Howdy,
Friday evening at Fall IN, I ran an In the Stans scenario using my modified version of Men Under Fire.
Situation
A Blue force platoon has been tasked with gaining cooperation with a local village and finding local Muffintop arms caches.
Blue Forces
One squad starts the game deployed in the village. LT White's (the platoon leader) Humvee has just hit an IED just outside the village. White and SSG Lopez (recon asset) are on the table near the destroyed vehicle.
Two squads, mounted in Humvees, serve as a quick reaction force and enter the board to reinforce.
All Blue Forces are rated Veteran.
Red Force
Abdul (recon asset) triggered the IED and is located in the orchard nearby.
One element, with leader and mortar team are deployed on the board edge adjacent to the western side of the village.
Another element, with leader and HMG are hidden, deployed, to ambush the blue reinforcements.
Two elements will enter as reinforcements. At start elements are rated Veteran, while the reinforcing elements are rated Regular.
The Game
In the village the Blue Force squad was deployed defending a walled compound. The Blue player, exited the compound and hunkered down along the river bank on the eastern side of the village. This would prove a grave tactical error.
The lead Blue QRF squad was ambushed, the lead Humvee destroyed by RPG fire. The survivors, failed morale and retreated to the western side of the valley (still under fire).
The trail Blue QRF squad drove to the support of the ambushed squad. Their lead vehicle was also hit by an RPG and destroyed. The two squads got their heads together and returned fire, the fusillade from the Mk 19 AGL force the Muffintop element to withdraw. The trail squad headed out in pursuit, and caught the Muffintop element crossing the side valley. The Red Force element was virtually wiped out in a hail of grenade fire. (Tactical lesson: Don't cluster your troops).
Meanwhile in the village, two Muffintop elements located the Blue Squad and assaulted their position. The Blue force deployed without good fields of fire was overwhelmed, three of the four stands were captured.
Losses:
Red: 9 stands lost, (5 of the 9) from the cluster in the side valley.
Blue: 8 stands, 2 Humvees, including 3 stands captured.
Photos 1 to 4 – Terrain at start, village in NW corner of the table.
View looking South
View looking East
View looking North
Photo 5 – LT White's position at start
Photo 6 – Initial deployment of Blue Squad in village
Photo 7 – Ambush of QRF squads
Photo 8 – Blue squad hunkered down by the river, trapped by the Muffintops.
It was a fun game. I believe both of the players enjoyed themselves.
Ponder on,
JAS