The battlefield has fallen silent, the fires of the blazing tanks have finally burned low. Two companies of tanks met, and battled to their deaths. 23 men drove onto the battlefield, only 3 drove home. Who won?


The scenario was a set in the 7th Panzer Division's lightning breakthrough attack at Longpre, France. The Germans were organized in two platoons and the French in one large platoon.

The sides were:

German

1st Platoon (PL Jones) 

Jack Jones      Pz38(t)A 
David Myers     PzIVD
Joel Veeneman   Pz38(t)A 
Sheldon Ryland  PzIIIF 
Mark Gillahan   Pz38(t)A 

2nd Platoon (PL Cunin)

Laurent Cunin   PzIIIF
David Schofield PzIIIF
Klaus Fischer   PzIVD
Mikael Siemsen  PzIIIF
J.R. Tracy      Pz38(t)A

French (PL Harviala)

Mika Harviala    H-39 (Radio & Morse code radio)
Scott Romanowski S-35 (Morse code radio)
Tom Repetti      AMD-35 (Radio)
Rob Seulowitz    AMD-35 (Morse code radio)
Mike Licari      D-2 (Morse code radio)
Mike Manuel      H-35 (radioless)
Ron Dawson       H-35 (radioless)
Mark Beazer      H-35(L) (radioless)
Steve Foren      H-39 (radioless)
Tom Weniger      H-39(L) (radioless)
Scott Blanton    H-39(L) (radioless)

The board layout was:

The French entered from the West board edge.

The Germans entered first from the East board edge.

Each side had the same Victory Conditions: kill the enemy and score points for withdrawing by crossing 3/4 of the board and returning to their own half.

The Germans were workmanlike in examining each possible attack. A Northern attack was discarded as they felt the French would likely make their attack there to get to close range in the heavier cover of the town. The Southern half of the board was thought to be better tank country with longer LOS where the German tanks would have a gunnery advantage. They settled on 1st platoon covering the airfield with 2nd platoon making its attack over board 11 using the hills and hedges for cover.

The French PL had a quick early plan:

"This is your Finnish Lend-Lease Company Commander speaking. The formulations of a plan are finally hatching in my Vodka addled brain. First we wait for Extreme Winter. Then we let the Commie Bastards advance on our fortifications.... Umm. Sorry. Sometimes the memories just won't go away."

Tom "Henri" Repetti replied: "This scares me to death!"

From there, a debate over the role of the AMD-35's arose. Mark Beazer said: "Ah.. both AMD's have radio, of sorts at least. Perhaps they can do some high speed scouting, and radio it in to the herders, before they go for tail-enders."

Henri Repetti took issue: "Les Doctor Rob et moi are NOT to be, how you say, ze POINT MEN for zees leetle es-ca-pade! Our precious AMD-35's are FAR TOO SLEEK to be wasted in such tutti-rutti! May OUIS! Juz LOOK at ze LINES on zat baby! Le AERODYNAMIQUE! Le DRESSAGE! Le MAGNIFIQUE! Les Doctor Rob et moi have UZZER TINGS TO DO zan babyseat you Dinosaurs! We have ze SCORE to zettle, non? We moost determine OO EEZ ZE FASTEST ARMOURED CAR in ze ENTIRE Frensch ARMEE! Laszt time, Les Doctor Rob committed Les Grand Faux Pas in our racing, nearly running moi off ze road! Zoot Alors! I weel be ready for heem ZEES TIME!"

Rob "Claude" Seulowitz responded, "May wee. And I 'ave no roim in mah AMD for le AMMO weez all zose bottles of le Champaign and le Caviar. The AMD she eez not so much the Killer Tank, but she eez very much le Babe Magnet. As wee French-speaking types say, "Va va va voem!" Nescafe! It eez not truoix! Le clutch she is slip and I am very very sorry to see mah bon ami Henri Repetti spin like the skirts at the Follies Bergerac into le merde."

While Henri and Claude hugged in the "manly French way" the rest of the platoon settled on a plan. The main thrust would be led by Mika with the D-2, all the H-35_s and the other H-39, called Platoon LaRochelle, moving up board 11 using Hill 287 (11I5) to hide their attack from the Germans. Meanwhile the S-35 and the H-39(L)'s, called Platoon Cherbourg, would provide flank support on board 38 while the AMD-35's scouted board 22 (Claude) and board 17 (Henri).

