Aegean Strike 2016 - the set up

Friday afternoon saw the Cold War Commanders, me, Ian S, Richard P, Mark J, Gordon M, Mike A, Keith and Steve B met to set up the tables for Saturday's Aegean Strike game.  The year is 1985 and the Warsaw Pact are trying to keep NATO forces in the Mediteranean busy, so have arranged and amphibious assault on the Turkish coast and are advancing into Greece and Turkey from the Balkans.

The Turkish coastline - lots of trees immediately behind the beach.  

Another view.

Inland from the coast, the coastal plain was cut by a river flowing parallel to the coast before opening into an estuary towards the far end of the table.  Beyond the river were dense stands of olive groves and vineyards.  Steve B decided there weren't enough so went home to turn out another boxful for the table this morning. 

Soviet deployment zone.

Lighthouse on the Headland.

The estuary.

The other table included the Greek/Turkish border with Yugoslavia/Bulgaria and parts of Thrace.  The border is marked by a line of industrial units and the river beyond splits the big table into three gaming areas.

Parts of the border area.

Industrial areas along the border.

The central area.  NATO was counterattacking from left to right on the table.

Somewhere in Thrace, where Soviet and Spanish spearheads were destined to clash in a rush for terrain followed by a cat and mouse jockeying for position.

The built up areas somewhere in Thrace, key targets for both sides.

NATO counter attacks would come from the bottom of the table.

Another view of the border.

Scattered woodland near the Aegean coast.  Steve B's olive groves were to sprout up here overnight.

Olive groves like these further upriver, with a Roman villa masquerading as a vineyard.

More of the same, just waiting for the Portuguese defenders to dig in.

Thrace, the area where my Soviet thrust was due to exploit.

Three woods in the foreground that were due to receive some thermobarics, if I could only roll less than 6 on 2 d6.

The other three woods, also destined for thermobarics with the same requirement.

Pics of day 1 action to follow.

Thanks for looking.