Backs to the Sea - ASL 19

Americans: Brad Luellen
Germans: Gary Milks (W)

Game length: 7 Turns

Well, having completed my first PBeM game of ASL, I thought I would post an AAR.

American Setup:
The initial set up for the Americans was not very well thought out on my part. I placed all of my units on board 16, and here occurred my first mistake. I did not read the SSRs closely enough and was initially unaware that the buildings were in fact shellholes. Not realizing this, I set up one concealed squad in hex L6, another squad in hex O4, and a 7-0 with a squad in hex O3. My mistake left the squads short a TEM that was pretty important to my set-up. The rest of my units were placed in the woods on the north side of board 16 with a dummy stack at each end and the mortars placed in hexes M2 and X1.

German Setup:
I will not comment on the German set-up except to say that it was very well deployed right at the northern edge of his set-up hexes.

Turn One:
To start, the Germans began heavily advancing northward on the west side of board 19. The advance was pretty piecemeal so I was not drawn into firing on the advancing scouts. The rest of turn one was pretty silent with the Americans holding their fire. By the end of turn one, the Germans had advanced to the southern edge of the western half of board 16 and to the bocage line on the eastern half of board 16 at which time the mortars were assembled. The advance to the bocage line was immediately not threatening to me, but it would be to be later.

Turn Two:
The Germans began by Prep firing MGs from the bocage at my squads in the O3 building hexes. This was the point when it was rudely brought to my attention that they were not even buildings. Luckily, there was no damage done, but my mind was reeling in an attempt to get my squads into better terrain. The Germans also dropped a little mortar fire around my still concealed mortar in the western half of board 16. No damage was done, but the acquisition of the hexes gave me some food for thought. As the Germans began to move in mass along the west side of board 16, I knew that my lone point squad in hex 16L6 was in dire straits. The squad held its fire until a squad attempted to squeak by in an adjacent hex. The opportunity was too good to pass up and the squad got lucky. As it turned out the squad was broken and I thought I was on my way to slowing the German advance (but not really). As the Germans continued their mass advance along the west side of board 16, the American mortar revealed itself and began to drop rounds among the advance foe. The fire itself was not very effective (only pinning one squad), but I believe that it gave Gary something to think about. The German advance on the west side also involved a small movement around the bocage on that side. One of the squads in the O2 building took a shot at an approaching squad and managed to break it, CR it, and to top it off ELRd it. But unfortunately, that was my only good luck. During the AFPh, the Germans formed a massive FG on the west side of the board and pounced on my lone squad in L6. With 20FPs I fully expected the squad to be eliminated, but that was not the case. The squad broke with a corresponding ELR, and was then taken prisoner. This is what I feel was my first real setback.

For whatever the reason, I didnt fire my previously revealed MTR in my PFPh, and this turns out to be a big mistake. As the American portion of the turn continues, my thoughts returned to the squads in the shellholes in hexes O3/O4. I did not think that there was anyone in a real position to harm them, but I decided to pull them back. The squads both tried to pop SMOKE, and only one was successful. The single squad pulled back into the shellholes to the north, while the leader and the second squad dashed across the road into the forest. The rest of the troops basically continued to move from east to west. I didnt think at this point that I would get anyone over there fast enough and stop the German swarm, but I was going to try. During the DFPh, the Germans use their mortars to pummel my mortar in M2, eventually eliminating the squad there.

Turn Three:
The Germans begin by using their PFPh to attack my units in and around 17T0 that are attempting a westward movement. Using his mortars he gets some good shots in Vs. the squads in 16N1, resulting in their CR. The only drawback to him for his fire was that he activated my sniper three times. In doing so he gained two broken squads and a leader KIA. He continues his northward movement alone the western side of the board and during my DFPh I managed to eliminate another HS.

During the American portion of the turn, I lost a HS due to interdiction and picked up an 8-1 leader due to HoB. Realizing that I need to stem his movement on the west side of the map, I attempt a rash move and try to DT my units across the gap near 7P0-P1. Using DF, the Germans PINd my advancing units but caused no casualties, and lost another leader to a sniper attack.

Turn Four:
During the RPh of the German portion of the turn, a American HS finally manages to recover the mortar in hex 16M2. Of course, during Prep Fire, the Germans again attack M2 and break the squad. Continuing Prep Fire the Germans again attack my units attempting to cross the board 7 gap. This time he succeeds in breaking one unit and CRd another. He continues his advance in the movement phase and gets his first unit to the southern edge of board 7. Using defensive fire I managed to break one squad and a leader that was advancing with the main body. His final action for the turn was the formation of a massive firegroup that attacked a squad. The ensuing MC was passed but activated the German sniper that knocked out an already broken HS.

My Prep fire did nothing to assist my units and at the time I only had one squad on the west side of board 7 to attempt to stem the advancing tide. When the German DFPh came up his advancing units again formed a massive fire group and broke my one squad. But his fire again brought the American sniper into play who promptly CRd an already broken German squad.

Turn Five:
During the RPh, the Germans gained a heroic 8-0 but failed to regain any broken squads. His Prep Fire succeeded in again breaking the squads that would have attempted a dash across the board 7 gap. His movement phase brought the rest of his units on or near board 7, but he gained another broken leader for his efforts.

By this time I had very little to work with. My broken units refused to be rallied, and my remaining offensive capability was trapped on the eastern side of the board. One bright spot was that my mortar in X1 managed to break a MMG squad that was trying to get a shot at the mortar from T8 and my unmanned mortar in M2 was again recovered. During my movement, the German DF produced an American Hero who promptly got himself killed (trying to be too heroic). I also lost my 9-1 leader to a sniper attack during my portion of the turn.

Turn Six:
My recently manned mortar that had moved to N1 was pinned during this part of the turn making him pretty ineffective. The Germans concentrated on strengthening his position on the west edge of board 7. A quick check revealed that he had met the victory requirements since he now has 8.5 GO squad equivalents on board 7.

I attempt to stop one advancing HS on the west side of board 16, but dont quite make it. I again try to get my remaining forces across the board 7 gap, but am yet again stopped. The firebase along the along the 16P-S bocage again eliminate the unit manning the mortar. So I have a squad, a leader, and an unmanned mortar on the west side of board 7. Not much to defend with.

Turn Seven:
The Germans again spend most of their energy into forming a defensive area on the west side of board 7. But with that many squads over there, it makes no sense for my lone squad to attack. During his prep fire he again attacks my unit attempting to cross the gap. This time he manages to break them, but in a successive attack, HoB crops up and makes the squad fanatic.

I try to self-rally one unit that might have a chance at doing some damage, but failed miserably. At this point I threw in the towel.

Aftermath:
I really believe that this scenario IS winnable by the US. There should be some specific attention given to denying the Germans the use of the bocage on board 16. Gary setup all of his mortars and MMGs behind the bocage from 16P10-S9. This caused me fits when trying to reinforce the western edge of the board were the German advance was. The loss of this firebase would allow the Americans to return fire more effectively and additionally give more freedom of movement.

Brad