. Dice gave me the defender once again, with balance per tourney SSR. The attacking Brits, aided by Shermans have the choice of exiting 20 EVP off the east edge of board 17 (five must be infantry) or taking the four buildings in the center of the board 32 village, without suffering 32 CVP.

8349
Attached was my setup, note the HIP 548/PSK on board 43. All Germans were concealed as Brits enter from offboard 17, which is verboten to German setup.

I expected a village attack but tried for a balanced defense.

Wes entered and moved two Shermans adjacent to my squad/PSK, with a third Sherman four hexes away, seemingly safe as the hedges were bocage. The 548 unhipped in defensive fire, burned one Sherman with his PSK, then realized the bulge in his pants was actually a faust and presto, the second tank joined his flaming partner. To make matters worse for the Brits, the newly minted Iron Cross winner then flamed a third, large Sherman at four hexes in his turn one Prep fire.

Wes stormed the town but with 18 point of CVP in my piggy bank, even the destruction of both PZIVs at the cost of a fourth Sherman doomed the Brit to an eventual 32 CVP loss.

My HMG destroyed a halftrack and my flamethrower ended it with an To Kill roll. No British infantry were harmed in the playing of this scenario.

Incidentally, it was Wes' only loss as he finished second.

Round 4
Saturday morning paired Curtis Brooks and me together. Curtis did not like the round's aged scenarios, hadn't played FOW, (DTF's Korean offering was my choice) and suggested we play FRF99 - Boy Soldiers. Dice then dictated that I would defend for the fourth consecutive game.

The attacking 16 German squads, half conscript youths, half second liners must gain 10 VP in 6.5 turns;
A. Four for each multi-hex stone building devoid of good order non-encircled Russians
B. One VP for each Russian gun eliminated
C. Two for IS2 elimination.
D. Two VP for each squad south of the railroad

Attached was my defense and Curtis’ setup as I remember them:

8350

My plan was to hold the large central building for three, maybe four of the 6.5 turns, keep the lower building and retreat a few squads aided by the assault gun reinforcement to block squads from moving south of the railroad.

Curtis attacked through the top woods (overlay) with student body right. Note, by SSR the conscripts had broken morale two higher and were immune from disruption despite the German ELR of three in this February, 1945 battle. This SSR made the youths, especially when deployed, very lethal as they could scout, strip concealment and cut off retreats; all with good rally capability.

German turn one Prep featured large fire groups and gun fire into the closest building defenders. This Prep fire didn’t scratch the defenders at all. A couple of conscripts ran through the upper woods, one breaking to mortar fire, the other made it, advancing to N0.

The lower youths ran towards my hip gun through the orchard lane. Their sprint ended badly when my gun broke a couple of them in DFire, the rest in my turn one Prep.

I skulked in the central building and unwisely CX’d a 447 from the lower building to DM the conscript brokies in the P9 stone rally building, forgetting that they ingested steroids when broken. The conscripts retreated; two of them rallied under DM and they returned to break my CX squad in AFPh. I re-positioned my MMG/8-1 in the middle, single stone building to contest a rush to the railroad.

Turn two featured more big fire group shots up top at the closest defenders, now breaking most of them. An advance next to the central building followed.

Turn three became the deciding turn. German hordes entered the factory, defended by a 527 and rear hex rallied 447/228. They wiped the outnumbered defenders out in CC, destroyed the AT gun and drank all the vodka stashed there.

On the top edge, two conscripts engaged my lone 447, one breaking the other rolling around in CC with my squad.

Things went sour on the lower half also, when the boys again aggressively double-timed towards the lower building, one Berserking and getting next to the building. The ART gun crew broke to turn three Dfire.

My assault gun moved behind the smaller building and blew away the Berserker with a CH, but none of the Russians rallied and the Germans could win either by capturing both buildings/guns or exiting several squads, their option, so I resigned.

Curtis went on to win the tourney on tiebreak points, losing only to Wes in the final round.

Round 5
Next up loomed Mark DeVries in FRF87 - Mormal Forest. This was our fifth tourney encounter, I had a 3-1 edge going, could I make it 4-1? Stay tuned!

Had played Mormal in 2018 versus Randy Shurtz in a three-peat quest at the 2018 St. Louis tourney, but lost badly as the attacking Germans.

The Germans need to take three buildings, one a board 63 steeple, one in the woods clearing on board 42 and one behind the woods clearing (German perspective) on board 42.

There appear to me that there are three avenues of attack in this scenario, not necessarily mutually exclusive:
  • Straight through the woods on board 42
  • Halftrack blitz down the board 42 road
  • Halftrack blitz to the board 63 steeple and beyond
As the attacker, don’t have a vasl setup map as the defending French were all concealed at setup.

Mark’s setup featured a line of woods French, the HMG in the Upper level steeple with a couple of MMCs in front for cover. One R35 started on each flank, the 25LL AT covering the board 42 road, the 75 Art in the woods line aimed at Germans moving on the board 63 steeple. A squad/LMG started upstairs in the two hex wooden building, which watched over the board 42 road and protected the ground level 25LL. Finally, the 60mm French Mtr setup way back on board 63 to neutralize the two second level hill hexes in German setup area, logical setup locations for the 105 ART and/or 37L AT guns (which must setup un-emplaced).

