Team Whiskey – Fulda Gap Batrep 3 Part I

[Just Jack]

All,

I’ve got a lot going on in real life, so I’m trying something I’ve never done before: I’m releasing a batrep in ‘installments.’ So please bear with me, this isn’t permanent, but I hope it tides you over while I work on the rest.

It’s 0930 on 3 August 1986, and the Soviet 8th Guards Army is taking an operational pause, i.e., going over to the defensive temporarily, due to heavy casualties laid on by 11th ACR and 3rd Armored Division. Of course, NATO forces are fairly beaten up as well, and air superiority, upon which so much of NATO’s operational plans are dependent (to have close air support and middle-interdiction to off-set the Soviet advantage in men and material). V Corps decides to take a gamble in its sector to help get its air support back on track.

The Soviets, largely due to the traffic jam ensuing in the wake of an unplanned operational pause (and which they are working on clearing up), have wound up with considerable air defense assets pushed far forward in Team Whiskey’s sector. And so V Corps has ordered Team Whiskey to conduct a local counterattack on 8th Guards Army forces, with the primary mission to identify and destroy Soviet air defense assets in the objective area, and the secondary mission being simply to punch Soviet armored elements in the mouth to help keep them off-balance.

The opposing forces, with US on the right and Soviets on the left. Being a counterattack, this is that rare game where the US outnumbers the Soviets. The US has two companies of Mechanized Infantry (in Bradleys), a tank platoon (M1s), four command stands in an M-577 and M-113s, a mortar platoon of 4 x 81mm tubes, two 10th SFG teams, and an AH-64 Apache. The Soviets have a reinforced tank platoon, eight rifle teams, four machine gun teams, four ATGMs (Spandrels), four 120mm mortars, four MANPAD SAMs, and four SA-9 Gaskin vehicle SAMs. The Soviet infantry begins the game dug-in.

The table, with north being up, the US baseline at left (west), and the Soviet baseline at right (east). You can see the Team Whiskey Mech Inf companies spread out at left, while the Soviets are spread across the board on the right. The US SF teams are in the forest at top center left.

The US force is getting beat up, but punches back. To see the whole thing, please check:
http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/09/team-whiskey-fulda-gap-batrep-3-part-i.html

More to come.

V/R,
Jack

[kyoteblue]

Did I just walk into a buzzsaw ?????? Oh and Mortars got used !!!

[Shaun Travers]

I was going to wait until all installments were posted to read it all;  but as I am in it, I will have to read them piecemeal. It also means I have to stay up late tonight and read Batrep 2 to catchup.

[Just Jack]

Kyote – yeah man, I told you it was ugly. And you’ve got mortars, but so do they, and theirs hurt a lot more (bad dice for the U.S.).

 

Shaun – sorry man, I’m hurrying. But for these damn wife and kids! 😉 I’m hoping for part 2 (of 3) tonight, we’ll see.

V/R,

Jack

[kyoteblue]

Oh I’m just glad the game system has mortars !!!!!!!

[War Panda]

What an amazing setup you have going on.  Just love those expansive shots of the battlefield. All that hard work is being rewarded. The scene looks brilliant (especially like the heavy forest) and what an impressive array of minis. Very inspiring. Are the buildings paper models?

Really enjoyable, looking forward to seeing more

 

“The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad,
For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.”

[kyoteblue]

Most of the buildings are kids blocks and monopoly houses….

[Rod Robertson]

Jack:

Oooh! A cliff-hanger … tune in next week for the exciting conclusion of Whiskey and Vodka! Good stuff so far Jack and a really interesting battle. My only concern is that both sides need more arty support! Oh, and I liked the strategic traffic snarls too! Great stuff, Jack! Thanks for taking the time to write this up despite your busy schedule.

Cheers and good gaming.

Rod Robertson

 

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