ASL Scenario BFP028: Marco Polo Bridge

 Continuing the PTO in ASL we picked up with Marco Polo Bridge from Bounding Fire Productions.  Highlights are Japanese tanks and 40(!) Chinese squads...

The setup.  The Chinese have to take either all the buildings in the Japanese setup area OR take two multi-hex buildings and the bridge.

The situation at the end of turn 3.  The Chinses are making steady progress on the bridge.  Fire combat has gone very well for the Chinse while CC has ALL gone for the Japanese.  The Japanese tanks come on this turn so a bum rush for the bridge is probably not a good idea with all the FP covering it (but with Japanese IFT rolls maybe it would be).  The game continues in two weeks.

ASL scenario DB 136: The Block on the Trail to Hell

 All I'll say about this one is my Marines were slaughtered.  Don't see any way the marines can get the VC in the time allotted without a miracle.  Only other thing is that after whining about NEVER getting a hero last week I got a hero this week - and then rolled boxcars on a couple more Close Combats...

Lock N Load Tactical: Rejoining the Regiment

 Played LNL, Rejoining the Regiment with my son.  No pictures since it was a learning game.  He lost track of movement points to get off the board.  Next week we switch and I play the attacking Germans.  It appears to be a tough one for them with the need to move move move.

After that moving on to full LNL and larger scenarios.

ASL scenario DB:123 Probe on the Trail to Hell

 Just going through the log on this one makes me despise the VASL die roller...

The Marines have 5 turns to clear the circled area and do so with fewer losses than the Japanese.

My MMG and Mortar were first to shoot, both Malfed on their first shots.  Not a good start...

Then the Marines generated 2 heroes on the first turn.  (I don't recall EVER generating a hero on snake eye MC checks - EVER!@)

Have to rely on the Japanese CC ability and HTH.

Get a 1-1 odds, and ambush and a -1 leader leading it!  Rolled a 10 so all I got was a CR out of it.  At least next turn both sides got eliminated.

Second one didn't work out well either.  Average CC roll is now 8.5

Got the Marines to walk a half squad onto a HIP unit.  Keep HIP till CC phase, no ambush of course and the Marines roll snakes...

I should have gone with my whiny instict to end the suffering right there...

Maybe a DC attack will work.  Nope, fired upon by the unit next door and they roll snakes.

Next to last turn, MG repaired!  Fire it and roll an 11.  That CC was another high roll as well.  10 I think.

I don't care that I'm a whiner.  I got F*&*^%*&ng diced to death on this one.  Back to the pacific Saturday the 23rd...

ASL scenario BFP:140 Iron Greeting

 Played this one today and it was over quick.  The Poles have to have possession of the 3 outlines buildings at the end of the game.  At the start they have a near 2 to 1 squad ratio and 6 tanks to one ATG for the Russians.  To top it off the ATG has a low chance of killing a tank due to their armor.  On turn 3 the Russians would get reinforcements bring the squad total in line with the Poles and 6 tanks with poor armor but decent guns - in a straight up fight it would be about even.  

Situation at the start of the game.  The tanks start in motion and will reach the Russian front line to freeze sleaze them on turn 1.  Poles managed to walk around the resid markers to get point blank shots to mostly no result.  The resulting CC went all the Poles way however.

End of Polish turn 2 and the game.  A second round of freeze sleazing while staying in motion followed up with all the CCs going the Poles way (even to the extent that a CC reaction fire ended up boxcars).  Both players consider this one an unbalanced dud.  Though the force mix looked cool the point blank starting distance and overwhelming force for the Poles on the first three turns make it a very tough fight for the Russians. 

From here it is probably on to the PTO and in July we plan on the 11 turn Red Barricades campaign game.

ASL scenario BFP 133: Over the Hills

 Tycho and I played this scenario from the Poland in Flames pack.  We both recommend it as a good scenario.  Nice to see some maps that are not used much and in a configuration that is non-standard.  Always nice not to have THAT road in the middle of the board...

The start.  The Germans have to take the Hill and the Bridge marked on the map.  The polish could setup one hex away from where the Germans did but I wanted to make the Germans come to me and I was wary of that valley between the hills - looked like a death trap to me.  If I were to play again I would put a couple of units on the Southern hill to slow up the Germans a bit.

And the VASSAL die roller works in my favor!  The Germans get these interesting 88mm self propelled guns and in the first turn two of them managed to Malf.  Since we were only 30 minutes into the game we kept playing and to give the Die Roller its due it was pretty darn random.  Both of us getting streaks of good and bad luck throughout.

Even with the good and bad the loss of the two 88s would hamstring the Germans - both of them would roll sixes for repair and never take part in the fight.  The last one fell victim to a critical hit from the Polish Mortar.  The mortar was the MVP of the game.  Slowing up the German push in the middle of the map.  At this point the Germans had to take all four hexes in 2 turns (and the Polish prep fire was not done) so we called it there.  It is hard to see but the Germans have a roughly 1.5 to 1 squad ratio in range of the VC hexes by next turn.  Getting to the hexes would require taking a number of 8 or 16FP attacks with no cover as well.

Germantown game two. Turn 6 and English half of turn 7

 Finished up turn 6 and played half of turn 7.  Feel a little sleazy.  Found out George W was in range of a cavalry unit so ran up, chased off the demoralized unit he was trying to rally and advanced in to capture him.  Felt sleazy since last time a general was alone in the hex (years ago I admit) I did not see the rule saying that a VACANT hex did not include having a leader in it (only a leader is vacant but you kinda have to figure that out by putting two and two together, it is never clearly spelled out).

George is where the star is.  Or at least was there.  Rebel half of turn coming up but with morale so low it will be hard to get the favorable combat adds to make it a sure thing.  After that an initiative roll.