The Cold War has just gone hot ! The Red Army are on the move, and on the first day of the fighting, BAOR forward units have scrambled into position to slow them down.
This is a Company Level 750 pt game, using the basic meeting scenario from the rulebook. Curiously BR levels for both forces are close, whereas in 500 pt games, the Red Army can almost double that of the BAOR.
A big change is that all distances are measured in cm, effectively giving me a 12ft x 12ft table, and I think this is a going to change things immensely. Reckoning on a ground scale of about 1cm = 50m (as tank guns of this era can fire out to about 3500m), I am playing on a 6km square surface. Pretty cool ! The down side may be that the game is slowed down, but I am playing this solo so it doesn't matter.
Playing solo obviously meant tinkering with the timed air and artillery strike rules, which I did as follows :
The battlefield is divided up into 30 x 30 squares (16 of them in this case), and each timed strike is assigned to one of them. At the start of their turn, a side calls in all of the timed strikes it wishes, and then rolls for availability. On a roll of 4+, the timed strike arrives. In case of failure, the timed strike must be rolled for on the following turn, with a +1 cumulative bonus to the die roll.
Should a timed strike arrive, it may be cancelled, but in that case the mission is lost and the points spent are wasted.
The strike must be directed onto its designated target square. It is automatically accurate if an Officer has LOS to the impact point, or if a Scout unit has LOS to the impact point and uses an Order. For this, the usual 70" maximum range for LOS is ignored.
Otherwise roll for deviation as per p.35, and then Fire for Effect.
Another necessary rules change, is that the 70" maximum LOS rule does not apply for any mortar or artillery spotter (I could alternatively give such units Forward Deployed).
From previous playing experience, I also decided to modify the rules for tanks firing at infantry. The usual rules are followed if the tanks use their machine-guns, however if they want to use HE rounds, they must acquire the target first. In this context, infantry are never considered in the open, and there is a +1 modifier to spot them.
Furthermore, on such a large battlefield, shots fired at long range are frequent. The idea that such shots automatically hit 1 in 6 times (on a '6') no matter the conditions of firer and target, bothers me. Factors can take the hit number up to 9, so I decided to play that. If the hit roll required is >6, the firer must obtain a '4', and then rolls a second dice, adding their values together to reach the target number. Hence a '7' to hit has a 1 in 9 chance, an '8' a 1 in 12 chance, and a '9' a 1 in 18 chance. I believe this change improves manoeuvre, as vehicles far from the enemy have less to fear from a mildly lucky shot. it will also make ATGMs more interesting.
Terrain on my battlefields works as follow. The rules for difficult and dangerous ground are p.18.
- Rolling Hills
Rolling Hills are open ground. A unit on the hill crest is Obscured (since hull-down). All hills are considered to be the same height. The LOS from a hill over any wooded area or building creates 20cm of dead ground.
- Steep Hills
Steep are difficult ground . A unit on the hill crest is Obscured (since hull-down). All hills are considered to be the same height. The LOS from a hill over any wooded area or building creates 20cm of dead ground.
- Woods
Woods are difficult ground. Line of sight is blocked after 5cm of woods. LOS traced through a wood causes the target to be Obscured, and ATGMs can fire out of them, but not through them. Woods offer Soft cover.
- Orchards
Orchards are open ground. Line of sight is blocked after 10cm of orchards. LOS traced through a wood causes the target to be Obscured, and
ATGMs can fire out of them, but not through them. Orchards offer Soft
cover.
- Rocky ground
Rocky ground is difficult ground. LOS is not blocked, but any LOS traced through rocky ground causes the target to be Obscured. Rocky ground offers Hard cover.
- Fields
Fields, ploughed or planted, are open ground. They do not block line of sight, but any LOS traced into (not through) the Field causes the target to be Obscured. Fields offer Soft cover.
- Marshlands
Marshes are dangerous ground. They do not block line of sight, nor cause a target to be Obscured. Marshes offer Soft cover to infantry (only).- Lakes and Rivers
A Lake is an impassable water feature. Vehicules with the Amphibious special rule can traverse it (p.19). They do not otherwise affect the battle.
- Roads
Apart from conferring a special movement bonus (p.18), a Road transforms any terrain into clear terrain, for purposes of movement, line of sight and obscuring.
