Five of us played a modern micro armor game on Sunday. The Soviets had 3 BMP companies, 3 T-72 companies, a BRDM platoon and a battery of 122mm SPG's. The Germans had a company of infantry, 7 M48A2G2's ,3 120mm mortars in M113 and a battery of 105mm howitzers. These were German Territorial units and they were placed on the board. The Germans also had 4 Luchs, 8 Leopard II's and a company of Infantry riding APC's ( Marder A1A+). They also had a battery of 155mm SPG.
The Soviets orders were to attack Pressbach and secure the ridgeline to the south of the town. The Soviets entered the table from the north. The reason for these orders is that the Soviets were experiencing a lot of opportunity fire from anti-tank teams working there way out of Pressbach and getting in range to attack columns supporting the main attack west of the board. The Soviets were trying to secure their flank. This attack was not a priority, so some of the troops were Category II units (BMP-1).
Unbeknownst to the Soviets, the Germans were going to launch a counter attack from Pressbach. The German Territorial unit was going to be relieved by elements of the 1st Panzer Grenadier Division. These troops could come on after turn one.
The ground scale is 1 inch equals 50 meters and it is 1 to 1 ratio for vehicles, 1 stand equals a squad.
The 1st turn sees the BRDM platoon come on and did not observe anything. That is what happens for three turns. The BRDM's are looking, but not in the right places. On turn four the other Soviet units come on, all three tank companies followed by a BMP company each.
The Soviets have a pre-planned artillery strike on Pressbach on turn 5. This was a battery of BM-21 Grads and it drifts a little to the west; however it ends up still striking some German units. Poor rolling on the Soviet's part only destroys an M113 and damages a squad. This turn also saw the M-48's and T-72's exchanging shots and M-48's getting the worse end of the exchange. The Soviets also brew up some Luchs
Turn six and the Germans lay smoke to preserve the M-48s. The Soviets advance and so do the German Leo's and Marders. Not much happens because of the smoke.
Turn seven
The Soviets advance through the smoke screen. The Germans in the mean time have been calling in artillery. The Germans places a barrage marker on the Heavy Calvary err… T-72 line and the Germans muff the roll. They roll so badly that there is not even any drift, so I guess there is not going be any 155mm howitzers raining down destruction on the Soviet hordes. The T-72s exchange shots with the Leopard IIs and damage quite a few. The Soviets concentrated on the tanks and only shot at the APC's if that was the only shot they had. The Mardar's were armed with Milans and again poor rolling on the Germans part did nothing to help their cause
Turn eight
The Soviets and the Germans just stood eye to eye again. This is the same old song, but the second verse. The Germans call in an artillery strike and again they muff the roll so badly it does not drift, but it just disappears. The Soviets and Germans trade fire and all the Leo's die, except one. He fails his moral check and runs away. Ten Marders are destroyed and the remaining two pass their morale check.
We called the game at this point. The Germans had lost 7 Leopard II's and 10 Marders in the relief force. The Soviets had two T-72 companies beat up. They both were one casualty away from having to take a morale check, though the remaining T-72 company had not taken a casualty. The BMP companies only took one vehicle and squad destroyed. We called it a Soviet victory. It was a very fun game. I started setting up the board at around 1PM and we were done at 5PM.
The next after action report I write, will be better. I forgot to write any notes and this was all from memory.
Here is a link to some photo's
link
begins to think about terrain for Team Yankee.