Despite a heavy beating, the Soviet
Army was still holding the field and, in some areas, giving better than they got.
However, the German ranks were thinning out as their manpower resources were
called upon time and again to fight just one more battle. Very often, an entire
section of the line would be held by occupying the main village in a region with
remnants of a battle-weary company. With winter approaching, possession of
these small towns became crucial, as they were often the only shelter for miles
around. Piepsk was one such village garrisoned by Company A of the 3rd Battalion,
72nd Infantry Regiment. Knowing the German defenses were sparse,
elements of the Russian 169th Rifle Regiment were set to attack and overwhelm
the hard-pressed defenders at dawn.
Attacker: Russian (Remnants of 169th Rifle Regiment)
Defender: German (Remnants of Company A, 3rd Battalion, 72nd Infantry Regiment)
Prospects were bright for the Germans in the early turns when OBA harassing fire broke, disrupted, or eliminated many Russian squads (mostly conscripts) and wounded their 8-0 leader and the HMG killed their 9-1. In the middle turns, the Russians successfully pushed into the village (aided by an uncompromising Commissar), skillfully firing and moving past and capturing isolated German units that in retrospect were probably too far forward or failed to heed the impulse to withdraw a turn earlier. Predictably, fighting coalesced around the 2 level building, which the Russians took on their last Player Turn. In an interesting twist, a successful German prisoner revolt generated 1 HS and 2 unarmed units close enough to a vacant single hex stone building to make a try, but all fell to -1 or -2 fire in the attempt, sealing the Russian win. An oldie, but definitely a goodie.
2023-03-10
(A) Craig Renier
vs
Bob W
A
Russian win
The Russians split into two columns, one on the left and one on the center, with two squads flanking the right. It took a few turns to get into position to begin the assault. The Germans stayed HIP until the Russians exposed a leader. The first German shot wounded the leader on the left. A couple turns later the German sniper eliminated the leader in the center. Mid game the third Russian leader was wounded. The Russians took casualties as they pushed into the village leaving broken and disrupted units sprinkled across the battlefield unable to rally with no leader to help. But the Germans did suffer under the weight of the Russian numbers. Fortunately for the Russians, the Germans were never able to convert their OBA, losing access or radio contact throughout the game. On Turn 7, the Russians had pushed to the multihex stone building. It looked grim for the defenders, but then broken DM'd squads rallied, battle hardened, and created heros. The defenders refused to concede. Finally, on Turn 10, the Russians were able to overrun the final German GO leader and then break him, taking control of the last building.
2022-12-15
(D) mark Ruggiero
vs
russian
Russian win
What an exciting scenario. Vastly outnumbered Germans and a huge Russian infantry force attacking. I played the Germans and lost didn't help that my HMG and MMG broke and then permanently eliminated. But the OBA was helpful while it lasted. I must note that I am coming back to ASL so was rusty.
2021-12-30
(A) Jeff B
vs
Bronson Banhart
Russian win
4.25 hrs
Germans made the mistake of letting the Russians come to them in the village unmolested. They also made the mistake of leaving their radioman unprotected in the southern hills. He was only able to call down a SR before being broken and rounded up. Once the Russians ringed the village defenders it was only a couple rounds of crossing fire before the Germans were all busted up, the Russians having only lost 1.5 squads.
2021-01-09
(A) Chris Gregg
vs
Nate Gregg
Russian win
[Imported from ROAR]
2021-01-09
(D) Nate Gregg
vs
Chris Gregg
Russian win
2020-12-01
(D) Rob MacGinley
vs
Andrew Meijers
Russian win
The Russian hit a bump early but recovered to grind me to a pulp!
2020-09-19
(D) Jeff B
vs
Shaun Andrews
German win
9.5 hrs
Shaun did a much better job attacking than I did when I played this as the Russians way back in the day. Of course it helped that I lost my HMG early, even still he did a great job of keeping his infantry alive and mainly unbroken. By Turn 7 he was ready to jump-off his assault on the village. I had held off on using my OBA until then, when I dropped it as harassing fire to limit his moves through the northern woods. Though starting to bleed bodies, I kept him at bay for a good Turn. Bleeding more bodies, I surrendered a couple buildings on Turn 8. Turn 9 was really nasty, as I lost everybody except my HIP radio operator and a squad/MMG holed up on the 2nd Level of M2. Thankfully on Turn 10 this squad came through in the clutch, breaking all three squads that tried to rush up the stairs, and pinning the 9-1. Really close and exciting game! Had he not lost his commissar to my HMG on Turn 1 I think he would've had me.
