Advanced Squad Leader (MMP) ~ “Buchholz Station” [I]

Game: ASL
Scenario: Buchholz Station (I)
Participants: Joe C and Myself
Time: 3.15PM – 8.45PM (Saturday, January 01, 2011)

Stating set up for this scenario

As I had just played and am going to replay Ardennes ’44, I wanted to play this scenario. This is a classic ASL scenario, one that I had played several times in the last 20 years. The scenario depicts an action fought on the first day of the Ardennes offensive in the 99^th US Infantry Divisions sector. A company of US Infantry is lined up for some chow when a company of Germans from the 12^th Volksgrenadier Division surprises them. It is essentially a meeting engagement as each side has roughly the same number of squads. The Victory Conditions grant victory to the first side that inflicts 13 CVP on the other, or the Germans can exit 9 CVP off one of two road hexes, baring this the US player will win.

We rolled for sides with me getting the Germans (attacking). As I had lost my last three ASL games against YJ I was determined to stem the tide and get a win. I also wanted to go the distance, as I have been lately letting my personal morale get the better of me and resigning too early. With this in mind we started out.

This first few turns were mostly maneuver, I was forced to move most of my squads to the right, only getting three across the road towards the center of the map. YJ took his halftrack and sent it out on my left sitting on level 2 hill hex about 8-12 hexes away from the main line. These early turns had us both playing conservatively.  I elected to keep my HMG and MMG separate, I also spread out my two -2 leaders. My thinking here is that with the US squads morale at 6 and us fighting in woods and wooden buildings I want to keep my guys spread out as much to mitigate his firepower advantage, secondly I want to be making as many fire attacks as possible due to the light terrain and his bellow average morale. 

During US Turn 3

The other important feature in this scenario is that it is 10 turns long. This is unusual in this day and age and allows the German player to take his time and be very conservative. By turn two I was pushing him out of his initial starting line and he was fighting me from the wooded hill on the outskirts of the town. Both of us had had several squads break, I think he had lost a squad and a half KIA and I was down an 838 HS. 

By turn three he had gotten his .50cal up on the 2^nd level of the hill and this was the keystone of his defensive line. I had to take this unit out in order continue my advance. The bad thing about him being on the hill is that he can see nearly all of my units, the good thing though is that I can see him with nearly ALL of my units, thus there where fire phases where I took 3-5 shots at that hex. 

Near the end of turn 5 or 6

Around turn 4-5 I was essentially on the same line, but was starting the get the upper hand as I had broken or eliminated 3-4 more of his squads while keeping the .50cal mostly neutralized. I was able to eventually get up next to the 50 and more importantly get on a couple of level one hill hexes, thus isolating the .50cal from the rest of his forces. 

It was at this point in the game that I had an especially good prep fire and he was in dire straits. The 50 was down and he only had a few GO squads in position to interdict my next movement phase. YJ threw in the towel at this point. 

I thought YJ played an excellent game. This scenario requires the US player to be very conservative on the defense and this is usually not YJ’s strong suit. He did a very good job keeping me at bay for those early turns, but eventually that low US morale started to hurt coupled with one string of me passing a string of 1MC’s with three importantly placed squads.

So I have broken YJ’s winning streak and I think we both had a very good time with this scenario.