FT SmR2 Fenton’s Foe After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

The USMC wins at game end if they control N28, which is right were the Hill 105-S outpost was, together with 2 of the 3 victory locations on the ridge all the way down at the bottom.  The Marines had to plough through a rice paddy and then move through open ground to even have a fight.  The NK sits on Level 5 hills that sees almost anywhere on the map.  The Marines needed to coordinate a few elements to help themselves out: 3 x Turn 1 Prep Fire 81mm attacks, a pre-registered 100mm OBA from Turn 3, a VMF-212 flight that comes either starting Turn 1 or Turn 3, and elements of C company that might show up on Turn 4, 5 or 6 (with each latter turn entering closer down the bottom of the map).  I decided on a WP barrage for my 100mm OBA and made the fatal mistake of pre-registering a Level 2 hex which I wouldn’t see.  So the intended cover for Companies A & B never materialised.  I decided on a VMF-212 starting from Turn 3 because I think at least some Marines would be within 16 hexes of the NK weapons on the ridge.  I picked Group 2 for Company C reinforcements because it had the most bodies.  I expected Company C to had to take the ridge in the 5 MPh’s they had.  Having them come up the flank on Turn 5 should also help Company A & B out as they crossed Level 1 open ground.  

After Action Report (AAR)

The 3x 81mm attacks did nothing apart from kicking up dust.  I deployed about half of the Company A & B into fire teams and relied on the other half for smoke and fire support against Hill 105-S.  I chose to start in the rice paddies behind the the Paddy Berm.  In retrospect, I should have started more towards the left.  The rice paddies ate up too much time here. There were two lines on the map.  The top line marked where, when the Marines crossed, the NK’s at Hill 105-S could withdraw.  The bottom (light blue) line marked where, when the Marines crossed, VMF-212 went home.  The quickest Marines waited a Turn before crossing the top line so the NK couldn’t withdraw until the Marines could cross in force.  The NK 82 MTR and their 45LL AT Gun started shooting right away.  The NK’s had apparently picked Group 1 and so there were one MMG out there aside from the .50 cal they were using.  Some of the NK’s from the ridge came forward to interdict us in the open.

Turn 4 saw the .50 cal taken off Hill 105-S by a commissar and a crew.  We got on Hill 105-S and out heads shot off by the MTR and the AT Gun.  The MMG joined in as well, complete with a -1 leader.  Our radio guy was wounded.  He ended up sitting behind the berm and wouldn’t recover.  We decided to split off into more fire teams and spread our advances out into a wide front.  

We broke out into Level 1 open ground!  We sent another leader to grab the radio from the wounded guy.  VMF-212 got on board but was woefully ineffective.  Here I made another fatal mistake.  I completely forgot to enter Company C during my MPh.  So they entered in the Advance Phase. We lost a turn on these people, that’s going to cost us.  

Company C pushed up the ridge.  Everyone caught a lucky break when both the 82 MTR and the 45LL AT Gun malfunctioned!  A point attack from VMF-212 broke the .50 cal crew as well (but it also made the commissar heroic!).  We continued to spill into open ground after the retreating NK forces.  Hopefully we could keep these folks (esp the .50 cal) from helping out the ridge defenses!

Our 2nd radio guy decided to forgo the pre-registered hex.  He was wounded as well but not before he got a spotting round off.  The AT Gun X’d out but the MTR was back in action, swung to the left and shooting at Company C.  There’s a party at the stone factory looking to interdict Company A & B over the last bit of open ground.  VMF-212 went home since Company C crossed the blue line.  NK’s were shifting over to the left.  

Our gallant radio guy corrected our 100mm HE onto the MTR before he was killed by a sniper.  USMC fire teams were scrambling up the ridge in two directions.  We put 2 bazooka teams outside the stone factory to bug the interdictors a little.  It didn’t appear at this point that the NK HMG team would be able help their comrades on the ridge.  The fact that the NK never used Flak Alley told us there were minefields out there.  Well, I was out of time, there’s only so much you could be scared of.  

After our final prep fire it appeared that whilst the USMC might be able to get 1 VC hex (left) in CC, we didn’t have the time to get the second (middle).  NK’s showed me afterwards that they had real units defending the approach as well.  Had we two more turns (one from entering Company C on time and one from not starting so many in the rice paddies), we would have a better chance.  We also failed to bring the 81mm MTR hits and the pre-registered 100mm OBA to bear as well.  Planes were great at discouraging movement but I never had much luck with them when I wanted to hit something.  This is an intricate scenario and I enjoyed the opportunity to coordinate different elements.  I am not sure it’s as fun playing the NK’s though.