2020-07-21
(A) John Garlic
vs
David Varick Ready
German win
[Imported from ROAR]
2020-06-29
(D) Andy Bagley
vs
Carl Roberts
German win
A classic, played over a series of VASL sessions. I got no OBA at all after drawing two red chits straight off! However, squads with MGs positioned on Hill 522 inflicted heavy casualties on the Russians, resulting in their attack being broken up into less effective small groups. Even so they made steady progress, and I held on only because building N2 has only one staircase, which I was able to block up with a melee.
2020-04-12
(D) Gordon Jupp
vs
Simon Church
German win
Brilliant classic. As the German I only got one fire mission before losing the OBA to a 2nd red. That meant it came right down to the wire, with the last building holding out - just :)
2019-11-09
(D) Jeff B
vs
Johnnie Walker
German win
2.5 hrs
I'm always shocked at how this scenario typically plays out as pro-German. This game was no different. This despite OBA not even being attempted. By the end of Turn 2 the Russians had lost or had broken half of their force, and the Germans were actually going on the offensive to round them up.
2019-04-24
(A) O Ramaille
vs
German win
The hidden German placed both his MMG and HMG on the 2nd floor of the main 2nd level stone building. The radio observer was placed somewhere West on the hills. The remaining defending force was scattered in the town. The Russian attack was organized in 3 sections. The center was the main axis of attack and was led by conscripts and a commissar. The right wing should advance through the cover of the woods. The left wing would benefit from the woods on the hill with a small section trying to flank the city by getting around the hill. The Russian advance suffered some casualties from MG fire and OBA. But the observer was soon revealed and had to rout away loosing both radio contact and battery access. The Russian entered the town ang painly dealt with some of the hidden defenders. The HMG malfunctioned and the Russian dashed to the building, killing the radio observer and eventually getting control of the last building... No, in the center of town, Sgt Weising and his men, despite being surrounded, was still holding the last stone building. The Russian entered CC at quite 3:1 odds but the German defended harshly during a long time... just enough to prevent The Russians to win the game. The Russians were left with 11.5 unbroken squads to no avail.
2019-02-11
(A) David Garvin
vs
Verick Ready
German win
Oh, that artillery. LOL
2018-02-27
(D) Doug McMullen
vs
Steinmetz
German win
My opponent knew I was coming back to ASL after a two year hiatus and took it easy on me. Even so, my Germans were getting soundly battered and I was ready to surrender around turn 7 when my dice suddenly got white hot and I eventually managed to pull out a miracle win with one unit clinging to a victory buiding amidst a sea of enemies.
The scenario seems to me built for the Russian player to Human Wave some of his troops at some point. The German player must carefully design an initially HIP'd defense that can slow an avalanche of low and mid quality russian infantry, perhaps falling back to a strongpoint. OBA is critical for Germans. Draw black cards! Setting up an observer with effective sight lines for spotting is less easy than it might at first seem. Although the big hills in the south command a lot of views -- intermediate obstacles create lots of blind spots the russians can use to avoid being targetted or to force second card draws.
2017-09-09
(D) Dan Best
vs
Kermit Mullins
German win
2017-09-09
(A) Kermit Mullins
vs
Dan Best
German win
Great game that lasted for six turns. In the end, the German Arty just crippled my Russians. I was able to win fights on the flanks, but in the village center, the German Arty and Machine guns just decimated my boys. After 6, my Russians gave the concession.
2017-03-10
(A) David Garvin
vs
Logan Stallings
German win
2015-05-19
(A) Kevin Duval
vs
Dwayne Duval
Russian win
2015-05-19
(D) Dwayne Duval
vs
Kevin Duval
Russian win
2014-10-19
(D) Steven Cummings
vs
John Lehman
German win
2013-08-26
(A) Jeff B
vs
Ted Wilcox
German win
8.25 hrs
Two turn 7 OBA critical hits destroyed any potential chance the Russians had.