I debated, then decided on a halftrack blitz down the board 42 road. My Germans had six halftracks (one extra 251/1 by tourney balance SSR). I would advance on the line of forest defenders to tie them up, while my grand flanking attack pincer-ed them. I ignored the steeple entirely and put the 105 ART at level one aiming to smoke the board 42 level one squad/LMG while out of LOS of the French mortar.

The forest battle is a slog, went slowly as expected.

The blitz would decide the game. Prep fire went poorly as my ART gun had no smoke, my mortar broke as did my AT gun.

So, lit my hair on fire, fired up the engines and away my Germans went. The 25LL de-cloaked and critted a SPW251/10 and halfsquad, the R35 also destroyed a 251/10 with a halfsquad. Level one squad/LMG fire was ineffective.

I was encouraged as two SPW/1s moved to and unloaded infantry next to the R35 and 25LL, which were one hex apart and had both intensive fired. That put a 9-1/468/DC and a 468 both adjacent to the French who had killed some of their countrymen, each under a three AAMG halftrack. Some infantry led by an 8-0 doubletimed down the road, avoiding residuals and achieved the path slightly behind the French defensive line. My FT boxed its first shot.

The 9-1/468 passed their Paatc to engage the R35, the lone 468 took on the 25LL crew. Dreams of captured macaroons danced in my head. Unfortunately, my ambushing 9-1/468 gacked their R35 attack, the 468 also failed to eliminate the 27LL crew. These results were probably pay forward from out last game, when Mark had gacked two 3-1 rolls, either of which would have won for him.

So, turn one, the French put on their PF Flyers and ran back through the forest. Additionally, the now disassembled heavy machine gun and mortar headed unopposed towards the sound of firing. A squad defending the middle building ran over to the R35 hex melee. The R35 had pinned my 9-1, the French squad advanced into the melee, rolled a CC “3” to eliminate my pinned 9-1 and unpinned 468, ouch.

To add additional wrinkle lines to the German commander’s forehead, the upper level squad/LMG joined the 25LL crew’s melee and eliminated that 468 in CC, although the Landser killed the crew and eliminated the 25LL.

Turn two, my two halftracks combined fire at the squad/LMG, no effect. My last 37L halftrack did eliminate the R35 but a third SPW251/1 with a squad was shocked and the squad broke.

That effectively ended my chances, although some German infantry actually captured the middle building, but were badly over matched by the French turn two R35s and the newly arriving French infantry.

Should dementia or some such condition get me to play this accursed scenario again, I would make a few attacking tweaks. I would put the 105 ART on the board 42 road to support that blitz better should smoke fail. Would also put both the mortar and the 37L on the second level hill woods locations to interdict steeple defender movement.

Round 6
During a rare April snowfall in Chicago, Doug Kirk and I played a moldy oldie re-issued in Yanks II – ASL17 Lost Opportunities on Sunday.

The revised version is now six turns instead of eight, upped the German requirement from four to five buildings on board one.
I got to attack with the Germans and below is the setup as best remembered.

8351

My thoughts are that the key to this defense are the two MMGs in the level 2 locations. I planned to neutralize them with Marder smoke/fire and the 9-1/HMG/MMG (just outside of Ami 10 hex MG range). The the two mortars make the woods dangerous to Amis. A squad/LMG in building 2D4 would control the long road and limit Ami re-deployment. Looks to me that the four forward wooden buildings would eventually fall, the challenge would be to break through on either the top or bottom to capture the fifth..

The numerous 50% conscript force would slowly move forward, waiting until the upper level machine guns were neutralized. My French R35s would stay away out of Baz range, to be used for a breakthrough on their assigned flank. VBM is your friend here as the are only eight Ami squads, break a couple, VBM one and even my slow thick, legged conscripts can run for buildings.

Well, turn one saw ineffective German fire, the Marder forgot smoke shells and everyone crept forward. Germans only suffered a couple of break/disruptions, and routed to safety from open ground. Amis infantry skulked, but the 57L ran out of HE.

German turn two went well as one the Ami level two MMG broke in Prep to my kill stack, the German infantry made the lower woods line after the a 747/Baz broke to mortar fire.

Up top, a couple of German squads broke to the remaining upper level MG, however two 747s failed advance fire MCs and the Axis Georgian infantry advanced forward into the open. Ami turn two featured ineffective Prep, numerous mortar hits followed by bad rolls and the upper level MMG sucking up a Marder HE round and breaking.

My Germans, using a R35 to VBM were free to move on turn three up top, capturing three wooden buildings, breaking the mortar crew and the 57L crew.

The lower force engaged in stalemated firefight, capturing the building just past the woods line.

Turn four/five were pivotal as the lone unbroken upper board Ami squad was tied up in Melee by a spunky conscript, and the 747/337/MMG combo rallied in back of the two-level upper building. My open topped Marder dropped a smoke grenade, survived a scary Street Fighting attack and MMG To Kill by the rallied stack. This freed several Georgian infantry squads and they raced past the tied-up Amis to capture rear buildings.

The lower board one firefight continued, but with a blazed R35 for cover, several Axis infantry squads made the lower two hex wooden building and Doug conceded as the Ami position was now hopeless.


