War Is Hell

Who let the dogs out?

2012-01-28T17:02:00.001+13:00

My Vargr (Critical Mass Games Protolene Khanates). Ready to ravage the star lanes!

Broadsword: The Ambush

2012-01-22T21:02:00.000+13:00

Fought out the second scenario in the Classic Traveller Broadsword mercenary campaign using Tomorrow’s War. A good, tight battle as Tanoose Freedom League insurgents supported by a Sword Worlds sniper team made life miserable for the Broadsword mercenaries.
In the end the mercs managed to clear the board, having lost two KIA, and 6 WIA (three seriously). One of the wheeled APCs took an RPG hit and was reduced to half speed through suspension damage.
Countless TFL guerrillas were casualties – but they just kept coming. The Sword Worlds sniper team got away, having inflicted some losses.

The battlefield, Broadsword mercs came on from the right.

Pesky TFL insurgents.

Broadsword mercs take cover in buildings.

Merc fireteam uses overwatch to cover the advance from a central position.

Crew temporarily abandon APC after RPG strike.

Sword Worlds sniper team causing trouble.

Vargr fireteam moves up.

Vargr looking for snipers.

Dogs of war.

My 15mm Zhodani

2011-12-16T08:43:00.001+13:00

Eureka Ventaurans.

Tomorrow's War: First Game

2011-11-27T11:45:00.001+13:00

Having read through the infantry rules of Ambush Alley Games’ Tomorrow’s War it was time to try out the first scenario in the book solo. This is your basic infantry firefight between opposing squads, with a little twist. Essentially, an aerospace fighter has gone down over disputed territory with the pilot punching out and taking refuge in a building. A squad of thirteen Marines is sent to extract the pilot before the enemy reach him (or her). Unbeknownst to them, however, the enemy have set up an ambush and are waiting with twenty-odd frontier guards to spring the trap on the approaching Marines.

Setup - Marines approaching from the bottom of shot.

The Marines have to cross a watercourse to reach the downed pilot. I split my squad into two groups, each heading for one of two crossing points available. Immediately things went wrong as the first fireteam heading for the bridge ran into a hail of fire from hidden frontier guards to their right. They all went down and things looked bad. A second fireteam used the handy woods to get into engagement angle of the ambushers who had revealed themselves and managed to hit a couple. When a fireteam of Frontier Guards to the left popped up they failed to inflict any damage, and were mercilessly cut down by return fire. Two fireteams wiped out in the first turn! The Marine squad leader then tried to reach his hit fireteam and offer assistance, but was taken out by pinpoint fire from the Frontier Guards.

Marines advance.

Turn Two saw further movement by the two remaining Marine fireteams, who managed to ride out fire from the more distant ambushers and suppress them with return fire (because the Frontier Guards in the scenario are at the lowest D6 troop quality, if they take a negative morale result that takes them out of the fight for a turn).

Situation at the end of Turn One.

On Turn Three one fireteam finally reached the downed pilot, under cover of some smoke grenades and the fact that two of the remaining three Frontier Guard fireteams were suppressed.

Marines reach the downed pilot.

Meanwhile, the other Marine fireteam went across to their downed comrades and was able to administer first aid. This resulted in two of those downed Marines from the first turn being confirmed seriously wounded and thus out-of-the-fight. The squad leader was dead.

Another angle of the firefight with Marine casualties in the centre by the bridge.

The downed pilot was now escorted back to the shelter of the woods by a Marine fireteam, and then off to the rear. Covering fire from one fireteam, and good armour rolls, prevented the Frontier Guards from thwarting this movement. However, the Frontier Guards did manage to take down the remaining two Marines of the first fireteam.

The pilot is escorted to safety.

A mad scramble ensued as the Frontier Guards sought to reach the downed Marines first and take them prisoner. Fortunately for the Marines, their comrades arrived in time to blast the Frontier Guards rushing across the open towards them.

Frontier Guards.

The game ended as a good victory for the Marines, who had rescued the pilot at the cost of three serious casualties and a collection of minor wounds. The Frontier Guards only had two men untouched at the end of the battle.

Marines race forward.

Thoughts on TW: this was a good, if fairly generic introduction. I got to grips with the reaction mechanism that is at the heart of AAG products. The player who wins initiative sets the tone of the turn, and if he consistently wins a run of initiative rolls at the start of each turn (or even just draws – as that goes to the player who had initiative last turn) then he can dictate proceedings to some extent. The Frontier Guards were only D6 troop quality, which (as is the way AAG wants it) made life tougher for them on initiative and reaction rolls. I also hadn’t realised until playing the effect of only being a D6 troop quality when it came to morale. A single bad morale result took a Frontier Guard fireteam out of the fight at a crucial time and allowed the Marines to reach the downed pilot. The better tech of the Marines also gave them an advantage over the course of the battle as their extra firepower or defence die in each round of fire told.

The similarities with 5150 are apparent – the reaction mechanism in particular. The differences are in nuances, such as the fact that you can select whether to react in TW, whereas in 5150 you take an In Sight test automatically and the result may not be one you intended. Also, 5150 is more granular in its treatment of fireteam/squad weapons. TW has a more generic approach to individual weapons, although support weapons are given detailed treatment.

Operation Dominoes: The Idsur Gambit

2011-11-02T22:01:00.000+13:00

Mauler fighter-bomber hits advancing enemy troops.

This scenario came from Avenger Enterprises book Operation Dominoes 3.

[IX-1202] Idsur is a small nation on Tiniyd (X-54369C-6), itself a small world in Thoezennt subsector of the Old Expanses. Tiniyd is broken up into 10 different nations. Seven ofthese are human nations, while the other three are home to the Droyne.The human nations are ruled by the descendants of a psionic resistance cellthat took advantage of the Collapse to seize power. Once they hadachieved power, they began to fight among themselves.

The human nations are quite xenophobic, both to human outworldersand the native droyne. Many of them have enslaved droyne, which havereverted to chirper status. Several times during the last seventyyears one nation or the other has declared war on the Droyne, and attempted to wipe them out. The droyne have become distrustful ofany humans and have retreated to their cities, shunning human contact. The humans are alsoquite technophobic and distrust all high tech devices.

A Star Viking 'Moonshadow' bootstrap team has been dispatched to Tiniyd to open relations with the Droyne nations to counter the ill effects of a botched Star Viking raid on a Droyne controlled nation out in the Wilds. The team make contact with the only free and representative human government on Tiniyd, the Idsur Republic. They help the Republic establish a petroleum extraction facility, and in the course of this discover that the local chirpers are in fact sentient beings - Droyne - with psionic talents including invisibility. This discovery, however, and the subsequent decision of the Idsur government to grant the chirpers citizenship rights does not go over well with the other psionic-dominated human nations on Tiniyd. Idsur's neighbours gang up on the small Republic, launching a multi-pronged invasion. The Moonshadow team is caught up in the conflict, helping Idsur repel the invasions.

From the south, the army of Gakshishu advances up the main coast highway towards Idsur City - seeking to quickly end the war. Using TL6 airmobile and TL11 relic grav forces, the Gakshishu force advances rapidly northward, leap-frogging over river obstacles and capturing a forward air base. An Idsur force moved south from the capital to block them, digging in about 350km from Idsur City astride the main road.

It is now D+3 (25-IX-1202) and the Gakshishu main body has arrived within sensor range of the Idsurian defence line. The Idsurian frontline consists of two dug-in TL6 companies of motorised infantry, together with a reserve TL6 light infantry company. This line is stiffened by two Battledress equipped elite heavy infantry platoons, held in reserve along with a TL11 lift infantry company. Further back is a relic TL11 grav artillery company and on call is the entire Idsurian air force consisting of a squadron of TL6 AM1 Mauler turboprop fighter-bombers.

The Gakshishu force consists of two TL6 mechanised infantry company task forces, a heliborne airmobile infantry company, a scout cavalry company as well as two field artillery companies and an MRL company. TL5 Falco biplanes offer air support. Worryingly, the force also has an array of relic equipment including a lift infantry company, most of a grav tank company, a grav artillery company as well as a psionic military intelligence section and three Battledress heavy infantry platoons riding on TL6 trucks.

The battlefield, with the Gakshishu force ranged out on the far right and the Idsurian defences centre and left of shot.

The battle starts with Gakshishu artillery fire raining down on the Idsurian positions. Multiple rocket launcher fire causes casualties in the centre of the Idsurian line around the road junction. Then, under cover of smoke shells, the Gakshishu mechanised infantry companies and cavalry rumble forward - concentrating on the left flank of the Idsurian line. Falco biplanes swoop down, dropping 100kg high explosive bombs on the Idsurian light infantry. Grav tanks add their plasma blasts to the covering fire from positions well to the rear.

The centre of the Idsurian defences under heavy fire.

Gakshishu cavalry lead the mechanised advance.

With the Gakshishu advance underway a surprise is sprung by the defenders in the form of ortillery fire from the Ugushaam Star, a TL10 Free Trader recently arrived from Marax to resupply the Moonshadow team. Laser fire lances down, taking out some of the pesky MRLs. Idsurian artillery uses the targeting sensors of the startship to launch counter-battery strikes at the towed Gakshishu artillery, slowly silencing it.

Airstrike!

Trying to use speed and shock to unhinge the Idsurian line, the Gakshishu commander dispatches his heliborne infantry to land in fields near the Idsurian defences in the centre as they still recover from the MRL barrage. The helicopters deposit their load unharmed, but the airmobile infantry are met by a hail of machine gun fire from the Idsurians. After suffering some casualties, the Gakshishu airmobile infantry waver and pull back, as their helicopters scurry back to base.

Airmobile assault arrives.

Gakshishu airmobile infantry withdraw under machinegun fire.

On the Idsurian left, the Gakshishu mechanised force appears out of the thinning smoke screen 300 metres from the Idsurian line. The dug-in defending infantry open fire with their shoulder-launched anti-tank rockets, causing losses on the Gakshishu vehicles. Then the Idsurian air force swoops down, with Mauler fighters dropping bombs and strafing the attackers with their 20mm cannon. Some of the Gakshishu force pulls back under fire, while others engage the defenders with shellfire. Losses mount on both sides.

Mechanised assault screened by smoke.

With ortillery laser fire continuing to attrit Gakshishu supporting artillery and grav vehicles, and Idsurian counter-battery fire adding to the losses, the Gakshishu commander orders forward his crack Battledress infantry. They are spotted disembarking from their trucks and the Idsurian Battledress infantry move forward to meet them. A fierce exchange of Gauss Rifle fire ensues, with both sides taking casualties.

Battledress infantry sent forward.

Gakshishu grav tanks.

Idsurian Battledress infantry.

Ortillery lances down on grav tanks.

As the battle reaches a climax, and commanders desperately try to rally and regroup their battered troops, the Gakshishu lift infantry are sent forward in their grav sleds over the front line trenches and into the Idsurian rear. The Idsurian lift infantry held in reserve engage them with Nail anti-tank missiles, destroying some grav sleds and unhinging the assault. Mauler turboprop fighters and artillery fired cluster munitions add to the carnage as the last Gakshishu assault is turned back.

The Zho are coming!

2011-09-16T07:46:00.000+12:00

I've put in an order with Eureka Miniatures for some 15mm Ventaurans from their 300 Club. As every good Traveller player knows, the Ventaurans are dead ringers for the perfidious Zhodani. In anticipation, I've been collecting Zhodani pictures:

Broadsword: The Raid

2011-09-11T19:58:00.002+12:00

The town to be raided.

The Classic Traveller adventure: Broadsword pits a group of mercenaries against an apparently run-of-the–mill insurgency on a backwater colony world off the beaten track in Vilis subsector of the Spinward Marches. Unfortunately, soon after the mercenaries arrive on-planet the Fifth Frontier War breaks out and a Zhodani strike cruiser arrives in system, taking up station just out of range of the planetary defences.
The planetary authorities then contact the mercenaries with the news that intelligence has provided information suggesting an important rebel conference is to take place in an isolated township out in the hinterland. Time for the mercenaries to earn their pay!
For this game I used the Two Hour Wargames ruleset 5150. It is well-suited for a solo game, and for the approximate platoon-sized opposing forces in The Raid. The mercenaries consist of three squads of eight troopers (armed with ACRs and a squad support plasma gun – I used GZG New Israeli figures). The defenders consist of a platoon-sized force of insurgents (mainly armed with carbines and rifles, along with a recoilless rifle and a machine gun – I used 15mm.co.uk Laserburn figures and GZG Colonial Militia). The mercenaries have two wheeled ATVs mounting auto-grenade launchers (I used 15mm.co.uk Glaives).

The mercenaries poured out of their ATVs and shook out into a rough assault line, moving into the outskirts of the town. A walled compound was soon revealed to contain an insurgent squad who opened fire on the pointman of Charlie squad. He was the plasma gunner in heavy armour, and shrugged off the small arms fire while the rest of his squad let rip on the insurgents with their ACRs and the vehicle AGL, taking down a couple of them and forcing the rest to hunker down petrified in the building or flee the town.

Initial insurgent defensive position.

Merc fire support.

Insurgents using walled compounds for cover.

In the centre, Bravo squad headed up the main road into town, encountering a group of insurgents milling about outside a building. The mercs got the drop on the rebels, and automatic weapons fire took care of all but one insurgent. That rebel, however, used his machine gun to wound two of Bravo squad – they were out of the fight – before dropping prone as he ran out of ammunition.

