FT SmR1 Mired – Advanced Squad Leader AAR
ASL Scenario Setup
The KPA (North Koreans) wins immediately by amassing more than 30 CVP (56% of KMC CVPs / 46CVP ground forces + 8 CVP air support).
The KPA can also win at game end if they can stop the Korean Marine Corps (South Koreans) from
- Controlling 1 or more of 3 Hilltop Defensive Perimeters (“HDP”), which are the hilltop areas outlined in color. You should see 4 outlined hilltops on the map but the 2 on the left are considered the same area.
- Exiting over 18 Exit VPs down the bottom edge. The KMC carries 46 CVPs, which means we need to kill, break or delay 28 CVPs or 61% of the KMC OB.
- Inflict over 30 CVP on the KPA. The KPA has 44 CVP, so 32% has to survive.
The KPA has more long-range weapons than the KMC. They have a small window (probably 3 turns) to inflict as much casualties as possible on the KMC from the start to when the KMC Air Support / OBA comes into play and when the infantry finally comes into range. The KMC has an OBA with an Offboard Observer (auto Radio Contact) at Level 5 and 4 planes with rockets, bombs & 12FP MGs for 4 turns out of 8.5. Any sort of KPA movement won’t be possible for half of the game. We expect to have to fight in place. All Fortifications would be on HDPs.
Given these factors, the KPA’s best bet seemed to be to amass all the range weapons onto the HDP Fortifications. Their goal would be to deplete the KMC numbers as quickly as possible before US Airpower and SW malfunctions wipe out their toys. They would also need to keep the KMC outside of 5 hexes for as long as possible by keeping them off Open Ground (and in Rice Paddies) where they would always be mindful of the Infiltration (HIP’d) units.
If the KMC gets to a position where it can exit 18 VPs down the bottom edge, chances are it will have captured at least one of the HDPs.
They can either hold till Game End or push ahead and exit VPs. Either way, they might continue to lose CVPs (especially if the KPA OBA remains operational). There might be KPA counterattacks, although the KMC will be in Fortifications this time. All considerations seem to point towards a HDP focused setup that puts all the KPA firepower upfront and in Fortifications since it won’t be a fighting withdrawal.
Advanced Squad Leader AAR
So the KPA put all the range weapons up on HDPs. The easiest HDP to take is the second (2 hex one) from the left. It has the best covered approach, and I didn’t cover that as well as I should. Our Infiltration teams were HIP’d very close to our positions. Given the lack of manpower, to use them as speed bumps would be a waste. At least this way, the KMC would look for HIP units around the rice paddies longer. Most of our Boresights were not on the elevated road/ rail, as we did not expect the KMC to use them. Our Observer was the leader from the Infiltration units so he’s HIP’d on the leftmost HDP with limited LOS to the village and to the “easy” HDP. We put our 45LL ROF 3 Gun on the right flank behind the Sparse Woods, expecting serious Pointblank shots. Unfortunately, I misunderstood Sparse Woods and thought I had LOS to the Open Ground beyond where I put its BS (illusions of ITT CH abound). That was not to be. An Infiltrating unit with an LMG held our left flank.
The KMC moved forward in a mass of HSs, putting most of its weight on the covered approach on my right. I immediately saw the errors in my ways, but there’s no second chance in ASL. Our range weapons started shooting almost immediately. It’s now or our peace would forever be held upon us.
Turn 3 and “The Death Rattlers” were in the air. Two of them immediately took out our HMG. We were resisting the KMC HSs on the left and in the center. The KMC on the right was unfortunately streaming into the village, mindful only of our HIP units and our pair of mutually supporting but retreating Dummies. Our Observer called in a Harassing Fire mission on the village, which was akin to telling my opponent that there were no HIP units in the area. Our OBA was the 70mm variety, so it’s just 2+2 on the Thatched Roof Wood Buildings. It made the KMC go around though, the dice gods were not to be tempted.
The Death Rattlers were on us both in their Prep Fire and in our Movement/ Defensive Final Phase. Our 9-1 who had a memorable time with the HMG died of lead poisoning from a sniper. The valiant fighters on the middle two hilltops were all broken or dead. An Infiltrator at the second from the left hilltop sprang up and offered some point blank shots after the Dummy units moved (and faded away). The KMC OBA was finishing what the Corsairs started there. Our unfailing Harassing Fire missions protected our (now almost deserted) second from the right HDP. A pair of KMC HS came around from the back, unfortunately. The rightmost HDP tried to keep the wolves off them as much as they could from across the road. Our AT sprung into action, but we weren’t the best against the KMC at close quarters. The lights got dimmer.
KMC Turn 6 and two of The Death Rattlers had one more attack (the Strafing was worse than the Bombing / Rockets). The hilltops on the flanks were barely holding. We even had a couple of rallies for the last hurrah. The Observer, who boasted that his momma gave him no Red chits, finally lost contact with the battery. The KMC was kicking down the two hilltops in the middle.
The KMC broke through to our two hilltops in the middle. They broke most of our chaps at this stage and we simply didn’t have the strength to put together a counterattack to take a HDP back. The KPA conceded and the door to Seoul got kicked in at a cost of 18 KMC CVP.
PS If you are playing this as well, note that Foxholes (of which we had 6) actually offer a -1 Rallying Bonus when on HDP’s (Sm2.4). Something we missed.
The Russians have 8 Movement Phases. They will have to do 5 hexes per phase for 4 phases to put them in the vicinity of the 2 hex Wooden building on the left half of Board 17. That leaves them 4 turns to fight. The KV-2, on the hand, is a real monster. It is big enough to give a -2 to any TH for size. It spots an armor factor of 8 all around, 11 if you hit that turret from the front. Its 152mm gun dishes 30 IFT / TK21 (AP9 & no IF). On the otherhand, it can only turn it’s turret by paying NT penalties (we played it wrong: we played it as if it’s an NT), goes 9 MP per turn and that’s only if you pass the Mechanical Reliability DR. The PzIVD offers fantastic mobility [amended, see footnote 1]. It packs a good set of MGs (totalling 8 IFT) but it’s 75* (short barrel) with a TK of only 10 (AP7). It’s hard to kill a KV-2 with anything less than a swarm but all you need is to kill one and scatter (the remaining Russian tank will have to kill all the PzIVDs to win via that route). The Germans can also immobilise one first (net +3 and a hull hit), hopefully in some awkward position/location. Their smoke dischargers (s9) can help the German reinforcements cross all that open ground from the top to the middle of the map!
Both sides had a chance to attack and to defend. There’s a lot of force allocation decisions to be made especially for the Russian player. The Germans couldn’t afford to be distracted by buildings on the fringes, they had to make it to the village on time in order to disrupt the Russian attack. The KV-2’s were a real challenge. Nothing short of a nice “dance of death” would do (with the survivors running off to the far corners of the map). Then if that’s the case, they wouldn’t be helping their reinforcements cross that vast Open Ground on the top half of the map. Typical of the best scenarios, there are a good number of what-if’s and tradeoffs to be made. I thought I was on track for an easy win but my opponent obviously proved me wrong.
The IJA starts in two groups. The first group of 6 squads setup in the airfield (no Smoke in the rain) in the face of a 75* Artillery, a murderous Bofors AA (IFE 8 ROF 2) and a leader who can make it rain 70mm OBA. The second group of 9 squads setup on the east side (lower side on the map) of the hill. To counter that group, the King’s Own Royal Regiment and the King’s Own Scottish Rifles setup on the hill top. A group of Gurkhas setup within 3 hexes of the Flooded Pool.
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