davegin
Senior Member
Well another ASL Open Chicago has entered the books. Mucho thanks to Dave Goldman for putting on yet another great event. Congratulations to my fellow Ohioan, Bret, on yet another successful run for the title. I, however, recorded my worst finish in my last eight tournaments as my dice betrayed me in the opening battles.
Round 1:
Being seeded third, I was matched up against Bob Bendis (seeded fourth and tied on points with me last year), in round 1. Although I would have preferred to go to one of the alternative round selections, we chose Tropic Lightening. We both wanted the Japs as it seems to be the favored side. I won the choice and gave Bob the US balance. Despite the best efforts of my stout defense, the dice belayed the outcome of this playing. Bob rolled 13 eyes (2 heroes, 1 bezerk, 1 wind change, and 9 IFT shots) to my four. Bob only rolled 2 inconsequential box cars to my nine. Five of these boxcars malfed four of my vehicles and the AT gun. The AT gun malfed on the first shot as it revealed itself from HIP with a clean shot at the rear facings of three of Bob's vehicles. With a 3 rate and needing a 10 to hit during Prep fire this really swung the game. Even with the disparity of the dice, Bob managed to get the last building on the last turn. Bob must have felt a little threatened as normally he is a much faster player. This scenario went from 5PM til 4 AM. Eleven hours of which I got to play about three. I have played this scenario before as both sides and it never went past 4 hours. Dogged and tired and 0-1.
Round 2: Matched up with second seeded Wes Vaughn who lost to Bret in round 1 in a replay of Mormal Forest. Diced for sides and I got the French which was great since the last time Wes and I played this I had the German. I set up a loose force on 1/2 squads, dummies, and 1- 4-5-7 w/lt. mtr in and around the building on the French left with the 25LL to the rear to prevent a halftrack attack. My 9-1 was with a 4-5-8 and HMG in the brush on the far right to cover the road approach to the back building. The balance of the 4-5-8 were in the woods preparing for their fall back defense. Wes decided not to even attack the building on his right as he overestimated its defense and came straight through the woods with his infantry while his 1/2 tracks w/ passengers blitzed up the road on the left side of the woods. I fired at the first 1/2 track as it entered the road hex between the woods and the hedge line (the only hex to safely move through) with no rate and NE but laid the 4 residiual. The next 37L half track hit the residual and stunned with the passenger squad breaking. This would cost the remaining 1/2 tracks some movement, but the residual only managed to break one more 1/2 squad passenger. Wes now had four 1/2 tracks, three with passengers in my rear. His assault in the woods was slow as I would lay residual and then fall back and reconceal. As the next two turns played out, I managed with the French tanks and HMG to knock out all of his remaining 1/2 tracks as well as their passengers and Wes felt the game was lost. He plodded on through the woods. My HMG finally broke down and the 9-1 with his squad got stopped when his stuka arrived keeping them from crossing the road to get to the back building. On my last turn I left one squad in the front building as I figured I wouldn't need to defend it and concentrated my defenders around the rear building. I felt pretty secure with two tanks in front approaches and one in BP of the building. An 8-0 with a 4-5-8 in the building and a mix of broken and live squads blocking all hexes from the german right approaches. Wes left the woods cover with everything he could and ran down the road toward the rear building. He had to run the gauntlet of no less than 8 point blank shots. This was when my dice went cold and what few effects I managed, Wes passed. Now facing four of his 2-4-7s adjacent as well as two ldrs, one with a demo he was trying to place and one with a flamethrower, I took FPF from the squad in the building and managed to break the demo guy but the FT ldr. survived and I broke on the second FPF. Now on the advance, as the FT advance fire cleared the building, all Wes needed to do was pass one of four attempts at PTCs to enter the building due to the tank in BP. He passed all four and snatched victory from the French jaws of defeat. This was that close as is every game I play with Wes. Maybe should have picked a PTO where I have a decided advantage against my razorback friend. 0-2 and looking for some loyal dice.
Round 3: Bill Haywood and I decided on Melee Near the Coast. A very balanced scenario which both of us have played numerous times. I have the attacking Japs and Bill the defending Chinese. Bill sets up extremely forward which finds me licking my chops as a good Jap attack should blow through the initial lines and be in the Chinese rear before their reinforcements arrive. So main force up the road, mortars in position on the right and a stream assault on the right with a minor contingent. I move to bust concealment on the left. Bill's first 3 shots: two snakes and a 3. Results: 2KIAs and a K2. I am down 2.5 squads and I have only moved three. The writing was on the wall. Bill hot dice and masterful fall back defense found me with only 2.5 squads of my original 13 left in play by the time my reinforcements entered. Everything on my right in the stream assault was dead except for 1.5 Chinese squads with a ldr and two of my 1/2 squads. With only five buildings controlled and Bill having a 90% chance of recontrolling most of them, I threw in the towel. At least my dice started to get a little lower but in this playing they were no match for Bill's. 0-3 and worst start ever but still having a blast.
