FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

Every once in a while, you encounter a scenario so cinematic that both players collaborate to see the ‘movie’ unfold. This is one such scenario. No. 3 Commando was onshore in support of the Dieppe attack. They were discovered and had to evacuate.

I hope scenarios like this expand what the average ASL player thinks a scenario can be. The Allies had 8 VPs worth of personnel in the Grain Field on the left and 11 VPs of personnel on the right. The Allies win by gaining more VPs than the Germans. The Allies on the left gain points every player turn they remain in the Grain Field. They also earn EVP for infantry units exited or within 5 hexes of the upper edge. The Germans win VP by capturing or killing Allied infantry units.

The scenario features 11 German squads with 2 mortars and 3 LMGs against 5 Allied squads (with low ammunition), 4 damaged Higgins boats, 1 MGB, and 1 additional Higgins boat coming in. My plan was for the left group to stay and for the right group to run. The 4 damaged Higgins boats had 3 facing landside and 1 facing seaward for a quick getaway. We needed to eliminate the 2 German mortars as they posed the biggest threat to the boats.

After Action Report

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

(… chirp, chirp, chirp ….)

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Germans appeared! The Germans on the left advanced into the Grain Field. Two conscript squads and two mortars ran straight past us towards the shore. Our mortar was boresighted to where we expected them to bypass the Woods, but we missed that shot anyway! It’s rare that I could square up this opponent of mine in my sights, but the dice is the ultimate boss.

On the right side, the Germans got the entrance hex to the gully lined up. The Allied troops fought all temptations to run and edged carefully towards the Gully entrance. Note that we couldn’t possibly get into a crest position in the Gully because of an SSR specifying “Cliff sides.” We scored 7 VPs by staying vertical in the Grain Field on the left.

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The MGB swept in! The waiting Germans opened fire and scored 2 DP (out of 5) on the MGB, almost setting it on fire! The troops in the Grain Field were skulking where possible but shot back when they couldn’t. We reaped 10 VPs at the end of the last turn. The troops on the right continued to edge towards the gully entrance. The teams already at the Wire tried to remove it but to no avail.

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The troops on the left moved off the Grain Field towards the middle clump of trees. We needed to keep a portion of the Germans tied down, even if we couldn’t stay in the Grain Field for more VPs. The German conscripts on the left were digging foxholes for the mortars but kept getting shot up by the MGB. A commando 9-1 and a half-squad rallied and dove back into the Grain Field, but it was not to be!

Over on the right, the big German 9-1 stack broke cover and ran for the shore after the escapees. The 338 rearguard had one shot, and it connected! The 9-1 was killed, and everyone was broken! One of the German conscripts went berserk and started charging the woods in the middle of the board since they couldn’t see the fellows slipping off in the gullies. We were now at 16 VP, which was the VPs the Germans would get if they captured everyone on the left.

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Our 8-1 and a half-squad in the (middle) Woods rallied and started waving the berserker over. We planned to lead them into the melee so that the Germans couldn’t go for a capture and earn double VP. The commando half-squad kept the fight going as the Germans piled in! The MGB kept the pair of mortars suppressed on the left. The DM’d German stack at the bottom of the map would rally and make a desperate last move. Meanwhile, the units on the left were about to board a Higgins boat, the one with the bow facing seawards.

FT114 Yellow Extract After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

A German team with a last-minute hero, a 447, an LMG, and a leader ran towards the shore for a final hit on the departing Allies. The MGB took them out as well, leaving the troops on the right to board and depart Fortress Europa.

Thoughts

There are a good number of issues to consider when playing this scenario

* When to go slow and when to run – it took a while to go through the Gully and into the boats and about 2 turns for the boats to get past the VC line. You really need to get your timing straight as the British. We figured boats don’t have to Beach with their bow. I had 3 beached with their bows, so that their armoured sides faced the continent and the other one with its stern so it could make a quick getaway.

* The pair of German mortars were the most serious threats to the boats.

* Should we run the Grain Field forces off? Should they go into the Woods in the middle and help out the right? Should they fight to the last man so as to get as many points as possible? We got lucky, we got the full 16 VPs to breakeven with the Germans should the whole Grain field team’s captured.

* How much troops should you allocate each side as the Germans?

* The Commandos could climb. Should we entertain that notion? The Hinterland stops with a 4 level Cliff side to the beach. That’s 4 turns of Hazardous Movement to get down. We only have 7 turns in the game.

* We got lucky in that the 338 rearguard on the right was able to shoot up most of the pursuing Germans. We were also lucky in that the pair of German mortars was only able to take 2 DPs off the MGB’s 5 and didn’t set it on fire.