This would be a clash of strength from the very start.

Opening Moves


The Germans moved onto the board first, Cunin's platoon minus Fischer lined the hedge on the eastern hill of board 11. Jones' platoon took up positions around the airfield on board 38, using concealment terrain to remain unspotted by the French as long as possible. A minor problem arose as Ryland's driver read the map backwards and began a pleasure cruise down board 22, for the moment, he was on his own.

As it turns out, Ryland's mistake was fortuitous as he glimpsed Henri's advance up board 17 and Claude's AMD-35 almost blundered into Ryland's LOS. Platoon LaRochelle began making their slow way up the edge of 11, intent on bypassing along 11N8/N9 and breaking into the German rear area. Harviala drove full speed up the road on the western hill, coming under the guns of three of Cunin's Panzers. He was very SHOCK'd to see so many Germans and required several gulps of vodka to steady his nerves.

Platoon Cherbourg moved up board 38 along the Y6-V4 road then into the grain field around S3. Both Blanton and Weniger spotted Fischer hiding in the brush in P2. Fischer's first shot SHOCK'd Blanton and his second forced Weniger to take a SHOCK TC. The S-35 moved into the grain behind the H-39's to support them. Weniger passed his TC and quickly pumped a round into Fischer's PzIV for the first kill of the game.


The second turn opened with a flurry of contact reports from the Germans.

PL Jones to PL Cunin: "Some movement was seen on board 17, so it looks like the french have scattered their force far & wide. We need to clean these punks up quickly before help arrives. I hope some of your people are in position to hit the enemy from behind the walls or we're in trouble. Have them concentrate on the medium tank."

PL Cunin to PL Jones, "I send two Tanks, Dave and Mikael in the Stockyards <11P4> behind the first and the second wall, first one covering the second one. I send also J.R. setting a trap for a Tank that will probably follow the Hill southern Crest Line. I stay on Hill, to finnish my work of killing the shocked H39, and to be seen for Tanks rushing on the Hill to make them cautious."

Interesting spelling of "finish" there Laurent, considering who was in your target. Cunin was as good as his word and blasted Harviala out of the game, spilling a lot of good vodka all over the hillside. This was an important moment, just as the engagement was beginning to heat up, the French force was beheaded, LaRochelle now had no idea what was ahead of them and Repetti's Panhard was cut off, effectively a radioless vehicle.

The Germans began moving on 38, attempting to close a ring around Cherbourg. Ryland finally figured out his map and moved through the town to arrive behind the French forces while Veeneman made a mad dash along the northern treeline of 38, trying to stay out of the S-35's sights. Romanowski spun and fired a long odds shot, just missing with a final 4 dr on an improbable hit.

Veeneman ended in Z6 where he would fight a two turn duel with the S-35. The rest of 1st platoon stayed put for the moment. On 11, Siemsen and Schofield advanced to the Stockyards and took up positions at the inner walls, not quite where Jones had expected them to be and in poor position to support 1st platoon's attack on 38. Tracy made a critical move to 11O10, blocking the exit of the woods/hill bypass route that LaRochelle was making for.

I'll end the first part of the AAR with a note about ASLOK which happened during Turn 2. Several Rumblers were in attendance from both sides. For the French, Tom Weniger, Scott Romanowski, Rob Seulowitz and Ron Dawson, for the Germans, J.R. Tracy and Dave Schofield. Weniger and Dawson were under strict instructions to just use signal flags to communicate while Dr. Rob and Romanowski had to tap on the table to simulate their morse code radios. Apparently no spying occurred as the French mentions of Pershings coming to their aid went unnoticed by the Germans. The less fortunate Rumblers continued playing.

In part 2 of the AAR, we'll see the 1940 version of 'the Mad Minute' as a dozen tanks close to point blank range and Hill 287 becomes renamed "Wreck Hill".

Part 2 of the Tank Rumble AAR.

The French were now in a bit of trouble. The PL was dead and Cherbourg was probably guessing by now that Blanton was down for the count.

