ASLOK 2008 AAR
AAR – ASLOk XXII – 2008
Back to the best of times….
Last year I had one of the most enjoyable times at ASLOk I’ve had – aside from going 0-4. This year I managed to get on the winning side also.
I drove over to ASLOk after teaching my last class at KVCC and found my roommate Ben Richardson. Ben’s one of the Grand Rapids guys and we have roomed together a couple of times for the Chicago Open. The hotel has changed this year – no longer in Middleburg Heights and the new hotel is much improved. We have the 6th floor all to ourselves with a private bar and small lounge equipped with a big screen TV. The hotel staff is great and the cleanliness and natural window lighting is a big plus. The name tags are the same style as the previous year – but features what I think is the Japanese 70mm infantry gun on it. The shirts are the ASL Japanese yellow color with a Japanese tank featured on the front. I use the evening mostly to get settled in, grab a drink and find Glen Housemen. I play-tested for him this past year and he has a couple of ESG Dezign Packs for me. I chat around a bit, look over the new place and then head to bed looking forward to the first mini in the morning.
Friday October 10 – Round One of the ‘Take No Prisoners’ Mini
As the name implies, this mini-tournament features battles where prisoners won’t be taken. This pretty much means Japanese for the most part. This should be intriguing because while I’ve played PTO at home quite a bit, I have never entered a mini that is set in the PTO. Should be interesting to see what happens.
My first round is against Scott Houseman. Glen’s brother and partner in the Detroit area Eastside Gamers crew, he’s already been up here a few days and is pretty tired. We choose a Schwerpunkt scenario “Nunshigum” and dice for sides. I’ll get the attacking Gurhka’s and Scott, the defending Japanese. Small scenario that swirls around a multi level hill in light jungle.
Unlike last year, this first round is all mine. I attack fairly aggressively, wanting to find his dummies and then focus the British firepower on the real units while preventing a small reinforcing group from getting on the victory hill – I need to clear the upper hill levels of all Japanese. I get lucky the first couple turns moving through (and discovering) the dummy stacks he has and then slide two British half-squads into a melee with two Japanese full squads. I’m hoping just to either pin them down or pick up one Japanese squad. The dice gods smile at me and I eliminate both Japanese squads for the loss of only one half squad. Big blow to the Japanese in this size of a scenario. I keep pushing the attack and clear the hill about a turn early. Seeing no possibility of a counter attack, Scott resigns. Only takes a couple hours to play and I’m on to the second round.
Back to the best of times….
Last year I had one of the most enjoyable times at ASLOk I’ve had – aside from going 0-4. This year I managed to get on the winning side also.
I drove over to ASLOk after teaching my last class at KVCC and found my roommate Ben Richardson. Ben’s one of the Grand Rapids guys and we have roomed together a couple of times for the Chicago Open. The hotel has changed this year – no longer in Middleburg Heights and the new hotel is much improved. We have the 6th floor all to ourselves with a private bar and small lounge equipped with a big screen TV. The hotel staff is great and the cleanliness and natural window lighting is a big plus. The name tags are the same style as the previous year – but features what I think is the Japanese 70mm infantry gun on it. The shirts are the ASL Japanese yellow color with a Japanese tank featured on the front. I use the evening mostly to get settled in, grab a drink and find Glen Housemen. I play-tested for him this past year and he has a couple of ESG Dezign Packs for me. I chat around a bit, look over the new place and then head to bed looking forward to the first mini in the morning.
Friday October 10 – Round One of the ‘Take No Prisoners’ Mini
As the name implies, this mini-tournament features battles where prisoners won’t be taken. This pretty much means Japanese for the most part. This should be intriguing because while I’ve played PTO at home quite a bit, I have never entered a mini that is set in the PTO. Should be interesting to see what happens.
My first round is against Scott Houseman. Glen’s brother and partner in the Detroit area Eastside Gamers crew, he’s already been up here a few days and is pretty tired. We choose a Schwerpunkt scenario “Nunshigum” and dice for sides. I’ll get the attacking Gurhka’s and Scott, the defending Japanese. Small scenario that swirls around a multi level hill in light jungle.
