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
61.88679245283%

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
2022-08-21(A) Craig Renier vs Paul Maulin American winA refresher game for a returning player. The Germans had a rear defense setup maintaining a few good LOS shots for an American advance. The Americans moved forward aggressively on the south side, getting lucky with a few MCs. This was followed by low IFT rolls against the Germans. By Turn 2, the Americans were deep into the buildings on the south side. On Turn 3, repeated American low rolls followed by German missed MCs and eliminated leaders left the defense with no hope. A decisive American win.
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.
2022-07-13(A) Anders Björnberg vs David K American win
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.
2022-04-10(A) Eric Partizan Eric vs American win
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ActionDate
andersb80 Added a playing2022-11-02 07:55:05
Bongiovanni Added a playing2022-10-10 11:55:14
Heloanjin Added a playing2022-08-21 12:48:11
Jwil2020 Added a playing2022-08-17 21:11:43
Jwil2020 Rated the scenario2022-06-15 22:09:38
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Set Up [moved to this, the correct, scenario] (DSCF2418.JPG)Imagekowalskie1685
(!usa-germ.png)Imagehoxson1730
(aachen US troops.png)Imagehoxson1830
VASL Log file ()VASL Game Logowenedwards462
VASL Log file (SKS3_0044_GT5_RtPh (1).vlog)VASL Game LogStumpy82183
(s3.jpg)Map ImageTwirling1164
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Set Up [moved to this, the correct, scenario]
 
Statistics:
Avg Rating: 6.36Votes: 142
Views: 10653
To-Play list count: 9
Estimated Play time: 4 hours
Recorded Games: 108
Archive recorded plays:
American64
German39
Drawn:3

ROAR Data: (as of November 2021)
Simple Equation [Confirmed]
[A] American 100
[D] German 62
All Rights Reserved. (c)2022 Dave Ramsey.