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 2^nd 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 -

1. Open = 2,          Farm; River at Western edge; Hamburg (20 sectors) East
2. Forested = 1,    1 small forest; River at Northern edge
3. Open = 1,          no additional terrain
4. Open = 5,          a small forest
5. Forested = 6,     2 medium forest
6. Open = 1,          no additional terrain

Key terrain features:

1. City -           on board 1
2. Open = 1,   small Town (4 sectors) + Fields - on board 3
3. Open = 1,   small Town (4 sectors) - on board 2
4. 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

Objectives

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

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

1. Left, centre and right advance to contact.
2. 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. 1. On board troops deployed in the central quarters of the table, toward the centre
   2. 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
• 1^st Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (5^th move cards)
• 2^nd Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (4^th move cards)
• 3^rd Mechanised Battalion – Reinforcements (6^th move cards)

Rsrv                     Rsrv

Reinforcements (3+D3 Move cards)

Edited: 19/1/2016 - adjusted Order of Battle.