Advanced Squad Leader (MMP) ~ "The Devil's free to have a try" [FB2]

Game: Advanced Squad Leader (MMP)
Scenario: FB2 - "The Devil's free to have a Try"
Publication: Festung Budapest, Historical Module 8
Participants: Jim "HeavyD" D, Myself
Time:  Fri, 12/21 ~ 7.00PM - 10.00PM
          Sat, 12/22 ~ 2PM - 7.00PM

The second scenario in Festung Budapest is much like the first. The Russians are still trying to gain a foothold on the map, they are back making another attempt after the one depicted in the first scenario failed.  Even though the map is the same and we see the same core forces involved in this one its very different in character then the first scenario. This one is longer, the Victory Conditions are multiple choice and there are a few new units on each side. The Germans make an appearance as well. As I attacked in our first foray into FB, this time I will defend. 

As I mentioned, the VC's are very different in this scenario. Gone is the requirement to clear the EmRR line, instead we have six options for the attacking Russian player to make use of. The first two are controlling important buildings (C30 and E29) fairly close to the entry area. The third option is to control three hexes (F32, F35 & I32) which contain burnt out wrecks and 1S Foxholes. These are the wrecks from the first scenario, the first two are either on or near the EmRR with the third back near the tennis courts (I love that after 20+ years of playing ASL, I am finally able to play on a map that has Tennis courts!!!). The fourth condition involves controlling 10 of 16 building hexes in an area of the map, essentially the buildings behind the EmRR bordering the park. The fifth condition requires the Russian player to eliminate the Hungarian 75L AT Gun. Lastly the Russians can amass 22 CVP worth to fulfill the last Victory Condition. We are seeing this sort of VC in more and more scenario's being published these days and I have to say that I am a fan of it. By creating variable VC's the designer creates yet another level to work in both before the game and during it. It allows the attacker the flexibility to change course mid game and creates quite an interesting puzzle for the defending player to manage through set up and then throughout the scenario. 

Axis Set Up

When I finished setting up, I really liked what I had done. A turn into the game I felt like I really could have done better. More on this later. There are some very subtle set up restrictions in play here and both the attacker and defender are well advised to pay very close attention to what can set up and where. In our game this played a key role in how things played out. Let's start with the main Hungarian force, they can set up essentially like they could in the first scenario, that is on or North of hexrow M and on East of the A35-J39 hex grain. In short they can set up anywhere in the defending playing area. This force consist of 6 4-4-7, 4 3-4-7 squads, three 2-2-7 crews led by a 9-1, 8-1 and a 7-0. There are THREE MMG(g)'s in this force as well as an LMG, PSK and six concealment counters. The Hungarians have an 75L ATG (one of the VC objectives), 81 MTR and a 40L AA gun as well as a Roadblock, 4 Trenches 3 Wire and 18AP + 2 AT mine factors. There is a second group of Hungarians (Central Hungarist Combat group) of 2 5-2-6 squads and a 7-0 leader. These units can set up on/South of hex row J (further behind the front if you will). Lastly there is a German force of five squads (2 4-6-7, 3 4-4-7), two leaders (8-1, 8-0) ANOTHER MMG, LMG and PSK as well as four concealment counters. This force has to set up within three hexes of D29 (around the first two VC buildings [C30 & E29]). Importantly they cannot set up ADJACENT to any Hungarian unit/SW/Gun. 

