plpalmerdvm
Member
I think this is my sixth straight Bitter Ender and I was very happy to return to Raleigh for some ASL fellowship. I was coming in as defending champ but knew there was a strong field including not only both Stanhagan brothers, but also Bill Cirillo who has been dominating the ASL Tourney world as of late. I had three objectives coming into the weekend (well, four if you include getting in a game of Terraforming Mars: 1) Have Fun---the first and most important; 2) Play Well--always had making stupid mistakes; and 3) Avoid wrecking my truck on either the coming or going leg. I think I accomplished all very well. (NOTE: I'll be cross-posting this on the FB page)
ROUND 1: A Grain in the Sand vs Tom Arnold
This was declared the “Arnold Palmer Round”. Dice gave me the German Defenders and I setup heavily in the town. The plan was to defend the town until the CVP cap reached and then prevent exit of HTs/infantry, but also planned on heavily targeting those HTs loaded with infantry. NOTE: It was announced that the CVP cap in this scenario only counted for the building control part of the VC, not the exit.
Tom moves his mass of AFVs in very skillfully and I do have a target rich environment. One Sherman stops in a bore-sighted hex of a PzIV, but is behind bocage and I can't get the turret hit I need. While I am also HD, Tom does get the turret hit he needs. I take out 2 Shermans on turn 1, but the 2nd PzIV goes down to a CH, so I am way behind in the armor department.
On turn 2, the 50L manages to take out a HT that goes through it's BS hex in the grain field needing a 5 TH. A HT loaded with 5 CVP (enough to meet the infantry exit requirements) sneaks past the ATG and ends movement in motion next to my HIP PSK. I'm salivating as I have two chances to roll a 6 but don't get either AND X-out the PSK on the 2nd shot. That HT heads towards the exit area but for some reason stops and unloads. On turn 3, I turn the gun to engage a 3rd HT trying to sneak past that flank in bypass. I miss the initial shot and decide to IF and it pays off. Now only two HTs remaining.
The US is now past it's CVP cap, so Tom can't win by taking the town. I start moving units to block the HT movement, but either can't hit, can't penetrate or the units break from fire from the multiple remaining Shermans. Tom freeze/sleezes the ATG with a Sherman. I malf the gun on an IF shot, but fix it the next phase and take out the Sherman with a CH.
My reinforcements come on (HT/squad & Puma) and engage the unloaded HT, but can't harm them. This leads to my "style points" move of the game:
As my Puma & HT are engaging Tom's units that are threatening to exit, Tom moves a Sherman over to threaten my Puma. I send the HT in Motion, use the Puma to take out his HT on an IF shot. On my turn, SPW251/1 then charges the Sherman, drops smoke grenades in it's location, then moves over to block the bypass path of a 2nd French HT. The Puma then moves over to engage the FF infantry. The Sherman gets a shot but it's +7 instead of +4 (due to the smoke) and misses). The Puma then wounds the FF leader with a 4 +1 CMG shot and the squad pins. When I tie them up in Melee, there is no way for them to exit.
I really had to fight hard to keep myself in this one. Tom played a good game and got the best of me in the initial armor battle. 1-0
ROUND 2: SP266 Hohenstaufen Hootenanny vs Ed Fritz Jr
I have played both Ed and his father and have always enjoyed the games, so looked forward to the match. I get the attacking Germans in this one by a roll of the dice. I think I have played all defense in the past 2 tourneys so attacking is a welcome change.
My Germans have 10 SS squads and 4 Elefants and need to outscore the Russians. I get points for controlling the Steeple and exiting AFVs (11 points possible). The Russians get points for controlling building hexes as well as level 2 hills (21 points possible). Ed has what looks like the .50cal in the steeple, infantry scattered in the village, the T34 on the board 17Z hill, and probably the MTR on the hill. I setup a firebase in a board 63 building, and split my infantry & AFVs to attack from that board as well as enter board 17Z.
My initial 16 up 2 shot at the .50cal is laughed off (I think it was a 1MC). Still I have to slog onward. I send a PSK HS as well as one Elefant to engage the T34 keeping mindful of it's facing due to an ART gun being out there. My attack from the south of town is fairly uneventful, but the units entering from offboard are a disaster. I use AA with two Elefants to make it to the edge of town. The first stack with a HS draws no fire. But the 2nd with a leader and SS squad gets the attention of the .50, and an 8 down 1 shot causes a KIA and I'm down a squad. My luck doesn't change much over the next couple of turns. Rather than pulling back, I think Ed smells blood and holds fast on his defense causing me many headaches and I can't crack his guys. I try to use an Elefant on GT2 to freeze-sleeze a defender only to have him roll SNAKES on the Reaction fire. That squad then CRs an SS HS on a 1MC that I roll boxcars on, so I'm down to 1 squad on that side. Luckily my sniper finally breaks that squad and I've got my foot in the door.