Bravo squad advances down the main road, encountering unprepared insurgents in town.

The surprised insurgents, complete with machine gun.

Finally, Alpha squad and its ATV had an initially untroubled approach around the back of town. After a couple of minutes pushing through empty fields, they came under sporadic fire from another walled compound at the far end of town. At that range, the rebel carbines had no effect, and Alpha squad’s return fire was enough to suppress the insurgent position.

Rebels at the compound at the far end of town take Alpha squad under fire.

Alpha squad return fire at the distant insurgents.

Bravo squad took care of the rebel machine gunner as he tried to reload, and Charlie squad crashed through the door of the compound where they captured several rebels cowering in the buildings.

Charlie squad moves in on the remaining rebels in their sector.

But Alpha squad were in for a rude surprise as they rushed forwards to close with the suppressed insurgents in the far compound. Suddenly from a flank they were taken under accurate ACR fire – a group of four Sword Worlds Gram lift infantry (Peter Pig Vietnam War Anzacs) had been meeting with the insurgents and were now trying to make good their escape. Two mercs went down in the hail of fire, but their comrades struck back blasting the Swordies hideout with plasma fire and RAM grenades. The Swordies were shocked into submission by the sheer weight of firepower hitting their position, and the survivors of Alpha squad rounded them up as prisoners. Time for some interrogation!

Insurgents with Sword Worlds lift infantry in the far distance.

Swordies let rip at Alpha squad with their ACRs.

Meanwhile, the remaining insurgents took flight as best they could, leaving the Broadsword mercenaries in control. The mercs had lost 3 KIA and 4 WIA in total, although none of the wounded turned out to be critically hit. They took 8 POWs, including 4 Sword Worlds officers/NCOs. The bodycount was 11 insurgents.

Comment: A fine game with 5150 working well in this raid scenario where one side is essentially surprised on its home ground and fighting back against a fast moving assault force. The reaction system of 5150 allows stationary units to get the drop on advancing adversaries, if they are good enough! If not, the better weapons of the mercs would prevail, suppressing insurgents quickly by out-gunning them.

PLA Navy buildup

2011-09-10T11:10:00.000+12:00

I've been purchasing 1/3000th scale PLA Navy vessels off Shapeways from Objects May Appear. Still working out the best colours for them.

071 LUZHAO-class LPD

054a JIANGKAI-II class FFG

Another JIANGKAI-II

The fleet coming together slowly.

Call to Arms 2011: Greek Campaign 1941

2011-08-26T08:07:00.000+12:00

Played a scenario developed some time ago for Spearhead revolving around the Anglo-ANZAC attempt to slow the German advance through northern Greece long enough to let colleagues escape encirclement. The scenario in full is here:http://spearhead.wargaming.info/08400001.htm

ANZAC defenders lie in wait for my German force at the mouth of gorge into the Florina Valley.

Pesky ANZAC infantry with supporting 2pdr anti-tank guns

SS Adolf Hitler arrives.

SS Adolf Hitler Recce Battalion with STUG attached.


What followed for the Germans was two days of hard fighting against the wily ANZACS.

In the end, the ANZACS proved too resilient and clever as they held off the Germans long enough to let the Greeks escape and withdrew in good order south towards Athens.
I also watched a lovely air game over the Gulf of Finland.

15mm sci fi buildings WIP

2011-07-30T16:22:00.000+12:00

Waiting for Tomorrow's War to try 15mm gaming again.

Unity Campaign: Bloody nose at Aksu

2011-06-14T22:03:00.001+12:00

(with thanks to Simon for the scenario)

Scenario Background

The PAU volunteers, the Black Leopard Brigade, has successfully landed on the southern coast of Wei island. The Black Leopards are currently consolidating a Point of Entry (POE) based around the coastal town of Gyantse. Colonel Derrick Watambe [commanding the Black Leopards], has left one of his infantry battalions guarding Gyantse and decided on a rapid thrust to seize the province’s capital Aksu while the Zhongshan garrison is distracted by the American Empire forces.

However, Senior-colonel Liu Zhuiheng, commander of the 374th MI Regiment, has not been distracted. He has dispatched his 3742nd MI Battalion to block any Black Leopards' advance against Aksu.

Scenario

Lieutenant Colonel Li Xuhui [the new battalion commander] has deployed his motor infantry battalion in a hasty defensive position astride the road to Aksu. The 3742nd is partially dug-in on and around a small ridge line over which the highway runs. The 3742nd is tasked to halt the PAU advance. However, if his force is threatened with encirclement Lieutenant Colonel Xuhui is directed to withdraw his battalion.

Colonel Watambe has directed his brigade to seize Aksu. His mission is to capture the provincial capital , with the ‘aid’ of rebel forces. He has ordered that any serious K.E. forces encountered are to be screened and bypassed.

Missions and Forces

•Zhongshan

–Mission:

•Delay PAU advance and inflict maximum casualties

–Forces:

3742nd Motor Infantry Battalion (-):

–Regt Tac HQ: Command Stand - CV9

–HQ: 1x command stand CV8

–Scout Platoon:

»1x Giap scout walker stand

–2x Infantry Companies, each:

»4x Xuelong wheeled IFV + Inf stands

–1x AFV Companies, each:

»4x Feibao wheeled AFV stands

–Support Company:

»1x Xuelong SPMtr variant stand; 1x Xuelong variant AT Missile vehicle stand.

–1 x MaoZedong SPG stand, 1x FAO stand CV7

–Infantry may be dug-in. Vehicles are not dug-in.

•Pan African Union

–Mission:

•Advance to and seize Aksu screening and bypassing any serious KE forces encountered

–Forces:

•Black Leopard Volunteer Brigade (-)

–Bde HQ: Command Stand - CV9

–Recon Company: 2 x Meercat armoured car stands

–1st Black Leopard Infantry Battalion (Mounted):

»HQ CV 8

»3 x Infantry Companies each 2 x Infantry stands + truck

»Support Company: Mortar stand, MG stand, SMsl stand + trucks

»Armoured Car Company: 2 x Meercat armoured car stands

–1st Black Leopard AGS Battalion:

»HQ CV 8

»3 x AGS Companies: 2 x Rooikat AGS Stands

–7th Wei Security Battalion (Rebels):

»HQ CV7

»3 x Infantry Companies each 3 x Infantry stands +trucks

»Hvy Weapon Company: Armoured van stand, Mortar Stand, AT laser Stand+ trucks

»Mercenary tankette company: 3 x tankette stands

–Black Leopard Artillery Battalion:

»2 x CI-55 Light How Stands

»2 x FAO CV7


Brave personnel of the 3742 MR Battalion prepare to meet their ancestors if they must to stop the invaders reaching Aksu. Infantry dug-in with their IFVs hulldown behind await the onslaught.

First contact! Infantry of the 3742nd engage an enemy recon platoon scouting ahead of the PAU main body along the road to Aksu.

Enemy eliminated.

Friendly scout walker platoon is a little too bold, and pays the price.

View from the top of the vital ridge where the 3742nd made its stand.

At last the main body of the Black Leopards made its appearance, skulking around behind cover.

Wei rebels pay the price for their treason as Zhongshan artillery rains down on their vulnerable trucks.

PAU armoured gun systems lead the assault towards the Zhongshan lines.

Defenders keep up a fierce fire on the PAU attackers.

In a crafty counterstroke, Lt Col Xuhui orders his IFVs to sally forth and smite the Wei rebels when they least expect it inflicting serious losses on the traitors advancing near the highway.

Back on the left flank, losses are also inflicted on the PAU armoured gun systems.


Brewed up enemy vehicles litter the field of battle.

Having inflicted a bloody nose on the PAU force, tragedy ensued when confused orders led to half the 3742nd abandoning their positions and withdrawing towards Aksu (a command blunder was rolled!)

Retreat!

A few unfortunate vehicle losses - the result of accurate long range gunnery from the PAU force.

Final positions as night falls ending the engagement.

Future War Commander Traveller armies

2011-05-31T19:49:00.000+12:00

I've finally completed a set of army lists for Future War Commander giving some well-known Traveller forces. http://www.mediafire.com/?8kz56c9d44sud0c

Old Crow 6mm Hammers Slammers

2011-04-23T09:12:00.000+12:00

There have been quite a few interesting new 6mm releases recently. Old Crow have finally released for sale their 6mm Hammers Slammers line.

http://www.oldcrowmodels.co.uk/6hamm.htm

Legion 4 has some awesome examples painted up:

Khurasan goes 6mm

2011-04-17T21:00:00.000+12:00

Khurasan are well-known for their 15mm miniatures, but now they have released what one hopes is the start of a growing 6mm range. They aren't mucking about with the pricing, however, USD2.29 for a single vehicle (with a choice of turrets admittedly) plus shipping.

New toy

2011-04-16T20:34:00.000+12:00

While in America, I picked up an Android tablet for USD130. I've loaded the Android app Repligo onto it and now it reads pdfs at a fair clip, making it a great wargaming companion. I've also got a die roller app for those moments when rolling a D4 or D12 is required!

Germany 1986: Flogging It

2011-03-10T21:20:00.001+13:00

Pete and I fought out a good fun encounter battle between his Belgian Mechanised Brigade and my Soviet BTR Motor Rifle Regiment a few weeks ago. Most of my photos didn't turn out, but this one shows the highlight of the game for me when my supporting MiG arrived to deposit a load of cluster bombs on the Belgian Leopards!

Unity campaign: Battle of Xeger

2011-02-21T21:19:00.002+13:00

(thanks Simon for the scenario)

Scenario Background

The American Empire’s peacekeepers have successfully landed on the southern coast of Wei island. The 181st Grenadier Brigade are currently consolidating a Point of Entry (POE) based around the coastal town of Xigatse. Cleric Brigadier Joseph Woolf, commander of the the 181st, has ordered his first battalion combat group, based around the 1/181st Battalion, to advance north and seize the Town of Xeger in order to prevent the Zhongshan forces from surprising the 181st while it was still consolidating its operating base.

Cleric Brigadier Woolf is also trying to establish contact with the Senior-colonel Liu Zhuiheng, commander of the 374th MI Regiment, the leaders of the Wei rebels and the commander of the PAU Black Leopard group (a brigade(-) size group of Provincial Army ‘volunteers’ that have been sent to Wei Province by Governor Dacko). The volunteers were recruited and deployed to Wei after Governor Dacko recognised the independence of Wei. They have landed at another coastal town on the southern coast, Gyantse.

In response to the deployment of both the 181st Brigade and the PAU Black Leopard volunteers the commander of the 124th MI Division ordered the third battalion of the 374th Regiment (3742nd ) to Wei. In addition he ordered two of the colony’s militia battalions to the troubled province as well. Cleric Brigadier Woolfs’ efforts at communication are designed to attempt to try and reduce the chances of unintended clashes between the three sides now operating on Wei.

Scenario

The 1/181st Battalion Group of the 181st Grenadier Brigade is advancing north to seize the town of Xeger. Xeger sits astride a key road junction and is needed to secure the most obvious axis of advance against Xigatse.

Advancing south from the capital Aksu is the 3473rd MI battalion, less one of its light AFV companies, supported by an artillery battery. The MI battalion is also ordered to seize the Xeger.

Missions and Forces

•Zhongshan

–Mission:

•Advance and seize the cross-roads at Xeger

–Forces:

3473rd Motor Infantry Battalion (-):

–HQ: 1x command stand CV8

–Scout Platoon:

»1x Giap scout walker stand

–2x Infantry Companies, each:

»4x Xuelong wheeled IFV + Inf stands

–1x AFV Companies, each:

»4x Feibao wheeled MBT stands

–Support Company:

»1x Xuelong SPMtr variant stand; 1x Xuelong variant AT Missile vehicle stand.

–1 x MaoZedong SPG stand, 1x FAO stand CV7

•American Empire

–Mission:

•Advance and seize the cross-roads at Xeger

–Forces:

•1/181th Grenadier Battalion Group

–HQ:

»1 x command stand CV8

»1 x Light Mortar stand + transport

–2 x Grenadier Companies:

»2 x infantry stands, 1 support weapon stand + transport

–2/27th Artillery Company, 1 x SPG stand, 1x FAO stand CV7

–181st Recon company:

»3 Recon stands + Transport

–1/82nd Tank Company:

»2 MBT Stands

Orders issued, the two sides advanced rapidly onto the battlefield. The bulk of the 3473rd MI Battalion made straight for Xeger, with scouts and AFVs as a flank guard.

While the American Republic motorised infantry were advancing on Xeger, their artillery pounded some Zhongshan armour caught in the open.

AmRep M82 hovertanks advanced cautiously on the left flank - sensors seeking targets in the distance.

They soon discovered the approaching Zhongshan wheeled AFVs. The American tanks outranged the Zhongshan, and used that to their advantage. Crisp vollies of repeat fire decimated the Zhongshan armour, leaving the entire company combat ineffective in a few minutes - for no American loss.

The Zhongshan command did not panic, however. They switched a wheeled smart missile carrier platoon over to the flank to keep the American hovertanks at bay, while the infantry and IFVs pressed on to Xeger. There they engaged leading AmRep infantry in fierce house-to-house fighting.

