"Solicitation for Modern Scenario Ideas" Topic

All,

I was hoping to get in a Napoleonic game tomorrow but it's not ready. So, I believe I'll spend some time with my moderns, but I'm kind of stumped for a scenario. I need your help, so here's some background. I'll be playing solo in 10mm.

I've posted three battle reports here recently, using modern French Foreign Legion against some made up, generic Islamists trying to take over the made up, generic North African/Middle Eastern country of Perplakistan, a former French colony. Neighboring communist state Tumoria weighs in on the side of the Islamists and has provided some armor (T-55s and BTR-60s); so far Tumoria has stayed out of the fighting, but that could change any minute.

So far I've had three fights:
1. Intel tipped the French off to an arms cache near a local village, the Legionaires went in, located, and destroyed it before returning to base.

2. Local villagers informed the French they felt vulnerable to local Islamists, so the Legionaires went in, gathered up the villagers, then evacuated them.

3. The last scenario was, French high-command didn't like the message being sent by evacuating the locals, so the Legionaires escorted the villagers back to their village. While there, the Islamists sprung an ambush supported by armor (from Tumoria). The French took heavy casualties, but gave better than they got and accomplished the mission.

Now what? Here's what I have available (infantry are team-based, with each stand equating to about five men).

French: 6 rifle stands, 1 MG stand, one ATGM stand, one SAM stand, three officers, three Panhard armored cars, three Land Rovers, and two helicopters.

Bad Guys: 8 rifle stands, four officers, two "technicals" (one with recoiless rifle, one with .50 cal HMG). I also have three T-55s, 3 BTR-60s, 3 T-72s, and 3 BMP-2s, plus a boatload of Warsaw Pact-type infantry, should Tumoria decide to throw in. For the insurgents, I typically recycle the casualties so that there are always 8 insurgent rifle stands on the table. Here's a quick photo for inspiration:

Two Legion teams (bottom center) perform bounding overwatch to fall back as insurgents press the center (top center) and attempt to outflank them (top right).

So, I've thought of the French conducting a raid to take down insurgent leadership meeting with Tumorian military (perhaps even cross-border). I've also thought of a punitive cross-border raid into Tumoria just to let the Tumorians know the French aren't happy with Tumorian influence, particularly the kind with tracks and 100mm guns.

Other than that, I've come up with the old standby of a 'presence' patrol that gets ambushed or runs into an enemy force escalating in size, but I've kind of already done that.

So, what are your ideas? If you give me a cool outline I'll carry it out tomorrow or Sunday and post it here. Interactive gaming at its best!

Thanks in advance for the help, and if you want to check the batreps you can look under "Modern Battle Reports" here, or check my blog:
blackhawkhet.blogspot.com

V/R,
Jack

Well, the French don't like the message being sent by evacuating the village. The village elder doesn't like his family being threatened. So, he asks that the FFL escort his wife and kids to another village. You guessed it, they get ambushed.

Ok, another idea…Obviously there is a strong Islamist presence around the village (the cache, and ambush w/ armor). The FFL conduct sweeps around the village looking for spotters, supply caches, etc. Or they could chase after the reteating armor from the last battle in hopes of finding their base.

Thanks guys, and keep them coming!

For the first scenario (village elder's wife/kids), I'm thinking he tries to get them out via a friend of his, that vehicle gets ambushed. Legion gets the call, two or three enemy vehicles depart the ambush site going in different directions, say it takes three or four turns for them to get off table. French have to stop all three and recover the family.

The second one is pretty close to the presence patrol ambush/escalation fight, which is always in the quiver.

It's funny you both came to the same conclusion regarding the enemy armor issue. I'm thinking something along the lines of, instead of running straight for the border (with Tumoria), they decided their best option was to lay low for a bit before making their run for the border.

From here it can go a couple ways. 1- French patrols are out (mounted), uncover the enemy armor lager point, enemy armor bolts for the border, French must stop it, though it could be a bit too easy with French helos, or a bit too hard without them. 2- The French put up pickets along the border, insurgents pick one to hit hard and blast through, other French pickets must collapse on the hard-pressed spot to halt the enemy retreat. Again, helos are a tipping point, one way or the other.

Another way of tackling this is, the insurgents decide they want to run for the border, but they want to stay out of the open desert in order to minimize the opportunity for French long range AT fire, so they decide to go hauling butt through a population center. French have to close on the town, eliminate the armor while limiting collateral damage/no civvie casualties.

Please send your thoughts on these, or wholly new scenario concepts. Thanks again.