- Walls and Hedges
Movement across Walls and Hedges is covered on p.18. A Wall or Hedge can be High, in which case it blocks LOS unless firer or target is in base contact with it; such a target is Obscured. If not it is Low, in which case it does not block line of sight, but any LOS traced through it causes the target to be Obscured. Hedges offer Soft cover and Walls offer Hard cover.
- Streams
A Stream, except at a Ford, is difficult ground for vehicles and dangerous ground for infantry. They do not otherwise affect the battle.
- Buildings
Moving into and out of Buildings is covered on p.19. Buildings block LOS, unless the firer or target is positioned at the corner of a Building, which causes the target to be Obscured. Buildings offer Hard cover, but may be modified to offer Reinforced cover.
- Trails
These are for visual purposes only.
The BAOR (58 BR) won the initiative, allowing them to position on the two hilltops, with a fairly good field of fire over the large triangle of open ground. To protect their right flank, they used an anti-tank ditch on the back side of the third hill. Red Army forces would no doubt try to turn both flanks, so to avoid them using the highway, a minefield was deployed in and around the trees lining it.
The BAOR have two timed 105mm artillery strikes, which are aimed at grid references C2 and D1.
Red Army (65 BR) forward elements, which were quite meagre, were deployed to engage the two hills from covered positions. With "Advance and Hold" orders, scout units would attempt to deploy infantry on the saddle of the hill closest to the Russian jump-off point.
The Red Army have a timed BM-21 rocket strike, aimed at D3, two timed 122mm artillery strikes, aimed at C3 and D3, and a MI-23 Flogger air strike targetted at B4; essentially a heavy concentration of fire on the two hills.
The Red Army is outscouted, taking a BR counter; nonetheless they are on the move and get to play first.
Turn 1 : Red Army
The Russians decide to call for their 122mm artillery strike on zone D3. The guns are ready, an Officer (the FOO) has a line of sight to the impact point, and the 6 tubes Fire for Effect. An FV-103 takes a direct hit and is destroyed, and the other three infantry and vehicle elements on the rise are pinned.
Turn 1 : BAOR
The BAOR react to the initial Russian moves on their right flank, and infantry on the left flank leaves their foxholes to advance towards the objective.
Turn 2 : Red Army
The Reds press forward, taking advantage of the BAORs static positions, and overrunning both objectives in no-mans land. There are some intense moments as infantry disembarking from BMPs take incoming sGPMG fire from the hilltops, but there are no casualties.
Turn 2 : BAOR
Fierce battles break out on both flanks. Under cover of machine-gun fire from the hill, British infantry hop-and-fire on the left flank, and take out one of the Russian infantry units there. On the opposing flank, two FV103 Saracens invest the wood, their disembarking infantry engaging in a fierce firefight with their adversaries, and a M72 LAW hit taking out their BMP-2.
Turn 3 : Red Army
As their T-64As arrive, the Reds begin to pull out of the objective on their right flank, under pressure from the oncoming British infantry. On the opposing flank, plenty of fire is laid down but nothing achieved.
Turn 3 : BAOR
Return fire from the BAOR was fairly desultory as well, but the forward deployed sniper did manage to score a kill on a dug-in 100mm AT gun, scattering its crew and putting it out of business.
Turn 4 : Red Army
A well placed 100mm AT shell took out the second Striker, over three kilometers away. A Sagger missile claimed a Sultan on the opposing flank, whilst the British sniper was also detected and pinned.
Turn 4 : BAOR
In an attempt to slow down the T-64As and give their FV-432 platoon time to deploy, the BAOR called down their 105mm strike on C2, guided in by the Fox scout vehicle. It did indeed take two tank crews by surprise. Firefights were definitely intensifying, as BAOR fire pinned the Russian infantry teams in the fields and sent an anti-tank team packing. On their left flank, British infantry took back the objective ! How long they would be able to hold it, would depend on reinforcements arriving.
Turn 5 : Red Army
The first part of the Russian main force arrives on the battlefield, with a Tactical Command Center, a ZSU-23-4, and a Rifle Platoon aboard BTR-60s, supported by a Sagger ATGM and an sGPMG team aboard a BTR-70. The Rifle Platoon was obviously tasked with retaking the recently lost objective, in which effort it would be supported by the Armoured Recon Patrol's BMP-2 that had made it back to the woods, and two T-64As making their way through them.
