ASL 147 - First-Person play - Going in blind

The scenario

The main challenge in ASL147 is to find and then clear the defenders from the road. In regular ASL, finding is trivial although it should have been the main command challenge. Finding can also be made easy by spreading thin, but then again this would leave the advancing forces vulnerable and too weak to actually do the clearing part.

In short, Japan has to sweep and clear the vicinity of the road without being infiltrated to its rear. The Gurkhas have to, one way or another, remain in position such that an ambush on the approaching main columns is possible. I modified the victory conditions to emphasize that this is a game of information as much as a game of elimination.

I hope that the scenario proved an exciting new experience for the players.

Here are some special rules on detection and command and control.

Special Thanks to Stefan Fiedler for playing the MMG crew on turn 7.

Summary of the battle

A detailed story for each player (with lots of screenshots) can be found below:

• 3 Tank Bn (det) [Japan]
• 2/1st Gurkha rifles [UK]

Japan opted for a larger SAN of 4 instead of a free recon roll. Unfortunately, the IJA a sniper didn't activate during the scenario. The Gurkhas opted for an extra spool of wire.

Lt. Samikawa was surprised by Lt. Corhay's choice to defend deeper in the jungle rather than at its edge. Contact was made late in the scenario as the IJA was cautiously advancing into the deep blue foliage. The IJA conducted a textbook combined operation and got to converge nearly its whole force where it expected the main defensive positions. It found little but a thin screen which melted in the jungle on contact.

Lt. Corhay is rallying his troops (U10) while all hell is
breaking loose  somewhere else! Flash are used for noise,
IR for tank MA fire.

By then, Lt. Corhay lost contact with half of its force for the rest of the scenario. He maneuvered his units that broke under MMG a but rallied fast enough to avert disaster. Some remnants to the south drew most of the IJA a squads, which allowed the, to sneak to the rear and in position to ambush the column of strategically moving IJA armor ( the objective ). This going was high in tense moments such as finding himself HIP ADJACENT to a MMG after all of the broken squads ran past his positions.

Across the road, a squad of Gurkhas sneaked through swamp and thicket and slipped into the rear while the rest of the Gurkhas entertained mutual annihilation with Lt. Samikawa's local forces. Samikawa, wounded before the hand to hand, shamefully didn't participated. The IJA, still cohesive under Samikawa, neutralized the remaining Gurkhas such that they cannot impede the progress of the main body. A last minute spread of the IJA ensured that the southern end of the Area of Operation was cleared.

In the very last turn, Lt. Corhay decided to remain HIP as the MMG crew stumbled over their positions. Stripped from HIP, they held fire in hope to go HtH while concealed. The japanese crew shot in the foliage and pinned Corhay himself and one of the squad, the Gurkhas charged but in the confusion the crew slipped out and got away from certain death (The gurkhas needed 11, rolled 12). 

Outcome

The victory conditions were adapted to make it more interesting in this context. 

The aide of the Colonel arrive with an escort details. The CO is pissed off by the delay. He demands a decision on your part: “Is it safe to proceed with a strategic march through this patch of jungle, or not?”

Lt. Samikawa declare the area clear and the Batallion moves forward. Reinforcements comes and help clearing the remaining known Gurkhas. Soon enough, the 3 Tank Bn is passed through and overrun the British defense a few miles down the road.

Lesson learned as referee

• The force commander for scenario larger than platoon-sized should be represented as a SMC in addition to the OOB SMCs.
• Minimize low-level orders to each units. Keep it high level.
• Expand in details where the players is personally in danger because it is exciting.
• Consider adjudicating some situation using GURPS WWII where ASL isn't handling as well at this scale (tracking, stealth, perception (noise)). 
• The jungle is a harsh place to learn to fight blind. This is kind of buying a $20 bottle of wine when you are 17.
• Triple check the VASL file before sending it out...

Playing in the 1st person

• Stay connected: 
• Minimize distance in MP to other Task forces
• Keep line of communication clear of interdictable hexes.
• Find, fix, flank and fight. It starts with a thin screen (find), followed by MG/fire base (fix), maneuver to better approaches [flank], then move on to CC [fight].
• Minimize issuing commands:
• Set objectives, phase lines, fire base so that out of contact units can still act predictably. 

Gavutu-Tanambogo - Conclusion of the CG

And thus ends the CG.  The second wave went well enough, with two Marines company committed and all remaining Naval OBA. Japan's grand plan was to make the US pay for each hex: they did.

By turn 9 of the 2nd assault period, there are not enough IJA squads left to eliminate to compensate for the US deficit on CVPs. I doubt that Japan can hold out for two more assault periods, but the US can't do it without unacceptable casualties.  The US didn't see this one coming until it was almost too late: getting the first wave completely wiped out will do this to the CG. 

The line when the outcome was decided.

Random Thoughts

• Too much risks were taken in wave 1 trying to collapse caves that weren't unoccupied. DC aren't that effective against cave without the bonus when the cave is empty.
• NOBA is useless in close support because two OBA cards must be drawn when within 6 hexes of friends.
• Air strikes on enemies in the jungle have a high chance of ending in friendly fire.
• Unarmored LV are deathtraps. 
• Japan's defense must be made of concentrated fields of fire from cave locations and timely use of counter attacks. Japan can only win the CG by causing LOTS of CVP. 
• Shooting from the other island and from caves makes it incredibly difficult for the US to deal with.
• Conversely, US tactics must minimize loss. This implies an incompatible mixture of patience and seaborne assaults. 
• This was a wild CG to play rulewise. But also a lot of fun. I'll play simpler ASL for a while but sure will come back one day to Gavutu and Tanambogo.

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 2 Turn 8

It took a whole lot of time for the Marines to land on the North shore of Tanambogo. The presence of huts and the narrowness of the landable area took the best of 6 turns to get everyone on shore. Artillery fire from Gavutu and a few well placed MGs kept on breaking the marines in their attempt to encircle the hill.

The island is mostly in US hands now.

The East end of the island is still a kill zone for Japan, but the SLNF have been beaten back into a pile of HS on the reverse slope. There is no way for the americans to know whether the CG will result in a victory yet. Here is the deal:

The Gap in CVP favours Japan by about 20 CVPs. There may be up to 30 CVPs worth of IJA units left on the two islands. If the marines lose more than 10 CVPs, they will take the islands but lose the CG. 

So, once more, ASL pulls the edge-of-seat feeling as the US must now play 0 casualties while clearing another island with a double cave complex stuffed with HMGs, MMGs, a bunch of captured 60mm MTR and a 70mm INF. This calls for night action, landing the tanks, and keeping all toes and fingers crossed.

Gavutu-Tanambogo Assault 2 - Turn 1-3.5 - Aleas iacta est

Let's cut the crap and admit that every single marine from the 1Para is gone. This came at a cost for Japan. So I decided to go for broke and land two companies back daylight. All of the NOBA is committed and so is a flight of close air support.

The plan you may ask? Land on Tanambogo, pound anything that is farther away from 6 hexes of the troops with NOBA, CAS on turn 3-4. The landing site isn't beach, but it doesn't matter with this kind of LC. The objective, take the island before nightfall.

Landing area: congested but well supported by MG fire.

Running inland on the left got complicated when fire from a number of mortars, the 70mm INF and MG fires converged on any given hexe of the hinterland. The SNLF are out of sight on the hill, waiting for the marines to attempt to gain the high ground out of the LOF from the caves. 

Pushback: Amazing how captured marine 60mm can clear an area from a distance.

Close air support was effective in suppressing some mortars and striping the SNLF.  Where I thought that Japan was fighting a losing battle, I'm starting to think that it will be a close one once again.