SBCT Rifle Company Battle Position Defense

Switching back from the American War of Independence this week, I am returning to my Stryker Rifle Infantry Company project, today with a Company Battle Position Defense played with 5Core Company Commander.  You can see all posts and the evolution of this project here.

I am going to try to use some of the Tactical Vignettes from Armor Magazine as the basis for some scenarios.  For some reason, they do not print them anymore, but you can find a few from the 90’s here: http://www.benning.army.mil/Armor/ArmorMagazine/content/Tactical.html

Today’s fight will be based loosely on this specific Vignette: http://www.benning.army.mil/Armor/ArmorMagazine/content/vignettes/tacvig00-1.pdf

It will take some modification, but the main features of the scenario are:

•     The Company will perform a battle position defense and prevent the OPFOR from crossing Phase Line APACHE
•     There are two potential avenues of approach (AA1 and AA2) that the OPFOR might use, each covered by engagement area (EA) SEATTLE and HOUSTON.
•     The company occupies 3 platoon BP’s (Battle positions) with an alternate to allow fires to be concentrated in EA SEATTLE.

As I am exercising the rules, I will deploy the company with only organic assets and no attachments:

•        HQ
•        1^st Platoon
•        2^nd Platoon
•        3^rd Platoon
•        120mm Mortar Section

The company has time for dismounted elements to construct hasty fighting positions and vehicles to assume a hull down position. For this engagement, no other support from Battalion or Brigade is available, nor any aviation assets.

The company will deploy dismounted elements with the intention of engaging the enemy with Javalin’s, ICV’s will deploy on the reverse slope, ready to either move forward to a hull down position is conditions are favorable to engage with the RWS or retrieve the dismounted squads.  3^rd platoon in BP 1A ICV’s will standby to redeploy the platoon to BP 1D on order.

The OPFOR will consist of elements of a Krasnovian Battalion Tactical Group:

·        Forward Security Element (FSE)

o   1 x T-80U Platoon

·        Motor Rifle Company (+) (BMP-3)

o   3 x Motor Rifle Platoons

o   1 x T-80U Platoon

o   2 x 122mm SP Guns

As for tactical plan, I will have the sneaky OPFOR send their FSE over AA2 and demonstrate to keep the defender oriented that direction and then strike with the main body via AA1, with the intention of bypassing and penetrating into the task force rear area beyond phase line APACHE.

Here is the table setup, with the company deployed into battle positions and the OPFOR ready to roll forward. 

I ran through the scenario fairly quickly, here are the highlights.

 The OPFOR moves forward using bounding overwatch by platoons, with the FSE in the lower part of this picture demonstrating in AA2. They plan to bypass as much resistance as possible, so will stay mounted and mobile as much as possible.  Heavy fire from the T-80's and BMP's force the platoon on BP 1B to suffer casualties and partially withdraw.  1st platoon pulls back from BP 1A to redeploy to BP 1D.

 Javelins destroy a BMP-3 platoon, but concentrated fire form overwatch elements continues to take it's toll.

The rifle company commander throws in the towel and withdraws.  The final casualty list is:

SBCT Rifle Company: 4 Rifle Squads and 1 weapons squad combat ineffective along with Company sniper team.  I assume a "killed" squad is mostly disorganized enough to need reorganization and not actually wiped out, but still that is 50% of the company's leg strength and a significant number of it's anti-armor systems (4 out of 9 Javelins)

OPFOR: 2 x T-80U, 3 x BMP-3, 1 x 2S1 12mm gun

The company is pretty banged up and I feel failed in it's mission to prevent OPFOR from penetrating PL APACHE in force into the task force rear area.

Here are some observations and feedback I would love from the community:

• I have posted the QRS and weapon ratings I used to the right.  Take a look at the stats and tell me what you think.
• Javelins seemed deadly enough.  I did not allow them to reaction fire as they are missiles.
• Reactive armor save was good, a couple of T-80's avoided blowing up due to reactive armor.
• I treated the ICV's like trucks, as suggested on one of the forums.
• I assumed the Infantry squads were in cover (hasty fighting positions) but even s, they seemed to wither under the direct fire of the BMP's and T-80's.
• Are the fire ratings to high?
• Is there something in the rules I am missing that is making this fire too lethal?
• I forgot the mortars, it might have helped.  I need to look through those rules more closely and research what sore of ammo is carried that might be useful against vehicles or use smoke. 
• First turn a force entered the board I allowed a free scurry and I gave the Americans a free firefight their first turn.  Otherwise, each platoon rolled an activation dies with the company commanders getting one that they could swap with one platoon.  Seemed to work well and injected just the right amount of chaos so far.  Anyone have other thoughts on running Company Command with mechanized forces?