V/R,
Jack

Jihadis are sick of the FFL, so decide to set a major trap for them, using some conveniently leaked intel…..

Given the recent event in Niger, they steal some vehicles and uniforms, and pretend to be a government unit coming to their aid, in order to get up close, and personal.

Worked for them apparently, in a recent raid on an airbase there.

That's interesting Mako, sort of like the Taliban attack last year that got them on base and destroying AV-8 Harriers.

I'd need to get some stuff together to represent a base, and some French fixed wing aircraft (I can't let them blow up my precious helos!). But certainly, insurgents coming after the Legion is an interesting take, thanks.

V/R,
Jack

1. situation:
After the beaten the comamnder of the FFL realizes that most of his leftovers are legionairs from tumoria. Some FFL stands change side… His can happen in the battle… Make up a rule for changing sides … Makebe comeplete units change sides ect… The heli should be loyal but the rest has many soldiers from tumoria in his ranks….

2. situation…. One or 2 supply stands of ffl bring in supplies and payment …. On the way they incounter a mounted recon …. The 2 stands of ffl defend a housing complex…. A 2ed wave of infantery arives and later tanks, etc… Use everything you have and even recycle troops. The FFL calls the complex " camerone" …

Greetings and have fun

Kyote/Mako – I need to find something suitable for reporters in 10mm.

Rudi – Thanks for your ideas. Regarding situation 1, I say, impossible, Sir! My Legionnaires' loyalty is beyond question, they will happily lay down their lives for Major LaPieux! ;)

Having said that, it does give me an interesting idea. I think the solution to this is to use some of the local government forces (Perplakistanis), who could be anywhere from good, solid soldiers, to apathetic, to corrupt, to spies for the insurgents/Tumoria, to outright changing sides as you mentioned. Thanks, I hadn't thought of that! I need to buy more forces, and re-base/finish basing others.

2. Camerone-style fights can be fun, but, unfortunately, the campaign is usually finished when all your guys get killed! So, I can certainly look at using a Camerone-style fight to end the foray into Perplakistan, but I hope that's still a ways off. But again, you do bring up a good point with regards to the fact it doesn't have to be the entire Legion task force, but maybe a smallish detachment of it, something to go down in the annuls of Legion history, but also to really off Lapieux and his men. Good stuff, thanks Rudi!

Well fellow TMPers, please keep the ideas coming, I'm stockpiling them for the campaign. It's funny how this started off as just getting a few guys on the table to mess with some rules concepts, and has just kept growing into it's own little world.

The next thing I've been thinking of is, with issues spreading with Tumoria, I believe it's time that the British pony up some troops for the Perplakistan/Tumoria situation. I believe some Royal Marines will join the Legionaires. How's this for a name: Task Force Union Jacque!

My sense of humor is so cheesy! I kill me! Thanks again guys, and please keep them coming.

V/R,
Jack

Thanks thanks….

Some days ago was a discussion of the Vichy FFL fighting the Resistance FFL in Africa. So it can happen that FFL fights FFL without desertion, just political change at home while they are dispatched.

20 years agoyou have tons of situations of the legion if you just take 19th century action and play them with modern stuff.

5 de mayo. FFL plus attachments must charge two forts on a hill before it rains…

Pastry war… Take a harbor city and extract something..

If you have UK troops.. Just take the FIW as modern campaign setting and replace the indians with your local forces….

Greetings and have fun

Rudi,

FIW, eh? I'd never thought of that, don't really know all that much about it, to be honest. I'll have to look into that. Anything in particular I should be looking for, an or anywhere in particular I should start? Thanks again.

For the rest of you TMPers, let's go! I know you all have to have more scenario ideas than one human could ever get to in his lifetime, so let's see them! Please. :)

V/R,
Jack

How about having friendly insurgents needing ffl support against an incursion from an enemy force. (Friendly as in being nominally friendly, not as actually being friends afterwards)

A punitive raid on cross border facilities. ( any lightly defended position, getting in and out before the enemy gets its act together)

One other situation is a delaying action where your forces are actually split doing two tasks miles apart, and are needed to support each other, to perform an evacuation rescue mission and to take down an insurgent leader or bomb maker.

Recovering the lost pilot or bomb material or mcguffinite is also a scenario.

Do you use a dynamic mission generator that throws up random side quests or incidents… I used to use some cards with random events written on them, and each turn would turn over a card, and inflict that upon a team at random, it made for a dynamic and exciting game.

