[Aslml] J59 Friday the 13th AAR

[Bruce Bakken]

Nice AAR, Bruce.  Thanks!

BB


>From: Bruce Probst <bprobst at netspace.net.au>
>Reply-To: bprobst at netspace.net.au,"This is the e-mail discussion list for 
>the Advaced Squade Leadergame series." <Aslml at asl-forums.net>
>To: Aslml at asl-forums.net
>Subject: [Aslml] J59 Friday the 13th AAR
>Date: Sat, 01 Nov 2003 00:35:24 +1100
>
>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
>
>
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