* The Melee’ing HS (in the Woods) was magnificent turn after turn. The Germans were hindered by their desire to capture and not to kill.

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

We all know this one. I want to do an AAR on it because this is the first time I played this scenario since my Squad Leader days. The Russians win if they get 2 more buildings than they lose of their own initially-held stone buildings and/or have a 3:1 unbroken squad equivalent, in 5 turns. If you find yourself yelling at your screen here, note that I played an early stage player.

After Action Report

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

For those who are familiar with this scenario, you know most of the setup is ‘predesignated’. Where possible, I readied myself for those terrorising Russian Human Waves, especially from the mass of 628’s on the left.

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Russians decided to neutralise some of the German firepower first with their 18FP per hex firegroup(s) on the left. A couple of the German units in building F5 broke, leaving parts of it unsecured. In the middle our 9-2 LMG DeathStar (I7) managed to break the MMG crew! The action on the right was also intense, with firefights erupting across the streets. There’s a Commissar lurking in the back of the building there. I realized I had a problem—I couldn’t see the back of that building!

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Seeing that the MMG team is down, the Germans in K5 dashed across the street and made it into building J5! (See top right) With the LMGs in building K5 (center) no longer watching the street on the left, the 37th Guards seized the opportunity! The 10-2 struck a heroic pose and nonchalantly waved the mass of 638’s forward in a human wave! Casualties were considerable, with a couple of KIA’s. Meanwhile, a lone squad scrambled towards the rightmost buildings (bottom right), trying to get some visibility at the back of building N4 where the Commissar rallied broken units.

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The defenders of building F5 died heroically along with their 9-1. Hopefully they took a chunk of the Guards with them! The 8-1 moved his HMG team from the bottom right to the bottom left, anticipating the next Human Wave on building I7 (where the 9-2 and dual LMGs were stationed). The LMG in building K5 got ready as well. Unfortunately the Commissar & the 308th Rifles in N4 (right) also looked a little too eager. Hmm…

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

This next Human Wave struck from the right! The Commissar led the 308th Rifles into building K5 (center)!! The fire from building L6 up the street to hex L1 was awesome but one of the Russian units got into building K5 all the same. The Guards on the left headed towards the 9-2 and the dual LMGs in I7 as well as the left side of building K5! Casualties were high but this might just get the Russians two more buildings than what the Germans got.

A: Guards Counterattack After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

When the dust cleared the Russians captured two more buildings than they initially held vs one for the Germans (hence one more). The Germans counterattacked by dashing the unit from the Russian MMG (building J2) into H2, then advanced to G3 to take the building. The Germans also moved into building N4 (right) but the Russian brokies were right at the stairwell and could rout upstairs. Instead of fighting it out in the recently ‘human-waved’ building K5, a HS went to capture M2 from the Russians instead.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

It was March 1943 and the SS Panzergrenadiers looked to take 4 factories in 7 MPh’s from the Soviets in Kharkov. The Soviets had 20 squads & 4 leaders (1 commissar) with 4 AFVs and 3 Guns. Kindling was NA and the EC’s Wet. Factory had Roofs and the Russians had 3 Fortified Locations, plus MOL Capability. The SS had 22 squads (3 of them 838 AE) with 5 leaders (1 10-2), 3 PzIIIL, 1 StuG and 2 Tigers.

After Action Report

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

As the SS, we didn’t have much time, so we needed to hit all 4 factories concurrently. At the advice of my opponent, I divided my troops to teams of 20FP firebase plus deployable 548s assault units, with 1 team of DC & FT guys and the 838 AE’s dispersed as the ‘smokers’. The AFVs were to provide Smoke (didn’t get much), to provide street cover, to neutralise Soviet AFVs, to push to the back row and to finally help breach buildings (Fortifications). The 2 Factories on the left would be hit head on. The 2 Factories on the right would be hit head on AND flanked in case we couldn’t push through the front one quickly.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

On the right, we pushed across the first street quickly, with the enemy on the flank collapsing. The Russians had an ATR in the Factory that threatened DI shots. The Russians did MOL attacks whenever they could in a bit to start fires. My Tiger with the 9-1 armor leader pushed down the middle a little slowly. The opposing T-34 got a chance to get in motion. The resistance in the middle was tougher as well for the infantry. The Russians had their MGs and their best leaders lined up there, with another T-34 behind a wall. We edged our Flamethrower team closer to it. On the left, there were a few Russians on the 1/F designed to mess with my routing (and to waste my time). Whilst the folks on the left pushed into the street, it’s not without difficulty ‘cause the two blocks on the left were mutually supportive. My other Tiger slid to the left, the T-34 tried but couldn’t get away. The one big thing we got going for the SS was their remarkable rallying ability, which was often a 6 while DM’d but in a building, before leadership’s applied. Our ‘recon by walking around’ found the Russian 76* (not 76L in the following diagram) on the left flank.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

