Crossroads ambush--Afghanistan

 With all the news about Afghanistan recently I decided to pull out my squad and play a game.  Their last battle was a close run thing found on this blog 8 May of this year.   So I rolled up Ambuscale from Grunts Forward.  I have 4 Afghan national police I have never used and wanted to get them involved.  So I decided a foot patrol through a small village with a small detachment of ANP.    Rolled up the board and viola!

Lt Richards Called McMann into his office.  Capt Ross wants us to go to a nearby village and do a foot patrol as a show of force.  Nothing spectacular and no intel.  Should be easy.  We will go tomorrow after breakfast.  There should be ANP there; we can shake hands and then ignore them.    Sgt McMann noticed the LT had said "we" so he would have company.  The LT wasn't bad he was just inconsistent in his dealings with the men.  McCann had mentioned it to him but it hadn't seem to do much good.  Oh well, should be a short trip.   

Capt Ross had told Lt Richards to send more time with Sgt McMann.  See how he interacts with the troops.  They respect him.   I know tactics thought Richards, today I will learn better how to interact with my men.

Characters:

Lt Richards  ROTC son of a wealthy merchant       mercurial       position       Avg ldr

Sgt McMann    Fisherman                                        Cheery          wealth         Avg ldr

Squad morale +1 when FTs are with McMann.  

1st FT    LCpl Schlact    acting FT lead                                                             poor ldr

2nd FT  Cpl  Anderson   son of a miner                  idealistic         wealth         poor ldr

Foot patrol coming back from hobnobbing in the small market.  1st FT in the lead.   Markers are blinds created by the scenario.    ANP set up next to the market.  

 My newly painted ANP.  Ready to rock with poor skills, poor morale and poor leadership!

Lt Richards had learned some by observing McMann.  McMann also, was smart enough to give the LT leeway to be the LT.  It was Richards who had chatted broken phrases with the ANP.  Overall it had been a good day.    [ Lt Richards, Medic, Sgt McMann, SAW and assistant SAW]

From a nearby rooftop a "sniper" takes aim as the Americans enter the crossroads...

Pvt Johnson on point goes down from a shot.  Shots roar out from nearby buildings.  The fireteam's nerve breaks as they hug the ground... [ Figures on the roofs are actually in the buildings.  It is easier for me to have them on top.  These buildings don't have removable roofs.]

The SAW gunner gets hit next.  Suddenly LCpl Schlact feels very lonely at the crossroads.  He crawls to render aid.  Johnson is not badly hurt, the Saw gunner is.   

Meanwhile 2nd FT and HQ was luckier; no casualties.  They were forced back into the market stalls however...

dragging 1 civilian casualty.  Doc works feverishly.  

2FT starts to try to win the firefight but they are stunned.   The ANP start to add their fire.

Well not everyone adds their fire.  1 ANP flees the scene.  [ Had a random event that called for a non combat casualty to the ANP unit.  Thought having someone flee the fighting made sense. ] 

As Schlact is wondering what to do with his 2 WIA his Hummer drives up!   Schlact coolly opens the doors and shoves everyone in.  Despite a couple of RPGs they will get out safe.

Mid game.    Schlact leaving the scene stage left.  Closest hummer moving up to support the LT.  ANP/2FT firefight a draw so far.    LT failed to call in air support.  

Taliban shifting to the US right flank.

1 turn later.  Taliban fire has sent the ANP into hiding.  Accurate fire has reduced fire coming from the building in front of Lt Richards.  With the Hummer in place he decides now is the time to charge.  Sgt McMann concurs...

I thought I had a shot of the charge but don't.   The hummer takes out the last bad guy so our heroes break in to see several KIA and 1 WIA taliban.  

 

 While our heroes secure the building the Taliban take one last shot literally to turn the tide...

it missed!

With the US in charge of the building the ambush is no longer paying dividends so the Taliban retreat back into the village.   

