# An ASL game (with pictures)



## MerricB (Nov 14, 2008)

After a couple of weeks where our schedules hadn't allowed us our regular wargaming sessions, Randy and I finally managed to get together for a few 2-player games. When I say "a few", you might imagine we played more than one. However, the length of this ASL SK scenario meant that it was in fact the only game we played last night. This didn't matter, though, as this was an intensely entertaining - and close - game.






_Game set-up_

We chose sides randomly; I played the Germans and Randy played the Americans. The scenario was set in Aachen in December 1944, with the Americans advancing on a handful of German conscripts and second-line squads. The initial advance for the Americans is quite difficult, as there's a lot of open terrain to cover, especially in the north. My problem as the Germans was that I needed to defend all of the front in the initial set-up, while Randy could concentrate his forces for his attack.

In retrospect, I placed too few of my forces down south, but Randy's initial attack tested me at all points along the line. His superb firepower and ability to fire effectively while assaulting was a big problem, and it wasn't long before my Germans were in trouble in the south.





The initial push

The most dangerous piece Randy possessed was an elite half-squad wielding a Flamethrower. It roasted one of my forward conscript squads, but then Randy faced the problem of bringing it forward to attack my remaining troops. As I had quite a few squads in that area, he proved very reluctant to bring it into harm's way, and it spent much of the game hanging back, just out of range.

Meanwhile, I beat back his attack in the north and began sending squads south to reinforce my position there. Unfortunately, Randy managed to penetrate the southmost buildings, and from there began making his way along to the southeast of the town.





_The south collapses_

The orchards were really preventing much effective fire between us in the south; once you have a +5 to fire, you need a really good firegroup and leader. Randy's MMG had broken, which was somewhat preventing this. (I'd also wounded both of his inferior leaders, which was interfering with his troop movements). He tried using a captured LMG, but rolled a 12 on the first attempt to fire it; it broke and was eliminated from the game. So, that didn't work so well. I was hoping his MMG would suffer the same fate, but he managed to repair it. That was not good...

Meanwhile, in the north, Randy managed a couple of excellent shots (followed by a 12 on my Morale Check) to do horrible things to my remaining defenders. At this point I could feel defeat tapping me on my shoulder: I had to move defenders back to the north, whilst still countering Randy's push in the south. This was going to be tough!





_Moving around_

Randy made the first of several pushes to take out my fortified building and the squads that surrounded it, and discovered that he wasn't able to quite roll well enough to avoid being pinned or broken by the defensive fire. Or to break all of the defending units. He was picking up control of a number of building hexes with the southeastern squad, though, using Double Time when he could to pick up even more.

On the north side, Randy rushed his remaining squad over to capture the buildings there which he'd forced my squads out of. I was just able to bring my units up in time, and broke his unit before it could advance further and recaptured the building. The north was safe, but the south was getting shakier and shakier.





_Pinned in the final push_

When the final turn arrived, Randy's dice luck completely deserted him, as he made ineffectual attack after ineffectual attack. His Flamethrower unit was eliminated through Fate, and though he was finally able to break the remaining units in the south cluster, the number of units he needed to Prep Fire to do so meant that he had very few forces able to take the building hexes he needed to win.

His wounded leader picked up the Flamethrower, and limped a bit closer, but could only move a single hex (and then became CX when entering a building)... no effect in the game except for amusement value.





_End-game_

Counting up the building hexes Randy controlled, the total came to 24, one short of the number he needed! Up north I was still doing okay, but the southern units were now almost completely eliminated. This had been a very close and extremely entertaining game.

One of the reasons I've been enjoying ASL so much is that there are constantly reasons for both sides to manuever. You're always making decisions. Reacting to Randy's moves as the Americans (and my own bad set-up as the Germans) made this a very tense game. When I saw Randy's squad running around south, I was terribly afraid that he'd send another squad that way to help them claim more buildings. Thankfully, that didn't happen, as my "fortress" was consuming too many of his resources.

We both had great dice rolls, and terrible dice rolls. Randy had some exceptionally bad ones in the last turn, making three attacks that did nothing at all (including a FP 30 attack with a +2 modifier!) You can't bet on that; but still, there were a few of my units that had died earlier to good rolls on his part. I feel it evened out.

