Advanced Squad Leader - The Guards Counterattack - Turn 2

[@totenkopfff]

Bought SL in 1976 and this was the first scenario. Brings back wonderful memories. I discovered ASL in the late 80's. All my playing buddies moved away by 96' and that was that. Red Barricades is still my favorite game of all. I hope you do more scenarios.

[@Nick_R_]

Love this series. Blast of nostalgia for all the times I played this with original Squad Leader. Nicely filmed and narrated too.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

@13:02 The machine gun's fire is also doubled for point-blank fire which would move you to the 30-column.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

@28:20 No they don't have their machine gun: broken units are not allowed to carry more than their IPC allowance. For a non-CX squad this is 3 IPCs. The machine-gun being 5 IPCs is 2 greater than the three allowed and therefore must be dropped in the open ground.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

@41:10 You buried the lead. The upmost reason to use opportunity fire is so that you don't have to halve your fire at the advancing fire phase.

[@davidlavigne207]

The self rally must be attempted as the first rally attempt of the PT, and a +1 applies to all self rally attempts-even leaders. A unit still gets a -1 for being in Rally Terrain so these often will cancel each other out for self rallies.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

@1:05:40 Actually: Woods are only a +1 TEM except against Air Bursts: the result of the attack should have been a NMC. But who's counting....

[@grisznak]

Very good and extremally helpfull video. I just jumped from the Starter Kits to the full ASL some time ago and found this movie very helpfull to find majore differences between both. I like how detailes it is, everything what's important is mentioned and described. I hope you'll continue, there some rules that weren't used here. Also, any chances you'll do something guns or tanks based? Anyway, thanks a lot.

[@CounterAttack]

+Chris John I will likely do multiple scenarios, including those with guns and tanks. However, my time for playing/filming is limited and sporadic.

[@MooMooLiNoo]

@@CounterAttack Seems like you did not have time for it after all xD

[@steelstone4039]

Hey Counter, good game play.....keep up the good work. ...

[@davidlavigne207]

The broken German HS that routed from G6 could not route to I8 because when it was moved to G7 it now had become aware of the Russian units in M5 and possibly N5. Once these became known to it, it could no longer move in a way as to decrease the range to those known enemy units. The only legitimate path available to it from G7 to G8 and then to F8 or G9 as the now closest Building/Woods hexes. This applies even though the unit moved out of LOS from those Russian units in G8. The same might have applied for a route from G6 to H5 as the Russian units in J2 may have an LOS to G6. If not then H5 might be a legal route, although as you pointed out the Building can be ignored as per the rules.

[@Nick_R_]

And the German rout from K6 to K5 was not possible as he was routing towards the known units whose fire made him break...

[@russellmassey9324]

It looks as though the in the rout phase the German squad that was in the street actually moved closer to one of the known Russians in the building that fired on him. I think he would have had to fall back to the building he came from. Geat replay. I haven't played ASL for 15 years now, but recorded 200+ scenarios in the day - it's amazing how much of the rules I can still remember - even being able to quote IFT resuld from the column and die roll without the chart!

[@CounterAttack]

+Russell Massey I will review and may correct that. Thanks! Why no ASL for 15 years?

[@russellmassey9324]

+Counter Attack I moved away from my regular opponent. Another 10 years to retirement and I move back again!

[@stevequinn6793]

Allow me to nit-pick, at 7:10 you proceed to execute a Self-Rally as per _A10.63, A18.11_ . It is the _first_ MMC Rally of that RPh that is so eligible. Also said MMC Rally attempt subject to +1 DRM.

[@michaeldunagan8268]

@30:52 I would have voluntarily Broken the 4-6-7 in F6 to get the hell away from that 12 close-combat Firepower factors with a -2 modifying Leader... but that's just me....

[@CounterAttack]

Ah. Voluntary breaking... I forget about that rule. Good tip, thanks!

[@davidlavigne207]

Sniper attacks cannot happen as a result of rolling the Sniper number in the Rally Phase, only during the PFPh, MPh, DFPh, or Original AFPh. TH, MC, TC, non OBA IFT, or Entrenching DRs are the only rolls that can possibly activate a Sniper attack by rolling the SAN.

[@korposp]

ELR failure is relevant for unbroken Personnel units only (A19.13). So I think a quality reduction never happen in RPh. Also do not forget there is a +1 DRM for self-rally (A10.63).

[@CounterAttack]

+Pavel .K OK, I'll check the ELR rules. I totally missed the +1 for self rally. Thanks!

[@cschulze19904]

Also when the Russians rolled box cars in prep fire phase it was also cowering fire ( doubles), one column to the left of 24, no result anyway :)

[@CounterAttack]

+Chris Schulze Oh. Ya! Forgot that. Thanks.

[@korposp]

+Counter Attack Russians fire was led by leader - so no cowering here. Also i think you could fire here with 30 FP - you forgot to double a LMG - it would cause NMC but the LMG would break.

[@CounterAttack]

+Pavel .K Good catch. Thanks!

[@dubarnik]

Great video. It's good to hear you work through the phases. I think my own play will be improved. But so far, you haven't use too many full-ASL specific rules. Next turn, will you demo Dash move and Fire Lanes? You could have the Russians dash across the L5-L4 road and have the German HMG in L6 set up a fire lane down that road. That would be good to see.

[@CounterAttack]

+dubarnik Seems like a good thing to try there. Will do!

[@OldLadyPlays]

Just one more comment - and I promise, I truly do enjoy the video! - is this: 8.223 SNAP SHOT: A Snap Shot does not leave Residual FP. . You really would have been better taking the regular shot, with the 4 fp and a -2, leaving a 2FP residual.

