ASO 2000 AAR 2

ASO 2000 AAR

By Lars Thuring (S)

First a thank you to Michael Hastrup-Leth and Mikael Siemsen for arranging yet another successful and fun tournament. Great food, nice environment, fun people and lots of ASL.

I arrived in Copenhagen with Christoph Ludwig and Michael Sachau after driving for 5.5 hours (a significant amount of it behind a farmers tractor and a truck...). The tournament was held in a museum but I missed out this time, but I'm told the Nimbus didn't have the gun this year, so perhaps next year is better anyway. But at least we could drool over the Journal #2 which some lucky guy brought along. 36 or so players showed up from Denmark, Sweden, UK, Germany, France and Brian Martuzas came all the way from USA.

Game 1: WCW 7 Eye of the Tiger
My first round was with Derek Ward, originally from Down Under, but settled in Denmark now. Each round offers three scenarios to choose from and we quickly agreed on this one and rolled for sides. As the Russians I got to defend against a german force with 658's with some standard SW's, three leaders, AFV support consiting of two PzIVH's, two Pumas and a Tiger. Before setup the German select a spot for a pre-registred hex 280mm Rocket OBA mission. The russians start with an AT Gun of the 45LL variety and an ATR as AT defenses. Infantry consists of 9 × 458's , three leaders, a HMG and some other SW's. I choose to set up a bit more forward than ususal and to the sides to avoid the OBA. The 45LL went into a grain hex (4W4) in front of my troops, effectively shielded by +3 / +4 of grain. The HMG and best leader went into a wooden hex two hexes behind to cut off German attacks on my Right flank with a fire lane (Bore Sighted 4R10). One LMG each was placed on each flank to be able to lay small firelane from the side in front of the 45LL. I placed a 7-0 with two squads on the path in the woods on my rear right, to run in when I knew where the OBA had landed.
Ward spread out over edge to attack with a majority comming in the area where the HMG was going to lay the FL. Alas, the OBA drifted and landed on top of the HMG, but luckily only caused a 3MC, breaking the 9-1 and 458. He swarmed on, moving the Pumas along my right edge, the tiger parked behind the house on his left flank, looking directly onto the 45LL. The PzIV stopped outside the 45LL covered arc, but at three hexes distance in the same Grain field. I revealed the gun and shot at the PzIV with no effect. The left flanking LMG position also went down. In the Russian turn it the prospect for the AT looked very grim, so it shifted and went after the Tiger with Deliberate Immob attempt, which succeded! The HMG looked out of reach, but I sent some units in that direction. Then 45LL went down as predicted. Russian reinforcments (an Armor Leader, three T-34 M43 and a Su-85) enters on the Russian turn one, but I had missed the SSR about the non-existant hill so when I sent a T-34 to the hill it had to spend all MP's to get in position there. It was not a bad position to be immobilized in, so I tried to gain a MP to stop, which got it immobilzed of course. It played only a passive role thereafter, dominating the empty orchard behind the walls. Doh!
In turn 2 and 3 he pressed on on, and took the center. The approach to the village was quite open, with additional shellholes created by the OBA, so while Ward took some chances with 1-2 and 2-2 shots he lost two squads or so. I took a Puma with a T-34, lost another T-34 to a Recall (with the Russian AL in it of course). A PzIV was immobilized by the Russian ATR hit in the rear, and the other was recalled together. In the end he had only one AFV left to use (a Puma with Malfed MA), but I received CVP for one Puma only (weird). Some time after the time limit for the round had expired we were asked to agree on on the result or have it judged. The Germans had one turn to go and needed to take three buildings more, all with units (one broken) across an open street. The Russians had one T-34, the SU-45 (minus HE) and several squads so looked very hard and Ward finally resigned the game. We had fun playing this nice scenario and there is probably good replay value in it. (1-0)