Had a great time, ate well, enjoyed seeing friends and playing good opponents in friendly games. Ended with four wins in six games.

David Goldman runs a good tourney and if a friendly competitive ASL experience in an upscale environment appeals to you, plan to attend.

Rich
 
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Doug Kirk

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The 2019 ASL Open was held at the Holiday Inn on Cumberland avenue near Chicago's O'Hare airport on Thursday, starting at 4pm through Sunday April 14th. The upscale Holiday Inn features luxurious rooms with the most comfortable beds I have slept on in ages. Breakfasts are included, featuring a cook making eggs/omelets to order and takeaway sandwiches to eat later. A ground level Bar Louie has a large bar and serves food until 1:30am on the weekends.

Round 1
Rob Banozic, veteran of Windy City Wargamers fame, played me in the first round. We chose Bertoldo The Brave (HF2), with the dice giving Rob the attacking Germans on the winterized Hatten map. The tourney specified American balance.

View attachment 8334

My plan was to fall back down the long row of central Stone buildings and keep three of those central buildings in my control for a win. The three side VC wooden buildings would be lightly held, just enough to divert German assets. Finally, I kept a couple of the three M10s offboard to keep them safe as their disabling/destruction would lower the required building total by one, reversed should the two Panthers suffer a similar fate.

I wanted to avoid firefights versus this rather overwhelming attack force led by a 9-2, hopefully, contesting the final buildings in CCs with my superior 6 FP.

Rob's Germans came right up the middle, exposing my dummies and setting up across the central road for a firefight, flanked on each wing by a panther. He cleverly used the halftracks to VBM my planned fallback buildings, which made fallback difficult and exposed the low morale Amis to FTR should they break.

The key turn was turn three as my Amis assault moved back wherever possible under withering fire from large fire groups, panthers, SPW251/21s and even the PSK. My Amis fared reasonably, losing a couple of squads and a MG to FTR, but blazing a VBM HT for smoke cover. They rejoiced at a panther gun break, followed by a recall and then a Kentucky woodsman sniper wounded the 9-2.

Two M10s swarmed the remaining German right flank panther, trading one for an immobilized, bailed out and broken panther crew. This upped the VC total buildings and gave me the only two tanks, which soon ended the pesky halftrack menace and secured the rear building complex for the Amis.

We enjoyed the scenario. Hatten has a different feel and winterized VASL like map.

The scenarios appear well play tested, certainly a virtue for tourney fare.

Round 2
Bob Bendis and I squared off in DTF4 - Death to Fascism. Bob bid Russian 1 to secure the attacking Russians and give me an additional SWPP.

My spending spree included a 60mm mortar, LMG and two DCs for the onboard Rumanians; the turn three reinforcements received two LMGs. I had played this as the Russians in Albany with Johnathan Kay, chose the .50cal with great benefit and my defensive setup intended to minimize that selection. My plan was a passive defense concentrating on keeping the central two story, P6 building.

The 76L Art, 60mm mortar, MMG, trenches and L6 village people all were to serve that strategy. In 20/20 hindsight, I would put the three trenches and HIP 247/DC right in front of the L6 village.
View attachment 8343


Bob took the level one, .50cal/9-1 combo and then came right at the L6 village. Faced with no upfront opposition, he made great progress and took the DC away from my upfront hippie after I took a two down two at a stack. He cleaned out the L6 village fairly easily on turn three, only real loss a fausted T34.

He positioned three Valentines and the remaining T34 in a row (hexes R3 through O6, T34 in O6 hill) to interdict my turn three squads and my turn four Stugs. The fourth Valentine aided a platoon attack on the Rumanian far right, which was contested by three squads, ineffectively, as two perished and the third went upstairs in W row to overlook the central plowed fields.

Romanian fortunes turned as my ART gun wasted two Valentines, blazing both. Wind change blew smoke back towards the L6 village, occupied by about 8 Russian squads. That allowed my P7 building halfsquad to CX through smoke and place his DC on the hill T34, rolling three for placement and yet another Russian weenie roast. The eight or so, Russian village people were now comfortably relaxing, encased in smoke.

These events allowed Rumanian entry of squads and Stugs, one squad immobilized the last central Valentine in CC. A squad/LMG, joined the 60mm mtr squad and kept Bob's right side squads rooted to their isolated VC buildings.

Bob now needed 11 buildings, had nine. The wind subsided, allowing the gun and Stugs to break all but one of the village people in a Chicago style shooting spree. A few Russians tried suicide runs for buildings, but the fat Rumanian lady was singing loudly.

Good tense game!

Round 3
Friday night and on came Wes Vaughn for a game of FT214 - A Grain of Sand. Dice gave me the defender once again, with balance per tourney SSR. The attacking Brits, aided by Shermans have the choice of exiting 20 EVP off the east edge of board 17 (five must be infantry) or taking the four buildings in the center of the board 32 village, without suffering 32 CVP.

View attachment 8349
Attached was my setup, note the HIP 548/PSK on board 43. All Germans were concealed as Brits enter from offboard 17, which is verboten to German setup.

I expected a village attack but tried for a balanced defense.

