Nik Harwood had just published his solo batrep using this scenario from the CWC rule book.  A bit of banter and an opportunity for a face to face with a gaming buddy brings us here.

For the background we had been running a modern campaign set in 1985 in the Northag region.  Work pressure (driving 3 hours a day into Wales) meant that I could only game every other monday and didn't have the time to keep this up.  With lots of background etc available I set this encounter in the same time frame in the I Ger Corps area pitting elements of 1 Pz Div against elements of 2 GTA in the close terrain North and North East of Celle.

For the table layout we didn't have out as much as for some other games but even this amount viewed from above was sufficient to cause LOS problems for both sides.

Force elements

West German Defenders

CO

HQ

Recce Luchs

6 Infantry with M72 Upgrade

3 Milan 1

2 M113/120mm Mortars

3 Leopard 1A1A1

1 Leopard 2

6 M113 Transports

2005 Points don't equate to lot. But you would even less if it was just armour!

Soviet Attackers

CO

3 HQ's

FAO

FAC

2 Recce BRDM-2

2 Recce BRM-1

12 Infantry with RPG-7

12 BMP-1 (without Sagger)

8 T-64 ERA

1 ZSU 23-4

1 SA-13

4 SP 122mm Guns

2 SU-17

4035 Points.  The problem with this force is that it cannot afford any losses to infantry in order to meet the victory conditions of the scenario.  So  a question to be asked is what/how could you change this force.  You can get 2 BMP IFV with passengers (approx) for each MBT but without the MBT you are going to get ripped open by gun fire while mounted.  Discuss...

Terrain

Table Hasn't got cluttered up yet.  Some very neat German country side

Things start to get busy as the MR troops approach the WG flank company.  Minor oversight means the Milan is struggling to get a shot off across the Asparagus fields

Business end of the Soviet Forward Security Element

Soviet flanking force arrives and takes out the Leopard 2 and one of the Leopard 1A1A1s &  Some of the Mainforce soviet infantry

West German defenders.  The M113s wait to shift the Grenadiers to the next threatened area.  Or would do if the Command blunders and poor radio comms left them sitting there.  The Leopard 1A1A1 is the hero of the day.  After dispatching an unwary BMP moving down the road he spent most of the game swopping shots with the Infantry next to the hamlet.  Unknown to us it wasn't until turn 8 that we realised that this kill stopped the soviets achieving their victory conditions.

Shots from the Soviet edge watching as the second tank company moves up around the flank.  The second is of the SU-17s which never made the table.  The FAC had been held off table and when he arrived never got his air to ground links working.

I am not going to make up special stands for the FOO and FAC, but will use the ones orginally done for MSH.  The COP for the Regt Arty Gp viewed from above (GHQ Model).

The battle report got a bit muddled in the middle of the game.  It was very much of watching the soviets getting off one action and then failing before the WG's did the same.  The WG command units were very poor and managed to suppress themselves as well as subjecting three of their own units to 11 hits.  This was too much for two already damaged units and was the single largest cause of casualties to the WG forces.  In this engagement we played well more than 8 turns.  But effectively the game was over from the second turn following the killing of the BMP with its passengers.

Lessons learned (or rather identified - unlikely to learn!!). 

• Recce is excellent and the Soviets needs to use plenty of it to keep the momentum up, it also means that the reserve artillery can be brought to bear pretty quickly.
• Get the Command Stands moving as early as possible.  Risk the blunder but get your troops on the table then start being fancy. Quantity has a quality all of its own.
• Check your fields of fire when setting the defenders.  Area terrain can cause you problems.
• Even with a small army you need two HQs plus your CO. Never rely on CV10 to win battles.
• Remember to read up on how IATG works.  WG inf could have made mincemeat of the advancing BMP's when firing from cover.
• "Historical" formations work equally as well in CWC.  Support your troops.
• Keep a reserve!

Overall a good game and has been a while since we have had the models out properly (apart from soloing).

Si