Deliberate Attack on Chanzori

The Story So Far

Lupus Company of 3rd Battalion, 15th Armoured Infantry Regiment EDF was deployed rapidly forward to Topi Junction. Leaving 3rd Pl and Sp Pl to hold Topi, 1 and 2 Pl moved rapidly to take Chanzori but arrived to find the ILR just digging in about company strength. A hasty attack was a tactical success, knocking out the Satcom, but failed to dislodge the superior numbers (and quality) of the ILR Assault Company there. As the rest of Lupus Coy moved up (along with elements of Kilo Company) 2 and 3 Pl spent two nights in heavy patrolling conducting nighttime raids on the ILR, succeeding in the first to kill some critters but failing in the second to take out a LARC. Once the rest of the Company arrived it was time for a deliberate attach on flank of Chanzori, whilst two platoons of Kilo Company attacked the other flank.

Set-Up

Checking points EDF was meant to have 34 pts against an ILR force (smaller but more capable) of 20 pts. I scaled that down to 7 pts for EDF (2 sections, and extra fireteam plus a PML), and 4 pts for ILR (Assault section plus an Assault Pl HQ). The table had open ground in front of the town, and the IRL had rigged barricades on most of the main entrances. The EDF rolled for the train station as being their objective, to be held for D3 turns (determined once taken). ILR was controlled by the Solo/AI rules as in the latest issue of MW&BG.

EDF moving in form the L with ILR holding Chanzori R

How It Played

The EDF sprinted across the open ground as fast as they could, but still took several turns (low cards and body armour), and for much of the time were out of range of the puny ILR carbines. The forward ILR positions began to cause problems as the EDF neared but a few rounds from the PML took one of the main ones out. The extra fireteam tried to go right flanking but found no entry point, so back-tracked to where the PML had just struck and tried to sneak in their to enfilade the ILR team. An ILR LMG on a roof opened fire causing casualties so a brave EDF trooper lobbed a grenade up onto the roof, which bounced and came back down on top of him and killed him!

ILR LMG team with brave but dead EDF critter below

Better progress was being made on the other flank, with EDF coming off the best on the firefight. But down to 2 critters the ILR fireteam leader decide to charge the EDF and in a multi-turn melee managed to wound one EDF before being finally killed. 

ILR Fireteam commander makes a fanatical charge into melee

His colleague hunkered herself down by the station platforms and managed to hold the EDF off for several turns as the rest of the ILR abandoned the (their) left and centre zones and came to her aide. As she fell to a UGL grenade the EDF went firm and rolled for 2 turns to defend the station. 

ILR holding out at the station

As the ILR rolled in the EDF shot the lead critter at point blank as they emerged from an alley. Another EDF fire team pushed forward and flanked the ILR taking out two more critters, but losing one in the process. The second Shuffle card was drawn and the game was over.

ILR Commander rushing in, but all too late

A firefight round the alley, and it's all over

Conclusion

Another great ACP164 game. I think the solo/AI rules are a little bit cautious, the ILR HQ in particular hung back a lot and a lot of "do nothing but react" results. The ILR stepping up to "aggressive" as the game went against them was I suppose a reasonable reflection of their last ditch attempt to save the game, and was triggered by the fact that EDF was able to attempt more shots as they had more figures, but then kept missing due to their Green rating.

Band of Critters - Night Raid on Chanzori

With my colleagues in  Jasper, Mica and Delta companies having the advantage in the battles for Summit Junction and Bohoni Rd, and my own couple of Lupus platoons facing a superior force including ILR Assault troops I decided to play safe this turn and just commit myself to a nighttime raid to keep the ILR on their toes.

Lt Casputain was given the chance to prove himself again, and managed to roll for probably the easiest raid - just kill 25% of the enemy. Seeing as he only had 8 men and ILR only had 10 (but better rated) he only had to kill 2.

EDF attacking from the top, Section House and Yard bottom right

The ILR was set up with the Assault Section dozing in the Section House, whilst 4 rabbits of the Mech Inf patrolled the area. I decided to use the Nighttime rules from Albedo, but supplement them with the Noise/Guards stealth rules from Osprey's Black Ops which had worked tolerably well last time I used them, and would also enforce a different sort of game.

Just a regular nighttime ILR patrol duty....

Lt Casputain split his hand-picked section (just cats and dogs, no-one with inferior night-vision), into 3 teams, he kept the LMG team with him, the Section 2ic took the grenadier and 2 more riflemen, and the two felines formed a third team. The plan was for the 3 teams to sweep though the settlement roughly in line til contact was made, and then focus on the kill. Nighttime visibility at only 25% (small moons!) meant a 9" visibility limit.