Wes entered and moved two Shermans adjacent to my squad/PSK, with a third Sherman four hexes away, seemingly safe as the hedges were bocage. The 548 unhipped in defensive fire, burned one Sherman with his PSK, then realized the bulge in his pants was actually a faust and presto, the second tank joined his flaming partner. To make matters worse for the Brits, the newly minted Iron Cross winner then flamed a third, large Sherman at four hexes in his turn one Prep fire.

Wes stormed the town but with 18 point of CVP in my piggy bank, even the destruction of both PZIVs at the cost of a fourth Sherman doomed the Brit to an eventual 32 CVP loss.

My HMG destroyed a halftrack and my flamethrower ended it with an To Kill roll. No British infantry were harmed in the playing of this scenario.

Incidentally, it was Wes' only loss as he finished second.

Round 4
Saturday morning paired Curtis Brooks and me together. Curtis did not like the round's aged scenarios, hadn't played FOW, (DTF's Korean offering was my choice) and suggested we play FRF99 - Boy Soldiers. Dice then dictated that I would defend for the fourth consecutive game.

The attacking 16 German squads, half conscript youths, half second liners must gain 10 VP in 6.5 turns;
A. Four for each multi-hex stone building devoid of good order non-encircled Russians
B. One VP for each Russian gun eliminated
C. Two for IS2 elimination.
D. Two VP for each squad south of the railroad

Attached was my defense and Curtis’ setup as I remember them:

View attachment 8350

My plan was to hold the large central building for three, maybe four of the 6.5 turns, keep the lower building and retreat a few squads aided by the assault gun reinforcement to block squads from moving south of the railroad.

Curtis attacked through the top woods (overlay) with student body right. Note, by SSR the conscripts had broken morale two higher and were immune from disruption despite the German ELR of three in this February, 1945 battle. This SSR made the youths, especially when deployed, very lethal as they could scout, strip concealment and cut off retreats; all with good rally capability.

German turn one Prep featured large fire groups and gun fire into the closest building defenders. This Prep fire didn’t scratch the defenders at all. A couple of conscripts ran through the upper woods, one breaking to mortar fire, the other made it, advancing to N0.

The lower youths ran towards my hip gun through the orchard lane. Their sprint ended badly when my gun broke a couple of them in DFire, the rest in my turn one Prep.

I skulked in the central building and unwisely CX’d a 447 from the lower building to DM the conscript brokies in the P9 stone rally building, forgetting that they ingested steroids when broken. The conscripts retreated; two of them rallied under DM and they returned to break my CX squad in AFPh. I re-positioned my MMG/8-1 in the middle, single stone building to contest a rush to the railroad.

Turn two featured more big fire group shots up top at the closest defenders, now breaking most of them. An advance next to the central building followed.

Turn three became the deciding turn. German hordes entered the factory, defended by a 527 and rear hex rallied 447/228. They wiped the outnumbered defenders out in CC, destroyed the AT gun and drank all the vodka stashed there.

On the top edge, two conscripts engaged my lone 447, one breaking the other rolling around in CC with my squad.

Things went sour on the lower half also, when the boys again aggressively double-timed towards the lower building, one Berserking and getting next to the building. The ART gun crew broke to turn three Dfire.

My assault gun moved behind the smaller building and blew away the Berserker with a CH, but none of the Russians rallied and the Germans could win either by capturing both buildings/guns or exiting several squads, their option, so I resigned.

Curtis went on to win the tourney on tiebreak points, losing only to Wes in the final round.

Round 5
Next up loomed Mark DeVries in FRF87 - Mormal Forest. This was our fifth tourney encounter, I had a 3-1 edge going, could I make it 4-1? Stay tuned!

Had played Mormal in 2018 versus Randy Shurtz in a three-peat quest at the 2018 St. Louis tourney, but lost badly as the attacking Germans.

The Germans need to take three buildings, one a board 63 steeple, one in the woods clearing on board 42 and one behind the woods clearing (German perspective) on board 42.

There appear to me that there are three avenues of attack in this scenario, not necessarily mutually exclusive:
  • Straight through the woods on board 42
  • Halftrack blitz down the board 42 road
  • Halftrack blitz to the board 63 steeple and beyond
As the attacker, don’t have a vasl setup map as the defending French were all concealed at setup.

Mark’s setup featured a line of woods French, the HMG in the Upper level steeple with a couple of MMCs in front for cover. One R35 started on each flank, the 25LL AT covering the board 42 road, the 75 Art in the woods line aimed at Germans moving on the board 63 steeple. A squad/LMG started upstairs in the two hex wooden building, which watched over the board 42 road and protected the ground level 25LL. Finally, the 60mm French Mtr setup way back on board 63 to neutralize the two second level hill hexes in German setup area, logical setup locations for the 105 ART and/or 37L AT guns (which must setup un-emplaced).

I debated, then decided on a halftrack blitz down the board 42 road. My Germans had six halftracks (one extra 251/1 by tourney balance SSR). I would advance on the line of forest defenders to tie them up, while my grand flanking attack pincer-ed them. I ignored the steeple entirely and put the 105 ART at level one aiming to smoke the board 42 level one squad/LMG while out of LOS of the French mortar.

