ASL Italia
I quit writing the blog for a long time, but last weekend I spent some time in Carimate, Italy and it brought back some of my ASL enthusiasm. Carimate is north of Milan, near Lake Como. Its really a beautiful spot with excellent coffee, good food and lots of pretty Italian women. If you've never been here, its a gorgeous part of the world.
ASL Italia lists Winter Gathering Carimate as a gathering, not as a tournament. This brings in lots of newbies and there were more than a few Starter Kit games. I would really recommend that clubs think about these gatherings because I will testify that it has a very different feeling in terms of competition. There is a lot more learning going on when you aren't competing. I don't just say this because I suck at ASL, I do, but because sometimes those who can, do and those who can't teach. Not only does a non-competitive gathering bring in new blood, but it allows people to display a completely different skill set to the hobby. I'd also encourage sponsors to take an interest in these gatherings. Just because there is no prizes doesn't mean you can't figure out a way to show support!
There is also a lot of non-ASL gaming going on. I have to kind of admire someone who can set up a Napoleonic or American Civil War game and sitting playing it all weekend against the same opponent. Crossing an ASL gathering with a general wargaming event is kind of fun just because you can see some other things.
Another thing that is interesting is to look at new ASL stuff. The new LFT Italian pack was on display and of course, got a lot of play at an Italian event. I did not play any of these scenarios, but I did get to examine the content and I have to say that if you like playing the Italians, the components are every bit as good as you've come to expect from LFT. Lots of desert stuff though and I don't think I've played a British vs. Italians in the desert that I've liked.
There was also the BFP Corrigedor offering. The map looked interesting and the counters were also quality. I'm not that interested in PTO, but I was a bit tempted. BFP does a really good job and maybe with one of their excellent explanation manuals I could develop an interest/talent for PTO. Like the LFT Italian pack, I am just not that interested, so I probably won't add this to my collection, but I can vouch for the quality of the components.
Things that got some play that were a bit older was a pretty big Korea scenario from Forgotten War. It looked like a bunch of Koreans swarming a US artillery battalion. More than a few burning Shermans and lots of 8 morale troops. I can't claim to have shown much interest and the map was, as far as I could see, just another hill. I certainly have no enthusiasm for Korea but I won't fault the components.
A couple of players went at a monster scenario from the Stonne pack from CH. Having played this before I couldn't bear to watch this trainwreck. I don't think they finished.
I managed to get in three scenarios. First, I played Liberation Day from Winter Offensive Pack 6. This scenario represents a double attack from the Red Army and a group of partisans looking to liberate a train station and break the German strangulation of Leningrad. I had the Germans and so I was faced with holding the half-board town on board ten and the "railroad station" on board 17. The Germans start out with security forces and the real meat comes in as reinforcements. In dividing my forces I probably put too much into the town and not enough on the station, but I figured the Station would be easier to reinforce--especially if the town was well defended. The Red Army comes in at the town with a rifle company, reinforced with a couple of SU76's. However, they can't get too bold with the SU76's because losing them adds to the building requirements. Being open topped, they are really quite vulnerable. My defense ran into trouble right away as the light mortar that was supposed to guard the tree line scored a critical hit against some partisans, who promptly went berserk and charged the mortar (inside its minimum range) and took it out of the game. My picket forces gacked their shots and were quickly overwhelmed before they could retreat. When the PzIV's entered, they were, essentially, buses that carried troops to the train station. However, they scared the hell out of the partisans and made them run away. They also brought up one of the MMG's to help hold the station. One of the SU76's got greedy and chased after my in-motion PzIV. My PzIV went into self-preservation mode and drove into a nearby hovel, leveling it. The Sutka, while acquired on my PzIV, was now surrounded by marauding infantry (one with a Panzershrek) and nervously fired and missed my now moved and TEM protected tank. That SU76 succumbed. Meanwhile the defenders in the town were falling slowly back but it was clear that I would have a hard time holding four of the buildings. I would need to kill another AFV. The PzIV had dropped off the reinforcements and were headed from the station to the town. I managed to eliminate the other SU76 and PZK'ed one of the T34's. I managed to take back one of the buildings with my tanks. But the station remained in danger and on the very last CCPh he rushed my last location defended only by a 468, MMG and 8-1. He only managed to get a squad and a half of CX partisan adjacent to the target and it wasn't enough to get the job done in CC.