As the game kicked off the ILR patrol guards did their suitably random bit, and all was quiet for 2 turns as the EDF snuck forward. Then a guard on the edge of the board, turned and found himself walking into sightline of the felines hiding behind a wall. Two shots, one wound. The rabbit shouted but was too far away to be heard. Feeling the weight of the Republic on him he went into a Fanatical Charge (ILR speciality), dodged bullets on the way in and then in the melee (more noise) took another wound and staggered back.

ILR Fanatical Charge

On the other side of the board Sgt Saguenay had led his team across the main road and was nearing (unbeknownst to him) the Section House yard. A patrolling rabbit turned about at the wrong moment and two rifles were set to let rip at his back - but both jammed.

Now just don't jam..... aw'shucks!

 The swearing must have been enough to alert another nearby guard who turned into the yard from the other side, fired past his colleague and hit the edge of the wall that one of the EDF troopers was using as cover. The gunshots were enough to alert the third guard, who just happened to be by the section house (the Assault team still snoozing!) and burst in to tell them that they were under attack.

Sgt Saguenay's team takes incoming on the edge of the Yard

Lt Casputain could hear the commotion in the yard, and sent the LMG team across the road to a perfect enfilade shot against the two rabbits still in the hard. But the LMG jammed.

The ILR Assault team came pouring out of the front and side door of the Section House and a frantic firefight started around the yard. The EDF managed to get enough stuns to keep the ILR from causing too much damage, but without getting much damage itself. Things were looking worse for the EDF when Lt Casputain got caught in a graze from some flying brickwork, but luckily he was soon back in action.

The firefight on all 4 sides of the yard

On the other side of the board the two felines managed to subdue the fanatical rabbit, but were a bit too enthusiastic and managed to kill him rather than capture him. With that done they headed off through the back alleys to get to the main fight.

When they arrived they had two rabbits with backs turned in front of them, one guard and the ILR OC. A couple of shots and both were wounded. Then things started going downhill for the ILR. One Morale card had an assault trooper decide to leg it, and then another had the ILR OC bleed out and die! The EDF LMG was still proving ineffective, but Sgt Saguenay's up close and personal fight managed to take out the ILR assault LMG. One of his team was so fed up with a jamming gun that he fixed bayonet and charged the remaining ILR assault troopers, and was lucky to escape (at least temporarily) with his life.

A crazed EDF trooper charges in with his weapon jammed!

With 4 rabbits down, including the ILR OC, it was time to bug-out. Sgt Saguenay pulled back down his alley, waiting to provide cover for his crazy colleague.

Lt Casputain, Sgt Saguenay and their teams made the pullback safely, sprinting to put enough distance between them and the ILR to disappear into the darkness.  The two felines were less successful, a couple of wounded ILR guards spotting them from the cross-roads and charging in, resulting in one EDF dead before the remaining feline slinked away.

Wounded ILR catches a fleeing feline

Analysis

EDF pulled victory from the jaws of defeat - with all those early misfires it really seemed as though they be cut to pieces by the Assault team, but the flanking move by the felines really turned it around.

The Black Ops Guard/Noise rules worked pretty well, but activating the Commander (8+ then another 8+ I think) is just too hard - and with radio would have thought would be pretty instant. I might tweak for my next game, but certainly worth having in the armoury. The night rules OK, I played 25% not the "declared" 35% so as to use the lowest range (9") which did end up with the action being close in - and given the short lines perhaps not as much as an affect as I'd expected. Both though gave the game a very different feel to the first one - it certainly felt more sneaky rather than a simple encounter battle.

I think the EDF less well on the counter-game so we'll see what the overall result it.

EDF Dawn Raid on Chanzori - Jika Campaign Battle AAR #1

An ILR trooper on patrol in Chanzori

Most of us in the Jika Campaign had our first battle this week, with various points on the map becoming flashpoints. For Lupus Company it was a fighting patrol into Chanzori which we believed that the ILR may be moving in to. EDF has a Section (8 critters) plus PML team (think Carl Gustav), whilst the ILR had a Section (12 critters) plus PML team plus a fireteam of elite Air Assault troops (these were scaled down from the roughly Company +/- forces on the map campaign).

The EDF commander, Lt Casputain, moved up the ridge overlooking the settlement (a mining hab complex) and laid his plan - the LMG , PML and Grenadier would provide overwatch and the firebase, whilst the rifle group pushed forward to seize the objective - the satcom terminal.