Very fun and very quick game.  I declared it a win for the squad.  1 serious WIA and 1 lt wound against 1 prisoner, 3 confirmed dead.   Not a bad ambush.  Schlact is promoted to Cpl based on McMann's and the LTs recommendations and given 1st FT.  He also makes his leadership roll and is now average.  1st FT's losses are made good.  Lastly Lt Richard's meets Lt Aaron who is the deputy S-4 [ supply] and they become friends.  Good for the platoon to know someone in supply!  

Enjoy

Joe

Cold War Tanker an AAR

 Have played a couple of SAGA battles lately but they don't don't seem to make good AARs.  This last weekend I had a yen to put models on the table and move them around in a challenging game that would play quick--- What a Tanker by TFLs fit the bill nicely but I wanted to get some of my modern buildings on the table so pulled out my variant, Cold War Tanker!  

I wrote Cold War Tanker several years ago and frankly don't play as much as I use to.   That said, I think CWT is a nice addition to the tanker game and does give the feel of playing in the cold war particularly if you use the platoon rules for the Warsaw pact.  I am flattered that it still sells despite absolutely no advertising at all other than word of mouth.  Thank you to all who have bought it and my other products.  I donated $700 dollars to my local food bank last year.  

The Battle.   US defends a small town.  Vanilla Abrams, M901 and infantry AT team vrs attacking Soviets PT 76, 3 T-72s[platoon] and a Storm ATG.

I bought this 18 months ago at a black friday sale when my dad was alive and never got around to opening it.  Finally did and pimped it out.  Hope you like it Dad!

ATG team finds a nice spot.

901

Only an Abrams would set up in a Gas station! ( this counts as concealment)

Russians enter with PT 76 in the lead.  M901 fires a missile that misses!  The ATG team fails to acquire a T-72. 

The Russian light tank moves towards the M 901 while the tanks attempt to form echelon and look for targets.  

Good shot of the Russkies!

ATG team acquires and aims/fires at the lead russian tank...

one platoon leader KIA!

Meanwhile the PT 76 gets initiative over the M901 and the 901 pays the price.  

Losing their platoon leader causes the russian tankers to loose 2 dice during their next turn and they have -2 to their initative so the Abrams comes up and fires... but misses.

Our ATG team fires...

and does not!

Situation mid game.   Abrams moves back to the gas station.  Russion ATG moves into woods looking for the US ATG team. PT- 76 moves looking to get to rear of Abrams or to take out ATG team.  Russian tank hoping to move at some point.

Russinas finally spot the americans behind the wall.  You don't have to roll to hit a squad but you do to hit just a team...

Small target, behind a wall with a missile  is very challenging.  This will take a while...

Russian tank on the move.  Who says imperial advertising is all bad? 

First shot kill on an Abrams!   A bit lucky with the dice.  I used the first version of the Abrams to give the russians a chance but I didn't expect this; nuts.  

Now everyone closes in on our poor ATG team.   They have to take at least one out to have a chance.

First shot from the T-72 results in even number of hits to saves causing the team to pull back.  Thus they lose their aim on the Storm.   Better part of valor at this point is to leave.     Game to the Russians.

 Fun game that took less than an hour.  I really should play this more often.  I had time for a second game; german against german.   Also very fun.  No report just a couple of pictures.

 Germans entering cautiously.

 Cool picture showing my McDonalds but no horizon...

Looks better, no?

Why do you think I am fixated with the McDonalds?

German infantry about to take out a Luchs. (warning infantry in the open are vulnerable.)

Enjoy!

Joe

 

Second mission with my Phantoms

 Readers of this blog should not be surprised that my next game played was not Sgt Bomba but with Capt Johnny doing yet another MIGCAP over North Vietnam.  Please look at June 27th for his last mission and a write up  of "double dimes".  