The Americans were outnumbered in the town, with only soft vehicle transport, and soon realised there was no future in trying to hold Xeger against the Zhongshan IFV autocannons. The battle turned into a fighting withdrawal for the Americans, who eventually escaped back up the highway. This left the Zhongshan in possession of Xeger - awaiting the next test.

Normandy '44: Over the Hill

2011-02-02T20:19:00.002+13:00

I decided to try out Toofatlardies I Ain't Been Shot Mum as a solo ruleset to use with my vast but untouched for many years 20mm World War II miniatures collection - and get back to my youth of the days of Charles Grant's Battle.

IABSM uses a card activation mechanism with an unpredictable turn end based on the appearance of a 'tea break' card. Hence it is well suited to solo play as you never know what elements are going to be able to activate each turn (although you can influence this to a certain extent by judicious use of 'big men' representing outstanding leaders). You can play each side to the best of your ability, and still feel like you get a good game out of it with a suitable reflection of the 'fog of war' and Clausewitz's 'friction'.

The introductory scenario I used was called 'Over the Hill' and essentially revolved around a British attempt to clear some high ground in Normandy. Needless to say, German defenders complete with spandaus and panzerfauts look to spoil the day of the British reinforced infantry company leading the advance up the hill.

After an initial 'stonk' by artillery the Loamshire Light Infantry advanced along a bocage flanked road with tank support from the Sherwood Foresters.

All seems quiet - too quiet!

The ambush is sprung by the Germans.

Up close and personal as German infantry stalk a Sherman.

Panzerfaust kill!

The Loamshires are hit with spandau fire from a wood.


A second ambush hits the Loamshires from the flank as they try to advance through the bocage country.

A good first game, with plenty of lessons learnt for next time!

Germany 1984: Counterstrike at Gemunden

2011-01-04T19:59:00.000+13:00

(a scenario designed by Barrie Lovell)

This scenario represents a mobile encounter battle between advancing Soviet forces and a West German armoured counter attack in a hypothetical WW3 fought in Central Europe in the summer of 1984. It uses a somewhat unusual initial deployment as the aim is to generate some of the problems and confusion which might arise in a clash between two highly mobile opponents, supported by intensive air and ground reconnaissance,and suffering the effects of pre-battle attrition etc.

Essentially the NATO player must make the most of his superior C3I systems to try and beat the enemy by fire and manoeuvre before the Soviet numbers build up and overwhelm him.

The leading elements of the Soviet 8^th Guards Tank Army have been driving hard along the line of the A5 autobahn towards Koblenz and, eventually, the Rhine. The speed of advance has overwhelmed a number of West German and US positions quicker than anticipated and the 39^th Guards Motor Rifle Division are now closing on the Gemunden gap, a choke point where the autobahn runs between two dense wooded features and the old town of Gemunden. In order to seize the gap and punch through the West German territorials believed to be holding the area the commander of 39 GMRD has pushed forward his two tank units (15^th Guards Tank regiment and 39^th Guards Tank battalion), supported by a BTR 70 equipped Motor Rifle Regiment, with orders to make the best use of the autobahn and press on with all speed.

Player Briefing - NATO forces

Order of battle:

Elements of Belgian 1st Mechanised Division:

1 Mechanised Brigade HQ

1 Carabiniers Mechanised Battalion

Bevrijding Mechanised Battalion

2 Lanciers Tank Battalion

8 Ligne AT Battalion (may attach out)

68 Engineer Company

18 Horse Artillery Bn (Artillery Regiment – 1 x FO in M113, 4 x M109A2, 1 x M163 20mm AA)

3 Battery 14 Artillery Regiment (Gepard) (from 1 BE Corps HQ)

Forward Air Controller from Corps HQ (M-113)

Attached from COMRECCE

3 Lanciers Tank Battalion (2 squadrons)

A Squadron 1 Jaagers te Paard (attached to 3 Lanicers)

West German Territorial Troops (from Light Defence Brigade):

1 dismounted Shutzen battalion

FO for Bde Artillery battalion (4 x 105mm – off-table)

Mission:

To counter-attack towards the line of the A5 autobahn between Mucke and Gemunden and to destroy enemy forces within boundaries and to prevent the enemy using the A5 axis of advance.

Player Briefing - Soviet Forces

Order of battle:

Elements of 39^th Guards Motor Rifle Division

· 39 GMRD Forward Command Post

· 15^th Guards Tank regiment (T-64B, BMP-2)

· 39^th Guards Tank Battalion (T-64B)

· Divisional Recce bn (11^th Reconnaissance battalion)

· 120^th Guards Motor Rifle regiment (BTR-70, T-62M)

· Divisional FAC (TACP) (1 x BTR 60 TACP)

Divisional Helicopter Squadron

· 2 x Hind E

· 2 x Hip

· 2 x Hoplite (acting as FOs for Divisional Artillery Group)

Divisional Artillery Group (DAG)

· FO from Div Rocket Launcher battalion (4 x BM-21)

· FO from Div 152mm Battalion (4 x 2S3)

· FO from Div 122mm Battalion (4 x 2S1)

Mission:

To secure the A5 Autobahn and open a route towards the Rhine.

The leading Soviet battalion group may deploy on table within 6” of the Soviet entry point. All other battalions start the game off table. To represent the Soviet system of march one battalion will arrive on table every hour (two turns) starting on turn two. This will allow a steady build up of Soviet troops as the day wears on, and simulates the division narrowing down its frontage to traverse the choke point. Each battalion will be assumed to have a command arrow following the line of the autobahn unless changed using the normal rules for changing orders.

The battle as we fought it:

In our refight the Soviet recce screen ran into advancing Belgians and the German Home Guard troops. The Soviet recce was quickly destroyed. Behind the recce was a Soviet Motor Rifle battalion, and this too was quickly engaged on the flank and eliminated almost before the next Motor Rifle battalion arrived on the board. Tank battalions followed as the Soviets tried to expand their advance down the A5 autobahn in the face of fierce resistance from Belgian troops using their Leopards, Kanones and Milans to good effect.

T64s on the A5 autobahn

T64s engage Belgian Leopards

Belgian Leopards

The most effective Soviet elements turned out to be the helicopters and the 122mm MRLs of the divisional artillery. These at last imposed some meaningful casualties on the Belgians. As Belgian morale problems rose we ran out of time in our gaming day, with a whole phase of the battle yet to come as the Soviets were about halfway down the autobahn but yet to engage the dug-in German homeguard and approaching Belgian mainforce.

District 9 weapons

2010-12-19T21:10:00.000+13:00

From a trip to Weta Workshop:

Unity Campaign: Restoring Harmony in Wei Province

2010-10-19T20:41:00.002+13:00

(thanks to simon for the scenario writeup)

Scenario Background

As the invasion of the Strom Islands was occurring trouble flared else where on Unity IV. The Zhongshan Empire (ZE) colony, the Duchy of Zhao, erupted in flames as the ethnic Tibetan colonist in Wei Province, an island to the south of the main colony, declared independence from the ethnic Chinese Zhao government. Trouble had been simmering for a many months.

The Board of the Nakajima Corporation had taken a contract from their Union partners. With war planned against the FroGs the PAU’s military staff planners in Jubu wanted to keep the ZE military forces occupied. So a concept of operations was developed that saw the Duchy of Zhao distracted by an insurgency. If the 124th Motor Infantry Division was occupied chasing insurgents through the mountains and forests of the colony then they could not be used for operations against Sierra Congo. The ethnic tension between the Tibetans of Wei Province and Han Chinese provided the perfect flame.

Initially the Nakajima Corporation inserted small teams of cadre to spread dissent. Then over the next few months as the tension rose between the local Public Safety forces and local residents the Nakajima’s planetary TACDET inserted small teams of their security troops to assist with training the local rebels.

However, events spiralled out of control. Instead of a simmering insurgency that would tie down the Duchy’s military forces the Tibetan colonists declared independence from the Duchy, raided the provincial armoury and killed or captured all the Han Chinese Public Security Bureau officers.

Scenario

The 374th Motor Infantry Regiment (-) has been transported to Wei province from its garrison location on the mainland. The Commander of the 374th , Senior-Colonel Liu Zhuiheng, has been ordered to break the rebellion immediately and capture the leaders for trial.

Leaving the 3742nd Motor Infantry Battalion Group in garrison the rest of the regiment has been ferried to the port town of Laoying on the north coast of Wei island. The port was seized with little resistance and the local authorities who had been imprisoned by the rebels were freed.

The 374th MI Regt (-) is now advancing rapidly on the provincial capital Aksu. The intent is to seize the capital, free the imprisoned officials, and then conduct operations from their to defeat the rebel forces. However, to get to Aksu the 374th must secure the crossing of the Xan River. It appears from drone flights that the rebels have dug-in to protect the crossing. The bridge is still standing.

Attacker

Mission: To force a crossing of the Xan River and break the rebels defending the crossing point as an effective fighting force.

374th Motor Infantry Regiment:

RHQ: 1x command stand

Engineer Company: 3x engineer flamethrower stands with Xie Fang transport

Artillery Battalion: 4x MaoZedong SPG stands, 2x FAO stands

Sniper Company: 3x sniper stands with transport

3741 Armoured Infantry Battalion:

HQ: 1x command stand

Scout Platoon: 1x Giap scout walker stand

2x Infantry Companies, each: 4x Xie Fang tracked IFV + Inf stands

2x Tank Companies, each: 4x Zhu De tracked MBT stands

Support Company: 1xXie Fang APC variant + a RAM Mtr stand; 1x Hailung AT Missile vehicle stand

3743 Motor Infantry Battalions,:

HQ: 1x command stand

Scout Platoon: 1x Giap scout walker stand

2x Infantry Companies, each: 4x Xuelong wheeled IFV + Inf stands

2x AFV Companies, each: 4x Feibao wheeled MBT stands

Support Company: 1x Xuelong SPMtr variant stand; 1x Xuelong variant AT Missile vehicle stand.

4020 points

Special Rules

Normal tactical doctrine & contemporary tech level

Defender

Mission: To defend the crossing point of the Xan River and inflict more casualties on the cursed Han oppressors than suffered.

Wei Demi-Brigade HQ

BHQ: 1 x PA command stand CV9

Wei Provincial Militia Battalion

HQ: 1 x command stand CV7

3 x Infantry Companies, each:3 x Inf stands

1 x Lt mortar stand

1 x AT Company: 2 x CAC-41 towed ATGs + light trucks

Nakajima Independent TACTEAM

HQ: 1 x command stand, CV8 1 x Pea recce drone stand

1 x Security Infantry Company: 3 x Inf stands, 1 x Smart Missile Stand, 1 x MMG Stand

1 x Mercenary Light Walker Company: 1 x Vicar Walker stands, 2 x Holy Trinity Walker stands

1 x Mercenary Light Armoured Company: 2 x SU60 Tankette stands, 1 x Laska Tankette stand

1 x Lt mortar stand

BHQ CV9 Light Command Bunker – 120 points

Two light bunkers+ sentry guns – 120 points

18 trenches

1630 points

Special Rules

Normal tactical doctrine & contemporary tech level

Battle report

Overview of the battlefield

As recce elements of the 374th MIR approached the river, they came under fire from rebels across the waters. The 3741 Armoured Infantry Battalion moved up, and took the rebels under fire swiftly eliminating the first line of resistance. Artillery support was at first hard to reach, as Nakajima tac-jamming appeared to interrupt communications. When the artillery did eventually respond, it did so with crushing force and wiped out most of a company of defenders. Then the 3741 battalion assaulted across the bridge towards Aksu.

Approaching the bridge, dug-in rebels to the left await

Nakajima light walkers appeared on a ridge and took the attacking Zhu De MBTs under fire with tac missiles. One platoon of tanks was knoked out, before the rest of the battalion reacted and wiped out the lightly protected walkers.

Rebel mortar crew prepares for reincarnation

Assault wave through the defences

The armoured infantry then launched close assaults at the remaining defending infantry, clearing their trenchlines with few casualties. The rebels simply melted away.

Tip of the spear

2010-09-05T13:35:00.000+12:00

The arid world of Phoenix has seen rising tension between the American Republic and the Chinese Union. Now, in a lightning strike the American Republic has launched a series of aerospace raids on Chinese installations, grounding the Chinese aerospace force. American armoured columns probe into Chinese territory seeking to take advantage of the confusion and disruption.

Baoding and surroundings, orchards and fields in the desert.

The main battlefield, with American forces advancing from the bottom of the picture.

One American brigade column (a recce company, two tank battalions, and one mechanised infantry battalion) comes up against the defended town of Baoding just across the border. Chinese infantry hold the town in surprising strength - rather than the battalion expected there is more like a brigade of defenders.

American recce under fire in front of Baoding.

Alerted by the presence of the American recce elements, the Chinese commander reacted quickly and called up reinforcements from the local military district. Remarkably swiftly, a battalion of Chairman Ho tanks arrived as the Chinese infantry ambushed the recce elements with mortar and direct fire.

American tanks flanked by Chinese Chairman Ho tanks.

The main body of the American force arrived in dribs and drabs, taking a long time to move up out of march column. American tanks tended to mill about, rather than advancing resolutely in the face of stiffening Chinese resistance.

Chairman Ho tanks begin to take losses.