Round 4: Alligator Tanks vs. Magnus Rimval. Magnus wanted the US force so I set up the Jap defense. In this scenario the US must eliminate the three pillboxes. I set the first one in the open ground behind the bamboo wall on the left and panjied the hexside approaches to the bamboo. The 2-2-8 w/20L atr was in the box with a trench on top w/ ldr, mmg, and 2-2-8 and trenches down the line with squads. The other pills were unoccupied but in hex R0 and R8. RO had swamp on the one approach and a lot of kunai in front. I had a ldr w/ 50cal and crew in trench on top. R8 had trench on top w/hmg, ldr, and crew with trenches in R9 and 10 behind the two hex water obstacle. The gun was HIP in front of the bunker w the mmg, last ldr, and crew. This defense made it almost impossible for the US to win. I HIPed two 1/2 squads up front and used the 6 dummies and three squads as speed bumps. These few units managed to severely impede the first US moves and I even managed to get some of them back. A highlight a this game came when Magnus tried to infiltrate the bamboo behind the forward pillbox with his FT. The squad broke upon entry from PB fire and them died routing through the panji dropping the FT in the bamboo. On my next move I sent one-eyed Han (a 3-4-7 squad) into the bamboo. The following rally he rolled a 2 to recover the FT. On Magnus's next move he sent the one FT tank in against the forward pillbox and the inexperience FT squad took a two hex shot at him over the pillbox, as the pill was in open ground. Once he stopped, I needed a 6 to kill, (4 long range, +2 open top). Dead on my four roll. I had moved the atr crew out of the pill through the bunker trench to get a better view and ended up killing another tank and shocking another. Magnus had also lost a fourth vehicle when he bogged trying to leave the water obstacle on his right and my sniper came in to recall it before he unbogged. His last tank was a +1 as it had been stunned by mmg fire. With his main weapons gone, Magnus threw in the towel. This scenario can be extremely hard on the US with the proper placement of the pillboxes by limiting the approaches to them. 1-3 and feeling a little better about myself.
Round 5: Coke Hill vs. Doug Robicheaux. I gave Doug choice of side and he chose the Australian attacker. I set up with the typical Jap forward then fall back defense and concentrated defending the three hex wooded second levels on my left while bore sighting the four hex level twos in the center. I place the gun on first level behind the stream looking down the entire length of the "super highway" stream, but facing the CA opposite to cover the road. Not many highlights in this playing as the Jap defense slowed the attack almost everywhere to the point that Doug had to try to get his tanks past hexrow U. The gun took out the first tank and Doug malfed the MA on another. When the gun managed to eliminate the second tank and the Jap still controlled all but one level two hexes. Doug conceded on turn five. 2-3 and my dice have returned.
Round 6: Sunday morning and Crickets in the Spring vs. Mike Stubits. I give Mike choice of side and he takes the Russian. We were both very familiar with this scenario. Knowing the scenario, I realize that there is limited setup possibilities for the Russian, so I concentrate my attack on the right. I push forward through the lumberyards and out of the woods and eliminate two of the Russian defenders. I then assault up the road with two panthers and armored assault. Mike pops up his first gun in the orchard covering the road when I get adjacent. He opts to fire on the infantry as the panther has a front facing. He pins the 10-2 but the squad skates. I move right but still adjacent and he intensive fires and misses. Now having a side shot at the panther, he pops up his second gun on the two hex hill and promptly rolls a twelve. With his flank open, I roll into the stone buildings to the right of the center hill and take possession of his one art piece and turn it to train on the hill. I also had a 1/2 squad already in the front rowhouse on the center hill with a full squad in the stone building below as MIke had to desert the rowhouse to maneuver his hmg into a position to defend his flank. With one panther in position on the road to come up the hill, a strong force of squads in the stone buildings to the right of the hill ready to infiltrate to the rear buildings, and two panthers free to roam the right flank seeking out Russian tanks due to no further side/rear shot threats from ART pieces, Mike conceded. If it had not been Sunday, we could have continued and it might have become closer in the point totals, but to this point the german had only lost one squad and the defense was broken. 3-3 and ready for the trip home.