That T-34 in the middle that went into motion did a master move: it went to the right and threatened a PzIIIL! We were relieved when it burned on a lucky CH. The STuG decided to move over and offer it support nonetheless. AFVs should never fight alone. A wandering 548 ‘found’ their 45L that decided it was a worthwhile target. Our mighty 10-2 led 20FP stack, bolstered by a Hero (20-3!!) moved into a target factory. The stack moved right in front of a ROF3 45L Gun but it was a risk it had to take. In the middle the FT folks got shot up and dropped their toys on the street. The other 76* popped smoke which makes the 2 ‘stacked’ factories on the right harder to take but it did cover us from their MG death stars as well. The T-34 on the left got chased off (helped by a Smoke round from their 76*) but our AFVs focused on helping our troops cross the street. We got to the smoking 76*. Still, there seemed to be too many Russians anywhere!

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Russians never stopped trying for MOLs. Thanks to the Wet EC, buildings didn’t all brew up in flames! The nightmare scenario happened: our 20-3 Jedi stack broke under attack from the 45L. The Russians closed in from all directions and a T-34 crashed into the building behind it. Our 2 AFVs couldn’t kill the offending T-34. Our teams on the right looked tattered. The news stunned all the SS troops on the board. The troops in the middle looked to cross the street intact when T-70 whizzed by on their left. It stopped behind a PzIIIL but forgot to Bounding Fire. The targeted PzIIIL spun around.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Our Jedi stack routed up to the Roof but it’s already dead. The flankers took the opportunity to run down the right. Unfortunately the Gun on the STuG malfunctioned while trying to shoot the moving (zigzagging?) T-34. The Tiger in the middle decided to push up behind the T-34 (and over the dropped FT) and German troops went into CC with the same T-34. Our folks in the middle crossed the street! Our PzIIIL burned the T-70 on the left. Our guys were done with that factory (yes, there’s a Fanatic 838 AE) and was ready to move out (it was Blazing up too). The Tiger went after the T-34.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The STuG fixed its gun in the nick of time and shot the T-34, which tried to move around it through a building. The flankers on the right gathered to hit the ‘back’ factory building when the STuG then went straight to the back row and started taking shots from their remaining 76* Gun. The Tiger in the middle started putting rounds into the ‘front’ factory and found a Fortified location. A PzIIIL went to back it up while an 8-0 dived under it to retrieve the dropped FT. The teams in the middle was making progress and the teams on the left was moving to the left flank to help them out. The Tiger shot the T-34 and the AFVs moved to the back row on the left as well.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Russians were consolidating and getting concealed were possible. The fact was, I couldn’t stop that nonsense until I break into the Factories! The STuG’s dueling with the 76* Gun while the Tiger’s sending shots to it from the other side. Shooting wasn’t going to get rid of the Russians. We gotta breach.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

We didn’t forget about the front Factory on the right. A PzIIIL moved over, popped Smoke to help people cross the street. We tried getting into the back Factory but troops broke under the insane firepower from the 8-1 stack. The Tiger in the middle kept shooting at the 76* Gun and would later CH that hex (bye bye Gun). Other AFVs moved to the back to prevent concealments. All the Russans on the left were now squeezed into a Factory by two teams of SS.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

AFV’s crashed into Factories from all directions (red arrows)! A Tiger was killed and 2 PzIIIL were immobilised, but we should have done this earlier. We took Factory number 2 (the ‘front’ Factory). We breached the Fortified location on the left but the Defensive Fire broke all of the assaulters at the breach. That location would potentially cost us the game.

ITR15 Tractor Factory 137 After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

And it did. Assault Fire from the unbroken SS stack in the left Factory failed to break the Russians in the Fortified location. There’s no way we could take all 4 factories. The SS lost.

FT109 Hitler’s Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

This is the first of a series of thrilling Motor Gun (Torpedo) Boat scenarios that are part of LFT St Nazaire, reflecting action around the world. The ocean’s at level 0, so a beached MGB, bristling with weapons, poses an exciting situation for garrison units with a taste for adventure. All houses are wooden and ground level only apart from the building at the top left that’s highlighted in orange. These MGBs have 14PP rubber rafts to ferry tourists to shore, but if MGBs are willing to risk going aground in the shallows, they can unload directly onshore.

This was Norway 1943, and the Norwegians were conducting a Commando Raid at Strød Island. As such, their 8 morale was fanatic on Ocean-Hinterland hexes. They win in 6.5 turns if they can successfully exit two DCs toting 338s via the space marked on the top of the map with the British roundels. There’s a +1 LV and Moderate Mist to help those on the move.

