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Flyer Date Venue Participants Scenarios Ranking After Action Report (AAR) Photos

 

Flyer

 

This was the official invitation for the tournament:   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date

 

The Alpenfestung XVII tournament took place Thursday, August 21st until Sunday, August 24th, 2025.

 

Venue

 

We played in this vacation apartment in Hasliberg (Canton of Bern).

 

Participants

 

1. Dave R. (Great Britain)

2. John T. (Germany) 

3. Jan L. (Switzerland)

4. Marc B. (Switzerland)

 

Scenarios

 

This was the selection of the scenarios for the three rounds:

 

First round: Lightning and Fjords: Operation Weserübung

 

I. Lions and Tin Men. Norwegians and Swedes vs. Germans. May 1940. 4.5 Turns. (2:50 hrs.)

II. Frivilligkompani Benckert. Swedish vs. Russians. April 1940. 5.5 Turns (3:50 hrs.)

III. Triumph atop Taraldsvikfjell. French & Norwegian vs. Germans. May 1940. 7 Turns. (4:40 hrs.)

 

Second round: Mud and Valor: The Matanikau Battles

 

I. Whaling good Time. Japanese vs. Americans. October 1942. 5.5 Turns. (3:20 hrs.)

II. Bailey's Demise.  Japanese vs. Americans. September 1942. 6 Turns. (3:30 hrs.)

III. First Matanikau.  Japanese vs. Americans. August 1942. 5.5 Turns. (4:10 hrs.)

 

Third round: The Hedgerow Maze: The Norman Villages

 

I. Never on Time. British vs. Germans. June 1944. 6 Turns. (5:30 hrs.)

II. Fear Naught. British vs. Germans. June 1944. 6.5 Turns. (5:30 hrs.)

III. Second Cristot. British vs. Germans. June 1945. 7.5 Turns. (6:20 hrs.)

 

Download all Scenarios (PDF) 

 

 

Results

 

First Round

Dave (as the Germans) vs. Marc (as the Norwegians & Swedes) in Lions and Tin Men. Marc wins.

Jan (as the Norwegians and Swedes) vs. John (as the Germans) in Lions and Tin Men. John wins.  

 

Second Round

Jan (as the Americans) vs. Marc (as the Japanese) in First Matanikau. Marc wins.

John (as the Japanese) vs. Dave (as the Americans) in First Matanikau. John wins.  

 

Third Round

John (as the Germans) vs. Marc (as the British) in Never on Time. John wins.

Jan (as the Germans) vs. Dave (as the British) in Never on Time. Dave wins. 

 

Ranking

 

1st: John (3:0) - Tournament winner

2nd: Marc (2:1) 

3rd: Dave (1:2)

4th: Jan (0:3)

 

After Action Report (AAR)

 

Marc

Our venue was a vacation house in a small settlement above the Aare valley. When I arrived there, I had to find the right house in thick fog - which was certainly worth a hindrance of +2. While the outside of the vacation house was quite traditional, the inside was very modern, spacious and cozy. This year’s scenarios led us to the Invasion of Norway, the jungle fighting on Guadalcanal and the British sector of the Normandy front. 

 

• My first game was against Dave. We chose the scenario «Lions and Tin Men». The Germans had to fulfill exit victory conditions. I remember the last round, in which Dave attempted multiple breakthroughs, which I was able to contain just enough to keep him slightly below the threshold that he needed to win. It was a very close call!  
• The second game, against Jan, was set on Guadalcanal. His U.S. troops tried to push my concealed and partly entrenched Japanese units out of a jungle and to capture a small village near the shoreline. I was able to make a fighting withdrawal that slowed his attackers enough to make the Americans run out of time. I loved to play against Jan on a historical Map from the «Hell's Corner» module. It has an authentic feel to it. And how often do you get a chance to play near a shoreline and potentially across a river mouth that ran between our units? 
• My last game of the tournament was a late-war scenario between the British and the Germans (actually, SS Units). John made a skillful push into the village that I tried to defend. My units were positioned too much on one flank, and I had severe trouble  containing his bridgehead in the village. My highlight was a hidden squad that managed to take out a German Panzer IV with their PIAT - just before getting under intense pressure from accompanying infantry themselves. Due to the late hour, we were unable to complete the scenario - but it was quite apparent that John would have achieved his victory conditions.  

 

The Experience

Another great edition of the Alpenfestung! I truly enjoyed the scenarios, conversations, meals and the friendships built with fellow attendees over the years.

 

I’m really looking forward to the next Alpenfestung later in 2026. If you’ve been before, you’ll know it’s always a great way to spend a weekend with like-minded players. And if you haven’t yet, I highly recommend it as an opportunity to enjoy both the game and the setting, in a relaxed but competitive environment.

 

See you in summer or fall in the Swiss Alps!

 

Photos

 

It was an unusual sight upon our arrival in Hasliberg in late August: our holiday home shrouded in thick fog. 

 

Jan (on the left) and John are setting up their first game. Please note the beautiful wooden texture of Jan's dice tower. 

 

In the closing phase of Marc's first scenario against Dave, «Lions and Tin Men», Marc won by a very small margin. It literally came down to the final movement phase.  

 

We didn't just play Blitzkrieg scenarios; we also played Minigolf on a Blitz-shaped course. 

 

An impressive view into the Aare valley. The shore of Brienzersee can also be seen. 

 

Meanwhile, on Guadalcanal: A slow and cautious advance against concealed Japanese positions... 

 

Japanese troops not enjoying the beach. 

 

To remove our CX counters, we took a short hike in the vicinity of our vacation house. 

 

After the British setup of Marc: Can they hold the line against the attack of John's SS units? It turned out they were unable to do so.   

 

Later in the evening: Third and final round of scenarios in progress. 

 

On the day of our departure: We enjoyed one last view of the Alps from our balcony. 

 

Our well deserved tournament winner John! It was the third time that he won the Alpenfestung tournament.   

 

We hope that we have managed to raise your appetite for the upcoming Alpenfestung XVIII in 2026. Please send me a message if you want to be updated about its planning.