ASL1 – FIGHTING WITHDRAWAL

Legion attacking as the Finnish
KC defending as the Russians


ROAR (F:R – 180:214) – 15th September, 2007

Played with 71 VASL logfiles (Sept-Nov, 2007)

            In a city along the Finnish-Russian border a large force of very angry Finns are descending on some poorly prepared Russian defenders. With little ammunition and a part of the city already a’blaze the Russians need to try and hold the vengeful Finns off while also escaping with as much of their force intact as possible.
            This is an old chestnut of a scenario and there would be few ASL players who have not pulled this one out at least once. KC and I are playing it to give him some more experience with defending a city.

Initial Thoughts

            This obviously has a slight bias towards the Russians in ROAR, yet I am not too concerned with that at all… I think my Finns have a great chance of pulling this one off as the Soviets have to not only keep their force tight enough to hold off the attackers but also have to manoeuvre towards the exit edge in time to get off. The onus in really on the Russians to hold together enough to score the win. For this reason I think it is an excellent battle for KC, or any newer player, to gain experience in fire-and-movement.

            Looking at the OoB we see that the Finnish have a company -and-a-half of their supermen against an oversized company of 447s. The Finnish also have an advantage with SW, but this is only due to their German-made weapons and thanks to an extra LMG. Both sides have a rough parity in leadership. One big disadvantage for the Russians is their Ammo Shortage which stops the use of Firelanes though they can have 2 MMC HIP as compensation.

            The terrain certainly appears to favour the Russians, but once the initial turns are over it then starts to help the attacker as there are numerous LOS traps and options for bypassing in blind-spots. The city also has 2 Blazes available to spread from the first Turn and this can lead to all sorts of effects as there is also a Mild Breeze blowing the smoke across the city while the EC are Dry.

Russian Setup

The Russians have done well in covering the LOS traps and open roads. I am assuming that KC (being a newer player) is likely to have his HIP watching over the BB road – and there is nothing wrong with that. The Russians have to slow the Finish down in this game and stop them from leap-frogging their positions, hitting them early and hard is a good way to do this.

D6        HIP     447
G7        HIP     447MMG
V4        2x 447LMG7-0
V6        3x 447LMG8-0
W1       3x ?    [2x 447]
X7        5x ?    [3x 4478-1]
Y4        3x ?    [447]
Z2        3x ?    [dummies]
Z5        3x ?    [dummies]
Z8        3x ?    [447]

Finnish Setup

I am not going to be subtle. I am going to swarm all over him like flies on a BBQ. This might mean some early losses, but he is no match for me in a stand-up fight so I hope to be able to make good on my initial gamble. My force will essentially be attacking to the East and West of the centre of the map due to the road splitting his setup area in half, for that reason I shall be naming the attacks ‘East’ and ‘West’

Western Flank Attack

CC2        2x 648LMG248    – Initial assault wave to cross the road
CC4        2x 648LMG248    – Initial assault wave to cross the road
DD2        2x 6489-0   – Second wave assault; they will be Opp Fire in the first Turn
DD3        2x 6488-0 – Second wave assault; they will be Opp Fire in the first Turn

Eastern Flank Attack

CC7        2x 648248    – Initial assault wave to cross the road
CC8        2x 648MMGLMG8-0    – MG stack to support the Assaults; they will be Opp Fire in the first Turn
CC10      2x 648248   – Initial assault wave to flank the Wall

            Note the use of Opp Fire units to take care of any HIP-sters revealed during my first Movement Phase. The MG stack will likewise be Opp Fire as the targets available to him in the Prep Fire Phase are not important enough to hit immediately

The Game

TURN 1

           My initial HS Dashes across the road are not met with any resistance… that is disquieting, where are his HIPs? Eventually I take a hit when I am trying to slide a CX 648 down the Eastern edge of the map; this is a K/3 which does at least let me move the broken HS closer to Exit edge in Rout! My MG stack breaks the Y4 447 and that allows my men in this Western side of the battle spread out a little in the cramped building. If he stands and fights then I am going to win this game easily as I have FP and Morale on my side; once I punch a hole in his defence then I can pour through and make for the exit edge. The Fires spread in both locations.

