Airfield defense with Capt DuLoc and the FFL

 With Martin's release of a new version of AK 47 I was inspired to see if I could bring PBI into modernish Africa.  I was reading through an old issue of The Society of 20th Century Wargamers Journal and found what I wanted.  Issue 69 from spring 2010 had " Outre-Mer" two scenarios by GL Richards about foreign Legion operations in africa in the 1990s.  One of these was the 2nd regiment of the FFL had deployed to secure the airport of Brazzaville in 1997 to ensure westerners could evacuate during yet another civil war in Zaire.  They were attacked by rebel forces including a T-72 tank!  Now I can work with that!

Rules would be PBI with my activation system a la Piquet.  I decided to use squares made up of 4 hexes for this battle; each square 60 by 60 yards.  As I wanted the french outnumbered I only used 2 platoons of french.  I need more transport for the French and more rebels!  It turns out I need a helicopter as well...  

   The southern half of the airport.  The French can start dug in.  Rebels will arrive from the right.  Scenario will be Defense of Hasty Attack from Platoon Forward.  

 Don't have a control tower so an italian church steeple substitutes in.  

The Company

Capt DuLuc      Brilliant Leader    

1st Platoon     Lt Boros     Avg

1st squad   Sgt Muroph   [ French] transfered into FFL for more challenge  Good leader.  All french squads with LRAC bazooka and automatic rifles.  

2nd Platoon    Lt Valintine   Avg        All squads are Veteran

1st squad   Big Swede  [ Swedish.  No one remembers his name.  Everyone calls him Big Swede.] Good leader

2 ATGMs    6 VAB armored transport.  1 Sniper

The company.  3 stands per squad.  Capt DuLocs tricked out jeep.  

So the company has to guard the airport 24/7.  1 platoon [3rd] has been detached elsewhere leaving you with 2 platoons.  What is your plan mon capitaine?  

Duloc has 1 platoon guarding the southern half of the airport per 24 hours.  The other platoon is at rest in the green hanger.  For the active platoon... 

 

one full squad plus transport is at the airport gate.

The other 2 squads are half manned in foxholes overlooking the jungle.  Men take 4 hour shifts with at least 2 NCOs on the line ensuring water discipline. Currently Sgt Muroph is the Sr NCO.

I just thought this was a neat shot of the airport terminal.  

 

Per scenario instructions the blinds are divided into 4 groups.  The "Cs" really have to enter by the road and both end up being tanks. 

On the french left are 4 bases and a MMG.  They will offer suppressive fire to allow the main attack to charge.

They open the attack with withering fire on the central french position. 
 

 It pins Moroph and several legionaries go down. 

On the french right the gate comes under fire from the nearby jungle. 

Then the main rebel body approaches the french line!  

French fire pins the rebels but Sgt Muroph goes down, fatally shot by a rebel bullet.  This is not going to steady 1st squad nor 1st platoon.  Also the legionaries find out that LRACs are great against T-55s but are worthless against front armor of T-72s. 

The central rebel forces are actually 2 groups.  The rebel forces proper whose goal is the center and army forces that have come over to the rebel side.  Their mission is to storm the gate.  A french missile comes towards a T-72 but misses.  

 At the end of turn 1 [ 5 minutes].  Lt Boros [ left] running to the line of 1st platoon as are the rest of the platoon.  Remnants of 1st squad have voluntarily retreated to the gate from their central foxholes. 3rd squad [ top] laying down fire.

[ this is where I really like the Piquet like activations] The rebel army tanks that are suppose to charge the gate are confused.  They have never been in combat before; just parades! 

 

The army infantry and rebels on the french right decide not to wait for the tanks and press in.  The VAB MMG pins the army. 

 The rebel fearless leader goes over to rally the tankers.  He urges them in the name of the people to shoot at the french transport!  

 Duly motivated, the lead tank fires.  The people have spoken!  

Third card is Unique event!  Enemy reinforcements above what the scenario call for; boo!

With the gate pressed the army, the rebels on the french right go around the flank towards the airport.  

A close up shot.  DuLoc is the the tower proper.  He has a sniper in the tower.  He orders 2nd platoon [ green hangar] to stop this incursion.  Lt Boros [ right] still trying to make it to his platoon. 

 Out comes Big Swede but he is quickly pinned down.  
 

Meanwhile, rebels take over the central foxholes but are devastated by 1st platoon fire. 

 The scenario reinforcements show up [left] and the unique events reinforcements are an additional 2 army squads plus a technical. 1st platoon is hard pressed and it is going to get harder still. 

 10 minutes into the action.  The gate is holding but Lt Boros is almost surrounded.  3rd squad [ top ] is fine but not adding too much to the fight.  Big Swede is pinned down near the airport.  the 2nd ATGM has been deployed at the end of the runway [top left]. 2 squads left in reserve.   It looks grim for the legion.

