Playtest: Reconnaissance at Korocha (SASL Tactical Discussion)

[Double Deuce]

This thread is for the players to discuss among themselves any tactical questions and planning. You can also use it to talk about who will move where and shoot at what, etc. Basically it is a place for you players to get organized and to discuss your plans for each phase before actually submitting the orders to me.

[Pirate-Drakk]

OK, let's get this started!

First a few basic tactical concepts that apply to any conventional battle on land/sea/air.


Initial Deployment is Critical

Once a force engages an enemy it's ability to move and reposition is severely limited. Likewise, if a unit is spending all it's time moving to a new position because it was misdeployed it is not helping the attack. Therefore, a commander needs to "get it right" at the beginning.


Maximize Firepower

If a unit doesn't fire, it can't kill the enemy. The more shots you take, the more damage a unit will do. Therefore, the maximum damage a force can deliver is to have every unit fire every fire phase! Of course, it is impossible to achieve this in most cases, but it is the goal of positioning the units. More shots taken with the most firepower available, the more enemy casualties that will be inflicted.


Unit Coherence

In order for a unit to maintain coherence, it must be close enough together that all element can directly support one another. That means supporting fire on the same targets. For example, say there are two squads with a range of 12 each. Once those two squads are more then 24 hexes apart, it is no longer possible for them to fire on the same enemy unit under any circumstances, therefore they can't support each other. Once unit coherence is lost, each individual element can/will be destroyed in detail. Intervening terrain can also destroy unit coherence. In a city fight, units only a few hexes apart can be isolated. Use this concept to maintain our force integrity, and use it against the enemy by isolating and destroying their unit coherence.


These concepts are all fairly obvious, but they are often forgotten in the heat of battle. However, following these basic principles of war will lead us to Victory!

[Pirate-Drakk]

OK, you may not need to now ASL to play this game, but a few basic concepts are essential to make informed decisions. Bear in mind that ASL is not some much a "game" as a "simulation". That said, anything that "makes sense" is probably the way it works in the game. For example, the fastest way to get your squads killed is to RUN IN THE OPEN with no cover. Use the terrain to protect your units!

ASL is broken down into a number of phases and even subphases. This doc is a breif description of those phases. DD will be taking care of most of this for us, but it is useful to know what is going on "behind the scenes".
http://www.grognard.com/info1/aslsksheet.pdf

Here's a short write up on basic squad tactics.
Note:
MMC=MultiMan Counter (not a leader).
DRM=Die Role Modifier (positive DRMs make your units safer, negative DRMs make your units more vulnerable).
ASLSK Basic Infantry Tactics

If you have Power Point, check out this cool little presentation!
www.russgifford.net/ASL/ASLMod5.ppt

We won't be getting into vehicles much but here is some basics anyway just a FYI.
http://homepage.urbanet.ch/aborel/ASL/asl3a.pdf

My ASL rule book is in a 4 inch thick binder and I only have a few expansion modules. However, these brief descriptions above should be more then enough to get everyone in the swing of things. Let DD figure out the details.

A little info will let everyone make informed decisions for their troop deployments.

[Pirate-Drakk]

Originally Posted by Double Deuce

Some basic play stuff:

• You can stack up to 3 squads per hex, just understand this makes them more vulnerable to incoming fire.
• Leaders get 6MF (Movement Factors), Squads have 4MF. Squads get 6MF IF they start the turn/move stacked with a Leader.
• Support Weapons must be carried/manned by crews/squads. Heavier weapons will slow squads down (reduce their MF). Heavier weapons can be dismantled (dm) so they are easier to carry, but must be reassembled before they can be used. ;(
• Terrain costs are usually 1MF per hex BUT going entering woods buildings costs 2MF (going uphill cost x2 the normal rate for the hex type). If you have a ? about a certain terrain/hex type, please ask.
• Basic Squad/Unit info (for example a 4-6-7 is 4=Firepower, 6=Normal Range, 7=Morale)
• Basic MG info (for example a German LMG is 3=Firepower, 8=Normal Range

I'm going to repost this here, since this info is buried in the other thread.
In addition, I would like to point out one important detail about ASL combat.