Unlike last year, this first round is all mine. I attack fairly aggressively, wanting to find his dummies and then focus the British firepower on the real units while preventing a small reinforcing group from getting on the victory hill – I need to clear the upper hill levels of all Japanese. I get lucky the first couple turns moving through (and discovering) the dummy stacks he has and then slide two British half-squads into a melee with two Japanese full squads. I’m hoping just to either pin them down or pick up one Japanese squad. The dice gods smile at me and I eliminate both Japanese squads for the loss of only one half squad. Big blow to the Japanese in this size of a scenario. I keep pushing the attack and clear the hill about a turn early. Seeing no possibility of a counter attack, Scott resigns. Only takes a couple hours to play and I’m on to the second round.
1 - 0
Friday October 10 – Round Two of “Take No Prisoners”
I report the win to Brett (the TD) and he tells me that this mini is only two rounds long (not the usual three) because some guys dropped out. Cool, better chance at a plaque. He points out the other first round game and I head over to let them know I’ll be playing the winner. They finish fairly soon also and I meet my next opponent, Jack Daniels from Virginia. Ex military and the winner of a mini the previous day. Looks to be a challenge. This second round won’t be easy.
We select the classic “Totsugeki!”. It’s been a round for a long time, has a great track record for being balanced, and features the Japanese attacking through Chinese troops to seize and destroy three Chinese guns. We’ve both played this once before so we dice for sides. I get the attacking Japanese and Jack will set up the defending Chinese. I attack primarily up the center and quite aggressively knowing that time is an issue in this scenario. I send a couple squads on the far right flank but they run into trouble when a nice defensive fire roll K/2’s one of the squads. Meanwhile, my single mortar gets set up, but can’t hit a thing. Regardless, a couple of Banzai’s and some encircling shots break through the strongpoints that Jack sets up and the rest of my forces flow around the defenders and into the gun area. I capture the first gun on turn two, the second on turn three, and the by the end of turn four have broken the crew on the last gun and can advance in on my next turn unopposed. Jack resigns on turn 4 of a 7 turn scenario. Good victory for me. Not only to I win the plaque for the mini (always a personal goal of mine) but the win is against another very solid player who had won a plaque the day before.
Friday October 10 – Round Two of “Take No Prisoners”
I report the win to Brett (the TD) and he tells me that this mini is only two rounds long (not the usual three) because some guys dropped out. Cool, better chance at a plaque. He points out the other first round game and I head over to let them know I’ll be playing the winner. They finish fairly soon also and I meet my next opponent, Jack Daniels from Virginia. Ex military and the winner of a mini the previous day. Looks to be a challenge. This second round won’t be easy.
We select the classic “Totsugeki!”. It’s been a round for a long time, has a great track record for being balanced, and features the Japanese attacking through Chinese troops to seize and destroy three Chinese guns. We’ve both played this once before so we dice for sides. I get the attacking Japanese and Jack will set up the defending Chinese. I attack primarily up the center and quite aggressively knowing that time is an issue in this scenario. I send a couple squads on the far right flank but they run into trouble when a nice defensive fire roll K/2’s one of the squads. Meanwhile, my single mortar gets set up, but can’t hit a thing. Regardless, a couple of Banzai’s and some encircling shots break through the strongpoints that Jack sets up and the rest of my forces flow around the defenders and into the gun area. I capture the first gun on turn two, the second on turn three, and the by the end of turn four have broken the crew on the last gun and can advance in on my next turn unopposed. Jack resigns on turn 4 of a 7 turn scenario. Good victory for me. Not only to I win the plaque for the mini (always a personal goal of mine) but the win is against another very solid player who had won a plaque the day before.
