Monday 13 August 2018

Operation Gallic Grope - part 3

By now the lead French tanks were coming under a hail of fire from Saggers, T-55s, T-62s and 100mm AT guns concealed in the wood on their right. The original DDR plan had been for a flank attack but the remaining force was too weak for that.  Here a Mirage streaks in low to administer another bombing attack.

Meanwhile, back at the tractor factory, the Stasi (right) had gone blundering in to look things over.  They found - the hard way - an SAS detachment (left) also clad as DDR Police.  I the confused melee which followed the Brits got the upper hand.
And still the air strikes came in.  Here a DDR MiG-15 is escorted by a MiG-21.
Coming the other way is a French Jaguar and F-100D....

Suddenly the MiGs begin to jink about frantically...
...as the French top cover - a Mirage III pounces on the hapless MiG-15...
...and downs it!  Home for Absinthe and medals.
Then the Luftwaffe returned and bombed the treeline again.
Predictably, the carload of innocent civilians turned out to be DDR special forces so French infantry were dismounted to deal with them.
As is often the case the end of game photos were neglected in all the excitement. 
In short the French had eliminated the DDR MRR renmants and various Stasi stay-behinds.  French armour had crossed the railway line and was about 1km short of the canal.  The early destruction of the SAM battery had helped greatly.
Meanwhile, across the canal we can see parachutes....

That's all from Kakstadt Ost for the moment but we shall return...

12 comments:

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

Tim,

This has been a very interesting battle report, and show the advantages of fighting lawn battles.

All the best,

Bob

Pete. said...

Excellent game Tim. All of the troops fighting in mufti must have kept the players on their toes- were they allowed to suddenly take control of forces or were the units just deployed in an ambush?

Cheers,

Pete.

Don M said...

Very well done! The air fights were very stirring.

Peter Douglas said...

Great looking game. I'll second the comments on the air war.

Tim Gow said...

Bob Cordery
There’s really nothing quite like a lawn game.

Tim Gow said...

Pete
Being a game played between Gentlemen, we managed our own hidden movement and concealed positions.

Tim Gow said...

Don M
It’s almost as if I’d brought a big box of French and German aircraft and was determined to use them all....

Tim Gow said...

Peter Douglas
Nice to get in a lawn game without rain!

Funny Little Wars said...

From STASI HQ Schloss Kakstadt:

Frog Batt Surrender imminent. Imperialists now 'fixed' for devastating counter strike from the patriotic forces of the NVA and Proletarian allies.

Tim Gow said...

Vauban & Shandy
Come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough Comrade....

Funny Little Wars said...

Historical inevitability is on our side.

Tim Gow said...

Vauban & Shandy
If it’s 1979 now, I give it another ten years max....