The Battle of the Mainz-Mannheim Salient: CWC Big Game Day 2

 After a pleasant night of curry and beer followed by a distinctly less night at the Crown Hotel, day 2 of the big gaming weekend started with the Irish and American forces now on the centre table, attempting to capture the airbase in order to cut off the Soviet supply route into the salient. The airbase was defended by a contingent of VDV troops. Other Soviet forces were rushing to engage with the attacking NATO force and stop the airport falling.

Irish troops assault the airport.

On the southern table our West German forces had been making progress but not fast enough. We had to get a move on in order to be able to assist the attack on the centre table. My left flank infantry company advanced forward on foot and into the woods. If the Soviet tank battalion came forward they could defend my left flank with Panzerfausts. If not, they could press on and perhaps close assault the troops to their front.

On my right flank my infantry pushed forward towards the Soviet troops holding the field in the centre of the table. That group had been a thorn for most of the first day, threatening both mine and Martin's flanks stopping any forward movement.

On my right, Martin suffered from a particularly devastating airstrike from a SU-25 Frogfoot and his forces getting whittled down. His opponent Steward though was also getting hammered in the battle of attrition.

At the end of day 1, we had managed 5 full turns and NATO turn 6. By the end of turn 8, the weight of fire from Martin's West Germans and a decent strafing run from a pair of F104G Starfighters finally told and Stewart's Motor Rifle Regiment was broken. He failed his morale check and his troops quit the battlefield.

That left me to try and break through the remaining troops of Mark's tank regiment.

Leopard 2s drive forward.

I knew that Mark had troops hidden in the woods and behind a hedgerow. By pushing the panzers forwards I hoped to provoke some fire from Mark's hidden units, thereby exposing them to return fire from my artillery and aircraft. Mark's ability to successfully keep calling in air support from SU-25 Frogfoots (Frogfeet?) and Mil-24 Hind E's plus artillery took its toll on my Leopard 2s but finally at then end of NATO turn 9 Mark's tank regiment was broken. Rather than attempt to play on Mark offered his sword and the game was over.

A tactical victory for the West Germans but Mark and Stewart had successfully held up our advance well into Day 2, preventing us from having any influence on events in the centre table.

We managed to keep the game rattling along and a fun time was had by all. There are notable changes from 1st to 2nd edition. The improvements to Soviet FAO & FAC command values mean that far more attacks come from the skies. The HIND E is particularly nasty. Luckily the Leopard 2 has had a serious upgrade and can take some real punishment while still dishing it out.

A few pictures of the Irish and American advance on Day 2. From what I could see the opposing troops got stuck right in and there seemed to be a lot of point of bayonet action. I think that the centre table managed 5 or 6 turns on day 2 and it was decided that the Soviet troops would have not held on much longer before breaking. All in all then a NATO victory, a rarity in these big games. Even less common is a decisive result. We kept force sizes down to 6,000 points per NATO player and a brigade sized force for each Soviet player. That seems to give us enough to have a good sized game without getting too bogged down.

Big thanks to Mark, Stewart and Martin for a fun weekend of gaming, played in the right spirit of gentlemanly competitiveness. Cheers to the other chaps for a fun weekend. As ever, many thanks to Richard Phillips for organising and hosting the weekend and keeping us all fed and watered. I know that Mr P has already had some ideas for next year's game and it looks like it's going to be a corker!

Small Scale, Big Game

 This weekend sees the annual Cold War Commanders big game, making its debut at Richard P's own venue The Unit in Stone, Staffordshire. This year there are 8 players and we have been split across two tables. In this year's scenario, set in the CENTAG area of operations, WarPac forces have broken through NATO defences and pushed forward into a salient. NATO have been tasked with counter attacking from North and South to cut off the salient and surround the attacking Soviet and WarPac armies. A third table represents the centre of Soviet held ground and will be used if/when NATO breaks through the Soviet lines.

Table 1 in the north has Nick G's US troops and Neil's Irish brigade attacking Ian W and Simon's Soviets. Table 2 to the south of the salient featured Martin and my West German forces attacking Mark W and Stewart's Soviets.

Table 2, with NATO on the right (south), Soviets on the left (North).

In the first few turns my Leopard 2 companies came face to face with a Soviet T-64 battalion. The greater range and durability of the Leopard 2 made the difference as Mark W's centre battalion was repulsed in short order.

My West Germans press forward.

The Soviet centre opens up as the T-64s come off second best in the long range exchange of fire.

On my left flank a Soviet T-64 battalion has moved forward, blundered, fallen back and then advanced forward again towards a BUA.

At the end of day 1, my West Germans have faced down a Soviet tank brigade (regiment?). 1 battalion has been all but wiped out, another has been badly mauled but the third is unblooded and is on my left flank, threatening to stop any drive forwards. On my right flank, Stewart's Soviet motor rifle regiment have taken up a blocking position in the centre of the table and also threatened to turn the NATO right flank. Martin has shorn up the right flank and has worn down the Soviet forces. Neither of us have the infantry reserves to be able to conduct sustained operations in built up areas.

Tomorrow Martin and I need to figure out a way to quickly push through the remaining Soviet forces and break through to the middle table.

Finally a few photos from table 1 in the north. Here Neil's Irish have held their own against the Soviets and allowed Nick's Americans to attack the Soviets, break them and move across the far table edge. They will thus play across the middle table tomorrow.

Panzer Marsch!

 It's the annual Cold War Commanders big gaming weekend this weekend, held for the first time at Richard P's own venue, The Unit in Stone, Staffordshire. I've been getting a few units ready for the event.

Last year I was asked to put together a recce battalion for a game. I liked that unit so it has now been stood up as a permanent formation:

The first company is 2 platoons of foot scouts and a Milan team, transported in a pair of Fuchs. I've used arrow headed bases for the vehicles to denote recce, a useful convention on a busy battlefield as well as pleasing to the eye.

Next company is 3 Luchs with a Leopard 1 in support.

The final heavy recon company consists of 4 Leopard 1. These will be classed as Recce Support. Apologies for the poor photos, the light conditions aren't that great. It was fun deploying the company in full though I can't see that happening too often. 3 HQs may be a bit of overkill but the intention was to help the battalion cover as much ground as possible.

For the last 10 years I have been using these Leopard 2s:

Most of our games have been set in 1985 though and I keep getting told that these are 2A5 and so not available for '85.

I decided that it was time to replace them so I now have a new battalion of Leopard 2A3 or A4.

I've taken the time to add Balkan Crosses to all of them though they are hardly visible on the gaming table. I know they're there though.

Finally for now and not for this game we have these:

I'd watched a Tank Chat on YouTube about the Scimitar 2 and seen an example on a recent visit to the Tank Museum so decided to have a bash making some. They are a simple conversion of a Striker hull filed down a bit with a Scimitar turret added - the real things are basically the same conversion with a Spartan hull mated to a Scimitar turret. In real life they've seen action in Afghanistan, are deployed as part of the NATO "tripwire" in the Baltic States and I believe that some are on the way to Ukraine. Not sure when my lads will see any action but they were a fun little conversion. I can't help wondering how their performance compares to the Ajax; not seen any reports of anyone developing tinnitus after riding around in one of these.

Next up shall be an AAR from The Unit. Looking forward to it now.