After both players set up

Hindsight tells me that I set up to fight the last War (i.e. the first scenario) and not the one that was actually going to take place. Thus I placed my wire in the Orchard in front of the EmRR and most of my hidden mines in buildings (with dummies) along the West Edge of the map (G37 & I38) along with my 2 AT mines which were in H38. I set up the 5-2-6s behind this area as well as the 40L AA gun (on a hill with a nice view of the park). I placed MMG's in 2nd level building hexes ringing the park along with the 81 MTR (in a rooftop location). I concentrated most of the Hungarian Infantry around the train station in G31. Across the street from them I placed the Germans in and around the two VC locations. I also placed the two fortified building locations here as well. The last thing I did was place the 75L in D28 which is behind the German starting area and has great LOS covering the approaches to those two locations. I put the Trenches in this area as well to enable getting around in the buildings as the Trenches connect to adjacent building via FB SSR. By setting up like this I had placed many of my eggs (VC conditions) in one area of the map. I didn't really consider this while doing it, I just liked the way the set up felt and again was thinking that HeavyD's main effort would be across the EmRR and into the Park which of course makes no sense when you consider the VC's.

The Russians have a very nice force in this scenario. Again it is much like the one from FB1 but with some major enhancements. The force is based on 19 squads (3 6-2-8 Assault Engineers, 7 4-5-8, 8 4-4-7 and 2 2-4-8 HS). This force is led by an amazing 5 leaders (9-2, 2 8-1, 8-0 & 7-0) with 4 LMG, a FT and DC. The SUs are back (SU-76M x4) but there is now a  OT-34 (A T-34 w/ FT) to help out the SUs. The Russians also have a one mission SMOKE OBA mission led by an off board observer, something that was lacking in the first scenario and which proved decisive in this one. This force enters in the same corner as the Russians entered in FB1. 

A Very Conservative Opening

After seeing HeavyD's set up and the seeing the first half of the turn take place, I was amazed at how cautious he was being. It was him after all that was sitting in my seat a couple weeks ago defending this same ground as I made my entry with the Russians. What I learned in that game was that I was WAY TOO CAUTIOUS in the first couple of turns which cost me the game. HeavyD and I talked about this at the end of that game and I wrote about it in detail in my post on that game. At one point I even asked him if he read it as I thought he was going way to slow (he did read it). Now granted I have 4 MMGs and an 81 on a roof that can see nearly every hex he's moving on into but I am also suffering from Ammo Shortage level 3 this time around. This means that most of my SW will break on an 11 and X on a 12. They are also harder to repair. My squads degrade on an 11 or 12 as well. With all of the Russian leadership (how often do you get to say that when talking about Russian leadership in ASL scenarios?) the Russians need to press and offer up some -2 shots to get the Axis to start shooting. You have the leaders to rally your breaks and with every shot there is a chance that its that MMG's last. So, little happened in the first Russian turn, HeavyD kept all of his AFVs off the map and only advanced three hexes total. I took some shots, broke a couple squads and even broke an MMG (which I repaired int he next Rally Phase). My half of turn 1 went by fast with little happening. 

Axis turn 1

Turn 2 see's HeavyD set up his armor to enter. We see another amazingly slow paced advance, very cautious. He parks the SUs in front of the EmRR and they all start banging away at the 81 on the roof. The OT-34 drives in bypass towards the German positions, HeavyD does get a few squads across the street in the direction of the Germans again. Ominously, the SR lands right in front of my German positions and doesn't drift much at all. I think if HeavyD was able to simply place the SR on the map anywhere he wanted he would be within a hex or two of where it landed. Either during my Defensive fire or in my subsequent Prep phase, I break the mini-death star HeavyD has in hex C35 sending the 9-2 routing back along with several squads. In the Rally phase of turn three this 9-2 BH's and is reborn as a 10-2 who I will now call Lord Vader. 