Chinese tanks swept past Baoding and engaged the lead American armour, stopping them cold. The Chairman Ho, however, was outranged by the American main guns and therefore struggled to inflict decisive damage.

Suppressed American armour.

The American mechanised battalion, meanwhile, swung wide around the flank and attempted to encircle the town. It encountered a detached company of Chairman Ho's and without tank support of its own suffered some losses. As a retreat was attempted by the American commander, confusion set in, and the lightly protected APCs and their now dismounted infantry ended up heading back towards the guns of the Chinese tanks.

American mechanised battalion suffers from Chinese tank fire.

By now, however, the longer ranged American tank guns were picking off the Chairman Ho's at distance. Concentrated firepower from range eventually eliminated all the Chinese tanks for limited American tank losses. At this point the Chinese realised there was little their remaining infantry could do to stop the mechanised American force from proceeding past the town.

Chinese armour eliminated.

Operation Wild Geese: Part Two

2010-08-22T12:05:00.000+12:00

With the capture of the mining camp and site by hostiles (see Part One below), the local Stephozevaci People's Revolutionary Army command swung into action. The nearest unit able to respond was a PRA mechanised infantry battalion which was able to reach the mine some fifteen hours after it was captured.

Mining camp Five.

Stephozevaci PRA Mech. Battalion (TL8)
Battalion HQ: 1-operational command stand; 1-staff stand; 1-infantry stand in 2 command vehicles
Mortar Platoon: 1-self-ordering FO stand in 4x4 jeep; FDC; 4-SP 120mm mortars
AA Platoon: 3-Sleditz SPAA vehicles (1 is tactical command)
Recce Platoon: 3-Dragar tracked self-ordering recce vehicles

3-Mech Infantry Company, each:
Company HQ: 1-operational command stand; 2-GPMG stands; 2-Auto Grenade Launcher stands; 2-ZBL-09 8x8 APCs
4-Platoons, each:
1-tactical command infantry stand; 3-infantry stands; 2-ZBL-09 8x8 APCs.

Infantry stands have 5.8mm assault rifles. Command infantry stands have 5.8mm assault rifles and integral 8cm recoilless guns with HEAP ammunition. Command stands have 5.8mm assault carbines. AGL stands have 35mm MedVel AGLs. GPMG stands have 7.62mm tripod MGs. The unit is classed Experienced, morale 14.

Holding the mine, Devlin's Dragoons shake down as follows:
Company HQ: 1 operational command stand; 6 TL13 homing ATGM stands; 2 TL13 66mm mortar stands; 1 self-ordering forward observer; 1 self-ordering Sentinel squad support robot.
3-platoons, each: 1 tactical command stand; 1 self-ordering Sentinel squad support robot; 3 squads each 1 tactical command infantry stand and 1 infantry stand.
The personnel wear TL13 Combat Armour (AV3) and carry TL13 15cm DEI laser carbines. Each infantry stand has an integral pumpaction 4cm RAM grenade launcher. The Dragoons count as Veteran class troops, with morale 16.

Defenders man the ridge above the mineing camp.

The Stephozevaci commander (a recent appointment after the coup) elected to ignore one of the two avenues of approach to the mine camp, figuring that although it was more open terrain the defenders would have rigged the bridge with explosives and covered it with anti-tank weapons. Instead, the entire battalion approached through a ravine to the north of the camp, where the road wound between steep hillsides (impassable to vehicles).

The Stephozevaci column approaches through the ravine.

This decision did not pay off! The defending Dragoons had a well-planned anti-tank ambush in place waiting for the long line of Stephozevaci vehicles. Missiles lashed out destroying the leading recce vehicles, while infantry hidden in the woods lining the ravine attacked the side and rear armour of the APCs.

The ambush is sprung!

It was a massacre, with the Stephozevaci lead companies decimated in their vehicles. Survivors broke and ran towards the rear, overwhelming the efforts of the officers to rally them.

Recce vehicles and ZBL-09 APCs try to find a way through.

Weight of numbers.

But the Stephozevaci's did not give up. Under cover of a smoke barrage, a second wave pushed on and gradually winkled out some of the infantry positions along the sides of the ravine. Sheer weight of numbers told, and the platoon of Devlin's Dragoons holding the ravine was eventually rendered combat ineffective.

Fierce fighting on either side of the ravine.

Now, however, the attackers found they faced a second line of defenders on the outskirts of the mining camp, supported by Sentinel squad support robots. The attackers tried, but could make no progress against this line, and were forced to pull back.

The mining camp is held by a second line of resistance.

Devlin's Dragoons, less a platoon of injured and deceased, were relieved by mainforce Morovici units within a few hours. Another job done!

Been a while since I'd seen one of these...

2010-07-25T18:09:00.000+12:00

http://ogreminiatures.blogspot.com/2008/05/traveller-grav-tank.html

Operation Wild Geese: Part One

2010-06-19T09:35:00.024+12:00

[this scenario is based on a mercenary ticket outlined on page 21-22 of GDW's Traveller LBB:4 Mercenary]

Poroszlo (planetary characteristics A867A74A) is an advanced, highly populated, balkanised world, bitterly torn on the issue of economic and industrial concentration between two blocs of nation-states: the Free Commerce bloc and the Private Ownership bloc. The underdeveloped small nation of Stepozhevac (popn 60 million) has within the last year experienced a junior officer coup that has changed allegiance of the government from Free Commerce to Private Ownership. In the process, industries exploiting the considerable bauxite deposits in Stepozhevac have been nationalised, exacerbating the fury of their owners in Free Commerce states.

Through neutral parties, several FC industrial consortiums have hired a number of mercenary contingents to augment the army of Morovic, Stepozhevac's northern neighbour, for a rapid campaign against the ruling junta. Devlin's Dragoons are one of those contingents, hired to exceute a commando raid on mining camp number 5, one of a number nestled on the southern slopes of the Karamak Mountains, which form the northern border of Stepozhevac. The Dragoons must seize the camp from its garrison of air cavalry and hold it for two days against counterattacks before mainforce Morovici units arrive to relieve the mercenaries. Fortunately, Morovici fighters are expected to ensure air superiority, and the value of the installation means heavy bombardment or chem/bio weapons use is unlikely.

Another day starts at mining camp 5

The Dragoons use a Morovici stealth grav transport to get within a few klicks of Camp 5 undetected. They close the rest of the distance on foot. For the raid, the Dragoons shake down as follows:
Company HQ: 1 operational command stand; 6 TL13 homing ATGM stands; 2 TL13 66mm mortar stands; 1 self-ordering forward observer; 1 self-ordering Sentinel squad support robot.
3-platoons, each: 1 tactical command stand; 1 self-ordering Sentinel squad support robot; 3 squads each 1 tactical command infantry stand and 1 infantry stand.
The personnel wear TL13 Combat Armour (AV3) and carry TL13 15cm DEI laser carbines. Each infantry stand has an integral pumpaction 4cm RAM grenade launcher. The Dragoons count as Veteran class troops, with morale 16.

Based at Camp 5 is the Stepozhevaci 144th Air Cavalry Battalion, the majority of which is off on counter-insurgency duty against tribesmen in the Karamak Mountains. The garrison in situ consists of an air cavalry company organised as follows:
Company HQ: 1 operational command stand; 1 TL9 homing ATGM stand; 1 sniper stand; 1 air/raft
3-air cav troops, each: 1 tactical command infantry stand; 5 infantry stands; 2 air/raft; 2 armed air/raft (gatling gun & auto-GL).
The personnel wear flak jackets (AV1, no effect vs lasers) and carry ACRs (supplied before the coup) fitted with rifle grenades. Each infantry stand has an integral 7cm rocket launcher. The 144th is classed as Experienced with morale 14.

Camp 5 is a cluster of steel-framed and masonry buildings astride the main road that winds its way through the foothills of the Karamak Mountains, across the Miskolc River and down towards the capital of Stepozhevac. The open-cast bauxite mine itself is a few hunded metres west of the camp, and is usually worked by giant diggers and trucks.

Devlin's Dragoons surprise an Air Cav patrol

The defending air cavalry are mainly in their barracks as the Dragoons approach on foot. A roving perimeter patrol encounters the Dragoons advance platoon atop the high ground overlooking the mine and camp. A sharp exchange of fire sees the air cavalry come off worst, although they perform their function by alerting the camp to trouble. As the Dragoons advance out into the open they come under fire from defenders in two pillboxes at either end of the camp. The Sentinel squad support robot (SSR) of the lead platoon opens up with its 30mm autocannon, spraying one of the offending pillboxes with AP fire and suppressing the occupants. The Dragoons' mortar section then drops smoke to obscure the view of the pillbox while two squads of infantry rush down the hill to assault.

Dragoons prepare to assault the settlement

Unfortunately, one of the squads is caught in the flank by mobilising Stepozhevaci air cavalry firing out from the settlement. Enfilading ACR fire causes casualties to the Dragoons and brings the assault to a halt.

The air cavalry Quick Reaction force leaps into its air/rafts and heads out to protect the mine pit, assuming this is just another raid by Kamarak tribesmen. Bad move! The air/rafts run into a hail of missile and 30mm cannon fire as they approach the mine site. The two armed air/rafts are shot down, with surviving passengers stumbling back into the cover of the mine. The two unarmed air/rafts manage to alight at the mine and disgorge the remainder of the QR platoon.

The Stepozhevaci air cav QR force takes a pounding

The Dragoons concentrate their fire on the QR platoon positions, beginning with a mortar bombardment and following up with laser fire and SSR cannon fire. Meanwhile, another group of Dragoons moves in behind the Stepozhevaci troops, taking some outlying buildings of the mining camp and eliminating the troublesome pillbox defenders. Caught in a crossfire, the air cavalry QR take heavy losses and then fail morale. They try to flee but have nowhere to go, and are either killed or captured.

An SSR ventures up the main road into the heart of camp 5, but runs into withering fire from an armed air/raft and shoulder-launched rockets. Only the thick hide of the SSR prevents its outright loss and it limps back to the rear. The remaining Stepozhevaci air cavalry concentrate in the centre of camp 5, in and around their barracks where cover is best and the range advantage of the Dragoons' lasers is minimised.

Last stand of the air cav! Stepozhevaci troops hold out in their HQ

After an interlude while the Dragoons' reserve platoon moves up and assault positions are occupied, the Stepozhevaci redoubt comes under attack from two sides. The Dragoons unleash a hail of RAM grenades instead of using their laser carbines, and the SSRs play their 30mm autocannon across the defenders' positions. The initial stout Stepozhevaci return fire wilts as a series of casualties are suffered. The remaining air cavalry surrender or try to flee along with a couple of surviving air/rafts.

Devlin's Dragoons have lost one infantry stand eliminated, and another four stands are at reduced strength. Now they set about preparing for the inevitable counterattack...

Hill-line defence

2010-06-05T11:15:00.017+12:00

Southern Germany, 1982.

Using the excellent Programmed Wargames Scenarios by Charles Stewart Grant, I set up this solo battle to playtest the Command Decision Test of Battle Modern rules. The scenario is that a West German Panzer Recce Battalion (with Leopard 1A1A1s and Luchs/Fuchs) reinforced with a PzJag company (Jaguar 1s) is set up defending a low line of hills at one end of the board. The attacking Soviet force of one tank battalion (7 stands T72A) and one reinforced Motor Rifle battalion (3 stands T72A and the usual infantry-carrying BMP2s) with an SP artillery battalion in support (2S1) is from the Central Group of Forces in Czechoslovakia. It is seeking to clear the Germans off the hills so as to facilitate an unobstructed advance by follow-on forces.

The Soviet commander overloaded his right flank, while leaving just a recce company to screen his left flank. That way, the German defenders would be facing a concentration of Soviet troops exacerbating the German numerical inferiority.

The Soviet T72s led the advance, moving at maximum speed and taking advantage of their stabilisation systems. On the Soviet left flank German Jaguars revealed themselves by taking effective long range ATGW shots at T72s advancing up the middle of the board. As T72s began moving up into the foothills in the centre and on the right they were also engaged by concealed and hulldown Leopards.

Although the initial German ambush fire inflicted at least three platoons worth of losses on the Soviet tanks, the number of attacking T72s meant there was still effective return fire - and soon several Leopards were also ablaze. Moreover, the Jaguars soon found the Soviet tanks in their sector were either destroyed or had passed out of sight. The Jaguar company commander took the decision to abandon their position and head over to the other side of the board where the action was now focused.

Following closely behind the T72s were the BMP2s. As soon as they reached a line of hedges at the foot of the hills, the BMPs halted, disgorged their infantry into cover and began to engage targets with their AT5 Spandrel missiles. At the same time, Russian artillery and mortar fire began to suppress the German defenders who had been revealed by firing.

The combination of multiple missile and tank shots was enough to quickly eliminate those German tanks that had revealed themselves. German counterfire was generally wayward, although the Soviet tank battalion commander was eliminated by one particularly fortunate volley. The T72s found their BM22 APFSDS rounds had no trouble dealing with the Leopards at combat ranges, and shortly after the Russian tank battalion command was eliminated, so too was the German battalion command post.

With their last Leopards out of action, the German Jaguars were caught on the move as they sought a firing position in support of the remaining infantry. T72s moved within the Jaguars' minimum missile range and finished them off.

At this point the Germans had a few infantry and Fuchs APCs left. With no real anti-armour weaponry besides LAWs, the game was up.