            KC takes an 8FP shot with W1’s 2x 447 and breaks a 648 but in doing so he opens himself up to a 12FP -2 shot from my MG stack – I promptly roll a 6,6 and malfunction the MGs – at least I am able to Pin a 447 from the subsequent PTC. The rest of his movements are faultless as he pulls back to another line of resistance leaving a number of units (most probably dummies) to stop my moves next turn.

Finnish Losses:    248
Russian Losses:    237

TURN 2

           I start to look for openings in his line, and might have found one along the Eastern edge… I am being held up along the Western edge though by him leaving a pair of 447 in the W1 Stone building – but I move well to absorb their initial shots and restrict their SFF. I nearly pay a big price for being too smart when KC shows just how cunning he has become as a 447 reveals itself in what I was sure was a dummy stack (Z8) – his 4FP -2 shot has no effect though, luckily for me, KC deserved better for that bold move. I am starting to push hard against him, but when I send a Stealthy HS into CC against Pinned 2x 447 I am Ambushed and lose the HS. The Blaze just continues to grow and with it movement is hampered thanks to the huge pall of SMOKE forming over the ruined city.

            Well, it is not all bad news; my MMG is repaired and I have a 648 rally, but I also lose a HS to Fate. He manages to rally a HS. His Prep goes very well for him when I lose a pair of LMG 648 broken to an 8FP +0 attack. He keeps moving and is sending men far back to the rear to hold the positions I am next going to want to move to. I am able to break the 2x 447 that killed my HS last turn and broke my 2x 648 this turn, but totally miss a 8FP -2 shot against a 447 running out in the open.

Finnish Losses:    2x 248

TURN 3

           Wow, what a start to the Turn: Gusts! These dissipate all the Dispersed SMOKE and strongly spread the Blazes in the Advancing Fire Phase. My LMG is eliminated through a repair roll of ‘6’. I don’t Prep Fire, but Movement is tough too, his positions have really placed the onus on me to take the risks and that is something that, even with Finnish ‘Supermen’, I don’t like to do… I ease men down both map-sides, with only a few heading along the East edge while the majority are going West. A CR hurts one of my most forward moving units, I had trusted his 8ML and a bit of luck to save him from disaster but was not as lucky as I had hoped; his sacrifice bought me the freedom to really move a lot of other units though.

            I am able to Rally both my broken Squads and finally I start to build up some positional and fire-power superiority. He retreats with a number of stacks but does try to hold me off with a few of his men which puts them in mortal danger. My guys fire away and despite generally atrocious shots manage to break both the 447 in Melee (as well as ELR breaking my own HS) and the 447 who had taken a HS of mine Prisoner last turn. The way is clear for a nice clear Movement Phase in my next Player Turn.

Finnish Losses:    248, LMG    (248 Prisoner)
Russian Losses:    237, 447

TURN 4

           Men men flood forward and he generally holds his fire, the very few times he shoots he misses, this couldn’t have come at a better time. By the end of my Movement Phase I have the majority of my forces (they are in the West) halfway along the board, which still leaves them some distance to travel in 3 more turns. In the East there are forces half-way along the board, while 1 MMC is only 8 hexes away from the exit edge. I score some luck in CC when my Prisoners are able to attack their Broken Guards and capture a HS off of them.

            I fail to SR either of my broken HS, this could be an expensive loss in the context of this game as I have a LONG way to travel with them and not much time left. KC is pulling back for the exit, but he is only able to cover half of the board now (unless that elusive HIP is covering the East). I capture the last HS I was in CC with and am now free to move again.