1. The insurgents have perfect intel of the French garrison. Emboldened by the presence of Tumorian regulars and armor have decided to launch an all out attack to wipe out the garrison. The media will hail it as a decline of European power and culture…

2. The Tumorians are prestaging in a border village 50 kilometers north of the Legions location. French high command has decided to launch a preemptive raid under the premise the exact location of the border is in dispute. The Legion will conduct a raid at 04:00 AM. The goal is destroy vehicles while they are still in the motor pool and their crews are asleep in nearby buildings.

link

To add a bit more fun, if you have more than one Western faction providing aid, there can be infighting between them as to what they will, and won't do, support, etc.

Reminds me a bit of the fighting in the Balkans, and breakdowns there, in some cases.

Not everyone follows orders from those of another nation, or a UN leader.

Yes, and than on 24.dec come the wild geese and will rescue the president and the FFL has to stopp them…
Merry xmas and have fun with your game

Thanks guys! I'll be back to comment more on this, but I wanted to let you know I just finished a game and will try to get it written up today.

Here's what I went with: The French expect the insurgent armor to make a run for the border, so Legion recon teams get helo'ed out to the border on picket duty, and two Legion light armor columns are out and about looking for the enemy.

But the enemy pulls a fast one! Relying on intel provided by anti-French locals, the enemy consolidates its remaining armor, marshals a bunch of infantry, and advanced on the nearby French base. Using terrain to hide the vehicles and civilians to cover the infantry's approach, the enemy closes with the small French, colonial, and local force garrison.

Write-up coming soon, and please keep the scenario ideas coming!

V/R,
Jack

It's up. Bur keep sending scenario ideas.

Jack

Of course that should be, "But keep sending scenario ideas," and I am here to continue to perpetuate that request.

You guys have provided some great stuff; some of it I used yesterday (the armored vehicles not running for the border, as expected, combined with locals getting tired of the French and helping the insurgents, which resulted in a mini-Camerone), the rest of which I'm cataloging for use in future games.

I greatly appreciate it, and I'm begging for more! A lot of you have provided stuff tailored to my specific campaign, which is great, but be advised, that is not a requirement. I'm looking generally for 'modern' conflict, as I don't have a grand plan for my campaign, so it can go any way we want it to.

I'll tell you that I'm envisioning UK and US forces joining the French (which will likely see some of Mako's Balkan C2 issues, though no outright confrontation between the allies). I can also see additional support for the terrorists, possibly Taliban/Chechn-like transnational types, as well as Tumoria hopping in with both feet. I can also see the French co-opting some local causes either in Perplakistan or Tumoria, and so having some "irregulars" on their side. So, that means there are conventional forces and guerillas on both sides of the fight, with options for all the various force mixtures that entails.

Thanks again, and keep them coming.

V/R,
Jack

C'mon guys, I need help! Where do I go from here.

The base was just overrun, so there are certain logistical aspects that could adversely affect the Legionaires, at least in the short term, particularly the loss of the helos.

So, I might be able to get a game in on Thursday, if not, Saturday for sure. But what should happen. I mean, we know Major LaPieux is ed and wants revenge. So, a couple ideas:

1. LaPieux chases down the attackers of the base and eliminates them, a straight 'to the death' fight. This could lead to info coming out regarding the local villagers of Turncoatsville helping the insurgents close with the main gate. This could lead to a 'punitive expedition' against the village itself. Maybe too non-PC to go with; maybe a raid to take down the head of the collaborators?

2. LaPieux finds out, in connection with the ambush at Kabalouey, and the overrun of the base, not only were armored vehicles provided by Tumoria, but Tumoria has 'advisors' present within the borders of Perplakistan. LaPieux mounts a raid to capture them; proof of Tumorian involvement within Perplakistan is what brings UK and US troops into the task force (Task Force Yankee Union Jacque, or TFYUJ).

3. While hunting down the runners from the overrun attack, Lapieux comes across some Tumorian refugees at the border, including anti-Tumorian freedom fighters (yes, ours are freedom fighters, theirs are terrorists!). LaPieux sets to organizing them for operations inside Tumoria. This option could probably be tacked on to either 1 or 2.

4. Lapieux doesn't need a punitive expedition against the collaborators of Turncoatsville; as his Task Force is preparing to give chase to the runners from the base overrun, the collaborators of Turncoatsville decide it's time to take up active aggression against the French oppressors.

So, tell me what you think, and please feel free to provide new ideas or variations on the ones above. It's like one of those "choose your own ending" novels ;) Though it's nowhere near ending.

