Rick stopped by in the evening
to play some more Force on Force. I had a little more time to prepare – and we
had a little more time to play – so I cooked up something a little more
elaborate than the game I’d played earlier in the day…
SITUATION
September 1984
There has been fierce fighting
for the last two weeks in Edinburgh, Scotland, since the Soviet 76th
Guards Airborne Division landed. As the Soviets supplies dwindled the UK forces
have been slowly gaining the upper hand. UK forces have been clearing pockets
of resistance in outlying neighborhoods.
SCENARIO
Duration: 8 turns
Initiative: Soviets have
initiative.
Fog of War: Determined normally
by Reaction Tests
Table Size: 5’x4’
BRITISH MISSION
Cordon and sweep the area for
Soviets – don’t let them escape!
BRITISH VICTORY POINTS
1VP per Soviet Seriously
Wounded, KIA or POW
5VP if no soviets leave the
western edge of the table.
BRITISH FORCE
Initiative Level: D8
Confidence Level: Confident
Supply Level: Normal
Body Armour: None
Troop Quality/Morale: D8/D10
British Forces – elements of the
1st Bn Royal Highland Regiment (the Black Watch)
Blocking Party (starts on table)
Sergeant Anderson - SMG
Section No.1
LCpl. Gilchrist –SLR
Gunner – L4 Bren
Assistant Gunner – SLR
Rifleman - SLR
Section No.2
Cpl. Ross –SLR
Gunner – GPMG
Assistant Gunner – SLR
Rifleman – SLR
SF-GPMG Team
Gunner – SF-GPMG
Loader – SLR
(Weapons Team Bonus)
Sweeping Party – Enters East
Edge of table starting on Turn Four
Command Section
Lt. Paterson – SMG
Signaler – Pte. Young - SLR
Medic – Cpl. Todd
Section No.3
Cpl. Stewart
Gunner – L$ Bren
Assistant Gunner – SLR
Rifleman – SLR
Section No.4
LCpl. McLaren
3xRifleman – SLR
Section No.5
LCpl. Craig – SLR
3xRifleman – SLR
Section No.6
LCpl. Watt – SLR
3xRifleman – SLR
Section No.7
Cpl. Ritchie – SLR
Gunner – GPMG
Assistant Gunner – SLR
Rifleman – SLR
Section No.8
Cpl. McQueen– SLR
Gunner – L4 Bren
Assistant Gunner – SLR
Rifleman – SLR
SOVIET MISSION
A large British force is
approaching from the east. The soviets cannot let themselves be surrounded and
destroyed they must escape off the western table edge.
SOVIET VICTORY POINTS
1VP per British Seriously
Wounded, KIA or POW
5VP if half the Soviet force can
make it off the western table edge by the end of Turn Eight.
SOVIET FORCE
Initiative Level: D8
Confidence Level: Confident
Supply Level: Low
Body Armour: None
Troop Quality/Morale: D8/D8
Red Forces – Elements Soviet 237th
Airborne Brigade
Leytenant Borris Pavylchenko–
AK-74
Sniper – Ryadovoy Khalipov - SVD
Team No.1
Team Leader Serzhant Bobrov–
AK-74
Gunner – RPG
Assistant Gunner – AK-74
Rifleman – AK-74
Team No.2
Team Leader Serzhant Yeltsov –
AK-74
Gunner – PKM machine gun
Assistant Gunner Serzhant
Laskutin – AK-74
Rifleman – AK-74
Team No.3
Team Leader Serzhant Pushkin –
AK-74
Gunner – RPG
Assistant Gunner – AK-74
Rifleman – AK-74
Team No.4
Team Leader Serzhant Ahernikov –
AK-74
Gunner – PKM machine gun
Assistant Gunner – AK-74
Rifleman – AK-74
Team No.5
Team Leader Serzhant Ikashev –
AK-74
Gunner – RPG
Assistant Gunner – AK-74
Rifleman – AK-74
THE GAME
(Remember: click on the pictures
for a bigger version)
SF-GPMG team looks out over a desolate street in Edinburgh.
The blocking party set up. The SF-GPMG team is in the bottom
right corner The rest of the blocking party is further ahead. To the left is
LCpl. Gilchrist’s section, to the right is Cpl. Ross’ section, and between them
is Sergeant Anderson commanding the blocking force.
Soviets fleeing the searchers move towards the blocking element.