Start of Axis turn 2

Into the Smoke

Turn 3 opens with the OBA coming down right on target, right in front of my German positions. HeavyD takes advantage of this and runs into it, the Surgeon General be damned. He also drives the OT-34 next to one of the VC buildings and leaves it in motion (having used all of its MPs to get there). I retain my concealment with the Germans as there's no sense in shooting into the smoke. I do however start to see the folly of my set up. I now see that with the smoke where it is and the light casualties that HeavyD has thus far taken that I do in fact have something to worry about. He is going to be able to advance into CC with many of my Germans at good odds. The fortified locations should delay this by only for a turn as he's got the majority of his force over here. My defensive fire does yield results though as I eliminate one SU and little stun another. HeavyD does get a hit on the 81 though and the crew breaks. I am down one MMG lost with another broken. The one the Germans had was hauled off by its squad when Lord Vader zapped them the turn before. Still HeavyD is being cautious with the rest of his forces. Additionally, HeavyD adjusts his OBA creating a little more smoke which helps him cover the street allowing him to get next to the Hungarians covering the station.  

Start of Russian turn 3

The Smoke comes in right on target

Turn 4 opens with a lot of Russians standing around in the smoke. HeavyD does move the SUs up onto the EmRR. Also its clear now that most of my fortifications and mines set up on my left are going to be wasted as HeavyD shifts more of his guys over towards the smoke. He only leaves a few squads in this area to go after the one wreck that is sitting on the EmRR hex. I have a couple of concealed squads in this area. I start to move some of my forces over to support his main thrust and they get shot up on some good dice as HeavyD now has LOS into the park. As the turn end's he goes into CC with two hexes and wins both of them (Vader's hex and the German trench line...what a great idea it was to dig these Trenches for the Russians to use in assaulting my damn buildings!). My half of turn 4 is a mess. My AA gun goes to low ammo, during the movement phase I get zapped again by Vader as I try and move some more Hungarians into the German buildings. The SMOKE is still there and I don't have many firing options. 

Russian turn 4

The Smoke Lifts

Start of Russian turn 5

Russian fire clears out the fortified buildings

The OT-34 is lit up via PF

At the top of turn 5 all of HeavyD's SMOKE will depart. I am still in the two front fortified buildings, but when the SMOKE lifts HeavyD will be standing next to me in the street with a mass of squads with nothing better to do the Prep into those two buildings. I am down to three MMGs, with only two of them on Level 2 hexes back from the front line. HeavyD is close to getting four of the VC's, although he is still unaware of how close to the ATG he is and at this point in the game I am starting to think that leaving it HIP will be the play. 

The Russian Prep fire opens with HeavyD eliminating or breaking the units in the two fortified locations, this was expected. What wasn't expected was the spectacular amount of carnage that Lord Vader and his Death Star stack was able to prosecute with only two LMG's. These LMG's maintained rate three times and wrecked three hexes worth of defenders in and around the train station. It was amazing. The dice Gods were in fair mode though that day as I was able to get HeavyD's OT-34 on an adgacent motion shot with my 9-1 leader, thus sealing my 75L ATG to staying hidden for as long at possible so as to deny HeavyD the chance to get it and fulfill a VC. My 81 Mortar X's out in the Defensive final phase as well. However some long range MMG fire does thin the heard standing about in the street as well and this helps because things we starting to slip off the edge on that side of the map. My half of turn 5 if mostly us shooting at each other with me doing a little skulking. On my left things start to look up when I take out a squad in CC but then one of the SUs gets an improbable hit on the hex next to one of the wrecks and this hurts because I am really pinned down on this side. 

Start of Russian turn 6

Turn 6 dawns and I am feeling pretty low. It feels like HeavyD has it down at this point. He has taken the two buildings in the German set up area (2 VC's), he is also close to getting the three hexes with the wrecks in them (for a third VC). He just needs one more. The Gun is still HIP and he hasn't mentioned it or really done an searching, so I feel like he's not really thinking about this. Getting the 10 of 16 building hexes in and around the park seems like a stretch at this late stage in the game so his last option is CVP, which he doesn't have that many of to date (4-5 squads eliminated in CC). Still, some good CC results and some determined searching to find the HIP gun and the gig is up. Not to mention the fact that he's been smashing my guys around for the last couple turns. I am amazed then during his turn when he is again very passive. He seems to be looking for hexes that he can get into CC with and there are not many of those that he can get to easily. I use his passiveness to move some guys up close the the wreck in next to the tennis courts. I am also able to get a HS down from a 2nd level location where its MMG had died and run him over next to one of the fortified locations that HeavyD was using as a rally hospital, then forces him to route out and I get back in the location (albeit temporarily as I am a CX 1-3-7 and there are still many angry Russian squads about). 

