Retaking Vierville (again!)

I realize few come here to see pictures of cardboard counters on a paper map, let alone a game as brain-taxing as Advanced Squad Leader Starter Kit (ASLSK), but, in addition to the figure game I posted about last time, I played the first scenario from the #1starter kit - Retaking Vierville.

As my goal is one board game per month, at least, I wanted to start with something where the rules were somewhat familiar and which will allow me to play several more games once relearned. ASLSK fits that bill nicely.

It helped too that I once again stumbled on the Texas ASL download site, which includes a full tutorial on ASLSK. It was nice to confirm that my understanding of the rules is "correct", although a few questions came up during the game that had me turning to web searchers for interpretations.

In any case, the game was an engrossing close run thing that game down to the end of the 5th turn (the allotted turn count for the scenario):

The American platoon moves through the town. It's quiet. Too quiet.

The initial German advance is pushed back, the Americans capture the objectives early, with American reinforcements arriving via the road to the North (right of the map)

The Germans give as good as they get, with vicious building to building close combat and concentrated range fire (those Desperation Morale markers aren't for giggles after all).

It's not enough and the superior American squads manage to rally (mostly) and retake lost buildings.

The cost to the Americans was high, but the Germans were unable to again wrest control of any of the key objectives. An Allied victory.

The more I play these rules, the more they begin to -  well not fade into the background, but the less obtrusive they become. The story is rising in prominence.

It also was nice playing this game leisurely rather than racing through to finish in a 2 hour window before bed. I set it up on Friday night, sorted all of the counters I'd need for the forces, set up the Americans on the map but then didn't start playing until Saturday. Even then, I played in starts and stops - a turn here, a turn there, stepping away to think about the situation while sipping coffee, before diving back in.

I have played this scenario several times now - and am again confident with the basic infantry rules. The next board game I'll play War of the Rats (Scenario 2) in order to bring in squad weapons and satchel charges.