Total German losses were 2 Jaguar stands, 5 Leopard stands, and 2 Luchs stands.

Total Soviet losses were 5 T72A stands and 1 BMP2 stand.

Air Cav Task Force

2010-05-23T20:00:00.003+12:00

Ready for duty!

GZG miniatures.

The Chinese are coming!

2010-04-24T14:54:00.003+12:00

Just finished painting up my latest puchases - 14 Chinese ZTZ-99 MBTs and 14 ZBD-04 IFVs. All from Armstrong Models, a relatively new supplier.

NZ NATCON 2010: Mini-campaign on the Eastern Front

2010-04-04T20:04:00.009+12:00

Easter in New Zealand for wargamers means the national convention - this year just up the road from me at Silverstream. Absent a few key players, we didn't have the numbers for a competition. Instead we settled on a mini-campaign on WWII's Eastern Front using Spearhead. The setting was Poland in early August 1944. The German 19th Panzer Division was up against the Soviet 3rd Tank Corps - the Soviets were trying to get through to Warsaw, while the Germans were counter-attacking.

We used a mini-campaign design based around nine separate 6-by-4 foot boards, linked by a web of off-table-transit-routes. Each sides' objective was to capture the opponent's supply base on their home board, while avoiding an equivalent fate.

As the Germans, we elected to unbalance our line, placing our panzers on the left flank and hoping for a breakthrough. On our right, however, a weak kampfgruppe built around the divisional anti-tank battalion (with Hetzers and Marders) was struck by two Russian tank brigades with T34s. This unequal contest did not last long, and the kampfgruppe largely disintegrated under a succession of blows.

Fortunately, the Russians did not exploit immediately, but paused - perhaps to regroup and see the result of other battles.

Our panzers struck deep, but my Panzer IV battalion kampfgruppe ran into a Russian tank brigade defending with T34s. A sharp action ensued, with both sides suffering fifty percent losses. But my panzers broke and the drive was turned back.

This left our strongest kampfgruppe built around a Panther battalion and the divisional recce battalion as the sole hope of a breakthrough. It ran into the Russian rifle brigade, dug into wooded hills near the main road to our ultimate objective. We had to clear the enemy, but (despite also throwing in our jabos for an air strike) could not shake the stoic Russian infantry with their assault gun support. The arrival of Stalin heavy tanks did not help matters, and the Panther battalion came perilously close to breaking.

Now the Russian armour resumed its advance on our weak flank. We had to commit our reserves to keep them away from our supply base. A Tiger battalion and infantry formed a scratch force, in the best German traditions. They fought hard againts a tide of Russian T34s and infanry, breaking one attacking tank brigade, but were eventually overwhelmed. Only the, delayed, arrival of the Panthers pulled back from our other flank prevented disaster just before nightfall.

Overnight we pulled back our remaining troops (about four battalions including the understrength Panthers) into a defensive 'hedgehog' around our supply base. All thoughts of offense were gone. Now it was a battle for survival. We laid a careful fire plan for our resupplied artillery along the likely routes of Russian advance and waited for morning. When the Russians came, defensive artillery fire and an air strike inflicted such losses that the Russians decided not to press their assault further. We survived, very battered but not totally defeated.

A good mini-campaign over three days of 'real time' involving experienced and in-experienced Spearhead players. The battles were varied and interesting. While everyone probably felt 'hard done by' at some point over the three days of gaming, no single player could feel disadvantaged overall. Some rules questions inevitably arose, and we thought of some tweaks for the campaign system to make it work better for us...
1. How does a breakoff move under Spearhead actually get resolved on the table? Is it instantly two turns movement away from the enemy, or is it movement spread over two turns? Similar questions arise with morale breakoffs if using the optional 'evaporation' rules.
2. A FOO stand defending in close assault. How is it treated?
3. A FOO can move 12 inches. What class of stand is it treated as for movement through impeding terrain such as woods?
4. In our campaign rules, we thought we needed to have wider entry points free of enemy for attackers moving up a road onto a table.
5. We also possibly needed to consider returning eliminated and evaporated stands later in the campaign.

North German Plain '88

2010-03-13T21:51:00.004+13:00

Playtesting Command Decision Test of Battle Modern.

British forces:
Veteran Morale:8
Battlegroup of 1 Challenger squadron and 2 mechanised infantry companies
Battlegroup of 1 Chieftain Mk7/5 squadron and 2 mechanised infantry companies
Battalion M109s

Soviet forces:
Experienced Morale:8
BMP2 Motor Rifle Battalion with attached T80BV company
BMP2 Motor Rifle Battalion with attached T55A company
Battalion 2S1s; Battalion BM21s

This was an encounter battle with relatively even forces. Our fist real go with CDTOB Modern. We played on a 6'x4' table covered with what turned out to be a bit too little terrain. We used centimetre scale, as we had 1/300th miniatures. The battle started quickly, as both sides hasty advanced onto hills in order to take up hulldown positions. Tanks exchanged fire for little result. The British main guns struggled to do much damage to the T80BVs. When they switched to BMPs scooting across open ground they had more luck - eliminating most of a company and forcing the rest to flee demoralised. A smokescreen covered British infantry as they took up position under cover in a woods.

Equally, 30mm Rarden autocannon proved effective as concealed Scimitars took out BMPs on the other flank. The Russian advance faltered. The British infantry and ATGMs had time to take up a defensive position in urban terrain. The remaining few Russian infantry were outnumbered and had no hope of evicting them. The T55s settled for destroying the two Scimitars who had exposed their position by firing.

We called the game, as the Russians did not have the forces left to mount an attack that could challenge the British on either flank.

Some thoughts:

T80BV seemed very well protected against British 120mm firing L23 APFSDS
We needed more open blocking terrain such as hedgelines and rises to break up line-of-sight
The morale special rule for IFVs is easy to forget, and raises questions. For instance, what happens if a BMP company loses 1 BMP and 1 infantry stand eliminated and then rolls bad morale for the infantry currently passengers in the remaining BMP, but the BMP passes its morale roll?

Looking for trouble

2010-02-28T17:28:00.000+13:00

After a hiatus while I moved 12,000 miles, a little teaser in 15mm from a game in progress. Sword Worlds troops on Garda Vilis.

For the Union Blue III: Escalation

2009-11-01T21:21:00.001+13:00

Chastened by their eviction from Kenport, the Denismen called on reinforcements from their sponsors off-world. The Judicate soon dispatched a battalion (-) of Hervestian lift cavalry. Their mission: to crush Cheltenham's Chasers and remove the obstacle to the Judicate's allies taking control of Naasha.

Here is the orbat for the Hervestians (a TL9 force):

HERVESTIAN LIFT CAVALRY BATTALION

Battalion Headquarters: 1-Operational Command Stand

1-Staff Uplink stand

1-Idinu grav sled

Engineer Section: 2-stands engineers

1-engineer grav sled

Battalion Fire Spt Battery: 1-Kaakhuu light grav sled w/remote ARLs

1-air/raft

1-forward observer stand

1-FDC light grav sled

Medic Platoon: 2-single figure medic stands

2-fireteam medic stands (dressing stations)

2-Ambulance sleds

Field Kitchen: 1-fireteam stand of cooks

1-light utility sled

Maintenance Platoon:

3-Lift Cavalry Squadrons, each:

Squadron Headquarters: 1-Operational Command Stand

1-Idinu grav sled

1-single figure medic stand

Tank Troop: 1-tactical command Khiliig grav tank

2-Khiliig grav tanks

Lift Infantry Platoon: 1-tactical command infantry stand

5-infantry stands

3-Idinu grav sleds

Scout Troop: 2-self-ordering Anlaar recon sleds

Because of transport constraints, the Hervestians deployed to Naasha with only two lift cavalry squadrons instead of their normal three.

At the same time, Cheltenham's Chasers requested support from the Union of Sufren, and were told to expect reinforcements from Adnan Skeritt's star mercs. The Chasers were joined by two platoons of local recruits, armed with bolt action rifles and shotguns.

The Chasers deployed in an area of rolling hills, small towns and farmland and prepared to try to stop the advancing Hervestians. The Hervestian commander went for mass and deployed most of his force in a single wave of nap-of-the-earth hugging grav vehicles. They were preceeded by UAVs deployed from the Anlaar recon sleds, using their sensors to seek out the concealed Chasers.

Spotting a forward moving Chasers grav APC, a UAV used its laser designator to mark the target for a salvo of Hawkwind missiles from the defilade-lying scout sleds. The APC shot down one missile with its point defenses, but another slammed into the APC and destroyed it.

Hervestian grav APCs hovered briefly and disgorged infantry in front of the positions of Bravo Platoon, Cheltenham's Chasers. Using their gatling guns the Hervestian APCs suppressed the defenders and caused them to withdraw.

Meanwhile, the Chasers forward observer used his own laser designator to illuminate a Hervestian Khiliig grav tank and destroy it with precision artillery fire. Unfortunately, the observer was spotted and eliminated by return fire from the remaining Hervestian grav tanks.

Things were looking dire for the Chasers, their infantry anti-tank weapons could not penetrate the frontal armour of the Hervestian grav vehicles and when they fired at the circling UAVs they were subject to retaliatory strikes by distant remote MRLs. The two Lancet armoured cars were having trouble hitting the nimble grav cavalry and did not want to expose themselves to the Hervestian grav tanks.

But the methodical Hervestian advance was suddenly interrupted by the arrival in the area of a flight of Mongoose speeders from Skeritt's star mercs.

Staying at high altitude and standing off from the battlefield, they loosed off a salvo of Thunderbird missiles with devastating effect - three Khiliig grav tanks exploded in quick succession. Their TL9 defences were no match for the hyper velocity TL12 missiles.

The Hervestians now scattered and began trying to make better use of cover, aware that they were vulnerable to the distant speeders if they were spotted. The Denismen attack helicopters raced across the battlefield seeking targets for their autocannon. A strike on the Lancet armoured cars failed, however.

The battle was turning. The Chasers forward observer called down a strike on a convoy of militia trucks. Although only one was destroyed, the rest of the militia fled to the rear.

The Chasers rapidly fell back into the settlements so as to have some cover from the prowling Hervestian grav armour. The battle now turned into street fighting as Hervestian troops tried to evict the Chasers. Losers were high on both sides, and when the Hervestians had driven the Chasers from one of the two towns they hed, the Chasers decided to withdraw from the battelfield.

Losses:

Chasers lost 3 Grav APCs, 2 stands of infantry and a stand of militia.

Hervestians lost 5 Grav Tanks, 2 Grav APCs and 3 stands of troops. The two Denismen attack helicopters were both damaged during strafing runs.

Lessons learnt: The Hervestians really needed some long-range anti-air missiles or lasers so as to make life uncomfortable for the speeders. Their battalion TOE should be adapted to include an AA battery with long range IR homing missiles with good speed so as to nullify the negative speed DMs the grav speeders are capable of generating.

For the Union Blue Part II

2009-08-07T07:52:00.020+12:00

Cheltenham's Chasers muster before Operation 'Heartfire' to relieve Kenport

And so to battle...
With the Denismen encamped in and around the railyards and Kenport town, Cheltenham's Chasers found they had to launch some sort of attack to bring the Denismen to battle. Initial recruiting of disgruntled locals after the Chasers' arrival on Naasha only resulted in a small platoon of two squads of personnel being ready to join the liberation attempt.
Just after dawn on 298-1124 the two Adagar grav bikes of the Chasers'recon/FO element headed cautiously and watchfully towards Kenport at low level. They soon spotted a platoon of local troops allied with the Denismen encamped along a wooded ridge a couple of clicks east of downtown Kenport. Ten minutes of fruitless attempts to properly target precision-guided munitions from the supporting Ironfist SP guns some kilometres distant left the scouts increasingly frustrated. As the first artillery rounds started exploding harmlessly, and the locals realised they had been spotted, they opened up on the scouts with their 12mm hunting rifles at long range. Only on examining their mounts later did the scouts realise that they had been lucky when a bullet apparently perforated a grav bike but missed anything vital.
Switching to regular high explosives brought better results as airbursts shattered the trees and quickly caused casualties amongst the local defenders. Poorly led, and with little motivation, they fled in an effort to escape the shellfire.

Strongwing APCs, Lancet armoured cars and an Agadar pursue retreating enemy motor infantry.

Now Strongwing Grav APCs swooped in and raked the fleeing trucks with autocannon fire as they raced back towards Kenport. One truck exploded in flame along with its occupants, while the other two reached the relative safety of the built-up area. Commander Tumagi set about rallying the troops.

A Denisman Bayard APC brews up on the outskirts of Kenport.

Supported by Lancet armoured cars, the local insurgent infantry advanced through the vacated positions and on towards Kenport. To the south, Bravo Platoon of the Chasers engaged another outlying platoon of the Denismen's local allies. 45mm autocannon shredded the tree line and again the poorly motivated locals fled deeper into the foliage and out of line-of-sight. Alighting from their grav APCs, infantry squads of Bravo Platoon swept the wood, eventually killing or capturing most of the local motorised infantry platoon for no losses.

Bravo Platoon, Cheltenham's Chasers attacks woods south of the railyard.

Desperate to reverse the tide, the Denismen launched an armoured riposte.