Second, I played Early Morning Action (BFP's Crucible of Steel, from which I have never played a bad scenario) against a newbie who happened to be an American who lived in Germany and had come to Italy on business. This was more of a teaching scenario and I had the dug in (but tired) Guardsmen against a bunch of SS and a pair of StuGs. The Red Army has nothing that can really do anything against the StuG's and fighting SS with ELR 2 guys is always intimidating. Luckily, my opponent waited to develop an attack until there was smoke in place and, after a couple of bad luck breaks he held back to regroup. This scenario is too short to wait to develop an attack and with SS you really have to be aggressive. He also used his leaders to move forward, instead of hanging back to rally a few unfortunate stragglers. Most importantly, he forgot the gun was back there HIP until I reminded him with two turns left. He had miserable luck and offed a squad and a half trying to rally them. Maybe a little aggressive with his StuG's as I managed to score a couple of hits with the MOL projector--but no luck on the too kill. Still, a StuG in smoke is almost as good as a dead StuG in this scenario. Lastly, he was really aggressive about getting in close combat, which works against the SS and puts them needlessly take casualties. In the end, he had to search for the HIP gun with his StuG's. He got shot in the butt and burned up, putting him over the CVP cap.
The last scenario I played was another teaching scenario with a guy who played starter kit. It was some D Day scenario and my Americans had to assault some Germans in a stone village with no hope of cover from walls and hedges. The main German advantage is a HMG, but its manning squad broke and had to leave it behind. No other squad could really get to it. The big American squads pounded the Germans and half squads ran around behind cutting rout paths. He was in real trouble by turn two, but I convinced him to carry on until turn 5 when he had no good order squads left. He got some lessons about flanking. One thing I had a hard time getting used to is taking all your shots with starter kit rules because there is no downside. I think this may teach some bad lessons. But I also enforced on my opponent a no stack movement policy!
Congratulations to Mario on coordinating a fine gathering. Good to see Edo. People who know me will be surprised that not only did I go the weekend 3-0, but I managed not to lose a tank as well. (I only played one tank scenario...) Hopefully, I gave a couple of new players some tips and also how to make ASL fun!
ASL Italia lists Winter Gathering Carimate as a gathering, not as a tournament. This brings in lots of newbies and there were more than a few Starter Kit games. I would really recommend that clubs think about these gatherings because I will testify that it has a very different feeling in terms of competition. There is a lot more learning going on when you aren't competing. I don't just say this because I suck at ASL, I do, but because sometimes those who can, do and those who can't teach. Not only does a non-competitive gathering bring in new blood, but it allows people to display a completely different skill set to the hobby. I'd also encourage sponsors to take an interest in these gatherings. Just because there is no prizes doesn't mean you can't figure out a way to show support!
There is also a lot of non-ASL gaming going on. I have to kind of admire someone who can set up a Napoleonic or American Civil War game and sitting playing it all weekend against the same opponent. Crossing an ASL gathering with a general wargaming event is kind of fun just because you can see some other things.
Another thing that is interesting is to look at new ASL stuff. The new LFT Italian pack was on display and of course, got a lot of play at an Italian event. I did not play any of these scenarios, but I did get to examine the content and I have to say that if you like playing the Italians, the components are every bit as good as you've come to expect from LFT. Lots of desert stuff though and I don't think I've played a British vs. Italians in the desert that I've liked.
There was also the BFP Corrigedor offering. The map looked interesting and the counters were also quality. I'm not that interested in PTO, but I was a bit tempted. BFP does a really good job and maybe with one of their excellent explanation manuals I could develop an interest/talent for PTO. Like the LFT Italian pack, I am just not that interested, so I probably won't add this to my collection, but I can vouch for the quality of the components.
Things that got some play that were a bit older was a pretty big Korea scenario from Forgotten War. It looked like a bunch of Koreans swarming a US artillery battalion. More than a few burning Shermans and lots of 8 morale troops. I can't claim to have shown much interest and the map was, as far as I could see, just another hill. I certainly have no enthusiasm for Korea but I won't fault the components.
