Hi all
The first game has started. Still haven't completed the first Turn (which is 8 hours) so it may take a bit of time to finish.
Here's the starting position.
We've underway but it's a little slow progressing.
Cheers
The Great Unfought War
This is about the Great Unfought War. The war between the Soviet steamroller and fractured NATO. This blog will focus on the Cold War in Europe, West Germany between 1976 to 1990. It will track my progress developing a schema to generate battles between the Warsaw Pact and NATO forces - the United States, West Germany and Britain. I also intend to solo fight and report on these battles. Well, here's hoping ...
Wednesday 29 March 2017
Wednesday 13 April 2016
The First Game is Nearly Here
Hello
While a long, long time has past, progress has been made.
Much of the time has been taken up with painting. My collection of West Germans in NATO 3 colour camouflage is nearly complete. LVPT7s and LAVs for US marines are done, though only in MERDEC. Various bits and pieces for Soviet Airborne forces, completed.
Perhaps the biggest task has been painting infantry bases. I now have sufficient bases of British in DPM and West Germans (in whatever they call their uniforms.)
US in BDU
Though I still need to do US forces for the late 70s before the BDU was introduced about 1980 (as best as I'm able to determine.)
I also revamped my Soviets.
But the big thing is that the board for the Attack by the 2nd Guard Army has been laid out, the troops have been sorted, labelled and placed in readiness for the game to kick off.
Currently the delay is around settling on how to represent Soviet-Style Doctrine. Mostly settled but not quite sorted. Then there is my natural procrastination, I'm a master at that.
So, hopefully, soon, I will have begun and have something to actually report.
While a long, long time has past, progress has been made.
Much of the time has been taken up with painting. My collection of West Germans in NATO 3 colour camouflage is nearly complete. LVPT7s and LAVs for US marines are done, though only in MERDEC. Various bits and pieces for Soviet Airborne forces, completed.
Perhaps the biggest task has been painting infantry bases. I now have sufficient bases of British in DPM and West Germans (in whatever they call their uniforms.)
Brits back left and right, West Germans front and back right |
US in BDU
Here's the US BDU close up |
Though I still need to do US forces for the late 70s before the BDU was introduced about 1980 (as best as I'm able to determine.)
I also revamped my Soviets.
Motor Rifle Troops |
Soviet Airborne |
But the big thing is that the board for the Attack by the 2nd Guard Army has been laid out, the troops have been sorted, labelled and placed in readiness for the game to kick off.
Currently the delay is around settling on how to represent Soviet-Style Doctrine. Mostly settled but not quite sorted. Then there is my natural procrastination, I'm a master at that.
So, hopefully, soon, I will have begun and have something to actually report.
Monday 26 January 2015
First Battle: The Attack of the 2nd Tank Army on the British Army of the Rhine - The Setup
First
Battlefield
Roll D4 to determine
which route – rolled 1, therefore the Black Route.
Attack of 2nd
Tank Army on the British Army of the Rhine
Terrain:
Right hand
side = North, from the (Eastern) Soviet side of table.
Black
route, Battle hex 2
1. Open/City/River
(Hamburg)
|
2. Forested
|
3. Open
|
4. Open/River
|
5. Forested
|
6. Open
|
Terrain
boards:
Terrain rolls based on board terrain type -
Terrain rolls based on board terrain type -
- Open = 2, Farm; River at Western edge; Hamburg (20 sectors) East
- Forested = 1, 1 small forest; River at Northern edge
- Open = 1, no additional terrain
- Open = 5, a small forest
- Forested = 6, 2 medium forest
- Open = 1, no additional terrain
Key terrain features:
- City - on board 1
- Open = 1, small Town (4 sectors) + Fields - on board 3
- Open = 1, small Town (4 sectors) - on board 2
- Open = 8, Bridge (over stream) - on board 6
Board for the Attack by the 2nd Tank Army on BAOR positions |
Battle
Type: Russians Attack
Soviet Forces:
- 94 Guards Motor Rifle Division (Trained) (Regiment) – Rgt HQ; 1 Battalion with T64 (2); 3 MR Battalion with BTR60(3) (SA7-HW-AT4 Spigot(1)-LAW); ZSU23, BRDM3 AT5, 2S1 122mm How. (18)(direct), SA6B
