Salut tout le monde.
Ceci est mon premier message sur le forum. Je vous préviens : il sera long.
Je vous préviens... il est en anglais! Il se trouve en effet que je l'ai préparé en
pensant au Franc Tireur de notre ami Xavier (que fais-tu en ce moment
dans ces contrées lointaines? Franc "tireur", oui, c'est le terme : bonne ROF !).
BOn allez, voici mon AAR.
Well, I am back from Villeneuve d'Ascq with a trophee in my hands...
and a lot of pride too.
Lille was my first tournament ever, back in 94. It was my last
too before I left France for Argentina in 99 and pretty
much stayed away of ASL for 5 years.
I was the champ back then, in 99 and still have a small green
trophee proving so. Lady luck deserves a share of that trofee
but I guess she shares many if not all of them with the rest
of the winners.
6 years later I was back on the scenes, having participate to
the 05'Arnhem Tournament at that's it. I was therefore sort of an
unbeaten champ Lille-wise. At least on paper because
I was FAR from believing I would win.
I did expect though to put up a very good fight and finish among
the "only one loss" gang.
We were almost 30, a good number. There were old chaps which was
great.
Cyril, Francois, Jean, Georges, many I had not seen for some time.
Also there were plenty of new faces which, for different reasons, was good too !
ROUND 1
=======
I played "Death at Carentan" with Benoit Bodet as the American.
He is a newbie yet shows a much better skill than I used to have
at his present stage of experience. To keep an eye on.
Anyways, things were unfolding smoothly my way and I did a careless
move which could have cost me dear... I moved my 70+radio in the OG
(when an AM was enough) since out of LOS of his forces...
A HIP 548+MMG pops up, fires ... and scores a KIA !!
Then there is a dr to see if the radio malfs...or plainly disappears !
Ouf, he rolled a 4 and I "just" lost a leader.
Other than that eveything went okay and I had almost cleard the board
from Germans by the time my partner conceded it.
A very pleasant game and opponent.
(1-0)
ROUND 2
=======
I played "Into the Valley" against Arnaud Brisset. It was a good thing
I managed to play a first turn of this one the eve, late at night.
I had then been able to test a very bugy forward defense as the Germans
with my budy Alexandre R-L and it wasn't pretty for my guys.
Now I knew better : I asked for the Germans again, had them and set up
in retreat with my gun up in the OG but in a level 2 hex. No surprise
but shells galore. I do not regret my choice.
My opponent was a former Squad Leader player who had abandonned The Game
before THE GAME appeared. Starter Kit brought him back which is a great
thing for he is very nice and he is talented.
So, again : thanks MMP for keeping the flame alive and adding up the
Starter Kit !
Yet, Arnaud still lacks a little experience and, more important, he had
just beaten Francois Boudrenghien which had him feeling already accomplished !
Anyways, he moved in the OG, I rolled a lousy and lucky 1 down 2, got a KIA
as my first roll. This too cooled down the fighting spirit and my
opponent became overly cautious.
My gun started doing its nasty duty of wrecking and soon the russians
were stalled. One nice feeling : capturing a T34 abandonned
on immo task check and firing against ruskies.
Very cool game and opponent.
(2-0)
Round 3
=======
Next was Michel Bongiovani. Like Arnaud with Francois, he had managed to
free my way to finals from another favorite : Georges Tournemire.
This also means this relatively recent player is tough
and talented. Jeez, I guess ASL level has tremendously increased
these past years...
As the slogan goes "everybody is above the average!".
We pick up a scenario from a bunch Laurent Clozier is designing around
French/German clash around Abbeville. Complete unknown to most of us.
While I was waiting for Laurent's set up Peter Struijf asked
me about my scenario and told me "oh yeah, the one the armor come
one way and the infantryr the other". Oh, good to know I had
actually not given attention to this "detail".
Well, Peter would have to regret having help me this way. But
this is farther on on the story. For now guess what : well Laurent
had failed to realize the way my infantry would come from too !
Both of us had made the same mistake !
We had review the scenario card together but only turn one forces.
Obviously Michel did not look farther while seting up but we were so tired...
I discovered our common mistake on turn 2 when Michel makes a comment to me and
then I see the problem but it is way to late and I feel bad...
Well, he has two nasty 47L APCR only French guns against my
thin armored but high MG-factor PzIII.
One was correctly placed but died to my OBA on first turn while
the other was... just as far as you can get from my entry area
(GG5 and my infantry was entering from A6!). Well, Michel
did what he could to amend the situation. Georges Tournemire kibbitzed
him into pushing the gun CX and low ammo through road up until a long
but nice LOS to the action scene. I lost 2 tanks right there and sort of
compensanted for the error on set-up and I felt guilty anyways for not having
alerted Laurent before... I should have guessed that if I had not seen this
entry thing, he could also had overseen it... We were so tired...
Anyways, we had great fun. The scenario is actually nice to play,
it was late, we were tired and couldn't care less about the actual
competition. We laughed through the game and it was cool.
But the messed up set up was hard on Michel and I was lucky with
OBA destroying a lot of guys and material.
This was a third clear victory but I hope we will get the chance to
play again with no messed up set-up.
(3-0)
Round 4
=======
Well, on sunday morning, after a short night sleep, I had to face
Peter Struijf which was something I was looking forward. His Arnhem
tournament was such a great event...
I had only played one of the three scenarios and hadn't had a look
to the other two. Peter had not played them but had prepared them
all. I picked up the one I knew and the one I thought was less
appealing hoping Peter would think that too. Bingo : it would
be Rocket's Red Glare, a great scenario I knew, tough and balanced.
