Tank on Tank Central Front: The Bridgehead (The Game)

See my last post for the scenario details, here is how the game played out!
Click photos to enlarge

Turn 1

NATO Phase

Task Force 1/114 INF (TF Dagger) is the first unit from 3rd brigade to arrive and immediately attacks the BMP company holding the town, but with little effect.

Soviet Phase

The defenders in the town respond with a devastating volley of AT-3 Sagger missiles that knock an Infantry Company out of the fight.

Turn 2

NATO Phase

The rest of TF Dagger shifts to take cover and engages the Anti-Tank Company on the high ground west of the town.   The BDRM-3's had not had time to prepare defensive positions and the M1's were able to eliminate them as a threat.

Soviet Phase

The first battalion from the 364th Guards Tank Regiment arrives to reinforce the bridgehead, accompanied by a section of Mi-24D Hind attack helicopters.  The Hinds unsuccessfully engage the tanks of TF Dagger with missiles.

Turn 3

NATO Phase

The action intensifies, from left top right:

• TF Dagger eliminates the 100mm anti-Tank gun battery remaining on the high ground west of town as a threat.
• A-10's roll in on the Tank Battalion crossing the bridge.  They should be sitting ducks... yet the strike is completely ineffective. (they rolled a 3, maybe they were worried about MiG's off table or SA-7's from the BMP company drove them off.)
• The Stinger section unsuccessfully attacks the Soviet attack helicopters
• TF 3/313 (TF Saber)  Armor arrives in the area

Soviet Phase

The 1st Tank Battalion deploys, reinforcing the town and swinging west to engage ineffectively the M1's in the woods.  The Attack Helicopter redeploy to face the new threat from TF Saber and knock a company of M1's out of the fight. (You can also see the Regimental Artillery Group in the lower left corner)

Turn 4

NATO Phase and Soviet Phase

TF Saber takes cover in the woods, intending to use it as a jumping off point for an attack on the town.  TF Dagger destroys the tank company west of the town.

The Soviets respond with ineffective air strikes and helicopter attacks against TF Saber while the 2nd Tank Battalion arrives along with a battalion of 152mm SP guns in support.

Turn 5

NATO Phase

A lull in the fighting this turn, but you can see TF 2/114 INF (TF Hammer) arriving in the upper left-hand corner.

Soviet Phase

2nd Battalion deploys on the high ground west of the town and brings the M1's to their front under fire, but to no great effect.

Turn 6

NATO Phase and Soviet Phase

TF Hammer moves into the woods west of town, while it's Anti-Tank Company eliminates the BMP-R platoon on the high ground so that it cannot interfere with this maneuver.

Both sides exchange ineffective fire, including the Hind Section that attempts to work behind TF Saber.  3rd Battalion of 364th GTR arrives to reinforce the bridgehead.

Turn 7

NATO Phase and Soviet Phase

The long awaited support from the Division Aviation Brigade finally arrives and quickly dispatches the Mi-24D Hind flight.

3rd battalion of the 364th GTR deploys west of town to counter the threat from TF Hammer and add to the fires from the units on the high ground concentrating on the M1's of TF Dagger, which is knocked out of the fight.

Turn 8

NATO Phase and Soviet Phase

TF Hammer Attacks and knocks out a BMP company on the flank while sporadic firing occurs around the rest of the battlefield.

Turn 9

NATO Phase and Soviet Phase

 TF Saber launches an unsuccessful attack on the east side of the town.

Turn 10

NATO Phase

 Things heat up, with the Cobras starting to take a toll on the Soviet armor, TF Saber's Mech Infantry Company is knocked out of action, TF Hammer moves into position to assault the west side of town.  One of the defending BMP companies is eliminated.

Soviet Phase

In a desperation move, the last company of T-72's deploys from the high ground to counter-attack.

Turn 11

NATO Phase

The final turn.  The Cobras fire TOW's into the rear of the T-72 Company, eliminating it as a threat and TF Hammer barely manages to push it's way into the town, cutting off the Soviet Bridgehead.

A very fun game, here are a few random observations:

• The piecemeal arrival of troops on both sides made the game fun and challenging
• Casualties were high (even assuming that a "destroyed" company is just combat ineffective for this battle.  But, I would expect that for this kind of action, with the action around a fixed terrain point.  Plus the frontage for the main fighting was around 10-12 km, so feels about right to me.
• I have updated the rules (see link to the right) to include logistics packages and give units the option to go hull down on hills (which would have made the blocking force more survivable.)

The scenario itself was great and was I think the key component fo the game.

All in all a NATO hard-won victory.  6th Armored Division is no longer threatened on its flank and a Soviet Tank Regiment was destroyed, but with significant losses.   All for the failure of a detonator to destroy the bridge.

This game was so much fun, I am going to skip the game decider and put soem more Tank on Tank Central Front onb the table until I weary of it and then back to the game decider.  I hope you enjoyed this battle report, good gaming!