I felt semi-redeemed in evening the record, but I have to remember to roll lower in the opening rounds. St. Louis is next on my agenda. My thanks to all my opponents, Dave for another superbly run tourney, and to all my friends that I got to share a memorable weekend with. My only regret was missing the Noreaster because of the conflicting dates.
Round 1:
Being seeded third, I was matched up against Bob Bendis (seeded fourth and tied on points with me last year), in round 1. Although I would have preferred to go to one of the alternative round selections, we chose Tropic Lightening. We both wanted the Japs as it seems to be the favored side. I won the choice and gave Bob the US balance. Despite the best efforts of my stout defense, the dice belayed the outcome of this playing. Bob rolled 13 eyes (2 heroes, 1 bezerk, 1 wind change, and 9 IFT shots) to my four. Bob only rolled 2 inconsequential box cars to my nine. Five of these boxcars malfed four of my vehicles and the AT gun. The AT gun malfed on the first shot as it revealed itself from HIP with a clean shot at the rear facings of three of Bob's vehicles. With a 3 rate and needing a 10 to hit during Prep fire this really swung the game. Even with the disparity of the dice, Bob managed to get the last building on the last turn. Bob must have felt a little threatened as normally he is a much faster player. This scenario went from 5PM til 4 AM. Eleven hours of which I got to play about three. I have played this scenario before as both sides and it never went past 4 hours. Dogged and tired and 0-1.
Round 2: Matched up with second seeded Wes Vaughn who lost to Bret in round 1 in a replay of Mormal Forest. Diced for sides and I got the French which was great since the last time Wes and I played this I had the German. I set up a loose force on 1/2 squads, dummies, and 1- 4-5-7 w/lt. mtr in and around the building on the French left with the 25LL to the rear to prevent a halftrack attack. My 9-1 was with a 4-5-8 and HMG in the brush on the far right to cover the road approach to the back building. The balance of the 4-5-8 were in the woods preparing for their fall back defense. Wes decided not to even attack the building on his right as he overestimated its defense and came straight through the woods with his infantry while his 1/2 tracks w/ passengers blitzed up the road on the left side of the woods. I fired at the first 1/2 track as it entered the road hex between the woods and the hedge line (the only hex to safely move through) with no rate and NE but laid the 4 residiual. The next 37L half track hit the residual and stunned with the passenger squad breaking. This would cost the remaining 1/2 tracks some movement, but the residual only managed to break one more 1/2 squad passenger. Wes now had four 1/2 tracks, three with passengers in my rear. His assault in the woods was slow as I would lay residual and then fall back and reconceal. As the next two turns played out, I managed with the French tanks and HMG to knock out all of his remaining 1/2 tracks as well as their passengers and Wes felt the game was lost. He plodded on through the woods. My HMG finally broke down and the 9-1 with his squad got stopped when his stuka arrived keeping them from crossing the road to get to the back building. On my last turn I left one squad in the front building as I figured I wouldn't need to defend it and concentrated my defenders around the rear building. I felt pretty secure with two tanks in front approaches and one in BP of the building. An 8-0 with a 4-5-8 in the building and a mix of broken and live squads blocking all hexes from the german right approaches. Wes left the woods cover with everything he could and ran down the road toward the rear building. He had to run the gauntlet of no less than 8 point blank shots. This was when my dice went cold and what few effects I managed, Wes passed. Now facing four of his 2-4-7s adjacent as well as two ldrs, one with a demo he was trying to place and one with a flamethrower, I took FPF from the squad in the building and managed to break the demo guy but the FT ldr. survived and I broke on the second FPF. Now on the advance, as the FT advance fire cleared the building, all Wes needed to do was pass one of four attempts at PTCs to enter the building due to the tank in BP. He passed all four and snatched victory from the French jaws of defeat. This was that close as is every game I play with Wes. Maybe should have picked a PTO where I have a decided advantage against my razorback friend. 0-2 and looking for some loyal dice.
Round 3: Bill Haywood and I decided on Melee Near the Coast. A very balanced scenario which both of us have played numerous times. I have the attacking Japs and Bill the defending Chinese. Bill sets up extremely forward which finds me licking my chops as a good Jap attack should blow through the initial lines and be in the Chinese rear before their reinforcements arrive. So main force up the road, mortars in position on the right and a stream assault on the right with a minor contingent. I move to bust concealment on the left. Bill's first 3 shots: two snakes and a 3. Results: 2KIAs and a K2. I am down 2.5 squads and I have only moved three. The writing was on the wall. Bill hot dice and masterful fall back defense found me with only 2.5 squads of my original 13 left in play by the time my reinforcements entered. Everything on my right in the stream assault was dead except for 1.5 Chinese squads with a ldr and two of my 1/2 squads. With only five buildings controlled and Bill having a 90% chance of recontrolling most of them, I threw in the towel. At least my dice started to get a little lower but in this playing they were no match for Bill's. 0-3 and worst start ever but still having a blast.