[@CounterAttack]

Thanks. I appreciate your comments. I made this series a long time ago and was still learning. Of course, one never finishes learning ASL...

[@davidlavigne207]

Are you taking into account the ability to attempt a self rally of one broken squad with no leader present as the very first rally attempt of the Player Turn?

[@stevequinn6793]

At 30:10; the broken Russian squad in possession of a MMG must abandon it when routing. A10.4 _"A broken unit may not portage anything in excess of its IPC..."_ Squad's IPC = 3. Russian MMG PP = 5.

[@WARdROBEPlaysWWII]

This is what happens to me when I build huge stacks - roll high. Can you split that prep fire up? Fore them separately?

[@CounterAttack]

If you want all units in a stack to fire, they must all fire together - no splitting.

[@OldLadyPlays]

@@CounterAttack I'd say that's close, but not quite there. They must all fire together if they're firing on the same unit/stack. If you have three squads, they could each fire separately at separate targets, but not on a single target. Sorry if that's what you meant, it just wasn't clear to me. Great series, though, thatnks for doing it.

[@thesixth2330]

H5 to I1 has clear LOS according to VASL.

[@mannyuk99]

Hey matey, what camera do you use? The quality is perfect, and great for seeing the counters :-)

[@CounterAttack]

+Ian Mann I use an HMX-W300 - pretty nice for the price.

[@crystalthompson3682]

Never played ASL, but played orig. Squad Leader long time past. IIRC, mach. guns had a penetration fact that affected units in hexes directly beyond an engaged unit. There was 'spraying fire'. Affected multiple adj. hexes. Anything in ASL like that?

[@CounterAttack]

Yes. In ASL, machine guns can create "fire lanes" that can cover a long line of hexes, and certain units can use spraying fire.

[@crystalthompson3682]

+Counter Attack Well! 30+ since I played, so,recalling anything at the game startles me. Thnx 4 ans.

[@davidlavigne207]

The Russian Sniper should have been activated, not the German. The 6 DR was the IFT attack DR made by the German 4-6-7 in H%. Think about it; how could a Russian 6-2-8 fail a PTC by a DR of 6?

[@rcgunner7086]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipjbk6KpbNl9bck I think you were right with the rally in the video above, Counter Attack. MC can cause replacement and casualty reductions, but Rally can only cause casualty reductions on a roll of 12. This is in A10.6 "There is no penalty for failing a Rally attempt [EXC: Fate; 10.64]". The EXC being the baleful box cars! So you got it right IMO.

[@korposp]

And for german turn: - Again you forgot for +1 DRM for self-rally in J5. He would not make it. Also MMC self-rally has to be the first MMC rally attempt (A10.63). - Woods have +1 TEM - I really do not believe that residual fire will attack again the HW unit when leaving its location. Where do you read it in rules, please? Unit is attacked again by residual fire only when the unit become more vulnerable i think. - German could possibly take control of G4 building if at least one unit go to F3. All those brokies would have to route from the building or to G3.1 where they would end encircled after german advance to only stairway hex at G3 during next turn?

[@CounterAttack]

+Pavel .K Thanks again for all the tips! Regarding the HW residual fire, I am looking at A25.233 "Minefield/OBA/Residual FP attack in the Location that is being left are resolved immediately as each HW unit moves..." Maybe I am misinterpreting that rule - the HW example of play makes no mention of the residual firepower. Anyone have a take on this?

[@korposp]

+Counter Attack Ha, I have checked old rulebook and i see this paragraph there. It is skipped in the newest replacement pages released in Armies of Oblivion (you can download it from MMP site) and in new pocket edition - In the newest HW rules there is no single word about Residual fire. Btw. I like pocket edition very much. It is more comfortable for reading or searching things and contains all replacement pages from AP4 and AoO and also contains chapter G and F. It is very handy.

[@CounterAttack]

+Pavel .K I have the pocket edition coming in the mail so will check out that ruling. Thanks!

[@korposp]

I am sorry I have more observations for russian turn :-) - Snapshot does not leave Residual fire (A8.223) - Leader adds his 1 IPC to squad's 3 IPC for MMG and he adds 2 MF so the stack can move for 5MF total (A4.42) - I think you should attack in CC with german squad against both russian leader plus squad, not just a squad. Odds are same and you have a slim chance to eliminate 10-2. - Also I think skulking is more suitable for scenario defenders not attackers. It seems like you wasted whole turn.

[@CounterAttack]

+Pavel .K Thanks for those. Regarding attacking, that building of 4-4-7 Russians on the right just seems impossible to do anything with due to the open streets and German MGs... I am more of a natural defender than attacker anyway so that is probably part of it. I like scrapping together a desperate defense more than assaulting. I'll see if I can figure something more useful out...

[@CounterAttack]

+Counter Attack Another HW attack? :-)

[@korposp]

+Counter Attack HW to K5 building through fireline would be cool. But i think it is not possible because there is no leader :-(

[@MooMooLiNoo]

Every single game has its own downside and in this case its the skulking. A year ago, as a rookie, I played a game against a pro (for the educational purpose) and from the very beginning he was using some advanced strategies like skulking. It put me off the game completely. It felt like cheating in its purest form. He kept saying the the Germans are backing up because they know the Russiand will fire on them. But I´m pretty sure this is not the way the game is supposed to be played.

[@CounterAttack]

I don't think it is cheating since it does not violate any rules, but I do find it to be distasteful from the standpoint of game design. It's an unfortunate artifact of the otherwise excellent turn structure. Those that explain it away as modeling some real world tactic I suggest are reading too much into it. That being said, the vast majority of players accept it as a legitimate part of the game, in fact one you should seek out, so if you play ASL you have to just get over your distaste and enjoy the rest of the incredibly rich game design.