"US vs China or Ukranian war skirmish games?" Topic

I am increasingly getting my collections into skirmish gaming. I am primarily a horse and musket gamer so when i dabble outside that period i like to skirmish so I dont have to collect or paint the hundreds of figures.
I would to do something ultra modern so i thought either a hypothetical US vs China (or North Korea) or maybe Ukranian war. I have GWOT stuff already so no more middle east for now!
Those who do stuff like this is there a certain way to go? Any recommendations? I have a Bambu A1s so terrain is not a problem.

FM

Drones re-write the rules every 5 or 6 months.
Good luck.

Too soon for me to want to game.

I think you have a good idea as far as making "armies" of reasonable size. I am trying to do the same thing,but it never seems to work out that way.

If you want to go cheap, forces for the war are available in 1/72 plastic.

I only think of a US-PRC game as naval, maybe air. Ukraine doesn't look very playable, a lot looking like trench warfare and then there's drones seeing and hitting. Maybe something from the very beginning, there are some scenario books out there (Britton.publishers IIRC). For my modern skirmish gaming I go imagi-nation as it gives more room for scenarios that would be fun to play. Zozer makes a book to develop modern conflict countries.

Killer drones were not making a big impact in Ukraine Kharkov AO until mid 2023. The opening months of the war was similar to Cold War tactics. You can find many videos of small unit engagements in trenches and urban combat without drones.

The Russian attacks around Bakhmut were what I would call modified Cold War and infiltration tactics. Western teams were using ISR drones for artillery FO that was very effective until the Ukies ran out of ammo.

What's happening today with Russian infiltration tactics and drones killing 90% of the infiltrators before they get into combat would not be much fun. However, having Ukie teams hunt down successful Russian infiltrators could be a fun urban combat scenario.

I think the best scenarios would be combat that took place in the Kharkov AO up to the offensive in Sept 2022 with Western squad sized teams performing traditional patrol, infiltration and recon in force missions into the gray zone without drones, vehicles, QRF, radios or drones (no arty of CASVAC). Drones were being used for ISR and occasional grenade dropping.

I have friends that were involved in those actions and visited them in Dec 2023. I've done a presentation to the US Army War College on the infantry and drone tactics and equipment used on both sides. If you are interested I can help you develop scenarios.

I'd post it in the Ultramodern Warfare section but Bill has locked me out.

Wolfhag

My two cents on war with China.

The US just needs to send a few B-2 Spirit bombers and drop some bunker busters on the Three Gorges Dam. Most likely game over.

Wolfhag

@Wolfhag in WWII or the Cold War that would be a no-brainer. Today I don't think anyone has the stones to rider that with the backlash they will face.

UK MOD 2005 – A Soldier's Guide to the Law of Armed Combat

s8.a.1 refers to dams, etc

NB This is for UK – no idea if USA has equivalent; not sure if there is a Russian version – nor, indeed – a Chinese one either.

smithsco,
Taiwan is already working on hypersonics to hit the dam. Of course China threatens a nuclear response if it happens.

The real danger for the dam is the hundreds of dams up river from the Three Gorges that are in need of repair and failing. It could create a chain reaction down river.

International Law, like any law, is only as good as it can be enforced.

Wolfhag

More info on Taiwan and the TGD: YouTube link

Wolfhag