Simple Equation WTO (id:#56659)
Multi-Man Publishing (ASL Starter Kit #1 ID: S3)   [next]   [previous]
Aachen, Germany 1944-10-12 ()
Designer: Ken Dunn
Starter kit scenario?:    Deluxe scenario?:
 
Balance:
AmericanGerman
61.450381679389%

Overview:

The battle for Aachen had been raging for two days. A complicated series of maneuvers designed to encircle the city from both the north and south had been occupying the American command. These few units committed to the frontal assault on Aachen had some tough going. Not only were the Aachen defenders numerically superior, but they were fighting on their home soil for one of the cherished Nazi symbols: Aachen, home of the First Reich.
Attacker: American (3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment)
Defender: German (404th Regiment, 246th Volksgrenadier Division)  
6.5 turns
    Players: 2     OBA: None     Night: No
Unit Counts:
Squads: A:14.5 D:12.0
AFVs: A:0
AFVs: D:0
Guns: A:0 D:0

Victory Conditions:

Exit VP: Building Control VC: Area Control VC:
Unit Based VC: LOS Style VC: CVP Cap:
Misc Rules: Grain not in Season. D: 2 secret Fortified Buildings
Map Board(s): y z
Overlays: NONE
Errata (source)
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Scenario info

Last Played:
DateReporterOpponentResultComments
2022-08-17(A) Jack Wilson vs Bob T. American winAnother VASL learning game. Having played this a couple of times solo, and now twice with live opponent, I think I can safely say that this one tilts in American favor. The VC state that the Americans win immediately if they control 25 building hexes (not buildings).

At first glance, it looks to be a classic fighting withdraw tactic for the Germans, However, if the Germans fall back even a few hexes, they pretty much concede the needed VC hexes. Thus, they have to stand and fight.

The combination of a cruddy OB (a mix of 2nd line squads and conscripts), plus mediocre leadership vs. American mass and firepower, is just too much to overcome IMO.

BTW, I have still yet to do anything with that FT the Americans get. Either the squad lugging it gets busted, or the thing flames out.
2022-06-15(A) Jack Wilson vs Eric Filipkowski American winFirst time playing this FTF. It is easy to see why it is rated both here and on ROAR so heavily in favor of the Americans. Although the Germans start with only 2.5 less squads than the Americans, 5 of them are the dreaded conscripts: easy to break, hard to rally. In addition, the VC state that the Americans win as soon as they control 25 building HEXES on board Z- not buildings. And, by my count, there are at least 26 building hexes within 3 hexes of the entry side of board Z. So, the Americans don't have to push too far onto the victory board to gobble up those hexes. This, in turn, essentially forces the Germans to contest the American drive, and forego a probably safer fighting withdraw strategy.

I set up heavy on my left, with another strike force going up the middle. Using leaders and a couple of CXs, I had seven squads lining the eastern edge of the tree line by the end of the APh - ready to unleash massive FGs across the open ground on my DFPh during his first turn.

On the right I set up two squads, 2 MMGs with the 9-2 leader and they got into a multi-phase firefight with his own mini kill-stack HMG and 8-1 leader. In one turn alone, my gang made rate I think 5 or 6 times in a row and ran out of targets to pound.

Eric did a good job of contesting my advance. Perhaps he could have benefitted from a little more skulking, But, as I mentioned above, his maneuver room to the rear was limited, and so standing fast might have been the better idea in the end.

Although, I was getting a little worried that I might run out of time, his line began to crumble by turn 4, and by the end of my turn 5 I had captured the required hexes. A fun game, but a definite challenge for the Germans.

One closing comment: The scenario is titled: "Simple Equation." The designer explains that during the battle for Aachen, the Americans used long range MG fire to soften up defenders, then rushed in with FTs to finish them off. Hence, the 'simple equation.' Given the fact that the Americans are given only one FT, I didn't really see how the math of that equation was ever going to add up. In my case, after carefully creeping forward with my 3-3-7 with the FT and finally moving adjacent to a HS with a broken leader and broken full squad, my FT team melted down on his 4 +2 shot and fled the scene never to be seen again.

The dice give, and the dice taketh away.
2022-03-09(A) Craig Renier vs Eric American winThis was a continuation of refresher games with a returning ASL player. The German defense was ably set up with the HMG on the German right defending the approach from the woods while also covering a number of hexes on the left. The Americans focused their attack on the German left with MMG support in the center and covering forces on the right. Accurate German defensive fire broke the American 9-2 and two MMCs with a MMG, seriously hampering the attack. But when the Germans attempted a subsequent withdrawal to a second line of defense, they suffered heavy losses. The Americans quickly rallied and made slow but steady progress across the open ground, using as much smoke as possible. The attack was aided by ineffective German defensive fire. Once the American forces crossed the open ground, they were able to put their superior fire power to use with few places for the Germans to skulk. There was faint hope to hold off the onslaught, but after two more German MMCs and a leader broke, all hope was lost and the German player conceded.
2022-02-10(A) Igor Luckyanov vs Ivan Smirnov American win
2021-12-27(D) Igor Luckyanov vs Artem Kalinovskii German win
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ActionDate
Jwil2020 Added a playing2022-08-17 21:11:43
Jwil2020 Rated the scenario2022-06-15 22:09:38
Jwil2020 Added a playing2022-06-15 22:09:32
Heloanjin Added a playing2022-03-09 04:19:25
Stumpy82 Added a playing2022-02-19 15:23:31
FileDescriptionUserViews
Set Up [moved to this, the correct, scenario] (DSCF2418.JPG)Imagekowalskie1614
(!usa-germ.png)Imagehoxson1679
(aachen US troops.png)Imagehoxson1777
VASL Log file ()VASL Game Logowenedwards404
VASL Log file (SKS3_0044_GT5_RtPh (1).vlog)VASL Game LogStumpy82120
(s3.jpg)Map ImageTwirling1098
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Set Up [moved to this, the correct, scenario]
 
Statistics:
Avg Rating: 6.38Votes: 139
Views: 9925
To-Play list count: 10
Estimated Play time: 4 hours
Recorded Games: 105
Archive recorded plays:
American61
German39
Drawn:3

ROAR Data: (as of November 2021)
Simple Equation [Confirmed]
[A] American 100
[D] German 62
All Rights Reserved Dave Ramsey.