2 - 0
Friday October 10 – Open gaming
Since my second round ended fairly early I’ve got the rest of the afternoon and evening to pick up an open game. Phil Pomerantz (Pennsylvania) asks if I’m looking for a game so we hook up for my third scenario of the evening. Phil has been around the ASL circuit for quite a while and I see his postings quite often on the various internet forums. He’s also had success in the tournament level so I’m looking forward to playing someone of his experience. Looking for something new, we select Tanks But No Tanks from the latest Schwerpunkt scenario pack. Dicing for sides I get the defending Polish. Phil gets the attacking Russians and will have to kick me out of 3 of 4 buildings. It’s a classic fighting withdrawal into a last ‘Alamo’ position and I usually have pretty good success with these scenarios as the defender. Phil brings on the Russians somewhat cautiously and I get in a couple good shots and then pull back before his armor can surround me. I get a break when one of his tanks breaks the main gun and then the cmg. Another one will fail its mechanical reliability check and immobilize out of play. Regardless, he pushes me out of two of the buildings fairly easily (although I don’t even try to defend the farthest one out) and focuses on the large center building as the last of the three he needs. In the end, a concealed crew in the steeple wins it for me as what fire he can get on it fails to even cause a PTC and he concedes knowing he won’t be able to physically get to that crew and take the building. Actually, I still have several units in the building on the second to last turn and feel pretty secure the last couple of turns. Win my third game in a row.
Friday October 10 – Open gaming
Since my second round ended fairly early I’ve got the rest of the afternoon and evening to pick up an open game. Phil Pomerantz (Pennsylvania) asks if I’m looking for a game so we hook up for my third scenario of the evening. Phil has been around the ASL circuit for quite a while and I see his postings quite often on the various internet forums. He’s also had success in the tournament level so I’m looking forward to playing someone of his experience. Looking for something new, we select Tanks But No Tanks from the latest Schwerpunkt scenario pack. Dicing for sides I get the defending Polish. Phil gets the attacking Russians and will have to kick me out of 3 of 4 buildings. It’s a classic fighting withdrawal into a last ‘Alamo’ position and I usually have pretty good success with these scenarios as the defender. Phil brings on the Russians somewhat cautiously and I get in a couple good shots and then pull back before his armor can surround me. I get a break when one of his tanks breaks the main gun and then the cmg. Another one will fail its mechanical reliability check and immobilize out of play. Regardless, he pushes me out of two of the buildings fairly easily (although I don’t even try to defend the farthest one out) and focuses on the large center building as the last of the three he needs. In the end, a concealed crew in the steeple wins it for me as what fire he can get on it fails to even cause a PTC and he concedes knowing he won’t be able to physically get to that crew and take the building. Actually, I still have several units in the building on the second to last turn and feel pretty secure the last couple of turns. Win my third game in a row.
3 - 0
Saturday October 11 – Round One of the “Best New Artist” mini
The Saturday mini I’m in features scenarios that are being released at ASLOk so no one outside of the design team has seen them. My first round opponent is Chas Argent (Maryland). Chas is a great player and part of the MMP crew that produces the ASL line. I’ve played Chas before and won by literally one MF when an infantry unit that he had to exit to win a scenario ended up one movement point short of exiting. Doesn’t get much closer then that.
We look over the scenario list and choose an ESG design called “Patton’s Pride”. I get the Italians and Chas is the attacking Americans. He needs to choose (in secret and before I set up) either to capture three buildings or capture two Italian artillery pieces. After he makes his choice, I set up the Italians. While there are several good places to set the Italian defense, it is in a very restricted area and there is not really any chance of falling back and rallying as the US enters from both the front and the rear of the Italian position. With the Italian’s low morale and the heavy firepower of the US, this doesn’t look to be pretty.
The scenario plays out pretty evenly throughout the game. I get enough firepower down to keep Chas from rushing in too quickly, but at the same time, he gradually wears down my Italians as the superior US firepower gradually cracks each of my defense points. Finally, it comes down to the movement phase of the last turn. Chas selected the Gun victory condition and he has already captured one of the guns. On the last turn he is adjacent to the last gun (which its cowardly crew fled from the previous turn). It comes down to a single recovery die roll. Chas makes the roll and captures the gun in the movement phase. Oh well, fun scenario and I enjoy playing Chas. My first lose – but I’ve already got my plaque for the weekend and it was a good playing.
Saturday October 11 – Round One of the “Best New Artist” mini
The Saturday mini I’m in features scenarios that are being released at ASLOk so no one outside of the design team has seen them. My first round opponent is Chas Argent (Maryland). Chas is a great player and part of the MMP crew that produces the ASL line. I’ve played Chas before and won by literally one MF when an infantry unit that he had to exit to win a scenario ended up one movement point short of exiting. Doesn’t get much closer then that.