Johnny and his backseater had gained a little notoriety following their Mig kill.  Unfortunately since it had been a radar guided missile fired at the beginning of an engagement no particular lessons were learned.   Still people now thought of him as a "tactics expert".   

MIGCAP over NorthVietnam escorting thuds bombing some oil tanks.     I have thuds painted up now and have made up some encounter charts for MIGCAPS.    This will be a playtest.   The doubledimes will still send a flight.  This time the 2 unpopular pilots sit while Rattler and Joey fly.  They will form an element while Bruce will slide over to be johnny's wingman and learn from the master.  

Characters

Capt johnny Foreman     Vet      1 kill

    Lt Bruce Lawson         Avg

2nd element

Lt Rattler Cain              Avg

    Lt Joey Armanda      Green   crackshot skill

My newly painted Thuds.  Be careful boys!  

Buick flight over North Vietnam

 

I roll up 4 Mig 21s and the Migs have the advantage. [ probably from their ground control.] 

The Migs formation is 2 plus 2 in trail.  The first 2 start to work their way around Buick flight.  

Joey's WSO finally spots bandits 3 o'clock high!  

 

Rattler and Joey are quickly and trouble.    Johnny tells them to keep calm as he gets on the Migs' 6!

the Thuds rumble on!

The Mig's see the sandwich when warned by their trail and work to extricate themselves.  Unfortunately the trail goes after the thuds.   Johnny tells Rattler to stop them!  

 

Just when you think things couldn't get worse 2 Mig 19s pop up behind the Thuds.  [ 33% chance that.  might have to work on these tables some more.] 

Fortunately their ambush is ineffective.  Thud lead element drops ordinance and goes to work.  

Rattler and Joey bore in to the trail Migs.  [ historically the trail Mig was the lead shooter.  Here he is the only average pilot.  Rattler doesn't know that yet.] 

He knows it now.  The Mig pilot quickly gets behind Rattler and lets loose a missle...

It impacts right by the cockpit.  No chutes are seen by the stunned Joey Armanda.  

Mid game.   2 thuds continue to streak towards the target mid left.  2 thuds parry with 2 Mig 19s.  Joey now has his hands fill with 2 Mig 21s bottom.  Johnny and Bruce are neutral to 2 Migs middle of the picture as they swirl with neither gaining an advantage.  

Next turn.     Joey climbs and gains distance from the Phantom killers before turning around now in radar missile range.  The Mig 19s, having missed the ambush, leave.   Johnny and the 2 original Migs continue to burn gas in the sky.  

To Johnny's horror the Mig gets on his 6!.  He twists and turns his phantom.  What he doesn't realize is that the Mig achieved a lock on and fired a missile here but the missile turned out to be a dud. [ 30% chance that.] 

Desperate Johnny goes into afterburner! 

It works and soon Johnny is right back where he wants to be!

Fire!  

The Mig pilot turns right before impact and the missile explodes near the Mig.  The engine starts to smoke but it doesn't go down.   Rats thinks Johnny.

End game.    Joey is holding his own but can't achieve a lock on.    The damaged Mig and wingman escape into the cloud deck.   The air battle is over almost as fast as it started.   Poor Rattler; RIP.   But the mission isn't over...

2 Thuds with bombs come in low to bomb some oil tanks!  The flak is intense but surprising clear! 

Thud 1 hits the target but reports lose of fuel after going over the target.  Can make it to Laos but not home.   Thud 2 hits target...

Target heavily damaged!    Should be out for a while but at what cost?   

Great game that took a while with some many planes in the air.  I declared it a loss for the squadron.  Rattler for a damaged Mig even with the loss of no Thuds.    Obviously need to playtest these table some more but it certainly was challenging.    Post battle Lt Bruce Lawson makes his roll and becomes a veteran pilot.  He informally takes Rattler's place as johnny's #2.  Rattler is not replaced yet nor is the plane.  The squadron commander, LtCol Glasson has decided he is going on the next mission.  Should be fun!

Enjoy

Joe