Romanowski to Claude: (EMONQ is a reference to 22K10)
"2VEH@RDEMONQ.1PZEASTAIR.1?NORTHAIR. SITU? FWD.2.D2.PLS. RING:S35AMD35D2S35. HELP.ASKUGETREARSHOTEMONQ."

Unfortunately for Cherbourg, Claude misunderstood the message and went off looking for Henri. He found his brother on board 17, east of the village and together they moved south to the Barracks (22X7). Romanowski soon found himself the center of attention as most of Jones' platoon began firing at him. He fired at Veeneman, only to see a hit bounce off the Pz38.

LaRochelle had worse luck as its tanks attempted to move around Hill 287. Foren was the first through the bypass slot and he spotted Tracy sitting like a spider in its web waiting for a fly to happen along. Foren tried to rush up the hillside and flank the Pz38 but Tracy got the first "ROF from hell" of the game and reduced the H-39 to a blazing wreck. Next through was Beazer, he wisely avoided the blaze hex and moved towards the center of the hill as Dawson moved into the bypass slot and started trading shots with the Pz38.

Turn 3 started with a time honored ASL tradition, Romanowski praying to the dice gods for many German boxcars, he would get his wish. Cunin's platoon readjusted its positions, Siemsen and Schofield both moved up onto Hill 287 near where Beazer was sitting, trading some ineffective fire with him. Jones ordered his platoon into a flurry of activity as everyone but Myers and Veeneman would rush the S-35. In one of the funny quirks of a GM'd game, I had pre-rolled Myers attack with AP, resulting in a kill, but he ordered a SMOKE shot instead so I felt it was necessary to reroll the shot... the SMOKE round lodged in his barrel. Veeneman also bounced another round off the S-35.

Now came The Charge of the Light Brigade.

Ryland moved in first, rushing up the road, shrugging off a 47mm shell from the S-35 and stopped adjacent for a good odds BFF shot, only to have his gun break. He used his remaining MPs to move back towards the East. Next came Gillahan, he rushed by Weniger, who spun his turret and fired but missed. The Pz38 stopped next to the S-35 and fired twice, blowing the S-35's track off with the hit he got, then going into motion again. Jones had watched all this from his position and, all the while screaming curses at "the White Whale", the self proclaimed Captain Ahab went after the S-35 with as much fanaticism as Melville's character. First he cruised through Weniger's hex, firing off his sD to blind the H-39, then he moved into the S-35's hex to hinder its fire. For the second time in the game, PL would square off with PL (Romanowski had by now taken over the role of PL). Jones was awarded an 8-1 Armor Leader for his audacious move and rescuing his platoon from what likely would have been a blood bath in the next French Prep Fire.

The next two player turns would be a blood bath but the dice gods showed no favorites this time. Both sides would also receive reinforcement, the French got a D-2 (morse code radio) driven by Frank Amato and the Germans got a PzJgr I driven by Stefan Fiedler.

French turn 3 started with a flurry of firing. Dawson started by blowing Tracy's track off, then Beazer killed Siemsen's PzIII. Romanowski calmly ordered Henri and Claude to come help then blasted a round into the newly frobbed Pz38, ending a promising career no doubt. Licari and Manuel moved onto Hill 287 to help Beazer and Weniger left the SMOKE to help his PL. Henri and Claude raced back from the Barracks crossing over South Bridge (22R8). Claude, looking debonair in his sleak Panhard, stopped along the way to fire at the helpless Myers who couldn't get his engine revved up enough to go into motion. One CH later and Myers was history. Henri, scarves flying in the wind, rushed into the fray on 38 just in time to see Ryland's repaired 37mm end Weniger's dash to glory, the Panhard positioned himself behind the PzIII to try to get revenge. Amato entered on 38 and positioned his D-2 next to Veeneman in hopes of an easy kill. Back on board 11, Tracy returned the favor and immobilized Dawson. Cunin, seeing his platoon slowly die before his eyes, brewed up Beazer's H-35 with a long range shot for his second kill of the day. Henri and Claude both scored tag-up points on this turn by recrossing the center of the playing area.