V/R,
Jack

Hi,

Take 2 or 4 BUT,
The forces who have overrun the base have captured tactical N and C weapons the french had at the base for escalation. Now the enemy counterattacks with a tac Nuclear strike or defends with depolying pestistend C weapons.
Use FFL with normal out of area puntituve victory conditions and the enemy as irak republicain guard ect. Use NBC rules and impact on moral and losses…..

After this horror will the US and the UK enter the conflict.

Greetings

Rudi and John,

Thanks for throwing in on this, I appreciate the help. First, let me say, I think that nuclear and chemical weapons are probably farther than I want to go in the scenario, but I think it's a great lead.

So, the next fight is LaPieux going after the collaborators and/or Tumorian advisors; following that fight, interrogation of EPWs leads to info on a high-value (but not fully identified) target, which gets taken down in the next fight. Turns out it's a 'dirty bomb,' provided by Iran (Tumoria is already well-known to be heavily supported by the Chinese; I think that's where their diplomats went after they were expelled by the Sultanate of Ifat!).

So, the discovery of the dirty bomb brings the Brits into the task force, but he US is still to broke/wishy-washy to commit. However, Saudi Arabia leads the charge for the Gulf Arab states and throws troops and (US) equipment into the task force to contain the spread of Islamism in general and Iranian influence in particular.

Having a Gulf-State alliance works better for me than having US forces come in, for two simple reasons:
1) Gulf State combat capability is much lower than US of course, which is a good thing in skirmish gaming; I want to play games on the tabletop, not have R&S teams lase targets for fast movers, or worse, no good guys are on the table, they're using drones!

2) I cannot paint US forces in desert uniforms!!! I've spent quite a few hours over the past week trying to paing desert MARPAT, the new Army camoflage, hell, even the old desert tri-color, and everything looks like crap! This is the first time this has ever happened to me, where I can't figure out a good color scheme, and it's driving me insane. I really don't know what to do.

I suppose if I go with "Arab" forces I'm free to make up any old desert color scheme I like. I dunno, I'd still rather they were US troops though…

Anyway, thanks again guys, and tell me what you think, and let me know any other ideas.

V/R,
Jack

1. Prisoners have been taken by the insurgents and a convoy is taking them to Tumoria for safe keeping. Pursue the convoy and overtake it before it gets to Tumoria, free the prisoners.

2. French High command has decided its too hot to stay in the area until reinforcements can brought in. The French will evacuate to a town 30 KM south of their present location. The convoy will include some local collaborators that will be beheaded if they are left behind traveling in vehicles that are incapable of off road travel. The insurgents have set up a road block and taken up good positions in the surrounding terrain. The French will have to force the road block.

You need African regulars (African Union) and other 3rd rate troops with obsolete equipment for some of your scenarios. Dice randomly for their contribution to the battle.

1. Stay in garrison hunker down and hope they live through the battle.

2. Rout off the table as soon as they are attacked.

3. Never advance farther than the French unless the insurgents / Tumorians are fleeing then blood lust overtakes them and they charge.

Probably think of a few more…

Guys,

Instead of gaming, I spent the whole day, and I mean the WHOLE day (the wife is looking to kill me), painting and basing. I'm not quite done (still need to throw a wash on, some bushes, then dullcoat them, but almost there. Here's what I got done:

1. USMC (John, I gave up on the MARPAT and universal camo, and just went with a khaki color; hey, it's 10mm! But it was aggravating; this is the first time I couldn't figure out a color scheme I liked)
2. Brit Royal Marines
3. Israelis
4. Taliban/Chechens
5. "Tumorian" regulars (a combo of PLO-type terrorists and some NVA I had laying around)
6. "Tumorian" 'special' troops (I'm thinking along the lines of IRGC/Basij/Fedayeen types)

I'll look to get a game in tomorrow morning and pics of everything up tomorrow night or Monday.

Dragon Gunner – Good stuff, I appreciate it. I really like the one about the bad guys, having just overrun the base, now have a bunch of POWs in their possession, can't believe I hadn't thought of that! Really like your suggestions regarding local forces as well; I need to come up with some troops to model the locals (maybe use my Israelis? They've exported their Galils, perhaps the Perplaki gov't was a customer).

I can tell you that things are about to get real ugly with Tumoria. I need to have a couple more fights to set it up, but then there's going to be USMC and Brits joining the task force, and some 'conventional' warfare with Tumoria. This will not supplant the counterinsurgency stuff in Perplakistan, I'll be doing both. So, please keep up the scenario recommendations.

V/R,
Jack