Round 4: Alligator Tanks vs. Magnus Rimval. Magnus wanted the US force so I set up the Jap defense. In this scenario the US must eliminate the three pillboxes. I set the first one in the open ground behind the bamboo wall on the left and panjied the hexside approaches to the bamboo. The 2-2-8 w/20L atr was in the box with a trench on top w/ ldr, mmg, and 2-2-8 and trenches down the line with squads. The other pills were unoccupied but in hex R0 and R8. RO had swamp on the one approach and a lot of kunai in front. I had a ldr w/ 50cal and crew in trench on top. R8 had trench on top w/hmg, ldr, and crew with trenches in R9 and 10 behind the two hex water obstacle. The gun was HIP in front of the bunker w the mmg, last ldr, and crew. This defense made it almost impossible for the US to win. I HIPed two 1/2 squads up front and used the 6 dummies and three squads as speed bumps. These few units managed to severely impede the first US moves and I even managed to get some of them back. A highlight a this game came when Magnus tried to infiltrate the bamboo behind the forward pillbox with his FT. The squad broke upon entry from PB fire and them died routing through the panji dropping the FT in the bamboo. On my next move I sent one-eyed Han (a 3-4-7 squad) into the bamboo. The following rally he rolled a 2 to recover the FT. On Magnus's next move he sent the one FT tank in against the forward pillbox and the inexperience FT squad took a two hex shot at him over the pillbox, as the pill was in open ground. Once he stopped, I needed a 6 to kill, (4 long range, +2 open top). Dead on my four roll. I had moved the atr crew out of the pill through the bunker trench to get a better view and ended up killing another tank and shocking another. Magnus had also lost a fourth vehicle when he bogged trying to leave the water obstacle on his right and my sniper came in to recall it before he unbogged. His last tank was a +1 as it had been stunned by mmg fire. With his main weapons gone, Magnus threw in the towel. This scenario can be extremely hard on the US with the proper placement of the pillboxes by limiting the approaches to them. 1-3 and feeling a little better about myself.
Round 5: Coke Hill vs. Doug Robicheaux. I gave Doug choice of side and he chose the Australian attacker. I set up with the typical Jap forward then fall back defense and concentrated defending the three hex wooded second levels on my left while bore sighting the four hex level twos in the center. I place the gun on first level behind the stream looking down the entire length of the "super highway" stream, but facing the CA opposite to cover the road. Not many highlights in this playing as the Jap defense slowed the attack almost everywhere to the point that Doug had to try to get his tanks past hexrow U. The gun took out the first tank and Doug malfed the MA on another. When the gun managed to eliminate the second tank and the Jap still controlled all but one level two hexes. Doug conceded on turn five. 2-3 and my dice have returned.
Round 6: Sunday morning and Crickets in the Spring vs. Mike Stubits. I give Mike choice of side and he takes the Russian. We were both very familiar with this scenario. Knowing the scenario, I realize that there is limited setup possibilities for the Russian, so I concentrate my attack on the right. I push forward through the lumberyards and out of the woods and eliminate two of the Russian defenders. I then assault up the road with two panthers and armored assault. Mike pops up his first gun in the orchard covering the road when I get adjacent. He opts to fire on the infantry as the panther has a front facing. He pins the 10-2 but the squad skates. I move right but still adjacent and he intensive fires and misses. Now having a side shot at the panther, he pops up his second gun on the two hex hill and promptly rolls a twelve. With his flank open, I roll into the stone buildings to the right of the center hill and take possession of his one art piece and turn it to train on the hill. I also had a 1/2 squad already in the front rowhouse on the center hill with a full squad in the stone building below as MIke had to desert the rowhouse to maneuver his hmg into a position to defend his flank. With one panther in position on the road to come up the hill, a strong force of squads in the stone buildings to the right of the hill ready to infiltrate to the rear buildings, and two panthers free to roam the right flank seeking out Russian tanks due to no further side/rear shot threats from ART pieces, Mike conceded. If it had not been Sunday, we could have continued and it might have become closer in the point totals, but to this point the german had only lost one squad and the defense was broken. 3-3 and ready for the trip home.
I felt semi-redeemed in evening the record, but I have to remember to roll lower in the opening rounds. St. Louis is next on my agenda. My thanks to all my opponents, Dave for another superbly run tourney, and to all my friends that I got to share a memorable weekend with. My only regret was missing the Noreaster because of the conflicting dates.
