SQL The Guards Counterattack Game End AAR and plans

Squad Leader - The Guards Counterattack End of Game AAR
Calling it at the end of Turn 4.

German victory. The Germans were able to take back the F5 building. They ran up to the building and the Russian fire was 1/3 effective (ie broke one of 3 units.) In addition, I had forgotten that the Germans in the N4 building had taken that from the Russians, therefore requiring the Russians needing to take 3 buildings. As the Russian 10-2 and Squad tried to move across the street to get close to the I7 building, withering fire took them all out.

The Russians were able to assault the I7 building but lost in CC. The melee in J5 continued and was going to go into turn 5!

The Germans took out another leader in the woods in M5 with close assault. This left only the 8-0 leader in the buidling next to them to rally all the 5 broken units on the board.

Rereading the victory conditions makes me wonder if the Russians needed to take any buildings at all, unless they lost at least one. The condition says, "To win the soviets must completely occupy two more of the stone buildings initially occupied by the Germans than they lose of their own initial stone buidling to complet Gemran occupation..." So I read that to say, if the Soviets don't lose any buildings, they don't need to take any buildings and only need to win by a greater than 3:1 margin of unbroken squads.

Fun playing this one. I can see why it's so well regarded. Of course it was played so much because it was the first in the box.

I'm good. I scratched the itch and now I can move on. Though, I must say that it's rekindled a bit my desire to play the rest of the ASLSK scenarios I've not played. Which means tanks. Tanks. Oh my. I know, don't be scared.

Plans - I'm not breaking out anymore minis painting until the house is complete which will be a couple more months. Depending on the progress and state...oh, forget it, I probably won't get a mini game in during the same period because the house will be even more of a mess than it is now.

In addition, I'm becoming more convinced to really focus on the 6mm and growing my collection to broaden out my US with more infantry, paras, and engineers. I would also like a few more support options including Airplanes, Arty, landing craft and gliders. The Germans need some gliders, more paras, and of course they can always use more AFVs - so many. In addition, expand out the russians to include more of a bunch of items...pretty much everything.

Italians and Brits next.

I would like to "perfect" the terrain for my 6mm kit.

On the 15mm project that's been going forever: finish what i have including terrain and troops. But there's a lot of support options I need to make rounded out units via Chain of Command rules.

That said, I'm going to continue learning Vassal of TCS, and some squad level game. I know, I know, I had committed to LNL, but that's wavering as i try ATS and possibly go back to ASLSK. There are just "so many" people who play ASL compared to ATS (at least they're more vocal.) so it might be nice to play something for once with a more passionate fan base.

Geekway is getting more and more attention, so this will take some hobby time as well.

The Guards Counterattack Turn 3 AAR

Turn 3 - J5 Building hex is locked in Melee combat now two rounds, two 4-6-7s with LMGs can't' get rid of a Russian 6-2-8. Crazy and fun to watch. Russian Defensive fire DMed two of the German Squads in the Victory hex building in I7. The 4-6-7 is stuck with 3 LMGs. So I guess he can fire two of them at no cost to it's own firepower, nice.

The Guards Counterattack SQL - Turn 2

Classic SQL - The Guards Counterattack

Turn 3 - Germans lost some this turn, but have made some progress in pushing the Russians back on their right flank. the Russians now own one building and only need to take one more to claim victory. Problem is they can lose any of their buildings or it will go against them and it looks like the Germans could also take the middle.

Side Notes - Interesting the Penetration fire. You fire a MG and it leaves a "residual" tracking fire. It also, and this is kind of vague for me, can leave hexes in the LOS or "LOF" firepower in those as well, in as many hexes as there are penetration. (Firepower?) Anyway, I can't tell if it means from the MG to the target hex. Or, if it means from the target hex and beyond. Also, does it accumulate?

It's defensive fire is a relic from the miniature rulesets of the day, the attacking/phasing player moves his units the full movement. The defending player/non-phasing player remembers/marks the hex he wants to fire opp-fire or defensive fire. In the defensive fire phase you move the units back and fire on them.  I found optional rules that call them simultaneous Defensive Fire/Movement. I'm using these.

Also, the Russians, when Broken have a morale of 8 and I can't seem to get them rallied. And the Germans who are 7's are rallying. Go figure dice.

The Guards Counterattack - Turn 1 AAR

Picture after first turn.

Very bloody for the attacking Russians. 6 dead squads in one turn. 3 on their turn and 3 during the German turn. The Squad Leader IFT (Infantry fire table) is brutal.

The rules are pretty straightforward. I'm using the 4th Edition Rulebook put together by Wesley Williams and posted on the BoardGameGeek SQL page. He's put all the errata together into one document. The only problem is that this version doesn't have pictures or diagrams for assistance.

I'm wanting to play this because after see all the SQL posts following John Hill's passing, I got the itch to see this again. I bought this in 1995 when I was wanting to get into wargaming. I don't know where I found it, but I bought it and tried playing with a friend with no experience. It took us a few hours on a Saturday and then we had to stop, it went in the box (couldn't leave it set up) and then it never came out again. I recall we had a good time and probably would've played more, but for some reason I never brought it out again. Regret?