Last Sunday,15th July, saw Ian and I cross the Pennines, bright and early to get to Sheffield for 9am for the Joy of 6 show. If you've never heard of it or not been, it is a fantastic show dedicated to all things 6mm. It's organised by Sheffield-based Baccus and Wargames Emporium and frequented by traders such as Heroics and Ros, Leven Miniatures, Brigade Games, etc. It's a relatively small, but friendly show held at the Sheffield Hallam University in Hallam Hall.
The Cold War Commanders had got together to set up a big modern game in 6mm, but this time, we decided to make it difficult for ourselves by putting on the same game with the same scenario, but set in three different time periods. Our scenario was set several days into a Soviet incursion across the inner German border, with Soviet forces attempting to seize control of the town of Wesel in northern Germany, close to the Dutch border. We decided on a Soviet Motor Rifle Regiment taking on a British battalion of cross-attached mechanized infantry and armour. The games were to be set in 1959 (ATGMs in their infancy), 1973 (the death of the tank from ATGM, based on experience in the Middle East) and 1989 (new ERA and Chobham armour to defeat ATGMs).
This was to be my table for the game set in 1989. The outskirts of Wesel to be defended by the Brits and the Soviets coming on from the right.
Looking into the past, 1989 in the foreground, 1973 in the middle and 1959 in the far distance - the pink ribbons mark the game boundaries.
The passage of time, Wesel suburbs in 1989.
The urban sprawl from Wesel just beginning to extend into the playing area in 1973.
1959, an urban planners dream, undeveloped land around Wesel.
Even in 1989 it's still safe to say "Well, they came on in the same old way, so we beat them in the same old way". Here Ian's T-80s try to look menacing as they approach the river, which Soviet planners believed to be a track.
The Brits dropped smoke on the Soviet air defences and then called in fast air. The first available Jaguar, with iron bombs, was lucky to get some minor hits on the T-80s.
The Soviets were badly mauled by a troop of Challengers in the woods just visible on the extreme right of the view. They were also hit by long range ATGMs called in from the woods in the foreground, until the CO made two blunders, both resulting in cross-fire in 2 successive turns. The first caused hits, but the second caused both FV438s and the Striker to brew up. The Challengers would have to do the job on their own.
Wesel had been selected as the site for a forward medical post and REME unit, as well as being garrisoned by 2 companies of infantry and their Warrior IFVs.
A pair of Jaguars streak across the battlefield in search of the last vestiges of Soviet resistance.
In the end, a single Challenger 1 squadron in the centre of the table was able to bring the Soviet advance to a halt. With two troops engaging the T-80s on the British left, supported by the ATGM units while they were still around, and a pair of Lynx Milan armed helicopters was enough to halt the Soviet tanks. Another two troops of Challengers firing into the Soviet centre effectively wiped out the Soviet anti-air assets and one of the BTR-80 battalions. Over on the right, another BTR-80 battalion was decimated by NATO artillery (3 Abbotts and 3 155mms) and, when they got in range, direct fire from Warriors on the end of Wesel.
Apart from the 3 ATGM launchers destroyed by blunders, the Brits lost a single Warrior IFV. The Soviets lost over half their starting force. Challenger Is with 6 attacks out to 100cm, 6 hits and a save on 3 are really hard to deal with - as I found out in the Landjut game at Slimbridge when my Polish marines were on the receiving end of some punishment until they got within RPG range.
On the other tables, the heavy tanks in action in 1959 allowed the Conquerors and Centurions of the British to effectively deal with the Soviets, while in 1973, the British Chieftains were being badly used by the Soviets and destroyed by the end of play.
We concluded that CWC appears to reflect many of the changes in weapons and tactics that came about during the 45 years or so of the Cold War and appear to suggest that the Soviets had a "window of opportunity" in the mid- to late 70's to deal with NATO effectively using conventional forces. Whether this is a true representation is, fortunately, something we will never know.
There were loads of great looking games on display, but this one of the Zeebrugge raid in 1918 really grabbed our attention. 1/300 scale ships - what's not to like. The modelling of the canal entrance and mole were superb.
A fun day out. Not too much retail therapy. I picked up some odds and ends from Leven and some 15mm Stugs and a 1/72 Bristol Fighter from the Bring and Buy. Heroics and Ros were busy all day, so I'll order on-line and pay the postage - I can feel a revamp of my WW2 British airborne coming on, especially as H&R now do some lovely jeeps and variants, plus the Morris airborne gun tractor.
As ever, thanks for looking.