The Strød Island Garrison, who must have thought they pulled a nice assignment on the island in 1943, were 8 2nd-line half squads with 2 LMGs. Plus they had a pair of 105mm ART guns on the stone pier that the Norwegians already knew about!

After Action Report

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

I pointed my 105mm guns each to a side. The +1 LV hindrance and the Moderate Mist will at least a +2 to all shots. However, if they hit, the Norwegians run the risk of drowning half their OB. So I didn’t think they would come up the middle where the gun(s) need to make a +3 turn to shoot (a flat shot in reality since the boats were -3 targets). My weak OB and the the MGB’s awesome firepower convinced most of the German Garrison to stay away from LOS to the waterline.

Act of Valor movie

I had most of my garrison on the left of the map. I figured the right of the map wasn’t as easy to get through, plus it was more of an Open Ground for commandos to cross from there to the exit space. I had both of my LMGs and a 7-0 in the middle of the map as a backstop. They had a stone wall that shield them from those MGBs but turned out the hindrances from Moderate Mist kept them well protected anyways.

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

As I suspected, the pair of MGB crashed into shore right away and offloaded their commandos! My 105mm fired but missed (LOS blocked and Gun malf’d). One of the MGBs went aground (loud expletives) with a Gun tagging on Acquisitions, a gunfight ensured. We got a hit but couldn’t get an effect apart from claiming one HS. Since the commandos went ashore, the Germans wasted no time running backwards from the shore.

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Whilst the right 105mm and the stuck MGB traded shots, the left MGB went for the stone pier since the Germans couldn’t fix the right 105mm. At 4 hexes, a torpedo splashed into the water and scored a direct hit on the pier!! Both guns disappeared in a shower of rocks.

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

With half the MPh’s left, the Norwegian on the left made it to the top of the map. The Germans fought to stay in front of them, with the LV & the Mist helping both sides. One of the LMGs in the middle thought they would go to the big wooden building to help but quickly realised that the battle would move too fast for that. One HS and three dummies on the right would keep the other half of the Norwegian OB delayed. Meanwhile the two MGBs tried to find useful purchases. The hindrances made it impractical to shoot at that distance. They were there largely to strip German concealment.

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The ‘VC’ stack on the left, with a leader and two DCs toting 338s, was almost at the end zone! The Germans made a dash for it too, with their LMG’s moving into place. The Norwegians on the right moved freely as well, since it was clear that most of the German garrison were on the left. We had to keep any DC toting 338’s at bay for two MPh!!

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The left VC stack was 2 hexes from the exit. The German garrison crowded up that space. However in the meantime, the right VC stack arrived at the scene.

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

There was a lot of movement and loud bangs, but when the action subsided, the Norwegians were still on board! An attempt on the left was thwarted for now, but the Norwegians were still in the thick of it! The right VC stack got closer to the exit, and things were really heating up!

FT109 Hitler's Lost Iron After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Germans made a valiant effort to stack up their two LMGs, but it was for nought. The Norwegians on the left were stopped, but they got the right VC stack off the board! What an incredible game!

Tenor

ITR13 To the Last Bullet After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

This is the summer of 1942 and the Germans are on the march! They’re looking to clear the NKVD headquarters at Rostov. They’ll win in 8 turns, if they control both buildings K8 and L12. You can see the two buildings marked with big yellow ‘V’s on the map.

The Russians have eleven 8 morale squads, mostly 628’s, so they’re ready for the fight! These are supported by a 10-0 commissar and a 9-1 plus an 8-0. They come with four Fortified Locations, twenty Mine Factors, an ATR, a MMG and a Flamethrower. The Germans have sixteen squads, four of them 548 with 3 smoke. They have 5 leaders with a total of -4 modifiers amongst them, four MMGs and 4 tanks. I knew these buildings would take forever to clear, but I was excited to see how quickly my squads could work together to overcome the challenge.

After Action Report

The Germans were situated directly across the street. We spotted a rout trap protecting the top (west) building and so we decided to focus our forces on the bottom (east) building. We wanted to get behind these two buildings as well because if the Russians get to rotate concealed units out, we would never win this battle. For the time being, we would ignore but isolate the three Russian stacks in that building on the top of the Russian deployment. We had four MMGs distributed between the 9-1 and the 9-2 stacks as deathstars to support the assault troops moving across the street. The 548’s would provide smoke (& close up assault fire) and the 467’s would deploy where possible. We would have to note the hexes the Russians step into if we want to avoid the mines. They would undoubtedly withdraw into the top victory building (west), so we’ll have to be quick!