A platoon of Endurance heavy tanks (right) and a Hornet light tank advance out of Kenport.

The mighty fission-powered Endurance heavy tanks and the nimbler Hornet light tanks emerged from their hiding places in the built-up areas in an effort to overwhelm the thinly spread Chasers.

Another view of the armoured riposte, which only managed to knock out a grav bike.

It was not to be. Laser-designated artillery rounds quickly landed amongst the heavy tanks, taking out one Endurance. Momentum disrupted, they fell back into cover, having only managed to destroy one grav bike with their 12cm cannon.Foreground is the destroyed grav bike, overlooking in the distance a burning Endurance and Hornet.

The Hornet light tanks were engaged by the 8cm guns of Lancet armoured cars and the 45mm autocannon of Alpha Platoon. Quickly two Hornet's were destroyed, again without damaging any Chasers' vehicle. The surviving platoon command tank wisely had held back and evaded into the settlement.

Burning Hornets on the outskirts of Kenport.

Their armoured attack thwarted, the Denismen called in an airstrike from their Sandusky attack helicopters (which had, to date, failed to hit anything with their target designated missiles). The helicopters strafed and rocketed some grav APCs and armoured cars caught in the open, but failed to inflict any lasting damage.

Under covering artillery fire, Alpha Platoon of the Chasers attacked into the built-up area nearest the railyards on foot. Fierce street fighting resulted, but losses were not even. As they came off worst, a platoon of Denismen regulars cracked and tried to flee. Hervestian troops were committed to cover the withdrawal deeper into Kenport, but were cut down by the advancing Chasers who proved deadly effective in the close quarter fighting. Soon Alpha Platoon could report to HQ that they had control of the section of Kenport closest to the railyards.

Fierce street fighting in the area of Kenport nearest the railyards.

With defeat in the air, the Denismen heavy tanks tried another counter-stroke, emerging from the rail sheds in an effort to strike the flank of Alpha Platoon's Strongwings. A good plan, but poor execution by the Endurance gunners meant they failed to register a telling blow - and the counter-fire sent another tank up in flames.

A last attempt to turn the tide as Endurance tanks try to hit the Chasers in the flank.

With only one heavy tank left, his helicopters out of anti-tank missiles, and morale cracking, Tumagi ordered a retreat. The Denismen would have to return another day. Helicopters covered the withdrawal.

Garrett Cheltenham could reflect on an astonishing victory that evening. The Chasers had retaken the railyards for very low casualties, with only the grav bike loss really hurting. Less than a dozen personnel were casualties. The Denismen and their local allies had lost 15 stands of infantry (60 personnel, including the Hervestian volunteers), two heavy tanks, three light tanks, three APCs and four trucks.

The Denismen could only reflect that they could not possibly shoot as badly next time. Perhaps, thought Tumagi, he had been too aggressive with his tanks, but the early losses and fragility of the local troops had required some sort of morale-boosting action...

Traveller mod for Fast And Dirty

2009-07-07T08:14:00.002+12:00

FAD is a free and highly regarded set of generic fast-play sci-fi miniatures rules. To play FAD in a more Traveller-friendly fashion, I've created a file with Traveller weapons and a few sample organisations.
Traveller mod for FAD

For the Union Blue: Part One

2009-05-16T22:31:00.012+12:00

(For the Union Blue was a Traveller adventure originally published in GDW's defunct 'Challenge' magazine issue 68. The author was Charles E. Gannon)

Setting: IY 1125. The Rebellion Era. Naasha (E697575-6): Sufren subsector 2208/Diaspora Sector.

The Third Imperium has disintegrated into civil war after the assassination of the Emperor Strephon. One of the sharpest political rivalries in the Diaspora sector is between the Union of Sufren and the Vassalry Judicate, both of which are based in Sufren subsector. This rivalry goes back many years and is based on the frequently bitter economic competition between the two clusters of worlds.

These differences, unimportant when the worlds were all part of the larger Imperial framework, once again rose to prominence in the wake of the Rebellion. Now the two polities have renewed their old rivalry. The Union of Sufren has major ties with Margaret's Domain and cordial relations with Daibei. It boasts an efficient internal economy, crack military units and relatively high technology (TL14).

The Vassalry Judicate is dominated by Backman (Diaspora 2209) and tends to avoid ties with other powers. External policy objectives focus on efforts to absorb other, less stable polities. The Judicate has a tremendous industrial and commercial sector, but is occasionally hampered by infighting between its member-worlds.

Naasha is an unwilling host to unwelcome visitors. A few months ago, a fairly large merc unit, concealed aboard a flotilla of merchantmen, landed on the planet. Debarking at night, they took control of Kenport (the capital city) and the railyards that control all cargo movement into and out of the city. This brought the local economy to a shrieking halt since all Naasha's agricultural produce must pass through the railyard before it reaches the starport for export.

An irregular unit affiliated with Skerrit Adan's starmercs is being sent to contest this invasion. This unit, known as Cheltenham's Chasers, is being financed by a consortium of wealthy Naashaans and various commercial interests on Sufren. Thirty percent of the Chasers are from Grourard (Sufren 1701). The rest are mercs from a scattering of nearby worlds.

The invaders are a rival merc unit known as the Denismen. They are being underwritten by merchants from the Vassalry Judicate, who unsuccessfully tried to intimidate the Naashaans into reducing their grain tariffs. When negotiations failed, force prevailed. The Union of Sufren is worried about the Judicate's increasingly aggressive role in the subsector and decided to counter this invasion by helping the Naashaans meet the expense of hiring a merc unit and regaining their freedom.

The other political keystone in this conflict is that Grourard (the source of Cheltenham's Chasers and a Union world) and Naasha are the only agricultural planets in the subsector. If, in gratitude to Grourard and Sufren, Naasha can be enticed to join the Union, that polity would then have a virtual monopoly on subsector food exports. This would allow the Union to exercise greater, yet nonviolent, control over the Judicate, whose key worlds (Backman and Hervestia) are high-population planets which need to import a significant percentage of their foodstuffs.

Cheltenham's Chasers are a fast, hard-hitting unit that is numerically inferior, but technologically superior to the Denismen. Their objective is to wrest control of the railyard from the invaders and restore the independent local government. The mission of the Denismen is rather simpler - hold their current position.

Both sides have ships in orbit as the conflict begins, but those vessels have only been contracted for transport, not combat. The only available combat air assets are those integral to the merc units.

Denismen

Commander: a'Tumar Shokagi (a native of Hervestia)
Unit Structure:

1 Command Section: 1 TL8 Hornet light tank and crew.
1 TL6 Bayard APC carrying an operational command stand and a staff radio stand. Quality: Experienced. Morale: 14.

1 air support squadron: 2 TL8 Sandusky medium attack helicopters. Quality: Experienced. Morale: 14.

1 heavy tank troop: 3 TL7/8 Endurance heavy tanks and crews. Quality: Experienced. Morale: 14.

1 light tank troop: 3 TL8 Hornet light tanks and crews. Quality: Experienced. Morale: 14.

2 armoured infantry platoons each: 3 TL6 Bayard tracked APCs and crews.
3 squads of infantry, each squad contains one infantry stand with 7mm assault rifles and an integral light mg, and one infantry stand with 7mm assault rifles and an integral light assault gun. All infantry are in cloth armour. One stand in the first squad is the platoon HQ and is a tactical command infantry stand. Quality: Experienced. Morale: 14.

Auxiliaries:
1 Hervestian 'volunteer' infantry squad: one command infantry stand with DEI laser carbines and an integral light mg, and one infantry stand with SMGs and an integral light assault gun. All are in cloth armour. Quality: Veteran. Morale: 18.

3 indigenous motorised rifle platoons each with: 3 TL5 Oxwain trucks and drivers
3 squads of light infantry, each squad of two infantry stands equipped with 7mm rifles and an integral 13mm hunting rifle. They have no armour. On stand in the first squad is the platoon HQ and is a tactical command infantry stand. Quality: Novice. Morale: 10.

The Denismen vehicle crews are armoured in flak vests and carry 9mm autopistols. They carry smoke grenades to cover vehicle abandonments. All individuals have access to HE grenades and wear filter masks for Naasha's dense, tainted atmosphere. Ammunition supplies for all units are plentiful.

Cheltenham's Chasers.
Commanders: Majors Garrett and Janine Cheltenham (husband and wife)
Unit Structure:
1 recce/command section: 1 TL9 Strongwing grav APC (CP unit) with crew, one operational command stand and one staff uplink stand.
2 TL9 Lancet armoured cars and crews.
2 TL9 Adagar grav bikes and rider/scouts.
Quality: Veteran. Morale: 18.

1 fire support troop: 2 TL9 Ironfist self-propelled guns and crews. Quality: Veteran. Morale: 18.

2 lift infantry platoons, each with: 2 TL9 Strongwing grav APCs and crews.
2 squads of infantry, each with one DEI laser rifle-equipped tactical command stand, two infantry stands each with 7mm ACRs and integral TL10 RAM grenade launchers, and one infantry stand with 7mm ACRs and an integral Assault Rocket Launcher. All wear Combat Environment Suits. Quality: Veteran. Morale: 18.

Possibly Available:
Up to 6 squads of local insurgent light infantry, each of one tactical command infantry stand with 7mm rifles and one infantry stand with shotguns. They are unarmoured and wear filter masks. Quality: Novice. Morale: 12

All Chasers vehicle crews are armoured in CES and carry SMGs. Ammunition supply is restricted to full onboard load, plus one load in reserve for each vehicle. Personal weapon ammunition is plentiful. This will tend to emphasise the use of personal weapons until such time as a major attack can be driven home. Food supplies are short until locals are contacted: food supplies then become plentiful.

Striker II errata v1.1

2009-05-04T06:20:00.001+12:00

This file collects suggestion in two categories: formal errata for the rules-as-written; and optional rule updates that incorporate mechanisms from more recent editions of Command Decision.

(Rule Update). Page 4: 1.1 Scale. Delete references to centimetres and simply have "one inch equals 50 metres" (as per CDTOB).
(Errata) Add "Measurements, when made for actual movement or fire, are made from and to the closest point on a stand."

(Rule Update) 2.31, 2.32 and 2.33. Make any listed stand dimensions only suggestions. As long as opposing forces are mounted on similar sized stands
the precise dimensions are not crucial. You can even use round bases, as most personnel have a 360 degree arc of fire.
(Errata) Add “Vehicles are mounted on ¾” by 1” bases.”
(Errata) Delete any reference to HIW stands.

(Rule Update) Page 7: 3.32 Range. The range recorded on the card in the first column is the equipment's short range in inches. (Since each inch in the game represents 50 actual meters, take the range in meters of Traveller equipment and divide by 50 to find the Striker range in inches.)

(Errata) 3.33 Rate of Fire. Add "Indirect Fire weapons have a ROF of 2 if up to 100mm calibre, and ROF of 1 if larger."

(Errata) Page 8: 4.11 Self-Commanders. Add “Self-commanders may only place movement orders.”

(Rule Update) 4.12 Tactical Commanders and 4.13 Operational Commanders and 4.14 Strategic Commanders. Change "15 cm" to "6 inches".

(Errata) 4.22 Rapid Advance. Change to "...must move half their full movement allowance..."

(Errata) 4.23 Disengage. Change to "...and may move up to its full movement
allowance but may stop when it enters cover and is out of line of sight."

(Errata) 4.24 No Order. Change "They may fire normally" to "This allows it
to fire in the Opportunity Fire Phase."

(Rule Update) Page 9: 4.32 Placing Orders. Change all references to 15cm
to "6 inches from the centre of the chit".
(Errata) Change "If a stand that is under that command is not intended to follow the order, that fact must be stated when the order is revealed. Stands that do not intend to follow the order are considered to have been given a no order" to "If a stand subordinate to a command stand within 15cm/6" of the order chit is not intended to follow the order, this fact must be indicated by placing a "No Order" marker under the stand when the order is placed. " Add “Pinned stands may not issue orders.”

(Rule Update) 4.421 Take Command Orders. Take Command orders may not be issued to demoralised stands.

(Rule Update) Page 10: 4.423 Visibility and Command Stands. Change all
references to 15cm to "6 inches". Change all references to 5cm to "2 inches".

(Rule Update) Page 11: Rule 5 Movement. Add "Roll for initiative, winner determines who acts as Side A, re-roll ties. (Advanced rule: Novice rolls D6, Experienced rolls D8, Veteran rolls D10, Elite rolls D12) Side A reveals orders and completes all movement activity. Then Side B reveals orders and completes all movement. Spotting is then resolved." Change personnel movement allowance of 20 centimetres to "4 inches". Add "Cavalry and ski-mounted personnel stands have a movement allowance of 8 inches."

(Errata) 5.14 Disengage. After "directly away from the nearest visible enemy stand", add "...at the time the disengage order is placed..."

(Errata) Page 12: 5.4 Movement and Enemy Units. After "no personnel stand" in the first paragraph, add "...or soft vehicle...” Change "ground vehicle" in the second paragraph to "ground Armoured Fighting Vehicle" and add, "If the enemy ground AFV was visible before it was contacted, the moving AFV may move around it, as it would a terrain obstacle (See 5.3)."
(Rule Update) Add “Once a personnel stand is in contact with an enemy stand, it may not break contact until one side either is forced back or eliminated by fire, or one side fails morale. An armoured fighting vehicle may move even if it begins its movement in contact with an enemy stand.”