Still I don't have much cover on the southern flank and Ed is making me pay. By the end of turn 3 I'm down three whole squads and other than my sniper haven't harmed the Russian infantry. I had managed to bag the first T-34 with the PSK, but still had a 2nd (reinforcement) and the gun to worry about. I pass my PMC, and beginning on the bottom of the 4th, the Russian world starts falling apart. I had initially not planned on using the Elefants too much in the attack because they need to exit and have a long way to go. I was forced to stop them and engage Russian targets. One scores a KIA on a squad. I take out a 2nd Russian squad in CC. Then units start breaking left and right. By the end of turn 5, all the Russian defenders (except one hero) are either broken, gone for FTR, or in Melee. I win both melees and should have no trouble mopping up the town. That means the Russians will have 4 points for the 2 hill hexes and I will have 2 for the Steeple. I will need to exit the Elefant with my armor leader, or any two Elefants (with 3 remaining). One Elefant malfed it's MA firing on infantry so it will definitely try to exit. A 2nd Elefant moves forward to engage the remaining T34 to free up this exit path only to find the ART gun that gets a side shot and burns it. At least I know where the gun is now, and it's right in front of my 3rd Elefant (with the AL). I had not moved this one this turn as it would be able to exit in one MPh. Ed takes an IF shot to DI but doesn't get the hull hit he needs. I take an AFPh shot rolling a 7. Normally this would be a miss, but my AL saves the day making it a hit and the K/3 takes out the crew. The T-34 DI's the other malfed Elefant meaning I have to exit my AL to win, and the T-34 will get at least one side shot.
So, I have infantry swarming the T-34 on the last 2 turns, but can't find a PF. Things get interesting on turn 7 (last turn) as I generate a Berserker in Rally Phase that will charge the T34. Before it gets a chance, my hero finally manages to find a Faust and rolls the 7 it needed to toast the T-34. I manage to startup the Elefant, skirt through some MTR shots while CE, and exit my AL to go up on VPs 5-4.
Wow, two games today where I had my back totally against the wall and had to claw my way back. I’m 2-0 but really having to fight just to stay in the tourney.
ROUND 3: SP274 Balloons, Cakes, and Ponies vs Ken Mioduski
This pairing is a rematch of last year’s BE Final. Dice give me the attacking Russian Cavalry vs Ken’s assortment of Germans (and two 150 ART guns). VCs are that the Russians need to control more multi-hex stone buildings than the Germans (6 total), but also can gain VP by taking out a Gun(s). The Russians are Cavalry and have a significant initial advantage in number of squads (13 to 5.5). My strategy is to gallop forward putting as much stress on the sparse German defenders as I can while also sending some units to try to outflank them.
So on turn 1 all riders move forward fast. Two break and one boxcars it’s Bailing MC, so I’m down a squad from the start. Ken’s sniper activates and PINs one of my Cavalry that hadn’t moved yet. Oh, well, I was planning on leaving a guard near that building anyone (and good thing I did-next turn a German sniper whacks a 2nd squad over there so I needed the extra bodies). I don’t get too cute on my tanks on turn 1, but move them to where they can threaten the AMD35 on turn 2.
On turn 2, my original OOB continues to move forward. The AMD35 survives fire from the ATR, but falls to a DC. I take the first building (well, actually the 2nd with one given from the start) and move the T-60s toward the next one only to have the Gun pop up with side shots to both. One of them brews up in the bottom of the turn. I sent a company of reinforcements to threaten the western most VC building (71D2/D3). One rider Bails from defensive fire, but manages to rout to the board edge woods. In turn 3, this brokie self-rallies and takes part in the assault on that building. While my attack on the 71J5/J6/J7 building is repulsed, I get into D2/D3 and get infiltration on the CC attack generating an 8-0. I also get into 71G3/G4/H4 and upper-level encircle the defenders there. Ken brings his turn 3 reinforcements in the SW corner which is fine with me. A 150 hits my attackers in H4 ground level, but only manages a 1MC resulting only in a PIN. In turn 4, I continue my attack on both buildings but can’t quite take either. To try to keep the big Guns from hurting me so much, I run a T-60 into it’s hex and stay there in motion. Ken tries to counter attack in GT4, but can’t leave buildings unguarded. Biggest event of the game happens during GT4 Close Combat phase as my T-60 takes out the gun crew with another snakes in CC to give me another VP putting me up 4-3 with another building likely to fall, and Ken decides to conceed. So 3-0 and on to the semi-finals.
