Home Forums Modern Team Whiskey – Fulda Gap Batrep 5

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  • #31705
    Avatar photoJust Jack
    Participant

    All,

    It’s 1600 on 5 August 1986, and Team Whiskey, as part of 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, has successfully fought its rear-guard action to delay the Soviet advance, allowing it breathing space to fall back to its next defensive positions north of Frankfurt. 11th ACR is reforming and reorganizing, having suffered atrociously at the hands of the Soviets, who also know a thing or two about heavy losses. The Soviets have reorganized and pushed ahead, nipping at the heels of the retreating NATO troops.

    Team (or, more appropriately, Task Force, but Team sounds cooler) Whiskey is in the process of reorganizing while serving as 11th ACR’s reserve, when Soviet artillery begins falling on the NATO front lines. No one gave much attention to it, having become accustomed to the constant pounding of Soviet artillery, but then 11th ACR outposts began going off the air, and finally a mumbled, confused transmission was picked up that mentioned “…NBC-1…” which sent a chill down everyone’s spine (an NBC-1 report is the initial alert sent out by a unit experiencing or witnessing a Nuclear, Biological, or Chemical attack; NBC-2 and 3 reports are typically put out by HQ or NBC units, providing further info friendly casualties, hot zone location, and type of agent, and an NBC-4 report is the ‘final’ report put out by the HQ NBC unit which consists of the survey of the hot zone).

    Team Whiskey’s CO, Lt Col Lacy, got off the radio, then turned to Captain Phillips, head of India Company. “The transmission that mentioned NBC-1 came from OP-3, but we can’t raise them. Here’s their grid,” pointing at the map, as Lt Ensmith scribbled down the coordinates. “Get your company out there and figure out what the hell is going. Oh, and have have your men go to MOPP-2.” (MOPP-2 is wearing chemical boots and overgarment, but not mask and gloves).

    Captain Phillips acknowledged the order, then sprinted to his company and briefed them. “Mount up! And go to MOPP-4, Gas! Gas! Gas!”


    The opposing forces: this is a smaller game, and the forces are identical (capability-wise). The big differentiation in the game will be random entry onto the table. Each side will start with their company commander (CC) on the table, but every other unit will have to roll to come on the table, with a 33% chance of success each turn.

    For the US, this is Captain Phillips, the India Company commander, with Lt Ensmith’s 2nd Platoon and Lt Macot’s 3rd Platoon. Both sides have an APC (M-113 for US, BTR-50 for Soviet) carrying their CC’s command team, six IFVs( Bradleys for US, BMPs for Soviets), six rifle teams, and an MG team (riding with the PC).


    Overview of table, north is up, US baseline on left (west) and Soviet baseline on right (east). You can see the US M-113/CC at bottom left on the road, and the Soviet BTR-50/CC on the road at top right.


    The Soviets move up on the right side of the board, catching Lt Macot’s Bradley all by its lonesome in the south. Distracted by the BMP at far right, a Soviet rifle team creeps up and launches an RPG. To see how the fight turned out, please check the blog at:
    http://blackhawkhet.blogspot.com/2015/09/team-whiskey-fulda-gap-batrep-5.html

    That was a fun, quick, sharp fight, and so I was able to get another fight in. Stand by, I’m working on the batrep!

    V/R,
    Jack

    #31707
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Just Jack:

    A nice change from the hellfire cauldron of TW4. I did not understand why you elected to go with such a cumbersome deployment process. Wouldn’t all the vehicles of the platoons come on together and in the same approximate area? I could understand it for the US forces if the six Bradleys were M-3’s of a Cavalry platoon and therefore widely dispersed, but your Bradleys are loaded with infantry and are therefore M-2’s which would operate in closer proximity, no? Likewise the Soviet forces would be expected to stay concentrated in their platoons, though the two platoons could be widely separated I suppose. Good report and an interesting battle. Lt. Macon will be missed.

    Cheers and good gaming.

    Rod Robertson.

    #31710
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    I’ll comment when I am sober…. My Dad Died….

    #31748
    Avatar photoJust Jack
    Participant

    John – I sent you an e-mail, hope you’re doing alright.

    Rod – The deployment process was dictated in the scenario, and I thought it was a fun change of pace to mix things up between two otherwise well-matched opponents.  From a situational/tactical perspective standpoint, it was meant to highlight the communications problems affecting command and control in an NBC environment.  Honestly, I was probably too lenient/easy in terms of spotting, firing, and communications.

    “Lt. Macon will be missed.”  You disgust me, Robertson.  Typical officer, didn’t even bother to learn his name… 😉

    I’m working on the next batrep, it’s going to be another two-parter.

    V/R,
    Jack

    #31751
    Avatar photokyoteblue
    Participant

    Good AAR, Just Jack, got your E-mail thanks.

    #31774
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Kyoteblue:

    My heartfelt condolences on your loss. I hope you find peace and solace soon. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers for the next few days.

    Rod Robertson.

    #31775
    Avatar photoRod Robertson
    Participant

    Just Jack:

    Do’h! Lt. Macot! Sorry about that. That one is on me. Well at least I didn’t let the auto-correct keep calling him Lt. Mascot, as it kept trying to do!

    Cheers man and keep on keep’in on.

    Rod Robertson.

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