(Rule Update) 5.5 Terrain Effects and Movement. Change cm to "inches".

(Rule Update) 5.52 Effects of Terrain on Tracked Vehicle Stands. Change 5cm to "1 inch".

(Rule Update) 5.53 Effects of Terrain on Wheeled Vehicle Stands. Wheeled vehicles pay quadruple (not double) to move through settlements. Change 10cm to "2 inch".

(Rule Update) 5.54 Effects of Terrain on Air Cushion Vehicle Stands. Change 20cm to "4 inches".

(Errata) Page 13: Add "5.56 Effects of Terrain on Flying Vehicle Stands. Flying vehicles at low-level may not enter woods or jungle, and pay quadruple movement costs in a settlement."

(Rule Update) 5.62 Man-handling Towed Weapons. Change to "Unlimbered Class
I towed weapons have a base movement allowance of three inches. Unlimbered
Class II towed weapons have a base movement allowance of two inches."
(Errata) If playing with original Striker-II scale, change “Class III towed weapons are moved one inch...” to “Class III towed weapons are moved 1 cm...”

(Rule Update) Add 5.63 Artillery Templates. Any stand that wishes to move into an IDF Template (see Rule 8: Indirect Fire) must spend its base move allowance to do so. Thus if an infantry stand has a base move of 4, and it rapid advances, it costs 4 inches to enter the template, and then it may move up to the remaining 4 inches allowed. Since it costs a base move to enter a template, a stand on a cautious advance order may never enter one. If a stand begins its movement already under the template, it does not pay any movement penalty when moving through that template. A Forced Back stand is not required to enter an artillery template and halts its retreat.

(Rule Update) Delete the first paragraph of 5.7 and start at 5.71 Closing to Contact.

(Rule Update) 5.8 Facing. Add "A facing change does not count as movement
for the purposes of spotting."

(Errata) 5.81 Front and Flank and 5.83 Firing on the Flank. Add reference to Rear and using the Rear armour rating if firer in the rear 120 degree arc of a vehicle as shown in the illustration.

(Rule Update) Page 14: 6.2 Visibility. "The normal maximum visibility range
is 60 inches. Increase by 10 inches for each elevation level difference between the spotting stand and the target." Change 650cm in example to "90 inches".

(Errata) 6.3 Line of Sight (LOS). Delete reference to friendly stands blocking line of sight. Add "Line of fire is identical to LOS with one exception: friendly units (but not enemy units) are obstacles to line of fire. A stand can see through a friendly stand but may not shoot through it, unless both firer and target are on a higher elevation."

(Errata) 6.36 Settlements, Streets and LOS. If using original Striker-II ground scale, in first paragraph delete “2 inches” and replace by “5 cm” and delete “1 inch” and replace by “1 cm”. In paragraph 5, change “inches” to read “cm”.

(Rule Update) Replace 6.32, 6.33 and 6.34 with "Stands on the very edge of Cover may see out and be seen. Stands deep inside cover (such as woods or settlements) may not been seen from the outside or see out but may see other stands in the same cover which are within 2 inches." Delete 6.35 and 6.36 entirely and do not create settlements with streets between settlement blocks. Add "6.35 Elevation: When a line of sight is traced between stands at different elevation levels, the line of sight may pass over any obstacles between the stands, leaving the actual line of sight unblocked. If the height of the obstacle is lower than or equals the height of both stands, the line of sight is unblocked. If the obstacle is higher than one of the stands, then the minimum requirement for passage of line of sight over an obstacle is the stand on the higher elevation must be at least one level higher than the obstacle, and the obstacle is closer to the higher stand than to the lower stand. If the higher stand is at least three levels higher than the obstacle, the obstacle can be at any point along the line of sight, as long as it is not within two inches of the lower stand.
Obstacles have the following heights:
Bush, friendly stands, eliminated vehicles: 1 level
Towns, woods, hill (each contour): 2 levels
Smoke screen: 3 levels

(Errata) Page 16: Spotting Difficulty Modifiers. Note that, even if an unspotted stand fired during a previous turn, but it did not fire during the current turn, it is not considered to have fired for the purposes of spotting modifiers.

(Errata) 6.44 Handing Off targets. Add “...or Fire sub-phase (if spotted during the fire phase)...” to make it clear that stands spotted while firing may be engaged in subsequent fire sub-phase(s).

(Rule Update) 6.45 Autospot. Change 5cm to read "1 inch". Change the last sentence to read "Any stand that moves or fires in the open is automatically spotted by all units within LOS and maximum visibility distance."

(Errata) Page 17: 7.22 Order of Fires. Change to "Within a sub-phase (except the Opportunity Fire Sub-Phase when initiative is not applied to fire order and all fire is simultaneous), units fire in the order of their initiative number, with the highest initiative units firing first." Add "Firers with a rate of fire that allows them to engage more than one target in a sub-phase, must declare their targets before any die rolling. All fire by a unit must be conducted in the same sub-phase (except point defense fire)"

(Rule Update) 7.23 Opportunity Fire Sub-Phase. Change last sentence to read, "Any stand moving in cover under a cautious advance order receives the benefit of concealment. All other stands moving in cover do not receive the benefit of cover in opportunity fire."
(Errata) Change the first sentence to read, “Stands conducting direct fire during the Opportunity Fire sub-phase may fire at any moving or non-moving target. Fire may take place at any point during movement. A firing stand may fire at a target at any point along the target’s movement, and it may also fire at any point during friendly movement.” Add "No opportunity fire may be directed at a stand conducting a disengage move unless the stand's movement brings it closer to the firer".

(Errata) 7.24 General Fire Sub-Phase. Add "All stands which were
eligible to fire in opportunity fire, but did not do so, may also fire.
General Fire may be directed at disengaging stands provided such are within
range and LOS at the end of their movement."

(Rule Update) Page 18: 7.43 Small Arms Hit Distribution. Change to "Hits from small arms fire (SA) are not placed on the target stand. SA hits are distributed evenly among spotted target stands within a 4-inch diameter target area centred on the nominated stand, starting with the stands closest to the firing units and then spreading to stands farther away. If a player fired applying a cover modifier the stands in cover closest to the firing stands are hit first, with all hits going on stands in cover until each has received one hit, then going on stands in the open closest to the firing stands. No stand will receive a second hit until all affected stands in the target area have been hit at least once by the fire from a stand or group of stands firing using the same target modifiers. Remaining hits are then distributed in the same order as described above. No stand will receive a hit, even if it is within the 4-inch target circle, unless it is in the range band used and the Line of Fire of at least one firing unit. Only enemy stands within the 4-inch target circle suffer hits; friendly stands do not."

(Errata) Page 19. 7.521 Saving Throws. Change last sentence to "However, a die roll of 6 always fails, and the hit is suffered."

(Errata) 7.5242 Plus Penetration Weapons. Reword as "No saving throw is permitted, regardless of protection, for the first hit on a personnel stand inflicted by a plus penetration weapon. A saving throw is allowed for a second or subsequent hit inflicted by that weapon."

(Errata) Page 20: 7.711 Forced Back. Add to the first sentence "...and ends movement facing in the direction it moved."

(Rule Update) 7.72 Personnel Stands and 7.73 Vehicle Stands. Optionally for each hit roll a D10 and consult the following hit results chart:

Target stand’s troop quality rating No effect Forced Back Eliminated *
Novice 1 2-5 6+ 10
Experienced 1-3 4-6 7+ 10
Veteran 1-5 6-7 8+ 10
Elite 1-6 7-8 9+ 10
Modifiers to the die roll are +penetration and –target armour. *An unmodified roll of 10 is always elimination at Short range or at least Forced Back at other ranges.

(Errata) Page 21: 7.81 Range and Line of Sight. Change all references to line of sight to “line of fire”.

(Errata) 7.87 Turret Weapons. Add “A flying vehicle with a main turret may not traverse it if operating under a travel order and may only use approach fire.” (see FF&S1 page 23)

(Errata) Page 22: Rule 8: Indirect Fire. Add "The Indirect Fire Rule is used for the plotting, spotters, and accuracy of indirect fire shots; the effects of exploding indirect fire shots (burst area, fire values, hit effects) is given in the exploding rounds rule (7.6)."

(Errata) Delete “Meson gun fire is also treated as indirect precision fire”. Meson gun rules are given at 13.6.

(Rule Update) 8.21 Observation. Add “The target point must be placed within one inch of either a friendly stand or a visible and spotted enemy stand.”

(Errata) 8.211 Dedicated Forward Observers. Add “Self-observed indirect fire by on-table weapons is also counted as using a dedicated forward observer.”

(Errata) Page 23: 8.231 Continued Missions. A Forced Back morale result for the observer will also prevent continued indirect fire. A continued mission may change ammunition delivered without having to re-roll accuracy.

(Rule Update) 8.232 Shifting Fire. Change 10cm to "2 inches".

(Rule Update) Page 24: 8.41 Smoke Templates. Change cm to "inches". Add “see 15.4 Smoke”.

(Errata) Page 25: Rule 9: Morale. Change to "...all stands which were fired at during the course of the turn or have seen a friendly stand eliminated, must check morale."

(Rule Update) 9.2 How Morale is Checked. Change 15cm to "6 inches".

(Rule Update) Morale Modifiers Table. Change 25cm to "12 inches and LOS".

(Errata) 9.21 Pinned. Change to "Pinned stands may never move towards visible enemy, and may only fire in the Final Fire sub-phase. All attacks against pinned stands are conducted with a +1 DM modifier. This modifier is applied after all other difficulty modifiers are applied. Pinned stands check morale with a -2 modifier." Add "Pinned stands may not issue orders."

(Errata) 9.22 Forced Back. Add "Because a forced back stand is also pinned, it will check morale with a total -3 modifier until recovered from the pin."

(Errata) Page 26: 9.3 Rally Orders. If using the original centimetre scale of Striker-II, change “6 inches” to “15cm”. Add to the last sentence "...and permanent morale loss."

(Errata) Page 28: 11.21 Broken. Add “Personnel in broken count as in concealment for direct fire resolution (+1 DM).”

(Errata) 11.23 Contour Lines. Add "A turreted vehicle stand on a hill is hull down to direct fire only through its front facing. It is hull down (through its front facing) against stands at elevations lower than it; it is hull down against stands at the same elevation level if on a different hill. It is not hull down against any stands at a higher elevation or stands at the same elevation on the same hill."

(Rule Update) Page 29: 11.56 High Embankments. Change 5cm to "1 inch".

(Errata) Page 30: 11.61 Bunkers, Pillboxes and Entrenchments. Delete reference to each “inch” of entrenchment and simply say “each entrenchment may hold a personnel stand.”

(Errata) 11.65 Barbed Wire. Add “Cavalry must dismount (see 12.13) before crossing barbed wire.”

(Rule Update) Page 31: 12.11 Transport Vehicles. Example. Change 40cm to "8 inches". Change 10cm to "2 inches". Change 20cm to "4 inches". Change 30cm
to "6 inches".

(Errata) 12.13 Dismounted Troops. Add “No mounted stand may dismount, or dismounted stand mount while in base contact with the enemy.”

(Rule Update) Page 33: 13.43 Drone Missiles. Change 20cm to "4 inches".
Change 60cm to "12 inches".

(Rule Update) 13.52 Approach Fire. Change centimeters to "inches".

(Rule Update) 13.522 Bombs and Rockets. Change 10cm to "2 inches". Change
50cm to "10 inches". Change 100cm to "20 inches".
(Errata) Add “The height of the flying vehicle is added to any lateral range when it is fired upon by weapons on the ground or on flying vehicles at low level.”

(Rule Update) 13.53 Pop-Ups. Add "Grav and VTOL Flying vehicles may execute
a pop-up attack. They rise vertically from behind cover, spot and fire, and descend back behind cover all in the same turn. They may only be fired upon by firers eligible to fire in the Opportunity Fire Sub-Phase, unless they are still visible to the firer when the pop-up is completed. Opportunity fire against a pop-up target is resolved as if the target were concealed (see 7.41)."

(Errata) Page 35: 14.2 General Support Fire. Change "They are fired by battalions: a single battery may never be assigned to a general support mission" to "They are fired by batteries: a single weapon may never be assigned to a general support mission."

(Errata) 14.22 Counterbattery Fire. Counterbattery sensors detect fire by mortars, guns, rockets, and mass drivers. Add “The weapon firing counterbattery fire must have an indirect fire range equal or greater than the targeted weapon.”

(Rule Update) Page 37: 15.2 Night. Change 12.5cm to "2.5 inches" and 100cm to "20 inches".

(Rule Update) 15.212 Command and Orders. Change 15cm to "6 inches" and 5cm to "2 inches".

(Errata) 15.51 Effects. If using original Striker-II ground scale, change “inches” to “cm”.

(Rule Update) Page 38: 15.72 White Light Spotlight. Change 2cm to "1 inch" and 200cm to "40 inches".

(Rule Update) 15.73 IR Spotlights. Change 2cm to "1 inch" and 100cm to "20 inches".

(Rule Update) Page 39: 16.21 Light Mud. Change 4cm to "4 inches" and centimeter to "inch".

(Rule Update) 16.24 Flooded Areas. Change 5cm to "1 inch".