A couple of players went at a monster scenario from the Stonne pack from CH. Having played this before I couldn't bear to watch this trainwreck. I don't think they finished.
I managed to get in three scenarios. First, I played Liberation Day from Winter Offensive Pack 6. This scenario represents a double attack from the Red Army and a group of partisans looking to liberate a train station and break the German strangulation of Leningrad. I had the Germans and so I was faced with holding the half-board town on board ten and the "railroad station" on board 17. The Germans start out with security forces and the real meat comes in as reinforcements. In dividing my forces I probably put too much into the town and not enough on the station, but I figured the Station would be easier to reinforce--especially if the town was well defended. The Red Army comes in at the town with a rifle company, reinforced with a couple of SU76's. However, they can't get too bold with the SU76's because losing them adds to the building requirements. Being open topped, they are really quite vulnerable. My defense ran into trouble right away as the light mortar that was supposed to guard the tree line scored a critical hit against some partisans, who promptly went berserk and charged the mortar (inside its minimum range) and took it out of the game. My picket forces gacked their shots and were quickly overwhelmed before they could retreat. When the PzIV's entered, they were, essentially, buses that carried troops to the train station. However, they scared the hell out of the partisans and made them run away. They also brought up one of the MMG's to help hold the station. One of the SU76's got greedy and chased after my in-motion PzIV. My PzIV went into self-preservation mode and drove into a nearby hovel, leveling it. The Sutka, while acquired on my PzIV, was now surrounded by marauding infantry (one with a Panzershrek) and nervously fired and missed my now moved and TEM protected tank. That SU76 succumbed. Meanwhile the defenders in the town were falling slowly back but it was clear that I would have a hard time holding four of the buildings. I would need to kill another AFV. The PzIV had dropped off the reinforcements and were headed from the station to the town. I managed to eliminate the other SU76 and PZK'ed one of the T34's. I managed to take back one of the buildings with my tanks. But the station remained in danger and on the very last CCPh he rushed my last location defended only by a 468, MMG and 8-1. He only managed to get a squad and a half of CX partisan adjacent to the target and it wasn't enough to get the job done in CC.
Second, I played Early Morning Action (BFP's Crucible of Steel, from which I have never played a bad scenario) against a newbie who happened to be an American who lived in Germany and had come to Italy on business. This was more of a teaching scenario and I had the dug in (but tired) Guardsmen against a bunch of SS and a pair of StuGs. The Red Army has nothing that can really do anything against the StuG's and fighting SS with ELR 2 guys is always intimidating. Luckily, my opponent waited to develop an attack until there was smoke in place and, after a couple of bad luck breaks he held back to regroup. This scenario is too short to wait to develop an attack and with SS you really have to be aggressive. He also used his leaders to move forward, instead of hanging back to rally a few unfortunate stragglers. Most importantly, he forgot the gun was back there HIP until I reminded him with two turns left. He had miserable luck and offed a squad and a half trying to rally them. Maybe a little aggressive with his StuG's as I managed to score a couple of hits with the MOL projector--but no luck on the too kill. Still, a StuG in smoke is almost as good as a dead StuG in this scenario. Lastly, he was really aggressive about getting in close combat, which works against the SS and puts them needlessly take casualties. In the end, he had to search for the HIP gun with his StuG's. He got shot in the butt and burned up, putting him over the CVP cap.
The last scenario I played was another teaching scenario with a guy who played starter kit. It was some D Day scenario and my Americans had to assault some Germans in a stone village with no hope of cover from walls and hedges. The main German advantage is a HMG, but its manning squad broke and had to leave it behind. No other squad could really get to it. The big American squads pounded the Germans and half squads ran around behind cutting rout paths. He was in real trouble by turn two, but I convinced him to carry on until turn 5 when he had no good order squads left. He got some lessons about flanking. One thing I had a hard time getting used to is taking all your shots with starter kit rules because there is no downside. I think this may teach some bad lessons. But I also enforced on my opponent a no stack movement policy!
Congratulations to Mario on coordinating a fine gathering. Good to see Edo. People who know me will be surprised that not only did I go the weekend 3-0, but I managed not to lose a tank as well. (I only played one tank scenario...) Hopefully, I gave a couple of new players some tips and also how to make ASL fun!
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