- 16 Guards Tank Division (Trained) (Regiment) – Rgt HQ; 3 Battalions with T64 (2); 1 MR Battalion with BMP(2) (SA7-HW-LAW), 2S1 122mm How. (18)(direct), SA9
- 4 additional fighting Battalions from Division – Engineer Battalion (Trained) - 2 BTR60 plus supports (attached to 94 GMRD); Recon Battalion (Trained) - 2 BRDM2 Recce, BMP-R, BMP-SON (attached to 21 MRD); Rgt HQ of 21 MRD (Trained), 2 MR Battalions of BTR60(3) (SA7-HW-AT4 Spigot(1)-LAW) plus 2 T62 Co., BRDM2 AT3C and D30 122mm How. (18)(direct),
- 2 additional artillery battalions – 1 2S1 122mm How. (18)(direct)(attached 21 MRD) and 1 2S3 152mm How. (18)(direct)(attached 94GMRD)
- Remaining artillery and Helicopters are in general support – i.e. 1 2S1 122mm How. (18)(general), 1 D30122mm How. (18)(general), 1 D20 152mm How. (18)(general), and BM21 122mm Grad. (18)(general), and 1 Mi24 D (general)
Soviets
Combined Arms Capable |
Yes
|
Mixed Commands |
Yes
|
Full Mixed Commands |
No
|
Major Commands Groups |
Yes
|
Mixed Major Command |
No
|
Asset Point Die |
D12
|
Airpower Die |
D12
(6
sorties)
|
FAO
Spotting Quality / Die
(Quality: Skilled) |
D12
|
||
Engineering
Quality / Die
(Quality: Superior) |
D12+1
|
Anti-Aircraft
Quality / Die
(Quality: Average) |
D10
|
||
Electronic
Warfare Quality / Die
(Quality: Skilled) |
D10
|
Recon
Quality / Die
(Quality: Skilled) |
D12
|
||
Leadership
Quality (CiC CD)
(Quality: Skilled) |
D12+1
(Superior
Deck)
|
Troop Quality |
Trained
|
NATO (British) Forces:
- Reconnaissance Battalion (Experienced) – HQ 1-FV105 Sultan, 4-FV107 Scimitar, 1-FV102 Striker, 1-FV103 Spartan; Support: AA - 1 towed Rapier, 1 Javelin team
- 1st Armoured Division (Skilled) (Brigade) - Bgd HQ
1AD-12th Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Trained) – HQ 1-FV432, 1-FV432 (HW-Milan (2)-LAW); 1-FV107 Scimitar, 2 FV432 combat teams; 1 Chieftain V; Support: 1 Engineer Company – 1-FV432 Engineers, 1-Chieftain AVLB - 1AD 22nd Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Trained) – HQ 1-FV432, 1-FV432 (HW-Milan (2)-LAW); 1-FV107 Scimitar, 2 FV432 combat teams; 1 Chieftain V; Support: 1-FV107 Scimitar
- Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Trained) – HQ 1-FV432, 1-FV432 (HW-Milan (2)-LAW); 1-FV107 Scimitar, 2 FV432 combat teams; 1 Chieftain V; Support: 1-Lynx w/TOW(direct)
- 1 M109 155mm How. (24) Battalion (direct)(attached 1 AD); 1 M110A2 208mm How. (12) Battalion (general)
NATO
Combined Arms Capable |
Yes
|
Mixed Commands |
Yes
|
Full Mixed Commands |
Yes
|
Major Commands Groups |
Yes
|
Mixed Major Command |
Yes
|
Asset Point Die |
D10
|
Airpower Die |
D10+2
(6
sorties)
|
FAO
Spotting Quality / Die
(Quality: Superior) |
D12
|
||
Engineering
Quality / Die
(Quality: Average) |
D8
|
Anti-Aircraft
Quality / Die
(Quality: Skilled) |
D12
|
||
Electronic
Warfare Quality / Die
(Quality: Skilled) |
D10
|
Recon
Quality / Die
(Quality: Superior) |
D12+1
|
||
Leadership
Quality (CiC CD)
(Quality: Skilled) |
D12
(Superior
Deck)
|
Troop Quality |
Trained
- Experienced
|
The
table is divided into 4 quarters (1.5’ x 1’). Each Russian and
NATO home board has a key terrain feature, control of which
determines control of the board (the last player to occupy it) and
counts ½ point. Each Battalion (HQ and remaining Companies) exited
from the opponents home board edge counts as ½ point. NATO set up on
their home boards, and then Russians enter.
Air Conflict State:
Soviet – D8; Up 1 for
more planes, Up 1 for initial surprise, giving D12
NATO – D8; Up 1 for
superior planes, +1 for better trained pilots, +1 for AWACs, giving
D10+2
Air Status Roll –
Soviets = 2; NATO = 4;
NATO has Superiority –
Up 1 on next Air Status roll; +1 to Air Support roll
Soviets have
Inferiority – no change to Air Status roll; -6 to Air Support roll
Air Support roll:
Warsaw Pact – rolled
12-6 = 6 sorties; NATO – rolled 5+1 = 6 sorties
Anti-Aircraft State:
Soviets: troops have
personal weapons (½), dense MANPADSAM
(1)
Regiment
AA / SAM systems (¾), PD (1) & AD (½) + 3 ¾
Soviet Airforce has
Air Inferiority - ½
AA State = 3 ¾ - ½
=3 ¼; Average
NATO: troops have
personal weapons (½), adequate MANPADSAM
(½),
PD (1) & AD
(½) + 2 ½
Soviet Airforce has
Air Superiority + 1
AA State = 3+1=4;
Skilled
Rsrv Rsrv
Edited: 19/1/2016 - adjusted Order of Battle.
