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| A T-64 Battalion of 1 Guards Tank Rgt on the move |
Foe this week's game we returned to out (happily fictional) WW3 in 1981. I ran this over the weekend for Bertrand and Jack as the Sovs and US commanders respectively and again on Tuesday & Wednesday evenings for the usual Sheffield crew. This report is part 1 of the first game.
In short, we are in the Fulda Gap. Two regiments of 20 Guards Motor Rifle Division are heading for Frankfurt having sliced through 11 Armored Cavalry Regt on the border earlier this morning. A US battalion has been deployed and another is on it's way.
In terms of the logistics of the game, I had it set up on my table and the players joined by Skype. I 'flew' my iPad over the battlefield as we needed to look at particular areas.
The field of battle. The arrow points north.. Fulda is in the NW corner, the N-S autobahn is the A7, the spur heading west is the A66. The Sovs are expected from the NW. Each hex is 1km across. Most stands are NATO companies or Warpact half-battalions.
The commander of 1GTR photographed during a pre-war exercise.
As the action opened, disorganised elements of 11ACR are heading south. The stand to the north is the Recce Co from 1GTR
A tank btl and motor rifle btl from 1GTR heads south.
A US force based on a Mech Inf Btl digs in on Hill 401
1GTR Recce takes up position on Hill 402
Another US Btl arrives from the west. Note the explosion markers indicating SCUD strikes on Fulda and Dirlos. HE warheads only of course!
The Yanks on the hill come under pressure but the Troop from 11ACR (bottom left) has pulled itself together.
A Soviet airstrike (MIG-27s if it's of any interest) hit Hill 401 and then US Cobras hove into view.
The Cobras loosed off a few TOW at the Sov tanks which then closed with the Americans.
1GTR having completed it's arrival, the second regiment (29 Motor Rifle Rgt) arrives from the east.
Following a successful assault by the MR btl of 1GTR the Sovs were in charge of Hill 401. More MIGs arrived and upset the retreating Americans.
By now the US forces had been driven back to Dirlos but the hail of Cobra-launched TOW were keeping the Sovs at bay. We paused at this point with everything still to play for.
I hate to be picky but the recce on Hill 402 are from 29GMRR.... (can't you see the markings!)
ReplyDeleteMartin Rapier
ReplyDeleteI can see the markings - and the Recce Co is from 1GTR!
I think that the Soviets should be made to dither for several turns whilst they sort out where their units are....
ReplyDeleteLooks like it was great fun.
ReplyDeleteHexs must make it easy to keep track of where everything is right?
Cheers,
Pete.
Only if they are numbered in some way. Hence all the hill and town names. I found out the hard way running a ww1 game that on a webcam one hexon hex looks much like another.
DeleteThere is a NATO SECRET map with a grid referencing system on it, but it hasn't done us much good so far.
ReplyDeleteHi Tim- I've not played any Cold War games - though 6mm looks the way to go for a really big battle. A very nice collection you have there. Cheers. KEV.
ReplyDeleteAh, I had completely missed that this is a different game to the one we were playing! Doh.
ReplyDeleteLike the reverse slope defence of Hill 401, very professional.
John Armatys
ReplyDeleteThat sort of thing doesn't need rules!
Pete
ReplyDeleteThe hexes certainly help - as does labelling landmarks.
Kev Robertson
ReplyDeleteThe playing area was 1x1metres, and each hex was 1km across, so this game represented the sharp end of a division attack.