Ending Positions

Turn 7 is the last turn, its sinking in now that HeavyD isn't going to be able to get that fourth VC. After the Prep fire phase HeavyD throws in the towel. Although this scenario featured the same terrain and a very similar force pool (but of course larger) its strikingly different than the first scenario. First off as the Russian you have more time and more options. You can even change your plan mid-game if you find you need to. The SMOKE barrage is big and hard to defend against, you just have to sit there and take it. Again I think that the Russian player was way too passive, despite us both learning that in the first scenario. Those five Russian leaders are telling to me, they allow the Russian player to be very aggressive because where ever he breaks he's going to have a leader close by to Rally. Additionally, the Russian player can afford to take losses as long as he's pushing in on the VC's, the ammo shortage make the defender that much more brittle.

So after two scenario's played from Festung Budapest we are both very pleased with what we've seen. We are now refreshing our Night Rules to take on the next scenario.

Advanced Squad Leader (MMP) ~ "Uncles and Pups" FB1

Game: Advanced Squad Leader (MMP)
Scenario: FB1 - "Uncles and Pups"
Publication: Festung Budapest, Historical Module 8
Participants: Jim "HeavyD" D, Myself
Time:  Fri, 12/7 ~ 6.30PM - 9.30PM
          Sat, 12/8 ~ 2PM - 4.30PM

When Festung Budapest was released, HeavyD and I weren't that interested. I don't remember the reasons for our lack of interest, but it was likely something else that had been released around that time, or perhaps we were coming out of our ASL phase. We are both very interested now and thus decided to dive right in and start with the first scenario in the box, "Uncles and Pups". For those that don't know, FB is the eighth historical module for ASL covering the Russian siege of Budapest in late '44 into early '45. The Hungarians and Germans are surrounded in the city and the Russians are trying to clear them out. FB comes with 4 excellent maps covering the area of the City where most of the fighting took place. There are three campaign games and nearly 20 scenarios in the box along with a whole bunch of new counters. 

Uncles and Pups takes place on January 1st 1945 and covers the Russian initial foray into Buda by the 108th Guards Infantry Division supported be the 1897th Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. The Hungarians in the scenario are represented by the Vannay Battalion consisting of older WWI and WWII veterans pulled from various government organizations (firemen, public transportation, utility men...) along with Officer candidates and younger volunteers who were attached to the older men using a buddy system nicknamed "Uncles and Pups". In order to win the Russians must clear our the Cogwheel Railway hexes as well as getting an SU-76M past the rail line into the part beyond it while also clearing out a station (hex G31) of Hungarian MMCs. 

Axis Set Up

The Hungarians OB consist of 8 squads (4x 4-4-7 & 4x 3-4-7) as well as some crews. These units are led by a 9-1, 8-1 and 7-0. They have a nice assortment of support weapons including 2 MMGs, an LMG as well as a PSK. The have two guns (76L ART and 75L AT) as well as an 81MM MTR. The Hungarians also have some nice fortifications mostly centered around the EmRR hexes (Cogwheel Rail hexes). These include 18 mine factors, 4 Foxholes, three Wire's and a Roadblock. The Wire and Mines must set up on/adjacent to the EmRR. There are also two known AT mine hexes that start on the map as well. Lastly the Hungarians are allowed to HIP one HS and any SW/SMC that stack with them. Axis units suffer from level 1 ammunition shortage (a FB SSR, in effect its the same as normal AS in ASL which scales up as the siege went on). To simulate a pre game bombardment all Hungarian forces that do not set up in buildings or foxholes must take a pre game PTC. Any unit that fails loses concealment and starts pinned.