ROUND 4: FT190 The Land of Fire vs Doug Sheppard
Doug and I have played a couple of times at BE during his TD years. I have always enjoyed the games, and he is definitely a good ASL player. I pulled out a win in our last game after being behind for most of the game, so was worried it would be payback time. We picked this LFT scenario featuring a horde of Romanians attacking a spread out Russian force. The Romanians needed to fulfill 2 out of 3 VCs. Basically take: a) the State Farm compound; b) the level 2 hills; or c) the Lighthouse. Dice again give me the attacking Romanians. I get three StuGs and OBA, so I’m pretty happy.
On turn 1, I decide not to call down the OBA into the PRH on the compound as I didn’t want to draw an extra chit. Plus, Doug didn’t have anyone on level 1 (due to the OBA I guess), so I used Armored Assault and the cover of the brush and hedges. Not many broke, but Doug did manage a CH with his 50mm MTR that KIA’d an 8-0 and that really hurt because I’m already thin on leaders. Still the assault on the compound continues supported by OBA coming down with only some effects. I slowly push the Germans out of there, but it takes longer than I expected and really wears down the initial group. While they certainly push the defenders out, there are not enough to defend it from counter attack and spare anyone to attack further. That’s OK though because there is a 2nd group to attack the lighthouse and they make steady progress. I get their StuG into good positions and push the defenders back to the woods where they start taking attrition while my guys are able to rout back and regroup. The attack is going well and the Lighthouse seems in trouble. Then the StuG malfs it’s MA really hurting my base of fire. I decide to freeze/sleeze the Lighthouse with this StuG and move the others up from the compound. The freeze would reduce the fire out of the Lighthouse and keep other Germans from freely reinforcing it. The sleezing StuG survived 2 close combats before falling. Unfortunately then Doug rolled really well it is went up in a blaze giving him more cover. Still I continue attacking and force pretty much everyone else back. It comes down to a squad and leader in the Lighthouse. Over the last turn I cannot harm/break them or prevent them from going upstairs. In the end I come up short with my last DFPh just fizzling out. So I’m 3-1 and out of the tourney.
I had a very fun time and four really good games so many many thanks to my opponents for that. I think I played well and very happy that I probably should have been out in round 1 or 2, but managed to claw my way back. Congrats to BE Champ Tom Kearney and Runner Up Doug Sheppard. And to repeat the comments of others, this is a really good tourney that I have been going to for 6 years now and I can highly recommend it to anyone to add to their “gotta go” list.
ROUND 1: A Grain in the Sand vs Tom Arnold
This was declared the “Arnold Palmer Round”. Dice gave me the German Defenders and I setup heavily in the town. The plan was to defend the town until the CVP cap reached and then prevent exit of HTs/infantry, but also planned on heavily targeting those HTs loaded with infantry. NOTE: It was announced that the CVP cap in this scenario only counted for the building control part of the VC, not the exit.
Tom moves his mass of AFVs in very skillfully and I do have a target rich environment. One Sherman stops in a bore-sighted hex of a PzIV, but is behind bocage and I can't get the turret hit I need. While I am also HD, Tom does get the turret hit he needs. I take out 2 Shermans on turn 1, but the 2nd PzIV goes down to a CH, so I am way behind in the armor department.
On turn 2, the 50L manages to take out a HT that goes through it's BS hex in the grain field needing a 5 TH. A HT loaded with 5 CVP (enough to meet the infantry exit requirements) sneaks past the ATG and ends movement in motion next to my HIP PSK. I'm salivating as I have two chances to roll a 6 but don't get either AND X-out the PSK on the 2nd shot. That HT heads towards the exit area but for some reason stops and unloads. On turn 3, I turn the gun to engage a 3rd HT trying to sneak past that flank in bypass. I miss the initial shot and decide to IF and it pays off. Now only two HTs remaining.
The US is now past it's CVP cap, so Tom can't win by taking the town. I start moving units to block the HT movement, but either can't hit, can't penetrate or the units break from fire from the multiple remaining Shermans. Tom freeze/sleezes the ATG with a Sherman. I malf the gun on an IF shot, but fix it the next phase and take out the Sherman with a CH.