The forest battle is a slog, went slowly as expected.

The blitz would decide the game. Prep fire went poorly as my ART gun had no smoke, my mortar broke as did my AT gun.

So, lit my hair on fire, fired up the engines and away my Germans went. The 25LL de-cloaked and critted a SPW251/10 and halfsquad, the R35 also destroyed a 251/10 with a halfsquad. Level one squad/LMG fire was ineffective.

I was encouraged as two SPW/1s moved to and unloaded infantry next to the R35 and 25LL, which were one hex apart and had both intensive fired. That put a 9-1/468/DC and a 468 both adjacent to the French who had killed some of their countrymen, each under a three AAMG halftrack. Some infantry led by an 8-0 doubletimed down the road, avoiding residuals and achieved the path slightly behind the French defensive line. My FT boxed its first shot.

The 9-1/468 passed their Paatc to engage the R35, the lone 468 took on the 25LL crew. Dreams of captured macaroons danced in my head. Unfortunately, my ambushing 9-1/468 gacked their R35 attack, the 468 also failed to eliminate the 27LL crew. These results were probably pay forward from out last game, when Mark had gacked two 3-1 rolls, either of which would have won for him.

So, turn one, the French put on their PF Flyers and ran back through the forest. Additionally, the now disassembled heavy machine gun and mortar headed unopposed towards the sound of firing. A squad defending the middle building ran over to the R35 hex melee. The R35 had pinned my 9-1, the French squad advanced into the melee, rolled a CC “3” to eliminate my pinned 9-1 and unpinned 468, ouch.

To add additional wrinkle lines to the German commander’s forehead, the upper level squad/LMG joined the 25LL crew’s melee and eliminated that 468 in CC, although the Landser killed the crew and eliminated the 25LL.

Turn two, my two halftracks combined fire at the squad/LMG, no effect. My last 37L halftrack did eliminate the R35 but a third SPW251/1 with a squad was shocked and the squad broke.

That effectively ended my chances, although some German infantry actually captured the middle building, but were badly over matched by the French turn two R35s and the newly arriving French infantry.

Should dementia or some such condition get me to play this accursed scenario again, I would make a few attacking tweaks. I would put the 105 ART on the board 42 road to support that blitz better should smoke fail. Would also put both the mortar and the 37L on the second level hill woods locations to interdict steeple defender movement.

Round 6
During a rare April snowfall in Chicago, Doug Kirk and I played a moldy oldie re-issued in Yanks II – ASL17 Lost Opportunities on Sunday.

The revised version is now six turns instead of eight, upped the German requirement from four to five buildings on board one.
I got to attack with the Germans and below is the setup as best remembered.

View attachment 8351

My thoughts are that the key to this defense are the two MMGs in the level 2 locations. I planned to neutralize them with Marder smoke/fire and the 9-1/HMG/MMG (just outside of Ami 10 hex MG range). The the two mortars make the woods dangerous to Amis. A squad/LMG in building 2D4 would control the long road and limit Ami re-deployment. Looks to me that the four forward wooden buildings would eventually fall, the challenge would be to break through on either the top or bottom to capture the fifth..

The numerous 50% conscript force would slowly move forward, waiting until the upper level machine guns were neutralized. My French R35s would stay away out of Baz range, to be used for a breakthrough on their assigned flank. VBM is your friend here as the are only eight Ami squads, break a couple, VBM one and even my slow thick, legged conscripts can run for buildings.

Well, turn one saw ineffective German fire, the Marder forgot smoke shells and everyone crept forward. Germans only suffered a couple of break/disruptions, and routed to safety from open ground. Amis infantry skulked, but the 57L ran out of HE.

German turn two went well as one the Ami level two MMG broke in Prep to my kill stack, the German infantry made the lower woods line after the a 747/Baz broke to mortar fire.

Up top, a couple of German squads broke to the remaining upper level MG, however two 747s failed advance fire MCs and the Axis Georgian infantry advanced forward into the open. Ami turn two featured ineffective Prep, numerous mortar hits followed by bad rolls and the upper level MMG sucking up a Marder HE round and breaking.

My Germans, using a R35 to VBM were free to move on turn three up top, capturing three wooden buildings, breaking the mortarr crew and the 57L crew.

The lower force engaged in stalemated firefight, capturing the building just past the woods line.

Turn four/five were pivotal as the lone unbroken upper board Ami squad was tied up in Melee by a spunky conscript, and the 747/337/MMG combo rallied in back of the two-level upper building. My open topped Marder dropped a smoke grenade, survived a scary Street Fighting attack and MMG To Kill by the rallied stack. This freed several Georgian infantry squads and they raced past the tied-up Amis to capture rear buildings.

The lower board one firefight continued, but with a blazed R35 for cover, several Axis infantry squads made the lower two hex wooden building and Doug conceded as the Ami position was now hopeless.


Had a great time, ate well, enjoyed seeing friends and playing good opponents in friendly games. Ended with four wins in six games.

David Goldman runs a good tourney and if a friendly competitive ASL experience in an upscale environment appeals to you, plan to attend.

