Ardennes 44 turns 6,7,8

Lawrence and I continued our game of Ardennes 44 on Saturday.  I messed up the pics (Panarama mode did not work so well) so only have start and end photos.  Turns played were turn 6 through 8.  The rules are pretty much second nature now and gameplay flows fairly well but we had a couple items to look up on leaving the map and reinforcements.  We are averaging 3 game turns in 5 hours (including 2 mini night turns), which for us is not bad.

Start of Turn 6.

Panorama shot of end of turn 8.

German Left Flank at end of turn 8.  The Allies managed to get 6 defensive strength points at each entry area and thus were able to attack onto the map.  The 966 armor unit blasts a German recon unit and advances on.

Bastogne area, the 82nd and 101 have to content themselves with holding the German spearhead at Bastogne rather than keeping them OUT of Bastogne.  The Germans are too thin on the ground to advance yet, the reinforcements led by the 746 at the bottom of the picture will change that situation but it will take them at least two more turns to get to the area due to Saint Vith still being in Allied hands (once Saint Vith is captured the yellow outlined hexes are +2mp to move through rather than +4).

Despite repeated attempts to take St Vith the Allies still hold it.  I made a mistake by not getting Arty to the area earlier.  On the plus side the Germans have manage to isolate the town and barring REALLY bad luck will have capture it by the end of the day.  The Allies do not have Arty in range to support it so that means the attacks will be at 4-1 odds and possibly higher.
First attack I will make is on the 223 3 hexes above St Vith.  That will be a 7 to 1 attack, if I can roll a 1 to 3 on that attack I will get an attacker bonus result where I can move the armor unit attacking the 223 down to where the 563 is and then have it participate in the attack on ST Vith.  With the help of that unit the odds go up to 5 to 1.  This means a 50% chance of a retreat result that the Allies can not block (otherwise the allies can do a Determined Defense which will most likely hold).  The odds of the City holding out the turn after that are much lower since the defending unit would be flipped.

The fuel shortage has not bitten my forces yet, all four rolls resulted in no effect or were on units that have not yet arrived on map.  

I think I have already taken too long to break the first Allied line (not getting arty into the correct spots for the combat shifts did it).  I can push them back in almost every attack, even up in Bastogne, but if I go any further I will not be able to hold my supply line.  So I have to get my arty up to Bastogne and break the chokehold here at Saint Vith, both of which will take the next two turns to accomplish.  The next report should be interesting.

ASL06: Red Packets

Played ASL scenario 6 with Jay Carson on Friday.  The first of what I hope to be an every week ASL game on Fridays.  The scenario features a handful of vehicles on each side (3 for the Germans and 6 plus cycles for the Russians) where the Russians have to exit X CVP off the map or kill all three German vehicles.

Start of the Game.  Germans move first.

End of first German turn.  Since Jay is new I did say he could take back the 20L move but he decided to stick with it.  I think I then suggested firing the gun to lay down an ACQ.

First BLOOD! during the Russian Movement Phase.  First cycle went through that hex just fine and I figure a 2-2 resid shot is worth risking...  SNAKES and done!

End of Russian turn 1.  The 20L tank managed to Kill and Brew up one of the BA-6

20L tank fires at the 76LL gun truck, should be easy pickings, HE shoots and HITS!  Then only gets an Immob result - Intensive fire and a HIT - and another Immob.  Truck crew manages to stay in the truck to return fire.  Return fire from the BA-6s brew up the 20L tank.

During the Russian second movement phase I try moving up the BA6s and the 37L armed tank kills 3 of them (one with the first shot, the second with a rate shot, and the third with an Intensive fire shot...).

Big red text says it all...

End of Russian turn 2, anti-climactic after that last image...

German HalfTrack moves in behind a wall, BA6 fires and scores a Turret Hit!.  TK is a 9!  TK roll is a 10!

When the HT fires back it also misses.  Start of Russian turn 3 the BA6 fires again and hits the turret with rate!  Another 9TK and the TK roll is...  (you guessed it) 10!

Rate shot is another rate and turret hit, another 9TK and this time...

A roll of 5 and end of game.

Jay put up with my good luck in style and this coming Friday we have ASL07: To the Square scheduled.  Interesting to note that there were 3 Immobs with TKs of 7 or higher and 2 missed kill shots with a TK of 9.  I also had the 76LL use AP with a depletion of 7 when the TH was a 5 figuring it was close enough to be worth the chance for an extra TH roll - I rolled a 7 of course...

ASL J40: Might Makes Right

Played this scenario with Tycho on Saturday and got smacked around in under two hours (who says ASL takes a long time to play?).  A combination of overly aggressive play and "average" luck.  Average as in rolling a lot of twos and twelves...

Quick note on the terrain is that Alpine Hills are in effect so no same level LOS on hills beyond one hex.

Initial Setup complete, let the game begin!  Germans need to capture the buildings and lose <= 10 CVP.

Opening shots, I fired on the guy in the woods with a MTR and missed with no rate (MTR would never get rate or hit through the whole game).  The guys in P2 fired on L3 and rolled a 1 on the red die (breaking the HS) so the LMG fired again and I think rolled a 2, followed by the HS rolling a 2 MC and battle hardening.  Missed my sniper check too.  Not a good start!

