Hard to say exactly. I played a couple dozen this year - more solo than not - and usually have fun with even a lopsided dog. Probably the "worst" (but still pretty darn enjoyable) was AP61 "Desobry Defiant." The scenario itself seems excellent - a Gary Fortenberry slosh through the mud and mist. But I played the attacking German and was, in this action, utterly hapless versus an always-smart (and always fun) opponent. Truth is, I never could figure out a sensible approach to his defense, bowing out just after the midway point. I doubt I conceivably could have exited the required VC, let alone kept the village clear of Americans.
On the other hand, I very much enjoyed a run through of ASL 96, "Crux of Calais" (followed by a viewing of the movie
Dunkirk), as well as BFP-121, "Old Friends," and HG-11, "Skill in Khilki" (two playings). But possibly my favorite this year was the one most recently played: "Checking Out" from the Winter Offensive pack #9. This was my first ever DASL scenario and - damn! - that was good fun! This one's about as basic as it gets. Only one AFV with lots of infantry manning MGs and just simple SSR. But it's a crash course in DASL Wall Advantage rules and tactics, particularly as they apply around and about paved roads and stone buildings.
The scenario depicts 1944 action within Aachen, the first German city to surrender to the Allies. The SS begin the game amassed entirely within a fortified hotel in the SE corner of the map. To win, they must secure 6 of the 11 multi-hex buildings possessed by the U.S. at start.
Dawn LV is in effect, meaning that
all shots are taken with a +1. Considering the board is almost entirely stone, "good" shots were those merely up 2. Smoke and Dash played a big part (for both sides eventually), and my Germans made a strong push north, quickly trapping a U.S. MMG-er on the second level of iM2 for the game's first big accomplishment.
A complimentary slide towards the center went slower, but one lucky squad (high morale was a big advantage) did manage to catch the Sherman, scoring an ATMM kill with the Street Fighting ambush to boot. Americans in the iK2 rowhouse, however, would make it hard to take Victory Building #2.
In the South, the game saw a considerable back-and-forth within and around building jH2. Both armies entered from opposite sides, and both would need to counterattack after reciprocally devastating CC Phases. Over four turns, the building saw the bloodiest fighting of the game, despite not even being a Victory location. Befitting its strategic value, at least five squads were killed inside, two-and-a-half lost by the Germans who ultimately ended up in control - gaining a promoted 8-0 leader and
two heroes along the way!
A
third German hero appeared
en route to iI4, and the game seemed in hand once the iK2 rowhouse finally fell. But throughout the battle, the U.S. had maintained two squads with an MMG in building jK4. And along with his 9-2, these seriously hampered the German's last-turn push for buildings #5 and #6. By turn's end, the SS had barely managed their #6, having to advance a lone squad out of iE2 (still held by a wounded U.S. leader on 1st Level) to claim iD2 instead. Meanwhile, the U.S. MMG-er had been broken and together with the 9-2, they fled into building E5 (joining another broken squad with their trusty Bazooka) - a strategic rout if ever there was one! These men were America's final hope...
The final U.S. turn opened as required, with the 9-2 rallying both his DMed HS and the Bazooka boys. Their chosen path to victory? Taking iD2 back in CC. Orchards and the Dawn LV made the charge surprisingly easy. But the game was sealed when some skilled German marksmen managed a PTC from iG3: 6FP +4. Unbelievably this pinned the entire group in C3 (their feet literally just inside the door!) on the opposite side of a rowhouse wall from the enemy SS. There could not -
would not - be a final advance. We would never get to make those tight-knuckled, all-or-nothing Hand-to-hand CC dice rolls.
Germans win.
The moral of the story? Get yourself on to the MMP website and
preorder those "new" DASL Redux packs, damn it!!
Happy New Year Everyone!!!