ASLstarter

This is just a very quick look at how my first second at scenario #1 (RETAKING VIERVILLE) played out.

I have had my standard game boards enlarged (doubled) at my local photo-copier and so I have added a couple of pics to show them off. I also got a chance to use my 3D smoke counters.

For some daft reason, I got my compass points confused in my first game and brought all the reinforcements in via the wrong board edges. So these updated notes refer to my second and correct playing of the scenario.

This is good introductory scenario as the basic elements of cover, good firing positions and vulnerability during movement, become quickly obvious to both sides. At the start of the scenario, a small American force sets up on the short length of road that runs up from the bottom of the picture (left) towards the 'T' junction.

In my game, there were two tense moments. Early in the game, Sergeant Baumann (7-0 leader) and his poorly rated grenadiers, managed to move in and hold building M4 (where the red counter is in the above photo). They kept possession of this building for most of the game but towards the end of play, since this was the only victory hex held by the Germans, it looked increasingly likely that it would be the target of an American attack.

To distract the American player, the German leader, Lt. Praun, made a short dash with his three squads from the cornfield at N9 (top of the photo) down towards the buildings at N6 (also a victory point location). The American squads used everything they had to halt Praun. One German squad became pinned, another broke as did Praun but one squad made it into the N6 building. In the following turn, an American squad managed to also enter the building and the German squad was destroyed during the close combat. The attack had indeed distracted the American player for a full turn.

With just 5 turns to this scenario, the timetable is tight. If the Germans manage to get a grip on the centre of Vierville, then the American player is going to have a real struggle ejecting them within the time limits allowed.

in a future game, I will try to bring at least a couple of German squads onto the map in a way that allows them to better interfere with the arrival of American reinforcements, before they can reach the town centre.

As a variant, I might allow both sides to each randomly draw 1 support weapon to add to their turn 2 reinforcements.

This is an enjoyable scenario (designed by John D. Johnson) that looks very replayable. Being the first scenario in the pack, it is obviously the one that most first time players will have a go at. As an introductory scenario, it serves its purpose well. The game starts with very few units on the board and new groups are added slowly over the first three turns. Also, support weapons are not used, so weapon possession and rate of fire rules are not needed.

It will be interesting to see whether new players will develop an affection for this, their first ASL scenario, in the way that I did (and no doubt countless like me) with the 'Guards Counterattack' - the opening scenario to the basic Squad Leader system.

On turn 1, the Germans enter from both the top and bottom of the map. The American force must defend key buildings until reinforcements arrive from the left side of the picture. Victory is based upon the occupation of two named buildings just left of the smoke marker in the picture and two other named buildings in and next to the hex marked my the red 'melee' counter at the bottom of the picture. the American player must ensure that these buildings are free of good ordered enemy units by the end of the game.

Unfortunately for the German player, in the last turn, the American forces were able to bring 35 fire factors onto Sergeant Baumann's position. The result was a morale check with a +4 penalty added to the test. Baumann and all his squads broke. This secured an American victory since none of the victory point buildings were occupied by any 'good order' German squads. The scenario had literally played down to the last die roll.