Turn 4 opened and the Germans sought to exact vengance for their fallen comrades. Tracy finally finished off Dawson after their turn long duel but Schofield only succeeded in bouncing some shells off of Licari's D-2. With most of 1st platoon in motion, their PL dead, the S-35 still alive and Amato's D-2 arriving, things seemed grim on 38. However, Veeneman cheated death again and slipped away from Amato, retracing his earlier path along the treeline and crossing the Q hexrow to score tag-up points. Ryland also cheated death and daringly drove away from Henri, who tried in vain to kill the PzIII, bouncing one shot off the rear of the turret, he then circled around, scored his tag-up points and moved into a position to fire at Henri. Cunin, determined to avoid having his platoon wiped out, charged onto Hill 287 but missed a shot at Licari, who would shortly dispatch Schofield. Fiedler entered on 38 but moved quickly onto 11 to support 2nd platoon.

Meanwhile, Gillahan halted his tank again and beat Romanowski in the gun duel only to have his shot bounce off the S-35's rear armor. Fortunately for Gillahan, the S-35's return fire missed badly and he was able to get off an IF shot, this time the round didn't bounce and the second French PL was gone.

As Gillahan would observe next turn in a message to Cunin: "It was almost perfectly Melvillian, as the Whale went down with Hauptman Ahab. All they need to do is wrap a tow cable around both tanks, and it will not take a long coil."


I'll end part two with a bit of statistics on "The Mad Minute" of French Turn 3 and German Turn 4. A total of 30 shots were taken during this time, 11 of those were intensive fire, one tank broke its MA, two tanks were immobilized due to fire and 8 tanks died, 4 on each side, only one crew of which bailed out. Amazingly for the amount of IFáused throughout this game, only one tank malfunctioned their MA this way, and that was in turn 7, though 4 tanks did break by rolling boxcars on the first shot.


Part 3 of the Tank Rumble AAR.

French Turn 4 opened with a rather panicked message from Claude to Licari:
"ATTENTION! FRANK.&.HENRI.IN.GRAIN.SECT.38.VS.4.PZS. TD.HAS.ENTERED.FROM.E.PL.DEAD.SEND.HELP.N.AT.ONCE!"

Unfortunately for Claude, Licari was so busy fighting Cunin that his reply was sent to his former PL instead. Licari and Manuel were in good shape, as just Cunin's PzIII was on Hill 287 for the moment. Henri was in an extremely vulnerable position, facing Veeneman, Ryland and Gillahan all by himself. Amato and Claude were too far away. As Licari and Manuel both closed on Cunin, Henri tried to reverse out of his precarious location. Ryland was closest and got a couple shots off and one hit the thin skinned Panhard.

As Claude came around to the North side of the airfield, he could still see Henri's many scarves blowing away in the wind. Even as he backed away from Veeneman he made this vow: "Oh, Henri!! I am unable to view the battlefield for the excessive weeping of my tears!! I shall avenge your death, mon ami. They shall surely die who did this to you!! The oilstained shredded scarves that waft in the air around your once proud Carte du Guerre shall be tied into nooses with which we sill surely hang the villains who have invaded our homes and brought such tragic suffering to our great people!"

With things looking well in hand on 38, Gillahan decided to send help to Cunin in turn 5, as the sole mobile survivor of 2nd platoon was facing Manuel and Licari point-blank. He ordered Ryland and Veeneman to concentrate on the D-2 as he drove west then south to come up behind the remnants of Platoon LaRochelle. Veeneman once again made a quick trip along the northern tree line of 38 while Ryland moved west along the road then circled around through the 38AA5 grain field, he pressed his engine too hard though and threw a track in 38CC7. The D-2 was trapped between the two tanks however. Gillahan had moved up to help Cunin, who had bounced a couple shots off of the D-2. The French tanks ignored the threat to their rear and fired simultaneously, each scoring a killing shot on Cunin, it would cost them next turn.

Both Licari and Manuel decided to try to fight it out in their Prep Fire for turn 5. It might have been a better plan to try to move out of the crossfire they now found themselves in from Gillahan and Fiedler's PzJgr I. Their fire was ineffective and Gillahan easily dispatched Manuel with a rear shot. Amato did try to run, but Ryland hit him hard enough to SHOCK him even as Claude drove up to take on Veeneman. With three French tanks left and one of them SHOCK'd, it was looking like a German win in their upcoming Prep Fire.