The "direct fire attack" strength is determined by adding all the firepower factors of all the units/weapons used in an attack. The total is then used to determine which table a 2-dice roll will be made.

However, there isn't a different table for each amount of firepower factors. Instead, the tables are:
2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36+
Firepower Factors
(The 36+ chart is sometimes referred to as the "ridiculous chart" because it is so devastating.)

The key point here is that 11 firepower factors rolls on the SAME table as 8 firepower factors (always round down). Therefore, if one makes an attack with 6 firepower and another attack with 5 firepower (on the 4 table), you will get 2 attacks (on the same/different targets) instead of 1 slightly stronger single attack on the 8 chart.

Keep this in mind when deploying your forces and when making attacks to optimize the total damage inflicted on the enemy. It's often better to get more shots then one big shot at a target since a bad dice roll can produce no effect on most charts.

[Pirate-Drakk]

OK, B Company. Here's the plan.

1st Platoon will cover the right flank (enter anywhere on the 5 right hexes of our setup area), 3rd Platoon will cover the middle (any hex not in the 1st or 2nd platoon setup area), and 2nd Platoon will cover the left flank (the 5 left hexes of our setup area). The HQ Platoon will come up the middle with 3rd Platoon (Italians).

The main line of advance will be through the large clump of trees on the "Z" hex grid. We will basically follow these trees to the city.

Let's get 'em!




------------------
B COMPANY
HeadQuarters Platoon: Pirate-Drakk (German)
Leader x1 (CO Co.), 2-4-7 x2, 1-2-7 x2, HMG x1(dm), MMG x1.

1st Platoon: LAH 1 SS (German)
Leader x1, 4-6-7 x4, LMG, 50mm MTR(dm), ATR

2nd Platoon: Hagen (German)
Leader x1, 4-6-7 x4, LMG, 50mm MTR(dm), ATR

3rd Platoon: Miss Saigon (Italian)
Leader x1, 3-4-7 x4, LMG
-------------------

[TRDG]

Hey, second Co? Do you want to wait a bit until we see if we pick up one more player for my Company, then maybe talk about how we want to support each other?

Cheers, just a thought Shannon, lots of land/terrain to cover here......

Thanks buddy

Tom, Co A Captain

[Double Deuce]

Originally Posted by TRDG

Hey, second Co? Do you want to wait a bit until we see if we pick up one more player for my Company, then maybe talk about how we want to support each other?

If you want, and have time you can act as Plt Leader for 2nd Plt. That way, if someone wants in after we start, the unit is there and already involved. It would then only be a matter of them jumping in.

[TRDG]

We may get lucky here by your Friday night cut off date tonight and get someone. If not, that will work for now, I hav'nt had much time to chat to my squad leaders yet, or 2nd Co commander, yet that is. Ha Ha

You would like our "pre-First" turn locations by what date and time specifically?

Then the troops will have a better idea, then we can go with the questions to follow, as well as mine.

Cheers, to some great gaming ahead and VICTORY for the Germans!!

Tom

[Double Deuce]

Originally Posted by TRDG

You would like our "pre-First" turn locations by what date and time specifically?

Then the troops will have a better idea, then we can go with the questions to follow, as well as mine.

If you can get a plan together by Monday night and have your commanders submit their move orders via the forms about then. I can test that they are working AND cover most of the options needing communicated to me.

What I would recommend is that units are moved into cover, just onto the board (1-2 hexes in) as their 1st move. This will give everyone a feel for the forms and how to format their orders and we can walk/talk through any questions from there. I will 6take the questions that come up and answers them in the FAQ thread so everyone can use it as reference.

I know some are probably going to be overwhelmed by all the little details they think they need to know but if they stick to thinking about where they want to move and who they want to shoot at, they will find it fairly simple. Don't overthink the mechanics, this is ASL and it will give you a migraine.

[Pirate-Drakk]

Monday sounds good. 1-2 hexes sounds lame. We will advance with max movement!