Russian Set Up

The Russians have a nice force entering on or after turn one. The Infantry component consists of 3x 6-2-8 Assault Engineers, 4x 4-5-8, 5x 4-4-7s and 2x 2-3-7 HS. These forces are led by 4 (9-1, 8-1 2x 8-0) leaders. The Russians will also be supported by 5 SU-76M Assault Guns. At least two of these Assault Guns must enter the game with MMC riders as well via SSR. 

Running in the Streets

When HeavyD said he was done setting up and I sat down to do my set up I was at a loss. The Russians are limited to entering over only a few hexes in the corner of the map. The Hungarians can set up very close to them as well. There isn't a lot of cover and the entry is crossed by a couple of roads before you get to the EmRR. HeavyD placed his 81 MTR up on a factory roof and most of his infantry just behind the EmRR. The EmRR is really like a thick wall, if you are next to it you can see onto it and beyond but if you are not next to it you can see it as well as the hex behind it. There is at least an orchard covering part of it. There are a couple of known AT mine hexes covering the street leading up to the rail station. Also, due to pre scenario reconnaissance, HeavyD had to set up most of his fortifications on the board instead of HIP. So, as I mentioned I didn't have a good feeling setting up. Its one of those times when I sit down to play a scenario and don't have a clear picture of how I am going to achieve the victory conditions. Of course I will feel differently at the end of the game but that is later. 

Start of Axis Turn 1

I come up with a plan to enter all of my infantry and two of the SU's and head for the EmRR. I will not even go after the right hand side of the map as it's well fortified with mines. I feel like this is going to be a shooting gallery as we start the turn. I play it very cautiously thus on the first tun and there is very little shooting because I didn't really give him anything to shoot at. I manage to break an MA of one of my SU's which I am unable to fix in the next Rally phase, thus Recalling the SU. I am down one already. Later in the game I start regretting this overly cautious first turn. Very little happens in HeavyD's portion of the turn and we quickly move into my half of turn 2. 

End of Russian Movement phase, Turn 2

I set up my remaining three SU's for entry on this turn and we begin. I am able to get next to the EmRR line without taking too many hits, I believe I only have one unit break. HeavyD has wisely placed one of his MMG's in great spot allowing him to lay a fire lane down on the hex row next to the EmRR (the one with the normal RR). On a whim, perhaps knowing that I need to deal with this MMG to lift the fire lane and eventually clear him out of the station, I send a platoon to my left. Had I thought of this sooner I would have been able to make a better approach on the first turn, but I hadn't planned on it then. The turn ends with only one Russian MMC broken and that is pretty amazing considering the many shots that HeavyD took. I believe it was around this time that HeavyD decided to replace his dice with another pair. HeavyD's half of turn two was really weird. I expected to have a bunch of my stuff broken and to lose a couple of SUs to the Mortar but none of that happened. It was one of the worst turns of shooting (dice rolling) that either of us could remember. Time after time HeavyD was making good shots (no TEM or only +1) and nothing was happening. He would roll poorly or if he managed to roll decently I would pass the MC. I think I only had one unit pin through out the whole turn. HeavyD shot nearly his whole side for little effect. The bright side of this (for him at least) was that my return fire was equally infective and I didn't do anything to him with my return fire. 

