From: aslml-aslml.net-bounces@lists.aslml.net on behalf of Bill Brodie [kingbilly@actewagl.net.au] Sent: Thursday, March 17, 2005 3:01 AM To: ASL Mailing List Subject: [Aslml] AAR J99 On to Florence Played this one on Tuesday night against Simon. I had the Germans and he had the New Zealanders. I have to say, it is a bit hard to write an AAR on a game whaere most of the action occurs on a large overlay. "How many rows till we get to hexrow X?" It was hard enough writing down the HIP locations and the mine locations. Needless to say, I have therefore decided to keep it brief. Simopn started cautiously, smoking my two concealed units on the first floor hexes to mask his approach. It only worked to an extent. He left one of his Staghounds five hexes away from my HIP assault gun, CE 8-1 AL, although he had sense enough toi leave it in motion. Little matter, my first shot killed one of his armoured car. I then moved the assault gun to protect the central buildings. Simon then bought down his OBA to hit the central building, and by chance also my assault gun. This OBA was to last for the next four turns !! My forward troops were gobbled up by his advance. One squad with LMG did fairly well, breaking one squad and then killing another, while trapping a thrid broken squad in a position where it could be kept DM, until my sniper managed to kill it on two consequtive shots. I then make a bit of a tactical error. The squad and LMG were concealed in a building with an unconcealed squad on one side of it. The 76* armed Staghound then moved to a spot two hexes away. I figure, my Defensive Fire Phase, I'll have two chances of getting a PF, and if I can't kill it in the DFPh I will get another two chances in the Prep Fire Phase. I took one PF roll, got a PF, but missed. I took the second PF roll, 6, Pin. Not to worry. I was in a stone building and I would shrug off the advance fire, which I did. Next Prep Fire phase, I rolled for PF, 6 Pin again. Hmm. This left me with a 76* armed armoured car at two hexes and a squad at one hex on the opposite side. He fired the armoured car, no damage, cmg, no damage. He then fired the squad, 12 FP +3 for stone building, but also encircling. The squad broke, just, but now as encircled, I was forced to surrender. I think I should have stayed concealed. I still would have been surrounded, but it would have been a lot harder to break, and I would have been able to advance onto the squad in the advance phase, possibly ambushing. alternatively, I could have advanced into the third building hex, and because of the rowhouse bars, would have remained concealed. (Maybe.) I think having a concealed squad and lmg behind the majority of his force would have been a far better postion than a dead armoured car. What say you all? Anyway, I continued my defense, beating off his OBA until finally one half squad broke, and the squad had to take a NMC, 2, hob, hero and battle harden. I then destroyed his 76* armed armoured car with my assault gun. Not a bad hit, turning, buttoned up, out of OBA, and hit a moving target ! But even that was not enough. Simon's steady advance forced my east flank, focing me to send troops back to guard the rear two multihex buildings. It was getting late. I got desperate and reaced a half squad and leader through to one of the forward multihex buildings, which had been captured by Simon, but which did not have any troops in it. One hex from gaining it I suffered a 2MC result, wounding the leader and breaking the squad. This left me with a hero, three squads, a half squad, an mmg, and a 9-1 leader to guard four multihex buildings, any one of which would result in a New Zealand victory. There were still two New Zealand player turns left. I conceaded. Perhaps if I did not have to get home at a half respectable time I would have fought it out, but I knew I would have to be very lucky to keep him out. I could not get more than one squad back to the rear buildings, which were being threatened by a squad and two half squads. It would have been hard. So that makes three games in three weeks from the new journal. One win and two losses, but not one game has seen the distance, all finishing before the end. I gotta say, I don't know if I would pick them to play again. Perhaps I could be talked into J99 again, if I could go the New Zealanders, but I would defer if asked to play J100 or J98 again. Is there another classic in this journal. Given effectively about a four hour limit, I'd have to limit my play to perhaps J101 (designed by our own Murry McClusky) or J92 and J94. Due to personal circumstances I am yet to play a game from J4 or J5. Are there any classics left, or have they all been designed long ago. I would play certain scenarios again and again, but the three I've played so far from J6 just didn't thrill me. Bill Brodie _______________________________________________ Aslml-aslml.net mailing list Aslml-aslml.net@lists.aslml.net http://lists.aslml.net/listinfo.cgi/aslml-aslml.net To unsubscribe, visit the above website, or email webmaster@aslml.net