Played our first CWC game at the FLGS today. 2 players familiar with BKC played the Soviets while I took the Americas. The scenario was a 1980 Soviet invasion of the FRG. A motor rifle division broke through the US defenses and the remnants of the 2d echelon regiments were exploiting south on route 73. North of Erlangen, a US battalion-size task force was hastily thrown in their path. The terrain was a long valley bordered by wooded hills. The main road ran the length of the table, with 3 small built up areas along it. The valley floor had fields of crops that looked good, but didn't impact movement. Hedges crossed random parts of the valley. A stream ran down the west side with a small pond half way down the length of the table.
The Soviet force:
CO (CV8)
3 HQs (CV7)
1 FAO (CV6) controlling 3 batteries of 122 mm 2S1s
2 recon BRDMs
2 BRDMs w/ AT-3 Saggers
9 Conscripts w/RPG-7s
9 BMP-1s w/Saggers
1 120 mm mortar btry
12 T-64s
Total: 3625 points
The US force:
CO (VC8)
3 HQs (CV8)
1 FAO (VC8) controlling 2 batteries of M109 155 mm guns
1 Recon Scouts w/ M113
6 Regular infantry w/M72 LAW and M113s
1 Dragon Team
1 M106 mortar
7 M60A1 tanks
1 M901 ITV
Total: 2410 points
I deployed most of my tanks on the flanks, with 2 infantry and 2 tank platoons in the center village. The plan was to use the center village forces to slow the Soviet advance while the flanking tanks and ATGMs did the heavy work. The Soviets split their tanks into 2 battalions, with a BMP company attached to each, moving abreast down the valley. The remainder of the BMP battalion and the ATGMs moved down the right rear flank.
Turn 1 opened with a well-placed Soviet smoke screen that completely disrupted the US plan. With no US units in a position to shoot, the Soviet advance was limited only by their lousy command rolls.
The Soviets stoked the smoke on Turn 2 and continued down the valley. The US FAO spotted some targets at long range and called down a concentration of the battalion of 155s. Thanks to a pretty bad deviation roll (and later learning I rolled too many dice!), the fire fell short, wiping out the US Dragon team and suppressing their Scouts. The right flank tanks start taking long range shots, while the center tanks moved left to find a field of fire around the smoke.
The Soviets lifted the smoke for Turn 3, exposing the center US tanks who didn't make it under cover in time. The right T-64 battalion slowed their advance to eliminate the 2 exposed tank platoons. The left Soviet battalion made 3 command rolls in a row and charged the US tanks on the flanking high ground, while their infantry dismounted to attack the Scouts in the woods. It took the combined fire from all the US tanks on both flanks, the TOW across the valley and even the infantry with their LAWs, followed by close assaulting a suppressed T-64 before the attack was stopped. At this point, the US force was just 3 away from their breakpoint, so I was sweating, (plus the A/C in the shop had quit working). But I tried not to let on that I thought the game was over if the Soviets made 1 more hard push. Only later did we realize the attack was as far as the Soviets would get.
Turn 4: the Soviets missed a couple crucial command rolls, giving me the breathing space I needed. Under punishing US artillery fire that killed 1 Soviet HQ and suppressed their CO, I pulled my troops back behind some high ground. I couldn't afford to lose anymore units.
Turn 5: the Soviets didn't do much. The CO couldn't issue commands, 1 HQ had just been replaced and a 3d failed the command roll. Only the flanking infantry moved, dismounting and moving into the woods to try flanking the US tanks that had flanking shots down the valley.
Turn 6: The left Soviet battalion was down to 2 tank platoons in a standoff with 3 US. Whoever moved out of cover first would get whacked. The right T-64 battalion charged through the village, loosing 2 tanks in the process, then went to ground.
At this point, we called the game. Both sides were out of the line of fire from the other. Whoever moved forward would be exposed to multiple opportunity shots. The Soviets no longer had the tanks left for another charge while I was not about to give up my protected positions unless forced to.
Other than directing a couple of US mortar shots, neither sides' recon really got in the game. The US TOW made some crucial shots from long range, while the BRDM Saggers did almost nothing. Of course, parking them facing across the pond didn't help. We really need to practice more with the rules for both type units. Overall, a great game.
Now to begin planning the game for the Siege of Augusta convention.
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