The other side of the Tracks

Start of Russian Turn 3

As the scenario is only 4.5 turns long, I know at the start of turn 3 that I have been way to cautious over the course of the first two turns. I have a lot to do and I have not done much of anything to date. Thus I start to play much more aggressively  as I already feel like I have a very small chance to salvage a win out of this.Things go fairly well. I start off shooting at the Mortar on the roof and finally break it with an Intensive Fire shot. Using Assault movement I get up on the EmRR and that doesn't go too badly. I am reminded that half of his squads are sporting a 3 FP and am again kicking myself for being so timid on the first two turns. It's also becoming clearer to me that I have been under using my SUs in the first couple turns. I assume at this stage that both of his hidden guns are behind the EmRR to protect the need of me getting one vehicle in that area at the end of the game. I send one SU over to help the platoon I have sent over to my left and that goes pretty well. He has his dummy stacks over here I soon figure out and again I am kicking myself for not seeing this obvious rouse prior to starting. HeavyD gets two fire lanes down this turn and I end up having simply to walk or AM into them, there is just no getting around it at this point. Thankfully Heavy's (new) dice are still pretty cool and I only have a couple squads break while getting next to him both on the EmRR and on my left. Ammunition shortage rears its head for the first time as one of HeavyD's squads explodes while defensive firing at an adjacent unit. On a whim I check the rules and we are both shocked that when a unit that suffers Ammo shortage it also BREAKS! Neither one of us had known (or perhaps better put 'remembered') this. The turn ends with some bloody hand to hand (FB SSR) in which I lose a 9-1 & 6-2-8 to a 7-0 and a 3-4-7.

Russian Movement Phase, turn 3

Russian Assault of the Station, turn 3

At the end of my turn I feel that I at least slightly improved my low odds of winning mostly due to HeavyD's continued drought with his dice. At the start of his 3rd turn I am over the EmRR and into the buildings on the other side and I have a few units on my left pressuring his units in this area. During Prep I lose another 6-2-8 to a pair of ones. HeavyD is cautious choosing to fall back where he can. He senses that he's got time on his side. I shoot into the H-to-H melee and get lucky, breaking his unit with no harm to mine. On the left HeavyD pulls the MMG back to the station again playing it safe (as he should).

Start of Axis Turn 3

Russian Friendly Fire

Turn 4 opens with HeavyD rallying his Mortar crew, nice. On the left I advance into the street using the wall to my advantage and mostly survive. On the right I am able to get next to the hex with the MMG in it. I then move a SU over to support this and find the first hidden gun. It shoots and misses. I am able to advance into melee with the MMG & Leader only to get eliminated in CC. He survives. The assault on the station goes a little better and I am able to get next to the hex that I need to clear out. I am effectively across the street at this point. 

Start of Russian Turn 4

Turn 4, on the Russian Right

Turn 4, on the Left near the Station

Fleeting Chance

HeavyD's portion of turn 4 opens with him breaking his ART as he shoots at my SU two hexes away (WooHoo!). The Mortar finally gets into the game and SHOCKs a different SU back behind the EmRR. He looses another squad (4-4-7 this time) to Ammo shortage in the station. 

Russian Turn 4, the Assault on the RR Station

Progress on the Right

As my last turn opens, I still have much to do and only a half turn to do it in. I figure out that I can get an SU parked within three hexes of I33 by parking it in bypass in hex F31. There isn't much that he can counter this with. I should also be able to clear out hex G31 (the station) of MMC as I have my last 6-2-8 + demo charge next to the hex as well as a couple other squads in the area to help out. He only has a 8-1 and a 3-4-7 in the hex to oppose me. That's two out of the three Victory Conditions. The third condition (clearing the EmRR of Axis units on or adjacent will be much tougher though. Its still slightly possible, there's nothing left but to give it a shot. 

Start of Russian Turn 5

The Assault on the station goes pretty much as planned. The Demo charge was a none event but I am able to break his two units there and get the SU over where it needs to be. Its all going to come down to me getting into Melee and surviving with the last two Hungarian squads next to the EmRR. I have two and a half squads here in range as well as two SU's ready to assist. I start by running one of the SU's into the first building in bypass which stops his unit from shooting out of the hex. Then I run the 4-5-8 through a bunch of residual shots and get into the building next to the last squad only to have this unit break when entering the building from a subsequent first fire shot. I am then forced to run the last SU into the hex and hope that it survives the CC to lock him in to melee (long odds to be sure). In CC we do the hex with the MMG + leader first and they kill the SU (very easy roll being open topped and not having an MG and being in bypass...) and with that the game ends. 