We look over the scenario list and choose an ESG design called “Patton’s Pride”. I get the Italians and Chas is the attacking Americans. He needs to choose (in secret and before I set up) either to capture three buildings or capture two Italian artillery pieces. After he makes his choice, I set up the Italians. While there are several good places to set the Italian defense, it is in a very restricted area and there is not really any chance of falling back and rallying as the US enters from both the front and the rear of the Italian position. With the Italian’s low morale and the heavy firepower of the US, this doesn’t look to be pretty.
The scenario plays out pretty evenly throughout the game. I get enough firepower down to keep Chas from rushing in too quickly, but at the same time, he gradually wears down my Italians as the superior US firepower gradually cracks each of my defense points. Finally, it comes down to the movement phase of the last turn. Chas selected the Gun victory condition and he has already captured one of the guns. On the last turn he is adjacent to the last gun (which its cowardly crew fled from the previous turn). It comes down to a single recovery die roll. Chas makes the roll and captures the gun in the movement phase. Oh well, fun scenario and I enjoy playing Chas. My first lose – but I’ve already got my plaque for the weekend and it was a good playing.
3 - 1
Saturday October 11 – Open Gaming
Well, now I have the rest of the day open to play. I look around for someone else who lost their first round and would be interested in playing a single larger scenario for the rest of the day. I hook up with Ray Wolozyn (North Carolina) who is looking for the same thing. I’ve played Ray once before several years ago. He beat me in a scenario of Clear That Roadblock but I remember really enjoying the play. Ray was also the very first Grofaz winner of ASLOk. I’m really looking forward to playing him again.
We select Shattered Bone & Burning Flesh. One of those colorfully titled ESG scenarios that have just been released at ASLOk. We dice for sides, I get the Germans and Ray the defending Russians. I have to either exit 22 points off the far board edge or capture most of the buildings that the Russians are defending. To do this, I have an attacker’s dream order of battle. Two King Tigers, a flamethrowing halftrack, a Puma armored car and elite troops accompanied by three squads of assault engineers. Three heavy assault guns each with a smoke depletion of 10, and a couple of halftracks to zip around in. In front of me, some 1st line and elite Russian infantry, an AT gun, a heavy artillery piece, and a mean 82mm mortar. On turn two Ray will get two SU-85 TD’s and a SU-122 assault gun.
Just looking it over, I’m a bit suspicious. This looks easy for the German. I’ve got the dream attack force and there just doesn’t look to be enough Russians to hold them off.
Well we start it off. Regardless of whether there are enough Russians or not – it doesn’t matter. I completely dice Ray. Everything I try works. Doesn’t matter what it is – smoke dispensers, smoke grenades, low odds shots etc. Everything Ray tries the dice fail him. He doesn’t just fail morale checks, he box cars them. His .50 cal breaks, his MMG breaks. I send a light screening force off my right flank. Discover his two 6-2-8 squads concealed in the gulley and proceed to break them with low odds advancing fire. I swing everything else down the board side left flank and proceed to blow out every Russian unit in front of me. I run some German half squads to soak up fire from his front MMG nest. He misses his rolls and when I roll up my flame halftrack adjacent to them…I proceed to roll a 3 and we just pick the pieces up off of the board. I slide one of my halftracks up to take advantage of the hole. Oops, I find out I pulled adjacent to the AT gun. Looks like I’ll lose the HT. But wait, not in this game. He hits the ‘track, but then duds the To Kill DR. And on that roll, with almost all his infantry taken out of play and me having lost no units at all he resigns on the first part of turn two even before his armor enters. He really has nothing left to stop my infantry from taking every building by turn three or four. Both my King Tigers are in perfect position to take out his reinforcing armor and I have a strong infantry screen in front of them to prevent any Russian flanking attacks by the armor that gets on board. Doesn’t get any prettier for me – but it’s too bad the dice played such an unbalanced variable in the game. I pick up my fourth win – but it certainly didn’t turn out to be the game that Ray and I were looking for. This one looks heavily in favor of the Germans. I’m not even sure what the Russians can do to hold of the German force.