First Movement phase I get too aggressive (a 2-2 shot, not a big deal...).  Leader rolls snakes and battle hardens and turns into a hero, Allied Sniper gets a 2 result, Hero leader gets hit...

End of Axis turn 1.

Sergeant Schultz Strikes!  First boxcars rally roll...  HS casualty number 1!  (the 8-0 at the bottom)

RALLY OR ELSE!

End of Allied Turn 1

End of Axis turn 2 and MAJOR mistake #1, did not remember the LOS from that MG nest right down the board, and "Heroic Wounded Leader" gets whacked.  Two free CVP...

He Strikes AGAIN!

End of Allied turn 2.

End of Axis turn 3

End of Allied turn 3.

End of Axis turn 4.

Rally Phase of Doom.  The Berserk guy rolled snakes and since I declared no-quarter earlier they went Berserk instead of surrendering...

Berserk guy went through an 8-2 shot and a 6-1 shot without a scratch.  I then have a concealed stack move right next to my broke guys and they can not run...

Broke guys are eliminated in CC making it a total of 10 CVP, I can still pull this off!  Then comes the Rally phase and you guessed it, another boxcars result.

Total Annihilation in under two hours.  Still had a blast and Tycho (at least) played a very good game.  Skulking out of sight and forcing me to come to his units to open a path to the VC buildings.  Looking forward to the next game.

Next up will be J56 and then we are starting the Purple Heart Draw campaign game.  Looking forward to more ASL!

Ardennes 44 continues

Lawrence and I continued our game of Ardennes 44 last week (on the 15th).  I have been tardy in getting it written up.  Work has been a bear this past week...  Enough Whining!  onto the report!

Start of Allied Turn 3

German Left Flank

Center

And Right Flank

Lawrence insisted I get a picture of this.  It is a good indication of how things will go for this session...
Allied 9-6-6 attacks German 3-2-6 that was sitting in the open, and rolls two sixes in a row getting an engaged result (ENG marker should be on the German unit).  I think this was the only possible result not causing a German step loss...

End of Allied Turn 3.

Allied Tank unit is stuck on the wrong side of the river and has nowhere to go.

The unit with the 1 on it (near the middle) is ZOC blocked in position.  Down near the bottom the other stack rolled a 1 (see Lawrence, you didn't roll ALL sixes...) to not gain a Surrender point this turn.

Reinforcements are streaming in and another shot of that battle mentioned earlier.

End of German turn 4

Germans take 2 entry areas in the A,B,C zone.  This will keep Allied reinforcements from entering the map in those sectors.  The Allied tank unit stuck on the wrong side of the river is reduced in this turns fighting.

My panzer unit ZOC blocking the Allied tank went for a Joy ride, leaving the tank unit free to escape DOH!)  On the plus side it makes the Allies position to stop that single unit from winning the game all on its own.

Front line is slowly being pushed forward on the German Right flank.

End of Allied turn 4

Green circles - Allies place units in blocking positions, the can not move out of them (or attack out) till every blocked area has at least 6 defensive factors.  Causing allied reinforcements to wait till being able to enter the map.  Allied units retreat to the river line (green and red lines) and the Tank unit is still stuck on the wrong side of the river and just holds tight (red circle) 

Allies have few units to hold the center.

Allied Left flank (German right) is holding nicely.  Surrounded units are now at the second surrender point - one more and they surrender.

Another pic of the Allied Left flank.

This is actually part of German turn 5 - Allied played insisted, I rolled a LOT of ones this game session.  

It had something to do with this attack but I forget exactly what.  I think the 546 attacked eliminating someone.

And another one... 

OK - managed to surround the allied unit getting a replacement.  This is near the center of the battle zone.

End of German turn 5 (neither player had reserves for a night turn)

The US tank unit is finished off on the Left flank.

Another bout of ones and the Germans get the first D1 result of the game (allowing for Breakthrough combat).  The stack then attacks another allied unit and Bastogne is now in reach!

St Vith still stands - time to start putting pressure on there.  Capturing it eases traffic congestion in the yellow hexes (near the bottom right of the map for example)

Like it says, fighting in this area is seesawing a bit due to Allied and German reinforcements.  Holding this shoulder is probably the best the Germans can hope for while exploiting the hole in the center.

And here the Allies roll another six while attacking a nearly surrounded German unit (Part of Allied turn 5).   

End of Allied turn 5

Airborne units racing to the battle zone.  (this is near the top left of the map from German perspective - bastogne would be just off the picture at the bottom)

The Allies used a strategic move marker to get the arty unit out of danger.  Other units are just holding a river line but will not last long without reinforcement.

The center of the line is very thin.

A 6-7-3 is holding St Vith (also near the center

Allies fell back a couple hexes from the seesaw bridge area but still have strength here.

As the Germans I managed an average Die Roll of 1.5 or so while the Allies managed an average of 5.5 or so.  Extremely lopsided.  Even with that it looks like a long slog to getting a victory and starting on turn 7 fuel shortages start occurring.  Next game is schedule for September 12th!