Next week, it's Randy's choice of games, which will probably involve Conflict of Heroes as well as some games from his own extensive collection. We'll have to wait and see what he chooses. The week after, it'll be on to S4 in ASL SK #1.


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## Korgoth (Nov 14, 2008)

Interesting. I haven't played ASL, actually. Could you bear some questions about it from a newbie?

I'm wondering:
What sort of Germans did you have (Heer, FJ, SS)?

What sort of Americans did he have (regular army, airborne, rangers)?

How does the game differentiate troop quality (conscript, elite, etc.)?

Are the counters teams or squads?

Are the squad automatic weapons singled out from the rest of the squad (you mentioned that he captured an LMG... I assume he picked up an MG42 off of one of your dead Germans)?

Were there any other special units (guns, vehicles, etc.)?

Thanks.


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## MerricB (Nov 14, 2008)

Korgoth said:


> Interesting. I haven't played ASL, actually. Could you bear some questions about it from a newbie?
> 
> I'm wondering:
> What sort of Germans did you have (Heer, FJ, SS)?




Not SS.  Within this game, these were 2nd line squads and Conscripts in Aachen.

"Elements of the 44th Regiment, 246th Volksgrenadier Division"



> What sort of Americans did he have (regular army, airborne, rangers)?




"Elements of 3rd Battalion, 25th Infantry Regiment", represented by american 1st line troops.



> How does the game differentiate troop quality (conscript, elite, etc.)?




Each counter has its designation - Elite, 1st line, 2nd line, SS or Conscript on it, and the numbers get worse as you move down. I had 2nd line and Conscript squads: 4-4-7 and 4-3-6. Firepower, Range, Morale.

American paratroopers are elite, 7-4-7. Randy's Infantry were 6-6-6.



> Are the counters teams or squads?




Squads, with half-squads/crews as well.



> Are the squad automatic weapons singled out from the rest of the squad (you mentioned that he captured an LMG... I assume he picked up an MG42 off of one of your dead Germans)?




They have some assumed small arms in the FP, but there are also LMG, MMG and HMG counters. Ditto for the Flamethrower.



> Were there any other special units (guns, vehicles, etc.)?




Not in this scenario - this was infantry only - but the ASL system handles pretty much every sort of gun and land vehicle that fought in World War 2. The various modules give you the German, Russian, American, Commonwealth, Italy, Minor Axis, Finnish, Chinese, Japanese and Minor Allies order of battles.

We were playing a starter kit scenario - the starter kits are really good at introducing the game. SK1 is infantry, SK2 adds guns, SK3 adds tanks. I also have a fair bit of the full game, although I haven't been able to get my hands on the Commonwealth or Italians yet.

SK1 is currently out of print, but should be reprinted in the very near future. It's been selling very well.


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## Korgoth (Nov 15, 2008)

Thanks for the writeup, Merric!


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## Studio69 (Nov 17, 2008)

Please forgive my ignorance, but is ASL an acronym?


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## MerricB (Nov 17, 2008)

Studio69 said:


> Please forgive my ignorance, but is ASL an acronym?




ASL = Advanced Squad Leader.

Tends to be known more as ASL. 

Cheers!


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## johnnype (Dec 10, 2008)

Cool write up. thanks for sharing. I own a bunch of ASL supplements and bought SK1 a while back but have yet to actually play the game. It's a bit intimidating and to be honest I don't have blocks of time that large to set aside and learn to play. Regardless I fully intend to some day. 

I also wanted to say that although I know you are committed to ENWorld you should consider posting this message on RPG.net. I know there are a bunch of ASLers on that board. 

Just a thought.


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## AJCarrington (Jan 13, 2009)

Really enjoyed the AAR; I've played that scenario as well (as the US if memory serves).  One of the things I really like about ASL is that you can never count yourself put until the end of the last turn; I'm pretty sure that scenario came down to the final advance phase - I lost...

AJC


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## Amy Kou'ai (Jan 13, 2009)

I just wanted to express that I somehow thought this post was related to some kind of American Sign Language board game.

That is all.


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