(Rule Update) 16.26 Unmiring Vehicles. Change cm to "inch".

(Rule Update) Page 40: 16.31 Snow Cover and 16.32 Deep Snow Cover. Change
cm to "inch".

(Rule Update) Page 43: 18.21 Portable Bridges. Change 2cm to "1 inch", 1cm
to "0.5 inch" and 4cm to "2 inches".

(Rule Update) Page 44: 18.24 Ferries. Change 25cm to "5 inches" and 50cm to
"10 inches". Change 2cm to "0.5 inches".

(Rule Update) 18.3 Assault Boats. Change 10cm to "2 inches" and 2cm to "0.5
inches".

(Rule Update) 18.4 Minefields. Change 5cm to "1 inch".

(Rule Update) 18.411 Manual Placement. Change 10cm to "2 inches".

(Rule Update) 18.413 Mine Launchers. Change 50cm to "10 inches".

(Errata) 18.414 and 18.422 Remotely Delivered Mines (RDM). These rules are in error. Change to “TL7+ indirect area fire artillery of 10cm bore or greater may fire remote delivered mines using the normal indirect area fire rules. Each weapon that fires accurately may place a single uncamouflaged minefield square (or two adjacent squares if an ARL). They may not be placed in woods.”

(Rule Update) Page 45: 18.433 Line Charges. Change 5cm to "1 inch".

(Rule Update) 18.524 Antitank Ditches. Change 1cm to "0.5 inches".

(Rule Update) 18.525 Barbed Wire. Change 10cm to "2 inches" and 5cm to "1
inch" and 1cm to "0.5 inches".

(Rule Update) Page 46. 18.527 Abatis and 18.528 Antivehicular Obstacles.
Change 1cm to "0.5 inches".

(Rule Update) 18.6 Demolitions. Change 10cm to "2 inches".

(Errata) Page 48: 19.31 Systems Affected. Add "...and tac missiles" to
those systems affected by decoys.

(Rule Update) Page 49: 20.1 Mission Orders. Change 50cm to "10 inches".

(Rule Update) 20.22 Range. Change 20cm to "4 inches".

(Errata) Page 56: Rule 25: Campaign Moves. More complete campaign rules, including mass combat rules, are given in World Tamer’s Handbook pages 43-47.

(Errata) Page 65. Advance Party. The unit is unarmoured, delete “Armor: Combat Environment Suit Save: 1”. Delete 7mm LMG-6 stat line as this unit is not equipped with LMGs.

(Errata) Page 66. First Element and Second Element. The units are unarmoured, delete “Armor: Combat Environment Suit Save: 1”.

(Errata) Page 72. The Blood-Life Tercio. TL10 Battle Dress has a Save:4 not 6. Supreme Headquarters. TL10 Combat Armour has a Save:1 not 2.

(Errata) Page 89. Life Guard (Main Body). TL10 Combat Armour has Save:1.

(Errata) Page 91: Converting Traveller to Striker. Direct Fire Weapons. Number of Dice. To the chart add “ROF:4 Dice: 4”.
(Rule Update) Page 91: Direct Fire Weapons. Range. Change to “Calculate short range is Striker (in inches) by dividing the Traveller/FF&S range (in metres) by 50, rounding to the nearest whole number.” Burst. Change to “...divide the Traveller primary burst radius (in metres) by 50, rounding all fractions up.” Nuclear Burst. Change to “...dividing the Traveller destruction and primary burst radii (in metres) by 50.” Indirect Fire Weapons and Sensors and Communicators. Range. Change to “Each kilometre is 20 inches on the gaming table.” Personnel. Movement. Change to “...the movement allowance in inches, take the Traveller walking speed in metres and divide by 2.5...subtract 0.5 inches from the movement allowance for every agility reduction due to body armour.”

(Rule Update) Page 92: Vehicles. Movement. Change to “...the cross-country movement allowance for ground vehicles, in inches, take the safe cross-country combat speed (in metres) and divide by 2.5. A vehicle with a cross-country safe combat speed of 10 metres would have a Striker cross country movement allowance of 4 inches.” Change to “To find the NOE movement allowance in inches for flying vehicles, multiply the Traveller safe NOE speed in 10-metre grid squares by 4. To find the high altitude travel movement for flying vehicles in inches, multiply the Traveller high altitude movement rating in 10-metre grid squares by 12.”

(Errata) Page 132: Appendix F: Missiles. The rating of many missiles is incorrect. For Imperial TL15 95kg Heavy Tac Missiles, command guided and target designated variants should have A:5 (not 4), and their A:8/10 tgt desig/tgt seeker variants should have max/short range of 13.3km/12.4km/11.8km not 133km/124km/118km.
For Imperial TL15 30kg light ‘fire and forget’ tac missiles, the max/short range is .54km (540m) not 54km.
For Reformation Coalition TL12 Tac Missiles, for Skybird missiles the correct max and short range is 20.9km. For Songbird missiles, the correct max and short range is 24.8km. For Jailbird missiles, the correct max and short range is 3.5km. For Butcherbird missiles, the correct max and short range is 3.4km.
For Zhodani TL14 35kg Tac Missiles, correct max/short range is 5.5km, not 55km.

(Errata) Page 156. Quick Reference Chart. The table labelled “Orbital Range Bombardment” should read “Aerial Bombardment”.

Striker-II Errata and Rules Updates

2009-04-01T18:16:00.004+13:00

Replaced by above post.

Another struggle on Denotam

2009-03-06T11:00:00.000+13:00

As the struggle for Denotam continued another encounter between Imperial defenders and Zhodani invaders took shape.

This time the rules used were GDW's Striker-II by Frank Chadwick.

Opposing Forces:

Zhodani - Drawn from the 24th lift Infantry Division

Task Force HQ with 1 operational command stand, 1 self-ordering FO stand, Z-31 Staff Uplink Sled.

2 Line Platoons, each with:
1 tactical command stand
1 Command Sled
Point Defense Team, with:
1 Point Defense Sled
3 Rifle Squads, each with:
1 tactical command stand
1 support infantry stand
1 infantry stand
1 Z-30 GravAPC

2 Grav Tank Platoons, each with 3 self-ordering Z-80 Qiknavra Mk1 Grav Tanks

2 Platoons each 3 self-ordering Dizdreez scout speeders.

1 Battery of 2 Zhodani MRL sleds and 1 FDC Sled with counter-battery radar.

Imperial -Drawn from 3277th Imperial Marine Regiment, 193rd Imperial Fleet.

Command Post Section, with:
1 operational command stand
1 staff uplink Imperial Marine Command APC
1 infantry stand

2 Marine Platoons, each with
Platoon Headquarters, with:
1 tactical command stand
1 Imperial Marine Support APC
5 Marine Squads, each with:
1 tactical command stand
2 infantry stands
1 Imperial Marine APC

2 Armored Cavalry Platoons, each with:
Tank Section: 2 self-ordering Heavy Grav Tanks
Rifle Squad, with:
1 tactical command stand
2 infantry stands
1 Imperial Marine Grav APC
Scout Section, with: 2 self-ordering TL15 Armed Air Rafts

The Battle

Zhodani forces advanced boldly on their objectives across the rolling countryside of Denotam. Marine units erupted from their deep-hides and moved quickly to interrupt the Zhodani progress. Battle was joined as the Imperial Marines ambushed a Zhodani lift infantry platoon that strayed into their sights. Imperial Heavy Grav Tanks lashed out with their fusion guns, easily overwhelming the Zhodani APC armour. Zhodani infantry debussed as best as they could.

The Zhodani struck back, launching nuclear-tipped missiles at some Marine cavalry who had pressed close to their lines, and those missiles which avoided point defence fire inflicted rapid and dramatic losses on the foremost Cavalry platoon.

The tit-for-tat nature of the struggle was evidenced by immediate Imperial retaliation against the Zhodani, whose TL14 decoys proved unable to distract the superior Imperial sensors and fire control. Using the rapid movement capability of grav vehicles, the Imperial commander quickly concentrated his force against exposed Zhodani tanks and a volley of nuclear tipped missiles annihilated three of them - despite the best efforts of Zhodani point defence. Another group of Qiknavra and speeders were caught trying to flank the Imperial lead Cavalry and also dispatched by the combined firepower of the two Marine APC platoons (one at long range and the other from pop-up positions behind a hill).

Only three Zhodani vehicles out of eight in the attack survived. They disengaged rapidly and fled back into cover behind some hills. Zhodani counterfire managed to destroy pop-up two Imperial Marine APCs, but the exchange ratio was not in the Zhodani favour, especially with all of his grav tanks now out of action.

The Zhodani commander had gamely advanced his command team into the built-up-area immediately to the rear of his advancing vehicles, and now the team was isolated and surrounded by Imperial troops and the irradiated wreckage of Zhodani vehicles. Imperial Marines in Battle Dress moved into the buildings andquickly captured the command post, despite Zhodani MRL fire being called down on them.

On the other flank, a Marine infantry platoon assaulted the remnants of the Zhodani lift infantry who had survived the initial ambush by Heavy Grav Tanks. The Zhodani fought as best as they could, but they only had two remaining APCs for support, and their gauss Rifles proved inadequate against Imperial armour. The surviving Zhodani infantry broke and ran, leaving behind the wreckage of their APCs.

At this point the Zhodani were clearly defeated, with the remnants pulling back as the Imperial Marines consolidated their hold on all the six objectives in this area.

Lessons learned:

Using the Fire, Fusion & Steel design sequences, it is a relatively trivial exercise to design highly agile nuclear-tipped tac missiles that are extremely hard to shoot down with point defence. The sub-kiloton nuclear warhead ensures a kill.

The designs for Zhodani tac missiles in the back of Striker-II are well and truly broken.

Gauss rifles, as designed in Striker-II, are pretty useless against advanced Battle Dress.

All ground troops need portable tac missiles. Although they are not given them in the Striker-II army lists, the Zhodani lift infantry need them.

Ultra-tech combat is very lethal. If you can be seen, you can be killed. Losses mount up with alarming speed. In this encounter the Zhodani commander lost most of his force in a couple of turns intense exchange of fire.

Clash on Denotam

2009-02-09T02:10:00.000+13:00

A wargame scenario from the Traveller universe, but using the GZG Dirtside II rules, modified for Traveller following Ken Pick's suggestions at Freelance Traveller.

The date is Imperial Year 1107, the location is Denotam/Vilis 0603/Spinward Marches where the invading Zhodani are attempting to seize an important naval base and communications hub. Imperial Marines on Denotam fight back as best they can. The encounter is a meeting engagement as per the Dirtside II rulebook, with three objectives per side.

Opposing Forces:

Zhodani - Drawn from the 24th Lift Infantry Division.

Task Force HQ with Z-31 Command APC, Z-34 Recovery Sled, and Z-40 Gun Sled.

2 Platoons each 3 Dizdreez scout speeders.

2 Platoons lift infantry, each four Z-30 Grav APCs, seven stands LINE+1 infantry, one Z-35 Point Defense Grav APC.

2 Platoons, each 3 Z-80 Qiknavra Grav Tanks.

1 Battery of 2 Zhodani MRL sleds and 1 FDC Sled with counter-battery radar.

Imperium - Drawn from 3277th Imperial Marine Regiment, 193rd Imperial Fleet.

Task Force HQ with Marine Command APC and Marine Point Defense APC.

Scout Platoon with 5 Imperial Cavalry Vehicles (TL15 armed air/raft).

1 Platoon, four Imperial TL15 Heavy Grav Tanks

1 Platoon, three Imperial TL15 Heavy Grav Tanks

2 Platoons Marine Infantry, each with 1 Marine Support Sled, 5 Empress Imperial Marine Grav APCs, and ten stands Battle Dress infantry.

1 Battery of 2 Imperial MRL Artillery Vehicles and 1 Marine FDC Sled with counter battery radar.

The battlefield after a couple of turns of advancing, with the Zhodani baseline at the bottom of shot...

Both sides moved swiftly to secure their respective nearby objectives, with Imperial Heavy Grav tanks advancing on both flanks...

Scouts were sent out to press further into enemy territory...

...and the Imperial scouts soon drew first blood using tac missiles to knock out the Zhodani Gun Sled and an APC. Zhodani Qiknavra tanks, however, used thier long-range laser main armament to pick off Imperial armour before it came in effective range of their fusion guns...

Constant Imperial missile fire meant that the Zhodani point defense sleds were in heavy demand...

...and Zhodani losses were mounting despite their seeking cover wherever it could be found...

No sooner had Zhodani infantry bailed out of their APCs than they were engaged by accurate Imperial MRL fire, which caused further casualties...

Imperial artillery pounded exposed Zhodani infantry...

Nonetheless, Zhodani gunners were not idle, and they finally managed to land an MRL salvo across the positions of the pesky Imperial scouts, taking our four of the five air/rafts...

Nonetheless, Imperial firepower was telling all across the front, and soon an entire Zhodani grav tank platoon was destroyed along with both Zhodani scout platoons. The remaining Zhodani forces fell back, leaving the Imperial Marines victorious in this encounter.

2009-02-08T06:33:00.000+13:00

Just thought I'd begin by linking to a couple of Traveller wargame reports on my website...

Scramble for Stavinger - a Classic Traveller Striker battle

Thunder on Zyra - a scenario fought with TNE/Striker-II and Dirtside-II.