Battle Plan and
Deployment
The Battle Plans and
Deployment of each side was made by selecting cards from a set of
Battle Plan decks (Offensive and Defense), which produced the
following:
Soviets –
Envelopment of Both Flanks
- Left, centre and right advance to contact.
- Reserves move to get around flanks – Reserves arrive from the Move card following an enemy presence being identified[Each force ('regiment') was randomly allocated to a left, centre and right sector, or reserves.]
- 94 MRD – Reserve, Left
- 16 GTD – Reserve, Right
- Part 21 MRD – Centre
British –
Single Defensive Line with Reinforcements
- 1. On board troops deployed in the central quarters of the table, toward the centre2. Reinforcements arrive after a defined number of Move cards
[Each force ('battalion') was randomly allocated to a left, centre and right sector, or reinforcements. With the delay of arrival determined as 3+D3 Move cards.]
- Reconnaissance Battalion – Centre
- 1st Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (5th move cards)
- 2nd Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (4th move cards)
- 3rd Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (6th move cards)
Rsrv Rsrv
Reinforcements (3+D3 Move cards)
Monday 19 January 2015
A Race to a European Conflagration
Hi all
I guess that a Happy New Year is warranted.
As foreshadowed in my last post I felt a need to do some gaming but also within the context of a broader campaign. I therefore planned to a rejig a modern spearhead campaign called "Race to the Rhine" (RR) by the Wellington Warlords, with credit to several other predecessors. This has turned into something I've called "Race to a European Conflagration" (REC). The system follows RR closely but is modified to reflect the rules I wished to use, that is FoB:Modern. It covers maps and axes of advance, AA, EW, weather engineering and air support, the types of battles and thus what Soviet forces and supports, and randomised NATO forces and supports, are available.
Thus there are Four Armies present: GSFG – 2nd Tank Army, 3rd Shock Army and 8th Guards Army, and CGF – 4th Guards Army. The forces are as follows:
The unit types for these Divisions will be roughly defined by the following set of rules:
I used six hexes around each route number to form the basis for the terrain on the gaming tables, with the map defining four terrain types: Open, Forested, Rough and Forested Rough. Then using a set of Tables and die rolls the gaming table is developed with towns, Cities, hills, forests, rivers and key terrain features as objectives.
Battle types are: Russians attack, Meeting engagement, Russians defend. Which battle applies randomly chosen, with a bias to Russians attack. The Russians have the option of delaying their advance and undertaking a Prepared attack, with additional supports.
The rough force matches, excluding supports, are:
A Russians attack result is likely to be 12 Soviet battalions versus about 4 NATO battalions;
A Meeting engagement result is likely to be 10 Soviet battalions versus 6 NATO battalions;
A Russians defend result is likely to be 10 Soviet battalions versus 8 NATO battalions; and
A Russian Prepared attack could be about 18 Soviet Battalions versus 6 NATO battalions.
NATOs forces may be weaker depending on the level of Soviet success in previous battles.
The forces available to the Russians in the campaign are essentially those that they start with with limited opportunities for replacements.
That, I hope sets the scene. Next I will set out the situation for the first battle - an attack by the 2nd Tank Army on BAOR defenders along the black route.
See you then.
I guess that a Happy New Year is warranted.
As foreshadowed in my last post I felt a need to do some gaming but also within the context of a broader campaign. I therefore planned to a rejig a modern spearhead campaign called "Race to the Rhine" (RR) by the Wellington Warlords, with credit to several other predecessors. This has turned into something I've called "Race to a European Conflagration" (REC). The system follows RR closely but is modified to reflect the rules I wished to use, that is FoB:Modern. It covers maps and axes of advance, AA, EW, weather engineering and air support, the types of battles and thus what Soviet forces and supports, and randomised NATO forces and supports, are available.
The
year is 1982 and each of four Russian teams commands a Combined Arms
or Tank Army (bathtubbed as a Division) in the Group of Soviet Forces,
Germany, and the Central Group of Forces, that is tasked with
advancing to the Rhine as fast as possible.
There
are 4 possible axis of the advance to the Rhine:
- The first is the northern axis through Luneberg, Bremen – crossing the Weser river – to a crossing of the Ems river into the Netherlands aiming to cross the Rhine just north of Koblez.
- The second is through the tank country of the North German plains from Braunschweig, south of Hanover crossing the Weser river, then crossing the Ems river north of Dortmund, meeting the Rhine river at Dusseldorf.