The RR Station Falls

The Hungarians hold on the Russian Right

HeavyD played a very nice game and got a deserved win. I felt like I was clueless from the start, then saw the light too late. Should I play this again, I like to think I would do much better with the Russians. The scenario is currently 13-8 in favor of the Axis and that makes sense. I think as time goes by and this gets played more it'll stay pretty balanced. I would certainly play it again as either side. It's a great into to Festung Budapest. HeavyD and I plan on playing several more of these in the near future.

Final Positions

Advanced Squad Leader (MMP) ~ "Brigade Hill" J116

Game: Advanced Squad Leader (MMP)
Scenario: J116 - "Brigade Hill"
Publication: ASL Journal #8
Participants: Jim "HeavyD" D, Myself
Time:  Fri, 11/9 ~ 6.30PM - 9.30PM
          Sat, 11/10 ~ 1PM - 3.30PM

We have not played PTO ASL in a long time. With MMP's impending re-release of the PTO forces HeavyD and I decided it was time to get back in the jungle. I started looking for a PTO scenario to play in the recent Journals and found this one "Brigade Hill". It comes highly recommended by my Dutch/Canadian ASL Godfather and has a sterling record on ROAR as well. It's also pretty basic PTO rules...not a lot of tough stuff, thus a perfect scenario to gently re enter this theater. 

The scenario takes place in Papua (New Guinea) in September of 1942. The Japanese are advancing along the Kokoda Trail and the Australians have sent a Battalion out in front of their Brigade headquarters. The Japanese have inserted a blocking force between the Battalion and the Brigade HQ. The Australian Battalion is ordered to break through to the rear as the scenario opens. The Japanese have seven 1st line squads, two crews with MMGs and a couple of mortars and LMGs to impede the Australian advance. There are three Japanese leaders as well which for a force this small is unusual. The Japanese are a allowed to set up in Foxholes and have a few concealment counters as well. On turn 3 the Japanese will get one squad, LMG and an 8-0 entering the West edge as reinforcements. 

Initial Set Up

The Australian force consists of 6x 4-5-8s, 6x 4-5-7s and three leaders, 9-1, 8-1, and a 8-0. They have a MMG, 3 LMGs and two 51 MTRs as well as one Foxhole (which has to set up in a predesignated hex) as well as a couple of concealment counters. On turn 3 the Australians get three more squads (1 elite, 2 1st line) a leader and LMG as reinforcement entering on the North side (other side of the map from where the main for sets up). Both the Japanese and Australians set up on map so the concealment counters are valuable for the Japanese. The scenario takes place on board 36 which is full of hills and cut with streams (which are dry in the scenario, thus they are just like gulleys). Thankfully all Marsh is treated as Light Jungle. Light Jungle is also in effect.

The Australians win at game end is they control three of the four victory hexes (they start with one). It's important to note that both sides reinforcements threaten victory locations, something that HeavyD and I promptly forgot during the course of the scenario. The Japanese are limited to setting up on the three hills while the Australians set up on North of row P. I took the Australians. 

Welcome Back

As its been five months since HeavyD and I played ASL, we were bound to make some bone-headed mistake and we started off quickly in this direction. HeavyD set up concealed as if I was entering, we caught this and he did a quick adjustment and then we start, thus no harm done. I plan on leaving two half squads back in my Foxhole victory location with a mortar and run most of the rest of my guys towards the three other victory locations. It doesn't dawn on me that on turn three HeavyD will enter his one squad plus leader as reinforcement literally two hexes away from this location, but more on that later. 