Saturday October 11 – Open Gaming
Well, now I have the rest of the day open to play. I look around for someone else who lost their first round and would be interested in playing a single larger scenario for the rest of the day. I hook up with Ray Wolozyn (North Carolina) who is looking for the same thing. I’ve played Ray once before several years ago. He beat me in a scenario of Clear That Roadblock but I remember really enjoying the play. Ray was also the very first Grofaz winner of ASLOk. I’m really looking forward to playing him again.
We select Shattered Bone & Burning Flesh. One of those colorfully titled ESG scenarios that have just been released at ASLOk. We dice for sides, I get the Germans and Ray the defending Russians. I have to either exit 22 points off the far board edge or capture most of the buildings that the Russians are defending. To do this, I have an attacker’s dream order of battle. Two King Tigers, a flamethrowing halftrack, a Puma armored car and elite troops accompanied by three squads of assault engineers. Three heavy assault guns each with a smoke depletion of 10, and a couple of halftracks to zip around in. In front of me, some 1st line and elite Russian infantry, an AT gun, a heavy artillery piece, and a mean 82mm mortar. On turn two Ray will get two SU-85 TD’s and a SU-122 assault gun.
Just looking it over, I’m a bit suspicious. This looks easy for the German. I’ve got the dream attack force and there just doesn’t look to be enough Russians to hold them off.
Well we start it off. Regardless of whether there are enough Russians or not – it doesn’t matter. I completely dice Ray. Everything I try works. Doesn’t matter what it is – smoke dispensers, smoke grenades, low odds shots etc. Everything Ray tries the dice fail him. He doesn’t just fail morale checks, he box cars them. His .50 cal breaks, his MMG breaks. I send a light screening force off my right flank. Discover his two 6-2-8 squads concealed in the gulley and proceed to break them with low odds advancing fire. I swing everything else down the board side left flank and proceed to blow out every Russian unit in front of me. I run some German half squads to soak up fire from his front MMG nest. He misses his rolls and when I roll up my flame halftrack adjacent to them…I proceed to roll a 3 and we just pick the pieces up off of the board. I slide one of my halftracks up to take advantage of the hole. Oops, I find out I pulled adjacent to the AT gun. Looks like I’ll lose the HT. But wait, not in this game. He hits the ‘track, but then duds the To Kill DR. And on that roll, with almost all his infantry taken out of play and me having lost no units at all he resigns on the first part of turn two even before his armor enters. He really has nothing left to stop my infantry from taking every building by turn three or four. Both my King Tigers are in perfect position to take out his reinforcing armor and I have a strong infantry screen in front of them to prevent any Russian flanking attacks by the armor that gets on board. Doesn’t get any prettier for me – but it’s too bad the dice played such an unbalanced variable in the game. I pick up my fourth win – but it certainly didn’t turn out to be the game that Ray and I were looking for. This one looks heavily in favor of the Germans. I’m not even sure what the Russians can do to hold of the German force.
4 -1
The Coda…
I end ASLOk 2008 with a 4 – 1 record and take home a mini tourney plaque. All of my opponents were great players and a real joy to game against. The hotel is much improved over the past few years and, like always, I game away with a few more insights into the game. After I got home, Todd Wiley came over on Monday and we pulled out Shattered Bone & Burning Flesh. I want to try it as the Russians and see if it really is as unbalanced as it seems to be. We got through the first two turns with my Russians doing much better then Rays did. ‘Course, Todd wasn’t rolling the dice like I was so maybe this will be a more typical playing. Still, it looks tough on the Russians. We’ll see what happens.
The Coda…
I end ASLOk 2008 with a 4 – 1 record and take home a mini tourney plaque. All of my opponents were great players and a real joy to game against. The hotel is much improved over the past few years and, like always, I game away with a few more insights into the game. After I got home, Todd Wiley came over on Monday and we pulled out Shattered Bone & Burning Flesh. I want to try it as the Russians and see if it really is as unbalanced as it seems to be. We got through the first two turns with my Russians doing much better then Rays did. ‘Course, Todd wasn’t rolling the dice like I was so maybe this will be a more typical playing. Still, it looks tough on the Russians. We’ll see what happens.
Labels: ASL, ASLOK, Octoberfest
posted by asler @ 9:43 AM
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