My reinforcements come on (HT/squad & Puma) and engage the unloaded HT, but can't harm them. This leads to my "style points" move of the game:
As my Puma & HT are engaging Tom's units that are threatening to exit, Tom moves a Sherman over to threaten my Puma. I send the HT in Motion, use the Puma to take out his HT on an IF shot. On my turn, SPW251/1 then charges the Sherman, drops smoke grenades in it's location, then moves over to block the bypass path of a 2nd French HT. The Puma then moves over to engage the FF infantry. The Sherman gets a shot but it's +7 instead of +4 (due to the smoke) and misses). The Puma then wounds the FF leader with a 4 +1 CMG shot and the squad pins. When I tie them up in Melee, there is no way for them to exit.
I really had to fight hard to keep myself in this one. Tom played a good game and got the best of me in the initial armor battle. 1-0
ROUND 2: SP266 Hohenstaufen Hootenanny vs Ed Fritz Jr
I have played both Ed and his father and have always enjoyed the games, so looked forward to the match. I get the attacking Germans in this one by a roll of the dice. I think I have played all defense in the past 2 tourneys so attacking is a welcome change.
My Germans have 10 SS squads and 4 Elefants and need to outscore the Russians. I get points for controlling the Steeple and exiting AFVs (11 points possible). The Russians get points for controlling building hexes as well as level 2 hills (21 points possible). Ed has what looks like the .50cal in the steeple, infantry scattered in the village, the T34 on the board 17Z hill, and probably the MTR on the hill. I setup a firebase in a board 63 building, and split my infantry & AFVs to attack from that board as well as enter board 17Z.
My initial 16 up 2 shot at the .50cal is laughed off (I think it was a 1MC). Still I have to slog onward. I send a PSK HS as well as one Elefant to engage the T34 keeping mindful of it's facing due to an ART gun being out there. My attack from the south of town is fairly uneventful, but the units entering from offboard are a disaster. I use AA with two Elefants to make it to the edge of town. The first stack with a HS draws no fire. But the 2nd with a leader and SS squad gets the attention of the .50, and an 8 down 1 shot causes a KIA and I'm down a squad. My luck doesn't change much over the next couple of turns. Rather than pulling back, I think Ed smells blood and holds fast on his defense causing me many headaches and I can't crack his guys. I try to use an Elefant on GT2 to freeze-sleeze a defender only to have him roll SNAKES on the Reaction fire. That squad then CRs an SS HS on a 1MC that I roll boxcars on, so I'm down to 1 squad on that side. Luckily my sniper finally breaks that squad and I've got my foot in the door.
Still I don't have much cover on the southern flank and Ed is making me pay. By the end of turn 3 I'm down three whole squads and other than my sniper haven't harmed the Russian infantry. I had managed to bag the first T-34 with the PSK, but still had a 2nd (reinforcement) and the gun to worry about. I pass my PMC, and beginning on the bottom of the 4th, the Russian world starts falling apart. I had initially not planned on using the Elefants too much in the attack because they need to exit and have a long way to go. I was forced to stop them and engage Russian targets. One scores a KIA on a squad. I take out a 2nd Russian squad in CC. Then units start breaking left and right. By the end of turn 5, all the Russian defenders (except one hero) are either broken, gone for FTR, or in Melee. I win both melees and should have no trouble mopping up the town. That means the Russians will have 4 points for the 2 hill hexes and I will have 2 for the Steeple. I will need to exit the Elefant with my armor leader, or any two Elefants (with 3 remaining). One Elefant malfed it's MA firing on infantry so it will definitely try to exit. A 2nd Elefant moves forward to engage the remaining T34 to free up this exit path only to find the ART gun that gets a side shot and burns it. At least I know where the gun is now, and it's right in front of my 3rd Elefant (with the AL). I had not moved this one this turn as it would be able to exit in one MPh. Ed takes an IF shot to DI but doesn't get the hull hit he needs. I take an AFPh shot rolling a 7. Normally this would be a miss, but my AL saves the day making it a hit and the K/3 takes out the crew. The T-34 DI's the other malfed Elefant meaning I have to exit my AL to win, and the T-34 will get at least one side shot.
So, I have infantry swarming the T-34 on the last 2 turns, but can't find a PF. Things get interesting on turn 7 (last turn) as I generate a Berserker in Rally Phase that will charge the T34. Before it gets a chance, my hero finally manages to find a Faust and rolls the 7 it needed to toast the T-34. I manage to startup the Elefant, skirt through some MTR shots while CE, and exit my AL to go up on VPs 5-4.
Wow, two games today where I had my back totally against the wall and had to claw my way back. I’m 2-0 but really having to fight just to stay in the tourney.
