Saturday 23 March 2024

Team Yankee 12mil: The Rautas Standoff


A cynical and unconscionable invasion of neutral territory  directly responsible for the escalation into, effectively, World War 3. 
General Sir Bernie Rogers US Army, NATO SACEUR.

A temporary special operation necessary to confront Swedish  Nazis, who were intent on disrupting the irresistible tide of European liberation. 
Colonel-General Alexei Andropov Soviet Army, Special Administrator, Nordic Anti-Fascist Zone.


Whichever view you take of the 1985 Soviet incursion into Sweden, sadly overshadowed by the intense combat that also erupted further south right across the former 'Iron Curtain', no-one can doubt the severity of the combat in the north nor anticipate the protracted fighting and guerrilla activity that continues to this day in this wild region of endless forests and lakes... 


Daniel, seen above modelling the Swedish tanker's iconic black beret, devised and briefed the scenario commemorating this little known battle of forty years ago:






The intel was technically correct - the Soviet armour did consist of 1970's second generation tanks typical of a low readiness Category 3 Motor Rifle Division. 

What was not anticipated by Swedish High Command was that these were the modernised versions. 


T62M and T55AM2s not only have increased armour and improved FC, they are also capable of firing AT-10 STABBER  ATGM through their main guns whilst on the move!


The manoeuvre corridor selected by Baltic Fleet Command was not as wooded and rugged as most of Sweden, and allowed ample scope for long range missile engagements...


The river was impassable even to amphibious vehicles due to the rapids. The lakes that dot the area however had no impact on the mighty Soviet war machine!


For whatever reason in 12mm scale it seems easier to translate the map to the table:


I've noticed in my travels that Scandinavian rural buildings tend to be painted in bright primary colours. Absolutely no idea what a reindeer farm looks like though - but it probably features a barn or two!


Daniel, Declan and Peter as the Swedish team arrayed their defences around the near objective, retaining one platoon of S Tanks in ambush and their ATGW missile teams also providing some depth defence.



Darren came up with a tactical plan that was so cunning you could pin a tail on it and call it Reynard! I would take the Motor Rifles and T-55s down our right flank and seduce the defences away to the east and north, whilst Darren punched hard with the T-62s straight for the objective from the south-east.


As the attackers Darren and I got the first move. Our Fast Air showed up bang on time and in fact was on call pretty much throughout the game - unlike the Swedish pilots!


Whilst our air and aviation assets picked off the iconic S Tanks at stand-off ranges, our AFVs and Motor Rifles were free to exploit the ample cover to close the defences.


Approaching the objective, my Motor Rifles did indeed attract a lot of attention - at a cost! 


Luckily for us the Swedish Air Force was largely conspicuous by its absence! Then when they did finally show up they went into anti helicopter mode. They chose...
unwisely!


Now it was the turn of our AFVs to stay in plain sight whilst the dismounts closed with the enemy infantry using the cover of the woods.



Whilst Darren took his tanks straight for the objective!


However the crafty Swedes did not fall entirely for our cunning plan - they didn't spring the S Tank ambush until our tanks were well within short range! Fortunately for us, their dice were communist sympathisers!


So that by turn 5 we had the objective in a pincer between the Motor Rifle's T-55s and the T-62s. With most of their AFVs brewed, largely by our ubiquitous Frontal Aviation comrades, the Swedish infantry fell back to fight another day...


This was Daniel's first scenario for Team Yankee, and he came up with an absolute corker! At some point I hope we replay this, perhaps with the teams swapping roles. And I daresay a fresh set of Swedish dice!


Photo Credits: SOVFOTO & Daniel Larssonsonson

Monday 18 March 2024

Valour & Fortitude: Sambre Skirmish


For this week's Sunday Solo game I wanted to get what few Epic scale units I have painted on the table.


Finally a crack at Valour & Fortitude in Epic scale with Napoleonic's!


Designed for big games with at least several brigades, its not really a fair test for the rules, but would improve my knowledge of them. All I have painted so far for the allies is a British infantry brigade, helped out by a lone Prussian Infantry Bn. and the 'Chainy' 10th Hussars.


The French are slightly better off: two infantry brigades...


Also with a single light cavalry regiment, backed up by an as yet incomplete regiment of Dragoons whose paint was still wet!


Given it would be a very quick game, the scenario was sketchy to say the least. Mid June 1815, somewhere on the Franco Belgian border, between the Sambre and the Meuse...


The French Army is finally on the March, crashing across the frontier!


The tiny Allied force has to buy time for the allies to muster and concentrate, so has adopted a reverse slope position on a convenient ridge of high ground where two high roads merge.


The French division divides its forces between the two roads. On the right flank the divisional artillery and both cavalry units screen the infantry as it works its way through and around the town.



Whereas on the left flank the infantry have to contemplate an attack without support:



With the French guns clearly committed on their right, the British brigade commander sends his right two battalions forward of the reverse slope, the better to start the musketry early on...Posterity does not record what the lone Prussian Battalion's commander felt about being left safely tucked out of sight behind the ridge...


The left flanking French Brigade comes on in the same old way...



Whilst on the French right the commander makes more judicious use of all his assets, including using his Light Infantry detachment to snipe away at long range...


Whilst his guns deliver a not so hard pounding, the reverse slope providing hard cover to the Allies.



However its over on the French left flank that the decisive assault occurred! The British 'disciplined musketry' was not quite effective enough...


And the French were able to send in two battalions against one, for a total of 6 attack dice against 4. Both sides would be hitting on 4s, but the Brits would be rerolling any 1s. The other British battalion only had one opponent, but completely fresh and in receipt of 'Brigade Support', and so rolling only 5 dice against the Allied 4, but this time hitting on 3s. 


As the British were slightly behind the crest of the hill, the French, coming up and over, would win any ties...


The French rolled more hits than they received in both cases, but the Brits passed their Valour tests...the combat continues...

However for the next round in the British turn one of the British battalions is also fighting shaken and both battalions lose the fight and rout after failing their Valour tests. With their flank wide open the remainder of the Brigade has to retreat to the next fall back position...

This game proved to my satisfaction not only that Epic Naps look good on the table, but also that Valour & Fortitude work well when played solo. I'll now return to my brushes...