Turn 5 : BAOR
To counter the Russian offensive, the BAOR main column was led by a pair of FV-438 Swingfire and, to counter the imminent armoured threat, the battlegroup's four Chieftain Stillbrews. The battlegroup commander also joined the fray aboard his Fox scout car. British infantry took up strong positions in the fields, and a Milan ATGM closely missed its target, whilst Chieftains began to exchange fire with T-64As in the centre of the battlefield.
Turn 6 : Red Army
The Soviets brought on the second part of their main column, with two BMP-1 Rifle Platoons, a Supply Truck, and with an 82mm mortar battery ready and on call. The supply truck stood ready to resupply the AT-4 Spigot carried by the first of the Motorised Rifle Platoons.
With increasing command and control issues ahead, the Reds decided to roll for orders instead of the standard 12, a slightly risky choice with only 2 officers to count on, but it paid off with 14 orders. This allowed the Russians to get all their Motorised Rifle Platoons on the move, and give individual orders to 7 of their 10 T-64As. The sheer volume of fire allowed them to claim an FV-438.
Turn 6 : BAOR
The British called in their last 105mm artillery strike, landing it on top of an advancing BMP platoon, guided in by a Fox scout unit that had taken position on the south-eastern hill crest on the previous turn. The guns were ready and their salvo took out a BMP-1 and its occupants.
BAOR reinforcements consisted of a Tactical Command Centre and an Electronic Warfare team, whilst the battalions' 81mm mortar battery signalled availability for this combat area.
Plenty of ATGMs flew back and forth, and the Chieftains engaged their targets, but with ranges still over 2km no hits were achieved.
The Russians having the "Advance and Hold" Special Tactics, and being in possession of two objectives, the BAOR were forced to take a morale chit.
After 6 turns, the British had 24 BR (with a 58 BR breakpoint) and the Soviets 28 BR (for 65).
Turn 7 : Red Army
The Russians decide to wait before requesting reinforcements, hesitating between a tank company or an anti-tank platoon. The FOO calls in, however, the 122mm artillery strike on C3. The guns are ready and the salvo drops on the field where a British infantry platoon has deployed, but to little effect.
The British EW team must already be jamming some comms, as the Russians obtain only a meagre 8 orders. This is enough to keep the T-64A company on move and fire, but to little effect.
Turn 7 : BAOR
The defenders also chose to wait before requesting reinforcements, hesitating between a long shot to obtain enough Chieftains to counterattack on the right flank, or an Infantry AT section to hold the centre.
The Chieftains are ineffective, despite the ranges closing. A Milan hits a T-64A but the reactive armour saves the crew, who are badly shaken but still alive. Until an M72 LAW round from the nearby fields finishes them off; another T-64A succombs to another LAW round.
Communications was established with the 81mm mortar battery, and an SR fired close by a BMP platoon, but Soviet counter-battery fire delayed the FFE (and left the Russians wishing they had taken more counter-battery missions !).
Turn 8 : Red Army
The Soviets decide to use their unique reinforcement request for a regimental level fire mission of six 152mm guns. This will arrive on Turn 9.
Attempting to bring a maximum of guns to bear and shake up the battlefield, the Tactical Command Centre calls in the MI-23 Flogger circling overhead. As it engages it takes hits from the British off-table Rapier battery, which brings the aircraft crashing down ! The FOO meanwhile is on the radio to the BM-21 battery, but the tubes are not yet loaded.
Command and control on the other hand is better, with 14 orders available. The T-64As continued to close in, supported with BMP-1s who would be able to bring Sagger missiles into play (as long as ranges remained less than 1500m...). On the right flank, heavy fire from the treeline, and a fire and move strategy from the BTR-60 platoon, caused several British infantry squads in the rocky objective area to be pinned down. The Reds were trying desperately to reach their 82mm mortar battery, but failed for the second turn running, despite the presence of their ACRV !
Turn 8 : BAOR
With some T-64As within 1500m of the Chieftains, it seemed better to the battlegroup leader to wait before making a reinforcement request. This might be a crucial turn in determining whether and where a counter-attack might succeed, and the troops needed to carry it out.
The fire from the Chieftain platoon was however ineffective. Russian command had also decided to change tactics, and use canons at long range to lay down suppressing fire on enemy AFVs [ie, I suddenly realised that instead of spotting, trying to hit, and an unlikely kill chance, a simple 5+ suppressed the target !], and the rain of 100mm shells on its armour distracted a Chieftain. A Swingfire did claim a T-64A, but that was it.
