May Visit to the Grumble Jones Library

It's that time of month again, when the doors are opened on the Grumble Jones Library and we take a peak at the volumes contained therein. This month, we'll look at three titles that have been very impactful on me both from a historical perspective as well as inspiration for ASL.

The first of these impactful tomes, is Lt. Col A.J. Barker's excellent AFRIKA KORPS. This particular book was published in 1978 and at $17.95 was somewhat pricey at that time. 

But it was/is worth every penny. As a boy and young teen, I was fascinated with Rommel's Afrika Korps. Their exploits in the desert just lit up my imagination. And the very first box of Airfix 1/76 scale miniatures I ever purchased...were...you guessed it...Afrika Korps. Man did I love playing with those guys (still do of course...don't tell my Mom). 

This book is also one of the oldest in my collection. My Grandmother actually purchased it for me while on vacation in Delaware. As I recall, it was raining, so our normal routine of hitting the beach at Assateauge Island was scratched for the day, so we headed to Salisbury, Maryland to hit the mall. And it was in the mall bookstore...that this gem found its way into my hands. 

Now generally, the coffee table WW2 books aren't really worth the time for the average ASL player. We like our books filled with accurate picture captions, excellent maps, and detailed narrative to help us extract potential scenarios from the book. This book has all of those things...in great quantity. The maps are excellent, the narrative flow takes you from the heady days of Rommel's success through the agony of the retreat to Tunisia. The picture quantity and quality are outstanding as well. One of the best pictures is a color, two-page spread of a German MG-34 behind a sangar with a German peering through his binoculars. It cover pages 72 and 73 and continues to be one of my all time favorite photographs. 

There will always be a bit of a mythology around Rommel and his Afrika Korps. In so many ways, their exploits earned well-deserved praise from friend and foe alike. 

My interest in Rommel continues to this day and one of the great highlights of my time as a college student in 1985 Germany, was a Sunday trip to a small cemetery in the village of Herrlingen. With snow on the ground and unsure of where to look, I found myself at Rommel's final resting place.  It was a bit of a bucket list item for me and I'm glad I made that journey. Barker's book allows me to often join with Rommel and his Landsers under the glare of a Saharan Sun. And I can imagine hearing across the blowing sand, the command, given in a distinct Swabian dialect..."Heia Safari!"

 

 Next up is Ian Baxter's Blitzkrieg, which brings to light unpublished photographs from 1939-1942. From the Sudetenland to North Africa, Baxter's book shows the heady early days of the Wehrmacht's success.

This is another hardbound, coffee table style book. Personally, I found the picture quality to be pretty good, especially for the chapters on the Low Countries and France. The North Afrika pictures are less noteworthy. 

I think very highly of Ian Baxter's titles, but sometimes, there are good reasons why photographs go unpublished. They just aren't always that great. 

But again, for getting some good early war ASL inspiration, this book has few equals.

Our final book this month is one that is a personal favorite, but not necessarily one that will inspire any ASL scenarios.In fact, this last book focuses on the cost of war and the emergence of a nation from its Gotterdamerung. The book is Tony Vaccaro's ENTERING GERMANY. Vaccaro was a US Rifleman who shot more with his camera than with his rifle. And in the process, left behind one of the most remarkable photographic records of this period in Germany than any other US serviceman.

In 2002, I was working for Siemens and in Germany for Supplier Negotiations. On a Sunday afternoon, my boss and I headed to Rothenburg ob der Tauber to see the sights. Ever the bookhound, I was very quickly in the local bookstore. One pass through Vaccaro's book and I knew it was a keeper.  

I recommend Vaccaro's book as a way to learn more about the experience of American soldiers in a conqured Germany and the profound impact they had on the German people and the connections, which they established between our two nations, which continue to this very day.

 One of the most interesting observations which Vaccaro made about postwar Germany was with regards to the impact US Soldiers made on German boys, who in many cases had no other male role models. With over 3 million men killed in action, and millions more held in POW camps up until 1956, there simply were few father figures for the young Germans boys growing up in immediate postwar period.

