[Aslml] J59 Friday the 13th AAR

[Bruce Probst]

Played a rather tense game this evening vs. Neil Andrews.

Having won the Germans in a dice roll, looking at my options on the attack
left me with the definite impression that this was not a time for subtlety.
For those unfamiliar with the scenario, it features elite Germans, supported
by three JagdPzIVs, attempting to clear the Board 17 crossroads of a
mostly-average group of Russians -- significantly stiffened by the presence
of a .50 cal and a 57LL AT Gun (a very nasty piece of work).  What's more,
there are only 6 turns to do it in.  The Russians have almost parity in
squad nos. with the Germans, so a simple "swamp" attack isn't going to cut
it.

I decided I needed to be methodical about collecting the buildings I needed,
with the ones at the front going to cause the most trouble, since they had
to be approached over mostly open ground.  I sent a force around to flank on
the south to try and get behind the Russians to prepare for the end-game,
but the concentrated strength was pretty much up the centre.

Things sort-of went well in the initial stages, the troops largely getting
to where I needed them.  I found the AT gun rather quickly, as it eliminated
one AFV -- but then malfed on its second shot.  This was crucial, as the
AFVs are key to the German assault -- not because of their firepower, which
is rather ordinary (even pathetic, once you factor in the HE7) -- but
because of their ability to freeze the Russian defenders.  Hey, these bad
boys are armed with Snoogie-woofers -- you *want* them to get into Close
Combat!

By the end of turn 2 things were going moderately well, albeit with some
nasty losses to the German infantry.  The first couple of outlying buildings
were captured, the AT gun was out of action (and the crew eliminated in CC),
now it was time to crack the main Russian nut.  That's when things started
going pear-shaped.  Nothing, but nothing would convince my troops to pass a
MC, and the Russians were proving to be manned by a large number of
sharp-shooters.  By the end of Turn 3 I had only a handful of units in good
order to clear out half-a-dozen buildings.  How could I do it?

As horrible as Turn 3 had been, Turn 4 turned everything around.  Another
AFV was lost due to CC RF while attempting a freeze, but the sole survivor
was the cream of the crop.  Driving headlong into the stone building housing
the .50 cal, he not only neither bogged nor fell into the cellar, but his
brave move allowed me to get enough infantry close to the Russians to flush
them out with firepower.  In what seemed like a matter of moments, most of
the buildings were under my control, and the Russian defence of what was
left seemed rather weak.

Unfortunately by this stage my attack was looking rather weak too.  A few
fortunate dice rolls scored me the control I needed to win -- but to win I
had to *keep* control, which meant I had to resist the inevitable Russian
counterattack.  They only needed to get *one* building back, after all.

Still, I was feeling fairly confident -- I had (just) enough troops to keep
my spoils, I thought.  Then the Russian sniper struck, breaking a half-squad
who was supposed to be guarding the rear, exposing his building to a rush by
a lone Russian HS.  I had to protect that building!  So, in a complete and
utter mind-fart, I moved the nearest German unit towards that building --
completely forgetting that by doing so I was ceding control of the building
to the Russians in the upper floor!  (A heroic Russian leader, a Russian
hero and an elite Russian squad.  Don't ask.)

Why did I do this?  Why do any of us do the stupid things that we do?
Because we're stupid, that's why!

The Russians might have pulled off the win any way -- the German defence was
*very* thinly stretched, and it would not have required outrageous Russian
luck to pierce it.  Still, getting to that point was so hard, that to just
toss it away -- aargh!  I hate this game!

Any way, it was a tense scenario throughout, and a fine testament to
demonstrating what just one turn of luck going your way can do to an
otherwise awful situation.  I was sure I had lost by turn 3, and reasonably
confident of a win by turn 4.  I heartily recommend this scenario.  Just
don't be stupid like me.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Bruce Probst              bprobst at netspace.net.au
Melbourne, Australia      MSTie #72759
"Ah, Mr. Claus -- you have a nasty habit of surviving."
ASL FAQ              http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/mantis/ASLFAQ