In a stunning turn of events, the Russian flank guard melted away in an unexpected blaze of glory (a break and then Fate). The Deathstars tried to stop the Russians from moving up to the middle and the top building. We were moving troops to the left (south) side of the buildings, and it was going great! The four tanks arrived on the scene, ready to provide smoke and armour cover to those crossing the streets. We made it through the first of the Russian fortified positions! There were three more to go!

The Russian 10-0 commissar kept putting brokies back in circulation, which was a great move! We had to move the AFVs to put a stop to the unacceptable situation. One of the AFVs moved too close and got destroyed (fine, I wasn’t paying attention), though it became a nice crossing point. The Germans blew through the second Fortified location, yeah! The deathstars started moving to support the attack on the top (west) building, although I have to admit, I wasn’t covering them from Russian sniper well. At this point in the game, both the Russian ATR and the flamethrower malfunctioned, which was a real shame.

We had no choice but to stack ourselves up to the often 12+3 or more firepower from Russian 628’s. We had to keep up the pressure!! The 9-2 broke trying to organise his men at the new deathstar position. An 8-1 dived through his own lines and tried to deliver a DC to the Russians, he got killed for his efforts. I had to move a wounded 7-0 to that center building to keep the attack going. There’s a Russian 9-1 nursing a broken MMG on the corner of the last VC building. We had to move the AFVs in to mess with that rout as well.

We got the Russian hemmed into a corner of the top VC building! The two Russian leaders are in the hex with the last Fortified Location, and they’ve got all the brokies! The tank I dispatched to keep the brokies away from the Russian 9-1 was killed by a LMG from the 8-0 stack we tried to isolate in the building at the top of the Russian layout. But that just made the rest of us more determined to get the job done! In a bold move, they then tried to dash across the street to join the fight! Unfortunately, they got pinned in the street, and I sent a tank through and overran the stack! My 9-2 was shot by the Russian sniper, but that allowed his machinegunners run across the street to help! It was after the German AFPh that the Russians finally gave in in disgust.

I think the one thing this scenario taught me is to target one bit of the puzzle at a time and focus all your firepower, assault troops and AFVs on it. It’s basic tactics but it’s one that I failed to get my head around in execution till now! On the otherhand, this seems to be a scenario that’s tilted to the German side. Perhaps those of you who played this will share your thoughts?

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

The year is 1921 and we have White Russians (Asian Cavalry Division, i.e. Mongolians) trying to stop a Chinese relief force. The White Russians win at the end of the turn if they control >= 25 level 3 hills and 25 >= buildings, provided the Chinese don’t get >= 30 CVP. The buildings on the bottom board count as 3 buildings. The Mongols set up on the top board. They can allocate troops to a flanking force entering from the left or right of the map. This flanking force roll to enter between turns 3 and 5 (7 turn scenario). The Chinese have an artillery screen with 2 MMGs & 2 70mm ARTs on the second board from the top and a garrison with one MMG & one 37mm ART on the third board from the top. A relief force with another 3 MMGs, a 37 & 2 75’s come up from the bottom board.

The Mongols have two officers who are Commissars, which I mistakenly assigned to the heavy weapons for staying power in an open terrain (more on this later). The following is how NOT to play cavalry. Or at least how NOT to play cavalry in this scenario.

After Action Report

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

I was very wary of the -2 for attacks and the double break for cavalry. Too cautious, in fact: I surrounded and killed the main Chinese outposts (mostly dummies), but I didn’t go nearly far enough. In reality, most Chinese weapons break on 11 and are prone to cowering. Also they were shooting from up high and couldn’t do Fire Lances. What I should have done was to push as far down the board as possible and ignore the casualties. This is a big map and I would need a lot of time to take buildings, plus minimising my time out in the open would reduce the overall body count. The MMGs were split as overwatch for the left and right forces, led by 10-2 & 9-2, both Commissars. The left flank reached the first hilltop. The right flank also got to their hilltops and some of the cavalry went around the far right. The Chinese lost no time in firing all guns in contact and their relief force came up from the lower map without a care in the world as my troops hadn’t pushed down far enough.

One of my 37 malf’d on the first shot. To be honest, they were so ineffective that perhaps they should have moved in the wagons, they took all the time in the world to make it to the bottom hill on the second map from the top.

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Chinese relief force continued to saunter merrily from the bottom of the map. Our scattered movement was working in the sense that the Chinese guns were breaking and their conscripts were cowering, allowing other Mongolians to go deeper. Unfortunately, we decided to go on foot. I also learnt another problem with approaching with cavalry from all over the board, I left brokies all over and in the open. I had a hard time getting them to more central locations for the leaders to get to, and I was starting to miss the Commissars who stayed behind with the heavy weapons (I said HMGs in the picture, but they were MMGs). I started to dismantle the heavy weapons when I realised we wouldn’t all fit in the wagons. That cost us time.