Turn 9 : Red Army
Still no sign of the BM-21s opening fire, but the regimental 152mm battery did chime in, and to deadly effect. Three direct hits brewed up a Chieftain and 2 FV432s that were retiring from the fighting.
The Russians obtained 12 orders, continuing to push forward and increasingly threaten the BAOR positions, especially on the left flank of the Red Army, but also with 2 BMP1s ready to unload infantry into the strategic rocky outcrop near the main road.
Turn 9 : BAOR
The battlegroup leader succeeds in obtaining a 155mm artillery strike from high command, which he intends to use to push back the BMPs.
The BAOR already pushed back on this turn, with Chieftains destroying 2 T-64As in quick succession, leaving the Soviets with only five MBTs.
At the end of turn 9, the BAOR were at 38 BR (out of 58), and the Reds at 45 BR (out of 65).
Turn 10 : Red Army
The BM-21 salvo finally arrived, shaking up the Fox mortar spotter, and causing some infantry casaulties. Dug-outs however protected most. No doubt encouraged by the impressive sight on the far-off hilltop, the Russians received 17 orders.
Attempts to take the objective on the right flank seemed doomed to failure, as the 82mm mortars, finally obtained, were completely ineffective. The Russians did, however, overrun the woods at the base of the hill on the opposing flank, placing its crest within RPG range. The T-64As were obviously losing ground, meaning the Russian offensive was starting to peter out : capturing a third objective could well be crucial to success or failure.
Turn 10 : BAOR
Given the concentration of Russian troops in several locations, the BAOR asked high command for low-level air support from a Harrier, despite the presence of a ZSU-23-4 and an already deployed Grail AAGW on the battlefield. This was accepted.
The previously requested 155mm artillery strike was directed in by the Battlegroup Commander. It landed in the midst of half a BMP platoon that had been awaiting orders in the vast swathe of open ground in the centre of the battlefield, destroying both and killing almost all the men inside, forcing the Soviets to take 5 BR counters.
The BAOR Electronic Warfare unit entered into action, to paralyse the Soviets. With the Harrier strike incoming and three Chieftains still operationnel, the British began to feel confident about victory.
Indeed they could : at the end of turn BR count, the Russians had reached 67, which meant they received the order to break contact and high-tail it out of there.
This was an epic game. The Russians took a total of 22 BR counters, with a fairly high average of 3,05. The BAOR took 20 BR counters, for 45 BR, hence an average of 2,25. The Russians were definitely penalised on that front, and the battle could have gone either way.
Playing in cm instead of inches changes the entire dynamic of the battle, and I find it makes it a lot more interesting. The game is less about exploiting precise fire lanes and the Russians overrruning BAOR reaction fire possibilities with sheer mass, than about strategic positioning on the battlefield, advancing into key positions from which flanking fire is possible, and maximising firepower output whilst minimising incoming. ATGMs play a far greater role, although they do not hit much, so they are not a game changer. Artillery plays an important role as well. Command and Control is constantly tight for the Red Army, less so for NATO. Last of all, infantry plays an important part in the game, as given the distances it is actually possible to both move it in, and evacuate it if required. Objectives can actually change hands, which I've never seen in an "inches" game. The lightly armoured vehicles, which are often cannon fodder in a game played on the same sized table in inches, play a huge role on a cm table. The BMP platoons actually played out their true combat role.
One thing I will do differently next game, is to use much more HE Suppression Fire from tank, 30mm autocannon and AT guns, in particular from the Red Army. I didn't realise until late in the game what an effective way it is to pin down enemy vehicles, even MBTs. This will also, I think, lead to a change in the way the game is played; Chieftains will no longer be able to parade around in the open flaunting their superior armour, as a T-64A 70cm away can suppress it on a simple 5+. Obviously, the difference between HE and AP fire at long ranges is slightly more flagrant since my rules modifications allow rolls of 7+, but the option is definitely worth taking even in the vanilla rules, so it doesn't unbalance the game.
On the HE angle, it is also worth noting than an MBT is often better off using HE when employing Direct Fire against a lightly armoured vehicle. The power of its HE is sufficient to destroy the target, whilst being generally easier to hit with.
To sum it up, this is a great ruleset, and played in cm it is absolutely fantastic....although the game is a lot longer. I played it solo, which slows things down a bit, but I played for at least 7-8 hours with good knowledge of the rules.
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