It's a testament to the relative goodness of the American Soldier in occupied Germany. That's not to suggest that it was all good. Vaccaro's camera captures some of the darker side as well.

All in all a book well worth reading and owning.

A film about Vaccaro and his camera work in occupied Germany is set for release this year.

http://tonyvaccarofilm.com/

Until next month...happy reading!

Our Friday Game - Lone Canuck's CAW# 8 FIRE AND BRIMSTONE

Our Friday game would be Lone Canuck's CAW#8 Fire and Brimstone. I always enjoy a Lone Canuck scenario and Fire and Brimstone would live up to my expectations. My regular STL opponent and I were looking for a scenario we could complete in one setting (2-1/2 hours) and this gem fit the bill perfectly.

My opponent drew the German paras and was once more on the defense. I drew the Canadians and would be attacking across a half-board of Board 44. I'm generally not a fan of exit the board scenarios. I suck at them...enough said. But I was stoked to play the Canadians. Of all the Allied forces, I am most drawn to the Canadians. Can't explain why, but I love 'em.

Now, I will digress for a moment to review my state of mind going into our game. Blogging is nothing if not personal, so forgive my indulgence here. I recently commented the same with regards to the recent Podcast of the 2 Half-Squads, which was very personal. Those of us who blog find a lot of joy in blogging our thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. And I'm no different.

So going into our weekly game night, I was in a true mental fugue. Work related 100%. My job has lately been a grind worse than anything I've experienced in the last 28 years. The cause of it, is of course related to recent management changes. My boss, friend, and mentor of the past 11 years was walked out like yesterday's garbage after 37 years with the company. Watching that was jarring for me...sadly I've watched hundreds of my co-workers be walked out over the years. Anyone who spends any time in corporate America has seen and experienced the same thing. But this one really struck home and has left me questioning what I value in my life.

"you're a slave to money and then you die..."

So yeah...my mind is heavy with thoughts of where I want to see my life go in whatever time I  have left on this wonderful ride of life.

Freedom...I often feel like I said farewell to personal freedom after graduating from college in 1987. Since then, my time has belonged to my employers. I still recall my brief stint as a Director in 2008. For a 32 day stretch I worked 12 hour days 7 days a week. At one point, I was picking up parts from a Supplier at 1:30 AM, which I drove to the plant the next day (Saturday) at 5:30 AM while on the phone with my customer in New Zealand...Aerospace is a cruel mistress. And at the end of that 32 days...I walked out and quit...

The CEO at the time, called me at home and asked me to meet him that afternoon. The CEO was a fantastic man, who I had enormous respect for. For two hours, he asked me what caused my decision. I'll never forget him...apologizing to me for the damage the recent days had done to my family and he told me that when I was ready to come back...to let him know...as I was part of that family. 4 weeks later I did return (in a lesser role) and have been there ever since as a valued contributor.

Of course none of that matters to my new masters...so I will see what new paths I can follow...cause rolling boxcars in ASL is inconvenient...but in life is unacceptable.

Thank goodness for ASL...

Thanks for allowing me a chance to get some thoughts out of my head. Now on to ASL...one of life's true joys!

 My opponent set up as one would expect. The defensive positions are fairly limited in this scenario.

German 5-4-8's are always tough to face...but in game like this the 4 range would be an assist to my Canadians. 

As stated previously, I was excited to have Canadians under my command once again.

And an ASL first for me, was the availability of 2 x Flame-throwing Badgers at my disposal. As you will see...I did absolutely nothing with them and am still shaking my head as I type this...

 I moved onto the board with total aggressiveness. I dropped off the mortar and a half-squad in C3. Their mission would be to provide smoke. They would achieve great success in this mission.

This scenario takes place in MUD...and oh good grief did I suffer from the mud. My best half-track, which was carrying my 9-1, a 4-5-7 and a Piat bogged immediately. It would go on to become immobilized. I would not recover from its loss.

 My STL opponent would also suffer in the first turn. His first roll for a Panzerfaust would be a 6...and his second PF check would also be a 6. I could hear his frustration over the SKYPE call. Who wouldn't have been frustrated...??