ROUND 3: SP274 Balloons, Cakes, and Ponies vs Ken Mioduski
This pairing is a rematch of last year’s BE Final. Dice give me the attacking Russian Cavalry vs Ken’s assortment of Germans (and two 150 ART guns). VCs are that the Russians need to control more multi-hex stone buildings than the Germans (6 total), but also can gain VP by taking out a Gun(s). The Russians are Cavalry and have a significant initial advantage in number of squads (13 to 5.5). My strategy is to gallop forward putting as much stress on the sparse German defenders as I can while also sending some units to try to outflank them.
So on turn 1 all riders move forward fast. Two break and one boxcars it’s Bailing MC, so I’m down a squad from the start. Ken’s sniper activates and PINs one of my Cavalry that hadn’t moved yet. Oh, well, I was planning on leaving a guard near that building anyone (and good thing I did-next turn a German sniper whacks a 2nd squad over there so I needed the extra bodies). I don’t get too cute on my tanks on turn 1, but move them to where they can threaten the AMD35 on turn 2.
On turn 2, my original OOB continues to move forward. The AMD35 survives fire from the ATR, but falls to a DC. I take the first building (well, actually the 2nd with one given from the start) and move the T-60s toward the next one only to have the Gun pop up with side shots to both. One of them brews up in the bottom of the turn. I sent a company of reinforcements to threaten the western most VC building (71D2/D3). One rider Bails from defensive fire, but manages to rout to the board edge woods. In turn 3, this brokie self-rallies and takes part in the assault on that building. While my attack on the 71J5/J6/J7 building is repulsed, I get into D2/D3 and get infiltration on the CC attack generating an 8-0. I also get into 71G3/G4/H4 and upper-level encircle the defenders there. Ken brings his turn 3 reinforcements in the SW corner which is fine with me. A 150 hits my attackers in H4 ground level, but only manages a 1MC resulting only in a PIN. In turn 4, I continue my attack on both buildings but can’t quite take either. To try to keep the big Guns from hurting me so much, I run a T-60 into it’s hex and stay there in motion. Ken tries to counter attack in GT4, but can’t leave buildings unguarded. Biggest event of the game happens during GT4 Close Combat phase as my T-60 takes out the gun crew with another snakes in CC to give me another VP putting me up 4-3 with another building likely to fall, and Ken decides to conceed. So 3-0 and on to the semi-finals.
ROUND 4: FT190 The Land of Fire vs Doug Sheppard
Doug and I have played a couple of times at BE during his TD years. I have always enjoyed the games, and he is definitely a good ASL player. I pulled out a win in our last game after being behind for most of the game, so was worried it would be payback time. We picked this LFT scenario featuring a horde of Romanians attacking a spread out Russian force. The Romanians needed to fulfill 2 out of 3 VCs. Basically take: a) the State Farm compound; b) the level 2 hills; or c) the Lighthouse. Dice again give me the attacking Romanians. I get three StuGs and OBA, so I’m pretty happy.
On turn 1, I decide not to call down the OBA into the PRH on the compound as I didn’t want to draw an extra chit. Plus, Doug didn’t have anyone on level 1 (due to the OBA I guess), so I used Armored Assault and the cover of the brush and hedges. Not many broke, but Doug did manage a CH with his 50mm MTR that KIA’d an 8-0 and that really hurt because I’m already thin on leaders. Still the assault on the compound continues supported by OBA coming down with only some effects. I slowly push the Germans out of there, but it takes longer than I expected and really wears down the initial group. While they certainly push the defenders out, there are not enough to defend it from counter attack and spare anyone to attack further. That’s OK though because there is a 2nd group to attack the lighthouse and they make steady progress. I get their StuG into good positions and push the defenders back to the woods where they start taking attrition while my guys are able to rout back and regroup. The attack is going well and the Lighthouse seems in trouble. Then the StuG malfs it’s MA really hurting my base of fire. I decide to freeze/sleeze the Lighthouse with this StuG and move the others up from the compound. The freeze would reduce the fire out of the Lighthouse and keep other Germans from freely reinforcing it. The sleezing StuG survived 2 close combats before falling. Unfortunately then Doug rolled really well it is went up in a blaze giving him more cover. Still I continue attacking and force pretty much everyone else back. It comes down to a squad and leader in the Lighthouse. Over the last turn I cannot harm/break them or prevent them from going upstairs. In the end I come up short with my last DFPh just fizzling out. So I’m 3-1 and out of the tourney.
I had a very fun time and four really good games so many many thanks to my opponents for that. I think I played well and very happy that I probably should have been out in round 1 or 2, but managed to claw my way back. Congrats to BE Champ Tom Kearney and Runner Up Doug Sheppard. And to repeat the comments of others, this is a really good tourney that I have been going to for 6 years now and I can highly recommend it to anyone to add to their “gotta go” list.