From left to right; Serzhant Bobrov’s team, Serzhant Yeltsov
‘s team, and Serzhant Pushkin’s team with Leytenant Pavylchenko and Khalipov
the sniper. Ikashev and Ahernikov team’s were on the other side of the road
TURN ONE
LCpl. Gilchrist’s section spotted the first of the Soviet paratroopers
moving towards them and opened fire on Serzhant Bobrov’s team. In the exchange
one of Gilchrist’s section was shot.
TURN TWO
The casualty in LCpl. Gilchrist’s section turned out to be
very seriously wounded and the section spent the turn trying to patch him up.
Khalipov the sniper set himself up on overwatch… kind of out
in the open…
Serzhant Bobrov’s team surged ahead. Cpl. Ross’ section made
to fire on them but Khalipov the sniper decided to interrupt first.
Khalipov’s shots only drew Ross’ section attention and in the
exchange the sniper went down.
In the exchange of fire between Cpl. Ross’ section and
Serzhant Bobrov’s team each took one casualty.
Meanwhile the other soviet teams were rushing up the road.
How things looked at the end of Turn Two. I think the
SF-GPMG had tried to react to Serzhant Bobrov’s team rushing out into the road
and failed so they were so busy looking over in that direction to see where
they had gotten to that they totally missed the three other soviet teams
rushing up the road toward them!?
TURN THREE
The casualty in Cpl. Ross’ section turned out to be only
lightly wounded and back up on the firing line in no time. The downed man in
Serzhant Bobrov’s team, however, was more seriously injured, and the team had
to halt there, in the middle of the road, to attend to him. Luckily Serzhant
Yeltsov‘s team was right behind them and ready to charge past into the fray.
The GPMG team opened up as Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team ran out
from between the two ruined buildings – but had little effect. LCpl.
Gilchrist’s section, the target of their attempted close assault laid down some
withering defensive fire and took down the man in front of Yeltsov, who flew
back and knocked the two over. More or less ending the charge before it even
got started!?
LCpl. Gilchrist’s section then turned their attention to the
Soviet paratroopers in the street to their right. Serzhant Ikashev’s team made
a dash for cover, and LCpl. Gilchrist’s section let them have it. Three soviets
were shot down in the exchange, but one of LCpl. Gilchrist’s men was also hit.
The intensity of the combat kicked up a notch as the section
continued to engage the other Soviet teams moving in the street. When the dust
had settled Cpl. Ross’ section had taken two casualties, failed morale twice
and fallen back from their original position, and the SF-GPMG team had been
wiped out, in exchange for only one more soviet casualty.
TUNR FOUR
The casualty in LCpl. Gilchrist’s section was only lightly
wounded. And the “casualties” in Cpl. Ross’ section – whose screaming had
forced him to abandon his original position, turned out to be completely okay.
(Pte. Niven had been hit in one of his kidney pouches where he kept a bottle of
ketchup – he simply cannot each ANYTHING without ketchup- and the exploding
bottle had covered him and his mate Pte. McLurg with red paste and left then
screaming thinking they’d both been hit). Despite that, they spent the turn
“regrouping” – probably laughing themselves silly for a moment while lying in
cover.
Serzhant Ikashev’s team had suffered two seriously injured
and one lightly wounded. Serzhant Pushkin’s team had also suffered one lightly
wounded. Serzhant Ahernikov’s team has taken cover behind a pile of rubble in
the street.
The man in Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team who had been shot as they
leapt out to charge had been shot dead.
Things went badly for the Soviets at this point as nearly
the whole sweeping party arrived, hot on their heels!
(from left to right, above, are:
Cpl. Stewart’s section, LCpl. McLaren’s section, LCpl. Craig’s section, LCpl.
Watt’s section, the command section with Lt. Paterson, and finally, in the
bottom right corner, Cpl. Ritchie’s section)
Again the soviets in front of LCpl. Gilchrist’s section
attempted to enter close assault. This time it was Serzhant Bobrov’s team. This
time Gilchrist’s section’s defensive fire was not so effective – and there was
no one else to give them any support.
In two quick rounds LCpl. Gilchrist’s section, along with
Sergeant Anderson, were wiped out. They had only caused one soviet casualty…
Elsewhere, Serzhant Ahernikov’s team, was wiped out in and
exchange of wire with LCpl. McLaren’s Section and LCpl. Craig’s section. One of
LCpl. McLaren’s men was also shot in the exchange.
Serzhant Pushkin’s team made a dash for cover, exchanging
fire with LCpl. Craig and LCpl. Watt’s sections. One of Pushkin’s men fell as
they ran and one of LCpl. Craig’s men was shot.
Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team prepares to scarper as Cpl.
Ritchie’s section moves into a
firing position.
