ASL 184 Death at Carentan

Played ASL 184: Death at Carentan with Robert on the 21st and 28th of October this year - yup, a little late on the replay!  This is an excellent scenario and I plan on playing it again some time.  Both sides get a chance to attack and defend with the main US force entering on turn 2 and the Germans on turn 3.  Our game was full of back and forth fighting.  The US wins if they hold 5 points worth of buildings at scenario end.  One building is worth 3vp and the others listed are worth 1vp.

Situation at start, the US get a smoke mission to start the game, the VP buildings are the 2 hex one (3vp) the one above the German Sniper (1vp), and the ones closest to the 2 hex building (1vp each).  The smoke goes off without a hitch (pre-reg and SSR says it has to be smoke).  The US 9-2 moves next to the O6vp building and since the smoke is too thick to see through nobody loses concealment.  Stepping in for CC the building is taken.

Next the 9-2 and a squad move to Q6 by jumping over the Hedgerow to take the R5vp space.  I suspect there is a squad there but instead...

A German MMG in R5 has a field day with point blank fire...

Turn 2 Ooops!  Things are not off to a good start as the 9-2 and squad jump over the hedgerow adjacent to a previously hidden MMG (thought that was in the middle building).  9-2 is wounded and squad broken.

End of US Turn 3.  The defenders in the 3vp building are nearly done, German rout phase next turn will finish them off.  The 9-2 and squad rout to O6 and the reinforcements head for the vp building up north.

End of German turn 3.  German reinforcements stream on board causing havoc in the US lines (I remember failing LOTS of MCs and Rally attempts and and inordinate number of casualty reductions on boxcars). 

End of German turn 4.  During the US turn they managed to take the R5vp building after being repulsed in the north.  The US now has 5vp but has to keep it till game end.

End of US turn 5.  The Germans are repulsed and the 92 (now effectively an 8-1) hold the R5vp building.

End of German turn 5.  The Germans move to r6 and are shot at with a 12+1 shot, NE!  They fire back 8+2 and break the squad and leader in R5 who are eliminated for FTR...   Germans are winning again.

End of German turn 6.  The US managed to get a half squad and leader into P2 and the Melee is ongoing still.

End of US turn 7.  Germans are once again blasted away from being adjacent to O6 - this happened multiple times during the game...  Arty also falls just where it is needed but the Germans managed to make every MC it caused...  (100mm too)  Can't whine too much since the leader directing it may a rally attempt while broken and it fell on the DM stack at the top right and kept them out of action till now.  Taking the P2 building means the US is winning...

German movement phase turn 7.  Germans move to retake the P2vp space, US fires and causes a juicy MC, German MC is a 2, hero creation and battle hardening...

Building P2 is retaken!  Germans once again winning!

End of US turn 8. The US move to retake R5 and manage to take the building.  Last half turn of the game is coming up and the US has 5vp.  Germans have to take any one building back to win.  Also note that a German MC in N4 results in ANOTHER battle hardening and hero creation...

German half of turn 8 and end of game.  The Germans shrug off multiple 2-2, 4-2, and 1-2 shots to get adjacent to R5 and O6.  They jump into CC in both.  O6 results in an ambush for the Germans but they do not kill off the US troops there.  R5 results in no ambush but the US troops are eliminated and the Germans win the game...

In reality the Germans did the R5 CC first but I then went and rolled the other CC just to see how it would go - so the game would have ended being decided by the last CC DR if it had been done the other way round.  Despite my whining the dice were average, the Germans could not keep a guy near O6 till the last turn - up till then every attempt ended up with Broken Germans being forced to route away.  The arty landed JUST where it was needed to the last turn of the game and I only drew one red chit early on. 

Final verdict, this scenario is a gem, it features a lot of tough decisions for each player and appears balanced - though if I had not done that bonehead move with the 9-2 early on it might have gone differently since the extra -1 would really have come in handy.