World War 3 - BAOR Day 1 am

 The morning of Day 1 of World War 3 in northern Europe. The BAOR's defences are just getting ready when the Soviet steamroller hits them.

BAOR forces are a company of infantry with Milan and AA Missile support and three Scorpion light tanks. They are defending a small town and its surrounding woods that controls a road on the Soviet main line of advance.

Soviet forces are a Mechanised Infantry Company in BTR60s, two BRDM-2 recce vehicles, a company of T62 tanks and supported by two Hind Attack Helicopters. Led by Captain Suvorov his orders are to over run any opposition forces and capture the bridge over the canal by the end of Day 1.

To cover the advance of the Soviet forces, Army artillery has laid a smoke screen across the approaches.

Soviet starting positions. T62's leading the BTR60's. The Hind attack helicopters are off board which will hopefully make them harder to kill but this reduces their attacks.

End of turn 1 the leading BRDM-2 breaks through the smoke screen and is immediately destroyed by multiple LAW hits.

End  of turn 2 - The Hinds attack the infantry in the woods on the right. The BRDM2 on the left is hit but undamaged.

End of turn 3 - the Soviet forces breach the smoke screen and 3 T62's explode and one receives multiple suppressions (right hand side). One of the Hinds explodes as an AA missile hits it.

End of turn 4 - the Soviets are through the smoke screen and laying down plenty of suppressive fire, limiting their losses. On the right the Scorpion light tanks come out to see if they can get some side shots on the T62's.

End of turn 5 - Soviet forces push onwards despite their losses. Another T62 and a BTR60 explode and a Hind attack helicopter destroys a Scorpion tank while T62's destroy another one. But the British manage to hit the last Hind and it explodes on the ground.

End of turn 6 - more Soviet losses but onwards to victory! The last Scorpion tank goes up in flames, no match for a T62. On the left a BTR60 is hit but the passengers manage to escape.

End of turn 7 - both Soviet columns have reached the town, soon they will break through. 

End of turn 8 - The BAOR Milan on the left flank manages a long range hit of a T62 as it skirts the village. On the right the BAOR infantry are chasing the Soviets break through.

End of turn 9 - a final BTR60 is hit and the crew escape to be captured. Maybe they will be quickly released by follow on forces. The T62 in the bottom right hand corner is still trying to remove suppressions from multiple LAW hits. It is left behind as Suvorov makes the break through.

Suvorov has achieved his objective, breaking through the first line of resistance. But at great cost. Will he have enough soldiers left to capture the bridge? Half his force is gone!

End of game, a view from the BAOR side. The Company commander watches helplessly as the Soviet forces break through the town. Plenty of columns of black smoke show the toll taken but it was not enough. His company has been reduced to a single platoon worth of soldiers.

World War 3 - Soviet Surprise Attack

 With my newly painted Cold War Soviet, US and UK armies I decided to have a few WW3 games.

I started a game using the free rules Rapid Deployment from Sabre Squadron but I found them a bit slow. No doubt quite realistic but slow and too complex for my fading brain. So I checked my rule cupboard (pretty bare) and am using Fubar for SciFi with some changes plus making things up as I go along. I am trying to be consistent and I am writing down the new bits so hopefully the rules will be completed by the time I am finished.

For any of my readers that use Fubar the biggest changes I have made is that instead of cover decreasing the chance to get hit it increases the number of suppressions a unit can have. This means a unit in cover may have no casualties but be fully supressed or even have more suppression than figures. Activation is by drawing a playing card for each unit and auto activating in turn. Anyway it seems to work - for me anyway. 

The first game is a Soviet surprise attack on an airfield in the US. Attempting to get the US to divert forces to defend the US instead of sending them to Europe.

The Soviets have landed in their Ekranoplan at the airport of a small town on the U.S.A.'s east coast. (I forgot to take a picture of it) and have disembarked a company of infantry and 2 BRDM-2 recce vehicles.

Shooting up the locals they make road blocks on the roads to the airport from all directions. One platoon and the BRDM's guard the airport and act as a reserve while the other two take up positions on either side of the airport entrance.

The local National Guard sends a company of infantry in trucks with four M-48 Patton's and two Duster anti-aircraft vehicles.

Opening Move - smoke from the burning cars hide the US advance.

End of turn 1. The US has moved past the road blocks. The M48 on the left has been hit and immobilised.

End of turn 2. Both M-48's on the right have been destroyed but a lot of Soviet infantry have been suppressed. 

End of turn 3- Soviets move up their reserves but US is overwhelming both left and right flanks

End of turn 3 Soviet left flank

End of turn 3 close up - Soviet right flank

End of turn 4. Soviet left and right flanks have been destroyed. One BRDM has been destroyed while the second has run back to try and remove a suppression marker

End of turn 4 - soviet right flank close up. Despite losing both Patton's the two US platoons have overrun the Soviets.

Soviet left flank close up. US has prevailed. The Soviet reserve is mostly suppressed or dead. The remainder surrender. 

So a big win for the US National Guard! The quick defeat of the Soviets show that the local forces can deal with any surprise attacks and all forces can be sent to Europe to fight.

Only problem is that I forgot to take a photo of the Ekranoplan.