Game 2: PP3 - La Viet Relief
This round offered two PP scenarios and CH desert scenario. My opponent Jes Touvdal from Denmark removed one of the PP and I the CH one so we ended up with the one above. Jes confirmed my suspicion on this one by bidding G2 on the German balance. It is a really different scenario. I got to play the side with Free French, US and Partisans. The US must get 14CVP off the board before end of turn 5 and lose if >= 1 unit is more than 5 hexes away from the edge (so watch out for breaking or being PINned). This basically leave the three partisan squads to defend one quarter board lengthwise and the US can only support through long range fire with a HMG and two LtMtrs. The inherent FP of the 666 also count for some. To win the Germans only need to take one building on board 15. Jes set up his long range firebase by putting both the HMG's in the same foxhole and running back with his 8-1 to direct it. The 20LL AA he set up in the middle of the hill. Five conscript got the task of enganging the US from the front and the rest set up to overun the Partisans. Off we go. Actually everything goes my way, with the partisans breaking 4 - 5 squads, ELR'ing the Geman 7-0 to 6+1 so that when it was time for the US to start thing of leaving and the Free French reinforcments arrive the Germans have proceeded to take *only* three houses. The HMG nest was of little use to Jes, first by breaking both HMG's on the same shoot, getting them back in time to receive a CH from one of the LtMtr that KIA'd one Crew. The 20L AA crew was broken by long range MG fire and played no part in the second half of the game. These setbacks for the germans meant the Freen French reinforcements could enter unopposed over the hill. Two of the houses where liberated relatively quick, but the Germans hang in tough in third one. I rushed it with all I had in range (6 squads or so plus leaders), but Jes finally had something going for him and I could not get through. I hope to play Jes in another scenario next year as this looks very, very hard on the defenders. (1 - 1)

Game 3: KE 18 - Winter Wonderland
Saturday morning I sat down to play with Michael Hemmingsen, also from Denmark. We arrived on this TOT remake and Michael got the Germans. This scenario seems to be played a lot. I traded my Radio for a Phone and set it up HIP in the building M4L1. Taking a chance with my AT Guns (two 57LL) I put them in the two woods hexes along the board edge opposite to my with their CA to the US left flank. Many games sees the Germans flooding in here so I hoped to be able to get some rear / flank shoots before they no doubt went down. Michael, however, did not play along those lines. He entered with the majority on the flank I targeted, but sent two AFV's and some infantry on the other as well. Unfourtunately he also sent some Infantry through the woods with my Guns as his very first units enters, so they are discovered without shooting a single shoot. The Germans tanks on the left all enter to present the front to the guns, whereas those on the flank take the stone building there under fire. I try to immobilize the PzV with one AT, and then one of the Brummbars before losing ROF (& IF). The other changes CA to take a flank shoot on another Brummbar, misses but retains ROF and eliminates it. I land my OBA SR nicely on my left between his AFV's in the rear and the Infantry in the front, but otherwise little happens. Needless to say both guns are engaged in CC that turn, I think one survived in Melee. In my turn I start by hitting his forward stack (9-1, 658, 838, 838) with WP from the BAZ 45 and the 9-1 boxcars on the MC and dies. The 658 CR's and breaks, while the 838's *only* break! Wow, pay off time. I then land the OBA behind them breaking another unit. I manage to run over a 667 which then captures the broken engineers before withdrawing back to the US lines. Some compensation for the loss of the AT guns! Michael continues to press on and eventually I have to leave the Stone building. The Baz works like wonder and kills two more AFV's before it is time for US M36 to come on board. His has positioned his CE Panther to kill it if it shows it face so naturally I try to hit the CE with everything but no effect. In the end some pot shot or the Sniper gets in a Stun and the M36 comes on board. It stops on the right flank and kills the JgPz later when it emerge from the Gully there. Time runs out and we have to have the judged. Michael has 20VP and needs an additional 13 in two turns which could have happened but was very unlikely, so the judge give the US the victory. Fun game with some wild events. (2 - 1)

Game 4: SP 45 - A Stroke of Luck
I will not say anything about this game except noting that I resigned in turn two. (2-2)