I am fairly happy with the speed of play, just not sure about the lethality of direct fire versus dismounted infantry.  Thoughts? Or maybe it is about right.

Thanks for reading and good gaming!

PRICE REDUCED AGAIN!!! Buy my stuff! 1:72 / 20mm WW1 project, table ready with figures and terrain.

SOLD

Buy my 20mm WW1 project!  I am not getting this on the table and my interests have wandered elsewhere.  This is perfect for playing Through the Mud and the Blood, WW1 Chain of Command, or WW1 Bolt Action.  You get enough terrain and troops to play as soon as you open the box.

A platoon's worth of troops with all of the specialists and attachments that make it interesting for the British and Germans.  You can easily play out trench raids or battles from 1917 or 1918.  You also get trenches, barbed wire, fighting positions, bunkers, shell holes, and destroyed buildings to create challenging scenarios,

Figures are a Mix of HaT, Strelets, and Emhar plastics and Early War Miniatures metal figures.  Individual infantry are mounted on pennies.

Here is the box, ready to ship (16x16x16, 8 lbs.)

What do you get?

• British Infantry platoon suitable for 1917 or 1918 with 54 Painted Infantry Figures including:
• Lewis Guns
• Stokes Mortar
• Rifle Bombers
• Bombers
• Vickers gun
• Sniper
• 1 x Mark IV Male and 1 x Mark IV female tanks (plastic Emhar kits)
• German infantry platoon 89  painted figures including:
• Flamethrower teams
• Storm troopers with SMG's and grenade sacks
• Snipers
• Minenwerfers
• Granetwerfers
• Short barreled 77mm guns for Storm Troopers
• HM's
• MG 08/15's and captured Lewis Guns
• Sappers with wire cutters and Bangalore Torpedoes
• Anti-Tank Rifle teams
• Over 4 feet of Early War Miniatures Trenches, painted and ready for the table. You can see them new at Early War Miniatures here.  Includes 4 trench sections, a communications trench, and a forward sap as well as 1 inner curve and one outer curve section.
• 3 x sections of shelled woods with removable trees for easy storage
• Shell Holes, shell hoes, shell holes! including 5 reinforced with sandbags ad 2 x gun emplacements
• 2 x short entrenchments and 7 feet of barbed wire.  Entrenchments perfect for late war German defense in depth position from 1917 - 1918.
• Bunkers and buildings: one fighting bunker, two small observation bunkers, 2 ruined buildings reinforced with sandbags, and stone walls.

All of this for....

• $250 $200 $150 plus $25 shipping to CONUS via USPS.  
• Any other destinations, I will charge the actual shipping based on the 16x16x16, 8lb box.  
• PayPal only please.

Click Photos to Enlarge

British Infantry Platoon

British Tanks (Early War Miniatures 20mm figure for scale)

German Infantry Platoon:

Trenches

Shelled woods

Shell holes!

Entrenchments and barbed wire

Bunkers and buildings!

One Hour Wargames: Updated House Rules and Wietzel's Mill

This weekend, I played a nice AWI One Hour Wargames scenario using the latest incarnation of my AWI house rules.  I have posted a permanent link to the right to the latest incarnation.

I the spirit of C.S. Grant, I played a battle game based on the Battle of Weitzel's mill, which occurred about a week before Guilford Courthouse.  Think of it as a movie "based on actual events."  I identified what I thought the most important features were and designed a scenario around that, rather than trying to do a strictly accurate recreation of the battle.  the key points are:

• The Crown forces are pursuing Colonel Otho Williams and the Continental Light Corps with the intention of catching up to Greene's main force and bringing it to battle.
• The Continental forces consists of light troops and militia
• The Crown forces are the cream of the crop available to Cornwallis.
• There is a contested river crossing, with the Patriots fighting a delaying action.
• The British objective is to exit the road on the NE by turn 15.