Rich
Great AAR Rich. I will try to give you a better game next time. See you in St Louis in July.
 

davegin

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The 2019 ASL Open was held at the Holiday Inn on Cumberland avenue near Chicago's O'Hare airport on Thursday, starting at 4pm through Sunday April 14th. The upscale Holiday Inn features luxurious rooms with the most comfortable beds I have slept on in ages. Breakfasts are included, featuring a cook making eggs/omelets to order and takeaway sandwiches to eat later. A ground level Bar Louie has a large bar and serves food until 1:30am on the weekends.

Round 1
Rob Banozic, veteran of Windy City Wargamers fame, played me in the first round. We chose Bertoldo The Brave (HF2), with the dice giving Rob the attacking Germans on the winterized Hatten map. The tourney specified American balance.

View attachment 8334

My plan was to fall back down the long row of central Stone buildings and keep three of those central buildings in my control for a win. The three side VC wooden buildings would be lightly held, just enough to divert German assets. Finally, I kept a couple of the three M10s offboard to keep them safe as their disabling/destruction would lower the required building total by one, reversed should the two Panthers suffer a similar fate.

I wanted to avoid firefights versus this rather overwhelming attack force led by a 9-2, hopefully, contesting the final buildings in CCs with my superior 6 FP.

Rob's Germans came right up the middle, exposing my dummies and setting up across the central road for a firefight, flanked on each wing by a panther. He cleverly used the halftracks to VBM my planned fallback buildings, which made fallback difficult and exposed the low morale Amis to FTR should they break.

The key turn was turn three as my Amis assault moved back wherever possible under withering fire from large fire groups, panthers, SPW251/21s and even the PSK. My Amis fared reasonably, losing a couple of squads and a MG to FTR, but blazing a VBM HT for smoke cover. They rejoiced at a panther gun break, followed by a recall and then a Kentucky woodsman sniper wounded the 9-2.

Two M10s swarmed the remaining German right flank panther, trading one for an immobilized, bailed out and broken panther crew. This upped the VC total buildings and gave me the only two tanks, which soon ended the pesky halftrack menace and secured the rear building complex for the Amis.

We enjoyed the scenario. Hatten has a different feel and winterized VASL like map.

The scenarios appear well play tested, certainly a virtue for tourney fare.

Round 2
Bob Bendis and I squared off in DTF4 - Death to Fascism. Bob bid Russian 1 to secure the attacking Russians and give me an additional SWPP.

My spending spree included a 60mm mortar, LMG and two DCs for the onboard Rumanians; the turn three reinforcements received two LMGs. I had played this as the Russians in Albany with Johnathan Kay, chose the .50cal with great benefit and my defensive setup intended to minimize that selection. My plan was a passive defense concentrating on keeping the central two story, P6 building.

The 76L Art, 60mm mortar, MMG, trenches and L6 village people all were to serve that strategy. In 20/20 hindsight, I would put the three trenches and HIP 247/DC right in front of the L6 village.
View attachment 8343


Bob took the level one, .50cal/9-1 combo and then came right at the L6 village. Faced with no upfront opposition, he made great progress and took the DC away from my upfront hippie after I took a two down two at a stack. He cleaned out the L6 village fairly easily on turn three, only real loss a fausted T34.

He positioned three Valentines and the remaining T34 in a row (hexes R3 through O6, T34 in O6 hill) to interdict my turn three squads and my turn four Stugs. The fourth Valentine aided a platoon attack on the Rumanian far right, which was contested by three squads, ineffectively, as two perished and the third went upstairs in W row to overlook the central plowed fields.

Romanian fortunes turned as my ART gun wasted two Valentines, blazing both. Wind change blew smoke back towards the L6 village, occupied by about 8 Russian squads. That allowed my P7 building halfsquad to CX through smoke and place his DC on the hill T34, rolling three for placement and yet another Russian weenie roast. The eight or so, Russian village people were now comfortably relaxing, encased in smoke.

These events allowed Rumanian entry of squads and Stugs, one squad immobilized the last central Valentine in CC. A squad/LMG, joined the 60mm mtr squad and kept Bob's right side squads rooted to their isolated VC buildings.

Bob now needed 11 buildings, had nine. The wind subsided, allowing the gun and Stugs to break all but one of the village people in a Chicago style shooting spree. A few Russians tried suicide runs for buildings, but the fat Rumanian lady was singing loudly.

Good tense game!

Round 3
Friday night and on came Wes Vaughn for a game of FT214 - A Grain of Sand. Dice gave me the defender once again, with balance per tourney SSR. The attacking Brits, aided by Shermans have the choice of exiting 20 EVP off the east edge of board 17 (five must be infantry) or taking the four buildings in the center of the board 32 village, without suffering 32 CVP.

View attachment 8349
Attached was my setup, note the HIP 548/PSK on board 43. All Germans were concealed as Brits enter from offboard 17, which is verboten to German setup.

I expected a village attack but tried for a balanced defense.

Wes entered and moved two Shermans adjacent to my squad/PSK, with a third Sherman four hexes away, seemingly safe as the hedges were bocage. The 548 unhipped in defensive fire, burned one Sherman with his PSK, then realized the bulge in his pants was actually a faust and presto, the second tank joined his flaming partner. To make matters worse for the Brits, the newly minted Iron Cross winner then flamed a third, large Sherman at four hexes in his turn one Prep fire.