Russian Losses:    3x 237        (447 Prisoner)

TURN 5

           My men now push and push hard, we are moving through high MP cost terrain to give ourselves a measure of protection, but also because KC is really getting stuck in the big central building which means we only have to bypass him to make our escape. In fact the way things are looking I might be able to sneak just a unit or two off and then hold off the rest of his men. The buildings behind his position are burning furiously which gives me a great chance to funnel his men should they try to run, if they don’t my FP should be able to settle the matter.

            KC finally reveals his HIP (set back deep in G7) and is able to take a 16FP shot that CRs a 648 MMC and breaks the remaining HS, what a bother… He leap-frogs his men back, this time they head to the Eastern side of the board, which makes me think that he must have the other HIP to the West of the burning buildings, if not in the Central Building itself. He is playing this one well and has done a good job extricating himself from a number of sticky situations.

Finnish Losses:    248

TURN 6

           My men have a look at their watches and realise that they had better get a move on! My initial moves are to feel out the possible location of the last HIP and to limit SFF opportunities. We are far enough back now that we all have to hustle along the roads as much as possible to make sure they got to the board edge on time. I am forced to leave behind some men due to a lack of MF so they will be used to neutralise his defenders. Movement goes reasonably well, I am able to limit his SFF opportunities with useless HS (Green HS with only 3MF) and thus I get quite close to the Exit Edge but this game is really going to come down to the wire.

            KC reveals his last HIP (a 447 in D6 – a sneaky exit man) and then rushes everyone he can towards the exit edge… he only has a few units who can stop me from getting off, but if I have a single HS stopped from exiting in this next turn then the game belongs to the Russians! He has done a great job!

Finnish Exited:    1VP        (248)
Russian Losses:    237, 8-0

TURN 7

           I finally do well with the Self-rallying Finns and I have a full complement to move, pity that the majority of them cannot reach the board’s edge. I really only have 1 chance to win this game and that will come from smashing as many of his men as possible as they try to exit the board, while also getting some of my own off to force him to move. Unfortunately this is the moment when the dice all go pear-shaped and most of my Finns break with their MCs and also suffer a 1,1 (from a 12FP -3 shot!) to have a MMC and leader KIA. I am able to move a small stack off this turn, but then lose a HS in a CC which was designed to hold a Squad of his from going off-board. The Finns have lost this game.

            The Russians are able to move their men off without a shot being fired. This has been a very clear Russian victory!

Finnish Losses:    248, 648, 8-0
                  Exited:    6VP        (+ 2x 648, 9-0)
Russian Losses:    237, 8-0
                  Exited:    15VP        (6x 447, 7-0, 8-1)

The Russians exit more VP than the Finns

ALLIED VICTORY

Conclusion


            Let there be no excuses, this was an excellently played game by my opponent. He had put up a forum question about tactics to use in this game and then followed the excellent advice that he received. I am a far more experienced player but he was able to tackle this battle like a pro. In fact, the biggest mistakes in this game were made by me.

            My Finns were not moving as far or as fast they should. A part of this was due to his continual coverage of the places I had to move next, a part of this was due to my unwillingness to take risks. In the end the result was that I had too far to move to get off-board. The Russians DONT need to kill the Finns in this game, they just have to slow them down, the best way to do this is by keeping your forces together and by making the Attackers choose between -2 TEM attacks or slowly moving through high MF terrain.
            Contrary to this, the Russians will lose this game if they stand and fight. Movement is the essential tactic the Russians must use, and most of their threat should come from Defensive First Fire, not Prep Fire. It is precisely for this reason why I suggest newer players must take the Russians against an experienced opponent. Play this well and you can learn some of the tactics that are at the core of ASL.

           The Blazes caused KC some troubles, he was obviously not familiar with the rules otherwise he might have positioned his MMG else-where. Mind you, the G7 MMG position was an OK one; I just think that back that far he might have used it better to cover a little more terrain. He also could have positioned his other HIP unit to cover the opposite side of the board… if he had done that it would have been an even much more crushing victory.