TURN FIVE
The Soviet wounded in the close assault was only lightly
injured. The three members of LCpl. Gilchrist’s section that were still
standing when the soviet overran their position were killed instantly. Sergeant
Anderson had been overpowered and captured, stripped of his weapon, then
summarily executed.
Serzhant Pushkin’s man turned out to be totally okay. The
man that had fallen had only stumbled on loose rubble in the street.
The chap in LCpl. Craig’s section that had been hit also
turned out to be totally okay. The casualty in LCpl. McLaren’s section,
however, was quite seriously wounded.
What remained of Serzhant Ikashev’s team went on overwatch.
Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team scarpered before Cpl. Ritchie’s
section could lay down some effective fire.
Cpl. Ross’ section’s laugh-fest ended abruptly when they
realized LCpl. Gilchrist’s section had been annihilated and they were now
taking fire from Serzhant Bobrov’s team. Cpl. Ross’ section returned the fire
taking down one of Serzhant Bobrov’s men.
Serzhant Pushkin’s team dashed from the cover of the
building to the rubble heap in the middle of the road. LCpl. Craig and LCpl.
Watt’s sections reacted and Serzhant Ikashev’s overwatching team interrupted
LCpl. Craig’s sections fire. Two of LCpl. Craig’s men were injured, and int eh
exchange between Serzhant Pushkin’s team and LCpl. Watt’s section, both
suffered one casualty.
The state of things at the end of Turn Five.
What a mess. Time is running out for the Soviets!
In the End Phase the British Command team made a dash
towards the road so that Cpl. Todd, the medic, might be able to assist with
LCpl. Craig’s casualties.
TURN SIX
LCpl. Craig’s section suffered one lightly wounded and one
seriously wounded. Cpl. Watt’s team only suffered one Lightly wounded. Serzhant
Pushkin’s man was okay – clumsy bastard just keeps tripping over everything!?
Finally the casualty in Serzhant Bobrov’s team was only lightly wounded.
Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team continues to run for it!
Serzhant Bobrov’s team continues to exchange fire with Cpl.
Ross’ section. Three of Serzhant Bobrov’s are injured in the intense, close
range firefight.
Serzhant Ikashev’s team tries to make a break for it but are
shot down by LCpl. McLaren and LCpl. Watt’s sections.
Serzhant Pushkin’s team makes a dash straight up the road
but the intervening rubble prevents any of the british from getting a clear
shot.
TURN SEVEN
All three of the casualties in Serzhant Bobrov’s team are
seriously wounded – including Serzhant Bobrov himself.
Lt. Paterson, who had moved up to the soviet snipers
position at the end of the last turn, found him to be seriously wounded.
Serzhant Yeltsov‘s team makes a break for the table edge –
fire from Cpl. Ross’ section takes down two of them, but the third passes
morale and drags his wounded comrades across the table edge with him. One
turned out to be okay, the other was seriously wounded.
Serzhant Pushkin’s team exchanged fire with LCpl. McLaren’s
section taking one casualty before making it to cover near the original SF-GPMG
position
TURN EIGHT
Serzhant Pushkin’s team member they had dragged from the
street turned out to be dead. They found the two British GPMG guners to be only
lightly wounded, but shot them down where they’d been cowering under cover. The
three remaining Paratroopers then fled off the table… but not before Cpl. Ross’
section could put some bullets in the backs of two of them – seriously wounding
them!
The remaining member of Serzhant Bobrov’s team tried to fire
the teams RPG at Cpl. Ross’ section but was gunned down before he could finish
loading. He was killed in an instant….
British
KIA: 6
Seriously Wounded: 2
Lightly Wounded: I lost track… a couple…
Soviets
16 Seriously wounded, Killed in Action, and other POWs left
on the table.
Of those than made it off only three were okay the other
three were seriously wounded.
The British scored 19 victory points for all those wounded,
dead and prisoners, but were denied the additional bonus five for not allowing
any soviets to escape.
The soviets didn’t even get close to half their troops off
the table and only scored 9 points for the seriously wounded and dead they
suffered upon the British (or Scots, rather…).
A good game. I’m starting to get a better sense of the game.
Not one Fog of War card came out – though I think we may have missed one
opportunity in the excitement of the moment…
In terms of scenario design, I think if I'd staggered the arrival of the British sweeping party things might have been a bit more challenging for the British and not so harsh for the Soviets....
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I have a big batch of Modern Germans on the workbench I’m
plugging away at for some reason. It seemed like a good idea at the time I
started…?
I really need to work on some terrain and vehicles…
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