Given the heavy balance provisions (a truck instead of a Wirlwind !
come on...), we decided to roll for sides and I got the Americans.
Peter made a set-up that looked awfully identical to the one
I had prepared !
I event told him, "It looks like my set up, the gun's gotta be here!".
And there it was!
My feeling is that the Germans are VERY powerfull but britle and
their positions can cramble down in a second. There is plenty of time
for the American so the secret is not to rush, get trounced by
their positions can cramble down in a second. There is plenty of time
for the American so the secret is not to rush, get trounced by
the heavy German power and loose. To me, many of the German victories
are on Knock Out, few on points.
I was therefore very carefull. I decided to bring four HS with four
MMG and the 9-2 to level 2 building. Two rounds were necessair
to be in position but then I could see both VC building, interdict
reinforcing the furthest building and ponder the likely gun positions.
I still feel it is a good option.
On turn one I got my tank hunter on my right and tried a shot at his
StuG... the LOS wasn't there but it was so close... Peter had not
suspect this LOS and it could have been a serious blow on him. Well.
I tried one MMG on his Wirlwind which was (understandably) avoiding my tank
and... scored a Stun! He could not run away and I could blow it later.
Cool. His Gun poped up where I was expecting it and my MMGs took care of it.
So far so good.
My left flank was advancing out of his fire. My right was supported by
my nasty MMG nest but the center was, no surprise, stalled. Mr. 9-2
in his building whit HMG and MMG was a big threat.
To compensate for my lucky shot at his Wirbelwind, he created a hero and
fanatize his 658 on my right over a 16 flat shot. Too bad for this flank
was thin by now. Worse, the hero managed to absorbe all the fire from
my MMGs, pass most of his MC and survive 3 wound checks...
was thin by now. Worse, the hero managed to absorbe all the fire from
my MMGs, pass most of his MC and survive 3 wound checks...
At the end of the scenario he prenvented a 747+8-1 to score a win
with his 1 down 3 shot...
The worst was yet to come. A sniper appears, drifts a lot and end up... on
my main stack in the center : 10-2, 2x747 and a 8-0. Obviously, the 10-2
is dead, then everybody breaks. I was never to see these guys again during
the game... Almost game right there. I was depressed. javascript:emoticon(':pleure:')
But I did not get mad and this was a new feeling! Aging has some good.
I still put some pressure on him and Peter tried a very smart move with
his StuG ending up his movement in the hex with my tank and a squad. And
he brougth in APh a hs.
But I was less focussed because of all the fatigue and
also the impact of my lost central positions.
Then I made a big mistake at the very same time he was doing a smart move...
Bad combination. I should have taken as many shots as possible to the
StuG before him entering my hex...
This was Peter's plan : take advantage of the sequential nature of CC
when tanks are involved and go for sN to get rid of my infantry and
even OT tank. Then his hs would go for ATMM against a hopefully stun
and unsupported tank. Smart. Very smart.
Yet, it was my turn to be lucky. I ambushed him and... killed the tank
with my PIN squad. Not easy.
Peter loses his temper and starts bitching. Bad for him.
Tries for ATMM and gets a 6. More bitching.javascript:emoticon(':-@')
Start of my turn 5 : I roll snake eyes with MMGs against his 9-2, who dies.
More bitching. I have two turns left but decided to go for it. I am too tired,
we are very late on schedule and Francois will have to decide the game
if we don't finish it. So I let my guys loose, running around and
go for both VC buildings and I managed to get one squad unpined underneath
my now burning wreck building. A win.
Peter thinks it was undeserved but he has yet to
discover that there is no such a thing as an undeserved win in asl.
I once thought like him and I think I won this time because now I know this
truth.javascript:emoticon('8)')
Great game. 6 hours of tense fight and a lot of concentration.
I did play bad for one player turn but was lucky not to have to pay
for it. Other than that I think I played well and am proud of the
hard earned win.
Heck, I am in the finals!
(4-0)
Round 5
=======
My opponennt is Chris Mazzei, from Switzerland but living in Holland. A budy
of Peter's. I really think I will not put up any kind of fight
for I am EXHAUSTED. Completely. I have not have lunch either and
we have like two hours or so before end of tournament.
We decide upon a VERY small scenario from some sort of Critical
Hit pack or something (I don't bother keeping up with their frenzie).
Germans have a couple of 2d liners and two JgPzVI. You gotta love these
beasts.
Amis have many squads and 3 90L tanks. We both asked for Germans.
No fools. He proposes the Arnhem algorithm to decide sides in case
of tie : rolling a die and having the "winner" opt between keeping his
preferred side but conceding balance or... decline his preferred side.
So, when the balance is too high being a "winner" turns out to be
having to decide between peste et cholera !
He hesitates and give me the Germans.
This is quick. I do an okay set-up, I am lucky (not too much, but lucky)
and I play well the tank duels, resorting to all tricks to always
present my thick frontal armor to him.
I take one tank down, then two and it's over. Peter's friends withstands
unlucky shots with great temper and I appreciate. We shake exhausted hands.
I take one tank down, then two and it's over. Peter's friends withstands
unlucky shots with great temper and I appreciate. We shake exhausted hands.
I am the champ ! I can't believe it.
This last game was a little crappy for it is too small and it is not
easy for the americans to guess the correct strategy right at first try
whereas German strategy is straightforward.Chris deserves a revenge
and if all goes well, he'll have it at Arnhem!
(5-0)
I am called up by Francois and really feel great when everybody
applauses and cheers. Great feeling, great guys. I have a trophee
and a HoB package very nice looking "Beachead something").
Well I am back to the scene and apparently doing great.
And I tell you what : it feels good to be back.