Game 5: SP 48 - Orlik and Uhlans
In the evening I got the chance to play this much discussed scenario with Magnus Hndsberger from Denmark. Magnus set up much of Polish defender defending the village perimiter, with some in the middle defending the 3 buildings there and two ?(1) stacks on the far opposite side. I decided to make the main trust along the edge against the village to spread in before the hill there, with a minor attack on the left (4 squads, a leader and three tanks). First everything goes as it should (it always does, doesn't it?) and with the left flank being cleared up (it was one dummy stack and one concealed squad). Magnus has the 20L TK tank with AL and one of the 75's in the woods next to the hill at the village. The 75 is a real tank killer here with AP TK# of 14, and it takes down three tanks before succumbing to my infantry and AFV's. Two of my tanks stray into the middle to keep a Polish ?(3) under the sights, but gets caught in OBA and are both immobilized. They spend they game dueling with a Polish 37L AT untill both are killed off. The same OBA also lands on the ?(3) stack, and obliterates it by a timely (for me) CH! That was the second time that happened to Magnus this weekend. Otherwise he got three missions out of the OBA with no red chits. My small force on the left takes control of all the buildings there, stumbles on a HIP TKS tank and takes it out. Next comes the two hex building which has four ?(1) stacks in it now. How many dummies? None as it turns out. The last HIP tank appears as one of tanks drive past it there, but has no effect against my rear. My tank turns around and can immobilize it there, and later it has its MA malfed also. The fighting on the right flank progresses and the Germans gain enough ground there, with the second 75 malf'ing. The infantry are in good positions. I also gain control of the buildings in the woods and the two hex building is finally giving in under the attention of three tanks and two squads, now being down to one GO 7-0 leader and three broken squads. I need it to win, though, and advance in with two HS for a 4-1 CC against the leader. Oh, no, my attack misses. Well, there will be two more chances, but no more infantry are available there to force the surrender of the squads upstairs. Dire straits. And just to make it more exiting in his final turn he self rallies one the brokies there on a snakeeyes! Oh no again! Anyway the newly awakened squad doesn't hurt anyone and finally breaks on my last AFV attack. At that time we have to break off and decide on a German win, especially as I get another empty village building in sneaky move he didn't see. Very good game with lot of funny events. (3-2)

Game 6: SP 35 - The Jungleers
Having played this twice before and losing both (to Scott Drane and Andreas Hinz) I favor the IJA slightly, but go t the US against Claes Erik Rydberg, a fellow Swede. The US has only one setup, that being a hedgehog like amoeba behind the road on the right. The two Shermans went into rear positions, with one Baz on each flank, the FT in the middle with one MG on each side. IJA wins by controlling 7 of 10 foxholes or if something bad happens to both Shermans, bad being Recall, Immobilized or destroyed. Claes Erik moved straight to the goal, sending only a 228/MMG and a 447/LMG around the Bamboo as a flanking maneouver. First turn was unevent full. Second turn sees the IJA LtMtr hitting one Sherman, and immobilizing it! Yuck, one down, one to go. Claes Erik sends AFV's two and two into my positions to draw fire, followed by Banzai waves. The FT and Baz does good work. The second Sherman malfunctions his MA and CMG and BMG. No help from there. At the end of turn two there are four burning Chi-Ha's on my foxholes, and his last Chi-Ha immobilized by one of my LtMtr as a return of favor, in LOS of my OK Sherman. Rolling some consequitive 2's and 3's on Residual FP attacks had bleed the IJA force considerably, including one snake on a 666 FPF attack that killed a full squad with a leader, generating a Hero and a HOB! On Turn 3 the immobilized Chi-Ha tries to get the Sherman with Deliberate Immobilisation shoots, but fails in his prep. I have a rather good position otherwise. The 9-1, two 666's, FT and HMG serves as a killer stack behind the smoking Chi-Ha. BUT he immobilizes the Sherman in his def dire and the game is over. Well, after the game I realized I should have started the silly Sherman with a Motion attempt to make those DI harder and then move out of LOS for his tank. Next time. Very exiting game in the end. (3-3)
Thank you for this time.