Hi all,
Here is an AAR of the First Stockholm ASL tournament which was during
the last weekend.
This one was kinda obligatory trip for me, since I had continuously given
hard
time to the Swedish ASL players I've met about organizing a tournament (we
can do it in Finland they have been doing it in Denmark, why not is Sweden).
I flew over on Friday morning together with Veikko Hyyyrynen and Antti
Westerlund. Here is a short summary of the games I played:
Round 1 Friday afternoon
I was paired with Daniel Quarfordt whom I had previously met in several
tournaments but we had never played. The scenarios for the firs round did
not exite me that much. We chose to play Commando Schenke. I bid G1 to get
the Germans (The Tournament used ABS created by the organizers) since I
wanted to play with DCs and 838s..... but Daniel bid G1 too and the dice
gave me the
Russians with an extra MMG. Ok, quick setup and off we go. I set
up few squads too forward and thus lost them early on without achieving
much. During the mid game I managed to slow him down and I also wound his
10-2 and break the two accompanying 838s, but the next try gives him a
foothold in the victory building and then I malfunction one MMG and one LMG
with the same shot at a critical moment. This turns the rest of the game to
a mopping up operation whit me hoping for some kind of miracle that does not
happen. Good use of infantry smoke and DCs is the key to Daniels victory.
(0-1)
Round 2 Friday night
For this round I sit down with Johan Lantz and we decide to play scenario
from the newest MMP module operation veritable called Bewildered and
Belligerent. This time I bid successfully for the attacking Germans. In this
scenario both players alternate placing rubble counters before and after the
British setup, and after the setup the German player gets to choose freely
the board edge he enters; this makes the scenario highly replayable and also
a quite challenge for the British to set up. Especially the placement of the
57 mm ATG is really hard because of the limited LOS available and the
uncertainty
on the German axis of attack. I decide to enter from the west edge and make
a board edge creep along the north side of the mapboard. Firs two movement
phases go well, and I notice that if I drive my PzIV forward enough I have a
shot on a quick victory on turn 3 with driving the tanks offboard for enough
VP. There is rubble in W2 and it is the only place which is a serious threat
for this move. I move my Panzers forwards, and in final fire Johan reveals
the gun in W2! PzIV goes down and now I know I need to exit some infantry
along with the Panther. I spend two turns trying to break the gun crew, and
when it goes down my infantry is pinned on the board edge and the situation
turns out to be hopeless. Well, that is how it feels to run straight into a
trap. This scenario seems to have a lot of replay value, altought the
defensive setup for the British is quite a challenge. (0-2)
Round 3 Saturday morning.
This round I meet Klas Malmström, and we decide to play scenario called a
new boy from the Wacht am Rein pack. I get the US. in early turns I have
some good chances against the Germans including a 838 squad which walks into
a BS location of a M36 90mm gun only to become fanatic and create a hero. I
manage to make the game to go until the last US movement phase but I really
can not do any real damage or delay to his German attackers. This game and
Commado Schenke have made me hate German 838 assault engineer squads with
the smoke exponent of 5. (0-3)
Round 4 Saturday evening
This round has some serious Chinese vs Japanese action. My opponent, Hakan
Marklund and I settle for Tiger Of Toungoo. In the early turns there is not
that much of action as I clear board b from Chinese. The real action starts
at the board edge, but Hakans Chinese fail to do much harm as I press
forwards and by turn 7 all Chinese are cleared from the buildings except for
a few melees, and we decide to call it a game. Whew, I managed at least one
victory after all. (1-3).
Round 5 Sunday morning
The last game of this tournament is Liebstandarde scenario Usual Nerve
against Martin Svärd. I get the Russians. In the early turns I manage to
make the ATR shot of the lifetime when a HIP squad nails a Stug with a rider
548 squad, and both the tank crew and the rider do down. (one ATR shot -> 8
CVP). The game turns into a all out combined arms brawl on the overlay 6
hill village,. with Stugs, 76L russian guns, T-34s, HMGs and fortified
building locations. Martin is able to win by breaking the last Russian squad
on the last possible shot. I need to make a MC for four or less to win the
game, and of course I roll high and the game goes to Martin. But this was
the best and most tense game I played during the weekend. (1-4)
Despite the medicore reults I had a very enjoyable weekend in this
tournament. Funnily enough to most enjoyable games were the ones I lost
because they all were quite tight games. I hope that they make it next year
again. I'll be back and the trip to this tournament is highly recommended.
Oh yes, and I won a prize too; there was a competition on most HoBs during
the tournament and took it by rolling 9 of them, getting the excellent new
Onslaught to Orsha module by HoB back home with me.
Last I'd like to than Peter Roghneholt and Mel Falk for an exellent
organized event. I'll hope to see you in Finland in August!