The Chinese troops on the third board started to open up and fire. We needed more of them to do this so that the flanking force knew what was where.

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The left flank is on the hill directly in front of the Chinese garrison. Unfortunately, despite having the better range, the Chinese had the better of the firefight, and the Mongols were hard to rally in the open. The MMG (not HMG) crew were shot up by a newly discovered GMT Deathstar as they tried to get closer. The remaining 37 made a slow journey down the board. The right flank approached the Chinese position, but they were too thin on the ground. Again, people refusing to rally in the open didn’t help. The Chinese relief force had NO problem getting to the Chinese garrison and getting ready. We should have gone around the back of the garrison at this point.

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The Mongol flanking force was finally allowed in! They chose to come in from the left and opened with a pair of HS’s attacking one of the 70s. Both 70mm ended up firing, but one of the two marauding HS got into CC. By this time the front line guys were pretty well shot up and all over the map. One of the wagons carrying a 37 gun was shot down as it came up the hill in front of the Chinese garrison. The Chinese could afford to concentrate on the flank.

FT276 Genghis Khan Lives After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The rest of the flankers came in after both 70mm were tied down. I diverted one platoon towards the buildings (remember, these buildings give 3x rewards compared to buildings on other maps). The rest of the flankers went in with the Chinese. My Brokies didn’t rally, and when they did, they were too far away from the fighting. I had the left side of the bottom board pretty well taken care of, but I was too far behind in terms of hilltop/building captures. I conceded.

If I were to play this scenario again…

I would be bolder in taking casualtiesI would make more use of the range offered by the horses
I would do more HS cavalry chargesI would venture less into the hills unless necessary. Most would stay on the ground.
The guns would move from Turn 1.
The MMGs would move forward (down) sooner.
The Commissars would go with the attacking troops and do rallies.
The cavalry will scatter less on the approach and will scatter on the charge.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

This was 1938 in Tai’erzhuang. The Chinese 31st Division looked to evict all Good Order IJA MMCs from the factory the Japanese used to prepare IJA remains for their return to Japan in 8 turns. The Chinese had a 100+mm OBA and a 37 fighter bomber. There’s a Mild Breeze from the top left but we couldn’t get any smoke going anyway.

After Action Report

The IJA had second floor positions in which they could place their heavy weapons. The Chinese thought of moving the bulk of their forces via the right of the mid line but the rowhouses were a nightmare to attack through vertically. Moving through to the buildings on the far right and coming back in the middle was viable but that seemed a long way off. There were a couple of third floor position for the overwatch but they were too far away for Chinese guns. If we put them forward in the couple of second floor positions left of the mid line we would need to protect them from the IJA on the left flank. So we decided to move the bulk of the forces left to the mid line together with the heavy weapons. As it happened, the Chinese front was too narrow for the Chinese to make the mass of their numbers felt. The Open Ground in the middle of the board to the left of the crematorium proved risky for the attackers as well.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Anyway, the Chinese heavy weapon squads sprinted forward. The pair of Chinese tankettes were useless in the city as gun platforms so they were used as cover on those open streets. The scout car had better guns but they were open topped and were therefore used in hit & runs and as a possible smoke platform. The one good option my opponent pointed out was to position the scout car on the hill to the bottom right to harass reinforcements trying to push back into the crematorium. An IJA MMG opened up and promptly malfunctioned. Spotted mortars took shots at us as well. The thing to do was to get more of the key IJA weapons to fire and to show themselves to the OBA and the incoming fighter bomber.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The heavy weapons teams sprinted upstairs and the tankettes were on the street for the Chinese troops to dash across. Exposed or not, we constantly pushed everyone forward and threaten to bypass retreating IJA squads. The more IJA units appear to shoot, the more targets the OBA/FB would had. Given that, the IJA on the right started moving back towards the library. What I needed to a better job at was to constantly organise threaten Human Wave threats. Having said that, I have never been able to execute a mid game HW!!