- The third axis follows the fulda gap, passing by Frankfurt above the Main river, and crosses the Rhine river in the Vicinity of Mainz.
- The final axis is the southern one through rougher terrain from Czechoslovakia, south of Nuremberg to Stuttgart, crossing the Rhine at Strasbourg.
This results in the following Strategic Map:
Thus there are Four Armies present: GSFG – 2nd Tank Army, 3rd Shock Army and 8th Guards Army, and CGF – 4th Guards Army. The forces are as follows:
- Black Route: GSFG, 2nd Tank Army – 94 GMRD, 21 MRD, 25 TD, and 16 GTD;
- Green Route: GSFG, 3rd Shock Army – 10 GTD, 12 GTD, 47 GTD and 207 MRD;
- Purple Route: GSFG, 8th Guards Army – 20 GMRD, 39 GMRD, 57 GMRD and 79 GTD; and
- Orange Route: CGF, 4th Army – 31 TD, 18 MRD, 51 TD, 55 GMRD and 66 GMRD.
The unit types for these Divisions will be roughly defined by the following set of rules:
- Guards TD will have T64s and BMPs; except in CGF will have T62
- Guard MRD will have T64/62 and BTR or BMP; except in CGF will have T62 or T55
- Ordinary TD will have T64/62 and BMPs; except in CGF will have T62 or T55
- Ordinary MRD will have T62 and BTR; except in CGF will have T55
- Independent tank units – T62 or T64 in GSFG, T55 in CGF
- Guard Divisions will have SP artillery, while Ordinary Divisions will have Towed artillery, except all Divisions in CGF will be Towed.
I used six hexes around each route number to form the basis for the terrain on the gaming tables, with the map defining four terrain types: Open, Forested, Rough and Forested Rough. Then using a set of Tables and die rolls the gaming table is developed with towns, Cities, hills, forests, rivers and key terrain features as objectives.
Battle types are: Russians attack, Meeting engagement, Russians defend. Which battle applies randomly chosen, with a bias to Russians attack. The Russians have the option of delaying their advance and undertaking a Prepared attack, with additional supports.
The rough force matches, excluding supports, are:
A Russians attack result is likely to be 12 Soviet battalions versus about 4 NATO battalions;
A Meeting engagement result is likely to be 10 Soviet battalions versus 6 NATO battalions;
A Russians defend result is likely to be 10 Soviet battalions versus 8 NATO battalions; and
A Russian Prepared attack could be about 18 Soviet Battalions versus 6 NATO battalions.
NATOs forces may be weaker depending on the level of Soviet success in previous battles.
The forces available to the Russians in the campaign are essentially those that they start with with limited opportunities for replacements.
That, I hope sets the scene. Next I will set out the situation for the first battle - an attack by the 2nd Tank Army on BAOR defenders along the black route.
See you then.
Wednesday 20 August 2014
Proof of Life ?
Hi all
Just to prove that I'm still up and running, here are some photos of the painting that I've been doing.
I think that there are well over 450 models. I still have to base them (I'm sure that I said that last time I posted). Mind you I've been adding T80Us, T72 + ERA, T64 + ERA, so more to Base.
You may be wondering, or not, where I've got to with the Central Front Campaign system. Well, ... I fell down the rabbit hole that is what tanks, where and when, in the Group of Soviet Forces, Germany. Some progress, but not really resolved. Not sure its possible, at least not from public resources.
But, recently I got bored/itching to do some gaming. So, I've rewritten a "Race to X ... Campaign" to suit my own needs. I hope to get into it soon.
Cheers ...
Just to prove that I'm still up and running, here are some photos of the painting that I've been doing.
Russians - BTR80, BTR60, T72s, SP Artillery, PMP bridge, AA, BMD, etc |
Canadian BMG - Centurions, Leopard 1s, M113s, Lynx, M150, etc |
French - Armoured Division AMX30s, AMX10Ps, VABs, etc |
French - the Armoured Division plus extras |
United States - M1A1, M2 and assorted supports (all NATO 3-colour) |
United States - M1 Abrams, M2, M60A1, M60A3 and supports (all MERDEC) |
United Kingdom - Challenger 1, Bedford trucks and supports |
I think that there are well over 450 models. I still have to base them (I'm sure that I said that last time I posted). Mind you I've been adding T80Us, T72 + ERA, T64 + ERA, so more to Base.
You may be wondering, or not, where I've got to with the Central Front Campaign system. Well, ... I fell down the rabbit hole that is what tanks, where and when, in the Group of Soviet Forces, Germany. Some progress, but not really resolved. Not sure its possible, at least not from public resources.
But, recently I got bored/itching to do some gaming. So, I've rewritten a "Race to X ... Campaign" to suit my own needs. I hope to get into it soon.
Cheers ...
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