Table layout, a few activations in, EDF at bottom moving towards the top

EDF Commanders viewpoint - all quiet in Chanzori

With the first activations the Lt Casputain took up his position, and the rifle group moved into the 'shroom copse on the L. But the support teams resolutely stayed on the table edge. The ILR commander, Lt Kannahai, alerted to the movement hurried his team from their brief kip out into the rocks and scrub outside the hab units - the habs offering few fire positions. The EDF Grenadier scored first blood wounding one of the ILR as they moved forward.

A pensive EDF critter moves through the 'shroom copse

As the ILR and the rifle group exchanged fire the ILR Assault Squad also moved out, taking up position in the 'shroom copse just in front and below the Lt Casputain and his Grenadier's position. The poured withering fire down, wounding the grenadier and stunning the OC. Whilst the main ILR rifle group was reluctant to move out of the cover of the habs the EDF PML team finally got into position and with its first round scored a direct hit on the Lt Kannahai, pinning the whole of his platoon. With only 2 cards left the "reshuffle" card finally came up and the first turn was over.

Two rifle groups in a firefight. Satcom objective in the background.

Two short turns then followed. The EDF rifle and LMG groups caused more damage to the ILR rifle team, and despite his wounds the grenadier was inflicting hits on the ILR Assault Squad. The ILR 2ic finally managed to call in support from one of the LARC gunships but despite 6 shots against the EDF PML team only managed to inflict one head wound - the critter's helmet reducing it from a kill to a wound. Time and time again the EDF body armour was proving its worth!

Sterling work from the EDF PML team

The weight and accuracy of EDF fire (and lack of ILR protection except for the Assault team) was finally taking its toll. The ILR rifle team was eliminated, PML team down to 1 critter, and the Assault team pulling back. Lt Casputain ordered the advance, and he and his rifle team went left flanking making a bee-line for the Satcom, with the LMG and PML still giving covering fire.

EDF Rifle Group legs it forward

Ad hoc ILR fire from the flanks was ineffective, and the EDF team made it to the satcom.

EDF reaches the Satcom dish, engaging ILR hiding by the habs

A quick D3 roll showed they only had to hold it for 1 turn, so after a brief exchange of fire in the next turn with the ILR rifle team still cowering between the has (and two more ILR casualties), the Reshuffle card marking end of turn came up and it was game over. 10 ILR dead for only 2 EDF wounded (1 and 2 pt), out of 16 ILR and 10 EDF critters.

Lt Casputain sends the Mission Accomplished signal

Analysis

Within the first couple of activations I was reminded of just how nice a system ACP164 is to play. The multi-function cards make everything so easy, and all the results are believable.  EDF protection certainly made a difference. I nearly lost the EDF commander (and the ILR lost theirs), and given the importance of commander in this game I think next time I might give each of them a runner/radio op, but keep them back, and put the grenadier in with the rifle team. PML's were vicious (and never missed - luck of the cards) more so than the LMG, and there may be a case for giving them a reload action.

The EDF plan actually worked out exactly as intended - must be a first, although the OC almost lost his will so it looked dicey at one point.

The "AI" worked pretty well. The ILR started in Normal stance, but were only in Defensive at the end. Each ILR unit rolled for its action each activation, and at the end of each turn the stance was adjusted based on failures, morale and losses. I may have a few tweaks which I'll suggest in the Forums.

All in all a great game, and we'll see how it impacts the campaign, and how the solo game my ILR opponent played compares to mine!

Read more about the campaign at http://albedopatrol.com/Forum/index.php?board=19.0

My Jika Campaign posts at https://newconverj.blogspot.com/search/label/Jika%20Campaign

Albedo Combat Patrol 164 - The Jika Campaign

In an inspired way to keep us all busy during the Lockdown Mike Wilson over at ACP164 has decided to run an ACP164 campaign. Eight of us are signed up, 4 per side, I'm playing EDF (mostly non-rabbits). The two sides are fighting for control of the erbium mines on the remote planet of Jika.

The neat thing is that whilst the weekly campaign turns are being run collaboratively (lots of Facebook Messenger), any combats that result will be played out as two solo games, one by each side, with the campaign result being based on the combined/average result of the two.

I'm mindful of OpSec so won't post any more details here until I'm sure that facts are known to both sides. But expect lots of combat AARs from this excellent system.

I've also ordered up some ILR (rabbit) reinforcements from Sally4th so as to have a balanced set of figures for the solo games.

You can see my review of ACP164 at https://newconverj.blogspot.com/2018/10/skirmish-rules-testing-part-7-albedo.html and games since then at https://newconverj.blogspot.com/search/label/albedo.