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Come Hell or High Water, the Chinese troops kept pushing forward relentlessly. The IJA got a HMG team outside the crematorium as AA cover for their incoming AFVs. The IJA on the right flank were frustratingly successful in making their way towards the crematorium. The Chinese laid an OBA squarely on the IJA MMG commanding the middle of the board (huge surprise), although that was the first and the last of the Chinese OBA. The IJA mortar far off also took potshots at anyone who’s not careful enough about LOS. I didn’t want to waste the fight bomber flying against their AA cover (after their AFVs). However, the presence of the plane suppressed liberal IJA movement.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

My patience with the fighter bomber paid off. The Chinese overwatch positions took out the AA HMG and the bomber swooped in! The bomb landed squarely on the biggest IJA tank on the board and lit it up. The bulk of the Chinese pushed through left of the mid line, we were undoubtedly behind schedule and we had to divert troops to meet the IJA reinforcement coming in from the left.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The IJA stunned one of our tankettes and it retreated off the field. Our front was too narrow and was pretty well plugged by the IJA defenders. We triggered a HW in a “Do or Die” quest to bust into the crematorium!! I have to admit, a lot of the IJA shots went wide. The remaining Chinese tankette helped out some of the chaps with an Armored Assault. We couldn’t get distracted by the incoming IJA from the left, we pushed most of the folks towards the crematorium and a few guys remained to keep the IJA off. I had the expensive German scout car in position on the left to help fend them off but it’s MGs promptly malfunctioned!

(Personal first : mid game Human Wave! A Chinese one no less!)

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

We could have fired off a couple of Dare Death charges as well but it appeared the coast was clear for the rest of the Chinese soldiers. We moved them in as close as possible. The flamethrower team took advantage of the commotion to walk right up to an IJA tank and lit it up. With two movement phrases to go, I had serious concerns that we wouldn’t be able to get to all corners of the crematorium. The internal walls funnelled our troops to where they were plugged up.

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The IJA on the left flank had a chain of units lined up, ready for a Banzai Charge back into the crematorium! Good thing our overwatch positions separated the IJA leader with the rest of the boys. The IJA MMG tried to go high but was pinned by heavy weapons fire as well. The remaining IJA tank crashed into the building but was shot by an LMG near by! I was mulling about the internal walls when my opponent pointed out my DCs near by. The folks went “Oh yeah!!”, ran into the crematorium and placed the DC. All the LMG teams went in (LMGs can fire through breached walls at “full power”). Other Chinese rounded the bottom of the building and got to the bottom left corner as well. All that’s helped by the sniper breaking the IJA spotter team, although breaking one of the remaining IJA units inside the crematorium would have been better!

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Wall breached, IJA units shot or killed in close combat!! We had the crematorium!! Now to lined up a reception for the inevitable IJA counterattack!

ITR11 Cremation Station After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The IJA was caught in a web of fire. I am frankly surprised that both overwatch positions were still operational (the HMG took a quick break). None of the IJA units reached the crematorium. The game ended as epically as it started.

ITR9 Asia’s Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

Victory Conditions

Thirty two squads of Imperial Japanese Army soldiers needed to pick their way through debris & rubble and clear three buildings of thirty squads of good ordered Chinese folks in eight turns. The Chinese had six fortified locations plus a 10-2 jedi knight. You can see the four target buildings marked off with a “V” in the maps.

To be honest, I had just finished reading Col Joseph H Alexander’s “Edson’s Raiders”. I hadn’t played PTO in a while and was determined to play the IJA like the IJA : bypass & flow behind your enemies: infiltrate, infiltrate, infiltrate!

After Action Report

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

I thought the Chinese were going to setup as close as possible to the IJA lines and hence lessen the possibility of them being hit by the initial IJA bombardment. Turns out the Chinese set themselves up very smartly in rubble so as to not get caught in a building collapse. My PreReg caught them quite well, but the Chinese survived the hit with only 1 broken unit. Our MMG & HMG teams climbed up two Level 2 buildings to provide overwatch. The IJA troop rushed on board where possible, with a focus on passing by Chinese flanks. The idea was to be audacious enough to compel Chinese units to unconceal and to fire (and for dummy units to look suspect). The IJA deployed where possible. It’s a HS rush with the backing of their “commissar” leaders!

3X ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

The overwatch teams were now put on Opportunity Fire. The troops were then to get as much of the defenders to unconceal as possible, especially the Chinese overwatch teams that were now in place. The Chinese kept us away from Open Ground were possible so as to burn up our time. We kept flowing around defenders who are clearly outnumbered. A HIP IJA unit leaped up and ran down the left flank when the coast seemed clear. The troops in the middle met more of the opposition in the rubble. Assault Engineer’s ability to dump WP was useful in unconcealing (and even breaking) the defenders. Chinese reinforcements were coming in. They were largely conscripts so the demand on leadership was huge. Unfortunately I wasn’t in a position to interdict them, this would hurt me at the end game I was sure. The troops on the right was on their way around the right most target building.

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

IJA reinforcement entered from both flanks! The challenge would then be to put them in play as soon as possible. We rushed the left most target building, running into, rounding and therefore encircling the defenders. The troops in the middle made good progress as well as they cleared the middle target building. Troops rushed up the right flank with DC’s & FT’s. That’s the target building housing the dual HMG overwatch! The Chinese reinforcement arrived on that flank as well. The overwatch team on both sides were fully engaged with their B11 heavy weapons. We luckily caught their 10-2 and broke him! The shooting got more intense all over the streets! One target building cleared.