End of Australian turn 1

One MMG down...(Australian turn 2)

Turn one is pretty uneventful. HeavyD has set up reverse slop and thus I am able to move full speed towards the bald top of hill 526. HeavyD stays static on his turn and we are quickly into turn 2. I start the turn off breaking one of my mortars and then go straight into the movement phase. As I reach the crest of the hill I get zapped a couple times by HeavyD's MMGs. One of them gets ROF and I lose about two half squads in the course of the movement phase. I am however able to make use of his restricted covered arcs and his cooling dice to make some good progress onto the top of the hill. HeavyD ends up breaking one of his MMGs in defensive fire as well. My advancing fire takes out the crew manning the now broken MMG. During defensive final fire we find out that we have entered a hex (V5) that has a HIP 4-4-7 + LMG. HeavyD's fire breaks the whole lot (I take a HS casualty as well) and I am forced to low crawl out of the location in the Route Phase. I do advance two squads into the hex in advance phase. Melee is inconclusive. The Japanese portion of the turn goes by quickly with HeavyD mostly skulking or exchanging fire with me. I am able to break one of his mortar toting squads on another hill and don't suffer too badly from his fire. In the Melee phase HeavyD's squad is reduced while I don't lose anything (whew). This would have been a tough one to take had he been able to take out both squads when he converted to Hand to Hand. 

Surprise! TPBF Phase

Start of Japanese turn 2

Oops, we're old, we forget things...

Start of Australian turn 3

Australian Movement phase, turn 3

As I set up my reinforcement for turn three, its clear to both of us that HeavyD had not considered the threat that these units (3 squads + leader) pose to the two rear most victory locations. We decide that in spite of this we are having too much fun to let this slight oversight interfere with our game. I have little prep fire to open the turn. My broken guys from turn one are almost back now and I make very good progress against light fire from HeavyD. My reinforcements make it right up nest to the victory location and the broken HS HeavyD has next to it. In the Melee phase the Japanese Half Squad goes down having failed to inflict any casualties. When HeavyD sets up his reinforcements in the bottom of the third we have a good laugh as I had just run off one of my half squads defending this location meaning to bring forward the mortar they posses to help out the rest of the team. This means that I have only a half squad to defend that victory location. So its good to know that both of us are making some bone headed moves here. Not much happens in HeavyD's half of the turn except his reinforcements enter and get next to my concealed HS in the victory location. I am able to ambush them and pull back in the close combat phase though (whew). 

Start of Japanese turn 3

Turn 4 opens with me in possession of three of the victory locations. However, HeavyD has a concealed squad adjacent to one and I have only a HS in the area. In my prep fire phase I take out HeavyD's remaining MMG and leader with him rolling some bad dice. I also divert three squads back towards my rear to help protect the threatened location. I am still able to press in on the remaining victory location in Japanese possession. HeavyD gets busy in his turn. At the end of the turn we have four CC markers on the map! HeavyD is making an all out push to get back into this thing. Three if the CC's go his way with the fourth being the victory location in my rear converting to melee, my remaining HS survives another CC and ties up HeavyD in Melee. 

CC markers bloom as HeavyD strikes back (Japanese turn 4)

Start of Australian turn 5

Turn 5 is full of exciting things as the Sun is slowly setting on HeavyD's remaining troopers. I get some nice dice in the prep phase and end up digging a Foxhole on one of the victory locations. As we are still in Melee way over on my right I am able to run up next to the victory location without interference. Some poor defensive fire enables me to slip a squad through HeavyD's line and move next to the last victory location. I also go into CC with another one of Heavy's squads near there. Its about this time that HeavyD throws in the towel. At the end of this turn I will be in possession of all of the Victory locations (or at least all but the one that the Melee is going on in and I out number him there three to one). This was a great little scenario for us to ease our way back into the PTO Theater. Very easy SSRs and some interesting terrain make this one a winner of a scenario. I can see why its so popular on ROAR and in tournament play. 

Positions at game end (Australian turn 5)

With the new Journal released, HeavyD and I will be back for more ASL soon.