Force on Force game tonight

I spent an interesting and enjoyable couple of hours tonight playing my first game of Force on Force as the regular player.  It was an interesting scenario, involving two sections of modern British infantry, each of two fire teams (minimi gunner, SA80 UGL grenadier, SA80 rifleman and NCO with SA80), plus a platoon HQ of officer with SA80, sergeant with SA-80 and UGL, designated marksman and medic with SA80).  The aim was to cross the start line, advance to identify the forward line of enemy troops (FLET), establish contact and then retire back across the start line, all within 8 turns.  I gained VPs by advancing as far as the FLET, knocking out hot spots at and beyond the FLET and for evacuating any seriously wounded and/or avoiding any KIA.

I realised, from the pre-game briefing, that my troops would have to make at least a couple of fast moves, in order to cover the distance to the FLET and still be able to spend a couple of turns driving off the insurgents.  In the map below AB is the start line, while X-Y is the FLET.  1-5 are insurgent hot spots.

Note:  Map and scenario are sourced from Donogh Mccarthy's BlogSpot "land war in asia".
Link: http://donoghmccarthy.blogspot.co.uk/


I rushed my sections forward in turns 1 and 2, with a fire team occupying the corner of the second field up from the start line and the HQ section occupying the building below the large hill on the right flank.  In turn 3 I pushed two fire teams forward towards the FLET and one team towards hot spot 5 down the right flank, leaving the HQ and one fire team in the field on overwatch.  The two fire teams advancing towards the FLET failed their TQ roles and so couldn't occupy the pair of buildings to the left of the main hill.  On the right flank, the fire team advancing on hot spot 5 ran in to a small insurgent RPG team which they neutralised, but then came under fire from a larger group of insurgents on hot spot 1.  These caused two casualties on the right flank fire team.  The medic rushed across, only to roll snake eyes, 2 KIA!

In turn 4, the fire team in the field went on overwatch, while the HQ team rushed to reinforce the right flank.  The mobile fire teams in the centre both failed again to enter either building.  Fire directed at them from hot spot 3 in the left hand compound was ineffective due to overwatch fire from the field and response fire from the troops in the open, which effectively neutralised the insurgents.  Insurgent reinforcements comprised a dushka armed technical that appeared at hot spot 5.

Turn 5 saw one of the mobile teams in the centre managed to enter a building, while the other attempted to manoeuvre around to occupy hot spot 4.  However, coming under fire from insurgents on hot spot 1 stopped them just short of hot spot 4.  Fire from the HQ suppressed the technical on hot spot 5.  At this point the insurgents struck really lucky with reinforcements and a group of insurgents appeared in the street at hot spot 4, directly in front of the British fire team in the open.

In turn 6 the teams in the field and newly occupied central building went on overwatch, while the HQ engaged the technical and the fire team in the open engaged the insurgents on hot spot 4 and in response they attempted to close assault the team in the open.  Fortunately, overwatch and response fire reduced their numbers and against all expectations, the insurgent failed their morale and had to retire into the building opposite hot spot 4.  However, one further casualty in the fire team in the open resulted in a medic first aide test - you guessed it a 1, so another British casualty.

At this point the British had no chance of withdrawing to the start line by turn 8 and so spent their time attempting to neutralise the insurgent groups within sight.  The technical was driven off with gun damage and the insurgent group on hot spot 1 was eliminated, while insurgents kept pouring forward from hot spot 2, although overwatch fire punished them severely.

So at the end, the British had scored 3 VP for reaching the FLET and making contact with the insurgents, while the insurgents had scored 9 VP, 3 for each British KIA.  The British had managed to eliminate three insurgent groups and inflict close to 50% casualties on the other groups, but against an enemy prepared to disregard casualties, this wasn't enough.

An interesting and challenging game.  The insurgent player did well, concentrating his forces in attempts to overwhelm parts of the British force.  Generally, these were beaten off with heavy losses, except initially where the British right flank fire team was more effectively isolated.  Of course, it didn't help that the medic seemed to have lost his first aide mojo - I mean, throwing three 1's, whatever next.  The British platoon leader (i.e. me) now has to go back to his fire base and rethink his small unit infantry tactics.  I'll wait and see whether the umpire (Mike) has any comments regarding my impressions of the engagement.

Only a couple of pictures I'm afraid, and only of the British start line.

Thanks for looking.