Goose Green 1982

 This is a scenario that I have been wanting to do, at an appropriate scale, for quite a few years. 

 It is very closely based upon that scenario appearing in the 'Command Post Quarterly' - the old Command Decision magazine, in the 'Compendium 1-3' edition of 1995, edited by GDW's Greg Novak. Command Decision however, would not be my rules of choice in this regard. 

Mid-battle, with British Paras having taken multiple Argentinean positions on the crest lines

The scenario is superbly written however, with all sorts of nuances (including provision for British Recce unit, armed with Stirling SMGs, who swapped them for Argentinean SLRs at first opportunity, during the battle, amongst other British units who preferred the auto-fire variant).

 The article/scenario ' Goose Green - New Orleans with Assault Rifles' was penned by none other than Frank Chadwick.

The scenario is of course based upon the assault by 2 Para at Goose Green on May 28th 1982, during the Falkland Islands campaign (with notice of the advance given out rashly, by BBC Radio, the night before). 

I used a very exciting variant of my favourite 'Field of Battle: WW2' - of which more to say in later posts. 

I mean yes, they look good - but these bloody hexes literally took 'years' to sort out...Airfield and Goose Green at far left of picture - but most of the fighting will be on the ridges in the centre.

A great scenario, with asset management being a key feature of this variant - including choosing when to use mortars and HMGs - and the difficult assaults on Argentine positions, becoming a key feature of the battle. 

Having laid out some 'water feature' for the Shipwreck game, I planted my hexes along it to illustrate the coast along Goose Green

Features included Goose Green, Darwin and Bocca house, with Argentinean companies both emplaced and acting later as reinforcements from the south in terms of 'walk-ons' and airborne (via helicopter but staying well away from British movements). 

A view looking south-east across the Argentine defensive foxholes, toward the airfield and Goose Green itself

Determined progress, punctuated by defenders' MG assets

B Company makes its way toward Darwin, whilst A and C Cos take the ridgeline on the British right

The battle develops into a full battalion attack

Argentine reinforcements arrive at the airfield. The cardboard was lovingly cut to suit at the last minute, when I discovered my old airfield model, with authentic tarmac, had been lost...

Attempts to reinforce the hill positions will be for naught - the British are moving too fast, and making early gains, despite heavy casualties

Part of Argentine 12th Infantry Regt - well ensconced along the ridgeline

B Company, on the move toward Darwin

Savage close assaults all along the Argentine defensive positions

Argentinian infantry makes it to Darwin, but is likely to be outnumbered unless they re-take the hills

Multiple close assaults go in

A bloody affair...

the battle for Darwin - 2 Para takes the well defended heights, at great cost. Luckily, a turn of dedicated infantry close assaults really paid off for them, as Argentinean defences simply caved in.

By the time Argentine morale runs out, the British are ready to move, rallied, and intent upon moving straight into the airfield...it's all over.

 A great little scenario, with many ways it can play out...

Game 35 - 'Miscellaneous' Ridge - 1982

We tried out Sabre Squadron at last.

Now, it's been a difficult set of rules to wrap our heads around, but a few things worked well.

• Artillery is deadly if you stay still. Don't even try to hug cover - once you're zeroed in, you're getting hurt.
• We complicated things a little by simulating a night attack which played havoc with ranges and visibility.
• It's also easy to see how the system focuses on doctrinal difference to highlight flexibility between types of forces. Obviously, we'd see these differences more clearly in a NATO vs 'Pact game. 
• Variations in morale and training makes a big difference - to finding cover and advancing under fire!
• You can cover the movement of an attacking force quite effectively.

Have to say though that the rules are less than intuitive, and there's a lot of things in there that could maybe do with a few extra examples, though there is a decent modern game lurking between the pages. It just needs more practice at our end.

'Miscellaneous' Ridge is a little like Wireless Ridge from the Falklands, but with obvious differences :)

 Paras move off the start line toward the dug in Argentines.

A little flanking maneuvre on the British left.

Good thing too, as dug in MGs were taking their toll.

 Mr. MILAN hits the bunkers...

...which are well defended.

What's left of 2nd platoon moves to the flank cover.

 While sneaky 1st platoon tries to take the ridgeline from the north.

 ...with more cover from the MILAN.

  1st platoon actually gets badly mauled in the open by mortars, though remnants of 2nd platoon then rally and try again, finally engaging in hand to hand combat to throw the defenders out of the northernmost bunker.

...as third platoon finally get underway, using cover from the MILAN and MGs.

By now, 2nd platoon have made it into the trenches...and are working their way along, as 3rd platoon assault the southern bunker.

It was a tough game for the British, and the rules make you pay for every inch of (open) ground. The flanking action did draw the enemy away from the southern objective, and tactics and good defensive decisions tend to work here.  We need to try these again I think, then introduce some armour.

More to follow.

Game 22 - Wireless Ridge, 1982

A little Falklands skirmish this time. Main reasoning for this was to test the Beta rules version of '3rd Generation Warfare' - a new modern warfare ruleset. The scenario is part of the pack.
 
One of the nicer elements of the rules is the action points system. Better commands get more points to do things with their various squad elements, while less effective platoons/companies are less useful as their points dry up quickly. You can move an element (twice) fire a number of times, or use multiple points for supporting fire etc.

The combat rules need a little work as they're quite clunky and table intensive, but these are a 'beta' after all.

We played the game again with FUBAR - another resounding success with a simple ruleset; fast flowing, intuitive, promoting crossfires and fire and movement to lend credence to the simplicity. Elegant and exciting are the watchwords here.

Anyway...to the pics!!!

 Argentine defences on the ridge, with British Armour making a dash around the flank.


 

 

My thanks to my work's car park for providing the basis for the stones used in the Falklands style 'natural rock' effect on the ground.(And yes, once again these are my ESCI 80s West Germans, painted as Israelis, representing Argentinian infantry today. Get the most out of your figures, I say ;).)

 Right - this is where it gets messy. Flanking action in place - but who told the Argies they could advance from their trenches into the  cover right in front of the British phaseline postion ;) ? Unexpected and bloomin' deadly mate!

We spent a while getting our head around the combat system, rolling one dice - rolling buckets of dice, trying every option and failing miserably to get to grips with how it's supposed to work - with one kill, a few suppressions, a scarper and brass piling up on the bloomin' moor.

We need a little more work on understanding the combat system, but the multiple actions on the basis of command effectiveness was really nice.

So - the attack recommenced with FUBAR.

A little advance on the British left, with accurate covering fire from the cover in the centre from B Section and the Scimitar.

 ...and another assault on the right. This one would be particularly bloody. It ain't easy chargin' bleedin' machine guns mate!

...and it never helps when the 'blahdy armour' fails its activation.

The Scimitar does come into its own eventually, accurately covering the desperate assaults against fixed Argentine positions.

There isn't much left as the Paras get into the Argentine position - defended now only by the remnants of the command element. 

Oh...hits from the British command element end the need for an assault, before it even gets a chance to ready itself.

A really, really close game. FUBAR can be used in many games and is always fast and decisive.


The game did prompt me to start thinking about my own rules based on some of the excellent things we're seeing with action points and with FUBAR - at a company/regimental level for WWII and Modern...hmmm, thinking...thinking.