It Means Nothing To Me

 The annual Cold War Commanders weekend had been postponed from September due to Real World intervention so we have met up this weekend at Richard Phillips' fantastic venue The Unit in Stone, Staffordshire. There were 6 players this weekend, playing on one big table set in the Southern Flank of Germany near the Austrian and Czech borders. I took an East German panzer regiment along with Stewart's Czech tank regiment and Gerard's Soviet tank regiment. Opposing us was Mark's West Germans, Martin's combined West German and Austrian force and Ian's West German panzer brigade.

The table, looking north.

In the first 2 turns I sent my first tank battalion up my left flank, second tank battalion and infantry up the centre and third tank battalion to my right. Things were looking good until the NATO 2nd turn...

T-55s and BMP-1s push forward.

Martin's Recce Iltis jeep called in Danger Close and directed 3 x FH70 artillery guns on to my infantry battalion massing in front of them. By the time the smoke cleared, 7 infantry units and 3 BMP-1s had been eliminated.

Meanwhile, over on my right flank one of Ian's Leopard 2 battalions had found their range and opened up on my third T-55 battalion, knocking out 8 out of 9 tank platoons.

With my break point perilously close after just 2 turns and practically all infantry lost, a drastic change of plans was needed.

My Hind-D's arrived and started scoring hits on Leopard 2s at long range.

My centre tank battalion took cover in some woods and started exchanging fire with Ian's Leopard 2s.

On my left flank, my first tank battalion started wittling away Martin's West German Jagdpanzer Kanones and Austrian SK-105 Kurassiers.

My surviving BMP-1s manoeuvred into the woods to their front, ready to launch ATGM attacks at Ian's Leopard 2s.

Meanwhile, on my left flank, Martin called in a brace of FG-91s on Stewart's Czech forces.

Late on, Stewart returned the favour with a strafing run from a pair of Mig-23s.

At the end of day 1, I am experiencing the Karma of 15 years of playing NATO forces. My East Germans have consolidated their positions and have inflicted some casualties on Martin's NATO force. My breakpoint has been reached and beached but we have chosen to play on. I doubt that I will have the strength to press on tomorrow without reinforcements so let us see what Richard P allows me. I am tying down one of Ian's Leopard 2 battalions, which will assist Gerrard. With perhaps another infantry battalion, I may be able to take the fight to Martin in the centre.

Let us see what tomorrow brings!