Wes stormed the town but with 18 point of CVP in my piggy bank, even the destruction of both PZIVs at the cost of a fourth Sherman doomed the Brit to an eventual 32 CVP loss.

My HMG destroyed a halftrack and my flamethrower ended it with an To Kill roll. No British infantry were harmed in the playing of this scenario.

Incidentally, it was Wes' only loss as he finished second.

Round 4
Saturday morning paired Curtis Brooks and me together. Curtis did not like the round's aged scenarios, hadn't played FOW, (DTF's Korean offering was my choice) and suggested we play FRF99 - Boy Soldiers. Dice then dictated that I would defend for the fourth consecutive game.

The attacking 16 German squads, half conscript youths, half second liners must gain 10 VP in 6.5 turns;
A. Four for each multi-hex stone building devoid of good order non-encircled Russians
B. One VP for each Russian gun eliminated
C. Two for IS2 elimination.
D. Two VP for each squad south of the railroad

Attached was my defense and Curtis’ setup as I remember them:

View attachment 8350

My plan was to hold the large central building for three, maybe four of the 6.5 turns, keep the lower building and retreat a few squads aided by the assault gun reinforcement to block squads from moving south of the railroad.

Curtis attacked through the top woods (overlay) with student body right. Note, by SSR the conscripts had broken morale two higher and were immune from disruption despite the German ELR of three in this February, 1945 battle. This SSR made the youths, especially when deployed, very lethal as they could scout, strip concealment and cut off retreats; all with good rally capability.

German turn one Prep featured large fire groups and gun fire into the closest building defenders. This Prep fire didn’t scratch the defenders at all. A couple of conscripts ran through the upper woods, one breaking to mortar fire, the other made it, advancing to N0.

The lower youths ran towards my hip gun through the orchard lane. Their sprint ended badly when my gun broke a couple of them in DFire, the rest in my turn one Prep.

I skulked in the central building and unwisely CX’d a 447 from the lower building to DM the conscript brokies in the P9 stone rally building, forgetting that they ingested steroids when broken. The conscripts retreated; two of them rallied under DM and they returned to break my CX squad in AFPh. I re-positioned my MMG/8-1 in the middle, single stone building to contest a rush to the railroad.

Turn two featured more big fire group shots up top at the closest defenders, now breaking most of them. An advance next to the central building followed.

Turn three became the deciding turn. German hordes entered the factory, defended by a 527 and rear hex rallied 447/228. They wiped the outnumbered defenders out in CC, destroyed the AT gun and drank all the vodka stashed there.

On the top edge, two conscripts engaged my lone 447, one breaking the other rolling around in CC with my squad.

Things went sour on the lower half also, when the boys again aggressively double-timed towards the lower building, one Berserking and getting next to the building. The ART gun crew broke to turn three Dfire.

My assault gun moved behind the smaller building and blew away the Berserker with a CH, but none of the Russians rallied and the Germans could win either by capturing both buildings/guns or exiting several squads, their option, so I resigned.

Curtis went on to win the tourney on tiebreak points, losing only to Wes in the final round.

Round 5
Next up loomed Mark DeVries in FRF87 - Mormal Forest. This was our fifth tourney encounter, I had a 3-1 edge going, could I make it 4-1? Stay tuned!

Had played Mormal in 2018 versus Randy Shurtz in a three-peat quest at the 2018 St. Louis tourney, but lost badly as the attacking Germans.

The Germans need to take three buildings, one a board 63 steeple, one in the woods clearing on board 42 and one behind the woods clearing (German perspective) on board 42.

There appear to me that there are three avenues of attack in this scenario, not necessarily mutually exclusive:
  • Straight through the woods on board 42
  • Halftrack blitz down the board 42 road
  • Halftrack blitz to the board 63 steeple and beyond
As the attacker, don’t have a vasl setup map as the defending French were all concealed at setup.

Mark’s setup featured a line of woods French, the HMG in the Upper level steeple with a couple of MMCs in front for cover. One R35 started on each flank, the 25LL AT covering the board 42 road, the 75 Art in the woods line aimed at Germans moving on the board 63 steeple. A squad/LMG started upstairs in the two hex wooden building, which watched over the board 42 road and protected the ground level 25LL. Finally, the 60mm French Mtr setup way back on board 63 to neutralize the two second level hill hexes in German setup area, logical setup locations for the 105 ART and/or 37L AT guns (which must setup un-emplaced).

I debated, then decided on a halftrack blitz down the board 42 road. My Germans had six halftracks (one extra 251/1 by tourney balance SSR). I would advance on the line of forest defenders to tie them up, while my grand flanking attack pincer-ed them. I ignored the steeple entirely and put the 105 ART at level one aiming to smoke the board 42 level one squad/LMG while out of LOS of the French mortar.

The forest battle is a slog, went slowly as expected.

The blitz would decide the game. Prep fire went poorly as my ART gun had no smoke, my mortar broke as did my AT gun.

So, lit my hair on fire, fired up the engines and away my Germans went. The 25LL de-cloaked and critted a SPW251/10 and halfsquad, the R35 also destroyed a 251/10 with a halfsquad. Level one squad/LMG fire was ineffective.