Tuomo Lukkari
Here is an AAR of the First Stockholm ASL tournament which was during
the last weekend.
This one was kinda obligatory trip for me, since I had continuously given
hard
time to the Swedish ASL players I've met about organizing a tournament (we
can do it in Finland they have been doing it in Denmark, why not is Sweden).
I flew over on Friday morning together with Veikko Hyyyrynen and Antti
Westerlund. Here is a short summary of the games I played:
Round 1 Friday afternoon
I was paired with Daniel Quarfordt whom I had previously met in several
tournaments but we had never played. The scenarios for the firs round did
not exite me that much. We chose to play Commando Schenke. I bid G1 to get
the Germans (The Tournament used ABS created by the organizers) since I
wanted to play with DCs and 838s..... but Daniel bid G1 too and the dice
gave me the
Russians with an extra MMG. Ok, quick setup and off we go. I set
up few squads too forward and thus lost them early on without achieving
much. During the mid game I managed to slow him down and I also wound his
10-2 and break the two accompanying 838s, but the next try gives him a
foothold in the victory building and then I malfunction one MMG and one LMG
with the same shot at a critical moment. This turns the rest of the game to
a mopping up operation whit me hoping for some kind of miracle that does not
happen. Good use of infantry smoke and DCs is the key to Daniels victory.
(0-1)
Round 2 Friday night
For this round I sit down with Johan Lantz and we decide to play scenario
from the newest MMP module operation veritable called Bewildered and
Belligerent. This time I bid successfully for the attacking Germans. In this
scenario both players alternate placing rubble counters before and after the
British setup, and after the setup the German player gets to choose freely
the board edge he enters; this makes the scenario highly replayable and also
a quite challenge for the British to set up. Especially the placement of the
57 mm ATG is really hard because of the limited LOS available and the
uncertainty
on the German axis of attack. I decide to enter from the west edge and make
a board edge creep along the north side of the mapboard. Firs two movement
phases go well, and I notice that if I drive my PzIV forward enough I have a
shot on a quick victory on turn 3 with driving the tanks offboard for enough
VP. There is rubble in W2 and it is the only place which is a serious threat
for this move. I move my Panzers forwards, and in final fire Johan reveals
the gun in W2! PzIV goes down and now I know I need to exit some infantry
along with the Panther. I spend two turns trying to break the gun crew, and
when it goes down my infantry is pinned on the board edge and the situation
turns out to be hopeless. Well, that is how it feels to run straight into a
trap. This scenario seems to have a lot of replay value, altought the
defensive setup for the British is quite a challenge. (0-2)
Round 3 Saturday morning.
This round I meet Klas Malmström, and we decide to play scenario called a
new boy from the Wacht am Rein pack. I get the US. in early turns I have
some good chances against the Germans including a 838 squad which walks into
a BS location of a M36 90mm gun only to become fanatic and create a hero. I
manage to make the game to go until the last US movement phase but I really
can not do any real damage or delay to his German attackers. This game and
Commado Schenke have made me hate German 838 assault engineer squads with
the smoke exponent of 5. (0-3)
Round 4 Saturday evening
This round has some serious Chinese vs Japanese action. My opponent, Hakan
Marklund and I settle for Tiger Of Toungoo. In the early turns there is not
that much of action as I clear board b from Chinese. The real action starts
at the board edge, but Hakans Chinese fail to do much harm as I press
forwards and by turn 7 all Chinese are cleared from the buildings except for
a few melees, and we decide to call it a game. Whew, I managed at least one
victory after all. (1-3).
Round 5 Sunday morning
The last game of this tournament is Liebstandarde scenario Usual Nerve
against Martin Svärd. I get the Russians. In the early turns I manage to
make the ATR shot of the lifetime when a HIP squad nails a Stug with a rider
548 squad, and both the tank crew and the rider do down. (one ATR shot -> 8
CVP). The game turns into a all out combined arms brawl on the overlay 6
hill village,. with Stugs, 76L russian guns, T-34s, HMGs and fortified
building locations. Martin is able to win by breaking the last Russian squad
on the last possible shot. I need to make a MC for four or less to win the
game, and of course I roll high and the game goes to Martin. But this was
the best and most tense game I played during the weekend. (1-4)
Despite the medicore reults I had a very enjoyable weekend in this
tournament. Funnily enough to most enjoyable games were the ones I lost
because they all were quite tight games. I hope that they make it next year
again. I'll be back and the trip to this tournament is highly recommended.
Oh yes, and I won a prize too; there was a competition on most HoBs during
the tournament and took it by rolling 9 of them, getting the excellent new
Onslaught to Orsha module by HoB back home with me.
Last I'd like to than Peter Roghneholt and Mel Falk for an exellent
organized event. I'll hope to see you in Finland in August!
Tuomo Lukkari