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

A Chinese counterattack pushed us back out of the target building at the lower half of the map (right flank). We needed to consolidate and keep the flanks going where possible! To that end, the reinforcements reached the rest of the team on the top of the map. They would need it as they ran into a pair of fortified hex in the target building on the top of the map. As it turns out, the defenders advanced upstairs to avoid IJA fire, got pinned and couldn’t get back into their fortified hexes again. The middle saw 1-3-7’s pushing through the rubble. A team of IJA reached the other end of Chinese deployments. Too slow to interdict Chinese reinforcements but good enough to mess with their routing. ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

In our efforts to clear the target building on the top part of the map, a HS went Berserk and proceeded to run upstairs after a Chinese squad. We were ready to go after the third building. Prep Fire depressed the Chinese HMG nest, so I pushed harder in the center and on the right flank. Unfortunately, when prepping the right flank target building, both our flamethrowers went out of fuel! At least we pinned the rival flamethrower in the fortified hex. Time to get in there!

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

We rolled a “1″ on our secret banzai die roll, so now’s indeed the time, especially when his 10-2 hadn’t recovered. First, the left flank. We drew off some fire by threatening to bump scout, and we succeeded in getting real close. The gents in the middle continued towards the back so as to mess with Chinese routing. Over on the left, we opened with an assault engineering squad threatening WP grenades on the pinned flamethrower. Then a DC Hero gets generated to show others the good news (BOOM!)! While fire’s being drawn, an IJA leader stood up on the other side of the right flank target building, drew his sword and screamed “BAAAANNZZZAAAAAAAI!!!!”

Oh did we trampled through that building. Mixed results in CC but we were in the building and some of the brokies would never recover. The berserk squad on our left unfortunately walked into a Dare Death squad (“Those guys got broadswords!”). Things went medieval and our guys got thrown out the windows in chopped pieces. Urgh, Turn 6 and only one building cleared!

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

We broke and halved the Dare Death guy on our left flank (sooo thankful that we didn’t have to go HtH them!). Progress, but not enough! This scenario SSR declared “No Quarter”, so Mop Up was not an option here. The drama, however was on the right flank. A Dare Death squad went berserk, charged downstairs, killed my guys and freed a stairwell. A Chinese leader then stepped over, dropped a DC from up high on my folks (BOOM!) and snatched a flamethrower off a brokie!

ITR9 Asia's Stalingrad After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

We rolled a “5” on our secret banzai die roll, so we were limited to three. Since my opponent didn’t know how many banzai’s would take place, I did one on my left flank to push into that building and to draw fire off my right. Unfortunately, the boys quickly ran into two Fortified locations (where the staircases were). I then spend my subsequent banzai MFs crashing up the fortified hex to build up bodies for firepower (+flamethrower “crispy”) and to avoid having to run outside under a pair of HMGs.

Banzai’s on the right flank started with a one man Banzai executed by a wounded 7+1 leader. He tried to make as much noise as he could and both the defending squad and the MMG squad upstairs cowered! The third Banzai came from the other side of the building. My opponent’s horrible DRs worked hand in hand with my excellent ones. We passed MCs like nobody’s business. IJA were upstairs and allover the corridors.

My opponent conceded.

BFP25 From Villebaudon to Valhalla After Action Report (AAR) Advanced Squad Leader scenario

(Sorry about the small images – the map’s wide! Please Right-Click on an image to open it in a new tab to make it bigger.)

Victory Conditions

The Germans, with 10 Panthers (and four AA AFVs plus a slew of assets), had to break out into the left mapboard, killed enough Americans (10 CVPs per pt) and/or occupy enough of 4 VC hexes (2 pt per hex) to get 9pts in 9 turns. To be honest, I didn’t think the Americans had a chance at all. Those Panthers had front armors that none of us could touch (18 AF vs the three TDs with APCR of 20TK). They could just drive over, occupy all four VC hexes, kill two US AFVs and win the game. However we did have two tank busting fighter bombers and an 100mm OBA that could keep the infantry at bay.

My opponent advised that the Panthers couldn’t ignore American armor (or bazooka teams). They couldn’t allow to them to get in close and (God forbid) get a side shot. The Americans had to use their gyros and their fast turrets (on most) to keep the threat alive. We had to keep the German armor chasing after us. It’s a strategy I stuck to on one flank but not the other during this game.

Before we begin, if you look for combined arms and bocage action, this scenario delivered nine turns of nonstop carnage for both sides. It’s a glorious mess!