Big Force on Force game

We played out a large Force on Force game at the Defenders club on Thursday.  It was played on a 10ftx6ft table laid out to represent a coastal strip and inland areas.  The scenario was set in the fictional, troubled Black Sea country of Ukrovia in which a Russian-influenced East and NATO-influenced west were abut to erupt in civil war.  My armoured force comprised 3 T-90s, 3 BMP-2s, 2 BRDM-2s, 1 Shilka and a BRDM AT.  I had three squads of guards riding in the BMP-2s, all equipped with NBC suits as were were attempting to rescue/secure the cargo of an ambushed convoy which was of great importance to eastern command.  Ian was commanding scattered units of infantry that were gradually returning to the area after the earlier ambush.  Our opponents were unknown, but included recce and heavy armour, which could be heard in the woods to the best and various units of special forces which were scattered in hidden vantage points around the table.  Still unsure what most of them were but there was an AT-4 weapons team, an 81mm mortar team (although these were captured by irregular Vampyri forces during the game).  There were at least 2 sniper teams with heavy sniper rifles, 2 SEAL-type frogman teams and others.  Apart from knocking out a pair of recce Strykers and wounding a few of the AT-4 team and wounding one member of one of the other SF teams, most of the action consisted of incoming drone-launched Hellfire missiles and Paveway bombs.  These caused huge losses, including the 3 T-90s, 2 BMP-2s and my AA Shilka.  However, eastern weapons specialists did get to the weapon convoy and rescue to weapon, getting it off table, but it was suspiciously easy to do this, suggesting almost that they were allowed to get away.  Go figure.

Looking south, the convoy ambush site is where the road bends towards the trees.

The convoy with my armour deployed amongst the buildings.  I had three activations to get the best positions I could with orders to repel western forces coming out of the woods on the far table edge.

Another view of the convoy.

Some of Ian's infantry returning to the action crossing a crop field, about to come under fire from an SF GPMG I think.

A hurried view from one of Ian's troopers of a recce BRDM-2 taking a hull down position behind a low hill.

A T-90, 2 BMP-2s and their offloaded infantry occupy a compound, waiting for the western armour.

A T-90 and the command BRDM-2 attempt to secure the convoy under the watchful eye of a BMP-2 which has disgorged it's troopers who are rushing to get into the cover of the building.

Suddenly, a pair of recce Strykers emerge from the woods in the west and swing to left and right of the road.  ATGMs and RPGs fly, while T-90s pour in AP rounds which make short work of the Strykers.

Near vertical view of the central compound nd key part of the eastern armour defences.

Another view of the compound about to be secured by the third eastern guard squad.

Unfortunately, they come under 81mm mortar fire, although this only results in a heavy wound for one of the guards.

One of the SF AT-4 teams opens up on the T-90, but it doesn't even scorch the paint.  Later, they and a pair of SF teams are forced to move out as eastern artillery begins to range in.

The eastern guard command squad about to run in to claymores left behind by the SF teams.  They aren't nice.

A T-90 pops smoke after the commander is killed by sniper fire.

The view west, with burning recce Strykers, but no heavy armour yet.

The aftermath of a Paveway strike (is this OK Mike?) on the central compound with a burning T-90 and BMP-2 and a bunch of casualties in the troops in the collapsed building on the right.

The command squad about to flush out the SF teams in the building to their left.

There they go.

Seal teams with good vantage points on the coastal hills.

The eastern scientists in black SUV make off with a truck loaded with the rescued special weapon.

http://ukrovia.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/game-11-after-action-report-did-you.html

It was all very confusing for me as all I seemed to be doing was rolling morale dice to try and survive Hellfire or Paveway strikes plus sniper fire from an unseen enemy which seemed to be scattered amongst our forces.  It was however, immensely satisfying when the SF teams had to break cover for extraction and could then be fired at causing albeit scant casualties.  You can imagine the joy I felt when the last Hellfire missile loaded on the Predator drone was directed onto the SEAL team that had called it in, which turned to dismay when only one figure went down and he, in the first aid phase turned out to have been just temporarily stunned, only to jump up and make off for the sea as he had arrived.  Hey ho.

A great game, thanks to Dave W for the loan of the various bits of Russian kit, running the game and coming up with the scenario, Ian for lending at least moral support with his infantry and Mike, Paul, Tom and Dave R for taking us apart with their uber-troopers.  The table looked fantastic.

Thanks for looking.