Turn 6 opened and the Germans were feeling confident, ready to return to Germany and celebrate their victory. They forgot they were playing ASL. Fiedler fired at Licari but missed, so Gillahan had to finish off the last French tank on "Wreck Hill" for his third kill of the day. Ryland fired multiple times at the now-recovered D-2 but only succeeded in causing 2 SHOCK TC's, which Amato passed. Veeneman managed to hit Claude once but incredibly, the shot bounced. Claude also failed to kill Veeneman while Amato blew off Ryland's remaining good tread.

Both of the Germans on 38 realized their predicaments and braced for the worst in the French turn 6. Amato aimed his heavily dented turret at Ryland and finally ended the duel by brewing up the PzIII. Through tears of sorrow and joy, Claude managed to aim his gun accurately and racked up his second kill. The sure German win had slipped from their grasp but they were still ahead in overall points. Would they press the engagement in turn 7, or slip away quietly?


Whether or not Gillahan wanted to play it safe, the ghost of Captain Ahab beckoned them to glory and the Germans responded Gillahan to Fiedler: "I am not getting anything more from our compatriots up north, I think they have been destroyed. The column of smoke west of the airfield marks the approximate location of the remaining D-2. I would like you to move first as you indicated and radio me whether the airfield is clear of enemy tanks. If it is, I want to tangle with the D-2. If it isn't, then I want to clear the airfield before the end of the game."

Fiedler moved north onto the empty airfield and spotted Claude on the far side of the board. Wanting to preserve victory points, Claude went into motion and ordered Amato to do the same if given the chance. Fiedler closed and then spotted Blanton's H-39. This tank had not been killed outright, and so it looked like a healthy tank and Fielder, assuming it was active, started firing at it. Blanton nearly had the dubious honor of being the first _and_ last tank to be hit by enemy fire.

Gillahan retraced his steps and went after the D-2, ending up adjacent to it even as Amato followed orders and went into motion. Now it was the French turn to decide whether or not they would would fight it out to the bitter end.

Amato to Claude: "Pz38 FROM NOWHRE; MISSED ME 2X. WILL RUN N UNLESS U SAY
DIFFRNT."

Claude to Amato: "Vive la France! Vive la Francois! Now, let us send this devil to his deathbed and liberate Belgium once and for all. Damn the Pz Jg I - full speed ahead!"

Amato moved away from the Pz38 to distract it, offering Gillahan one last chance to kill him. The battered turret of the D-2 took one more solid hit but this one lodged in the armor, a dud. Claude moved up behind the German, also offering Fiedler one last chance but the first two shots flew high and a last IF shot broke the MA. Claude was free and clear and he made no mistakes. One shot into the Panzer_s turret and Claude had his third and final kill.

So who won? VP were awarded for successfully withdrawing (7 points) and for killing the enemy (3 points). Both sides had two tanks score withdrawal points. The Germans killed 10 out of 12 French tanks for 30 points while the French killed 9 out of 11 German tanks for 27 points, plus 2 points for immobilizing Tracy. In the end I had to call it a draw, considering the extremely casualties on both sides and that no one came away with possession of the field.

Awarding MVP was very hard but the waning moments of the 7th turn decided it. Jack Jones and Mark Gillahan both receive mention as runners-up. Mark racked up 3 kills including the very large and deadly S-35. Jack didn't manage any kills but his berserk charge at Romanowski in turn 3 hindered the fire of both the S-35 and Weniger's H-39 and gave his platoon a chance to get out of their precarious situation with no losses.

The winner of the Most Valuable Player goes to Rob "Claude" Seulowitz. Not only did he score tag-up points for making a cross-country cruise with Henri on boards 17 and 22, but he accounted for 3 German tanks with his tiny 25mm pop-gun. He was also the longest lived French PL, poor Harviala and Romanowski both lasting just one turn each in the role. And, he kept his vow to Henri to exact revenge.

So another battle has ended, but how long can peace last?



Jeff Kimmel
ujkimmel@mcs.drexel.edu
http://www.mcs.drexel.edu/~ujkimmel