Blockbusting the Meatgrinder

Bad Dice

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My esteemed friend and ASL opponent Sergeant Schmutz, fresh from our tussle in the streets of France, now square off in the rubble of Monte Cassino in this scenario from Coastal Fortress.

SS is probably out for blood, judging by the world-class dicings I gave him in First to Strike and Ramcke's Redoubt. SS certainly has the tools to do it in this one, what with a platoon of Shermans and a section of Staghound AC, a wealth of elite British infantry, and some great leadership to spur the lads on.

A MOUT fight is never a simple task, however, and while I have neither the armor nor the manpower in the same quantities, what I do have is quite capable of stuffing his infantry. In a tank duel I will lose, but if I can break enough British infantry (or better yet, kill them), then I can so-flummox his timetable that he'll have a hard time taking all of the victory buildings by the end of the game.

It's also raining at start, but as a rule the engagement ranges will be such that LV Hindrances shouldn't be much of an issue. That might change, depending on the wind. Mud is also in effect, which might have a greater impact on things than the rain.

We start then with British Prep, which sees his 10-2 direct a 4-5-8/HMG; 4-5-8/LMG kill-stack. Eek, in a word. I stacked an 8-1 with a 5-4-8 holding a LMG, I fully expect this stack to go south on the first shot of the game. I'm partially correct, the Feldwebel folds like a well-used map on a 1MC, but the squad stands fast. Elsewhere I do not quite as well, and the units I have out as pickets either Pin or break under British fire. To be expected, and really that's why they were out there in the first place.

German Defensive Fire sees the StuH in the north open up on the 10-2 kill-stack (see StuH Shot.jpg). The shot hit on a 3, and the subsequent IFT roll was a 2. That's right, a 2KIA, for the first German shot of the game. RS picked the leader and aStuH Shot.jpg squad, which is adding injury to insult since the HMG malfed on a rate shot. SS' dice are off to another screaming start.

Not that things went all my way. I did suffer a couple of inopportune breaks, but then I always do. I won't moan about them, since I subsequently scored reasonably well with my other StuH against another kill-stack, Pinning a unit and breaking another. Meanwhile, the German mortar went into action and found rate seven or eight times in the same DFF. I came away with a Pinned British unit, but then again my Sniper activated twice out of 3 checks (which is what happens when your SAN is 5).

Speaking of the mortar, a rather extensive rules debate saw me on the losing side of a discussion regarding where an 81mm mortar can set up. I put it originally in the building where you see the 9-2, on the ground floor (see Mortar Placement Oopsie.jpg). This was due less to my ignorance of the rules, than to the fact that I was using my 1st ed. rules set, which did not disallow this; vice the 2nd edition, which specifically does.

SS was gentleman enough to let me reposition the mortar. I repayed his generosity by shelling the crap out of him with it, eventually breaking a couple of units.

Time and other constraints forced us to leave it at the end of British Turn 2. The last two screenies show where each side is in relation to the other, as of then.

BD
 

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clubby

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I'm surprised any edition of the rules allowed the placement of an indirect fire weapon inside a building with a roof.
 

jrv

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The original version version of B23.423 did not mention that MTRs (and AA fired against aircraft) could not fire from buildings. That was fixed in the '87 errata page.

JR
 

Bad Dice

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clubby said:
I'm surprised any edition of the rules allowed the placement of an indirect fire weapon inside a building with a roof.
Per my copy of the ASLRB:
upload_2017-8-18_20-36-34.png
Note that the cite says Mortars are Direct Fire weapons, even though they affect a target indirectly.
Regarding errata, I'm working from an un-erratified copy. Fortunately, SS is not.


BD
 

clubby

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Hey, it's not like that was fixed with errata 30 years ago or something. :D
 

jrv

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Note that the cite says Mortars are Direct Fire weapons, even though they affect a target indirectly.
Regarding errata, I'm working from an un-erratified copy. Fortunately, SS is not.
Although it sounds like it might, the rule that disallows MTRs from firing out of buildings has nothing to do with their being direct fire weapons. The limitation is in B23.423, i.e. under buildings. MTRs remain direct fire weapons to this day. The '87 errata page for this rule has since been replaced by the 2000 errata page. The 2000 errata pages have since been updated with "sticky errata" (although not B23.423), so you have a bit of work ahead of you to get to being up-to-date.

JR
 

Honza

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Where can I find the scenario? Is it a download?
 

Bad Dice

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The scenario comes from the Coastal Fortress guys. If they allow me to, I'll send you my copy.


BD
 

Bad Dice

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Absolutely. Waiting only for permission from the CF guys.


BD
 
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