I was encouraged as two SPW/1s moved to and unloaded infantry next to the R35 and 25LL, which were one hex apart and had both intensive fired. That put a 9-1/468/DC and a 468 both adjacent to the French who had killed some of their countrymen, each under a three AAMG halftrack. Some infantry led by an 8-0 doubletimed down the road, avoiding residuals and achieved the path slightly behind the French defensive line. My FT boxed its first shot.

The 9-1/468 passed their Paatc to engage the R35, the lone 468 took on the 25LL crew. Dreams of captured macaroons danced in my head. Unfortunately, my ambushing 9-1/468 gacked their R35 attack, the 468 also failed to eliminate the 27LL crew. These results were probably pay forward from out last game, when Mark had gacked two 3-1 rolls, either of which would have won for him.

So, turn one, the French put on their PF Flyers and ran back through the forest. Additionally, the now disassembled heavy machine gun and mortar headed unopposed towards the sound of firing. A squad defending the middle building ran over to the R35 hex melee. The R35 had pinned my 9-1, the French squad advanced into the melee, rolled a CC “3” to eliminate my pinned 9-1 and unpinned 468, ouch.

To add additional wrinkle lines to the German commander’s forehead, the upper level squad/LMG joined the 25LL crew’s melee and eliminated that 468 in CC, although the Landser killed the crew and eliminated the 25LL.

Turn two, my two halftracks combined fire at the squad/LMG, no effect. My last 37L halftrack did eliminate the R35 but a third SPW251/1 with a squad was shocked and the squad broke.

That effectively ended my chances, although some German infantry actually captured the middle building, but were badly over matched by the French turn two R35s and the newly arriving French infantry.

Should dementia or some such condition get me to play this accursed scenario again, I would make a few attacking tweaks. I would put the 105 ART on the board 42 road to support that blitz better should smoke fail. Would also put both the mortar and the 37L on the second level hill woods locations to interdict steeple defender movement.

Round 6
During a rare April snowfall in Chicago, Doug Kirk and I played a moldy oldie re-issued in Yanks II – ASL17 Lost Opportunities on Sunday.

The revised version is now six turns instead of eight, upped the German requirement from four to five buildings on board one.
I got to attack with the Germans and below is the setup as best remembered.

View attachment 8351

My thoughts are that the key to this defense are the two MMGs in the level 2 locations. I planned to neutralize them with Marder smoke/fire and the 9-1/HMG/MMG (just outside of Ami 10 hex MG range). The the two mortars make the woods dangerous to Amis. A squad/LMG in building 2D4 would control the long road and limit Ami re-deployment. Looks to me that the four forward wooden buildings would eventually fall, the challenge would be to break through on either the top or bottom to capture the fifth..

The numerous 50% conscript force would slowly move forward, waiting until the upper level machine guns were neutralized. My French R35s would stay away out of Baz range, to be used for a breakthrough on their assigned flank. VBM is your friend here as the are only eight Ami squads, break a couple, VBM one and even my slow thick, legged conscripts can run for buildings.

Well, turn one saw ineffective German fire, the Marder forgot smoke shells and everyone crept forward. Germans only suffered a couple of break/disruptions, and routed to safety from open ground. Amis infantry skulked, but the 57L ran out of HE.

German turn two went well as one the Ami level two MMG broke in Prep to my kill stack, the German infantry made the lower woods line after the a 747/Baz broke to mortar fire.

Up top, a couple of German squads broke to the remaining upper level MG, however two 747s failed advance fire MCs and the Axis Georgian infantry advanced forward into the open. Ami turn two featured ineffective Prep, numerous mortar hits followed by bad rolls and the upper level MMG sucking up a Marder HE round and breaking.

My Germans, using a R35 to VBM were free to move on turn three up top, capturing three wooden buildings, breaking the mortar crew and the 57L crew.

The lower force engaged in stalemated firefight, capturing the building just past the woods line.

Turn four/five were pivotal as the lone unbroken upper board Ami squad was tied up in Melee by a spunky conscript, and the 747/337/MMG combo rallied in back of the two-level upper building. My open topped Marder dropped a smoke grenade, survived a scary Street Fighting attack and MMG To Kill by the rallied stack. This freed several Georgian infantry squads and they raced past the tied-up Amis to capture rear buildings.

The lower board one firefight continued, but with a blazed R35 for cover, several Axis infantry squads made the lower two hex wooden building and Doug conceded as the Ami position was now hopeless.


Had a great time, ate well, enjoyed seeing friends and playing good opponents in friendly games. Ended with four wins in six games.

David Goldman runs a good tourney and if a friendly competitive ASL experience in an upscale environment appeals to you, plan to attend.

Rich
Great AAR Rich. Good seeing you again and will see you next in St. Louis. Mark had a hell of a run and was really on top of his game this weekend.
 

Jacometti

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Great AAR Rich!

Two quick comments: in DTF, there should not be dummy stacks higher than two counters since all SW and SMC are normally HIP. Bob lost it when he allowed the single ART piece to take out two Valentines, that is a game decider (and can be avoided).

As for losing Boy Soldiers - that is the only known unbalanced dog in the last Friendly Fire pack and you lost it the moment you got the Russians....
 
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