The rebels reinforce the central foxholes while the tank shells the gate; causing casualties.  Lt Boros remembers all those legion movies he saw as a kid.  It is too much.  The survivors in the squad break and run back towards the hanger.  [ PBI has a great mechanism where casualties mount and then cause a morale check.  In the rules bases run away as it speeds the game.  I have where they retreat to the next cover.]  The gate is lost! 

 

A ray of hope!  Big Swede being Big Swede, rallies his men then puts down devastating fire that wipes out the rebels in front of him.  

Lt Valantine decides to take the offensive.  He moves up with 2nd squad on the right hoping to flank the gate.  
 

15 minutes into the action.  Only 3rd squad up top holds their original positions.  The french have two squads in front of the airport proper.  The rebel army is pinned down on the french right and haven't occupied the gate yet.  ATGMs have been surprisingly inaccurate.

 Capt Duloc comes out to rally 2nd squad/1st platoon so Lt Boros can go and steady 3rd squad. [ as casualties mount in the platoon it becomes harder to keep them steady.] Big Swede is standing there being Big Swede.

Finally an ATGM hits a rebel tank! 

The army moves up and occupies the gate.

 The rebels on the french left finally decide to advance.  The MMG goes back towards the army while the rebels move up on 3rd squad.  

 two events in one game!!  Wow.  This one is French reinforcements.  I could have brought in the 3rd platoon but that would have been too easy.  How about air support; a helicopter!!!!

I actually have 2 PAH german helicopters I haven't built yet.  I guess I will have to make one french. But for today this will be a Gazelle helicopter!!!  I don't have rules for airpower yet but it will strafe two squares when the airpower card comes up.  All the rebels in the middle should be an inviting target plus maybe we can get the second T-72.

Meanwhile, Lt Boros shows up to 3rd squad who is  pinned by rebel fire...  

 

and rallies them.

 Capt Duloc is happy to hear the helicopter overhead.  It should help his hardpressed men.  It starts it's attack run.  [ I don't have rules for anti aircraft fire yet either.  I thought I would roll two dice; doubles meaning it took enough fire to turn away...

you have got to be kidding!!!??!  [ Well they are french aircrew]  The rebels put up enough fire towards the Gazelle that it turns away before it's attack run trailing a thin wisp of smoke. Merde! " It is just us then." he thinks.  

We are now 20 minutes into the battle. 

   First card for turn 5.  I have never had 3 events in one game.  Who shuffled these cards?  This one is a leadership check on a french leader.  This means he has potentially lost situational awareness and might do something you would rather he not do such as charge or retreat.  It is outlined in PF.  Lt Boros gets a check.
 

He decides his position is too exposed and brings 3rd squad back towards the airfield.  

 

The rebels move up in the center threatening the airfield and ATGM. [ you can't move diagonally in PBI] Big Swede turns to face the new threat.  

Big Swede ( with the help of 3rd squad in the hangar) guns down the rebels in the center!

 

MG fire pins Big Swede and 1st squad while Lt Valentine falls. 

 

25 minutes into the battle.  French right flank bending badly as 2nd squad/2nd platoon pinned and taking casualties at the billboard.  Big Swede pinned and Lt Valentine WIA.  There really is no French center as 3rd Squad/2nd platoon and remnants of 1st platoon are in the hangar.  [ Capt Duloc is just north of Big Swede having failed to rally 2nd squad/1st Platoon.]   Rebels on the French right in strong position in good cover.  Rebels on the french left [ top] advancing towards the airfield.  Rebels in the center pinned with many casualties.  They will have to take a morale check at the beginning of the turn.  Fearless leader is there to bolster morale but the men are badly shaken... 

Big Swede is relived to see the rebels turn tail and run back towards the road!  

 

With the rebel center gone.  The rebel right flank is too weak to attack the airport.  The rebel army troops are in good position but it is a chancy proposition to attack the french by themselves...

The army Captain decides it would be better to go back to base and wait to see how this thing turns out.   He orders his men and the tank back to base.

Capt Duloc can't believe all the rebels turn and go while he has only one full squad and Big Swede's squad left.  Viva La France!  

 

Great Game!  I wasn't sure if the legion would hold out or not.  Automatic rifles are deadly against troops in open ground.  The system worked great.  

Post game multiple things happen as usual.  

For 1st platoon there is one change.  2nd squad that held the gate so well makes their roll and becomes veteran.  Their NCO is Sgt. Hochstetter from Germany.  He was an accomplished thief who just made it into a Legion office ahead of Interpol.  His leadership increases to good.

For 2nd platoon Lt Valentine lives but is medivaced back to France.  With a shortage of officers it is a no brainer to put the Big Swede in charge of 2nd platoon.  His replacement will be Carporal Grandee from France.  A university graduate with the legion only 2 years he joined looking for adventure and he has found it.  

The last event was the battalion S-4 was talking with Lt Botros about the constantly changing situation in the country.  He mentioned that Doctors without Borders had asked for some protection in getting medical supplies to outlying hospitals during this crisis.  Botros, ever the idealist, thought it was a great idea and volunteered immediately.  Looks like I better get that helicopter painted up.

 

Enjoy

Joe