Crown Forces:

• 3 x Leaders (Cornwallis, Tarleton, Webster)
• 2 x British Legion Dragoons 
• 1 x Light Infantry (Elite, Aggressive)
• 23rd Foot (Elite, Aggressive)
• 71st Highlanders (Elite, Aggressive)
• Von Bose Regiment (Elite, Aggressive)
• Jaeger Detachment (Rifles)

Patriot Forces:

• 3 x Leaders (Williams and 2 others)
• 1 x Skirmishing Riflemen
• Lee's Legion Dragoons
• Lee's Legion Light Infantry
• Continental Light Infantry
• 2 x Militia (Poor troops)

Click on photos to enlarge, here is how it played out.

This is the initial setup.  The key terrain feature is the river, which can only be crossed at the bridge and the mill itself, which is made of stone and provides hard cover.  The Patriot plan (as historically) was to delay with the riflemen and Dragoons and then contest the crossing.

 The British commander created a traffic jam by a poorly chosen march order for his troops, leading with the dragoons. They tried charging the riflemen on the hill and were repulsed a couple of times.  The main effect was Tarleton was rendered hors de combat while trying to rally his horsemen for another charge.

 By turn 4 (as can be seen on my home made turn counter), Cornwallis had sent the Lights around the left flank and Jaegers around the right of the Rebels... 

 ... and the Light Bobs delivered a devastating charge the swept the riflemen from the field, unfortunately most fled to fight another day.

This reverse must have been visible to the Militia covering the bridge because the next patriot turn this Fog of War card came up.

Lee's Legion dragoons charged the Jaegers but failed to do much damage, and the net turn, the British Legion, probably enraged that their commander was unhorsed, savagely charged into the flank of Lee's Legion and drove them from the field. 

Some desultory fire was exchanged across the river, but Lieutenant Colonel Webster saw his chance and with his usual daring and pluck led the 71st Highlanders across the bridge before the Militia can block it. 

 The 71st Highlanders crash into the hapless militia.

 The militia rout from the field.  Meanwhile the Hessians wheel left and the 23rd foot wheel right to clear the rebels from the vicinity of the bridge.

By the end of turn 11, the Hessians have scattered the Continental lights and the British Legion have ridden down the last militia unit.  The remaining men of Lee's Legion occupying the mill decide enough is enough and withdraw to fight another day.

The Crown forces had won, but taken more irreplaceable casualties, while the scattered Patriot formations would reform,  All of the participants would meet again in a week's time at a place called Guilford Courthouse.

An excellent little solo game, I really enjoyed the drama added by the Fog of War cards.  I hope you enjoy it and the latest incarnation of my house rules. 

SBCT: First fight, platoon delaying action

I am proud to say I am 100% complete with my SBCT Infantry Company project and am now test driving rules.  For the complete project see this series of posts.

It took about 8 weeks to complete, even with a week long cruise in there!

Here is the basic MTOE company, complete and ready to go.  I have various attachments painted as well, but when showcase them when they hit the table.

I ran a rather simple scenario using 5Core Company Commander just to exercise the rules.  A Stryker Platoon has been placed in a blocking position to screen the rest of the battalion while it assumes a defensive position.  The platoon is tasked with destroying the attacking OPFOR's brigade forward security element in Engagement Area (EA) Hammer.  one that is accomplished the latoon with withdraw from it's battle position and conduct a passage of lines and become the company reserve.

I did not capture a play by play, but here are teh main highlighst of the action.

Here we have the OPFOR FSE, consisting for a platoon of 3 x T-80U and a platoon of 3 x BMP-3. If I were doing anything except trying out the rules, the Opfor would NOT just drive down the road until shot at, as we used to love to have our Soviets do back in the day, but would move forward using bounding overwatch, which is what the Russians, err Krasnovians would actually do.

 Here is the platoon's main battle position, with 2 rifle squads and the weapons squad.

 And the 3rd squad is off on the left flank to prevent flanking of the main position.

 The lead T-80U falls to a Javelin ATGM.

After a few turns, another T-80U and a BMP-3 are also hit, but the rest of the motor rifle platoon makes it to the NW hill and dismounts.  They manage to lay effective fire down from the infantry and the BMP's to render both US rifle squads combat ineffective.

With only 1 Javelin system operational, wounded to retrieve, and 2 rifle squads to rally and reorganize, the US platoon leaders asks for a receives permission to fall back.

All in all, I love these rules, they play fast, and give what I feel is a realistic result.  Later, I will post a play by play of moving and firing and my own stats for 5Core Company commander.

Until then, good gaming!