I would lose nothing to enemy Panzerfausts in this scenario. 

 While my opponent would suffer from PF failures...I would suffer equally from the MUD. I jokingly told him that he would win this scenario without firing a single Panzerfaust.

 The game played quickly as we didn't have a lot of forces or ground to cover. Sometimes a quick play game is the just the ticket.

On Turn 2, my Badgers braved the mud successfully and moved in the absolute wrong direction. As you will see...I hadn't understood the victory conditions (and neither did my opponent). I was just going to exit the board wherever I wanted...(it was kind of liberating!!!)

 My mortar team also began efforts to assist. Fortunately, I did not attempt to fire smoke at this stage. I rolled a series of 10's and 11's...which had I attempted smoke would have caused me to have none.

 My bogging struggles continued as two of my half-tracks bogged. In all, three half-tracks were bogged at the end of Turn 2.

 A good look at the situation at the end of two turns. I have marked the actual scenario exit location, which I was no where near...(of course my earlier, long winded explanation  of where my head was at will at least explain why I wasn't thinking...).

In ASL...it's everything...

 My bogging blues continued as I mired both my bogged vehicles...and yes...it was a bit metaphorical for me as I was feeling very bogged down with my life...I hate it when ASL imitates life!!!

 I was mired in self-pity at this point as well...but I was making smoke like a big dog!!!

 Ok...I hesitate to share this image...but I must...my mortars made a great smoke screen for my Badgers, which rumbled off the board...of course not in the right spot...but at the time I was kinda of happy...

 

 My 9-1, having abandoned his immobilized half-track set out on foot to exit the board.

 The final moments of the game. The German 8-1 would successfully eliminate the mired half-track with the HMG. I simply was stuck too long in front of that HMG. After failing on three previous tries...he finally got lucky.

Meanwhile the Canadian 9-1 and 4-5-7 made a run for the board edge (yes the same wrong location). The German 7-0 and LMG crackled and the 4-5-7 would break. The 9-1, however, made it off the board.

Why yes...yes I did...

 A look at the Canadians who managed to exit the wrong location...only 12 of the 16 VP's required...so a German Victory!

Game over. And the good news, despite completely mis-playing the victory conditions...was that I had a great time. For 2-1/2 hours I thought of nothing else, but the deep mud of a field in NW Germany in 1945. I may have lost...but I sure felt like a winner.

Grumble Jones May Scenario GJ032 - Uhlig's Assault

Remember to open link in a new window to maximize the view. The PDF for this scenario can be downloaded from the The ASL Scenario Archive. (simply search on Grumble Jones or Uhlig's Assault)

And always remember, these scenarios are presented for fun only and as a thank you to the readers of my blog.

Design note - this scenario was inspired by an article in the February 2000 issue of World War II. The article, Tough Time for the 'Tough Hombres' by Brig. Gen. Raymond E. Bell, Jr., U.S. Army (ret.) is an outstanding article that details the fight for Seves Island between the German 6th Parachute Division and the US 90th Infantry Division. This article can be found on-line and is well worth the read.

On a personal note, the father of a good friend from NE Tennessee served with the 90th Division and was active in this particular engagement. In discussions with my friend, he indicated that his father, like so many World War II veterans never spoke of his experiences. He passed away several years ago and sadly his experiences are lost to history. So if you know any World War II veterans, be sure to thank them for their service and encourage them to share their experiences. We are losing thousands of World War II veterans every day...so documenting their accounts and experiences is so very important.

This scenario is designed to place the US player in the difficult position of trying to hang onto a bridgehead in nearly open ground with concerted enemy counter-attacks. 

While this engagement was a bad one for the US 90th Infantry Division, it could have been worse, had it not been for the rare instance of battlefield chivalry shown to the Americans by German commander, Major Freiherr von der Heydte.Von der Heydte allowed a battlefield truce to remove the wounded and later met with captured American officers and shared tea with them. This act of chivalry was reported in American newspapers, but went unknown in Germany.

Here's hoping this scenario captures the spirit of this engagement between two solid combat units.